[Effect and mechanism of EtOAc extract of Draconis Sanguis onimproving atherosclerosis in ApoE~(-/-) mice].

This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of the EtO Ac extract of Draconis Sanguis(DSE) on improving athero sclerosis in ApoE gene knockout(ApoE~(-/-)) mice. The ApoE~(-/-) mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, mo delgroup, positive group treated with ezetimibe of 5 mg·kg~(-1)(EG), and low(100 mg·kg~(-1)) and high dose(200 mg·kg~(-1)) groups ofDSE. xcept for the control group, all other groups were fed a high-fat diet and administered drugs for 16 successive weeks. After 16 weeks of Eadministration, the body weight, liver, and epididymal fat mass of the mice were measured; the level of blood lipid and the plaquearea of the aortic outflow tract were detected to evaluate the efficacy of DSE in vivo. In addition, in vitro cultures of human umbilical v ein endothelial cell(HUVEC) were conducted. Oxidative stress of endothelial cells was induced by oxidized low-density lipoprot ein(ox-LDL), and the effects of DSE on oxidative stress-related proteins in endothelial cells were examined. The results sho wedthat both doses of DSE significantly improved the epididymal fat mass and index of ApoE~(-/-) mice with atherosclerosis, lowered thelevels of plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and reduced the plaque area of the aortic ou tflow tract. totIn alvitro experiments confirmed that ox-LDL significantly increased the level of lipid peroxidation marker 4-HNE in HUVECcells, confirming that DSE improved the degree of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE~(-/-) mice by inhibiting ox-LDL-induced oxidative stress in vascular endothelial cells.

Demographic history and population genetic structure of Anisakis pegreffii in the cutlassfish Trichiurus japonicus along the coast of mainland China and Taiwan.

Studying the genetic diversity of nematode parasite populations is crucial to gaining insight into parasite infection dynamics and informing parasite phylogeography. Anisakiasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the consumption of infectious third-stage larvae (L3) of Anisakis spp. carried by marine fish. In the present study, a total of 206 mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome c oxidase 2, cox2) were used to study the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and historical demography of twelve A. pegreffii populations from Trichiurus japonicas along the coast of mainland China and Taiwan. Two distinct evolutionary lineages of A. pegreffii and no significant genealogical structures corresponding to sampling localities suggested that isolation in the marginal seas shaped their patterns of phylogeographic distribution along the coast of mainland China and Taiwan during glaciation with lower sea levels. Furthermore, pairwise FST values and AMOVA did not indicate any significant genetic differentiation among groups with no relation to the geographic area, which might be attributed to fewer barriers to gene flow as well as large population sizes. The results of the neutrality test, mismatch distribution, and Bayesian skyline plot analyses showed that entire population underwent population expansion during the late Pleistocene. Analysis of the demographic history revealed that A. pegreffii underwent historical lineage diversification and admixture due to secondary contact based on ABC analysis. The present research represents the first definitive population structure and demographic history across sampling locations of A. pegreffii along the coast of mainland China and Taiwan.

Maximum Entropy Approach to Reliability of Multi-Component Systems with Non-Repairable or Repairable Components.

The degradation and recovery processes are multi-scale phenomena in many physical, engineering, biological, and social systems, and determine the aging of the entire system. Therefore, understanding the interplay between the two processes at the component level is the key to evaluate the reliability of the system. Based on the principle of maximum entropy, an approach is proposed to model and infer the processes at the component level, and is applied to repairable and non-repairable systems. By incorporating the reliability block diagram, this approach allows for integrating the information of network connectivity and statistical moments to infer the hazard or recovery rates of the degradation or recovery processes. The overall approach is demonstrated with numerical examples.

Global epidemiology of use of and disparities in caesarean sections.

