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A chromosomal numeric polymorphism 2n=38, 39, 40 and 41 in the species Rattus rattus ssp. frugivurus (Rafinesque, 1814) is reported for the first time for this subspecies. The numbers 2n=39, 40 and 41 are new for the species. The polymorphism is due to the presence of 1, 2 or 3 B-chromosomes, which are all small metacentrics of the size and shaped very close to the other autosomes of the normal complement, and whose character of being supernumeraries is shown in Meiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated assessment of the potential of different management practices for mitigating specific components of the total GHG budget (N 2 O and CH 4 emissions and C sequestration) of Mediterranean agrosystems was performed in this study. Their suitability regarding both yield and environmental (e.g. nitrate leaching and ammonia volatilization) sustainability, and regional barriers and opportunities for their implementation were also considered. Based on its results best strategies to abate GHG emissions in Mediterranean agro-systems were proposed. Adjusting N fertilization to crop needs in both irrigated and rain-fed systems could reduce N 2 O emissions up to 50% compared with a non-adjusted practice. Substitution of N synthetic fertilizers by solid manure can be also implemented in those systems, and may abate N 2 O emissions by about 20% under Mediterranean conditions, with additional indirect benefits associated to energy savings and positive effects in crop yields. The use of urease and nitrification inhibitors enhances N use efficiency of the cropping systems and may mitigate N 2 O emissions up to 80% and 50%, respectively. The type of irrigation may also have a great mitigation potential in the Mediterranean region. Drip-irrigated systems have on average 80% lower N 2 O emissions than sprinkler systems and drip-irrigation combined with optimized fertilization showed a reduction in direct N 2 O emissions up to 50%. Methane fluxes have a relatively small contribution to the total GHG budget of Mediterranean crops, which can mostly be controlled by careful management of the water table and organic inputs in paddies. Reduced soil tillage, improved management of crop residues and agro-industry by-products, and cover cropping in orchards, are the most suitable interventions to enhance organic C stocks in Mediterranean agricultural soils. The adoption of the proposed agricultural practices will require farmers training. The global analysis of life cycle emissions associated to irrigation type (drip, sprinkle and furrow) and N fertilization rate (100 and 300 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ) revealed that these factors may outweigh the reduction in GHG emissions beyond the plot scale. The analysis of the impact of some structural changes on top-down mitigation of GHG emissions revealed that 3–15% of N 2 O emissions could be suppressed by avoiding food waste at the end-consumer level. A 40% reduction in meat and dairy consumption could reduce GHG emissions by 20–30%. Reintroducing the Mediterranean diet (i.e. ∼35% intake of animal protein) would therefore result in a significant decrease of GHG emissions from agricultural production systems under Mediterranean conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major vascular cause of dementia is cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Its diagnosis relies on imaging hallmarks, such as white matter hyperintensities (WMH). WMH present a heterogenous pathology, including myelin and axonal loss. Yet, these might be only the "tip of the iceberg." Imaging modalities imply that microstructural alterations underlie still normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), preceding the conversion to WMH. Unfortunately, direct pathological characterization of these microstructural alterations affecting myelinated axonal fibers in WMH, and especially NAWM, is still missing. Given that there are no treatments to significantly reduce WMH progression, it is important to extend our knowledge on pathological processes that might already be occurring within NAWM. Staining of myelin with Luxol Fast Blue, while valuable, fails to assess subtle alterations in white matter microstructure. Therefore, we aimed to quantify myelin surrounding axonal fibers and axonal- and microstructural damage in detail by combining (immuno)histochemistry with polarized light imaging (PLI). To study the extent (of early) microstructural damage from periventricular NAWM to the center of WMH, we refined current analysis techniques by using deep learning to define smaller segments of white matter, capturing increasing fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal. Integration of (immuno)histochemistry and PLI with post-mortem imaging of the brains of individuals with hypertension and normotensive controls enables voxel-wise assessment of the pathology throughout periventricular WMH and NAWM. Myelin loss, axonal integrity, and white matter microstructural damage are not limited to WMH but already occur within NAWM. Notably, we found that axonal damage is higher in individuals with hypertension, particularly in NAWM. These findings highlight the added value of advanced segmentation techniques to visualize subtle changes occurring already in NAWM preceding WMH. By using quantitative MRI and advanced diffusion MRI, future studies may elucidate these very early mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration, which ultimately contribute to the conversion of NAWM to WMH., (© 2024 The Author(s). Brain Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Neuropathology.)

