, a potential symbiote of the alder bark beetle, and its detection by quantitative PCR.

A taxonomically comprehensive perspective on the fungal associates of bark beetles (: : ), and powerful molecular tools for detection of these fungi, are imperative to understanding bark beetle impacts on forest ecosystems. The most common filamentous fungi living alongside bark beetles in infested trees are ophiostomatoids (: and ), yet an undescribed species of (; : ) was recently identified cohabitating with the alder bark beetle, , in red alder, . The hardwood-infesting alder bark beetle is found throughout the range of its red alder host in the Pacific Coast region of North America and is associated with in southwestern British Columbia, Canada.

Filamentous fungal associates of the alder bark beetle, Alniphagus aspericollis, including an undescribed species of Neonectria.

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Scolytinae) are tree-infesting insects that consume subcortical tissues and fungi. Species capable of killing their host trees are most commonly associated with conifers, as very few bark beetle species infest and kill hardwood hosts directly. The alder bark beetle, Alniphagus aspericollis, is a hardwood-killing bark beetle that colonizes and kills red alder, Alnus rubra.

Treatment parameters and outcome in 680 treatments of internal radiation with resin 90Y-microspheres for unresectable hepatic tumors.

Purpose: Radioembolization (RE) using (90)Y-microspheres is an effective and safe treatment for patients with unresectable liver malignancies. Radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) is rare after RE; however, greater understanding of radiation-related factors leading to serious liver toxicity is needed.

Methods And Materials: Retrospective review of radiation parameters was performed.

Resin 90Y-microsphere brachytherapy for unresectable colorectal liver metastases: modern USA experience.

Purpose: Salvage therapy for patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases that were refractory to oxaliplatin and irinotecan was performed via radioactive microspheres. High doses of radiation were delivered to tumors from permanently implanted 90Y microspheres, delivered through the hepatic arterial vessels.

Methods And Materials: Patients from 7 institutions were selected for treatment after screening-defined vascular access to all the tumors, and imaging-confirmed microspheres would be implanted only in the liver tumors.

Percutaneous dilation of benign biliary strictures.

Percutaneous balloon dilation of benign biliary strictures was successful in 15 of 18 patients in whom the procedure was attempted. Successful dilation was achieved in nine of 11 patients who had biliary enteric strictures, with follow-up of 22-55 months (mean, 35.4 months) after catheter removal in seven patients.