Changes in the Incidence and Human Papillomavirus-Positive Portion of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Hong Kong.

The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is rising in the West, but little is known in Asia. This study elucidated changes in the incidence and HPV-positive portion of OPSCC in Hong Kong. Data from population-based cancer registry were used to analyze the incidence of OPSCC in association with other head and neck cancers. Archived tumor tissues were tested for HPV. From 1986 to 2020, there was a marked decrease in the incidence of nasopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers, but a persistent increase in OPSCC from 36 cases in 1986 to 116 cases in 2020. The average positive rate for high-risk HPV was 36.1% (112/310) among OPSCC diagnosed in 2010-2020. The HPV-positive rate in recent years was significantly higher than earlier cases (tonsil SCC: 64.7% (55/85) in 2016-2020 vs. 40.4% (19/47) in 2010-2015, p = 0.007). Patients with HPV-positive tonsil cancers were significantly younger than those negative (mean [SD]: 58.9 [9.9] vs. 64.3 [13.3] years, p = 0.006), but no significant difference was observed between genders. A persistent increase in the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer over the last few decades was observed in Hong Kong, which can be explained by the remarkable increase in HPV-positive tonsil cancers.

Realization of High Magnetization in Artificially Designed Ni/NiO Layers through Exchange Coupling.

High-magnetization materials play crucial roles in various applications. However, the past few decades have witnessed a stagnation in the discovery of new materials with high magnetization. In this work, Ni/NiO nanocomposites are fabricated by depositing Ni and NiO thin layers alternately, followed by annealing at specific temperatures. Both the as-deposited samples and those annealed at 373 K exhibit low magnetization. However, the samples annealed at 473 K exhibit a significantly enhanced saturation magnetization exceeding 607 emu cm-3 at room temperature, surpassing that of pure Ni (480 emu cm-3 ). Material characterizations indicate that the composite comprises NiO nanoclusters of size 1-2 nm embedded in the Ni matrix. This nanoclustered NiO is primarily responsible for the high magnetization, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. The calculations also indicate that the NiO clusters are ferromagnetically coupled with Ni, resulting in enhanced magnetization. This work demonstrates a new route toward developing artificial high-magnetization materials using the high magnetic moments of nanoclustered antiferromagnetic materials.

Hyperpolarised gas filling station for medical imaging using polarised 129Xe and 3He.

We report the design, construction, and initial tests of a hyperpolariser to produce polarised 129Xe and 3He gas for medical imaging of the lung. The hyperpolariser uses the Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping method to polarise the nuclear spins of the isotopic gas. Batch mode operation was chosen for the design to produce polarised 129Xe and polarised 3He. Two-side pumping, electrical heating and a piston to transfer the polarised gas were some of the implemented techniques that are not commonly used in hyperpolariser designs. We have carried out magnetic resonance imaging experiments demonstrating that the 3He and 129Xe polarisation reached were sufficient for imaging, in particular for in vivo lung imaging using 129Xe. Further improvements to the hyperpolariser have also been discussed.

Confinement-Induced Giant Spin-Orbit-Coupled Magnetic Moment of Co Nanoclusters in TiO2 Films.

High magnetization materials are in great demand for the fabrication of advanced multifunctional magnetic devices. Notwithstanding this demand, the development of new materials with these attributes has been relatively slow. In this work, we propose a new strategy to achieve high magnetic moments above room temperature. Our material engineering approach invoked the embedding of magnetic nanoclusters in an oxide matrix. By precisely controlling pulsed laser deposition parameters, Co nanoclusters are formed in a 5 at % Co-TiO2 film. The presence of these nanoclusters was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption fine structure. The film exhibits a very high saturation magnetization of 99 emu/cm3. Detailed studies using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism confirm that Co has an enhanced magnetic moment of 3.5 µB/atom, while the Ti and O also contribute to the magnetic moments. First-principles calculations supported our hypothesis that the metallic Co nanoclusters surrounded by a TiO2 matrix can exhibit both large spin and orbital moments. Moreover, a quantum confinement effect results in a high Curie temperature for the embedded Co nanoclusters. These findings reveal that 1-2 nm nanoclusters that are quantum confined can exhibit very large magnetic moments above room temperature, representing a promising advance for the design of new high magnetization materials.

Order, Disorder, and Dynamics in Brownmillerite Sr2Fe2O5.

The room-temperature structure of brownmillerite-type Sr2Fe2O5 remains controversial, despite numerous published crystallographic studies utilizing X-ray, neutron, and electron diffraction data collected on single-crystalline and powder samples. The main disagreements concern the ordering of twisted FeO4 tetrahedral chains within and between the layers stacked along the b axis, and the impact of this ordering on oxide-ionic conductivity. Here, we present new data along with a reinterpretation of previously published diffraction images, including the reassignment of satellite reflections, which harmonize the results of past studies in a unified description of tetrahedral chain ordering in Sr2Fe2O5 at length scales relevant to X-ray and neutron diffraction. Implications for the prevailing model of oxide ion transport in this material are also discussed.

Intrinsic or Interface Clustering-Induced Ferromagnetism in Fe-Doped In2O3-Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors.

Five percent Fe-doped In2O3 films were deposited using a pulsed laser deposition system. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that the films deposited under oxygen partial pressures of 10-3 and 10-5 Torr are uniform without clusters or secondary phases. However, the film deposited under 10-7 Torr has a Fe-rich phase at the interface. Magnetic measurements demonstrate that the magnetization of the films increases with decreasing oxygen partial pressure. Muon spin relaxation (µSR) analysis indicates that the volume fractions of the ferromagnetic phases in PO2 = 10-3, 10-5, and 10-7 Torr-deposited samples are 23, 49, and 68%, respectively, suggesting that clusters or secondary phases may not be the origin of the ferromagnetism and that the ferromagnetism is not carrier-mediated. We propose that the formation of magnetic bound polarons is the origin of the ferromagnetism. In addition, both µSR and polarized neutron scattering demonstrate that the Fe-rich phase at the interface has a lower magnetization compared to the uniformly distributed phases.

Direct evidence for the spin cycloid in strained nanoscale bismuth ferrite thin films.

Magnonic devices that utilize electric control of spin waves mediated by complex spin textures are an emerging direction in spintronics research. Room-temperature multiferroic materials, such as bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3), would be ideal candidates for this purpose. To realize magnonic devices, a robust long-range spin cycloid with well-known direction is desired, since it is a prerequisite for the magnetoelectric coupling. Despite extensive investigation, the stabilization of a large-scale uniform spin cycloid in nanoscale (100 nm) thin BiFeO3 films has not been accomplished. Here, we demonstrate cycloidal spin order in 100 nm BiFeO3 thin films through the careful choice of crystallographic orientation, and control of the electrostatic and strain boundary conditions. Neutron diffraction, in conjunction with X-ray diffraction, reveals an incommensurate spin cycloid with a unique [11] propagation direction. While this direction is different from bulk BiFeO3, the cycloid length and Néel temperature remain equivalent to bulk at room temperature.

Ferromagnetic ordering in Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles.

Zn1 - x Mn x O nanoparticles have been synthesized by hydrothermal technique. The doping concentration of Mn can reach up to 9 at% without precipitation or secondary phase, confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). Room-temperature ferromagnetism is observed in the as-prepared nanoparticles. However, the room-temperature ferromagnetism disappears after post-annealing in either argon or air atmosphere, indicating the importance of post-treatment for nanostructured magnetic semiconductors.