Association between the dietary inflammatory index and disability in Japanese older people.

Objectives: To examine the demographic and lifestyle characteristics related to the dietary inflammatory index (DII™) score and to evaluate the association between DII score and disability among older people in Japan.

Design: Cross-sectional design. The DII score was calculated from nutrient intake information obtained from a FFQ.

Role of rotavirus vaccination on G9P[8] rotavirus strain during a seasonal outbreak in Japan.

Although two live oral rotavirus (RV) vaccines, Rotarix and RotaTeq, play a critical role toward reducing disease severity, hospitalization, and death rate in RV infections, regular monitoring of vaccine effectiveness (VE) is yet necessary because the segmented genome structure and reassortment capability of RVs pose considerable threats toward waning VE. In this study, we examined the VE by a test-negative study design against G9P[8]I2 strain during a seasonal outbreak in February-May, 2018, in an outpatient clinic in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It remains important because G9P[8]I2 strain remains partially heterotypic to these vaccines and predominating in post-vaccination era.

The virucidal effect against murine norovirus and feline calicivirus as surrogates for human norovirus by ethanol-based sanitizers.

This study examined the virucidal effects of five types of alcohol-based sanitizers including malic acid and sodium malate, or monoethanolamin, in 58 vol % ethanol (pH 4.0, pH 7.1, pH 11.

Flow cytometric assay using two fluorescent proteins for the function of the internal ribosome entry site of hepatitis C virus.

The initiation of translation in hepatitis C virus (HCV) occurs at the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) located at the 5'-end of its genomic RNA. To study the function of HCV IRES, we constructed a reporter plasmid that generates a bicistronic mRNA encoding two fluorescent proteins: cap-dependent DsRed2 and IRES-dependent Azami Green (AG). We introduced the plasmid into Huh7.

Development of a simple system for screening anti-hepatitis C virus drugs utilizing mutants capable of vigorous replication.

Replication of infectious hepatitis C virus in Huh7 cells, a human hepatocyte cell line, has become possible due to the unique properties of the JFH1 isolate. Developing reporter virus systems for a simple titration has been attempted by integrating heterologous reporter genes into the JFH1 genome, resulting in a big infectivity reduction that limits the usefulness of such reporter systems. To overcome this problem, JFH1-infected Huh7 cells were cultured continuously for 2 years to obtain Huh7-adapted JFH1 variants capable of yielding up to 1000-fold higher titers.

Throughput expression of multiple G-protein coupled receptors for HIV infection in choriocarcinoma cells, trophoblasts, and breast milk cells.

The chemokine receptors, which belong to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and become co-receptors when HIV enters the cell, have been mentioned in recent research. Numerous studies have reported that the cellular mechanism of HIV crossing the placental barrier is still not totally understood. This study was conducted to investigate whether the mRNAs of nineteen typs of GPCRs and CD4 were expressed in choriocarcinoma cell lines, trophoblasts, and breast milk cells by using RT-PCR.

Development of a rapid immunochromatographic test for noroviruses genogroups I and II.

Norovirus (NoV) is known to cause acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide. Although reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) method is considered to be the "gold standard" for diagnosis of this viral infection, it requires skillful personnel and well-equipped laboratory. In this study, a rapid and easily performable diagnostic kit was developed using immunochromatographic method with rabbit polyclonal antibodies raised against recombinant virus-like particles (rVLPs) of most prevalent genotypes, genogroup II genotypes 3 and 4.

Sequence analysis of Vietnamese P[6] rotavirus strains suggests evidence of interspecies transmission.

Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the VP8* gene of five Vietnamese P[6] rotavirus strains detected from hospitalized patients with acute gastroenteritis were analyzed and compared with other human and porcine P[6] rotaviruses. It is of interest that these strains had greatest identity with two Italian porcine rotavirus strains, 134/04-10 and 134/04-11. To our knowledge, these five Vietnamese rotaviruses are the rare P[6] rotavirus strains belonging to lineage I that cluster into sublineage Ic with porcine rotaviruses, and not into sublineage Ia, as other human P[6] rotaviruses have done so far.

Molecular and epidemiological trend of norovirus associated gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.

Background: Diarrhea, over the years, has killed millions of people and continues to be a major threat in Bangladesh.

Objectives: To determine the incidence of norovirus infection in infants and young children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh and to determine the genogroup and genotype in norovirus-positive stool specimens.

Study Design: Fecal specimens were collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh from October 2004 to September 2005, and examined for norovirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Characterization of a broadly reactive monoclonal antibody against norovirus genogroups I and II: recognition of a novel conformational epitope.

Norovirus, which belongs to the family Caliciviridae, is one of the major causes of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis in the world. The main human noroviruses are of genogroup I (GI) and genogroup II (GII), which were subdivided further into at least 15 and 18 genotypes (GI/1 to GI/15 and GII/1 to GII/18), respectively. The development of immunological diagnosis for norovirus had been hindered by the antigen specificity of the polyclonal antibody.

Photocatalytic inactivation of diarrheal viruses by visible-light-catalytic titanium dioxide.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) that had been irradiated with visible light (VL) was demonstrated to inactivate rotavirus, astrovirus, and feline calicivirus (FCV). The virus titers were dramatically reduced after exposure for 24 hrs to the VL-catalytic TiO2. The addition of bovine serum albumin could protect the virus against inactivation by VL-catalytic TiO2 in a dose-dependent manner.

Detection and genetic characterization of norovirus in oysters from China and Japan.

