The nanodrilling process has its origin in the etching of a semiconductor by a liquid metal [15–17]. For Ga droplets on GaAs(001), we have observed the etching process for substrate temperatures ≥450°C. The nanoholes formed by DE provide cleaner interfaces than those

formed by any other ex situ lithographic techniques without any need of special treatments for further regrowth processes. By depositing a III-V semiconductor of lower bandgap, the nanoholes can be refilled and QDs are formed at the nanoholes. The density of the holes determines the density of the QDs and their size depends on the amount of deposited material Selleckchem Buparlisib to form them, being relatively easy to tune the emission wavelength independently of the density [18]. The optical properties of these QDs are also influenced by the CB-5083 nmr characteristics of the nanoholes. For example, the depth and shape of the nanoholes are determinant in obtaining GaAs/AlGaAs QDs with narrow line shape and null fine structure splitting [19]. Moreover, the kind of QD/nanohole interface would be in the origin of the charge exciton species predominant in the micro-PL spectra of InAs/GaAs QD [13] and in the formation of QD molecules instead of single QD [20]. In order to take advantage of all the potential of droplet

epitaxy as a nanopatterning technique, a complete understanding of the mechanisms of nanohole formation is mandatory. A lot of experimental and theoretical BAY 1895344 supplier work has been reported ([21], Chap. 3 and references therein, [22, 23]) to explain the droplet crystallization

evolution at a low temperature (<300°C, where nanoholes are not observed). Although some Paclitaxel in vitro works have also been dedicated to model local droplet etching [24, 25], experimental results showing step by step the full process would be of great help for a deeper understanding. In this work, we monitor the hole formation process during the transformation of Ga droplets into nanoholes on GaAs(001) surfaces at substrate temperature T S = 500°C. This process takes place when Ga droplets are exposed to arsenic. The essential role of arsenic in nanohole formation is demonstrated sequentially, from the initial Ga droplets to the final stage consisting of nanoholes at the surface and Ga droplets completely consumed. For this purpose, we have grown samples at different stages of the local etching process under several annealing conditions, and we have studied the dependence of the depth of the nanoholes with arsenic flux and annealing time. The experimental results are qualitatively analyzed for a better understanding of the processes underlying the nanohole formation. Methods The samples under study were grown on GaAs(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) in two different reactors: a homemade MBE system and a RIBER (Paris, France) Compact 21E MBE system.

The bar graphs represent the average (± standard deviation in error

bars) of normalized copy numbers × (μg S. mutans total RNA)-1. No significant differences were observed between S. mutans grown in mono-species and those grown in dual-species biofilms. Abbreviations: Sm, S. mutans; Ss, S. sanguinis; So, S. oralis; Lc, L. casei, with Sm-Ss, Sm-So and Sm-Lc indicating dual-species biofilm of the selected bacteria. S. mutans enhances biofilm formation by S. oralis and L. casei in dual-species model When grown on glass slides, S. mutans accumulated an average of 8.8 × 1010 CFU after 4 days (Figure 2). S. sanguinis TPCA-1 supplier also formed biofilms efficiently on glass surfaces, averaging 8.2 × 1010 CFU after 4 days. When these two learn more bacteria were grown in the dual-species model, the level of S. mutans decreased by more than 8-fold (P < 0.05), yielding an average of 1.0 × 1010 CFU, while S. sanguinis accumulated to 5.1 × 1010 CFU. S. oralis displayed a relatively poor capacity to form biofilms when grown alone, averaging 2.6 × 109 CFU after 4 days. When grown in dual-species with S. mutans, however, the number of S. oralis in the biofilms increased to an average of 1.4

