Study on ammonia generation from digested sludge by subcritical water treatment.

Organic sludge has recently attracted attention as a renewable energy source. While the organic matter contained in sludge can be utilized as various renewable energy sources, its nitrogen component has limited use. In this study, subcritical water treatment was conducted to recover ammonia from digested sludge. While ammonia recovered via stripping is limited to soluble components, subcritical water treatment can convert solid components and dissolved organic nitrogen sludge into ammonia. Digested sludge was treated at several reaction temperatures, reaction pressures, treatment times, and oxygen ratios to determine the ammonia generation rate. Among the conditions tested in this study, an ammonium generation rate of 84.0% was obtained at 400 °C, 10 MPa, a treatment time of 5 min, and at an oxygen ratio of 1.2.

Hybridization of Bogoliubov Quasiparticles between Adjacent CuO_{2} Layers in the Triple-Layer Cuprate Bi_{2}Sr_{2}Ca_{2}Cu_{3}O_{10+δ} Studied by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy.

Hybridization of Bogoliubov quasiparticles (BQPs) between the CuO_{2} layers in the triple-layer cuprate high-temperature superconductor Bi_{2}Sr_{2}Cu_{2}Cu_{3}O_{10+δ} is studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In the superconducting state, an anticrossing gap opens between the outer- and inner-BQP bands, which we attribute primarily to interlayer single-particle hopping with possible contributions from interlayer Cooper pairing. We find that the d-wave superconducting gap of both BQP bands smoothly develops with momentum without an abrupt jump in contrast to a previous ARPES study. Hybridization between the BQPs also gradually increases in going from the off nodal to the antinodal region, which is explained by the momentum dependence of the interlayer single-particle hopping. As possible mechanisms for the enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature, the hybridization between the BQPs as well as the combination of phonon modes of the triple CuO_{2} layers and spin fluctuations represented by a four-well model are discussed.

A Polymorphism rs6726395 in Nrf2 Contributes to the Development of Emphysema-Associated Age in Smokers Without COPD.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies have reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) contribute to airflow limitations in smokers without COPD. Although small airway lesions and emphysema contribute cooperatively to airflow limitation, the relationship between Nrf2 SNPs and the development of emphysema in smokers without COPD is not well understood. METHODS: Healthy subjects who underwent an annual health checkup with computed tomography (CT) of the chest at Osaka City University Hospital were prospectively recruited. The percentage of low-attenuation area (%LAA) on chest CT was quantified, and correlations between %LAA, Nrf2 SNP [rs6726395 (G/A)] genotypes, and clinical characteristics were examined. RESULTS: A total of 245 subjects without COPD [non-/light-smoker: 153 (62.4%) and smoker: 92 (37.6%)] were enrolled. The %LAA in the upper lung field was higher than that in the lower lung field (p < 0.001). The %LAA in smokers was significantly higher than that in non-/light-smokers (p = 0.021). The %LAA showed significant but weak correlation with age in all subjects (r = 0.141, p = 0.028). Divided by genotype, the %LAA of the upper lung field was significantly correlated with age in smokers with genotype GG (wild type) (r = 0.333, p = 0.022), but was not significantly correlated with age in smokers with genotype AG/AA. These correlations were not observed in non-/light smokers. CONCLUSION: A polymorphism rs6726395 in Nrf2 can contribute to the development of emphysema-associated aging in smokers. The Nrf2 SNP may be a predictive factor for smoking-induced emphysema, and genotyping of Nrf2 SNP may serve as biomarker for emphysema prevention.

The clinical significance of cysteine dioxygenase type 1 methylation in Barrett esophagus adenocarcinoma.

