Highly stable meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase from an Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain A1 isolated from a Japanese compost: purification, characterization and sequencing

We screened various thermophiles for meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase (meso-DAPDH, EC 1.4.1.16), which catalyzes the NAD(P)-dependent oxidative deamination of meso-diaminopimelate, and found the enzyme in a thermophilic bacterium isolated from compost in Japan. The bacterium grew well aerobically at around 55°C and was identified as Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain A1. We purified the enzyme about 47-fold to homogeneity from crude cell extract using five successive purification steps. The molecular mass of the purified protein was about 80 kDa, and the molecule consists of a homodimer with the subunit molecular mass of about 40 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of the enzyme are about 10.5 and 65°C, respectively. The enzyme is highly selective for meso-diaminopimelate as the electron donor, and NADP but not NAD can serve as the electron acceptor. The Km values for meso-diaminopimelate and NADP at 50°C and pH 10.5 are 1.6 mM and 0.13 mM, respectively. The nucleotide sequence of this meso-DAPDH gene encodes a 326-amino acid peptide. When the gene was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3), the specific activity in the crude extract of the recombinant cells was about 18.0-fold higher than in the extract from U. thermosphaericus strain A1. This made more rapid and simpler purification of the enzyme possible

Distribution of D-amino acids in vinegars and involvement of lactic acid bacteria in the production of D-amino acids

Levels of free D-amino acids were compared in 11 vinegars produced from different sources or through different manufacturing processes. To analyze the D- and L-amino acids, the enantiomers were initially converted into diastereomers using pre-column derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde plus N-acethyl-L-cysteine or N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-cysteine. This was followed by separation of the resultant fluorescent isoindol derivatives on an octadecylsilyl stationary phase using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The analyses showed that the total D-amino acid level in lactic fermented tomato vinegar was very high. Furthermore, analysis of the amino acids in tomato juice samples collected after alcoholic, lactic and acetic fermentation during the production of lactic fermented tomato vinegar showed clearly that lactic fermentation is responsible for the D-amino acids production; marked increases in D-amino acids were seen during lactic fermentation, but not during alcoholic or acetic fermentation. This suggests lactic acid bacteria have a greater ability to produce D-amino acids than yeast or acetic acid bacteria

Outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup Infection Originating in Boxed Lunches in Japan in 2008

There have been only 2 reports of a large-scale foodborne outbreak arising from Salmonella enterica serotype Braenderup infection worldwide. On August 9, 2008, an outbreak originating in boxed lunches occurred in Okayama, Japan. We conducted a cohort study of 786 people who received boxed lunches from a particular catering company and collected 644 questionnaires (response rate:82%). Cases were defined as those presenting with diarrhea (≧4 times in 24h) or fever (≧38℃) between 12 am on August 8 and 12 am on August 14. We identified 176 cases (women/men:39/137);younger children (aged＜10 years) appeared to more frequently suffer severe symptoms. Three food items were significantly associated with higher risk of illness;tamagotoji (soft egg with mixed vegetables and meat) (relative risk (RR):11.74, 95% confidence interval (CI):2.98-46.24), pork cooked in soy sauce (RR:3.17, 95% CI:1.24-8.10), and vinegared food (RR:4.13, 95% CI:1.60-10.63). Among them, only the RR of tamagotoji was higher when we employed a stricter case definition. Salmonella Braenderup was isolated from 5 of 9 sampled cases and 6 food handlers. It is likely that unpasteurized liquid eggs contaminated by Salmonella Braenderup and used in tamagotoji caused this outbreak

Right thoracic curvature in the normal spine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Trunk asymmetry and vertebral rotation, at times observed in the normal spine, resemble the characteristics of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Right thoracic curvature has also been reported in the normal spine. If it is determined that the features of right thoracic side curvature in the normal spine are the same as those observed in AIS, these findings might provide a basis for elucidating the etiology of this condition. For this reason, we investigated right thoracic curvature in the normal spine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>For normal spinal measurements, 1,200 patients who underwent a posteroanterior chest radiographs were evaluated. These consisted of 400 children (ages 4-9), 400 adolescents (ages 10-19) and 400 adults (ages 20-29), with each group comprised of both genders. The exclusion criteria were obvious chest and spinal diseases. As side curvature is minimal in normal spines and the range at which curvature is measured is difficult to ascertain, first the typical curvature range in scoliosis patients was determined and then the Cobb angle in normal spines was measured using the same range as the scoliosis curve, from T5 to T12. Right thoracic curvature was given a positive value. The curve pattern was organized in each collective three groups: neutral (from -1 degree to 1 degree), right (> +1 degree), and left (< -1 degree).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In child group, Cobb angle in left was 120, in neutral was 125 and in right was 155. In adolescent group, Cobb angle in left was 70, in neutral was 114 and in right was 216. In adult group, Cobb angle in left was 46, in neutral was 102 and in right was 252. The curvature pattern shifts to the right side in the adolescent group (p < 0.01) and in adult group (p < 0.001) compared to the child group. There was no significant difference in curvature pattern between adolescent and adult group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on standing chest radiographic measurements, a right thoracic curvature was observed in normal spines after adolescence.</p

Factors Affecting Appropriate Management of Patients with Sexually Transmitted Infections in Japan

