Direct Observation of Group-V Dopant Substitutional Defects in CdTe Single Crystals.

Point defect chemistry strongly affects the fundamental properties of materials and has a decisive impact on device performance. The Group-V dopant is prominent acceptor species with high hole concentration in CdTe; however, its local atomic structure is still not clear owing to difficulties in definitive measurements and discrepancies between experimental observations and theoretical models. Herein, we report on direct observation of the local structure for the As dopant in CdTe single crystals by the X-ray fluorescence holography (XFH) technique, which is a powerful tool to visualize three-dimensional atomic configurations around a specific element. The XFH result shows the As substituting on both Cd (AsCd) and Te (AsTe) sites. Although AsTe has been well known as a shallow acceptor, AsCd has not attracted much attention and been discussed so far. Our results provide new insights into point defects by expanding the experimental XFH study in combination with theoretical first-principles studies in II-VI semiconductors.

Physicochemical insights into semiconductor properties of a semitransparent tantalum nitride photoanode for solar water splitting.

The self-conductivity of tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) thin film-based semitransparent photoanodes was found to promote the current originating from the photoelectrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (PEC OER) without a conducting substrate. With surface modification by the NiFeOx-electrocatalyst, an optimized Ta3N5 thin film fabricated directly on a transparent insulating quartz substrate generated a photocurrent density of ∼5.9 ± 0.1 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode under simulated AM 1.5G solar illumination. The correlation between the PEC OER performance of NiFeOx-modified Ta3N5 photoanodes and the electrical properties of Ta3N5 thin films was investigated based on the Hall effect measurements. By changing the nitridation conditions, these properties can be tuned so that the higher the Hall mobility (0.2 to 1.7 cm2 V-1 s-1) and the lower the carrier concentration (1020 to 1019 cm-3). The surface chemical states of Ta3N5 thin films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as a means of evaluating surface oxygen impurities and nitrogen vacancies, which may correlate with the PEC OER performance and the electrical properties of the material.

Impact of the Intermittent Pringle Maneuver for Predicting Post-hepatectomy Liver Failure: A Cohort Study of 597 Consecutive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent Pringle maneuver (PM) is widely performed to reduce blood loss during hepatectomy; however, its impact on clinically relevant post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the impact of PM on PHLF and explore whether PM provides additional value for predicting PHLF. METHODS: Consecutive patients, who underwent hepatectomy without biliary and/or vascular reconstruction between 2011 and 2018 in a single institution, were retrospectively analyzed. The main outcome was PHLF grades B/C as defined by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery. A multivariable logistic regression model of variables significantly associated with PHLF was established. The model's predictive ability was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). RESULTS: Among 597 patients, PHLF occurred in 42 (7.0%). PM was applied in 421 patients (70.5%) and was associated with the development of PHLF (PM vs. no-PM: 9.7 vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001). After the propensity score matching, patients with PM experienced significantly increased rates of PHLF (P = 0.010). Rem-ALPlat index (including future liver remnant, preoperative albumin level, and platelet count; P < 0.001), the number of PMs (P = 0.032), and blood loss (P = 0.007) were identified as significant predictors of PHLF. The model's AUROC combined with the intraoperative variables was higher than that of the preoperative model alone (0.877 vs. 0.789, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: PM was involved in the occurrence of clinically relevant PHLF. Further, intraoperative factors including PM may provide additional value to predict PHLF and may facilitate early post-hepatectomy intervention.

Food Web Structures and Mercury Exposure Pathway to Fish in Minamata Bay.

We analyzed total mercury content (THg) and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope ratios in fish, subtidal macrobenthos, and particulate organic matter (POM) as a proxy for pelagic phytoplankton and attached microalgae as a proxy for microphytobenthos to investigate the mercury exposure pathway in fish. For four seasons, samples of the above-mentioned organisms were collected on five occasions (July and October 2018 and January, April, and July 2019) in Minamata Bay. Isotope analysis showed that Minamata Bay food web structures were almost entirely fueled by microphytobenthos. The THg values of the fish and macrobenthos species were positively correlated with their δ13C. This indicates that their diets, which were highly fueled by microphytobenthos, led to high THg bioaccumulation in both macrobenthos and fish. The feeding habits of fishes differ depending on the species, and they prey on organisms of many taxa, including fish (mainly Japanese anchovy), crabs, shrimp, copepods, annelids, and algae. Fish species that preyed on benthic crustaceans had high THg. These results suggest that the main pathway of Hg bioaccumulation in fish from Minamata Bay is the benthic food chain, which is primarily linked to benthic crustaceans fueled by microphytobenthos.

