Mitochondrial Effects on the Physiological Characteristics ofLentinula edodes

In the mating of filamentous basidiomycetes, dikaryotic mycelia are generated through the reciprocal movement of nuclei to a monokaryotic cytoplasm where a nucleus of compatible mating type resides, resulting in the establishment of two different dikaryotic strains having the same nuclei but different mitochondria. To better understand the role of mitochondria in mushrooms, we created four sets of dikaryotic strains of Lentinula edodes, including B2 × E13 (B2 side) and B2 × E13 (E13 side), B5 × E13 (B5 side) and B5 × E13 (E13 side), E8 × H3 (E8 side) and E8 × H3 (H3 side), and K3 × H3 (K3 side) and K3 × H3 (H3 side). The karyotypes and mitochondrial types of the dikaryotic strains were successfully identified by the A mating type markers and the mitochondrial variable length tandem repeat markers, respectively. Comparative analyses of the dikaryotic strains on the mycelial growth, substrate browning, fruiting characteristics, and mitochondrial gene expression revealed that certain mitochondria are more effective in the mycelial growth and the production of fruiting body, possibly through the activated energy metabolism. Our findings indicate that mitochondria affect the physiology of dikaryotic strains having the same nuclear information and therefore a selection strategy aimed at mitochondrial function is needed in the development of new mushroom strain.

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Automatic Segmentation of Substantia Nigra on Nigrosome and Neuromelanin Sensitive MR Images

Recently, neuromelanin and nigrosome imaging techniques have been developed to evaluate the substantia nigra in Parkinson’s disease. Previous studies have shown potential benefits of quantitative analysis of neuromelanin and nigrosome images in the substantia nigra, although visual assessments have been performed to evaluate structures in most studies. In this study, we investigate the potential of using deep learning based automatic region segmentation techniques for quantitative analysis of the substantia nigra. The deep convolutional neural network was trained to automatically segment substantia nigra regions on 3D nigrosome and neuromelanin sensitive MR images obtained from 30 subjects. With a 5-fold cross-validation, the mean calculated dice similarity coefficient between manual and deep learning was 0.70 ± 0.11. Although calculated dice similarity coefficients were relatively low due to empirically drawn margins, selected slices were overlapped for more than two slices of all subjects. Our results demonstrate that deep convolutional neural network-based method could provide reliable localization of substantia nigra regions on neuromelanin and nigrosome sensitive MR images.

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Automatic Segmentation of Substantia Nigra on Nigrosome and Neuromelanin Sensitive MR Images

Recently, neuromelanin and nigrosome imaging techniques have been developed to evaluate the substantia nigra in Parkinson’s disease. Previous studies have shown potential benefits of quantitative analysis of neuromelanin and nigrosome images in the substantia nigra, although visual assessments have been performed to evaluate structures in most studies. In this study, we investigate the potential of using deep learning based automatic region segmentation techniques for quantitative analysis of the substantia nigra. The deep convolutional neural network was trained to automatically segment substantia nigra regions on 3D nigrosome and neuromelanin sensitive MR images obtained from 30 subjects. With a 5-fold cross-validation, the mean calculated dice similarity coefficient between manual and deep learning was 0.70 ± 0.11. Although calculated dice similarity coefficients were relatively low due to empirically drawn margins, selected slices were overlapped for more than two slices of all subjects. Our results demonstrate that deep convolutional neural network-based method could provide reliable localization of substantia nigra regions on neuromelanin and nigrosome sensitive MR images.

Discovery and Functional Study of a Novel Genomic Locus Homologous to Bα-Mating-Type Sublocus of Lentinula edodes

The interaction of mating pheromone and pheromone receptor from the B mating-type locus is the first step in the activation of the mushroom mating signal transduction pathway.The B mating-type locus of Lentinula edodes is composed of Bα and Bβ subloci, each of which contains genes for mating pheromone and pheromone receptor. Allelic variations in both subloci generate multiple B mating-types through which L. edodes maintains genetic diversity. In addition to the B mating-type locus, our genomic sequence analysis revealed the presence of a novel chromosomal locus 43.3 kb away from the B mating-type locus, containing genes for a pair of mating pheromones (LPHBN1 and PHBN2) and a pheromone receptor (RCBN). The new locus (Bα-N) was homologous to the Bα sublocus, but unlike the multiallelic Bα sublocus, it was highly conserved across the wild and cultivated strains. The interactions of RcbN with various mating pheromones from the B and Bα-N mating-type loci were investigated using yeast model that replaced endogenous yeast mating pheromone receptor STE2 with RCBN. The yeast mating signal transduction pathway was only activated in the presence of PHBN1 or PHBN2 in the RcbN producing yeast, indicating that RcbN interacts with self-pheromones (PHBN1 and PHBN2), not with pheromones from the B matingtype locus. The biological function of the Bα-N locus was suggested to control the expression of A mating-type genes, as evidenced by the increased expression of two A-genes HD1 and HD2 upon the treatment of synthetic PHBN1 and PHBN2 peptides to the monokaryotic strain of L. edodes.

Paracrine influence of human perivascular cells on the proliferation of adenocarcinoma alveolar epithelial cells

Understanding the crosstalk mechanisms between perivascular cells (PVCs) and cancer cells might be beneficial in preventing cancer development and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the paracrine influence of PVCs derived from human umbilical cords on the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (A549) and erythroleukemia cells (TF-1α and K562) in vitro using Transwell® co-culture systems. PVCs promoted the proliferation of A549 cells without inducing morphological changes, but had no effect on the proliferation of TF-1α and K562 cells. To identify the factors secreted from PVCs, conditioned media harvested from PVC cultures were analyzed by antibody arrays. We identified a set of cytokines, including persephin (PSPN), a neurotrophic factor, and a key regulator of oral squamous cell carcinoma progression. Supplementation with PSPN significantly increased the proliferation of A549 cells. These results suggested that PVCs produced a differential effect on the proliferation of cancer cells in a cell-type dependent manner. Further, secretome analyses of PVCs and the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms could facilitate the discovery of therapeutic target(s) for lung cancer.

Effects of exercise for older married couples on exercise adherence and physical fitness / 体力科学

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an exercise intervention for older married couples on exercise adherence and physical fitness. Thirty-six older married couples and 61 older adults participated in the study as couple and non-couple groups (CG, NCG, respectively). Participants attended an exercise class once a week and performed a home-based exercise program consisting of walking and strength exercise over eight weeks. Exercise adherence was assessed by the rate of non-absentee, walking habits (≥ 2 times/week), and strength exercise habits (≥ 6 items*2 sets/week). Physical fitness was assessed by the Senior Fitness Tests. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to obtain the CG’s odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for non-absentee, walking habits, and strength exercise habits (reference: NCG). Analyses of covariance were used to examine the statistical difference in the degree of change (⊿) for physical fitness between CG and NCG. CG had significantly higher ORs for non-absentee and walking habits compared with NCG but there was no significant difference in the rate of strength exercise habits between the two groups. In regards to ⊿ for physical fitness, significantly higher ⊿ for upper extremity strength was observed in CG than in NCG, while there were no significant differences in ⊿ for other physical fitness items between the two groups. These results suggest that an exercise intervention for older married couples would be more useful to maintain higher participation in exercise program and walking and improving upper extremity strength.