The efficacy of detecting arrhythmia is higher with 7-day continuous electrocardiographic patch monitoring than with 24-h Holter monitoring.

Background: Detecting high-risk arrhythmia is important in diagnosing patients with palpitations. We compared the diagnostic accuracies of 7-day patch-type electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and 24-h Holter monitoring for detecting significant arrhythmias in patients with palpitations. Methods: This was a single-center prospective trial with 58 participants who presented with palpitations, chest pain or syncope. Outcomes were defined as the detection of any one of six arrhythmias, including supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter lasting more than 30 s, pauses of more than 3 s, high-degree atrioventricular block, ventricular tachycardia (VT) >3 beats, or polymorphic VT/ventricular fibrillation. The McNemar test for paired proportions was used to compare arrhythmia detection rates. Results: The overall arrhythmia detection rate was higher with 7-day ECG patch monitoring than with 24-h Holter monitoring (34.5% vs. 19.0%, p = .008). Compared with the use of 24-h Holter monitors, the use of 7-day ECG patch monitors was associated with higher detection of SVT (29.3% vs. 13.8%, p = .042). No serious adverse skin reactions were reported among the ECG patch-monitored participants. Conclusions: The results suggest that a 7-day patch-type continuous ECG monitor is more effective for the detection of supraventricular tachycardia than is a 24-h Holter monitor. However, the clinical significance of device detected arrhythmia should be consolidated.

The establishment of ecological conservation for herpetofauna species in hotspot areas of South Korea.

Understanding the geographic distribution of species is crucial for establishing protected areas. This study aimed to identify the preferred habitat environment of South Korean herpetofauna using distribution point information, providing the information necessary to protect their habitat by establishing a species distribution model. We found that climate variables in the region where 19 amphibians and 20 reptiles were distributed correlated with the altitude, suggesting that altitude had a major influence on their distribution. The species distribution modeling indicated that 10-12 amphibian and 13-16 reptile species inhabit the Gangwon-do region, forming hotspot areas in the eastern and western regions around the Taebaek Mountains. Some of these hotspot areas occurred in the Demilitarized Zone and national parks, which are government-managed ecological conservation areas. However, some hotspot areas are vulnerable to habitat destruction due to development and deforestation as they are not designated conservation areas. Therefore, it is necessary to establish new conservation areas with a focus on herpetofauna after confirming the actual inhabitation of species through precise monitoring in predicted hotspot areas and designating them as protected areas. Our results can serve as important basic data for establishing protection measures and designating protected areas for herpetofauna species.

Making Connections: Integrative Signaling Mechanisms Coordinate DNA Break Repair in Chromatin.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are hazardous to genome integrity and can promote mutations and disease if not handled correctly. Cells respond to these dangers by engaging DNA damage response (DDR) pathways that are able to identify DNA breaks within chromatin leading ultimately to their repair. The recognition and repair of DSBs by the DDR is largely dependent on the ability of DNA damage sensing factors to bind to and interact with nucleic acids, nucleosomes and their modified forms to target these activities to the break site. These contacts orientate and localize factors to lesions within chromatin, allowing signaling and faithful repair of the break to occur. Coordinating these events requires the integration of several signaling and binding events. Studies are revealing an enormously complex array of interactions that contribute to DNA lesion recognition and repair including binding events on DNA, as well as RNA, RNA:DNA hybrids, nucleosomes, histone and non-histone protein post-translational modifications and protein-protein interactions. Here we examine several DDR pathways that highlight and provide prime examples of these emerging concepts. A combination of approaches including genetic, cellular, and structural biology have begun to reveal new insights into the molecular interactions that govern the DDR within chromatin. While many questions remain, a clearer picture has started to emerge for how DNA-templated processes including transcription, replication and DSB repair are coordinated. Multivalent interactions with several biomolecules serve as key signals to recruit and orientate proteins at DNA lesions, which is essential to integrate signaling events and coordinate the DDR within the milieu of the nucleus where competing genome functions take place. Genome architecture, chromatin structure and phase separation have emerged as additional vital regulatory mechanisms that also influence genome integrity pathways including DSB repair. Collectively, recent advancements in the field have not only provided a deeper understanding of these fundamental processes that maintain genome integrity and cellular homeostasis but have also started to identify new strategies to target deficiencies in these pathways that are prevalent in human diseases including cancer.

