Discovery and Molecular Characterization of a Novel 9-Lipoxygenase from for Fatty Acid Biotransformations.

Iron-dependent lipoxygenases (LOXs) are involved in the synthesis of oxylipins from polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, they are usually difficult to overexpress in functional form in microbial cell factories. Moreover, 9-LOXs, generating 9-hydroperoxy fatty acids from C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have rarely been found from microbial sources.

A short guide on blue fluorescent proteins: limits and perspectives.

The advent of the so-called colorful biology era is in line with the discovery of fluorescent proteins (FPs), which can be widely used to detect the intracellular locations of macromolecules or to determine the abundance of metabolites in organelles. The application of multiple FPs that emit different spectra and colors could be implemented to precisely evaluate cellular events. FPs were initially established with the emergence of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) from jellyfish.

Engineering of two thiamine diphosphate-dependent enzymes for the regioselective condensation of C1-formaldehyde into C4-erythrulose.

A number of carboligases, which catalyze condensation of C1- and/or C2-aldehydes into multi-carbon products, have been reported. However, their catalytic activities and/or regioselectivities remained rather low. Thereby, this study has focused on engineering of C1 and C2 carboligases for the regioselective condensation of C1-formaldehyde into C4-erythrulose via C2-glycolaldehyde.

One-Pot Biosynthesis of 2-Keto-4-hydroxybutyrate from Cheap C1 Compounds Using Rationally Designed Pyruvate Aldolase and Methanol Dehydrogenase.

One-carbon chemicals (C 1s) are potential building blocks as they are cheap, sustainable, and abiotic components. Methanol-derived formaldehyde can be another versatile building block for the production of 2-keto-4-hydroxyacid derivatives that can be used for amino acids, hydroxy carboxylic acids, and chiral aldehydes. To produce 2-keto-4-hydroxybutyrate from C 1s in an environment-friendly way, we characterized an aldolase from PAO1 (ADL), which showed much higher catalytic activity in condensing formaldehyde and pyruvate than the reported aldolases.

Structural characterization of the type I-B CRISPR Cas7 from Thermobaculum terrenum.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) in many prokaryotes functions as an adaptive immune system against mobile genetic elements. A heterologous ribonucleoprotein silencing complex composed of CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins and a CRISPR RNA (crRNA) neutralizes the incoming mobile genetic elements. The type I and III silencing complexes commonly include a protein-helical backbone of several copies of identical subunits, for example, Cas7 in the type I silencing complex.

Structural features of a minimal intact methyltransferase of a type I restriction-modification system.

Type I restriction-modification enzymes are oligomeric proteins composed of methylation (M), DNA sequence-recognition (S), and restriction (R) subunits. The different bipartite DNA sequences of 2-4 consecutive bases are recognized by two discerned target recognition domains (TRDs) located at the two-helix bundle of the two conserved regions (CRs). Two M-subunits and a single S-subunit form an oligomeric protein that functions as a methyltransferase (MS MTase).

Crystal structures of UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid L-alanine ligase (MurC) from Mycobacterium bovis with and without UDP-N-acetylglucosamine.

Peptidoglycan comprises repeating units of N-acetylmuramic acid, N-acetylglucosamine and short cross-linking peptides. After the conversion of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UNAG) to UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UNAM) by the MurA and MurB enzymes, an amino acid is added to UNAM by UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid L-alanine ligase (MurC). As peptidoglycan is an essential component of the bacterial cell wall, the enzymes involved in its biosynthesis represent promising targets for the development of novel antibacterial drugs.

Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta for an Iliac Artery Aneurysm: Case Report.

Isolated iliac artery aneurysm (IAA) is rare, but can be fatal. Emergency surgery is performed in cases of hemorrhagic shock due to a suddenly ruptured IAA, which may have a high mortality rate because of massive non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH). Recently, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been accepted as an alternative to aortic cross-clamping via open thoracotomy to achieve hemostasis in trauma patients with profound shock due to NCTH and is considered an emerging bridging therapy for damage control.

Expandability of Cephalic Veins after Brachial Plexus Block in Arteriovenous Fistula Formation for Hemodialysis.

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis is essential for patients with end-stage renal disease. However, it is difficult to maintain AVF reliably. It is vitally important to select proper blood vessels for AVF formation.

Clinical Outcomes of Arteriovenous Graft in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients with an Unsuitable Cephalic Vein for Hemodialysis Access.

Background: As the population of patients with end-stage renal disease has grown older, the proportion of patients with poorly preserved vasculature has concomitantly increased. Thus, arteriovenous grafts (AVG) have been used more frequently to access blood vessels for hemodialysis. Despite this increasing demand, studies of AVG are limited.

Structure-Guided Generation of a Redox-Independent Blue Fluorescent Protein from mBFP.

Fluorescent proteins, such as the green fluorescent protein, are used for detection of cellular components and events. However, green fluorescent protein and its derivatives have limited usage under anaerobic conditions and require a long maturation time. On the other hand, the NADPH-dependent blue fluorescent protein (BFP) without oxidative modification of residues is instantly functional in both aerobic and anaerobic systems.

Structural basis for the selective addition of an oxygen atom to cyclic ketones by Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase from Parvibaculum lavamentivorans.

Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO) catalyzes insertion of an oxygen atom into aliphatic or cyclic ketones with high regioselectivity. The BVMOs from Parvibaculum lavamentivorans (BVMO) and Oceanicola batsensis (BVMO) are interesting because of their homologies, with >40% sequence identity, and reaction with the same cyclic ketones with a methyl moiety to give different products. The revealed BVMO structure shows that BVMO forms a two-domain structure like other BVMOs.

Structures of 2-Keto-3-Deoxy-6-Phosphogluconate Aldolase with and without a Substrate Analog at the Phosphate-Binding Loop.

2-Keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate (KDPG) aldolase, which catalyzes aldol cleavage and condensation reactions, has two distinct substrate-binding sites. The substrate-binding mode at the catalytic site and Schiff-base formation have been well studied. However, structural information on the phosphate-binding loop (P-loop) is limited.

Clinical Results of Arteriovenous Fistulas Constructed Using Autologous Vessels in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Hemodialysis.

Background: For hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), it is important to construct an efficient vascular access with a superior patency rate. This study investigated the factors influencing the efficiency of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) constructed using an autologous vessel and evaluated the necessity of ultrasonography as a preoperative tool for AVF construction.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of 250 patients in whom an AVF was constructed using an autologous vessel due to ESRD at our institution from January 2009 to April 2016.

Crystal structure of an ASCH protein from Zymomonas mobilis and its ribonuclease activity specific for single-stranded RNA.

Activating signal cointegrator-1 homology (ASCH) domains were initially reported in human as a part of the ASC-1 transcriptional regulator, a component of a putative RNA-interacting protein complex; their presence has now been confirmed in a wide range of organisms. Here, we have determined the trigonal and monoclinic crystal structures of an ASCH domain-containing protein from Zymomonas mobilis (ZmASCH), and analyzed the structural determinants of its nucleic acid processing activity. The protein has a central β-barrel structure with several nearby α-helices.

Surgical Outcomes of Forearm Loop Arteriovenous Fistula Formation Using Tapered versus Non-Tapered Polytetrafluoroethylene Grafts.

Background: Tapered grafts, which have a smaller diameter on the arterial side, have been increasingly used for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) formation. We compared the outcomes of 4-6-mm tapered and 6-mm straight forearm loop arteriovenous grafts.

Methods: A total of 103 patients receiving forearm loop arteriovenous grafts between March 2005 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed and separated into 2 groups (group A, 4- to 6-mm tapered grafts, n=78; group B, 6-mm straight grafts, n=25).

A Case of Severe Thoracoabdominal Impalement by a Steel Bar.

A 53-year-old man arrived at the trauma center with a steel bar penetrating from the epigastrium to the right scapula. He was hypotensive and hypoxic, and immediate resuscitation and basic evaluation were performed. An emergency operation was performed due to an unstable hemodynamic state.

A Case of Recurrent Aortic Rupture Associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae Pericarditis Treated by Two Separate Aortic Operations.

A 49-year-old female presented with severe dyspnea. She was diagnosed with cardiac tamponade combined with ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm and rupture, which was caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. This extremely rare condition was managed by an emergency pericardiostomy and two separate aortic operations.

Trapped Stent in the Left Coronary Sinus in a Myocardial Infarction Patient.

Stent entrapment is a very rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. The interventional approach could be a treatment strategy. However, if it does not work, surgical treatment should be considered.

Surgical treatment of ruptured renal artery aneurysm: a report of 2 cases.

The rupture of a renal artery aneurysm is a rare disease that is difficult to diagnose. Although we usually consider the appropriate treatment to be open laparotomy with aortic aneurysm surgery or stenting with graft insertion through intravascular intervention, thus far, there is no general consensus on the treatment protocol for renal artery aneurysm. Notably, ruptured renal artery aneurysm is a true critical emergency that may result in a fatal outcome.

Floating thrombus in aortic arch.

Floating thrombi in the aortic arch are very rare and an unusual source of systemic embolism. Herein, a case of a 3-cm thrombus in the aortic arch is reported. It was a floating, highly mobile thrombus attached to the lesser curvature of the aortic arch.

An unusual case of superior vena cava syndrome caused by the intravascular invasion of an invasive thymoma.

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is usually caused by extrinsic compression or invasion of the superior vena cava (SVC) by malignant tumors involving mediastinal structures. Although thymomas are well-known causes of SVCS, cases of SVCS caused by malignant thymomas protruding into adjacent vessels draining the SVC with thrombosis have been very rarely reported worldwide. We experienced a 39-year-old female patient with SVCS that developed after the direct invasion of the left brachiocephalic vein (LBCV) and SVC by an anterior mediastinal mass with a high maximum standardized uptake value on the chest computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT.

Iatrogenic Perforation of the Left Ventricle during Insertion of a Chest Drain.

Chest draining is a common procedure for treating pleural effusion. Perforation of the heart is a rare often fatal complication of chest drain insertion. We report a case of a 76-year-old female patient suffering from congestive heart failure.

Clear cell chondrosarcoma arising from the sternum: a rare tumor in an uncommon location.

A 52-year-old woman presented with bulging of the anterior chest wall. The computed tomographic scan revealed an expansive localized mass based on the sternal manubrium. The patient was successfully treated with en bloc radical resection and reconstruction with clear resection margin.

A nasal myiasis in a 76-year-old female in Korea.

On July 2009, 5 fly larvae were discovered inside the nose of a 76-year-old female. She was living in Cheonan-si, and in a state of coma due to rupture of an aortic aneurysm. Surgery was performed on the day of admission, and the larvae were found 4 days later.