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Intracavitary brachytherapy with a remote after-loading system (RALS) is performed as a part of radical radiation therapy in cervical cancer. The radiation source is delivered directly through an applicator placed inside the uterus or vagina. Thorough quality control is important to prevent accidents that can lead to serious irradiation error, and an applicator check is one such quality control measure. We experienced a clinical situation in which a small volume of water was observed in the lumen of a post-sterilized applicator on treatment-planning CT. Although the submersion test was negative and no air bubbles emerged from the applicator, ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT) showed a linear crack reaching the inside of the applicator. This abnormality was not identified on treatment-planning CT, which has lower spatial resolution than U-HRCT. In addition, no linear cracks were seen on U-HRCT images of eight other applicators considered to be free from damage. U-HRCT may have superior potential to detect applicator damage and could be useful for quality assurance of the RALS procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricholoma matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal agaricomycete that produces the prized matsutake mushroom in conifer forests. Here, we isolated mutants generated by the argon-ion beam irradiation of T. matsutake NBRC 33136,designated asAr5002 and Ar 5012, which are defective in [beta]-1,4-endoglucanase activity, that promoted the above- andbelow-ground growth of the symbiotic partner Pinus densiflora in vitro, compared with the control. Pine seedlings associated with Ar 5002, compared with NBRC 33136, had significantly higher above-ground dry mass and significantly greater plant growth, while those associated with Ar 5012 had significantly higher above- and below-ground dry mass. There were no significant differences between the numbers of mycorrhizal root-tips synthesized by the wild-type and mutants, indicating that [beta]-1,4-endoglucanase did not influence the mycorrhization of T. matsutake. In seedlings inoculated with Ar 5002- and Ar 5012, the Hartig nets resembled those of seedlings inoculated with NBRC 33136. The data suggest that T. matsutake lacking [beta]-1,4-endoglucanase activity confer beneficial effects on the growth of P. densiflora. Further studies are necessary to determine whether the symbiotic relationship could be strengthened by such a mutated fungal trait. Key words: breeding, cellulase, heavy-ion beam mutagenesis, heterokaryon, symbiosis. Tricholoma matsutake est une ectomycorhize de la classe des Agaricomycetes qui produit dans les forets de coniferes le matsutake, un champignon prise. Les auteurs ont isole ici des mutants de T. matsutake NBRC 33136 generes par irradiation avec un faisceau d'ions argon, identifies Ar 5002 et Ar 5012, defectifs en activite [beta]-1,4-endoglucanase, qui favorisaient la croissance aerienne et souterraine du partenaire symbiotique Pinus densiflora in vitro par rapport au controle. Les plants de pin associes a Ar 5002, avaient un poids sec aerien significativement plus eleve comparativement a NBRC 33136, et une croissance significativement plus importante, tandis que ceux associes a Ar 5012 avaient des poids secs aerien et souterrain significativement plus eleves. Il n'y avait pas de difference significative quant au nombre d'extremites de racines avec mycorhizes entreletypesauvageet les mutants, ce qui indique quela [beta]-1,4-endoglucanase n'influencait pas la mycorhization par T. matsutake. QuantauxsemisinoculesparAr5002etAr5012,leursreseauxdeHartig ressemblaient a ceux des semis inocules par NBRC 33136. Les donnees suggerent que T. matsutake depourvu d'activite [beta]-1,4-endoglucanase exerce des effets benefiques sur la croissance de P. densiflora.D'autres etudes sont necessaires pour determiner si la relation symbiotique pourrait etre renforcee par un tel type de mutation chez le champignon. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: selection, cellulase, mutagenese par faisceaux d'ions lourds, heterocaryon, symbiose., Introduction Ectomycorrhizae are a form of symbiotic relationships between fungi and certain tree species, such as those belonging to Caesalpinioideae, Dipterocarpaceae, Fagaceae, Myrtaceae, Pinaceae, and Salicaceae, and some fungal taxa, [...]

