Crassaminicella indica sp. nov., a novel thermophilic anaerobic bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent

A novel moderately thermophilic heterotrophic bacterium, designated strain 143-21^T, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal chimney sample collected from the Central Indian Ridge at a depth of 2 440 m. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain 143-21^T belongs to the genus Crassaminicella. It was most closely related to Crassaminicella thermophila SY095^T (96.79 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Crassaminicella profunda Ra1766H^T (96.52 %). Genomic analysis showed that strain 143-21^T shares 79.79-84.45 % average nucleotide identity and 23.50-29.20 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization with the species of the genus Crassaminicella, respectively. Cells were rod-shaped, non-motile, Gram-positive-staining. Terminal endospores were observed in stationary-phase cells when strain 143-21^T was grown on Thermococcales rich medium. Strain 143-21^T was able to grow at 30-60 °C (optimum, 50 °C), pH 6.5-8.5 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in 1.0-7.0 % NaCl (w/v; optimum 2.0 %, w/v). Strain 143-21^T utilized fructose, glucose, maltose, mannose, ribose, N-acetyl-d-(+)-glucosamine and casamino acids, as well as amino acids including glutamate, lysine, histidine and cysteine. The main fermentation products from glucose were acetate (2.07 mM), H₂ and CO₂. It did not reduce elemental sulphur, sulphate, thiosulphate, sulphite, fumarate, nitrate, nitrite and Fe (III). The predominant cellular fatty acids were C_14 : 0 (48.8 %), C_16 : 0 (12.9 %), and summed feature 3 (C_16 : 1 ω7c and/or C_16 : 1 ω6c; 10.2 %). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol, as well as two unidentified phospholipids and four unidentified aminolipids. No respiratory quinones were detected. Based on its phylogenetic analysis and physiological characteristics, strain 143-21^T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Crassaminicella, for which the name Crassaminicella indica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain 143-21^T (=DSM 114408^T= MCCC 1K06400^T).

Crassaminicella thermophila sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney and emended description of the genus Crassaminicella

A novel moderately thermophilic, anaerobic, heterotrophic bacterium (strain SY095^T) was isolated from a hydrothermal vent chimney located on the Southwest Indian Ridge at a depth of 2730 m. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, motile, straight to slightly curved rods forming terminal endospores. SY095^T was grown at 45-60 °C (optimum 50-55 °C), pH 6.0-7.5 (optimum 7.0), and in a salinity of 1-4.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.5 %). Substrates utilized by SY095^T included fructose, glucose, maltose, N-acetyl glucosamine and tryptone. Casamino acid and amino acids (glutamate, glutamine, lysine, methionine, serine and histidine) were also utilized. The main end products from glucose fermentation were acetate, H₂ and CO₂. Elemental sulphur, sulphate, thiosulphate, sulphite, fumarate, nitrate, nitrite and Fe(III) were not used as terminal electron acceptors. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C_14 : 0 (60.5%) and C_16 : 0 (7.6 %). The main polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, five unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified aminophospholipids. No respiratory quinones were detected. The chromosomal DNA G+C content was 30.8 mol%. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that SY095^T was closely related to Crassaminicella profunda Ra1766H^T (95.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity). SY095^T exhibited 78.1 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) to C. profunda Ra1766H^T. The in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) value indicated that SY095^T shared 22.7 % DNA relatedness with C. profunda Ra1766H^T. On the basis of its phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, SY095^T is suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Crassaminicella, for which the name Crassaminicella thermophila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SY095^T (=JCM 34213=MCCC 1K04191). An emended description of the genus Crassaminicella is also proposed.

