Rate Pn Research Articles

Treatment performance of different units in the anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process of landfill leachate under antibiotic exposure

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of three different treatment units (anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic) in A/A/O reactors when treating landfill leachate that contained varying concentrations of tetracycline (TC) was evaluated. The effluent quality, sludge performance, and removal rates of COD, TN, TP, and NH3-N of the reactors were investigated. The results showed that in the three treatment units (anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic), when the TC dosage was 10 mg/L, the removal rates of NH3-N continued to decrease to 6.9%, 16.3%, and 32.8%, and the removal rates of COD, TN, and TP in the three treatment units reached their maximum values, which were 37.5%, 57.4%, and 69.6%; 21.1%, 37.1%, and 41.0%; 13.0%, 16.2%, and 27.4%, respectively. During the reactor's operation, the heavy metal content in the treatment units initially increased followed by a decrease, especially for Mn and Zn. This was due to the production of more EPS by microorganisms, resulting in more active sites for heavy metal adsorption. In addition, with the increase of TC concentration, TC removal rate was always positively correlated with PN, COD, TN and heavy metals removal rates, and negatively correlated with NH3-N, TP, pH, and PS. Further analysis revealed that TC was toxic to microorganisms, leading to a decrease in biodiversity and microbial community diversity among the three treatment units in the reactor. This article analyzed the treatment effects of different treatment units in leachate under antibiotic exposure conditions, to explore better external conditions for sewage biological treatment facilities.

Use of Natural Language Understanding to Facilitate Surgical De-Escalation of Axillary Staging in Patients With Breast Cancer.

Natural language understanding (NLU) may be particularly well equipped for enhanced data capture from the electronic health record given its examination of both content-driven and context-driven extraction. We developed and applied a NLU model to examine rates of pathological node positivity (pN+) and rates of lymphedema to determine whether omission of routine axillary staging could be extended to younger patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/cN0 disease. We found that rates of pN+ and arm lymphedema were similar between patients age 55-69 years and ≥70 years, with rates of lymphedema exceeding rates of pN+ for clinical stage T1c and smaller disease. Data from our NLU model suggest that omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy might be extended beyond Choosing Wisely recommendations, limited to those older than 70 years and to all postmenopausal women with early-stage ER+/cN0 disease. These data support the recently reported SOUND trial results and provide additional granularity to facilitate surgical de-escalation.

Secondary and micronutrient application effects on corn fertilized for different yield goals under highly weathered soil conditions

AbstractHighly weathered soils have low native fertility; thus, optimum nutrient management is critical, especially for a high‐input crop such as corn (Zea mays). Field studies were established in Plains and Tifton, GA, to assess secondary nutrient (SN; Mg, Ca, and S) and micronutrient (MN; B, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Mo) application effects on corn fertilized with primary nutrients (PN; N, P, and K) to achieve 12.5 Mg ha−1 (low) and 25.1 Mg ha−1 (high) yields. Both Plains and Tifton have Ultisol soil. However, the Tifton soil has a 30‐cm top sandy layer, and the Plains soil has no top sandy layer. Differences in corn nutrient concentrations were observed at the V5–V7 stage but not in biomass accumulation. The 12.5 Mg ha−1 target grain yield from applying the low PN was exceeded at both locations (by 19.0%–26.6% in Plains and 6.3%–19.7% in Tifton), irrespective of the SN or MN application. However, the 25.1 Mg ha−1 target grain yield from applying the high PN rate was not achieved, with yields of 16.9–17.7 Mg ha−1 in Plains and 15.7–17.1 Mg ha−1 in Tifton obtained. The SN and/or MN application increased corn yield (by 2.3%–13.6%) across all conditions, but the differences were statistically significant under just the low PN rate in Tifton. Overall, the results showed that SN and MN could be yield‐limiting factors of corn in the Ultisol soils tested in the study, and also 12.5 Mg ha−1 corn yield can be achieved with lower PN rates than currently recommended.

Effects of simulated climate change conditions of increased temperature and [CO2] on the early growth and physiology of the tropical tree crop, Theobroma cacao L.

