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Masaharu Yokota

Publications and source records attributed to Masaharu Yokota.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Molecular epidemiology of Salmonella Enteritidis food poisoning by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis].

During the years 1983 to 1999, a total of 120 Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) isolates from various sources, patient's stool, foods, kitchen wear, river water etc., in 61 cases of food poisoning in the Sakai City, were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) after XbaI or NotI digestion of chromosomal DNA. XbaI and NotI restriction produced 2 (X1 and X2) and 3 (N1, N2 and N3) pulse-field profiles, respectively. The X1 and N1 types were further divided into 8 (Xla-Xlh) and 6 (N1a-N1f) subtypes, respectively. However, these strains of subtypes showed only 0-4 fragment changes in PFGE patterns and the index of discrimination of over 0.75, indicating that SE isolates belong to the same clonal lineage, or are revealing closely clonal relationships. These results suggested a possible strain transmission in case of food poisoning, and epidemiologically related SE isolates were spread in the Sakai City district during a long period.

Cooking↗
PubMed2003

Bactericidal effects of konjac fluid on several food-poisoning bacteria.

In this study, the bactericidal effects of Japanese alkaline foods on food-poisoning bacteria were evaluated. Konjac is an alkaline food soaked in calcinated calcium (the pH of konjac fluid ranges from 11.42 to 12.53). Konjac fluids completely inactivated Escherichia coli, enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 and E. coil O26:H9, Salmonella Enteritidis, Vibrio parahemolyticus. and Staphylococcus aureus. The initial level of 6 log CFU/ml dramatically decreased after incubation with konjac fluid, and no viable gram-negative bacterium cells could be detected within 1 to 2 days and no viable S. aureus cells could be detected within 3 to 5 days. On the other hand, treatment with konjac fluid was also effective in reducing levels of spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium botulinum type E and type A). At least a 4-log reduction of spore-forming bacteria was obtained in konjac fluid within 7 to 14 days. Vegetative cells were more susceptible to konjac fluid than spores were. When the initial cell count was 6 log CFU/ml, a few surviving spores remained for 60 to 90 days, but no spores could be detected after 120 days. When the initial count of spore-forming bacteria was 3 to 4 log CFU/ml, the cells considered vegetative were completely inactivated within I to 3 days. Repeated treatment with konjac fluid caused complete inactivation of spores in less than 1 to 3 days. Our studies indicate that konjac fluid, which has a long history of use in food, will control food-poisoning bacterial contamination during the production or preservation of konjac and other foods and has a preventive effect on bacteria that can cause severe disease at uniquely low levels.

Amorphophallus↗
PubMed2002

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor can interact with platelets.

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) regulates the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. However, there is no report on interaction between TFPI and platelets other than that by Tsuji, who found that whole blood anticoagulated with TFPI exhibited remarkable decrease in platelet count. Our study revealed that washed platelets suspended in modified Tyrode's buffer (8 mM CaCl2) containing TFPI exhibit platelet aggregation. However, platelets aggregation was observed without TFPI, but its increase and intensity were slow and weak, compared to that in the presence of TFPI. This aggregation was inhibited by anti-CD41 (anti-GPIIb) antibody. This finding suggested that TFPI promotes platelet aggregation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