Comprehensive Analysis of Bacterial Flora in Postoperative Maxillary Cyst Fluid by 16S rRNA Gene and Culture Methods

Intracystic fluid was aseptically collected from 11 patients with postoperative maxillary cyst (POMC), and DNA was extracted from the POMC fluid. Bacterial species were identified by sequencing after cloning of approximately 580 bp of the 16S rRNA gene. Identification of pathogenic bacteria was also performed by culture methods. The phylogenetic identity was determined by sequencing 517–596 bp in each of the 1139 16S rRNA gene clones. A total of 1114 clones were classified while the remaining 25 clones were unclassified. A total of 103 bacterial species belonging to 42 genera were identified in POMC fluid samples by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Species of Prevotella (91%), Neisseria (73%), Fusobacterium (73%), Porphyromonas (73%), and Propionibacterium (73%) were found to be highly prevalent in all patients. Streptococcus mitis (64%), Fusobacterium nucleatum (55%), Propionibacterium acnes (55%), Staphylococcus capitis (55%), and Streptococcus salivarius (55%) were detected in more than 6 of the 11 patients. The results obtained by the culture method were different from those obtained by 16S rRNA gene analysis, but both approaches may be necessary for the identification of pathogens, especially of bacteria that are difficult to detect by culture methods, and the development of rational treatments for patients with POMC

Re-Evaluation of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Rat Brain by a Tissue-Segment Binding Assay

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of rats were evaluated by a radioligand binding assay, employing tissue segments, or homogenates as materials. [3H]-epibatidine specifically bound to nAChRs in rat cortex or cerebellum, but the dissociation constants for [3H]-epibatidine differed between segments and homogenates (187 pM for segments and 42 pM for homogenates in the cortex and 160 pM for segments and 84 pM for homogenates in the cerebellum). The abundance of total nAChRs was approximately 310 fmol/mg protein in the segments of cortex and 170 fmol/mg protein in the segments of cerebellum, which were significantly higher than those estimated in the homogenates (115 fmol/mg protein in the homogenates of the cortex and 76 fmol/mg protein in the homogenates of the cerebellum). Most of the [3H]-epibatidine binding sites in the cortex segments (approximately 70% of the population) showed high affinity for nicotine (pKi = 7.9), dihydro-β-erythroidine, and cytisine, but the binding sites in the cerebellum segments had slightly lower affinity for nicotine (pKi = 7.1). An upregulation of nAChRs by chronic administration of nicotine was observed in the cortex segments but not in the cerebellum segments with [3H]-epibatidine as a ligand. The upregulation in the cortex was caused by a specific increase in the high-affinity sites for nicotine (probably α4β2). The present study shows that the native environment of nAChRs is important for a precise quantitative as well as qualitative estimation of nAChRs in rat brain

The importance of family breakfasts for school-aged children : an intervention study to promote family breakfasts

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between the frequency of families eating breakfast together (family breakfast) and lifestyle patterns among schoolaged children, including bedtime, time of waking up, and household chores.Children in grades 2 to 6 (N = 123) completed surveys before, during, and after the intervention. The surveys were conducted to assess the frequency of family breakfast and their daily lifestyle patterns. The duration of each intervention was four consecutive days, and the survey was collected on the fourth day.During the intervention period, the number of children who ate breakfast with their family increased significantly. The results indicated that children who ate breakfast with family members tended to go to bed and wake up earlier than those who ate breakfast alone. The survey also suggested that when children ate with parents/adults, the quality of their breakfast tended to be better than that of those who ate without adults. Moreover, most children felt happy when they were engaged in conversation with other family members, and consequently enjoyed their family breakfast.The results point to the conclusion that even a short-term intervention can have a positive impact on the behavior of school children as well as on the frequency of family breakfasts in their households. The study also suggests that caregivers play an important role in supporting the environment of a family meal, and thus they too need to be motivated and encouraged.論文 (Article

Expatriate Japanese Women's Growth and Transformation Through Childbirth in Hawai'i

Transition to motherhood is an on-going developmental process that requires adaptation or change in restructuring behavior and role identity. When living in a foreign culture, women's challenges are increased exponentially because of bi-cultural conflicts and the presence of limited support. The purpose of this study was to describe the essential structure of the lived experience of the childbirth experience in Hawaii for expatriate Japanese women who were transitioning to motherhood. The research design was descriptive, using a phenomenological approach reflected in Colaizzi's method. A sample consisted of 10 Japanese expatriate women. Major findings of this study consisted of four Theme Categories: Challenges Living Overseas, Challenges of Motherhood, Reaching the Goal of Motherhood, and Relationship with Others. In the essential structure of the lived experience ofthe childbirth in Hawaii, the expatriate Japanese women experienced difficulties in their childbirth process, but as a result they understood their parents' values and also identified themselves as worthwhile individuals through the separation from family during the childbearing process. The new contribution of this study to nursing knowledge was the importance of family for women giving birth in a foreign country. The results of this study reflected the conceptual orientation, transition: a middle-range theory. The experience provided an opportunity for them to reflect their lives and to find the direction needed for their growth and transformation to successful parents. The women rebuilt the relationships with their husbands and further deepened their marital bonds

Virulence Conversion of Legionella pneumophila by Conjugal Transfer of Chromosomal DNA

In this study, we examined whether virulence conversion occurs in Legionella pneumophila by conjugal transfer of chromosomal DNA. A virulent strain, K6, which has the genes for Km(r) and LacZ(+) transposed in the chromosome of strain Philadelphia-1, which belongs to serogroup 1, was used as one parent, and an avirulent strain, Chicago-2S, which is a spontaneous streptomycin-resistant derivative of strain Chicago-2 belonging to serogroup 6, was used as the other parent. Experiments in which K6 (approximately 2.6 × 10(9) CFU) and Chicago-2S (approximately 8.9 × 10(9) CFU) were mated typically yielded 10(3) Km(r) Sm(r) LacZ(+) transconjugants. Thirty-two (about 2.8%) of 1,152 transconjugants belonging to serogroup 6 acquired the ability to grow intracellularly in Acanthamoeba castellanii and guinea pig macrophages. When guinea pigs were infected with sublethal doses of Legionella aerosols generated from one of these transconjugants (HM1011), they developed a severe pneumonia similar to that caused by donor strain K6. These results show that avirulent strain Chicago-2S changed into virulent strain HM1011 through conjugation with virulent strain K6. Furthermore, we showed that Legionella chromosomal virulence genes (icm-dot locus) were horizontally transferred by the conjugation system. The chromosomal conjugation system may play a role(s) in the evolution of L. pneumophila