Abstract: Cerebral small vessel disease is a neurological disease that affects the brain microvasculature and which is commonly observed among the elderly. Although at first it was considered innocuous, small vessel disease is nowadays regarded as one of the major vascular causes of dementia. Radiological signs of small vessel disease include small subcortical infarcts, white matter magnetic resonance imaging hyperintensities, lacunes, enlarged perivascular spaces, cerebral microbleeds, and brain atrophy; however, great heterogeneity in clinical symptoms is observed in small vessel disease patients. The pathophysiology of these lesions has been linked to multiple processes, such as hypoperfusion, defective cerebrovascular reactivity, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Notably, studies on small vessel disease suggest that blood-brain barrier dysfunction is among the earliest mechanisms in small vessel disease and might contribute to the development of the hallmarks of small vessel disease. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide a new foundation in the study of small vessel disease pathology. First, we discuss the main structural domains and functions of the blood-brain barrier. Secondly, we review the most recent evidence on blood-brain barrier dysfunction linked to small vessel disease. Finally, we conclude with a discussion on future perspectives and propose potential treatment targets and interventions., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Neural Regeneration Research.)

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are the most prevalent markers of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), which is the major vascular risk factor for dementia. Microvascular pathology and neuroinflammation are suggested to drive the transition from normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) to WMH, particularly in individuals with hypertension. However, current imaging techniques cannot capture ongoing NAWM changes. The transition from NAWM into WMH is a continuous process, yet white matter lesions are often examined dichotomously, which may explain their underlying heterogeneity. Therefore, we examined microvascular and neurovascular inflammation pathology in NAWM and severe WMH three-dimensionally, along with gradual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) signal (sub-)segmentation. In WMH, the vascular network exhibited reduced length and complexity compared to NAWM. Neuroinflammation was more severe in WMH. Vascular inflammation was more pronounced in NAWM, suggesting its potential significance in converting NAWM into WMH. Moreover, the (sub-)segmentation of FLAIR signal displayed varying degrees of vascular pathology, particularly within WMH regions. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between microvascular pathology and neuroinflammation in the transition from NAWM to WMH. Further examination of neurovascular inflammation across MRI-visible alterations could aid deepening our understanding on WMH conversion, and therewith how to improve the prognosis of SVD., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Ammonia (NH 3 ) volatilization is the major source of nitrogen (N) loss resulting from the application of synthetic and organic N fertilizers to croplands. It is well known that in Mediterranean cropping systems, there is a relationship between the intrinsic characteristics of the climate and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions, but whether the same relation exists for NH 3 emissions remains uncertain. Here, we estimated the impact of edaphoclimatic conditions (including meteorological conditions after N fertilization), crop management factors, and the measurement technique on both the cumulative emissions and the NH 3 emission factor (EF) in Mediterranean climate zones, drawing on a database of 234 field treatments. We used a machine learning method, random forest (RF), to predict volatilization and ranked variables based on their importance in the prediction. Random forest had a good predictive power for the NH 3 EF and cumulative emissions, with an R 2 of 0.69 and 0.76, respectively. Nitrogen fertilization rate (N rate) was the top-ranked predictor variable, increasing NH 3 emissions substantially when N rate was higher than 170 kg N ha -1 . Soil pH was the most important edaphoclimatic variable, showing greater emissions (36.7 kg NH 3 ha -1 , EF = 19.3%) when pH was above 8.2. Crop type, fertilizer type, and N application method also affected NH 3 emission patterns, while water management, mean precipitation, and soil texture were ranked low by the model. Our results show that intrinsic Mediterranean characteristics had only an indirect effect on NH 3 emissions. For instance, relatively low N fertilization rates result in small NH 3 emissions in rainfed areas, which occupy a very significant surface of Mediterranean agricultural land. Overall, N fertilization management is a key driver in reducing NH 3 emissions, but additional field factors should be studied in future research to establish more