Despite multiple studies of the impact of climate change on temperate tree species, experiments on tropical and economically important tree crops, such as cacao (Theobroma cacao L.), are still limited. Here, we investigated the combined effects of increased temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) on the growth, photosynthesis and development of juvenile plants of two contrasting cacao genotypes: SCA 6 and PA 107. The factorial growth chamber experiment combined two [CO2] treatments (410 and 700p.p.m.) and three day/night temperature regimes (control: 31/22°C, control+2.5°C: 33.5/24.5°C and control+5.0°C: 36/27°C) at a constant vapour pressure deficit (VPD) of 0.9kPa. At elevated [CO2], the final dry weight and the total and individual leaf areas increased in both genotypes, while the duration for individual leaf expansion declined in PA 107. For both genotypes, elevated [CO2] also improved light-saturated net photosynthesis (Pn) and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), whereas leaf transpiration (E) and stomatal conductance (gs) decreased. Under a constant low VPD, increasing temperatures above 31/22 °C enhanced the rates of Pn, E and gs in both genotypes, suggesting that photosynthesis responds positively to higher temperatures than previously reported for cacao. However, dry weight and the total and individual leaf areas declined with increases in temperature, which was more evident in SCA 6 than PA 107, suggesting the latter genotype was more tolerant to elevated temperature. Our results suggest that the combined effect of elevated [CO2] and temperature is likely to improve the early growth of high temperature-tolerant genotypes, while elevated [CO2] appeared to ameliorate the negative effects of increased temperatures on growth parameters of more sensitive material. The evident genotypic variation observed in this study demonstrates the scope to select and breed cacao varieties capable of adapting to future climate change scenarios.

Should ICSI be implemented on patients with poor-quality embryos in the previous IVF cycle?

This study was to evaluate whether Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can improve the quality of embryo in patients with poor-quality embryos in the previous In-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle, which was cancelled before transfer. This was a retrospective cohort study of 178 IVF and 158 ICSI cycles for patients with poor-quality embryos in the previous IVF cycle in the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from March 2016 to June 2022. The 2 PN rate, oocyte utilization rate , high-quality embryo rate and clinical pregnancy rate were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, the implantation rate, miscarriage rate and cycle cancelation rate were measured and compared. ICSI resulted in a comparable 2 PN rate, oocyte utilization rate and cycle cancelation rate with IVF. The high-quality embryo rate of ICSI group was significantly higher than that of IVF group (5.56% vs. 2.60%, P < 0.05). Eventually, a total of 239 patients performed embryo transfer. ICSI resulted in a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (55.56% vs. 40.98%, P < 0.05) compared with IVF, however, there were no notable differences in miscarriage rate and implantation rate. The present study suggested that ICSI significantly improved the high-quality embryo rate and clinical pregnancy of the patients with poor-quality embryos in the previous IVF cycle. Prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to further verify.

Does Methyl Jasmonate Effectively Protect Plants under Heavy Metal Contamination? Fatty Acid Content in Wheat Leaves Exposed to Cadmium with or without Exogenous Methyl Jasmonate Application

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) (1 µM) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Moskovskaya 39), seedlings and the fatty acid (FA) content of leaves under optimal and cadmium (Cd) (100 µM) stress conditions wasinvestigated. Height and biomass accumulation was studied traditionally; the netphotosynthesis rate (Pn) was studied using a photosynthesis system, FAs'profile-GS-MS. No effect on the height and Pn rate of the MJ pre-treatment wheat at optimum growth conditions was found. MJ pre-treatment led to a decrease in the total amount of saturated (about 11%) and unsaturated (about 17%) identified FAs, except α-linoleic FA (ALA), which is probably associated with its involvement in energy-dependent processes. Under Cd impact, the MJ-treated plants had a higher biomass accumulation and Pn rate compared to untreated seedlings. Both MJ and Cd caused stress-induced elevation of palmitic acid (PA) versus an absence of myristic acid (MA), which is used for elongation. It is suggested that PA participates in alternative adaptation mechanisms (not only as a constituent of the lipid bilayer of biomembrane) of plants under stress. Overall, the dynamics of FAs showed an increase in the saturated FA that is important in the packing of the biomembrane. It is supposed that the positive effect of MJ is associated with lower Cd content in plants and a higher ALA content in leaves.

