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Background Acral melanoma (AM) is the most common histopathological subtype of malignant melanoma in Asians. However, differences in the mutational profiles underlying AM and nonacral cutaneous melanoma (NAM) in Asians are not well understood. Objectives To augment the understanding of the prevalence, patterns and associations of various mutations between different subtypes of melanoma. Methods We performed comprehensive genomic profiling of 409 cancer-associated genes, using next-generation sequencing, in 66 primary melanomas comprised of 45 AMs and 21 NAMs. Results Most of the AMs (n = 27/45; 60%), but only five of 21 (24%) NAMs, were triple wild-type (triple-WT) tumours. Compared with AMs, NAMs exhibited a significantly higher frequency of BRAF mutations. The frequencies of NRAS/KRAS mutations, cell-cycle aberrations, copy number gains in BIRC2, BIRC3 and BIRC5, and gains of receptor tyrosine kinase genes were significantly higher in AMs. Ulceration was found at significantly higher rates in the AMs and NAMs with cell-cycle aberrations and gains of receptor tyrosine kinase genes. Notably, cell-cycle aberrations and copy number gains in BIRC2, BIRC3 and BIRC5 were significantly associated with poor melanoma-specific survival in the 66 patients with melanoma and especially in the 45 patients with AM. Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and cell-cycle aberrations were independent prognostic factors of melanoma-specific survival. Conclusions This study strengthens our understanding of the patterns and clinical associations of oncogenic mutations in AMs and NAMs in Asians. What's already known about this topic? Mutation frequencies of driver genes vary between melanoma subtypes. Acral melanoma is the most common subtype of melanoma in Asians. KIT mutations and copy number variations occur more frequently in the acral subtype of melanoma than in the nonacral subtype What does this study add? NRAS/KRAS mutations, cell-cycle aberrations, copy number gains in BIRC2, BIRC3 and BIRC5, and amplifications of receptor tyrosine kinase genes were significantly enriched in acral melanoma and could be potential targets for treatment. Melanomas with cell-cycle aberrations and gains in receptor tyrosine kinase genes were significantly more likely to contain ulceration. What is the translational message? Cell-cycle aberrations and copy number gains in BIRC2, BIRC3 and BIRC5 were significantly associated with poor melanoma-specific survival. These observations should be explored further for future drug development.

This paper presents a new coordinate measuring machine (CMM) vision system to realise automation of initial workpiece alignment. The system uses one fixed position camera to detect the positions of the probe and workpiece, which can be randomly placed on the measuring table. A developed methods called Relative Positioning and Module Match methods has been introduced. Theoretical analysis and experiment show how the approach is reasonable and can be used for machine vision applications.

Based on the higher order Cauchy-Born rule, a continuum-based constitutive model, which taking the interatomic potentials and atomic microstructure of carbon nanotubes into consideration, is presented for the analysis of the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes. With the use of Tersoff-Brenner potential, the influences of the potential parameters, tube diameters, chirality and the inner displacement on the energies, the axial Young's moduli, the circular elastic moduli of graphite and single-walled carbon nanotubes as well as the bending stiffness of SWNT are investigated. The results obtained are in good agreement with that of molecular dynamics.

Several cases of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas in women with breast cancer have been reported to be associated with tamoxifen therapy. Estrogen receptor expression has been used to characterize the partial estrogenic action of tamoxifen on the endometrium and has been found in tamoxifen-associated endometrial pathologies.A low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma in a woman with a history of breast cancer treated with adjuvant tamoxifen is presented. Steroid receptor studies performed on the tumor were negative for estrogen and positive for progesterone.The absence of estrogen receptor expression suggests that endometrial stromal sarcomas are not necessarily caused by the estrogenic properties of tamoxifen.