robust abatement strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Exercise and dietary interventions are promising approaches to tackle obesity and its obesogenic effects on the brain. We investigated the impact of exercise and possible synergistic effects of exercise and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation on the brain and behavior in high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obese Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice. Baseline measurements were performed in chow-fed Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice to assess metabolic risk factors, cognition, and brain structure using magnetic resonance imaging. Thereafter, a subgroup was sacrificed, serving as a healthy reference. The remaining mice were fed an HFD and divided into three groups: (i) no exercise, (ii) exercise, or (iii) exercise and dietary BCAA. Mice were followed for 6 months and aforementioned tests were repeated. We found that exercise alone changed cerebral blood flow, attenuated white matter loss, and reduced neuroinflammation compared to non-exercising HFD-fed mice. Contrarily, no favorable effects of exercise on the brain were found in combination with BCAA, and neuroinflammation was increased. However, cognition was slightly improved in exercising mice on BCAA. Moreover, BCAA and exercise increased the percentage of epididymal white adipose tissue and muscle weight, decreased body weight and fasting insulin levels, improved the circadian rhythm, and transiently improved grip strength. In conclusion, BCAA should be supplemented with caution, although beneficial effects on metabolism, behavior, and cognition were observed.

The major vascular cause of dementia is cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), including white matter hyperintensities (WMH) amongst others. While the underlying pathology of SVD remains unclear, chronic hypertension and neuroinflammation are recognized as important risk factors for SVD and for the conversion of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) to WMH. Unfortunately, most studies investigating the role of neuroinflammation in WMH relied on peripheral blood markers, e.g., markers for systemic or vascular inflammation, as a proxy for inflammation in the brain itself. However, it is unknown whether such markers accurately capture inflammatory changes within the cerebral white matter. Therefore, we aimed to comprehensively investigate the impact of hypertension on perivascular- and neuroinflammation in both WMH and NAWM. We conducted high field brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by (immuno-)histopathological staining of neuroinflammatory markers on human post-mortem brains of elderly people with a history of hypertension (n = 17) and age-matched normotensive individuals (n = 5). MRI images were co-registered to (immuno-)histopathological data including stainings for microglia and astroglia to assess changes in MRI-based WMH at microscopic resolution. Perivascular inflammation was carefully assessed based on the severity of perivascular astrogliosis of the smallest vessels throughout white matter regions. Hypertension was associated with a larger inflammatory response in both WMH and NAWM. Notably, the presence of close-range perivascular inflammation was twice as common among those with hypertension than in controls both in WMH and NAWM, suggesting that neurovascular inflammation is critical in the etiology of WMH. Moreover, a higher degree of microglial activation was related to a higher burden of WMH. Our results indicate that neuro(vascular)inflammation at the level of the brain itself is involved in the etiology of WMH. Future therapeutic strategies focusing on multitarget interventions including antihypertensive treatment as well as neuroinflammation may ameliorate WMH progression., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Organic fertilisers can reduce the carbon (C) footprint from croplands, but adequate management strategies such as the use of nitrification inhibitors are required to minimise side-effects on nitrogen (N) losses to the atmosphere or waterbodies. This could be particularly important in a context on changing rainfall patterns due to climate change. A lysimeter experiment with maize (Zea mays L.) was set up on a coarse sandy soil to evaluate the efficacy of 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) to mitigate nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions, nitrate (NO 3 - ) leaching losses and net global warming potential from manure, with (R+) and without (R-) simulated rainfall events. Soil water availability was a limiting factor for plant growth and microbial processes due to low rainfall during the growing season. Nitrification was effectively inhibited by DMPP, decreasing topsoil NO 3 - concentrations by 28% on average and cumulative N 2 O losses by 82%. Most of the N 2 O was emitted during the growing season, with annual emission factors of 0.07% and 0.95% for manure with and without DMPP, respectively. Cumulative N 2 O emissions were 40% higher