Data Clustering Utilization Technologies Using Medians of Current Values for Improving Arc Sensing in Unstructured Environments.

In the shipbuilding industry, welding automation using welding robots often relies on arc-sensing techniques due to spatial limitations. However, the reliability of the feedback current value, core sensing data, is reduced when welding target workpieces have significant curvature or gaps between curved workpieces due to the control of short-circuit transition, leading to seam tracking failure and subsequent damage to the workpieces. To address these problems, this study proposes a new algorithm, MBSC (median-based spatial clustering), based on the DBSCAN (density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise) clustering algorithm. By performing clustering based on the median value of data in each weaving area and considering the characteristics of the feedback current data, the proposed technique utilizes detected outliers to enhance seam tracking accuracy and responsiveness in unstructured and challenging welding environments. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was verified through actual welding experiments in a yard environment.

Effect of Illite Treatment on Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Activity of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) Sprouts.

Microgreens have recently gained popularity owing to their reliable economic and nutritional value. This study aimed to increase the quality of microgreen broccoli via treatment with different concentrations (1%, IPB-1; 3%, IPB-3; 5%, IPB-5; or 7%, IPB-7 w/v) of illite-a natural mineral powder. The results showed that the illite treatments considerably increased the content of mineral elements, such as Ca, P, and K; of vitamin C; and of free amino acids; and also increased the total weight of the broccoli sprouts. The content of sulforaphane, a bioactive compound, also increased by up to 47% with illite treatment, with the highest increase being in the IPB-5 group. However, several of the parameters were lower in the IPB-7 group. Aromatic compounds were categorized by functional groups such as hydrocarbons which numbered 36, 30, 34, 28, and 30 in the control, IPB-1, IPB-3, IPB-5, and IPB-7 groups, respectively. We found 16, 15, 15, 13, and 14 sulfides, including dimethyl sulfide, in the control, IPB-1, IPB-3, IPB-5, and IPB-7 groups, respectively. Additionally, aldehydes, comprising seven compounds, were detected in the IPB-1, IPB-3, IPB-5, and IPB-7 groups. Illite treatment significantly increased the activities of antioxidants such as DPPH and the polyphenol content of the microgreens. These results indicate a potential role for appropriate illite doses in microgreen treatment to address multinutrient deficiencies and to increase the quality of microgreen vegetables.

The effects of target sizes on biomechanical and cognitive load and task performance of virtual reality interactions.

This study evaluated the effects of target sizes on biomechanical and cognitive load and the performance of virtual reality (VR) interactions. In a repeated-measures laboratory study, each of the twenty participants performed standardised VR tasks with three different target sizes: small, medium, and large. During the VR tasks, biomechanical load in the neck and shoulders (joint angles, joint moments, and muscle activity), cognitive load (perceived workload and cognitive stress), and task performance (completion time) were collected. The neck and shoulder joint angles, joint moments, and muscle activities were greater with the large targets compared to the medium and small targets. Moreover, the larger VR targets caused greater temporal demand and longer task completion time compared to the other target sizes. These findings indicate that target sizes in VR interfaces play important roles in biomechanical and cognitive load as well as task performance.

This study investigated the effects of target sizes on biomechanical and cognitive load and the performance of virtual reality (VR) interactions. The results showed that the VR target size is an important design factor affecting neck and shoulder joint angles, moments, muscle activity, temporal demand, and performance measures.

Percutaneous creation of new bilioenteric anastomosis in a patient with accidentally failed hepaticojejunostomy.

ABSTRACT: If the cause of the bile leakage after hepaticojejunostomy is accidental non-anastomosis of one bile duct, it is unlikely that the leakage will resolve spontaneously, and reoperation may be necessary. However, if the patient has contraindications to surgery, other treatments should be considered. In this case report, we describe a new percutaneous tract creation between the isolated right bile duct and Roux-en-Y afferent jejunal loop in a patient who underwent hepaticojejunostomy, and the right bile duct was accidentally not anastomosed with the jejunal loop.