Increased Expressions of Programmed Death Ligand 1 and Galectin 9 in Transplant Recipients Who Achieved Tolerance After Immunosuppression Withdrawal.

Programmed death 1 (PD1)/its ligand PD-L1 concomitant with T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3)/its ligand galectin 9 (Gal-9) and the forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) might be involved in tolerance after liver transplantation (LT). Liver biopsies from 38 tolerant, 19 nontolerant (including 16 samples that triggered reintroduction of immunosuppression [IS] and 19 samples after IS reintroduction), and 38 control LT patients were studied. The expressions of PD1, PD-L1, Gal-9, and FOXP3 were determined by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The success period of IS withdrawal was calculated using Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. Tolerant and control patients exhibited higher PD-L1, Gal-9, and FOXP3 levels than nontolerant patients at the moment of triggering IS reintroduction. High expressions of PD-L1 and Gal-9 were associated with prolonged success of tolerance (83.3% versus 36.7% [P < 0.01] and 73.1% versus 42.9% [P = 0.03]). A strong correlation between PD-L1 and Gal-9 expression levels was detected (Spearman r = 0.73; P ≤ 0.001), and IF demonstrated colocalization of PD-L1 and Gal-9 in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that increased expressions of PD-L1 and Gal-9 were associated with sustained tolerance after IS withdrawal in pediatric liver transplantation.

Utility of Mac-2 Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer to Evaluate Graft Status After Liver Transplantation.

Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel liver fibrosis biomarker, but there are few studies on M2BPGi in liver transplantation (LT) recipients. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of M2BPGi measurement in LT recipients. We collected the clinicopathological data of 233 patients who underwent a liver biopsy at Kyoto University Hospital after LT between August 2015 and June 2019. The median values of M2BPGi in patients with METAVIR fibrosis stages F0, F1, F2, and ≥F3 were 0.61, 0.76, 1.16, and 1.47, respectively, whereas those in patients with METAVIR necroinflammatory indexes A0, A1, and ≥A2 were 0.53, 1.145, and 2.24, respectively. Spearman rank correlation test suggested that the necroinflammatory index had a stronger correlation to the M2BPGi value than the fibrosis stage. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of M2BPGi to predict ≥A1 was 0.75, which was significantly higher than that of any other liver fibrosis and inflammation marker. Patients with a rejection activity index (RAI) of ≥3 had a higher M2BPGi value than those with RAI ≤ 2 (P = 0.001). Patients with hepatitis C virus viremia had a higher M2BPGi value than sustained virological responders or those with other etiologies. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that M2BPGi values are more strongly influenced by necroinflammatory activity and revealed M2BPGi, which has been thought to be a so-called fibrosis marker, as a disease activity marker in transplant recipients. M2BPGi measurement may be useful to detect early stage liver inflammation that cannot be detected by routine blood examination of LT recipients.

Novel mouse model for cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis resolution by cholecystojejunostomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Studies on the resolution of liver fibrosis are becoming more important in this era of etiologic eradication. In contrast to the extensive research on the recovery of liver fibrosis induced by hepatotoxic injuries, regression of cholestatic liver fibrosis has been insufficiently examined owing to the limited availability of animal models. METHODS: We examined our novel recanalization mice model of biliary obstruction, involving anastomosis between the gallbladder and jejunum (G-J anastomosis) by invagination. Transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the collagen 1(α)1 promoter underwent G-J anastomosis 14 days after bile duct ligation (BDL) and were sacrificed 14 days later. RESULTS: Transaminase and total bilirubin levels decreased to almost normal values on day 14 after G-J anastomosis. G-J anastomosis resulted in dramatic reversal of liver fibrosis induced by BDL. Activated portal fibroblasts (PFs) double-positive for GFP and Thy-1 on immunofluorescence in the liver of BDL-injured mice became less noticeable following G-J anastomosis. Messenger RNA expression of markers for activated PFs in the liver was downregulated after anastomosis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) were induced by BDL. After anastomosis, expressions of MMP-3, 8 as well as hepatocyte growth factor were further upregulated, whereas those of TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 were markedly downregulated. CONCLUSIONS: Our established G-J anastomosis model is associated with fibrosis resolution and reduced PF activation through reopening of bile duct obstruction and will be valuable for studying the recovery process of cholestatic liver fibrosis.

