Zujun Fang

Band offsets of Er2O3 films epitaxially grown on Si substrates

The experimental data on band alignments of high-k Er2O3 films epitaxially grown on Si substrates by molecular beam epitaxy are reported. By using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the valence and the conduction-band offsets of Er2O3 to Si are obtained to be 3.1±0.1 and 3.5±0.3eV, respectively, showing a roughly symmetrical offset at the conduction and the valence band. The energy gap of Er2O3 is determined to be 7.6±0.3eV. From the band offset viewpoint, those obtained numbers indicate that Er2O3 could be a promising candidate for high-k gate dielectrics.The experimental data on band alignments of high-k Er2O3 films epitaxially grown on Si substrates by molecular beam epitaxy are reported. By using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the valence and the conduction-band offsets of Er2O3 to Si are obtained to be 3.1±0.1 and 3.5±0.3eV, respectively, showing a roughly symmetrical offset at the conduction and the valence band. The energy gap of Er2O3 is determined to be 7.6±0.3eV. From the band offset viewpoint, those obtained numbers indicate that Er2O3 could be a promising candidate for high-k gate dielectrics.

The 1973 WHO Classification Is More Suitable than the 2004 WHO Classification for Predicting Prognosis in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Background Predicting the recurrence and progression of Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer(NMIBC) is critical for urologist. Histological grade provides significant prognostic information, especially for prediction of progression. Currently, the 1973 and the 2004 WHO classification co-exist. Which system is better for predicting rumor recurrence and progression still a matter for debate. Methodology/Principal Findings 348 patients diagnosed with Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer were enrolled in our retrospective study. Paraffin sections were assessed by an experienced urological pathologist according to both the 1973 and 2004 WHO classifications. Tumor recurrence and progression was followed-up in all patients. During follow-up, corresponding 5-year recurrence-free survival rates of G1, G2 and G3 were 82.1%, 55.9%, 32.1% and the 5-year progression-free survival rates were 95.9%, 84.4% and 43.3%, respectively. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates of papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP), low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma(LGPUC) and high-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (HGPUC) were 69.8%, 67.1% and 42.0% respectively and the 5-year progression-free survival rates were 100%, 90.9% and 54.8% respectively. In multivariate analysis, the 1973 WHO classification significantly associated with both tumor recurrence and progression(p = 0.010 and p = 0.022, respectively); the 2004 WHO classification correlated with tumor progression(p = 0.019), while was not proved to be a variable that can predict the risk of recurrence(p = 0.547). Kaplan-Meier plots showed that both the 1973 WHO and the 2004 WHO classifications were significantly associated with progression-free survival (p<0.0001, log-rank test). For prediction of recurrence, significant differences were observed between the tumor grades classified using the 1973 WHO grading system (p<0.0001, log-rank test), while a significant overlap was observed between PUNLMP and LG plots using the 2004 WHO grading system(p = 0.616, log-rank test). Conclusion/Significance Both the 1973 WHO and the 2004 WHO Classifications are effective in predicting tumor progression in Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, while the 1973 WHO Classification is more suitable for predicting tumor recurrence.

Med19 promotes bone metastasis and invasiveness of bladder urothelial carcinoma via bone morphogenetic protein 2.

Bladder cancer (BCa) remained a major health problem. Med19 was related to tumor growth of BCa. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) were reported to be critical in bone metastasis of cancer. We therefore investigated the relations between Med19 and BMPs in BCa and their effect on bone metastasis of BCa. Bladder cancer cell lines were cultured and interfered with Med19 shRNA and control. Expressions of BMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-5, BMP-6, BMP-7, BMP-9, and BMP-15 were studied between 2 groups. Fifty-two BCa samples were included for immunohistochemical staining of Med19 and BMP-2. Expressions were scored and studied statistically. Invasiveness was studied with Transwell assay. Silencing or Med19 in BCa cells induced altered expressions of BMPs. Increased expressions of BMP-1, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, and BMP-15 and decreased expressions of BMP-2, BMP-5, and BMP-9 were noticed, but only BMP-2 reached statistical significance. Expressions of Med19 and BMP-2 were significantly higher in cases with bone metastasis and were positively correlated in cases with bone metastasis and muscle invasion. Med19 is a critical factor involved in the invasiveness and promotion of bone metastasis of BCa, possibly via BMP-2.

Genetic Score of Multiple Risk-Associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Is a Marker for Genetic Susceptibility to Bladder Cancer

Genome‐wide association studies have identified 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with bladder cancer; three of these SNPs were validated in the Chinese population. This study assessed the performance of these three SNPs, in combination, to predict genetic susceptibility to bladder cancer in Chinese. Three previously established bladder cancer risk‐associated SNPs (rs798766 in TACC3, rs9642880 in MYC, and rs2294008 in PSCA) were genotyped in 1,210 bladder cancer patients and 1,008 control subjects in Shanghai, China. A genetic score was calculated for each subject based on these three SNPs. Each of these three SNPs was significantly associated with bladder cancer risk in this independent study population, P < 0.05. The genetic score based on these three SNPs was significantly higher in cases than controls, with a mean of 1.05 and 0.99, respectively, P = 1.03E‐05. Compared with subjects with a genetic score <= 1.00, subjects with an elevated genetic score (>1.00) had a significantly increased risk for bladder cancer after adjusting for age, gender, and smoking status, OR = 1.58, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.21 − 2.06, P = 0.0007. When tested separately for lower (Ta) or higher (Tis, T1‐T4) tumor stage, the association was significantly stronger for lower (OR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.66 − 3.01, P = 1.02E‐07) than higher tumor stage (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.00 − 1.78, P = 0.05), P = 0.001. In conclusion, A combination of three previously implicated bladder cancer risk‐associated SNPs is a significant predictor of genetic susceptibility to bladder cancer in Chinese.

