Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films were deposited by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The effects of the process parameters such as deposition time and RF-power, as well as of post deposition ...annealing under oxygen containing atmospheres, on the material properties of ZnS films have been investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals out that the as-deposited ZnS films preferred (002) hexagonal wurtzite and (111) cubic zinc blend (111) at 28.60°, while a thicker ZnS film has additional hexagonal wurtzite (100), (110), and (200) planes coexisting with the preferred oriented-planes, suggesting that the thickness is dependent on the growth of ZnS. After annealing, ZnO phases were detected, indicating island-like grain growth on the surface of the ZnS film. By increasing the deposition time and the RF power, the optical band gap energy (E
g
) of the ZnS film changes from 4.13 to 3.87 eV, indicating the presence of lower E
g
with thicker ZnS film. The lower E
g
(∼3.27 eV) value of the annealed films is attributed to the ZnO transition. Unlike bulk ZnS material (Zn/S∼1.08), deposited ZnS thin film has Zn-rich and S-deficient composition (Zn/S∼1.28). However, the Zn/S ratio is closer to the ideal value when there is a longer deposition time or higher RF-power.
•Evaluation on accidents from human errors for decommissioning.•A mathematical method of evaluating accidents from human errors.•A feasibility study in virtual decommissioning environment.
This paper ...is intended to suggest an approach to the methodology of evaluation on abnormal accidents from human errors during decommissioning of nuclear facilities. A structure of model was established and a mathematical method was also designed to evaluate both normal and abnormal environments. The proposed methodology was verified by applying a practical test case of decommissioning scenarios using the assessment system in virtual decommissioning environment.
Copper-cored solder can be regarded as the next-generation solder for microelectronic semiconductors exposed to harsh operating conditions owing to its excellent sustainability under extreme thermal ...conditions, e.g., in microelectronic semiconductors used in transportation systems. Cu-cored solder joints with two different coating layers, Sn–3.0Ag and Sn–1.0In, were compared with the baseline Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder. The fracture strength and failure mode were examined using the high-speed ball-pull and normal-speed shear tests. The Cu-cored solder joint with the Sn–1.0In plating layer exhibited the highest ball-pull and shear strengths. In addition, it showed a much lower percentage of interface fracture between the Cu-core and plating layer than the interface fracture percentage in the Sn–3.0Ag plating layer due to the improved wettability between the Cu-core and Sn–1.0In plating layer.
Emerging evidence indicates that runt-related transcription factor 3 (
) is an important tumor suppressor gene in several cancer types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the clinical ...significance of RUNX3 inactivation in CRC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between clinicopathologic factors and RUNX3 hypermethylation/expression in CRC.
Sixty-two CRC patients who were treated at the Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine were recruited in this study. The hypermethylation of CpG islands in the RUNX3 promoter and the expression of RUNX3 mRNA were identified by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR, respectively. The expression of RUNX3 was determined by immunohistochemical staining.
Of the 62 CRC tissue samples, 20 (32.3%) presented hypermethylated RUNX3 promoters. Aberrant RUNX3 hypermethylation was found to be associated with vascular (P = 0.006) and lymphatic (P = 0.002) invasion. Hypermethylation of RUNX3 was associated with poor survival outcomes (P = 0.038). However, expression of RUNX3 was not a prognostic factor (P = 0.363).
Hypermethylation of RUNX3 may be a predictor of a poor prognosis in CRC.
•The assessment model on human errors for decommissioning of nuclear facilities was proposed.•The structure of the model was systematically established.•The method of the model was quantitatively ...designed.•Feasibility study of the method was demonstrated.
This paper is to suggest the assessment model on human errors for decommissioning of nuclear facilities. On the basis of evaluation items, the structure of the model was systematically established and the method for the model was quantitatively designed. The categories of evaluation items consist of ‘psychological’, ‘physical’, ‘man-machine’, and ‘environmental’. The method is composed of scaling and weighting factors. Feasibility study of the method was accomplished by applying a scenario.
Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61), a member of the CCN protein family, possesses diverse functionality in cellular processes such as adhesion, migration, proliferation, and survival. Cyr61 can also function ...as an oncogene or a tumour suppressor, depending on the origin of the cancer. Only a few studies have reported Cyr61 expression in colorectal cancer. In this study, we assessed the Cyr61 expression in 251 colorectal cancers with clinical follow up.
We examined Cyr61 expression in 6 colorectal cancer cell lines (HT29, Colo205, Lovo, HCT116, SW480, SW620) and 20 sets of paired normal and colorectal cancer tissues by western blot. To validate the association of Cyr61 expression with clinicopathological parameters, we assessed Cyr61 expression using tissue microarray analysis of primary colorectal cancer by immunohistochemical analysis.
