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Supplementary Figure 3 from Amplification and Overexpression of CTTN (EMS1) Contribute to the Metastasis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Promoting Cell Migration and Anoikis Resistance

Supplementary Figure 2 from Amplification and Overexpression of CTTN (EMS1) Contribute to the Metastasis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Promoting Cell Migration and Anoikis Resistance

Supplementary Figure 1 from Amplification and Overexpression of CTTN (EMS1) Contribute to the Metastasis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Promoting Cell Migration and Anoikis Resistance

Supplementary Figure Legends 1-3 from Amplification and Overexpression of CTTN (EMS1) Contribute to the Metastasis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Promoting Cell Migration and Anoikis Resistance

Gain of chromosome 11q13 is a common event in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The cortactin gene (CTTN, also EMS1), located at 11q13, plays a pivotal role in coupling membrane dynamics to cortical actin assembly. This gene has been implicated in the motility of several types of cells. In the present study, we found that the amplification and overexpression of the CTTN gene was associated with lymph node metastasis in ESCC. Functional analysis by small interfering RNA–mediated silencing of CTTN revealed that in addition to the effect on cell migration, CTTN influenced cell invasiveness by anoikis resistance. In vivo assay showed that inhibition of CTTN expression also decreased tumor growth and lung metastasis of ESCC cells. At the molecular level, we showed for the first time that the protective role of CTTN in anoikis resistance was correlated with the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Overall, the data suggest that CTTN is an oncogene in the 11q13 amplicon and exerts functions on tumor metastasis in ESCC. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(24): 11690-9)

Objective:The present work was performed to analyse the association of dietary patterns with glycaemic control (Hb A1c < 7 %) in a large group of Chinese adults aged between 45 and 59 years.Design:Habitual dietary intakes in the preceding 12 months were assessed by well-trained interviewers using a validated semi-quantitative FFQ. Factor analysis with principal component method was used to obtain the dietary patterns, and the associations between dietary patterns and glycaemic control were determined using multivariable logistic regression models. Poor glycaemic control was defined as HbA1c ≥ 7·0.Setting:Despite decades of research, data on the relationship between dietary patterns and glycaemic control (HbA1c < 7 %) in China are sparse.Participants:A total of 1739 participants aged 45–59 years from Hangzhou were included in the final analysis.Results:Three dietary patterns were ascertained and labelled as traditional southern Chinese, Western and grains-vegetables patterns. After controlling of the possible confounders, participants in the highest quartile of Western pattern scores had greater OR for HbA1c ≥ 7·0 (OR = 1·05; (95 % CI 1·000, 1·095); P = 0·048) than did those in the lowest quartile. Compared with those in the lowest quartile of grains-vegetables pattern, participants in the highest quartile had lower OR for HbA1c ≥ 7·0 (OR = 0·82; (95 % CI 0·720, 0·949); P = 0·038). Besides, no significant relationship between the traditional southern Chinese pattern and HbA1c ≥ 7·0 was observed (P > 0·05).Conclusions:This study indicated that the Western pattern was associated with a higher risk, and the grains-vegetables pattern was associated with a lower risk for HbA1c ≥ 7·0. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.

To optimize treatment, choosing the appropriate relative dose intensity (RDI) of nab-paclitaxel is an important way to improve patient tolerance, therapeutic efficacy, and survival. However, few studies have focused on the efficacy of the RDI of nab-paclitaxel in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and whether the RDI of nab-paclitaxel could be employed as an index for treatment remains unknown. To explore the relationship between RDI of nab-paclitaxel and chemotherapy efficacy, survival, quality of life (QoL), and adverse effects in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.In this retrospective study, a total of 32 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, ECOG score of 0 to 2 were included from January 2017 to March 2020. The patients were treated with nab-paclitaxel combined with gemcitabine as a first-line treatment and divided into high and low RDI groups. Chemotherapy efficacy, survival, QoL, and adverse effects between two groups were compared.The disease control rate (DCR) was 20.0% in the low RDI group, compared with 81.8% in the high RDI group (P=0.002). A good correlation between nab-paclitaxel RDI and short-term efficacy was observed in all 32 patients (r=0.728, P0.01). Furthermore, the high RDI group had significantly better median overall survival (mOS: 12It is recommended to maintain a sufficient RDI of nab-paclitaxel to ensure that the balance between lerability, therapeutic efficacy, and survival benefits is satisfied in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality in China. The clinical importance of the interaction between hypoxia and immune status in the tumor microenvironment has been established in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study aims to develop a new hypoxia- and immune-based gene signature to predict the survival of ESCC patients. METHODS: The RNA-sequencing and clinical data of 173 cases of ESCC and 271 normal tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data portal and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. Hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) and immune-related genes (IRGs) were retrieved from publicly shared data. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analyses were carried out by the DESeq2 method using the edgeR package in R. Based on the intersection of the DEGs and HRGs/IRGs, differentially expressed HRGs (DEHRGs) and differentially expressed IRGs (DEIRGs) were obtained. DEHRGs and DEIRGs associated with prognosis were evaluated using univariate Cox proportional hazards analysis. A prognostic risk score model was constructed according to the genes acquired through Cox regression. Univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis were used to determine the independent prognostic factors related to prognosis. A nomogram was developed to predict the 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) probability. RESULTS: A total of 73 intersecting genes were obtained as DEHRGs and a total of 548 intersecting genes were obtained as DEIRGs. The risk score was established using 8 genes (FABP7, TLR1, SYTL1, APLN, OSM, EGFR, IL17RD, MYH9) acquired from univariate Cox analysis. Based on this 8-gene-based risk score, a risk prognosis classifier was constructed to classify the samples into high- and low-risk groups according to the median risk score. The nomogram model was constructed to predict the OS of ESCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: The hypoxia- and immune-based gene signature might serve as a prognostic classifier for clinical decision-making regarding individualized management, follow-up plans, and treatment strategies for ESCC patients.