In this Series paper, we describe the frequency of, trends in, determinants of, and inequalities in caesarean section (CS) use, globally, regionally, and in selected countries. On the basis of data from 169 countries that include 98·4% of the world's births, we estimate that 29·7 million (21·1%, 95% uncertainty interval 19·9-22·4) births occurred through CS in 2015, which was almost double the number of births by this method in 2000 (16·0 million [12·1%, 10·9-13·3] births). CS use in 2015 was up to ten times more frequent in the Latin America and Caribbean region, where it was used in 44·3% (41·3-47·4) of births, than in the west and central Africa region, where it was used in 4·1% (3·6-4·6) of births. The global and regional increases in CS use were driven both by an increasing proportion of births occurring in health facilities (accounting for 66·5% of the global increase) and increases in CS use within health facilities (33·5%), with considerable variation between regions. Based on the most recent data available for each country, 15% of births in 106 (63%) of 169 countries were by CS, whereas 47 (28%) countries showed CS use in less than 10% of births. National CS use varied from 0·6% in South Sudan to 58·1% in the Dominican Republic. Within-country disparities in CS use were also very large: CS use was almost five times more frequent in births in the richest versus the poorest quintiles in low-income and middle-income countries; markedly high CS use was observed among low obstetric risk births, especially among more educated women in, for example, Brazil and China; and CS use was 1·6 times more frequent in private facilities than in public facilities.

[Advances in mechanisms of health benefits of exercise and nutrition].

Adequate physical activity/exercise and nutrition are the footstone for health, and primary components of healthy life style and prevention and treatment of life style-related diseases. Here we briefly review the recent advances in mechanisms of health benefits of regular physical activity/exercise and adequate nutrition, mitochondrial nutrients, and so on.

[Laparoscopic liver tumor resection of clinical experience in 126 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application technology of completely laparoscopy hepodectomy (LH). METHODS: From June 2006 to December 2011, the 126 cases of LH were performed, the data including operating time, blood loss and postoperative complications, etc, were analyzed retrospectively. The patients included 87 males and 39 female and they were 28-83 years old with an average age of 44.5 years old. The parenchyma was transected using laparoscopic ultrasonic scalpel and ligasure, accomplished with endoscopic linear stapler. Of all the patients, the diseases performed LH including primary liver carcinoma (45 cases), liver hemoangioma (58 cases), colon carcinoma with livermetastasis (23 cases), liver focar (5 cases), liver granuloma (1 case), liver adenoma (4 cases). The operations included left hemihepatectomy (n = 17), left lateral lobectomy (n = 34), right hemihepatectomy (n = 15), segmentectomy (n = 22), local resection (n = 59). RESULTS: Of all the patients, mean blood loss was 180 ml (10-1250 ml), mean surgical time was 142 minutes (43-220 minutes), mean postoperative hospital day was 2.2 days (3-12 days). Postoperative complications including eight cases of bile leakage, recovered after 1-3 weeks by appropriately draining. The patients with malignant tumor were followed up for 18 months (12-46 months), recurrence happened in 12 cases and four cases was died of recurrence and metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: LH is a safe, feasible and effective procedure for the treatment of benign liver disease and malignant liver neoplasm as long as the patient is properly selected, it should be recommended for radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

[Application of electric detachable stent in the embolization therapy of intracranial aneurysms].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Solitaire(TM) AB neurovascular stenting-assisted coil embolization for patients with wide-necked or dissecting aneurysms. METHODS: The clinical results and prognosis from a consecutive series of 38 patients with 40 wide-necked or dissecting aneurysms aneurysms who treated by Solitaire(TM) AB neurovascular stenting-assisted coil embolization from August 2010 to January 2012 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 12 male and 26 female patients, the age was 21 - 78 years (mean 55 years). Thirty-one cases were confirmed wide-neck aneurysms and 9 cases were dissection aneurysms by DSA. Acute subarachnoed hemorrhage due to the rupture of aneurysms was seen in 28 cases (according Hunt-Hess scale, 1 case of Class I, 20 cases of Class II, 4 cases of Class III, 3 cases of Class IV), 1 case was traumatic intracranial aneurysm, 1 case was misdiagnosed during the operation of pituitary adenoma by the approach of transsphenoid, and unruptured aneurysms were seen in 8 cases. The aneurysms were located at the posterior communicating segment of internal carotid artery (21 cases), the supraclinoid segment of internal carotid artery (6 cases), the cavernous segment of internal carotid artery (3 cases), the anterior communicating artery (1 case), and the vertebral artery (9 cases). The patients were performed DSA and Glasgow outcome score (GOS) to evaluate the prognosis 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Forty stents were used and all remodeling device were achieved successful position. Owing to acute thrombosis in 3 patients, the stents were retrieved successfully. The proportion of patients in whom Raymond class 1 occlusion was obtained in 31 cases (77.5%), Raymond class 2 occlusion in 5 cases (12.5%) and Raymond class 3 occlusion in 4 cases (10.0%). The follow-up was 3 to 12 months (median 6 months). The results of DSA indicated none of the patients' anuerysm was recurred; and GOS was applied to evaluate the prognosis of patients after 3 months. Of 38 patients, 34 recovered well, 3 moderately disabled, 1 patient died. CONCLUSIONS: It is safe to embolize aneurysms with Solitaire(TM) AB neurovascular stenting-assisted coil; meanwhile, the stents can be retrieved when acute thrombosis to reduce the complications.

