[The Configuration of Tadalafil and Tadalafil Analogues Found in Dietary Supplements].

This study determined the configuration of the isomers of tadalafil, nortadalafil, and homotadalafil in dietary supplements. The products purchased over the Internet studied included a honey product and a tablet, which contained tadalafil, and a candy, which contained nortadalafil and homotadalafil. Each of the pharmaceutical ingredients isolated from the products was measured with circular dichroism (CD).

Development of a simple and cost-effective gel-based duplex PCR method to identify both encapsulated and unencapsulated Neisseria meningitidis applicable under resource-limited conditions.

Tens of thousands of cases of invasive meningococcal diseases (IMD) with thousands of deaths are reported annually worldwide; however, only approximately 40 cases occur each year in Japan. Therefore, the majority of medical technologists in Japan have never performed or prepared for analyses of the causative agent, Neisseria meningitidis. Since IMD outbreaks have been reported at mass gathering events, the risk of IMD will increase in Japan in 2021 because of the Olympics.

Distribution of section at shochu fermenting places in Japan.

Koji mold, which belongs to the section , is used in the production of shochu. The section is composed of very morphologically similar members that in some cases produce mycotoxins, which rises concerns as to whether the presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi in shochu producing sites can compromise consumer safety. Thus, we examined the presence of mycotoxin-producing sec.

Phylogeny, Prevalence, and Shiga Toxin (Stx) Production of Clinical Escherichia coli O157 Clade 2 Strains Isolated in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

This study investigated the genetic and pathogenic variation of the subgroups of clade 2 strains of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157. A total of 111 strains of STEC O157 isolated in Shimane prefecture, Japan, were classified in clade 2 (n = 39), clade 3 (n = 16), clade 4/5 (n = 3), clade 7 (n = 14), clade 8 (n = 17), and clade 12 (n = 22) by single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis and lineage-specific polymorphism assay-6. These results showed a distinct difference from our previous study in which clade 3 strains were the most prevalent strains in three other prefectures in Japan, indicating that the clade distribution of O157 strains was different in different geographic areas in Japan.

Associations between Japanese spotted fever (JSF) cases and wildlife distribution on the Boso Peninsula, Central Japan (2006-2017).

Populations of large mammals have been dramatically increasing in Japan, resulting in damage to agriculture, forestry, and ecosystems. However, their effects on tick-borne diseases have been poorly studied. Here, we focused on the relationship between Japanese spotted fever (JSF), a tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia japonica, and populations of large mammals.

Polymerase chain reaction primer sets for the detection of genetically diverse human sapoviruses.

Sapoviruses are increasingly being recognized as pathogens associated with gastroenteritis in humans. Human sapoviruses are currently assigned to 18 genotypes (GI.1-7, GII.

Detection and Determination of Fumonisins B, B, and B Contaminating Japanese Domestic Wine by Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Nine domestic wine samples collected from a Japanese winery were examined for the presence of fumonisin B (FB), fumonisin B (FB), and fumonisin B (FB), as well as ochratoxin A (OTA) and ochratoxin B (OTB). Wine samples spiked with C-labeled internal standards (C-FB and C-OTA) were diluted with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) buffer, loaded on immunoaffinity cartridges to purify of fumonisins and ochratoxins, and subjected to liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The data revealed that the domestic wine samples were possibly contaminated with FB and FB, in addition to FB, whereas none of the tested wine samples were contaminated with OTA and OTB.

SARS-CoV-2 Genome Analysis of Japanese Travelers in Nile River Cruise.

Japan has reported 26 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) linked to cruise tours on the River Nile in Egypt between March 5 and 15, 2020. Here, we characterized the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome of isolates from 10 travelers who returned from Egypt and from patients possibly associated with these travelers. We performed haplotype network analysis of SARS-CoV-2 isolates using genome-wide single-nucleotide variations.

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus exhibiting reduced susceptibility to baloxavir due to a PA E23K substitution detected from a child without baloxavir treatment.

Human-to-human transmission of PA I38 mutant influenza A(H3N2) viruses with reduced baloxavir susceptibility has been reported in Japan. In December 2019, we detected a PA E23K mutant A(H1N1)pdm09 virus from a child without baloxavir treatment. The PA E23K mutant virus exhibited reduced baloxavir susceptibility but remained susceptible to neuraminidase inhibitors.

First record of infestation of a pet sloth in Japan with the exotic tick Amblyomma geayi (Acari: Ixodidae).

On December 11, 2018, a single unengorged adult tick was found on the body surface of the trunk of an imported wild-caught Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) during a routine health check in an animal clinic in Tokyo, Japan. The tick was identified as Amblyomma geayi based on the morphological and molecular characteristics. This is the first case of the introduction of an Amblyomma species to Japan via an imported pet sloth.

Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Japanese Population: the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and incident atrial fibrillation risk in the general Japanese population, who have lower hs-CRP levels than the Western population, and assess whether the association is modified by sex, overweight, hypertension, and smoking status.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study in 6517 Japanese men and women aged 40-79 years without atrial fibrillation at baseline and enrolled in the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (2002-2008). The hs-CRP levels were measured using the latex particle-enhanced immunonephelometric assay.

Emergence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Chester in a rural area of Japan.