Background This study aimed to identify potential stemness-related targets in gastric cancer (GC) in order to support the development of new treatment strategies and improve patient survival. Methods Using the edgeR package, we identified stemness-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using GSE112631 and the stemness-related signaling pathways in the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) database. Lasso-penalized Cox regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis tested by Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) were used to screen out survival genes in order to construct a prognostic model. We verified the accuracy of our prognostic model using a nomogram and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Patients were divided into two groups based on the median risk score, and functional enrichment analysis was used to explore the differences between the two groups. Results Eight genes were selected to establish a prognostic model of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and a validation model of the GSE84437 dataset from the Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO). In both models, we found that the low risk score group had better overall survival (OS) than the high-risk score group. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways between the two risk groups were totally different. Conclusions We used eight stemness-related genes to build a prognostic model. The high-risk score group had a worse prognosis compared to the low-risk score group.

Background Information regarding dietary patterns associated with prediabetes in the Chinese population is lacking. The objective of the present study was to explore the association between major dietary patterns and the risk of prediabetes in a middle-aged Chinese population. Methods A total of 1761 participants (aged 45 to 59 years) were recruited in Hangzhou city, the capital of Zhejiang Province, China from June 2015 to December 2016. Dietary information was obtained by interview using a 138-item, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of prediabetes with adjustment of potential confounding variables. Results Three dietary patterns were ascertained by factor analysis and labeled as traditional southern Chinese, Western, and grains-vegetables patterns. After controlling of the potential confounders, participants in the top quartile of the Western pattern scores had greater odds ratio (OR) for prediabetes (OR = 1.54; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.068–2.059; P = 0.025) than did those in the bottom quartile. Compared with those in the bottom quartile, participants in the top quartile of the grains-vegetables pattern scores had a lower OR for prediabetes (OR = 0.83; 95% CI:0.747–0.965; P = 0.03). Besides, no statistically significant association was observed in the association between the traditional southern Chinese pattern and prediabetes risk (P > 0.05). Conclusions The findings of this study showed that the Western pattern was associated with higher risk, and the grains-vegetables pattern was associated with lower risk of prediabetes. Future prospective studies are required to validate our findings.

To delineate the onset and recurrence characteristics of noncardiogenic ischemic stroke patients in China.A prospective, multicenter and registry study was carried out in 2,558 patients at 7 representative clinical sub-centers during November 3, 2016 to February 17, 2019. A questionnaire was used to collect information of patients regarding CM syndromes and constitutions and associated risk factors. Additionally, stroke recurrence was defined as a primary outcome indicator.A total of 327 (12.78 %) patients endured recurrence events, 1,681 (65.72%) were men, and the average age was 63.33 ± 9.45 years. Totally 1,741 (68.06%) patients suffered first-ever ischemic stroke, 1,772 (69.27%) patients reported to have hypertension, and 1,640 (64.11%) of them reported dyslipidemia, 1,595 (62.35%) patients exhibited small-artery occlusion by The Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification. Specifically, 1,271 (49.69%) patients were considered as qi-deficient constitution, and 1,227 (47.97%) patients were determined as stagnant blood constitution. There were 1,303 (50.94%) patients diagnosed as blood stasis syndrome, 1,280 (50.04%) patients exhibited phlegm and dampness syndrome and 1,012 (39.56%) patients demonstrated qi deficiency syndrome. And 1,033 (40.38%) patients declared intracranial artery stenosis, and 478 (18.69%) patients reported carotid artery stenosis. The plaque in 1,508 (41.36%) patients were of mixed. Particularly, 41.09% of them demonstrated abnormal levels of glycated hemoglobin levels.Recurrence in minor and small-artery stroke cannot be ignored. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, abnormal HbA1c, intracranial artery stenosis and carotid plaque were more common in stroke patients. Particularly, phlegm-dampness and blood stasis syndromes, as well as qi deficiency and blood stasis constitutions, were still the main manifestations of stroke. (Trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT03174535).

