Kelp forests on coastal rocky shores are negatively impacted by sudden sediment loads that can occur with storms and floods. Using laboratory experiments, we studied the effects of sediment deposition on the survival of the large brown alga Eisenia bicyclis juveniles (zoospores and gametophytes) to quantify the potential impacts of particulate matter on kelp forests. The zoospore adhesion rate and the gametophyte survival and growth rates all declined markedly with increasing sediment load, particularly with smaller particle diameter. Using experimental results, we derived an equation to calculate the rate of initial kelp depletion with sediment load based on the quantity and size distribution of sediment particles. The equation enabled the estimation of E. bicyclis depletion rates in the field by measurement of particle quantity and diameter distribution of sediments on the reef substrate.
Background/Aim: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is recognized as a prognostic predictor of recurrence in certain carcinomas. According to current Japanese guidelines, however, in gastric cancer, LVI is not clinically useful information, except for predicting the curability of endoscopic resection. We clarified the clinical significance of LVI in gastric cancer and its correlation with disease prognosis. Patients and Methods: A total of 2,090 cases of gastric cancer undergoing radical gastrectomy were enrolled. The correlation of LVI and other histopathological factors was evaluated with regards to patient prognosis. Results: LVI(+) was noted in 894 cases. A multivariate analysis showed that pT, pN, and LVI were independent risk factors for patient prognosis. In pT2-4 patients with nodal metastasis, a significant difference was revealed, and the 5year overall survival rates in LVI(+) cases were lower than those in LVI(-) (60.9% vs. 76.7%, p=0.005). Conclusion: LVI in gastric cancer is an independent prognostic factor, and tends to worsen prognosis, especially in advanced cancers with lymph node metastases.
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