Characteristics of soil origin Pseudomonas batumici Koz11 isolated from a remote island in Japan.

Soil samples from a remote Japanese island (Kozushima) were processed and investigated for organisms exhibiting antimicrobial activity against pathogenic strains. A Pseudomonas strain demonstrating antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was identified, prompting further investigation. Whole-genome sequencing was employed to identify the species and conduct phylogenetic analysis, followed by in silico molecular analysis. Chemotaxonomic and biochemical analyses were conducted to further characterize the strain. Genomic analysis identified the strain of interest as Pseudomonas batumici (P. batumici), originally isolated from soil of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus in 1980. P. batumici Koz11 is the second P. batumici strain to be isolated and identified outside its initial area of discovery. Similar to the type strain, P. batumici Koz11 showed antimicrobial activity against various S. aureus strains, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA). However, the previously reported 'batumin gene cluster', which synthesizes antimicrobial compounds, was absent from P. batumici Koz11. This study provides new insights into P. batumici. Since the type strain of P. batumici is exclusively deposited in the Ukrainian Collection of Microorganisms, the Koz11 strain may serve as a surrogate to facilitate continued study of P. batumici.

An analysis of the effectiveness of reflective learning through watching videos recorded with smart glasses-With multiple views (student, patient, and overall) in radiography education.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is designed to assess medical students' skills and attitude competencies before clinical practice. However, no method of reflective learning using video-based content has been used in OSCE education. This study aimed to confirm whether using smart glasses-based educational content is effective for OSCE reflective learning using multiple views (patient, student, and overall). This educational intervention study included a control group exposed to the traditional learning method and an intervention group exposed to a learning method incorporating smart glasses. Participants were 117 (72 in the control group and 45 in the intervention group) third-year radiological technology students scheduled to take the OSCE and 70 (37 in the control group and 33 in the intervention group) who met the eligibility criteria. Mock OSCEs were administered before and after the educational intervention (traditional and smart glasses-based education) to investigate changes in scores. After the educational intervention, a self-reported comprehension survey and a questionnaire were administered on the effectiveness of the video-based content from different views for student reflective learning. Unexpectedly, the OSCE evaluation score after the preliminary investigation significantly increased for the smart glasses control group (0.36±0.1) compared to the intervention group (0.06±0.1) setting up the radiographic conditions (x-ray center and detector center; p = 0.042). The intervention group's lower score in the mock OSCEs may have been due to the discomfort of wearing the smart glasses to perform the radiography procedure and their unfamiliarity with the smart glasses, which may have affected their concentration. The findings suggest that smart glasses-based education for OSCEs can be improved (e.g., being easy to handle and use and trouble-free).

Dose Reduction and Image Quality Optimization of Pediatric Chest Radiography Using a Tungsten Filter.

The use of diagnostic radiology in pediatric patients has increased, and various positive effects have been reported, including methods to reduce radiation doses in children. Research has been conducted to preserve image quality while reducing exposure and doses in pediatric patients. This study aimed to measure four different filters to identify an optimized filter for pediatric patients. The experiment was conducted using four types of filters, including aluminum, copper, molybdenum, and tungsten. The optimal filter thickness was verified using a histogram to visually evaluate the spectrum by filter thickness, effective dose on a pediatric phantom, entrance skin dose, organ absorbed dose using the PC-based Monte Carlo (PCXMC) program version 2.0 simulation, figure of merit (FOM), and image quality. As a result of measuring the spectrum according to the tube voltage and the four types of filters, dose reduction and contrast improvement effects were obtained with a 0.05 mm tungsten filter. Additionally, effective entrance skin and organ absorbed dose decreased with the said filter. The aluminum, copper, and molybdenum filters demonstrated that the effective dose scarcely decreased even when the thickness was increased; meanwhile, the effective dose decreased when the tungsten filter was 0.05 mm. The FOM with a 0.05 mm tungsten increased by 91% in the lung field and 39% in the mediastinal field. The entrance skin and organ absorbed dose in pediatric patients can be reduced by removing low-energy photons that fail in image formation using a tungsten filter.

