Search

A total internal reflection system based on the weak value amplification principle is set up for the precise measurement of the thickness of an ultra-thin film. In this system, the film thickness is derived from the change of the double-peak pointer caused by the effective refractive index of the film, which is correlated to its thickness. The sensitivity and resolution of this system reached 2727.21 nm/RIU and 7.2 × 10 − 6 R I U , respectively, determined by using a sodium chloride solution with a refractive index of 1.331911. The growth process of TA/Fe(III) assembled films with thicknesses in the few nanometers range is monitored using the as-set-up system, and the experimental results are consistent with a theoretical calculation based on the Maxwell Garnett effective medium. Additionally, we theoretically calculated the detection limit for the thickness measurement of the film as 22 pm. We clearly provide a potential method for the precise measurement of the thickness of an ultra-thin film.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can be used as prognostic biomarkers in many types of cancer.We sought to establish an lncRNA signature to improve postoperative risk stratification for patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).Based on the RNA-seq data of 444 stage I-III ccRCC tumours from The Cancer Genome Atlas project, we built a four-lncRNA-based classifier using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) Cox regression model in 222 randomly selected samples (training set) and validated the classifier in the remaining 222 samples (internal validation set). We confirmed this classifier in an external validation set of 88 patients with stage I-III ccRCC from a Japan cohort and using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in another three independent sets that included 1869 patients from China with stage I-III ccRCC.Univariable and multivariable Cox regression, Harrell's concordance index (c-index), and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the association of the classifier with overall survival, disease-specific survival, and disease-free survival.Using the LASSO Cox regression model, we built a classifier named RCClnc4 based on four lncRNAs: ENSG00000255774, ENSG00000248323, ENSG00000260911, and ENSG00000231666. In the RNA-seq and RT-PCR data sets, the RCClnc4 signature significantly stratified patients into high-risk versus low-risk groups in terms of clinical outcome across and within subpopulations and remained as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analyses (hazard ratio range, 1.34 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.03-1.75; p=0.028] to 1.89 [95% CI, 1.55-2.31; p0.001]) after adjusting for clinical and pathologic factors. The RCClnc4 signature achieved a higher accuracy (mean c-index, 0.72) than clinical staging systems such as TNM (mean c-index, 0.62) and the stage, size, grade, and necrosis (SSIGN) score (mean c-index, 0.64), currently reported prognostic signatures and biomarkers for the estimation of survival. When integrated with clinical characteristics, the composite clinical and lncRNA signature showed improved prognostic accuracy in all data sets (TNM + RCClnc4 mean c-index, 0.75; SSIGN + RCClnc4 score mean c-index, 0.75). The RCClnc4 classifier was able to identify a clinically significant number of both high-risk stage I and low-risk stage II-III patients.The RCClnc4 classifier is a promising and potential prognostic tool in predicting the survival of patients with stage I-III ccRCC. Combining the lncRNA classifier with clinical and pathological parameters allows for accurate risk assessment in guiding clinical management.The RCClnc4 classifier could facilitate patient management and treatment decisions.

Structural features, aging behavior, precipitation kinetics and mechanical properties of a 6013 Al-Mg-Si aluminum alloy subjected to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at different temperatures were comparatively investigated with that in conventional static aging by quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile tests. Average grain sizes measured by XRD are in the range of 66−112 nm while the average dislocation density is in the range of 1.20×10 14 −1.70×10 14 m −2 in the deformed alloy. The DSC analysis reveals that the precipitation kinetics in the deformed alloy is much faster as compared with the peak-aged sample due to the smaller grains and higher dislocation density developed after ECAP. Both the yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) are dramatically increased in all the ECAP samples as compared with the undeformed counterparts. The maximum strength appears in the samples ECAP treated at room temperature and the maximum YS is about 1.6 times that of the statically peak-aged sample. The very high strength in the ECAP alloy is suggested to be related to the grain size strengthening and dislocation strengthening, as well as the precipitation strengthening contributing from the

The fuzzy clustering method is used to divide the data of calciner in this paper, and the method of fuzzy association rules is applied to get the control rules of calciner. Firstly, the fuzzy cluster and association algorithm are discussed,, later the hybrid algorithm KFCM is utilized to calculate the real data from the calciner to get the membership of each data, and MFAR method is used to obtain effective fuzzy association rules. The way put forward in this paper can solve the bottlenecks of expert experience, and can provide theoretical basis for the control of calciner.