Methylation of cysteine dioxygenase type 1 (CDO1) gene, a tumor suppressor gene, has been studied in various cancers; however, there is no information regarding Barrett esophagus cancer. In this study, the clinical significance of CDO1 methylation in Barrett esophagus adenocarcinoma (BEA) was clarified. CDO1 gene promoter methylation was analyzed for DNA from the patient's specimens using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Thirty-eight BEA patients who underwent resection were identified between 2000 and 2014. Hypermethylation of CDO1 gene was demonstrated to be frequently recognized even at early stage in BEA by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. In BEA, there is a robust prognostic difference between stage I and stage II/III/IV with regard to 5-year relapse-free survival (P = 0.0016) and 5-year overall survival (P = 0.0024), and the tumor size separated by 7 cm was also a prognostic factor. There was significant difference in CDO1 gene methylation according to the tumor size (P = 0.036). BEA patients with CDO1 gene methylation were shown marginally significantly poorer prognosis (P = 0.054) than otherwise patients. In conclusion, higher CDO1 gene methylation was seen in BEA at earlier stage than in squamous cell carcinoma, and it may account for aggressive phenotype of BEA.

Thy28 protects against anti-CD3-mediated thymic cell death in vivo.

Apoptotic cell death plays a pivotal role in the development and/or maintenance of several tissues including thymus. Deregulated thymic cell death is associated with autoimmune diseases including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a prototype murine model for analysis of human multiple sclerosis. Because Thy28 expression is modulated during thymocyte development, we tested whether Thy28 affects induction of EAE as effectively as antigen-induced thymocyte deletion using Thy28 transgenic (TG) mice. Thy28 TG mice showed partial resistance to anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb)-induced thymic cell death in vivo, as assessed by annexin V-expression and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The resistance to anti-CD3 mAb-induced cell death in Thy28 TG mice appeared to correlate with a decreased c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation and reduced down-regulation of Bcl-xL. Moreover, thymic hyperplasia was detected in Thy28 TG mice, although thymocyte development was unaltered. Development of peripheral lymphoid tissues including spleen and lymph nodes was also unaltered. Thy28 TG spleen T cells showed an increased production of IFN-γ, but not IL-17, in response to both anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 mAbs. Finally, Thy28 TG mice displayed accelerated induction of EAE as assessed by disease incidence, clinical score, and pathology following immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein compared with control WT mice. These findings suggest that modulation of Thy28 expression plays a crucial role in the determination of thymic cell fate, which may contribute to the development of EAE through proinflammatory cytokine production.

Clinical and immunological profiles in 17 Japanese patients with drug-induced pemphigus studied at Kurume University.

BACKGROUND: Drug-induced pemphigus (DIP) shows clinical, histopathological and immunological features of pemphigus. However, little is known about immunological profiles in DIP. OBJECTIVES: To characterize clinical and immunological profiles in patients with DIP. METHODS: We studied 17 Japanese patients with DIP who were treated at Kurume University Hospital or who consulted from other hospitals between 1997 and 2012. Complicated diseases, clinical and histopathological manifestations, responsible drugs and findings in immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), immunoblotting (IB) and prognosis were analysed. RESULTS: Eight of the 17 patients with DIP showed pemphigus foliaceus-like appearance, three showed pemphigus herpetiformis-like appearance, and six showed atypical bullous lesions. Responsible drugs were thiol-containing drugs in 16 patients (bucillamine in nine cases, d-penicillamine in four cases, and cetapril, thiopronine and captopril in one patient each), and a nonthiol drug, sulfasalazine, in one patient. By ELISAs and/or IB analyses, nine patients reacted only with desmoglein 1 (Dsg1), four reacted with Dsg1 and Dsg3, and four showed no specific reactivity. By IB of normal human epidermal extracts, in addition to positive reactivity with Dsg1, four patients with no detectable malignancy showed paraneoplastic pemphigus-like reactivity with the 210-kDa envoplakin and the 190-kDa periplakin. Four cases showed anti-Dsg3 antibodies without mucosal lesions. While 11 cases recovered after discontinuation of the causative drugs, six patients had a very protracted or intractable disease course, and might develop true pemphigus. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that the majority of the patients with DIP studied showed a pemphigus foliaceus-type phenotype with anti-Dsg1 autoantibodies, caused by thiol-containing drugs.

Model evaluation of faecal contamination in coastal areas affected by urban rivers receiving combined sewer overflows.

