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Soyeon Bang,1 Junhong Li,2 Meiqin Zhang,3 Renjie Cui,3 Xingwen Wu,4 Zhaochen Xin,1 Duan Ma,3,5 Jin Zhang,3 Hongwei Zhang1 1Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Urology, Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Dentistry, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hongwei ZhangDepartment of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13681973106Fax +86 21-64038472Email zhang.hongwei@zs-hospital.sh.cnDuan MaKey Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 130 Dong an Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13916126452Fax +86 21-54237441Email duanma@shmu.edu.cnBackground: Krüppel-like factor 16 (KLF16), a member of the KLF family, is involved in metabolism and regulation of the endocrine system and has emerging roles in tumor progression. However, the expression of KLF16 and its role in breast cancer are elusive.Methods: We investigated the expression and prognostic value of KLFs in breast cancer using data acquired from the TCGA BRCA dataset and the Kaplan–Meier plotter dataset. The protein levels of KLF16 in breast specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). KLF16 silencing using shRNAs was performed to explore the effects of KLF16 on breast cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. The expression of EMT markers in cells manipulated for KLF16 expression was assessed by Western blotting.Results: Using publicly available dataset and specimens from breast cancer patients, we found that the expression levels of KLF16 were significantly higher in tumor tissues and that high levels of KLF16 were associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Moreover, KLF16 expression levels had relation to several clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer, including the molecular subtype and histological grade. Importantly, knockdown of KLF16 dramatically suppressed cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Also, KLF16 deletion impaired migration, and invasion in breast cancer cells, and suppressed epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT).Conclusion: Our results suggest that KLF16 has important oncogenic functions in breast cancer and that the expression levels of KLF16 are associated with prognosis in breast cancer patients. Our findings also suggest that KLF16 is involved in proliferation, migration, and invasion in breast cancer cells. Thus, KLF16 might be a promising prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for breast cancer.Keywords: breast cancer, EMT, Krüppel-like factor 16, metastasis, proliferation

Hosam Serag, Shirley Bang, Y Zaki Almallah Department of Urology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham-University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK Objectives: To report a real-time contemporary practice and outcome of artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in patients with postradical prostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI) in the UK. Methods: A retrospective observational study of patients who underwent AUS implantation (AMS 800) from 2007 to 2013. Data were collected on patients’ demographics, infection and erosion rate, mechanical failure, reoperation, and continence rates. The study strictly included patients with postradical PPI only. Minimum follow-up was 15 months. Results: Eighty-four AUSs were implanted over a period of 6 years. Patients’ age ranged between 51 and 78 (median 69, mean 69.25) years. Median follow-up was 37 months, mean 39 months, and range 15–92 months. Among the 83 follow-up patients, 38.5% (32/83) reported that they were completely dry with no pads; 42.2% (35/83) of patients were socially continent (using 1 pad/day) and 19.3% (16/83) using ≥2 pads /day. One patient was lost to follow-up. Reoperation rate was 13.25% (11/83), including nine mechanical failures (10.8%). Two implant infections (2.4%) required explantation, out of which one had erosion (1.2%). Bladder overactivity developed in 6% of patients. Of the 83, 15 (18%) had pelvic radiotherapy. Conclusion: The implantation of AUS in patients with post-PPI has lower complications and reoperation rates than historical impression painted in the literature. This can be beneficial in counseling as well as during the education process of patients going through the decision process for prostate cancer treatment. Furthermore, these figures can add to our quest to increase the awareness of the success of anti-incontinence surgery among patients. Keywords: Post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence, artificial urinary sphincter, male incontinence, radical prostatectomy complications, outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter, incontinence surgery counseling

Effect Ga2O3 addition on the densification and properties of Y2O3-doped AlN ceramics was investigated under the constraint of total sintering additives (Y2O3 and Ga2O3) of 4.5 wt%. Ga was detected in the AlN grain as well as the grain boundary phases. YAlO3 and Y4Al2O9 were observed as the secondary crystalline phases in all of the investigated compositions. As the substitution of Ga2O3 for Y2O3 increased, the quantity of the Y4Al2O9 phase decreased while that of YAlO3 was more or less similar. Neither additional secondary phases was identified, nor was the sinterability inhibited by the Ga2O3 addition; the linear shrinkage and apparent density were above 20 percent and 3.34-3.37 g/cm3, respectively. However, the optical reflectance and the elastic modulus generally decreased whereas the Poisson ratio increased significantly. The dielectric constant and the loss tangent of 4.0Y2O3-0.5Ga2O3-95.5Y2O3 at the resonant frequency of 8.22 GHz were 8.63 and 0.003, respectively.

SiC/Cu composite powders with the barrier coating of SiC-Al onto SiC powders were synthesized from Al-containing polycarbosilane precursor and Cu-nitrate hydrate. Curing at 200°C and high temperature pyrolysis at 1600°C was used to achieve the crystallization of precursor, forming the SiC-Al coating on the surface of SiC powders. A core-shell structure with the core of SiC and the shell of Cu was constructed by calcination and hydrogen-reduction of Cu nitrate hydrate. XRD and SEM analysis revealed that the β-SiC and 4H-SiC phases were formed on the surface of the initial α-SiC powders. Also, it was observed by EDX mapping that core powders of SiC were homogeneously surrounded with the fine Cu particles on their surface.

A floating breakwater was built in Southern Korea. Four separate floating breakwater units were moored to ten deeply buried embedded suction anchors. The embedded suction anchor is a type of permanent offshore foundation installed by a suction pile. The cross section of the embedded suction anchor is circular, with its diameter being equal to that of the suction pile that is used to drive it into the seafloor. Vertical flanges are typically added along the circumference to increase its resistance. Determination of the loading capacity and the dimensions of embedded suction anchors are described. Details of the construction and installation of embedded suction anchors, as well as the field proof test results are also discussed. A total of ten steel embedded suction anchors were manufactured and installed successfully. Installation of embedded suction anchors was accomplished with a suction pile attached to its top. Subsequent proof tests validated the design loading capacity of embedded suction anchors. A floating breakwater consisted of four separate units was constructed. Initially, embedded deadweight concrete blocks were considered to moor the floating breakwater units, Later, however, embedded suction anchors replaced the concrete block anchors due to numerous environmental constraints. Each floating unit was anchored with four embedded suction anchors. Field proof tests indicate that the embedded suction anchors can provide necessary resistance against the anticipated wind and wave forces. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4000400] Keywords: suction pile, embedded suction anchor, floating breakwater, mooring