Human noroviruses are the most common pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis and may lead to mor... more Human noroviruses are the most common pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis and may lead to more severe illnesses among immunosuppressed people, including elderly and organ transplant recipients. To date, there are no safe and effective vaccines or antiviral agents for norovirus infections. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate the antiviral activity of monogalactosyl diacylglyceride (MGDG) isolated from a microalga, Coccomyxa sp. KJ, against murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV), the surrogates for human norovirus. MGDG showed virucidal activities against these viruses in a dose- and time-dependent manner—MGDG at 100 μg/mL reduced the infectivity of MNV and FCV to approximately 10% after 60 min incubation. In the animal experiments of MNV infection, intraoral administration of MGDG (1 mg/day) exerted a therapeutic effect by suppressing viral shedding in the feces and produced high neutralizing antibody titers in sera and feces. When MGDG was orally administe...
BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the causative agent of ... more BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and is capable of human‐to‐human transmission and rapid global spread. Thus, the establishment of high‐quality viral detection and quantification methods, and the development of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 agents are critical.MethodsHere, we present the rapid detection of infectious SARS‐CoV‐2 particles using a plaque assay with 0.5% agarose‐ME (Medium Electroosmosis) as an overlay medium.ResultsThe plaques were capable of detecting the virus within 36–40 h post‐infection. In addition, we showed that a monogalactosyl diacylglyceride isolated from a microalga (Coccomyxa sp. KJ) could inactivate the clinical isolates of SARS‐CoV‐2 in a time‐ and concentration‐dependent manner.ConclusionsThese results would allow rapid quantification of the infectious virus titers and help develop more potent virucidal agents against SARS‐CoV‐2.
Objective. To assess the usefulness of ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of cervical ... more Objective. To assess the usefulness of ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis versus malignant lymph nodes. Methods. Ultrasonography of cervical lymph nodes was performed with a real-time linear scanner using a 7.5- or 11-MHz probe or both. Ultrasonographic findings were retrospectively reviewed in 73 patients: 49 with malignant lymphoma, 15 with tuberculous lymphadenitis, and 9 with metastatic lymph nodes. Results. Ultrasonographic features specific to cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis were strong echoes (33.3%) and an echogenic thin layer (86.7%). When the lymph nodes had at least 1 of these 2 features, tuberculous lymphadenitis was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions.
The Tokai journal of experimental and clinical medicine, Jan 20, 2017
To control carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we implemented a hospital-wide policy con... more To control carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we implemented a hospital-wide policy concerning the selective use of carbapenems based on the monitoring of P. aeruginosa isolates for susceptibility to five carbapenems using a customized dry plate method. In this study, we retrospectively investigated the outcome of our measures to control carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. To select effective carbapenems, 100 clinical isolates were collected, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to 5 carbapenems (IPM/CS, MEPM, DRPM, BIPM and PAPM/BP) was monitored using a customized dry plate method from 2006 to 2013. Carbapenems, which were associated with a high rate of drug resistance in P. aeruginosa, were restricted from use during our intervention study. The antimicrobial use density per 100 bed-days (AUD100) of carbapenems and the detection rates of carbapenem (IPM/CS and MEPM)-resistant P. aeruginosa were determined during the period of the intervention. The isolates cons...
Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data ch... more Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data change, the visualization also needs to change. Therefore, this study introduces two applications that interactively visualize changes to data items. Data examined in this study were from tests conducted on patients admitted to the Department of Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Tokai University Hospital School of Medicine between 2006 and 2014.
2016 14th International Conference on ICT and Knowledge Engineering (ICT&KE), 2016
Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data ch... more Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data change, the visualization also needs to change. Therefore, this study introduces two applications that interactively visualize changes to data items. Data examined in this study were from tests conducted on patients admitted to the Department of Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Tokai University Hospital School of Medicine between 2006 and 2014.
Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene, located on chromosome segment 11q23, is involved in various ty... more Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene, located on chromosome segment 11q23, is involved in various types of hematological malignancies including infant and secondary leukemias. To date, more than 40 partners have been reported in the recurrent translocations with 11q23, and the resultant fusion genes are believed to contribute to leukeomogenesis. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the incidence of MLL rearrangements is higher in subtypes with monocytic components, namely M4, M5a and M5b. Furthermore, several MLL fusion genes are known to cause differentiation arrest at the myelo-monocytic stage when they are expressed in murine hematopietic cells. Recent studies have revealed that the myeloid transcription factors, CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs), regulate not only granulocytic but also monocytic differentiation. Accordingly, we investigated the roles of C/EBPα and C/EBPε in myelomonocytic leukemia with MLL fusion genes. The protein expression of C/EBPα and C/EBPε was induced in ...