Association of internalised homonegativity with partner notification after diagnosis of syphilis or gonorrhoea among men having sex with men in 49 countries across four continents

BackgroundPartner notification (PN) after a sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis is being promoted as a means to interrupt transmission chains. We investigated whether Internalised Homonegativity (IH) is associated with PN among men having sex with men (MSM).MethodsPN, defined as notifying at least one partner after diagnosis of syphilis and gonorrhoea, was queried in two internet-based self-completion surveys conducted between Oct 2017 and May 2018 in 68 countries in Europe, Latin America, Canada, and the Philippines. IH is defined by a man’s level of agreement or disagreement with negative social beliefs about male homosexuality. Covariates included in a multivariate regression model with a random intercept at country level were age, HIV diagnosis, partnership status, sexual self-efficacy, HIV serostatus communication during last sex with a non-steady partner, place where this partner was met, and PN-related socio-historical background of the country of residence. We grouped countries in three areas: North- and Central-Western European countries plus Canada, former socialist countries, and Latin-American/Mediterranean countries plus the Philippines. In each of the three areas individuals were assigned to 4 subgroups based on IH quartiles and PN rates were determined for each subgroup.ResultsPN rates were calculated for 49 countries (excluding countries with less than 10 diagnoses). Mean proportions of MSM notifying their partners were 68.1% and 72.9% after syphilis and gonorrhoea diagnoses, respectively. PN rates were lower in Latin American countries and the Philippines compared to European countries. Within Europe, a North–South divide with lower PN rates in Mediterranean countries was observed. In each of the three regions we mostly observed a stepwise increase of PN rates with decreasing IH.Regression analysis showed lower IH scores associated with higher PN rates. Higher perceived self-efficacy, living in a partnership, and HIV status communication were positively associated with PN. Men who had met their last partner in a gay social venue were more likely to have notified their partners of a syphilis diagnosis compared to men who had met this partner online. Men with diagnosed HIV were less likely to report PN.ConclusionsWe could demonstrate that IH was associated with PN among MSM across all countries included in our analysis. Reducing cultural homophobia and ensuring inclusive policies may contribute to STI prevention and control.

Waterlogging and restricted-below ground aeration on photosynthetic performance and root elongation rate of RRIM 600 and RRIT 251 rubber genotypes (Hevea brasiliensis Mull. Arg.)

Due to extended inundation, waterlogging and restricted below-ground aeration cause inhibition in plant growth performance. This study examined two different rubber clones, RRIM 600 and RRIT 251, for waterlogging and restricted below ground aeration. To evaluate the plant performance under the stress conditions, net photosynthetic rate (PN), maximum quantum yield photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and root elongation rate were observed. RRIM 600 has a higher photosynthetic performance under normal conditions. However, the PN rate and Fv/Fm ratio trend showed that RRIM 600 seems to have difficulties recovering after exposure to restricted-below ground aeration. Although RRIT 251 had a lower tendency of PN rate under normal conditions, the PN rate and Fv/Fm ratio of this clone showed fast recovery. RRIT 251 also performed a higher trend of root elongation rate under both stress conditions than RRIM 600.

Hyperspectral Reflectance Proxies to Diagnose In-Field Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat with Machine Learning

Hyperspectral reflectance (HR) technology as proxy approach to diagnose fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat crop could be a real-time and non-invasive approach for its in-field management to reduce grain damage. In-field canopy’s non-imaging HR (400–2400 nm using ground-based spectrometer system), photosynthesis rate (Pn) and disease severity (DS) data were simultaneously acquired from artificially inoculated wheat plots over a period of two years (2020 and 2021) in the field. Subsequently, continuous wavelet transform (CWT) was employed to select the consistent spectral bands (CSBs) and to develop the canopy-based difference indices with criterion of variable importance score using random forest—recursive feature elimination. Thereby, different machine learning algorithms were employed for FHB classification and multivariate estimation, and linear regression models to evaluate the newly developed indices against conventional vegetation indices. The results showed that inoculation reduced the Pn rate of spikes, elevated reflectance in visible and short-wave infrared regions and decreased in near infrared region at different days after inoculation (DAI). CWT analysis selected five CSBs (401, 460, 570, 786 and 840 nm) employing datasets from 2020 and 2021. These spectral bands were employed to develop wheat fusarium canopy indices (WFCI1 and WFCI2). Considering the average classification accuracy (ACA) in both years of experiments, WFCI1 manifested a maximum ACA of 75% at 5 DAI with DS of 9.73% which raised to 100% at 10 DAI with a DS of 18%. ACA mentions the averaged results of all machine learning classifiers (MLC). While in the perspective of MLC, random forest (RF) outperformed the rest of the MLC, individually, it revealed 100% classification accuracy through WFCI1 at DS 10.78% on the eight DAI. The univariate estimation of disease based on WFCI1 and WFCI2 with independent data produced R2 and root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.80 and 14.7, and 0.81 and13.50, respectively. However, Knn regression analysis with both canopy indices (WFCI1 and WFCI2) manifested the maximum accuracy for disease estimation with RMSE of 11.61 and R2 = 0.83. Conclusively, the newly proposed HR indices show great potential as proxy approach for detecting FHB at early stage and understanding the physical state of crops in field conditions for the better management and control of plant diseases.

