Approaches to reconstruction of inferior vena cava by liver resection and autotransplantation in 114 patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.

Background: Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is most commonly found in retrohepatic inferior vena cava (RHIVC). liver resection and autotransplantation (ELRA) can better realize the radical resection of end-stage hepatic AE with severely compromised hepatocaval confluences, and reconstruction of the affected vessels. Currently, there is a scarcity of information regarding RHIVC reconstruction in ELRA.

Activation of mitochondrial-associated apoptosis signaling pathway and inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by voacamine suppress breast cancer progression.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality rate. Numerous efficient anti-breast cancer drugs are being derived from the development of natural products. Voacamine (VOA), a bisindole alkaloid isolated from Voacanga africana Stapf, possesses various pharmacological and biological activities.

Five new -kaurane diterpenes from L. pericarps.

In the present study, five new -kaurane diterpenes including 4α-hydroxy-17,19---kaurane-16-one (), 4-hydroxy-16-H-18---kaurane-17-oic acid (), 4,17-dihydroxy-16α-acetoxy-18-nor--kaurane (), Annosquamosin Z () and 16-H--kaurane-17,18-dioic acid, 17-methy ester () were isolated from L. pericarp. The compounds were also evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cell lines, among which compound exhibited potent cytotoxicity with IC value of less than 20 μM.

[A preliminary study of the difference in composition of intestinal bifidobacteria between healthy infants and infants with allergic diseases].

Objective: To investigate the association between intestinal bifidobacteria and allergic diseases in infants by comparing the composition of intestinal bifidobacteria between healthy infants and infants with allergic diseases.

Methods: A total of 48 infants were enrolled, and fecal samples were collected on days 0, 2, 7, and 15 and at months 1, 6, and 12 after birth. Among these infants, 22 who experienced allergic diseases before the age of 1 year were enrolled as allergic group and 26 healthy infants were enrolled as healthy group.

Occurrence and distribution of yellow grub trematodes (Clinostomum complanatum) infection in Taiwan.

Digenetic trematodes of the genus Clinostomum are widely distributed in many species of freshwater fish and are known to cause the zoonotic disease Halzoun. Humans may become accidental hosts if they ingest raw freshwater fish containing metacercaria of Clinostomum complanatum, which causes pharyngitis or laryngitis. The yellow grub parasitizing cultivated ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) and loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) was one of the most serious problems in fish farms from 1977 to 1979 in Taiwan.

Bifunctional squaramide-catalyzed synthesis of chiral dihydrocoumarins via ortho-quinone methides generated from 2-(1-tosylalkyl)phenols.

A bifunctional squaramide-catalyzed reaction of azlactones with o-quinone methides in situ generated from 2-(1-tosylalkyl)-phenols has been successfully developed under basic conditions, providing an efficient and mild access to chiral dihydrocoumarins bearing adjacent tertiary and quaternary stereogenic centers in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Generation, identification, formation mechanism and application of plant haploids.

Haploids are individuals with gametophytic chromosome numbers. Homozygous doubled haploids can be quickly gained by genome doubling. Haploids and doubled haploids play an important role on crop breeding, mutant screening, gene functional analysis, cytological studies, construction of genetic population and so on, and have been a research hotspot of plants in recent years.

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency on transcriptional regulation of genes encoding key enzymes of starch metabolism in duckweed (Landoltia punctata).

The production of starch by plants influences their use as biofuels. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) regulate starch gene expression during plant growth and development, yet the role of key enzymes such as ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (E.C.