DNMT1 reads heterochromatic H4K20me3 to reinforce LINE-1 DNA methylation.

DNA methylation and trimethylated histone H4 Lysine 20 (H4K20me3) constitute two important heterochromatin-enriched marks that frequently cooperate in silencing repetitive elements of the mammalian genome. However, it remains elusive how these two chromatin modifications crosstalk. Here, we report that DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) specifically 'recognizes' H4K20me3 via its first bromo-adjacent-homology domain (DNMT1BAH1). Engagement of DNMT1BAH1-H4K20me3 ensures heterochromatin targeting of DNMT1 and DNA methylation at LINE-1 retrotransposons, and cooperates with the previously reported readout of histone H3 tail modifications (i.e., H3K9me3 and H3 ubiquitylation) by the RFTS domain to allosterically regulate DNMT1's activity. Interplay between RFTS and BAH1 domains of DNMT1 profoundly impacts DNA methylation at both global and focal levels and genomic resistance to radiation-induced damage. Together, our study establishes a direct link between H4K20me3 and DNA methylation, providing a mechanism in which multivalent recognition of repressive histone modifications by DNMT1 ensures appropriate DNA methylation patterning and genomic stability.

Unmet Healthcare Needs and Associated Factors in Rural and Suburban Vietnam: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the current utilization of healthcare services, exploring unmet healthcare needs and the associated factors among people living in rural Vietnam. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 233 participants in a rural area. The methods included face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, and anthropometric and blood pressure measurements. We considered participants to have unmet health needs if they had any kind of health problem during the past 12 months for which they were unable to see a healthcare provider. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with unmet healthcare needs. Of the participants, 18% (n = 43) had unmet healthcare needs, for reasons like transportation (30%), a lack of available doctors or medicine (47%), and communication issues with healthcare providers (16%). The multivariate logistic regression showed that living in a rural area, having stage 2 hypertension, and having insurance were associated with unmet healthcare needs. To better meet the healthcare needs in rural or suburban areas of Vietnam, allocation of adequate healthcare resources should be distributed in rural areas and insurance coverage for personalized healthcare needs might be required. Efforts should focus on availability of medicine, improvement of transportation systems, and communication skills of healthcare providers to improve access to healthcare services.

Signature Fragment Ions of Biotinylated Peptides.

The use of biotin or biotin-containing reagents is an essential component of many protein purification and labeling technologies. Owing to its small size and high affinity to the avidin family of proteins, biotin is a versatile molecular handle that permits both enrichment and purity that is not easily achieved by other reagents. Traditionally, the use of biotinylation to enrich for proteins has not required the detection of the site of biotinylation. However, newer technologies for discovery of protein-protein interactions, such as APEX and BioID, as well as some of the click chemistry-based labeling approaches have underscored the importance of determining the exact residue that is modified by biotin. Anti-biotin antibody-based enrichment of biotinylated peptides (e.g., BioSITe) coupled to LC-MS/MS permit large-scale detection and localization of sites of biotinylation. As with any chemical modification of peptides, understanding the fragmentation patterns that result from biotin modification is essential to improving its detection by LC-MS/MS. Tandem mass spectra of biotinylated peptides has not yet been studied systematically. Here, we describe the various signature fragment ions generated with collision-induced dissociation of biotinylated peptides. We focused on biotin adducts attached to peptides generated by BioID and APEX experiments, including biotin, isotopically heavy biotin, and biotin-XX-phenol, a nonpermeable variant of biotin-phenol. We also highlight how the detection of biotinylated peptides in high-throughput studies poses certain computational challenges for accurate quantitation which need to be addressed. Our findings about signature fragment ions of biotinylated peptides should be helpful in the confirmation of biotinylation sites.

Spring and summer microhabitat use by Schlegel's Japanese gecko, Gekko japonicus (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae), in urban areas.