108P Pathologic nodal positivity in patients with cT1-2 cN0 HER2+ breast cancer treated with upfront surgery or neoadjuvant anti-HER2-based therapy

Although the optimal sequential treatment (neoadjuvant therapy [NA] vs upfront surgery) for patients (pts) with cT1-2 cN0 HER2+ is unknown, previous studies suggest that NA is associated with lower rates of pN+ compared to those undergoing upfront surgery. Here, we evaluated the incidence of pathologic nodal disease in cT1-2 cN0 HER2+ pts treated with upfront surgery vs NA at 2 major academic hospitals in Spain.

Abstract P2-13-02: Pathologic nodal staging and systemic therapy among patients with cT1-2N0 HER2+ breast cancer: A prospective single institution cohort analysis

Abstract Background: The optimal systemic therapy strategy, neoadjuvant vs adjuvant therapy, for patients with small clinically node negative HER2+ breast cancers is uncertain. The goal of this study was to evaluate the incidence of pathologic nodal disease in cT1-2 N0 HER2+ patients, treated with upfront surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), to better define selection criteria for initial treatment approach. Methods: Our prospectively maintained database was queried for cT1-2 N0 HER2+ breast cancer patients diagnosed 2/12/2015 - 10/13/2020 (after publication of the Adjuvant Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab trial). Patients without axillary surgery were excluded (n =23). HER2 positivity was defined per ASCO/CAP guidelines. Pre-NAC and/or pre-operative axillary ultrasound was not routinely performed. Patient characteristics and rates of pN+ disease were compared by treatment strategy using Chi square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Nodes with isolated tumor cells were considered negative (pN0) in the upfront surgery setting but positive (pN+) after NAC. Logistic regression determined factors associated with pN+ disease. Results: A total of 579 eligible patients were identified; 368 (63.6%) were treated with upfront surgery and 211 (36.4%) with NAC. Upfront surgery patients were older (median 55 years [range 23-88] vs 49 [24-79], p&amp;lt;0.001); less frequently had grade 3 disease (58.4% vs 67.3%, p=0.008); less frequently had T2 tumors (14.4% vs 82.5%, p&amp;lt;0.001); and less frequently underwent axillary ultrasound (21.2% vs 62.6%, p&amp;lt;0.001). NAC included multi-chemotherapy regimens in 46 (21.8%) and more than one HER2-targeted regimens in 165 (78.2%). The incidence of pN+ disease was 73/368 (19.8%) among upfront surgery patients and 26/211 (12.3%) among NAC patients (p=0.021). Among upfront surgery patients, there was a significant difference in the distribution of pN+ across T categories (p&amp;lt;0.001) with an increased rate in patients with cT1c and cT2 tumors (Table 1). There was no difference in use of ALND between upfront surgery (22/368 [6.0%]) and NAC patients (18/211 [8.5%], p=0.173). Hormone-receptor status did not impact rate of pN+ disease (OR 1.024, 95% CI: 0.601-1.747, p=0.929). Among upfront surgery patients, adjuvant systemic therapy (excluding endocrine therapy) was given in 269 (73.1%) including paclitaxel/trastuzumab in 158 (42.9%) and other regimens to include multi-chemotherapy regimens in 111 (30.2%). Conclusions: In this large cohort of cT1-2 N0 HER2+ breast cancer patients, treatment with NAC was associated with lower rates of pN+ compared to those undergoing upfront surgery. Despite these differences, ALND rates were similar. In upfront surgery patients, the higher rate of pN+ disease in patients with cT1c-T2 tumors suggests an opportunity for more comprehensive radiographic examination of the axilla in this subgroup. Further investigation could also focus on tailoring NAC regimens for HER2+ cN0 patients who are presently undergoing upfront surgery. Table 1.Pathologic nodal stage among upfront surgery and NAC patientsUpfront Surgery (N=368)pN+pN0P valuecT category&amp;lt; 0.001T1mi (N=48)6 (10.4%)42 (89.6%)T1a (N=26)3 (11.5%)23 (88.5%)T1b (N=87)7 (8.0%)80 (92.0%)T1c (N=154)38 (24.7%)116 (75.3%)T2 (N=53)19 (35.8%)34 (64.2%)NAC (N=211)ypN+ypN0P valuecT category0.719T1b (N=7)1 (14.3%)6 (85.7%)T1c (N=30)5 (16.7%)25 (83.3%)T2 (N=174)20 (11.5%)154 (88.5%) Citation Format: Anna Weiss, Adrienne G. Waks, Alison Laws, Sara M. Tolaney, Eric P. Winer, Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, Ann H. Partridge, Tari A. King. Pathologic nodal staging and systemic therapy among patients with cT1-2N0 HER2+ breast cancer: A prospective single institution cohort analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-13-02.