Background: Despite decades of research, data on the relationship between dietary patterns and glycemic control(hemoglobin(Hb)A1cMethods: A total of 1739 subjects aged 45-59 years from Hangzhou were included in the analysis. Information on dietary intake was collected by well-trained interviewers using a validated food frequency questionnaire(FFQ). Factor analysis with principal component method was applied to ascertain the main dietary patterns, and the associations between dietary patterns and glycemic control were determined using multivariable logistic regression models. Poor glycemic control was defined as HbA1c≥7.0.Results:Three dietary patterns were ascertained and labeled as traditional southern Chinese, Western, and grains-vegetables patterns. After controlling of the possible confounders, participants in the highest quartile of Western pattern scores had greater odds ratio(OR) for HbA1c≥7.0(OR=1.05; 95% confidence interval(CI):1.000-1.095; P=0.048) than did those in the lowest quartile. Compared with those in the lowest quartile of grains-vegetables pattern, participants in the highest quartile had lower OR for HbA1c≥7.0(OR=0.82; 95% CI:0.720-0.949; P=0.038). Besides, no significant relationship between the traditional southern Chinese pattern and HbA1c≥7.0 was observed(P>0.05). Conclusions:This study indicated that the Western pattern was associated with a higher risk, and the grains-vegetables pattern was associated with a lower risk for HbA1c≥7.0. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Background Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), a rare cause of cerebral infarction, is often unrecognized at initial presentation. We report the case of a patient with bilateral corpus callosum and corona radiata infarction due to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting as headache and acute reversible aphasia. Case presentation A 30-year-old female patient presented with headache, vomiting, and motor aphasia. She was 20 days post-partum and had a lower than normal food intake following a normal vaginal delivery. Brain magnetic resonance images revealed a bilateral corpus callosum and corona radiata infarction. MR venography (MRV) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images showed a signal void in the anterior aspect of the superior sagittal sinus and inferior sagittal sinus, ophthalmic vein expansion, and the reversed direction of venous flow. In addition, images showed non-visualization of the left transverse sinus. The left slender sigmoid sinus and small internal jugular vein were also noted. The diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis was considered based on the above findings. The patient was managed with anticoagulation therapy, and recovered substantially after treatment. Conclusions Bilateral corpus callosum and corona radiata infarction is very rare. However, for patients who clinically show cranial hypertension and neurological deficits during the puerperium period, the possibility of CVST should be considered. Furthermore, DSA plays an important role in the diagnosis of CVST, and should be routinely checked. Early diagnosis is crucial for the patient suffering from CVST.

Purpose. To analyze retrospectively the clinical efficacy and safety for patients treated with fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (FSRT) using volumetric modulated arc therapy. Methods. Between 2016 and 2017, 46 patients with solitary brain metastasis who underwent FSRT consisting of 25-40 Gy/5 fractions were recruited in this study. All targets within the same course received different prescriptions according to size. Toxicities were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Results. The median follow-up was 11 months (3-53 months). The 6-month and 12-month local control rate calculated by Kaplan-Meier estimate was, respectively, 95% and 86%. Tumor diameter<2.5 cm obtained 100% improved 12-month local control rate compared with 66% in those with ≥2.5 cm (P<0.001). The 12-month local control calculated by Kaplan-Meier estimate was 95% in tumors with >30 Gy treatment and only 60% in tumors with ≤30 Gy treatment (P=0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the prescription dose≤30 Gy resulted in increased local failure (hazard ratio (HR), 0.14 (range, 0.019-0.95; P=.046)). Grade 3 or worse toxic effects were found in 5 (11%) patients, and no patient experienced surgical resection for symptomatic radioactive necrosis. Conclusions. FSRT for solid brain metastasis appears to have the advantages of a high rate of local control with a minimal risk of severe toxicity and deserves application in the clinical practice.

Background Although some studies have shown the associations between dietary patterns and the risk T2DM in a general population, the associations in middle-aged Chinese have been rarely studied to date. In this study, we aimed to characterize dietary patterns in Chinese adults aged 45-59y (n = 1918) and to evaluate the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of T2DM. Methods The study population was a part of the population-based the Nutrition and Health Study conducted in the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Dietary intake was assessed by using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of T2DM, adjusting for potential confounders. Results Three major dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis, including the traditional southern Chinese, the Western, and the grains-vegetables patterns. After adjusting for the potential confounders, subjects in the highest quartile of the Western dietary pattern scores had greater odds ratio(OR) for T2DM(OR = 1.28; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.103–1.697; P = 0.02) than did those in the lowest quartile. Compared with those in the lowest quartile, subjects in the highest quartile of the grains-vegetables dietary pattern scores had a lower OR for T2DM (OR = 0.72; 95% CI:0.596–0.952; P = 0.04). Moreover, no significant association was found between the traditional southern Chinese dietary pattern and risk of developing T2DM. Conclusions Our findings indicated that the Western dietary pattern was associated with an elevated risk, whereas the grains-vegetables dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of T2DM. Further researches are needed to confirm these findings.

