The two-step treatment for giant hepatic hemangiomas

The aim of the present study is to analyze the feasibility and the impact of a two-step approach in the treatment of giant hemangiomas (GH) i.e., exceeding 10 cm in maximum diameter, con-sisting of transarterial embolization (TAE) followed by laparoscopic liver resection (LLR). Ten patients with 11 GH were treated with TAE and subsequent LLR between 2017 and 2020 (Group A). A matched cohort of 10 patients with GH treated with upfront LLR between 2014 and 2017 was identified for comparison (Group B). Data were analyzed regarding intraoperative and postoperative outcomes, including successful completion of LLR, morbidity, and mortality. Successful microparticle emboliza-tion of the GH-feeding arteries was performed in all patients in group A. In three cases a liquid embolic agent (Squid-18) was also injected to obtain complete embolization. No complications were observed after TAE. Successful surgery was performed after a mean time interval of 2.2 days from TAE without any case of conversion to laparotomy. Statistically significant differences between group A and group B were found in intraoperative blood loss (250 \ub1 200 vs. 400 \ub1 300 mL, p = 0.039), operative time (245 \ub1 60 vs. 420 \ub1 60 min, p = 0.027), and length of stay (5 \ub1 1 vs. 8 \ub1 2 days, p = 0.046). Our data suggest that two-step TAE + LLR might be a safe and effective option for surgical treatment of GH >10 cm

Characterization of transcriptome dynamics during watermelon fruit development: sequencing, assembly, annotation and gene expression profiles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cultivated watermelon [<it>Citrullus lanatus </it>(Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. <it>lanatus</it>] is an important agriculture crop world-wide. The fruit of watermelon undergoes distinct stages of development with dramatic changes in its size, color, sweetness, texture and aroma. In order to better understand the genetic and molecular basis of these changes and significantly expand the watermelon transcript catalog, we have selected four critical stages of watermelon fruit development and used Roche/454 next-generation sequencing technology to generate a large expressed sequence tag (EST) dataset and a comprehensive transcriptome profile for watermelon fruit flesh tissues.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We performed half Roche/454 GS-FLX run for each of the four watermelon fruit developmental stages (immature white, white-pink flesh, red flesh and over-ripe) and obtained 577,023 high quality ESTs with an average length of 302.8 bp. <it>De novo </it>assembly of these ESTs together with 11,786 watermelon ESTs collected from GenBank produced 75,068 unigenes with a total length of approximately 31.8 Mb. Overall 54.9% of the unigenes showed significant similarities to known sequences in GenBank non-redundant (nr) protein database and around two-thirds of them matched proteins of cucumber, the most closely-related species with a sequenced genome. The unigenes were further assigned with gene ontology (GO) terms and mapped to biochemical pathways. More than 5,000 SSRs were identified from the EST collection. Furthermore we carried out digital gene expression analysis of these ESTs and identified 3,023 genes that were differentially expressed during watermelon fruit development and ripening, which provided novel insights into watermelon fruit biology and a comprehensive resource of candidate genes for future functional analysis. We then generated profiles of several interesting metabolites that are important to fruit quality including pigmentation and sweetness. Integrative analysis of metabolite and digital gene expression profiles helped elucidating molecular mechanisms governing these important quality-related traits during watermelon fruit development.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have generated a large collection of watermelon ESTs, which represents a significant expansion of the current transcript catalog of watermelon and a valuable resource for future studies on the genomics of watermelon and other closely-related species. Digital expression analysis of this EST collection allowed us to identify a large set of genes that were differentially expressed during watermelon fruit development and ripening, which provide a rich source of candidates for future functional analysis and represent a valuable increase in our knowledge base of watermelon fruit biology.</p

Land Suitability Evaluation of Coffee in Tokunoshima Island, Japan

Japan is the 3rd largest importer and consumer of coffee in the world. Considering have many demands of coffee, Japan is looking alternatives for improving to growing and the productivity of coffee. The research was aimed to assessment land suitability class for (arabica and robusta) coffee and land suitability evaluation of coffee. 3 soil samplings were collected from the study area. Matching method is used to evaluate the land suitability with parameter: temperature, elevation, rainfall, slope, pH, and nitrogen. The results showed that climate and physical condition of land area very suitable to grow robusta crops, and its level appropriateness is S1 (highly suitable). However, typhoon is problem in every year for growing coffee crops, but it can be handling by planting protecting crops

Pengaruh Pemberian Amelioran terhadap Laju Infiltrasi pada Tanah Psamment dan Pertumbuhan Serta Hasil Tanaman Jagung (Zea Mays)

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian ameliorant terhadap laju infiltrasi tanah serta pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung (Zea mays) pada Psamment. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Nagari Katapiang, Kecamatan Batang Anai Padang Pariaman, dan analisis tanah di laboratorium Jurusan Tanah Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Andalas. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada bulan April hingga Oktober 2018 menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) dengan 8 perlakuan dan 4 ulangan. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis dengan statistik dan dilanjutkan dengan uji DNMRT taraf 5% untuk nilai F yang berbeda nyata. Perlakuan yang diberikan adalah A = Kontrol, B = Mulsa jerami padi (10 ton/ha), C= Biochar sekam padi (20 ton/ha), D = liat (20 ton/ha), E = Mulsa jerami padi (10 ton/ha) + liat (20 ton/ha), F =Mulsa jerami padi (10 ton/ha) + Biochar sekam padi (20 ton/ha), G = Biochar sekam padi (20 ton/ha) +liat (20 ton/ha), H = Mulsa jerami padi (10 ton/ha) + Biochar sekam padi (20 ton/ha) +liat (20 ton/ha). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penambahan perlakuan kombinasi biochar sekam padi, tanah liat, dan mulsa jerami padi terdapat peningkatan tertinggi terhadap nilai TRP yaitu sebesar 23,23%, kandungan bahan organik sebesar 2,78%, dan kadar air tanah sebesar 6%, dan penurunan nilai BV sebesar 0,47 g/cm3. Penurunan nilai laju infiltrasi tertinggi berada pada perlakuan kombinasi mulsa jerami padi, liat dan biochar sekam padi dengan nilai sebesar 506,6 mm/jam dibandingkan kontrol sebesar 994,7 mm/jam, namun masih dalam kriteria yang sama. Penambahan pelakuan kombinasi mulsa jerami padi, liat dan biochar sekam padi pada Psamment dapat meningkatkan hasil tanaman jagung sebesar 11,05 kg/plot jika dibandingkan dengan kontrol sebesar 6,72 kg/plot

Nitrogen Balance in Forage Rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Tachisuzuka) Cultivation in Pots with Animal Manure Application

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the nitrogen (N) balance in forage rice cultivation using animal manure in 1/2,000a Wagner pots in a greenhouse. The cattle manure and poultry manure were applied at 3 levels of N (0, 14, 28 g available N m–2) without additional chemical fertilizer application. The pots were designed to simulate the fluid percolation in the paddy field. The results indicated increasing levels of N input improved plant height, tiller number, SPAD value and biomass (straw, grain and root) production, however, N leaching from soil (Andosols) due to percolating water also increased. The planting of rice plants proved to reduce 30% of the N leaching loss. N use efficiency, the ratio of N uptake by plant per unit N application, decreased in higher N application. The N uptake by the above-ground parts occupied about 66% of the whole plants