The Complete Loss of p53 Expression Uniquely Predicts Worse Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer

p53 immunohistochemistry is considered an accurate surrogate marker reflecting the underlying TP53 mutation status and has utility in tumor diagnostics. In the present study, 269 primary CRCs were immunohistochemically evaluated for p53 expression to assess its utility in diagnostic pathology and prognostication. p53 expression was wild-type in 59 cases (23%), overexpressed in 143 cases (55%), completely lost in 50 cases (19%), and cytoplasmic in 10 cases (4%). p53 immunoreactivity was associated with tumor size (p = 0.0056), mucus production (p = 0.0015), and mismatch repair (MMR) system status (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, among CRCs with wild-type p53 expression, a significantly higher number of cases had decreased CDX2 than those with p53 overexpression (p = 0.012) or complete p53 loss (p = 0.043). In contrast, among CRCs with p53 overexpression, there were significantly fewer ALCAM-positive cases than p53 wild-type cases (p = 0.0045). However, no significant association was detected between p53 immunoreactivity and the “stem-like” immunophenotype defined by CDX2 downregulation and ALCAM-positivity. Multivariate Cox hazards regression analysis identified tubular-forming histology (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.17, p < 0.0001), younger age (HR = 0.52, p = 0.021), and female sex (HR = 0.55, p = 0.046) as potential favorable factors. The analysis also revealed complete p53 loss (HR = 2.16, p = 0.0087), incomplete resection (HR = 2.65, p = 0.0068), and peritoneal metastasis (HR = 5.32, p < 0.0001) as potential independent risk factors for patients with CRC. The sub-cohort survival analyses classified according to chemotherapy after surgery revealed that CRC patients with wild-type p53 expression tended to have better survival than those with overexpression or complete loss after chemotherapy. Thus, immunohistochemistry for p53 could be used for the prognostication and chemotherapy target selection of patients with CRC.     

Study on the fabrication of a SU-8 cantilever vertically-allocated in a closed fluidic microchannel

Microsystem Technologies - This paper describes the fabrication of a vertically-allocated SU-8 cantilever in a closed fluidic channel. The difficulties to fabricate the vertically-allocated SU-8...     

Electrochemical behavior of copper current collector in imidazolium-based ionic liquid electrolytes

The electrochemical behaviors of copper current collector in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] imide ionic liquid electrolytes were investigated and compared with that in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate solutions. Cyclic voltammetry results showed that large oxidation–reduction current of the copper foil appeared in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate solutions, while a much smaller current in the room temperature ionic liquid electrolytes decreased gradually, indicating that the copper foil was anodically stable. Further study by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that an unstable product was composed mainly of the carbonate and carbonyl species on the surface of the copper foil after the electrochemical measurement in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate solutions, leading to the dissolution of the copper foil. While a better passivating film from the reduction of the anions in the room temperature ionic liquid electrolytes covered the surface of copper foil and protected the copper foil from being oxidized even in a higher potential. These results indicate that the use of room temperature ionic liquid electrolytes can improve the stability of copper current collector in the advanced lithium ion batteries.     

Porous cellulose acetate membrane prepared by thermally induced phase separation

Microporous cellulose acetate membranes were prepared by a thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process. Two kinds of cellulose acetate with acetyl content of 51 and 55 mol % and two kinds of diluents, such as 2‐methyl‐2,4‐pentandiol and 2‐ethyl‐1,3‐hexanediol, were used. In all polymer‐diluent systems, cloud points were observed, which indicated that liquid–liquid phase separation occurred during the TIPS process. The growth of droplets formed after the phase separation was followed using three cooling conditions. The obtained pore structure was isotropic, that is, the pore size did not vary across the membrane. In addition, no macrovoids were formed. These pore structures were in contrast with those usually obtained by the immersion precipitation method. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 3951–3955, 2003     

Influence of diblock addition on tack in a polyacrylic triblock copolymer/tackifier system measured using a probe tack test

The influence of diblock copolymer addition on the tack properties of a polyacrylic triblock copolymer/tackifier system was investigated. For this purpose, poly(methyl methacrylate)‐block‐poly(n‐butyl acrylate)‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) triblock copolymer (MAM) and a 1/1 blend with a diblock copolymer consisting of the same components (MA) were used as base polymers, and a tackifier was added in amounts ranging from 10 to 30 wt %. The temperature dependence of tack was measured by a probe tack test. The tack of MAM/MA at room temperature was significantly higher than that of MAM, and the improvement of MAM/MA upon the addition of the tackifier was higher than that of MAM. The peeling process at the probe/adhesive interface during the probe tack test was observed using a high‐speed microscope. It was found that for MAM/MA, cavitation was caused in the entire adhesive layer, and peeling initiation was delayed by the absorption of strain energy due to deformation of the adhesive layer. In contrast, for MAM, peeling progressed linearly from the edge to the center of the probe. The greater flexibility of the soft block chain in the diblock copolymer resulted in improved interfacial adhesion. ¹H pulse nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that the addition of the tackifier improved the cohesive strength of the adhesive. Adhesion strength is affected by two factors: the development of interfacial adhesion and cohesive strength. In the MAM/MA/tackifier system, the presence of MA and the tackifier improved the interfacial adhesion and cohesive strength, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Application of Poly(acetic Acid)–Based Graft Copolymer as a Compatibilizer for Poly(L-lactic Acid)/Poly(butylenesuccinate) Blend System

