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The aim of the study was to comprehensively understand the combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) and develop a nomogram for prognostic prediction of CHC. Data were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database (year 2004–2014). Propensity-score matching (PSM) was used to match the demographic characteristic of the CHC versus hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). A nomogram model was established to predict the prognosis in terms of cancer specific survival (CSS). The established nomogram was externally validated by a multicenter cohort. A total of 71,756 patients enrolled in our study including 62,877 HCC patients, 566 CHC patients, and 8303 ICC patients. The CHC, HCC, and ICC are not exactly similar in clinical characteristic. After PSM, the CSS of CHC was better than HCC but comparable to ICC. Tumor size, M stage, surgery, chemotherapy, and surgery were independently prognostic factors of CHC and were included in the establishment of novel nomogram. The c-index of the novel nomogram in SEER training set and multicenter validation was 0.779 and 0.780, respectively, which indicated that the model was with better discrimination power. In addition, decision curve analyses proved the favorable potential clinical effect of the predictive model. Lastly, a risk classification based on nomogram also verified the reliability of the model. CHC had better survival than HCC but was comparable to ICC. The nomogram was established based on tumor size, M stage, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy and well validated by external multicenter cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In view of the fact that the internal corrosion of well bore is becoming more and more serious in the development of oil and gas fields in China, this paper develops an in-situ monitoring technology suitable for downhole deep corrosion rates, which including inductive corrosion probe, downhole data real-time transmission system, pressure and temperature sensor, etc. This paper introduced the development process of corrosion probe, the composition and function of each module. The device is based on the underground environment design. Through high temperature and high pressure test, the device can work steadily and reliably in the environment of 60 MPa and 125 ℃. Using this device to measure the corrosion rate of 20# in urban tap water and compare with the data measured by the hanging sheet method, it is proved that the device can reflect the actual corrosion rate. The monitoring instrument has been tested in Sheng li oilfield, the temperature and pressure sensors can work normally, and the corrosion rate obtained is in line with the actual situation of the environment and achieves good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structural, magnetic and electronic properties of Co2MnGe0.75Ga0.25 have been studied by first-principles calculations. Co2MnGe0.75Ga0.25 is found to be nearly half-metallic. The calculated lattice constant and magnetic moments are found to be in good agreement with experiments. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of pressure on the electronic structure and magnetic properties of Co2MnGe0.75Ga0.25. The calculated results show a nearly half-metallic to half-metallic (HM) transition at 12GPa. Then the half-metal to metal transition is observed at 97GPa. The calculations show that pressure mainly affects the minority spin states, leading to a slight reconstruction of the minority spin bands with a shift in the Fermi level driving the above-mentioned transition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The electronic structure and magnetic properties of Co-doped Heusler alloys VGa (x=0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0) have been studied by first-principles calculations. The results show that the lattice constants decrease with increasing Co content except x=1.0. The spin polarization for x=0.5 is only 34%, much lower than the other concentrations. The compounds of x=0.0, 0.25 show nearly half-metallicity because the Fermi level slightly touches the valence bands. And the compounds of x=0.75, 1.0 exhibit the half-metallic character with 100% spin polarization. It is found the local moments of Mn(Co) basically show a linear increasing trend while the moments of V show a linear decreasing trend with increasing doping concentration. However, the local moments for x=0.5 quite depart from the linear trend. The majority-spin component at the Fermi level increases while the minority-spin component at the Fermi level decreases with the substitution of Co atoms for Mn atoms when . For , the majority-spin component remains more or less the same and the gap in the minority DOS increases with Co doping. The majority spin states are shifted to valence bands and the majority spin states around E F increase due to a leakage of charge from the unoccupied spin-up states to the occupied majority states with increasing Co content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have investigated the electronic and magnetic properties of the