411 research outputs found
Phase compatibilities of YBa2Cu3O(9-delta) type structure in quintenary systems Y-Ba-Cu-O-X (impurity)
Electrical transport properties of the oxidic high T(sub c) superconductors are significantly affected by the presence of minor amounts of various elements adventing as impurities, e.g., from the chemical environment during manufacturing. YBa2Cu3O(9-delta) is prone to an extinction of the superconductivity on (partial) substitution of all four elemental components. E.g., Pr (for Y), La (for Ba), Zn (for Cu) or peroxygroup (for O) substituents will alter some of the superconductivity preconditions, like mixed valence state in Cu3O7/O(9-delta) network or structural distortion of the network. Although various pseudoternary chemical equilibrium phase diagrams of the Y(O)-Ba(O)-Cu(O) system now are available, no consensus is generally shown, however, this is partly due to lack of compatible definitions of the equilibrium conditions. Less information is available about the phase compatibilities in the appropriate quaternary phase diagram (including oxygen) and virtually no information exists about any pentenary phase diagrams (including one impurity). Unfortunately, complexity of such systems, stemming both from number of quaternary or pentenary compounds and from visualizing the five-component phase system, limits this presentation to more or less close surroundings of the YBa2Cu3O(9-delta) type phase in appropriate pseudoquaternary or pseudopseudoternary diagrams, involving Y-Ba-Cu and O, O-CO2, alkaline metals, Mg and alkaline earths, and Sc and most of the 3-d and 4-f elements. The systems were investigated by means of x ray diffraction, neutron diffraction and chemical analytical methods on samples prepared by sol-gel technique from citrates. The superconductivity was characterized by measuring the diamagnetic susceptibility by SQUID
Compatibilities of YBa2Cu3O(9-delta) type phase in quintenary systems Y-Ba-Cu-O-X (impurity)
Isothermal phase diagrams at various oxygen pressures were studied by powder diffraction and chemical analytical methods. The components, Y, Ba, Cu, and O (specifically O2, O2-, and O2 sup 2-) are treated, together with C (specifically CO2 and CO2 sup 2-), alkaline metals, Mg, alkaline earths, Sc, 3-d and 4-f elements. Effects of the substitutions at the structural sites of YBa2Cu3O(9-delta) on T sub c are discussed with respect to changes in crystallochemical characteristics of the substituted phase and to the nature of the substituents
Pressure-induced structural transitions in MgH
The stability of MgH has been studied up to 20~GPa using
density-functional total-energy calculations. At ambient pressure
-MgH takes a TiO-rutile-type structure. -MgH is
predicted to transform into -MgH at 0.39~GPa. The calculated
structural data for - and -MgH are in very good agreement
with experimental values. At equilibrium the energy difference between these
modifications is very small, and as a result both phases coexist in a certain
volume and pressure field. Above 3.84~GPa -MgH transforms into
-MgH; consistent with experimental findings. Two further
transformations have been identified at still higher pressure: i) - to
-MgH at 6.73 GPa and (ii) - to -MgH at
10.26~GPa.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Coulomb correlation effects in zinc monochalcogenides
Electronic structure and band characteristics for zinc monochalcogenides with
zinc-blende- and wurtzite-type structures are studied by first-principles
density-functional-theory calculations with different approximations. It is
shown that the local-density approximation underestimates the band gap and
energy splitting between the states at the top of the valence band, misplaces
the energy levels of the Zn-3d states, and overestimates the
crystal-field-splitting energy. Regardless of the structure type considered,
the spin-orbit-coupling energy is found to be overestimated for ZnO and
underestimated for ZnS with wurtzite-type structure, and more or less correct
for ZnSe and ZnTe with zinc-blende-type structure. The order of the states at
the top of the valence band is found to be anomalous for ZnO in both
zinc-blende- and wurtzite-type structure, but is normal for the other zinc
monochalcogenides considered. It is shown that the Zn-3d electrons and their
interference with the O-2p electrons are responsible for the anomalous order.
