Beyond Shell-Filling: Strong Enhancement of Electron Affinity of Metal Clusters through a Noninvasive Oriented External Electric Field.

Traditional electron counting rules, like the Jellium model, have long been successfully utilized in designing superhalogens by modifying clusters to have one electron less than a filled electronic shell. However, this shell-filling approach, which involves altering the intrinsic properties of the clusters, can be complex and challenging to control, especially in experiments. In this letter, we theoretically establish that the oriented external electric field (OEEF) can substantially enhance the electron affinity (EA) of diverse aluminum-based metal clusters with varying valence electron configurations, leading to the creation of superhalogen species without altering their shell arrangements. This OEEF approach offers a noninvasive alternative to traditional superatom design strategies, as it does not disrupt the clusters' geometrical structures and superatomic states. These findings contribute a vital piece to the puzzle of constructing superalkalis and superhalogens, extending beyond conventional shell-filling strategies and potentially expanding the range of applications for functional clusters.

Intra-Abdominal Pressure Reduction After Percutaneous Catheter Drainage Is a Protective Factor for Severe Pancreatitis Patients With Sterile Fluid Collections.

OBJECTIVES: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a fatal disease with natural course of early SAP (ESAP) and late SAP (LSAP) phases. Peripancreatic percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) is effective in management of LSAP. Although our previous study indicates that intra-abdominal PCD ahead of peripancreatic PCD benefits ESAP patients with sterile fluid collections, the mechanism is still uncovered. METHODS: According to therapeutic results, 452 SAP patients who underwent PCD were divided into sterile group (248 cases), secondary infection group (145 cases), and primary infection group (59 cases). RESULTS: The mortality was 4.1%, 10.9%, and 18.6%, respectively. Logistic-regression analysis indicated that multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (odds ratio [OR], 1.717; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.098-2.685; P = 0.018), catheters located intra-abdominally (OR, 0.511; 95% CI, 0.296-0.884; P = 0.016), and intra-abdominal hypertension (OR, 1.534; 95% CI, 1.016-2.316; P = 0.042) were predictors for infection after PCD. Receiver operating characteristics curve delineated that decrease of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) of more than 6.5 mm Hg after PCD had the ability to predict infection with sensitivity of 84.0% and specificity of 79.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-abdominal PCD for acute sterile fluid collections seems to be an effective option rather than peripancreatic PCD. Patients with a significant decrease of IAP had a lower incidence of infection and better alleviation of organ failure.

Abdominal paracentesis drainage ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage benefits patients attacked by acute pancreatitis with fluid collections: a retrospective clinical cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided abdominal paracentesis drainage ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage as the new second step of a step-up approach are evaluated. DESIGN: The observed parameters were compared between groups including mortality, infection, organ failure, inflammatory factor levels, indexes of further interventions, and drainage-related complications. PATIENTS: This retrospective study included 102 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis from June 2009 to June 2011. INTERVENTIONS: In this step-up approach, all patients subsequently received medical management, percutaneous catheter drainage (with or without previous abdominal paracentesis drainage), and necrosectomy if necessary according to indications. The patients were divided into two groups: 53 cases underwent abdominal paracentesis drainage followed by percutaneous catheter drainage (abdominal paracentesis drainage + percutaneous catheter drainage group) and 49 cases were managed only with percutaneous catheter drainage (percutaneous catheter drainage-alone group). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The demographic data and severity scores of the two groups were comparable. The mortality rate was lower in the abdominal paracentesis drainage + percutaneous catheter drainage group (0%) than the percutaneous catheter drainage-alone group (8.2%) (p = 0.050). Compared with the percutaneous catheter drainage-alone group, the laboratory variables of the abdominal paracentesis drainage + percutaneous catheter drainage group decreased more rapidly, the mean number of failed organs was lower, and the interval from the onset of disease to further interventions was much longer. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence and duration of infections between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Application of abdominal paracentesis drainage ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage is safe and beneficial to patients by reducing inflammatory factors, postponing further interventions, and delaying or avoiding multiple organ failure.

Notch inhibition promotes fetal liver stem/progenitor cells differentiation into hepatocytes via the inhibition of HNF-1ß.

