[Effects of the frequency and amount of drip irrigation on yield, tuber quality and water use efficiency of potato in sandy soil of Yulin, northern Shaanxi, China]. / 滴灌频率和灌水量对榆林沙土马铃薯产量、品质和水分利用效率的影响.

Reasonable irrigation is still lacking for potato production in the sandy areas of Yulin, northern Shaanxi Province. To solve this problem, field drip fertigation was conducted to examine the growth, yield and quality of potato during the whole growing season. We further analyzed the responses of these indices to different irrigation frequencies and amounts. There were three irrigation frequencies (d), i.e. 4 (D1), 8 (D2) and 10 (D3), and three irrigation amounts, i.e. 60%ETc (W1), 80%ETc(W2) and 100%ETc(W3), where ETc was the crop water requirement, resulting in a total of nine treatments. Under the same irrigation frequency, plant height, leaf area index, dry matter, tuber yield and economic benefits of W3 were higher than those of W1 and W2. W1 had the highest irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), while water use efficiency was not significantly affected by irrigation amount. The average tuber yield of W3 was 43442 kg·hm-2, which was 23.3% and 11.6% higher than that of W1 and W2, respectively. The net income of W3 was 23492 yuan·hm-2, which was 40.4% and 18.7% higher than that of W1 and W2, respectively. Tubers from W3 had the highest starch and vitamin C contents but the lowest reducing sugar content, which were 14.4%, 18.54 mg·(100 g)-1 FW and 0.7%, respectively. At the same irrigation amount, tuber yield, IWUE, starch and vitamin C contents of D1 were the highest, but the reducing sugar content was the lowest at the low and medium irrigation amounts. At the high irrigation amount, D2 had the highest tuber yield, IWUE, net income, starch and vitamin C contents but the lowest reducing sugar content, which were 46572 kg·hm-2, 23.04 kg·m-3, 26,622 yuan·hm-2,14.6%, 19.53 mg·(100 g)-1 FW and 0.7%, respectively. Based on the interacting effects of drip irrigation frequency and amount, both yield and quality of D2W3 reached the maximum. Results from the principal component analysis showed that D2W3 had the highest score. D2W3(8 d, 100%ETc) had the greatest yield and quality and relatively higher water use efficiency, which was thus considered as the optimal combination of drip irrigation frequency and amount. The results could provide a scientific basis for the drip irrigation scheduling design for high-yield, high-efficiency and high-quality potato production in the sandy areas of Yulin, northern Shaanxi.

Ivor Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical outcome of Ivor Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus. METHODS: From January 1998 to December 2001, 73 patients with lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent Ivor-Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy. Clinicopathological information, postoperative complications, mortality and long term survival of all these patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The operative morbidity and mortality was 15.1% and the mortality was 2.7%. Lymph node metastases were found in 52 patients (71.2%). Nodal metastases to the upper, middle, lower mediastini and upper abdomen were found in 13 (17.8%), 15 (20.5%), 30 (41.1%), and 25 (34.2%) patients, respectively. Postoperative staging was as follows: stage I in 5 patients, stage II in 34 patients, stage III in 32 patients, and stage IV in 2 patients, respectively. The overall 5-year survival rate was 23.3%. For N0 and N1 patients, the 5-year survival rate was 38.1% and 17.3%, respectively (c2 = 22.65, P < 0.01). The 5-year survival rate for patients in stages IIa, IIb and III was 31.2%, 27.8% and 12.5%, respectively (c2 = 29.18, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Ivor Lewis subtotal esophagectomy with two-field (total mediastinum) lymphadenectomy is a safe and appropriate operation for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus.

[Sleeve resection for lung cancer: a report of 82 cases].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Bronchial sleeve resection and/or pulmovascular sleeve resection can maximize preservation of normal lung tissues after tumor resection, which provides a resection mode for lung cancer surgery. This study was to investigate the technique, operative results and survival of lung cancer patients after sleeve resection. METHODS: Eighty-two central lung cancer patients underwent sleeve resection in Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from Jun. 2001 to Dec. 2006. Among them, 23 underwent concomitant pulmovascular sleeve resection, 2 underwent pulmovascular sleeve resection alone. All patients received systematic lymph node dissection. The results of lymph node dissection and the occurrence of postoperative complications were studied. The survival of patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: An average of 20 lymph nodes (range, 9-57; median, 19 ) were dissected from 82 patients. Of the 82 patients, 49 (59.8%) were at stage N1, 21 (25.6%) at stage N2. Two (2.4%) patients died 2 and 3 days after operation. No bronchial anastomotic leakage occurred. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 78.4%, 52.5%, 39.1%, and 23.4%, respectively, with a median survival of 26 months. There were no significant differences in 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates between male and female patients, or between the patients aged of <60 and > or =60. The differences in 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates among N1(-) N2(-), N1 (+) N2(-), N2(+) patients, and among stageI, II, IIIA, IIIB patients were significant (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative mortality and the incidence of anastomosis-related complications for lung cancer patients after sleeve resection are low. Sleeve resection is an alternative to pneumonectomy for certain indications. Systematic lymph node dissection does not increase operative complications and mortality. The survival of lung cancer patients after sleeve resection is conelated to lymph node metastasis and clinical stage, but has no correlation to gender or age.

[Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Esophagectomy with local regional lymph node dissection is the main treatment for lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma. This study was to assess the clinical outcomes of Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus. METHODS: Clinical data of 73 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus, who underwent Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2001, were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. RESULTS: The morbidity of postoperative complications was 15.1% with a 2.7% mortality rate. The lymph node metastasis rate was 71.2%; the metastasis rate of the upper mediastinal nodes was 17.8%. Of the 73 patients, 5 were at stage I, 35 at stage II, 32 at stage III, and 2 at stage IV. The overall 5-year survival rate was 23.3%. The 5-year survival rate was 38.1% for N0 patients and 17.3% for N1 patients (P<0.01), and was 31.2% for stage IIa patients, 27.8% for stage IIb patients, and 12.5% for stage III patients (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus is a safe operation, and may increase the chances of complete resection.

[Intraoperative radiotherapy for 30 esophageal carcinoma patients].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the complications and treatment results of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for esophageal carcinoma. METHODS: Sixty patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy through right thoractomy, 30 patients of whom received IORT of 15 - 25 Gy. RESULTS: In patients who underwent IORT, 2 cases of pneumonitis, 1 case of anastomotic leak and 1 case of incisional wound infection were found. In patients underwent surgery only, 1 case of thoracic empyema and 1 case of anastomotic leak were found. All the complications ultimately healed. There was no operative mortality. During the follow-up of 3 years, in patients who underwent IORT, 2 of 3 died of radiation pneumonitis 24 and 26 months after IORT with one complicated with bronchoesophageal fistula. One of 3 died of multiple lung metastases. The 3-year survival rate was 88.0% (22/25) in IORT group and 76.0% (19/25) in surgery only group. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative radiotherapy can reduce locoregional recurrence if performed to thoracic esophageal carcinoma patients without surgical contraindication or distant metastasis. Radiation pneumonitis, a common complication difficult to manage, implies a poor prognosis and, consequently, the lung and bronchus should be protected from the radiation.