Comparative Genomic Analysis of Lactococcus garvieae Strains Isolated from Different Sources Reveals Candidate Virulence Genes

Lactococcus garvieae is a major pathogen for fish. Two complete (ATCC 49156 and Lg2) and three draft (UNIUD074, 8831, and 21881) genome sequences of L. garvieae have recently been released. We here present the results of a comparative genomic analysis of these fish and human isolates of L. garvieae. The pangenome comprised 1,542 core and 1,378 dispensable genes. The sequenced L. garvieae strains shared most of the possible virulence genes, but the capsule gene cluster was found only in fish-pathogenic strain Lg2. The absence of the capsule gene cluster in other nonpathogenic strains isolated from mastitis and vegetable was also confirmed by PCR. The fish and human isolates of L. garvieae contained the specific two and four adhesin genes, respectively, indicating that these adhesion proteins may be involved in the host specificity differences of L. garvieae. The discoveries revealed by the pangenomic analysis may provide significant insights into the biology of L. garvieae

Roles of MIWI, MILI and PLD6 in small RNA regulation in mouse growing oocytes

he mouse PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway produces a class of 26–30-nucleotide (nt) small RNAs and is essential for spermatogenesis and retrotransposon repression. In oocytes, however, its regulation and function are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the consequences of loss of piRNA-pathway components in growing oocytes. When MILI (or PIWIL2), a PIWI family member, was depleted by gene knockout, almost all piRNAs disappeared. This severe loss of piRNA was accompanied by an increase in transcripts derived from specific retrotransposons, especially IAPs. MIWI (or PIWIL1) depletion had a smaller effect. In oocytes lacking PLD6 (or ZUCCHINI or MITOPLD), a mitochondrial nuclease/phospholipase involved in piRNA biogenesis in male germ cells, the piRNA level was decreased to 50% compared to wild-type, a phenotype much milder than that in males. Since PLD6 is essential for the creation of the 5΄ ends of primary piRNAs in males, the presence of mature piRNA in PLD6-depleted oocytes suggests the presence of compensating enzymes. Furthermore, we identified novel 21–23-nt small RNAs, termed spiRNAs, possessing a 10-nt complementarity with piRNAs, which were produced dependent on MILI and independent of DICER. Our study revealed the differences in the biogenesis and function of the piRNA pathway between sexes

急性期医療を受ける患者の願い

目的：患者の地域での暮らしの希望と療養上の目標を中心に構造化した看護のプロセス”Nursing Care for Patient Goals”（NCPG）に患者の視点から示唆を得るため急性期医療を受ける患者が看護師に知ってほしい情報と療養の目標に対して求める看護を明らかにした． 方法：１特定機能病院において入院中または入院予定の20歳以上の患者を対象として質問紙調査を２回（2017年，2018年）に実施した．調査内容は基本属性，調査Ⅰ（2017年）は先行研究を基に抽出した患者情報23項目について看護師に知って欲しいと思う程度，最も大事と思う項目とその選択理由，調査Ⅱ（2018年）は自分の療養の目標について求める看護であった．統計分析は記述統計，因子分析，t 検定を用いた．自由記述によるデータは質的記述的分析を行った． 結果：調査Ⅰの有効回答数は448名で，看護師に知ってほしい自分の情報として【第１因子：社会的役割と環境】【第２因子：病気の理解・受け入れと心理】【第３因子：身体的状態と生活の仕方】【第４因子：暮らしの希望と自己決定】が抽出された．65歳未満と比較して65歳以上の対象者は第１因子が高い傾向にあった．また第４因子を最も大事と思う項目の選択理由について， “希望・目標がなきゃ生きていけない” という表現が特徴として出された．調査Ⅱの有効回答数は416名で，多数の対象者が自分の目標を医療者と共有することが重要だと感じており，受けたい看護として，傍にいて寄り添う看護，治療・症状への専門的な看護，地域での暮らしの自立への看護が抽出された． 結論：患者の視点から看護師に知ってほしい情報として４つの因子と自分の目標を分ってほしいとする対象者の願いは，希望と目標を基盤としたNCPG の考え方と一致しており，目標達成のために受けたい看護の３つの視点が示唆された．Objective : This study aimed to identify information on care of patients receiving acute care for life in community from the patientsʼ perspective and to obtain suggestions for “Nursing Care for Patient Goals”（NCPG）. Method : The subjects were patients receiving acute care and aged 20 years and above. They were given self-administered questionnaires. Survey Ⅰ（2017）consisted of a questionnaire that was based on previously collected qualitative data and comprised 23 Likert-scale questions and free descriptive questions on the reasons for selecting the most important item. Survey Ⅱ（2018）consisted of questionnaire that was comprised of three Likert-scale questions on goals and a free descriptive question on care for the achievement of goals. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and t-test. Data from free-text descriptions were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis. Results : Survey Ⅰ : data from 448 valid responses were subjected to factor analysis to determine the factor structure. The following factors were identified from the patientsʼ perspectives: 1） social role and environment, 2） understanding/acceptance and psychological state, 3） physical condition and life, and 4） hope and decision-making for life. In addition, a qualitative and inductive approach was employed to analyze participantsʼ descriptive responses about the reason for selecting the most important item. The characteristic description of why participants selected “hope and decision-making of life” was “I cannot live without hope.” Survey Ⅱ : data from 416 valid responses were analyzed. The majority of participants felt it was important to share their goals with their healthcare professionals. A qualitative and inductive approach was employed to analyze the participantsʼ descriptive responses to care for goals achievement. The care desired by participants was categorized as “being with”, “professional care”, and “self-care support”. Conclusion : The factors that patients wanted nurses to know were consistent with the components of “NCPG.” The care that patients desire to achieve their goals was clarified