[Analysis on the clinical therapeutic effects of arterial first approach pancreatoduodenectomy in the treatment of borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma]

Objective: To compare the clinical therapeutic effects of arterial first approach pancreaticoduodenectomy(AFA-PD) with standard approach pancreaticoduodenectomy(SPD) in the treatment of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 113 cases of pancreatic cancer patients from January 2014 to August 2015 at Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, including 43 cases in AFA-PD group and 70 cases in SPD group.Every patient had gone high-resolusion computed tomography before the surgery, when BRPC was definitely diagnosed by both experienced radiologist and pancreatic surgeon.There were 24 males and 19 females in the AFA-PD group, with average age of (61.6±10.2)years.And in the SPD group, there were 47 males and 23 females, with average age of (62.7±9.4)years. Results: The operation time was (210.7±31.5)minutes in AFA-PD group, (187.9±27.4)minutes in SPD group, and peroperative bleeding volume was (1 007.1±566.3)ml in AFA-PD group, (700.0±390.0)ml in the other group.Those two indicators of AFA-PD group, compared with SPD group, were relatively higher, the difference was statistically significant(all P<0.01). And with regard to postoperative diarrhea(9.3% vs.5.7%), postoperative 1, 3 days of white blood cells(postoperative 1 day: (13.3±1.1)×10(9)/L vs.(12.4±2.4)×10(9)/L; postoperative 3 days: (12.7±1.6)×10(9)/L vs.(11.7±2.5)×10(9)/L), postoperative 1, 3, 5 days of peritoneal drainage fluid volume(postoperative 1 day: (184±42)ml vs.(156±54)ml; postoperative 3 days: (155±48)ml vs.(133±35)ml; postoperative 5 days: (66±20)ml vs.(47±31)ml), the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). One patient in the SPD group was treated with unplanned secondary surgery for postoperative intraperitoneal hemorrhage, and the patient was cured and discharged.There was no death in the two groups within 30 days after surgical operation and no patient with positive gastric margin, duodenal margin, or anterior margin.The resection rate of superiormesenteric artery(SMA) margin R0 in AFA-PD group was higher than that in SPD group (P=0.019). The two groups were followed up for 14 to 30 months.As for AFA-PD group, the average survival time, progression free survival time and median survival time was respectively (20.4±1.2)months, (21.5±1.4)months and 20 months.There were 3 cases(7.0%) with local recurrence and 8 cases(18.6%) with liver metastasis or distant metastasis.In the SPD group, the average survival time, progression free survival time and median survival time was (17.1±1.1)months, (16.4±1.3)months and 16 months, respectively.There were 13 cases(18.6%) with local recurrence and 25 cases(35.7%) with liver metastasis or distant metastasis.As a result, the AFA-PD group had longer survival time(P=0.001)and progression free survival time(P=0.002). However, the lower local recurrence and distant metastasis rate in AFA-PD group did not reach statistical standard (P>0.05). Conclusion: The arterial first approach pancreaticoduodenectomy is safe and effective in the treatment of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, which can improve the resection rate of SMA margin R0, and prolong patient survival time.

Randomized controlled trials of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor in treating major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of efficacy and acceptability

New generation antidepressant therapies, including serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs), were introduced in the late 1980s; however, few comprehensive studies have compared the benefits and risks of various contemporary treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD) in young patients. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases was conducted from 1970 to January 2015. Only clinical trials that randomly assigned one SNRI or placebo to patients aged 7 to 18 years who met the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder were included. Treatment success, dropout rate, and suicidal ideation/attempt outcomes were measured. Primary efficacy was determined by pooling the risk ratios (RRs) of treatment response and remission. Acceptability was determined by pooling the RRs of dropouts for all reasons and for adverse effects as well as suicide-risk outcomes. Five trials with a total of 973 patients were included. SNRIs were not significantly more effective than placebo for treatment response but were for remission. The comparison of patients taking SNRIs that dropped out for all reasons and those taking placebo did not reach statistical significance. Significantly more patients taking SNRIs dropped out for adverse effects than those taking placebo. No significant difference was found in suicide-related risk outcomes. SNRI therapy does not display a superior efficacy and is not better tolerated compared to placebo in these young patients. However, duloxetine has a potential beneficial effect for depression in young populations, showing a need for further research.

