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Aim: To report long-term oncological outcomes and organ preservation rate with a chemoradiotherapy-consolidation chemotherapy (CRT-CNCT) treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC)., Method: Retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained database was performed. Oncological outcomes of mid-low LARC patients (n=60) were analyzed after a follow-up of 63 (50-83) months. Patients with clinical complete response (cCR) were treated with the watch-and-wait (WW) protocol. Patients who could not achieve cCR were treated with total mesorectal excision (TME) or local excision (LE)., Results: Thirty-nine (65%) patients who achieved cCR were treated with the WW protocol. TME was performed in 15 (25%) patients and LE was performed in 6 (10%) patients. During the follow-up period, 10 (25.6%) patients in the WW group had regrowth (RG) and 3 (7.7%) had distant metastasis (DM). Five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 90.1% and 71.6%, respectively, in the WW group. Five-year OS and DFS were 94.9% (95% CI: 88-100%) and 80% (95% CI: 55.2-100%), respectively, in the RG group. For all patients (n=60), 5-year TME-free DFS was 57.3% (95% CI: 44.3-70.2%) and organ preservation-adapted DFS was 77.5% (95% CI: 66.4-88.4%). For the WW group (n=39), 5-year TME-free DFS was 77.5% (95% CI: 63.2-91.8%) and organ preservation-adapted DFS was 85.0% (95% CI: 72.3-97.8%)., Conclusion: CRT-CNCT provides cCR as high as 2/3 of LARC patients. Regrowths, developed during follow-up, can be successfully salvaged without causing oncological disadvantage if strict surveillance is performed., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

A novel Gram-stain positive, aerobic, non-motile actinobacterium, designated strain K220 T , was isolated from soil collected from Cape Andreas (Zafer Burnu), Northern Cyprus, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The organism was shown to have phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic, cultural and morphological properties consistent with its classification in the genus Saccharopolyspora. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain K220 T showed that it is closely related to the type strains of Saccharopolyspora maritima 3SS5-12  T , Saccharopolyspora kobensis JCM 9109  T and Saccharopolyspora hirsuta ATCC 27875  T with 97.6, 97.5 and 97.0% sequence similarity, respectively. In silico DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain K220 T and type strains of the genus Saccharopolyspora with publicly available genomes were 22.1-31.2% and 76.0-83.16%, respectively. The DNA G + C content of strain K220 T was 68.3 mol%. The genome of strain K220 T has genes associated with 24 biosynthetic gene clusters. The strain contained MK-9(H 4 ) and iso-C 16: 0 as the predominant respiratory quinone and fatty acid, respectively. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine. Based on evidence collected from the genotypic, phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses, strain K220 T is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Saccharopolyspora, for which the name Saccharopolyspora soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is K220 T (= JCM 33912 T  = KCTC 49395 T )., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The objective of this study was to determine how long to wait in locally advanced rectal tumor (LARC) patients who receive total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) and achieve a clinical complete response (cCR), and to identify the clinical parameters that affect the waiting period for the watch-and-wait strategy (W &W)., Materials and Methods: The data of patients who achieved cCR between February 2015 and June 2020 were examined retrospectively. The week in which patients with cCR at the end of TNT achieved clearance was determined by reanalyzing recorded endoscopy video images. In the assessment at the time of the initial diagnosis, tumor characteristics, such as digital rectal examination findings, MRI stage, location with respect to the puborectalis muscle, annularity, and tumor size, were recorded prospectively., Results: A total of 54 patients were included in this study. According to the MRI-T stage, 14 cases were cT3a, 22 were cT3b, and 18 were cT3c-T4. Forty-four percent of the cases achieved cCR at 8-10 weeks, 19% at 12-16 weeks, 20% at 16-22 weeks, and 17% at 20-26 weeks. Patients with tumors that were early MRI-T stage (cT3a), negative clinical circumferential resection margin, mobile, small (≤4 cm), located above the puborectalis muscle and showed <180 degrees annularity achieved cCR significantly earlier than those with other tumors (p<0.05)., Conclusion: In this study, cCR was achieved in less than half (44%) of the cases during the 8-10 week waiting period. In the W&W strategy, the initial assessment for cCR seems insufficient, and we may need to wait up to 26-30 weeks, especially in patients with advanced-stage tumors.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presenting with tumor thrombus (TT) and inferior vena cava (IVC)/right atrium (RA) infringement point to an advanced-stage disease that is deemed inoperable. Stereotactic body radiotherapy is an emerging treatment option for this group of patients with promising outcomes in recent studies that are comparable to conventional treatment methods, namely, transarterial chemoembolization and transarterial radioembolization. Here, we report a case of HCC with RA extension through the IVC. The patient was referred to our clinic for treatment options, and he was found suitable for magnetic resonance imaging-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT). We treated the patient with MRgRT in five fractions to a total dose of 40 Gray. The tumor was tracked during the treatment sessions, and adaptive treatment planning was performed before each fraction. The patient tolerated the treatment well with no acute grade 3-4 toxicities. The last follow-up showed that the patient had a complete biochemical response and is now a candidate for an orthotopic liver transplant. To our knowledge, this report is the first to document the MRgRT treatment of an HCC with TT and RA extension. MRgRT is safe and feasible for this patient group and can be an effective bridging therapy for liver transplants., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Dincer et al.)

During a study to isolate such actinobacteria with unique metabolic potential, a novel actinobacterium, designated KC333 T , was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain was most closely related to Nonomuraea terrae CH32 T (99.0% sequence similarity), Nonomuraea maritima FXJ7.203  T (98.9%), Nonomuraea candida HMC10 T (98.7%) and Nonomuraea gerenzanensis ATCC 39727  T (98.6%), and is therefore considered to represent a member of the genus Nonomuraea. However, the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization based on whole-genome sequences between strain KC333 T and close relatives demonstrated that it represents a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea. The major cellular fatty acids of strain KC333 T were iso-C 16: 0 , C 17:0 10-methyl and iso-C 16: 0 2OH. Strain KC333 T contained meso-diaminopimelic, mannose, madurose and ribose in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H 4 ) and MK-9(H 6 ). The genome size of strain KC333 T is approximately 9.86 Mb, and the genomic DNA G + C content of the strain is 71.3%. In addition to the polyphasic characterisation, comprehensive genome analysis for gene clusters encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes and bioactive secondary metabolites as well as CRISPR-associated sequences revealed the high biotechnological potential of the strain. Based on evidence collected from the genotypic, phenotypic, and phylogenetic analyses, a novel species, Nonomuraea aridisoli sp. nov. is proposed with KC333 T (= DSM 107062  T  = JCM 32584  T  = KCTC 49111  T ) as the type strain., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Exploration of unexplored habitats for novel actinobacteria with high bioactivity potential holds great promise in the search for novel entities. During the course of isolation of actinobacteria from desert soils, four actinobacteria, designated as 5K548 T , 7K502 T , 16K309 T and 16K404 T , were isolated from the Karakum Desert and their bioactivity potential as well as taxonomic provenances were revealed by comprehensive genome analyses. Pairwise sequence analyses of the 16S rRNA genes indicated that the four strains are representatives of putatively novel taxa within the prolific actinobacterial genus Saccharopolyspora. The strains have typical chemotaxonomic characteristics of the genus Saccharopolyspora by having meso-diaminopimelic acid as diagnostic diaminoacid, arabinose, galactose and ribose as whole-cell sugars. Consistent with this assignment, all of the isolates contained phosphatidylcholine in their polar lipid profiles and MK-9(H 4 ) as the predominant menaquinone. The sizes of the genomes of the isolates ranged from 6.0 to 10.2 Mb and the associated G + C contents from 69.6 to 69.7 %. Polyphasic characterizations including determination of overall genome relatedness indices revealed that the strains are representatives of four novel species in the genus Saccharopolyspora. Consequently, isolates 5K548 T , 7K502 T , 16K404 T and 16K309 T are proposed as novel Saccharopolyspora species for which the names of Saccharopolyspora karakumensis sp. nov., Saccharopolyspora elongata sp. nov., Saccharopolyspora aridisoli sp. nov. and Saccharopolyspora terrae sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. Comprehensive genome analysis for biosynthetic gene clusters showed that the strains have high potential for novel secondary metabolites. Moreover, the strains harbour many antimicrobial resistance genes providing more evidence for their potentiality for bioactive metabolites., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The development of new surgical techniques and devices, as well as the improvements in neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy enabled intersphincteric resection (ISR), has reduced permanent colostomy usage. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term oncological and functional outcomes of patients who underwent partial ISR for rectal cancer located less than 5cm from the anal verge., Materials and Methods: A series of 106 consecutive patients with very low rectal cancer underwent curative partial ISR from January 2006 to September 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. One-hundred-three (97%) of 106 patients received neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and local recurrence (LR) rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier methods. The Wexner incontinence score and Kirwan classification were used to evaluate patients' functional results., Results: The median follow up was 60 months (range, 18-174). The estimated five-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 89% and 81.6%, respectively. Five-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 6.6% and 10.4%, respectively. There was no in-hospital and 30-day mortality. The median Wexner score was 9 (range, 0-20) for 72 patients. Age (<65 years, p=0.027) and gender (male, p=0.019) had a positive effect on functional outcomes after surgery. One and five years colostomy-free survival rates were 96% and 89%, respectively., Conclusion: Intersphincteric resection techniques are feasible for patients with very low rectal cancer, providing good oncological and functional outcomes.

