Demequina flava sp. nov. and Demequina sediminicola sp. nov., isolated from sea sediment

Two novel Gram-stain-positive bacteria, designated HR08-7T and HR08-43T, were isolated from a sea sediment sample from Rishiri Island, Hokkaido, Japan, and their taxonomic positions were investigated by a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that strains HR08-7T and HR08-43T and the members of the genus Demequina formed a monophyletic cluster with similarity range of 95.5–99.0 %. The peptidoglycan type of strains HR08-7T and HR08-43T was A4β. The predominant menaquinone of both strains was demethylmenaquinone DMK-9(H4) and the major fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C contents of strains HR08-7T and HR08-43T were 64.5 and 62.4 mol%, respectively. The results of phylogenetic analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization, along with differences of strains HR08-7T and HR08-43T from the recognized Demequina species in phenotypic characteristics, indicate that the two strains merit classification as representatives of two novel species of the genus Demequina , for which the names Demequina flava sp. nov. and Demequina sediminicola sp. nov. are proposed; the type strains are HR08-7T ( = NBRC 105854T = DSM 24865T) and HR08-43T ( = NBRC 105855T = DSM 24867T), respectively.

Complete genome sequence of the motile actinomycete Actinoplanes missouriensis 431(T) (= NBRC 102363(T))

Actinoplanes missouriensis Couch 1963 is a well-characterized member of the genus Actinoplanes, which is of morphological interest because its members typically produce sporangia containing motile spores. The sporangiospores are motile by means of flagella and exhibit chemotactic properties. It is of further interest that members of Actinoplanes are prolific sources of novel antibiotics, enzymes, and other bioactive compounds. Here, we describe the features of A. missouriensis 431^T, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. The 8,773,466 bp genome contains 8,125 protein-coding and 79 RNA genes.

Combination therapy with cisplatin, 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) and mitomycin (MMC) in patients with inoperable, advanced gastric cancer

The optimal dose of cisplatin (CDDP) for combination chemotherapy for the treatment of inoperable, advanced gastric cancer has yet to be established. We therefore performed a randomized study to compare the therapeutic usefulness of two dose levels of cisplatin. 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR 1,400 mg/m(2)/d) was given orally on days 1 to 4 and 15 to 18. Mitomycin C (MMC, 5.75 mg/m(2)/d) was injected intravenously on day 5. In addition, 80 mg/m2/d of CDDP (regimen A) or 60 mg/m(2)/d of CDDP (regimen B) was given by 2-h intravenous drip infusion on day 5. This treatment cycle was repeated every four weeks. Fifty-six patients were enrolled. Clinical response was evaluated in 32 patients (regimen A, 16 patients; regimen B? 16 patients) with measurable lesions. The response rate was significantly higher with regimen A (9 PR/16, 56.3%) than with regimen B (3 PR/16, 18.9%) (p=0.028, chi(2) test). Median survival was slightly but not significantly longer with regimen A (7.4 months) than with regimen B (6.3 months). Drug toxicity included myelosuppression and gastrointestinal symptoms, but there were no serious adverse reactions or differences in safety between the treatment regimens. Regimen A was associated with a high response rate and low toxicity. The optimal dose of CDDP in combination with 5'-DFUR and MMC for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer is regarded to be 80 mg/m(2).

Three-dimensional visualization of composite fillings for dental identification using CT images

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to discriminate between enamel and composite resins by differences in Hounsfield units shown on 16 section multidetector CT (MDCT) images taken of unidentified bodies.

METHODS

First, we determined the Hounsfield units of composite resins in 15 extracted human teeth. We then filled a single cavity prepared in each of the teeth with one of five different types of composite resins, and scanned the teeth using our routine post-mortem CT protocol for the head and neck. Obtained data were transferred to a radiological workstation and reconstructed. Furthermore, post-mortem CT images of the head of three unidentified bodies were reconstructed in the same manner.

