Search

The characteristics and clinical consequences of bacteremia in older people, who are highly susceptible to infections, need to be clarified. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics, prognosis, and predictors of 7-day mortality in patients with community-acquired (CA), healthcare-associated (HCA), and hospital-onset (HO) bacteremia in older adults aged ≥65 years. Patients aged ≥65 years with positive blood cultures between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2018, were divided into three groups: pre-old (65–74 years), old (75–89 years), and super-old (≥90 years). Characteristics based on medical exposure, including CA, HCA, and HO, were also compared and factors related to mortality were identified. Overall, 1716 episodes of bacteremia were identified in 1415 patients. Of the 1211 episodes without contamination, 32.8%, 54.3%, and 12.9% occurred in pre-old, old, and super-old patients. Central line-associated bloodstream infections were more common in pre-old patients and urinary tract infections in the old and super-old. The 7-day mortality rates in the pre-old, old, and super-old groups were 7.4%, 5.8%, and 14.2% (P = 0.002), respectively. Multivariable logistic regression showed that super-old age (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 2.09 [1.13–3.88], P = 0.019) and HO bacteremia (aOR: 1.97 [1.18–3.28], P = 0.010) were independent risk factors for 7-day mortality. Infectious disease consultation had a protective effect on 7-day mortality (aOR: 0.59 [0.35–0.99], P = 0.047). The epidemiology of bacteremia differs among older people; thus, they should not be treated as a single entity. A careful approach is needed for the optimal management of bacteremia in these vulnerable patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disseminated community-acquired infections caused by the hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) among relatively healthy individuals in East Asia have been reported in recent years. Isolate of the capsular genotype K1, belonging to sequence type (ST) 23, is the most common causative agent of this disease. We experienced two cases of K1-ST23 infection with a travel history in East Asia, and hvKp infection was diagnosed after entering or returning to Japan. Case 1 was a 45-year-old Myanmar seaman with a history of ischemic heart disease who developed a fever on board and was transported to Japan via Shanghai and Taiwan. He had multiple disseminated lesions due to K. pneumoniae ; other symptoms included liver abscess, intraocular inflammation, intraventricular thrombosis, brain abscess, and bloodstream infection. Along with antimicrobial treatment, drainage of liver abscesses and surgery for intraocular inflammation and intraventricular thrombosis were required. The patient was discharged 93 days after admission, with little improvement in the visual acuity. Case 2: A 29-year-old Japanese man with no underlying disease developed a prostate abscess and bloodstream infection caused by K. pneumoniae after a trip to Korea. However, he improved only with antimicrobial treatment. K. pneumoniae in both cases were identified to have the rmpA gene, with capsular genotypes K1 and ST23. Further, both cases were considered to have been infected with hvKp during their stay in East Asia. In conclusion, it is important to suspect disseminated disease and perform a systemic search, taking into account that hvKp may be present in cases of Klebsiella infection acquired from East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This journal article shows our recent research about the validity of the double-curling method while a film deposition occurs. Curling probe is one of the microwave resonators mainly utilized to measure the electron density in plasma. The double-curling probe method is an application of the probe that allows us to make in-situ measurements of both electron density and deposited film thickness on the probe using the two different-sized curling probes. In this journal article, we firstly researched the validity of the method in a simulated condition where the probes were in argon plasma and where the probe surface is covered with a polyimide film (12.5–50 μ m thickness). This first research showed that the electron density and the film thickness derived with the method were decently close to the values measured with the Langmuir probe and micrometer, respectively. We then researched the validity of the double-curling probe method in the situation where the hydrogenated-amorphous-carbon film deposition occurs on the probe surface. This second measurement demonstrated that the double-curling probe method can derive a constant electron density and a growing film while the film was depositing. These overall results verified the decent validity of the double-curling probe method for making an in-situ measurement of both electron density and depositing film thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteriophages (or phages) play major roles in the evolution of bacterial pathogens via horizontal gene transfer. Multiple phages are often integrated in a host chromosome as prophages, not only carrying various novel virulence-related genetic determinants into host bacteria but also providing various possibilities for prophage-prophage interactions in bacterial cells. In particular, Escherichia coli strains such as Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing E. coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains have acquired more than 10 prophages (up to 21 prophages), many of which encode type III secretion system (T3SS) effector gene clusters. In these strains, some prophages are present at a single locus in tandem, which is usually interpreted as the integration of phages that use the same attachment (att) sequence. Here, we present phages integrating into T3SS effector gene cluster-associated loci in prophages, which are widely distributed in STEC and EPEC. Some of the phages integrated into prophages are Stx-encoding phages (Stx phages) and have induced the duplication of Stx phages in a single cell. The identified attB sequences in prophage genomes are apparently derived from host chromosomes. In addition, two or three different attB sequences are present in some prophages, which results in the generation of prophage clusters in various complex configurations. These phages integrating into prophages represent a medically and biologically important type of inter-phage interaction that promotes the accumulation of T3SS effector genes in STEC and EPEC, the duplication of Stx phages in STEC, and the conversion of EPEC to STEC and that may be distributed in other types of E. coli strains as well as other prophage-rich bacterial species. Author summary: Multiple prophages are often integrated in a bacterial host chromosome and some are present at a single locus in tandem. The most striking examples are Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (STEC and EPEC) strains, which usually contain more than 10 prophages (up to 21). Many of them encode a cluster of type III secretion system (T3SS) effector genes, contributing the acquisition of a large number of effectors (>30) by STEC and EPEC. Here, we describe prophages integrating into T3SS effector gene cluster-associated loci in prophages, which are widely distributed in STEC and EPEC. Two or three different attachment sequences derived from host chromosomes are present in some prophages, generating prophage clusters in various complex configurations. Of note, some of such phages integrating into prophages are Stx-encoding phages (Stx phages) and have induced the duplication of Stx phages. Thus, "prophage-in-prophage" represents an important inter-phage interaction as they can promote not only