in R-compared to R+, possibly because of the higher topsoil NO 3 - concentrations. There was no effect of DMPP or rainfall amount on annual NO 3 - leaching losses, which corresponded to 12% of manure-N and were mainly driven by the post-harvest period. DMPP did not affect yield or N use efficiency (NUE) while R-caused severe reductions on biomass and NUE. We conclude that dry growing seasons can jeopardize crop production while concurrently increasing greenhouse gas emissions from a sandy soil. The use of nitrification inhibitors is strongly recommended under these conditions to address the climate change impacts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Reliably documenting plant diversity is necessary to protect and sustainably benefit from it. At the heart of this documentation lie species concepts and the practical methods used to delimit taxa. Here, we apply a total-evidence, iterative methodology to delimit and document species in the South American genus Victoria (Nymphaeaceae). The systematics of Victoria has thus far been poorly characterized due to difficulty in attributing species identities to biological collections. This research gap stems from an absence of type material and biological collections, also the confused diagnosis of V. cruziana . With the goal of improving systematic knowledge of the genus, we compiled information from historical records, horticulture and geography and assembled a morphological dataset using citizen science and specimens from herbaria and living collections. Finally, we generated genomic data from a subset of these specimens. Morphological and geographical observations suggest four putative species, three of which are supported by nuclear population genomic and plastid phylogenomic inferences. We propose these three confirmed entities as robust species, where two correspond to the currently recognized V. amazonica and V. cruziana , the third being new to science, which we describe, diagnose and name here as V. boliviana Magdalena and L. T. Sm. Importantly, we identify new morphological and molecular characters which serve to distinguish the species and underpin their delimitations. Our study demonstrates how combining different types of character data into a heuristic, total-evidence approach can enhance the reliability with which biological diversity of morphologically challenging groups can be identified, documented and further studied., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Smith, Magdalena, Przelomska, Pérez-Escobar, Melgar-Gómez, Beck, Negrão, Mian, Leitch, Dodsworth, Maurin, Ribero-Guardia, Salazar, Gutierrez-Sibauty, Antonelli and Monro.)

Vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats indicate that core vaccines (for dogs, rabies, distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus; for cats, feline parvovirus, herpes virus-1, calicivirus) are essential to maintain health, and that non-core vaccines be administered according to a clinician's assessment of a pet's risk of exposure and susceptibility to infection. A reliance on individual risk assessment introduces the potential for between-practice inconsistencies in non-core vaccine recommendations. A study was initiated to determine non-core vaccination rates of dogs (Leptospira, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine influenza virus) and cats (feline leukemia virus) in patients current for core vaccines in veterinary practices across the United States. Transactional data for 5,531,866 dogs (1,670 practices) and 1,914,373 cats (1,661 practices) were retrieved from practice management systems for the period November 1, 2016 through January 1, 2020, deidentified and normalized. Non-core vaccination status was evaluated in 2,798,875 dogs and 788,772 cats that were core-vaccine current. Nationally, median clinic vaccination rates for dogs were highest for leptospirosis (70.5%) and B. bronchiseptica (68.7%), and much lower for canine influenza (4.8%). In Lyme-endemic states, the median clinic borreliosis vaccination rate was 51.8%. Feline leukemia median clinic vaccination rates were low for adult cats (34.6%) and for kittens and 1-year old cats (36.8%). Individual clinic vaccination rates ranged from 0 to 100% for leptospirosis, B. bronchiseptica and feline leukemia, 0-96% for canine influenza, and 0-94% for borreliosis. Wide variation in non-core vaccination rates between clinics in similar geographies indicates that factors other than disease risk are driving the use of non-core vaccines in pet dogs and cats, highlighting a need for veterinary practices to address gaps in patient protection. Failure to implement effective non-core vaccination strategies leaves susceptible dogs and cats unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: the following authors were employed by and received monetary compensation from Elanco Animal Health Inc. KBM and MET. the following authors were employed by and received monetary compensation from VetSuccess: MGR, GdLG and SWJ. The following authors consult with and receive monetary compensation from Elanco Animal Health Inc: WGR, GEM., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: The nutrient sensing mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and its primary inhibitor, tuberin (TSC2), are cues for the development of cardiac hypertrophy. The phenotype of mTORC1 induced hypertrophy is unknown., Objective: To examine the impact of sustained mTORC1 activation on metabolism, function, and structure of the adult heart., Methods and Results: We developed a mouse model of inducible, cardiac-specific sustained mTORC1 activation (mTORC1 iSA ) through deletion of Tsc2. Prior to hypertrophy, rates of glucose uptake and oxidation, as well as protein and enzymatic activity of glucose 6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) were decreased, while intracellular levels of glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) were increased. Subsequently, hypertrophy developed. Transcript levels of the fetal gene program and pathways of exercise-induced hypertrophy increased, while hypertrophy did not progress to heart failure. We therefore examined the hearts of wild-type mice subjected to voluntary physical activity and observed early changes in GPI, followed by hypertrophy. Rapamycin prevented these changes in both models., Conclusion: Activation of mTORC1 in the adult heart triggers the development of a non-specific form of hypertrophy which is preceded by changes in cardiac glucose metabolism., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers, such as those containing nitrification or urease inhibitors, can mitigate the carbon (C) footprint linked to the production of bioenergy crops through a reduction in direct nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions and indirect N 2 O losses. These indirect emissions are derived from ammonia (NH 3 ) volatilization, which also have important environmental and health implications. The evaluation of the global warming potential (GWP) of different N sources using site-specific data of yield and direct and indirect emissions is needed for oilseed rape under rainfed semi-arid conditions, especially when meteorological variability is taken into account. Using urea as a N source, the N 2 O mitigation efficacy of the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) alone or combined with the nitrification inhibitor 2-(3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl) succinic acid isomeric mixture (DMPSA) was evaluated under field conditions in a rainfed oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) crop. Two additional N sources from calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), with and without DMPSA, were included. The GWP of the treatments was estimated considering the emissions from inputs, operations and other direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as methane (CH 4 ) and the volatilization of NH 3 . We also measured the abundance of key genes involved in nitrification and denitrification to improve the understanding of N 2 O emissions on a biochemical basis under the conditions of our study. The results show that due to the intense rainfall after fertilization and a rewetting event, N 2 O losses from fertilizers without inhibitors were greater than those previously reported under Mediterranean conditions, while NH 3 losses were low and not affected by the urease inhibitor. The cumulative N 2 O emissions (which were greatly influenced by a rewetting peak three months after fertilization) from the urea fertilization were significantly higher than those from CAN. The presence of NBPT significantly reduced N 2 O losses by an average of 71%, with respect to urea. The use of DMPSA with CAN resulted in an abatement of N 2 O emissions (by 57%) and a significant increase in oil yield in comparison with CAN alone. All inhibitor-based treatments were effective in abating N 2 O emissions during the rewetting peak. The abundances of the nitrifier and denitrifier communities, especially ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), significantly decreased relative to the urea or CAN treatments as inhibitors were applied. Under the conditions of our study, the sustainability of a bioenergy crop such as oilseed rape can be improved by using inhibitors because they mitigated N 2 O emissions and/or enhanced the oil yield., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Phase of care mortality analysis (POCMA) is a quality improvement tool categorizing triggers for mortality into phases of patient care. However, the relationship between a patient's risk profile and the triggers for mortality is incompletely understood., Methods: POCMA was implemented for cases with available Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk models. Risk-adjusted rates were obtained from the STS database. Mortality triggers were categorized by the phase of occurrence (preoperative, intraoperative, intensive care unit [ICU], postoperative floor, and discharge). Patients were then stratified by STS risk score: low risk (<4%), intermediate (4% to 8%), and high risk (>8%)., Results: A total of 3,919 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 