An actinobacterium, designated 14C53 T , was isolated from a soil sample on basaltic material from Samsun, Turkey. The growth ranges for NaCl concentration and pH of strain 14C53 T were quite limited and the growth temperature range of the strain was 20-37 °C, with an optimum at 28 °C. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 14C53 T was most closely related to Actinomadura geliboluensis A8036 T (98.5 % similarity value), but in the phylogenetic tree, it formed a clade with Actinomadura alkaliterrae D310A T . The genome tree revealed a close relationship between the strain and Actinomadura pelletieri DSM 43383 T . However, the digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain 14C53 T with Actinomadura geliboluensis A8036 T and Actinomadura pelletieri DSM 43383 T were 28.6-30.2 % and 84.3-85.5 %, respectively, and comparative analyses based on the genome sequences demonstrated that it represents a novel species of the genus Actinomadura . The genome size of strain 14C53 T was approximately 9.0 Mb and the genomic DNA G+C content of the strain was 71.3 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain 14C53 T were C 16 : 0 and iso -C 16 : 0 . Strain 14C53 T contained meso -diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H 8 ) and MK-9(H 6 ). Based on evidence collected from the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic analyses, a novel species Actinomadura soli sp. nov. is proposed, with 14C53 T (=DSM 104447 T =KCTC 39878 T ) as the type strain.

Introduction: Laparoscopic rectal resection with total mesorectal excision is a technically challenging procedure, and there are limitations in conventional laparoscopy. A surgical robotic system may help to overcome some of the limitations. The aim of our study was to compare long-term oncological outcomes of robotic and laparoscopic sphincter-saving total mesorectal excision in male patients with mid-low rectal cancer., Materials and Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database. One-hundred-three robotic and 84 laparoscopic sphincter-saving total mesorectal excisions were performed by a single surgeon between January 2011 and January 2020. Patient characteristics, perioperative recovery, postoperative complications, pathology results, and oncological outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: The patients' characteristics did not differ significantly between the two groups. Median operating time was longer in the robotic than in the laparoscopic group (180 minutes versus 140 minutes, p=0.033). Macroscopic grading of the specimen in the robotic group was complete in 96 (93.20%), near complete in four (3.88%) and incomplete in three (2.91%) patients. In the laparoscopic group, grading was complete in 37 (44.04%), near complete in 40 (47.61%) and incomplete in seven (8.33%) patients (p=0.03). The median length of follow up was 48 (9-102) months in the robotic, and 75.6 (11-113) months in the laparoscopic group. Overall, five-year survival was 87% in the robotic and 85.3% in the laparoscopic groups. Local recurrence rates were 3.8% and 7.14%, respectively, in the robotic and laparoscopic groups (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Sphincter-saving robotic total mesorectal excision is a safe and feasible tool, which provides good mesorectal integrity and better local control in male patients with mid-low rectal cancer.

A novel actinomycete, designated strain HC44 T , was isolated from a soil sample collected from Hacibektaş, Turkey, and characterized using a polyphasic approach. The strain had morphological characteristics and chemotaxonomic properties identical to those of members of the genus Streptomyces . Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that HC44 T clustered with members of the genus Streptomyces and the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values were obtained with Streptomyces vastus NBRC 13094 T (97.6 %) and Streptomyces kalpinensis TRM 46509 T (96.9 %). Multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on five housekeeping genes ( atpD , gyrB , recA , rpoB and trpB ) showed that the MLSA evolutionary distance value was 0.043 between strain HC44 T and S. vastus NBRC 13094 T . Whole-cell hydrolysates contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, glucose, mannose and ribose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H 6 ) and MK-9(H 8 ). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The DNA G+C content of the draft genome sequence, consisting of 11.2 Mbp, was 69.8 mol%. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic evidence, strain HC44 T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces , for which the name Streptomyces scabichelini sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HC44 T (=DSM 106874 T =KCTC 39872 T ).

Background: A robotic surgical approach provides advantages compared to laparoscopy in male patients with mid- and low-lying rectal cancer located in the narrow pelvic space. The aim of this report is to present a single-surgeon experience with robotic sphincter-saving total mesorectal excision of rectal cancer in male patients., Methods: A series of 103 consecutive male patients who underwent robotic rectal surgery between January 2012 and June 2019 were analyzed retrospectively in terms of demographics, histopathological data, and surgical and oncological outcomes., Results: All of the patients underwent robotic sphincter-saving resection: 76 (73.8%) underwent low-anterior resection and 27 (26.2%) underwent intersphincteric resection with colo-anal anastomosis. There was no conversion. The median distal resection margin of the operative specimen was 3 (0.2-7) cm. The circumferential resection margin was positive in 3 (2.91%) cases. The median number of retrieved lymph nodes was 22 (18-42). The median hospital stay was 4 (3-16) days. Whereas the overall morbidity was 13%, there was no in-hospital or 30-day mortality. The median length of follow-up was 48 (9-80) months. The 5-year overall survival rate was 87%. The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 84%. Local and distant recurrence rates were 3.8% and 5.82%, respectively., Conclusions: In male patients with rectal cancer, a robotic approach is a promising alternative and is expected to overcome the low penetration rate of laparoscopy in this field.

