Distribution of dry matter and nitrogen between the different plant parts in intact and depodded soyabean plants after flowering.

Soyabeans were grown in nutrient sol. in a controlled environment. 50% developed normally but the rest were depodded once a wk. During 9 wk of seed development, growth of roots, shoots, leaves and pods as well as their total percentage N was monitored by weekly harvests. In the normal plants, only the pods continued to increase in dry wt. after the 2nd harvest and the wt. of the other plant parts remained nearly constant. N in roots and stems decreased slightly during pod filling and N in the leaves decreased considerably. Increase in N in the pods was relatively greater than the increase in total dry wt. The amount of N taken up from the nutrient sol. and that redistributed between plant parts was calculated. In the depodded plants, DM continued to accumulate in all plant parts throughout the experiment including the detached pods. The amount of N also increased in all plant parts. N uptake/unit DM produced was about the same for both groups of plants. The results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that in leguminous plants the fixation or uptake of N by the roots cannot cope with the demand of the developing pods so that the necessary withdrawal from other plants parts, especially the leaves, causes the plants to die prematurely. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Endoscopic bilateral adrenalectomy in patients with ectopic Cushing’s syndrome

Background: Bilateral adrenalectomy (BLA) is a treatment option to alleviate symptoms in patients with ectopic Cushing's syndrome (ECS) for whom surgical treatment of the responsible nonpituitary tumor is not possible. ECS patients have an increased risk for complications, because of high cortisol levels, poor clinical condition, and metabolic disturbances. This study aims to evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of endoscopic BLA for ECS. Methods: From 1990 to present, 38 patients were diagnosed and treated for ECS in the Erasmus University Medical Center, a tertiary referral center. Twenty-four patients were treated with BLA (21 endoscopic, 3 open), 9 patients were treated medically, and 5 patients could be cured by complete resection of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-producing tumor. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed and entered into a database. For evaluation of the efficacy of BLA, preoperative biochemical and physical symptoms were assessed and compared with postoperative data. Results: Endoscopic BLA was successfully completed in 20 of the 21 patients; one required conversion to open BLA. Intraoperative complications occurred in two (10%) patients, and postoperative complications occurred in three (14%) patients. Median hospitalization was 9 (2-95) days, and median operating time was 246 (205-347) min. Hypercortisolism was resolved in all patients. Improvements of hypertension, body weight, Cushingoid appearance, impaired muscle strength, and ankle edema were achieved in 87, 90, 65, 61, and 78% of the patients, respectively. Resolution of diabetes, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis was achieved in 33, 89, and 80%, respectively. Conclusion: Endoscopic BLA is a

Intermediate segregation type chain length dependence of the long period of lamellar microdomain structures of supramolecular comb-coil diblocks

A characteristic intermediate segregation type chain length dependence of the long period D of the lamellar microdomain structure of a class of comb-coil supramolecules is reported. The supramolecular comb-coil diblock copolymers studied consist of a polystyrene (PS) “coil” block and a “comb” block of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) either hydrogen bonded to pentadecyl phenol (PDP) (i.e., P4VP(PDP)-b-PS) or first protonated with methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and then hydrogen bonded to PDP (i.e., P4VP(MSA)(PDP)-b-PS). In both cases we find a scaling D ~ Ntotδ, δ ≈ 0.8, where Ntot denotes the total number of monomers of the P4VP-b-PS backbone. In the case of diblock copolymers this would correspond to a characteristic intermediate segregation regime behavior. Pure PS-b-P4VP, on the other hand, shows the expected strong segregation behavior D ~ Ntotδ, δ ≈ 0.7.

In-situ SAXS study on the alignment of ordered systems of comb-shaped supramolecules:A shear-induced cylinder-to-cylinder transition

A tooth rheometer, designed to investigate in-situ the influence of large-amplitude oscillatory shear on the macroscopic orientation of complex fluids, is used to study the alignment of two supramolecular systems composed of a polyisoprene-block-poly(2-vinylpyi-idine) block copolymer with octyl gallate (OG) hydrogen bonded to the vinylpyridine block. The molecular ratio x between OG and pyridine groups in these two PI-b-P2VP(OG)(x) systems is 0.50 and 0.75, respectively. In both cases, a hexagonally ordered cylindrical self-assembly was revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering in a broad temperature range. The spacing of the hexagonal structure decreases significantly on heating and reversibly increases on cooling. In in-situ SAXS experiments, performed with the tooth rheometer, a gradual macroscopic alignment of the nanoscale structure is observed on heating for both supramolecular systems. The most striking feature is a shear-induced transition from one hexagonal structure to another, more aligned, hexagonal structure observed for PI-b-P2VP(OG)0.75 in the temperature range 120-140degreesC. The transition is accompanied by an abrupt reduction of the domain spacing and additionally by a decrease of the phase angle measured by the rheometer. In the PI-b-P2V-P(OG)(0.5) system a comparable reduction in the spacing is observed at 90-95degreesC. In this case, it coincides with the most intensive macroscopic alignment of the sample, proceeding in a continuous rather than discontinuous fashion. This behavior is discussed in terms of the breaking of the hydrogen bonds between OG and P2VP being facilitated by shear