Laparoscopic Versus Open Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Controlled Study with Propensity Score Matching.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is associated with fewer postoperative complications than open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, this issue remains controversial since the data may have been attributable to an imbalance in patients' background. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 290 hepatectomies for HCC undertaken between 2011 and 2019. Liver resection difficulty was based on the 3 levels of the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris classification. Resection ratio was calculated using computed tomography volumetry. Patient characteristics were compared between the LLR and OLR groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was adopted to adjust the imbalance between the cohorts, and the incidence of postoperative complications was compared. RESULTS: The difficulty and resection ratio were significantly lower in LLR (n = 112) than in OLR (n = 178) (difficulty grade I/II/III: 84/10/18 vs. 43/39/96, p < 0.001; resection ratio: 11.4 ± 12.7 vs. 22.7 ± 17.2%, p < 0.001). The incidence of postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade III or more) was lower in LLR (2.7% vs. 21.9%, p < 0.001), which was mainly attributable to fewer incidences of ascites and pleural effusion. PSM generated 68 well-matched patients in each group. The lower incidence of postoperative complications in LLR was also maintained in the PSM cohort (2.9% vs. 16.2%, p = 0.017). On multivariate analysis, LLR was the independent predictor of postoperative complications (OR 0.184, 95% CI 0.051-0.672, p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that a laparoscopic approach reduces the incidence of postoperative complications in liver resection for HCC.

Liver resection for octogenarians in a French center: prolonged hepatic pedicle occlusion and male sex increase major complications.

PURPOSE: The prolonged life expectancy and increase in aging of the population have led surgeons to propose hepatectomy in the elderly population. In this study, we evaluate the surgical outcome of octogenarians in a single French center. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2020, 78 patients over 80 years old were retrospectively analyzed. The risk factors of major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ grade IIIa) and patient performance after surgery by using textbook outcome (TO) (no surgical complications, no prolonged hospital stay (≤ 15 days), no readmission ≤90 days after discharge, and no mortality ≤90 days after surgery) were studied. RESULTS: The main surgical indication was for malignancy (96%), including mainly colorectal liver metastases (n = 41; 53%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 22; 28%), and major hepatectomy was performed in 28 patients (36%). There were 6 (8%) postoperative mortalities. The most frequent complications were pulmonary (n = 22; 32%), followed by renal insufficiency (n = 22; 28%) and delirium (n = 16; 21%). Major complications occurred in 19 (24%) patients. On multivariate analysis, the main risk factors for major complications were the median vascular clamping time (0 vs 35; P = 0.04) and male sex (P = 0.046). TO was ultimately achieved in 30 patients (38%), and there was no prognostic factor for achievement of TO. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatectomy in octogenarians is associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality. Meanwhile, prolonged hepatic pedicle clamping should be avoided especially if hepatectomy is planned in a male patient.

Do Polystyrene Beads Contribute to Accumulation of Methylmercury in Oysters?

To clarify whether microplastics contribute to elevated bioaccumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic organisms, we studied the sorption pattern of MeHg on polystyrene beads (PBs) and evaluated MeHg accumulation, via uptake of MeHg-adsorbed PB, in the oyster Crassostrea gigas. MeHg-cysteine conjugates were added to seawater at 10, 100, and 1000 µg/L as Hg. Polystyrene beads (φ = 0.02, 0.2, and 2 µm) were immersed in the seawater for 24 h. The concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg) adsorbed onto the PBs were then measured using the reduction vaporization method. T-Hg concentrations for the PBs with diameters of 0.02, 0.2, and 2 µm were 10.6 ± 0.4, 1.8 ± 0.1, and 1.3 ± 0.1 ng/mg-PBs, respectively, when immersed in 2 mL of MeHg-added seawater (100 µg/L as Hg). Thus, the adsorption efficiency of MeHg onto PBs was higher in the presence of smaller diameter PBs. Next, 1 mg of PBs immersed in 2 mL of seawater containing 100 µg/L of MeHg for 24 h was added to an oyster tank containing 1 L of seawater. The T-Hg concentration of the oysters was measured after 6 h of exposure. No significant difference was found in the T-Hg concentration of oysters in the presence of PBs (0.30 ± 0.01 to 0.37 ± 0.05 ng/mg as dry weight) with MeHg and in the absence of PBs (0.36 ± 0.03 ng/mg as dry weight). Our results suggest that the presence of PBs in seawater has little effect on MeHg uptake by oysters.