A novel Gram-stain positive, aerobic, non-motile actinobacterium, designated strain YC537 T , was isolated from lake sediment collected from Yenicaga Lake, Bolu, Turkey, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The organism had phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic, cultural and morphological properties consistent with its classification in the genus Streptomyces. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain YC537 T showed that it is closely related to the type strain of Streptomyces ziwulingensis F22 T (97.9% sequence similarity), Streptomyces tauricus JCM 4837  T (97.7%) and Streptomyces beijiangensis NBRC 100044  T (97.6%). The cell wall of the strain contained LL-diaminopimelic acid and the cell-wall sugars were glucose, galactose and ribose. The major phospholipids of strain YC537 T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H 6 ) and MK-9(H 8 ). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C 16:0 , iso-C 14:0 , anteiso-C 15:0 and iso-C 15:0 . Consequently, strain YC537 T is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces boluensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YC537 T (= KCTC 39750  T  = DSM 102303  T ).

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, spore-forming actinobacterial strain, designated 160415 T , was isolated from a surface soil sample, which was formed on basaltic parent material, collected from Samsun, Turkey. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 160415 T clustered closely with species of the genus Nonomuraea, and showed the highest sequence similarity to Nonomuraea zeae NEAU-ND5 T , Nonomuraea candida HMC10 T and Nonomuraea turkmeniaca DSM 43926 T with 99.1%, 98.9% and 98.7%, respectively. Chemotaxonomic properties including major menaquinones, diaminopimelic acid, sugar and phospholipid profiles also confirmed the affiliation of the strain to the genus Nonomuraea. The DNA G+C content of strain 160415 T was 69.6 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between the strain and closely related type strains were less than the recommended cut-off values. On the basis of phylogenetic relationships, genotypic and phenotypic characterizations, strain 160415 T represents a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea, for which the name Nonomuraea basaltis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 160415 T (= KCTC 39875 T  = DSM 104309 T ).

The aim of this ex vivo study was to compare the diagnostic performances of panoramic radiography and cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) in detecting implant-related injuries of the inferior alveolar canal. Monocortical bone windows were created in 60 fresh sheep hemimandibles, the inferior alveolar canals were revealed and 120 dental implants were inserted. Three types of injuries, described as pilot drill damage (PDRILL), collapsing of the superior border of the canal (COLL), penetration of the implant tip into the canal (PENET) and one control group, were simulated. Standard (PANO) and dentition mode panoramic (PANO-DENT) images as well as CBCT data presented as multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and cross-sectional (CROSS) views were evaluated by 6 observers who had also expressed their level of confidence to their final diagnosis. Intra- and interobserver agreement scores were rated good. The area under the curve (AUC) values and the confidence scores for CROSS and multiplanar reformation (MPR) views were both significantly higher than those of PANO and PANO-DENT (P < .05 for each) in PDRILL group. In COLL group, observers showed less confidence to PANO and PANO-DENT compared to CROSS and MPR techniques (P < .05 for each). No other significant differences were found. Within the limits of this experimental study, it can be suggested that the standard and dentition modes of panoramic radiography can be as effective as CBCT in the detection of penetrating and collapsing injuries, but multiplanar and cross-sectional views of the CBCT are more accurate than panoramic radiography in the detection of pilot drill injuries in sheep mandible.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated 13K301 T , was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan. The taxonomic position of strain 13K301 T was revealed by using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain 13K301 T belongs to the genus Streptomyces and had highest sequence similarity to ' Streptomyces qaidamensis ' S10 T (99.2 %), Streptomyces flavovariabilis NRRL B-16367 T (98.9 %) and Streptomyces phaeoluteigriseus DSM 41896 T (98.8 %), but the strain formed a distinct clade in the phylogenetic tree. The DNA-DNA relatedness and average nucleotide identity values as well as evolutionary distances based on multilocus ( atpD , gyrB , recA , rpoB and trpB ) sequences between strain 13K301 T and closely related type strains were significantly lower than the recommended threshold values. The cell wall contained ll-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell hydrolysates were glucose and ribose. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol were determined as the predominant polar lipids. The major menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H 8 ) and MK-9(H 6 ). On the basis of these genotypic and phenotypic data, it is proposed that strain 13K301 T should be classified as representative of a novel species of the genus Streptomyces , for which the name Streptomyces cahuitamycinicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13K301 T (=DSM 106873 T =KCTC 49110 T ). In addition, the whole genome-based comparisons as well as the multilocus sequence analysis revealed that the type strains of Streptomyces galilaeus and Streptomyces bobili belong to a single species. It is, therefore, proposed that S. galilaeus be recognised as a heterotypic synonym of S. bobili for which an emended description is given.

Three isolates, 5K138 T , 8K307 T and KC603 T , with typical morphological characteristics of members of the genus Jiangella were obtained during a study searching for novel actinobacteria with biosynthetic potential from the Karakum Desert. A polyphasic approach was adopted to determine taxonomic affiliations of the strains. The strains showed chemotaxonomic properties consistent with their classification as representing members of the genus Jiangella such as ll-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall peptidoglycan, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as major polar lipids as well as MK-9(H 4 ) as a major menaquinone. Pairwise sequence comparisons of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the strains were closely related to Jiangella alba DSM 45237 T , Jiangella rhizosphaerae NEAU-YY265 T and Jiangella mangrovi 3SM4-07 T with higher than 99 % sequence identities. However, a combination of phenotypic and phylogenetic approaches as well as genome-based comparative analyses confirmed the taxonomic positions of these strains as representing distinct species within the genus Jiangella . Therefore, strains 5K138 T , 8K307 T and KC603 T should each be classified as representing a novel species within the genus Jiangella , for which the names Jiangella asiatica sp. nov., Jiangella aurantiaca sp. nov. and Jiangella ureilytica sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The type strains of the proposed novel species are as follows: Jiangella asiatica 5K138 T (=JCM 33518 T =CGMCC 4.7672 T ), Jiangella aurantiaca 8K307 T (=JCM 33519 T =CGMCC 4.7621 T ) and Jiangella ureilytica KC603 T (=JCM 33520 T =CGMCC 4.7618 T ).

Background: The study aimed to assess if adherence to a total-neoadjuvant-treatment (TNT) protocol followed by observation(watch-and-wait) led to the successful nonoperative-management of low-rectal-cancer., Methods: In this study, patients with primary, resectable-T3-T4, N0-N1 distal-rectal-adenocarcinoma underwent-chemoradiotherapy + consolidation-chemotherapy (TNT). During the-TNT-period, endoscopy, MRI, and FDG-PET/CT were performed. We allocated patients with complete-clinical-tumor-regression, who underwent endoscopy every two months, MRI every-four-months, and PET/CT every-six-months-after-treatment, to the observation-group(OG). All other patients were referred for surgery. The OG was followed-up. The primary endpoint was local tumor-ecurrence after allocation to the OG., Results: Between 2015 and 2018, we enrolled 66-patients. Of 60-patients who were eligible to participate, 39 had complete-clinical-response(cCR) and were allocated to the OG, six underwent local-excision (LE), and 15 underwent total-mesorectal-excision (TME). The median follow-up duration was 22 (9-42) months. The local-recurrence-rate in the OG was 15.3%, and the LE and TME rates were 16.6% and 0%, respectively. All recurrence cases were salvaged through either LE or TME. The-distant-metastasis rate was 5.1%, 16.6%, and 12.5% in the OG, LE, and TME groups, respectively. The endoscopic negative-predictive-value(NPV) was 50%, and the positive-predictive-value(PPV) was 76.9% in the surgery group (LE + TME). MRI; NPV-50%, PPV-76.9%. PET/CT; NPV-100%, PPV-93.3%. Six patients(28.57%) from surgery group achieved complete pathological response (cPR)., Conclusion: Our results indicated a high proportion of selected-rectal-cancers with-cCR after neo-adjuvant-therapy could potentially be managed non-operatively, and major surgery may be avoided., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

