Ruegeria sp. Strains Isolated from the Reef-Building Coral Galaxea fascicularis Inhibit Growth of the Temperature-Dependent Pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus

The coral microbiome has attracted increased attention because of its potential roles in host protection against deadly diseases. However, little is known about the role of coral-associated bacteria against the temperature-dependent opportunistic pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. In this study, we tested whether bacteria associated with the reef-building coral Galaxea fascicularis could inhibit the growth of V. coralliilyticus. Twenty-nine cultivable bacteria were successfully isolated from a healthy colony of G. fascicularis kept in an aquarium. Among the bacterial isolates, three Ruegeria sp. strains inhibited the growth of V. coralliilyticus P1 as a reference strain and Vibrio sp. isolated in this study. Ruegeria sp. strains were also detected from other G. fascicularis colonies in the aquarium and in previous field studies by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, suggesting that Ruegeria sp. strains are common among G. fascicularis colonies. These results illuminate the potential role of Ruegeria sp. in protecting corals against pathogenic Vibrio species.

Relationship of trainee dentists' self-reported empathy and communication behaviors with simulated patients' assessment in medical interviews

Objectives

We aimed to clarify the communication behaviors between trainee dentists and simulated patients (SPs), to examine how the level of trainee dentists’ self-reported empathy influences assessment by SPs in medical interviews.

Materials and methods

The study involved 100 trainee dentists at Okayama University Hospital and eight SPs. The trainee dentists conducted initial interviews with the SPs after completing the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE). All interviews were recorded and analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS). The SPs assessed the trainees’ communication immediately after each interview. The trainee dentists were classified into two groups (more positive and less positive) according to SP assessment scores.

Results

Compared with less-positive trainees, the more-positive trainees scored higher in the RIAS category of emotional expression and lower in the medical data gathering category. There was no difference in dental data gathering between the two groups. SP ratings for more-positive trainees were higher for use of positive talk and emotional expression and lower for giving medical information and dental information. Trainees with more positive ratings from SPs had significantly higher JSE total scores.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that responding to the emotions of patients is an important behavior in dentist-patient communication, according to SPs’ positive assessment in medical interviews. Further, SPs’ assessment of trainees’ communication was related to trainees’ self-reported empathy, which indicates that an empathic attitude among dentists is a significant determinant of patient satisfaction.

Evaluation of time to failure of strategy as an alternative surrogate endpoint in patients with lung cancer with EGFR mutations

Background

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most common oncogenes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and platinum-doublet chemotherapy (PT) are effective regimens in patients with NSCLC harbouring EGFR mutations. Among these patients, progression-free survival (PFS) has been used as a surrogate endpoint; however, it may not correlate with overall survival (OS) due to crossover. Time to failure of strategy (TFS) has been proposed as an alternative endpoint in advanced colorectal cancer clinical trials where multiple effective therapies are provided either in combination or sequentially. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether TFS is useful in lung cancer trials.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with NSCLC harbouring EGFR mutations who chose a treatment strategy consisting of EGFR-TKI and PT as the initial two regimens at the National Cancer Center Hospital. We evaluated the relationship between PFS and OS and between TFS and OS.

Results

Between May 2005 and April 2015, a total of 374 patients were diagnosed with NSCLC harbouring EGFR mutations. Among them, 158 patients were eligible for analysis. The median PFS, TFS and OS of the patients were 11.2 months (95% CI 9.9 to 12.6), 21.3 months (95%  CI 18.6 to 26.2) and 36.6 months (95%  CI 32.0 to 41.8), respectively. OS and TFS, but not PFS, were better in patients who received PT then EGFR-TKI compared with those who received the opposite schedule. The non-parametric Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (r) between PFS and OS and between TFS and OS were 0.54 and 0.85, respectively.

Conclusions

This is the first report describing TFS data among patients with NSCLC with EGFR mutations who received EGFR-TKI and PT as the initial two regimens. TFS was acceptable as a surrogate endpoint for OS. Further validation in clinical trials is needed.

Detection of betacyanin in red-tube spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and its biofortification by strategic hydroponics

Betacyanins have been reported as water-soluble, nitrogenous pigments found in the order Caryophyllales, and they are known for powerful natural antioxidant. The biofortification of secondary metabolites such as anthocyanins and betacyanins has recently been performed in food crops by metabolic engineering through genetic modification. However, the distribution of genetically modified foods is strictly regulated. Therefore, we aimed to develop a new method for biofortifying natural antioxidants, betacyanins, without genetic modification. We first detected the presence of betacyanins in red-tube spinach (Spinacia oleracea) through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. We then hydroponically cultivated plants in the presence of three candidate compounds for betacyanin biofortification: dopamine, Ca2+, and sucrose. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and antioxidant activity analyses showed that sucrose was most successful in biofortifying betacyanins, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) indicated that several genes involved in betacyanin biosynthesis were induced by sucrose. Therefore, strategic hydroponics represents a new approach for cultivating betacyanin-enriched vegetables.