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BackgroundMelanoma, a malignant tumor of the skin, presents challenges in its treatment process involving modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, there is a need for an ideal model to assess prognosis and drug sensitivity. Programmed cell death (PCD) modes play a crucial role in tumor progression and has the potential to serve as prognostic and drug sensitivity indicators for melanoma.MethodsWe analyzed 13 PCD modes including apoptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, netotic cell death, entotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, parthanatos, autophagy-dependent cell death, oxeiptosis, disulfidptosis, and alkaliptosis. These modes were used to construct a model that incorporated genes related to these 13 PCD modes to establish a cell death index (CDI) to conduct prognosis analysis. Transcriptomic, genomic, and clinical data were collected from cohorts including TCGA-SKCM, GSE19234, and GSE65904 to validate this model.ResultsA CDI consisting of ten gene signatures was established using machine learning algorithms and divided into two groups based on CDI values. The high CDI group exhibited relatively lower numbers of immune-infiltrating cells and showed resistance to commonly used drugs such as docetaxel and axitinib. Our validation results demonstrated good discrimination in PCA analysis between CDI groups, and melanoma patients with higher CDI values had worse postoperative prognoses (all p < 0.01).ConclusionThe CDI model, incorporating multiple PCD modes, accurately predicts the clinical prognosis and drug sensitivity of melanoma patients.

Introduction: Inhibitors of programmed cell death 1 (PD1) and its ligand (PDL1) have exhibited favorable long-term survival in many types of advanced-stage cancer and current approvals have to date been granted in certain tumour types irrespective of PD-L1 status.Methods: We extracted the following information: study sample size, trial period, cancer types, intervention of treatment, type of PD-L1 antibody, immunohistochemistry (IHC) scoring method, number and percentage of PD-L1 < 1% population, and median follow- up time. PD-L1 expression was defined as percentage of number of PD-L1-stained tumor cells (TPS), area of tumor infiltrated by PD-L1-stained immune cells (IPS), number of PD-L1-stained cells (tumor cells, lymphocytes and macrophages; CPS). Different trials used distinct method to define low PD-L1 expression. The risk of bias of the included trials was assessed by using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for RCTs.Results: Here, a total of 34 trials were included to extract individual patient data (IPD) to evaluate the survival benefit of first line PD1/PDL1 inhibitors vs. standard-of-care (SOC) in patients with PDL1 < 1%. In term of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy, OS (HR = 0.90, 0.81−1.01) and PFS (HR = 1.11, 0.97−1.27) between PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group and SOC group were comparable. In term of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 combination therapy, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor group exhibited longer OS (median 19.5 months vs. 16.3 months; HR = 0.83, 0.79−0.88, p < 0.001) and PFS than those of SOC group (median 8.11 months vs. 6.96 months; HR = 0.82, 0.77−0.87, p < 0.001).Subgroup analysis showed that survival benefit was mainly observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HROS = 0.74; HRPFS = 0.69; p < 0.001), small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) (HROS = 0.58, p < 0.001; HRPFS = 0.55, p = 0.030), esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (HROS = 0.62, p = 0.005; HRPFS = 0.79, p < 0.001), melanoma (HROS = 0.53, p < 0.001) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) (HRPFS = 0.35, p = 0.013).Conclusion: Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 combinational therapy rather than monotherapy exhibit survival benefit in the low PD-L1 population in the first-line setting, and the survival benefit was mainly observed in specific tumor types.

This paper proposes an adaptive river discharge measurement method based on spatiotemporal image velocimetry (STIV) and optical flow to solve the problem of blurred texture features and limited measurement accuracy under complex natural environmental conditions. Optical flow tracking generates spatiotemporal images by following the flow mainstream direction of rivers with both regular and irregular natural banks. A texture similarity function filtering method effectively enhances spatiotemporal texture features. The proposed method is applied to a natural river, with measurement results from a propeller-type current meter used as truth values. It is evaluated and compared with three other methods regarding measurement accuracy, error, and other evaluation indices. The results demonstrate that the method significantly improves spatiotemporal image quality. Its estimation outcomes perform better across all evaluation metrics, enhancing the adaptability and accuracy of the flow measurement method. HIGHLIGHTS Automatically selecting velocity lines based on optical flow information from the river surface.; The STIs generated by the velocity line obtained by the optical flow method have a clearer texture.; Texture filtering algorithm enhances the texture features in the STI effectively.; Eliminating the influence of river surface interference information on STI.;