Antisense Oligonucleotides against Let-7 Enhance the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Let-7 miRNAs have pleiotropic cellular functions in cell proliferation, migration, and regenerative processes. Here, we investigate whether the inhibition of let-7 miRNAs with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) can be a transient and safe strategy enhancing the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to overcome their limitations in cell therapeutic trials. We first identified major subfamilies of let-7 miRNAs preferentially expressed in MSCs, and efficient ASO combinations against these selected subfamilies that mimic the effects of LIN28 activation. When let-7 miRNAs were inhibited with an ASO combination (anti-let7-ASOs), MSCs exhibited higher proliferation with delayed senescence during the passaging into a culture. They also exhibited increased migration and enhanced osteogenic differentiation potential. However, these changes in MSCs were not accompanied by cell-fate changes into pericytes or the additional acquisition of stemness, but instead occurred as functional changes accompanied by changes in proteomics. Interestingly, MSCs with let-7 inhibition exhibited metabolic reprogramming characterized by an enhanced glycolytic pathway, decreased reactive oxygen species, and lower transmembrane potential in mitochondria. Moreover, let-7-inhibited MSCs promoted the self-renewal of neighboring hematopoietic progenitor cells, and enhanced capillary formation in endothelial cells. These findings together show that our optimized ASO combination efficiently reprograms the MSC functional state, allowing for more efficient MSC cell therapy.

Synthesis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of N(2)-Arylindazol-3(2H)-One Derivatives: Copper-Promoted Direct N-Arylation via Chan-Evans-Lam Coupling.

Inflammatory-related diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent, leading to a growing focus on the development of anti-inflammatory agents, with a particular emphasis on creating novel structural compounds. In this study, we present a highly efficient synthetic method for direct N-arylation to produce a variety of N(2)-arylindazol-3(2H)-ones 3, which exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. The Chan-Evans-Lam (CEL) coupling of N(1)-benzyl-indazol-3-(2H)-ones 1 with arylboronic acids 2 in the presence of a copper complex provided the corresponding N(2)-arylindazol-3(2H)-ones 3 in good-to-excellent yields, as identified with NMR, MS, and X-ray crystallography techniques. The cell viability and anti-inflammatory effects of the synthesized compounds (3 and 5) were briefly assessed using the MTT method and Griess assay. Among them, compounds 5 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects with negligible cell toxicity.

Breast Pseudoaneurysm in a Woman after Core Biopsy: Intravascular Glue Embolization.

Core needle biopsy of breast masses is a common procedure for tissue diagnosis of breast lesions. The incidence of complications is low, with pseudoaneurysm (PA) after core biopsy has been described in the literature, and the subsequent need for surgical management. Ultrasonography is the most common modality used for not only diagnosis but also treatment of a PA. Color Doppler images show a heterogeneous echoic lesion with whirling flow inside of the lesion. We describe a patient whose breast PA that developed after core needle biopsy was successfully treated with sonographically-guided intravascular glue embolization.

New dihydrobenzoxanthone derivatives with bacterial neuraminidase inhibitory activity isolated from Artocarpus elasticus.

Artocarpus elasticus is a popular fruit tree in the tropical regions. Primary screenings of methanol extracts of the root bark confirmed its potent inhibition of bacterial neuraminidase (BNA), which plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of many microbial diseases. Assessments of the responsible phytochemicals were conducted by isolating eight compounds (1-8) and two of them (6 and 8) were identified as new compounds. Among the isolates, the dihydrobenzoxanthones attained the highest BNA inhibition with IC50 values of 0.5 âˆ¼ 3.9 µM. Further investigation of the inhibitory mechanism by Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed the phytochemicals to function as reversible noncompetitive inhibitors. Fluorescence quenching showed their binding affinities were highly correlated with their inhibitory potential dose-dependently. Molecular docking experiments suggested the dihydrobenzoxanthones (4 and 6) as noncompetitive inhibitors of BNA with unique interaction with Tyr435 of BNA in comparison with the mother flavonoid (7).

Transcatheter arterial embolization for hemorrhage after gynecologic hysterectomy: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is not common for hemorrhagic complications after gynecologic hysterectomy. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TAE for hemorrhage after hysterectomy for gynecologic diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, multicenter study, which investigated 11 patients (median age = 45 years) who underwent TAE for hemorrhage after gynecologic hysterectomy between 2004 and 2020. RESULTS: The median interval between surgery and angiography was one day (range = 0-82 days). Hemodynamic instability and massive transfusion were present in 6 (54.5%) and 4 (36.4%) patients, respectively. CT scans (n = 7) showed contrast extravasation (n = 5), pseudoaneurysm (n = 1), or both (n = 1). On angiography, the bleeding arteries were the anterior division branches of the internal iliac artery (IIA) (n = 6), posterior division branch (lateral sacral artery, n = 1), and inferior epigastric artery (n = 1) in eight patients with active bleeding. In the remaining three patients, angiographic staining without active bleeding foci was observed at the vaginal stump, and the feeders for staining were all anterior division branches of the IIA. Technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 90.9% (10/11), respectively. In one patient, active bleeding focus was successfully embolized on angiography, but surgical hemostasis was performed for suspected bleeding on exploratory laparotomy. Postembolization syndrome occurred in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: TAE is effective and safe for hemorrhage after hysterectomy for gynecologic diseases. Angiographic findings are primarily active bleeding, but angiographic staining is not uncommon. A bleeding focus is possible in any branch of the IIA, as well as the arteries supplying the abdominal wall.

