We previously reported that the 78-kDa outer membrane receptor for ferrioxamine B is induced in iron-starved Vibrio vulnificus cells when desferrioxamine B was supplied exogenously. Based on its N-terminal amino acid sequence, a candidate gene for the ferrichrome B receptor was detected in the V. vulnificus CMCP6 genomic database. Here, two contiguous genes, named desR and desA, encoding a member of the AraC family of transcriptional activators and the ferrioxamine B receptor, respectively, were cloned from V. vulnificus M2799 and characterized. Primer extension analysis mapped the iron-regulated transcription initiation sites for desR and desA, and demonstrated involvement of desferrioxamine B in the induction of desA transcription. Insertion mutation of desR resulted in no production of DesA under iron-limiting conditions even in the presence of desferrioxamine B. The DesA production under the same conditions was restored to wild-type levels when the desR mutant was complemented with desR in trans. These results suggest that the desR gene is required for desferrioxamine B-inducible production of DesA in iron-starved cells.
Background
Although proximal gastrectomy (PG) is a recognized surgical procedure for early proximal gastric cancer, total gastrectomy (TG) is sometimes selected due to concern about severe gastroesophageal reflux. Esophagogastrostomy by the double-flap technique (DFT) is an anti-reflux reconstruction after PG, and its short-term effectiveness has been reported. However, little is known about the long-term effects on nutritional status and quality of life (QOL).
Methods
Gastric cancer patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted PG (LAPG) with DFT or laparoscopy-assisted TG (LATG) between April 2011 and March 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were reviewed to assess nutritional status, and the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale (PGSAS)-45 was used to assess QOL.
Results
A total of 36 patients (LATG: 17, LAPG: 19) were enrolled. Four of 17 LATG patients (24%) were diagnosed with Stage ≥II after surgery, and half received S-1 adjuvant chemotherapy. BW and PNI were better maintained in LAPG than in LATG patients until 1-year follow-up. Seven of 16 LATG patients (44%) were categorized as “underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m2)” at 1-year follow-up, compared to three of 18 LAPG patients (17%; p = 0.0836). The PGSAS-45 showed no significant difference in all QOL categories except for decreased BW (p = 0.0132). Multivariate analysis showed that LATG was the only potential risk factor for severe BW loss (odds ratio: 3.03, p = 0.0722).
Conclusions
LAPG with DFT was superior to LATG in postoperative nutritional maintenance, and can be the first option for early proximal gastric cancer.
Vibrio mimicus (V. mimicus), a causative agent of gastroenteritis and food poisoning, secretes a 63-kDa enterotoxic hemolysin as the most potent virulence factor. The vmhA gene encoding an 83-kDa precursor of the hemolysin was expressed from the early to late log phase of the bacterial growth, and the 79-kDa inactive protoxin was detected from the culture supernatant in the same growth phase. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the protoxin was determined to be NH 2 -Asn-Ile-Ser-Asp-Pro-Val indicating cleavage of the Ala 25 -Asn 26 bond by a signal peptidase. In contrast, the hemolytic activity and the mature hemolysin in the culture supernatant were detected only at the late log phase. The maturation of the hemolysin, therefore, is suggested to be achieved by two-step processing, cleavage of the signal peptide followed by the growth phase-dependent removal of the 16-kDa propeptide.
Self-consistent absolute primary pressure scale available to whole Earth's lower mantle pressure regime was established by the simultaneous measurement of densities and acoustic wave velocities of NaCl-B2 phase up to~120 GPa without any use of prior pressure standards. While our pressure scale shows excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions, some of the previous secondary pressure scales constructed based on the prior pressure standard by the shock wave data significantly deviate from our primary scale reaching above 12 GPa at most within lower mantle pressure regime, which corresponds to~120-km difference in depth. Our newly established pressure scale would thus be a new benchmark to deal with the controversy on the depth of the boundaries of Earth's layered structure, such as magnesium-silicate postperovskite phase transition boundary at the bottom of the Earth's mantle which might represent the D″ seismic discontinuity.
Vibrio mimicus (V. mimicus) is a causative agent of human gastroenteritis and food poisoning. Although several toxic or virulence factors have been isolated from the bacterium, an enterotoxic hemolysin is a sole toxin produced by all clinical isolates. In the present study, we found that the antibody against the hemolysin significantly inhibited the fluidaccumulating action of the living cells inoculated into a rabbit ileal loop, and that the hemolysin gene (vmhA) was probably expressed by the bacterium in the ileal loop. Additionally, in spit of the comparable motility and similar proteome profiles, a vmhA mutant revealed the reduced fluid-accumulating activity. Theses findings suggest that the hemolysin contributes to full virulence of V. mimicus.
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