Unraveling Antimicrobial Resistance Genes and Phenotype Patterns among Enterococcus faecalis Isolated from Retail Chicken Products in Japan

Multidrug-resistant enterococci are considered crucial drivers for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance determinants within and beyond a genus. These organisms may pass numerous resistance determinants to other harmful pathogens, whose multiple resistances would cause adverse consequences. Therefore, an understanding of the coexistence epidemiology of resistance genes is critical, but such information remains limited. In this study, our first objective was to determine the prevalence of principal resistance phenotypes and genes among Enterococcus faecalis isolated from retail chicken domestic products collected throughout Japan. Subsequent analysis of these data by using an additive Bayesian network (ABN) model revealed the co-appearance patterns of resistance genes and identified the associations between resistance genes and phenotypes. The common phenotypes observed among E. faecalis isolated from the domestic products were the resistances to oxytetracycline (58.4%), dihydrostreptomycin (50.4%), and erythromycin (37.2%), and the gene tet(L) was detected in 46.0% of the isolates. The ABN model identified statistically significant associations between tet(L) and erm(B), tet(L) and ant(6)-Ia, ant(6)-Ia and aph(3’)-IIIa, and aph(3’)-IIIa and erm(B), which indicated that a multiple-resistance profile of tetracycline, erythromycin, streptomycin, and kanamycin is systematic rather than random. Conversely, the presence of tet(O) was only negatively associated with that of erm(B) and tet(M), which suggested that in the presence of tet(O), the aforementioned multiple resistance is unlikely to be observed. Such heterogeneity in linkages among genes that confer the same phenotypic resistance highlights the importance of incorporating genetic information when investigating the risk factors for the spread of resistance. The epidemiological factors that underlie the persistence of systematic multiple-resistance patterns warrant further investigations with appropriate adjustments for ecological and bacteriological factors.     

Presence and localization of proteins immunologically related to erythrocyte protein 4.1 in human skin

Analogues of human erythrocyte protein 4.1 have been examined in the human skin by immunochemical techniques using anti-human erythrocyte protein 4.1 antibodies. Immunoblot analysis revealed that human epidermis contains 4.1-like proteins of 80 kDa and 78 kDa that cross react with anti-protein 4.1 antibodies. Analysis with immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that the plasma membrane of the human epidermal keratinocyte was stained intensively in the basal cells, whereas spinous cells were moderately stained. It is noted that eccrine sweat gland cells and ductal cells were also stained in the peripheral cytoplasma. Taken together, these results demonstrate that 4.1-like proteins are present in human epidermal keratinocytes, eccrine sweat gland cells and ductal cells. The present findings enable us to suggest that a membrane skeletal protein lattice might exist in these cells.     

Nesting behavior of the semi-aquatic spider wasp,Anoplius eous,which transports its prey on the surface film of water (Hymenoptera,Pompilidae)

Anoplius eous Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) exhibits some outstanding nesting behavior. Females excavate a unicellular or multicellular nest in wet ground, or dig a single-celled nest in rotten wood, or build clustered mud cells in narrow spaces between walls of such substances as wood or vinyl sheets. The latter nest-type has been unknown within the subfamily Pompilinae. Females prepare a nest-cell before hunting, and construct it further after hunting, leaving the prey near the nest (behavior-formula: IVPTIOC). They transport their prey backward on the ground, grasping it in their mandibles by any part of the legs, and forward on the surface film of water or on the ground, grasping it by the middle part of the 1st or 2nd legs. Their only prey is the adult female semi-aquatic spider,Pardosa pseudoannulata (Lycosidae). These nesting and provisioning behavior patterns are compared with those of other pompilids. The position of the present species in the behavioral evolution of the Pompilidae is suggested.     

Regenerants from Ajuga hairy roots with high productivity of 20-hydroxyecdysone

Summary Regenerants derived from hairy roots of Ajuga reptans var. atropurpurea induced by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes MAFF03-01724 harboring pRi revealed a dwarfing response, i.e. decrease in leaf size, reduction in internode distance, and increase in leaf number. These morphogenic alterations were accompanied by an increase in root mass and lack of floral differentiation. In the pRi-transformed regenerants, the proportion of root mass to whole plant mass was higher than that of the untransformed ones, although both kinds of regenerants were comparable on a fresh weight basis. High capacity of rooting and 20-hydroxyecdysone production associated with the original hairy root line were stably maintained in clonal regenerants.     

How to discriminate between vibration syndrome and local fatigue of motorcyclists

Motorcyclists who work in some offices sometimes complained of coldness, pain and numbness of upper limbs. We studied how to discriminate between vibration syndrome and local fatigue of the motorcyclists. Subjects are 42 motorcyclists of an office in Aichi prefecture. 25 of them held several letters in their left hand when they delivered the letters. They complained of coldness, pain and numbness in the left upper limbs more than in the right limbs (p less than 0.01). We think that it is the local fatigue rather than the disorder of vibration syndrome that causes such symptoms. So it is very important to recognize the existence of local fatigue in order to know how to discriminate between vibration syndrome and local fatigue of the motorcyclists.     

Regional localization of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene to human chromosome 7 band q21.1.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a polypeptide involved in liver regeneration. Its amino acid sequence and gene structure are similar to those of coagulation-related serine proteases. We have used a cDNA clone of HGF and flow-sorted human chromosomes to assign this gene to chromosome 7. Fluorescence in situ hybridization of the HGF genomic clones to human metaphase chromosome spreads showed the localization of this gene to 7q21. Estimation of fluorescent signals relative to arbitrary reference points (ARPs) allowed further localization to 7q21.1.