Microbiome analysis of the restricted bacteria in radioactive element-containing water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

A major incident occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station following the tsunami triggered by the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake in March 2011, whereby seawater entered the torus room in the basement of the reactor building. Here, we identify and analyze the bacterial communities in the torus room water and several environmental samples. Samples of the torus room water (1 × 109 Bq137Cs/L) were collected by the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings from two sampling points between 30 cm and 1 m from the bottom of the room (TW1) and the bottom layer (TW2). A structural analysis of the bacterial communities based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed that the predominant bacterial genera in TW1 and TW2 were similar. TW1 primarily contained the genus Limnobacter, a thiosulfate-oxidizing bacterium. γ-Irradiation tests on Limnobacter thiooxidans, the most closely related phylogenetically found in TW1, indicated that its radiation resistance was similar to ordinary bacteria. TW2 predominantly contained the genus Brevirhabdus, a manganese-oxidizing bacterium. Although bacterial diversity in the torus room water was lower than seawater near Fukushima, ~70% of identified genera were associated with metal corrosion. Latent environment allocation-an analytical technique that estimates habitat distributions and co-detection analyses-revealed that the microbial communities in the torus room water originated from a distinct blend of natural marine microbial and artificial bacterial communities typical of biofilms, sludge, and wastewater. Understanding the specific bacteria linked to metal corrosion in damaged plants is important for advancing decommissioning efforts. IMPORTANCE: In the context of nuclear power station decommissioning, the proliferation of microorganisms within the reactor and piping systems constitutes a formidable challenge. Therefore, the identification of microbial communities in such environments is of paramount importance. In the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, microbial community analysis was conducted on environmental samples collected mainly outside the site. However, analyses using samples from on-site areas, including adjacent soil and seawater, were not performed. This study represents the first comprehensive analysis of microbial communities, utilizing meta 16S amplicon sequencing, with a focus on environmental samples collected from the radioactive element-containing water in the torus room, including the surrounding environments. Some of the identified microbial genera are shared with those previously identified in spent nuclear fuel pools in countries such as France and Brazil. Moreover, our discussion in this paper elucidates the correlation of many of these bacteria with metal corrosion.

Transurethral bipolar enucleation using a TUEB loop for large benign prostatic hyperplasia: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of transurethral enucleation with bipolar system (TUEB) regardless of the prostate size using a specially developed TUEB loop. METHODS: A total of 251 patients who underwent TUEB were categorized into two groups depending on the prostate volume (PV): small-PV (≤ 80 mL) group, 133 patients; large-PV (> 80 mL) group, 118 patients. Comparisons of background information and treatment outcomes were performed between the groups. RESULTS: Operation (113.5 vs 166.4 min), enucleation (49.4 vs 68.1 min), and morcellation (11.4 vs 26.4 min) times were longer and hemoglobin decreased significantly (0.84 vs 1.30 g/dL) in the large PV group. However, the enucleation efficiency (enucleated weight per enucleation time; 0.71 vs 0.97 g/min) and prostate-specific antigen reduction rate (24.6% vs 16.1%) were significantly better in the large-PV group, with similar enucleation rates (enucleated weight per transitional zone volume; 82% vs 81%). The International Prostate Symptom Score, uroflowmetry maximum flow rate, and post-void residual urine in both groups improved at 3, 6, and 12 months compared with baseline. No patient underwent blood transfusion. There were no differences in the frequency of postoperative clot retention, urethral stricture, or stress incontinence at 3, 6, and 12 months. CONCLUSION: TUEB using a TUEB loop resulted in high levels of satisfaction regarding the enucleation efficiency, efficacy, and safety for BPH surgery regardless of the prostate size. TUEB should be considered one of the best treatment options for large BPH that is uncontrollable with medication.

Behavioral and brain- transcriptomic synchronization between the two opponents of a fighting pair of the fish Betta splendens.

