Search

Wolbachia are common heritable endosymbionts that influence many aspects of ecology and evolution in various insects, yet Wolbachia‐mediated intracellular metabolic responses to temperature stress have been largely overlooked. Here, we introduced the Wolbachia strain wLhui from the invasive Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) into a Drosophila Schneider 2 cell line (S2) and investigated the metabolite profile of wLhui‐infected (S2_wLhui) and uninfected cell lines (S2_wu) under short‐term exposure to either high (37°C), moderate (27°C), or low (7 and 17°C) temperatures. We find that Wolbachia infection, temperature stress, and their interactions significantly affect cellular metabolic profiles. Most significantly, when comparing the changes in metabolites between S2_wLhui and S2_wu, glycerophospholipids, amino acids, and fatty acids associated with metabolic pathways, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and other pathways were significantly accumulated at either low or high temperatures. Our findings suggest Wolbachia‐induced cellular physiological responses to short‐term temperature stress, which may in turn affect the fitness and adaptive ability of its host as an invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Zishui‐Qinggan decoction (ZQD) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula (TCMF) for alleviating menopausal symptoms (MPS) induced by endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients. In the production of TCMF modern preparations, ethanol precipitation (EP) is a commonly but not fully verified refining process. Objectives: Chemical profiling/serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology approaches were integrated for exploring the rationality of the EP process in the production of ZQD modern preparations. Material and methods: Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS) was applied to identify the chemical profiles and absorbed components of ZQD. Network pharmacology was used to identify targets and pathways related to MPS‐relieving efficacy. Results: The chemicals of ZQDs without/with EP process (referred to as ZQD‐W and ZQD‐W‐P, respectively) were qualitatively similar with 89 and 87 components identified, respectively, but their relative contents were different; 51 components were detectable in the serum of rats orally administered with ZQD‐W, whereas only 19 were detected in that administered with ZQD‐W‐P. Key targets, such as AKT1, and pathways, such as the PI3K‐Akt signalling pathway, affected by ZQD‐W and ZQD‐W‐P were similar, while the neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction pathway among others and the MAPK signalling pathway among others were specific pathways affected by ZQD‐W and ZQD‐W‐P, respectively. The specifically absorbed components of ZQD‐W could combine its specific key targets. Conclusion: The EP process quantitatively altered the chemical profiles of ZQD, subsequently affected the absorbed components of ZQD, and then affected the key targets and pathways of ZQD for relieving MPS. The EP process might result in variation of the MPS‐relieving efficacy of ZQD, which deserves further in vivo verification. The ethanol precipitation process quantitatively altered the chemical profiles of ZQD, subsequently affected the absorbed components of ZQD, and then affected the key targets and pathways of ZQD for relieving MPS. The ethanol precipitation process might result in variation of MPS‐relieving efficacy of ZQD, which deserves further in vivo verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Ureas are widely used in drugs, materials and catalysts because of their diamide structure, which can form strong hydrogen bonds. Therefore, it is of great scientific significance to develop efficient and green methods for the synthesis of urea compounds, especially unsymmetrical ureas. Here, we have disclosed novel and highly efficient three‐component coupling reactions of organic halides, sodium cyanate and amines enabled by nickel/photoredox dual catalysis for the preparation of unsymmetrical ureas. The reaction features simple and safe operations, broad substrate scopes, and product diversities. It allows the facile synthesis of N‐aryl/vinyl ureas from readily available, user‐friendly feedstocks under mild conditions (27 examples, 36%—98% yields). In addition, this method is further derived to alcohols as nucleophiles to synthesize a series of carbamates (15 examples, 40%—95% yields). The mechanism experiment shows that the isocyanate produced by the coupling of halide and sodium cyanate may be the key intermediate in this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine Rhododendron species are prominent constituents and renowned ornamental plants in alpine ecosystems. Consequently, evaluating the genetic variation in embolism resistance within the genus Rhododendron and predicting their adaptability to future climate change is important. Nevertheless, the assessment of embolism resistance in Rhododendron species remains limited. This investigation aimed to examine leaf vulnerability to embolism across ten alpine Rhododendron species, which are frequently employed as ornamental species in Rhododendron forests in Southwest China. The study analyzed the correlation between embolism resistance and various morphological traits, while also conducting water control experiments to evaluate the relationship between embolism resistance and drought resistance. The outcomes indicated pronounced variations in leaf vulnerability to embolism among species, as reflected by the water potential at 50% of embolized pixels (P50). Furthermore, the leaf P50 exhibited a significant positive correlation with vessel diameter (D) (R2 = 0.44, P = 0.03) and vessel wall span (b) (R2 = 0.64, P = 0.005), while displaying a significant negative correlation with vessel reinforcement ((t/b)2) (R2 = 0.67, P = 0.004). These findings underscore the reliability of selecting species based on embolism vulnerability to preserve the diversity of alpine ecosystems and foster resilience to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is an extensive body of research on the influence of climate warming on total soil microbial communities, our understanding of how rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soil microorganisms respond to warming remains limited. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the impact of 4 years of soil warming on the diversity and composition of microbial communities in the rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soil of a temperate steppe, focusing on changes in root exudation rates and exudate compositions. We used open top chambers to simulate warming conditions, resulting in an average soil temperature increase of 1.1°C over a span of 4 years. Our results showed that, in the non‐rhizosphere soil, warming had no significant impact on dissolved organic carbon concentrations, compositions, or the abundance of soil microbial functional genes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling. Moreover, soil microbial diversity and community composition remained largely unaffected, although warming resulted in increased complexity of soil bacteria and fungi in the non‐rhizosphere soil. In contrast, warming resulted in a substantial decrease in root exudate carbon (by 19%) and nitrogen (by 12%) concentrations and induced changes in root exudate compositions, primarily characterized by a reduction in the abundance in alcohols, coenzymes and vitamins, and phenylpropanoids and polyketides. These changes in root exudation rates and exudate compositions resulted in significant shifts in rhizosphere soil microbial diversity and community composition, ultimately leading to a reduction in the complexity of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community networks. Altered root exudation and rhizosphere microbial community composition therefore decreased the expression of functional genes related to soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Interestingly, we