Differential microhabitat use may be beneficial to achieving fitness in seasonally variable environmental conditions. To explore whether the microhabitat use of the nocturnal Schlegel's Japanese gecko, Gekko japonicus, varies seasonally and depends on juvenile, male, and female reproductive groups, we investigated five categorical and five quantitative measure variables of microhabitat use in a wild population both in spring and summer. Most geckos were found on white, vertical planes of concrete and plastered brick walls. None of the categorical variables (type of location, substrate, substrate color, light source, and refuge) significantly differed according to season or group, while substrate temperature and irradiance at the location where geckos were observed and the distance from the nearest potential refuge were significantly greater in summer than in spring. The quantitative measure variables did not differ among the reproductive groups. These results suggest that G. japonicus seasonally adjusts its microhabitat use mainly in terms of quantitative measure variables rather than categorical variables.

BioID: A Screen for Protein-Protein Interactions.

BioID is a unique method to screen for physiologically relevant protein interactions that occur in living cells. This technique harnesses a promiscuous biotin ligase to biotinylate proteins based on proximity. The ligase is fused to a protein of interest and expressed in cells, where it biotinylates proximal endogenous proteins. Because it is a rare protein modification in nature, biotinylation of these endogenous proteins by BioID fusion proteins enables their selective isolation and identification with standard biotin-affinity capture. Proteins identified by BioID are candidate interactors for the protein of interest. BioID can be applied to insoluble proteins, can identify weak and/or transient interactions, and is amenable to temporal regulation. Initially applied to mammalian cells, BioID has potential application in a variety of cell types from diverse species. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

BioSITe: A Method for Direct Detection and Quantitation of Site-Specific Biotinylation.

Biotin-based labeling strategies are widely employed to study protein-protein interactions, subcellular proteomes and post-translational modifications, as well as, used in drug discovery. While the high affinity of streptavidin for biotin greatly facilitates the capture of biotinylated proteins, it still presents a challenge, as currently employed, for the recovery of biotinylated peptides. Here we describe a strategy designated Biotinylation Site Identification Technology (BioSITe) for the capture of biotinylated peptides for LC-MS/MS analyses. We demonstrate the utility of BioSITe when applied to proximity-dependent labeling methods, APEX and BioID, as well as biotin-based click chemistry strategies for identifying O-GlcNAc-modified sites. We demonstrate the use of isotopically labeled biotin for quantitative BioSITe experiments that simplify differential interactome analysis and obviate the need for metabolic labeling strategies such as SILAC. Our data also highlight the potential value of site-specific biotinylation in providing spatial and topological information about proteins and protein complexes. Overall, we anticipate that BioSITe will replace the conventional methods in studies where detection of biotinylation sites is important.

Relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms and cardiovascular risk scores including Framingham risk score and ACC/AHA risk score.

AIMS: This study attempted to investigate the association between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and CVD risk scores and to overcome the limitations of previous relevant studies. METHODS: A total of 2994 ostensibly healthy males, who participated in a voluntary health check in a health promotion center from January 2010 to December 2014, were reviewed. CVD risk scores were calculated using Framingham risk score and American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) score. Correlation and multivariate logistic regression analysis to predict the CVD risk severity were performed. RESULTS: Correlation between total IPSS with CVD risk scores demonstrated significant positive associations, which showed higher correlation with ACC/AHA score than the Framingham score (r = 0.18 vs 0.09, respectively). For ACC/AHA score, the partial correlation after adjustment of body mass index (BMI) showed significant positive correlations between all LUTS parameters and PSA. For the Framingham score, all variables, except IPSS Q2 and IPSS Q6, showed significant positive correlations. After adjustment of BMI, prostate volume and PSA, only the severe LUTS group showed significant relationship with intermediate-high CVD risk severity, as compared with normal LUTS group (OR = 2.97, 95%CI (1.35-6.99)). CONCLUSION: Using two validated CVD risk calculators, we observed that LUTS is closely associated with future CVD risk. To predict the intermediate-high CVD risk severity, severe LUTS was a sentinel sign, the presence of which warrants the importance of an earlier screening for CVD.

Kordia zosterae sp. nov., isolated from the seaweed, Zostera marina.