901 isolated valve, and 321 CABG plus single-valve procedures were performed from 2012 to 2018, with 4.6% crude mortality and a median STS risk score of 5.8%. POCMA was performed on 67 patient mortalities, with triggers occurring in the following phases of care: 49.3% preoperative, 13.4% intraoperative, 23.9% ICU, 3.0% postoperative floor, and 10.4% discharge phase. Mortality distribution was bimodal, occurring mostly in low-risk (37.3%) and high-risk (38.8%) patients. For low-risk patients, the trigger for mortality most frequently occurred during the postoperative ICU phase, while for high-risk patients, the trigger for mortality most frequently occurred during the preoperative phase., Conclusions: Mortality had a bimodal distribution with respect to patient risk profile. Phase-of-care triggers for mortality differed according to patient risk profile: low-risk triggers during the postoperative ICU phase versus high-risk triggers typically during the preoperative phase. Specific focus on phases according to the patient's risk profile represents an opportunity to improve quality and outcomes., (Copyright © 2019 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) such as dicyandiamide (DCD) and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) provide an opportunity to reduce losses of reactive nitrogen (Nr) from agricultural ecosystems. To understand the fate and efficacy of these two inhibitors, laboratory-scale experiments were conducted with 14 C-labelled DCD and DMPP to determine the relative rates of mineralization, recovery in soil extracts and sorption in two agricultural soils with contrasting pH and organic matter content. Concurrently, the net production of soil ammonium and nitrate in soil were determined. Two months after NI addition to soil, significantly greater mineralization of 14 C-DMPP (15.3%) was observed, relative to that of 14 C-DCD (10.7%), and the mineralization of both NIs increased with temperature, regardless of NI and soil type. However, the mineralization of NIs did not appear to have a major influence on their inhibitory effect (as shown by the low mineralization rates and the divergent average half-lives for mineralization and nitrification, which were 454 and 37days, respectively). The nitrification inhibition efficacy of DMPP was more dependent on soil type than that of DCD, although the efficacy of both inhibitors was lower in the more alkaline, low-organic matter soil. Although a greater proportion of DMPP becomes unavailable, possibly due to physico-chemical sorption to soil or microbial immobilization, our results demonstrate the potential of DMPP to achieve higher inhibition rates than DCD in grassland soils. Greater consideration of the interactions between NI type, soil and temperature is required to provide robust and cost-effective advice to farmers on NI use., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder is a progressive, lethal disease. Survival of patients with this neoplasm depends strictly on lymph node involvement and depth of tumor invasion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of our surgical series according to the tumor node metastasis and Japanese Society of Biliary Surgery classification systems. A retrospective analysis of our 15-year experience was performed. Of the 79 patients with gallbladder carcinoma observed at our institution between 1984 and 2001, a radical resection was carried out in 20 patients. Patients with stage I-II disease represent a minority of the cases of gallbladder carcinoma; the disease is localized in these patients, and surgical treatment provides the opportunity for good survival. Survival rates for patients with stage III-IV disease demonstrates that radical extended surgery offers the only chance for a relatively prolonged survival.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the value of endoluminal ultrasonography (ELUS) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma., Methods: Thirty-seven consecutive patients were examined by ELUS and MRI. Imaging results were compared with pathohistologic studies. A tumor extending beyond the bowel wall was considered to be "positive" and one within the bowel wall was considered "negative." Lymph node involvement was considered present if nodes equal to or greater than 5 mm in diameter were found in the perirectal tissue. For evaluating the differences between the two methods, the Mc Nemar test was performed., Results: T-Staging was correct in 88.2 percent (30/34) of patients by ELUS and in 82.3 percent (28/34) by MRI (difference not significant). N-Staging was correct in 80 percent (20/25) by ELUS and in 60 percent (15/25) by MRI (difference of borderline significance). A comprehensive preoperative staging (T + N) was made correctly in 68 percent (17/25) by ELUS and in 48 percent only (12/25) by MRI (difference not significant)., Conclusions: We suggest that ELUS and MRI must be evaluated within the framework of established parameters when treatment modalities such as preoperative radiation therapy and local or radical surgical approach must be decided.