Conspecific male animals fight for resources such as food and mating opportunities but typically stop fighting after assessing their relative fighting abilities to avoid serious injuries. Physiologically, how the fighting behavior is controlled remains unknown. Using the fighting fish Betta splendens, we studied behavioral and brain-transcriptomic changes during the fight between the two opponents. At the behavioral level, surface-breathing, and biting/striking occurred only during intervals between mouth-locking. Eventually, the behaviors of the two opponents became synchronized, with each pair showing a unique behavioral pattern. At the physiological level, we examined the expression patterns of 23,306 brain transcripts using RNA-sequencing data from brains of fighting pairs after a 20-min (D20) and a 60-min (D60) fight. The two opponents in each D60 fighting pair showed a strong gene expression correlation, whereas those in D20 fighting pairs showed a weak correlation. Moreover, each fighting pair in the D60 group showed pair-specific gene expression patterns in a grade of membership analysis (GoM) and were grouped as a pair in the heatmap clustering. The observed pair-specific individualization in brain-transcriptomic synchronization (PIBS) suggested that this synchronization provides a physiological basis for the behavioral synchronization. An analysis using the synchronized genes in fighting pairs of the D60 group found genes enriched for ion transport, synaptic function, and learning and memory. Brain-transcriptomic synchronization could be a general phenomenon and may provide a new cornerstone with which to investigate coordinating and sustaining social interactions between two interacting partners of vertebrates.

PURE mRNA display and cDNA display provide rapid detection of core epitope motif via high-throughput sequencing.

The reconstructed in vitro translation system known as the PURE system has been used in a variety of cell-free experiments such as the expression of native and de novo proteins as well as various display methods to select for functional polypeptides. We developed a refined PURE-based display method for the preparation of stable messenger RNA (mRNA) and complementary DNA (cDNA)-peptide conjugates and validated its utility for in vitro selection. Our conjugate formation efficiency exceeded 40%, followed by gel purification to allow minimum carry-over of components from the translation system to the downstream assay enabling clean and efficient random peptide sequence screening. We chose the commercially available anti-FLAG M2 antibody as a target molecule for validation. Starting from approximately 1.7 × 1012 random sequences, a round-by-round high-throughput sequencing showed clear enrichment of the FLAG epitope DYKDDD as well as revealing consensus FLAG epitope motif DYK(D/L/N)(L/Y/D/N/F)D. Enrichment of core FLAG motifs lacking one of the four key residues (DYKxxD) indicates that Tyr (Y) and Lys (K) appear as the two key residues essential for binding. Furthermore, the comparison between mRNA display and cDNA display method resulted in overall similar performance with slightly higher enrichment for mRNA display. We also show that gel purification steps in the refined PURE-based display method improve conjugate formation efficiency and enhance the enrichment rate of FLAG epitope motifs in later rounds of selection especially for mRNA display. Overall, the generalized procedure and consistent performance of two different display methods achieved by the commercially available PURE system will be useful for future studies to explore the sequence and functional space of diverse polypeptides.

Pre-donation BMI and preserved kidney volume can predict the cohort with unfavorable renal functional compensation at 1-year after kidney donation.

BACKGROUND: The magnitude of renal function recovery after kidney donation differs in donors with a heterogeneous background. Preoperative assessment of candidates with potentially unfavorable renal functional compensation is critical when baseline kidney function is marginal. We explored the significance of preserved kidney volume (PKV) and known preoperative risk factors for the prediction of unfavorable renal function compensation. METHODS: We enrolled 101 living donors for whom a 1-mm sliced enhanced computed tomography scan was performed preoperatively and clinical data could be collected up to 1 year after donation. The donors whose estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 1 year after donation was 70% or higher of baseline eGFR were assigned to the "favorable renal compensation" group and the others to the "unfavorable renal compensation" group. RESULTS: Age, sex, and preoperative serum uric acid level were not significant predictors for "unfavorable renal compensation." Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA)-adjusted PKV were independent preoperative risk factors for "unfavorable renal compensation" (adjusted odds ratio, 1.342 and 0.929, respectively). Hypertension and preoperative eGFR were not independent predictors when adjusted with BMI and BSA-adjusted PKV. Receiver operative characteristic analysis revealed that the predictive equation with the two independent predictors yielded a good accuracy to detect donor candidates with unfavorable renal functional compensation (area under the curve = 0.803), and the optimal cut-off values were identified as 23.4 kg/m2 for BMI and 107.3 cm3/m2 for BSA-adjusted PKV. CONCLUSIONS: BMI and BSA-adjusted PKV may be useful to select candidates with potentially unfavorable renal function compensation before kidney donation.