Transcriptome profiling Revealed the potential mechanisms of Shen Lin Bai Zhu San n-butanol extract on DSS induced Colitis in Mice and LC-MS analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorder in gastrointestinal tract. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (SLBZS), which has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. The isolated fractions of TCM have also been proved to possess an important potential for treating diseases, which are due to their effective components. PURPOSE: In this study, we examined the possibility that SLBZS and its isolated active fractions may prevent DSS-induced colitis, and investigated the potential mechanisms by regulating genetic profile of colon. METHODS: Colitis mice were induced by 2.5% DSS for 7 days, and then SLBZS and different SLBZS extracts were administrated to protect the mice for 7 days. Body weight, diarrhea, bleeding in stool, colon length, spleen weight, cytokines of serum and colon and pathology of colon were assessed. The level of Ginsenoside Rg1, Re and Rb1 in different SLBZS extracts and qualitative analysis of n-butanol extract of SLBZS (S-Nb) was performed by HPLC and LC-MS, respectively. And the effects of S-Nb on the transcriptome in colitis were investigated. RESULTS: Our results showed that SLBZS and S-Nb significantly regained body weight, reduced DAI, splenomegaly and the length of colon and attenuated histological damage of the colon. Meanwhile, SLBZS and S-Nb markedly reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 and increased the level of IL-10 in serum and colon. These effects may be associated with the high levels of Ginsenoside Rg1, Re and Rb1 and rich variety of compounds in S-Nb including 6 ginsenosides, glycyrrhizin, L-tryptophan, and so on. Transcriptome analysis revealed that S-Nb selectively regulated 103 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 36 of which were changed in DSS-induced mice. And the genes of Per2, Per3, Npy and Serpina3m were closely related to colitis and also restored by S-Nb with different extent. Remarkably, these DEGs modulated the biological functions of colitis mice, including extracellular region, response to external stimulus, MAPK signaling pathway and arginine and proline metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that SLBZS and S-Nb blunted DSS-induced colitis by modulating differentially expression gene profile and biological functions based on their ginsenosides and rich compounds.

Phytosterols Alleviate Hyperlipidemia by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Cholesterol Metabolism in Mice.

Phytosterols (PS) have been shown to regulate cholesterol metabolism and alleviate hyperlipidemia (HLP), but the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which PS regulates cholesterol metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD) mice. The results showed that PS treatment reduced the accumulation of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the serum of HFD mice, while increasing the serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Compared with HFD mice, PS not only increased the antioxidant activity of the liver but also regulated the mRNA expression levels of enzymes and receptors related to cholesterol metabolism. The hypolipidemic effect of PS was abolished by antibiotic (Abx) intervention and reproduced by fecal transplantation (FMT) intervention. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that PS modulated the gut microbiota of mice. PS reduced the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and other bile salt hydrolase- (BSH-) producing gut microbiota in HFD mice, which are potentially related to cholesterol metabolism. These findings partially explain the mechanisms by which PS regulates cholesterol metabolism. This implies that regulation of the gut microbiota would be a potential target for the treatment of HLP.

