Root exudation in a sloping Moso bamboo forest in relation to fine root biomass and traits.

Exudation by fine roots generally varies with their morphological traits, but the effect of belowground resource availability on the root exudation via root morphological traits and biomass remains unknown. We aimed to determine the effects of morphological and physiological traits on root exudation rates and to estimate stand-scale exudation (Estand) by measuring the mass, length, and surface area of fine roots in a Moso bamboo forest. We measured root exudation as well as morphological and physiological traits in upper and lower plots on a slope with different belowground resource availability. The mean (± S.D.) root exudation rates per mass in the upper and lower slope were 0.049 ± 0.047 and 0.040 ± 0.059 mg C g-1 h-1, respectively, which were in the range of exudation found in woody forest ecosystems. We observed significant relationships between root exudation per mass and root respiration, as well as specific root length and surface area. In contrast, exudation per length and area did not correlate with morphological traits. The morphological traits did not differ between slope positions, resulting in no significant difference in root exudation per mass. Fine root biomass, length, and surface area on a unit ground basis were much higher in the lower than those in the upper slope positions. Estand was higher when estimated by mass than by length and area because the morphological effect on exudation was ignored when scaled using mass. Estand was 1.4-2.0-fold higher in the lower than that in upper slope positions, suggesting that the scaling parameters of mass, length, and area determined the Estand estimate more than the exudation rate per mass, length, and area. Regardless of scaling, Estand was much higher in the Moso bamboo forest than in other forest ecosystems because of a large fine-root biomass.

Sensitivity-Based Calibration of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool for Hydrologic Cycle Simulation in the Cong Watershed, Vietnam.

For better water resources management in quality and quantity, an accurate model is needed for simulating the hydrologic cycle and water quality dynamics at a watershed scale. In this study, a semi-distributed hydrologic model, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), was applied for hydrologic cycle assessment in the Cong Watershed, Vietnam. After model-output and accuracy-based sensitivity analyses were conducted without and with observation data, respectively, model parameters were calibrated and validated using meteorological and runoff data observed between 1961 and 1975. Model performance in annual, monthly, and daily flow simulations was assessed using the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency coefficient and the coefficient of determination (R²). As a result, the accuracy-based sensitivity analysis better identified the key parameters, as compared to the model output-based sensitivity analysis, resulting in better flow simulations in the Cong River. The calibrated model performed well in hydrologic cycle simulations in the Cong Watershed, suggesting the applicability of the SWAT model.

Long-term outcome of laparoscopic resection for stage IV colorectal cancer.

Laparoscopic surgery is recommended as an initial stage IV colorectal cancer therapy. A 57-year-old male with sigmoid colon cancer and two hepatic metastases underwent laparoscopic sigmoidectomy with lymph adenectomy. He was orally administered postoperative Tagafur/Uracil/leucovorin therapy for 10 months. However, because of regrowth of the liver metastasis he was administered leucovorin/bolus and infusional 5-fluorouracil/irinotecan therapy for 10 months followed by extended left lobectomy of the liver and the above mentioned chemotherapy was continued for 6 months. He was diagnosed with S6 and S6/7 hepatic recurrent tumor, which were resected 14 months after the second and another 14 months after the third surgery, respectively. Forty-two months following complete response after the fourth surgery, S6 hepatic recurrent tumor was resected. Six months after the fifth surgery, he developed multiple liver metastases. He was treated successfully using leucovorin/bolus and infusional 5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin and bevacizumab. He is alive 9 years and 3 months after initial surgery.

Impact of laparoscopic surgery on survival of patients with small bowel adenocarcinoma and peritoneal metastasis.

The feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for peritoneal metastasis is still controversial. A 42-year-old male presenting with bloody stool underwent small intestinal fiberscopic examination. The biopsied specimens pathologically demonstrated adenocarcinoma of the upper jejunum. Laparoscopy revealed a 10-mm nodule in the omentum. Laparoscopic partial jejunal resection with regional lymph node dissection was performed with combined resection of the nodule without conversion. No other tumor was detected. The resected specimen contained an irregular ulcerative tumor measuring 52 x 33 mm. Microscopic examination revealed that the mass and peritoneal nodule comprised moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. After surgery, the patient was treated with leucovorin/bolus and infusional 5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin for 6 months. Eleven months after surgery, a solitary peritoneal recurrence developed near the camera port site. Six months later, positron emission tomography, computer tomography, and exploratory laparotomy revealed multiple peritoneal recurrences. The patient was then treated with leucovorin/bolus and infusional 5-fluorouracil/irinotecan. Three months and 6 months later partial remission and complete response, respectively were sequentially induced. The patient is alive 3 years and 9 months after initial surgery without any tumor recurrence. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate laparoscopic surgery combined with chemotherapy regimens, which induced a successful complete response.

Pelvic peritonectomy without intraperitoneal chemotherapy for localized peritoneal carcinomatosis.

AIM: This study assessed the feasibility of pelvic peritonectomy for carcinomatosis localized in the pelvic cavity. The survival and clinical benefits were examined, especially in colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients underwent pelvic peritoneal resection for peritoneal dissemination localized in the pelvis (10 colorectal, six ovarian, one cervical cancer). The male/female ratio was 5/12. The age range was 31-83 (median=63) years. The peritoneal cancer index was 2-16 (median=4). Perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy was not performed. RESULTS: For all 17 cases, pelvic exenteration significantly increased invasiveness in the treatment of pelvic peritoneal carcinomatosis (p<0.05). Additionally, pelvic exenteration did not improve prognosis. In all cases, the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels decreased significantly from a mean of 15.1 (range=0.8-55.7) to 2.4 (range= 0.5-7.4) ng/ml (paired t-test, p<0.05). For colorectal cancer, serum CEA decreased significantly from 19.3 (range=1.2-55.7) to 2.7 (range=0.5-7.4) ng/ml (paired t-test, p<0.05). In the colorectal cancer series, cumulative 1- and 3-year overall survival rates were 89% and 71%, respectively. One- and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates were 78% and 67%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The cytoreductive effect of this method is feasible and excellent for pelvic carcinomatosis. Pelvic peritonectomy without perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a safe, effective procedure for peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer localized in the pelvis.

Cerebral microbleeds in Binswanger's disease: a gradient-echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging study.

We investigated the incidence and the number of microbleeds (MBs) on T2*-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging in 30 Binswanger's disease (BD) patients with diffuse white matter lesions and a varying degree of lacunar infarction, 51 multiple lacunar stroke (MLS) patients with multiple lacunar infarction and no or mild white matter lesions, and 59 elderly controls. MBs were found in 23 (77%) patients with BD, 26 (51%) patients with MLS, and 5 (8%) controls, and the incidence and the number of MBs were significantly greater in the BD group compared with MLS and control groups. Patients with BD had a more widespread location of MBs. More specifically, MBs were commonly found in areas within or surrounded by white matter lesions of the patients with BD. When 81 patients from both the BD and MLS groups were analyzed, logistic regression analysis showed that number of lacunar infarct, severity of white matter hyperintensity, and use of antiplatelet agents were significantly associated with MBs. Patients with BD exhibited a high frequency and number of MBs, indicating advanced bleeding-prone microangiopathy within the brain, which should be taken into account in treatment and management.