Prognostic value of pathological nodal burden after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in initially cN0-1 breast cancer patients: a dual-center, 10-year survival analysis.

Background: There is an interest in performing de-escalating axillary surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). However, the significance of residual axillary node disease after NAC has not been well studied.

Objectives: To investigate the pathological residual axillary lymph node tumor burden (ypN) of patients with initial clinical nodal stage cN0-1 breast cancer after NAC and determine its prognostic value.

Early evaluation of circulating tumor DNA as marker of therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in breast cancer patients during primary systemic therapy.

Background: We assessed the potential role of serial circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker to monitor treatment response to primary systemic therapy (PST) in breast cancer and evaluated the predictive value of ctDNA to further identify patients with residual disease.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 208 plasma samples collected at three time points (before PST, after 2 cycles of treatment, before surgery) of 72 patients with stage Ⅱ-III breast cancer. Somatic mutations in plasma samples were identified using a customized 128-gene capture panel with next-generation sequencing.

Effect of HER2-low-positive status on neoadjuvant chemotherapy and survival outcome of breast cancer: a 10-year dual-center retrospective study.

Various novel HER2-targeted antibody-conjugated drugs (ADCs) have shown satisfactory antitumor activity in HER2-low-positive breast cancer (BC). It is urgent to clarify whether HER2-low-positive tumors have unique biological behavior and should be considered a new molecular subtype. We screened eligible BC patients and collected relevant information at the First Hospital of Jilin University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2010 to December 2020.

Effects of a lymphedema prevention program based on the theory of knowledge-attitude-practice on postoperative breast cancer patients: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is one of the common postoperative complications that severely affects the functions of the arm and quality of life. Since lymphedema is difficult to treat and prone to recurrence, early prevention of lymphedema is crucial.

Methods: Patient diagnosed with breast cancer (N = 108) were randomized to the intervention (n = 52) or control group (n = 56).

A common variant SNP rs1937810 in the MPP7 gene contributes to the susceptibility of breast cancer in the Chinese Han population.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is common cancer caused by environmental factors and genetic ones. Previous evidence has linked gene MAGUK P55 Scaffold Protein 7 (MPP7) to BC, despite that there has been no research evaluating the relationship between MPP7 genetic polymorphisms and BC susceptibility. We aimed to investigate the potential association of the MPP7 gene with the susceptibility to BC in Han Chinese individuals.

Dynamic Simulator for Three-Phase Gravity Separators in Oil Production Facilities.

In this study, a dynamic simulator for three-phase gravity separators in oil production facilities is proposed. The mass conservation equation is established to calculate the pressure, water level, and oil level in the separator and the mass balance equation of the dispersed phase to calculate the oil-water separation efficiency. The proportional integral controllers are applied to control the water level, oil level, and pressure in the separator by setting the opening of the three outlet valves of oil, gas, and water.

Evolution of morphology and cohesive force of hydrate particles in the presence/absence of wax.

In the exploitation of deep-sea oil and gas resources, the multiphase production and transportation process is frequently plagued by pipeline blockage issues. Especially when hydrates and wax coexist simultaneously, the viscosity and plugging tendency of multiphase flow systems will synergistically increase. Understanding the evolution of morphology of hydrate particles and the agglomeration characteristics of hydrate particles in the presence or absence of wax crystals is crucial to flow assurance industry.

Polymorphism of MMP-3 gene and imbalance expression of MMP-3 / TIMP-1 in articular cartilage are associated with an endemic osteochondropathy, Kashin- Beck disease.

Background: The etiology of Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), an endemic osteochondropathy, is largely unknown. Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) plays a central role in the initiation and progression of cartilage destruction, however, no study has reported on the relationship between KBD and MMP-3. The objective of this study was to explore the polymorphism of MMP-3 gene and expression of MMP-3 / TIMP-1(Tissue inhibitors of matrixmetalloproteinases-1) in the pathogenesis of KBD.

Effect of the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer on the Induction of Cyclopentane Hydrate in a Water-in-Waxy Oil Emulsion System.

In this paper, the effect of the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, commonly used in improving rheological behavior of waxy oil, is introduced to investigate its effect on the formation of cyclopentane hydrate in a water-in-waxy oil emulsion system. The wax content studied shows a negative effect on the formation of hydrate by elongating its induction time. Besides, the EVA copolymer is found to elongate the induction time of cyclopentane hydrate through the cocrystallization effect with wax molecules adjacent to the oil-water interface.