found that changes in soil carbon‐related genes were primarily driven by the fungal communities and their responses to warming, both in the rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soil. The study of soil microbial structure and function in rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soil provides an ideal setting for understanding mechanisms for governing rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soil carbon and nitrogen cycles. Our results highlight the distinctly varied responses of soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soil to climate warming. This suggests the need for models to address these processes individually, enabling more accurate predictions of the impacts of climate change on terrestrial carbon cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nectar robbing can affect plant reproductive success directly by influencing female and male fitness, and indirectly by affecting pollinator behavior. Flowers have morphological and chemical features that may protect them from nectar robbers. Previous studies on nectar robbing have focused mainly on homotypic plants. It remains unclear how nectar robbing affects the reproductive success of distylous plants, and whether defense strategies of two morphs are different. Nectar‐robbing rates on the long‐ and short‐styled morph (L‐morph, S‐morph) of the distylous Tirpitzia sinensis were investigated. We compared floral traits, the temporal pattern of change in nectar volume and sugar concentration, nectar secondary metabolites, and sugar composition between robbed and unrobbed flowers of two morphs. We tested direct effects of nectar robbing on female and male components of plant fitness and indirect effects of nectar robbing via pollinators. Nectar‐robbing rates did not differ between the two morphs. Flowers with smaller sepals and petals were more easily robbed. The floral tube diameter and thickness were greater in L‐morphs than in S‐morphs, and the nectar rob holes were significantly smaller in L‐morphs than in S‐morphs. Nectar robbing significantly decreased nectar replenishment rate but did not affect nectar sugar concentration or sugar composition. After robbery, the quantities and diversity of secondary compounds in the nectar of S‐morphs increased significantly and total relative contents of secondary compounds in L‐morphs showed no obvious changes. Nectar robbing could decrease female fitness by decreasing pollen germination rate and thus decreasing seed set. Nectar robbing had no significant effects on male fitness. Robbed flowers were less likely to be visited by hawkmoth pollinators, especially in S‐morphs. These results suggest that nectar robbing could directly and indirectly decrease the female fitness of T. sinensis, and different morphs have evolved different defense mechanisms in response to nectar‐robbing pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is hypothesized that in heterostylous plant species, standardization of signals of floral attraction between different morphs is advantageous, encouraging flower visitors to switch between morphs. It remains unclear whether signals of floral attraction (floral odor and properties of nectar) are similar between morphs in distylous species pollinated by hawkmoths, and how these relate to hawkmoth behavior. We observed the behavior of visitors to distylous Luculia pinceana (Rubiaceae), collected and analyzed floral odor, and examined properties of nectar (volume, sugar concentration, and composition) of long‐styled and short‐styled morphs during the day and night. Pollinator responses to the floral scent were tested with a Y‐tube olfactometer. We conducted diurnal and nocturnal pollination treatments and six other pollination treatments to test the importance of nocturnal pollinators and to examine the self‐incompatibility system. A species of hawkmoth, Cechenena lineosa, was the effective pollinator. The floral odor was rich in methyl benzoate, and sucrose was dominant in the nectar. There were no significant differences between the two morphs in the methyl benzoate content or the properties of nectar. Flowers released more methyl benzoate and secreted larger volumes of nectar with lower sugar concentration at night than during the day. The hawkmoth had a significant preference for methyl benzoate. Luculia pinceana was partially self‐incompatible and relied on nocturnal pollinators for reproductive success. This study verifies that floral attraction signals are consistent between different morphs in this distylous species, promoting compatible pollination, and the features and the diel pattern of these signals between day and night are adapted to hawkmoth behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja is a special plant species grown at high elevation in southwestern China. The bark, leaves, and roots are used for many purposes including reduction of fever and enhancement of blood insulin level. However, its growth is usually limited by the fragile environment and climate variability. Previous studies attributed the environment‐relevant yield reductions to stress induced gene expression changes. The accuracy and reliability of reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR), a commonly accepted gene expression method, depends on the choice of appropriate reference genes, which are used for gene expression normalization. However, there are no reports at present about reference genes of C. paliurus under environmental stresses. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify reference genes for C. paliurus under environmental stresses. In this work, we selected seven common reference genes as our candidates: ACT2, ACTF, GAPDH, TUA, TUB, UBQ4, and 18SrRNA. The stability of these seven reference genes in C. paliurus was quantified by RT‐qPCR and evaluated by geNorm and NormFinder algorithms. The results suggest that although there were variations of the stability of the internal reference genes, two of them were usually good enough for the normalization purpose for low temperature (4 °C), high salinity (NaCl), and drought stress (polyethylene glycol [PEG] treatment). However, these genes should not be used for high‐temperature (42 °C) stress. This study provides insight for reference gene selection under experimental stresses in C. paliurus. It also sets the foundation of wide and accurate use of RT‐qPCR under environmental stresses. Core Ideas: The optimal number of reference genes under different abiotic stresses in Cyclocarya was determined.The average expression stability values (M) of internal reference gene were determined.GAPDH was identified as the best reference gene in the current research.TUB is the most unstable gene via agrose gel electrophoresis and RT‐qPCR.This study summarizes the optimal reference genes in crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental stresses may trigger the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thus leading to ER stress in plants. Endoplasmic reticulum stress, harmful to plant growth, can be alleviated by upregulating unfolded protein response (UPR) initiated by transcription factors. NAC062 and NAC103, as reported in previous studies, both play significant roles in upregulating UPR genes to promote cell survival under ER stress in Arabidopsis. It is still unclear, however, which one of them acts as an upstream regulator in the ER stress pathway. Results of the current study demonstrated that NAC062 acts as an upstream regulator to directly regulate the expression of NAC103 to mediate ER stress in mouse‐ear cress [Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh]. The expression of NAC103 is upregulated by the overexpression of NAC062D (the nuclear localization form of NAC062). Through subsequent dual‐luciferase reporter assay and yeast one‐hybrid (YIH) assay, NAC062D was found directly bound to the NAC103 promoter. The results of real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) showed that NAC062 and NAC103 are both upregulated