× 1010 CFU (P < 0.01). On the other hand, biofilm formation by S. mutans was decreased when grown together with S. oralis, although the difference between mono-species and dual-species was not statistically significant. L. casei

alone formed biofilms poorly, accumulating only 2.9 × 107 CFU after 4 days. However, the capacity of L. casei to form biofilms was enhanced significantly VDA chemical inhibitor (P < 0.001) when co-cultivated with S. mutans, resulting in an increase of more than 60-fold to an average of 1.7 × 109 CFU after 4 days. Notably, when S. mutans was cultivated in dual-species biofilms with L. casei, the organisms accumulated in about 2-fold greater numbers than when S. mutans was grown PJ34 HCl alone, averaging 1.8 × 1011 CFU. Figure 2 Biofilm formation in mono- and dual-species model. Data presented here were generated from more than ten independent sets of experiments and were further analyzed using a non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis Test and student t-test. This graph shows the average (± standard deviation, in error bars) of CFU in biofilms formed by S. mutans and the other oral bacteria tested when grown in the mono- and dual-species models with S. mutans. A *, # and @ indicates significant difference at P < 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively, when compared to those grown in mono-species biofilms. All abbreviations are the same as in Figure 1. Various bacterial cell-cell interactions may exist when growing in dual-species biofilms, including competition for binding sites and nutrients available. In this study, the same amount of inoculum was used in mono- and dual-species biofilms.

Our hypothesis is that the subjects eligible for a genetic test, having a high number of relatives affected by tumours and often stricken themselves, are not only more open to information regarding their risk, but also more aware in comparison to subjects with familiarity or with sporadic events of breast and/or ovarian

tumours in their family [10, 14, 40]. As far as the association between psychological variables and risk perception is concerned, some studies evidenced that there is a positive correlation between the perception Selleckchem GSK2245840 of risk and levels of psychological distress. However, in this study, no such correlation was found, despite the fact that the psychological distress levels reached the cut-off value of disturbance

in adaptation. We do not have an Italian regulatory sample of reference for HADs which considers not only subjects with tumours but also healthy subjects. However, in a population of women with breast cancer the percentage of subjects unable to adapt to the situation was of 24% (19% in selleck our sample) and of 9,8% with at least an episode of major depression (24% in our sample) [32]. These two scores, as set forth in the methods, are obtained adding the score of each individual measure of anxiety and depression. Taking this into consideration, it is interesting to note that in our sample the raising of the percentage of Cetuximab price the subjects with at least one episode of major depression, with respect to regulatory samples (24% vs 9.8%), www.selleckchem.com/products/ml323.html derives from the elevation of the anxiety scale: 25% of borderline anxiety samples and 25% with anxiety disorders. Despite the fact that a high psychological distress is shown, mainly consisting of an element of anxiety, there is no association between the risk perception “”per se”" and

anxiety or depression levels and neither between the accuracy of risk perception and anxiety or depression levels. This could depend on the fact that the HAD’s scale, although largely used in genetic counseling for hereditary tumours, reveal a type of “”general”" psychological distress linked to a pathological event rather than a “”cancer-specific”" distress. Punctual correlations between distress and perception levels found in literature has been evidenced through the use of cancer-specific instruments (for measuring distress levels due to cancer worries) such as the Cancer Worry Scale of Lerman, or the Impact of Event Scale of Horowitz [36, 41]. The latter can be adapted for a kind of distress due to specific pathologies. Unfortunately, these tests are not still validate in all country – specific languages, (i.e.

Cancer Res 2002, 62:4955–4962.PubMed 36. Buda G, Maggini V, Galimberti S, Martino A, Giuliani N, Morabito F, Genestreti G, Iacopino P, Rizzoli RG7112 order V, Barale R, Rossi AM, Petrini M: MDR1 polymorphism influences the outcome of multiple myeloma patients. Br J Haematol 2007, 137:454–456.PubMedCrossRef Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions NM, OK, OA, and AA carried out the molecular genetic studies, participated in the sequence alignment and drafted

the manuscript. IOM participated in the sequence alignment. NM, OK, KA and OA participated in the design of the study and performed the statistical analysis. WH and IIM ATR inhibitor have participated in the study design and samples collection and preparation for perform the study. NM and KA helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final