Development of a PCR-RFLP method for differential identification of Microcotyle sebastis and Microcotyle caudata isolated from cultured rockfish in Korea.

Microcotylid monogeneans can cause considerable health problems in cultured fish, and several Microcotyle species are reported from scorpaenid fish, an economically important aquaculture target species in Korea. We developed a PCR-RFLP assay targeting the mitochondrial cox1 gene, for discriminating Microcotyle sebastis and M. caudata from cultured Korean rockfish Sebastes schlegelii and dark-banded rockfish S. inermis. AseI enzyme treatment of the PCR products showed that M. sebastis sequence was cleaved while M. caudata was not. A total of 95.2% (118/124) of monogeneans from S. schlegelii were identified as M. sebastis, and 96.2% (126/131) of monogeneans from S. inermis were identified as M. caudata by PCR-RFLP. However, the remaining parasites from each host showed the opposite digestion pattern. Additional analyses of these specimens by targeting the ITS region by PCR-RFLP showed the same results, suggesting that cross-species infection by the parasites may have occurred. In Korea, S. inermis net cages are commonly located nearby S. schlegelii net cages, and this encaged proximity might have provided the opportunity for cross-infection to occur. Further examination of wild host populations and experimental cross-infection will be necessary to explain this phenomenon. The PCR-RFLP method in this study will help investigate the epidemiology and infection dynamics of Microcotyle species in S. inermis.

3D star shot analysis using MAGAT gel dosimeter for integrated imaging and radiation isocenter verification of MR-Linac system.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate a star shot analysis using a three-dimensional (3D) gel dosimeter for the imaging and radiation isocenter verification of a magnetic resonance linear accelerator (MR-Linac). METHODS: A mixture of methacrylic acid, gelatin, and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, called MAGAT gel, was fabricated. One MAGAT gel for each Linac and MR-Linac was irradiated under six gantry angles. A 6 MV photon beam of Linac and a 6 MV flattening filter free beam of MR-Linac were delivered to two MAGAT gels and EBT3 films. MR images were acquired by MR-Linac with a clinical sequence (i.e., TrueFISP). The 3D star shot analysis for seven consecutive slices of the MR images with TrueFISP was performed. The 2D star shot analysis for the central plane of the gel was compared to the results from the EBT3 films. The radius of isocircle (ICr ) and the distance between the center of the circle and the center marked on the image (ICd ) were evaluated. RESULTS: For MR-Linac with MAGAT gel measurements, ICd at the central plane was 0.46 mm for TrueFISP. Compared to EBT3 film measurements, the differences in ICd and ICr for both Linac and MR-Linac were within 0.11 and 0.13 mm, respectively. For the 3D analysis, seven consecutive slices of TrueFISP images were analyzed and the maximum radii of isocircles (ICr_max ) were 0.18 mm for Linac and 0.73 mm for MR-Linac. The tilting angles of radiation axis were 0.31° for Linac and 0.10° for MR-Linac. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of 3D star shot analysis using MAGAT gel was comparable to that of EBT3 film, having a capability for integrated analysis for imaging isocenter and radiation isocenter. 3D star shot analysis using MAGAT gel can provide 3D information of radiation isocenter, suggesting a quantitative extent of gantry-tilting.

Evaluation of Temperature Sensors for Detection of Heat Sources Using Additive Printing Method.

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) inkjet printing is an efficient technique for printing multiple sensors in a multifaceted area. It can be applied to various fields according to the shape of the printing result and the algorithm employed. In this study, temperature sensors capable of detecting heat sources were fabricated. Inks suitable for EHD inkjet printing were produced, and optimal parameters for printing were determined. Printing was performed using the corresponding parameters, and various printing results were obtained. Furthermore, an experiment was conducted to confirm the temperature measurement characteristics of the results and the tolerance of the sensor. Grid-type sensors were fabricated based on the results, and the sensor characteristics were confirmed in an orthogonal form. Heat was applied to arbitrary positions. Resistance to changes due to heat was measured, and the location at which the heat was generated was detected by varying the change in resistance. Through this study, efficient heat control can be achieved, as the location of the heat source can be identified quickly.

