Structural and chemical approaches to enhance the photo/electrocatalytic performance of carbon/g-C3N4 composite materials.

As a kind of metal-free material, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is widely used in catalytic materials, energy storage materials and other fields. However, the limited light absorption, low conductivity and high recombination rate of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs limit its further application. Constructing g-C3N4 based composite materials by integrating it with carbon materials is an effective and common way to overcome the above shortcomings of g-C3N4. In this paper, carbon materials, such as carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon spheres, are integrated with g-C3N4 to construct carbon/g-C3N4 composite materials (CCNCS) and their photoelectrocatalytic performance is reviewed. The effects of those factors such as the categories of carbon materials, carbon content, nitrogen content, the morphology of g-C3N4, and the interfacial interactions between carbon and g-C3N4 on the photo/electrocatalytic performance of CCNCS are carefully analyzed to help researchers to touch the nature of the synergistic effect of g-C3N4 and the carbon ingredient in CCNCS.

Clinical Significance of Lymphatic Infiltration Detected by Immunohistochemical Double Staining in Patients with Endometrial Cancer.

Background: The presence of lymph-vascular space invasion is a powerful predictor of lymph node metastasis. However, most studies do not distinguish lymph vessel invasion (LVI) and blood vessel invasion (BVI). The aim of this study was to distinguish the role of LVI and BVI in lymphatic metastasis and recurrence in patients with endometrial cancer. Methods: We examined 171 patients with endometrial cancer. Immunohistochemical double staining was used to distinguish lymphatic invasion and vascular invasion. First, the relationship between lymphatic/vascular invasion and clinicopathological features and lymphatic metastasis was studied. Then, the expression of D2-40/LVI and CD31/BVI in patients with recurrence was analyzed. Results: Pathological grading (G3) and D2-40/LVI were independent high-risk factors for lymph node metastasis of endometrial cancer. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for predicting lymphatic metastasis using pathological grading (G3) or D2-40/LVI alone were .642 and .680, respectively, and the area under the curve value for the combined detection of pathological grading (G3) and D2-40/LVI was .726, which was greater than the values obtained for the abovementioned independent variables. Among the 15 recurrent patients, 5 (33.3%) were D2-40/LVI positive, 2 (13.3%) were CD31/BVI positive, and 8 (53.3%) were both D2-40/LVI and CD31/BVI positive. Conclusion: D2-40/LVI combined with G3 can effectively predict lymph node metastasis of endometrial carcinoma.

Design of Novel PLA/OMMT Films with Improved Gas Barrier and Mechanical Properties by Intercalating OMMT Interlayer with High Gas Barrier Polymers.

Polymer/clay composites are an innovative class of materials. In this study, we present a facile method for the preparation of biodegradable and robust PLA/organomodified montmorillonite (OMMT) composite films with excellent gas barrier performance. When the design of PLA/OMMT composite films, in addition to making OMMT have good intercalation effect in the matrix, the compatibility of intercalating polymer and matrix should also be considered. In this work, two polymers with high gas barrier properties, namely poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), were selected to intercalate OMMT. The morphology and microstructures of the prepared PLA/PVA/OMMT and PLA/EVOH/OMMT composites were characterized by the X-ray diffraction measurement, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. It was shown that the good dispersibility of PVA in the PLA matrix, rather than the intercalation effect, was responsible for the improved gas barrier and mechanical properties of PLA/PVA/OMMT composite. The elongation at break increases from 4.5% to 22.7% when 1 wt % PVA is added to PLA/OMMT. Moreover, gas barrier of PLA/PVA1/OMMT measured as O2 permeability is 52.8% higher than that of neat PLA. This work provides a route to intercalate OMMT interlayer with high gas barrier polymers and thus can be a useful reference to fabricate PLA/OMMT composites with improved gas barrier and mechanical properties. A comparison of oxygen permeabilities with existing commercial packaging films indicates that the biodegradable PLA/PVA/OMMT may serve as a viable substitute for packaging film applications.

Pure primary non-gestational choriocarcinoma originating in the ovary: A case report and literature review.