Self-Assembly of Supramolecular Triblock Copolymer Complexes

Four different poly(tert-butoxystyrene)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PtBOS-b-PS-b-P4VP) linear triblock copolymers, with the P4VP weight fraction varying from 0.08 to 0.39, were synthesized via sequential anionic polymerization. The values of the unknown interaction parameters between styrene and tert-butoxystyrene and between tert-butoxystyrene and 4-vinylpyridine were determined from random copolymer blend miscibility studies and found to satisfy 0.031<χS,tBOS<0.034 and 0.39<χ4VP,tBOS<0.43, the latter being slightly larger than the known 0.30<χS,4VP≤0.35 value range. All triblock copolymers synthesized adopted a P4VP/PS core/shell cylindrical self-assembled morphology. From these four triblock copolymers supramolecular complexes were prepared by hydrogen bonding a stoichiometric amount of pentadecylphenol (PDP) to the P4VP blocks. Three of these complexes formed a triple lamellar ordered state with additional short length scale ordering inside the P4VP(PDP) layers. The self-assembled state of the supramolecular complex based on the triblock copolymer with the largest fraction of P4VP consisted of alternating layers of PtBOS and P4VP(PDP) layers with PS cylinders inside the latter layers. The difference in morphology between the triblock copolymers and the supramolecular complexes is due to two effects: (i) a change in effective composition and, (ii) a reduction in interfacial tension between the PS and P4VP containing domains. The small angle X-ray scattering patterns of the supramolecules systems are very temperature sensitive. A striking feature is the disappearance of the first order scattering peak of the triple lamellar state in certain temperature intervals, while the higher order peaks (including the third order) remain. This is argued to be due to the thermal sensitivity of the hydrogen bonding and thus directly related to the very nature of these systems.

Distributional theory for the DIA method

The DIA method for the detection, identification and adaptation of model misspecifications combines estimation with testing. The aim of the present contribution is to introduce a unifying framework for the rigorous capture of this combination. By using a canonical model formulation and a partitioning of misclosure space, we show that the whole estimation–testing scheme can be captured in one single DIA estimator. We study the characteristics of this estimator and discuss some of its distributional properties. With the distribution of the DIA estimator provided, one can then study all the characteristics of the combined estimation and testing scheme, as well as analyse how they propagate into final outcomes. Examples are given, as well as a discussion on how the distributional properties compare with their usage in practice

Perioperative management and anaesthetic considerations in pelvic exenterations using Delphi methodology: results from the PelvEx Collaborative

Background: The multidisciplinary perioperative and anaesthetic management of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration is essential for good surgical outcomes. No clear guidelines have been established, and there is wide variation in clinical practice internationally. This consensus statement consolidates clinical experience and best practice collectively, and systematically addresses key domains in the perioperative and anaesthetic management. Methods: The modified Delphi methodology was used to achieve consensus from the PelvEx Collaborative. The process included one round of online questionnaire involving controlled feedback and structured participant response, two rounds of editing, and one round of web-based voting. It was held from December 2019 to February 2020. Consensus was defined as more than 80 per cent agreement, whereas less than 80 per cent agreement indicated low consensus. Results: The final consensus document contained 47 voted statements, across six key domains of perioperative and anaesthetic management in pelvic exenteration, comprising preoperative assessment and preparation, anaesthetic considerations, perioperative management, anticipating possible massive haemorrhage, stress response and postoperative critical care, and pain management. Consensus recommendations were developed, based on consensus agreement achieved on 34 statements. Conclusion: The perioperative and anaesthetic management of patients undergoing pelvic exenteration is best accomplished by a dedicated multidisciplinary team with relevant domain expertise in the setting of a specialized tertiary unit. This consensus statement has addressed key domains within the framework of current perioperative and anaesthetic management among patients undergoing pelvic exenteration, with an international perspective, to guide clinical practice, and has outlined areas for future clinical research.PelvEx Collaborative : A. Y. Chok ... H. Kroon ... T. Sammour ... et al

Induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy alone as neoadjuvant treatment for locally recurrent rectal cancer: study protocol of a multicentre, open-label, parallel-arms, randomized controlled study (PelvEx II)

Background: A resection with clear margins (R0 resection) is the most important prognostic factor in patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC). However, this is achieved in only 60 per cent of patients. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the addition of induction chemotherapy to neoadjuvant chemo(re)irradiation improves the R0 resection rate in LRRC. Methods: This multicentre, international, open-label, phase III, parallel-arms study will enrol 364 patients with resectable LRRC after previous partial or total mesorectal resection without synchronous distant metastases or recent chemo- and/or radiotherapy treatment. Patients will be randomized to receive either induction chemotherapy (three 3-week cycles of CAPOX (capecitabine, oxaliplatin), four 2-week cycles of FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin) or FOLFORI (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan)) followed by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery (experimental arm) or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery alone (control arm). Tumours will be restaged using MRI and, in the experimental arm, a further cycle of CAPOX or two cycles of FOLFOX/FOLFIRI will be administered before chemoradiotherapy in case of stable or responsive disease. The radiotherapy dose will be 25 × 2.0 Gy or 28 × 1.8 Gy in radiotherapy-naive patients, and 15 × 2.0 Gy in previously irradiated patients. The concomitant chemotherapy agent will be capecitabine administered twice daily at a dose of 825 mg/m2 on radiotherapy days. The primary endpoint of the study is the R0 resection rate. Secondary endpoints are long-term oncological outcomes, radiological and pathological response, toxicity, postoperative complications, costs, and quality of life. Discussion: This trial protocol describes the PelvEx II study. PelvEx II, designed as a multicentre, open-label, phase III, parallel-arms study, is the first randomized study to compare induction chemotherapy followed by neoadjuvant chemo(re)irradiation and surgery with neoadjuvant chemo(re)irradiation and surgery alone in patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer, with the aim of improving the number of R0 resections.E. L. K. Voogt ... H. M. Kroon ... T. Sammour ... et al. (PelvEx Collaborative