Abdominal Aortic Thrombus Segmentation in Postoperative Computed Tomography Angiography Images Using Bi-Directional Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory Architecture.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a fatal clinical condition with high mortality. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) imaging is the preferred minimally invasive modality for the long-term postoperative observation of AAA. Accurate segmentation of the thrombus region of interest (ROI) in a postoperative CTA image volume is essential for quantitative assessment and rapid clinical decision making by clinicians. Few investigators have proposed the adoption of convolutional neural networks (CNN). Although these methods demonstrated the potential of CNN architectures by automating the thrombus ROI segmentation, the segmentation performance can be further improved. The existing methods performed the segmentation process independently per 2D image and were incapable of using adjacent images, which could be useful for the robust segmentation of thrombus ROIs. In this work, we propose a thrombus ROI segmentation method to utilize not only the spatial features of a target image, but also the volumetric coherence available from adjacent images. We newly adopted a recurrent neural network, bi-directional convolutional long short-term memory (Bi-CLSTM) architecture, which can learn coherence between a sequence of data. This coherence learning capability can be useful for challenging situations, for example, when the target image exhibits inherent postoperative artifacts and noises, the inclusion of adjacent images would facilitate learning more robust features for thrombus ROI segmentation. We demonstrate the segmentation capability of our Bi-CLSTM-based method with a comparison of the existing 2D-based thrombus ROI segmentation counterpart as well as other established 2D- and 3D-based alternatives. Our comparison is based on a large-scale clinical dataset of 60 patient studies (i.e., 60 CTA image volumes). The results suggest the superior segmentation performance of our Bi-CLSTM-based method by achieving the highest scores of the evaluation metrics, e.g., our Bi-CLSTM results were 0.0331 higher on total overlap and 0.0331 lower on false negative when compared to 2D U-net++ as the second-best.

Effects of Polynucleotide Dermal Filler in the Correction of Crow's Feet Using an Antera Three-Dimensional Camera.

BACKGROUND: Dermal fillers are gaining interest for tissue enlargement and skin improvement. Among them, polynucleotides have demonstrated multiple skin beneficial effects. The effects of polynucleotide fillers were objectively evaluated using an Antera 3D camera, subjectively evaluated by participants and investigators. METHODS: Thirty subjects with crow's feet were enrolled in the study. The subjects received polynucleotide filler for crow's feet. Crow's feet grading score (CFGS), global esthetic improvement scale (GAIS), and Antera 3D imaging results were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-eight subjects (93.3%) completed the study. An improvement in CFGS compared with that at baseline (p < 0.001) was observed 18 weeks after the first injection of polynucleotides. Additionally, at the final visit, there were improvements in wrinkle, texture, pore, depression, and Hb values compared with those at baseline (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference in melanin level was detected between the initial and final visits. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in wrinkles, pores, texture, depression, and Hb level after polynucleotide filler injection were verified by objective and subjective evaluations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the objective evaluation of polynucleotide fillers in crow's feet using the Antera 3D camera. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Evaluation of vertical and multi-axial suspension seats for reducing vertical-dominant and multi-axial whole body vibration and associated neck and low back joint torque and muscle activity.

The primary aim of this laboratory-based human subject study was to evaluate the biomechanical loading associated with mining vehicles' multi-axial whole body vibration (WBV) by comparing joint torque and muscle activity in the neck and low back during three vibration conditions: mining vehicles' multi-axial, on-road vehicles' vertical-dominant, and no vibration. Moreover, the secondary aim was to determine the efficacy of a vertical passive air suspension and a prototype multi-axial active suspension seat in reducing WBV exposures and associated biomechanical loading measures. The peak joint torque and muscle activity in the neck and low back were higher when exposed to multi-axial vibration compared to the vertical-dominant or no vibration condition. When comparing the two suspension seats, there were limited differences in WBV, joint torque, and muscle activity. These results indicate that there is a need to develop more effective engineering controls to lower exposures to multi-axial WBV and related biomechanical loading. Practitioner Summary: This study found that mining vehicles' multi-axial WBV can increase biomechanical loading in the neck and back more so than on-road vehicles' vertical-dominant WBV. While a newly-developed multi-axial active suspension seat slightly reduced the overall WBV exposures, the results indicate that more effective engineering controls should be developed. Abbreviation: APDF: amplitude probability density function; Aw: weighted average vibration; BMI: body mass index; C7: The 7th cervical vertebra; EMG: electromyography; ES: erector spinae; IRB: institutional review board; ISO: International Organization for Standardization; L5/S1: the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5)/the first sacral vertebra(S1); MSDs: musculoskeletal disorders; MVC: maximum voluntary contraction; PSD: power spectral density; RVC: reference voluntary contraction; SCM: sternocleidomastoid; SD: standard deviation; SPL: splenius capitis; TRAP: trapezius; VDV: vibration dose value; WBV: whole body vibration.