Non-gestational choriocarcinoma (NGCO) of the ovary is rare, with a prevalence of less than 0.6% of all ovarian germ-cell tumors; and when found with other germ cell tumors, pure NGCO is exceedingly rare. We herein report the case of a 22-year-old woman who complained of menstrual disorders for over 2 months. MRI examination revealed an 11.4 cm right adnexal mass of the uterus, and the patients manifested an elevated serum level of ß-hCG of 77,928 mIU/ml. Fertility-preserving surgery was performed, and the pathologic diagnosis was pure NGCO; immunohistochemical staining showed cancer cells that were positive for ß-hCG, CK, hPL, SALL4, and Ki-67 (>80% of cells stained). We performed polymorphic DNA analysis and non-gestational origin was confirmed. The patient was then treated with six courses of chemotherapy with a BEP regimen, after which her serum ß-hCG levels declined to normal levels, and she was free of disease at the 30-month follow-up.

Long non-coding RNA NPBWR1-2 affects the development of ovarian cancer via multiple microRNAs.

Ovarian cancer has a high incidence rate and mortality in gynaecologic malignancies. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) accounts for >95% of ovarian cancer cases. Most of the patients with EOC are difficult to diagnose in early stage. The aim of the present study was to compare the long non-coding (lnc)RNA expression profiles of five ovarian cancer cell lines (IGROV1, A2780, SKOV3, ES2, and Hey) and an ovarian epithelial cell line (IOSE80) in order to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and their associated microRNAs (miRNAs). The expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in these cell lines were determined by microarray gene analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. lncRNA neuropeptides B and W receptor 1-2 (NPBWR1-2) overexpression was induced in the SKOV3 cell line. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis were evaluated using MTT, colony-formation, Transwell and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The microarray results indicated that several lncRNAs were differentially expressed in the five ovarian cancer cell lines compared with the normal ovarian epithelial cell line. Compared with IOSE80, lncRNA NPBWR1-2 was downregulated by more than two-fold in all five ovarian cancer cell lines. Moreover, NPBWR1-2 overexpression in the SKOV3 cell line decreased cell viability, inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis compared with the control cells. A total of 20 miRNAs, which are involved in tumorigenesis and development, were predicted to be associated with NPBWR1-2 by bioinformatics analysis. The results of the present study suggest that lncRNA NPBWR1-2 affects the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer via multiple miRNAs, providing a theoretical basis for the development of novel clinical treatments.

Production of a Strain-Measuring Device with an Improved 3D Printer.

A traditional strain measurement sensor needs to be electrified and is susceptible to electromagnetic interference. In order to solve the fluctuations in the analog electrical signal in a traditional strain gauge operation, a new strain measurement method is presented here. It uses a photographic technique to display the strain change by amplifying the change of the pointer displacement of the mechanism. A visual polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) lens with a focal length of 7.16 mm was added to a smartphone camera to generate a lens group acting as a microscope to capture images. It had an equivalent focal length of 5.74 mm. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and nylon amplifiers were used to test the influence of different materials on the sensor performance. The production of the amplifiers and PDMS lens is based on improved 3D printing technology. The data obtained were compared with the results from finite element analysis (FEA) to verify their validity. The sensitivity of the ABS amplifier was 36.03 ± 1.34 µÎµ/µm, and the sensitivity of the nylon amplifier was 36.55 ± 0.53 µÎµ/µm.

Characterization of desmoglein 2 expression in ovarian serous tumors and its prognostic significance in high-grade serous carcinoma.

Desmogleins (Dsgs) are major members of the desmosomal cadherins that are critically involved in cell-cell adhesion and the maintenance of normal tissue architecture in epithelia. DSG2 is the most ubiquitous desmosomal cadherin; however, abnormal expression of DSG2 has been detected in several types of cancer with controversial results. So far, little is known about DSG2 expression in ovarian serous tumor (OST) and its associations with survival and clinicopathologic data. In this study, mRNA and protein expression of DSG2 was detected in 33 cases of nonfixed samples and 92 cases of paraffin-embedded OST specimens (including benign, borderline, low-grade, and high-grade) by using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. DSG2 expression was then measured in 162 cases of high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) by immunohistochemistry, and the expression levels were correlated with clinicopathologic and prognostic data. As the results, DSG2 could be readily detected in benign tumor with relative weak expression at the mRNA level and showed weak but complete staining at the cell-cell borders. This was similar to the expression pattern in the normal fallopian epithelial tissue. However, the expression tendency of DSG2 at the mRNA and protein level was inconsistent in borderline and malignant OST. In addition, we found that a low DSG2 expression was associated with poor prognosis (P < 0.05) and high mitosis (P = 0.0042) of HGSC. Thus, DSG2 may be involved in the progression of ovarian cancer and plays a different role in different OST. Moreover, a low DSG2 expression was associated with poor prognosis of HGSC.

