Malassezia yeasts are normal skin flora of human and animals. However, hospitals have acquired infections caused by Malassezia spp. have been reported recently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and DNA sequence diversity of Malassezia spp. in the external ear canal of dogs in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.
As a result Malassezia spp. were isolated from 33 out of 52 (63.5%) dogs. M. pachydermaitis was identified in 31 (59.6%) specimens by rDNA sequence analysis. These 31 isolates were classified into 5 clusters by molecular phylogenetic analysis using ITS1 region. Three isolates from 3 out of 52 specimens were found to display a high rDNA region sequence similarity to that of M. japonica type strain.

View full abstract

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method is now widely used as an epidemiological tool for outbreak of tuberculosis. But it needs at least one microgram of bacterial DNA for analysis, and it takes over one month for bacterial culture to get enough DNA, so it is hard to get quick results. We have been reporting arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) method, variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR) method, which are based on PCR method, to get rapid results for typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here we report about VNTR method, which is suitable for construction of genome database of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and is a technically easy method, is compared to RFLP method about analyzing power. We examined discrimination power of each tandem repeat region using Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from outbreak cases of tuberculosis.

View full abstract

Ochratoxin A (OTA), ochratoxin B (OTB) and citrinin (CIT) in cereals were determinated simultaneously by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The quantification limits of OTA, OTB and CIT in the samples were 0.07, 0.03 and 0.07μg/kg, respectively. In 33 samples examined, OTA was detected in 6 samples at levels of 0.2–1.8μg/kg, and CIT were detected in 2 samples at levels of 0.7–1.1μg/kg. One sample was co-contaminated with OTA and CIT. Contents of OTA detected in cereals were less than the regulation level of EU (5μg/kg).

View full abstract

A method for the determination of formaldehyde in commercial beers by GC/MS was developed. Formaldehyde in beers was derivatized by O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine, and the derivative was extracted with n-hexane by solvent extraction. Then, formaldehyde was determined by GC/MS, as formaldoxime. Satisfying results were obtained using intermediate polar CP-SIL 24CB capillary column, and decafluorobiphenyl as an internal standard. The detection and quantitation limits were 0.009μg/mL and 0.030μg/mL, respectively. We examined 23 samples of beers using the proposed method. As a result, 0.032μg/mL of formaldehyde was detected in one sample and the trace amount was detected in 7 samples. The amount of formaldehyde in beers detected in this study was much lower than the regulation values of the tap water of Japan and WHO, suggesting that the formaldehyde in beer examined in this study doesn't any influence on the human health.

View full abstract

Transferable picture tattoo seals and face painting pens and crayons were analyzed by HPLC for the presence of formaldehyde. Incubated in artificial perspiration for 2 hours at 40 deg., all seals showed elution of formaldehyde. Meanwhile, incubated in water instead of artificial perspiration, some seals did not show elution of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde elution increased with time. For face painting tools, fluorescent crayons showed formaldehyde, but other crayons and pens did not show the substance.

View full abstract

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has conducted an external quality control program for drinking water laboratories since 2003, in order to evaluate and improve their analytical performances. In 2006, 30 laboratories participated in the program, and the three analytical methods were applied using sodium as a standard sample; namely, atomic absorption (AA), inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP), and ion chromatography. There were no significant differences among the outcome of these 3 methods. As a result, 3 laboratories were revealed to perform the analysis with poor accuracy, because their absolute values of Z-scores were more than 3, while coefficients of variation were more than 10%. On the other hand, in the case of the axial-viewing ICP, luminous intensities of sodium were increased in laboratories using standard calibration solutions containing alkaline metals such as lithium, which gave results lower than reference concentrations. Although some other unsatisfactory performances of laboratories were also observed, they were due to simple errors such as the use of inadequate calibration curves and the unstable settings of instruments.

