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Constant DNA damage occurs in cells, and the cells are programmed to respond constitutively. This study explored the roles of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated interactor (ATMIN), one of the impaired pathways involving the DNA damage response (DDR) in mismatch repair-deficient [microsatellite instability (MSI)-high] colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Expression of ATMIN messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected in CRC specimens with microsatellite instability (MSI) characteristics. The effects of ectopic ATMIN expression and ATMIN knockdown on invasion abilities were evaluated in MSI-high cell lines, and liver metastasis ability was investigated in vivo. Protein-protein interactions were assessed by coimmunoprecipitation analyses in vitro. Decreased ATMIN expression was positively correlated with advanced stage of disease (P < 0.05), lymph node metastases (P < 0.05), and deeper invasion (P < 0.05) in MSI-high tumors. Transient or stable ATMIN knockdown significantly increased cell motility. Moreover, in the high-throughput microarray and gene set enrichment analysis, ATMIN was shown to act on the Wnt-signaling pathway via PARP1. This cascade influences β-catenin/transcription factor 4 (TCF4) binding affinity in MSI-high tumors, and PARP1 inhibition significantly decreased the number of metastases from ATMIN knockdown cancer cells. The results not only indicated the critical role of ATMIN, but also shed new light on PARP1 inhibitors, providing a basis for further clinical trials of MSI-high CRC.

Background: The management of hypertension remains suboptimal throughout the world. Methods: We performed a random-effects model meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to determine the effectiveness and safety of sacubitril/valsartan (LCZ696) for the treatment of high arterial pressure. Relevant published articles from PubMed, Cochrane base, and Medline were examined, and the last search date was December 2020. Only published randomized controlled trials and double-blind studies were selected for further analysis. The mean reductions in systolic blood pressure (msSBP) and diastolic blood pressure (msDBP) in the sitting position, as well as the mean reductions in ambulatory systolic blood pressure (maSBP) and ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (maDBP), were assumed as efficacy endpoints. Adverse events (AEs) were considered as safety outcomes. Results: Ten studies with a total of 5931patients were included for analysis. Compared with placebo, LCZ696 had a significant reduction in msSBP (weight mean difference (WMD) = −6.52 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI): −8.57 to −4.47; p < 0.001), msDBP (WMD = −3.32 mmHg, 95% CI: −4.57 to −2.07; p < 0.001), maSBP (WMD = −7.08 mmHg, 95% CI: −10.48 to −3.68; p < 0.001), maDBP (WMD = −3.57 mmHg, 95% CI: −5.71 to −1.44, p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, only 200 mg and 400 mg LCZ696 showed a significant BP reduction. There was no difference in the AE rate between the LCZ696 and placebo groups (WMD = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.27, p = 0.54). Egger’s test revealed a potential publication bias for msSBP (p = 0.025), but no publication bias for other outcomes. Conclusion: LCZ696 may reduce blood pressure more efficaciously than traditional therapy in hypertensive patients without increasing adverse effects.

Background Glycolysis machinery regulates cancer cell behavior. However, the roles of these glycolysis enzymes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression remain unknown. Methods Fructose-bisphosphate aldolase C (ALDOC) expression in OSCC patients and cell lines was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The functions of ALDOC in migration and invasion were determined using gain and loss of function approaches. An orthotopic OSCC animal model was performed to investigate the effects of ALDOC on metastasis and tumorigenesis in vivo. Results ALDOC expression is negatively significantly correlated with clinical outcome and cell migration in vitro and in vivo. ALDOC blocks adenosine triphosphate generation and lactate production, and mutation constructs of Arg42 and Lys146 functionally restore ALDOC-inhibited cell migration and invasion. Conclusion ALDOC functions as an OSCC prognosis marker clinically, and suppresses migration and invasion by its catalytic domain of Arg42 and Lys146. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015

We demonstrate a successful selective growth of Si0.3Ge0.7 quantum dots (QDs) over array of p+-Si nanopillars using a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition technique, and hereafter realized high-performance QD broadband photodiodes for visible to near-infrared photodetection based on heterostructures of indium tin oxide/Si0.3Ge0.7 QD/Si pillar. Thanks to effective hole confinement and thus a built-in electric field within the SiGe QD, high ratios of photocurrent to dark current of ~2200, 100, and 30, respectively, were measured on our SiGe QDs-based photodiodes under illumination of 9 mW/cm2 at wavelength of 500-800, 1300, and 1500 nm. The QD photodiode exhibits a very low dark current density of 3.2 × 10-8 A/cm2 and a tunable power-dependent linearity by applied voltage through the competition of electron drift and carrier recombination processes.