BackgroundAs next‐generation sequencing (NGS) oncology tests vary by platform, application, and t... more BackgroundAs next‐generation sequencing (NGS) oncology tests vary by platform, application, and target of genes, specific methods for external quality assessment (EQA) have not been universally applied. Hence, we have attempted to implement on‐site evaluation as EQA in the accreditation program under ISO 15189 for laboratories that perform NGS oncology tests.MethodsA total of 10 laboratories that performed NGS oncology tests were enrolled. Two types of EQA samples were prepared (Acrometrix Oncology Hotspot Control DNA and OncoSpan gDNA DNA samples), and the variant allele frequency of targeted genes was assigned. The samples were subjected to NGS oncology tests in participant laboratories according to their routine protocols. Based on the result reports, auditors visited the participant laboratories to perform on‐site evaluations and provided feedback regarding possible laboratory process improvement.ResultsThe participant laboratories identified the targeted variants in the Acromet...
Lactulose is known to grow health-promoting bacteria, with an increase in the production of benef... more Lactulose is known to grow health-promoting bacteria, with an increase in the production of beneficial metabolites, such as lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon. Ingestion of lactulose powder at a food dosage level is known to reduce the dermal emanation of ammonia, a typical human skin gas which potentially affects body odour. However, no study has reported the effect of lactulose on human skin gases other than ammonia. In this study, the influence of lactulose ingestion on the dermal emissions of γ-lactones, volatile cyclic esters with sweet smells, was investigated in healthy subjects. Healthy participants ingested the lactulose powder with a food dosage of 4 g d−1 once a day for 2 weeks. γ-lactones emanating from the skin surface were collected from each participant’s forearm by using a passive flux sampler, and six kinds of γ-lactones, namely, γ-hexalactone (C6), γ-heptalactone (C7), γ-octalactone (C8), γ-nonalactone (C9), γ-decalactone (C10), and γ-unde...
Human noroviruses are the most common pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis and may lead to mor... more Human noroviruses are the most common pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis and may lead to more severe illnesses among immunosuppressed people, including elderly and organ transplant recipients. To date, there are no safe and effective vaccines or antiviral agents for norovirus infections. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate the antiviral activity of monogalactosyl diacylglyceride (MGDG) isolated from a microalga, Coccomyxa sp. KJ, against murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV), the surrogates for human norovirus. MGDG showed virucidal activities against these viruses in a dose- and time-dependent manner—MGDG at 100 μg/mL reduced the infectivity of MNV and FCV to approximately 10% after 60 min incubation. In the animal experiments of MNV infection, intraoral administration of MGDG (1 mg/day) exerted a therapeutic effect by suppressing viral shedding in the feces and produced high neutralizing antibody titers in sera and feces. When MGDG was orally administe...
BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the causative agent of ... more BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and is capable of human‐to‐human transmission and rapid global spread. Thus, the establishment of high‐quality viral detection and quantification methods, and the development of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 agents are critical.MethodsHere, we present the rapid detection of infectious SARS‐CoV‐2 particles using a plaque assay with 0.5% agarose‐ME (Medium Electroosmosis) as an overlay medium.ResultsThe plaques were capable of detecting the virus within 36–40 h post‐infection. In addition, we showed that a monogalactosyl diacylglyceride isolated from a microalga (Coccomyxa sp. KJ) could inactivate the clinical isolates of SARS‐CoV‐2 in a time‐ and concentration‐dependent manner.ConclusionsThese results would allow rapid quantification of the infectious virus titers and help develop more potent virucidal agents against SARS‐CoV‐2.
Objective. To assess the usefulness of ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of cervical ... more Objective. To assess the usefulness of ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis versus malignant lymph nodes. Methods. Ultrasonography of cervical lymph nodes was performed with a real-time linear scanner using a 7.5- or 11-MHz probe or both. Ultrasonographic findings were retrospectively reviewed in 73 patients: 49 with malignant lymphoma, 15 with tuberculous lymphadenitis, and 9 with metastatic lymph nodes. Results. Ultrasonographic features specific to cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis were strong echoes (33.3%) and an echogenic thin layer (86.7%). When the lymph nodes had at least 1 of these 2 features, tuberculous lymphadenitis was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions.