the accumulation of T3SS effectors in STEC and EPEC but also the duplication of Stx phages and the conversion of EPEC to STEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a technique for measuring the thickness of a deposited film and electron density simultaneously during plasma processing with two different-sized curling probes. The technique requires only two things; the measurement of resonant-frequency shifts occurring on the two probes before and after the processing, and the substitution of the frequencies into a set of two quadratic equations. The solutions of the equations lead to a simulated measurement of electron density and the thickness of films deposited on the probe surface. We placed a piece of polyimide tape on the probe surface to simulate the deposited film, and then exposed the probes to an argon plasma. In this report, we derived the thickness and pre-calibrated electron density simultaneously from the frequency shifts due to the film thickness and the plasma density. Our measurement showed the film thickness with 9% accuracy and the electron density in the order of 109 cm−3. This result revealed that the proposed technique is principally available for plasma processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effect of the feeding behaviour of young larvae of Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval (Pieridae) on parasitism by the parasitoid wasp, Cotesia glomerata (L.) (Braconidae). Young, 1st-3rd instar larvae used approximately three sites for feeding each day. When not feeding, they moved a short distance away from the feeding sites (= feeding marks) and rested. For fi rst, second and third instar larvae, the distances from the new mark, made within 24 h, to larva at rest were, respectively, about 3.5 mm, 5 mm and more than 10 mm. To resume feeding, they moved back to one of the former feeding sites or a new site. The percentage of the feeding marks older than 24 h that attracted parasitoids was less than 50%. Time spent searching for hosts by a parasitoid was short. Larvae placed 5 mm or more from a feeding mark were less parasitized than the larvae placed near a mark. The number of feeding marks affected parasitism. When comparing single-marked and triple-marked leaves, the percentage parasitism of the larvae on the latter was signifi cantly lower than that of the larvae on the former. On triple-marked leaves, parasitoids visited each mark unevenly. Accordingly, the time spent searching each mark differed signifi cantly among the marks. Because of this confusing effect, hosts are considered to be reducing the risk of parasitism. Our results demonstrate that the feeding habits of young larvae of P. rapae crucivora are adaptive in terms of reducing the risk of parasitism by C. glomerata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoluminescence of n-type GaN thin films in an argon plasma condition has been studied byin situmeasurement. The characteristic near-band-edge (NBE) peak and yellow luminescence (YL) of GaN films are observed in the spectra. However, compared to the luminescence of GaN in air and in a vacuum, in the plasma of 80 W power, the NBE peak and YL intensity first increase dramatically and then decrease with extended time. The effects are attributed mainly to an increasing temperature induced by the plasma, but also to a lesser extent by damage to the film caused by the plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Clostridium botulinum type C and D strains produce serotype-specific or mosaic botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). Botulinum C/D and D/C mosaic neurotoxins (BoNT/CD and /DC) are related to avian and bovine botulism, respectively. The two mosaic BoNTs cannot be differentiated from authentic type C and D BoNTs by the conventional serotyping method. In this study, we attempted to establish novel methods for the specific detection of BoNT/CD or/DC. Comparison with nontoxic component genes in type C and D strains revealed that the nucleotide sequence of the ha70 gene is well conserved among either serotype-specific or mosaic BoNT-producing strains. A multiplex PCR method with primers for the light chain of boNT, ntnh, and ha70 gene detection was developed for typing of the boNT gene in type C and D strains. Upon applying this method, twenty-seven type C and D strains, including authentic strains and the isolates from avian and bovine botulism, were successfully divided into type C, C/D mosaic, type D, and D/C mosaic BoNT-producing strains. We then prepared an immunochromatography kit with specific monoclonal antibody showing high binding affinity to each mosaic BoNT. BoNT/CD and /DC in the culture supernatant were detected with limits of detection of 2.5 and 10 LD50, respectively. Furthermore, we confirmed the applicability of the kit for BoNT/DC using crude culture supernatant from a specimen from a bovine suspected of having botulism. These results indicate that the genetic and immunological detection methods are useful for the diagnosis of avian and bovine botulism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Clostridium botulinum types C and D are related to avian and mammalian botulism. Bovine botulism occurred at various farms from 2004 to 2007 in Japan. Since culture supernatants of isolates from cases of bovine botulism were neutralized completely and partially with type D and C antitoxins, respectively, we attempted to confirm the nucleotide sequences of the neurotoxin gene in isolates. The neurotoxin gene comprised two-thirds of the type D neurotoxin gene and one-third of the type C neurotoxin gene, indicating that the neurotoxin of bovine isolates is a mosaic of type D and C neurotoxins, D/C mosaic neurotoxin. We prepared four sets of primers to differentiate the genes of the mosaic and authentic forms with PCR. The results showed that all bovine botulism-related isolates possess the gene for the D/C mosaic form. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated that isolates from bovine botulism which had occurred between 2004 and 2007 were genetically homologous, except for the isolate from one area. We further examined the biological and antigenic properties of the D/C mosaic neurotoxin, which was found to exhibit the highest lethal activity in mice compared with other types of neurotoxins. In the D/C mosaic neurotoxin, three epitopes recognized by monoclonal antibodies that specifically react to and neutralize the toxin were located in the carboxyl-terminal domain of the heavy chain. These results indicate that D/C mosaic neurotoxin is a pathogenic agent causing bovine botulism and has unique characteristics different from other type C and D neurotoxins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports on influences of reactive oxygen (O2) or nitrogen (N2) addition on ionization characteristics of sputtered titanium (Ti) atoms in an argon (Ar)-based novel droplet-free metal ion sources. Although Ti atoms had a pressure dependence of ionization characteristics similar to copper ones in a pure Ar discharge, the ionization characteristics of Ti atoms were affected by adding reactive N2 and O2 gases into the Ar plasma. Especially, the reactive gas addition significantly reduced fluxes of Ti atoms and Ti+ ions probably due to target-poisoning effect caused by chemical reactivity of Ti. Even adding the reactive gases, the source will still work as a droplet-free metal ion source since the ionization fraction of Ti atoms reached over ∼90%. Optimization of discharge conditions and reactive gas provision will be necessary from a metal ion process point of view. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports on ionization fraction in sputter-based copper ion sources for plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII). Deposition rate of copper thin film on a silicon substrate was measured, and A Cu+ ion flux fraction to overall Cu species was obtained from the effects of the substrate bias on the deposition rate. The ion flux fraction increased with Ar pressure and the fraction reached ∼100%. The fraction was also compared with that obtained from quadrupole mass spectroscopy (QMS) and Langmuir probe measurements; and these results showed a fairly good agreement. The ionization fraction increased with the discharge pressure and a flight length of the sputtered copper atoms in the plasma column, suggesting that a long interaction time of the copper atoms with the plasma is a crucial condition for the enhancement of the ionization fraction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports on ionization of sputtered zirconium (Zr) atoms in inductively coupled argon discharge. A Zr+ ion flux fraction to overall Zr species mainly was obtained by deposition measurements with the retarding bias method, and the fraction approximately reached ∼100%. The Zr+ ion fraction was affected by the discharge pressure, and hardly dependent on the discharge power corresponding to an electron density. This result suggested that the Zr+ ions were generated with ionization process other than electron impact such as Penning effect. There was an optimal pressure to produce the Zr+ ions, and the Zr+ ion density estimated from the deposition measurement was consistent with that obtained from a combination of Langmuir probe measurements and mass spectroscopic measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes effects of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) optical emission on the secondary electron emission coefficient (SEEC) in plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) processes. To examine this, time-resolved in situ SEEC measurements were carried out for square wave-modulated Ar discharges. The SEEC in the activeglow was enhanced in proportion to the SEEC in the afterglow regardless of the ion-bombarding energy. The SEEC enhancement in the activeglow was caused by photon effects, and was explained by synergistic effects of photon irradiation and ion bombardment. Oxygen addition to the Ar discharge also caused a significant increase in the SEEC, and enhanced both ion-induced SEEC and photon enhancement factor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes in-process measurements of secondary electron emission coefficient (SEEC) during plasma immersion ion implantation for a plane target. In the plane target, trajectories of secondary electrons (SEs) emitted from the target strongly depend on the plasma conditions as well as the amplitude of pulse voltages applied to the target because of variation of the curvature radius of the sheath formed around the target. Therefore, absolute measurements of the SE current as well as of the SEEC were difficult to perform. However, calibration of an SE detector using a plane target with very high SEEC enabled the SEEC measurements. The measurements of the SE current revealed that the sheath curvature was affected by the plasma condition and the target shape. This calibration will be useful for SEEC measurements of arbitrary-shaped target. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 151(3): 1–7, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20096 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method for observing the propagation-angle displacement of a collimated beam with respect to the travel direction of a moving part by use of a dual-focus Fresnel lens. The fabricated binary-type dual focus Fresnel lens consisting of two portions having a different focal length from each other. 0.5 mrad angular accuracy within a travel range of 16 mm was experimentally confirmed and then it was successfully applied to split-type optical head manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, energy measurements of sheath-accelerated secondary electrons were carried out during plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) based on a temperature-controlled semiconductor detector. Reducing secondary electrons incident to the detector having an integrating circuit, a voltage step corresponding to incidence of single secondary electron was observed. Step height analysis for the detector output enabled us to give kinetic energy of the secondary electron, and the measured energy was found to be proportional to the sheath voltage. The operating pressure hardly had an influence on the kinetic energy for the pressure less than ∼1.3 Pa. Therefore collision effects in the gas phase was negligible on this measurement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes effects of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) optical emission from the plasma on the secondary electron emission coefficient (SEEC) in PIII processes. To examine this, time-resolved measurements of the VUV emission intensity and the SEEC are performed in continuous and square-wave-modulated discharges. For all the measured data, a good linearity between the SEEC and the VUV intensity is found out, and the ion-induced SEEC can be distinguished from the photon-induced SEEC. In the afterglow of the modulated discharge, the SEEC decreases because the VUV emission intensity. Therefore, ion implantation in the afterglow allows us to reduce a current requirement of the pulse generator, leading to low-cost PIII processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract The effect of photoperiod on nymphal development, growth and adult size was examined in a pentatomid bug, Dolycoris baccarum , collected in Osaka (a warm temperate region) and Hokkaido (a subfrigid region), Japan. When insects were reared from eggs at 25°C, the developmental period was long and adult size was large under photoperiods close to the critical photoperiod for the induction of adult diapause. Adults of the Hokkaido population were larger than those of the Osaka population. There was no significant correlation between developmental period and adult size. Insects also showed variation in their growth rate: growth rate was low under photoperiods a little longer than the critical photoperiod for the induction of diapause. The ecological significance of variation in development and growth is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reported measurements of secondary electron emission coefficient (SEEC) during plasma immersion ion implantation and its application to in situ process monitoring of surface conditions. In order to obtain the SEEC, the ratio of a target total current to its secondary electron current component was measured. The secondary electron current was measured with a semiconductor detector located in front of the target. In the PIII process based on an oxygen-mixtured discharge, the SEEC increased with the process time, then saturated. The time variation of the SEEC shows a fairly good agreement with that of the oxygen implantation depth measured by XPS analysis. This result suggests that the SEEC measurement is applicable to end-point detection for the PIII process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 53-year-old male Japanese patient with COVID-19 was admitted to our hospital after his respiratory condition worsened on day 9 of the disease. With the diagnosis of severe COVID-19, treatment with remdesivir, dexamethasone, and unfractionated heparin was started for the prevention of thrombosis. Although the patient's respiratory status data improved after treatment, severe respiratory failure persisted. Thrombocytopenia and D-dimer elevation were observed on day 8 after heparin therapy initiation. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) antibody measured by immunological assay was positive, and contrast computed tomography showed pulmonary artery thrombus. The patient was diagnosed with HIT because the pre-test probability score (4Ts score) for HIT was 7 points. Heparin was changed to apixaban, a direct oral anticoagulant, which resulted in a reduction of the pulmonary thrombus and improvement of the respiratory failure. In patients with COVID-19, anticoagulant therapy with heparin requires careful monitoring of thrombocytopenia and elevated D-dimer as possible complications related to HIT. (151/250 words). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Effects of temperature and photoperiod on the induction and re-induction of adult diapause were examined in Dybowskyia reticulata (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Adults collected from the field after overwintering in early summer continued oviposition under long-day conditions of LD 16:8 h at 20 or 25°C, while they re-entered diapause under short-day conditions of LD 12:12 h at 25, 27.5 or 30°C. By contrast, adults reared in the laboratory from eggs at 20 or 25°C entered diapause under both long-day and short-day conditions, whereas those reared at 27.5 and 30°C entered diapause only under short-day conditions. Under quasi-natural conditions in 1993, when summer temperature was low, most adults of the first generation entered diapause in late July. However, in the warmer summer of 1996, oviposition was recorded in many females that ecdysed into adults from July to early August. Even though the seeds of the host plants occur in a restricted period from early summer to early autumn, in warmer years D. reticulata may produce a second generation. The response to temperature with a threshold between 25 and 27.5°C in D. reticulata brings about a switch between the univoltine and bivoltine life cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is carried out to examine the possibility of lightning control using a photoionized plasma produced by a UV laser without an optical air breakdown. As the fundamental experiment, the characteristics of a laser-triggered spark gap (LTSG) are examined, where a laser beam is not irradiated on the surface of the electrodes. In this experiment, the KrF excimer laser is very effective in increasing the plasma density ne and the reduction ratiop of 50 percent breakdown voltage against the self-breakdown voltage. The relation between ne and p is increased by generating a long and high-density plasma parallel to the discharge axis. On the other hand, the abnormal discharge process in triggered lightning using a rocket is examined, and it is indicated that the most important condition to trigger a lightning discharge is the production of a plasma channel of length 200 m and density about 1019 m-3. It is suggested that such a plasma channel could be produced by a KrF excimer laser with an energy of only about 3.67 J. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on remote inspection of cracked electric insulator. Nondestructive inspection of material; Laser beam in inspections.

Presents a study which looked at role of compound eyes in photoperiodic regulation of diapause and entrainment of circadian rhythms in a hemipteran, Graphosoma lineatum. What arrhythmicity associated with; Details on the methodology used to conduct the study; Effects of removal of compound eyes on photoperiodic determination of diapause.

Abstract: This paper reports on plasma parameters and ion composition of droplet-free Zr ion source for plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII&D). Zirconium (Zr) ions were obtained by ionizing sputtered Zr atoms in inductively-coupled argon discharge. The characteristics of plasma density, plasma potential and electron temperature were typical ones of such a inductive discharge, and the plasma parameters were not significantly influenced by mixing the sputtered Zr atoms into the plasma. Actually, the main ionic component was still Ar+ ions, and the ion density ratio of [Zr+]/[Ar+] was as low as ∼8%. Increase in sputtering rate of the Zr source will be necessary to improve the ion density ratio. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

S. pseudintermedius , recently identified as a novel Staphylococcus , causes a rare zoonotic infection that can be transmitted from dogs to humans. A 41-year-old man with atopic dermatitis receiving central parenteral nutrition through a totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) after surgery for pseudomyxoma peritonei visited our outpatient clinic with a 2-day history of fever. The four strains isolated from the blood cultures from the TIVAP, dog's mouth, dog's nose, and dog's skin were all identified as S. pseudintermedius by partial heat shock protein (hsp60) gene sequencing. Initially, antibiotic-lock therapy with vancomycin (5 mg/mL in normal saline) through the catheter was administered concurrently with intravenous therapy. However, 52 days after the first discharge, he came back with a recurrent TIVAP infection with S. pseudintermedius bacteremia. He was successfully treated with intravenous antibiotic therapy after port removal and had no recurrence for 6 months without contact with the dog. The isolated strains were resistant to fluoroquinolone, which was consistent with trends in veterinary medicine in Japan. This case report raises awareness on S. pseudintermedius infections transmitted from domesticated dogs to patients with any implantable device, and the emerging resistance of S. pseudintermedius to current antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To confirm oviposition periodicity in queen ants of Lasius japonicus (Formicidae), we performed breeding experiments under four constant conditions: 25, 20, and 17.5 °C under a 12L:12D photoperiod, and 17.5 °C under a 24L photoperiod. After nuptial flight, L. japonicus queens began to lay eggs immediately after the onset of breeding in all conditions. The number of eggs observed in each colony peaked on days 20-40 and then decreased gradually. After the decrease, the egg number began to increase and then decrease again in most colonies. Larval emergence occurred in some colonies but did not occur in many others. Period lengths of cyclic fluctuation in egg number, which were estimated using Fourier analysis, were on average 130-150 days in all four experimental conditions. Larval emergence seemed not to affect the peak days. The decline in queens’ oviposition activity might correspond with that occurring in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here report a case of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in Japan in which the initial throat swab polymerase chain reaction result was negative The possibility of false-negative results in the early phase of disease suggest reconsideration of the feasibility of a community or national infection control framework to prevent transmission. We recommend establishing an alternative feasible system, such as self-isolation by contact history in non-endemic community and by symptoms in endemic community, not relying on the PCR examination, to minimize this ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Further rapid accumulation of knowledge including incubation period, clinical course and types of transmission is warranted to control this outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Within the genus Escherichia, several monophyletic clades other than the traditionally defined species have been identified. Of these, cryptic clade I (C-I) appears to represent a subspecies of E. coli, but due to the difficulty in distinguishing it from E. coli sensu stricto, the population structure and virulence potential of C-I are unclear. Results: We defined a set of true C-I strains (n = 465), including a Shiga toxin 2a (Stx2a)-producing isolate from a patient with bloody diarrhoea identified by the retrospective analyses using a C-I-specific detection system. Through genomic analysis of 804 isolates from the cryptic clades, including these C-I strains, we revealed their global population structures and the marked accumulation of virulence genes and antimicrobial resistance genes in C-I. In particular, half of the C-I strains contained hallmark virulence genes of Stx-producing E. coli (STEC) and/or enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). We also found the host-specific distributions of virulence genes, which suggests bovines as the potential source of human infections caused by STEC- and STEC/ETEC hybrid-type C-I strains, as is known in STEC. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the emergence of human intestinal pathogens in C-I lineage. To better understand the features of C-I strains and their infections, extensive surveillance and larger population studies of C-I strains are needed. The C-I-specific detection system developed in this study will be a powerful tool for screening and identifying C-I strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiga toxin (Stx) is the key virulence factor of Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). All known Stxs (Stx1 and Stx2) are encoded by bacteriophages (Stx phages). Although the genetic diversity of Stx phages has frequently been described, systematic analyses of Stx phages in a single STEC lineage are limited. In this study, focusing on the O26:H11 STEC sequence type 21 (ST21) lineage, where the stx1a gene is highly conserved, we analysed the Stx1a phages in 39 strains representative of the entire ST21 lineage and found a high level of variation in Stx1a phage genomes caused by various mechanisms, including replacement by a different Stx1a phage at the same or different locus. The evolutionary timescale of events changing Stx1a phages in ST21 was also determined. Furthermore, by using an Stx1 quantification system developed in this study, we found notable variations in the efficiency of Stx1 production upon prophage induction, which sharply contrasted with the conserved iron regulated Stx1 production. These variations were associated with the Stx1a phage alteration in some cases but not in other cases; thus, Stx1 production in this STEC lineage was determined by differences not only in Stx1 phages but also in host-encoded factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated in-situ photoluminescence properties of GaN surfaces exposed to Ar plasma. With increasing plasma exposure time, both intensities of near-band-edge (NBE) peak and yellow band luminescence (YL) significantly decrease, whereas that of blue band luminescence (BL) is seen to gradually increase. Additionally, the YL/NBE intensity ratio is almost invariant, but the BL/NBE intensity ratio increases dramatically with increasing the plasma exposure time. The results suggest that the increase in the BL intensity is probably due to the plasma-induced damage accumulation and the in-situ monitoring of the BL/NBE intensity ratio can be used to observe the plasma-induced damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Old age is an independent risk factor (RF) for severe COVID-19; evidence for clinico-epidemiological characteristics among elderly COVID-19 patients is scarce. We aimed to analyze clinical and epidemiological characteristics and comorbidities associated with COVID-19 inpatients in age-stratified populations of an elderly COVID-19 cohort. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study, using nationwide registry data of COVID-19 patients hospitalized before October 31, 2020 (major information entered in the registry as of December 28, 2020). Participants were divided by age according to the Japan Geriatrics Society and the Japan Gerontological Society: pre-old (65–74 years), old (75–89 years), and super-old (≥90 years). Multivariable logistic regression (MLR) analyses were conducted to identify stratified risk and relationships with comorbidities associated with worse outcomes in different age-groups of elderly patients. Demographics and supportive care were evaluated by category. Results: Data of 4,701 patients from 444 hospitals were included. Most patients (79.3%) had at least one comorbidity; the proportion of patients with hypertension was high in all categories. The proportion of patients with dementia, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease increased with age. The percentage of patients who underwent invasive mechanical ventilation/extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was lower in the super-old group. In total, 11.5% of patients died (5.3%, pre-old; 15.2%, old; and 22.4%, super-old). MLR showed that the risk of critical illness differed among age-groups. Male sex was a significant RF in all ages. Collagen disease, moderate to severe renal disorder, and dialysis were significant RFs in older patients, while hematological malignancies and metastatic tumors were more important RFs for severe disease in relatively younger patients. Most of the RFs for critical illnesses were associated with death. Conclusion: Differences in the epidemiological and clinical characteristics among the different age-groups were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction, including dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with salivary cortisol changes. However, the role of gastrointestinal microbiota during IBS symptom exacerbation remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the microbial species, gene transcripts, and chemical composition of fecal and oral samples are altered during the exacerbation of IBS symptoms.Methods: Fecal, salivary, and dental plaque samples were collected at baseline from 43 men with IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) and 40 healthy control (HC) men. Samples in the IBS-D patients were also collected during symptom exacerbation. The composition of the fecal microbiota was determined by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene, RNA-based metatranscriptome, and metabolites in samples from HC and IBS patients with and without symptom exacerbation. Oral samples were also analyzed using omics approaches.Results: The fecal microbiota during IBS symptom exacerbation exhibited significant differences in the phylogenic pattern and short-chain fatty acid compared with fecal samples during defecation when symptoms were not exacerbated. Although there were no significant differences in the phylogenic pattern of fecal microbiota abundance between HCs and IBS-D patients, significant differences were detected in the expression patterns of bacterial transcriptomes related to butyrate production and neuroendocrine hormones, including tryptophan-serotonin-melatonin synthesis and glutamine/GABA. The composition of plaque microbiota was different between HC and IBS-D patients during normal defecation.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that colonic host-microbial interactions are altered in IBS-D patients during exacerbation of symptoms. There were no overlaps between feces and oral microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The automated haematology analyzer XN-31 prototype (XN-31p) is a new flow cytometry-based device developed to measure the number and the ratio of malaria-infected red blood cells (MI-RBC) with a complete blood count (CBC). The XN-31p can provide results in about one minute and also can simultaneously provide information on the malaria parasite (Plasmodium) species. In this study, clinical testing of the XN-31p was performed using blood samples from patients with imported malaria in Japan. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 80 patients who visited the hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, for malaria diagnosis from January 2017 to January 2019. The test results by the XN-31p were compared with those by other standard methods, such as microscopic observation, rapid diagnostic tests and the nested PCR. Results: Thirty-three patients were diagnosed by the nested PCR as being malaria positive (28 Plasmodium falciparum, 2 Plasmodium vivax, 1 Plasmodium knowlesi, 1 mixed infection of P. falciparum and Plasmodium malariae, and 1 mixed infection of P. falciparum and Plasmodium ovale), and the other 47 were negative. The XN-31p detected 32 patients as "MI-RBC positive", which almost matched the results by the nested PCR and, in fact, completely matched with the microscopic observations. The ratio of RBCs infected with malaria parasites as determined by the XN-31p showed a high correlation coefficient of more than 0.99 with the parasitaemia counted under microscopic observation. The XN-31p can analyse the size and nucleic acid contents of each cell, and the results were visualized on a two-dimensional cytogram termed the "M scattergram". Information on species and developmental stages of the parasites could also be predicted from the patterns visualized in the M scattergrams. The XN-31p showed a positive coincidence rate of 0.848 with the nested PCR in discriminating P. falciparum from the other species. Conclusions: The XN-31p could rapidly provide instructive information on the ratio of MI-RBC and the infecting Plasmodium species. It was regarded to be of great help for the clinical diagnosis of malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate the overflow of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in hospitals, less invasive and simple criteria are required to triage the patients. We evaluated the relationship between COVID-19 severity and fatty liver on plain computed tomography (CT) scan performed on admission. In this retrospective cohort study, we considered all COVID-19 patients at a large tertiary care hospital between January 31 and August 31, 2020. COVID-19 severity was categorized into severe (moderate and severe) and non-severe (asymptomatic and mild) groups, based on the Japanese National COVID-19 guidelines. Fatty liver was detected on plain CT scan. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with severe COVID-19. Of 222 patients (median age: 52 years), 3.2%, 58.1%, 20.7%, and 18.0% presented with asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19, respectively. Although 59.9% had no fatty liver on plain CT, mild, moderate, and severe fatty liver occurred in 13.1%, 18.9%, and 8.1%, respectively. Age and presence of fatty liver were significantly associated with severe COVID-19. Our study showed that fatty liver on plain CT scan on admission can become a risk factor for severe COVID-19. This finding may help clinicians to easily triage COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to predict which patients with a history of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will exhibit a high antibody titer is necessary for more efficient screening of potential convalescent plasma donors. We aimed to identify factors associated with a high immunoglobulin G (IgG) titer in Japanese convalescent plasma donors after COVID-19. This cross-sectional study included volunteers undergoing screening for convalescent plasma donation after COVID-19. Serum anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) S-protein IgG antibodies were measured using a high-sensitivity chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. IgG antibodies were measured in 581 patients, 534 of whom had full information of selected independent variables. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that increasing age (1.037 [1,025, 1.048]), days from symptom onset to sampling (0.997 [0.995, 0.998]), fever (1.664 [1.226, 2.259]), systemic corticosteroid use during SARS-CoV-2 infection (2.382 [1.576, 3.601]), and blood type AB (1.478 [1.032, 2.117]) predict antibody titer. Older participants, those who experienced fever during infection, those treated with systemic corticosteroids during infection, those from whom samples were obtained earlier after symptom onset, and those with blood type AB are the best candidates for convalescent plasma donation. Therefore, these factors should be incorporated into the screening criteria for convalescent plasma donation after SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study aimed to predict disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate in Japan through 2040 with plausible future scenarios of fruit intake for neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes and kidney diseases (DKD).Design: Data from National Health and Nutrition Surveys and the Global Burden of Diseases study in 2017 were used. We developed an autoregressive integrated moving average model with four future scenarios. Reference scenario maintains the current trend. Best scenario assumes that the goal defined in Health Japan 21 is achieved in 2023 and is kept constant afterwards. Moderate scenario assumes that the goal is achieved in 2040. Constant scenario applies the same proportion of 2016 for the period between 2017 and 2040.Setting: DALY rates in Japan were predicted for the period between 2017 and 2040.Participants: Population aged more than than 20 years old.Results: In our reference forecast, the DALY rates in all-ages group were projected to be stable for CVD and continue increasing for neoplasms and DKD. Age group-specific DALY rates for these three disease groups were forecasted to decrease, with some exceptions. Among men aged 20-49 years, DALY attributable to CVD differed substantially between the scenarios, implying that there is a significant potential for reducing the burden of CVD by increasing fruit intake at the population level.Conclusions: Our scenario analysis shows that higher fruit intake is associated with lower disease burden in Japan. Further research is required to assess which policies and interventions can be used to achieve an increase in fruit intake as modelled in the scenarios of the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low vegetable intake is one of the key dietary risk factors known to be associated with a range of health problems, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, and diabetes and kidney diseases (DKDs). Using data from Japan's National Health and Nutrition Surveys and the Global Burden of Diseases study in 2017, this study aimed to forecast the impact of change in vegetable intake on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) between 2017 and 2040 for three diseases.Methods: We generated a three-component model of cause-specific DALYs, including changes in major behavioural and metabolic risk predictors, the socio-demographic index and an autoregressive integrated moving average model to project future DALY rates for 2017-2040 using the data between 1990 and 2016. Data on Vegetable consumption and risk predictors, and DALY rate were obtained from Japan's National Health and Nutrition Surveys and the Global Burden of Diseases Study in 2017. We also modelled three scenarios of better, moderate and worse cases to evaluate the impact of change in vegetable consumption on the DALY rates for three diseases (CVDs, cancer, and DKDs).Results: Projected mean vegetable intake in the total population showed a decreasing trend through 2040 to 237.7 g/day. A significant difference between the reference scenario and the better case scenario was observed with un-overlapped 95% prediction intervals of DALY rates in females aged 20-49 years (- 8.0%) for CVDs, the total population for cancer (- 5.6%), and in males (- 8.2%) and