RESULTS: A gene-oriented database is a valuable support for rubber research. Based on our original draft genome sequence of H. brasiliensis RRIM600, we constructed a rubber tree genome and transcriptome DB. Our DB provides genome information including gene functional annotations and multi-transcriptome data of RNA-seq, full-length cDNAs including PacBio Isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq), ESTs and genome wide transcription start sites (TSSs) derived from CAGE technology. Using our original and publically available RNA-seq data, we calculated co-expressed genes for identifying functionally related gene sets and/or genes regulated by the same transcription factor (TF). Users can access multi-transcriptome data through both a gene-oriented web page and a genome browser. For the gene searching system, we provide keyword search, sequence homology search and gene expression search; users can also select their expression threshold easily.
CONCLUSION: The rubber genome and transcriptome DB provides rubber tree genome sequence and multi-transcriptomics data. This DB is useful for comprehensive understanding of the rubber transcriptome. This will assist both industrial and academic researchers for rubber and economically important close relatives such as R. communis, M. esculenta and J. curcas. The Rubber Transcriptome DB release 2017.03 is accessible at http://matsui-lab.riken.jp/rubber/ .
METHODS: A total of 28 critically ill patients were included in this study. All data were collected from medical, microbiology and pharmacokinetic records. The clinical response was evaluated on the basis of clinical and microbiological parameters. The 24-h area under the curve (AUC0-24) was estimated from a single trough level using established equations.
RESULTS: Out of the 28 patients, 46% were classified as responders to vancomycin treatment. The trough vancomycin concentration did not differ between the responders and non-responders (15.02 ± 6.16 and 14.83 ± 4.80 μg mL-1; P = 0.929). High vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was observed among the non-responders (P = 0.007). The ratio between vancomycin trough concentration and vancomycin MIC was significantly lower in the non-responder group (8.76 ± 3.43 vs. 12.29 ± 4.85 μg mL-1; P = 0.034). The mean ratio of estimated AUC0-24 and vancomycin MIC was 313.78 ± 117.17 μg h mL-1 in the non-responder group and 464.44 ± 139.06 μg h mL-1 in the responder group (P = 0.004). AUC0-24/MIC of ≥ 400 μg h mL-1 was documented for 77% of the responders and 27% of the non-responders (c2 = 7.03; P = 0.008).
CONCLUSIONS: Ratio of trough concentration/MIC and AUC0-24/MIC of vancomycin are better predictors for MRSA treatment outcomes than trough vancomycin concentration or AUC0-24 alone. The single trough-based estimated AUC may be sufficient for the monitoring of treatment response with vancomycin.