Bipolar localization of putative photoreceptor protein for phototaxis in thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus

Funding Information: This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan (no. 11640653 to K.M.).We identified an open reading frame from a database of the entire genome of Synechococcus elongatus, the product of which was very similar to pixJ1, which was proposed as photoreceptor gene for phototaxis in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 [Yoshihara et al. (2000) Plant Cell Physiol. 41: 1299]. The mRNA of S. elongatus pixJ (SepixJ) was expressed in vivo as a part of the product of an operon. SePixJ was detected exclusively in the membrane fraction after cell fractionation. Immunogold labeling of SePixJ in ultra-thin sections indicated that it existed only in both ends of the rod-shaped cell; probably bound with the cytoplasmic membrane.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Peritonsillar abscess associated with Helicobacter cinaedi bacteremia: A case report

Helicobacter cinaedi, a gram-negative spiral bacterium, has historically been associated with infections primarily in immunocompromised patients. Recently, however, its potential to cause infections in immunocompetent individuals has been recognized. We report a unique case of a man in his 20 s who reported having sex with men. He presented with symptoms of fever and throat discomfort and was diagnosed with a peritonsillar abscess. While the rapid antigen test for Group A Streptococcus was positive and antibiotics were administered, a puncture fluid from the peritonsillar abscess taken the day after antibiotic treatment revealed the presence of Group C Streptococcus. By the fifth day, the blood culture taken on the first day detected a gram-negative spirochete, which was subsequently identified H. cinaedi. The patient had engaged in oral sex with his male partner, suggesting a potential transmission route. This is significant as H. cinaedi was initially identified from rectal cultures in men who have sex with men (MSM), raising the possibility of pharyngeal transmission through oral sex. In our patient, although H. cinaedi was not isolated from the aspirate of the peritonsillar abscess, its presence in the blood culture and lack of other potential sources of bacteremia make the abscess a likely primary site of infection. This case highlights the importance of considering H. cinaedi as a potential pathogen in immunocompetent patients, particularly in cases of MSM. The potential for H. cinaedi transmission through oral sex and its role in the development of peritonsillar abscesses, a previously unreported association, requires further investigation

Clinical determinants of the severity of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS): a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background While the risk of severe complications of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and its determinants have been explored in previous studies, a systematic analysis of published articles with different designs and populations has yet to be conducted. The present study aimed to systematically review the risk of death associated with MERS as well as risk factors for associated complications. Methods PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for clinical and epidemiological studies on confirmed cases of MERS. Eligible articles reported clinical outcomes, especially severe complications or death associated with MERS. Risks of admission to intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation and death were estimated. Subsequently, potential associations between MERS-associated death and age, sex, underlying medical conditions and study design were explored. Results A total of 25 eligible articles were identified. The case fatality risk ranged from 14.5 to 100%, with the pooled estimate at 39.1%. The risks of ICU admission and mechanical ventilation ranged from 44.4 to 100% and from 25.0 to 100%, with pooled estimates at 78.2 and 73.0%, respectively. These risks showed a substantial heterogeneity among the identified studies, and appeared to be the highest in case studies focusing on ICU cases. We identified older age, male sex and underlying medical conditions, including diabetes mellitus, renal disease, respiratory disease, heart disease and hypertension, as clinical predictors of death associated with MERS. In ICU case studies, the expected odds ratios (OR) of death among patients with underlying heart disease or renal disease to patients without such comorbidities were 0.6 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.1, 4.3) and 0.6 (95% CI: 0.0, 2.1), respectively, while the ORs were 3.8 (95% CI: 3.4, 4.2) and 2.4 (95% CI: 2.0, 2.9), respectively, in studies with other types of designs. Conclusions The heterogeneity for the risk of death and severe manifestations was substantially high among the studies, and varying study designs was one of the underlying reasons for this heterogeneity. A statistical estimation of the risk of MERS death and identification of risk factors must be conducted, particularly considering the study design and potential biases associated with case detection and diagnosis

The impact of infectious disease consultation in candidemia in a tertiary care hospital in Japan over 12 years.

BackgroundCandidemia is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality as a hospital acquired infection. Infectious diseases consultation (IDC) might be beneficial to improve candidemia outcomes; however, only limited data from short periods of time are available thus far.MethodsAn observational study of all candidemia patients at a large tertiary care hospital between 2002 and 2013 was conducted. A candidemia episode was defined as ≥ 1 positive result for Candida spp. in blood culture. Patients who died or transferred to another hospital within two days after their first positive blood culture were excluded. Independent risk factors for 30-day mortality were determined.ResultsAmong 275 patients with 283 episodes of candidemia, 194 (68.6%) were male, and the mean age was 70.0 ± 15.8 years. Central line-associated bloodstream infections, peripheral line-associated bloodstream infections, intra-abdominal infection, and unknown source comprised 220 (77.7%), 35 (12.4%), 13 (4.7%), and 15 (5.3%) episodes, respectively. A total of 126 patients (44.5%) received IDC. Factors independently associated with 30-day mortality in patients with candidemia were urinary catheters use (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.48-5.87; P = 0.002) and severe sepsis/septic shock (adjusted HR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.20-3.65; P = 0.009). IDC was associated with a 46% reduction in 30-day mortality (adjusted HR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.32-0.90; P = 0.017).ConclusionIDC was independently associated with a reduction in 30-day mortality. Only 44.5% of patients with candidemia in this cohort received IDC. Routine IDC should be actively considered for patients with candidemia

Epidemiological Analysis of Legionella Pneumonia in Japan: A National Inpatient Database Study

Background: Legionella pneumonia, a severe form of pneumonia, is caused by Legionella bacteria. The epidemiology of Legionnaires’ disease in Japan, including seasonal trends, risk factors for severe disease, and fatality rates, is unclear. This study examined the epidemiology of Legionella pneumonia in Japan. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included data of adult patients hospitalized for Legionella pneumonia (identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision code, A481) in the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, from April 2011 to March 2021. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to explore the prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality. Results: Of 7,370 enrolled hospitalized patients from 1,140 hospitals (male, 84.4%; aged >50 years, 87.9%), 469 (6.4%) died during hospitalization. The number of hospitalized patients increased yearly, from 658 in 2016 to 975 in 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher in-hospital mortality was associated with older age, male sex, lower body mass index, worsened level of consciousness, comorbidities (congestive heart failure, chronic renal diseases, and metastasis), hospitalization from November to May, and ambulance use. However, lower in-hospital mortality was associated with comorbidity (liver diseases), hospitalization after 2013, and hospitalization in hospitals with higher case volume. Conclusion: The characterized epidemiology of Legionella pneumonia in Japan revealed a high mortality rate of 6.4%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a higher mortality rate in winter and in patients with congestive heart failure and metastasis. Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay between the prognostic factors of Legionella pneumonia