Electronic structure and anomalous physical properties of metastable Al-Si solid solutions

Al-Si solid solutions synthesized under high pressure demonstrate striking physical properties, such as enhanced superconductivity and peculiarities of low-temperature transport coefficients. In order to understand the connection of these effects to the electronic structure changes we have performed a first-principles study of the electronic spectra and Fermi surfaces of Al-Si solid solutions. We show that two electronic topological transitions (ETT's) lead to unusual concentration dependencies of the resistivity, thermoelectric power and Hall constant of the system while a variety of other interesting phenomena such as lattice instability and superconductivity enhancement may be a result of the nesting features appearing upon Si doping. We present also the results of our theoretical calculations of the thermodynamic and transport properties of Al-Si solid solutions which are in good agreement with experiment and reproduce nicely the experimentally observed peculiarities

Comparison of Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment Modalities: Experience from a Tertiary Center

WOS: 000315620900008Objectives: To review and analyze the outcomes of various treatment modalities in women with ectopic pregnancy (EP) in a tertiary center between January 2006 and February 2011 Design: Retrospective study Setting: Duzce University Hospital, Turkey Subjects and Methods: The medical records of 116 women diagnosed with EP were reviewed retrospectively. Women were grouped based on the treatment modality: Expectant (Group I), Medical treatment with methotrexate (Group II) and Surgical (salpingostomy and salpingectomy) (Group III). Demographic characteristics were analyzed and the success rates between the groups were compared. Intervention: None Main Outcome Measures: Success rates between groups based on treatment modality Results: Success rates for expectant, medical management with single dose of methotrexate, salpingostomy and salpingectomy were 66.7%, 79%, 92.7% and 100%, respectively. There was no difference between the success rates of laparoscopic salpingostomy and single dose methotrexate (p = 0.246). Salpingectomy was more successful compared to expectant and medical managements (p = 0.003 and p = 0.040, respectively). Conclusion: The highest success rate in EP was achieved by surgical treatment. However, expectant and medical treatment may eliminate the need for surgery in selected cases with low and / or decreasing initial beta-hCG levels