ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) lacks reliable blood tests for evaluating the nutrition status. We retrospectively compared the GLIM criteria, Controlling Nutrition Status (CONUT) score, and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) to establish effective malnutrition screening and provide appropriate nutritional interventions according to severity. METHODS: We classified 177 patients into 3 malnutrition categories (normal/mild, moderate, and severe) according to the GLIM criteria, CONUT score, and SGA. We investigated the malnutrition prevalence, concordance of malnutrition severity, predictability of clinical outcome, concordance by etiology, and clinical outcome by inflammation. RESULTS: The highest prevalence of malnutrition was found using the GLIM criteria (87.6%). Concordance of malnutrition severity was low between the GLIM criteria and CONUT score. Concordance by etiology was low in all groups but was the highest in the "acute disease" group. The area under the curve of clinical outcome and that of the "with inflammation group" were significantly higher when using the CONUT score versus using the other tools (0.679 and 0.683, respectively). CONCLUSION: The GLIM criteria have high sensitivity, while the CONUT score can effectively predict the clinical outcome of malnutrition. Their combined use can efficiently screen for malnutrition and patient severity in acute care hospitals.
Subject(s)
Malnutrition , Nutritional Status , Hospitals , Humans , Inflammation , Leadership , Malnutrition/diagnosis , Malnutrition/epidemiology , Nutrition Assessment , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Presepsin (PSEP: soluble CD14 subtype) is produced from bacteria-stimulated monocytes or neutrophils, thus recognized as a biomarker of sepsis. Aberrant functions in monocyte or neutrophils are increasingly recognized in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated whether plasma PSEP reflects disease activity in patients with SLE. METHODS: This retrospective study comprised 35 patients with SLE and 72 with non-SLE autoimmune diseases who visited our facility during the period from August 2012 to September 2015. Plasma PSEP levels and laboratory data were compared between SLE and non-SLE. Clinical markers of SLE disease activity, including SLE disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), serum complement concentrations and serum anti-ds-DNA antibodies were assessed in correlation with plasma PSEP levels. RESULTS: Plasma PSEP levels in SLE were higher than those in non-SLE. This phenomenon holds true when comparing SLE and non-SLE patients in the absence of infection (p = .0008). Plasma PSEP levels in SLE patients negatively correlated with C3 (r = -0.4454, p = .0430), CH50 (r = -0.4502, p = .0406) and positively with SLEDAI-2K (r = 0.4801, p = .0237). CONCLUSION: Elevated plasma PSEP levels were correlated with disease activity of SLE, suggesting inappropriate monocyte or neutrophil activation in the pathophysiology of SLE exacerbation.
Subject(s)
Lipopolysaccharide Receptors/blood , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood , Peptide Fragments/blood , Adult , Biomarkers/blood , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Many people in Japan often detect an unpleasant odor generated from laundry that is hung to dry indoors or when using their already-dried laundry. Such an odor is often described as a "wet-and-dirty-dustcloth-like malodor" or an "acidic or sweaty odor." In this study, we isolated the major microorganisms associated with such a malodor, the major component of which has been identified as 4-methyl-3-hexenoic acid (4M3H). The isolates were identified as Moraxella osloensis by morphological observation and biochemical and phylogenetic tree analyses. M. osloensis has the potential to generate 4M3H in laundry. The bacterium is known to cause opportunistic infections but has never been known to generate a malodor in clothes. We found that M. osloensis exists at a high frequency in various living environments, particularly in laundry in Japan. The bacterium showed a high tolerance to desiccation and UV light irradiation, providing one of the possible reasons why they survive in laundry during and even after drying.
Subject(s)
Caproates/metabolism , Moraxella/classification , Moraxella/metabolism , Odorants , Textiles/microbiology , Bacterial Typing Techniques , Cluster Analysis , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Desiccation , Humans , Japan , Microbial Viability/radiation effects , Molecular Sequence Data , Moraxella/genetics , Moraxella/isolation & purification , Phylogeny , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Stress, Physiological , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
The genus Enhydrobacter, first reported as a member of the family Vibrionaceae, has been placed in the family Moraxellaceae, but as a genus incertae sedis in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology 2nd edition. During our taxonomic investigation of Enhydrobacter-like organisms, we observed that the 16S rRNA sequences of E. aerosaccus-type strain versions NCIMB 12535(T) , ATCC 27094( T) and CCUG 58314(T) were very different from the accessible data (accession no. AJ550856). Phylogenetic analysis of our 16S rRNA sequence data revealed that these organisms were located within the family Rhodospirillaceae. The genera Inquilinus, Oceanibaculum, Skermanella and Nisaea were closely related (sequence similarities were 88.3~87.0%), but Enhydrobacter could be distinguished from these genera by growth characteristics, fatty acid profiles (C(19:0) cyclo ω8c; 38.4% C(18:1) ω7c; 32.2%, and C(16:0) ; 8.9% were major components), in being non-flagellated, and differing in enzymatic activities, including trypsin and ß-glucosidase. From these data, we conclude that the genus Enhydrobacter should be recognized as an independent genus of the family Rhodospirillaceae within the class Alphaproteobacteria.