Background Patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) usually have a poor quality of life (QoL) and self-efficacy, which is affected by many risk factors. However, the role of psychological resilience in QoL and self-efficacy in DFU patients has remained unclear. Methods This prospective cross-sectional study was performed in a single center from January 2018 to February 2020. A total of 98 DFU patients were enrolled in this study. Some demographic and clinical data were prospectively collected from participants. The psychological resilience of participants was assessed by Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC). Self-efficacy was also assessed using the diabetes management self-efficacy scale (DMSES) and QoL was assessed by the 36-item short-form (SF-36) health survey. Univariable and multivariable linear regression were used to analyze the risk factors of self-efficacy and QoL. Then, logistic regression was used to analyze the predictors of psychological resilience among the participants. Results A CD-RISC score of more than 85 points was defined as high psychological resilience in this study; there were 28 participants diagnosed with high psychological resilience and 70 patients with low psychological resilience. Those with high psychological resilience had significantly higher self-efficacy, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health than those with low psychological resilience. According to multivariable linear regression, low psychological resilience and older age were identified as risk factors of self-efficacy. On the contrary, low psychological resilience, older age, lower perceived social support and higher level of glycated hemoglobin were identified as risk factors of QoL. Finally, males had lower psychological resilience than females and those receiving more social support had higher psychological resilience than participants receiving less social support. Conclusions Some risk factors of QoL and self-efficacy were identified in this study and these results may provide some evidence for the improvement of QoL and self-efficacy in DFU patients. Being female and receiving higher social support were shown to have potential for improving psychological resilience in DFU patients.

Background: Given recent results indicating that diminished LKB1 expression in laryngeal cancer correlates with shorter survival. We aim to perform an analysis estimate the role of decreased liver kinase B1(LKB1) and in the prognostication of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study and evaluate the expression of LKB1 and p16INK4a (p16) in 208 clinical advanced-stage LSCC tissue samples by using immunohistochemistry. The specimens were received at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China). To evaluate the independent prognostic relevance of LKB1, univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used, overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that 80/208 (38.5%) of the LSCC tissue samples expressed high LKB1. Low LKB1 expression was associated with a significantly shorter OS and DMFS than high LKB1 expression (P = 0.041 and 0.028, respectively; log-rank test), and there was a poorer OS in the p16-positive than p16-negative group. In the subgroup stratified by p16 status, the shorter OS were also seen with low LKB1 expression. Multivariate survival analysis indicated that high LKB1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.628, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.060-2.500, P = 0.026) and DMFS (HR: 2.182, 95% CI: 1.069-4.456, P = 0.032). Conclusions: Our data indicated that low expression of LKB1 was significantly associated with poor prognosis and it may represent a marker of tumor metastasis in patients with LSCC. When combined with p16, LKB1 was also of prognostic value.

Background: This study was designed to investigate the prognostic role of the MMP-7-181 A/G gene polymorphism in patients with gastric cancer and to correlate the genotype with clinicopathological features. Methods: The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to detect the MMP-7-181 A/G gene polymorphism, and prognostic analyses were performed to elucidate the prognostic role of the gene polymorphism. Results: The MMP-7-181 A/A genotype was detected in 83.8% (176/210) of cases, A/G genotype in 16.2% (34/210) of cases and G/G genotype in 0% (0/210) of cases. The MMP-7-181 A/G polymorphism was closely correlated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.037). A/G genotype carriers exhibit lymph node metastasis more frequently than A/A genotype carriers. The MMP-7-181 A/G polymorphism was also strongly correlated with vascular invasion (P=0.003), and A/G genotype carriers show an increase in vascular invasion over A/A genotype carriers. The 5-year overall survival rates of A/A genotype carriers and A/G genotype carriers were 59.56% and 33.33%, respectively. The discrepancy was significant (P=0.0164). The prognosis of A/G genotype carriers was significantly worse than that of A/A genotype carriers. Multivariate survival analysis by Cox regression model confirmed that the MMP-7-181 A/G genotype was an independent prognostic factor of gastric cancer (HR =2.10; 95% CI: 1.09–4.05; P=0.027). Conclusions: The MMP-7-181 A/G genotype was closely correlated with malignant biological behaviors and prognosis of gastric cancer. The MMP-7-181 A/G genotype may serve as valuable prognostic indicator of gastric cancer.

