Kinetic Control of Ultrafast Transient Liquid Assisted Growth of Solution-Derived YBa Cu O -x Superconducting Films.

Transient liquid assisted growth (TLAG) is an ultrafast non-equilibrium growth process mainly governed by kinetic parameters, which are only accessible through fast in situ characterizations. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and in situ electrical resistivity measurements are used to derive kinetic diagrams of YBa Cu O (YBCO) superconducting films prepared via TLAG and to reveal the unique peculiarities of the process. In particular, diagrams for the phase evolution and the YBCO growth rates have been built for the two TLAG routes.

Ultrafast transient liquid assisted growth of high current density superconducting films.

The achievement of high growth rates in YBaCuO epitaxial high-temperature superconducting films has become strategic to enable high-throughput manufacturing of long length coated conductors for energy and large magnet applications. We report on a transient liquid assisted growth process capable of achieving ultrafast growth rates (100 nm s) and high critical current densities (5 MA cm at 77 K). This is based on the kinetic preference of Ba-Cu-O to form transient liquids prior to crystalline thermodynamic equilibrium phases, and as such is a non-equilibrium approach.

Variability of respiratory symptoms in severe COPD.

Introduction: While it is known that asthma symptoms have a very variable pattern, the general belief is that the respiratory symptoms in COPD patients usually present little or no variability. Nevertheless, COPD patients report having "bad days". The objective of this present study was to evaluate the variability of the respiratory symptoms and their impact on the daily activities of a cohort of Spanish COPD patients.

Low-dose CT: a useful and accessible tool for the early diagnosis of lung cancer in selected populations.

Objective: An evaluation is made of the effectiveness of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in diagnosing early stage lung cancer in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (Spain).

Methods: The study comprised subjects over 50 years of age who were active smokers (or who had stopped smoking up to 6 months previously) who smoked more than 30 cigarettes daily for at least 15 years, or 20 cigarettes daily for 20 years, or more than 10packs/year and in contact with asbestos at work. The study group was evaluated using LDCT.

Prognostic significance of tumor infiltrating natural killer cells subset CD57 in patients with squamous cell lung cancer.

Natural killer (NK) cells have been implied in the resistance against certain tumors and virally-infected cells. The prognostic significance of tumor infiltrating NK cells in primary squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC) has not been fully studied. Fifty patients with primary SqCLC were evaluated for the presence of tumor infiltrating natural killer cells subset CD57 (TINK) after surgery.