Fowler-Nordheim hole tunneling in metal-Er2O3-silicon structures

Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling of holes in metal-Er2O3–Si structures is confirmed. The effective mass of holes in Er2O3 films is estimated ranging from 0.068m to 0.092m, where m is the free electron mass. The film shows a high breakdown electric field of about 70MV∕cm for an Er2O3 film thickness of 8.5nm, implying that the film which is epitaxially grown on Si substrate has smooth interface and surface.

Paraneoplastic symptoms: Cachexia, polycythemia, and hypercalcemia are, respectively, related to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in renal clear cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether there is a relation between expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and any of the paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 667 patients with ccRCC and at least one PNS were included. Thorough history taking, physical examinations, and laboratory tests were used to diagnose PNS. Immunohistochemistry was performed for VEGF evaluation. RESULTS There were 10 different PNS identified in the population. Sixty patients had a single paraneoplastic presentation. In all patients, presence of cachexia (n = 267, P < 0.0001), polycythemia (n = 40, P = 0.0014), and hypercalcemia (n = 48, P = 0.0006) was correlated to VEGF expression. Correlation was neither acquired in Stauffers syndrome, pyrexia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), anemia, thrombocytosis, hypertension, neuromyopathy nor obtained within patients with single PNS. CONCLUSIONS Relations between PNS and VEGF expression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been studied yet. The results we gained hereby can help us further understand the mechanistic of PNS in RCC.

Structural and electrical characterization of ultrathin Er2O3 films grown on Si(001) by reactive evaporation

Stoichiometric, amorphous, uniform Er2O3 films are deposited on Si(001) substrates by reactive evaporation using a metallic Er source at room temperature in an oxygen ambient pressure of 9 ? 10?6?Torr. Transmission electron microscopic measurement shows that the film possesses good thermal stability and forms a sharp interface with its Si substrate after annealing at 700??C for 30?min in ultrahigh vacuum. The effective dielectric constant (k) of the film is measured to be 12.6, and its effective oxide thickness (EOT) can reach 1.4?nm, with a low leakage current density of 8 ? 10?4?A?cm?2 at an electric field of 1?MV?cm?1 after annealing. The characteristics obtained indicate that ultrathin amorphous Er2O3 film could be a promising candidate for a high-k gate dielectric in Si microelectronic devices.

Effect of amitriptyline in treatment interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome according to two criteria: Does ESSIC criteria change the response rate?

The European Society for the Study of Interstitial Cystitis (ESSIC) recommended that interstitial cystitis (IC) should be replaced by bladder pain syndrome (BPS), which focused more attention on the painful or discomfort feeling related to bladder and weakened the importance of cystoscopy in diagnosis process. Our study aimed to explore whether this alteration changed the treatment outcomes of amitriptyline and whether cystoscopy was meaningful for the treatment of this disease.

Intraoperative frozen biopsy in wide surgical excision of Paget's disease of the scrotum

OBJECTIVE To determine if there is an advantage to performing intraoperative frozen biopsy to ascertain clear surgical margins in wide surgical excision for Pagets disease of the scrotum. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed surgical and pathological records of 133 patients with Pagets disease of the scrotum who were treated with wide surgical excision from 1993 to 2008. RESULTS A total of 51 cases had intraoperative frozen biopsy of the surgical margins. Of these, 17 had margins positive for Pagets disease, thus a wider area was excised and the sample examined again. In all instances, result of the final pathologic examinations after surgery indicated margins were negative. In the 82 cases that did not have intraoperative frozen biopsy, 31 were found to have tumor cells at the surgical margin by pathologic examination. Of these 31 patients, 24 had a second surgery after which surgical margins were clear. The other 7 patients refused a second surgery. Of the patients who refused a second surgery, 5 had recurrent disease. CONCLUSION Determination of the extent of lesions and margins for surgical excision by visualization is inadequate. The routine use of intraoperative frozen biopsy reduces the incidence of positive surgical margins in surgical excision of Pagets disease of the scrotum.

Genetic alteration in notch pathway is associated with better prognosis in renal cell carcinoma

Notch signaling was associated with a variety of cancers but was not comprehensively studied in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We have in this study studied the genetic alteration (mutation and copy number variance) of Notch gene set in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC) database. We found that Notch pathway was frequently altered in ccRCC. The Notch gene set was genetically altered in 182 (44%) of the 415 ccRCC patients. CNV was the predominant type of alteration in most genes. Alterations in KAT2B and MAML1 occurred in 13% and 19% of patients, respectively, both of which were functionally active in ccRCC. Deletion of VHL was exclusively found in cases with Notch alteration. Overall survival was longer in ccRCC patients with altered-Notch pathway. The median survival was 90.41 months in Notch-altered cases and 69.15 in Notch-unaltered cases (P = 0.0404). The median disease free time was 89.82 months in Notch-altered cases and 77.27 months in in Notch-unaltered cases (P = 0.935). Conclusively, Notch signaling was altered in almost half of the ccRCC patients and copy number variances in MAML1 and KAT2B were predominant changes. These findings broadened our understanding of the role of Notch in ccRCC.