Reduced Claudin-12 Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Cervical Cancer

Background: Within the claudin (CLDN) family, CLDN12 mRNA expression is altered in various types of cancer, but its clinicopathological relevance has yet to be established due to the absence of specific antibodies (Abs) with broad applications. Methods: We generated a monoclonal Ab (mAb) against human/mouse CLDN12 and verified its specificity. By performing immunohistochemical staining and semiquantification, we evaluated the relationship between CLDN12 expression and clinicopathological parameters in tissues from 138 cases of cervical cancer. Results: Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the established mAb selectively recognized the CLDN12 protein. Twenty six of the 138 cases (18.8%) showed low CLDN12 expression, and the disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrence-free survival rates were significantly decreased compared with those in the high CLDN12 expression group. We also demonstrated, via univariable and multivariable analyses, that the low CLDN12 expression represents a significant prognostic factor for the DSS of cervical cancer patients (HR 3.412, p = 0.002 and HR 2.615, p = 0.029, respectively). Conclusions: It can be concluded that a reduced CLDN12 expression predicts a poor outcome for cervical cancer. The novel anti-CLDN12 mAb could be a valuable tool to evaluate the biological relevance of the CLDN12 expression in diverse cancer types and other diseases.     

Liquid Marble Patchwork on Super-Repellent Surface

Liquid marble (LM) is a droplet that is wrapped by hydrophobic solid particles, which behave as a non-wetting soft solid. Based on these properties, LM can be applied in fluidics and soft device applications. A wide variety of functional particles have been synthesized to form functional LMs. However, the formation of multifunctional LMs by integrating several types of functional particles is challenging. Here, a general strategy for the flexible patterning of functional particles on droplet surfaces in a patchwork-like design is reported. It is shown that LMs can switch their macroscopic behavior between a stable and active state on super-repellent surfaces in situ by jamming/unjamming the surface particles. Active LMs hydrostatically coalesce to form a self-sorted particle pattern on the droplet surface. With the support of LM handling robotics, on-demand cyclic activation–manipulation–coalescence–stabilization protocols by LMs with different sizes and particle types result in the reliable design of multi-faced LMs. Based on this concept, a single bi-functional LM is designed from two mono-functional LMs as an advanced droplet carrier.     

Nonlinear load-deflection relation of toroidal shells subjected to axisymmetric compression between rigid plates

Utility of toroidal shells as shock absorbers for radioactive materials' shipping casks is discussed by carrying out numerical and experimental analyses. The static load-deflection relations under axisymmetric compression between rigid plates are presented.A simple elastic-plastic analytical method is first developed on the basis of an incremental Rayleigh-Ritz method by taking account of the large deflections and the continuous change of contact points. Meridional compression is neglected and the meridional curvature distribution is approximated by a trigonometric series. Strain-hardening material properties and axisymmetric deformation are also assumed. In order to provide data for comparison purposes, static compression tests were performed using six models of different shapes and dimensions made of 304-type stainless steel. Finally, the applicability of the numerical method developed in this paper is discussed.The mechanical behavior of toroidal shells is also discussed.     

Deposition rate dependence of coercivity in vaccum evaporated CoCr films

Deposition rate dependence of perpendicular coercivity Hcl in Cocr evaporated films at the deposition rate ranging from 0.4nm/s to 400nm/s is studied. Hcl increases with decreasing deposition rate as well as with increasing substrate temperature. A High Hcl over 500 Oe, which has ever been obtained only at a substrate temperature over 250°C when deposition rate is high(400nm/s), is obtained at a substrate temperature of 150°C under deposition rate of 2nm/s. "Shoulder" in the hysteresis loop disappears as Hcl exceeds 400 Oe. Therefore to decrease the deposition rate and to increase the substrate temperature have the same effect on Hcl. Saturation magnetization of the films with the same Cr concentration increases with decreasing deposition rate, and it is suggested that the degree of Cr segregation increases with decreasing deposition rate. Hcl is independent of the background pressure when the relative pressure, the quotient of (background pressure/deposition rate), is between 2×10^-8and 5×10^-6torr/(nm/s). From the results above, it is clarified that the difference of deposition rate between vacuum evaporation and sputtering is one of the major reasons for the difference of Hcl between the two.     