[Laparoscopic anatomical right hemihepatectomy for liver tumor in 16 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application of laparoscopic anatomical right hemihepatectomy in the treatment of liver tumor. METHODS: From October 2007 to October 2011, 16 cases of laparoscopic anatomical right hemihepatectomy were performed. The data of operative duration, blood loss volume and postoperative complications, etc, were analyzed retrospectively. Parenchyma was transected with a laparoscopic ultrasonic scalpel and ligature and accomplished with an endoscopic linear stapler. RESULTS: Among them, postoperative pathologic examinations revealed primary liver carcinoma (n = 7), liver hemangioma (n = 6), colon carcinoma with liver metastasis (n = 2) and pancreatic non-function neuroendocrine carcinoma with liver metastasis (n = 1). The mean volume of blood loss was 550 (200 - 1550) ml, mean surgical time 310 (260 - 450) minutes and mean postoperative hospital stay 7 (5 - 14) days. Postoperative complications included 3 cases of bile leakage recovered after 2 - 3 weeks by appropriate draining. The patients with malignant tumor were followed up for 15 (12 - 52) months. Recurrence occurred in 4 cases and another 2 died of recurrence and metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic anatomical right hemihepatectomy is a safe, feasible and effective procedure for the treatment of benign liver disease and malignant liver neoplasms in properly selected patients. It should be recommended for radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

[Clinicopathologic features, diagnosis and treatment with solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas: a report of 33 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features, biological behavior, diagnosis and treatment of solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP). METHODS: A retrospective clinical and clinicopathologic analysis was made on 33 cases of SPTP admitted from May 2001 to 2010 July. There were 7 male and 26 female patients, aging from 13 to 66 years with a mean of 34.3 years. RESULTS: The tumor was located in pancreatic head of 10 patients, in pancreatic neck of 5 patients, in pancreatic body and tail of 18 patients. Of the 33 patients treated with surgery, 8 underwent simple resection of pancreatic tumor, 6 underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 3 underwent tumor resection plus pancreaticojejunostomy, 1 underwent tumor resection plus pancreaticogastrostomy, 11 underwent distal pancreatectomy, 4 underwent distal pancreatectomy plus spleen resection (1 underwent mesohepatectomy for hepatic metastasis). Sixteen of the 33 operations were completed by laparoscopy. Histologically, tumors were composed of papillary and microcystic solid structures, with uniformed population of cells. The pancreas and blood vessels invasion were identified in 3 cases, one of them was combined with liver metastasis, and they are male. Immunohistologically, the tumors were positive for α1-antitrypsin, α1-antichymotrypsin, ß-catenin, CD10, CD56 and vimentin (all cases), neuron-specific enolase (3 cases), synaptophysin (6 cases), chromogranin A (4 cases), progesterone receptor (28 cases), estrogen receptor (3 cases), S-100 (6 cases). Totally 33 cases were followed up with a median period of 49 months without tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: SPTP is of low graded malignancy. It primarily affects young women. It may be located in any part of pancreas. Immunohistochemistry is very important for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of SPTP. Surgical resection is recommended as the treatment of choice. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy or tumor resection is feasible and safe for some selected patients, and the prognosis is good.

Genetic pattern and demographic history of cutlassfish (Trichiurus nanhaiensis) in South China Sea by the influence of Pleistocene climatic oscillations.

Trichiurus nanhaiensis is one of the most important commercial fish species in the South China Sea. This study aimed to investigate the level of genetic variation and population genetic structure of T. nanhaiensis in the South China Sea for the first time, using 281 individuals collected from seven locations along the coast of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hainan Island. A high level of haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity were detected in the mitochondrial DNA cyt b gene and nuDNA RYR 3 gene. The overall expected heterozygosity (He = 0.693) among the seven populations ranged from 0.681 to 0.706 in microsatellite DNA data, which revealed high levels of genetic diversity. Significant genetic differentiation was found in Taidong populations in Taiwan, revealing the prevention of gene flow caused by the Kuroshio Current. Two major lineages based on the cyt b gene suggested that the Taiwan Strait acted as a geographic barrier for T. nanhaiensis during the glacier periods in the late Pleistocene. The Bayesian skyline plot also revealed that population demographic expansion of T. nanhaiensis was estimated to have occurred in 0.1 Mya. Our results indicated that all populations of T. nanhaiensis had experienced a recent genetic bottleneck following recent expansion based on ABC analysis.

Complete mitogenomes of four Trichiurus species: A taxonomic review of the T.lepturus species complex.