manuscript.”
“Introduction Gastric carcinoma (GC) is one of the most common and lethal malignant cancers [1]. Despite the improving surgical techniques and new chemotherapeutic treatment regimens, the patient survival rate remains dismal [2], and effective alternative treatment approach is in vital need. GC has been shown to harbor multiple somatic mutations as well as over-expressions of oncoproteins. Identification of these GC-associated biomarkers may entail possible discovery of new therapeutic targets [3]. Among various GC-associated biomarkers, c-MET gene is frequently found gnomically-amplified and over-expressed in GC cell lines [4]. The proto-oncogene c-MET, a receptor of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, also known as scatter factor), encodes a 190 kDa heterodimeric transmembrane tyrosine kinase. HGF binding to c-Met triggers tyrosine kinase domain auto-phosphorylation and induces pleiotropic responses such as proliferation, motility, morphogenesis and angiogenesis in many cell types including normal and tumor cells [5]. c-MET amplification has been identified in nearly 74% of human GC specimens [6]. HGF and c-MET both play

important roles in the progression and metastasis of GC [7]. Thus, c-Met has been considered as a promising therapeutic target for various cancers. Cilengitide ic50 Immunotoxins (ITs) are fusion proteins composed of a toxin fused to an antibody or growth Dapagliflozin factor with distinct target specificity [8]. IT exerts its anti-growth effect by inhibiting protein synthesis and promoting apoptosis [9]. IT anti-c-Met/PE38KDEL (anti-c-Met Fab, which resulted from screening and characterization from a natural human Fab phage antibody library; PE38KDEL, which is a modified structure of PE38, lost the function of combining with non-mammalian cells specifically, but retained a complete cytotoxicity after internalization) has shown specific cytotoxic effects against c-Met-positive cancer cells [10].

Schwarzenbach H, Chakrabarti G, Paust HJ, Mukhopadhyay AK: Gonadotropin-mediated regulation of the murine VEGF expression in MA-10 Leydig cells. J Androl 2004, 25 (1) : 128–139.PubMed 37. Jones A, Fujiyama C, Turner K, Fuggle S, Cranston D, Turley H, Valtola R, Bicknell R, Harris AL: Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in stage 1 germ cell tumours of the testis. BJU Int 2000, 86 (1) : 80–86.CrossRefPubMed 38. Wulff C, Wilson H, Largue P, Duncan WC, Armstrong DG, Fraser HM: Angiogenesis in the human corpus luteum: localization and changes in angiopoietins, tie-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor messenger ribonucleic acid. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000, 85: 4302–4309.CrossRefPubMed 39. Haggstrom

Rudolfsson S, Johansson A, Franck Lissbrant I, Wikstrom P, Bergh A: Localized expression of angiopoietin 1 and 2 may explain unique characteristics of the rat testicular microvasculature. Biol Reprod 2004, 69: 1231–1237.CrossRef 40. Aigner A, Brachmann Staurosporine in vivo P, Beyer J, Jäger R, Raulais D, Vigny M, Neubauer A, Heidenreich A, Weinknecht S, Czubayko F, Zugmaier G: Marked increase of the growth factors pleiotrophin and fibroblast growth factor-2 in serum of testicular cancer patients. Ann Oncol 2003, 14 (10) : 1525–1529.CrossRefPubMed 41. Reisinger K, Baal N, McKinnon T, Mûnsteed K, Zygmunt M: The gonadotropins: find protocol tissue-specific

angiogenic factors? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2007, 269 (1–2) : 65–80.CrossRefPubMed Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions OA design and conception of the study, analysis of data, revision of the