Identification of creep damage variable from A-parameter by a stochastic analysis

Identification of creep damage variable D of continuum damage theory from the metallographic A-parameter is discussed. By performing a stochastic analysis, A-parameter, defined as the observed fraction of cavitated grain boundaries on the observation plane, was first related to the cavity area fraction on the grain boundary facet planes. Based on the results of this analysis, the cavitation damage states of some engineering alloys were estimated by use of the data of the measured A-parameter. Finally, according to the usual interpretation of the damage variable D, specific D-A relations were derived. The validity and the utility of the proposed D-A relations, based on the test results of an engineering alloy, are discussed.     

Adsorption of urea,creatinine, and uric acid from three solution types using spherical activated carbon and its recyclability

In this paper, we propose that the urinary toxins from the wastewater be adsorbed on an adsorbent such as spherical activated carbon and the latter be regenerated by subjecting it to high temperatures to recycle activated carbon and also to recycle the water used in dialysis. We studied the adsorption of artificial waste dialysate, which is a mixed solution of urea, creatinine, and uric acid, and the separate solutions for each of these and found that their extents of adsorption onto the spherical activated carbon material were nearly identical. The amount of adsorption was approximately 1.4 mg·g^-1 for urea, 18 mg·g^-1 for creatinine, and 20 mg·g^-1 for uric acid. The urea, creatinine, and uric acid adsorbed onto the spherical activated carbon decomposed on heat treatment at 500℃, and the adsorption capacity of the spherical activated carbon was regenerated. Our study successfully demonstrated that the spherical activated carbon can be recycled in the waste dialysate treatment process.     

A carboxyalkanethiol monolayer modified electrode for blocking of ascorbic acid oxidation and its application to a biosensor

Upon the application of amperometric biosensor to the biological fluid, ascorbic acid interferes the amperometric determination of analytes, because the oxidative potential of ascorbic acid is lower than that of electro active substances such as H₂O₂ produced by the enzymatic reaction. In this study we propose a method to block ascorbic acid based on the electrostatic interaction with self-assembled monolayer (SAM) and its application of the surface modified electrode to biosensor. In order to form SAM on the gold electrode with carboxyl group, 7-carboxy-heptanethiol (7-CHT) was used. The 7-CHT modified electrode did not show anodic response to ascorbic acid, but oxidized phenanthroline cobalt complex [Co(phen)₃²⁺], which can be used as a mediator of biosensor. Thus, the 7CHT-modified electrode was applied to biosensor mediated with Co(phen)₃²⁺. Fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) was immobilized to the 7-CHT modified electrode. Fructose was determined selectively with the FDH/7-CHT modified electrode at the range of 0.2-2 mM.     

Interfacial shear strength of C/C composites

Fiber-bundle push-out, single-fiber push-in, and single-fiber push-out tests were conducted in order to examine the applicability of these methods for determining the interfacial shear strength of carbon-carbon composites. The fiber-bundle push-out test resulted mostly in fractures along the fiber/matrix interface but created a small amount of fractures in the matrix. Hence, the evaluated strength was regarded as an approximate value. In order to precisely evaluate the interfacial strength, push-in and push-out tests for a single fiber were performed using a micro-Vickers indentation tester. In these tests, the load has to be placed within a target fiber, and the indentation should not extend to the matrix. This condition restricted the load that could be applied to a carbon fiber. Within this limit, a single carbon fiber could not be pushed-in. For the sake of load reduction, single-fiber push-out tests were conducted using thin specimens. The thickness appropriate for a single-fiber push-out specimen was estimated based on the interfacial shear strength obtained by the bundle push-out tests. Below this thickness, single-fiber push-out tests could be successfully performed.