An isolate, 13K206 T , with typical morphological characteristics of the genus Micromonospora was obtained during a study searching for novel actinobacteria with biosynthetic potential from the Karakum Desert. A polyphasic approach was adopted to determine taxonomic affiliation of the strain. The strain showed chemotaxonomical properties consistent with its classification in the genus Micromonospora such as meso - and 3-OH-A 2 pm in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, xylose in whole-cell hydrolysate and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol as major polar lipids. The results of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain was closely related to ' Micromonospora spongicola ' S3-1 T , Micromonospora nigra DSM 43818 T and Micromonospora yasonensis DS3186 T with sequence similarities of 98.6, 98.5 and 98.4 %, respectively. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity analyses in addition to gyrB gene analysis confirmed the assignment of the strain to a novel species within the genus Micromonospora for which the name Micromonospora deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13K206 T (=JCM 32583 T =DSM 107532 T ). The DNA G+C content of the type strain is 72.4 mol%.

Five actinobacteria isolates, KC201 T , KC401, KC310 T , KC712 T and 6K102 T , were recovered from the Karakum Desert during an investigation of novel actinobacteria with biotechnological potential. A polyphasic approach confirmed the affiliation of the strains to the genus Nonomuraea . The strains showed chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with their classification in the genus Nonomuraea . Furthermore, these strains clearly distinguished and formed well supperted clades in phylogenetic and phylogenomic trees. Low ANI and dDDH values and distinguishing phenotypic properties between isolates KC201 T , KC310 T , KC712 T and 6K102 T showed that these strains belonged to novel Nonomuraea species, the names proposed for these taxa are Nonomuraea deserti sp. nov., Nonomuraea diastatica sp. nov., Nonomuraea longispora sp. nov. and Nonomuraea mesophila sp. nov., with the type strains KC310 T (=CGMCC 4.7331 T =DSM 102919 T =KCTC 39774 T ), KC712 T (=CGMCC 4.7334 T =DSM 102925 T =KCTC 39776), KC201 T (=CGMCC 4.7339 T =DSM 102917 T =KCTC 39781 T ) and 6K102 T (=CGMCC 4.7541 T =JCM 32916), respectively.

Objectives: Although endoscopic management is considered as the first-line treatment for biliary strictures, it may be challenging in living donor liver transplant recipients due to the complex nature of duct-to-duct reconstruction. In this study we present the use of a pigtail drainage catheter as a biliary stent to treat biliary strictures after a living donor liver transplant., Methods: Twenty-seven patients with biliary strictures were treated with our novel technique. In this technique, a pigtail catheter was trimmed into 3 parts (proximal, middle, and distal portions). A suture string was passed through the distal hole of the middle portion, which was then reversed and used as a stent while the proximal portion was used as a pusher. Following balloon dilation of the stenotic segment, the distal, reversed middle, and proximal portions were loaded over the guidewire. After proper placement of the stent, the retractor suture string, pusher, and guidewire were removed. The stent was removed during the third or fourth month of placement through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in all patients., Results: No significant complications developed during the procedure or follow-up period. Ten patients required re-stenting by ERCP during the same session. The mean follow-up period was 2 years. Cholestase enzymes and bilirubin levels were within normal limits in all patients during follow-up., Conclusion: Stents derived from drainage catheter facilitate treatment of biliary strictures in patients not eligible for the retrograde approach. This stent is cheap, easy to implement, can be easily removed by ERCP, and re-stenting can be applicable in retrograde if needed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated 16K104 T , was isolated from desert soil collected from the Karakum Desert and characterized using a polyphasic approach to clarify its taxonomic position. Strain 16K104 T was found to have chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with classification in the genus Kribbella. The strain shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Kribbella albertanoniae BC640 T (99.2 %), and formed a branch with Kribbella antibiotica YIM 31530 T in the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic tree. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using five housekeeping genes (gyrB, rpoB, relA, recA and atpD) for comparing the strain with all Kribbella type strains showed that the MLSA distances of strain 16K104 T to the closely related type strains of the genus were much higher than the 0.04 threshold. The organism was found to contain ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The whole-cell sugars were identified as ribose and glucose. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4). The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. The results of digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity analyses, in addition to MLSA phylogenetic distances, confirmed that the strain represents a novel species of the genus Kribbella, for which the name Kribbella turkmenica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 16K104 T (=JCM 32914 T =KCTC 49224 T ).

The aim of the present study is to assess the reliability and accuracy of different 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction algorithms in detecting undisplaced condylar, zygomatic arc, and orbital rim fractures based on cone-beam computed tomography data set. Twenty sheep heads were used in the present study. Sixty fractured and 60 nonfractured (control) zones were randomly allocated. Three groups consisting of nondisplaced fractures of condyle (CF, n = 20), orbital (OF, n = 20), and zygomatic arc (ZF, n = 20) were created by using a diamond cutting disc. Soft tissues were only dissected and no fractures were generated in the control group (n = 60). The 3D reconstructions were created by using multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), surface rendering (SR), volume rendering (VR), and maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithms. Final 3D models were examined in Osirix software (Pixmeo SARL, Bernex, Switzerland) by 6 observers. Diagnostic accuracies of each algorithm were statistically compared by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and area under the ROC curves (AUCs). For the detection of CF, AUC for VR algorithm was found to be statistically larger than that of MIP while AUCs for VR and MIP were larger than those of MPR and SR for OF detection. For the detection of ZF, AUCs for MPR and VR were significantly larger than those of MIP and SR (P < 0.05 for each). Within the limitations of this experimental study, it can be concluded that for maxillofacial surgeons, it is more likely to detect condylar, orbital, and zygomatic fractures by using VR algorithm in 3D reconstruction.

A novel, Gram-positive, spore-forming actinomycete, designated strain 7K107 T , was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan. Strain 7K107 T forms extensively branched substrate mycelia and aerial mycelia which differentiate into short chains of spores. The novel strain contains meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic wall amino acid and glucose, galactose, madurose and ribose as whole cell sugars. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-10(H 4 ), MK-9(H 4 ), MK-10(H 6 ) and MK-9(H 6 ). The polar lipids were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, glycolipids, phospholipids, unidentified lipids and an aminolipid. Major fatty acids were identified as C 17:0 10-methyl and C 14:0 . The G + C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 70.8%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain is a member of the family Streptosporangiaceae. The strain shares high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (96.2%) with Sphaerisporangium album YIM 48782 T followed by Sphaerisporangium corydalis NEAU-YHS15 T (96.0%) and Nonomuraea candida HMC10 T (95.9%). However, phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and gyrB genes, as well as whole genome comparison, confirmed the distinctiveness of the strain from closely related type strains of the genera Sphaerisporangium, Nonomuraea and Thermostaphylospora. On the basis of morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic as well as genomic analyses, strain 7K107 T is concluded to represent a new genus within the family Streptosporangiaceae, for which the name Desertiactinospora gelatinilytica gen. nov., sp. nov is proposed. The type strain of D. gelatinilytica is 7K107 T (= DSM 107423 T  = JCM 32585 T  = KCTC 49108 T ).