A systematic review of prediction models for post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients undergoing liver surgery.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the current evidence in the context of clinical prediction model for post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). METHODS: A systematic search of the English literature for a period from December 2005 to September 2020 was conducted. Primary outcome was defined using the three common PHLF criteria (50-50 criteria, peak bilirubin>7 mg/dl criteria, and ≥ grade B PHLF criteria by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery). Studies that reported the value of area under receiver operative characteristic curve (AUC) for the occurrence of PHLF were included. RESULTS: Twenty eight of 1327 screened articles were eligible for inclusion. Eighteen studies developed the prediction models. The median AUC was found to be 0.79 (0.65-0.933). The parameters related to the amount of future liver remnant volume were most commonly identified as significant predictors for PHLF in statistical analysis (24 studies) and were most frequently incorporated in the prediction models (18 studies). The parameters associated with portal hypertension were significant for predicting PHLF in 16 studies and were adopted in the prediction models in 14 studies. CONCLUSION: Parameters related to future liver remnant volume and portal hypertension seem to be facilitating in predicting PHLF.

Long-term impact and clinical significance of living donor liver transplantation with respect to donor liver restoration and spleen size: A prospective study.

This study aimed to evaluate postoperative long-term liver restoration and splenic enlargement and their clinical significance in living donor liver transplantation. One hundred and sixteen donors who had donated livers more than 5 years previously accepted the invitation to participate in this study. The liver restoration rate and the splenic enlargement rate were calculated as the rate with respect to the original volume. The mean liver restoration rate was 0.99 ± 0.12 and older age was associated with a higher incidence for liver restoration rate <0.95 (P = .005), whereas type of donor operation was not. The donors with liver restoration rate <0.95 showed lower serum albumin levels than those with liver restoration rate ≥0.95. The mean splenic enlargement rate was 1.10 ± 0.16. Right lobe donors demonstrated higher splenic enlargement rate (1.14 ± 0.18) than left lobe/lateral segment donors (1.06 ± 0.13). In the donors with splenic enlargement rate ≥1.10, platelet count was not fully restored to the preoperative level. In conclusion, older age increases the risk for incomplete postoperative liver restoration, which may be associated with a decrease in albumin more than 5 years after donation. Right lobe donation poses a risk of splenic enlargement, which is associated with incomplete restoration of platelet count.

Eosinophilic peritonitis with colon cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs) are a rare group of inflammatory disorders that can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract, from the esophagus to the rectum. In particular, those with malignant or benign tumors are extremely rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 62-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of abdominal fullness. The peripheral white blood cell count was 19,400/µL, and the eosinophil count was 13,300/µL. Abdominal computed tomography showed massive ascites. Cytology of the ascitic fluid showed a large amount of eosinophils and no malignancy. Upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed on the suspicion of EGIDs, and colon cancer with no other abnormalities was found. The biopsies of the cancer lesions and non-cancer lesions also showed significant differences in eosinophil counts per high-power field (HPF) between the cancer and non-cancer lesions (median 77.5 [IQR 52-115] vs. 40.5 [35-56]/HPF, P < 0.05). Exploratory laparoscopy showed cloudy massive ascites and thickening of the mesentery. Pathological examination of the mesentery showed a large amount of eosinophils (median 177.5 [IQR 91-227]/HPF) and no malignancy. Based on these findings, it was suspected that the massive ascites due to eosinophilic peritonitis could be associated with colon cancer. Steroid administration resulted in immediate disappearance of the ascites, and laparoscopic left hemicolectomy was safely performed 6 weeks after steroid administration. CONCLUSION: This report presented a case of eosinophilic peritonitis that could be related to colon cancer. Exploratory laparoscopy was useful to detect the cause of ascites. The possibility that eosinophilic peritonitis was associated with colon cancer is discussed based on the histopathological findings.