females (- 13.7%) for DKDs.Conclusions: Our analysis indicates that increased vegetable consumption would have a significant reduction in the burdens of CVDs, cancer and DKDs in Japan. By estimating the disease burden attributable to low vegetable intake under different scenarios of future vegetable consumption, our study can inform the design of targeted interventions for public health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The rapid antigen test (RAT) and RT-qPCR positive concordance rate is low in COVID-19. • In the early stages of disease, positive and negative concordance rates are acceptable. • Factors related to disagreement between RAT and RT-qPCR results were investigated. • The predictive ability of RAT for disease transmissibility was examined. • RAT and RT-qPCR results were highly consistent; results can infer transmissibility. Rapid antigen testing (RAT) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has lower sensitivity but high accuracy during the early stage when compared to reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The aim of this study was to investigate the concordance between RAT and RT-qPCR results, and their prediction of disease transmission. This single-center retrospective observational study of inpatients with COVID-19 was conducted from March 6 to June 14, 2020. Nasopharyngeal swabs were used to perform RAT and RT-qPCR. The primary endpoint was concordance between RAT and RT-qPCR results. The secondary endpoints were the factors causing disagreement in the results and the estimated transmissibility in RT-qPCR-positive patients with mild symptoms. Overall, 229 samples in viral transport medium (VTM) were obtained from 105 patients. The positive and negative concordance rates for VTM were 41% vs 99% (κ = 0.37) and 72% vs 100% (κ = 0.50) for samples collected on disease days 2–9. An increased body temperature (odds ratio 0.54) and absence of drugs with potential antiviral effect (odds ratio 0.48) yielded conflicting results. RAT was associated with the ability to end isolation (OR 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.20–0.61). RAT and RT-qPCR results were highly consistent for samples collected at the appropriate time and could be useful for inferring the possibility of transmissibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Introduction of isosyanate groups by plasma-treatment of carbon nanotubes • In-situ polymerization of polyimide/cabon nanotubes nanocomposites • High dispersibility of plasma-treated carbon nanotubes in polyimide • The remarkable improvement of the properties at ultra-low content • The high mechanical properties and high thermal resistance of the nanocomposites In this paper, the effect of plasma treatment on the structure of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the structure/properties of polyimide (PI) nanocomposites with CNTs at ultra-low content (0.001 wt% ∼ 0.004 wt%) were investigated. Plasma treatment of CNTs under the mixture-gas of N 2 and CO 2 resulted in introducing isocyanate group on the surface of CNTs. PI nanocomposites with non-treated CNTs (nCNTs) or plasma-treated CNTs (pCNTs) were synthesized by in-situ polymerization, where PI as well as polyamic acid (precursor of PI) was polymerized under the presence of fillers. The structural studies revealed that pCNTs were highly dispersed in the nanocomposites with the strong interfacial interaction of covalent bond at the interface between PI and pCNTs. As a result, the excellent reinforcement effect of CNTs was successfully exploited to the PI nanocomposites at ultra-low content. For example, the Young's modulus, tensile strength and toughness increased by 83 %, 51 % and 41 % by the incorporation of only 0.001 wt% of pCNTs, while the nanocomposite with nCNTs showed brittle behavior caused by poor interfacial interaction. Here in, we show that the characteristics of polymer matrices can be drastically changed by the addition of ultra-low content of nanofillers where the surface chemistry is optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of many thin-film ETDL's covering a wide wavelength range from near UV to near infrared has been reported. However, the spectral narrowing and tuning of these solid dye lasers are required inevitably for several applications. Therefore, to obtain this operation, the oscillator with a dynamic distributed feedback (DFB) and the optical amplifier were constructed simply on the thin-film ETDL waveguide. As a result, the tunable laser emission with narrow spectrum and its amplification were obtained easily over both gain bands of donor and acceptor dye. Thus, this system is available as a compact solid dye laser with wide tuning range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Japan, a high-sodium diet is the most important dietary risk factor and is known to cause a range of health problems. This study aimed to forecast Japan's disability-adjusted life year (DALYs) for chronic diseases that would be associated with high-sodium diet in different future scenarios of salt intake. We modelled DALY forecast and alternative future scenarios of salt intake for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic kidney diseases (CKDs), and stomach cancer (SC) from 2017 to 2040.Methods: We developed a three-component model of disease-specific DALYs: a component on the changes in major behavioural and metabolic risk predictors including salt intake; a component on the income per person, educational attainment, and total fertility rate under 25 years; and an autoregressive integrated moving average model to capture the unexplained component correlated over time. Data on risk predictors were obtained from Japan's National Health and Nutrition Surveys and from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. To generate a reference forecast of disease-specific DALY rates for 2017-2040, we modelled the three diseases using the data for 1990-2016. Additionally, we generated better, moderate, and worse scenarios to evaluate the impact of change in salt intake on the DALY rate for the diseases.Results: In our reference forecast, the DALY rates across all ages were predicted to be stable for CVDs, continuously increasing for CKDs, and continuously decreasing for SC. Meanwhile, the age group-specific DALY rates for these three diseases were forecasted to decrease, with some exceptions. Except for the ≥70 age group, there were remarkable differences in DALY rates between scenarios, with the best scenario having the lowest DALY rates in 2040 for SC. This represents a wide scope of future trajectories by 2040 with a potential for tremendous decrease in SC burden.Conclusions: The gap between scenarios provides some quantification of the range of policy impacts on future trajectories of salt intake. Even though we do not yet know the policy mix used to achieve these scenarios, the result that there can be differences between scenarios means that policies today can have a significant impact on the future DALYs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was found to be the causative microorganism of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which started to spread in Wuhan, China. This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of questionnaire, symptoms-based screening, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening of returnees from COVID-19-endemic areas on a chartered flight, to examine the proportion of infected persons and the proportion of asymptomatic persons among infected persons who returned from Wuhan. Methods A retrospective cohort study was done in 7 tertiary medical institutions in Japan. A total of 566 Japanese who returned from Wuhan participated in the study. Results Overall, 11 of the 566 passengers had