[Fabrication and Performance Study of Polydimethylsiloxane Intraocular Lens].

To simplify the production process of intraocular lens(IOL)and to solve the problem of lacking adjustable ability,we proposed a novel soft IOL with large-scale adjustable ability and rigid haptics based on heat-assisted method,and gravity-assisted method.Polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)and rigid material--polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA)were used as the materials for fabricating optical lens(PDMS)and haptics(PDMS and PMMA)through changing the weight ratio of the solution.A lens-smartphone microscopy system was established to replace the traditional digital microscopy to measure the tiny displacements and shape changes.The PDMS lens has excellent optical property through an experiment in which the maximum optical power was around 273.2D.Experimental results indicated that the maximum optical power of PMMA IOL was 129.3D,and that in PDMS IOL,however,was only 56.0D.Thus,the rigid PMMA-IOL has a larger adjustable range.The production process of PDMS was mold-free,rapid,real-time,and highly repeatable and there was no need for a rigorous experimental environment either.This creative processing technology reduced the manufacturing steps from which an optical lens with high transmittance and high resolution,as well as hatics with accurate dimensions,were obtained.The rigidity of haptics affected more intensely than other factors did for improving the pre-displacement and changing the appearance of PDMS lens.Even though the rigidity of PMMA haptics is large enough for accommodating,there are many drawbacks during manufacturing.It is unavailable to rapid fabricate IOL using PMMA.Thus,further work will be required to alter the weight ratio of PDMS material,increase the rigidity,and enhance the adjustable ability of PDMS IOL.

Cyclin D1 G870A polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis involving 23,998 subjects.

Cyclin D1 (CCND1) plays an essential role in tumor development and progression through regulating the cell transition from G1 to the proliferative S phase. The CCND1 G870A polymorphism has been associated with an increased susceptibility to squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, bladder, prostate, and gastric cardiac cancers. There are a number of studies that explored the relationship between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and breast cancer risk, with inconsistent conclusions. In order to better define the predictive value of CCND1 G870A polymorphism in breast cancer, we searched PubMed and EBSCO for relevant publications. A total of 13 studies were indentified, which included 11,235 cases and 12,763 controls. We calculated the summary odds ratios and the corresponding 95% confidence interval. Our meta-analysis showed that carriers of AA genotype have a significantly higher risk in developing breast cancer compared with that of GG genotype (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.01-1.17, p > = 0.03) in overall population. Furthermore, in subgroup analysis, CCND1 G870A polymorphism was associated with a marginally increased risk of breast cancer for Chinese compared to Caucasian populations with an OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.00-1.20, p-trend = 0.06 for AA + GA versus GG, if the controls were hospital-based population with an OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.99-1.47, p = 0.06 for AA versus GG and if the distributions of genotypes in control groups were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) with an OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.00-1.15, p = 0.04 for AA versus GA + GG. Our meta-analysis represents the largest study to date indicating that the G870A polymorphism in CCND1 confers an increased risk for breast cancer. Further studies are warranted to explore the preventive measures to detect and manage the breast cancers attributable to the G870A polymorphism.

Correlation effect of EGFR and CXCR4 and CCR7 chemokine receptors in predicting breast cancer metastasis and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR7 play an important role in cancer invasion and metastasis. This study investigated the expression of CXCR4, CCR7, CXCL12, CCL21, and EGFR to illustrate the role of these biomarkers in breast cancer metastasis and prognosis. METHODS: The CXCR4, CCR7, CXCL12, CCL21, and EGFR biomarkers were analyzed along with ER, PR, and HER-2/neu in breast cancer tissue microarray (TMA) specimens, including 200 primary breast cancer specimens by immunohistochemistry. Corresponding lymph nodes from the same patients were also examined using the same method. RESULTS: Together with their CXCL12 and CCL21 ligands, CXCR4 and CCR7 were significantly highly expressed in tumor cells with lymph node (LN) metastasis. Similarly, EGFR was expressed highly in tumors with LN metastasis. The ligands were especially expressed in metastatic tumors than in primary tumors from the same patients. Moreover, the expression of both CXCR4 accompanied by CCR7 and CXCL12 accompanied by CCL21 were up-regulated. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients exhibiting high CXCR4, CCR7, and EGFR expression experienced a shorter survival period compared with those with low expression. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of CXCR4, CCR7, and EGFR may be associated with LN metastasis. Moreover, the expression of these receptors can serve as an indicator of undesirable prognosis in patients with breast cancer.