Universal Rapid Demulsification by Vacuum Suction Using Superamphiphilic and Underliquid Superamphiphobic Polyurethane/Diatomite Composites.

A process for universal rapid demulsification by vacuum suction using an as-prepared superamphiphilic and underliquid superamphiphobic polyurethane (PU)/diatomite composite has been developed and is used to demulsify kerosene-in-water and water-in-kerosene emulsions with and without a surfactant. The results show that the demulsification rate of all the emulsions exceeds 98.5% in long-term operation, with a stable demulsification speed exceeding 0.303 L/m2 min. When a superhydrophobic channel for separation is added, the oil/water separation efficiency exceeds 99.0%, and the final products are qualified oil and water. This attractive universal demulsification capability of PU/diatomite originates from its underliquid superamphiphobicity, which attracts a continuous phase to form a stable liquid film and thus repels dispersed phase droplets, which have a similar interaction with the surface but are much less abundant. The vacuum forces emulsion droplets into the microstructure of the PU/diatomite cake, where they are compressed, coalesce, and finally demulsified. This observed mechanism suggests a promising strategy to avoid the negative effects of oil fouling in demulsification and achieve large-scale universal continuous rapid demulsification.

GINS2 regulates matrix metallopeptidase 9 expression and cancer stem cell property in human triple negative Breast cancer.

GINS2, a subunit of GINS complex, is critical for the initiation of DNA replication and DNA replication fork progression. The expression of GINS2 is misregulated in many malignant tumors, such as leukemia, breast cancer and melanoma. However, the role of GINS in breast cancer remains poorly characterized. We investigate the possible effect and particular mechanism of GINS in breast cancer cells. We showed that expression of GINS2 is enriched in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Furthermore, GINS2 knockdown decreased the growth, invasive ability and stem-like property of TNBC cells. Mechanistically, silencing of GINS2 in TNBC cells caused dramatic decrease of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9). Finally, the abundance of GINS2 correlated with the advance stages of tumor in human TNBC patients. Our studies provided insight into the molecular regulation of TNBC progression and invasion. More importantly, our data suggest that GINS2 could be an outstanding therapeutic target for inhibiting invasive TNBC growth and metastasis.

High HER-2 protein levels correlate with clinicopathological features in colorectal cancer.

AIM: To obtain a correlation between HER-2 expression and the clinicopathological features incolorectal cancers. (CRCs) using a meta.analysis based approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases and reference lists were searched for relevant published studies. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, case and control studies related to research topic were included in present meta-analysis. Data analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta Analysis. (CMA) 2.0 software. RESULT: A total of 30 studies comprising 4,942 CRC patients and 521 healthy controls met the inclusion criteria. Our major results implied that the expression level of HER-2 was significantly higher in CRC patients than healthy controls (odds ratio (OR) = 10.436, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.498-19.810, P < 0.001). Sample stratification based on Dukes stages suggested that increased expression level of HER-2 protein was found in CRC patients with Dukes C/D compared with CRC patients with Dukes A/B (OR = 0.335, 95% CI = 0.198-0.568, P < 0.001). The current meta-analysis also found that, in CRC patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM), the HER-2 expression was significantly higher than that in CRC patients without LNM (OR = 1.987, 95%CI = 1.209-3.265, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis study strongly suggests that HER-2 expression levels are clearly correlated with the clinicopathological features in CRC; therefore, HER-2 may be a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of CRC.

Epidemiological and Clinicopathological Trends of Breast Cancer in Chinese Patients During 1993 to 2013: A Retrospective Study.

This study aimed to summarize the epidemiological and pathological trends of breast cancer in Chinese women.The clinical data of 4968 breast cancer patients treated at the Chinese PLA General Hospital from 1993 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 47.4 ± 11.3 years before the year 2001, 49.2 ± 11.2 years during 2001 to 2010, and 50.6 ± 11.4 years after the year 2010, respectively (P < 0.001). The ratio of premenopausal women to postmenopausal women was 1.6 and no significant changes were found during the period (P = 0.121). The proportion of patients with Scarff Bloom Richardson III breast cancer showed significant increase along with time (P = 0.015). The breast cancer was accounting for 31.7% at stage I and DCIS/LCIS and tend to be diagnosed with early stage around time (P < 0.001). The proportion of DCIS/LCIS and stage I increased with time during the 20 years from 14.6% to 33.2%, whereas the proportion of stage III to IV decreased.The proportion of Luminal A-like subtype gradually reduced and Luminal B-like (HER2-negative) increased and developed to the predominant type. Older age and earlier stage at diagnosis, as well as the alternation of predominant molecular subtypes, have become the developed trends of breast cancer.

Docetaxel/S-1 Versus Docetaxel/Capecitabine as First-Line Treatment for Advanced Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

The treatment efficacy of advanced breast cancer is still not promising. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of docetaxel/S-1 (DS1) versus docetaxel/capecitabine (DX) as the first-line treatment for advanced breast cancer.From June 2008 to June 2013, 22 patients with advanced breast cancer were treated with the DS1 regimen. Another 26 age- and disease status-matched patients treated with the DX regimen served as controls. The 2 groups were compared in terms of time to progression (TTP), objective response rate, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, and safety profiles.Median TTP did not differ significantly between the DS1 group and the DX group (9.04 vs 10.94 months, P = 0.473). There were no significant differences in objective response rate, disease control rate, and clinical benefit rate between the 2 groups. Both the DS1 and the DX regimens showed good tolerability. The 2 regimens showed no significant difference in adverse events except degree III hand-foot syndrome (DS1 0 vs DX 23.1%, P = 0.025).For the first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer, the DS1 and the DX regimens showed similar efficacy and safety. The DS1 regimen had less severe hand-foot syndrome than the DX regimen.

[Reversed C-ring flap from the middle and ring fingers for repairing distal degloving injury of the thumb and forefinger].

C-ring flap is currently an advanced means for repair of degloving injuries of the fingers. From May, 1999 to September, 2002, we used reversed C-ring flap middle and ring finger for repairing distal degloving injury to the thumb and forefinger in 9 cases. All flaps survived with satisfactory appearance. This operation can be easily and conveniently performed that allow early resection of the pedicle, but its application is relatively limited and the transferred flap usually hasa poor sensory function, with also obvious damage to the appearance of the donor finger.