Four Trichiurus species, T.japonicus, T.lepturus, T.nanhaiensis, and T.brevis, from the coasts of the China Seas, have been identified and their entire mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) have been sequenced by next-generation sequencing technology. A comparative analysis of five mitogenomes was conducted, including the mitogenome of T.gangeticus. The mitogenomes contained 16.568-16.840 bp and encoded 36 typical mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding, 2 ribosomal RNA-coding, and 21 transfer RNA-coding genes) and two typical noncoding control regions. Although tRNAPro is absent from Trichiurus mitogenomes, when compared with the 22 tRNAs reported in other vertebrates, the gene arrangements in the mitogenomes of the studied species are consistent with those in most teleost mitogenomes. The full-length sequences and protein-coding genes (PCGs) in the mitogenomes of the five species had obvious AT biases and negative GC skew values. Our study indicate that the specimens in the Indian Ocean are neither T.lepturus nor T.nanhaiensis but they are T.gangeticus; the Trichiurus species composition in the Indian Ocean is totally different from that in Pacific and Atlantic oceans; there are at least two Trichiurus species in Indian Ocean; and the worldwide systematics and diversity of the genus Trichiurus need to be reviewed.

Polysaccharides derived from Shenling Baizhu San improve colitis via modulating tryptophan metabolism in mice.

Shenling Baizhu San has beneficial effects on the metabolism of the gut microbiota, however, the mechanisms underlying microbiota metabolites mediated anti-inflammation signaling are not well understood. Previously, we have demonstrated that supplementation with Shenling Baizhu San alleviated antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). The current study intends to investigate the dynamic modulation of Shenling Baizhu San polysaccharides (SP) on colitis from the gut microbiota metabolites perspective. Administration of SP effectively relieved colitis induced by DSS in mice, including alleviating body weight loss, the downregulation of colon proinflammatory mediators, and the promotion of intestinal injury repair. Whereas, the efficacy was eliminated by antibiotics, which demonstrated that the efficacy of SP was dependent on the gut microbiota. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) showed that the efficacy of SP can be transferred to gut microbiota. Serum metabolomics analysis showed that supplementation with SP significantly promoted tryptophan metabolism, which was consistent with the changed structure of the gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcus regulated by SP. Especially, the tryptophan metabolites-kynurenine (KYN) activated the expression of amplifying aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and Cyp1A1 to promote IL-10 expression in colon. These data suggested that SP positively affected colitis in mice by regulating tryptophan metabolic function of their gut microbiota.

Corrigendum: CircAFF1 aggravates vascular endothelial cell dysfunction mediated by miR-516b/SAV1/YAP1 axis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00899.].

Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities.

Effective conservation of threatened biota relies on accurate assessments and scientific guidance. As an unfortunate example, Chinese giant salamanders ( Andrias, CGS) remain critically endangered in nature. Misguided conservation efforts, e.g., commercial propagation and releasing of millions of likely non-indigenous or interspecific hybrids, have further compromised conservation initiatives. Limited information on wild populations of CGS poses a significant conservation challenge. Following 18-month long field monitoring, we now report the discovery of a wild population of CGS in a closed nature reserve in Jiangxi Province, China. Genomic assessments reveal its genetic distinctiveness and do not detect genetic admixture with other species. Based on morphological and molecular evidences, we describe this CGS as a new species Andrias jiangxiensis sp. nov. This is the only known species of CGS today with a genetically pure, reproducing, in situ population. This discovery emphasizes the important role that closed nature reserves play in protecting species, and the necessity of integrating long-term field monitoring and genetic assessments. It sets a new pathway for discovering and conserving endangered species, especially for those biotas that are similarly being extirpated by anthropogenic translocations and overexploitation.

Changes in the trophic niche of Trichiurus japonicus in the Beibu Gulf in different periods.