Subject(s)
Alphaproteobacteria/classification , Moraxellaceae/classification , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Rhodospirillaceae/classification , Alphaproteobacteria/genetics , Alphaproteobacteria/growth & development , Alphaproteobacteria/metabolism , Bacterial Typing Techniques , Enzyme Activation , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Genes, rRNA , Moraxellaceae/genetics , Moraxellaceae/growth & development , Moraxellaceae/metabolism , Phenotype , Phylogeny , RNA, Bacterial/genetics , RNA, Bacterial/metabolism , Rhodospirillaceae/genetics , Rhodospirillaceae/growth & development , Rhodospirillaceae/metabolism , Sequence Alignment , Species Specificity , Trypsin/metabolism , beta-Glucosidase/metabolismABSTRACT
Pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is a valuable pulmonary function test to evaluate the gas exchange capacity of the lungs. Generally, DLCO values are significantly lower in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly in those with a predominantly emphysema phenotype. However, it is extremely rare that DLCO values cannot be obtained for reasons other than technical errors. Herein, we report two patients with COPD in whom DLCO values were undetectable without prolonging the breath-holding time for the test. We discuss possible mechanisms for these peculiar findings.
Subject(s)
Carbon Monoxide/metabolism , Lung/metabolism , Lung/physiopathology , Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/diagnosis , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology , Respiratory Function Tests/methods , Aged , Breath Holding , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Catechins are major polyphenolic compounds of green tea. To investigate mechanism for antibacterial action of catechins, 11 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were raised against a 3-succinyl-epicatechin (EC)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) conjugate. Amino acid sequences of variable regions determined for MAbs b-1058, b-1565, and b-2106 confirmed their innovative character. MAb b-1058 strongly interacted with its target substances in the following order of magnitude: theaflavin-3,3'-di-O-gallate (TFDG)>theaflavin-3-O-gallate (TF3G)≥theaflavin-3'-O-gallate (TF3'G)>gallocatechin gallate (GCg)>penta-O-galloyl-ß-d-glucose (PGG)>epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), as determined using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) on MAb-immobilized sensor chips. The affinity profiles of MAbs b-1058 and b-2106 to the various polyphenols tested suggested that flavan skeletons with both carbonyl oxygen and hydroxyl groups are important for this interaction to take place. S. aureus cells treated with EGCg showed green fluorescence around the cells after incubation with FITC-labeled MAb b-1058. The fluorescence intensity increased with increasing concentrations of EGCg. These MAbs are effective to investigate antibacterial mechanism of catechins and theaflavins.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/immunology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry , Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , Catechin/immunology , Catechin/pharmacology , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal/isolation & purification , Antibody Specificity , Base Sequence , Cell Line , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Hemocyanins/immunology , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Polyphenols/chemistry , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effectsABSTRACT
We report the complete genome sequence of Moraxella osloensis strain KMC41, isolated from laundry with malodor. The KMC41 genome comprises a 2,445,556-bp chromosome and three plasmids. A fatty acid desaturase and at least four ß-oxidation-related genes putatively associated with 4-methyl-3-hexenoic acid generation were detected in the KMC41 chromosome.
ABSTRACT
Patients with Rett syndrome are known to respond well to music irrespective of their physical and verbal disabilities. Therefore, the relationship between auditory rhythm and their behavior was investigated employing a two-dimensional motion analysis system. Ten female patients aged from three to 17 years were included. When music with a simple regular rhythm started, body rocking appeared automatically in a back and forth direction in all four patients who showed the same rocking motion as their stereotyped movement. Through this body rocking, voluntary movement of the hand increased gradually, and finally became sufficient to beat a tambourine. However, the induction of body rocking by music was not observed in the other six patients who did not show stereotyped body rocking in a back and forth direction. When the music stopped suddenly, voluntary movement of the hand disappeared. When the music changed from a simple regular rhythm to a continuous tone without an auditory rhythm, the periodic movement of both the hand and body prolonged. Auditory rhythm shows a close relationship with body movement and facilitates synchronized body movement. This mechanism was demonstrated to be preserved in some patients with Rett syndrome, and stimulation with music could be utilized for their rehabilitation.