The typical errors in the calculated band gaps and related parameters for ZnO
originate from strong Coulomb correlations, which are found to be highly
significant for this compound. The LDA+U approach is by and large found to
correct the strong correlation of the Zn-3d electrons, and thus to improve the
agreement with the experimentally established location of the Zn-3d levels
compared with that derived from pure LDA calculations
Electronic structure and optical properties of ZnX (X=O, S, Se, Te)
Electronic band structure and optical properties of zinc monochalcogenides
with zinc-blende- and wurtzite-type structures were studied using the ab initio
density functional method within the LDA, GGA, and LDA+U approaches.
Calculations of the optical spectra have been performed for the energy range
0-20 eV, with and without including spin-orbit coupling. Reflectivity,
absorption and extinction coefficients, and refractive index have been computed
from the imaginary part of the dielectric function using the Kramers--Kronig
transformations. A rigid shift of the calculated optical spectra is found to
provide a good first approximation to reproduce experimental observations for
almost all the zinc monochalcogenide phases considered. By inspection of the
calculated and experimentally determined band-gap values for the zinc
monochalcogenide series, the band gap of ZnO with zinc-blende structure has
been estimated.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure
The impact of coronary artery disease risk loci on ischemic heart failure severity and prognosis: association analysis in the COntrolled ROsuvastatin multiNAtional trial in heart failure (CORONA)
An economic evaluation of rosuvastatin treatment in systolic heart failure: evidence from the CORONA trial
Aims: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of 10 mg rosuvastatin daily for older patients with systolic heart failure in the Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Study in Heart Failure (CORONA) trial.
Methods and results: This within trial analysis of CORONA used major cardiovascular (CV) events as the outcome measure. Resource use was valued and the costs of hospitalizations, procedures, and statin use compared. Cost-effectiveness was estimated as cost per major CV event avoided. There were significantly fewer major CV events in the rosuvastatin group compared with the placebo group (1.04 vs. 1.20 per patient; difference 0.164; 95% CI: 0.075–0.254, P < 0.001). The average cost of CV hospitalizations and procedures was significantly lower for those receiving rosuvastatin (£1531 vs. £1769; difference £238; 95% CI: £73–403, P = 0.005); the additional cost of the statin resulted in significantly higher total costs for the rosuvastatin group (£1769 vs. £2072; difference £303; 95% CI: £138–468, P < 0.001). Overall, rosuvastatin was found to cost £1840 (95% CI: £562–6028) per major CV event avoided.
Conclusion: This economic analysis showed that a significant reduction in major CV events with rosuvastatin led to significantly reduced costs of CV hospitalizations and procedures. The reduction in associated costs for major CV events was found to offset partially (by 44%) the cost of rosuvastatin treatment in patients with systolic heart failure
Consolidation of pathology services in England: have savings been achieved?
Background: During the last decade, pathology services in England have undergone profound changes with an extensive consolidation of laboratories. This has been driven by some national reviews forecasting a national reduction of costs by £250–£500 million (630 million) a year as a result.
The main aim of this paper is to describe the financial impact of such consolidation, with a specific focus on the forecasted savings. A secondary aim is to describe the development of private sector involvement in laboratory services in a traditionally publicly funded healthcare system and the development of pathology staff size.
Methods: In the English scenario, the majority of hospitals and laboratories are publicly funded and a survey was sent as Freedom of Information request to all directors of pathology. A descriptive comparison of savings among consolidated and non-consolidated pathology services was made by using the pathology budgets in two different periods (2015 versus 2010), adjusted by inflation and increased activity.
Results: The hub-and-spoke model has been implemented as part of the consolidation process of pathology services in England. Consolidated pathology networks have achieved higher savings compared to non-consolidated single laboratories. There has been an increased role of private providers and savings were achieved with negligible personnel redundancies.
Conclusions: Consolidated units have on average achieved larger cost savings than non-consolidated units but further analysis with stronger research design is required to independently evaluate the impact of pathology consolidation on both savings and quality
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