Germanium (Ge)-carbon (C) core-shell nanowires (NWs), 15 -80 nm thick and <1 µm long, were grown using continuous-wave laser vaporization of Ge-graphite composite targets in high pressure (0.1 -0.9 MPa) Ar gas. The NW core was crystalline Ge and the shell was amorphous C. The fraction of the NWs in deposits was changed significantly by the Ge content in the targets and had a maximum at the Ge content of 40 atomic %. With increasing Ar pressure, thicker NWs were grown. A strong correlation was evident between the two diameters of the NW and nanoparticle (NP) attached with the tip of the NW. The growth of the NWs can be explained by the formation of Ge-C liquid-like molten NPs having a specific range of size and composition and precipitation of Ge and C followed by phase separation.

A comparative study among clinicopathologic features, silver-stained nucleolar organizer region associated proteins (AgNORs), and DNA content analysis in 76 patients with gallbladder cancer was performed. The AgNOR count, AgNOR area, and the ration of AgNOR area to nuclear area were significantly higher in patients with a low grade of histological differentiation and deep invasion into the gallbladder wall. Moreover, these parameters were higher in cases with lymph node involvement and distant metastases. DNA ploidy pattern and clinicopathologic features showed to statistical significance. Our results demonstrate that AgNOR parameters are useful indicators to evaluate the malignant behavior of gallbladder cancer. Furthermore, the AgNOR count together with the depth of the neoplastic invasion and lymph node metastases proved to be independent prognostic factors for survival in patients with gallbladder cancer.

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A well-defined poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) with terminal azido group was prepared. Grafting-on reaction between the azido-terminated PCL (N 3 APCL) and ultrasonication-assisted exfoliated graphene flakes (GF) was carried out to obtain PCL-grafted-GF (PCL-g-GF) which showed good dispersibility in a wide variety of organic solvents. Gel permeation chromatography, 1 H NMR, IR, Raman, UV-vis, and TEM measurements indicated that PCL macromolecules were covalently introduced on the surface of GF without disrupting the structure of GF.

Amino-terminated poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMeOXz-NH 2 ) was synthesized using the living cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline (MeOXz). PMeOXz chains were introduced onto graphene oxide (GO) by the condensation reaction between GO and PMeOXz-NH 2 to give PMeOXz-grafted GO (PMeOXz-g-GO), which was converted to PMeOXz-grafted reduced graphene oxide (PMeOXz-g-rGO) by hydrazine reduction. Acid-catalyzed sol-gel method of tetraethoxysilane was carried out in the presence of PMeOXz-g-rGO to give a transparent PMeOXz-g-rGO/SiO 2 hybrid retaining the optical property of rGO.