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The BRAF (V600E) mutation is the most prevalent type of genetic alteration that has been identified in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC); in addition, previous immunohistochemical studies have revealed the overexpression of p53 protein in PTC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of the BRAF (V600E) mutation and the expression of p53 in PTC, as well as to determine any associations between these two factors and the clinicopathological features of PTC. The study was performed on 66 PTC patients who underwent surgical tumor resection between January and December 2012. Polymerase chain reaction-based DNA amplification was used to analyze extracted DNA from the tumor specimens in order to determine the prevalence of the BRAF (V600E) mutation. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis was employed in order to evaluate the protein expression of p53 in sections of tumor tissue. Furthermore, statistical analysis was performed in order to determine any associations among the BRAF (V600E) mutation prevalence, p53 overexpression and the clinicopathological features of PTC patients, including age, gender, tumor size, multiplicity, lymph node metastasis and extrathyroidal extension. The results revealed that the BRAF (V600E) mutation was observed in 50 (75.8%) of the 66 PTC patients and overexpression of p53 was found in 52 (78.8%) of 66 cases. No significant correlations were observed between the BRAF (V600E) mutation or p53 protein overexpression and the clinicopathological features of patients. However, the BRAF (V600E) mutation demonstrated noteworthy, but non-significant, correlations with the overexpression of p53 (P=0.0854) and extrathyroidal extension (P=0.0661). In addition, a significant correlation was observed between lymph node metastasis and bilaterality (P=0.0280). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the BRAF (V600E) mutation and overexpression of p53 were not significantly correlated with clinicopathological features of PTC, although notable associations were identified between BRAF (V600E) mutation and overexpression of p53 as well as extrathyroidal extension. In addition, lymph node metastasis was significantly associated with bilaterality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 38-year-old non-smoking female patient was evaluated at our hospital for an increasing mass in the right lower lung field at 24 weeks of gestation. Computed tomography revealed an approximately 7.5-cm diameter mass in the right lower lung lobe. After assessing the benefits to the patient and risks to the fetus, we performed a lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection using video-assisted thoracoscopy. Three months postoperatively, the patient delivered a healthy male baby. The patient is alive 10 months following the lobectomy, and no evidence of recurrence and distant metastasis is noted. The 6-month-old infant is also doing well postpartum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have determined the electronic energy level alignment at the interface between 4,4′-bis(N-phenyl-1-naphthylamino)biphenyl (NPB) and 1,4,5,8,9,11-hexaazatriphenylene-hexacarbonitrile (HAT-CN) using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of 20 nm thick HAT-CN film was located at 3.8 eV below the Fermi level. Thus the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is very close to the Fermi level. The HOMO position of NPB was only about 0.3 eV below Fermi level at NPB/HAT-CN interface. This enables an easy excitation of electrons from the NPB HOMO to the HAT-CN LUMO, creating electron-hole pairs across this organic-organic interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite buffer layers of N,N′-bis(naphthalene-1-yl)-N,N′-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB) and NaCl at the anode/organic interface were found to be very effective on the hole injection enhancement from an indium tin oxide anode to the hole-transport layer (HTL) of NPB. Two maxima of significant current injection with respect to compositional variation were observed, implying multiple injection mechanisms of the tunneling effect and other interfacial effects. From a longer operation lifetime, the enhanced device stability was also confirmed as compared with a standard device with copper phthalocyanine as the hole injection layer. Those results are partly attributed to the better mechanical contact between anode and HTL via the composite buffer, observed from atomic force microscopy measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to help meet the demand for promising renewable sources of energy, research into innovative downstream processing for microalgae biorefineries is actively underway. In the current work, we used octahedrally shaped ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles for both harvesting and disrupting the cells of microalgae. We were able to use ZnFe2O4 octahedrons as magnetic flocculants and cell-disruption agents because ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles have both magnetic and photocatalytic properties. The ZnFe2O4 octahedrons, when simply functionalized with the aminosilane N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] ethylenediamine, enabled a rapid and energy-efficient harvesting of microalgae. Furthermore, the ZnFe2O4 octahedrons, well-known for having photocatalytic properties superior to those of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles with other morphologies, were used to lyse the algal cell wall with the aid of H2O2 under simulated sunlight irradiation. We expect microalgae whose cells can be both magnetophoretically