Odaiba seaside park is one of the most popular waterfronts in Tokyo Bay, but is easily affected by wet weather pollutant loads through combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The monitoring data of Escherichia coli clearly showed high faecal contamination after a rainfall event on 9-11 November 2007. We estimated the amounts of discharge volume and E. coli pollutant loads of urban rivers receiving CSO from rainfall chambers as well as pumping stations and primary effluent discharge. The result suggested that Sumida River and Meguro River were more influential to the Odaiba coastal area than other sources including the nearest wastewater treatment plant. Subsequently, we simulated the dynamic behaviour of E. coli by a three-dimensional (3D) hydro-dynamic and water quality model. The model simulation reproduced that E. coli concentration after the rainfall event increased rapidly at first and later gradually decreased. The simulations with and without inflow pollutant loads from urban rivers suggested that the E. coli concentration can be influenced by the Meguro River just after the rainfall event and Sumida River about 1 week later. From the spatial and temporal distribution of surface E. coli concentration, after at least 6 days from the rainfall event, high faecal contamination spread to the whole of the coastal area.

Prognostic value of increased intraepithelial lymphocytes and lymphocytic clonality in dogs with chronic enteropathy or small-cell lymphoma.

The clinical significance of severe infiltration of small intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) and the results of polymerase chain reaction for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) in dogs with chronic enteropathy (CE) and small-cell lymphoma (SCL) are controversial. This cohort study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the IEL and PARR results in dogs with CE or SCL. Although definitive diagnostic histopathological criteria for SCL in dogs have yet to be established, dogs with the histopathological findings of severe IEL infiltration were diagnosed with SCL in this study. One hundred and nineteen dogs were recruited, with 23 dogs classified as having SCL and 96 dogs as having CE. The positive rate of PARR was 59.6 % (71/119) in the duodenum and 57.7 % (64/111) in the ileum. Subsequently, three dogs with SCL and four dogs with CE developed large-cell lymphoma (LCL). The median overall survival (OS) of dogs with SCL was 700 days (range, 6-1410 days), and that of dogs with CE was not reached. In the log-rank test, shorter OS was observed in cases with histopathological SCL (P = 0.035), clonal TCRγ rearrangement in the duodenum (P = 0.012), and clonal IgH rearrangement in the ileum (P < 0.0001). The Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for sex and age showed that histopathological SCL (hazard ratio [HR] 1.74; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.83-3.65), duodenal clonal TCRγ rearrangement (HR, 1.80; 95 % CI, 0.86-3.75), and ileal clonal IgH rearrangement (HR, 2.28; 95 % CI, 0.92-5.70) could shorten overall survival, although their 95 % CIs included 1.0. These results indicate that severe IEL infiltration could be a useful histopathological feature for diagnosing SCL, and clonality-positive results could be a negative prognostic factor in dogs with CE. Furthermore, the development of LCL should be carefully monitored in dogs with CE and SCL..

Experimental autoimmune panencephalitis and uveoretinitis transferred to the Lewis rat by T lymphocytes specific for the S100 beta molecule, a calcium binding protein of astroglia.

The pathogenic potential of autoimmune T cell responses to nonmyelin autoantigens was investigated in the Lewis rat using the astrocyte-derived calcium binding protein S100 beta, as a model nonmyelin autoantigen. The Lewis rat mounts a vigorous RT1B1 (major histocompatibility complex class II) restricted autoimmune response to an immunodominant S100 beta epitope (amino acid residues 76-91). The adoptive transfer of S100 beta-specific T cell lines induced a severe inflammatory response in the nervous system, but only minimal neurological dysfunction in naive syngeneic recipients. The inability of S100 beta-specific T cell transfer to induce severe disease was associated with a decreased recruitment of ED1+ macrophages into the central nervous system (CNS) in comparison with that seen in severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by the adoptive transfer of myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific T line cells. Moreover, unlike encephalitogenic MBP-specific T cell lines, S100 beta-specific T cell lines exhibited no cytotoxic activity in vitro. Histopathological analysis also revealed striking differences in the distribution of inflammatory lesions in MBP- and S100 beta-specific T cell-mediated disease. In contrast to the MBP paradigm, S100 beta-specific T cell transfer induces intense inflammation not only in the spinal cord, but throughout the entire CNS and also in the uvea and retina of the eye. In view of the distribution of lesions throughout the grey and white matter of the CNS we propose to term this new model experimental autoimmune panencephalomyelitis (EAP) to differentiate it from EAE. These experiments demonstrate for the first time that nonmyelin CNS autoantigens can initiate a pathogenic autoimmune T cell response, although the nature of the target autoantigen profoundly influences the clinical and histopathological characteristics of the resulting autoimmune disease. This is not simply a consequence of the distribution of the autoantigen, as both MBP and S100 beta are coexpressed in many areas of the CNS, but reflects differences in the capacity of different regions of the CNS to process and present specific autoantigens. This new model of T cell-mediated autoimmune CNS disease exhibits a number of similarities to multiple sclerosis (MS), such as its mild clinical course and the involvement of areas of the brain and eye, which are absent in myelin-mediated models of EAE. Nonmyelin autoantigens may therefore play an unexpectedly important role in the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory diseases of the CNS.

