Fourteen novel lipomycetaceous yeast species isolated from soil in Japan and transfer of Dipodascopsis anomala to the genus Babjevia based on ascospore production phenotype.

Fourteen novel lipomycetaceous yeasts species were isolated from soil samples collected from the Hokkaido, Chiba and Okinawa prefectures of Japan. Phylogenetic analyses of the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit rRNAs and translation elongation factor 1 alpha genes (TEF1-α) revealed that five strains of two species from the soil in Furano-shi, Hokkaido were related to Dipodascopsis anomala and 29 strains representing 12 species from soils in Kamogawa-shi, Chiba and Iriomote Island, Okinawa were in the Myxozyma clade. The two species of Dipodascopsis form globose or ellipsoid ascospores in their sac-like ascus and pseudohyphae. Furthermore, these species produce ascospores in their pseudohyphae and do not produce an acicular ascus, which is common among the three species including D. anomala. Therefore, we propose transferring D. anomala to the genus Babjevia and amending Babjevia. Two novel species were described and included in the genus Babjevia: Babjevia hyphoforaminiformans sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 111233; MycoBank no. MB 829051) and Babjevia hyphasca sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 112965; MycoBank no. MB 829053). The 12 species in the Myxozyma clade produce neither ascospores nor pseudohyphae and have different characteristics in assimilating several carbon sources from each other. Thus, we propose that the novel species of Lipomyces be classified as forma asexualis (f.a.). From Kamogawa-shi, Chiba (19 strains representing five species): Lipomyces melibiosiraffinosiphilus f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 111411; MycoBank no. MB 829034), Lipomyces kiyosumicus f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 111424; MycoBank no. MB 829035), Lipomyces chibensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 111413; MycoBank no. MB 829036), Lipomyces kamogawensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 112967; MycoBank no. MB 829037), Lipomyces amatsuensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 111420; MycoBank no. MB 829041). From Iriomote island, Okinawa (10 strains representing seven species): Lipomyces taketomicus f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 112966; MycoBank no. MB 829042), Lipomyces yaeyamensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 110433; MycoBank no. MB 829050), Lipomyces iriomotensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 110436; MycoBank no. MB 829045), Lipomyces haiminakanus f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 110435; MycoBank no. MB 829046), Lipomyces komiensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 110440; MycoBank no. MB 829047), Lipomyces nakamensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 110434; MycoBank no. MB 829048), Lipomyces sakishimensis f.a., sp. nov. (holotype NBRC 110439; MycoBank no. MB 829049).

Construction of "Toxin Complex" in a Mutant Serotype C Strain of Clostridium botulinum Harboring a Defective Neurotoxin Gene.

A non-toxigenic mutant of the toxigenic serotype C Clostridium botulinum strain Stockholm (C-St), C-N71, does not produce the botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). However, the original strain C-St produces botulinum toxin complex, in which BoNT is associated with non-toxic non-hemagglutinin (NTNHA) and three hemagglutinin proteins (HA-70, HA-33, and HA-17). Therefore, in this study, we aimed to elucidate the effects of bont gene knockout on the formation of the "toxin complex." Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that a premature stop codon was introduced in the bont gene, whereas other genes were not affected by this mutation. Moreover, we successfully purified the "toxin complex" produced by C-N71. The "toxin complex" was identified as a mixture of NTNHA/HA-70/HA-17/HA-33 complexes with intact NTNHA or C-terminally truncated NTNHA, without BoNT. These results indicated that knockout of the bont gene does not affect the formation of the "toxin complex." Since the botulinum toxin complex has been shown to play an important role in oral toxin transport in the human and animal body, a non-neurotoxic "toxin complex" of C-N71 may be valuable for the development of an oral drug delivery system.

North-to-South diversity of lipomycetaceous yeasts in soils evaluated with a cultivation-based approach from 11 locations in Japan.

