Superconductivity Phase Diagram of Na(x)CoO(2).1.3H(2)O

Although the microscopic origin of the superconductivity in high Tc copper oxides remains the subject of active inquiry, several of their electronic characteristics are well established as universal to all the known materials, forming the experimental foundation that all theories must address. The most fundamental of those characteristics is the dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on the degree of electronic band filling. Since the discovery of cuprate superconductivity in 1986 (1), the search for other families of superconductors that might help shed light on the superconducting mechanism of the cuprates has been of great interest. The recent report of superconductivity near 4K in the triangular lattice, layered sodium cobalt oxyhydrate, Na0.35CoO2.1.3H2O, is the best indication that superconductors related to the cuprates may be found (2). Here we show that the superconducting transition temperature of this compound displays the same kind of band-filling behavior that is observed in the cuprates. Specifically, that the optimal superconducting Tc occurs in a narrow range of band filling, and decreases for both underdoped and overdoped materials, in dramatic analogy to the phase diagram of the cuprate superconductors. Our results suggest that characterization of the detailed electronic and magnetic behavior of these new materials may help establish which of the many special characteristics of the cuprates is fundamental to their high Tc superconductivity.Comment: revised, publication information adde

Patient-Related Barriers to Timely Dialysis Access Preparation: A Qualitative Study of the Perspectives of Patients, Family Members, and Health Care Providers

Rational & Objective A key aspect of smooth transition to dialysis is the timely creation of a permanent access. Despite early referral to kidney care, initiation onto dialysis is still suboptimal for many patients, which has clinical and cost implications. This study aimed to explore perspectives of various stakeholders on barriers to timely access creation. Study Design Qualitative study. Setting & Participants Semi-structured interviews with 96 participants (response rate, 67%), including patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease (n = 30), new hemodialysis patients with (n = 18) and without (n = 20) permanent access (arteriovenous fistula), family members (n = 19), and kidney health care providers (n = 9). Analytical Approach Thematic analysis. Results Patients reported differential levels of behavioral activation toward access creation: avoidance/denial, wait and see, or active intention. 6 core themes were identified: (1) lack of symptoms, (2) dialysis fear and practical concerns (exaggerated fear, pain, cost, lifestyle disruptions, work-related concerns, burdening their families), (3) evaluating value against costs/risks of access creation (benefits, threat of operation, viability, prompt for early initiation), (4) preference for alternatives, (5) social influences (hearsay, family involvement, experiences of others), and (6) health care provider interactions (mistrust, interpersonal tension, lack of clarity on information). Themes were common to all groups, whereas nuanced perspectives of family members and health care providers were noted in some subthemes. Limitations Response bias. Conclusions Individual, interpersonal, and psychosocial factors compromise dialysis preparation and contribute to suboptimal dialysis initiation. Our findings support the need for interventions to improve patient and family engagement and address emotional concerns and misperceptions about preparing for dialysis

Indoor Air Quality and Office Property Value

Urbanization and technological advancement have resulted in many urbanites working in window-sealed high-rise office buildings. Many researchers have found that indoor air quality (IAQ) affects tenantlandlord relationships, workers’ health and productivity, and building elements and systems. This may imply that IAQ could affect, positively or negatively, the value of buildings. This paper examines the impact of IAQ on the value of office buildings in Singapore. The results show that the return on investment in IAQ could be substantial (78.56%) while property values could increase by 1.28% to 3.85%. The findings could be of interest and usefulness to valuers and investors in office properties in Singapore and thus, help to promote sustainability in office property developments

IL-33 ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology and cognitive decline

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating condition with no known effective treatment. AD is characterized by memory loss as well as impaired locomotor ability, reasoning, and judgment. Emerging evidence suggests that the innate immune response plays a major role in the pathogenesis of AD. In AD, the accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the brain perturbs physiological functions of the brain, including synaptic and neuronal dysfunction, microglial activation, and neuronal loss. Serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2), a decoy receptor for interleukin (IL)-33, increase in patients with mild cognitive impairment, suggesting that impaired IL-33/ST2 signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, we investigated the potential therapeutic role of IL-33 in AD, using transgenic mouse models. Here we report that IL-33 administration reverses synaptic plasticity impairment and memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. IL-33 administration reduces soluble Aβ levels and amyloid plaque deposition by promoting the recruitment and Aβ phagocytic activity of microglia; this is mediated by ST2/p38 signaling activation. Furthermore, IL-33 injection modulates the innate immune response by polarizing microglia/macrophages toward an antiinflammatory phenotype and reducing the expression of proinflammatory genes, including IL-1β, IL-6, and NLRP3, in the cortices of APP/PS1 mice. Collectively, our results demonstrate a potential therapeutic role for IL-33 in AD

Interface relaxation in electrophoretic deposition of polymer chains: Effects of segmental dynamics, molecular weight, and field

Using different segmental dynamics and relaxation, characteristics of the interface growth is examined in an electrophoretic deposition of polymer chains on a three (2+1) dimensional discrete lattice with a Monte Carlo simulation. Incorporation of faster modes such as crankshaft and reptation movements along with the relatively slow kink-jump dynamics seems crucial in relaxing the interface width. As the continuously released polymer chains are driven (via segmental movements) and deposited, the interface width $W$ grows with the number of time steps $t$, $W \propto t^{\beta},$ ($\beta \sim 0.4$--$0.8)$, which is followed by its saturation to a steady-state value $W_s$. Stopping the release of additional chains after saturation while continuing the segmental movements relaxes the saturated width to an equilibrium value ($W_s \to W_r$). Scaling of the relaxed interface width $W_r$ with the driving field $E$, $W_r \propto E^{-1/2}$ remains similar to that of the steady-state $W_s$ width. In contrast to monotonic increase of the steady-state width $W_s$, the relaxed interface width $W_r$ is found to decay (possibly as a stretched exponential) with the molecular weight.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure

59Co-NMR Knight Shift of Superconducting Three-Layer NaxCoO2.yH2O

The superconducting state of NaxCoO2.yH2O with three CoO2 layers in a unit cell has been studied by 59Co-NMR. The Knight shift measured for a peak of the NMR spectra corresponding to the external magnetic field H along one of the principal directions within the CoO2 plane, exhibits a rapid decrease with decreasing temperature T below the superconducting transition temperature Tc, indicating that the spin susceptibility is suppressed in the superconducting phase, at least, for this field direction. Because differences of the superconducting properties are rather small between this three-layer NaxCoO2.yH2O and previously reported NaxCoO2.yH2O with two CoO2 layers within a unit cell, the present result of the Knight shift studies indicates that the Cooper pairs of the former system are in the singlet state as in the latter, for which the spin susceptibility is suppressed for both directions of H parallel and perpendicular to the CoO2 plane.Comment: 5 page

23Na NMR study of non-superconducting double-layer hydrate NaxCoO2.yH2O

We report 23Na NMR studies of the polycrystalline samples of double-layer hydrated cobalt oxides NaxCoO2.yH2O (x ~ 0.35 and y ~ 1.3) with the superconducting transition temperatures Tc < 1.8K and ~4.5K, and the dehydrated NaxCoO2 (x ~ 0.35). The hyperfine field and the electric field gradient at the Na sites in the non-hydrated Na0.7CoO2 and the dehydrated Na0.35CoO2 are found to be significantly reduced by the hydration, which indicates a strong shielding effect of the intercalated water molecules on the Na sites. The temperature dependence of 23 Na nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/23T1 of the non-superconducting double-layer hydrate NaxCoO2.yH2O is found to be similar to that of the non-hydrated Na0.7CoO2, whose spin dynamics is understood by A-type (intra-layer ferromagnetic and inter-layer antiferromagnetic) spin fluctuations. The superconducting phase is located close to the quantum critical point with the A-type magnetic instability.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Novel phase diagram of superconductor NaxCoO2-yH2O in a 75 % relative humidity

We succeeded in synthesizing the powder samples of bilayer-hydrate sodium cobalt oxide superconductors NaxCoO2-yH2O with Tc = 0 ~ 4.6 K by systematically changing the keeping duration in a 75 % relative humidity atmosphere after intercalation of water molecules. From the magnetic measurements, we found that the one-day duration sample does not show any superconductivity down to 1.8 K, and that the samples kept for 2 ~ 7 days show superconductivity, in which Tc increases up to 4.6 K with increasing the duration. Tc and the superconducting volume fraction are almost invariant between 7 days and 1month duration. The 59Co NQR spectra indicate a systematic change in the local charge distribution on the CoO2 plane with change in duration.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Journal of the Physical Society of Japa

Transport and Magnetic Studies on the Spin State Transition of Pr1-xCaxCoO3 up to High Pressure

Transport and magnetic measurements and structural and NMR studies have been carried out on (Pr1-yR'y)1-xAxCoO3 {R'=(rare earth elements and Y); A=(Ca, Ba and Sr)} at ambient pressure or under high pressure. The system exhibits a phase transition from a nearly metallic to an insulating state with decreasing temperature T, where the low spin (LS) state of Co3+ is suddenly stabilized. For y=0, we have constructed a T-x phase diagram at various values of the external pressure p. It shows that the (T, x) region of the low temperature phase, which is confined to a very narrow region around x=0.5 at ambient pressure, expands as p increases, suggesting that the transition is not due to an order-disorder type one. For the occurrence of the transition, both the Pr and Ca atoms seem to be necessary. The intimate relationship between the local structure around the Co ions and the electronic (or spin) state of Co3+ ions is discussed: For the smaller unit cell volume or the smaller volume of the CoO6 octahedra and for the larger tilting angle of the octahedra, the temperature of the transition becomes higher. The role of the carriers introduced by the doping of the A atoms, is also discussed. By analyzing the data of 59Co-NMR spectra and magnetic susceptibilities of Pr1-xCaxCoO3 the energy separations among the different spin states of Co3+ and Co4+ are roughly estimated.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, 2 tables, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Thermal and Electrical Properties of gamma-NaxCoO2 (0.70 < x < 0.78)

We have performed specific heat and electric resistivity measurements of Na$_{x}$CoO$_{2}$ ($x=0.70$-0.78). Two anomalies have been observed in the specific heat data for $x=0.78$, corresponding to magnetic transitions at $T_{c}=22$ K and $T_{k}\simeq 9$ K reported previously. In the electrical resistivity, a steep decrease at $T_{c}$ and a bending-like variation at $T_{b}$(=120K for $x=0.78$) have been observed. Moreover, we have investigated the $x$-dependence of these parameters in detail. The physical properties of this system are very sensitive to $x$, and the inconsistent results of previous reports can be explained by a small difference in $x$. Furthermore, for a higher $x$ value, a phase separation into Na-rich and Na-poor domains occurs as we previously proposed, while for a lower $x$ value, from characteristic behaviors of the specific heat and the electrical resistivity at the low-temperature region, the system is expected to be in the vicinity of the magnetic instability which virtually exists below $x=0.70$.Comment: 4 pages (3 figures included) and an extra figure (gif), to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 73 (9) with possible minor revision