Live imaging analysis of sexual and asexual reproduction, zygospore and sporangiospore formation, in .

Most fungi form zygospores as sexual reproductive structures. When two colonies of compatible strains meet, zygospores are formed in the area where the colonies meet. The structure and development of zygospores have been studied for a long time by light microscopy and electron microscopy.

Advantages of robotic surgery for rectal cancer compared to laparoscopic surgery: pelvic anatomy and its impact on urinary dysfunction.

The anatomical dimensions and the shape of the pelvis influence surgical difficulty for rectal cancer. Compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery, robot-assisted surgery is expected to improve surgical outcomes due to the multi-joint movement of its surgical instruments. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pelvic anatomical indicators on short-term outcomes of patients with rectal cancer.

Pancreatic fistula as a pivotal prognostic factor among postoperative complications in gastric cancer.

Recent studies have identified that postoperative infectious complications (PICs) have contributed to poor prognosis in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we investigated which complication among PICs most strongly contributes to a poor prognosis. This study included 1,653 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for GC between 1997 and 2018.

Detection and isolation of a new member of Burkholderiaceae-related endofungal bacteria from Saksenaea boninensis sp. nov., a new thermotolerant fungus in Mucorales.

Thermotolerance in Mucorales (Mucoromycotina) is one of the factors to be opportunistic pathogens, causing mucormycosis. Among thermotolerant mucoralean fungi, Burkholderiaceae-related endobacteria (BRE) are rarely found and the known range of hosts is limited to Rhizopus spp. The phylogenetic divergence of BRE has recently expanded in other fungal groups such as Mortierellaceae spp.

A shorter distal resection margin is a surrogate marker of nodal metastasis and poor prognosis in distal gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer.

Background: Although a 3-5 cm surgical margin distance is recommended for advanced gastric cancer (GC) in Japanese guidelines, little is known about the clinical effects of the surgical margin, especially the distal resection margin (DM). This study aims to clarify the clinical significance of DM in GC.

Methods: A total of 415 GC patients who underwent curative distal gastrectomy between 2008 and 2018 were analyzed retrospectively.

Plasma miR-1254 as a predictive biomarker of chemosensitivity and a target of nucleic acid therapy in esophageal cancer.

This study investigated novel tumor suppressor microRNAs (miRNAs) that decrease in plasma and predict chemosensitivity to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and revealed their usefulness as novel therapeutic agents. We selected four miRNA candidates (miR-323, 345, 409, and 1254) based on the microRNA microarray comparing pre-treatment plasma levels in ESCC patients with high and low histopathological responses to NAC and an NCBI database review. Among these miRNA candidates, miR-1254 was more highly elevated in pre-treatment plasma of ESCC patients with a high histopathological response than in those with a low histopathological response (P = 0.

Revisiting the isolation source after the first discovery: on excrements of ().

is a fungus that has only been isolated once from a forest in the Sugadaira Research Station, Nagano, Japan. Over 20 y have passed since its first discovery but since then it has not been rediscovered. Here, we re-isolated from the type locality and another location, Tambara Moor, Gunma, Japan.

Quantitative Microscopic Observation of Base-Ligand Interactions via Hydrogen Bonds by Single-Molecule Counting.

Chemical properties have been based on statistical averages since the introduction of Avogadro's number. The lack of suitable methods for counting identified single molecules has posed challenges to counting statistics. The selectivity, affinity, and mode of hydrogen bonding between base and small molecules that make up DNA, which is vital for living organisms, have not yet been revealed at the single molecule level.

Investigating Endobacteria that Thrive Within Mucoromycota.

Metagenomics approaches have revealed the importance of Mucoromycota in the evolution and functioning of plant microbiomes. Comprised of three subphyla (Glomeromycotina, Mortierellomycotina, and Mucoromycotina), this early diverging lineage of fungi encompasses species of mycorrhizal fungi, root endophytes, plant pathogens, and many decomposers of plant debris. Interestingly, several taxa of Mucoromycota share a common feature, that is, the presence of endobacteria within their mycelia and spores.

A new genus in Kickxellales shows an intermediate lifestyle between saprobic and gut-inhabiting fungi.