We demonstrated the controlled placement of a Ge quantum dot (QD) along with tunnel-junction engineering in a self-organized approach for the effective management of single charge tunneling. In this approach, a single-Ge-QD ( ~ 11 nm) self-aligning with nickel-polycide electrodes is realized by thermally oxidizing a SiGe nanorod that bridges a 15-nm-wide nanotrench in close proximity to electrodes via a spacer bilayer of Si3N4/SiO2. The fabricated Ge-QD single-hole transistor exhibits clear Coulomb oscillation and Coulomb diamond behaviors at T = 77 K-150 K, providing a way to analyze the electronic structure of the Ge QD.

We demonstrate a CMOS-compatible scheme, selective oxidation of SiGe pillars, for creating well-organized 3-D Ge quantum dot (QD) array by guiding QDs migration along the oxidation path and thus placing them on targeted locations where the ultimate oxidation occurs. Stacked QDs exhibit tunable luminescence over the visible and possess low thermal conductivity, showing promise for nanophotonic and energy conversion devices.

Trigate Si nanowire (NW) MOSFETs have been fabricated and characterized at temperature between 77 and 300 K in the dark and under light pumping. The NW width W and height H, the gate length Lg, and the gate oxide thickness tox, respectively, were 7-25, 16, 34-52, and 7 nm. The interesting aspects of Si NW MOSFETs with W/Lg = 25 nm /52 nm, 24 nm/34 nm, 7 nm/47 nm, and 10 nm/37 nm measured at low drain voltage are that the drain current exhibited not only inverse temperature dependence in strong accumulation but also clear current plateaus/oscillations near the threshold regime at temperature up to 300 K. Notably, such current plateaus diminished or were invisible in the device of W/Lg = 24 nm/42 nm. The observed current behaviors are inferred from the interplay of quantum interference and intersubband scattering effects. Additional current plateaus due to photogenerated excitons were also observed in the studied devices, evidencing photoexcitation effects on quantum transports through a Si NW.

A new bandpass shielding enclosure (BPSE) made by etching the apertures of a periodic hexagon array on its top and bottom surfaces is proposed for modern portable digital devices having wireless communication functions. The BPSE is required to provide high transmittance at the specified communication band and high shielding effectiveness outside this band, and to have little influence on the radiation characteristics of an internal antenna located inside the enclosure. All three required features are difficult to achieve simultaneously. A prototype of the BPSE was built and studied. Both the simulated and measured results obtained show the promising performance of the BPSE and its potential in practical applications. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 15–18, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22978

We report a unique, CMOS approach for the inclusion of size-tunable (7-50-nm), spherical Ge quantum dots (QDs) into gate stacks of Si MOS transistors, through selective oxidation of SiGe pillars over the buffer layer of Si3N4 on top of the Si substrate. The Ge-QD MOS phototransistors feature extremely low dark current densities (I off ∼ 0.27 pA/μm2), high I on /I off (>106), steep subthreshold swing (∼175 mV/dec at 300 K), superior external quantum efficiency (∼240%), and fast response time of 1.4ns under illumination of 850 nm, providing a core building block for high-performance Ge optical transducers for on-chip optical switches and transducers for Si-based optical interconnect applications. Most importantly, the detection wavelength of the Ge QD is tunable from near infrared to near ultraviolet by reducing the QD size from 50 to 7 nm, and the optimal photoresponsivity is tailored by the Ge QD size and the effective thickness of gate dielectrics.

A 7-year-old boy developed a left ventricular aneurysm with massive hemopericardium 3 years ago due to a fall from a fourth-floor window. He had mild neurological sequelae including cranial nerve III palsy and abnormal electroencephalography findings at that time. He had no chest pain until recently when he presented with chest tightness and abdominal pain for 2 days prior to admission. Chest X-ray showed marked cardiomegaly. Echocardiography revealed massive pericardial effusion and a large left ventricular aneurysm. The massive hemopericardium was surgically drained, and the aneurysm was resected under cardiopulmonary bypass. He was discharged uneventfully 1 week after operation. Because symptoms and signs can vary in patients with ventricular aneurysm, we strongly suggest a close clinical follow-up, preferably with chest X-ray or echocardiography, for patients experiencing a blunt chest trauma.