Interactive effect of elevated [CO2] and temperature on the photosynthetic process, anti‐oxidative properties, and grain yield of rice

AbstractThe simultaneous increase of carbon dioxide and temperature causes significant changes in rice physiology and production, but limited studies have been performed in the past to examine the interactive effect of these two key variables on lipid peroxidation, anti‐oxidative properties, gas exchange parameters, and grain yield of rice. Thus, an experiment was conducted by growing two rice genotypes (IR83376‐B‐B‐24–2 and IR64) inside field‐based open‐top chambers (OTCs) with two levels of [CO2] (ambient and elevated; (500±25 ppm) and temperature (ambient and ambient+2°C) in order to determine their simultaneous effect on lipid peroxidation (thio‐barbituric acid substances, TBARS), anti‐oxidant properties (catalase, CAT and superoxide dismutase, SOD), gas exchange parameters (PN rate, gs, E), WUE and grain yield during the kharif seasons. Our study showed that under simultaneous elevation (CO2 and temperature), the activity of CAT and SOD were improved. CAT showed significant alterations in activity which was detected for genotype IR83376‐B‐B‐24–2 (twelve‐fold increase) under elevated temperature compared to ambient temperature. SOD activity was decreased by 35.1 and 35.7% with elevated [CO2] while it increased under elevated temperature by 103.6 and 41.1% in IR83376‐B‐B‐24–2 and IR64, respectively. No significant difference in TBARS content was observed under combined elevation of both [CO2] and temperature, as compared to ambient conditions. However, elevation in temperature by 2°C led to a reduction in photosynthetic rate and WUE but increased the rate of transpiration, CAT and SOD activity. Grain yield was also improved under elevated [CO2] while elevated temperature has negative impact on grain yield. Thus, the findings suggest that there are differential biochemical (TBARS, CAT, and SOD) and physiological (PN rate, gs, E, and WUE) responses of rice towards predicted climatic conditions. This study represents the significant findings on the anti‐oxidant defence mechanism in rice under combined elevated [CO2] and temperature levels. Furthermore, the genotypic differences observed in terms of photosynthesis mechanism and ROS scavenging system imply that it is possible to breed varieties that will be more suited for future rice production scenarios.

Temporal Trends and Predictors in Diagnosing Pathologic Node-Positive Prostate Cancer in Clinically Node-Negative Patients.

Managing pathologically node positive (pN+) prostate cancer (PCa) is controversial. We describe temporal patterns and predictors of pN+ PCa in men with initially surgically managed clinically node negative (cN-) PCa. This observational retrospective analysis of nonmetastatic, cN- PCa uses the National Cancer Database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify covariates associated with pN+ disease. Cox proportional hazards modeling and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to evaluate survival patients undergoing radical prostatectomy with or without pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND). The rates of radical prostatectomy in men with grade group (GG) 4 and GG5 increased from 47.6% to 53.1% and from 42.5% to 49.5%, respectively. The annual rate increased from 2.02% in 2010 to 5.12% in 2017 (P < .001). The annual rates of PLND increased from 54.3% to 71.7%. The most significant predictor of pN+ PCa was ISUP GG4 (odds ratio [OR] 12.5, P< .001) and GG 5 (OR 26.2, P < .001). Rates of pN+ identification increased from 5.5% to 9.4% in men with GG4 and from 13.4% to 19.5% in men with GG5 (P< .001). In GG4 and GG5, patients undergoing PLND had superior survival to those managed without PLND (P < .01). Among patients with cN- PCa, the diagnosis of pN+ PCa has become more common over time. GG4 and GG5 are the strongest independent predictors of pN+ disease. Because incidental pN+ results in upstaging these data are useful for informing discussions before radical prostatectomy.

