1,178 research outputs found
Charge Order Superstructure with Integer Iron Valence in Fe2OBO3
Solution-grown single crystals of Fe2OBO3 were characterized by specific
heat, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. A peak in the specific
heat at 340 K indicates the onset of charge order. Evidence for a doubling of
the unit cell at low temperature is presented. Combining structural refinement
of diffraction data and Mossbauer spectra, domains with diagonal charge order
are established. Bond-valence-sum analysis indicates integer valence states of
the Fe ions in the charge ordered phase, suggesting Fe2OBO3 is the clearest
example of ionic charge order so far.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Fig. 3 is available in higher resolution from the
authors. PRL in prin
Prospective randomized trial comparing sutured with sutureless mesh fixation for Lichtenstein hernia repair: long-term results
Background: Following Lichtenstein hernia repair, up to 25% of patients experience prolonged postoperative and chronic pain as well as discomfort in the groin. One of the underlying causes of these complaints are the compression or irritation of nerves by the sutures used to fixate the mesh. We compared the level and rate of chronic pain in patients operated with the classical Lichtenstein technique fixated by sutures to patients with sutureless mesh fixation technique. Methods: A two-armed randomized trial with 264 male patients was performed. After consent, patients were randomized preoperatively. For the fixation of the mesh we used either sutures with slow-absorbing material (PDS 2.0) (group I, n=133) or tissue glue (Histoacryl) (group II, n=131). Follow-up examinations were performed after 3, 12months and after 5years. Results: Patient characteristics in the two groups were similar. No cross-over between groups was observed. After 5years, long-term follow-up could be completed for 59% of subjects. After 5years, 10/85 (11.7%) patients in group I and 3/70 (4.2%) in group II suffered from chronic pain in the groin region (P=0.108). The operation time was significantly shorter in group II (79min vs 73min, P=0.01). One early recurrence occurred in group II (3months). The recurrence rate was 0 and 0% after 12months and 5.9% (5/85) and 10% (7/70) after 5years in group I and group II, respectively (P=0.379). Conclusion: After 5years, the two techniques of mesh fixation resulted in similar rates of chronic pain. Whereas recurrence rates were comparable, fixation of the mesh with tissue glue decreased operating room time significantly. Hence, suture less mesh fixation with Histoacryl is a sensible alternative to suture fixation and should be especially considered for patients prone to pai
Incommensurate Charge Order Phase in Fe2OBO3 due to Geometrical Frustration
The temperature dependence of charge order in Fe2OBO3 was investigated by
resistivity and differential scanning calorimetry measurements, Mossbauer
spectroscopy, and synchrotron x-ray scattering, revealing an intermediate phase
between room temperature and 340 K, characterized by coexisting mobile and
immobile carriers, and by incommensurate superstructure modulations with
temperature-dependent propagation vector (1/2,0,tau). The incommensurate
modulations arise from specific anti-phase boundaries with low energy cost due
to geometrical charge frustration.Comment: 4 p., 5 fig.; v2: slightly expanded introduction + minor changes. PRL
in prin
Anisotropy of the upper critical field in MgB2: the two-gap Ginzburg-Landau theory
The upper critical field in MgB2 is investigated in the framework of the
two-gap Ginzburg-Landau theory. A variational solution of linearized
Ginzburg-Landau equations agrees well with the Landau level expansion and
demonstrates that spatial distributions of the gap functions are different in
the two bands and change with temperature. The temperature variation of the
ratio of two gaps is responsible for the upward temperature dependence of
in-plane Hc2 as well as for the deviation of its out-of-plane behavior from the
standard angular dependence. The hexagonal in-plane modulations of Hc2 can
change sign with decreasing temperature.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, accepted in the European Physical Journal
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