Serologic and immunohistochemical prognostic biomarkers of cutaneous malignancies

Biomarkers are important tools in clinical diagnosis and prognostic classification of various cutaneous malignancies. Besides clinical and histopathological aspects (e.g. anatomic site and type of the primary tumour, tumour size and invasion depth, ulceration, vascular invasion), an increasing variety of molecular markers have been identified, providing the possibility of a more detailed diagnostic and prognostic subgrouping of tumour entities, up to even changing existing classification systems. Recently published gene expression or proteomic profiling data relate to new marker molecules involved in skin cancer pathogenesis, which may, after validation by suitable studies, represent future prognostic or predictive biomarkers in cutaneous malignancies. We, here, give an overview on currently known serologic and newer immunohistochemical biomarker molecules in the most common cutaneous malignancies, malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous lymphoma, particularly emphasizing their prognostic and predictive significance

Poly-Si on glass thin-film PV research at UNSW

Thin-film polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) on glass is a promising material for lowering the cost of PV electricity. This paper gives an update on the poly-Si on glass thin-film PV research in our group at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Each of the investigated Si formation methods (solid phase crystallisation, solid phase epitaxy, ion-assisted deposition) is shown to be capable of producing device-grade Si material, with voltages in the 440-530 mV range. Fill factors of over 70% are now frequently obtained using an interdigitated cell metallisation scheme. The best cells presently have efficiencies of 7% and are improving rapidly