Risk and prognostic analysis of cervical lymph node metastasis in cN+ laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:To analyze the clinical, pathological features and metastatic regularity of cervical lymph node metastasis in cN+ laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and to explore its diagnosis and management. Methods:Among 1030 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from March 2011 to January 2021, 83 patients with cN+ were included in the retrospective analysis of clinical data and follow-up data. Results:Among the 83 cases of cN+ laryngeal carcinoma, there were pN+65 cases and pN-18 cases. The false positive rate of cN+ was 21.7%. cN+ cervical lymph node metastasis was related to classification and staging, and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）.The false positive rate of cN+ in different types of laryngeal carcinoma was 57.7% （16/27） in glottic type and 3.9% （2/55） in supraglottic type. With the increase of T stage, the false positive rate decreased.The false positive rates of different CT imaging features were as follows:①Size:the critical lymph nodes of more than 2 sizes were 27.3% （3/11）, the 1~3 cm of lymph nodes was 29.4% （15/51）, and the lymph nodes > 3 cm were not false positive （0/21）;②The enhancement types of uniform enhancement, non-uniform enhancement and circular enhancement were 34.3% （12/35）, 31.6% （6/19） and 0% （0/29） respectively. ③The proportion of unclear shape and boundary of lymph nodes was 0（0/24）.The neck recurrence rate was 2.4% in the selective neck dissection （SND） and 20.0% in the non-SND. The 3-year neck area control rates of SND and non-SND group were 93.7% and 81.1% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant （P < 0.05）. The 3-year cumulative survival rates of pN+ group and pN- group were 75.5% and 87.5%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups （P > 0.05）. The 3-year cumulative survival rates of lymph node extranodal extension ENE+ group and ENE- group were 50.6% and 79.3%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant （P < 0.05）. Conclusion: There is false positive in cN+ laryngeal carcinoma, which is related to tumor classification and staging. Preoperative imaging diagnosis of cN+ should not be over-dependent on size, but should be combined with the specific manifestations of lymph node metastasis such as circular enhancement and unclear boundaries. Proper use of SND in the treatment of cN+ laryngeal carcinoma is safe and effective, and reduces the risk of overtreatment. In patients with pN+ laryngeal carcinoma, postoperative supplementary treatment can improve the neck control rate and survival rate. However, even if postoperative treatment is performed in patients with ENE+, it is still an unfavorable factor affecting the prognosis.

Heat-tolerant pepper cultivar exhibits high rates of chlorophyll, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration in heat stress regime at fruit developing stage

Relevance. Abiotic stress, as heat, significantly affect plant and floral organs growth and development, fruit set, productivity, the quality, and survival of crops. Heat injury occurs when plants are exposed to these temperatures for a long period of time. Depending on the intensity and duration of exposure to the high temperatures, photosynthesis, respiration, membrane integrity, water relations and the hormone balance of the plants may affected.Material and methods. In this study used the commercial pepper cultivar “NW Bigarim” (HT37) released in South Korea and accessions “Kobra” (HT1) and “Samchukjaere” (HT7) selected as heat tolerant and susceptible, respectively. Total chlorophyll index and photosynthetic activities measured using a SPAD meter (Konica, Japan) and portable photosynthesis measurement system (LI-6400, LI-COR Bioscience, Lincoln, NE, USA), respectively.Results. To evaluate the positive effects of high temperature regime (40/28°C day/night, 14/10-h light/dark cycle) on the response of photosynthetic parameters in pepper plants with different heat susceptibility, we measured the total chlorophyll content (CHL) and photosynthetic activities such as photosynthesis (Pn), stomatal conductance to H2O (Gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) in a heat-tolerant (HT1) and -susceptible cultivars (HT7) in comparison with released cultivar (HT37) at fruit development stage. Heat-tolerant cultivars showed higher and more stable index of the CHL, Pn, Gs and Tr than those in heat-sensitive cultivars for 14 days of heat treatment (HT) period. However, the initial index of Pn, Gs and Tr showed significant alteration among pepper plants regardless of thermotolerance rate before HT on day 0 and day 7 after recovery at normal treatment condition (NT) except for CHL, meaning that plants response to high temperature regime is different from that in normal condition. These results suggest that constant high rates of Pn, Gs and Tr as well as of CHL in heat stress condition periods confer to avoid from heat injury during reproductive growth stages.