Enhanced superconducting gaps in the trilayer high-temperature Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O(10+δ) cuprate superconductor.

We report the first observation of the multilayer band splitting in the optimally doped trilayer cuprate Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O(10+δ) (Bi2223) by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The observed energy bands and Fermi surfaces are originated from the outer and inner CuO2 planes (OP and IP). The OP band is overdoped with a large d-wave gap around the node of Δ0∼43 meV while the IP is underdoped with an even large gap of Δ0∼60 meV. These energy gaps are much larger than those for the same doping level of the double-layer cuprates, which leads to the large Tc in Bi2223. We propose possible origins of the large superconducting gaps for the OP and IP: (1) minimal influence of out-of-plane disorder and a proximity effect and (2) interlayer tunneling of Cooper pairs between the OP and IP.

Relation between outcomes and localisation of p-mTOR expression in gastric cancer.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a Ser/Thr protein kinase that mediates intracellular signalling related to cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, has received considerable interest as a possible target for cancer treatment. We evaluated the correlation of mTOR expression with clinicopathological features, outcomes, and the expression of Akt, an upstream regulator of mTOR, in gastric cancer. Tumour samples were obtained from 109 patients with gastric adenocarcinomas who underwent a radical gastrectomy. The expressions of phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR) and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus were analysed by immunohistochemical staining. Cytoplasmic p-mTOR expression positively correlated with the depth of tumour invasion (T1 vs T2-4, P=0.003), involved lymph nodes (P=0.010), and tumour stage (I vs II-IV, P=0.002). In contrast, nuclear p-mTOR expression negatively correlated with these variables (P<0.001,=0.035, and <0.001). Cytoplasmic p-mTOR expression was associated with significantly poorer relapse-free survival (RFS, P=0.037) and overall survival (OS, P=0.024), whereas nuclear p-mTOR expression was associated with better RFS and OS (P=0.029, 0.059). Neither cytoplasmic nor nuclear p-Akt expression was associated with any clinicopathological factor or with survival. Localisation of p-mTOR may play an important role in tumour progression and outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.

Elastic constants in tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme crystals containing large amount of water.

Transverse sound velocity of cross-linked tetragonal hen egg-white (HEW) lysozyme crystals containing large amount of water in the crystal was measured using ultrasonic pulse-echo method. All elastic constants of cross-linked crystals were observed to be C11=C22=5.50 GPa, C12=4.33 GPa, C13=C23=3.94 GPa, C33=5.22 GPa, C44=C55=0.68 GPa, and C66=0.84 GPa, respectively. We found that the elastic constants of the cross-linked crystals are identical to those of the intrinsic ones without cross-linking. Moreover, we found that tetragonal HEW lysozyme crystals that enclose large amount of water show decreased elastic constants (softening). In particular, the shear elastic constants C44=C55 and C66 showed more softening effect comparing with other elastic components.

Postnatal development of the organ of Corti in dominant-negative Gjb2 transgenic mice.

