Growth and characterization of Eu-Cu-O thin films on YSZ(100) substrates

High quality epitaxial Eu2CuO4 (ECO) thin films have been deposited on yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) (100) substrates by magnetron rf sputtering method. The obtained ECO films are highly c-axis-oriented and well crystallized, as shown by x-ray diffraction, rocking curves. The influence of oxygen out-diffusion on the c-axis length and the resistance behavior were studied. The post vacuum annealing removes the excess oxygen from the structure of ECO. As a result, the c-axis length decreases and the resistivity increases. By using ECO as a buffer layer, extremely smooth surface of YBCO was obtained on YSZ substrates.published_or_final_versio

Actopaxin: a novel regulator of cell migration and invasion in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Oral presentationpublished_or_final_versionThe 15th Annual Research Conference of the Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 16 January 2010. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2010, v. 16, suppl. 1, p. 49, abstract no. 8

Incidence and Risk Factors for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Multiple Gestations: a Chinese population study

To determine the incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among new-born Chinese infants of multiple gestations. A retrospective review of medical records was performed for all neonates of multiple gestations screened for ROP between January 2007 and December 2012 in 2 neonatal intensive care units in Hong Kong. Screening was offered to very low birth weight (VLBW; ≤1500g) and/or preterm (gestation ≤32 weeks) neonates using the Royal College of Ophthalmologists ROP guideline and the International Classification of ROP by 3 pediatric ophthalmologists. Maternal and neonatal covariates were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses for both ROP and Type 1 ROP. A total of 153 Chinese infants of multiple gestations were included in the study. The mean gestational age (GA) was 30.8±2.4 weeks and the mean birth weight (BW) was 1284.8±267.4g. The incidence of ROP and Type 1 ROP was 11.8% and 3.9%, respectively. On univariate analysis, younger GA, lighter birth weight, postnatal hypotension, inotropes use, bronchopulmonary disease, and intraventricular hemorrhage were common independent risk factors for the development of ROP and Type 1 ROP (all P≤0.04). On multivariate analysis, younger GA, surfactant use, invasive mechanical ventilation, higher mean oxygen concentration, thrombocytopenia, intraventricular hemorrahage, total parental nutrition, and hypoglycemia were significant risk factors for ROP. For Type 1 ROP, there were no significant dependent risk factors. In preterm Chinese infants born from multiple gestations, prematurity, lighter weight, postnatal hypotension, inotropes use, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and an intraventricular hemorrhage were common independent risk factors for the development of ROP and Type 1 ROP.published_or_final_versio

Differences in risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity development in paired twins: A Chinese population study

2014-2015 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Growth of Eu-Cu-O Thin Films on YSZ(100) Substrates

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Ultrathin Films of Y-Ba-Cu-O on YSZ(100) Substrate with Eu-Cu-O Buffer

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Thickness dependence of superconductivity for YBa2Cu3Oy ultra-thin films

Superconducting YBa2Cu3Oy ultra-thin films with thicknesses of 2-25 nm were deposited on (100) SrTiO3 substrates. The thickness dependence of superconductivity for YBa2Cu3Oy thin films was investigated. It was found that Tc showed only a small decrease for films with thickness greater than 15 nm, but dropped significantly when less than 10 nm. The variation of Tc with the film thickness fits an empirical relation of Tc0 = Tcbulk(1-dm/d). Based on this relation, a critical thickness dm = 1.56 nm was deduced, suggesting that superconductivity can be expected for one-unit-cell thick YBa2Cu3Oy films.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Review article: Current management of metastatic colorectal cancer - The evolving impact of targeted drug therapies

Background: The field of colorectal cancer chemotherapy has been transformed by the advent of molecule-specific drugs. Combined use of such drugs enhances tumour response rates, but controlled data quantifying the relative efficacy and cost-effectiveness of different drug combinations on overall survival remain scarce. Aim: To conduct an overview of published clinical trials in advanced colorectal cancer, with the objective of framing provisional approaches to current management. Methods: An NCBI/PubMed search was performed using the strings, 'colorectal cancer' ('metastatic' or 'advanced' or 'palliative') and ('chemotherapy' or 'drug therapy' or 'targeted' or 'target-specific' or 'molecularly-targeted'). Results: Combinations of target-specific drugs (with or without the DNA-alkylating agent oxaliplatin) have substantially enhanced colorectal cancer time to progression over the last decade and have also expedited surgical resection of liver metastases. Disease-free survival, overall survival and quality of life are favourably influenced. Conclusions: Target-specific drugs improve palliative efficacy in the setting of advanced colorectal cancer. However, key issues persist as to the cost-effectiveness of these newer drug treatments, and further controlled trials are needed to resolve this important debate. © 2008 The Authors.link_to_OA_fulltex

A subpopulation of CD26 + cancer stem cells with metastatic capacity in human colorectal cancer

Recent evidence suggests that a subpopulation of cancer cells, cancer stem cells (CSCs), is responsible for tumor growth in colorectal cancer. However, the role of CSCs in colorectal cancer metastasis is unclear. Here, we identified a subpopulation of CD26 + cells uniformly present in both the primary and metastatic tumors in colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis. Furthermore, in patients without distant metastasis at the time of presentation, the presence of CD26 + cells in their primary tumors predicted distant metastasis on follow-up. Isolated CD26 + cells, but not CD26 - cells, led to development of distant metastasis when injected into the mouse cecal wall. CD26 + cells were also associated with enhanced invasiveness and chemoresistance. Our findings have uncovered a critical role of CSCs in metastatic progression of cancer. Furthermore, the ability to predict metastasis based on analysis of CSC subsets in the primary tumor may have important clinical implication as a selection criterion for adjuvant therapy. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.link_to_subscribed_fulltex