Mycoviruses from Aspergillus fungi involved in fermentation of dried bonito.

Fungi are exploited for fermentation of foods such as cheese, Japanese sake, and soy sauce. However, the diversity of viruses that infect fungi involved in food fermentation is poorly understood. Fermented dried bonito ("katsuobushi") is one of the most important processed marine products in Japan.

Greetings from virologists to mycologists: A review outlining viruses that live in fungi.

Viruses are genetic elements that parasitize self-replicating cells. Therefore, organisms parasitized by viruses are not limited to animals and plants but also include microorganisms. Among these, viruses that parasitize fungi are known as mycoviruses.

New lineages of RNA viruses from clinical isolates of revealed by fragmented and primer-ligated dsRNA sequencing (FLDS) analysis.

is a species in the order Mucorales that is known to cause mucormycosis, but it is poorly understood as a host of viruses. Here, we examined 25 clinical strains of for viral infection with a conventional double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) assay using agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and the recently established fragmented and primer-ligated dsRNA sequencing (FLDS) protocol. By AGE, five virus-infected strains were detected.

Prognostic value of power doppler ultrasonography for equine superficial digital flexor tendon injury in thoroughbred racehorses.

The potential value of hypervascularity detected with power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) within equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) as a prognostic factor of SDFT injury is not clear. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that hypervascularity within SDFT is one of the risk factors for subsequent severe SDFT injury and to evaluate the prognostic value. A prospective cohort study of 97 Thoroughbred racehorses without any clinical signs of SDFT injury was conducted.

Per-oral cholangioscopy in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis: a 12-month follow-up study.

Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) have a 9% to 20% lifetime incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Per-oral cholangioscopy (POCS) added to endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) could potentially improve detection of CCA occurrence. We prospectively assessed POCS identification of 12-month CCA incidence in PSC patients undergoing ERC.

Double-stranded RNA sequencing reveals distinct riboviruses associated with thermoacidophilic bacteria from hot springs in Japan.

Metatranscriptome sequencing expanded the known diversity of the bacterial RNA virome, suggesting that additional riboviruses infecting bacterial hosts remain to be discovered. Here we employed double-stranded RNA sequencing to recover complete genome sequences of two ribovirus groups from acidic hot springs in Japan. One group, denoted hot spring riboviruses (HsRV), consists of viruses with distinct RNA-directed RNA polymerases (RdRPs) that seem to be intermediates between typical ribovirus RdRPs and viral reverse transcriptases.

Seven new mycoviruses identified from isolated ascomycetous macrofungi.

Mycoviruses have been described in all major fungal taxonomic groups. There has been much focus on commercially cultivated basidiomycetous macrofungi, while attention to viruses from ascomycetous macrofungi is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we conducted viral screening against fungal mycelia that were regenerated from ascomycetous macrofungi using agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and fragmented and primer-ligated dsRNA sequencing (FLDS).

Distinct groups of RNA viruses associated with thermoacidophilic bacteria.

Recent massive metatranscriptome mining substantially expanded the diversity of the bacterial RNA virome, suggesting that additional groups of riboviruses infecting bacterial hosts remain to be discovered. We employed full length double-stranded (ds) RNA sequencing for identification of riboviruses associated with microbial consortia dominated by bacteria and archaea in acidic hot springs in Japan. Whole sequences of two groups of multisegmented riboviruses genomes were obtained.

Efficacy and safety of olaparib, olaparib plus bevacizumab and niraparib maintenance treatment in Japanese patients with platinum-sensitive advanced ovarian cancer.

Objective: To investigate whether maintenance treatment could be safely and effectively performed with olaparib, olaparib plus bevacizumab and niraparib in platinum-sensitive advanced ovarian cancer at multiple institutions in Japan.

Methods: We investigated progression-free survival and adverse events in 117 patients with platinum-sensitive advanced ovarian cancer treated with maintenance therapy.

Results: The median progression-free survival of 117 patients was 20.

Experimental verification of strain-dependent relationship between mycovirus and its fungal host.

Mycoviruses are viruses that infect fungi. Unlike mammalian infectious viruses, their life cycle does not generally have an extracellular stage, and a symbiosis-like relationship is maintained between virus and host fungi. Recently, mycoviruses have been reported to show effects on host fungi, altering biological properties such as growth rate, virulence, drug resistance, and metabolite production.

Relationship Between Hematological Toxicities During Maintenance Treatment and During Chemotherapy Before Maintenance Treatment in Patients With Platinum-sensitive Relapsed Ovarian Cancer.

Background/aim: To determine if maintenance treatment can be performed effectively and safely in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer.

Patients And Methods: We carried out a multi-center study to investigate progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse events (AEs) in 229 patients receiving maintenance treatment for platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer.

Results: The median PFS in the 229 patients with maintenance treatment was 14.

Role of endoscopic ultrasound for pre-intervention evaluation in early esophageal cancer.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) stands as an accurate imaging modality for esophageal cancer staging, however utilization of EUS in early-stage cancer management remains controversial. Identification of non-applicability of endoscopic interventions with deep muscular invasion with EUS in pre-intervention evaluation of early-stage esophageal cancer is compared to endoscopic and histologic indicators.