A Contribution to the History of Japanese Education Systems for Radiological Technologists.

Background: The evolution of radiological technology is one of the most remarkable events of modern medical technology. Radiological examination has resulted in non-invasive, individual diagnostic imaging, which has contributed significantly to successful medical treatment of patients. Key Concepts: This review summarizes past and current Japanese educational systems for radiological technologists with a historical perspective focusing on three periods. The first period begins with Roentgen's discovery of X-rays (1895), the second period begins with the establishment of the Radiological X-ray Technologist Act (1951), and the third period begins with the launch of the first university course for radiological technologists (1987). It is conceivable that those periods are in accordance with the technological paradigm shifts, including the development of contrast radiography and the application of CT and MRI to clinical practice. To maintain awareness of the most recent available technologies and maximize safety, educational programs teaching the latest knowledge were offered during each period. Conclusions: The advanced technologies require highly skilled radiological technologists and highly established educational systems. At present, over 70% of Japanese educational programs for radiological technologists are university courses leading to a bachelor's degree. The increasing globalization of radiological technology requires future radiological education systems to have a global perspective.

Comparison of Count Normalization Methods for Statistical Parametric Mapping Analysis Using a Digital Brain Phantom Obtained from Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron Emission Tomography.

OBJECTIVES: Alternative normalization methods were proposed to solve the biased information of SPM in the study of neurodegenerative disease. The objective of this study was to determine the most suitable count normalization method for SPM analysis of a neurodegenerative disease based on the results of different count normalization methods applied on a prepared digital phantom similar to one obtained using fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) data of a brain with a known neurodegenerative condition. METHODS: Digital brain phantoms, mimicking mild and intermediate neurodegenerative disease conditions, were prepared from the FDG-PET data of 11 healthy subjects. SPM analysis was performed on these simulations using different count normalization methods. RESULTS: In the slight-decrease phantom simulation, the Yakushev method correctly visualized wider areas of slightly decreased metabolism with the smallest artifacts of increased metabolism. Other count normalization methods were unable to identify this slightly decreases and produced more artifacts. The intermediate-decreased areas were well visualized by all methods. The areas surrounding the grey matter with the slight decreases were not visualized with the GM and VOI count normalization methods but with the Andersson. The Yakushev method well visualized these areas. Artifacts were present in all methods. When the number of reference area extraction was increased, the Andersson method better-captured the areas with decreased metabolism and reduced the artifacts of increased metabolism. In the Yakushev method, increasing the threshold for the reference area extraction reduced such artifacts. CONCLUSION: The Yakushev method is the most suitable count normalization method for the SPM analysis of neurodegenerative disease.

Investigation of fMRI Analysis Method to Visualize the Difference in the Brain Activation Timing.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: In general functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis, the task onset time of the statistical model is typically set according to the timing of stimulation. In this study, using a high temporal resolution fMRI data, we examined the way of dynamically visualizing the difference in the activation timing between the brain activation areas by analyzing the task onset time of the statistical model shifted from the actual stimulation timing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: fMRI data with high temporal resolution was acquired using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging for 10 right-handed healthy volunteers. While being scanned, the volunteers completed a task that comprised two sets of a rest and right hand grip movement task. Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 (SPM12) software was used to analyze fMRI data. After preprocessing, statistical analyses were performed by shifting the task onset time on the statistical model by about 1 second forward or backward from the actual stimulation timing. Activation maps of multiple time phases were then created. RESULTS: Activity was observed to the left of the primary motor area and the supplementary motor area and to the right of the cerebellum (familywise error rate, P < .05). In the right hand grip movement, the primary motor area and the supplementary motor area were activated from 1.12 to 4.48 seconds earlier than the cerebellum. CONCLUSIONS: Using this analysis method, we visualized the differences in activation timings of different areas of the brain.