Hereditary hearing loss is one of the most prevalent inherited human birth defects, affecting one in 2000. A strikingly high proportion (50%) of congenital bilateral nonsyndromic sensorineural deafness cases have been linked to mutations in the GJB2 coding for the connexin26. It has been hypothesized that gap junctions in the cochlea, especially connexin26, provide an intercellular passage by which K(+) are transported to maintain high levels of the endocochlear potential essential for sensory hair cell excitation. We previously reported the generation of a mouse model carrying human connexin26 with R75W mutation (R75W+ mice). The present study attempted to evaluate postnatal development of the organ of Corti in the R75W+ mice. R75W+ mice have never shown auditory brainstem response waveforms throughout postnatal development, indicating the disturbance of auditory organ development. Histological observations at postnatal days (P) 5-14 were characterized by i) absence of tunnel of Corti, Nuel's space, or spaces surrounding the outer hair cells, ii) significantly small numbers of microtubules in inner pillar cells, iii) shortening of height of the organ of Corti, and iv) increase of the cross-sectional area of the cells of the organ of Corti. Thus, morphological observations confirmed that a dominant-negative Gjb2 mutation showed incomplete development of the cochlear supporting cells. On the other hand, the development of the sensory hair cells, at least from P5 to P12, was not affected. The present study suggests that Gjb2 is indispensable in the postnatal development of the organ of Corti and normal hearing.

Reliability of endoscopic esophageal mucosectomy using TxHood, a multipurpose treatment hood.

Endoscopic mucosectomy, comprising both endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), is a minimally invasive treatment for patients with early esophageal carcinoma. The use of ESD is appropriate for mucosal lesions of any size. However, ESD techniques are relatively difficult and can lead to serious complications such as perforation and massive bleeding, which have been reported more frequently after ESD than after EMR. This study describes a novel technique for ESD using a newly designed multipurpose treatment hood (TxHood) as well as basic experiments to ensure its safety. The TxHood includes various therapeutic tools such as an electric needleknife, a snare wire, and an injection needle, and the lines can be selected freely before insertion of an enodoscope covered by a TxHood. The main techniques for ESD are endoscopic submucosal saline injections on demand through a working channel of the endoscope or TxHood and a cut or swing cut with a needleknife attached to the TxHood. Moreover, the target area can be grasped with a grasping forceps through a working channel of the endoscope to obtain effective countertraction. In these experiments, an electric needleknife set parallel to the shaft of the endoscope offered safety and ease of handling for the dissecting procedures. Altogether, 16 resections of mucosa with an average size of 3.5 x 2.5 cm (range, 2 x 2 to 7 x 4 cm) were performed. The average time required for each targeted endoscopic resection area was about 15 min. No perforations or instances of uncontrollable bleeding occurred. In conclusion, this basic study demonstrates that the new ESD technique with the TxHood provides a useful treatment for early esophageal carcinoma and may be applicable for all mucosal or submucosal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract.

Isolation techniques of murine bone marrow progenitor cells and their adipogenic, neurogenic and osteogenic differentiation capacity.

Bone marrow derived progenitor cells have been widely studied for its multipotent property and have proofed to be an important resource in regenerative medicine. However, the propagation of murine bone marrow appeared to be a great challenge as compared to other mammalian species. In this study, various isolation techniques and the plasticity of the isolated cells were evaluated. Our result shows that magnetic sorting technique yielded the most viable cells and displayed wider differentiation capacity.

Derivation of neurospheres from bone marrow stromal cells.

Nerve stem cells have a unique characteristic in that they form spherical aggregates, also termed neurospheres, in vitro. The study demonstrated the successful derivation of these neurospheres from bone marrow culture. Their plasticity as nerve stem cells was confirmed. The findings further strengthens the pluripotency of cell populations within the bone marrow.

[Endobronchial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma resected 9 years before; report of a case].

A 68-year-old man, who had undergone a left nephrectomy for a clear cell type renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in June 1995 and then received interferon therapy till March 1997, was admitted with dyspnea in June 2004. Chest X-ray showed atelectasis of the left lower lung lobe and chest computed tomography revealed a polypoid mass in the left lower bronchus. He was diagnosed with a pulmonary metastasis of a RCC by transbronchial biopsy. We considered it a slow growing type of RCC because of the long disease free interval (DFI). A left lower lobectomy with bronchoplasty was carried out. However, 6 month after the operation, a new lesion has occurred near the portion of the broncho-anastmosis and multiple metastases have developed in the right lung.