Interleukin (IL)-20 is a proinflammatory cytokine in the IL–10 family. IL–20 is associated with tumor promotion in the pathogenesis of oral, bladder, and breast cancer. However, little is known about the role of IL–20 in prostate cancer. We hypothesize that IL–20 promotes the growth of prostate cancer cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed that IL–20 and its receptors were expressed in human PC–3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines and in prostate tumor tissue from 40 patients. In vitro, IL–20 upregulated N-cadherin, STAT3, vimentin, fibronectin, RANKL, cathepsin G, and cathepsin K, and increased the migration and colony formation of prostate cancer cells via activated p38, ERK1/2, AKT, and NF-κB signals in PC–3 cells. We investigated the effects of anti-IL–20 monoclonal antibody 7E on prostate tumor growth in vivo using SCID mouse subcutaneous and intratibial xenograft tumor models. In vivo, 7E reduced tumor growth, suppressed tumor-mediated osteolysis, and protected bone mineral density after intratibial injection of prostate cancer cells. We conclude that IL–20 is involved in the cell migration, colony formation, and tumor-induced osteolysis of prostate cancer. Therefore, IL–20 might be a novel target for treating prostate cancer.

Interleukin (IL)-20, a proinflammatory cytokine of the IL-10 family, is involved in acute and chronic renal failure. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of IL-20 during diabetic nephropathy development. We found that IL-20 and its receptor IL-20R1 were upregulated in the kidneys of mice and rats with STZ-induced diabetes. In vitro, IL-20 induced MMP-9, MCP-1, TGF-β1 and VEGF expression in podocytes. IL-20 was upregulated by hydrogen peroxide, high-dose glucose and TGF-β1. In addition, IL-20 induced apoptosis in podocytes by activating caspase-8. In STZ-induced early diabetic nephropathy, IL-20R1-deficient mice had lower blood glucose and serum BUN levels and a smaller glomerular area than did wild-type controls. Anti-IL-20 monoclonal antibody (7E) treatment reduced blood glucose and the glomerular area and improved renal functions in mice in the early stage of STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy. ELISA showed that the serum IL-20 level was higher in patients with diabetes mellitus than in healthy controls. The findings of this study suggest that IL-20 induces cell apoptosis of podocytes and plays a role in the pathogenesis of early diabetic nephropathy. Serious kidney damage often found in type 1 and type 2 diabetes has been linked to the natural signaling molecule interleukin-20 (IL-20). Ming-Shi Chang and colleagues at the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan found increased levels of both IL-20 and its receptor molecule in mice and rats with chemically induced diabetes. They also found that IL-20 induced changes in gene activity, leading to cell death in cultured specialized kidney cells known as podocytes. Patients with diabetes were also shown to have increased IL-20 levels. Treating diabetic mice with an antibody that bound to and interfered with the activity of IL-20 improved kidney function and reduced biochemical indicators of diabetes. Understanding the mechanism of IL-20 involvement in this common complication of diabetes could help devise treatments to prevent or limit the damage.

We demonstrated a novel, self-aligned gate-stack heterostructure of Ge-quantum dot (QD)/SiO 2 /SiGe-shell on Si with superior interfacial properties in a single step of selective oxidation of a SiGe pillar over a Si 3 N 4 buffer layer on Si substrate. Ge metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors exhibit a quite low interface trap density on the order of 1011 cm−2eV−1, and Ge n-MOSFETs show good turn on and off features with a subthreshld slope of 175 mV/dec and I on /I off > 106.

