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For chloride-contaminated RC structures, steel corrosion is one of the most common reasons causing the deterioration of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Electrochemical chloride extraction (ECE), which migrates the chloride ions out of the RC structure, is preferred as it is a nondestructive repairing method. In this context, electrokinetic models are often used to investigate ECE processes. Currently, electrokinetic models based on different potential theories, such as the constant potential, electroneutrality, and Gauss’ law, may be used to solve the potential distribution. Although many ECE numerical simulations have been conducted, there has been no systematic comparison of models based on different potential theories. Therefore, in this study, a comprehensive comparative study has been conducted on these models in terms of the potential distribution, current density, quantity of electric charge, and ion concentration. Two commonly used ECE methods, namely, steady voltage and steady current, were numerically simulated and analyzed. The numerical results with actual ECE data were also compared. Although the electrokinetic model based on electroneutrality might overestimate the residual chloride concentration and underestimate current density and hydroxyl concentration, critical analysis suggests that electroneutrality is more appropriate than the constant potential and Gauss’ law for electrokinetic modeling.

The precipitates in Q460FRW fire-resistant steel under equilibrium state were calculated using Thermo-Calc thermodynamic software. The evolutions of matrix and precipitates in this steel before and after high temperature exposure at 600℃ were experimentally observed and analyzed using optical microscopy(OM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the precipitates under equilibrium state at 600℃ are carbides including M23C6, M7C3 (M=Fe, Cr, Mo, Mn) and MX (M=Nb,Ti;X=C,N). The matrix of this steel at TMCP (thermo-mechanical control process) state consists of granular ferrite and acicular ferrite. After soaking at 600℃, M/A constitutes decompose gradually, while the acicular ferrite is transformed into bulk ferrite. Besides, longer exposure time brings about larger size of M7C3 particles, while the size of MX particles increases after short time heating and keeps constant with longer exposing time. During the heating process, no M23C6 particles are found, while most of Mo addition contributes to solid-solution strengthening effect.

Aim: To introduce a simple iris hook assisted phacoemulsification (PE) procedure and evaluate the safety and efficacy of it in completely vitrectomized eyes., Methods: A single centre study which included 65 previously completely vitrectomized eyes of 62 patients who underwent cataract surgery. Patients were randomly divided into 3 groups. Patients received PE, and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation with the assistance of iris hook (Synergeties™) as group A (25 eyes); patients who received PE assisted with a 25G pars plana irrigation as group B (20 eyes), and patients who received PE performed without the help of any instrument as group C (20 eyes). Main outcome measures were surgery duration, Ultrasound (U/S) total time, endothelial cell density (ECD), cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) and complications of the procedures., Results: With the help of iris hook, the patients in group A had the lowest ECD loss rate (0.07±0.03, 0.09±0.03, and 0.10±0.03, P <0.05), shortest CDE (12.2±4.1, 15.8±6.0, and 16.0±6.0, P <0.05) and U/S total time (36.6±13.0s, 46.3±16.4s, and 47.6±16.1s, P <0.05), and minimal incidence of complications. The longest surgery duration was in group B (19.4±1.6min) and maximum complications rate in group C (20% miosis, 10% posterior capsular tears, 5% zonular dialysis, 5% cystoid macular edema). While best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and ECD did not show a significant difference among the three groups., Conclusion: Without prolonged surgery duration, the iris hook assistant method can minimize heat generation during surgery and incidence of complications, which transfer the challenged PE in vitrectomized eyes into a regular surgery. It does not need any change in the hydrodynamic parameters and in the bag PE technique, easy to operate even for junior surgeons., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Krüppel-like factors (KLFs), such as KLF4, KLF2, KLF5 and KLF15, have been extensively investigated in multi-cancers. However, KLF16, a member of KLFs, hasn't been well identified in cancer, especially in gastric cancer (GC). Here, we investigated the roles of KLF16 in GC. In present study, we found that KLF16 expression levels were significantly up-regulated in GC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues both in protein and mRNA levels by using immunohistochemistry assays (IHC) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). And KLF16 expression levels were positively correlated to tumor size, invasion depth, lymphatic metastasis and TNM stage. Furthermore, KLF16 expression also could predict prognosis in patients with GC. Moreover, the knock-down of KLF16 could significantly suppress proliferation via increasing p21 expression and decreasing CDK4 expression in GC cell lines. In summary, these findings demonstrate that KLF16 plays a significant role in GC progression and could be a new therapeutic target for GC patients., Competing Interests: None.

