Richness of Colchic vegetation: comparison between refugia of south-western and East Asia

BACKGROUND: The Colchis is one of the species-rich refugia and a centre of biological diversity in western Eurasia. We analysed patterns of richness, endemism and invasions in relation to taxonomy (family membership), life form, certain habitats in the Colchis, and compared them to patterns found for Japan. RESULTS: We found that in the Colchis perennials are significantly over-represented in endemic species, and that they typically occur on limestone soils and in alpine tall herbaceous vegetation. The Asteraceae produce significantly large number of both endemic and alien species, whereas the Poaceae are over-represented in alien species but under-represented in endemics. Likewise, the Apiaceae are over-represented in endemics, whereas the Euphorbiaceae are over-represented in alien species. Similar patterns have been found in Yakushima, Japan. The Morisita-Horn index of similarity between these two sites was 0.83 (based on family size). Although the flora of Adjara comprised of fewer families than the flora of Yakushima, the largest families are richer in species in the flora of Adjara than in the flora of Yakushima. CONCLUSIONS: Floristic analysis of refugia of western Eurasia and their comparison with geographically distant areas can provide useful data for plant ecological and evolutionary studies. Potentially, such studies can produce testable hypotheses on plant migrations and on their historical geography. For example, the data presented in this study indicate that more severe conditions in the Pleistocene and geographical isolation of the Colchis may be responsible for the higher relative importance of adaptive radiation in the shaping of its modern flora

PLASMA CELL INFILTRATION AND MUCOID DEGENERATION IN THE MEDIA OF ASCENDING AORTA IN PATIENT WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Aims Atherosclerosis results in inflammatory changes in the aortic intima， but little is known regarding medial changes. Atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta coexists with coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the atherosclerotic changes in 44 biopsy specimens of media of the ascending aorta associated with coronary artery disease. Plasma cells do not appear in non-inflammatory tissue. Methods We compared plasma cells，and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2-，-9- and -12-positive cells immunohistochemically，and we also compared mucoid degeneration and fibrosis determined by staining using a point-counting method，for groups with a variable number of coronary stenotic (≧75%)lesions. Results In patients with one to three coronary stenotic lesions，plasma cells and mucoid degeneration were low in the aortic media. With four to five lesions，bo th plasma cells and mucoid degeneration increased significantly compared with those in the group with one to three lesions，and MMP-12-positive cells significantly decreased. In patients with six to nine lesions，the number of plasma cells was significantly lower than in patients with four or five lesions，whereas mucoid degeneration significantly increased. There was no change in fibrosis. Conclusions These findings may help us to better understand and treat atherosclerosis

Factors that contribute to long-term survival in patients with leukemia not in remission at allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There has been insufficient examination of the factors affecting long-term survival of more than 5 years in patients with leukemia that is not in remission at transplantation.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>We retrospectively analyzed leukemia not in remission at allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) performed at our institution between January 1999 and July 2009. Forty-two patients with a median age of 39 years received intensified conditioning (n = 9), standard (n = 12) or reduced-intensity conditioning (n = 21) for allo-HCT. Fourteen patients received individual chemotherapy for cytoreduction during the three weeks prior to reduced-intensity conditioning. Diagnoses comprised acute leukemia (n = 29), chronic myeloid leukemia-accelerated phase (n = 2), myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML) (n = 10) and plasma cell leukemia (n = 1). In those with acute leukemia, cytogenetic abnormalities were intermediate (44%) or poor (56%). The median number of blast cells in bone marrow (BM) was 26.0% (range; 0.2-100) before the start of chemotherapy for allo-HCT. Six patients had leukemic involvement of the central nervous system. Stem cell sources were related BM (7%), related peripheral blood (31%), unrelated BM (48%) and unrelated cord blood (CB) (14%).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Engraftment was achieved in 33 (79%) of 42 patients. Median time to engraftment was 17 days (range: 9-32). At five years, the cumulative probabilities of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and chronic GVHD were 63% and 37%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 85 months for surviving patients, the five-year Kaplan-Meier estimates of leukemia-free survival rate and overall survival (OS) were 17% and 19%, respectively. At five years, the cumulative probability of non-relapse mortality was 38%. In the univariable analyses of the influence of pre-transplant variables on OS, poor-risk cytogenetics, number of BM blasts (>26%), MDS overt AML and CB as stem cell source were significantly associated with worse prognosis (p = .03, p = .01, p = .02 and p < .001, respectively). In addition, based on a landmark analysis at 6 months post-transplant, the five-year Kaplan-Meier estimates of OS in patients with and without prior history of chronic GVHD were 64% and 17% (p = .022), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Graft-versus-leukemia effects possibly mediated by chronic GVHD may have played a crucial role in long-term survival in, or cure of active leukemia.</p

Impact of relative dose intensity (RDI) in CHOP combined with rituximab (R-CHOP) on survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recently, maintaining higher relative dose intensity (RDI) of chemotherapeutic drugs has become a widespread practice in an attempt to achieve better outcomes in the treatment of aggressive lymphoma. The addition of rituximab to chemotherapy regimens has significantly improved outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL). However, it is unknown if higher RDI in chemotherapy when combined with rituximab leads to a better outcome in aggressive B-cell lymphoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively evaluated the impact of the RDI of initial chemotherapy (consisting of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone with rituximab (R-CHOP) on outcome in 100 newly diagnosed DLBL patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A multivariate Cox regression model showed that RDI trended towards a significant association with mortality [hazard ratio per 0.1 of RDI = 0.8; 95% confidence interval 0.6–1.0; <it>P </it>= 0.08]. Additionally, on multivariate logistic analysis, advanced age was a significant factor for reduced RDI.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data suggest that in DLBL patients, mortality was affected by RDI of R-CHOP as the initial treatment, and the retention of a high RDI could therefore be crucial.</p

Differential Sensitivity of Ground Beetles, Eusilpha japonica and Carabidae, to Vegetation Disturbance in an Abandoned Coppice Forest in Central Japan

We studied the responses of ground beetles to experimental disturbance of vegetation in an abandoned coppice forest in Saitama prefecture, central Japan, during 2004–2006. Experimental manipulations included tree cutting, clearing of ground vegetation, and litter removal, which we quantified by analyzing environmental variables. In parallel, ground beetles were sampled using pitfall traps. Overall, we analyzed 27 species of Carabidae and a single species of Silphidae (Eusilpha japonica). E. japonica dominated the ground beetle community and responded to vegetation disturbance in a way different from carabids. Carabids were most strongly affected by tree cutting but were insensitive to litter removal, whereas E. japonica was especially sensitive to litter removal. Our results show that E. japonica has high potential as a bioindicator since it is abundant, easily collectable, and selectively sensitive to litter accumulation, which is an indicator of abandonment of secondary forests. Both E. japonica and carabids were highly sensitive to vegetation disturbances, but responded to different types of vegetation manipulations. Such complementarity suggests that E. japonica and certain carabid species may be useful bioindicators if incorporated in a single integral monitoring system. However, further studies on the ecology on ground beetles will be needed to design effective monitoring protocols based on the differential sensitivity of ground beetle species to various kinds of vegetation disturbance.Articl