Genome-wide association scan identifies a colorectal cancer susceptibility locus on chromosome 8q24

Using a multistage genetic association approach comprising 7,480 affected individuals and 7,779 controls, we identified markers in chromosomal region 8q24 associated with colorectal cancer. In stage 1, we genotyped 99,632 SNPs in 1,257 affected individuals and 1,336 controls from Ontario. In stages 2-4, we performed serial replication studies using 4,024 affected individuals and 4,042 controls from Seattle, Newfoundland and Scotland. We identified one locus on chromosome 8q24 and another on 9p24 having combined odds ratios (OR) for stages 1-4 of 1.18 (trend; P = 1.41 x 10(-8)) and 1.14 (trend; P = 1.32 x 10(-5)), respectively. Additional analyses in 2,199 affected individuals and 2,401 controls from France and Europe supported the association at the 8q24 locus (OR = 1.16, trend; 95% confidence interval (c.i.): 1.07-1.26; P = 5.05 x 10(-4)). A summary across all seven studies at the 8q24 locus was highly significant (OR = 1.17, c.i.: 1.12-1.23; P = 3.16 x 10(-11)). This locus has also been implicated in prostate cancer.     

Reducing Zn diffusion in single axial junction InP nanowire solar cells for improved performance

In this work axial n-i-p junction InP nanowires were grown by selective-area metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (SA-MOVPE) technique with the growth sequence starting from n-segment. The optical properties and carrier lifetimes of the n-, i- and p-type segments were studied and compared using time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements. We demonstrate for the first time that CL is capable of resolving the electrical profile of the nanowires, namely the varied lengths of the n-, i- and p-segments, providing a simple and effective approach for nanowire growth calibration and optimization. The CL result was further confirmed by electron beam induced current (EBIC) and photocurrent mapping measurements performed from the fabricated single nanowire solar cell devices. It is revealed that despite a non-optimized device structure (very long n-region and short i-region), the n-i-p nanowire solar cells show improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) than the previously reported p-i-n (growth starts with p-segment) single nanowire solar cells due to reduced p-type dopant (Zn) diffusion during the growth of n-i-p solar cell structure.