Specific, rapid, and sensitive enzymatic measurement of sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine in serum and lipid extracts

ArticleCLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY. 41(14-15); 1211-1217 (2008)journal articl

Recombinant variant fibrinogens substituted at residues γ326Cys and γ339Cys demonstrated markedly impaired secretion of assembled fibrinogen

ArticleThrombosis Research. 124(3):368-372 (2009)journal articl

Association of Autoimmune Pancreatitis With Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen 4 Gene Polymorphisms in Japanese Patients

ArticleAMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY. 103(3):588-594 (2008)journal articl

Possible relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and cap polyposis of the colon

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.ArticleHELICOBACTER. 9(6): 651-656 (2004)journal articl

Lack of association between FCRL3 and Fc gamma RII polymorphisms in Japanese type 1 autoimmune hepatitis

ArticleCLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. 122(3): 338-342 (2007)journal articl

Genetic analysis of the HLA region of Japanese patients with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis

ArticleJOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. 42(4): 578-584 (2005)journal articl

In vitro expression demonstrates impaired secretion of the gamma Asn319, Asp320 deletion variant fibrinogen

This article is not an exact copy of the original published article in [THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS]. The definitive publisher-authenticated version of [THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS 94;53-59,2005] is available online at: [http://www.schattauer.de/]ArticleTHROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS. 94(1): 53-59 (2005)journal articl

Successful cessation of transmitting healthcare-associated infections due to Burkholderia cepacia complex in a neonatal intensive care unit in a Japanese children's hospital

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Burkholderia cepacia </it>strains have been known to possess the capability to cause serious infections especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and their multi-drug resistances become a severe threat in hospital settings. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the <it>B. cepacia </it>complex infections in the NICU in Nagano Children's Hospital, Azumino 399-8288, Japan, and to report the intervention leading to the successful cessation of the outbreak.</p> <p>Methodology</p> <p>The incidence of isolation and antimicrobial susceptibilities of nosocomial <it>Burkholderia cepacia </it>complex strains during a four-year period were retrospectively examined by clinical microbiological records, and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analyses along with the bacteriological verification of disinfectant device itself and procedures for its maintenance routinely used in the NICU.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the period surveyed between 2007 and 2009, only an isolate per respective year of <it>B. cepacia </it>complex was recovered from each neonate in the NICU. However, in 2010, the successive 6 <it>B. cepacia </it>complex isolates were recovered from different hospitalized neonates. Among them, an isolate was originated from peripheral blood of a neonate, apparently giving rise to systemic infection. In addition, the hospitalized neonate with bacteremia due to <it>B. cepacia </it>complex also exhibited positive cultures from repeated catheterized urine samples together with tracheal aspirate secretions. However other 5 isolates were considered as the transients or contaminants having little to do with infections. Moreover, the 5 isolates between July and October in 2010 revealed completely the same electrophoresis patterns by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analyses, strongly indicating that they were infected through the same medical practices, or by transmission of the same contaminant.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A small outbreak due to <it>B. cepacia </it>complex was brought about in the NICU in 2010, which appeared to be associated with the same genomovar of <it>B. cepacia </it>complex. The source or the rout of infection was unknown in spite of the repeated epidemiological investigation. It is noteworthy that no outbreak due to <it>B. cepacia </it>complex was noted in the NICU after extensive surveillance intervention.</p

Layer-specific morphological and molecular differences in neocortical astrocytes and their dependence on neuronal layers

Non-pial neocortical astrocytes have historically been thought to comprise largely a nondiverse population of protoplasmic astrocytes. Here we show that astrocytes of the mouse somatosensory cortex manifest layer-specific morphological and molecular differences. Two- and three-dimensional observations revealed that astrocytes in the different layers possess distinct morphologies as reflected by differences in cell orientation, territorial volume, and arborization. The extent of ensheathment of synaptic clefts by astrocytes in layer II/III was greater than that by those in layer VI. Moreover, differences in gene expression were observed between upper-layer and deep-layer astrocytes. Importantly, layer-specific differences in astrocyte properties were abrogated in reeler and Dab1 conditional knockout mice, in which neuronal layers are disturbed, suggesting that neuronal layers are a prerequisite for the observed morphological and molecular differences of neocortical astrocytes. This study thus demonstrates the existence of layer-specific interactions between neurons and astrocytes, which may underlie their layer-specific functions