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) was blended with poly(butylenesuccinate) (PBS) using a single-screw extruder to modify the poor characteristics of these polymers. Furthermore, when both polymers were blended, the graft copolymer that was synthesized by partially saponified poly(vinyl alcohol) (PSPVA) and ?-caprolactone (?-CL) was used as a novel compatibilizer. The structure of the synthesized compatibilizer was determined by ¹H or ¹³C NMR. From this result, the ring-opening polymerization of the ?-CL occurred at the hydroxyl group of PSPVA. The structures of the PLLA/PBS solvent-cast blended films could be observed via an optical microscope. From the optical microscopic observation, the structures of the solvent-cast blended films with the synthesized compatibilizer were more homogeneous than those of the solvent-cast blended films without the compatibilizer. The mechanical properties of the PLLA/PBS extruded blended films were determined by a tensile test. The result showed the tensile strength of the blended films with the synthesized compatibilizer was greater than that of the blended films without the compatibilizer.     

Serial Changes of Serum Growth Factor Levels and Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy in Healthy Humans

This study aimed to investigate the associations of the serial changes of serum levels of various growth factors with liver regeneration after hepatectomy in healthy liver donors. Sixteen healthy liver donors who underwent conventional liver resection were included. Serum levels of various growth factors before hepatectomy and on postoperative day (POD) 1, 3, 5 and 7 were measured. Liver volume data calculated by multi-detector computed tomography using workstation. The ratio of remnant liver volume on POD 0 to liver volume before the operation was 51% ± 20%. The ratio of liver volume on POD 14 to liver volume on POD 0 were inversely correlated with remnant liver volume on POD 0 (r = −0.91). The ratio of liver volume on POD 14 to liver volume on POD 0 were significantly correlated with serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels on POD 1 (r = 0.54), serum leptin levels on POD 1 (r = 0.54), and serum macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) levels on POD 5 (r = 0.76) and POD 7 (r = 0.80). These results suggest that early-phase elevation of serum levels of HGF, leptin and M-CSF may be associated with the acceleration of liver regeneration after hepatectomy in humans.     

Scandium-Doped Anatase (TiO2) Nanoparticles Directly Formed by Hydrothermal Crystallization

Anatase-type TiO₂ solid solutions doped with 0–10 mol% scandium were formed by hydrothermal crystallization under weak basic conditions above 180°C for 5 h from amorphous co-precipitates that were obtained from the aqueous precursor solutions of TiOSO₄ and Sc(NO₃)₃ using aqueous ammonia. The anatase particles were spindle-like and consisted of nanosized-crystallites (23–25 nm). The lattice parameter c ₀ of anatase and the length and width of the spindle-like anatase gradually increased when the scandium content was increased. The diffuse reflectance spectra of the as-prepared TiO₂ doped with scandium showed that the onset of absorption slightly shifted to longer wavelengths with increasing scandium content. The band gap of anatase was slightly increased by making solid solutions with scandium oxide.     

Improvement of Pt/ZrO2 by CeO2 for high pressure CH4/CO2 reforming

CH₄/CO₂ reforming over Pt/ZrO₂, Pt/CeO₂ and Pt/ZrO₂ with CeO₂ was investigated at 2 MPa. Pt/ZrO₂, which shows stable activity under 0.1 MPa, and Pt/CeO₂ showed gradual deactivation with time at the high pressure. The deactivation was suppressed drastically on Pt/ZrO₂ with CeO₂ prepared by different impregnation order (co-impregnation of Pt and CeO₂ on ZrO₂, and consecutive impregnation of Pt and CeO₂ on ZrO₂). The amount of coke deposition was found insignificant and similar among all the catalysts (including Pt/ZrO₂ and Pt/CeO₂). Catalytic activity after the reaction for 24 h was in agreement with Pt particle size after the reaction for same period, indicating that the difference of the catalytic stability is mainly dependent on the extent of Pt aggregation through catalyst preparation, H₂ reduction, and the CH₄/CO₂ reforming. Pt aggregation and the amount of coke deposition were least pronounced on (Pt–Ce)/ZrO₂ prepared by impregnation of CeO₂ on Pt/ZrO₂ and the catalyst showed highest stability.