Impact of Pathological Response to Preoperative Radiotherapy in Soft Tissue Sarcoma

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> The therapeutic response of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) to neoadjuvant treatment has been associated with improved margin status, disease control, and survival. Given the rarity of this disease and the confounding effects of chemotherapy, this study analyzes whether the pathological necrosis rate (PN) of preoperative radiation (RT) alone is associated with improved clinical outcomes for STS. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> An IRB retrospective review was conducted on a database of 315 patents treated at our institution between 1987 and 2015 who received neoadjuvant RT alone followed by surgical resection, of which 203 had documented PN. Time to event outcomes estimated via Kaplan-Meier included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), time to loco-regional failure (TTLRF), and time to distant failure (TTDF). Cox regression analyses were performed to determine prognostic variables associated with clinical outcomes. <h3>Results</h3> With a median follow up of 87 months, 157 patients (77%) obtained a clear resection margin (R0). The average PN rate was 56% and 37 patients (18%) achieved a PN≥95%. PN was significantly higher for R0 (vs. R1) resection (70% vs. 45%, <i>P</i> = 0.014) and achieving a PN≥95% was associated with an R0 resection (<i>P</i> = 0.057). PN≥95% was associated with a 5-year non-significant benefit in TTLRF (94% vs 86%, <i>P</i> = 0.274) and TTDF (70% vs 45%, <i>P</i> = 0.130), which translated to a significant 5-year PFS benefit (65% vs. 45%, <i>P</i> = 0.036). R0 margin status was associated with a 5-year TTLRF improvement (91% vs 80%, <i>P</i> = 0.046). On multivariate analysis, PN ≥95% independently associated with PFS (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8, <i>P</i> = 0.015), and achieving an R0 resection was independently associated with improved PFS (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.30-0.83, <i>P</i> = 0.007) and OS (HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.29-0.91, <i>P</i> = 0.027). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Therapeutic response to preoperative radiation alone is associated with improved surgical margin status and clinical outcomes in STS. Achieving PN ≥95% independently predicts for a higher PFS and contributes to improved negative margin resection rate which was associated with improved local control, PFS, and OS. Future prospective studies are required to validate the relationship between pathologic response to radiation and outcome, and to elucidate the potential mechanisms for distant control and PFS benefit.

Down-Regulation of Photosynthetic Electron Transport and Decline in CO2 Assimilation under Low Frequencies of Pulsed Lights.

The decline in CO2 assimilation in leaves exposed to decreasing frequencies of pulsed light is well characterized, in contrast to the regulation of photosynthetic electron transport under these conditions. Thus, we exposed sunflower leaves to pulsed lights of different frequencies but with the same duty ratio (25%) and averaged light intensity (575 μmoles photons m−2 s−1). The rates of net photosynthesis Pn were constant from 125 to 10 Hz, and declined by 70% from 10 to 0.1 Hz. This decline coincided with (1) a marked increase in nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), and (2) the completion after 25 ms of illumination of the first phase of P700 photooxidation, the primary electron donor of PSI. Under longer light pulses (<5 Hz), there was a slower and larger P700 photooxidation phase that could be attributed to the larger NPQ and to a resistance of electron flow on the PSI donor side indicated by 44% slower kinetics of a P700+ dark reduction. In addition, at low frequencies, the decrease in quantum yield of photochemistry was 2.3-times larger for PSII than for PSI. Globally, our results indicate that the decline in CO2 assimilation at 10 Hz and lower frequencies coincide with the formation of NPQ and a restriction of electron flows toward PSI, favoring the accumulation of harmless P700+.

Contemporary Incidence and Predictors of Occult Inguinal Lymph Node Metastases in Men With Clinically Node-negative (cN0) Penile Cancer

To (1) examine the contemporary incidence of occult inguinal LN metastases and (2) identify predictors of occult inguinal LN metastases to improve selection of cN0 patients for inguinal lymphadenectomy (ILND). We identified 590 men with cTany cN0 cM0 penile cancer who underwent partial/radical penectomy and ILND from 2006-2016 in the NCDB. Rates of pN+ disease were examined, and a multivariable regression model was constructed to identify features associated with pN+ disease. Tumors were ≤pT1 in 21%, pT2 in 43%, and pT3/pT4 in 24% of patients. A median of 15 (IQR 8-22) LNs were removed at ILND. The overall pN+ rate was 24% and did not vary over the study period. The pN+ rate, stratified by pT stage, varied from 18-33%. On multivariable analysis, only higher tumor grade (OR 2.16; P=0.02 for grade 2; OR 2.81; P=0.005 for grade 3-4, versus grade 1) and lymphovascular invasion (OR 3.12; P <0.001) were independently associated with pN+ disease, whereas pT stage was not. The contemporary rate of occult LN metastases in men with cN0 penile cancer remains high at approximately 24%. Our results suggest that high tumor grade and/or lymphovascular invasion are better determinants of lymph node involvement than primary tumor stage.