Abstract Background This study aimed to construct a prognostic model for prognosis prediction and assess the response to adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) of stage II gastric cancer (GC) patients on high and low survival risk stratifications. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 547 stage II gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 radical gastrectomy from January 2009 to May 2017 in Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University (SAH-SYSU), the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital (FJUUH), and the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC).The propensity score matching (PSM) of all variables was performed to balance selective bias between ACT and surgery alone (SA) groups. Kaplan–Meier survival and multivariate Cox regression analyses were carried out to identify independent prognostic factors. Independent factors selected by the Cox regression were integrated into the nomogram. The nomogram points stratified patients into high-risk and low-risk groups by the optimal cut-off value. Results 278 patients were selected after PSM. Age, tumor site, T stage and lymph-nodes-examined (LNE) selected by Cox regression as independent prognostic factors were integrated into the nomogram. The nomogram performed well with a C-index of 0.76 and with C-indexes of 0.73 in and 0.71 in two validate cohorts. AUCs of the 3 year and 5 year ROC curves were 0.81 and 0.78. High- and low-risk groups stratified by the cut-off value demonstrated different responses to ACT. Conclusions The nomogram performed well in prognosis prediction. Patients in high- and low-risk groups demonstrated different responses to ACT, and high-risk patients might need ACT.

Abstract Lymph node (LN) metastasis is known as one of the most important prognostic factors for early gastric cancer (EGC) patients. Patients without LNM normally have better prognosis. However, there is no evaluation criteria to accurately assess the possibility of LN metastasis. Therefore, this study aims to establish an effective nomogram for prognosis prediction. In this study, 285 EGC patients from January 2010 to December 2015 were enrolled. Pearson’s Chi-Square (χ 2) test (including continuity correction when appropriate) and logistics regression analyses was used to identify the risk factors for LN metastasis. The independent risk factors identified were then incorporated in a nomogram model. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and calibration curve. LN metastasis occurred in 59 (20.7%) EGC patients. And most of these patients were submucosal cancers (48/59). Chi-square test indicated lymphovascular emboli, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), ulcer, tumor size, tumor infiltration and histological grade were the risk factors, and multivariate logistics analyses confirmed all these six factors were independent risk factors of LN metastasis, which were selected to construct the nomogram. The nomogram proved well calibrated and had good discriminative ability (C-index value: 0.842). The proposed nomogram could result in more-accurate risk prediction for EGC patients.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumours in the world. As one of the crucial hallmarks of cancer reprogramming of metabolism and the relevant researches have a promising application in the diagnosis treatment and prognostic prediction of malignant tumours. This study aims to identify a group of metabolism-related genes to construct a prediction model for the prognosis of gastric cancer.A large cohort of gastric cancer cases (1121 cases) from public database was included in our analysis and classified patients into training and testing cohorts at a ratio of 7: 3. After identifying a list of metabolism-related genes having prognostic value, we constructed a risk score based on metabolism-related genes using LASSO-COX method. According to the risk score, patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. Our results revealed that high-risk patients had a significantly worse prognosis than low-risk patients in both the training (high-risk vs low-risk patients; five years overall survival: 37.2% vs 72.2%; p