Small intestinal perforation due to a huge gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a kidney transplant recipient: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in transplant recipients are very rare and only a handful of cases have been reported to date. Here we present the first known case of a huge GIST in a kidney transplant recipient with perforation of small intestine. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old male presented at our hospital with right colic pain; he had received an ABO incompatible kidney transplant 6 years earlier and was treated with cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and methylprednisolone. Radiological evaluation revealed a huge (11 cm in diameter) solitary tumor at the small intestine without distant metastasis. The small intestinal wall at the tumor location was perforated one week after diagnosis and the patient underwent emergency surgery. The pathological findings were compatible with GIST and the tumor consisted of spindle cells with positive staining for KIT, CD34, and DOG1 and negative or weak staining for desmin and S-100 protein. A mutation in exon 11 of the c-kit gene was also detected. Cyclosporine was withdrawn and imatinib mesylate (400 mg daily) was introduced. However, thereafter, we needed to decrease the dose at 300 mg daily due to severe hyponatremia. Reduced imatinib treatment was well tolerated and recurrence was not observed for 18 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of GISTs in transplant patients is rare, and huge GISTs should be resected immediately after diagnosis because gastrointestinal tract at the tumor site could be perforated. Imatinib treatment is feasible in transplant recipients under immunosuppression, although immunosuppressive drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 should be used at a reduced dosage or withdrawn.

Impact of Prefracture Cognitive Impairment and Postoperative Delirium on Recovery after Hip Fracture Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the impact of prefracture cognitive impairment (CI) severity and postoperative delirium on recovery after hip fracture surgery in older patients. DESIGN: Prospective study with a 1-year follow-up. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We included 355 patients aged ≥80 years from 2 acute hospitals in Japan. METHODS: Barthel Index (BI) ambulation scores were assessed prefracture and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The score at each time point minus the prefracture score was used as the ambulation recovery variable. The 21-item Dementia Assessment Sheet for the Community-based Care System (DASC-21) and Confusion Assessment Method were used to assess CI severity and delirium, respectively. The impacts of CI severity and delirium on recovery at 1 month and by 12 months postoperatively were examined. Linear multiple regression and linear mixed effects models were used. RESULTS: BI ambulation scores remained the same or improved from prefracture levels in 26.8%, 34.4%, 33.0%, and 30.4% of patients at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Ten patients (2.8%) had fall-related hip fractures, 20 (5.6%) were rehospitalized, and 43 (12.1%) died during this period. Although DASC-21 CI severity significantly affected the recovery both at 1 month and by 12 months postoperatively [standardized ß (Stdß) = -0.39, P < .0001, and Stdß = -0.37, P < .0001, respectively], delirium did not. Other variables affecting recovery by 12 months postoperatively included prefracture BI ambulation scores, Mini Mental State Examination scores, age, fracture type, place of residence, and time. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Postoperative ambulation recovery, excluding the effect of death and other poor outcomes, is influenced by prefracture CI severity, and the presence of delirium itself may not be the moderating variable. These results emphasize the importance of treatment planning based on prefracture CI severity and indicate that assessments such as the DASC-21 may be useful in implementing such a plan.

Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy With a Pfannenstiel Incision Using Size-Reduced Trocars.

BACKGROUND: Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery is performed during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) to reduce donor invasiveness. However, the procedure is difficult and does not improve cosmesis when the incision is made at the umbilicus. Therefore, we proposed a minimally invasive LDN with a Pfannenstiel incision using size-reduced trocars (mLDN) to achieve cosmesis and operability and aimed to assess its efficacy and safety. METHODS: A total of 27 patients who underwent mLDN were recruited. Data on estimated blood loss, operative time, pneumoperitoneum time, warm ischemic time (WIT), complication rate, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used, and recipient serum creatinine levels were collected retrospectively. In mLDN, the Pfannenstiel position was incised to approximately 6 cm to retrieve the kidney, and three size-reduced trocars were placed in the left upper abdomen (2.5 mm and 5 mm) and umbilicus (5 mm). RESULTS: The median operation time and pneumoperitoneum time were 245 and 194 minutes, respectively. The median WIT was 276 seconds, and the serum creatinine levels of the recipients at seven days and one, three, six, and 12 months were significantly improved compared with baseline. No intra- and postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 2) were observed, and no patients used additional NSAIDs after the operation. The scarring in the mLDN group was unnoticeable postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: mLDN can be performed safely, with high cosmesis, and with operability similar to that of conventional LDN. Although the WIT tended to be long, the function of the harvested kidney was maintained, and the use of analgesic NSAIDs was lower in this procedure. Our procedure should be considered as an option for LDN.

