Acylated plastoquinone is a novel neutral lipid accumulated in cyanobacteria.

Although cyanobacteria do not possess bacterial triacylglycerol (TAG)-synthesizing enzymes, the accumulation of TAGs and/or lipid droplets has been repeatedly reported in a wide range of species. In most cases, the identification of TAG has been based on the detection of the spot showing the mobility similar to the TAG standard in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of neutral lipids. In this study, we identified monoacyl plastoquinol (acyl PQH) as the predominant molecular species in the TAG-like spot from the unicellular Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (S.6803) as well as the filamentous Nostocales sp., Nostoc punctiforme PCC 73102, and Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. In S.6803, the accumulation level of acyl PQH but not TAG was affected by deletion or overexpression of slr2103, indicating that acyl PQH is the physiological product of Slr2103 having homology with the eukaryotic diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (DGAT2). Electron microscopy revealed that cyanobacterial strains used in this study do not accumulate lipid droplet structures such as those observed in oleaginous microorganisms. Instead, they accumulate polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) granules and/or aggregates of alkane, free C16 and C18 saturated fatty acids, and low amounts of TAG in the cytoplasmic area, which can be detected by staining with a fluorescent dye specific to neutral lipids. Unlike these lipophilic materials, acyl PQH is exclusively localized in the membrane fraction. There must be DGAT2-like enzymatic activity esterifying de novo-synthesized C16 and C18 fatty acids to PQH2 in the thylakoid membranes.

Validation of a surgical drill with a haptic interface in spine surgery.

Real haptics is a technology that reproduces the sense of force and touch by transmitting contact information with real objects by converting human movements and the feel of the objects into data. In recent years, real haptics technology has been installed in several surgical devices. A custom-made surgical drill was used to drill into the posterior lamina to verify the time required for penetration detection and the distance the drill advanced after penetration. A surgeon operated with the drill and the same aspects were measured and verified. All experiments were performed on female miniature pigs at 9 months of age with a mean body weight of 23.6 kg (range 9-10 months and 22.5-25.8 kg, n = 12). There were statistically significant differences in the average reaction time and the distance travelled after penetration between a handheld drill and the drill with the penetration detection function (p < 0.001). The reaction time to detect penetration and the distance after penetration were both significantly improved when compared with those of the handheld surgical drill without the penetration detection function, with mean differences of 0.049 ± 0.019 s [95% CI 0.012, 0.086 s] and 2.511 ± 0.537 mm [95% CI 1.505, 3.516 mm]. In this study, we successfully conducted a performance evaluation test of a custom-made haptic interface surgical drill. A prototype high-speed drill with a haptic interface accurately detected the penetration of the porcine posterior lamina.

Turtle-associated salmonellosis due to Salmonella Litchfield in a 57-day-old infant: a case report.

A 57-day-old boy presented with fever, watery diarrhea, and anorexia and was admitted with suspected acute gastroenteritis. His laboratory data suggested low-level inflammation and cholestasis. His stool culture was positive for Salmonella Litchfield. With suspicion of bacterial infection, the patient received intravenous ampicillin for 5 days. On the fifth day after admission, his inflammatory and cholestasis markers normalized, and he was discharged from the hospital in good condition. His family kept five Japanese pond turtles as pets for one year. As Salmonella Litchfield was isolated from a swab sample of the turtle's body. The patient was diagnosed with turtle-associated salmonellosis. In conclusion, families, particularly those with infants, should avoid keeping turtles in their homes. Pet shop owners and public health authorities must provide appropriate information regarding Salmonella in turtles.

Using Platelet Parameters to Anticipate Morbidity and Mortality Among Preterm Neonates: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Platelets participate in many physiological and pathological functions and some platelet parameters predict adult diseases. However, few studies report whether platelet parameters may reflect neonatal disease and mortality in a large cohort. Objective: We aimed to investigate whether platelet parameters could predict bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and NICU mortality. Study Design and Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined records from 2006 to 2017 at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Fukushima Medical University Hospital. We retrospectively investigated platelet count, plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW) on the first day of life in preterm newborns born <32 weeks' gestation admitted to our NICU from 2006 to 2017. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and multiple regression analyses, along with Cox proportional hazard modeling, identified independent predictors of morbidities and mortality in preterm newborns. Results: Of 1,501 neonates admitted to our NICU, a total of 305 preterm newborns were included in this study. Gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score were significantly lower in non-survivors than in survivors. Platelet count, PCT, PDW and PMI did not differ significantly between the two groups, whereas mean MPV in non-survivors was significantly higher than in survivors (10.5 fl vs. 10.0 fl, p = 0.001). Multivariate Cox hazard modeling showed that shorter GA [HR: 0.628, 95% CI: 0.464-0.840, p = 0.003], male sex [HR: 0.269, 95% CI: 0.113-0.640, p = 0.001], and MPV [HR: 1.469, 95% CI: 1.046-2.063, p = 0.026] independently predicted overall survival. Per receiver operating curve, an MPV threshold of 10.2 fl. MPV predicts prognosis in neonates with a sensitivity of 72.4% and a specificity of 58.6% (AUC = 0.685, 95% CI: 0.600-0.789, p = 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that platelet parameters were not associated with BPD and NEC, whereas small for gestational age (SGA), Apgar score at 5 min, and low PCT were associated with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that low PCT predicts IVH, and MPV ≥ 10.2 fL correlates with mortality among infants born after <32 weeks' gestation.