A total of 225 oysters from China and Japan were collected during October 2005 to September 2006 and were then tested for the presence of norovirus by RT-nested PCR. The detection rate of norovirus was different between China and Japan, accounting for 14.6% (19 of 130) and 25.

Anti-norovirus polyclonal antibody and its potential for development of an antigen-ELISA.

Norovirus (NoV) capsid proteins were expressed as virus-like particles (VLPs) by using recombinant baculovirus in insect cells, which had 5 genotypes in genogroup I and 11 genotypes in genogroup II, and the VLPs were used as immunogens. Polyclonal antibody against the VLP of GII/3 genotype showed broad-range cross-reactivity, reacting not only with intra-genogroup strains, but also inter-genogroup strains, by antibody-ELISA using 16 kinds of VLPs. Furthermore, antigen-ELISA was conducted in sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the polyclonal antibody for capturing antigens, and three kinds of monoclonal antibodies against the VLP of GII/4 genotype for detecting antigens.

Sequence analysis of the VP7 gene of human rotavirus G1 isolated in Japan, China, Thailand, and Vietnam in the context of changing distribution of rotavirus G-types.

Over the last decade, rotavirus G1 has represented the most common genotype worldwide. Since 2000, the prevalence of rotavirus G1 has decreased in some countries such as Japan and China. To monitor the trend of the VP7 encoding gene of rotavirus G1, we performed a sequence analysis of 74 G1 rotavirus strains isolated in Japan, China, Thailand, and Vietnam during the period from 2002 to 2005.

Risk factors for protein-energy malnutrition in children under 5 years: study from Luangprabang province, Laos.

Background: Laos is one of the poorest countries in which chronic malnutrition is highest. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of and to identify risk factors associated with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in children under 5 years of age in Luangprabang province, Laos.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken from March to May 2004.

Prevalence of sapovirus infection among infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh during 2004-2005.

Sapovirus, a member of the family Caliciviridae is one of the major causative agents of viral gastroenteritis affecting all age group. Sapovirus was detected in 25 of 917 stool specimens from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in a Children Hospital in Dhaka City, Bangladesh during 2004-2005. All fecal specimens were examined for sapovirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Diversity of viruses associated with acute gastroenteritis in children hospitalized with diarrhea in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

A molecular epidemiological study on common diarrheal viruses was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam between October 2002 and September 2003. Fecal samples were collected from 1,010 hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis. Those samples were screened for groups A, B, and C rotavirus, adenovirus, genogroups I and II norovirus (NoV), sapovirus (SaV), and human astrovirus (HAstV) by RT-multiplex PCR, and the positive specimens were characterized further by ELISA, nested PCR, or sequencing.

Emergence of new variant rotavirus G3 among infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan during 2003-2004.

A total of 402 fecal specimens from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in five places (Tokyo, Maizuru, Saga, Sapporo, and Osaka) in Japan from July 2003 to June 2004 were collected and then tested for the presence of rotavirus by RT-PCR. Of these, 83 were positive for rotavirus and this accounted for 20.6%.

Novel porcine rotavirus of genotype P[27] shares new phylogenetic lineage with G2 porcine rotavirus strain.

A novel and unusual strain of porcine rotavirus (PoRV) CMP034 was isolated from a 7-week-old piglet during the epidemiological survey of porcine rotavirus infection in Chiang Mai province, Thailand from June 2000 to July 2001. Molecular characterization of gene VP4 by sequence analysis showed a low level of amino acid sequence identity, ranging from 56.7% to 76.

Genetic characterization of group A rotavirus strains circulating among children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan in 2004-2005.

A total of 752 fecal specimens collected from July 2004 to June 2005 from children with acute gastroenteritis in four localities in Japan (Maizuru, Tokyo, Sapporo, and Osaka) were screened for group A rotavirus by RT-PCR. It was found that 82 (10.9%) specimens were positive for group A rotavirus.

Detection and genetic characterization of norovirus strains circulating among infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan during 2004-2005.

A total of 752 fecal specimens collected during the period of July 2004 to June 2005 from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis from four different regions (Maizuru, Tokyo, Sapporo, and Osaka) of Japan were tested for the presence of norovirus by RT-PCR. It was found that 139 (18.5%) fecal specimens were positive for norovirus.

Detection of norovirus antigens from recombinant virus-like particles and stool samples by a commercial norovirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.

The commercial norovirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was evaluated for its reactivity to recombinant virus-like particles and the detection of natural viruses from stool samples of Japanese infants and children with sporadic acute gastroenteritis compared to reverse transcription-PCR. The kit had a sensitivity of 76.3% and a specificity of 94.

Novel intragenotype recombination in sapovirus.

Based on the genetic analysis, a novel, naturally occurring recombination between two distinct sapovirus subtypes (subtype a and subtype b) within genogroup I genotype 1 was identified. Breakpoint analysis of recombinant sapovirus showed that the recombination site was at the polymerase-capsid junction. This is the first report of the existence of acute gastroenteritis caused by intragenotype recombinant sapovirus.

Existence of multiple genotypes associated with acute gastroenteritis during 6-year survey of norovirus infection in Japan.

Norovirus (NoV) is recognized as one of the most common causative agent of diarrheal disease in young children worldwide. The current study was undertaken to determine the distribution of NoV genotypes in Japan. A total of 3,864 fecal specimens from children with acute gastroenteritis in five regions (Tokyo, Maizuru, Saga, Sapporo, and Osaka) of Japan from July 1995 to June 2001 were collected and then tested for the presence of NoV by RT-PCR.