The identification of reservoir fractures is essential as it is an important factor in the design of a field development plan, which in turn affects the efficiency of hydrocarbon production. Water flooding and water channeling are serious due to the lack of objective understanding of the fracture development pattern in the tight oil reservoirs in the Triassic Change 6 member of Y well area, Ordos Basin, China. In this paper, we observed 104.6 m cores from 20 wells with a number of 150 fractures and an outcrop profile, then analyzed the main controlling factors for core fracture development, and finally established a fracture prediction method using conventional logging data. The results indicate that high-angle fractures accounted for 73.20%, fracture orientations were nearly east–west, fracture spacing between 0–10 cm accounted for 80.51%, fracture openings between 0–0.13 mm accounted for 89.27%, fracture down-cutting depths between 0–20 cm accounted for 80%, and 80.81% was not filled. In addition, we found that thin beds and fine sandstones are prone to develop fractures; Finally, our modified curve rate method was an effective method for fracture prediction. We conclude that fractures have the characteristics of high angle, small spacing, small opening, small down-cutting depth, and less filling. The modified curve change rate method is suitable for fracture prediction in tight sandstone reservoirs in the Triassic Change 6 member of the Y well area, Ordos Basin, China.

BackgroundDespite the implementation of the 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system for gastric cancer (GC) in 2017, it still holds a significant level of stage migration which affects patients’ proper classification and accurate prognosis. Here, to reduce this effect, we evaluated the prognostic value of a lymph node ratio (LNR) and established a novel tumor–ratio–metastasis (TRM) staging system.MethodThe data of 15,206 GC patients from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Training set; n=2,032) and the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (Validation set; n=13,174) were analyzed. The training set was classified into 5 LNR categories, based on which the novel TRM staging system was constructed. The overall survival (OS) between the TRM and AJCC TNM systems was compared in the training set and validated in the validation set. The likelihood ratio x2, liner trend x2, C-index, and Akaike information criterion (AIC) values were used to measure the discriminatory ability between the two different staging systems. Decision curve analyses (DCAs) were conducted to test the clinical value of the two staging systems.ResultThe patients were classified into the following categories: LNR0: 0%, LNR1: 0%60%. Univariate analyses demonstrated that the log-rank x2 of the LNR stage (Training/Validation set: x2 = 463.1/2880.8) was larger than the AJCC pN stage (Training/Validation set: x2 = 281.5/2240.8). For both the training set and validation set, stratified analyses using the Kaplan-Meier method identified significantly heterogeneous OS in every pN category but only one using the LNR. The TRM staging system had higher likelihood ratio x2, liner trend x2, C-index and smaller AIC values than the TNM system.ConclusionThe TRM staging system demonstrated improved homogeneity and discriminatory ability in predicting the prognosis of GC patients compared with the AJCC TNM staging system.

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, increasing evidences have revealed the correlation between the glycolysis process and tumorigenesis. This study is aim to develop a list of glycolysis-related genes for risk stratification in gastric cancer patients. We included 500 patients’ sample data from GSE62254 and GSE26942 datasets, and classified patients into training (n = 350) and testing sets (n = 150) at a ratio of 7: 3. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to screen genes having prognostic value. Based on HALLMARK gene sets, we identified 9 glycolysis-related genes (BPNT1, DCN, FUT8, GMPPA, GPC3, LDHC, ME2, PLOD2, and UGP2). On the basis of risk score developed by the 9 genes, patients were classified into high- and low-risk groups. The survival analysis showed that the high-risk patients had a worse prognosis ( p < 0.001). Similar finding was observed in the testing cohort and 2 independent cohorts (GSE13861 and TCGA-STAD, all p < 0.001). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival ( p < 0.001). Furthermore, we constructed a nomogram that integrated the risk score and tumor stage, age, and adjuvant chemotherapy. Through comparing the results of the receiver operating characteristic curves and decision curve analysis, we found that the nomogram had a superior predictive accuracy than conventional TNM staging system, suggesting that the risk score combined with other clinical factors (age, tumor stage, and adjuvant chemotherapy) can develop a robust prediction for survival and improve the individualized clinical decision making of the patient. In conclusion, we identified 9 glycolysis-related genes from hallmark glycolysis pathway. Based on the 9 genes, gastric cancer patients were separated into different risk groups related to survival.