Distinct Expansion of Group II Introns During Evolution of Prokaryotes and Possible Factors Involved in Its Regulation.

Group II introns (G2Is) are ribozymes that have retroelement characteristics in prokaryotes. Although G2Is are suggested to have been an important evolutionary factor in the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition, comprehensive analyses of these introns among the tens of thousands of prokaryotic genomes currently available are still limited. Here, we developed a bioinformatic pipeline that systematically collects G2Is and applied it to prokaryotic genomes. We found that in bacteria, 25% (447 of 1,790) of the total representative genomes had an average of 5.3 G2Is, and in archaea, 9% (28 of 296) of the total representative genomes had an average of 3.0 G2Is. The greatest number of G2Is per genome was 101 in Arthrospira platensis (phylum Cyanobacteriota). A comprehensive sequence analysis of the intron-encoded protein (IEP) in each G2I sequence was conducted and resulted in the addition of three new IEP classes (U1-U3) to the previous classification. This analysis suggested that about 30% of all IEPs are non-canonical IEPs. The number of G2Is per genome was defined almost at the phylum level, and at least in the following two phyla, Firmicutes, and Cyanobacteriota, the type of IEP was largely associated as a factor in the G2I increase, i.e., there was an explosive increase in G2Is with bacterial C-type IEPs, mainly in the phylum Firmicutes, and in G2Is with CL-type IEPs, mainly in the phylum Cyanobacteriota. We also systematically analyzed the relationship between genomic signatures and the mechanism of these increases in G2Is. This is the first study to systematically characterize G2Is in the prokaryotic phylogenies.

Transparent Ion-Exchange Membrane Exhibiting Intense Emission under a Specific pH Condition Based on Polypyridyl Ruthenium(II) Complex with Two Imidazophenanthroline Groups.

The development and the photophysical behavior of a transparent ion-exchange membrane based on a pH-sensitive polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complex, [(bpy)2RuII(H2bpib)RuII(bpy)2](ClO4)4 (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, H2bpib = 1,4-bis([1,10]phenanthroline[5,6-d]-imidazol-2-yl)benzene), are experimentally and theoretically reported. The emission spectra of [(bpy)2RuII(H2bpib)RuII(bpy)2]@Nafion film were observed between pH 2 and pH 11 and showed the highest relative emission intensity at pH 5 (λmaxem = 594.4 nm). The relative emission intensity of the film significantly decreased down to 75% at pH 2 and 11 compared to that of pH 5. The quantum yields (Φ) and lifetimes (τ) showed similar correlations with respect to pH, Φ = 0.13 and τ = 1237 ns at pH 5, and Φ = 0.087 and τ = 1014 ns and Φ = 0.069 and τ = 954 ns at pH 2 and pH 11, respectively. These photophysical data are overall considerably superior to those of the solution, with the radiative- (kr) and non-radiative rate constants (knr) at pH 5 estimated to be kr = 1.06 × 105 s-1 and knr = 7.03 × 105 s-1. Density functional theory calculations suggested the contribution of ligand-to-ligand- and intraligand charge transfer to the imidazolium moiety in Ru-H3bpib species, implying that the positive charge on the H3bpib ligand works as a quencher. The Ru-Hbpib species seems to enhance non-radiative deactivation by reducing the energy of the upper-lying metal-centered excited state. These would be responsible for the pH-dependent "off-on-off" emission behavior.

Successful Treatment of End-stage Renal Disease in a Patient With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia by Kidney Transplantation and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Case Report.

Consensus regarding kidney transplantation feasibility in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) well controlled by tyrosine kinase inhibitors has not yet been achieved. Here, we report a patient with CML well controlled by tyrosine kinase inhibitors who developed end-stage renal disease during treatment and underwent kidney transplantation. CML activity has been carefully and successfully controlled for 4 years post-transplant. Very cautious dose adjustment and temporary cessation of nilotinib were required because kidney function fluctuated in reference to the doses of nilotinib.