in biotic stress (jasmonic acid [JA] treatment) and abiotic stress (such as salt stress, oxidation stress, and cold stress) pathways. Studying the relationship between NAC062 and NAC103 is beneficial to understand their function in biotic and abiotic stress pathways, so as to enhance plants tolerance under environmental stresses. Core Ideas: NAC062 acts as an upstream regulator of NAC103 under endoplasmic reticulum stress.The overexpression of NAC062D upregulated the expression of NAC103 in plants.NAC062D can directly bound to the NAC103 promoter.NAC062 and NAC103 are both upregulated in biotic stress and abiotic stress pathways in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant rhizosphere bacterial community influences plant stress resistance. Stripe rust causes severe damage to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. To reveal the composition and function of root bacterial communities in wheat cultivars with different stripe rust resistance, rhizosphere soil samples were collected from four wheat cultivars. High‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to study the rhizobacterial community structure and function in stripe rust‐resistant (Guinong 19 and Huamai 1223) and ‐susceptible (Mingxian 169 and Taichung 29) wheat cultivars. A total of 6,392 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected, belonging to 29 bacterial phyla. Analysis showed the susceptible and resistant wheat cultivars had different microbial communities. Principal coordinate analysis showed that all wheat rhizosphere bacterial samples could be divided into two groups, according to different disease resistance. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showed that different bacterial taxa were enriched in the rhizosphere soil between resistant and susceptible wheat cultivars. Functional analysis showed that the bacterial community in stripe rust‐resistant wheat had greater amino acid transport and metabolic functions. Our research not only provides basic knowledge of the composition of wheat‐related microbiota but also reveals the microbial taxa that could be integrated into the management strategy of wheat stripe rust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root microbiota affect the host plant's adaptation to adverse environments. The structure and function of plant root bacterial communities are affected by soil physicochemical properties and plant genotypes. Distant hybridization is a common breeding strategy to introgress the excellent genes of wild relatives into the crop genome. The effect of distant hybridization on the crop root microbiota has not been reported. In this study, the structure and function of root bacterial community of the somatic hybrid wheat introgression lines SR3 and SR4, which have been respectively reported to be tolerant to salt and saline‐alkali stress, and their parent wheat cultivar JN177 as well as common wheat cultivar Chinese Spring (CS) were analyzed using 16S rRNA high‐throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that distant hybridization altered the structure and function of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) root bacterial community. Compared with the parent JN177, some bacterial genera related to plant growth and stress resistance showed higher abundance in SR3 and SR4. Intriguingly, compared with parent JN177, the root bacterial communities of SR3 and SR4 are more similar to that of CS. This indicated that the process of distant hybridization may alter key genes regulating wheat root microbiota. Core Ideas: Distant somatic hybridization altered the structure of wheat root bacterial community.Bacterial genera related to stress resistance showed higher abundance in wheat introgression lines.The process of distant somatic hybridization may alter key genes regulating wheat root microbiota.Distant somatic hybridization alters the structure of wheat root bacterial microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: La proteins are found widely in eukaryotes and play a variety of vital roles. AtLa1 has been identified as an La protein that is necessary for embryogenesis in Arabidopsis; however, the existence and biological functions of La proteins in rice (Oryza sativa L.) remain unclear. In this study, we identified and characterized two La proteins in rice that are homologous to AtLa1 and named them OsLa1 and OsLa2. Both the OsLa1 and OsLa2 genes encode RNA‐binding proteins with an La domain and two RNA‐binding domains. Mutant OsLa1 reduced grain length and pollen fertility, whereas OsLa1 overexpression caused the opposite phenotypes. Further experiments indicated that OsLa1 modulates grain size by influencing cell expansion. Interestingly, mutant OsLa2 resulted in thin grains with decreased weight and a low seed‐setting rate. We also found that OsLa1 interacted with OsLa2 and that both OsLa1 and OsLa2 interacted with OseIF6.1, a eukaryotic translation initiation factor involved in ribosome biogenesis. In addition, OsLa1 was able to bind to OseIF6.1 mRNA to modulate its expression. Complete OseIF6.1 knockout caused lethality and OseIF6.1/oseif6.1 heterozygous plants displayed low fertility and low seed setting. Together, our results enrich our knowledge of the role of La proteins in rice growth and development, as well as the relationship between La and eIF6 in rice. Significance Statement: The function of La proteins has not been identified in rice. Here, we show that both OsLa1 and OsLa2 encode an RNA‐binding protein orthologous to Arabidopsis La1, and play important roles in grain size and anther development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Understanding the joint effects of plant development and environment on shifts of intraspecific leaf traits will advance the understandings of the causes of intraspecific trait variation. We address this question by focusing on a widespread species Clausena dunniana in a subtropical broad‐leaved forest. Methods: We sampled 262 individuals of C. dunniana at two major topographic habitat types, the slope and hilltop, within the karst forests in Maolan Nature Reserve in southwestern China. We measured individual plant level leaf traits (i.e., specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area, leaf dry‐matter content (LDMC), and leaf thickness) that are associated with plant resource‐use strategies. We adopted a linear mixed‐effects model in which the plant size (i.e., the first principal component of plant basal diameter and plant height) and environmental factors (i.e., topographic habitat, canopy height, and rock‐bareness) were used as independent variables, to estimate their influences on the shifts of leaf traits. Key Results: We found that (1) plant size and the environmental factors independently drove the intraspecific leaf trait shifts of C. dunniana, of which plant size explained less variances than environmental factors. (2) With increasing plant size, C. dunniana individuals had increasingly smaller SLA but larger sized leaves. (3) The most influential environmental factor was topographic habitat; it drove the shifts of all the four traits examined. Clausena dunniana individuals on hilltops had leaf traits representing more conservative resource‐use strategies (e.g., smaller SLA, higher LDMC) than individuals on slopes. On top of that, local‐scale environmental factors further modified leaf trait shifts. Conclusions: Plant size and environment independently shaped the variations in intraspecific leaf traits of C. dunniana in the subtropical karst forest of Maolan. Compared with plant size, the environment played a more critical role in shaping intraspecific leaf trait variations, and potentially also the underlying individual‐level plant resource‐use strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a rapid lateral flow assay (LFA) that uses immunomagnetic nanoparticles (IMNPs) to detect mango major allergen (Man i1) in food products. Monoclonal antibodies (2F1 and 21A5) were prepared; mAb-2F1 was modified on the surface of IMNPs and