Strain-stabilized superconductivity.

Superconductivity is among the most fascinating and well-studied quantum states of matter. Despite over 100 years of research, a detailed understanding of how features of the normal-state electronic structure determine superconducting properties has remained elusive. For instance, the ability to deterministically enhance the superconducting transition temperature by design, rather than by serendipity, has been a long sought-after goal in condensed matter physics and materials science, but achieving this objective may require new tools, techniques and approaches. Here, we report the transmutation of a normal metal into a superconductor through the application of epitaxial strain. We demonstrate that synthesizing RuO2 thin films on (110)-oriented TiO2 substrates enhances the density of states near the Fermi level, which stabilizes superconductivity under strain, and suggests that a promising strategy to create new transition-metal superconductors is to apply judiciously chosen anisotropic strains that redistribute carriers within the low-energy manifold of d orbitals.

THE EFFECT OF EXENATIDE THERAPY IN PREVIOUSLY INSULIN-TREATED TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of multiple daily injection (MDI) treatment replaced by Exenatide BID as compared with continuation of MDI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 140 patients with type 2 diabetes, taking metformin and multiple daily insulin injections, were randomized to exenatide or insulin group that continued their insulin treatment. Patients were followed-up for 16 weeks. Blood glucose profiles, BMI, waist circumference, HbA1C, serum lipids and side effects were assesssed at weeks 0,12 and 16. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to baseline parameters. Glycemic control was similar between the two groups. The mean changes in HbA1C in exenatide group were -0.66±0.63% and in insulin group -0.74±0.92 % (p=0.594). In exenatide group, 59.6 % of patients and in insulin group 85.71 % of patients had maintained or improved glycemic control at the end of the study. In insulin group, insulin requirement increased 5.86 ± 4.46 units/day. Body weight and waist circumference decreased significantly in exenatide treatment group with respect to insulin group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Substituting exenatide for insulin might be an option in insulin-treated, type 2 diabetic patients having obesity, and poor glycemic control. However, patients with longer duration of diabetes and insulin treatment and with lower C-peptide levels might not benefit from exenatide therapy.

Oxidative and antioxidative status after anthracyclinebased chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in patients with breast cancer who had undergone surgery. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI), serum lipids (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides), serum TBARS and SOD values were assessed in 30 patients with stage III breast cancer receiving adjuvant anthracycline- based chemotherapy. RESULTS: Anthracycline-based chemotherapy had no effect on BMI, blood pressure and lipid profile. A significant elevation was noted in TBARS (5.5±0.6 vs 5.9±0.9 µmol/L; p=0.038) and a significant reduction to baseline values in SOD levels (226.5±61.0 vs 203.1±48.3 U/mL; p=0.03) in patients following 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: The TBARS levels increased, whereas the SOD levels descreased after anthracycline-based chemotherapy. We suggest that oxidative stress is not always detrimental, as it can be beneficial in cancer treatment.

Anomalous nuclear quantum effects in ice.

One striking anomaly of water ice has been largely neglected and never explained. Replacing hydrogen (1H) by deuterium (2H) causes ice to expand, whereas the normal isotope effect is volume contraction with increased mass. Furthermore, the anomaly increases with temperature T, even though a normal isotope shift should decrease with T and vanish when T is high enough to use classical nuclear motions. In this study, we show that these effects are very well described by ab initio density-functional theory. Our theoretical modeling explains these anomalies, and allows us to predict and to experimentally confirm a counter effect, namely, that replacement of 16O by 18O causes a normal lattice contraction.

Acute effects of orlistat on postprandial serum leptin levels in nondiabetic obese patients.

AIM: Leptin is likely to be involved in the homeostasis of body weight. This study aimed to examine the acute effects of orlistat on postprandial serum glucose, insulin, and leptin levels before any effect on body weight occurred. METHODS: Thirty-four nondiabetic, obese patients were enrolled in this study (body mass index, 35.7+/-3.8 kg/m(2)). Patients were randomly assigned to two groups, one receiving orlistat (120 mg, single dose), and the other received a placebo. A single dose was given before a standard 600-kcal mixed meal containing 60% carbohydrates, 25% lipids, and 15% protein. Blood samples were collected basally before the test meal and then hourly for five hours. Graphic tendencies, peak values, time needed to reach the peak values, and area under the curve values were compared between groups. RESULTS: There were no differences in sex distribution, mean age, anthropometric measurements, and basal glucose, insulin, and leptin levels between the orlistat and placebo groups. Hourly serum glucose and insulin changes were similar between groups, peak levels of insulin occurred in the first hour in control group, although peak levels of insulin did not occur until the second hour in patients in the orlistat group. Also, serum leptin levels had a more horizontal and delayed increase after a mixed meal in patients in the orlistat group than they did in patients in the placebo group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: One dose of 120 mg orlistat made no changes in postprandial serum glucose, insulin, and leptin levels, although leptin-level increases were smaller in patients receiving orlistat.