To understand the species distribution, diversity, and density of lipomycetaceous yeasts in soil based on their north-to-south location in Japan, 1146 strains were isolated from soil samples at 11 locations from Hokkaido to Okinawa Prefecture and taxonomically characterized. Lipomycetaceous yeast strains were isolated efficiently from soil by selecting watery mucoid-like colonies on agar plates with nitrogen-depleted medium. Twenty-four (80%) of the 30 known species of the genus Lipomyces were isolated from the soil samples collected in Japan, including species recently proposed. Among the species isolated, L. starkeyi was the most predominant in Japan, except on Iriomote Island, Okinawa, and accounted for 60-98% of the isolated strains. Lipomyces yarrowii was the dominant species on Iriomote Island (64%). The second most dominant species were L. chichibuensis in Saitama Prefecture and L. doorenjongii from Yamaguchi to Okinawa Prefecture. The species diversity of lipomycetaceous yeasts was in Japan and the significant correlation with the latitude of the sampling sites was revealed.

Atypical periprosthetic femoral fractures after arthroplasty for fracture are at high risk of complications.

It is difficult to investigate clinical features in a single-center study because atypical periprosthetic femoral fracture (APFF) is rare. This study aims to perform a nationwide survey of APFF to investigate the characteristics of this fracture and compare the clinical outcome with that of typical periprosthetic femoral fracture (typical PFF). A nationwide survey was performed asking for cooperation from 183 councilors of the Japanese Society for Fracture Repair. The subjects were patients with APFF injured between 2008 and 2017. The control group was comprised of patients with typical PFF of our facility injured in the same period. A total of 43 patients met the APFF definition. The control group was comprised of 75 patients with typical PFF. The rate of bisphosphonate use was significantly higher in the APFFs group than in the typical PFF group (62.8% and 32%, p < 0.02). The rate of cemented stem was significantly higher in the APFFs group than in the typical PFF group (30.2% and 6.7%, p < 0.001). In the patients with arthroplasty for hip fracture, multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that APFF was an independent risk factor of complications following the initial management (Odds ratio 11.1, 95% confidence interval 1.05-117.2, p = 0.045). However, no significant association between PFF and APFF was observed in the patients with arthroplasty for other hip diseases. The risk of complications was higher in the APFF group than in the typical PFF group in the patients with arthroplasty for fracture. When AFPP after arthroplasty for the fracture is suspected, it may be necessary to add not only internal fixation with a normal plate but also some additional treatment.

Identification of actinomycetes producing phospholipase d with high transphosphatidylation activity.

Previously we isolated six actinomycetes strains, 9-4, 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-6, and 21-4, that produce phospholipase D (PLD) with high transphosphatidylation activity. In this study, we identified these strains, and the PLD activities were compared with those of reference strains. 16S rDNA sequences and DNA-DNA hybridization tests indicated taxonomic affiliations of strain 9-6 with Streptomyces senoensis, strains 10-1 and 10-6 with S. vinaceus, and strains 10-2 and 10-3 with S. racemochromogenes. Strain 21-4, though identified as a Streptomyces sp., could not be identified with any known species. Meanwhile, most of the culture supernatants of reference strains demonstrated no or very weak PLD activity, while those of our strains exhibited significantly higher activity. All of the strains in this study were identified as Streptomyces species. The PLD activity of our strains exceeded most of the reference Streptomyces strains. The findings in this study imply that the Streptomyces strains, although they are members of the same species, can produce different quantities of PLD enzyme.

Isolation of lactic acid bacteria capable of reducing environmental alkyl and fatty acid hydroperoxides, and the effect of their oral administration on oxidative-stressed nematodes and rats.

