Insulator-metal transition induced by electric voltage in a ruthenate Mott insulator

We report the observation of electric-voltage induced insulator-metal phase transition in a ruthenate Mott insulator Ca₃(Ru_0.9Ti_0.1)₂O₇. We show that the electric field effect dominates and leads to a sharp phase transition at measurement temperatures far below the Mott transition, whereas the thermal effect becomes more significant and broadens the phase transition as the measurement temperature approaches the insulator-metal transition. The electric field induced insulator-metal transition is presumably attributed to the avalanche breakdown of the correlated insulating state when driven out of equilibrium. This work highlights the strategy of using electric voltage to control the phase transition of this system in addition to other nonthermal parameters such as magnetic field and pressure reported previously.

Can amide proton transfer-weighted imaging differentiate tumor grade and predict Ki-67 proliferation status of meningioma?

OBJECTIVES

To determine the utility of the amide proton transfer-weighted MR imaging in differentiating the WHO grade and predict proliferative activity of meningioma.

METHODS

Fifty-three patients with WHO grade I meningiomas and 26 patients with WHO grade II meningiomas underwent conventional and APT-weighted sequences on a 3.0 Tesla MR before clinical intervention. The APT-weighted (APTw) parameters in the solid tumor region were obtained and compared between two grades using the t test; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the best parameter for predicting the grade of meningiomas. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated between the APTw_max and Ki-67 labeling index in meningiomas.

RESULTS

The APTw_max and APTw_mean values were not significantly different between WHO grade I and grade II meningiomas (p = 0.103 and p = 0.318). The APTw_min value was higher and the APTw_max-min value was lower in WHO grade II meningiomas than in WHO grade I tumors (p = 0.027 and p = 0.019). But the APTw_min was higher and the APTw_max-min was lower in microcystic meningiomas than in WHO grade II meningiomas (p = 0.001 and p = 0.006). The APTw_min combined with APTw_max-min showed the best diagnostic performance in predicting the grade of meningiomas with an AUC of 0.772. The APTw_max value was positively correlated with Ki-67 labeling index (r = 0.817, p < 0.001) in meningiomas; the regression equation for the Ki-67 labeling index (%) (Y) and APTw_max (%) (X) was Y = 4.9 × X - 12.4 (R² = 0.667, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

As a noninvasive imaging method, the ability of APTw-MR imaging in differentiating the grade of meningiomas is limited, but the technology can be used to predict the proliferative activity of meningioma.

KEY POINTS

• The APTw _min value was higher and the APTw _max-min value was lower in WHO grade II meningioma than in grade I tumors. • The APTw _min value was higher and the APTw _max-min value was lower in microcystic meningiomas than in WHO grade II meningiomas. • The APTw _max value was positively correlated with meningioma proliferation index.

Circular RNA_LARP4 is lower expressed and serves as a potential biomarker of ovarian cancer prognosis

OBJECTIVE

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as important regulators in regulating cancer progression. The study aims to investigate the expression of circular RNA_LARP4 (circ LARP4) and clinical significance in ovarian cancer (OC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression of circ LARP4 was detected in a total of 78 paired ovarian cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue samples using quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between expression of circLARP4 and clinical-pathological parameters. Survival plot was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate Cox analysis model was used for tumor prognosis analysis.

RESULTS

We identified that circLARP4 expression was significantly down-regulated in ovarian cancer tissues compared with corresponding controls. Furthermore, we found that circLARP4 expression was significantly associated with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and lymph node metastases. Lower circLARP4 expression was associated with poor prognosis of OC patients. Moreover, multivariate Cox analysis showed that lower circLARP4 was an independent risk for OC prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that circLARP4 expression was lower and highlighted that circLARP4 was identified as a potential biomarker of ovarian cancer prognosis.

Thickness evolution of transport properties in exfoliated Fe1+y Te nanoflakes

We report the evolution of transport properties in exfoliated Fe_1+y Te (y  =  0.04) nanoflakes of various thickness. In contrast to the sharp semiconducting-to-metallic phase transition observed in both bulk and thicker flakes, this transition becomes broadened for flakes with an intermediate thickness followed by the appearance of a superconducting-like feature upon further cooling. With the thickness further decreased, the flakes exhibit insulating transport behavior with significantly enhanced positive magnetoresistance, which can be explained using a variable range hopping mechanism, suggesting the nature of a highly disordered 2D system.