RESULTS

Four types of composite resins containing radio-opaque fillers showed a constant value of 4000 HU, and one radiolucent composite resin showed values in the range of 660-800 HU in the extracted teeth. Pixels at 4000 HU indicated that the composite resins were selected and visualized as three-dimensional colour images. Composite resins could be visualized on reconstructed images of the three unidentified bodies, and the sites visualized matched those noted on the forensic dental charts.

CONCLUSIONS

Discriminating enamel and composite resins containing radio-opaque materials was difficult because of their similar Hounsfield unit values. However, we did succeed in visualizing the composite resins despite limitations of the CT scale. CT reconstructed images can contribute to dental identification, particularly in cases where it is difficult to detect composite resins on external investigation, and these images can be prepared during routine dental identification work.

Lysinimicrobium mangrovi gen. nov., sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from the rhizosphere of a mangrove

A novel strain of Gram-staining-positive bacterium, designated HI08-69T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of a mangrove on Iriomote Island, Japan, and its taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic approach. The strain had peptidoglycan of the A4α type, with lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant menaquinone was demethylmenaquinone DMK-9(H4) and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and an unidentified polar lipid but minor amounts of other polar lipids were also detected. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain HI08-69T was 71.7 mol%. In phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, the novel strain and members of the genus Demequina formed a monophyletic cluster, with pairwise sequence similarities of 95.6–96.8 %. However, strain HI08-69T was clearly distinguishable from all established members of the genus Demequina in terms of several chemotaxonomic characteristics. On the basis of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain HI08-69T represents a novel species in a new genus for which the name Lysinimicrobium mangrovi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is HI08-69T ( = NBRC 105856T = DSM 24868T).

JBIR-94 and JBIR-125, antioxidative phenolic compounds from Streptomyces sp. R56-07

Two phenolic compounds, JBIR-94 (1) and JBIR-125 (2), were isolated from the fermentation broth of strain R56-07, which was identified by phylogenetic methods as a novel species of Streptomyces. The structures of 1 and 2 were assigned on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS analyses. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity with an IC(50) value of 11.4 and 35.1 μM, respectively. These compounds are the first examples of hydroxycinnamic acid amides containing putrescine or spermidine produced by actinomycetes.

Variation and predicted structure of the flagellin gene in Actinoplanes species

Members of the genus Actinoplanes are considered to be representative of motile actinomycetes. To infer the flagellar diversity of Actinoplanes species, novel degenerate primers were designed for the flagellin (fliC) gene. The fliC gene of 21 Actinoplanes strains was successfully amplified and classified into two groups based on whether they were large (type I) or small (type II). Comparison of the translated amino acid sequences revealed that this size difference could be attributed to large number of gaps located in the central variable region. However, the C- and N- terminal regions were conserved. Except for a region on the flagellum surface, structural predictions of type I and II flagellins revealed that the two flagellin types were strongly correlated with each other. Phylogenetic analysis of the 115-amino acid N-terminal sequences revealed that the Actinoplanes species formed three clusters, and type II flagellin gene containing three type strains were phylogenetically closely related each other.

Nocardioides iriomotensis sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from forest soil

An actinomycete strain, designated IR27-S3T, was isolated from a forest soil sample collected from Iriomote Island, Okinawa, Japan. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-sporulating, non-motile coccoids or short rods. The strain grew in the presence of 0–7 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 6–8 and at 12–37 °C, with optimum growth at 30 °C. Chemotaxonomically, the strain contained ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid and MK-8(H4) as the predominant menaquinone. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and an unknown phospholipid. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1 cis-9, C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 73.7 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain IR27-S3T was closely related to Nocardioides mesophilus MSL-22T (98.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Marmoricola bigeumensis MSL-05T (97.2 %) and Nocardioides jensenii DSM 20641T (96.5 %). On the basis of fatty acid analysis, phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic data, the isolate should be classified in a novel species of the genus Nocardioides, for which the name Nocardioides iriomotensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IR27-S3T ( = NBRC 105384T  = KACC 14926T).