Reinforcement of the hydroperoxide-eliminating activity in the small and large intestines should prevent associated diseases. We previously isolated a lactic acid bacterium, Pediococcus pentosaceus Be1 that facilitates a 2-electron reduction of hydrogen peroxide to water. In this study, we successfully isolated an alternative lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum P1-2, that can efficiently reduce environmental alkyl hydroperoxides and fatty acid hydroperoxides to their corresponding hydroxyl derivatives through a 2-electron reduction. Each strain exhibited a wide concentration range with regard to the environmental reducing activity for each hydroperoxide. Given this, the two lactic acid bacteria were orally administered to an oxygen-sensitive short-lived nematode mutant, and this resulted in a significant expansion of its lifespan. This observation suggests that P. pentosaceus Be1 and L. plantarum P1-2 inhibit internal oxidative stress. To determine the specific organs involved in this response, we performed a similar experiment in rats, involving induced lipid peroxidation by iron-overloading. We observed that only L. plantarum P1-2 inhibited colonic mucosa lipid peroxidation in rats with induced oxidative stress.

Isolation and characterization of actinomycetes strains that produce phospholipase D having high transphosphatidylation activity.

The present study was conducted to screen microorganisms that produce phospholipase D (PLD), and we especially focused on the strains having high transphosphatidylation activity. Eighty bacterial strains were isolated from soil samples by a screening method utilizing a preliminary selection medium with phosphatidylcholine (PC) as the sole carbon source. The culture supernatants were then assayed for PLD activity. The finding of dual PLD activities in cultures revealed that the hydrolytic and transphosphatidylation activities were correlated. Consequently, six strains were selected as stably producing PLD enzyme(s) during continuous subcultures. The culture supernatants of selected strains synthesized phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine from PC with high conversion rates. These isolated strains will be made available to carry out phospholipid modification through the efficient transphosphatidylation activity of the PLD that they produce.

The expense for one implantation of a banked bone allograft from a cadaveric donor and the issues affecting current advanced medical treatment in the Japanese orthopaedic field.

Demand for banked bone allografts is increasing in Japan; however, there are too few bone banks and the bone bank network is not well-established. One reason for this was lack of funding for banks. Bone banks had to bear all material expenses of banked bone allografts themselves because this was not designated a covered expense. In December 2004, the Japanese government started a new "Advanced Medical Treatment" administration system which allowed an approved institution to charge the expense of authorized advanced medical treatments directly to patients. The treatment named "Cryopreserved allogenic bone and ligamentous tissue retrieved from cadaveric donor" was approved as an advanced medical treatment in March 2007. We present the calculation method and the expense per implantation of a banked bone allograft from a cadaveric donor under this treatment and raise issues which affect this advanced medical treatment and remain to be resolved in the Japanese orthopaedic field.

New scoring system predicting the occurrence of deep infection in open upper and lower extremity fractures: efficacy in retrospective re-scoring.

BACKGROUND: It is important to predict the occurrence of deep infection in open fractures when treating such fractures. We tried to develop a new scoring system for predicting the occurrence of deep infection in open upper and lower extremity fractures on the basis of the Hannover Fracture Scale'98 (HFS-98). METHODS: A total of 394 open upper and lower extremity fractures (351 patients) were retrospectively reviewed in the initial analysis. The relationship between Gustilo's grade and the eight items on HFS-98 in the open extremity fractures was first investigated by multivariate analysis. By this analysis, we selected significant items that correlated with Gustilo's grade. Among these cases, 318 patients with 352 open extremity fractures (humerus = 27, forearm = 62, femur = 76, tibia = 187) were used for the following infection analyses. The relationships between the incidence of deep infection and sex (male or female), age (<30, 30-50, <50 years), grade of polytrauma (ISS < 18, 18 < or = ISS < or = 30, ISS > 30), site of fracture (humerus, forearm, femur, tibia), existence of fracture line around joint (+ or -) or some significant items in the above initial analysis were further analyzed by multivariate analysis after univariate analysis. We devised a new scoring system of open extremity fractures based on P values in the above analysis. The discrimination of the newly devised scoring system was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The following factors: muscle injury (MI, P = 0.0001); wound contamination (WC, P = 0.0001); and local circulation (LC, P = 0.0001) were significant factors affecting the occurrence of deep infection on multivariate analysis. We devised a new scoring system for open extremity fractures (MI: 0-20 points, WC: 0-20 points, and LC: 0-20 points). The cut-off point for occurrence of deep infection in these fractures was 35 by ROC analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This new scoring system was thought to be useful for predicting the occurrence of deep infection in open extremity fractures. However, further prospective study or multicenter study would be needed to clarify the validity of this scale.