Genome Projector: zoomable genome map with multiple views.

BACKGROUND: Molecular biology data exist on diverse scales, from the level of molecules to -omics. At the same time, the data at each scale can be categorised into multiple layers, such as the genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, and biochemical pathways. Due to the highly multi-layer and multi-dimensional nature of biological information, software interfaces for database browsing should provide an intuitive interface that allows for rapid migration across different views and scales. The Zoomable User Interface (ZUI) and tabbed browsing have proven successful for this purpose in other areas, especially to navigate the vast information in the World Wide Web. RESULTS: This paper presents Genome Projector, a Web-based gateway for genomics information with a zoomable user interface using Google Maps API, equipped with four seamlessly accessible and searchable views: a circular genome map, a traditional genome map, a biochemical pathways map, and a DNA walk map. The Web application for 320 bacterial genomes is available at http://www.g-language.org/GenomeProjector/. All data and software including the source code, documentations, and development API are freely available under the GNU General Public License. Zoomable maps can be easily created from any image file using the development API, and an online data mapping service for Genome Projector is also available at our Web site. CONCLUSION: Genome Projector is an intuitive Web application for browsing genomics information, implemented with a zoomable user interface and tabbed browsing utilising Google Maps API and Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) technology.

Large-Scale Molecular Evolutionary Analysis Uncovers a Variety of Polynucleotide Kinase Clp1 Family Proteins in the Three Domains of Life.

Clp1, a polyribonucleotide 5'-hydroxyl kinase in eukaryotes, is involved in pretRNA splicing and mRNA 3'-end formation. Enzymes similar in amino acid sequence to Clp1, Nol9, and Grc3, are present in some eukaryotes and are involved in prerRNA processing. However, our knowledge of how these Clp1 family proteins evolved and diversified is limited. We conducted a large-scale molecular evolutionary analysis of the Clp1 family proteins in all living organisms for which protein sequences are available in public databases. The phylogenetic distribution and frequencies of the Clp1 family proteins were investigated in complete genomes of Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya. In total, 3,557 Clp1 family proteins were detected in the three domains of life, Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. Many were from Archaea and Eukarya, but a few were found in restricted, phylogenetically diverse bacterial species. The domain structures of the Clp1 family proteins also differed among the three domains of life. Although the proteins were, on average, 555 amino acids long (range, 196-2,728), 122 large proteins with >1,000 amino acids were detected in eukaryotes. These novel proteins contain the conserved Clp1 polynucleotide kinase domain and various other functional domains. Of these proteins, >80% were from Fungi or Protostomia. The polyribonucleotide kinase activity of Thermus scotoductus Clp1 (Ts-Clp1) was characterized experimentally. Ts-Clp1 preferentially phosphorylates single-stranded RNA oligonucleotides (Km value for ATP, 2.5 µM), or single-stranded DNA at higher enzyme concentrations. We propose a comprehensive assessment of the diversification of the Clp1 family proteins and the molecular evolution of their functional domains.

Accidental Hypothermia Treated by Hemodialysis in the Acute Phase: Three Case Reports and a Review of the Literature.

Accidental hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature <35°C. Even with the use of multiple active rewarming methods, it has a high mortality rate. No standard treatment strategy for moderate or severe hypothermia in the absence of cardiac arrest has yet been established. We herein report three patients with severe or moderate accidental hypothermia who were treated by hemodialysis in the acute phase. This case report with a literature review describes the usefulness of hemodialysis for the treatment of moderate and severe accidental hypothermia without cardiac arrest.

Preserved Kidney Volume, Body Mass Index, and Age Are Significant Preoperative Factors for Predicting Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Living Kidney Donors at 1 Year After Donation.