mAb-21A5 was immobilized on the test line of the LFA strips. Following optimization, the limit of detection (LOD) of this developed LFA was 6.2 ng/mL for rMan i1 with a linear range of 5-100 ng/mL. The assay also had high specificity in the analysis of nine vegetables and fruits. Furthermore, 22 food products were analyzed by this assay and mango allergens were detected in 13 food products that contained mango. In conclusion, a rapid LFA that uses IMNPs was developed herein for the detection of the major mango allergen Man i1 in processed foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of biliary events (BE) following percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) in acute cholecystitis (AC) patients is high. Therefore, definitive laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is recommended. We aimed to investigate the optimal timing of LC following PC with regard to the clinical course and pathological findings. Methods: All 744 AC patients with PC were included. The incidence and median number of BE were investigated with the concept of competing risks. The 344 patients with interval LC were divided into two groups based on the pathological findings of resected gallbladders: the acute/acute‐and‐chronic group (AANC group) (n = 221) and the chronic group (n = 123). A comparative analysis of the demographic data and perioperative outcomes was performed. Results: Among the 744 AC patients with PC, 142 patients experienced recurrent BE. The cumulative incidence of BE was 26.6%, and the median time to recurrence was 67.5 days. The PC‐to‐LC days of the chronic group were longer than those of the AANC group (73.51 vs 63.00, P <.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that the operation time was longer in the AANC group than in the chronic group (P =.040). Conclusion: In terms of the clinical course and sequential pathological changes in the gallbladder, a 9‐ to 10‐week interval after PC is the optimal timing for LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with associated procedures and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) have been the standard treatments for both common and rare biliary diseases. Mirizzi syndrome (MS) is a rare and complex biliary condition. We report our experience with MS treatment and investigate the value of laparoscopic procedures and ERCP in patient management. Methods: From 2004 to 2017, 100 consecutive patients with MS were diagnosed by ERCP and underwent surgery in a referral center. Sixty patients were treated with intended LC, and 40 patients were treated with open cholecystectomy (OC). The clinical manifestations, ERCP and associated procedures, surgical procedures, and postoperative outcomes were investigated. Results: The surgical mortality rate was 1%, while the surgical morbidity rate was 15%. The patients treated with intended LC suffered from less morbidity (5%). The percentage of postoperative residual biliary stones was 32% (n = 32), and only three patients underwent re‐operation (laparotomy) for stone removal. The laparotomy conversion rate in the intended LC group was 16.7% (10/60). The length of hospitalization for the patients with successful LC was significantly shorter than that for the patients with conversion and intended OC. Csendes classification was a risk factor for conversion from LC to OC (type I vs types II to V, P <.0001). Conclusions: A combination of a laparoscopic procedure and ERCP may provide therapeutic benefits for patients with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Fatigue damages of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates are not obvious. Obtaining the evolution of the internal fatigue damage in CFRP laminates before visible cracks occur is of vital importance for ensuring structural reliability. Micro X‐ray computed tomography (Micro‐CT) can provide micron scale nondestructive imaging of internal structure of materials. In this paper, a preliminary study was conducted on the early fatigue damage evolution of 0° UD laminates. Axial tension‐tension fatigue tests of [0]16 CFRP laminates were carried out, and the evolutionary behavior of damages was confirmed by fatigue dissipated energy. Then, the internal damages of fatigued specimens were observed and reconstructed using Micro‐CT, and statistical parameters such as damage sphericity, length and angle were calculated. The spatial distribution characteristics of cracks were further acquired by surface porosity and frequency distribution of damage positions in ROI. Early damages from tensile‐tensile fatigue in 0° UD laminates extend along the fiber direction with original defects in the interlayer resin enrichment areas as the nucleus, and tend to concentrate near the width edge of the specimens. Finally, a “sandwich” structural model was developed to analyze the internal stresses of laminates under the influence of interlayer resin enrichment. The FEA results revealed that the internal stresses σy and σz concentrate near the width edges of the specimen, resulting in cracks tend to evolve more in the regions close to edges. Imaging matrix cracks of specimens by Micro‐CT at 12.91 μm voxel size. Demonstrating evolution patterns of cracks with its morphology statistics. Revealing crack distributions in ROIs with variations of surface porosity. Analyzing internal stress distribution by “sandwich” model created from reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light‐harvesting and conversion ability is important to promote plant growth, and especially when resources are limited. A near‐infrared (NIR) nanophosphor embedded with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN), ZnGa2O4:Cr3+,Sn4+ (ZGOCS), was developed and its optical properties were harnessed to enhance the photosynthetic ability of Brassica rapa spp. chinensis. The broad excitation of ZGOCS from the ultraviolet to the visible region allowed the conversion of extra light into near‐infrared light (650–800 nm) and thus promoted the dual photosystem via the Emerson effect. ZGOCS@MSN was spherical with a size of 65±10 nm and good dispersion. A light conversion ability of up to 75 % under different wavelengths was achieved. Moreover, the electron transfer rate of photosynthesis increased by 100 % with a suitable ZGOCS@MSN concentration. Plant and animal models were used to explore the effects of the nanophosphor. ZGOCS@MSN distribution was tracked by monitoring its NIR emission in plant and animal tissues, demonstrating that this nanophosphor can be potentially utilized in plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) followed by definitive cholecystectomy is an alternative treatment for acute cholecystitis (AC). We retrospectively investigated the impact of PC tube removal before definitive cholecystectomy on surgical outcomes. Methods: From 2012 to 2017, 942 AC patients underwent PC at a single institute. Eligible patients were selected according to inclusion criteria. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory parameters, and treatment outcomes were extracted from medical records. Categorization of patients and subsequent subgroup analysis were based on cholangiography. Results: The rate of emergent cholecystectomy in the PC tube removal group was higher than that in the PC tube preserved group (OR = 2.969, 95% CI 1.334–6.612, P = 0.008). In subgroup analysis of patients with patent bile flow under cholangiography, the rate of emergent cholecystectomy was higher in the PC tube removal group (OR = 3.173, 95% CI 1.182–8.523, P = 0.022), though the incidence of complications was higher in the PC tube preserved group (P = 0.012). In addition, routine preoperative cholangiography had no clinical impact on surgical outcome. Conclusion: Percutaneous cholecystostomy tube can be removed before subsequent LC to avoid postoperative complications, though removal of the PC tube is associated with an increased likelihood of emergent cholecystectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the electrical tree mechanisms during a growth period from tens of microns to hundreds of microns were investigated for cross-linked polyethylene under a stepped DC voltage. The results show that the electrical tree grows along the direction of the needle tip pointing to the ground, and the tree growth follows a typical single branch type. The growth of the electrical tree is mainly detected during the voltage rising process and is rarely observed during the voltage maintenance step. Moreover, the length increment of the tree decreases with the increase in the length of the initial tree. The simulation results for the charge transport in the needle–plane electrode suggest that these growth characteristics are associated with the energy released near the needle tip during the charge trapping and detrapping processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important human pathogen causing opportunistic nosocomial and community‐acquired infections. A major public health concern regarding K. pneumoniae is the increasing incidence of multidrug‐resistant strains. Here, we isolated three novel Klebsiella bacteriophages, KN1‐1, KN3‐1 and KN4‐1, which infect KN1, KN3 and K56, and KN4 types respectively. We determined their genome sequences and conducted a comparative analysis that revealed a variable region containing capsule depolymerase‐encoding genes. Recombinant depolymerase proteins were produced, and their enzymatic activity and specificity were evaluated. We identified four capsule depolymerases in these phages that could only digest the capsule types of their respective hosts. Our results demonstrate that the activities of these capsule depolymerases were correlated with the host range of each phage; thus, the capsule depolymerases are host specificity determinants. By generating a capsule mutant, we demonstrate that capsule was essential for phage adsorption and infection. Further, capsule depolymerases can enhance bacterial susceptibility to serum killing. The discovery of these phages and depolymerases lays the foundation for the typing of KN1, KN3, KN4 and K56 Klebsiella and could be useful alternative therapeutics for the treatment of K. pneumoniae infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Ureas are widely used in drugs, materials and catalysts because of their diamide structure, which can form strong hydrogen bonds. Therefore, it is of great scientific significance to develop efficient and green methods for the synthesis of urea compounds, especially unsymmetrical ureas. Here, we have disclosed novel and highly efficient three‐component coupling reactions of organic halides, sodium cyanate and amines enabled by nickel/photoredox dual catalysis for the preparation of unsymmetrical ureas. The reaction features simple and safe operations, broad substrate scopes, and product diversities. It allows the facile synthesis of N‐aryl/vinyl ureas from readily available, user‐friendly feedstocks under mild conditions (27 examples, 36%—98% yields). In addition, this method is further derived to alcohols as nucleophiles to synthesize a series of carbamates (15 examples, 40%—95% yields). The mechanism experiment shows that the isocyanate produced by the coupling of halide and sodium cyanate may be the key intermediate in this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A visible-light-driven radical-mediated strategy for the in situ generation of aza-ortho-quinone methides from 2-vinyl-substituted anilines and alkyl radical precursors is described. This process enables an efficient multicomponent reaction of 2-vinylanilines, halides, and sulfur ylides, and has a wide substrate scope and good functional group tolerance. Treatment of the cycloaddition products with a base leads to densely functionalized indoles in a single-flask operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Since the publication of the Tokyo Guidelines ( TG13) for the management of acute cholecystitis ( AC), multidirectional studies have been published. However, epidemiological research about AC with big data was not projected. The aim of this study was to reveal the actual clinical conditions of AC. Method The study was designed as an international multicenter retrospective study of AC in Japan and Taiwan from 2011 to 2013. The factors investigated comprised data related to demographic, history, physical examinations, laboratory and imaging findings. Based on these data, we investigated the various values of AC, and real situation with respect to severity and treatment. Results A total of 5,459 patients with AC were reviewed. Thirty-day mortality rate was 1.1%. Based on the diagnostic criteria, 4,088 patients had a definite diagnosis and 291 had a suspected diagnosis. According to the severity grading, 939 patients were classified as Grade III, 2,308 as Grade II, and 2,130 as Grade I. Cholecystectomy was performed in total of 4,266 patients and 2,765 patients had laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The main etiologies were gallbladder stones in 4,623 cases. Conclusion This epidemiological study with large population will undoubtedly contribute to establish the best practice for managing AC worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The international practice guidelines for patients with acute cholangitis and cholecystitis were released in 2007 (TG07) and revised in 2013 (TG13). This study investigated updated epidemiology and outcomes among patients with acute cholangitis on a larger scale for the first time. Methods This is an international multi-center retrospective observational study in Japan and Taiwan. All consecutive patients older than 18 years of age and given a clinical diagnosis of acute cholangitis by clinicians between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012 were enrolled. Those who met the diagnostic criteria of acute cholangitis by TG13 were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 7,294 patients were enrolled and 6,433 patients met the TG13 diagnostic criteria. The severity distribution was Grade I (37.5%), Grade II (36.2%), and Grade III (26.2%). The 30-day all-cause mortality was 2.4%, 4.7%, and 8.4% in Grade I, II, III severity, respectively ( P < 0.001). The incidence of liver abscess and endocarditis as complications of acute cholangitis was 2.0% and 0.26%, respectively. Conclusions This is the first large scale study to investigate patients with acute cholangitis. This study provides the basis to define the best practices to manage patients with acute cholangitis in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Tokyo Guideline 2013 ( TG13) proposed three drainage techniques for the treatment of acute cholecystitis. We evaluated the clinical efficacy and adverse events between percutaneous transhepatic intervention ( PTGBI) including percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage ( PTGBD) and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration ( PTGBA) and endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage ( EGBD). Methods A cohort study was performed using propensity score matching to reduce treatment selection bias. This involved the analysis of collected data for 1,764 patients who underwent PTGBI and EGBD. Results Propensity score matching extracted 330 pairs of patients. The difference in the clinical success rate within 3 days between PTGBI and EGBD were 62.5% and 69.8%, respectively ( P = 0.085). The differences in the suboptimal clinical success rates within 7 days between PTGBI and EGBD were 87.6% and 89.2% ( P = 0.579). The differences in the complication rate between PTGBI and EGBD were 4.8% and 8.2% ( P = 0.083). The differences in the complication rate among PTGBD, PTGBA and EGBD were 5.6%, 1.6% and 8.2% ( P = 0.11). Median required days of PTGBD (3.0 days) was significantly longer than those of PTGBA and EGBD (1.5 and 2.0 days, respectively) ( P = 0.001). Conclusion The current study showed the PTGBI showed similar clinical efficacy compared with EGBD without significant discrepancy of complication rate for the treatment of acute cholecystitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is widely performed for acute cholecystitis, the optimal timing of a cholecystectomy in clinically ill patients remains controversial. This study aims to determine the best practice for the patients presenting with acute cholecystitis focused on disease severity and comorbidities. Methods An international multicentric retrospective observational study was conducted over a 2-year period. Patients were divided into four groups: Group A: primary cholecystectomy; Group B: cholecystectomy after gallbladder drainage; Group C: gallbladder drainage alone; and Group D: medical treatment alone. Results The subjects of analyses were 5,329 patients. There were statistically significant differences in mortality rates between patients with Charlson comorbidity index ( CCI) scores below and above 6 ( P < 0.001). The shortest operative time was observed in Group A patients who underwent surgery 0-3 days after admission ( P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed CCI and low body mass index <20 as predictive factors of 30-day mortality in Grade I+ II patients. Also, jaundice, neurological dysfunction, and respiratory dysfunction were predictive factors of 30-day mortality in Grade III patients. In Grade III patients without predictive factors, there were no difference in mortality between Group A and Group B (0% vs. 0%), whereas Group A patients had higher mortality rates than that of Group B patients (9.3% vs. 0.0%) in cases with at least one predictive factor. Conclusion Even patients with Grade III severity, primary cholecystectomy can be performed safely if they have no predictive factors of mortality. Gallbladder drainage may have a therapeutic role in subgroups with higher CCI or higher disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The collaborative multicenter retrospective study of acute cholecystitis ( AC) was performed in Japan and Taiwan. The aim for this study was evaluation of the clinical value of TG13 severity grading for AC. Method The study was designed as an international multicenter retrospective study of AC from 2011 to 2013. Based on the data, we investigated the TG13 severity grading by analyzing the correlations between grade and prognosis, surgical procedures, histopathology, and organ dysfunction and prognosis. Results An investigation revealed that 30-day overall mortality rate was 1.1% for Grade I, 0.8% for Grade II, 5.4% for Grade III. The mortality rate for Grade III was significantly higher than lower grades ( P < 0.001). The greater the number of organ dysfunction, the higher the mortality rate ( P < 0.001). However, the mortality rate varied depending on the number of organ dysfunction (3.1-25%). With respect to the surgical procedures, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed for Grade I patients ( P < 0.001), and the higher the grade, the more likely open surgery would be selected ( P < 0.001). Conclusion TG13 severity grading criteria for AC are providing great benefits in actual clinical settings. From this study, the position of each severity grade was obviously confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Tokyo Guidelines 2007 ( TG07) first presented the diagnostic and severity grading criteria for acute cholangitis. Subsequently updated in 2013, the Tokyo Guidelines ( TG13) have been widely adopted throughout the world as global standard guidelines. We set out to verify the efficacy of these TG13 criteria in an international multicenter study. Methods We reviewed 6,063 patients who were clinically diagnosed with acute cholangitis in Japan and Taiwan over a 2-year period. The TG13 diagnostic and severity grading criteria were retrospectively applied, and 30-day mortality was investigated. Results A diagnosis of acute cholangitis was made in 5,454 (90.0%) patients on the basis of the TG13 criteria, and in 4,815 (79.4%) patients on the basis of the TG07 criteria. The 30-day mortality rates of patients with Grade III, Grade II, and Grade I were 5.1%, 2.6%, and 1.2%, respectively, and increased significantly along with disease severity. The mortality rate in the 1,272 Grade II cases where urgent or early biliary drainage was performed was 2.0% ( n = 25), which was significantly lower than that of 3.7% ( n = 28) in the other 748 cases. Conclusion By using the TG13 diagnostic and severity grading criteria, more patients with possible acute cholangitis can be diagnosed, and patients whose prognosis can potentially be improved by early biliary drainage can be identified. The TG13 criteria are appropriate and useful for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe)-based thin-film solar cell (9.9 %) was prepared using an electrochemical deposition method followed by thermal annealing. The Cu-Zn-Sn alloy films was grown on a Mo-coated glass substrate using a one-pot electrochemical deposition process, and the metallic precursor films was annealed under a mixed atmosphere of S and Se to form CZTSSe thin films with bandgap energies ranging from 1.0 to 1.2 eV. The compositional modification of the S/(S+Se) ratio shows a trade-off effect between the photocurrent and photovoltage, resulting in an optimum bandgap of roughly 1.14 eV. In addition, the increased S content near the p-n junction reduces the dark current and interface recombination, resulting in a further enhancement of the open-circuit voltage. As a result of the compositional and interfacial modification, the best CZTSSe-based thin-film solar cell exhibits a conversion efficiency of 9.9 %, which is among the highest efficiencies reported so far for electrochemically deposited CZTSSe-based thin-film solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAAm) is well known as a smart material with good thermal sensitivity and favorable biocompatibility. A series of new smart hydrogels, NIPAAm copolymerized with IAM (itaconamic acid; 4-amino-2-methylene-4-oxobutanoic acid), were synthesized through radical solution polymerization in this work. Poly(NIPAAm- co-IAM) can respond to the changes of temperature as well as pH value. Such a characteristic is due to the fact that IAM contains not only a hydrophilic acrylic acid moiety but also an acrylamide moiety to be thermal and pH sensitive. The experimental results show that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the copolymer increases as the molar fraction of IAM increases. Moreover, based on the current experimental data, 3 wt % of Poly(NIPAAm- co-IAM) aqueous solution in this study exhibits a phase transition temperature (37.8°C) close to the human body temperature in the buffer solution of pH 7 possibly to be useful in drug delivery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42367. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT It is difficult and inadequate to use a global model alone for projecting future climate changes in areas such as Taiwan, a complex geographic nature island, due to its coarse resolution. In this study, we have performed dynamic downscaling of Taiwan's climate in the recent past (1979-2003) and climate change projection for the near and distant future (2015-2039 and 2075-2099, respectively) by using the Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) model. The simulation is forced by the Max Plank Institute Hamburg, global model, ECHAM5/MPIOM. Simulation results showed close correlation between fine-resolution downscaling by WRF nested with ECHAM5/MPIOM and the actual observation data for the period 1979-2003. Projection of future climate changes revealed both altitudinal and latitudinal variations in warming trend, with more significant temperature increase in mountain areas than in plain areas towards the end of the 21st century and more obvious warming in the north than in the south of Taiwan. The results obtained in this study can be applied to other regions of similar latitudes and with comparable relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus ( PRRSV) is a persistent threat of economically significant influence to the swine industry worldwide. Recombinant DNA technology coupled with tissue culture technology is a viable alternative for the inexpensive production of heterologous proteins in planta. Embryogenic cells of banana cv. 