Isolation, phylogenetic analysis and screening of marine mollusc-associated bacteria for antimicrobial, hemolytic and surface activities.

This study was undertaken to survey culturable heterotrophic bacteria associated with the marine ark shell Anadara broughtoni inhabiting in the Sea of Japan, and to test isolates for their antimicrobial, hemolytic and surface activities with an emphasis on low-molecular-weight metabolites search. A total of 149 strains were isolated and identified phenotypically. A total of 27 strains were selected to be investigated phylogenetically by 165 rRNA gene sequence analysis. The most bacteria were affiliated with members of the Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria, and Less with Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) group. The isolates capable of hemolysis were numerically abundant in the genera Pseudoalteromonas, Aeromonas and Bacillus. The six Gram-positive isolates belonging to the genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus and Saccharothrix and two Gram-negative strains related to Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, possessed antimicrobial activity against indicator strains and to each other. Antimicrobial, hemolytic and surface activities were revealed in butanot extracts of cells or cell-free supernatant of six active strains. This points to availability of active low-molecular-weight metabolites. Substances with hemolytic and surface activities were isolated from strain Bacillus pumilus An 112 and characterized as cyclic depsipeptides with molecular masses 1021, 1035, 1049, 1063 and 1077 Da. The recovery of strains producing antimicrobial and surface-active substances suggests that microorganisms associated with the marine bivalve are potential source of bioactive metabolites.

Bacterial Diversity Associated With the Rhizosphere and Endosphere of Two Halophytes: Glaux maritima and Salicornia europaea.

Root-associated microbial communities are very important in the adaptation of halophytes to coastal environments. However, little has been reported on microbial community structures related to halophytes, or on comparisons of their compositions among halophytic plant species. Here, we studied the diversity and community structure of both rhizosphere and root endosphere bacteria in two halophytic plants: Glaux maritima and Salicornia europaea. We sampled the rhizosphere, the root endosphere, and bulk control soil samples, and performed bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform to characterize the bacterial community diversities in the rhizosphere and root endosphere of both halophytes. Among the G. maritima samples, the richness and diversity of bacteria in the rhizosphere were higher than those in the root endosphere but were lower than those of the bulk soil. In contrast for S. europaea, the bulk soil, the rhizosphere, and the root endosphere all had similar bacterial richness and diversity. The number of unique operational taxonomic units within the root endosphere, the rhizosphere, and the bulk soil were 181, 366, and 924 in G. maritima and 126, 416, and 596 in S. europaea, respectively, implying habitat-specific patterns for each halophyte. In total, 35 phyla and 566 genera were identified. The dominant phyla across all samples were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Actinobacteria was extremely abundant in the root endosphere from G. maritima. Beneficial bacterial genera were enriched in the root endosphere and rhizosphere in both halophytes. Rhizobium, Actinoplanes, and Marinomonas were highly abundant in G. maritima, whereas Sulfurimonas and Coleofasciculus were highly abundant in S. europaea. A principal coordinate analysis demonstrated significant differences in the microbiota composition associated with the plant species and type of sample. These results strongly indicate that there are clear differences in bacterial community structure and diversity between G. maritima and S. europaea. This is the first report to characterize the root microbiome of G. maritima, and to compare the diversity and community structure of rhizosphere and root endosphere bacteria between G. maritima and S. europaea.

Identification of discriminative characteristics for clusters from biologic data with InforBIO software.