separated and lysed by the same ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles to be utilized as bioenergy resources for more efficient downstream processing than is currently available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been strong demand for novel nonvolatile memory technology for low-cost, large-area, and low-power flexible electronics applications. Resistive memories based on metal oxide thin films have been extensively studied for application as next-generation nonvolatile memory devices. However, although the metal oxide based resistive memories have several advantages, such as good scalability, low-power consumption, and fast switching speed, their application to large-area flexible substrates has been limited due to their material characteristics and necessity of a high-temperature fabrication process. As a promising nonvolatile memory technology for large-area flexible applications, we present a graphene oxide based memory that can be easily fabricated using a room temperature spin-casting method on flexible substrates and has reliable memory performance in terms of retention and endurance. The microscopic origin of the bipolar resistive switching behavior was elucidated and is attributed to rupture and formation of conducting filaments at the top amorphous interface layer formed between the graphene oxide film and the top Al metal electrode, via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and in situ X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. This work provides an important step for developing understanding of the fundamental physics of bipolar resistive switching in graphene oxide films, for the application to future flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diameter-tunable CdSe nanotubes are synthesized via a sacrificial template approach in solution phase by reacting Cd(OH)2nanowire bundles with NaHSe. The sacrificial templates of diameter-controlled Cd(OH)2nanowire bundles undergo an interdiffusion process between Se2−and Cd2+species, and subsequently core/shell structures of Cd(OH)2/CdSe are formed at intermediate states. The crystalline CdSe hollow nanotubes are finally formed when all Cd reagent sources are chalcogenized with Se in the solution phase, and their diameter can be readily controlled from ca. 20 to 60 nm depending on the dimension of nanowire bundle templates. With heat treatment at 300 °C, crystallinity of the CdSe nanotubes can be enhanced with removal of amorphous selenium present on the nanotube surface, which shows a photo-conversion efficiency of 0.57% in CdSe/polysulfide liquid-junction solar cell along with a bandgap energy of 1.89 eV. A possible scheme for the CdSe nanotube synthesis from the template of Cd(OH)2nanowire bundles is also proposed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variations of adsorption configurations of pyridine on Ge(100) as a function of exposure amount have been studied using high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy (HRPES). At low exposure the C 1s and N 1s core levels show a single adsorption state of pyridine with N 1s binding energy at 400.85 eV and C 1s binding energies at 286.7 and 285.9 eV, respectively. Those are attributable to Ge−N dative bonding of pyridine through the lone pair electrons of its N atom, which is consistent with previous STM and theoretical studies. As the molecular exposure increases the N 1s core level reveals not only the dative-bonding state of pyridine but also the appearance of a new chemical state at 398.80 eV, corresponding to the σ bonding of Ge−N. Such a change of adsorption configuration agrees well with new C 1s features at the low binding energy side, which accounts for the evolution of cycloaddition products with Ge−C bonds. Consequently, di-σ-bonded cycloadducts coexist with Ge−N dative-bonding products for the final configuration with high density of pyridine on the Ge(100). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An epidermoid cyst is a benign tumor found anywhere in the body. However, the occurrence of epidermoid cysts in the thymus is extremely rare, with only six cases reported worldwide. The correct diagnosis of thymic epidermoid cysts is often difficult due to the unusual location and nonspecific imaging findings. Herein, we present a case of a thymic epidermoid cyst in a 37-year-old female with clinical information and chest CT findings. Further, we have reviewed previous literature reports describing imaging findings of thymic epidermoid cysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three layer cathode is a promising stack structure for long lifetime and high efficiency in organic light-emitting diodes. The interfacial chemical reactions and their effects on electronic structures for alkaline-earth metal (Ca, Ba)/Alq3 [tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum] and Ca/BaF2/Alq3 are investigated using in-situ X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as molecular model calculation. The BaF2 interlayer initially prevents direct contact between Alq3 and the reactive Ca metal, but it is dissociated into Ba and CaF2 by the addition of Ca. As the Ca thickness increases, the Ca penetrates the interlayer to directly participate in the reaction with the underlying Alq3. This series of chemical reactions takes place irrespective of the BaF2 buffer layer thickness as long as the Ca overlayer thickness is sufficient. The interface reaction between the alkaline-earth metal and Alq3 generates two energetically separated gap states in a sequential manner. This phenomenon is explained by step-by-step charge transfer from the alkaline-earth metal to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital states of Alq3, forming new occupied states below the Fermi level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal phthalocyanines (MPcs) are well known as an efficient hole injection layer (HIL) in organic devices. They possess a low ionization energy, and so the low-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) gives a small hole injection barrier from an anode in organic light-emitting diodes. However, in this study, we show that the hole injection characteristics of MPc are not only determined by the HOMO position but also significantly affected by the wave function distribution of the HOMO. We show that even with the HOMO level of a manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) HIL located between the Fermi level of an indium tin oxide anode and the HOMO level of a N,N'-bis(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine hole transport layer the device performance with the MnPc HIL is rather deteriorated. This anomalous hole injection deterioration is due to the contracted HOMO wave function, which leads to small intermolecular electronic coupling. The origin of this contraction is the significant contribution of the Mn d-orbital to the MnPc HOMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface energy offsets of various carbazole hosts and iridium(III) [bis(4,6-difluorophenyl) pyridinato-N,C2′]-tetrakis(1-pyrazolyl)borate (FIr6) and their influence on the efficiency were investigated. Vacuum level shifted by +0.12 eV for bis(4-(N-carbazolyl)phenyl)dimethylsilane (Me2SiCBP2) and FIr6 interface, which was negligible for other hosts and FIr6 interface. As a result, the hole injection from the host to the guest was almost barrier free to reach a high efficiency of 17.1% in the Me2SiCBP2 based device. It dropped to 14% when N, N′-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene (mCP) was used as the host, which is the reminiscent of the existence of a hole injection barrier (-0.16 eV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosquamous carcinomas of the duodenum are extremely rare neoplasms in which both glandular and squamous elements demonstrate malignant characteristics. Few cases of adenosquamous carcinoma involving the second or third segment of the duodenum have been reported in the literature. Herein, we report the first case of adenosquamous carcinoma of the bulb of the duodenum that mimicked subepithelial tumor on computed tomography in a 59-year-old man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the evolution of occupied and unoccupied electronic states of tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) molecules adsorbed on Cu(100) using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and interferometric time-resolved two-photon photoemission (ITR-2PPE). The adsorption of Alq3 lowers the work function of the surface, which allows an unambiguous observation of Cu(100) surface resonance coupled with d-band state and molecular interband transition in our ITR-2PPE setup. No evidence of an anion state, which used to be formed by dynamic charge transfer from metal to a molecular unoccupied state, is identified. Analysis of relaxation dynamics of the transiently occupied electronic states shows that the lifetimes for those excited states at this surface are independent of the Alq3 thickness. These results indicate that the Alq3-Cu(100) interface is described as a weak van der Waals interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perineurioma is an unusual benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor that includes intraneural, soft tissue (conventional), reticular and sclerosing types. Sclerosing perineurioma is a recently described distinctive variant occurring nearly exclusively on the hands of young adults, in which it presents as a small, painless, dermal or subcutaneous mass. The only report of imaging findings in sclerosing perineurioma was by Miyake et al., who described the MR findings in 2006. However, there have been no reports of the ultrasound features. We report a 22-year-old man with sclerosing perineurioma and describe the lesion's ultrasound and MR features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the enhancement of hole current density in the hole transport part of an inverted top-emission organic light emitted diode by applying an organic insertion layer of 1,4,5,8,9,11-hexaazatriphenylene-hexacarbonitrile (HAT-CN). Poor hole transporting performance of Al/4,4′-bis(N-phenyl-1-naphthylamino)biphenyl (NPB)/indium tin oxide is greatly improved by the HAT-CN insertion between Al and NPB layer. The highest occupied molecular orbital level onset of the NPB bends toward Fermi level at the HAT-CN/NPB interface. This extra charge generation layer made of pure organic molecules substantially enhances hole injection from Al anode as revealed by the results of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and J-V measurement data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a direct observation of the microscopic origin of the bipolar resistive switching behavior in nanoscale titanium oxide films. Through a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, an analytical transmission electron microscopy technique using energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy, and an in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we demonstrated that the oxygen ions piled up at the top interface by an oxidation-reduction between the titanium oxide layer and the top Al metal electrode. We also found that the drift of oxygen ions during the on/off switching induced the bipolar resistive switching in the titanium oxide thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]