manuscript, RMM acquisition and analysis of data, draft and revision of the manuscript, JAS acquisition of data, CVG critically revised the manuscript and also contributed to the analysis, AAS supervised the immunohistochemistry, revised the manuscript, JGCV checked the immunohistochemistry, revised the final version, EAO revised the data, ALG carried out the immunohistochemistry, MAJ critical revision of the manuscript and JLA conception of the study and revision of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.”
“Background Soft Tissue Trichostatin A clinical trial Sarcomas (STS) are malignant tumors that develop within mesenchymal connective tissue and can occur in any Mirabegron part of the body, most commonly in the limbs, which represent over 45% of occurrences [1]. STS growth does not usually cause any noticeable symptoms in early stages, making early detection uncommon. Some STS such as synovial sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and certain neurogenic sarcomas tend to invade peripheral tissues, such as nerves, vessels and bones, and are thus have a relatively poor prognosis and are difficult to cure [2]. The treatment of limb STS have traditionally included surgery, which can involve extensive muscle excision or resection [3].

1 196 Yes 160/193 (82%) 175/193 (90%) Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus NP_970444.1 197 No 126/194 (64%) 161/194 (92%) Deinococcus

radiodurans NP_294577.1 196 Yes 119/194 (61%) 156/194 (80%) Thermus thermophilus AP008226.1 196 Yes 121/195 (62%) 153/192 (78%) Chloroflexus aurantiacus YP_001635661.1 195 Yes 105/195 (53%) 142/195 (72%) Desulfotalea psychrophila LSv54 YP_066512.1 201 Yes 91/202 (45%) 127/202 (62%) Aquifex aeolicus VF5 NP_214074.1 190 No 81/186 (43%) 115/186 (61%) Group II: MglA2 proteins Fibrobacter succinogenes CP001792.1 SCH727965 313 No 119/192 (58%) 149/192 (78%) Myxococcus xanthus AAL56599.1 281 No 81/182 (44%) 120/182 (65%) Geobacter metallireducens ZP_00080378.1 225 No 82/180 (45%) 112/180 (62%) Geobacter sulfurreducens NP_952979.1 291 No 76/192 (39%) 113/192 (58%) Eukaryotic GTPases related to MglA proteins Ustilago maydis EAK87233.1 189 No 43/151 (28%) 72/151 (47%) Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sar1p NP_015106.1 190 No 46/157 (29%) 69/157 (43%) Dictyostelium discoideum AX4 ADP-ribosylation-like protein 8 XP_639087.1 185 No 43/141 (30%) 70/141 (49%) a MglB partner is denoted as an open Saracatinib reading frame immediately upstream from MglA with an identifiable Roadblock/LC7 motif. bValues for identity and positives (similarity) are selleck compound relative to the 195 amino acid protein MglA from Myxococcus xanthus.

BLAST analysis was performed as described [63]. Identity and positives show the number of identical (positive) residues as a fraction of the total number of residues used for alignment. This fraction is given beneath as a percentage. The MglA-like proteins fall into two groups based on their sizes. Group 1 proteins range in size from 190 to 197 amino acids, similar to Ras (189 amino acids). Group 2 proteins range in size from 225 to 327 amino acids. Homologs in this group have additional C-terminal domain of unknown function. A comparison

of identity and similarity between M. xanthus MglA and its group 1 and 2 homologs, including those from Geobacter GBA3 sulfurreducens, Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, Thermus thermophilus, and Chloroflexus aurantiacus, is shown in Table 2. An alignment between M. xanthus MglA and its group 1 homologs, including those from G. metallireducens, B. bacteriovorus, T. thermophilus, and Deinococcus radiodurans, is shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 MglA represents a new family of monomeric GTPases in prokaryotes. Shown is the alignment of the predicted sequences of MglA from M. xanthus with Deinococccus radiodurans, Thermus thermophilus, Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, and Geobacter metallireducens. Conserved sequence elements (PM1, PM3 and G2) for GTP binding are boxed. Consensus: Upper case letter = conserved in all five proteins listed; lower case letter = conserved in at least 3 of 5 proteins; * = conservative substitution; + = semi-conservative substitution; . = no conservation.