BACKGROUND: There are a number of different methods for generation of trees and algorithms for phylogenetic analysis in the study of bacterial taxonomy. Genotypic information, such as SSU rRNA gene sequences, now plays a more prominent role in microbial systematics than does phenotypic information. However, the integration of genotypic and phenotypic information for polyphasic studies is necessary for the classification and identification of microbes. Thus, we devised an algorithm that objectively identifies discriminative characteristics for focused clusters on generated trees from a dataset composed of coded data, such as phenotypic information. Moreover, this algorithm has been integrated into the polyphasic analysis software, InforBIO. RESULTS: We developed a differential-character-finding algorithm based on information measures and used this algorithm to identify the characteristic that best discriminates operational taxonomic unit clusters. For all characteristics in a dataset, the algorithm estimates commonality in focused clusters and diversity among clusters by scoring based on Shannon's and relative entropies. All the characteristics selected for scoring are equally weighted. Thresholds for the scores are defined to identify discriminative characteristics for clusters efficiently from a database. The unique feature of the algorithm, which is implemented in the InforBIO software, is that it can identify the phenotypic characteristics that discriminate and are associated with the clusters of a phylogenetic tree. We successfully applied this algorithm to the study of phylogenetic clusters of Pseudomonas species. CONCLUSION: The algorithm in the InforBIO software is a novel and useful approach for microbial polyphasic studies. The algorithm can also be applied to diverse cluster analyses. The InforBIO software is available from the download site http://wdcm.nig.ac.jp/inforbio/. This software is free for personal but not commercial use.

New scoring system predicting the occurrence of deep infection in open tibial fractures: preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: It is important to predict the occurrence of deep infection in open fractures when treating such fractures. We tried to develop a new scoring system for predicting the occurrence of deep infection in open tibial fractures on the basis of the Hannover Fracture Scale '98 (HFS-98). MATERIALS: A total of 202 open tibial fractures (195 patients) were retrospectively reviewed in the initial analysis. The relationship between Gustilo's grade and the eight items on the HFS in the open tibial fractures was first investigated by multivariate analysis. By this analysis, we selected significant items that correlated with Gustilo's grade. Among these cases, 179 patients with 185 open tibial fractures were used for the following infection analyses. The relationships between the incidence of deep infection and age (<46 years, 46-60 years, <60 years), grade of trauma (ISS <18, 18 < or = ISS < or = 30, ISS > 30), fracture location, or some significant items in the above initial analysis were further analyzed by multivariate analysis after univariate analysis. We devised a new scoring system of open tibial fractures based on p values in the above analysis. The discrimination of the newly devised scoring system was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: The following were significant factors affecting the occurrence of deep infection on multivariate analysis: bone loss (p = 0.012); muscle injury (p = 0.012); wound contamination (p = 0.0001); and local circulation (p = 0.0001). We devised a new scoring system for open tibial fractures (bone loss: 0-20 points, muscle injury: 0-20 points, wound contamination: 0-30 points, and local circulation: 0-30 points). The cut-off point for occurrence of deep infection in these fractures was 60 by receiver operating characteristic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This new scoring system was thought to be useful for predicting the occurrence of deep infection in open tibial fractures. However, further prospective study or extension of this scale for other open fractures would be needed.

Long-term functional outcome after unstable pelvic ring fracture.

PURPOSE: In patients with unstable pelvic ring fractures, the factors related to poor outcome are still controversial. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the long-term functional outcome of patients with unstable pelvic ring fractures and correlate it with various other factors. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients who had a minimal follow-up of 2 years completed the three-view plain radiographs, physical examination, and functional assessment with questionnaire. There were 28 male and 29 female patients with an average age of 42.4 years and Injury Severity Score of 24.6 points. The mean time of follow-up was 47.2 months. Thirty-nine patients were Tile type B, and 18 were type C. Twenty-three patients were treated conservatively, 22 with external fixation, and 12 with internal fixation. The results were scored with the Majeed score, the Iowa Pelvic Score, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36). Statistical analysis was performed by use of the Pearson correlation coefficient test and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The average Majeed score was 79.7, the average IPS was 80.7, and the average physical component summary of the SF-36 was 13.4 points worse than that of the population norm. These scores correlate significantly with each other. The average residual displacement was 7.3 mm anteriorly and 5.2 mm posteriorly. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the Majeed score and the physical component summary of the SF-36 correlated with the presence of neurologic injury, and the Iowa Pelvic Score correlated with the presence of a mental disorder, posterior displacement, and neurologic injury. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term functional outcome after unstable pelvic ring fracture was not associated with Injury Severity Score, fracture location or fracture type. We discovered a close correlation between neurologic injury and functional outcome.