Comparison of Diagnostic Performance and Confidence between Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Scan and Non-Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Plus Abdomen Ultrasound for Hepatic Metastasis in Patients with Breast Cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the performance between noncontrast-enhanced computed tomography (NECT) plus abdominal ultrasound (US) (NECT + US) with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) for the detection of hepatic metastasis in breast cancer patient with postsurgical follow-up. Methods: A total of 1470 patients without already diagnosed hepatic metastasis were included. All patients underwent US and multiphase CECT including the NECT. Independent reviewers analyzed images obtained in four settings, namely, abdominal US, NECT, NECT + US, and CECT and recorded liver metastases using a 5-grade scale of diagnostic confidence. Sensitivity, specificity (diagnostic performance), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, diagnostic confidence) were calculated. Interoperator agreement was calculated using the kappa test. Results: Reference standards revealed no metastases in 1108/1470 patients, and metastasis was detected in 362/1470 patients. Abdominal US (P < 0.01) and NECT (P = 0.01) significantly differed from CECT, but NECT + US did not significantly differ from CECT in terms of sensitivity (P = 0.09), specificity (P = 0.5), and AUC (P = 0.43). After an additional review of abdominal US, readers changed the diagnostic confidence scores of 106 metastatic lesions diagnosed using NECT. Interobserver agreements were good or very good in all four settings. Additional review of abdominal US with NECT allowed a change in the therapeutic plan of 108 patients. Conclusion: Abdominal US + NECT showed better diagnostic performance for the detection of hepatic metastases than did NECT alone; its diagnostic performance and confidence were similar to those of CECT.

Feasibility and outcomes of bronchial artery embolization in patients with non-massive hemoptysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and long-term outcome of bronchial artery embolization (BAE) in the treatment of non-massive hemoptysis and the prognostic factors associated with recurrent bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2005 to September 2014, BAE was performed in 233 patients with non-massive hemoptysis. All patients had a history of persistent or recurrent hemoptysis despite conservative medical treatment. We assessed the technical and clinical success, recurrence, prognostic factors related to recurrent bleeding, recurrence-free survival rate, additional treatment, and major complications in all the patients. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 224 patients (96.1%), and clinical success was obtained in 219 (94.0%) of the 233 patients. In addition, 64 patients (27.5%) presented hemoptysis recurrence with median time of 197 days after embolization. Tuberculosis sequelae and presence of aberrant bronchial artery or non-bronchial systemic collaterals were significantly related to recurrent bleeding (p < 0.05). The use of Histoacryl-based embolic materials significantly reduced the recurrent bleeding rate (p < 0.05). Patient who had a tuberculosis sequelae showed a significantly lower recurrence-free survival rate (p = 0.013). Presence of aberrant bronchial artery or non-bronchial systemic collaterals showed a statistically significant correlation with recurrence-free survival rate (p = 0.021). No patients had major complications during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: BAE is a safe and effective treatment to manage non-massive hemoptysis. The procedure may offer a better long-term control of recurrent hemoptysis and quality of life than conservative therapy alone.