Background VEGF/VEGFR2 pathway is the central therapeutic target in anti-angiogenic treatment in multiple cancers. However, little work has been carried out concerning the pro-malignancy functions of VEGFR2 that are independent of its pro-angiogenesis effects in gastric cancer. Here, we demonstrated that VEGFR2 up-regulation in gastric cancer tissues was a prognostic marker for poor disease-free survival and overall survival of gastric cancer patients. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to detect VEGFR2 and VTN expressions in specimens. Kaplan–Meier curves were constructed for survival analysis. Stably knockdown cell lines and overexpression cell lines were constructed by small interfering RNA and plasmids transfection. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to confirm the expressions of target genes at both RNA and protein levels. Cell proliferation was measured by using Cell Counting Kit-8 and xenograft models. Microarray and bioinformatic analysis were also performed to identify the relationship between Vitronectin (VTN) and VEGFR2. Results When overexpressed in gastric cancer cells, VEGFR2 increased cellular proliferation and invasion in vitro and tumor formation in xenograft models. By using integrating microarray and bioinformatic analysis, we identifiedVTN as a downstream of VEGFR2 pathway. In gain- and loss-of function analysis in gastric cancer cells, VTN was further verified in consistent with VEGFR2 in expression levels and in regulating cell growth and motility in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, in gastric cancer samples, VTN was as also revealed as a poor prognostic factor. Conclusions Our present findings defined a novel activity for VEGFR2 in promoting tumorogenicity, motility and indicating a poor survival in gastric cancer beyond its known pro-angiogenic effects. Implications Our present findings defined a novel activity for VEGFR2 in promoting tumorogenicity, motility and indicating a poor survival in gastric cancer beyond its known pro-angiogenic effects, which may provide a new and valuable target for design of therapies for intervention and a new cognitive perspective for the anti-angiogenesis therapies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5322-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer and the second cause of cancer-related mortalities worldwide. Platelets play an important and multifaceted role in cancer progression. Elevated mean platelet volume (MPV) detected in peripheral blood has been identified in various types of cancer. In the present study, we investigated the application value of MPV in early diagnostic and prognostic prediction in patients with resectable gastric cancer. In total, 168 patients with resectable gastric cancer were included and separated into the gastric cancer and healthy control groups according to median pre-operatic MPV value (MPV low

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer and the second cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. China has a high incidence of gastric cancer. Inflammation is a critical component of tumor progression. It has been widely accepted that gastric cancer is an inflammation-driven cancer. In this study, we investigated the application value of systemic inflammatory response (SIR) markers, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), in early diagnosis and prognostic prediction in patients with resectable gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred and sixty-two patients with resectable gastric cancer were included and separated into groups according to median pre-operative PLR or NLR values (PLR low: < 208 or PLR high: ≥ 208, and NLR low: < 4.02 or NLR high: ≥ 4.02, respectively). To evaluate the changes in PLR or NLR values after operation, we introduced the concept of postpre-operative PLR or NLR ratios (< 1 indicated PLR or NLR values were decreased after operation, while ≥ 1 suggested not decreased PLR or NLR values). RESULTS Pre-operative PLR and NLR levels were significantly higher in gastric cancer patients compared with the healthy subjects. Low pre-operative PLR and NLR levels correlated with better clinicopathological features, including decreased depth of invasion, less lymph node metastasis and early tumor stage. Kaplan-Meier plots illustrated that higher pre-operative NLR and PLR had decreased overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Surgical tumor resection resulted in a significant CONCLUSIONS PLR and NLR measurements can provide important diagnostic and prognostic results in patients with resectable gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer and the second cause of cancer-related mortalities worldwide. Platelets play an important and multifaceted role in cancer progression. Elevated mean platelet volume (MPV) detected in peripheral blood has been identified in various types of cancer. In the present study, we investigated the application value of MPV in the prediction of chemotherapy response and prognosis in patients with unresectable gastric cancer. A total of 128 patients with unresectable gastric cancer were included and divided according to the median values of baseline MPV (low MPV

At present, there are several kinds of broadband antireflection coatings (ARCs). For the flat multilayer ARC, it usually contains double, triple, or up to 4 layers. It has been demonstrated that the performance of a single layer coating is not good enough across the desired spectral range. Multiple layer ARCs have much better performance for broadband solar cells (SCs). When inspecting the antireflection structure of Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells (CZTSSCs), it is shown that the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) of traditional CZTSSCs does not have an satisfactory antireflective performance. This paper aims to investigate a way to increase the incident light transmitted into CZTSSCs, and thus improving the efficiency of solar cells by studying the use of the antireflective effect of a TCO film. It introduces a new type of TCO film with better antireflective properties across a wide wavelength range. An SiO2/ZnO antireflective TCO (ATCO) is designed under AM1.5 illumination. In order to measure the antireflective effect over the 300–800 nm wavelength range, an effective average reflectance method (EAR) is introduced. Considering the effect of the refractive index dispersion and the coupling of the TCO or ATCO films with the active layer, in this paper we use a multi-dimensional transfer matrix to optimize the thickness of each key layer to accurately confirm the best antireflective effect. In addition, the optimized TCO film and the optimized ATCO film in CZTSSCs are compared and analyzed by means of EAR. The result shows, through the comparison of the antireflection between conventional TCO CZTSSCs and ATCO CZTSSCs, that there are considerable differences in final optimal reflectivity between TCO layer and ATCO film. For the conventional CZTSSC, the optimal effective average reflectance of TCO layer is 5.6%, and the lowest reflectivity in the waveband from 400 nm to 500 nm is 6.9%. In addition, the corresponding values obtained in the new ATCO CZTSSC are 3.8% and 1.6% respectively. These apparent changes in reflectivity are appealing in that the new ATCO films can effectively reduce light loss and improve the efficiency of photovoltaic conversion.