A Gram-stain-negative, gliding and rod shaped bacterium, designated strain ZO2-23T was isolated from a seaweed sample collected from the West Sea, Republic of Korea. Cells are catalase-negative and oxidase-positive. Neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ZO2-23T forms an independent lineage within the genus Kordia. Strain ZO2-23T was related to Kordia ulvae SC2T (98.0 %, 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and K. antarctica IMCC3317T (97.9 %). The major fatty acids of strain ZO2-23T were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 3 and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. The only isoprenoid quinone of the isolate was menaquinone-6. The DNA G+C content of strain ZO2-23T was 31.7 mol%. Phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain ZO2-23T from the related species of the genus Kordia. On the basis of the evidences presented in this study, novel species, Kordia zosterae sp. nov., is proposed for strain ZO2-23T (=KCTC 52268T=JCM 31799T).

Sphingomonas limnosediminicola sp. nov. and Sphingomonas palustris sp. nov., isolated from freshwater environments.

Two aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, gliding and yellow-pigmented bacteria, designated strains 03SUJ6T and WM95T were isolated from freshwater sediment of Juam reservoir and freshwater of Woopo wetland, Republic of Korea, respectively. Cells of the two strains are motile by gliding and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between 03SUJ6T and WM95T was 97.7 %, but their DNA-DNA relatedness was 55.1 %. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that 03SUJ6T and WM95T each form independent lineages within the genus Sphingomonas. 03SUJ6T was related distantly to Sphingomonas daechungensis CH15-11T (97.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Sphingomonas ginsengisoliGsoil 634T (97.3 %) and Sphingomonas astaxanthinifaciens DMS 22298T (97.1 %). Closest relatives of strain WM95T were S. daechungensis CH15-11T (98.2 %), Sphingomonasjaspsi DSM 18422T (97.6 %), Sphingomonas sediminicolaDae 20T (97.5 %), Sphingomonaslutea JS5T (97.4 %) and S. ginsengisoliGsoil 634T (97.2 %). The major fatty acids of the two isolates were summed feature 8 and C16 : 0. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-10. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and sphingoglycolipid. sym-Homospermidine was the major polyamine of the isolates. Phenotypic characteristics distinguished 03SUJ6T and WM95T from the related species of the genus Sphingomonas. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, the novel species, Sphingomonas limnosediminicola sp. nov. and Sphingomonas palustris sp. nov. are proposed for strain 03SUJ6T (=KCTC 23331T=JCM 17543T) and strain WM95T (=KACC 18738T=JCM 31399T), respectively.

HPV prevalence in the foreskins of asymptomatic healthy infants and children: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The true HPV prevalence in the foreskins of infants and children has been little documented, but reporting on this prevalence is of great importance given its impact on the rationale for treating asymptomatic boys. We searched multiple databases from 1960 to 2016 for observational or prospective studies that reported on HPV prevalence in foreskins. We conducted a meta-analysis using a random-effects model to pool for HPV prevalence in the foreskins of infants and children. Eight studies, with a total of 556 infants and children with phimosis, were eligible for the meta-analysis. The pooled overall prevalence of general HPV, high-risk HPV, low-risk HPV, HPV 16/18, HPV 16, and HPV 18 were 17.3 (95%CI: 0.8-46.3), 12.1 (95% CI: 0.9-31.5), 2.4 (95% CI: 0.0-11.2), 4.8 (95% CI: 0.0-16.8), 1.7 (95% CI: 0.0-5.1), and 0 (95% CI: 0-0.5), respectively. The estimated HPV prevalence in foreskins was not zero among infants and children, which implies HPV transmission other than by sexual contact. Considering that high-risk HPV is detected in asymptomatic infants and children, future studies are warranted to determine whether preventive treatments in asymptomatic infants and children could be effective in preventing persistence or transmission of high-risk HPV.

VRK2A is an A-type lamin-dependent nuclear envelope kinase that phosphorylates BAF.