In a previous study, the Notch pathway inhibited with N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (also called DAPT) was shown to promote the differentiation of fetal liver stem/progenitor cells (FLSPCs) into hepatocytes and to impair cholangiocyte differentiation. The precise mechanism for this, however, was not elucidated. Two mechanisms are possible: Notch inhibition might directly up-regulate hepatocyte differentiation via HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) and HNF (hepatocyte nuclear factor)-4α or might impair cholangiocyte differentiation thereby indirectly rendering hepatocyte differentiation as the dominant state. In this study, HGF and HNF expression was detected after the Notch pathway was inhibited. Although our initial investigation indicated that the inhibition of Notch induced hepatocyte differentiation with an efficiency similar to the induction via HGF, the results of this study demonstrate that Notch inhibition does not induce significant up-regulation of HGF or HNF-4α in FLSPCs. This suggests that Notch inhibition induces hepatocyte differentiation without the influence of HGF or HNF-4α. Moreover, significant down-regulation of HNF-1ß was observed, presumably dependent on an impairment of cholangiocyte differentiation. To confirm this presumption, HNF-1ß was blocked in FLSPCs and was followed by hepatocyte differentiation. The expression of markers of mature cholangiocyte was impaired and hepatocyte markers were elevated significantly. The data thus demonstrate that the inhibition of cholangiocyte differentiation spontaneously induces hepatocyte differentiation and further suggest that hepatocyte differentiation from FLSPCs occurs at the expense of the impairment of cholangiocyte differentiation, probably being enhanced partially via HNF-1ß down-regulation or Notch inhibition.

Ultrasound-guided double-tract percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with a choledochoscope for performing cholecystolithotomies in high-risk surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystolithiasis is the most common disease treated by general surgery, with an incidence of about 0.15-0.22%. The most common therapies are open cholecystectomy (OC) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). However, with a greater understanding of the function of the cholecyst, more and more patients and surgeons are aware that preserving the functional cholecyst is important for young patients, as well as patients who would not tolerate anesthesia associated with either OC or LC. Based on these considerations, we have introduced a notable, minimally invasive treatment for cholecystolithotomy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients with cholecystolithiasis who were unable to tolerate surgery or who insisted on preserving the functional cholecyst. Our particular approach can be simply described as ultrasound-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with a choledochoscope for performing a cholecystolithotomy under local anesthesia. RESULTS: Ten patients with cholecystolithiasis were treated via this approach. All except one patient had their gallbladder stones totally removed under local anesthesia, without the aggressive procedures associated with OC or LC. The maximum number of gallbladder stones removed was 16, and the maximum diameter was 13 mm without lithotripsy. After the minimally invasive surgery, the cholecyst contractile functions of all patients were normal, confirmed via ultrasound after a high-fat diet. Complications such as bile duct injury, biliary fistula, and bleeding occurred significantly less often than with OC and LC. The recurrence rates for each of 2 post-operative years were about 11.11% (1/9, excluding a failure case) with uncertainty surrounding recurrence or residue, and 22.22% (2/9, including one non-recurrence patient with follow-up time of 22 months), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with choledochoscope is a safe, efficient, and minimally invasive cholecystolithotomy method. We recommend this technique for the management of small stones (less than 15 mm) in high-risk surgical patients.

Unbalanced distribution of materials: the art of giving rise to hepatocytes from liver stem/progenitor cells.

Liver stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) are able to duplicate themselves and differentiate into each type of cells in the liver, including mature hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Understanding how to accurately control the hepatic differentiation of LSPCs is a challenge in many fields from preclinical to clinical treatments. This review summarizes the recent advances made to control the hepatic differentiation of LSPCs over the last few decades. The hepatic differentiation of LSPCs is a gradual process consisting of three main steps: initiation, progression and accomplishment. The unbalanced distribution of the affecting materials in each step results in the hepatic maturation of LSPCs. As the innovative and creative works for generating hepatocytes with full functions from LSPCs are gradually accumulated, LSPC therapies will soon be a new choice for treating liver diseases.

Urinary function following laparoscopic lymphadenectomy for male rectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Urinary function can be protected following open lateral node dissection (LND) with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) for advanced rectal cancer. However data regarding urinary function after laparoscopic LND with PANP have not been reported. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of laparoscopic LND with PANP on urinary function in male patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: Urine flowmetry was performed using an Urodyn flowmeter. Patients were also asked to complete the standardized International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire before surgery and 6 months after. In total, this study consisted of 60 males with advanced rectal cancer. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen in maximal urinary flow rate, voided volume or residual volume before and after surgery. The total IPSS score increased significantly after surgery and at least 41 patients (68.3%) reported there was no change in one of the seven IPSS questions. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic LND with PANP was relatively safe in preserving urinary function.

Stages based molecular mechanisms for generating cholangiocytes from liver stem/progenitor cells.

Except for the most organized mature hepatocytes, liver stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) can differentiate into many other types of cells in the liver including cholangiocytes. In addition, LSPCs are demonstrated to be able to give birth to other kinds of extra-hepatic cell types such as insulin-producing cells. Even more, under some bad conditions, these LSPCs could generate liver cancer stem like cells (LCSCs) through malignant transformation. In this review, we mainly concentrate on the molecular mechanisms for controlling cell fates of LSPCs, especially differentiation of cholangiocytes, insulin-producing cells and LCSCs. First of all, to certificate the cell fates of LSPCs, the following three features need to be taken into account to perform accurate phenotyping: (1) morphological properties; (2) specific markers; and (3) functional assessment including in vivo transplantation. Secondly, to promote LSPCs differentiation, systematical attention should be paid to inductive materials (such as growth factors and chemical stimulators), progressive materials including intracellular and extracellular signaling pathways, and implementary materials (such as liver enriched transcriptive factors). Accordingly, some recommendations were proposed to standardize, optimize, and enrich the effective production of cholangiocyte-like cells out of LSPCs. At the end, the potential regulating mechanisms for generation of cholangiocytes by LSPCs were carefully analyzed. The differentiation of LSPCs is a gradually progressing process, which consists of three main steps: initiation, progression and accomplishment. It's the unbalanced distribution of affecting materials in each step decides the cell fates of LSPCs.