Objective: The short- and long-term risk factors for stroke recurrence may be different. This study is aimed to determine the risk factors for recurrence within 90 days in patients with ischemic stroke in China. Method: This was cross-sectional registry-based study in Chinese medicine hospitals from eight provinces and ten cities in China between November 3, 2016 and May 28, 2018. Two thousand one hundred and twenty patients with ischemic stroke aged between 35 and 80 years. Stroke recurrence was defined as an outcome indicator. Computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging was used as a diagnostic tool for stroke recurrence. Patients' age, sex, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), education level, medical history, family history, smoking, and drinking were recorded. Routine laboratory examinations were performed. Associated factors were investigated by calculating the odds ratio (OR) using logistic regression modeling. Results: In all, 2120 patients were included in the study, 712 (33.6%) of whom were women and 1408 (66.4%) were men, with a mean age of 62.84 ± 9.35 years. Eighty-two patients experienced stroke recurrence within 90 days, and the accumulative recurrence rates of stroke were 3.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.0%–4.7%). The binary logistic analysis showed that previous history of one (OR = 8.113; 95% CI, 4.497–14.637), two (OR = 8.848; 95% CI, 4.025–9.449), or ≥3 ischemic strokes (OR = 24.599; 95% CI, 9.307–65.018), and BMI

In this paper, InAlN/Si single-heterojunction solar cells have been theoretically simulated based on wxAMPS software. The photovoltaic parameters, such as open circuit voltage, short circuit current, fill factor and conversion efficiency were investigated with changing the indium content and thickness of n-InAlN layer. Simulation results show that the optimum efficiency of InAlN/Si solar cells is 23.1% under AM 1.5G spectral illuminations, with the indium content and thickness of n-InAlN layer are 0.65 and 600nm, respectively. The simulation would contribute to design and fabricate high efficiency InAlN/Si solar cells in experiment.

Limited evidence is available regarding the association between serum uric acid (SUA) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially in gender difference. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate gender difference on the association between SUA, hyperuricemia, and NAFLD in the Chinese population. A cross-sectional study was carried out in a group of 1006 Chinese adults aged between 45 and 59 years old, in the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province who were attending their annual health examination in the period between July 2015 and March 2017. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a written questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between SUA, hyperuricemia, and NAFLD with adjustment of potential confounding variables. Wald tests were used to for heterogeneity between males and females. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist–hip ratio (WHR), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG), SUA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparagine aminotransferase (AST), and the prevalence of hypertension, hyperuricemia, and NAFLD were significantly higher in male than in female (P

Background: DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) is known to function in several types of cancer. In this study, we investigated the expression and clinicopathologic significance of DNA-PKcs in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 208 patients with advanced-stage LSCC treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. We assessed DNA-PKcs and p16INK4a (p16) status using immunohistochemistry. We examined the association between DNA-PKcs expression and clinicopathologic features and survival outcomes. To evaluate the independent prognostic relevance of DNA-PKcs, we used univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. We estimated overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that 163/208 (78.4%) of the LSCC tissue samples exhibited high DNA-PKcs expression. High DNA-PKcs expression was significantly associated with survival outcomes (P = 0.016) and distant metastasis (P = 0.02; chi-squared test). High DNA-PKcs expression was associated with a significantly shorter OS and DMFS than low DNA-PKcs expression (P = 0.029 and 0.033, respectively; log-rank test), and was associated with poor OS in the p16-positive subgroup (P = 0.047). Multivariate analysis identified DNA-PKcs as an independent prognostic indicator of OS and DMFS in all patients (P = 0.039 and 0.037, respectively). Conclusions: Our results suggest that patients with LSCC in whom DNA-PKcs expression is elevated have a higher incidence of distant metastasis and a poorer prognosis. DNA-PKcs may represent a marker of tumor progression in patients with p16-positive LSCC.

Polycrystalline Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) films were deposited on ITO conductive glass substrates by one-step pulsed laser deposition. The influence of laser pulse energy on the microstructure and optical properties was investigated. The results indicate that all the films are rich in Sn, poor in S and well crystallized with dominant (1 1 2) preferred orientation. At laser pulse energies of 130, 165 and 180 mJ, SnS2 impurity phase exists in CZTS films, which is probably the reason for their larger bandgaps (1.61–1.67 eV) compared with that of a stoichiometric CZTS film (around 1.50 eV). While at the laser pulse energy of 150 mJ, an attractive Cu-poor and Zn-rich, large grain size and single-phase CZTS film can be obtained. In such a film, excess Cu vacancies reduce the valence band maximum (VBM) of CZTS, leading to the blue shift of its bandgap (1.60 eV).

During the construction of excavation, adopting top-down method and taking steel sheet piles as maintenance structure, some projects involving surface subsidence, surface displacement, deep horizontal displacement, underground water level and steel bracing internal force are monitored. Based on monitoring data, prompt feedback and early warning can prevent excessive displacement, deformation and engineering accident. Every monitoring indicator under control effectively achieves safety assurance of excavation engineering and surrounding building, realizes informatization construction of excavation engineering and guides similar engineering forcefully.