Extraction and quantification

of trehalose and trehalose-6-phosphate Trehalose from dormant and swollen conidia, germlings and mycelia was extracted and quantified as previously described [28]. In brief, harvested fungal material was freeze-dried and homogenized using a mortar. Samples were diluted with ultra pure water, boiled, evaporated and derivatized by trimethylsilylanization #AZD2281 supplier randurls[1|1|,|CHEM1|]# before injection into the gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GC–MS). Relative concentrations of α-α-trehalose were calculated as the ratio to an internal standard (α-β-trehalose) and thereafter correlated to a standard curve to obtain the absolute concentrations. All trehalose measurements were performed in biological duplicates based on the average of three technical triplicates. Extraction and quantification of T6P was performed essentially as described by

[22]. Liquid cultures were inoculated with 106 spores per ml, incubated at 25°C for 3 days at 140 rpm, and all mycelia from one culture made up one sample. Three biological replicates based on the average of three technical replicates were used for all strains. Stress tolerance and long term viability of conidia Dormant conidia from wild-type A. niger, the additional control strain pyrG+, and the deletion mutants ΔtppB and ΔtppB2 were subjected to heat stress for 20, 60, 90 and 120 min at 55°C. Dormant conidia of wild-type, pyrG + and ΔtppB were subjected to sub-lethal salt and Selleck Adriamycin benzoic acid stress by being spread on AMM plates containing benzoic acid or NaCl at concentrations ranging from non-effective to total growth inhibition of the control strains. For detailed description of these stress experiments see [28]. In addition,

dormant conidia from control strains and ΔtppB were subjected to oxidative stress by adding 200 mM H2O2 to freshly made conidial suspensions (approximately 250 spores/ml liquid AMM). The suspensions were incubated for 10, 20 or 40 min before being spread on AMM plates. To test Abiraterone solubility dmso long-term viability, conidial suspensions (106 conidia/ml water) were stored at 4°C for a total of 8 weeks. An aliquot of the suspension was withdrawn weekly, diluted and spread on AMM plates for enumeration. Plates from all experiments were incubated at 25°C for 3–7 days before CFU were estimated, and all experiments were performed at least in triplicates (based on three technical replicates). Results Identification of genes involved in trehalose synthesis in Aspergillus niger and other fungi Known amino acid sequences of the proteins of the trehalose synthesis complex of S. cerevisiae were used as queries to identify homologous genes in the A. niger genome by searching the databases available at NCBI using blastP (http://​blast.​ncbi.​nlm.​nih.​gov).

Hybrid network MDI/SS Hybrid organic-inorganic network MDI/SS was formed in reactions of high-molecular-weight macrodiisocyanate with two end-functional NCO groups and sodium silicate. This network with low reactivity R of organic component and glass transition temperature selleck chemicals near −50°C (Figure  7) is characterized by high molecular mobility (Figure  7a), elasticity

(Figure  7b), number and mobility of charge carriers (Figure  7c,d) and, correspondingly, relatively high values of permittivity and conductivity. Long organic chains are connected to mineral phase with two end-functional groups (Figure  7e); thus, a weakly cross-linked structure is formed that has bulk adsorbed water. Figure 7 Spectra and structural model of hybrid network MDI/SS in OIS. DSC (a), DMTA (b) and DRS (c, d) spectra and structural model (e) of the hybrid network MDI/SS in OIS with R = 0.06. Hybrid network