The nuclear envelope (NE) is critical for numerous fundamental cellular functions, and mutations in several NE constituents can lead to a heterogeneous spectrum of diseases. We used proximity biotinylation to uncover new constituents of the inner nuclear membrane (INM) by comparative BioID analysis of lamin A, Sun2 and a minimal INM-targeting motif. These studies identify vaccinia-related kinase-2 (VRK2) as a candidate constituent of the INM. The transmembrane VRK2A isoform is retained at the NE by association with A-type lamins. Furthermore, VRK2A physically interacts with A-type, but not B-type, lamins. Finally, we show that VRK2 phosphorylates barrier to autointegration factor (BAF), a small and highly dynamic chromatin-binding protein, which has roles including NE reassembly, cell cycle, and chromatin organization in cells, and subtly alters its nuclear mobility. Together these findings support the value of using BioID to identify unrecognized constituents of distinct subcellular compartments refractory to biochemical isolation and reveal VRK2A as a transmembrane kinase in the NE that regulates BAF.

Sphingomonas lutea sp. nov., isolated from freshwater of an artificial reservoir.

An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, gliding and yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain JS5T, was isolated from freshwater of Juam reservoir, Republic of Korea. Cells were catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JS5T forms an independent lineage within the genus Sphingomonas. Strain JS5T was related distantly to 'Sphingomonas parvus' GP20-2 (98.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Sphingomonas sediminicola Dae 20T (96.8 %) and Sphingomonas daechungensis CH15-11T (96.7 %). The major fatty acids of strain JS5T were C16 : 0, summed feature 3 comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c and summed feature 8 comprising C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c. The predominant isoprenoid quinone of the isolate was ubiquinone-10. The DNA G+C content of strain JS5T was 65 mol%. Phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain JS5T from related species of the genus Sphingomonas. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, a novel species, Sphingomonaslutea sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate strain JS5T (=KCTC 23642T=JCM 18309T).

Korean indigenous bacterial species with valid names belonging to the phylum Actinobacteria.

To understand the isolation and classification state of actinobacterial species with valid names for Korean indigenous isolates, isolation source, regional origin, and taxonomic affiliation of the isolates were studied. At the time of this writing, the phylum Actinobacteria consisted of only one class, Actinobacteria, including five subclasses, 10 orders, 56 families, and 330 genera. Moreover, new taxa of this phylum continue to be discovered. Korean actinobacterial species with a valid name has been reported from 1995 as Tsukamurella inchonensis isolated from a clinical specimen. In 1997, Streptomyces seoulensis was validated with the isolate from the natural Korean environment. Until Feb. 2016, 256 actinobacterial species with valid names originated from Korean territory were listed on LPSN. The species were affiliated with three subclasses (Acidimicrobidae, Actinobacteridae, and Rubrobacteridae), four orders (Acidimicrobiales, Actinomycetales, Bifidobacteriales, and Solirubrobacterales), 12 suborders, 36 families, and 93 genera. Most of the species belonged to the subclass Actinobacteridae, and almost of the members of this subclass were affiliated with the order Actinomycetales. A number of novel isolates belonged to the families Nocardioidaceae, Microbacteriaceae, Intrasporangiaceae, and Streptomycetaceae as well as the genera Nocardioides, Streptomyces, and Microbacterium. Twenty-six novel genera and one novel family, Motilibacteraceae, were created first with Korean indigenous isolates. Most of the Korean indigenous actionobacterial species were isolated from natural environments such as soil, seawater, tidal flat sediment, and fresh-water. A considerable number of species were isolated from artificial resources such as fermented foods, wastewater, compost, biofilm, and water-cooling systems or clinical specimens. Korean indigenous actinobacterial species were isolated from whole territory of Korea, and especially a large number of species were from Jeju, Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, Daejeon, and Chungnam. A large number of novel actinobacterial species continue to be discovered since the Korean government is encouraging the search for new bacterial species and researchers are endeavoring to find out novel strains from extreme or untapped environments.