Aim: To display the role of EUS in pre-intervention early esophageal cancer staging and how the index endoscopic features of invasive esophageal malignancy compare for prediction of depth of invasion and cancer management.

Multiregional Sequencing Analysis Reveals Extensive Genetic Heterogeneity in Gastric Tumors from Latinos.

Unlabelled: Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality and health disparities in Latinos. We evaluated gastric intratumoral heterogeneity using multiregional sequencing of >700 cancer genes in 115 tumor biopsies from 32 patients, 29 who were Latinos. Analyses focused on comparisons with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and on mutation clonality, druggability, and signatures.

Unique insertion/deletion polymorphisms within histidine-rich region of histidine-rich glycoprotein in Thoroughbred horses.

Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) is abundant plasma protein with various effects on angiogenesis, coagulation, and immune responses. Previously, we identified the base and amino acid sequences of equine HRG (eHRG) and revealed that eHRG regulates neutrophil functions. In this study, we first conducted a large-scale gene analysis with DNA samples extracted from 1700 Thoroughbred horses and identified unique insertion/deletion polymorphisms in the histidine-rich region (HRR) of eHRG.

Oral Administration of Meloxicam and Flunixin Meglumine Have Similar Analgesic Effects After Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response in Thoroughbred Horses.

Flunixin meglumine (FM), a nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, is most frequently selected for the treatment of equine systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)/endotoxemia. However, FM has considerable adverse effects on gastrointestinal function. The aims of this study were to compare the effect of meloxicam (MX), a COX-2 selective inhibitor commonly used in equine clinical practice, with FM, and to investigate the potential for clinical application in horses with SIRS/endotoxemia.

Discovery, Genomic Sequence Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Novel RNA Viruses in the Turfgrass Pathogenic spp. in Japan.

Turfgrass used in various areas of the golf course has been found to present anthracnose disease, which is caused by spp. To obtain potential biological agents, we identified four novel RNA viruses and obtained full-length viral genomes from turfgrass pathogenic spp. in Japan.

Efficient elimination of RNA mycoviruses in species using RdRp-inhibitors ribavirin and 2'-C-methylribonucleoside derivatives.

RNA viruses in fungi (mycoviruses) are model systems for understanding the relationships between eukaryotic microorganisms and RNA viruses. To reveal the effects of mycoviruses on host fungi, it is essential to compare the phenotypes between isogenic fungal isolates with or without RNA virus infection. Since active entry machinery for RNA mycoviruses has never been identified, introducing mycoviruses to fungi is a difficult and time-consuming process.

NeoRdRp: A Comprehensive Dataset for Identifying RNA-dependent RNA Polymerases of Various RNA Viruses from Metatranscriptomic Data.

RNA viruses are distributed throughout various environments, and most have recently been identified by metatranscriptome sequencing. However, due to the high nucleotide diversity of RNA viruses, it is still challenging to identify novel RNA viruses from metatranscriptome data. To overcome this issue, we created a dataset of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains that are essential for all RNA viruses belonging to Orthornavirae.

Intracellular production of reactive oxygen species and a DAF-FM-related compound in Aspergillus fumigatus in response to antifungal agent exposure.

Fungi are ubiquitously present in our living environment and are responsible for crop and infectious diseases. Developing new antifungal agents is constantly needed for their effective control. Here, we investigated fungal cellular responses to an array of antifungal compounds, including plant- and bacteria-derived antifungal compounds.

Eukaryotic Microbial RNA Viruses-Acute or Persistent? Insights into Their Function in the Aquatic Ecosystem.

Isolated RNA viruses mainly parasitize eukaryotes. RNA viruses either expand horizontally by infecting hosts (acute type) or coexist with the host and are vertically inherited (persistent type). The significance of persistent-type RNA viruses in environmental viromes (the main hosts are expected to be microbes) was only recently reported because they had previously been overlooked in virology.

Detection and Characterization of RNA Viruses in Red Macroalgae (Bangiaceae) and Their Food Product (Nori Sheets).

Persistent RNA viruses, which have been suggested to form symbiotic relationships with their hosts, have been reported to occur in eukaryotes, such as plants, fungi, and algae. Based on empirical findings, these viruses may also be present in commercially cultivated macroalgae. Accordingly, the present study aimed to screen red macroalgae (family Bangiaceae conchocelis and Neopyropia yezoensis thallus) and processed nori sheets (N.

The Intrapopulation Genetic Diversity of RNA Virus May Influence the Sensitivity of Chlorine Disinfection.

RNA virus populations are not clonal; rather, they comprise a mutant swarm in which sequences are slightly different from the master sequence. Genetic diversity within a population (intrapopulation genetic diversity) is critical for RNA viruses to survive under environmental stresses. Disinfection has become an important practice in the control of pathogenic viruses; however, the impact of intrapopulation genetic diversity on the sensitivity of disinfection, defined as -log (postdisinfected infectious titer/predisinfected titer), has not been elucidated.