We measured stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes and calculated trophic level and trophic niche of Trichiurus japonicus, with samples collected from the Beibu Gulf from 2008 to 2009 and 2018. The differences between two periods were compared and analyzed to explore the changes of its ecological adaptation. The results showed that value of δ13C varied substantially between the two periods. The narrowed range and the smaller mean value of δ13C in 2018 suggested that their food source changed from upper-middle to lower-middle waters. The values of δ15N were stable, and the range and mean values of trophic level (3.38-3.43) did not change significantly, which indicated a stable trophic level of T. japonicas in the past decade. The correlation between δ13C and preanal length was not significant, but a positive correlation between δ15N and preanal length. In terms of trophic niche, the indicators had decreased in different degrees in 2018 with 1.1%-32.1%. The value of total area and standard ellipse area decreased from 20.20 and 4.68 to 14.20 and 3.18, respectively, indicating that the niches of T. japonicas in the Beibu Gulf had varied obviously and that their ability to use resources and adapt to the environment had declined. It was speculated that in the past decade, the mean trophic level of T. japonicas in the Beibu Gulf had not changed significantly. Due to the change of food sources, however, the diversity of trophic sources had decreased, and the trophic niche had become smaller.

[Cause of micromotion in distal femoral prosthesis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible causes of micromotion in distal femoral prosthesis. METHODS: Based on the assumption that the femur and prosthesis were considered as concentric cylinders with completely bonded interface, a theoretical model simulating the interfacial stress transfer was established. The distributions of the interfacial shear and radial stresses with the changing of z were obtained through mathematics and mechanics deducing. RESULTS: The maximum interfacial shear stress occurred at the position of z=0, namely, the cross section of the femur neck. The interfacial shear stress sharply decreased with the increasing of z and came to nearly zero at the range of z> 0.1 m. While the interfacial radial stress increased with the increasing of z,at the range of z >0.05 m it was constant and reached the maximum. CONCLUSION: The micromotion in distal prosthesis is caused by the interfacial radial stress.

[The pathological feature of primary hepatic carcinoma on explanted liver and its significance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathological feature of primary hepatic carcinoma and the clinical significance. METHODS: From August 2000 to December 2007, there were 89 patients with cirrhosis and carcinoma of liver who accepted whole liver resection. The whole liver was cut into 10 mm slices to examine the tumor size, number, distribution, capsule, satellite nodes, portal vein tumor thrombi (PVTT). The invaded adjacent tissue and lymph nodes were recorded, the distance from satellite to major tumor was measured, then histological examinations were carried out, and the final diagnosis was made by pathologists. RESULTS: The total of 89 cases included hepatocellular carcinoma in 86 cases and cholangiocarcinoma in 3 cases; 53 cases with multiple tumors and 36 cases with solitary tumor; complete capsule only in 14 cases, no obvious margin in 11 cases, 13 cases had a major tumor in the right lobe and a small tumor in the left lobe; 8 of 25 cases with gross invaded tissue were confirmed by histological examination, 7 of 16 cases with swollen lymph nodes were infiltrated by cancer cells. There were 47 cases with PVTT (47.2%) and 39 cases with satellite nodes (43.8%). PVTT and satellite nodes increased with the increase of sizes and the numbers of the tumors. The distance from satellite node to major tumor mostly were 0.5 - 3.0 cm. CONCLUSIONS: The whole explanted liver can completely reflect the characteristics of growth and infiltration of hepatic carcinoma. Attention must be paid to the small cancer lesions in another lobe, distal satellite nodes from major tumor, and tumor thrombi in a small branch of portal vein, which can not be found by imaging, and might influence the curative effectiveness after liver resection or transplantation.

Maximum entropy approach to reliability.

The aging process is a common phenomenon in engineering, biological, and physical systems. The hazard rate function, which characterizes the aging process, is a fundamental quantity in the disciplines of reliability, failure, and risk analysis. However, it is difficult to determine the entire hazard function accurately with limited observation data when the degradation mechanism is not fully understood. Inspired by the seminal work pioneered by Jaynes [Phys. Rev. 106, 620 (1956)PHRVAO0031-899X10.1103/PhysRev.106.620], this study develops an approach based on the principle of maximum entropy. In particular, the time-dependent hazard rate function can be established using limited observation data in a rational manner. It is shown that the developed approach is capable of constructing and interpreting many typical hazard rate curves observed in practice, such as the bathtub curve, the upside down bathtub, and so on. The developed approach is applied to model a classical single function system and a numerical example is used to demonstrate the method. In addition its extension to a more general multifunction system is presented. Depending on the interaction between different functions of the system, two cases, namely reducible and irreducible, are discussed in detail. A multifunction electrical system is used for demonstration.