View full abstract

Chinese hamster lung V79-4 cells are sensitive to the micronucleus inducibility of asbestos. Attapulgite (2 samples) and wollastonite (3 samples), natural mineral fibers, and potassium titanate whisker, a man-made mineral fiber, are all used as asbestos substitutes and thus were tested for there inducibility of micronucleated cells in V79-4 cells. The micronucleated cells significantly increased by 100μg/mL of one of the attapulgites, 50μg/mL or more of one of the wollastonites, and 10μg/mL or more of potassium titanate whisker. The micronucleated cells significantly increased also by 10μg/mL or more of asbestos. These results indicate that attapulgites and wollastonites may possess an ability to induce micronuclei weaker than that of asbestos and potassium titanate whisker possesses such an ability similarly to that of asbestos.

View full abstract

Extracellular levels of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) were assayed in striatum of freely moving mice using microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC), following oral administration of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). As well as these experiment, we performed the measurement of locomotor and behavior activities, and examined whether central nerve injury was caused by repetitive administration using an immunohistochemical method. Dialysates were assayed at 10 minute intervals until 2.5 hours after an oral administration of MDPV. DA extracellular content was 210% of control at 0-30minutes and 208% at 30-60 minutes. But 5-HT was not significantly influenced by MDPV administration. Increasing of the DA level was more moderate by MDPV than other amphetamine like stimulants; methamphetamine and MDMA. It was thought that the augmentation of locomotor and behavior activities increased, when dopamine content became more than 200% of the control level in striatum. The neurotoxicity of MDPV was not observed in this experiment.

View full abstract

110 kinds of pesticide residue components in total of 156 agricultural products; 87 samples cultivated in Tama region, Tokyo and 69 samples cultivated in other regions in Japan between April 2005 and March 2007 were investigated. Total seventeen kinds of pesticides were detected in 15 samples cultivated in Tama region (trace-0.75ppm). Thirty five kinds of pesticides were detected in 25 samples cultivated in the other region (trace-1.5ppm). Concentration of fosthiazate detected in one cucumber and mizuna cultivated in Tama region were over Japanese maximum residue limits. Among the agricultural products cultivated in Tama region, oxamyl detected in romaine lettuce, methomyl in red-tip leaf lettuce and fosthiazate in mizuna were respectively against application in the Agricultural Chemicals Control Act.

View full abstract

Cosmetics claiming inclusion of Pt, Au and Ag are available through many shops. The manufactures have to indicate the ingredients of cosmetics. However, these cosmetics don't need to have labels of indicating the percentage of the ingredients by law. These cosmetics were analyzed by using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and so on. The percentage of the Pt ranged from 1 to 80ppm among the samples. The lower detection limit of Pt of the standard sample was 1ppm under the present experimental condition of INAA. Some samples contained Pt as claimed in the labels by the producers, however, were less Pt than detection limits contrary to the claiming in the label. Furthermore, it is extremely troublesome to prove that some ingredients are not added if it was claimed to have added to some ingredients. This paper presents an issue to the ingredient notation of cosmetics.

View full abstract

"Reeducation Program for Chemical/Biological integrated management" was comprehensive and practical educational program and executed in fiscal 2004-2008 for capacity building of people who fullfil their role in various position. About 6,000 people participated as students and 1,731 as teachers, and 3,307 people graduated. This program was highly appreciated by both students and teachers, and contributes capacity building of professional and liberal arts. This means overfulfillment of the objective plan.
Continuous implementation of educational programs is necessary for capacity building, so "Chinoichiba: Free Market or/by/for wisdom" succeed and diversity this program.

View full abstract

The 27th SIDS (Screening Information Data Set) Initial Assessment Meeting was held in Ottawa, Canada on 14th-16th October 2008. The initial assessment documents of 35 substances were discussed, and the conclusions of initial assessment for all substances were approved at the meeting. The Japanese Government submitted the initial assessment documents for three substances, sodium p-toluenesulfonate (CAS: 657-84-1) which was prepared by the Japanese Government, 1,3-benzenediol (CAS: 108-46-3) which was prepared by International Council of Chemical Association (ICCA) and N-cyclohexylbenzothiazole-2-sulphenamide (CAS: 95-33-0) which was prepared by Germany and the Japanese Government based on EU risk assessment. This paper reports the summary of the 27th SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.

View full abstract