a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR result for pharyngeal swabs and 6 were asymptomatic. Only fever differed between SARS-CoV-2-positive and -negative individuals (P <.043). Six of the 11 PCR-positive individuals were asymptomatic; 4 remained positive on day 10, and 1 asymptomatic person tested positive up to day 27. Two of the 11 were negative on the first PCR test and positive on the second. Conclusions Our results will be important insights on screening returnees from locked-down cities, as well as providing important data on the proportion of asymptomatic individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. A 13-day observation period and a second round of PCR may be effective to screen patients, including asymptomatic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese government has developed and promoted a national nutrient-based dietary guideline for preventing lifestyle-related chronic disease. However, its impact in a real-life setting has never been evaluated. We performed a critical appraisal of the guideline by examining the association between adherence to the guideline and lifestyle-related outcome indicators. This is a retrospective observational cross-sectional study using nationally representative data on health and nutrition characteristics from the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey of Japan. We considered 3,861 participants aged ≥20 years, with evidence of low health risks of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. Five health outcome indicators (hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and body mass index), were employed. A summary score was developed to reflect adherence to the recommended intake of seven nutrients defined by the guideline, including proteins, fat, saturated fatty acid, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sodium, and potassium. Multivariate quartile regression approaches were employed to examine the association between the adherence score and the health outcome indicators, adjusting for the covariates. Overall, the proportion of those who adhered to the guideline (adherence rate) for all seven nutrients was only 0.3%. There was considerable variation in the adherence rate between the different nutrients, from 24.2% to 61.8%. After adjustment for covariates, in most health outcome indicators, regardless of age category and quartile, there was no clear association between the guideline adherence score and indicators. There is plenty of scope for improving the guideline. Nutrient impact on health may not necessarily depend on the amount of each nutrient in the diet. The significance and contribution of synergies between nutrients and complex interactions within foods to health outcomes need to be explored in future guideline updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

References 1 Tanaka Y, Yamashita R, Kawashima J. Omics profiles of fecal and oral microbiota change in irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhea and symptom exacerbation. There are reports that the low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet can modify the gut microbiota of IBS patients who have pathogenic gut microbiota closer to that of healthy individuals [[5]]. [Extracted from the article]

Among Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 strains, those producing Stx2a cause more severe diseases. Atypical STEC O157:H7 strains showing a β-glucuronidase-positive phenotype (GP STEC O157:H7) have rarely been isolated from humans, mostly from persons with asymptomatic or mild infections; Stx2a-producing strains have not been reported. We isolated, from a patient with bloody diarrhea, a GP STEC O157:H7 strain (PV15-279) that produces Stx2a in addition to Stx1a and Stx2c. Genomic comparison with other STEC O157 strains revealed that PV15-279 recently emerged from the stx1a/stx2c-positive GP STEC O157:H7 clone circulating in Japan. Major virulence genes are shared between typical (β-glucuronidase-negative) and GP STEC O157:H7 strains, and the Stx2-producing ability of PV15-279 is comparable to that of typical STEC O157:H7 strains; therefore, PV15-279 presents a virulence potential similar to that of typical STEC O157:H7. This study reveals the importance of GP O157:H7 as a source of highly pathogenic STEC clones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE) for preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among healthcare workers (HCWs), especially among HCWs with frequent contact with patients with SARS-CoV-2, is limited. We conducted a prospective cohort study on 49 HCWs who worked in close contact with patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. HCWs had blood samples taken every 2 weeks to test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using two different types of assay. Forty-nine participants (31 nurses, 15 doctors, 3 other workers) were enrolled. In total, 112 blood samples are obtained from participants. The median work days in 2 weeks was 9 (interquartile range (IQR): 5–10) days. In a single work day, 30 of the 49 participants (61.5%) had contact with patients with suspected or conformed SARS-CoV-2 at least 8 times, and approximately 60% of participants had more than 10 min of contact with a single patient. The median self-reported compliance to PPE was 90% (IQR: 80–100%). Seven participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibody using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); however, none were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody, so the positive ELISA results were assumed to be false-positive. The study provides evidence that appropriate PPE is sufficient to prevent infection amongHCWs. It is necessary to establish a system that provides a stable supply of PPE for HCWs to perform their duties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaN luminescence, induced by ultraviolet light under/after inductively coupled plasma exposure, has been measuredin situandex situ. After the plasma exposure, both near-band edge (NBE) and yellow luminescence (YL) intensities decrease. The decay times of NBE and YL in thein situmeasurement are shorter than those of theex situmeasurement on account of the temperature rise induced by the plasma. On the other hand, with increasing plasma power, the decay times decrease. It is considered that this decrease is strongly related to non-radiative defects introduced by the Ar plasma. The results suggest thatin situphotoluminescence monitoring can be used to reveal plasma-induced damage at GaN surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a pathogenic bacterium causing respiratory infections in a broad range of mammals. Recently, we determined the whole genome sequence of B. bronchiseptica S798 strain isolated from a pig infected with atrophic rhinitis and found four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions -129, -72, +22, and +38 in the region upstream of dnt encoding dermonecrotic toxin (DNT), when compared with a rabbit isolate, RB50. DNT is known to be involved in turbinate atrophy observed in atrophic rhinitis. Immunoblotting, quantitative real-time PCR, and β-galactosidase reporter assay revealed that these SNPs resulted in the increased promoter activity of dnt and conferred the increased ability to produce DNT on the bacteria. Similar or identical SNPs were also found in other pig isolates kept in our laboratory, all of which produce a larger amount of DNT than RB50. Our analysis revealed that substitution of at least two of the four bases, at positions -72 and +22, influenced the promoter activity for dnt. These results imply that these SNPs are involved in the pathogenicity of bordetellae specific to pig diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]