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficacy of panoramic radiography (PANO) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in detecting simulated complications of plate osteosynthesis applied to mandibular angle fractures (MAFs)., Study Design: Unfavorable MAFs were created in 100 fresh sheep hemimandibles. Fractures were fixed with 4-hole titanium miniplates and screws. Bone necrosis around the screws, penetration of the screw into the inferior alveolar canal, screw loosening, and plate breakage were simulated. The diagnostic efficacy of the imaging techniques was compared by using intra- and interobserver agreement scores and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values. Examination time (ET), confidence scores (CS), and planar preference (PP) in CBCT evaluation were assessed., Results: Intra- and interobserver agreement scores varied between 0.61 and 0.91. AUCs for screw penetration into the inferior alveolar canal and screw loosening were significantly higher in CBCT than in PANO (P < .05). CBCT presented significantly higher ET and CS values compared with PANO (P < .05). PP showed significant differences among types of complications (P < .05)., Conclusions: PANO provided acceptable outcomes in the detection of bone necrosis and broken plates around the screw, but CBCT was more likely to enable detection of all simulated types of complications with higher confidence., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Strain H2R21 T , a novel actinobacterium, isolated from a forest soil sample collected from Heybeliada, Istanbul, Turkey, and a polyphasic approach was used for characterisation of the strain. Chemotaxonomic and morphological characterisation of strain H2R21 T indicated that it belongs to the genus Nonomuraea. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity showed that the strain is closely related to Nonomuraea purpurea 1SM4-01 T (99.1%) and Nonomuraea solani CGMCC 4.7037 T (98.4%). DNA-DNA relatedness values were found to be lower than 70% between the isolate and its phylogenetic neighbours N. purpurea 1SM4-01 T , N. solani CGMCC 4.7037 T and Nonomuraea rhizophila YIM 67092 T . The whole cell hydrolysates of strain H2R21 T were found to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid and glucose, madurose, mannose and ribose as the cell sugars. The polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine, dihydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, glycophosphatidylinositol, two glycophospholipids and two unidentified lipids. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H 4 ) and MK-9(H 6 ). The major fatty acids were found to be iso-C 16:0 , iso-C 16:0 2OH and C 17:0 10-methyl. On the basis of DNA-DNA relatedness data and some phenotypic characteristics, it is evident that strain H2R21 T can be distinguished from the closely related species in the genus Nonomuraea. Thus, it is concluded that strain H2R21 T represents a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea, for which the name Nonomuraea insulae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is H2R21 T (= DSM 102915 T = CGMCC 4.7338 T = KCTC 39769 T ).

Lithography, the transfer of patterns to a film or substrate, is the basis by which many modern technological devices and components are produced. However, established lithographic approaches generally use complex techniques, expensive equipment, and advanced materials. Here, we introduce a water-based microcontact printing method using silk that is simple, inexpensive, ecofriendly, and recyclable. Whereas the traditional microcontact printing technique facilitates only negative lithography, the synergetic interaction of the silk, water, and common chemicals in our technique enables both positive and negative patterning using a single stamp. Among diverse application possibilities, we exemplify a proof of concept of the method through optimizing its metal lift-off process and demonstrate the fabrication of electromagnetic metamaterial elements on both solid and flexible substrates. The results indicate that the method demonstrated herein is universally applicable to device production and technology development., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest.

A Kribbella strain FSN23 T was isolated from soil sample which was collected from Caygoren Dam lakeside located in Sındırgı, Turkey. The isolate was investigated using a polyphasic approach consisting of numeric, chemotaxonomic and molecular analysis. The isolate indicated chemotaxonomic, morphological and phylogenetic properties associated with members of the genus Kribbella. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA sequence of the strain demonstrated that the strain forms a subclade with K. aluminosa HKI 0478 T and K. jejuensis HD9 T . The organism formed an extensively branched substrate and aerial hyphae which generated spiral chains of spores with smooth surfaces. The cell wall contained LL-diaminopimelic acid, and the whole cell sugars were glucose and ribose along with trace amounts of mannose. The polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, four unidentified lipids and five unidentified polar lipids. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H 4 ). The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C 15:0 and iso-C 16:0 . Polyphasic taxonomy properties confirm that strain FSN23 T represents a novel Kribbella taxon distinguished from closely related type strains. Hence, strain FSN23 T (=KCTC 29220 T  = DSM 27082 T ) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species with the name Kribbella sindirgiensis sp. nov.

In this study, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from corn tassel  was extracted and partially purified through  (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. Optimal temperatures for subsrates catechol and 4-methyl catechol were 40 °C and 30 °C, respectively. The optimal pH values were 8.0 for catechol and 6.0 for 4-methyl catechol. Catechol was the most suitible substrate (Km: 3.48 mM, Vmax: 1.0 Abs./ min.). The moleculer mass of PPO was determined as 158 kDa. In this work, sodium azide, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were found to inhibit the enzyme activity as 26.6 %,  22.2 % and 12.2 % ratio, respectively. Besides, the effects of carbohydrates such as sucrose, fructose, ribose and glucose on PPO activity were investigated. The enzyme was found to be activated 17 % by fructose and ribose, 16 % by glucose and 4 % by sucrose.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated DS3010T, was isolated from a Black Sea marine sediment and characterized using a polyphasic approach. The strain was shown to have chemotaxonomic, morphological and phylogenetic properties consistent with classification as representing a member of the genus Micromonospora. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies showed that the strain was most closely related to the type strains of Micromonospora saelicesensis (99.5 %), Micromonospora chokoriensis (99.4 %) and Micromonospora violae (99.3 %). Similarly, a corresponding analysis based on partial gyrB gene sequences showed that it formed a distinct phyletic branch in a subclade that included the type strains of Micromonosporazamorensis, 'Micromonospora zeae', 'Micromonospora jinlongensis', M. saelicesensis and Micromonospora lupini. DS3010T was distinguished from its closest phylogenetic neighbours by low levels of DNA-DNA relatedness and by a combination of chemotaxonomic and phenotypic properties. On the basis of these data, it is proposed that the isolate should be assigned to the genus Micromonospora as Micromonospora profundi sp. nov. with isolate DS3010T (=DSM 45981T=KCTC 29243T) as the type strain.

The taxonomic position of a Gram-staining-positive strain, designated strain S4702T was isolated from a marine sediment collected from the southern Black Sea coast, Turkey, determined using a polyphasic approach. The isolate was found to have chemotaxonomic, morphological and phylogenetic properties consistent with its classification as representing a member of the genus Streptomyces and formed a distinct phyletic line in the 16S rRNA gene tree. S4702T was found to be most closely related to the type strains of Streptomyces marinus(DSM 41968T; 97.8 % sequence similarity) and Streptomyces abyssalis (YIM M 10400T; 97.6 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other members of the genus Streptomyces were lower than 97.5 %. DNA-DNA relatedness of S4702T and the most closely related strain S. marinus DSM 41968T was 21.0 %. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 72.5 mol%. The cell wall of the strain contained l,l-diaminopimelic acid and the cell-wall sugars were glucose and ribose. The major cellular fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H8). The polar lipid profile of S4702T consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. S4702T could be distinguished from its closest phylogenetic neighbours using a combination of chemotaxonomic, morphological and physiological properties. Consequently, it is proposed that S4702T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces ovatisporus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S4702T (DSM 42103T=KCTC 29206T=CGMCC 4.7357T).