BACKGROUND: Securing postdonation renal function in the lifetime of donors is a consequential subject for physicians, and precise prediction of postdonation renal function would be considerably beneficial when judging the feasibility of kidney donation. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimum model for predicting eGFR at 1 year after kidney donation. METHODS: We enrolled 101 living-related kidney donors for the development cohort and 44 for the external validation cohort. All patients in each cohort underwent thin-sliced (1 mm) enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans. We excluded individuals with diabetes, glucose intolerance, or albuminuria from this study. We evaluated preoperative factors including age, sex, hypertension, body mass index (BMI), serum uric acid, baseline eGFR, and body surface area (BSA)-adjusted preserved kidney volume (PKV) by using 3-dimensional reconstruction of thin-sliced enhanced CT images. To detect independent predictors, we performed multivariable regression analysis. RESULTS: The multivariable regression analysis revealed that age, BMI, predonation eGFR, and BSA-adjusted PKV were independent predictors of eGFR at 1 year after kidney donation (correlation coefficient: -0.15, -0.476, 0.521, 0.127, respectively). A strong correlation between predicted eGFR and observed eGFR was obtained in the development cohort (r = 0.839, P < .0001). The significance of this predictive model was also confirmed with the external validation cohort (r = 0.797, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Age, BMI, predonation eGFR, and BSA-adjusted PKV may be useful for precisely predicting eGFR at 1 year after living kidney donation and be helpful to determine the feasibility of kidney donation from marginal donors.

Restauro-G: a rapid genome re-annotation system for comparative genomics.

Annotations of complete genome sequences submitted directly from sequencing projects are diverse in terms of annotation strategies and update frequencies. These inconsistencies make comparative studies difficult. To allow rapid data preparation of a large number of complete genomes, automation and speed are important for genome re-annotation. Here we introduce an open-source rapid genome re-annotation software system, Restauro-G, specialized for bacterial genomes. Restauro-G re-annotates a genome by similarity searches utilizing the BLAST-Like Alignment Tool, referring to protein databases such as UniProt KB, NCBI nr, NCBI COGs, Pfam, and PSORTb. Re-annotation by Restauro-G achieved over 98% accuracy for most bacterial chromosomes in comparison with the original manually curated annotation of EMBL releases. Restauro-G was developed in the generic bioinformatics workbench G-language Genome Analysis Environment and is distributed at http://restauro-g.iab.keio.ac.jp/under the GNU General Public License.

Systematic Analysis of the Binding Surfaces between tRNAs and Their Respective Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase Based on Structural and Evolutionary Data.

To determine the mechanism underlying the flow of genetic information, it is important to understand the relationship between a tRNA and its binding enzyme, a member of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) family. We have developed a novel method to project the interacting regions of tRNA-aaRS complexes, obtained from their three-dimensional structures, onto two-dimensional space. The interacting surface between each tRNA and its aaRS was successfully identified by determining these interactions with an atomic distance threshold of 3.3 Å. We analyzed their interactions, using 60 mainly bacterial and eukaryotic tRNA-aaRS complexes, and showed that the tRNA sequence regions that interacted most strongly with each aaRS are the anticodon loop and the CCA terminal region, followed by the D-stem. A sequence conservation analysis of the canonical tRNAs was conducted in 83 bacterial, 182 archaeal, and 150 eukaryotic species. Our results show that the three tRNA regions that interact with the aaRS and two additional loop regions (D-loop and TΨC-loop) known to be important for formation of the tRNA L-shaped structure are broadly conserved. We also found sequence conservations near the tRNA discriminator in the Bacteria and Archaea, and an enormous number of noncanonical tRNAs in the Eukaryotes. This is the first global view of tRNA evolution based on its structure and an unprecedented number of sequence data.

Headache Caused by Brain Metastases of Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer during Cabazitaxel Therapy.

We describe the case of a 55-year-old man who underwent four cycles of cabazitaxel therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). After the fourth cycle of cabazitaxel, the patient experienced severe headaches. Brain gadolinium (Gd) contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple brain metastases. A few days later, the patient suffered impaired consciousness that progressed rapidly. The patient was treated for the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure and underwent whole-brain radiation. One month later, the patient's consciousness level and headache had improved. Although brain metastases of prostate cancer are rare, the possibility of brain metastases should be considered for prostate cancer patients, especially when a CRPC patient complains of headache. Additionally, even if major conditions such as cerebral hemorrhage are excluded by the use of non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography, brain Gd contrast-enhanced MRI should be performed in consideration of the possibility of brain metastases of prostate cancer.