Abstract Background The prognostic value of preoperative controlling nutritional status (CONUT) has been reported in many malignancies. In present study, we aimed to clarify the prognostic impact of CONUT in gastric cancer (GC) receiving curative resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 697 consecutive patients undergoing curative surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for Stage II-III GC between November 2000 and September 2012. Patients were classified into high (≥3) and low (≤2) CONUT groups according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results Of the included patients, 217 (31.1%) belonged to the high CONUT group. The high CONUT group had a significantly lower 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate than the low CONUT group (39.3 vs. 55.5%, P

BACKGROUND: Preoperative nutritional deficiency (ND) has been shown to be a valuable prognostic factor in urologic malignancies. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of ND in patients with gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: A single-center cohort of 1026 GC patients undergoing curative resection between 2003 and 2012 was categorized to ND and nutritionally replete (NR) groups. Patients with body mass index

Abstract Background The preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are associated with poor prognosis of gastric cancer. We aimed to determine whether the combination of NLR and PLR (NLR–PLR) could better predict survival of patients after curative resection for stage I–II gastric cancer. Methods We collected data from the medical records of patients with stage I–II gastric cancer undergoing curative resection between December 2000 and November 2012 at the Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center. The preoperative NLR–PLR was calculated as follows: patients with both elevated NLR (≥2.1) and PLR (≥120) were given a score of 2, and patients with only one or neither were given a score of 1 or 0, respectively. Results Kaplan–Meier analysis and log-rank tests revealed significant differences in overall survival (OS) among patients with NLR–PLR scores of 0, 1 and 2 (P

BACKGROUND:The prognostic value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) has been extensively validated in various cancers. We aimed to examine the usefulness of a combination of NLR and GPS (named CNG) for predicting survival outcomes in patients after curative resection for gastric cancer (GC). METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed the records of 1056 patients who underwent curative resection as initial treatment for GC from October 2000 to September 2012. The preoperative CNG was calculated as follows: patients with hypoalbuminemia (< 35 g/L), elevated C-reactive protein (> 10 mg/L), and elevated NLR (≥ 2) were allocated a score of 3; patients with two, one, or no abnormal values were allocated a score of 2, 1, or 0, respectively. RESULTS:The NLR and GPS were the only inflammatory variables independently associated with overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis. When they were replaced by CNG in multivariate analysis, CNG was independently associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR] for CNG 1 [1.367, 95% CI: 1.065-1.755; P = 0.014], CNG 2 [1.887, 95% CI: 1.182-3.011; P = 0.008], and CNG 3 [2.224, 95% CI: 1.238-3.997; P = 0.008]; P = 0.020). In stage-matched analysis, the prognostic significance was still maintained in stage I-III (P = 0.002, P = 0.042, and P < 0.001, respectively). In addition, 5-year survival rates ranged from 92% (stage I) to 35% (stage III) and from 65%(CNG 0) to 18%(CNG 3) with tumor-nodes-metastasis (TNM) stage or CNG alone. However, the combination of TNM and CNG stratified 5-year survival rates from 98% (TNM I, CNG 0) to 12% (TNM III, CNG 3). CONCLUSION:The preoperative CNG is a novel predictor of postoperative survival, and the combination of CNG and TNM effectively stratifies outcomes in patients after curative resection for GC.

BACKGROUND: For the patients with node-negative gastric cancer, the 7th edition classification does not define the minimum number of lymph nodes necessary. We aimed to explore the prognostic significance of examined lymph nodes and determine how many nodes must be examined. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 435 patients underwent D2 gastrectomy with node-negative gastric cancer between December 1992 and December 2006 were obtained. Patients were classified into 4 groups by the number of negative LNs examined during surgery (1-6LNs, 7-10 LNs, 11-15 LNs, and > = 16 LNs). Stratified and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between survival and the number of negative LNs. Survival was significantly better in the > = 16 LNs, compared with the 1-5 LNs, 6-10 LNs and 11-15 LNs group in T2-4 patients; Multivariate analysis demonstrated tumor size, depth of invasion, 7th UICC stage and the number of examined nodes are strongly independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study first demonstrates that patients with lymph node-negative gastric cancer underwent D2 dissection should have at least 16 LNs examined, especially in advanced gastric cancer. These results are a reasonable supplement to our previous tumor-ratio-metastasis staging system and a stratification criterion in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical significance and prognostic impact of extranodal metastasis (EM) in gastric carcinoma and establish an optimal classification in the staging system. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 1343 patients with gastric carcinoma who underwent surgical resection were recruited to determine the frequency and prognostic significance of EMs. EMs were divided into two groups (EM1 and EM2) and then incorporated into the 7(th) edition UICC TNM staging system. EMs was detected in 179 (13.3%) of 1343 patients who underwent radical resection. Multivariate analysis identified EMs as an independent prognostic factor (HR = 1.412, 95%CI = 1.151-1.731, P