Efficiency of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for the staging of graft fibrosis after liver transplantation.

AIM: Liver biopsy is the gold standard for assessing liver fibrosis (LF) after liver transplantation (LT), but its invasiveness limits its utility. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging to assess LF after LT. METHODS: Between September 2013 and January 2017, 278 patients who underwent liver biopsy after LT in Kyoto University Hospital (Kyoto, Japan) were prospectively enrolled. Liver stiffness measurement was carried out using ARFI imaging; its value was expressed as shear wave velocity (Vs) [m/s]. The LF was evaluated according to METAVIR score (F0-F4). The diagnostic performance of Vs for F2≤ and F3≤ was assessed and compared with that of laboratory tests using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: The median Vs values increased according to the progression of LF (F0, 1.18 (0.78-1.92); F1, 1.35 (0.72-3.54); F2, 1.55 (1.05-3.37); F3, 1.84 (1.41-2.97)). The Vs had the highest area under the ROC curve (AUROC) for the prediction of both F2 ≤ and F3 ≤ fibrosis (F2, 0.77; and F3, 0.85). With the cut-off value of Vs >1.31, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 89.4%, 53.3%, 37.3%, and 94.2% in predicting F2≤, respectively. Shear wave velocity diagnosed LF better than any laboratory tests regardless of the type of primary disease. CONCLUSIONS: Acoustic radiation force impulse helps to assess graft LF after LT. The high sensitivity suggested that ARFI might reduce the frequency of liver biopsies by detecting patients who are unlikely to have significant fibrosis after LT. (Unique trial no. UMIN R000028296.).

Highly Efficient 17.6% Tin-Lead Mixed Perovskite Solar Cells Realized through Spike Structure.

Frequently observed high Voc loss in tin-lead mixed perovskite solar cells is considered to be one of the serious bottle-necks in spite of the high attainable Jsc due to wide wavelength photon harvesting. An amicable solution to minimize the Voc loss up to 0.50 V has been demonstrated by introducing an n-type interface with spike structure between the absorber and electron transport layer inspired by highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells. Introduction of a conduction band offset of ∼0.15 eV with a thin phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester layer (∼25 nm) on the top of perovskite absorber resulted into improved Voc of 0.75 V leading to best power conversion efficiency of 17.6%. This enhancement is attributed to the facile charge flow at the interface owing to the reduction of interfacial traps and carrier recombination with spike structure as evidenced by time-resolved photoluminescence, nanosecond transient absorption, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.

Low Preoperative Platelet Count Predicts Risk of Subclinical Posthepatectomy Liver Failure in Right Lobe Donors for Liver Transplantation.

Living donor right hepatectomy (LDRH) is a common procedure in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation, but it is associated with a higher risk of posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) compared with left hepatectomy because of a smaller remnant. We identified risk factors for PHLF and other complications in LDRH, verified the appropriateness of the criteria, and explored the possibility of adjusting the minimum remnant liver volume (RLV) based on individual risk. Between October 2005 and November 2017, 254 donors undergoing LDRH at Kyoto University Hospital were enrolled. Clinical data were collected retrospectively. All complications were graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. No donors had grade 4 or 5 complications or clinically significant grade B or C PHLF. Grade A PHLF occurred in 30 donors (11.8%). Male sex (P = 0.01), lower preoperative platelet count (PLT; P = 0.01), higher prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (P = 0.03), higher total bilirubin (P = 0.01), smaller RLV (P = 0.03), and greater blood loss (P = 0.04) were associated with increased risk of PHLF in the univariate analysis, whereas PLT, RLV, and blood loss remained significant in the multivariate analysis. Grade 2 or 3 complications were observed in 32 (12.6%) donors. Higher body mass index (BMI; P = 0.002) and larger blood loss (P = 0.02) were identified as risk factors for complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 2) in univariate analysis. Only BMI remained significant in the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, LDRH is performed safely with acceptable morbidity under the current criteria. Minimum RLV may be marginally adjusted by PLT and reducing intraoperative blood loss minimizes PHLF risk. Liver Transplantation 00 000-000 2018 AASLD.