Kickxellomycotina encompasses two fungal groups: a saprobic group in excrement and soil and an arthropod gut-inhabiting group. The evolutionary transition between these two lifestyles is unclear due to the lack of knowledge on intermediate forms and lifestyles. Here, we describe a new species, , that was isolated from the excrement of cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae) in Japan.

Method for Identifying Sequence Motifs in Pre-miRNAs for Small-Molecule Binding.

Non-coding RNAs are emerging targets for drug development because they are involved in various cellular processes. However, there are a few reliable design strategies for small molecules that can target RNAs. This paper reports a simple and efficient method to comprehensively analyze RNA motifs that can be bound by a specific small molecule.

Isomerization kinetics of bacteriochlorophyll b and bacteriopheophytin b under acidic conditions.

Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) b has a unique π-conjugation system, in which the bacteriochlorin macrocycle is conjugated with the C8-ethylidene group. This π-system is converted easily to the chlorin macrocycle. However, the effects of the central magnesium in BChl b on this conversion are unclear.

Overexpression of Tetraspanin31 contributes to malignant potential and poor outcomes in gastric cancer.

Tetraspanin has important functions in many cancers by aggregating with various proteins that interact with intracellular signaling proteins. The molecular function of Tetraspanin31 (TSPAN31), located in the 12q14 amplified region in various cancers, remains unclear in gastric cancer (GC). We tested whether TSPAN31 acts as a cancer-promoting gene through its activation or overexpression in GC.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Entomortierella parvispora E1425, a Mucoromycotan Fungus Associated with -Related Endosymbiotic Bacteria.

Some mucoromycotan fungi establish symbiotic associations with endohyphal bacteria. Here, the genome of Entomortierella parvispora E1425 (synonymously known as Mortierella parvispora E1425), which harbors a cultured -related endobacterium (BRE) designated sp. strain B2-EB, was sequenced.

Depletion of tumor suppressor miRNA-148a in plasma relates to tumor progression and poor outcomes in gastric cancer.

Recent studies identified that low levels of tumor suppressor microRNAs in plasma/serum relate to tumor progression and poor outcomes in cancers. This study explored decreased tumor suppressor microRNA (miRNA) plasma levels in gastric cancer (GC) patients to clarify their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We focused on five candidates (miR-148a, miR-101, miR-129, miR-145 and miR-206) of tumor suppressor miRNAs in GC by a systematic review of NCBI database.

Tumor Location on the Vertical Section of the Anterior Wall Is Related to Favorable Prognosis and Low Incidence of Lymph Node Metastasis in Lower-third Gastric Cancer.

Background/aim: This retrospective study investigated the clinical significance of vertical location in gastric cancer (GC) and the optimal treatment strategy according to the vertical location.

Patients And Methods: Between 1997 and 2018, 1,304 consecutive patients with GC who underwent curative surgical resection with lymphadenectomy were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: Patients with GC in the anterior wall (AW) had a significantly better prognosis compared to those in other sites of the lower third stomach (p=0.

Clinical impact of postoperative interval until adjuvant chemotherapy following curative gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer.

Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) following curative gastrectomy for stage II/III gastric cancer (GC) is recommended in Japan. However, for various reasons, patients cannot always start AC at the appropriate time. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the postoperative interval until adjuvant chemotherapy (PIAC) and cumulative S-1 dose on prognosis.

Revisiting the isolation source after half a century: on a yellow-green alga.

Fungi-algae interactions, such as lichen-forming fungi and parasitic chytrids on phytoplankton, are common in ecosystems. In contrast, interactions between filamentous fungi and soil algae that can be observed with the naked eye have been given little attention and remain unexplored. Here, we report a fungus that was associated with a visible symptom of dead algae on a soil surface in Sugadaira-kogen, Nagano, central Japan.

The Enigmatic Snow Microorganism, Chionaster nivalis, Is Closely Related to Bartheletia paradoxa (Agaricomycotina, Basidiomycota).

Chionaster nivalis is frequently detected in thawing snowpacks and glaciers. However, the taxonomic position of this species above the genus level remains unclear. We herein conducted molecular analyses of C.

Small Molecule-Induced Dimerization of Hairpin RNA Interfered with the Dicer Cleavage Reaction.

MicroRNAs are potential targets for drug development. Small molecules that can inhibit or promote a specific miRNA's biogenesis would be useful for regulating its target genes. Various types of small molecules have been investigated so far for their potential application in modulating miRNA biogenesis.