The Tokai journal of experimental and clinical medicine, Jan 20, 2017
To control carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we implemented a hospital-wide policy con... more To control carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we implemented a hospital-wide policy concerning the selective use of carbapenems based on the monitoring of P. aeruginosa isolates for susceptibility to five carbapenems using a customized dry plate method. In this study, we retrospectively investigated the outcome of our measures to control carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. To select effective carbapenems, 100 clinical isolates were collected, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to 5 carbapenems (IPM/CS, MEPM, DRPM, BIPM and PAPM/BP) was monitored using a customized dry plate method from 2006 to 2013. Carbapenems, which were associated with a high rate of drug resistance in P. aeruginosa, were restricted from use during our intervention study. The antimicrobial use density per 100 bed-days (AUD100) of carbapenems and the detection rates of carbapenem (IPM/CS and MEPM)-resistant P. aeruginosa were determined during the period of the intervention. The isolates cons...
Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data ch... more Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data change, the visualization also needs to change. Therefore, this study introduces two applications that interactively visualize changes to data items. Data examined in this study were from tests conducted on patients admitted to the Department of Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Tokai University Hospital School of Medicine between 2006 and 2014.
2016 14th International Conference on ICT and Knowledge Engineering (ICT&KE), 2016
Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data ch... more Visualization is a very fruitful technique for interpreting numerical data. However, when data change, the visualization also needs to change. Therefore, this study introduces two applications that interactively visualize changes to data items. Data examined in this study were from tests conducted on patients admitted to the Department of Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Tokai University Hospital School of Medicine between 2006 and 2014.
Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene, located on chromosome segment 11q23, is involved in various ty... more Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene, located on chromosome segment 11q23, is involved in various types of hematological malignancies including infant and secondary leukemias. To date, more than 40 partners have been reported in the recurrent translocations with 11q23, and the resultant fusion genes are believed to contribute to leukeomogenesis. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the incidence of MLL rearrangements is higher in subtypes with monocytic components, namely M4, M5a and M5b. Furthermore, several MLL fusion genes are known to cause differentiation arrest at the myelo-monocytic stage when they are expressed in murine hematopietic cells. Recent studies have revealed that the myeloid transcription factors, CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs), regulate not only granulocytic but also monocytic differentiation. Accordingly, we investigated the roles of C/EBPα and C/EBPε in myelomonocytic leukemia with MLL fusion genes. The protein expression of C/EBPα and C/EBPε was induced in ...
BackgroundAs next‐generation sequencing (NGS) oncology tests vary by platform, application, and t... more BackgroundAs next‐generation sequencing (NGS) oncology tests vary by platform, application, and target of genes, specific methods for external quality assessment (EQA) have not been universally applied. Hence, we have attempted to implement on‐site evaluation as EQA in the accreditation program under ISO 15189 for laboratories that perform NGS oncology tests.MethodsA total of 10 laboratories that performed NGS oncology tests were enrolled. Two types of EQA samples were prepared (Acrometrix Oncology Hotspot Control DNA and OncoSpan gDNA DNA samples), and the variant allele frequency of targeted genes was assigned. The samples were subjected to NGS oncology tests in participant laboratories according to their routine protocols. Based on the result reports, auditors visited the participant laboratories to perform on‐site evaluations and provided feedback regarding possible laboratory process improvement.ResultsThe participant laboratories identified the targeted variants in the Acromet...
Lactulose is known to grow health-promoting bacteria, with an increase in the production of benef... more Lactulose is known to grow health-promoting bacteria, with an increase in the production of beneficial metabolites, such as lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon. Ingestion of lactulose powder at a food dosage level is known to reduce the dermal emanation of ammonia, a typical human skin gas which potentially affects body odour. However, no study has reported the effect of lactulose on human skin gases other than ammonia. In this study, the influence of lactulose ingestion on the dermal emissions of γ-lactones, volatile cyclic esters with sweet smells, was investigated in healthy subjects. Healthy participants ingested the lactulose powder with a food dosage of 4 g d−1 once a day for 2 weeks. γ-lactones emanating from the skin surface were collected from each participant’s forearm by using a passive flux sampler, and six kinds of γ-lactones, namely, γ-hexalactone (C6), γ-heptalactone (C7), γ-octalactone (C8), γ-nonalactone (C9), γ-decalactone (C10), and γ-unde...
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Papers by Satomi Asai