Domestic infection of hepatitis E in Japan.

In most cases of hepatitis E in Japan, patients acquire the viral infection abroad in countries where hepatitis E is endemic. However, in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, we encountered a patient with hepatitis E who had never been abroad. The diagnosis was made on finding hepatitis E viral RNA and antibodies against the virus in the serum.

Functional analysis of rat acidic calponin.

Recombinant acidic calponin, a member of the calponin family, interacted with F-actin, but not with microtubules, desmin filaments, tropomyosin, calmodulin, S100 and phosphatidylserine (PS) vesicles with significant affinity. The bindings of acidic calponin to F-actin occurred in a concentration-dependent manner and were saturated at a molar ratio of about 1 acidic calponin to 1-2 actin molecules. The apparent Kd value of acidic calponin to F-actin was calculated to be 1.