Feasibility of a Clinical Pathway With Early Oral Intake and Discharge for Laparoscopic Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although some studies have reported the safety of early oral intake after gastrectomy, it still remains controversial. This study focused on the feasibility of a clinical pathway with early oral intake and discharge setting for exclusively laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical pathway was applied to 403 patients until December 2014. In the protocol, patients are allowed to take a sip of water and a soft diet on the first and second days after the operation, respectively, and the discharge day is set as the fifth to seventh day after the operation. Clinicopathological variables were prospectively collected, and risk factors for discharge variances were analyzed. RESULTS: The completion rate of the clinical pathway was 76.9%. There were five re-admissions (1.2%). The overall morbidity rate was 18% ( n = 72), and major complications (Clavien-Dindo IIIa or greater) occurred in 13 patients (3%). Complications were the causes for discharge variances in 68 cases (73%), while the attending surgeons' judgment was the cause in 25 cases (27%). On multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio = 2.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.38-3.60, p = 0.001) and operative time (odds ratio = 2.38, 95% confidence interval = 1.45-3.98, p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for discharge variances. CONCLUSION: A high completion rate of a clinical pathway with early oral intake and discharge setting for laparoscopic distal gastrectomy was achievable with an acceptably low re-admission rate. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is recommended as a first step for a clinical pathway with an early oral intake and discharge protocol.

High-density lipoprotein enhancement of anticoagulant activities of plasma protein S and activated protein C.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are associated, respectively, with either increased risk or apparent protective effects for atherothrombosis. The ability of purified LDL and HDL to downregulate thrombin formation, a contributor to atherothrombotic processes, was assessed. Purified HDL, but not LDL, significantly enhanced inactivation of coagulation factor Va by activated protein C (APC) and protein S, and HDL stimulated protein S-dependent proteolytic inactivation of Va by APC, apparently due to cleavage at Arg306 in Va. In normal plasma, added HDL enhanced APC/protein S anticoagulant activity in modified prothrombin-time clotting assays. When the anticoagulant potency of HDL was compared with phospholipid (PL) vesicles of well-defined composition using this assay, HDL appeared qualitatively different from PL vesicles because HDL showed only good anticoagulant activity, whereas PL vesicles were rather procoagulant. When 20 normal plasmas were tested using this clotting assay, apoA-I levels correlated with anticoagulant response to APC/protein S (r = 0.47, P = 0.035), but not with activated partial thromboplastin time-based APC resistance ratios. Because HDL enhances the anticoagulant protein C pathway in vitro, we speculate that HDL may help downregulate thrombin generation in vivo and that this anticoagulant action is one of HDL's beneficial activities.

Ecdysone response element in a baculovirus immediate-early gene, ie1, promoter.

A computer-assisted analysis identified tentative target sequences for regulatory proteins including ecdysone-inducible factors such as BmFTZ-F1 and Broad-Complex Z4 (BR-C Z4) in the ie1 promoter of BmNPV. A transient expression experiment using BmN cells and a series of truncated ie1 promoter constructs demonstrated that the activity of the ie1 promoter responded to alpha-ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone, which required a tridecameric nucleotide stretch (ie1EcRE, 5'-GTGTTATCGACCT-3') homologous to the ecdysone response element reported for Drosophila (DmEcRE). RT-PCR demonstrated the expression of BmEcR and BmUSP, which are required as ecdysone-specific activators for EcRE-mediated activation, in BmN cells. Furthermore, the ie1 EcRE-mediated response was confirmed by using a recombinant BmNPV possessing a luciferase gene under the control of the ie1 promoter with or without ie1 EcRE. This is the first report of an ecdysone response element in a baculoviral gene promoter. These results also suggested that the regulation of the ie1 by ecdysone may militate viral replication at least under certain conditions during natural infections in vivo.