Colloidal Synthesis of Air-Stable Alloyed CsSn1-xPbxI3 Perovskite Nanocrystals for Use in Solar Cells.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have demonstrated unprecedented high power conversion efficiencies in the past few years. Now, the universal instability of the perovskites has become the main barrier for this kind of solar cells to realize commercialization. This situation can be even worse for those tin-based perovskites, especially for CsSnI3, because upon exposure to ambient atmosphere the desired black orthorhombic phase CsSnI3 would promptly lose single crystallinity and degrade to the inactive yellow phase, followed by irreversible oxidation into metallic Cs2SnI6. By alloying CsSnI3 with CsPbI3, we herein report the synthesis of alloyed perovskite quantum dot (QD), CsSn1-xPbxI3, which not only can be phase-stable for months in purified colloidal solution but also remains intact even directly exposed to ambient air, far superior to both of its parent CsSnI3 and CsPbI3 QDs. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy studies reveal that the photoexcited electrons in the alloyed QDs can be injected into TiO2 nanocrystals at a fast rate of 1.12 × 1011 s-1, which enables a high photocurrent generation in solar cells.

Usefulness of Mac-2 Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer for Prediction of Posthepatectomy Liver Failure in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) for the prediction of posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: M2BPGi is a novel serum marker of liver fibrosis. The usefulness of M2BPGi for the prediction of PHLF has not been evaluated. METHODS: Clinicopathological data were analyzed in 138 HCC patients who underwent liver resection between August 2011 and November 2014. PHLF was evaluated according to the definition of the International Study Group of Liver Surgery. Performance of preoperative parameters in predicting PHLF was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Serum M2BPGi level correlated with the METAVIR fibrosis score. M2BPGi levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients were significantly higher than those of HCV-negative patients, even in the same fibrosis stage. PHLF ≥ Grade B developed in 19 patients (13.8%). The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of M2BPGi for the prediction of PHLF ≥ Grade B was 0.71. In multivariate analysis, M2BPGi [odds ratio (OR): 2.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28-3.55], platelet count (OR: 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.80), and resection rate (OR: 2.71, 95% CI 1.46-5.40) were the significant factors associated with PHLF ≥ Grade B. The AUROC of the PHLF index defined by these factors was 0.81. Notably, in patients with HCV infection, the predictive ability of M2BPGi for PHLF (AUROC 0.85) was the best among the preoperative parameters. CONCLUSIONS: M2BPGi is a useful predictor of PHLF, especially in patients with HCV infection.

[Successful Administration of Regorafenib to a Metastatic Colon Cancer Patient with Impaired Performance Status by Reducing the Initial Dose].

A 59-year-old woman had recurrences in the spleen and lung 10 years after radical excision of cecal cancer. After 27 months of treatment with 5-fluorouracil/Leucovorin, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, bevacizumab, and anti-EGFR antibodies, multiple bone metastases and a left adrenal metastasis developed, and the patient's performance status (PS) deteriorated to grade 3. Regorafenib was administered at 80 mg/day. The pain and appetite improved within 2 courses, and her PS improved from grade 3 to 2. Regorafenib was increased to 120 mg/day for the 2nd course, and the patient was treated for 5 months without severe adverse effects. Regorafenib is considered to be a salvage-line treatment only for patients in relatively good condition, because full-dose regorafenib treatment often leads to severe adverse effects. Dose escalation of regorafenib from the low initial dose of 80 mg/day may be a safe and effective way of providing an opportunity of this chemotherapy to patients with impaired PS.

Control of charge dynamics through a charge-separation interface for all-solid perovskite-sensitized solar cells.

The relationship between the structure of the charge-separation interface and the photovoltaic performance of all-solid dye-sensitized solar cells is reported. This cell is composed of porous a TiO2/perovskite (CH3NH3PbI(x)Cl(3-x))/p-type organic conductor. The porous titania layer was passivated with Al2O3 or Y2O3 to remove surface traps of the porous titania layer. Both passivations were effective in increasing the efficiency of the solar cell. Especially, the effect of Y2O3 passivation was remarkable. After passivation, the efficiency increased from 6.59 to 7.5%. The increase in the efficiency was discussed in terms of the electron lifetime in TiO2, the thermally stimulated current, the measurement of the microwave refractive carrier lifetime, and transition absorption spectroscopy. It was proven that surface passivation resulted in retardation of charge recombination between the electrons in the porous titania layers and the holes in the p-type organic conductors.