Cubic rocksalt (RS) AlN film was grown on MgO (100) substrate by laser molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) technique, and its bandgap was determined experimentally and theoretically. Based on the analysis of optical transmittance spectrum, the RS AlN film shows an indirect bandgap of 4.807 eV. Using the Cambridge sequential total energy package (CASTEP) module of materials studio (MS) software, an indirect bandgap of RS AlN is predicted as observed experimentally. While the calculated bandgap is smaller than the experimental value, which can be ascribed to the inaccurately handled exchange-correlation energy in the calculations.

The curve to detect concrete compression strength with resiliometer for area of Southeast province is established and studied by experiment and data analysis. The curve provides protection for the supervision and inspection of the structural engineering quality and concrete quality in the area.

The effect of carbonation on compressive strength of cement-fly ash mortar which subjected to freeze-thaw cycles were investigated by means of orthogonal design method. The results show that carbonization time is the main factors affecting compressive strength of cement-fly ash mortar subjected to freeze-thaw cycles, followed by the water-cement ratio, the number of freeze-thaw cycles and mix amount of fly ash. Carbonization improves the frost resistance of concrete in some extent, and in a reasonable range, the longer carbonation time is, the stronger frost resistance capacity is.

A review of current worldwide researches on the durability of concrete was presented. Porosity and water content of concrete changing in wet-dry cycles were introduced, the failure mechanism of freeze-thaw and carbonation and the relation with pore structure, as well as its interaction influencing factors. Some key problems to be further studied were proposed on the basis of the research achievements of leaching.

Intermetallic compound Al3Ti-based IMC coatings were formed on AA6063 aluminum alloy by laser cladding. The microstructure and corrosion characteristics in 3.5% NaCl solution were investigated. The results show that, the laser cladding coating is made up of Al3Ti dendrites, interdendritic α-Al and uniform distribution of TiC which hardly melted during laser irradiation, and shows good bonding to the substrate. The cross distribution of Al3Ti and α-Al helps to avoid the generation of cracks in the coating. The corrosion resistance of the laser cladding coatings is greatly increased as compared with the substrate, which owes mainly to the existence of hard Al3Ti and TiC. And with the increasing of TiC content in the coating, the corrosion resistance is improved simultaneously.

Al3Ti-based intermetallic compound coatings were formed on AA6063 aluminum alloy by laser cladding. The microstructure, wear and corrosion behaviors were investigated. The results showed that, the laser cladding coatings were made up of Al3Ti dendrites, interdendritic α-Al and uniform distribution of TiC particles, and showed good bonding to the substrate. The microhardness, wear and corrosion resistances of the laser cladding coatings greatly increased compared to the substrate. And with the addition of TiC particles to the coating, the superficial properties are improved simultaneously.

Three new organic–inorganic supramolecular hybrids, namely, (2-C5H7N2)4(PMo12O40)2·(2-C5H6N2)6·(C4H8N4)·H2O (compound 1), (3-C5H7N2)6·(PMo12O40)2·(3-C5H6N2)4·H8O4·(H2O)8 (compound 2), (4-C5H7N2)6(PMo12O40)2·(4-C5H6N2)4·(C4H6N3) (compound 3), have been synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV–vis, TGA and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1–3 constructed from Keggin polyoxoanions and 2-/3-/4-aminopyridine organic ligands, exhibit an extended three-dimensional supramolecular network via hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions, while compound 2 contains a tetramolecular water clusters. compounds 1 and 3 have a higher catalytic activity for the oxidation of acetone tested in a continuous-flow fixed-bed micro-reactor. When the initial concentration of the acetone is 6.1 g m−3 in air and the flow velocity is 4.5 mL min−1, the acetone is completely eliminated at 160 °C. But compound 2 has lower catalytic activity for the oxidation of acetone.

Yang-Fourier transform is the generalization of the fractional Fourier transform of non-differential functions on fractal space. In this paper, we show applications of Yang-Fourier transform to local fractional equations with local fractional derivative and local fractional integral

There is large-area saline sludge which should be stabilized in China. In this experiment, cementitious component (cement), alkaline component (Ca(OH)2) and expansive component (sulfuraluminate cement or gypsum) were used as compound stabilizer with different combinations to stabilize artificial saline sludge, then the unconfined compressive strength of stabilized soil samples was determined, and the hydration products of the stabilized soil were analyzed by XRD, the stabilizing mechanism and the required hydrate species of stabilized soil were preliminary explored. The results show that the unconfined compressive strength of stabilized soil increases gradually with the increase of the cement content; when partial cement replaced by right amount of CH, the strength reaches the maximum and higher than that of soil-cement; the use of sulfuraluminate cement plaster as expansive component for stabilizing saline sludge has a relatively good overall affect compared to the gypsum; possible reasons for these results were speculated at the same time.