Influence of hooks and a lag screw on internal fixation plates for lateral malleolar fracture: a biomechanical and ergonomic study.

BACKGROUND: For internal fixation of AO classification Type B lateral malleolar fracture, insertion of lag screws into the fracture plane and fixation with a one-third tubular plate as a neutralization plate are the standard treatment procedures. The one-third tubular plate is processed to a hook shape and hung on the distal end of the fibula. In this study, to compare the function of the hook and lag screws of a one-third tubular plate and LCP for osteosynthesis of lateral malleolar fracture, mechanical indices of internal fixation were compared among the one-third tubular plates with lag screws with and without the hook and a locking compression plate. METHODS: As mechanical tests, a compression test was performed in which compression in the bone axis direction produced by supporting the body weight was simulated, and a torsion test was performed in which external rotation of the bone axis caused by plantar flexion of the ankle joint was simulated. Muscle strength during walking and the force and torque acting on the ankle and knee joints were determined using inverse dynamic analysis. Finite element analysis was performed to analyze the function of hooks and lag screws. The joint reaction force determined by inverse dynamic analysis was adopted as the loading condition of finite element analysis. RESULTS: A stiffness equivalent to that of healthy bone could be achieved by all three internal fixations. It was clarified that the presence of the hook does not make a difference in stiffness. Displacement of the one-third tubular plate was small regardless of the presence or absence of the hook compared with those of locking compression plates. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of the hook did not make any difference in stiffness, suggesting that active preparation of the hook is unnecessary. We also clarified that lag screws inhibit displacement.

Purification, characterization and cloning of phospholipase D from peanut seeds.

We purified phospholipase D (PLD) enzyme from peanut seeds, and the PLD enzyme eluted as two distinct peak fractions on Mono-Q chromatography, the first of which was characterized. N-terminal sequencing indicated that the N-terminus was blocked. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 92 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The pH optimum of the enzyme was 5.0, and the Km value against its substrate phosphatidylcholine (PC), in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 and 4 mM deoxycholate, was estimated to be 0.072 mM. The enzyme catalyzed two reactions, i.e., hydrolysis of PC generating phosphatidic acid (PA) and choline, and transphosphatidylation of the PA-moiety in the PC molecule to the acceptor glycerol, generating phosphatidylglycerol. Furthermore, we cloned two types of full-length cDNA, Ahpld1 and Ahpld2, each encoding distinct PLD molecules having 794 and 807 residues, respectively. The partial amino acid sequence of the purified PLD was consistent with the deduced sequence of AhPLD2.

Cold-active acid beta-galactosidase activity of isolated psychrophilic-basidiomycetous yeast Guehomyces pullulans.

In the present study, psychrophilic yeasts, which grow on lactose as a sole carbon source at low temperature and under acidic conditions, were isolated from soil from Hokkaido, Japan. The phenotypes and sequences of 28S rDNA of the isolated strains indicated a taxonomic affiliation to Guehomyces pullulans. The isolated strains were able to grow on lactose at below 5 degrees C, and showed cold-active acid beta-galactosidase activity even at 0 degrees C and pH 4.0 in the extracellular fractions. Moreover, K(m) of beta-galactosidase activity for lactose in the extracellular fraction from strain R1 was found to be 50.5 mM at 10 degrees C, and the activity could hydrolyze lactose in milk at 10 degrees C. The findings in this study indicate the possibility that the isolated strains produce novel acid beta-galactosidases that are able to hydrolyze lactose at low temperature.

Isolation of botulinolysin, a thiol-activated hemolysin, from serotype D Clostridium botulinum: A species-specific gene duplication in Clostridia.