Background: Previous studies have suggested that adipokines play a role in inflammatory bowel disease by inducing proinflammatory cytokines, but it is uncertain whether visfatin is causally involved in ulcerative colitis (UC). We evaluated visfatin levels in patients who presented with UC flares before and after treatment., Methods: In this cohort study, we assessed 31 patients with UC in the activation period and remission in the same patients after treatment, and a healthy control group, consisting of 29 persons, at a single academic medical centre between 2010 and 2013. Disease severity was evaluated clinically using Trulove and Witt's criteria., Results: Serum visfatin levels did not vary according to the extent of disease and were significantly higher in patients in the activation period (7.77 ± 2.41 ng/ml) than in remission (6.18 ± 2.04 ng/ml) and the healthy controls (6.54 ± 2.20 ng/ml; P < 0.01 and < 0.05, respectively). In a comparison of patients in the inactive period with the control group, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). To assess activation of the disease, a visfatin cut-off point for active UC was determined as 6.40, with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of 72%, 52%, 66.7% (43.0-85.4) and 50.0% (29.1-70.9), respectively., Conclusions: The visfatin level was higher in the active group than in post-treatment remission and the healthy control group. Sensitivity and specificity were similar to other inflammatory markers for assessing clinical activity, which did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). These findings did not provide a rationale for assessment of UC activation., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A Micromonospora strain, designated DS3186(T), isolated from sediment collected from the Black Sea off the Yason Peninsula, Ordu, Turkey, was examinated using a polyphasic approach. The strain was found to have chemotaxonomic, morphological and phylogenetic properties consistent with its clasification in the genus Micromonospora. A comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the strain was closely related to the type strains of Micromonospora olivasterospora (99.0 %), Micromonospora equina (98.8 %), Micromonospora rhizosphaerae (98.8 %) and Micromonospora viridifaciens (98.8 %); low levels of DNA-DNA relatednes were found between the isolate and the M. olivasterospora and M. rhizosphaerae strains. Corresponding phylogenetic analysis based on partial gyrB gene sequences showed that strain DS3186(T) formed a subclade with the type strains of Micromonospora eburnea, M. equina, Micromonospora narathiwatensis and M. viridifaciens. Strain DS3186(T) was distinguished from its close phylogenetic neighbours using a combination of chemotaxonomic, morphological and physiological properties. Consequently, it is proposed that strain DS3186(T) represents a novel Micromonospora species for which the name Micromonospora yasonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DS3186(T) (=DSM 45980(T) = KCTC 29433(T)).

Introduction: Early detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in colonized patients is very important for infection control procedures to prevent MRSA spread. We aimed to monitor MRSA carriage in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and to evaluate the speed and efficiency of conventional culture, immunological, chromogenic, and molecular methods together with genotyping., Methodology: Nasal and axillar swab specimens were obtained from patients in the ICUs of the general surgery and neurosurgery wards in a tertiary hospital once a week over four weeks between December 2009 and July 2010. Oxacillin and cefoxitin disk diffusion tests, oxacillin agar screening test, latex agglutination test, chromogenic agar, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were used for isolation and identification of MRSA. MRSA isolates were typed using ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing., Results: MRSA colonization was detected in 48 of 306 patients by real-time PCR. The MRSA colonization rate was 6.2%, 15.5%, and 38.5% at admission and in the first and second weeks, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for all phenotypic tests were 98%, 99.6%, 98%, and 99.6%, respectively. The shortest handle time was observed in PCR. A total of three banding patterns were obtained from MRSA isolates by ribotyping, and PFGE analyses revealed 17 different pulsotypes varying from 11 to 18 distinct bands, showing high genetic diversity among the samples., Conclusion: Phenotypic MRSA screening tests in our study exhibited similar performances. The superiority of real-time PCR is its short turnaround time.

The taxonomic positions of two Gram-negative strains, SV1470(T) and SV2184P(T), isolated from arid soil samples, were determined using a polyphasic approach. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and the concatenated sequences of three housekeeping gene loci (dnaK, rpoB and gyrB) confirmed that the strains belong to the genus Microvirga. Strain SV1470(T) was found to be closely related to Microvirga vignae BR3299(T) (98.8 %), Microvirga flocculans TFB(T) (98.3 %) and Microvirga lupini Lut6(T) (98.2 %), whilst similarity to other type strains of the genus ranged from 97.8 to 96.3 %; strain SV2184P(T) was found to be closely related to Microvirga aerilata 5420S-16(T) (98.0 %), Microvirga zambiensis WSM3693(T) (97.8 %) and M. flocculans ATCC BAA-817(T) (97.4 %), whilst similarity to other type strains of the genus ranged from 97.2 to 95.9 %. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 61.5 mol % for strain SV1470(T) and 62.1 mol % for strain SV2184P(T). Both strains were found to have the same quinone system, with Q-10 as the major ubiquinone. The polar lipid profile of strain SV1470(T) was found to consist of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid and one unidentified aminolipid, while that of strain SV2184P(T) consisted of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid, one unidentified aminophospholipid and two unidentified phospholipids. DNA-DNA relatedness studies showed that the two strains belong to different genomic species. The strains were also distinguished using a combination of phenotypic properties. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic data, the novel species Microvirga makkahensis sp. nov. (type strain SV1470(T) = DSM 25394(T) = KCTC 23863(T) = NRRL-B 24875(T)) and Microvirga arabica sp. nov. (type strain SV2184P(T) = DSM 25393(T) = KCTC 23864(T) = NRRL-B 24874(T)) are proposed.

A novel Gram-stain positive, rod-shaped, non-motile and mycolic acid containing strain, FMN18(T), isolated from soil, was characterised using a polyphasic approach. The organism showed a combination of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties that were consistent with its classification in the genus Nocardia and it formed a phyletic line in the Nocardia 16S rRNA gene tree. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid (type IV) and whole cell sugars were galactose, glucose, arabinose and ribose. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4ω-cyclo). The major phospholipids are diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannosides. Major fatty acids are C16:0, 10-methyl C18:0 (TBSA), C18:1 cis9 and C16:1 trans9. These chemotaxonomic traits are in good agreement with those known for representatives of the genus Nocardia. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain FMN18(T) showed it to be closely related to Nocardia grenadensis GW5-5797(T) (99.2 %), Nocardia speluncae N2-11(T) (99.1 %), Nocardia jinanensis 04-5195(T) (99.0 %) and Nocardia rhamnosiphila 202GMO(T) (98.3 %). The phylogenetic analysis based on the gyrB gene sequence of strain FMN18(T) showed it to be closely related to N. rhamnosiphila 202GMO(T) (99.0 %), N. grenadensis DSM 45869(T) (96.6 %), N. jinanensis DSM 45048(T) (93.1 %), N. carnea IFM 0237(T) (89.7 %) and N. speluncae DSM 45078(T) (89.1 %). A combination of DNA-DNA hybridization results and phenotypic properties demonstrated that strain FMN18(T) was clearly distinguished from all closely related Nocardia species. It is proposed that the organism be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Nocardia, for which the name Nocardia zapadnayensis (type strain FMN18(T) = DSM 45872(T) = KCTC 29234(T)) is proposed.