Study on the decomposition mechanism and kinetic model of natural gas hydrate slurry in water-in-oil emulsion flowing systems.

Hydrate slurry decomposition in flow systems is a significant subject that involves flow assurance and development of marine natural gas hydrates. Firstly, the decomposition mechanism of hydrate slurry is studied in this work, and it is proposed that desorption of the gas from the surface of the decomposed hydrate particles might be the main reason for the coalescence of particles and water droplets during the hydrate slurry decomposition. Secondly, a hydrate slurry decomposition kinetic model comprehensively considering the influencing factors (, the intrinsic kinetics, heat and mass transfer) is proposed in this work, based on the classic intrinsic kinetic model and the hydrate slurry dissociation experiments conducted in a flow loop system.

Study of the Comprehensive Kinetic Model of Natural Gas Hydrate Formation in a Water-in-Oil Emulsion Flow System.

Hydrate growth is influenced by many factors, including thermodynamics, kinetics, mass and heat transfer, and so on. There is thus a practical significance in establishing a model that comprehensively considers these influencing factors for hydrate crystal growth in multiphase transportation pipelines. On this basis, this paper presents a more practical and comprehensive bidirectional growth model of hydrate shells for an actual pipeline system.

Study on methane hydrate formation in gas-water systems with a new compound promoter.

The effects of a new promoter on the growth kinetics of methane hydrates were investigated using a visualized constant-pressure autoclave. The experimental results show that when the 1#, 2# and 3# unit promoter was compounded at a ratio of 2 : 1 : 1, the induction time was shortened greatly from 30 h to 0.64 h compared to the no promoter situation.

Experimental study of growth kinetics of CO hydrates and multiphase flow properties of slurries in high pressure flow systems.

The formation and accumulation of hydrates in high pressure oil and gas pipelines bring great risks to field development and deep-water transportation. In this paper, a high pressure flow loop equipped with visual window was used to study the growth process of hydrates in a pipe flow system and slurry flow characteristics. Deionized water, industrial white oil and CO were selected as the experiment medium.

Study on the blockage mechanism of carbon dioxide hydrate slurry and its microscopic particle characteristics.

In order to better understand the process of carbon dioxide hydrate formation and blockage, a series of experiments were performed in a high pressure hydrate experimental loop which has been constructed. The impacts of varying flow rate, pressure, and restarting of the pump on the plugging have been studied in this paper. The particle chord length distribution in the process of hydrate formation and blockage was monitored in real time by using the advanced device, Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM).

Study on the growth rate of natural gas hydrate in water-in-oil emulsion system using a high-pressure flow loop.

Hydrate slurry transport technology in deep-water pipelines has become a focal point among worldwide researches, due to its high economic efficiency. However, as the key part of the hydrate slurry transport technology research, the mechanism and laws of natural gas hydrate growth dynamics are still unclear in the flow emulsion system. On this basis, we have conducted a series of growth kinetic experiments in a high-pressure loop, investigated systematically several influencing factors ( the flow rate, water-cut, AA concentration and so on) of growth kinetics, obtained the quantitative relations between these factors and the gas consumption as well as the hydrate growth rate (gas consumption rate).

Hydrate slurry flow property in W/O emulsion systems.

Hydrate risk management strategy has become a promising way of dealing with hydrates in subsea transportation pipelines in recent years. In this way, hydrates are allowed to form in the pipeline and are treated as a slurry flow with the help of anti-agglomerants. This work investigated the effect of hydrate formation on the flow friction factor in water in oil (W/O) emulsion systems.

Standard versus extralevator abdominoperineal excision and oncologic outcomes for patients with distal rectal cancer: A meta-analysis.

Background: The role of extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) for distal rectal cancer remains controversial, and the procedure is not widely accepted or practiced.

Methods: An electronic search of Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and similar databases for articles in English was performed from the inception of the study until October 31, 2017. Two reviewers extracted information and independently assessed the quality of included studies by the methodological index for nonrandomized studies, then data were analyzed with Review Manager 5.

Superiority of Minimally Invasive Oesophagectomy in Reducing In-Hospital Mortality of Patients with Resectable Oesophageal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Compared with open oesophagectomy (OE), minimally invasive oesophagectomy (MIO) proves to have benefits in reducing the risk of pulmonary complications for patients with resectable oesophageal cancer. However, it is unknown whether MIO has superiority in reducing the occurrence of in-hospital mortality (IHM).

Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to explore the effect of MIO vs.