Impact of Time Interval between Trauma Onset and Burr Hole Surgery on Recurrence of Late Subacute or Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

OBJECTIVE: Although subdural hematoma (SDH) is commonly treatable by burr hole surgery in the late subacute or chronic stage, there is no clear consensus regarding appropriate management and exact predictive factors for postoperative recurrence also remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors associated with recurrence of SDH that requires burr hole surgery in the late subacute or chronic stage. We also identified the appropriate timing of surgery for reducing the recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 274 patients with SDH in the late subacute or chronic stage treated with burr hole surgery in our hospital between January 2007 and December 2014. Excluding patients with acute intracranial complications or unknown time of trauma onset left 216 patients included in the study. RESULTS: Of 216 patients with SDH in the late subacute or chronic stage, recurrence was observed in 36 patients (16.7%). The timing of the operation in patients with late subacute stage (15-28 days) resulted in a significant decrease in recurrence (RR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.65; p=0.001) compared to chronic stage (>28 days). Otherwise, no significant risk factors were associated with recurrences including comorbidities and surgical details. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that time from trauma onset to burr hole surgery may be important for decreasing the risk of recurrence. Therefore, unless patients can be treated conservatively without surgery, prompt surgical management is recommended in patients diagnosed as having late subacute or chronic subdural hematoma treatable by burr hole surgery, even when neurological deficits are unclear.

Filling the Void: Proximity-Based Labeling of Proteins in Living Cells.

There are inherent limitations with traditional methods to study protein behavior or to determine the constituency of proteins in discrete subcellular compartments. In response to these limitations, several methods have recently been developed that use proximity-dependent labeling. By fusing proteins to enzymes that generate reactive molecules, most commonly biotin, proximate proteins are covalently labeled to enable their isolation and identification. In this review we describe current methods for proximity-dependent labeling in living cells and discuss their applications and future use in the study of protein behavior.

Macrophage Densities Correlated with CXC Chemokine Receptor 4 Expression and Related with Poor Survival in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) have emerged as potential biomarkers in various human cancers. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical characteristics of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) patients according to the TAM numbers in the tumor tissue, and to evaluate the associations between CXCR4 expressions and macrophage densities in ATC tumor microenvironment. METHODS: Total 14 ATC samples from thyroid tissue microarray were used. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using anti-CD163 and anti-CXCR4 antibodies. According to the immunoreactivity of CD163, all subjects were divided into two groups: low-CD163 (n=8) and high-CD163 (n=6) groups. RESULTS: The mean diagnostic age was 65±7 years and the median tumor size was 4.3 cm, ranging 2.5 to 15 cm. Clinicopathological characteristics were not significantly different between low-CD163 and high-CD163 groups, while age of diagnosis was younger in high-CD163 group than that of low-CD163 group with marginal significance (56.9±5.5 years vs. 67.5±6.8 years, P=0.09). However, overall survival was significantly reduced in high-CD163 group (5.5 months [range, 1 to 10]) compared with low-CD163 groups (8.8 months [range, 6 to 121); log-rank test, P=0.0443). Moreover, high-CD163 group showed strong CXCR4 expressions in both cancer and stromal compartments, while low-CD163 group showed relatively weak, stromal-dominant CXCR4 expressions. Additionally, CD163 and CXCR4 expressions showed a strong positive correlation (γ²=0.432, P=0.013). CONCLUSION: Increased number of TAMs showed poor overall survival in ATC, suggesting TAMs are potentially a prognostic biomarker for ATC. CXCR4 expression was significantly correlated with CD163-positive TAM densities, which suggest the possible role of CXCR4 in TAM recruitments.

Pontibacter rugosus sp. nov., isolated from seawater.

A motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain KYW1030T, was isolated from seawater collected from the Gwangyang bay (Republic of Korea). Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The major fatty acids were summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B), iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The strain contained MK-7 as the major isoprenoid quinone, phosphatidylethanolamine and diphosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipids and sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. The DNA G+C content was 46 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain KYW1030T forms an evolutionary lineage within the radiation enclosing the members of the genus Pontibacter, with Pontibacterakesuensis AKS 1T (97.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) as its nearest neighbour. A number of phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain KYW1030T from the related members of the genus Pontibacter. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, a novel species, Pontibacter rugosus sp. nov., is proposed for strain KYW1030T (=KACC 18739T=JCM 31319T).