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Pyrochlore-type oxygen-rich Ce2Zr2O8 phase was prepared successfully by graphite reduction method. With the oxygen[U8]-defective Nd2Zr2O7 substituting for the oxidized precursor phase CeZrO3.5+Δ was carried out the structure comparative analysis with Ce2Zr2O8. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the crystal structure of samples. The XRD experimental results show that Ce2Zr2O8 bulk phase contains the typical structure of pyrochlore, the superstructure peaks that characterize Ce/Zr cations ordering arrangement are very obvious, but the Zr-O ligands had also transformed from octahedrons of the co-top connection in the precursor to cubes of co-edge connection in the Ce2Zr2O8, and the formation of [ZrO8] ligand reduced greatlly the structural stability of Ce2Zr2O8 phase. Raman and IR results show that vibrational spectra bands of Ce2Zr2O8 phase increased significantly, meaning that the enriched oxygen ions result in a removal of the degeneracy peak for Ce2Zr2O8 phase, which confirms further the structural symmetry of Ce2Zr2O8 phase lower than its precursor. XPS results show that Ce (IV) characteristic peak (916.3 eV) in the Ce2Zr2O8 phase surface is very obvious. No the appearance of Ce (III) peak (885 eV) suggests that Ce3+ from the precursor has been completely oxidized into Ce4+ in the Ce2Zr2O8 phase; the Zr(3d) binding energy is close to fluorite phase with Zr4+, which confirms that [ZrO8] ligand in the Ce2Zr2O8 surface is consistent with the bulk phase. The increasing low binding energy of O(1s) shows that oxygen species in the Ce2Zr2O8 bulk phase are between lattice oxygen and adsorbed oxygen, the presence of high oxygen peak suggests that the surface of Ce2Zr2O8 contains adsorbed oxygen, and the bonding strength between adsorption oxygen and Ce2Zr2O8 bulk phase is between CeO2 and Nd2Zr2O7.

The multiple myeloma SET domain (MMSET) involved in the t(4;14)(p16;q32) chromosomal translocation encodes a histone lysine methyltransferase. High expression of MMSET is common translocation in multiple myeloma (MM) and is associated with the worst prognosis. Recent studies have shown that overexpression of MMSET is significant in other tumor types compared to their normal tissues. However, little is known about its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In these study we investigate the expression of MMSET in HCC and to make correlations with clinicopathologic features. Twenty-eight pairs of HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues, and eight normal liver tissues were collected for MMSET detection by western blotting and real time-PCR analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of MMSET in HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues from 103 patients. Overexpression of MMSET was significantly associated with Edmondson stage, vascular invasion. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier curves showed that MMSET upregulated was associated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival in HCC patient. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that overexpression of MMSET is an independent prognostic factor and is correlated with poor survival in HCC patients.

Growth arrest-specific homeobox (GAX) codes for a transcription factor and plays a crucial role in many human cancers. Previous tumor studies have shown GAX may act as a suppressor of growth, invasion, and metastasis. However, little is known as to its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aim was to investigate the expression of GAX in HCC and to make correlations with clinicopathologic features. Twenty-five pairs of HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues, and six normal liver tissues were collected for GAX detection by Western blotting and real-time-PCR analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of GAX in HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues from 96 patients. Reduced expression of GAX was significantly associated with Edmondson stage, vascular invasion, and capsule invasion. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier curves showed that lower GAX expression was associated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival in HCC patient. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that downregulated expression of GAX is an independent prognostic factor and is correlated with poor survival in HCC patients.