Genetic polymorphisms in HIFIA are associated with prostate cancer risk in a Chinese population

The hypoxia-inducible factor-1α（HIF-1α） plays an important role in regulating angiogenesis, which is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. Genetic variations of HIFIA （coding HIF-1α） have been shown to influence an individual＇s susceptibility to many human tumors; however, evidence on associations between HIFIA single-nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） and prostate cancer （PCa） risk is conflicting. We genotyped three potentially functional polymorphisms in HIFIA （rs11549465, rs11549467 and rs2057482） using the TaqMan method and assessed their associations with PCa risk in a case-control study of 662 PCa patients and 716 controls in a Chinese Hart population. Compared with rs 11549467 GG genotype, the variant genotypes GA ＋AA had a significantly increased PCa risk （adjusted odds ratio （OR）= 1.70; 95% confidence interval （C1）= 1.06-2.72）, particularly among older patients （0R=2.01; 95%C1 = 1.05-3.86）, smokers （0R=2.06; 95%C1 = 1.07-3.99）, never drinkers （OR=2.16; 95%C1 = 1.20-3.86） and patients without a family history of cancer （OR= 1.71; 95%C1= 1.02-2.89）. Furthermore, patients with rs11549467 variant genotypes were associated with a higher Gleason score （OR=2.14; 95%CI = 1.22-3.75）. No altered PCa risk was associated with the rs 11549465 and rs2057482 polymorphism. However, the combined variant genotypes of rs2057482 and rs 11549467 were associated with increased PCa risk （0R=2.10; 95%C1= 1.23-3.57 among subjects carrying three or more risk alleles）. These results suggest that HIFIA polymorphisms may impact PCa susceptibility and progression in the Chinese Han population.

Application of the revised Tumour Node Metastasis （TNM） staging system of clear cell renal cell carcinoma in eastern China： advantages and limitations

This study was designed to evaluate whether the revised 2010 Tumour Node Metastasis （TNM） staging system could lead to a more accurate prediction of the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma （RCC） patients. A total of 1216 patients who had undergone radical nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy for RCC from 2003 to 2011 were enrolled. All of the patients had pathologically confirmed clear cell RCC （ccRCC）. All cases were staged by both the 2002 and 2010 TNM staging systems after pathological review, and survival data were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to evaluate cancer-specific survival （CSS） and progression-free survival （PFS） after surgery. Continuous variables, such as age and tumour diameter, were calculated as mean values and standard deviations （s.d.） or as median values. Survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test assessed differences between groups. Statistically significant differences in CSS and PFS were noted among patients in T3 subgroups using the new 2010 staging system. Therefore, the revised 2010 TNM staging system can lead to a more accurate prediction of the prognosis of ccRCC patients. However, when using the revised 2010 staging system, we found that more than 92% of patients （288/313） with T3 tumours were staged in the T3a subgroup, and their survival data were not significantly different from those of patients with T2b tumours. In addition, T2 subclassification failed to independently predict survival in RCC patients.

Plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxial growth of GaN with low growth rates and their properties

A systematic investigation on PA-MBE grown GaN with low growth rates(less than 0.2μm/h)has been conducted in a wide growth temperature range,in order to guide future growth of sophisticated fine structures for quantum device applications.Similar to usual growths with higher growth rates,three growth regions have been revealed,namely,Ga droplets,slightly Ga-rich and N-rich 3D growth regions.The slightly Ga-rich region is preferred,in which GaN epilayers demonstrate optimal crystalline quality,which has been demonstrated by streaky RHEED patterns,atomic smooth surface morphology,and very low defect related yellow and blue luminescence bands.The growth temperature is a critical parameter to obtain high quality materials and the optimal growth temperature window(~700-760℃)has been identified.The growth rate shows a strong dependence on growth temperatures in the optimal temperature window,and attention must be paid when growing fine structures at a low growth rate.Mg and Si doped GaN were also studied,and both p-and n-type materials were obtained.

Deformation characterization method of typical double-walled turbine blade structure during casting process

To address the complex structures,large out-of-tolerance issues,and inconsistent quality of double-walled turbine blades,a mapping relationship between the structure and deformation was established based on a structural correlation study.Numerical simulations and pouring experiments were carried out based on the designed double-walled model,and a reliable displacement field model of the double-walled blade was established.A decoupling method for the displacement field of the double-walled blade castings was proposed,which decoupled the displacement field into bending,torsion,and expansion/shrinkage deformation vectors.Based on the displacement field analysis of the theoretical and physical models,an expansion/shrinkage model of double-walled blade structure castings was established.Furthermore,an experiment to determine the mapping relationship between double-walled construction and deformation was designed,which included the characteristic distribution distance and designed angle as structural parameters.The functional relationship between the deformation and the structural parameters was established based on a nonlinear regression method.

Intraoperative hyperkalemia during laparoscopic pelvic surgery and prostatectomy

A similar event may occur in other kinds of minimally invasive surgeries,such as hysteroscopy.[1] In the case of operative hysteroscopy,electrolytes abnormality may be induced by intravascular absorption syndrome due to an overload of low-viscosity fluids.However,there is some difference between these two cases.For most urologic surgeries,the urine output cannot always be well monitored.During laparoscopic prostatectomy (LP) or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP),urine tends to leak into the upper abdomen because of the patient's assumed 30° Trendelenburg position,especially,if the urine is not suction drained.Hyperkalemia occurred because the urine was mostly absorbed by peritoneum.Meanwhile,the arterial potassium level is always lower than that in the veins.[2]An arterial potassium level of 5.8 mmol/L presented an extremely serious complication to the patient.Therefore,anesthesia providers must necessarily conduct ABG analysis to monitor the level of arterial potassium during LP or LRP.