PIC/SS Hybrid organic-inorganic network PIC/SS was obtained in reactions of low-molecular-weight isocyanate-containing MCC 950 modifier poly(isocyanate) with R = 0.32 and sodium silicate. This hybrid learn more network is rigid (Figure  8b) with glass transition temperature near 70°C (Figure  8a). The structure of this hybrid network is highly cross-linked with low molecular mobility (Figure  8e), due to the short length of organic chains and high reactivity of organic component. Short organic chains with R = 0.32 create continuous layer on the surface of mineral phase. The permittivity and conductivity are low (Figure  8c,d) because of the impossibility of charge transport through such highly cross-linked structure. Figure 8 Spectra and structural model of hybrid network PIC/SS. DSC (a), DMTA (b) and DRS (c, d) frequency spectra and structural model (e) of hybrid network PIC/SS in OIS with R = 0.22. Conclusions Hybrid organic-inorganic polymer nanosystems (OIS) were obtained in reactions of the organic component that was a mixture of two products: macrodiisocyanate (MDI) and isocyanate-containing modifier poly(isocyanate) (PIC) with inorganic component, namely, water solution

of sodium silicate (SS) that exists in a form of oligomer. Changing the reactivity of the organic component from R = 0.04 (pure MDI) to R = 0.32 (pure PIC), the aminophylline structure and properties of OIS were varied. The structure of OIS existed in a form of hybrids with covalently connected building blocks and interpenetrating networks, namely, the lowly cross-linked network as a result of reactions of high-molecular-weight MDI with SS and highly cross-linked network that was created in the reactions of low-molecular-weight PIC with SS. Depending on the MDI/PIC ratio, one of the networks was prevailing and created continuous structure with domains of the second network. The properties of the two types of hybrid networks were strongly different. The general properties of OIS were prevalently defined by the properties of the dominant hybrid network.

3 (2.0)* –2.0 (2.2) Plasma sodium (mmol/l) –0.6 (3.9) –0.9 (2.8) –1.3 (2.6) –2.6 (2.4)** Plasma Kinase Inhibitor Library potassium (mmol/l) –0.4 (1.7) –0.1 (1.0) –1.6 (1.1)** –0.0 (0.5) Plasma osmolality (mosmol/kg H 2 O) 2.8 (4.2) 2.4 (6.2) 1.8 (5.8) 1.4 (5.5) Urine specific gravity (g/ml) 0.006 (0.004)** 0.006 (0.006)** 0.006 (0.011) 0.010 (0.009)** Urine osmolality (mosmol/kg H 2 O) 279.3 (195.1)** 200.8 (342.4)* 114.2 (355.8)** 319.0 (326.9)** Urine potassium (mmol/l) 49.5 (39.0)** 11.5 (22.9) 15.9 (35.9) 39.3 (40.6)** Urine sodium

(mmol/l) –15.6 (37.5) –37.8 (46.0)** –30.1 (38.4)* –13.8 (70.3) K/Na ratio in urine 1.7 (0.7)** 1.7 (2.4)* 0.56 (0.7)* 1.7 (3.1) Transtubular potassium gradient 28.7 (14.1)** 14.6 (46.4) 13.5 (20.0)* 27.3 (23.7)** Glomerular filtration rate (ml/min) –17.2 (14.7)** –11.7 (9.8)** –6.8 (6.1)** –14.6 (14.2)** D Change Z IETD FMK (%) Parameter R1 R2 R3 R4 Haematocrit (%) 2.8 (8.0) –2.4 (6.1) –3.1 (4.8)* –4.8 (5.1) Plasma sodium (mmol/l) –0.4 (2.8) –0.6 (2.0) –0.9 (1.9) CP-690550 research buy –1.8 (1.7)** Plasma potassium (mmol/l) –6.3 (27.8) –0.6 (22.9) –24.6 (14.1)** –1.0 (9.2) Plasma osmolality (mosmol/kg H 2 O) 0.9 (1.5) 0.8 (2.1) 0.6 (2.0) 0.5 (1.9) Urine specific gravity (g/ml) 0.7 (0.4)** 0.5 (0.6)** 0.6 (1.1) 1.0 (0.9)** Urine osmolality (mosmol/kg H 2 O) 57.6 (85.3)** 37.9