Comparison of cerebral aneurysm volumes as determined by digitally measured 3D rotational angiography and approximation from three diameters

This study compared digital measurement of aneurysm volume by 3D rotational angiography (3D-RA) with an approximation technique using three diameters of an aneurysm to re-interpret previously reported optimal packing densities (volume embolization ratio, VER) in coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms. Estimation of the volume of saccular aneurysms is important for calculation of the VER, which is in turn reported to be useful for prediction of coil compaction. The conventional formula for the volume estimation is V=4/3 π(A/2) (B/2) (C/2), where A, B, and C are the aneurysmal height, length, and width measured on 3D-RA image respectively. Using 3D rotational angiography data from 74 aneurysms, the approximated volume generated using the conventional formula was directly compared with the digitally measured volume. The digitally measured volume varied from 0.003 ml to 7.935 ml, and the dome-to-neck ratio (D/N) from 0.79 up to 4.62. We found that the conventional formula almost systematically underestimated the volume by up to 50 %, particularly when the neck was large relative to the dome (D/N<2). On average, digitally measured volume was 1.26~1.29 times larger than the approximated volume obtained using the conventional formula.Conventional 2D angiography based aneurysm volume calculation tends to underestimate an aneurysm volume, so the so-called VER (volume embolization ratio) could be overestimated.

Transmission of cytomegalovirus via breast milk in extremely premature infants

OBJECTIVE

We prospectively evaluated the rate of postnatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission through breast milk in extremely premature infants to address the impact of CMV infection on preterm infants during lactation.

STUDY DESIGN

A total of 25 mothers and 27 infants (two sets of twins) with birth weights <1000 g and/or gestational ages <28 weeks were enrolled in the study. They were mostly fed frozen-thawed breast milk. Breast milk, serum and urine samples were collected every 2 weeks and screened for CMV infection using the real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULT

All of the 21 CMV-seropositive mothers had detectable CMV DNA in their breast milk, with a peak at 4 to 6 weeks postpartum. CMV infection was confirmed in only one infant (4.3%) who displayed almost no clinical symptoms.

CONCLUSION

At our institutes, we mainly use frozen-thawed breast milk. We found low CMV transmission rates even in extremely premature infants, and the CMV-positive infant did not develop serious symptoms.

A phenylacetylated peptide, JBIR-96, isolated from Streptomyces sp. RI051-SDHV6

Searching for metabolites from Streptomyces sp. RI051-SDHV6 resulted in the discovery of a novel peptide, JBIR-96 (1). The structure of 1 was established as an N-phenylacetylated pentapeptide involving a cysteic acid and a peptide lactone structure by extensive NMR and MS analyses. In addition, the absolute configuration of 1 was established by Marfey's and modified Mosher's methods.

Quantitative Evaluation of the Penumbra and Ischemic Core in Acute Cerebral Infarction Using Whole-Brain CT Perfusion

The objectives of the study were to quantitatively assess whole-brain CT Perfusion (CTP) data using an automatic region of interest (ROI) analysis program in order to distinguish between the degree of ischemia in the ischemic core and that in the penumbra and to assess the relationship between expansion of the area of infarction. The subjects were 20 patients with acute cerebral infarction. Whole-brain CTP was performed for all subjects using a 320-row area detector CT scanner. The penumbra* is defined as the region in which the CBV value is 2 mL/100 g or more and the ischemic core* is defined as the region in which the CBV value is less than 2 mL/100 g. The quantitative values of CTP parameters were automatically measured using the automatic ROIs analysis program. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to differentiate between the ischemic core* and the penumbra*. The reduction in perfusion pressure in the penumbra* was smaller in the group with expansion of the area of infarction than in the group without expansion of the area of infarction. The difference in the median values between the penumbra* and the ischemic core* was larger in the group with expansion of the area of infarction than the group without expansion of the area of infarction. It is considered that the quantitative analysis method using whole-brain CTP may be useful for more accurately distinguishing between the ischemic core and the penumbra and for evaluating the risk of expansion of the ischemic core into the penumbra.