In Japan, only one outbreak of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Chester (S. Chester) has been confirmed in 1999.

Identification of serotype e strains missing the gene in clinical isolates from Japan.

. Certain nontypeable cannot be assigned a sequence type (ST) by Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) due to the lack of the gene, one of seven MLST loci in , which encodes a fucose-operon enzyme..

Nationwide Molecular Epidemiology of Measles Virus in Japan Between 2008 and 2017.

Genotyping evidence that supports the interruption of endemic measles virus (MV) transmission is one of the essential criteria to be verified in achieving measles elimination. In Japan since 2014, MV genotype analyses have been performed for most of the measles cases in prefectural public health institutes nationwide. With this strong molecular epidemiological data, Japan was verified to have eliminated measles in March, 2015.

Genetic characteristics of emerging Salmonella enterica serovar Agona strains isolated from humans in the prior period to occurrence of the serovar shift in broilers.

Our previous studies found that a dominant serovar of Salmonella enterica isolates from three farms raising broilers in 2014 and 2015 was serovar Agona and the number of Infantis isolates decreased (the serovar shift). In this study, 52 S. Agona strains which isolated between 1993 and 2008, were compared to the serovar shift clone by molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analyses, using pulsed field gel electrophoresis and whole genome sequence analyses.

Surveillance of immunity acquired from poliovirus immunization including vaccination with the Sabin strain-derived inactivated vaccine.

In Japan, routine immunization for polio using the oral polio vaccine (OPV) was suspended in September 2012; subsequently, an immunization program with inactivated polio vaccines (IPVs), the conventional IPV (cIPV) derived from virulent strains, and IPV derived from Sabin strains (sIPV), was introduced. However, the immunity induced by sIPV is not well characterized. This study assessed and compared neutralizing antibodies produced against poliovirus in cases who received doses of OPV or IPV.

The Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS): A Long-Term Epidemiological Study for Lifestyle-Related Disease Among Japanese Men and Women Living in Communities.

The Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS) is an ongoing community-based epidemiological study of lifestyle-related disease involving dynamic prospective cohorts of approximately 12,000 adults from five communities of Japan: Ikawa, Ishizawa and Kita-Utetsu (Akita Prefecture), Minami-Takayasu (Osaka Prefecture), Noichi (Kochi Prefecture), and Kyowa (Ibaraki Prefecture). One of the most notable features of CIRCS is that it is not only an observational cohort study to identify risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as stroke, coronary heart disease, and sudden cardiac death, but it also involves prevention programs for CVD. Using basic, clinical, epidemiological, and statistical techniques, CIRCS has clarified characteristics of CVD and the related risk factors to develop specific methodologies towards CVD prevention in Japanese middle-aged or older adults for more than half a century.

Clinical value of enzyme immunoassay that detects rubella-specific immunoglobulin M immediately after disease onset.

A total of 300 patients with nucleic acid test-confirmed rubella, mostly adults, were investigated to determine the clinical value of a rubella-specific IgM test using an EIA kit. IgM titers increased after rash onset, the median IgM titer being significantly higher 3 days post-onset than on previous days (P < 0.0001).

Isolation and molecular detection of Ehrlichia species from ticks in western, central, and eastern Japan.

Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne bacterial disease caused by pathogens of the Ehrlichia genus. Although human ehrlichiosis has not been reported in Japan, Ehrlichia spp., which are closely related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis, were detected in several species of ixodid ticks.

Equalization of four cardiovascular risk algorithms after systematic recalibration: individual-participant meta-analysis of 86 prospective studies.

Aims: There is debate about the optimum algorithm for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimation. We conducted head-to-head comparisons of four algorithms recommended by primary prevention guidelines, before and after 'recalibration', a method that adapts risk algorithms to take account of differences in the risk characteristics of the populations being studied.

Methods And Results: Using individual-participant data on 360 737 participants without CVD at baseline in 86 prospective studies from 22 countries, we compared the Framingham risk score (FRS), Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), pooled cohort equations (PCE), and Reynolds risk score (RRS).

[Use of a pamphlet to encourage individuals to eat slowly to help reduce the development of metabolic syndrome].

Objectives: We examined how distributing a pamphlet that encourages individuals to eat food slowly can help reduce the development of metabolic syndrome among workers who regularly undergo health checkups in the workplace.

Methods: We prepared an educational dietary pamphlet that provided information on reducing the speed of eating and the importance of eating slowly and distributed it to C municipal officials who visited their workplace clinic for a medical checkup in 2013. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m or greater, by comparing workers before and after the pamphlet distribution.

Broadly reactive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of human sapovirus genotypes.

Sapoviruses are associated with acute gastroenteritis. Human sapoviruses are classified into four distinct genogroups (GI, GII, GIV, and GV) based on their capsid gene sequences. A TaqMan probe-based real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay that detects the representative strains of these four genogroups is widely used for screening fecal specimens, shellfish, and environmental water samples.

Serum Fatty Acid and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease - Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS).

Background: Few prospective studies have explored the association between fatty acids (FA) and risk of CAD. Understanding of the role of each individual serum FA as a coronary risk or protective factor is still limited. The aim was to investigate which serum FA are associated with the incidence of CAD in Japanese subjects.