Calculated mixing enthalpies of 11 IIB-IVB and IIB-VB binary alloy systems using a subregular model

There have been no theoretical calculations of the mixing enthalpies for group B metal alloy systems using the famous Miedema theory or from first principles. Therefore such systematic calculations for the 11 group IIB－IVB and IIB－VB binary alloy systems are performed for the first time using a subregular model. The results show that the agreement between the calculations and experimental data is pretty good and could be accepted from the theoretical or experimental points of view. It can be concluded from the results that the subregular model can be used for calculating the mixing enthalpies of the group B alloy systems, at least for the IIB－IVB and IIB－VB alloy systems

Fluctuation of mean free path and transition temperature induced vortex pinning in (Ba,K)Fe2As2 superconductors

The vortex pinning mechanisms of Ba0.72K0.28Fe2As2 single crystal have been studied systematically as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The temperature dependence of the critical current density, Jc(T), was analysed within the collective pinning model at different magnetic fields. It was found that both the dl pinning mechanism, i.e., pinning associated with charge-carrier mean free path fluctuation, and the dTc pinning mechanism, which is associated with spatial fluctuations of the transition temperature, coexist in the Ba0.72K0.28Fe2As2 single crystal in fields smaller than 4 T. Their contributions are strongly temperature and magnetic field dependent. At lower temperature and

Strain modulated magnetization and colossal resistivity of epitaxial La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 film on BaTiO3 substrate

A sharp drop in resistance and a magnetization anomaly have been observed in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 film in zero magnetic field at the BaTiO3 substrate structural phase transition temperature, due to the substrate clamping/strain effect, which is confirmed by Raman scattering. However, the anomalies for both resistance and magnetization were eliminated by a strong external magnetic field. These phenomena indicate that strain can cause colossal resistance and a change in magnetization which resembles the magnetic field effect. The interplay of the external forces (strain and magnetic field) is a good demonstration of the strong coupling between spin and lattice in colossal magnetoresistance materials

Ferroelectric properties of Bi3.25Sm0.75V0.02T2.98O12 thin film at elevated temperature

The ferroelectric behavior in terms of electrical polarization and fatigue and dielectric properties at elevated temperature of the ferroelectric Bi3.25Sm0.75V0.02T2.98O12 thin film fabricated by the pulsed laser deposition method were studied. Its switchable polarization increased at elevated temperature, and the coercive field decreased at the same time due to the strong domain depinning process at higher temperature. This film shows almost a polarization-fatigue-free character at room temperature, but the aggregation and diffusion of the thermally activated long-range oxygen vacancies caused strong domain pinning, and thus a poor fatigue resistance was observed at elevated temperature

Strain modulated magnetization and colossal resistivity of epitaxial La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 film on BaTiO3 substrate

A sharp drop in resistance and a magnetization anomaly have been observed in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 film in zero magnetic field at the BaTiO3 substrate structural phase transition temperature, due to the substrate clamping/strain effect, which is confirmed by Raman scattering. However, the anomalies for both resistance and magnetization were eliminated by a strong external magnetic field. These phenomena indicate that strain can cause colossal resistance and a change in magnetization which resembles the magnetic field effect. The interplay of the external forces (strain and magnetic field) is a good demonstration of the strong coupling between spin and lattice in colossal magnetoresistance materials

Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Bladder Cancer and Patient Prognosis: Results from a Large Clinical Cohort and Meta-Analysis

Aberrant overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) is observed in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). Studies evaluating COX2 as a prognostic marker in UCB report contradictory results. We determined the prognostic potential of COX2 expression in UCB and quantitatively summarize the results with those of the literature through a meta-analysis. Newly diagnosed UCB patients recruited between 1998–2001 in 18 Spanish hospitals were prospectively included in the study and followed-up (median, 70.7 months). Diagnostic slides were reviewed and uniformly classified by expert pathologists. Clinical data was retrieved from hospital charts. Tissue microarrays containing non-muscle invasive (n = 557) and muscle invasive (n = 216) tumours were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using quantitative image analysis. Expression was evaluated in Cox regression models to assess the risk of recurrence, progression and disease-specific mortality. Meta-hazard ratios were estimated using our results and those from 11 additional evaluable studies. COX2 expression was observed in 38% (211/557) of non-muscle invasive and 63% (137/216) of muscle invasive tumors. Expression was associated with advanced pathological stage and grade (p<0.0001). In the univariable analyses, COX2 expression - as a categorical variable - was not associated with any of the outcomes analyzed. As a continuous variable, a weak association with recurrence in non-muscle invasive tumors was observed (p-value = 0.048). In the multivariable analyses, COX2 expression did not independently predict any of the considered outcomes. The meta-analysis confirmed these results. We did not find evidence that COX2 expression is an independent prognostic marker of recurrence, progression or survival in patients with UCB.The work was partially supported by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (G03/174, 00/0745, PI051436, PI061614 and G03/174); Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Cáncer- RD06/0020-RTICC; Consolider ONCOBIO; EU-FP6-STREP-37739-DRoP-ToP; EU-FP7-HEALTH-F2-2008-201663-UROMOL; EU-FP7-HEALTH-F2-2008-201333-DECanBio; USA-NIH-RO1-CA089715; and a PhD fellowship awarded to MJC from the ‘‘la Caixa’’ foundation, Spain, and a postdoctoral fellowship awarded to AFSA from the Fundación Científica de la AEC