Botulinolysin (BLY) is a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum that belongs to a group of thiol-activated hemolysins. In this study, a protein exhibiting hemolytic activity was purified from the culture supernatant of C. botulinum serotype D strain 4947. The purified protein displayed a single band by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular mass of 55kDa, and its N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences exhibited high similarity to a group of thiol-activated hemolysins produced by gram-positive bacteria. Thus, the purified protein was identified as the BLY. Using the nucleotide sequences of previously cloned genes for hemolysins, two types of genes encoding BLY-like proteins were cloned unexpectedly. Molecular modeling analysis indicated that the products of both genes displayed very similar structures, despite the low sequence similarity. In silico screening revealed a specific duplication of the hemolysin gene restricted to serotypes C and D of C. botulinum and their related species among thiol-activated hemolysin-producing bacteria. Our findings provide important insights into the genetic characteristics of pathogenic bacteria.

Isolation of lactic acid bacteria exhibiting high scavenging activity for environmental hydrogen peroxide from fermented foods and its two scavenging enzymes for hydrogen peroxide.

To obtain lactic acid bacteria that scavenge environmental hydrogen peroxide, we developed a specialized enrichment medium and successfully isolated Pediococcus pentosaceus Be1 strain from a fermented food. This strain showed vigorous environmental hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity over a wide range of hydrogen peroxide concentrations. High Mn-catalase and NADH peroxidase activities were found in the cell-free extract of the P. pentosaceus Be1 strain, and these two hydrogen peroxide scavenging enzymes were purified from the cell-free extract of the strain. Mn-catalase has been purified from several microorganisms by several researchers, and the NADH peroxidase was first purified from the original strain in this report. After cloning the genes of the Mn-catalase and the NADH peroxidase, the deduced amino acid sequences were compared with those of known related enzymes.

4. The Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) Mechanism and the Effect of Teriparatide on Fracture Healing.

Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) provided a mechanical stimulus, and was thought to promote fracture healing by signal transduction through integrin, a cytoskeletal protein. Meanwhile, teriparatide, a drug for osteoporosis treatment, showed efficacy in promoting bone metabolism. This drug also appeared to prevent fractures in patients with serious osteoporosis by improving bone mineral density and bone quality, which in turn resulted from promoting action for bone metabolism. Further, clinical trials and fundamental research reported that teriparatide demonstrated the effect of promoting fracture healing. Mechanical stimulus by LIPUS had a topical effect on fractures; on the other hand, teriparatide (peptide hormone) had both topical and systemic effects. Both LIPUS and teriparatide had the effect of fracture healing, but it was supposed that the characteristics of each effect were different because of the different mechanism of action. Moreover, the combination therapy of LIPUS and teriparatide was expected to produce synergies. We used elderly rats as models for the femoral fracture to examine the effects of LIPUS and teriparatide on promoting fracture healing for treatment delay by aging. We observed the fracture healing process in 40-week-old rats as an elderly model using simple radiographs, and recognized a delay in fracture healing compared with that of 8-week-old rats. As discussed in histomorphology, it was demonstrated that the period of endochondral ossification, from chondrogenesis to teleost cross-linked callus, was prolonged and the fracture healing process was delayed by aging. Next, we treated the elderly fracture models with LIPUS for 20 minutes a day from the first day after the fracture, and compared them with non-treated models. The bone unions of the treated models were observed earlier than those of non-treated models in the simple radiographs. LIPUS shortened the period of endochondral ossification. Further, we gave the elderly fracture models teriparatide subcutaneously 5 µg/kg three times a week from the first day after the fracture. Bone unions of the treated models were observed earlier than those of non-treated models in simple radiographs as well. In micro CT analysis, it was demonstrated that lamellar bone transforming and bone remodeling of the trabecular structure of external callus were especially accelerated. The results of these trials showed that both LIPUS and teriparatide demonstrated the effect of promoting fracture healing, and each had unique characteristics.