Comparison of neuromuscular blockade recovery co-administered with neostigmine and different doses of calcium gluconate: a randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Calcium increases the probability of transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction. It is not known whether there is a dose-dependent relationship between the dosage of calcium gluconate and the probability of transmitter release for non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade (NMB) recovery by acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEIs). This study compared the neuromuscular recovery time and the incidence of postoperative residual curarization (PORC) according to the dosage of calcium gluconate co-administered with neostigmine in three patient groups. METHODS: Patients were randomly allocated to a control group, a 5 mg/kg calcium gluconate group (calcium 5 group), or a 10 mg/kg calcium gluconate group (calcium 10 group). In patients with a TOF ratio (TOFr) between 0.2-0.7, 0.04 mg/kg of neostigmine was administered and both 0.2 mg of glycopyrrolate and 0.4 mg of atropine per 1 mg of neostigmine were administered. And additional 5 or 10 mg/kg of calcium gluconate were administrated to the calcium 5 and 10 groups. The primary endpoint was neuromuscular recovery time (the time between reversal and TOFr≥0.9). The secondary endpoints were the incidence of PORC at 5, 10, and 20 min after reversal administration and the train-of-four ratio (TOFr) at each time point. RESULTS: The neuromuscular recovery time was 5.3 min in the control group, 3.9 min in the calcium 5 group, and 4.1 min in the calcium 10 group, respectively (P = 0.004). The incidence of PORC at 5 min after neostigmine administration was 12 in the control group, 4 in the calcium 5 group, and 4 in the calcium 10 group, respectively, with statistical significance (P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The co-administration of calcium gluconate with neostigmine safely promoted early NMB recovery, and the neuromuscular recovery time of the calcium 10 group tended to be more evenly distributed than that of the calcium 5 group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/index.jsp(KCT0004182 ). Date of registration: August 122,019.

Distribution and functional analysis of the phosphopantetheinyl transferase superfamily in Actinomycetales microorganisms.

Phosphopantetheinyl transferases (PPTases) are a superfamily of essential enzymes required for the synthetic processes of many compounds including fatty acid, polyketide, and nonribosomal peptide metabolites. These enzymes activate carrier proteins in specific biosynthetic pathways via the transfer of a phosphopantetheinyl moiety to a serine residue in the conserved motif of carrier proteins. Since many Actinomycetales microorganisms produce a number of polyketide and nonribosomal peptide metabolites, the distribution of PPTase genes was investigated in these microorganisms. PPTases were found in bacterial protein databases using a hidden Markov model search with the PF01648 (4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase superfamily) model. Actinomycetales microorganisms harbor several genes encoding AcpS-type and Sfp-type PPTases in individual genomes, many of which were associated with the biosynthetic gene cluster for polyketide or nonribosomal peptide metabolites. The properties of these PPTases were evaluated in the heterologous expression system using the biosynthetic gene clusters and genes encoding PPTases found in the present study. Sfp-type PPTases were classified into two subgroups, and although the substrate specificities of the enzymes in one subgroup were wide, the catalytic activities of enzymes in the other subgroup were low. SAV_1784 of Streptomyces avermitilis possessed the most characteristic broad-range activity against several type I polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases.

Comparison of anesthetic effects of tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine or ketamine-medetomidine in captive Amur leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptailurus).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects and utility of tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine (TZM) and ketamine-medetomidine (KM) for anesthesia of Amur leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptailurus). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized experimental trial. ANIMALS: A total of six female (3.70 ± 0.49 kg) and six male (5.03 ± 0.44 kg; mean ± standard deviation) Amur leopard cats aged 2-6 years. METHODS: Each animal was administered four protocols separated by ≥3 weeks. Each protocol included medetomidine (0.05 mg kg-1) combined with tiletamine-zolazepam (1 mg kg-1; protocol MTZLO); tiletamine-zolazepam (2 mg kg-1; protocol MTZHI); ketamine (2 mg kg-1; protocol MKLO); or ketamine (4 mg kg-1; MKHI) administered intramuscularly. At time 0 (onset of lateral recumbency) and 30 minutes, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (fR), rectal temperature, noninvasive mean arterial pressure (MAP) and hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2) were recorded. Times to onset of lateral recumbency, duration of anesthesia and time to standing were recorded. RESULTS: Overall, animals were anesthetized with all protocols within 10 minutes, anesthesia was maintained ≥57 minutes, and recovery (time from the first head lift to standing) was completed within 5 minutes. During anesthesia with all protocols, HR, fR, rectal temperature, SpO2 and MAP were 99-125 beats minute-1, 33-44 breaths minute-1, 37.6-39.4 °C, 90-95% and 152-177 mmHg, respectively. No adverse event was observed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: TZM and KM at various dosages resulted in rapid onset of anesthesia, duration of >57 minutes and rapid recovery without administration of an antagonist. Accordingly, all these combinations are useful for anesthetizing Amur leopard cats and for performing simple procedures. However, the low doses of the anesthetic agents are recommended because there was no difference in duration of anesthesia between the dose rates studied.