Objectives To evaluate the long-term impact of immunosuppressive therapeutic agents on antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccination in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD) in order to propose a strategy for annual vaccination. Methods This prospective multicentre cohort study evaluated the humoral response to second and third BNT162b2 and/or mRNA-1273 vaccines in 382 Japanese AIRD patients classified into 12 different medication groups and in 326 healthy controls (HCs). The third vaccination was administered six months after the second vaccination. Antibody titres were measured using the Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S assay. Results The seroconversion rate and antibody titres were lower in AIRD patients than in HCs 3–6 weeks after the second vaccination and 3–6 weeks after the third vaccination. Seroconversion rates were <90% after the third vaccination in patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab. Antibody levels after the third vaccination were significantly lower in the groups prescribed TNF inhibitor with or without methotrexate, abatacept and rituximab or cyclophosphamide than those of HCs in a multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, and glucocorticoid dosage. The third vaccination induced an adequate humoral response in patients treated with sulfasalazine, bucillamine, methotrexate monotherapy, iguratimod, interleukin-6 inhibitors or calcineurin inhibitors including tacrolimus. Conclusions Repeated vaccinations in many immunosuppressed patients produced antibody responses similar to those observed in HCs. In contrast, annual vaccination in patients receiving TNF inhibitors, abatacept, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab may require caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricholoma matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal agaricomycete that produces matsutake mushrooms in association with conifers. Here, we isolated a pleiotropic mutant, designated as G1, following 7-ray irradiation of T. matsutake NBRC 33136. In addition to exhibiting increased cellulose- and amylose-degrading activities and altered mycelial morphology, G1 degenerated lateral roots and caused stunting or fatal wilting of seedlings of its symbiotic partner, Pinus densiflora, in vitro. A mutant, designated Ar 59, previously isolated after argon-ion beam irradiation, exhibited the same phenotypes as G1, but without its detrimental effects. Ar 59, like NBRC 33136, developed a Hartig net around healthy cortical cells that was composed of uniseriate hyphae. In G1-inoculated seedlings, the Hartig net was composed of heavily bundled hyphae penetrating the intercellular space, and it was accompanied by somewhat unusual forms of plant cortical cells. Sequences of rRNA gene-related markers, including four single nucleotide polymorphisms present within each strain, were 100% identical among NBRC 33136, G1, and Ar 59, indicating that they are mutants of the wild-type. Thus, 7-ray irradiation can convert the fungus from a beneficial to a harmful agent. These findings suggest the presence of an unknown mechanism in the fungal genome that can transform mutualism into parasitism. Key words: degrading enzymes, 7-ray irradiation mutagenesis, heavy-ion beam, phenotypic transformation, plant-microbe interactions. Tricholoma matsutake est un agaromycète ectomycorhize qui produit les champignons matsutake en association avec les conifères. Les auteurs ont isolé ici un mutant pléiotropique qu'ils ont désigné G1, à la suite d'une irradiation [gamma] de T. matsutake NBRC 33136. En plus de présenter une activité accrue de dégradation de la cellulose et de l'amylose et une morphologie mycéliale modifiée, G1 provoquait la dégénérescence des racines latérales et un retard de croissance ou une flétrissure fatale des jeunes plants de son partenaire symbiotique, Pinus densiflora, in vitro. Un mutant désigné Ar 59, isolé précédemment après une irradiation à un faisceau d'argon ionisé, présentait le même phénotype que G1, mais sans les effets néfastes. Ar 59, comme NBRC 33136, développait un réseau de Hartig autour des cellules corticales saines, composé d'hyphes unisériées. Chez les plantules inoculées avec G1, le réseau de Hartig était composé d'hyphes en faisceau pénétrant l'espace intercellulaire et était accompagné par des cellules corticales végétales de formes quelque peu inhabituelles. Les séquences de marqueurs reliés aux gènes de l'ARNr, y compris quatre polymorphismes de nucléotides uniques présents dans chaque souche, étaient 100% identiques entre NBRC 33136, G1 et Ar 59, indiquant qu'ils constituent des mutants de la souche sauvage. Ainsi, l'irradiation gamme peut convertir le champignon d'une forme bénéfique en un agent pathogène. Ces données suggèrent la présence d'un mécanisme inconnu dans le génome fongique qui peut transformer le mutualisme en parasitisme. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : enzymes de dégradation, mutagenèse par irradiation gamma, faisceau d'ions lourds, transformation phénotypique, interactions plante-microbe., Introduction Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis occurs belowground between woody plants, belonging mostly to Caesalpinioideae, Dipterocarpaceae, Fagaceae, and Pinaceae, and filamentous fungi, belonging mostly to Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, greatly contributing to healthy forest [...]