[Analysis of lymph node dissection patterns in D2 radical gastrectomy by hand-assisted laparoscopic technique].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience of lymph node dissection patterns in hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. METHODS: One hundred and eleven patients with gastric carcinoma between December 2010 and September 2012 were operated by hand-assisted laparoscopic system designed by us. Clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. The lymph nodes were dissected from left to right together with total tumor resection(reverse lymph nodes scavenge pattern), then digestive tract was reconstructed. RESULTS: Total gastrectomy, distal gastrectomy and proximal gastrectomy were performed in 57, 46 and 8 cases respectively. Combined cholecystectomy and lateral segment of left liver lobe were needed in 4 and 2 patients respectively, and 1 case underwent combined splenectomy and pancreatic body and tail resection. TNM staging of patients in I(, II(, III(A, III(B, and IIII( were 16, 8, 35, 14, and 38, respectively. Histological type was poorly differentiated in 78 cases, moderate differentiation in 26 cases and good differentiation in 7 cases. The incision length was(6.8±0.3) cm, blood loss was(238.4±113.6) ml, operative time was (171.9±23.3) min, number of removed lymph node was 17.2±5.7, hospital stay was (10.1±3.7) d, postoperative complication rate was 9.0%. One case died during perioperative time. CONCLUSIONS: Hand-assisted laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy(reverse lymph nodes scavenge pattern) can avoid the multiple conversion of open-laparoscopic operation model, and is beneficial to the standardization for surgical procedure.

[Hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy: comparison between laparoscopic and open approach].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term outcomes after hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. METHODS: Between June 2010 and May 2011, a series of 15 patients underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy(HG), 16 patients underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy(LP), and 11 patients underwent open gastrectomy(OP). Short-term outcomes included operative time, blood loss, lymph nodes harvested, and the length of incision were collected after operation. RESULTS: The operative time was 150-200 min in HG, 180-220 min in LP, and 150-200 min in OP respectively. The time of laparoscopic procedure was 18-58 and 70-100 min respectively. The average incision length was 6.8 cm in HG, 5.6 cm in LP, and 13.5 cm in OP. The average number of lymph nodes harvested was 17.6, 15.1 and 16.4 respectively. The average estimated blood loss was 228 ml, 278 ml, and 427 ml respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 9.9, 10.8, and 12.4 d. No anastomotic leakage, bleeding, or gastric paralysis were found. One wound infection case was found in OP. CONCLUSIONS: Hand-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy is in concordance with the standardized treatment protocol for gastric cancer. Lymph node dissection is easier by HG, therefore HG can be an alternative for the radical resection of gastric cancer.

Tris(morpholinium) hexa-µ(3)-hydroxido-hexa-µ(2)-oxido-dodeca-oxidohexa-molybdenum(VI)chromate(III) tetra-hydrate.

In the title organic-inorganic hybrid compound, (C(4)H(10)NO)(3)[H(6)CrMo(6)O(24)]·4H(2)O, the Anderson-type [H(6)CrMo(6)O(24)](3-) polyoxoanion is centrosymmetric, with the Cr(III) ion lying on an inversion center. One of the two crystallographiclly independent morpholinium cations is half-occupied. Inter-molecular N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the cations, polyoxoanions and uncoordinated water mol-ecules.

[Male sexual function after D(3) lymphadenectomy combined with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation by laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate male sexual function in a series of rectal cancer patients randomized to laparoscopic(LS) or open surgery(OS). METHODS: Between June 2006 and October 2007, a total of 119 patients with rectal cancer were randomly assigned to laparoscopic(n=60) or open (n=59) resection group. All the patients were treated by D(3) lymphadenectomy combined with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation(PANP) technique. Sexual function was assessed by International Index of Erectile Function(IIEF) before surgery and on 3, 6 and 12 months after operation. RESULTS: Sexual dysfunction rate of LS and OS at 3rd month after operation were 23.3% and 32.3% respectively, and 18.3% vs 27.1% after 6 months, and 11.6% vs 16.9% after 12 months. There were no significant difference between LS and OS in sexual dysfunction rate after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic D(3) lymphadenectomy combined with PANP is not associated with higher sexual dysfunction rate, and the sexual function after laparoscopic surgery is satisfactory.