Background: Recent evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in the regulation of cellular processes and are found to be dysregulated in a variety of cancers. LINC00261 is an lncRNA that is aberrantly expressed in gastric cancer (GC). The clinical role of LINC00261 in GC and molecular mechanisms remains to be found., Methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine LINC00261 expression in GC cell lines/tissues compared with normal epithelial cells/adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Gain and loss of function approaches were used to investigate the biological role of LINC00261 in GC cells. The effects of LINC00261 on cell viability were evaluated by MTT and colony formation assays. Wound healing assay, cell migration and invasion assays, and nude mice were used to examine the effects of LINC00261 on tumor cell metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Protein levels of LINC00261 targets were determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry., Results: LINC00261 was downregulated in GC cell lines and cancerous tissues, as compared with normal gastric epithelial cells and adjacent noncancerous tissue samples. Low LINC00261 expression was correlated with deeper tumor invasion (P < 0.001), higher tumor stage (P = 0.013), and lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.006). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that low LINC00261 expression predicted poor prognosis. Ectopic expression of LINC00261 impaired cell migration and invasion, leading to the inhibition of metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Knockdown of LINC00261 expression promoted cell migration and invasion in vitro. Overexpression of LINC00261 was found to play a key role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the regulation of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin expression., Conclusions: Low expression of the lncRNA LINC00261 occurs in GC and is associated with poor prognosis. LINC00261 suppresses GC metastasis by regulating EMT. Thus, LINC00261 plays an important role in the progression and metastasis of GC.

Pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma (PEAC), a extremely rare variant of primary invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung, was recognized by the international multidisciplinary classification of lung adenocarcinoma which was proposed by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) published in early 2011. Histologically, PEAC is considered to be mainly composed of tall columnar cells arranged in an irregular glandular cavity or cribriform pattern with extensive central necrosis which show high resemblance to that of intestinal epithelia and colorectal carcinomas. Immunohistochemically, PEAC can not only expresses typical proteins common to lung primaries but is positive for at least one intestinal markers, such as CDX2, cytokeratin (CK) 20, MUC2, therefore, the differentiation of primary PEACs from metastatic colorectal cancers can be challenging. In this study, we report 9 cases of PEAC and a panel of immunohistochemical protein markers of CK7, CK20, thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1), Napsin A, MUC2 and villin was analyzed with the comparison of 20 metastatic colorectal carcinomas (MCRs), and 20 typical primary adenocarcinomas (tPACs). As was expected, CK7 expression was documented in all 9 PEACs and 20 tPCAs while CK20 was significantly more prevalent in adenocarcinoma that originated from colorectal. Additionally, we evaluate the classical mutations of EGFR, KRAS in the 9 cases of PEACs, it turned out that all tumors were EGFR-wild and KRAS-wild types, which confirmed that PEAC has a separate phenotype from usual pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) is traditionally classified into type 1 and type 2. Recently, an oncocytic variant of PRCC has been described. We report a series of 6 oncocytic renal papillary tumors (OPRCC) which tended to occur in older patients (mean, 56.8 years) with a male preference (male-to-female ratio is 5:1). All 6 patients are alive with no evidence of disease after initial resection, showing an indolent clinical behavior. Histologically, tumors exhibited predominant papillary structure with delicate fibrovascular cores. Papillae were lined by single layers of cells with large, deeply eosinophilic and finely granular cytoplasms and round regular nucleus. The phagocytosis of tumor cells was frequently and evidently seen in our cases that hemosiderin-laden tumor cells and foamy tumor cells were noticed in five and four cases respectively. All tumors were immunoreactive for racemase, vimentin, CD10, and MET and negative for CD117. While E-cadherin, EMA, and cytokeratin 7 exhibited variable immunopositivity. FISH analysis was performed in five of six cases and found heterogeneous results. Trisomy of chromosomes 7 was found in three cases and trisomy of chromosomes 17 in two cases. Loss of chromosome Y was noted in one of four tumors in male patients. MET gene status was also investigated by direct sequencing in all 6 cases and found no distinct mutation in any case. These results suggest that OPRCC shows distinct morphology, indolent clinical behavior, and similar immunohistochemical and cytogenetic features with PRCC, seems to be a variant in the PRCC group. Whether the strong expression of MET indicates a potential therapeutic target is still unknown and requires further investigation in clinical trials.