患者の希望を地域につなぐための患者状態とニーズ

目的：急性期医療を受ける患者の地域での生活を視野に入れた看護を展開するために患者の情報と看護の視点について明らかにすることを目的とした． 方法：特定機能病院に勤務する中堅以上の看護師３３名を対象に，地域での生活を視野に入れた患者の情報と看護の視点についてフォーカス・グループ・インタビューを行い分析した． 結果及び考察：急性期医療を受ける患者の地域での生活に必要な情報と看護の視点として，コアカテゴリー《地域での生活を可能にするニーズ》が抽出された．さらに地域での生活を可能にするための状態とニーズとして【身体・生理的な状態とニーズ】，【生活の自立と安全の状態とニーズ】，【病気の受け入れと心理的反応の状態とニーズ】，【社会的環境の状態とニーズ】，【医療・療養への自己決定の状態とニーズ】の５つのカテゴリーに分類された．これらより，患者の暮らしの希望，療養の目標，５つの視点の状態からニーズを導き看護を展開する看護の過程として，“Nursing Care for Patient Goals（” NCPG）を構造化した． 結論：地域包括ケアシステムの中において急性期医療を受ける患者の情報と看護の視点として地域での生活を可能にするための５つの状態とそのニーズが重視されていた．Objective : The aim of this study was to identify information and care perspectives of nurses for patients leaving an acute care hospital for life in the community, and to consider appropriate nursing care in the community-based integrated care system. Method : Focus group interviews were conducted with 33 nurses working in an acute care hospital. The data were analyzed using qualitative inductive analysis. Results & Discussion : The core category “Needs to enable patients to live in the community” was extracted as the information and care perspective necessary for patients receiving acute care to leave hospital for life in the community. The information and care perspectives were classified into five conditions : physical/physiological condition and needs, life independence and safety status and needs, acceptance of/emotions about illness and needs, social environment and needs, and decision-making and needs. “Nursing Care for Patient Goals” was structured as a nursing process. Conclusion : We identified five conditions and their needs that would enable patients receiving acute care to leave hospital for life in the community

Adiponectin receptor-1 expression is associated with good prognosis in gastric cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adiponectin is inversely related to BMI, positively correlates with insulin sensitivity, and has anti-atherogenic effects. In recent years, adiponectin has been well studied in the field of oncology. Adiponectin has been shown to have antiproliferative effects on gastric cancer, and adiponectin expression is inversely correlated with clinical staging of the disease. However, no studies have reported the correlation between serum adiponectin and receptor expression with disease progression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we evaluated expression levels of 2 adiponectin receptors--AdipoR1 and AdipoR2--and attempted to correlate their expression with prognosis in gastric cancer patients. AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 expression in gastric cancer cell lines (MKN45, TMK-1, NUGC3, and NUGC4) was evaluated by western blotting analysis, and the antiproliferative potential of adiponectin was examined in vitro. Serum adiponectin levels were evaluated in 100 gastric cancer patients, and the expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 was assessed by immunohistochemical staining.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MKN45 and NUGC3 expressed higher levels of AdipoR1 compared to NUGC4, even though there was no significance in AdipoR2 expression. The antiproliferative effect of adiponectin was confirmed in MKN45 and NUGC3 at 10 μg/ml. No significant associations were observed between serum adiponectin levels and clinicopathological characteristics, but lymphatic metastasis and peritoneal dissemination were significantly higher in the negative AdipoR1 immunostaining group (24/32, <it>p </it>= 0.013 and 9/32, <it>p </it>= 0.042, respectively) compared to the positive AdipoR1 group (lymphatic metastasis, 33/68; peritoneal dissemination, 8/68). On the other hand, AdipoR2 expression was only associated with histopathological type (<it>p </it>= 0.001). In survival analysis, the AdipoR1 positive staining group had significantly longer survival rates than the negative staining group (<it>p </it>= 0.01). However, multivariate analysis indicated that AdipoR1 was not an independent prognostic factor on patient's survival on gastric cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In gastric cancer, adiponectin has the possibility to be involved in cell growth suppression via AdipoR1. The presence of AdipoR1 could be a novel anticancer therapeutic target in gastric cancer.</p