'Pei chiao' ( AAA) have been transformed with the ORF5 gene of PRRSV envelope glycoprotein ( GP5) using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and have been confirmed. Recombinant GP5 protein levels in the transgenic banana leaves were detected and ranged from 0.021%-0.037% of total soluble protein. Pigs were immunized with recombinant GP5 protein by orally feeding transgenic banana leaves for three consecutive doses at a 2-week interval and challenged with PRRSV at 7 weeks postinitial immunization. A vaccination-dependent gradational increase in the elicitation of serum and saliva anti- PRRSV IgG and IgA was observed. Furthermore, significantly lower viraemia and tissue viral load were recorded when compared with the pigs fed with untransformed banana leaves. The results suggest that transgenic banana leaves expressing recombinant GP5 protein can be an effective strategy for oral delivery of recombinant subunit vaccines in pigs and can open new avenues for the production of vaccines against PRRSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aryl addition reactions of ArTi(O- i-Pr)3 to aromatic, heteroaromatic, or α,β-unsaturated ketones are described, producing tertiary alcohols in good to excellent enantioselectivities of up to 97% ee. The structure of the dititanium complex [( i-PrO)2Ti{μ-( S)-BINOLate}(μ-O- i-Pr)TiPh(O- i-Pr)2] [( S)- 4] that simultaneously bears a chiral directing ligand and a nucleophile is reported. Complex ( S)- 4 possesses a pocket structure and has been illustrated as the key active species for addition reactions of both aldehydes and ketones. Mechanistic and stereochemical insights concerning addition reactions of organometallic reagents to organic carbonyls are rationalized based on the pocket structure and pocket size of ( S)- 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although melatonin treatment following trauma-hemorrhage or ischemic reperfusion prevents organs from dysfunction and injury, the precise mechanism remains unknown. This study tested whether melatonin prevents liver injury following trauma-hemorrhage involved the protein kinase B (Akt)-dependent heme oxygenase (HO)-1 pathway. After a 5-cm midline laparotomy, male rats underwent hemorrhagic shock (mean blood pressure approximately 40 mmHg for 90 min) followed by fluid resuscitation. At the onset of resuscitation, rats were treated with vehicle, melatonin (2 mg/kg), or melatonin plus phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin (1 mg/kg). At 2 hr after trauma-hemorrhage, the liver tissue myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde, adenosine triphosphate, serum alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly increased compared with sham-operated control. Trauma-hemorrhage resulted in a significant decrease in the Akt activation in comparison with the shams (relative density, 0.526 ± 0.031 versus 1.012 ± 0.066). Administration of melatonin following trauma-hemorrhage normalized liver Akt phosphorylation (0.993 ± 0.061), further increased mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation (5.263 ± 0.338 versus 2.556 ± 0.225) and HO-1 expression (5.285 ± 0.325 versus 2.546 ± 0.262), and reduced cleaved caspase-3 levels (2.155 ± 0.297 versus 5.166 ± 0.309). Coadministration of wortmannin abolished the melatonin-mediated attenuation of the shock-induced liver injury markers. Our results collectively suggest that melatonin prevents hemorrhagic shock-induced liver injury in rats through an Akt-dependent HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Asian dust storms have become increasingly intense over the last two decades, and the arid inland regions of northern China have been recognized as the main dust source areas. Numerous lakes in this region have recently become desiccated, leaving large areas of bare ground prone to becoming potential dust sources. Vegetation cover characteristics and vegetation succession following lake desiccation remain unclear. Here we chose eight inland dry lakes, one outflow lake and one river on the southeast edge of the Inner Mongolian Plateau to investigate vegetation patterns along transects from lake bed to lake shore, and determine the relationships between vegetation patterns and environmental factors. The results show that dry lake bed soils do indeed have high contents of fine particles. Also, soil salt content is the most critical control on vegetation succession on desiccated lake beds, and vegetation is unlikely to colonize areas with soil salt content ≥5%. Soil texture additionally influenced vegetation patterns by affecting soil salt content. The likely vegetation succession on dry like beds is Nitraria tangutorum community > Suaeda corniculata and Suaeda glauca communities > Achnatherum splendens and Elymus sibiricus communities, and finally Carex duriuscula community as the probable climax. When vegetation is at the later stages of succession, for example with Achnatherum splendens communities, Elymus sibiricus communities and Carex duriuscula communities, soil may be protected from wind erosion because of their high vegetation cover and high proportion of perennials. We suggest grazing should be avoided around lake shores, especially in Achnatherum splendens communities, because high vegetation cover and biomass not only protect soil from erosion, but also promote the deposition of fine particles blown from upwind regions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and gallstones are reported to be strongly associated because both diseases are frequently part of a metabolic syndrome. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the standard treatment for gallbladder disease around the world. Cardiovascular disease is considered as an absolute or relative contraindication for LC; however, clinical information regarding the applicability of LC for treating gallbladder disease in CVD patients is lacking. This study aims to assess the suitability of LC for the treatment of gallbladder disease in CVD patients. The medical records of 66 patients with severe CVD (including valvular heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure) and gallbladder disease (CVD-group) who underwent LC between 1966 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Furthermore, these data were compared with the clinical features and outcomes of 8,834 patients with gallbladder disease who underwent LC but did not have severe CVD (NCVD-group). Of the 8,900 patients with gallbladder disease undergoing LC, the 66 (0.74%) who comprised the CVD-group clearly exhibited advanced age, male predominance, higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, and a longer duration of hospitalization as compared with the NCVD-group patients. A longer duration of hospitalization and a higher incidence of acute cholecystitis and chronic cholecystitis were identified as independent factors differentiating the CVD-group patients, who had previously undergone open-heart surgery, from the NCVD-group patients who underwent LC. For the CVD-group patients, adjustment of anticoagulant therapy contributed to the longer duration of hospitalization, but postoperative complications did not. Advanced age and male predominance were identified as independent factors differentiating the patients who developed ischemic heart disease that required intervention from the NCVD-group patients undergoing LC. The operative morbidity and mortality rates of LC are likely to be similar when it is used to treat selected patients with severe CVD and gallbladder disease and when it is used to treat patients with gallbladder disease and no CVD. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a suitable procedure for treating selected patients with severe CVD and gallbladder disease, and its operative morbidity and mortality rates are similar in these patients and in patients with gallbladder disease alone. Nevertheless, appropriate preoperative preparations and established operative techniques in the hands of an experienced surgeon are mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adenocarcinoma of the small bowel is relatively less common than malignancies of the esophagus, stomach, and colorectum. In small bowel adenocarcinoma, various prognostic factors influence the disease-free status and overall survival rates. Materials and Methods: Eighty patients who were diagnosed with small bowel adenocarcinoma and treated at our institute between 1983 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The patients included 40 men and 40 women with an age range of 15 to 93 years (median: 62 years). Only 51.3% of patients were accurately proved preoperatively to have a malignancy by endoscopic biopsy. Sixty patients underwent surgical treatment, and 45 of those patients had curative resection. The follow-up period ranged from 2.5 to 229.7 months, with a median of 9.1 months. The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates for all patients (excluding 3 patients who died in the immediate postoperative period) were 43.6%, 22.8%, and 17.5%, respectively. The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rate for all 43 patients with curative resection (excluding 2 patients who died in the immediate postoperative period) was 54.9%, 30.5%, and 27.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that earlier tumor stages (stages I and II) and curative resection were two independent factors influencing favorable overall survival. Lymph node metastasis was the only independent factor predicting poor disease-free survival in patients undergoing curative resection. Conclusions: Poor prognosis of small bowel adenocarcinoma may be related to a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Curative resection is the aim of surgical treatment for small bowel adenocarcinoma. Lymph node metastasis at presentation of the disease predicts tumor recurrence and distant metastasis after curative surgical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (PCC) is clinically challenging because patients typically do not present until the disease is relatively advanced. Three-year of 5-year survival rates even with resection thus remain dismal. This study aimed to determine the clinicopathological factors for predicting overall survival longer than 5 years in PCC patients treated with hepatectomy. From 1977 to 1997, the clinicopathological features of 11 PCC patients who underwent hepatectomy with long-term overall survival (group A) were reviewed. Comparison was made with the clinical features and factors influencing the outcome of 70 PCC of patients who survived less than 5 years after hepatectomy (group B). Of 81 PCC patients comprised 32 men and 49 women, with a mean age of 56.0 years (range: 34-83 years). Univariate analysis showed that female gender, absence of physical findings, a higher percentage of presence of mucobilia, early staged tumor, intraductal papillary tumor growth, and curative hepatic resection were more frequent in group A patients than group B patients. However, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that absence of physical findings, presence of mucobilia, early staged tumor, and curative resection were the four independent factors differentiating group A from B patients. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of the group A patients were 100%, 100%, 100%, and 40%, whereas those of the group B patients were 46.0%, 9.5%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. Absence of physical findings, presence of mucobilia, early staged tumor, and curative hepatectomy could independently predict PCC patients with long-tem overall survival after hepatectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallbladder carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract. Because of a lack of specific presentations, this condition frequently is diagnosed only at an advanced stage. The clinical difference between gallbladder carcinoma with and without biliary involvement remains uncertain. This study recruited all patterns with gallbladder car- cinoma treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taoyuan,Taiwan) from 1987 to 2002. The sample included 120 patients aged 28 to 91 years (mean 65.5 ± 12.3 years) (39 men, 81 women), whose medical records men reviewed retrospectively. Based on the 2002 newly revised TNM classification, 25, 38, 28, and 29 patients bad stage I, II, III, and IV disease, respectively. After we excluded patients with stage I, the other patients were classified into two groups us follows: group I, gallbladder carcinoma with biliary invasion (n = 41); group II, carcinoma without biliary involvement (n = 54). The clinical presentations, laboratory data, operative methods, and outcome of these two groups were compared. The two groups did not differ in terms of age, sex distribution, cholelithiasis, and most clinical presentations. Chemistry laboratory data also identified patients in group I with significantly elevated liver function tests. Group [I had a borderline tendency toward better curative resectability than group I (p = 0.09). Survival was significantly better for group I patients who underwent curative resection (n = 5) via cholecystectomy, partial hepatectomy, and bile duct resection than for those with noncurative resection (p < 0.05). However, long-term survival demonstrated that gallbladder carcinoma bad the same poor prognosis in the two groups. In conclusion, gallbladder carcinoma with biliary invasion has been found to a more overt clinical presentation and abnormal laboratory data, which might alert clinicians to consider gallbladder carcinoma at an advanced stage or biliary invasion and examine the underlying disease. Generally, the outcome of gallbladder carcinoma is dismal, and radical curative resection the combined with cholecystectomy, partial hepatectomy, and bile duct resection perhaps may offer good benefits for advanced gall- bladder carcinoma. Furthermore, surgical resection should be performed whenever possible in patients with gallbladder carcinoma to increase life expectancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi is uncommon, and few studies have examined the outcome of hepatectomy for HCC with this unusual entity. This study examined the clinicopathologic factors influencing the outcomes of 17 HCC patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi undergoing hepatectomy. The clinical features of 17 HCC patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi (group A) undergoing hepatectomy from 1986 to 1998 were reviewed. The clinical features and factors influencing the outcome of 555 HCC patients without biliary tumor thrombi (group B) undergoing hepatectomy were used for comparison. Of 572 patients with surgically resected HCCs, 17 (3.0%) were classified into group A. Right upper quadrant pain, physical signs of jaundice, low albumin level, elevated bilirubin level, small tumor size, more vascular invasion, and tumor rupture were characteristic of group A patients. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed no independently significant factor differentiating group A patients from group B patients. The disease-free survival was similar between the group A and B patients, although group B patients exhibited significantly better overall survival (p = 0.014). Vascular invasion may adversely influence overall survival in group A patients undergoing hepatic resection (p = 0.0709). When feasible, hepatic resection is the preferred treatment for HCC patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi. It can achieve a disease-free survival comparable to that of HCC patients without biliary tumor thrombi. However, HCC patients with biliary tumor thrombi had significantly worse overall survival than did those without biliary tumor thrombi, especially those with concomitant vascular invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]