Purpose: The object of this study was to assess, in cost-effective measures, 3 different models for pediatric first-aid training among caregivers and teachers. Methods: Quasi-experimental design was used. A stratified random sampling method was used to obtain 1282 teachers working at nurseries and kindergartens in Shanghai that consists of 18 districts and 1 county. One thousand two hundred eighty-two teachers were allocated randomly to the 3 models of training: 441 to interactive training model (group A), 441 to lecture-based training model (group B), and 400 to video instruction training model (group C). The first-aid knowledge in the 3 models was evaluated before and after the training. Results: There was a statistical significance in the results of post-assessment among the 3 training models. In group A, 329 (87.3%) trainees passed the course; in group B, 294 (81.7%) passed; and in group C, 262 (79.4%) passed. The total cost of group A was ¥2361 per edition, the total cost of group B was ¥1955 per edition, and the total cost of group C was ¥1064 per edition (P < 0.001). The cost per passed student was ¥151 in group A, ¥74 in group B, and ¥41 in group C (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Although interactive training model may slightly increase the rate of trainees who passed the course, the cost-effectiveness of video instruction training model is clearly superior.

There is large-area saline sludge which should be stabilized in China. However when cement is used as a stabilizer the strength and stabilization effect on the soil is relatively poor. In this paper, In this paper Portland cement PC is compared to a soft soil stabilizer A developed by the authors for use in stabilizing chloride saline soil from the Tianjin Binhai New Area. The strength of stabilized soil was tested by comparative Analysis, and XRD and SEM tests were used to analyze the hydrate types in stabilized soil. Preliminary tests results suggest that the salts present in hydraulic sludge and stabilizer A were able to react and formed a new hydrate----- Ca4Al2Cl2O6 • 10H2O which cannot be produced by cement alone, and which can greatly increase strength of stabilized soil.

Previous studies in mouse pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) showed that cannonical transient receptor potential channel TRPC1 and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) mediate the sustained component of capacitative Ca2+entry (CCE), but the molecular candidate(s) that mediate the transient component of CCE remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to examine whether Orai1 mediates the transient component of CCE through activation of STIM1 in mouse PASMCs. In primary cultured mouse PASMCs loaded with fura-2, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) caused a transient followed by a sustained rise in intracellular Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i). The transient but not the sustained rise in [Ca2+]iwas partially inhibited by nifedipine. The nifedipine-insensitive transient rise in [Ca2+]iand the increase in Mn2+quench of fura-2 fluorescence caused by CPA were both reduced in cells treated with Orai1 siRNA. These responses to CPA were further reduced in cells treated with Orai1 and STIM1 small interfering (si)RNA. Moreover, overexpression of STIM1 enhanced the rise in [Ca2+]iand the increase in Mn2+quench of fura-2 fluorescence caused by CPA, and these responses were reduced in cells treated with Orai1 siRNA. RT-PCR revealed Orai1 and STIM1 mRNAs, and Western blot analysis identified Orai1 and STIM1 proteins in mouse PASMCs. Furthermore, Orai1 was found to coimmunoprecipitate with STIM1, and the precipitation level of Orai1 was increased in cells subjected to store-depletion. Immunostaining revealed colocalization of Orai1 and STIM1 proteins, and the colocalization of these proteins was more apparent after store-depletion. These data provide direct evidence that the transient component of CCE is mediated by Orai1 channel as a result of STIM1 activation in mouse PASMCs.

(C5H7N2)3(AsMo12O40)・2C5H6N2・1.5H2O was hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystal data: monoclinic, P21/n, a = 13.310(3), b = 22.399(5), c = 19.820(4) A° , β = 99.99(3) ◦, V = 5819(2) °A3, Z = 1, wR(F2) = 0.1345. The structure consists of Keggin-type [AsMo12O40]3− polyoxoanions. The title compound has a high catalytic activity for the oxidation of acetone tested in a continuous-flow fixed-bed micro-reactor. When the initial concentration is 5.3 g m−3 in air and the flow rate is 2.5 mL min−1, the acetone is completely eliminated at 150 ◦C.

4-Aryl-3, 4-dihydropyrimidinones were synthesized using microwave-assisted, solvent-free protocol of the Biginelli reaction. The simple method provides the title compounds in 78%-95% yields by the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with ethyl acetoacetate and urea/thiourea in the presence of a catalytic amount of conc. HCl. Lewis acids, such as ZnCl2, SnCl2, FeCl3·6H2O, and CuCl2·2H2O, were also found to be efficient catalysts for the synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones.

Based on the nonlinear medium transfer theory, optical bistability of nonlinear microcavity is investigated at oblique incidence. It is found that the critical frequency of incident light inducing bistability phenomenon is related to the polarization and incident angle. The critical frequency increases with the incident angle. Increasing the incident angle can make bistability happen easier for focusing Kerr medium, but will hinder bistability for defocusing Kerr medium. The bistability switch threshold of TE mode is significantly lower than that of TM mode at a large incident angle.