Abstract On-surface synthesis of edge-functionalized graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) has attracted much attention. However, producing such GNRs on a large scale through on-surface synthesis under ultra-high vacuum on thermally activated metal surfaces has been challenging. This is mainly due to the decomposition of functional groups at temperatures of 300 to 500 °C and limited monolayer GNR growth based on the metal catalysis. To overcome these obstacles, we developed an on-surface electrochemical technique that utilizes redox reactions of asymmetric precursors at an electric double layer where a strong electric field is confined to the liquid-solid interface. We successfully demonstrate layer-by-layer growth of strong electron-donating GNRs on electrodes at temperatures

The conventional thin film composite nanofiltration membranes are composed of ultrafiltration support membrane and polyamide (PA) functional layer. It is required that the support membrane has suitable pore size, smooth surface, and compatibility with the PA functional layer to guarantee high performance of the composite nanofiltration membrane. In this study, a mesoporous silica intermediate layer was synthesized on the hollow fiber membrane to modify the support membrane for better composite membranes. The mesoporous silica layer was synthesized by hydrolysis of tetra orthosilicate with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as template under acid aqueous solution. After removal, the template using ethanol/HCl solution, the modified support membranes were immersed in piperazine aqueous solution and trimesoyl chloride-hexane solution continuously for interfacial polymerization of PA on the silica layer. The composite membranes containing mesoporous silica were characterized by using scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. The performance of the composite membrane was discussed with regard to the effects of mesoporous silica layer, reaction time, and processing order. It was noticed that the intermediate mesoporous silica layer has positive effect on the performance of the composite membrane, including increasing salt rejection and increasing interfacial compatibility. The use of intermediate layer is a promising strategy to enhance the performance of composite membranes and extend the support membrane option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow fiber composite nanofiltration membrane containing 4-aminobenzene 18-crown-6 was prepared through interfacial polymerization by using polysulfone hollow fiber ultrafiltration membrane as support, piperazine, triethylamine aqueous solution as aqueous phase, trimesoyl chloride/n-hexane solution as organic phase. The hollow fiber composite nanofiltration membrane was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. Removal of lead ions of the composite nanofiltration membrane was discussed. The result showed that the hollow fiber composite nanofiltration membrane containing 4-aminobenzene 18-crown-6 has transmembrane flux of 3.87 ± 0.62 L·m–2·h–1, and lead rejection of 97.15% ± 0.41% by using 50 mg/L lead nitrate solution as feed and tested under 0.6 MPa. The lead rejection of the membrane without crown ether was 60.78% ± 6.34% and transmembrane flux was 4.24 ± 0.20 L·m–2·h–1. We found that the lead rejection of the membrane containing crown ether increased 59.8% and transmembrane flux declined slightly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a titanium oxide/polyvinylidene fluoride (TiO2/PVDF) hollow fiber membrane was fabricated to fractionate the dye and Na2SO4 produced in textile wastewater. This hollow fiber membrane offered high retention of Congo red and methylene blue dyes with little rejection of Na2SO4. More importantly, the membrane was obtained using single orifice spinneret through a simple, rapid, and less expensive procedure. Meanwhile, the membrane exhibited good hydrophilicity, flux recovery ratio, and long-term stability, when appropriate blending of TiO2 nano-particles was conducted. These results highlight interesting potential applications, and open new directions toward the designing of efficient functional hollow fibers for effective fractionation of dye and Na2SO4 for the treatment of textile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether body mass index (BMI) is a prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal dissemination. Methods: This is a retrospective study consisting of 518 patients with a histological diagnosis of gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination seen at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University and Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2010 and April 2014. Patients were followed until December 2015. Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to compare the clinicopathological variables and prognosis. Results: Univariate analyses showed that significant prognostic factors included palliative gastrectomy (p < 0.001), tumor size (p < 0.001), tumor location (p = 0.011), peritoneal seeding grade (p < 0.001), ascites (p = 0.001), serum CEA level (p = 0.002), serum CA19-9 level (p = 0.033), palliative chemotherapy (p < 0.001), and BMI group (p < 0.001). For patients with palliative chemotherapy, univariate analysis revealed that palliative gastrectomy (p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.002), tumor location (p = 0.024), peritoneal seeding grade (p = 0.008), serum CEA level (p = 0.041), and BMI group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI was an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal dissemination, especially in patients who received palliative chemotherapy. Conclusions: BMI is a prognostic factor for patients who have gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination, especially in those who received palliative chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We sought to determine whether human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer (GC). Patients and methods: A total of 678 consecutive patients with GC undergoing curative surgery between October 2010 and December 2012 had resected tissue examined for HER2 and VEGF expression using immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical expression of HER2 was analyzed using the DAKO-HercepTest™ and scored according to published reports. VEGF expression was calculated by multiplying the score for the percentage of positive cells by the intensity score. We defined positive expression as a score of 1+, 2+, or 3+, and a score of 0 was defined as negative expression. We compared these results to clinicopathological characteristics, including overall survival (OS). Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that HER2 expression was independently associated with shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.18; P=0.01) and with higher tumor-nodes-metastasis stage (HR, 3.88; 95% CI, 2.67-5.64; P<0.001) in patients with GC. VEGF expression was not associated with OS (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.86-1.82; P=0.24). HER2 expression was still identified as an independent prognostic factor in Stage II-III patients treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.004) but not in patients who received surgery alone (P=0.61). Among patients with Stage III GC, those without HER2 expression survived longer with adjuvant chemotherapy (median 43.9 vs 32.2 months, respectively; P=0.04), whereas those with HER2 expression did not (median 37.1 vs 33.9 months, respectively; P=0.67). Conclusion: HER2 expression is independently associated with OS in GC, especially in patients who are at higher risk and receive adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection. HER2 expression may have important clinical utility in directing adjuvant treatment for Stage III GC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognostic significance of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. Recently, a number of studies have investigated the association between EBV infection and the prognosis of GC with controversial results. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to assess its prognostic significance.Methods: PubMed and EMBASE were searched for studies up to October 1, 2014. We investigated the association between EBV infection with survival in patients with GC. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to evaluate risk.Results: A final analysis of 8,336 patients with GC from 24 studies was performed. Our analysis results indicated that the pooled HR was 0.67 (95% CI: 0.55-0.79; Z = 11.18, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses stratified by region revealed that the protective role of EBV infection only remained in the Asian population (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48-0.75; P < 0.001). When stratified by study quality and statistical methodology, the protective role could also be identified in high quality studies (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.55-0.79) and in univariate analysis studies (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.50-0.74). There was no evidence of significant heterogeneity and publication bias.Conclusions: The presence of EBV has a favorable impact on GC patient's survival, especially in an Asian population. Future updated studies, especially large-scale randomized controlled studies stratified by region, are warranted as validation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-silver nanoparticle (PVDF-Ag) composites were synthesized by in situ reduction of silver salt using dimethylformide (DMF) as both a solvent and a reductant. The crystalline properties (e.g., crystallinity and the types of crystals) of the composites were characterized. It was shown that PVDF in the composites had a higher melting temperature than pure PVDF, and the a phase crystal in the composites became more stable with an increase in the amount of silver nanoparticles. The mechanical properties and morphologies of the composites were also investigated. It was noted that the PVDF-Ag composites have better mechanical properties when silver nanoparticles were added. The increase in toughness could be attributed to the formation of continuous structure between PVDF and silver particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]