doped Heusler alloys Co2Fe1−xV xAl (, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) using first-principles density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) scheme. The calculated results reveal that with increasing V content the lattice parameter slightly increases. The magnetic moment of the Fe sites increases while the magnetic moment of the Co sites decreases with V doping; the total spin moment of these compounds linearly decreases. We also have performed the electronic structure calculations for Co2Fe1−xV xAl with positional disorder of Co–Fe(V) type and Al–Fe(V) type. It is found that formation of Al–Fe(V)-type disorder is more favorable than that of Co–Fe(V)-type disorder in Co2Fe1−xV xAl alloys. Furthermore, we found that the spin polarization increases with V doping in Co2Fe1−xV xAl with ordered and disordered B2 structures. Detailed calculations show that the stability of the structure will be enhanced with increasing V content. The results are compatible with experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microtubules are essential for the mitotic division of cells and have become an attractive target for anti-tumour drugs due to the increased incidence of cancer and significant mitosis rate of tumour cells. In this study, a total of six indole 1-position modified 1-indolyl acetate-5-nitroimidazole derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their ability to inhibit tubulin polymerization caused by binding to the colchicine-binding site of tubulin. Among them, compound 3 displayed the best ability to inhibit tubulin polymerization; it also exhibited better anti-proliferative activities than colchicine against a panel of human cancer cells (with IC 50 values ranging from 15 to 40 nM), especially HeLa cells (with IC 50 values of 15 nM), based on the cellular cytotoxicity assay results. Moreover, cellular mechanism studies indicated that compound 3 could induce G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis of HeLa and MCF-7 cells, which were associated with alterations in the expression of cell cycle-checkpoint related proteins (Cyclin B1, Cdc2, and P21) and a reduction in the mitochondrial membrane potential as well as alterations in the levels of apoptosis-related proteins (PARP, Caspase 9, Bcl-2, and Bax) of these cells, respectively. Importantly, in vivo studies further revealed that compound 3 could dramatically suppress HeLa cell xenograft tumour growth compared with vehicle and CA-4 phosphate (CA-4P), and no signs of toxicity were observed in these mice. Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo results indicated that compound 3 might be a promising lead compound for further development as a potential anti-cancer drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The corrosiveness of different oil–brine mixtures was investigated. [•] Corrosion could be avoided by enhancing emulsification of the oil–brine mixtures. [•] Emulsion stability determines the corrosion risk of pipelines. [•] A method to control the bottom corrosion of pipelines was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Multilayered DLC films were prepared by plasma ion immersion deposition method. [•] Prevent mild steel from serious corrosion attack in CO2 containing conditions. [•] The long-term corrosion performance was satisfied. [•] High scaling resistance was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, we examined the alterations in canopy size and reproduction of Caragana stenophylla along the climatic drought gradient on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, China. We found that the canopy area and height of C. stenophylla increased gradually with increase of drought stress from the semi-arid zone to the strongly arid zone. The proportions of sexual reproduction decreased and the asexual reproduction increased with increase of the climatic drought stress. The majority of C. stenophylla offspring grew (separately) outside shrubs in the semi-arid (63.9%) and the arid zones (45.8%). But in the strongly arid zone, C. stenophylla offspring only grew inside shrubs. With the increase of climatic drought stress the ramet radius increased, while the spacer length decreased. In both the semi-arid and arid zones, the spacer length was more than 2 times of the ramet radius. Thus, some spaces were kept between the crowns of ramets. On the other hand, the spacer length was less than 2 times of the ramet radius in the strongly arid zone, so that the crowns were closely intertwined. Our results demonstrate that with the increase of climatic drought stress and associated desertification, the reproduction of C. stenophylla changes from more sexual reproduction to more clonal propagation; offspring establishment strategy changes from having more outside-shrub offspring to having only inside-shrub offspring; the clonal architecture changes from guerrilla type to phalanx type. Alterations in the reproduction of C. stenophylla along the climatic drought gradient result due to an increase of its canopy size from the northeast to the southwest on the Inner Mongolia Plateau. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]