(161.2)* 38.4 (195.6)** 71.8 (185.1)** Urine potassium (mmol/l) 174.8 (458.2)** 22.9 (22.0) 56.3 (191.8) 106.2 (422.9)** Urine sodium (mmol/l) –26.5 (81.6) –46.0 (118.1)** –37.0 (36.1)* –14.6 (105.2) K/Na ratio in urine 359.9 (187.2)** 281.7 (327.6)* 148.7 (222.3)* 366.6 (347.9) Transtubular potassium gradient 417.7 (575.1)** 56.9 (1185.7) 192.7 (2133.5)* 176.6 (1196.2)** Glomerular filtration

Sinomenine rate (ml/min) –19.8 (14.7)** –14.1 (11.7)** –7.3 (6.7)** –16.8 (13.9)** Results are presented as mean (SD), *= p ≤ 0.05, **= p < 0.01. Neither Δ body mass nor% Δ body mass were related to post-race plasma [Na+] or Δ plasma [Na+]. Hematocrit, plasma [Na+], plasma [K+], plasma osmolality, and transtubular potassium gradient remained stable (see Table 5). Post-race plasma [Na+] was significantly and positively related to Δ plasma [Na+] (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). Plasma volume increased by 4.9% (11.3%) and Δ plasma volume was not related to an increased K+/Na+ ratio in urine > 1 (p < 0.

The time constant of the non-radiative transfer mechanisms is much shorter than that of the erbium luminescence (microseconds and milliseconds, respectively) [13, 15]. A promising solution could be the use of rare-earth (RE) compounds, which permit us to gradually insert Er ions inside a proper crystalline SB202190 structure, by substituting RE ions with Er ions, and thus avoid their clusterization [16]. Recently, Er silicates have been reported by many researchers as a possible alternative [17, 18] to demonstrate optical amplification. Er, a major constituent instead of

a dopant, can provide optically active Er concentrations that exceed 1022 cm-3 [19]. However, pure Er silicates are not suitable for 1.54-μm applications as the extremely high Er concentration leads to effects

such as concentration quenching and cooperative up-conversion, which introduce MEK activity strong non-radiative recombination paths for the 1.54 μm luminescence [19, 20]. Lo Savio et al. have shown that Y-Er disilicate (Y2-x Er x Si2O7) is a good host candidate since it affords a maximum solubility of 1022 cm-3, which is due to the same crystalline structure with very similar lattice parameters in the constituent materials (Er2Si2O7 and Y2Si2O7) and because both Er and Y atoms occupy the same atomic sites [21]. Scandium ions (Sc3+), on the other hand, present a ICG-001 in vitro smaller size (ionic radius = 0.75 Å) compared to erbium (Er3+) (ionic radius = 0.881 Å). Generally, this can result in enhancing crystal field strength for Er dopants, silicates, and oxides [16, 22]. In fact, Fornasiero et al. synthesized

single crystal of Er-doped Sc silicates using the Czochralski technique with the idea that Sc3+ ions can increase the Stark splitting of the thermally populated erbium ground state as well as of other electronic energy levels of the silicates and therefore reduce reabsorption losses [16]. However, thin film growth of Er-Sc silicates on silicon wafer has not been established, and thus, the optical properties of the silicate have not been sufficiently characterized yet, compared with Non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase those of Er-Y silicates. In this work, we have synthesized a polycrystalline Er-Sc silicate compound (Er x Sc2-x Si2O7) in which Er and Sc are homogeneously distributed using RF sputtering with multilayer Er2O3, Sc2O3, and SiO2 layers deposited on SiO2/Si (100) substrate and thermal annealing at high temperature. The diffusion coefficient of Er was determined after annealing at 1,250°C. The photoluminescence of the dominant phases of the Er-Sc silicate was reported and discussed. Methods Er-Sc multilayer thin films were grown by RF sputtering by alternating 15-nm-thick layers of Er2O3 and Sc2O3 separated by a 15-nm-thick SiO2 layer. These layers were deposited on 50-nm-thick Er2O3 on SiO2 (1.3 μm)/Si (100) substrate at room temperature. After deposition, the samples were annealed in O2 at 1,250°C for 1 h.