Temporal trends and predictors in diagnosing pathologic node-positive prostate cancer in clinically node-negative patients.

128 Background: The management of men with pathologically node positive (pN+) prostate cancer (PCa) is controversial. Here, we describe the temporal patterns and predictors of incidental pN+ PCa men with clinically node negative (cN0) PCa. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of men with nonmetastatic, cN0, PCa from the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2017. Clinical factors included in analysis were pretreatment PSA, pre-surgical International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade group (GG), clinical T-stage, margin status, and number of nodes sampled. Patient demographic factors included in analysis were age, comorbidity index, race, insurance status, and treatment facility type. We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression to evaluate temporal trends in the rates of cN0,pN+ prostate cancer diagnosed over time. Two-level hierarchical logistic regression was used to identify covariates associated with pN+ disease. Patients were clustered within treatment facilities to account for individual facility practice patterns. Results: We identified 304,234 men with cN0 PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) between 2010 and 2017. Within this group 10,919 (3.59%) were found to have pN+ disease. During this period, the annual rate of pN+ PCa increased from 2.02% (n=822) in 2010 to 5.12% (n=2,072) in 2017 (p&lt;0.001). On multivariable logistic regression, ISUP GG was most strongly associated with detection of pN+ PCa. Compared to ISUP GG1, GG2 (OR 3.5, p &lt;0.001), GG3 (OR 8.8, p &lt;0.001), GG4 (OR 12.6, p &lt;0.001) and GG 5 (OR 26.5, p &lt;0.001 ) were all significantly associated with pN+ PCa. Over the study period, the rates of pN+ identification increased from 5.5% to 9.4% in men with GG4, and from 13.4% to 19.5% in men with GG5 (p &lt;0.001). Between 2010 and 2017, the rates of RP in GG4 and GG5 similarly increased by 12% and 16%, respectively (p &lt;0.001). Other significant covariates are depicted in Table. 22% of the total variance was explained by inter-facility variation. Conclusions: The proportion of men with cN0 found to have pN+ PCa is increasing over time, with pN+ incidentally found in nearly 1 in 10 men with GG4 and 1 in 5 men with GG5 PCa. GG4 and GG5 are the strongest independent predictors of pN+ disease, while controlling for clinical and demographic factors. As incidental pN+ results in upstaging, often requiring adjuvant treatment with radiation and systemic therapies, these data are useful for informing discussions prior to RP. [Table: see text]

Calcium Nutrition in Coffee and Its Influence on Growth, Stress Tolerance, Cations Uptake, and Productivity

Calcium (Ca2+) is an important macronutrient in coffee and is involved in several physiological processes that influence crop growth, development, productivity, and stress response. This paper presents results from five experiments conducted on coffee under greenhouse and field conditions for over 5 years (2014–2018). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Ca+2 application on coffee growth, development, abiotic stress response, cation uptake, leaf cell structure, and productivity. The results show that Ca+2 directly influences the growth and development of plants and has a strong effect on root growth. Drought stress and low Ca+2 rates of 8 mg.L−1 showed no differences in photosynthetic rates (PN) and biomass accumulation; high Ca+2 rates between 75 and 150 mg.L−1 increased PN and biomass accumulation in plants under drought stress, with a positive correlation between Ca+2 content in the leaves and PN with and without drought stress. High air temperature (&amp;gt;30°C) reduced PN rates, and the treatment with proper Ca+2 application showed better PN compared to the treatments with low Ca+2. Ca+2 application showed a synergistic effect with potassium (K+) uptake and no influence on the magnesium (Mg+2) uptake but a reduction in the leaf concentration with the increase in Ca+2 application. Additionally, coffee plants with proper Ca+2 application showed thicker leaves, denser epidermis, and larger, more compact, and better-structured palisade parenchyma compared with the plants treated with Ca+2 at lower rates. After 5 years, the mean coffee yield showed a polynomial response with respect to the doses of Ca+2 applied, with optimum rate of 120 kg CaO ha−1year−1 and a peak of Ca+2 uptake by the coffee cherries during 110–220 days after flowering.