We verified that all of the cancer cell lines expressed Cyr61; 2 cell lines (HT29 and Colo205) demonstrated Cyr61 expression to a slight extent, while 4 cell lines (Lovo, HCT116, SW480, SW620) demonstrated greater Cyr61 expression than HT29 and Colo205 cell lines. Among the 20 cases of paired normal and tumour tissues, greater Cyr61 expression was observed in 16 (80%) tumour tissues than in normal tissues. Furthermore, 157 out of 251 cases (62.5%) of colorectal cancer examined in this study displayed strong Cyr61 expression. Cyr61 expression was found to be associated with pN (p = 0.018). Moreover, Cyr61 expression was associated with statistically significant cancer-specific mortality (p = 0.029). The duration of survival was significantly lesser in patients with Cyr61 high expression than in patients with Cyr61 low expression (p = 0.001). These results suggest that Cyr61 expression plays several important roles in carcinogenesis and may also be a good prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.
Our data confirmed that Cyr61 was expressed in colorectal cancers and the expression was correlated with worse prognosis of colorectal cancers.
Purpose
Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is frequently considered in patients with high-risk stage II colorectal cancer (CRC). Among patients with stage II CRC who do not receive AC because they are not ...considered to be at high risk, 20–25% will develop recurrence and die from the disease. Elevated levels of KPNA2 have been observed in various cancers, and overexpression of KPNA2 is related to CRC progression.
Methods
We examined the expression of KPNA2 using 293 CRC tissues, including 118 with stage II CRC, and investigated the applicability of KPNA2 as a biomarker to predict high-risk stage II CRC. Moreover, we further investigated the role of KPNA2 as an oncogene in CRC carcinogenesis using in vitro functional studies.
Results
High KPNA2 expression was associated with vascular (
p
= 0.027) and lymphatic invasion (
p
= 0.009) in patients with stage II CRC. On multivariate analysis, high KPNA2 expression (HR 3.174, 95% CI 2.060–4.889;
p
< 0.001) was independently associated with survival in patients with CRC. The overall survival rate in patients with high KPNA2 expression was higher than that in patients with low KPNA2 expression in CRC (
p
< 0.001), even in patients with stage II CRC (
p
= 0.001). Additionally, KPNA2 was associated with tumorigenesis and cancer progression in CRC cells; high KPNA2 expression was associated with increased cell proliferation (
p
< 0.05), migration (
p
= 0.03), invasion (
p
= 0.001), and semisolid agar colony formation (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
KPNA2 expression is useful for identification of patients with high-risk stage II CRC who could benefit from AC and that KPNA2 may also be a promising therapeutic target.
•This paper is meant to develop the training system to prevent accidents during decommissioning of nuclear facilities.•Requirements of the system were suggested.•Data management modules of the system ...were designed.•The system was developed on virtual reality environment.
This paper is meant to develop the training system to prevent accidents during decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Requirements of the system were suggested. Data management modules of the system were designed. The system was developed on virtual reality environment. The performance test of the system was proved to be appropriate to decommissioning of nuclear facilities.
Background
Two members of the Ras/Raf signaling pathway, KRAS and B-raf, are suspected to be involved in the stepwise progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis.
Objective
We compared the
...KRAS
and
BRAF
mutation status of CRC patients with their clinicopathological characteristics and examined the effect of mutation status on survival rates.
Methods
DNA was extracted from 164 samples, and the mutation statuses of
KRAS
and
BRAF
were assessed using peptide PNA clamp real-time PCR method. The presences of mutation were compared with clinicopathological factors and 5-year survival rate.
Results
Among the 164 CRC cases,
KRAS
mutation as detected in 71 cases (43.3 %), respectively, with no relationship with clinicopathological factors of the patients. On Kaplan–Meier survival analysis,
KRAS
mutation was not significantly associated with survival (
p
= 0.971).
BRAF
mutation was detected in 26 cases (15.9 %) and not associated with clinicopathological factors of the patients. However, the 5-year survival rate of
BRAF
mutations was significantly decreased (
p
= 0.02).
Conclusions
The presence of
KRAS
mutation did not correlate with the various clinicopathological factors of CRC patients or the survival rate. However, the survival rate was reduced in
BRAF
-mutated CRC patients. Therefore,
BRAF
mutation could be an important prognostic factor in CRC patients.
•A methodology for hazard reduction for decommissioning of nuclear facilities.•Radiological and non-radiological hazard reduction for decommissioning.•A mathematical method of cost estimation using a ...parametric method.
This paper is to establish the hazard reduction methodology for decommissioning of nuclear facilities. There are radiological and non-radiological hazards during decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Based on a review of industrial methods and requirements of decommissioning safety, a method of hazard reduction has been designed and a mathematical method of cost estimation has been developed using a parametric method.
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