Objective To study the expression of eukaryotic elongation factor 1A1(eEF1A1)in T1N0M0 renal cancer tissues and its relationship with patient prognosis.Methods The tissue specimens of patients with renal cell carcinoma who received radical nephrectomy in Shanghai Changhai Hospital in 2007 were collected.Inclusion criteria were:no treatments before surgery,T1N0M0 stage,clear cell carcinoma and with complete follow-up data.Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine the expression of eEF1A1 in the cancerous tissues,and we then established the relationship of eEF1A1 expression with Fuhrman pathological grading and patient prognosis.The relationship between Fuhrman grading pathological staging and eEF1A1 expression was investigated by drawing crosstabs,chi-square test,and Fisher's exact test.Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test were used to study the relationship between eEF1A1 and prognosis of patients with T1N0M0 renal cell carcinoma.Results The patients were followed up for 4-95 months,averagely(77.9±18.3)months;the overall survival rate of patients was 88.6% and the progression-free survival rate was 80.0% during the follow-up period.Immunohistochemistry showed eEF1A1 was highly expressed in 61.4% of renal cell carcinoma tissues and in tissues of high Fuhrman grade(P=0.004).Survival analysis showed patients with low expression of eEF1A1 in renal cell carcinoma tissue had significantly longer survival(P=0.019),and all the patients with low expression survived in our study.Conclusion Expression of eEF1A1 in T1N0M0renal cell carcinoma tissue is associated with Fuhrman grades and prognosis,with low expression indicating a better prognosis.

506 Background: Estrogen plays an important role in some cancer. However, previous studies about the influence of estrogen on colorectal cancer (CRC) have been conflicting, especially rare reports on liver metastasis. This study tries to explore the prognostic impact of estrogen on CRC with liver metastasis. Methods: Eighty six patients with CRC including 43 synchronous liver metastases were studied. Estrogen receptor-beta (ER-beta) were assayed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in liver metastasis tissues, colorectal cancer tissues and normal tissues. And the serum estrogens were detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 30 patients with CRC including 14 synchronous liver metastases. After follow-up, the relationship between ERβ, estrogen and survival time were analyzed. Results: The positive rates of ER-beta in liver metastases tissues, CRC tissues and normal tissues were 39.5% (17/43), 39.5% (34/86) and 62.8% (54/86), respectively; and significant differences were found between liver metastasis (P=0.012) or CRC (P=0.002) with normal tissues. The 1-, 2-, 3-and 5-year survival rates for ER-beta positive patients were 97%, 79%, 71% and 51%, respectively comparing with 82%, 59%, 55% and 40%, respectively for ER-beta negative patients (P=0.190). In contrast, the 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates in liver metastasis group were 77%, 37%, 31% and 23%, respectively; and 93%, 64%, 57% and 57%, respectively for ER-beta positive patients comparing with 67%, 19%, 14% and 7%, respectively for ER-beta negative patients (P=0.004). Serum estrogen levels in patients with liver metastases were significantly lower than those without liver metastasis (P=0.012) and Pearson Correlation showed that there was a moderate positive correlation between level of serum estrogen and survival time (P=0.006). Conclusions: CRC liver metastasis patients with positive ER-beta have a better survival, which indicates estrogen is a protective factor for CRC liver metastasis patients. But more study is needed to show estrogen would be a protective factor for CRC patients.