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain BN506(T), was isolated from soil collected from Tuz (Salt) Lake, Konya, Turkey, and was characterised to determine its taxonomic position. The isolate was found to have morphological and chemotaxonomic properties associated with members of the genus Streptomonospora. The isolate was found to grow optimally at 37 °C and in the presence of 10 % (w/v) NaCl but not in the absence of NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on an almost-complete 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that isolate is closely related to members of the genus Streptomonospora and forms a distinct phyletic line in the Streptomonospora phylogenetic tree. Strain BN506(T) is closely related to Streptomonospora halophila YIM 91355(T) (98.1 % sequence similarity). Sequence similarities with other type strains of the genus Streptomyces were lower than 98.0 %. The cell wall of the novel strain was found to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid. Whole cell hydrolysates were found to contain galactose, glucose and ribose. The predominant menaquinone was identified as MK-10(H8) (57.0 %). The polar lipids detected were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The major fatty acids were found to be anteiso-C17:0, iso-C16:0 and 10 methyl C18:0. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, DNA-DNA relatedness, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic data, strain BN506(T) was identified as a member of a novel species of the genus Streptomonospora, for which the name Streptomonospora tuzyakensis sp. nov. (type strain BN506(T) = DSM 45930(T) = KCTC 29210(T)) is proposed.

A Gram-stain positive actinobacterial strain, designated KT1403(T), was isolated from a soil sample, collected from Karpaz, Magusa, Northern Cyprus, and characterised using a polyphasic approach. Morphological characteristics and chemotaxonomic data indicated that the strain belongs to the genus Phytomonospora. The cell wall of the novel strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and galactose, glucose and mannose as the major sugars in whole cell hydrolysates. The polar lipids in the cell membrane were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, an unidentified aminophospholipid and three unidentified glycolipids. The predominant menaquinones were MK-10(H6) and MK-10(H4). The major fatty acids were found to be iso C15:0 , anteiso C15:0 and anteiso C17:0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain KT1403(T) belongs to the genus Phytomonospora with a sequence similarity of 99.73 % with Phytomonospora endophytica, the type species of the genus. DNA-DNA hybridization further differentiated strain KT1403(T) from its near phylogenetic neighbour, P. endophytica DSM 45386(T) (29.0 ± 2.2 % DNA relatedness). Therefore, it is proposed that strain KT1403(T) represents a novel species of the genus Phytomonospora, for which the name Phytomonospora cypria sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KT1403(T) (=KCTC 29479(T) = DSM 46767(T)).

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to assess the association between red cell distribution width and inflammation in biopsy proven non-alcoholic steatohepatitis., Methodology: Fifty four subjects with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and thirty nine controls were enrolled for the study. Liver biopsy specimens were scored by using non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score by a single experienced liver pathologist., Results: Red cell distribution width was higher in the severe inflammation group in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (p < 0.05). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the predictive performance of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase and red cell distribution width in identifying inflammation in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis were 0.55 (0.41-0.68), 0.51 (0.37-0.64), 0.53 (0.39-0.67) and 0.73 (0.59-0.84) respectively and the differences of these values between red cell distribution width and other parameters were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). To determine the grading of inflammation, the specificity for using the red cell distribution width as an indicator in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients was calculated to be 73.3%, with 79.5% sen- sitivity., Conclusion: Red cell distribution width was a sensitive and specific method for the assessment of the inflammation in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated Z1R7(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from Burgazada, in the Marmara Sea (Turkey), and the strain identity was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The organism had chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with its classification in the genus Streptomyces and it formed a distinct phyletic line in the 16S rRNA gene tree, together with the type strains Streptomyces specialis GW41-1564(T) (95.76 %), Streptomyces mayteni YIM 60475(T) (95.64 %), Streptomyces hainanensis YIM 47672(T) (95.53 %), Streptomyces hoynatensis S1412(T) (95.29 %), Streptomyces avicenniae MCCC 1A01535(T) (94.74 %), Streptomyces sedi YIM 65188(T) (94.59 %) and Streptomyces zhaozhouensis NEAU-LZS-5(T) (94.68 %). Chomotaxonomic data revealed that strain Z1R7(T) possesed MK-9 (H8) as the predominant menaquinone, ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, and galactose, glucose and ribose as whole cell sugars. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phoshphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol were the predominant polar lipids; iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0 were the major fatty acids, and the genomic DNA G+C content was 69.4 mol%. On the basis of these genotypic and phenotypic data, it is proposed that isolate Z1R7(T) ( = KCTC 29434(T) = DSM 42126(T)) should be classified in the genus Streptomyces as Streptomyces burgazadensis sp. nov., (© 2014 IUMS.)

The taxonomic positions of two novel actinomycetes, designated strains BNT558(T) and SM3501(T), were established by using a polyphasic approach. The organisms had chemical and morphological features that were consistent with their classification in the genus Streptomyces. The whole-cell hydrolysates of the two strains contained ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) for strain BNT558(T) and MK-9(H8) and MK-9(H6) for strain SM3501(T). Major fatty acids of the strains were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile of strain BNT558(T) contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, one unidentified glycolipid and one unidentified aminophospholipid, while that of strain SM3501(T) consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified atypical aminolipids, one unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified glycolipids. The G+C contents of the genomic DNA were 70.2 and 69.6 mol% for strains BNT558(T) and SM3501(T), respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequence data supported the classification of the isolates in the genus Streptomyces and showed that they formed two distinct branches within the genus. Based on almost-complete 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain BNT558(T) was related most closely to Streptomyces albiaxialis NRRL B-24327(T) and strain SM3501(T) was related most closely to Streptomyces cacaoi subsp. cacaoi NBRC 12748(T). DNA-DNA relatedness between each of the isolates and its closest phylogenetic neighbours showed that they belonged to distinct species. The two isolates were readily distinguished from one another and from the type strains of the other species classified in the genus Streptomyces based on a combination of phenotypic and genotypic properties. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic evidence, strains BNT558(T) and SM3501(T) belong to two novel species in the genus Streptomyces, for which the names Streptomyces iconiensis sp. nov. (type strain BNT558(T) = KCTC 29198(T) = DSM 42109(T)) and Streptomyces smyrnaeus sp. nov. (type strain SM3501(T) = KCTC 29214(T) = DSM 42105(T)) are proposed, respectively., (© 2014 IUMS.)

Aim: To identify novel non-invasive biomarkers for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)., Methods: Twenty patients with histologically proven NAFLD and 20 controls were included. All NAFLD cases were scored using the NAFLD activity score. The relative expressions of miR-197, miR-146b, miR-10b, miR-181d, miR-34a, miR-122, miR-99a and miR-29a were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction., Results: Serum levels of miR-181d, miR-99a, miR-197 and miR-146b were significantly lower in biopsy-proven NAFLD patients than in the healthy controls. Serum levels of miR-197 and miR-10b were inversely correlated with degree of inflammation and miR-181d and miR-99a were inversely correlated with serum gamma glutamyl transferase levels in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients., Conclusion: NAFLD is associated with altered serum miRNA expression pattern. This study provides clues for defining the non-invasive diagnosis of NAFLD.