Rhizopogon roseolus (Corda) Th. Fr. is a basidiomycete truffle that is considered edible. Its gleba changes color from white to beige to brown as it matures. Although ultrastructural changes in the spore wall have been linked to the maturation of the fruiting body, little is known regarding the relationship between spore germination success and the ultrastructure of the spore wall. We examined spore germination on agar plates and analyzed the spore wall ultrastructure using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fruiting bodies, collected from a pine forest, were classified into three developmental stages based on gleba color, and the germination success was evaluated at each stage. Variability in the spore germination rate was observed between individual fruiting bodies. The peak germination rate was recorded for the spores from the fruiting bodies in the beige glebal stage, and the rate was lower in the brown glebal stage. When spore wall structures were studied using TEM, the spore wall was found to be multilayered upon maturation of the fruiting body. The spores of the beige glebal stage showed three types of spore walls, namely two-layered, three-layered, and four-layered spore walls. On the other hand, the spores of the brown glebal stage showed predominantly four-layered spore walls. These results indicate that spore germination of R. roseolus decreases as the fruiting body matures and the spore wall becomes more complex. Keywords: ectomycorrhizal fungus, spore germination, spore wall, Rhizopogon roseolus. La truffe Rhizopogon roseolus (Corda) Th. Fr. est un basidiomycete comestible. Sa glebe change de couleur, allant du blanc au beige et au brun, a mesure de sa maturation. Meme si des changements ultrastructuraux de la paroi des spores ont ete lies a la maturation du corps fructifere, on sait peu de chose de la relation entre la capacite de germination des spores et l'ultrastructure de la paroi des spores. Les auteurs ont examine la germination des spores sur plaques d'agar et analyse l'ultrastructure de la paroi des spores a microscopie electronique a transmission (MET). Les corps fructiferes, recoltes dans une pinede, ont ete classifies en trois stades developpementaux selon la couleur de la glebe, et la capacite de germination a ete evaluee a chaque stade. Une variabilite du taux de germination des spores a ete observee entre les corps fructiferes individuels. Le taux de germination le plus eleve a ete observe chez les spores des corps fructiferes des glebes au stade beige, et le taux le plus faible, chez les glebes du stade brun. L'etude de la structure de la paroi des spores par MET a revele que cette paroi comportait plusieurs couches selon la maturation du corps fructifere. Les spores des glebes du stade beige presentaient trois types de paroi, soit a deux couches, trois couches ou quatre couches. En revanche, les spores des glebes du stade brun presentaient de maniere predominante des spores dont les parois comportaient quatre couches. Ces resultats indiquent que la germination des spores de R. roseolus diminue en fonction de la maturation du corps fructifere et de l'augmentation de la complexite de la paroi des spores. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : champignon ectomycorhize, germination des spores, paroi des spores, Rhizopogon roseolus., Introduction The hypogeous basidiomycete Rhizopogon roseolus (Corda) Th. Fr. (= R. rubescens Tul. & C. Tul.) is an edible mushroom known as 'shoro' in Japanese. It is an important ectomycorrhizal [...]

Component analysis of a novel white‐colored truffle native to Japan, Tuber japonicum, was performed to determine its characteristic features. The analysis of odor‐active volatile compound showed a high contribution of 1‐octen‐3‐ol and 3‐methyl‐2,4‐dithiapentane to the odor of T. japonicum. Although 2,4‐dithiapentane is a key odorant of well‐known white truffle T. magnatum, 3‐methyl‐2,4‐dithiapentane was detected from the ripe T. japonicum. The chemical components of T. japonicum showed no clear difference with those of edible truffles T. magnatum and T. melanosporum. It was rich in crude protein, crude fiber, and minerals (especially potassium), and low in crude fat. Glutamine and glutamic acid were detected in T. japonicum as free amino acids, while T. magnatum contained a large amount of alanine. Acute oral toxicity tests showed no abnormality, with an LD50 value of over 2000 mg/kg under the test conditions. The present study may support future market distribution of T. japonicum as a high‐class foodstuff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]