A single electron transistor (SET) is an ultimate scheme of electronic devices for the purpose of controlling current with one charge precision based on Coulomb blockade effect. A SET could be used as a highly sensitive electrometer and might provide great potential applications for quantum information technology. For RT operation, the size of a Si-based QD should be less than 10 nm to prevent errors caused by thermal fluctuation. Nevertheless, control of nanometer-scaled thickness, area, and volume is not easy even when state of the art lithography and/or self-organization techniques are used. The solution we propose to alleviate this problem is to form Ge QDs by selective oxidation of Si1-xGexSi-on-insulator (SOI) (Li et al., 2004). Using this method, Ge QDs are comparatively uniform and thermodynamically stable since Ge QDs are confined by the insulating layers. The proposed process is compatible to CMOS technology and can be easily adapted in the fabrication of embedded circuits

We reported experimental observations of strong quantum confinement and coulomb blockade effects in germanium (Ge) quantum dots (QDs)/SiO/sub 2/ system. With a CMOS-compatible method, nanometer-scale Ge QDs (less than 10 nm) could be controllably formed for novel optoelectronic device applications such as single-electron transistors (SETs) as well as light emitter or detectors. Distinguishable photoemission from Ge QDs and relevant blueshifts of the emission peaks are observed from room-temperature cathodoluminescence spectra. Ge QD SETs were also experimentally realized with a large single-electron addition energy and an energy level separation of 125 meV and 50 meV, respectively.

Semiconductor Ge quantum-dot (QD) thermometry has been demonstrated based on extraordinary temperature-dependent oscillatory differential conductance (GD) characteristics of Ge-QD single-hole transistors (SHTs) in the few-hole regime. Full-voltage width-at-half-minimum, V1/2, of GD valleys appears to be fairly linear in the charge number (n) and temperature within the QD in a relationship of eV1/2 ≅ (1 − 0.11n) × 5.15kBT, providing the primary thermometric quantity. The depth of GD valley is also proportional to charging energy (EC) and 1/T via ΔGD ≅ EC/9.18kBT, providing another thermometric quantity. This experimental demonstration suggests our Ge-QD SHT offering effective building blocks for nanothermometers over a wide temperature range with a detection temperature as high as 155 K in a spatial resolution less than 10 nm and temperature accuracy of sub-kelvin.

The purpose of this study was to study the morphology and cytokeratin expression in the epithelia of pterygia. Impression cytology and immunohistochemical staining with antikeratin antibodies were performed in 32 eyes of 16 patients with pterygia. TUNEL stain and electron microscopy were also performed in surgical specimens of pterygium. Squamous metaplasia-like epithelial cells were found in all specimens of impression cytology, especially in the head part. These specimens had positive immunostaining by antipancytokeratin antibodies, but not by anti-K12 AK2 mAb. Goblet cells were found around the area of these abnormal epithelial cells. TUNEL-positive cells were found in the epithelia of the pterygial head, but not in the body of pterygia and normal conjunctiva. The expressional patterns of keratin by these epithelial cells of pterygia are consistent with the notion that they are derived from conjunctival epithelium and mimic the process of squamous metaplasia.

An otherwise random, self-assembly of Ge quantum dots (QDs) on Si has been controlled by nano-patterning and oxidation to produce QDs with desired sizes, locations, and depths of penetration into the Si substrate. A heterostructure consisting of a thin amorphous interfacial oxide between the Ge QD and the Si substrate is shown to improve crystalline quality by de-coupling the lattice-matching constraint. A low dark current density of 1.1 μA/cm2 and a high photocurrent enhancement up to 35 000 and 1500, respectively, for 1.5 mW incident illumination at 850 nm and 1160 nm was measured on our Ge QD-based metal-oxide-semiconductor photodiodes.

Background/Purpose We investigated the application of head-up tilt table testing (HUT) and management of neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) in children, as pediatric studies are limited. Methods Seventy-nine patients (ages 6-18 years) underwent HUT for evaluation of syncope. Patient triggers and premonitory symptoms allowed the clinical diagnosis of NCS or non-NCS. Results were divided into four hemodynamic types (1, 2A, 2B, and 3) according to patient response to HUT. Results NCS occurred in 65 patients and non-NCS in 14 patients. Isoproterenol infusion significantly increased the sensitivity of the test (from 28% to 45%) and was associated with a slight decrease in the specificity (from 93% to 86%). Subjects in the type 1 group accounted for the majority of responses to the test (69%). There were no complications associated with the test. At follow-up (16.6 ± 9.3 months), the overall recurrence rate was 30.8% but NCS was less severe in most patients. The recurrence rate was similar for patients with a positive or negative HUT and for both pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically treated patients. Conclusion HUT can be safely performed with a high specificity in children, with the sensitivity of HUT improved by isoproterenol. Therefore, a positive response to treatment is reassuring to the physician and family. NCS is generally a self-limited condition despite a high recurrence rate.