Background: Conventional surgical repair of thoracic aortic dissections is a challenge due to mortality and morbidity risks., Objectives: We analyzed our experience in hybrid aortic arch repair for complex dissections of the aortic arch., Methods: Between 2009 and 2013, 18 patients (the mean age of 67 ± 8 years-old) underwent hybrid aortic arch repair. The procedural strategy was determined on the individual patient., Results: Thirteen patients had type I repair using trifurcation and another patient with bifurcation graft. Two patients had type II repair with replacement of the ascending aorta. Two patients received extra-anatomic bypass grafting to left carotid artery allowing covering of zone 1. Stent graft deployment rate was 100%. No patients experienced stroke. One patient with total debranching of the aortic arch following an acute dissection of the proximal arch expired 3 months after TEVAR due to heart failure. There were no early to midterm endoleaks. The median follow-up was 20 ± 8 months with patency rate of 100%., Conclusion: Various debranching solutions for different complex scenarios of the aortic arch serve as less invasive procedures than conventional open surgery enabling safe and effective treatment of this highly selected subgroup of patients with complex aortic pathologies.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to the detection of infection in acute pancreatitis-related collections., Methods: A total of 21 DW-MRI, and computed tomography (CT) were performed on 20 patients diagnosed as acute pancreatitis with acute peri-pancreatic fluid or necrotic collections. Collections were classified as infected or sterile according to the culture and follow-up results. Collections with gas bubbles on CT images were considered to be infected. Collections with peripheral bright signals on DW-MRI images were considered to be positive, whereas those without signals were considered to be negative. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the peripheral and central parts of the collections were measured. Student's t test was used to compare the means of ADC values of independent groups., Results: Apart from one false positive result, the presence of infection was detected by DW-MRI with 95.2% accuracy. The sensitivity and accuracy of DW-MRI were higher than CT for the detection of infection. The ADC values in the central parts of the collections were significantly different between the infected and sterile groups., Conclusion: DW-MRI can be used as a non-invasive technique for the detection of infection in acute pancreatitis-associated collections.

The taxonomic positions of four novel actinomycetes isolated from soil samples, designated KT2142T, PM2084T, K236T and A4038T, were established by using a polyphasic approach. The organisms had chemical and morphological features that were consistent with their classification in the genus Pseudonocardia. Whole-cell hydrolysates of the four strains contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars (cell-wall type IV). Their predominant menaquinone was found to be MK-8(H4). The major fatty acid was iso-C16:0. 16S rRNA gene sequence data supported the classification of the isolates in the genus Pseudonocardia and showed that they formed four distinct branches within the genus. DNA-DNA relatedness studies between the isolates and their phylogenetic neighbours showed that they belonged to distinct genomic species. The four isolates were readily distinguished from one another and from the type strains of species classified in the genus Pseudonocardia based on a combination of phenotypic and genotypic properties. In conclusion, it is proposed that the four isolates be classified in four novel species of the genus Pseudonocardia, for which the names Pseudonocardia cypriaca sp. nov. (type strain KT2142T=KCTC 29067T=DSM 45511T=NRRL B-24882T), Pseudonocardia hierapolitana sp. nov. (type strain PM2084T=KCTC 29068T=DSM 45671T=NRRL B-24879T), Pseudonocardia salamisensis sp. nov. (type strain K236T=KCTC 29100T=DSM 45717T) and Pseudonocardia kujensis sp. nov. (type strain A4038T=KCTC 29062T=DSM 45670T=NRRL B-24890T) are proposed.

A novel actinobacteria, designated strain K413(T), was isolated from soil collected from Karpaz National Park, Magusa, Northern Cyprus, and characterized to determine its taxonomic position. The isolate was found to have chemical and morphological properties associated with members of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analyses based on almost-complete 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate was closely related to members of the genus Streptomyces, and was shown to form a distinct phyletic line in the Streptomyces phylogenetic tree. Strain K413(T) was most closely related to Streptomyces marinus DSM 41968(T) (98.01%). Sequence similarities with other strains of the genus Streptomyces were below 98.0%. The cell wall of the novel strain contained ll-diaminopimelic acid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H8) (45.0%). The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, DNA-DNA relatedness, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic data, strain K413(T) represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces karpasiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is K413(T) ( = KCTC 29096(T) = DSM 42068(T)).

Fractioned exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a noninvasive marker of inflammation in asthmatic patients. FeNO can be used to monitor airway inflammation, but individual responses make tailored interventions based on FeNO difficult. The correlation between the asthma control test (ACT), FEV1, and FeNO was evaluated in this study to ascertain the correct usage of FeNO with different asthma phenotypes regarding their control, allergy, comorbidity, obesity, age, smoking status, and severity. ACT, pulmonary function, and FeNO in 416 asthmatic patients on combined therapy were retrospective evaluated. Correlations between these parameters and the FeNO levels in different asthma phenotypes were calculated. In the study population, FeNO was 31.8 ± 28.5 parts per billion (ppb), FEV1 was 83.4 ± 19% and ACT was 19 ± 5.2. ACT scores were negatively correlated with FeNO (r = -0.31; p = 0.002). FeNO was different in patients with positive and negative skin-prick test (p < 0.05), with and without allergic rhinitis (p < 0.01), and with and without allergic conjunctivitis (p < 0.01). Significantly higher FeNO levels were found with logistic regression analysis only in patients with a history of emergency room visits (ERVs) (p = 0.024). The rate of the ERV of the patients with an ACT score more than or equal to 20 and with a FeNO value of more than 35 ppb was 22.9%, but with a FeNO value of less than 35 ppb was 6.5% (p = 0.004). Allergy and allergic comorbidities may lead to an increase in FeNO levels. Patients with a history of ERV have markedly higher FeNO levels, although they have an ACT score more than or equal to 20.

A novel actinomycete, strain DS3030(T), was isolated from a deep sediment sample, collected from the southern Black Sea coast, Turkey, and was examined using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain DS3030(T) was shown to belong to the genus Saccharomonospora and to be related most closely to Saccharomonospora marina XMU15(T) (99.6 % similarity). Sequence similarities with other strains of the genus Saccharomonospora were lower than 97.0 %. The organism had chemical and morphological features typical of the genus Saccharomonospora. The cell wall of the novel strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose and galactose as diagnostic sugars. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4). Major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 2-OH and C16 : 1cis 9. Phenotypic data clearly distinguished the new isolate from its closest relative, S. marina XMU15(T). The combined genotypic and phenotypic data and low DNA-DNA relatedness with its closest related strain reveal that strain DS3030(T) represents a novel species of the genus, for which the name Saccharomonospora amisosensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DS3030(T) ( = DSM 45685(T) = KCTC 29069(T) = NRRL B-24885(T)).

A novel halotolerant actinomycete, designated strain BNT52(T), was isolated from soil collected from Cihanbeyli Salt Mine in the central Anatolia region of Turkey, and examined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The isolate was found to have chemical and morphological properties typical of the genus Amycolatopsis and formed a distinct phyletic line in the 16S rRNA gene tree. Strain BNT52(T) was most closely related to Amycolatopsis nigrescens CSC17Ta-90(T) (96.7 %), Amycolatopsis magusensis KT2025(T) (96.6 %), Amycolatopsis sulphurea DSM 46092(T) (96.6 %), Amycolatopsis dongchuanensis YIM 75904(T) (96.5 %), Amycolatopsis ultiminotia RP-AC36(T) (96.4 %) and Amycolatopsis sacchari DSM 44468(T) (96.4 %). Sequence similarities with other strains of species of the genus Amycolatopsis were lower than 96.2 %. The isolate grew at 20-37 °C, pH 6-12 and in the presence of 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl. The cell wall of the novel strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars. Major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0 2-OH and iso-C16 : 0. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4). The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylmethylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G+C content was 68.8 mol%. On the basis of the data from this polyphasic taxonomic study, strain BNT52(T) represents a novel species within the genus Amycolatopsis for which the name Amycolatopsis cihanbeyliensis sp. nov. is proposed (type strain BNT52(T) = KCTC 29065(T) = NRRL B-24886(T) = DSM 45679(T)).