Neural substrates, experimental evidences and functional hypothesis of acupuncture mechanisms

OBJECTIVES

Although acupuncture therapy has demonstrated itself to be effective in several clinical areas, the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in general and the analgesic effect in particular are, however, still not clearly delineated. We, therefore, have studied acupuncture analgesic effect through fMRI and proposed a hypothesis, based on the obtained result, which will enlighten the central role of the brain in acupuncture therapy.

METHODS

The proposed model, termed as a broad sense hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (BS-HPA) axis, was based on our observed neuroimaging results. The model incorporates the stress-induced HPA axis model together with neuro-immune interaction including the cholinergic anti-inflammatory model.

RESULTS

The obtained results coupled with accumulating evidence suggest that the central nervous system is essential for the processing of these effects via its modulation of the autonomic nervous system, neuroimmune system and hormonal regulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on our fMRI study, it appears that understanding the effects of acupuncture within a neuroscience-based framework is vital. Further, we have proposed the broad sense-HPA axis hypothesis which incorporates the experimental results.

Effects of priming with pancuronium or rocuronium on intubation with rocuronium in children

Rocuronium is a non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent which has a rapid onset and intermediate duration of action. The goal of this study was to compare the neuromuscular blocking actions of rocuronium with and without a priming dose of pancuronium or rocuronium in children. Thirty patients were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Ten patients received a single dose of 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium (Group I). The others received either 0.015 mg/kg pancuronium (Group II) or 0.06 mg/kg rocuronium (Group III) 3 minutes before an intubating dose of 0.54 mg/kg rocuronium was given. Neuromuscular blockade was measured via accelerographic response to single stimulations (1 Hz) of the ulnar nerve until maximal twitch depression was reached followed by train-of-four (TOF) stimuli (2 Hz) at 15 second intervals for the remainder of recovery. Groups were compared with regard to onset time, duration and recovery indices. The onset time and duration of block did not differ significantly between groups. However, the time to recovery in group II (24.5 +/- 9.9 min) was significantly prolonged compared to that in group I (12.7 +/- 3.1 min) or group III (12.7 +/- 3.9 min). We concluded that the use of rocuronium with a preceding dose of either pancuronium or rocuronium provided no advantage for intubation in children.

The infusion rate of mivacurium and its spontaneous neuromuscular recovery in magnesium-treated parturients

Magnesium (Mg) enhances the activity of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs. However, no interaction between mivacurium and magnesium has been described. Therefore, we sought to determine the effect of the influence of Mg on the infusion rate of mivacurium and its spontaneous recovery. We studied 24 parturients who had undergone cesarean section under general anesthesia. Those who had been given MgSO4 for the treatment of preeclampsia were assigned to the Mg group (n = 12), and the other normal parturients were assigned to the NonMg group (n = 12). In both groups, the train-of-four (TOF) response to stimuli of the ulnar nerve was measured at intervals of 15 s. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and succinylcholine. In both groups, a bolus dose of mivacurium 0.06 mg/kg was administered when the first twitch of TOF (T1) reached 100% after the succinylcholine injection. When the electromyographic response after mivacurium had recovered to approximately 5%-10% of the baseline, a continuous infusion of mivacurium was given to maintain 93%-97% neuromuscular blockade. The plasma concentration of Mg in blood of the Mg group was 4.0 1.0 mEq/L, higher than that (1.4 mEq/L) of the NonMg group (P < 0.01). The infusion rates of mivacurium of Mg and NonMg groups were 1.6 and 5.4 mEq x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively. In addition, the recovery indexes of the Mg and NonMg groups were 12.9 and 4.3 min, respectively. We conclude that a smaller dose of mivacurium should be infused to patients receiving Mg.

IMPLICATIONS

Magnesium, used as a standard therapy for severe toxemia, may act to enhance muscle relaxants such as mivacurium, a short-acting drug used in general anesthesia. Among women undergoing a cesarean section who were given a magnesium pretreatment, the infusion rate of mivacurium required to obtain relaxation was lower than that among women who did not receive pretreatment.