Physicians should educate patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on measures to prevent reinfection and should also undertake human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing after diagnosis of STIs. These preventive measures are important, but it is not known to what extent these procedures are followed in Japan. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the proportion of patients with STIs who received appropriate management from physicians, namely recommendation of HIV testing, encouragement of condom use and examination and/or treatment of sexual partners, to elucidate the factors affecting institution of each measure. From a mailshot of 566 physicians, 409 (72.3%) responded, with 176 diagnosing an STI in 967 patients. The proportions applying the 3 measures were low (recommendation of HIV testing:27.0;encouragement of condom use:64.8%;examination of sexual partners:17.5%), and were related to the sex of the patients and numbers of patients diagnosed by the physicians. Female patients received better care than male patients, particularly with respect to recommendation of HIV testing (odds ratio:2.82). Physicians who diagnosed more than 20 STI patients tended not to provide appropriate management. These findings suggest the necessity for better physician management of patients for effective prevention of STIs

Vestibule-Middle Ear Dehiscence Tested With Perilymph-Specific Protein Cochlin-Tomoprotein (CTP) Detection Test

An 8-year-old boy was referred to the ENT department for further evaluation of right-sided conductive hearing loss. A small cyst anterior to the oval window and fixation of the stapes footplate were observed during an exploratory tympanotomy. The concentration of a perilymph-specific protein, cochlin-tomoprotein (CTP), in the middle ear lavage fluid was measured with an ELISA-based CTP detection kit. The level of CTP in the middle ear lavage fluid before fenestration of the cyst was 0.26 ng/ml (negative), and its level after fenestration was 2.98 ng/ml (positive), confirming the presence of perilymph in the cyst. A small bone dehiscence, considered to be the fissula ante fenestram, was observed anterior to the stapes footplate after removal of the cyst. The CTP detection test results allowed us to confirm that the small bone dehiscence was connected to the inner ear

Cosmic shear statistics in the Suprime-Cam 2.1 sq deg field: Constraints on Omega_m and sigma_8

We present measurements of the cosmic shear correlation in the shapes of galaxies in the Suprime-Cam 2.1 deg^2 R_c-band imaging data. As an estimator of the shear correlation originated from the gravitational lensing, we adopt the aperture mass variance. We detect a non-zero E mode variance on scales between 2 and 40arcmin. We also detect a small but non-zero B mode variance on scales larger than 5arcmin. We compare the measured E mode variance to the model predictions in CDM cosmologies using maximum likelihood analysis. A four-dimensional space is explored, which examines sigma_8, Omega_m, Gamma and zs (a mean redshift of galaxies). We include three possible sources of error: statistical noise, the cosmic variance estimated using numerical experiments, and a residual systematic effect estimated from the B mode variance. We derive joint constraints on two parameters by marginalizing over the two remaining parameters. We obtain an upper limit of Gamma0.9 (68% confidence). For a prior Gamma\in[0.1,0.4] and zs\in[0.6,1.4], we find sigma_8=(0.50_{-0.16}^{+0.35})Omega_m^{-0.37} for flat cosmologies and sigma_8=(0.51_{-0.16}^{+0.29})Omega_m^{-0.34}$ for open cosmologies (95% confidence). If we take the currently popular LCDM model, we obtain a one-dimensional confidence interval on sigma_8 for the 95.4% level, 0.62<\sigma_8<1.32 for zs\in[0.6,1.4]. Information on the redshift distribution of galaxies is key to obtaining a correct cosmological constraint. An independent constraint on Gamma from other observations is useful to tighten the constraint.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Which Side-Bending X-ray Position is Better to Evaluate the Preoperative Curve Flexibility in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients, Supine or Prone?

Study Design Prospective cohort study. Purpose The present study aimed to evaluate the difference in the preoperative curve flexibility between the supine and prone positions in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Overview of Literature In AIS, a side-bending view is necessary to differentiate a structural curve from a nonstructural curve using the Lenke classification system. However, there are no published studies about which position, supine or prone, is more effective when evaluating preoperative curve flexibility using side-bending X-ray images in AIS patients. Methods Radiographs were analyzed for 32 AIS patients (26 females, six males) who underwent posterior correction and fusion of their main thoracic (MT) curves. Cobb angles of MT, proximal thoracic (PT), and thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curves were measured preoperatively using upright, supine (anteroposterior and side-bending), and prone (posteroanterior and side-bending) X-rays. Results The average Cobb angles of PT, MT, and TL/L curves on preoperative upright/supine/prone X-rays were 29.1°/26.7°/26.6°, 60.7°/48.5°/48.2°, and 41.0°/32.6°/33.1°, respectively. The average Cobb angles of PT, MT, and TL/L curves on supine/prone sidebending X-rays were 19.2°/20.3°, 36.3°/36.4°, and 13.9°/15.7°, respectively. The flexibility rates of PT, MT, and TL/L curves in supine/prone positions were 35.3%/32.5%, 40.6%/40.2%, and 71.7%/68.2%, respectively. Comparing flexibility rates in the prone position with those in the supine position in each case, the average ratios of PT, MT, and TL/L curves were found to be 1.0, 1.0, and 0.9, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between supine and prone side-bending X-ray measurements. However, the Lenke classification in six of 32 patients (18.8%) differed between supine and prone positions because the TL/L curve in the supine position was slightly more flexible than in the prone position. Conclusions Supine side-bending films may be suitable for the evaluation of preoperative curve flexibility in AIS, especially for lumbar modifier C