Field-induced magnetic phase transitions and memory effect in bilayer ruthenate Ca3Ru2O7 with Fe substitution

Bilayer ruthenate Ca3(Ru1-x Fe x )2O7 (x  =  0.05) exhibits an incommensurate magnetic soliton lattice driven by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Here we report complex field-induced magnetic phase transitions and memory effect in this system via single-crystal neutron diffraction and magnetotransport measurements. We observe first-order incommensurate-to-commensurate magnetic transitions upon applying the magnetic field both along and perpendicular to the propagation axis of the incommensurate spin structure. Furthermore, we find that the metastable states formed upon decreasing the magnetic field depend on the temperature and the applied field orientation. We suggest that the observed field-induced metastability may be ascribable to the quenched kinetics at low temperature.

Differentiating the histologic grades of gliomas preoperatively using amide proton transfer-weighted (APTW) and intravoxel incoherent motion MRI

The purpose of this work was to investigate the diagnostic performance of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTW) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the preoperative grading of gliomas. Fifty-one patients with suspected gliomas were recruited and underwent a preoperative MRI examination that included APTW and IVIM sequences. All cases were confirmed by postsurgical histopathology. APTW signal intensity, true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion fraction (f) and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were applied to assess the solid tumor component and contralateral normal-appearing white matter. The relative APTW signal intensity (rAPTW) was also used. Independent-sample and paired-sample t-tests were used to compare differences in MRI parameters between low-grade glioma (LGG) and high-grade glioma (HGG) groups. The diagnostic performance was assessed with the receiver operating characteristic curve. Twenty-six patients were pathologically diagnosed with LGG and 25 were diagnosed with HGG. APTW, rAPTW and f values were significantly higher (all p < 0.001), whereas D values were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the HGG group than in the LGG group. There was no significant difference between D* values for the two groups. rAPTW had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.957, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 84.6%, followed by APTW, f, D and D*. The combined use of APTW and IVIM showed the best diagnostic performance, with an AUC of 0.986. In conclusion, APTW and IVIM, as two promising supplementary sequences for routine MRI, could be valuable in differentiating LGGs from HGGs.

Applying protein-based amide proton transfer MR imaging to distinguish solitary brain metastases from glioblastoma

OBJECTIVES

To determine the utility of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) MR imaging in distinguishing solitary brain metastases (SBMs) from glioblastomas (GBMs).

METHODS

Forty-five patients with SBMs and 43 patients with GBMs underwent conventional and APT-weighted sequences before clinical intervention. The APTw parameters and relative APTw (rAPTw) parameters in the tumour core and the peritumoral brain zone (PBZ) were obtained and compared between SBMs and GBMs. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the best parameter for distinguishing between the two groups.

RESULTS

The APTw_max, APTw_min, APTw_mean, rAPTw_max, rAPTw_min or rAPTw_mean values in the tumour core were not significantly different between the SBM and GBM groups (P = 0.141, 0.361, 0.221, 0.305, 0.578 and 0.448, respectively). However, the APTw_max, APTw_min, APTw_mean, rAPTw_max, rAPTw_min or rAPTw_mean values in the PBZ were significantly lower in the SBM group than in the GBM group (P < 0.001). The APTw_min values had the highest area under the ROC curve 0.905 and accuracy 85.2% in discriminating between the two neoplasms.

CONCLUSION

As a noninvasive imaging method, APT-weighted MR imaging can be used to distinguish SBMs from GBMs.

KEY POINTS

• APTw values in the tumour core were not different between SBMs and GBMs. • APTw values in peritumoral brain zone were lower in SBMs than in GBMs. • The APTw _min was the best parameter to distinguish SBMs from GBMs.

Inhibition of TGF-β Signaling in SHED Enhances Endothelial Differentiation

Low efficiency of deriving endothelial cells (ECs) from adult stem cells hampers their utilization in tissue engineering studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether suppression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling could enhance the differentiation efficiency of dental pulp-derived stem cells into ECs. We initially used vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) to stimulate 2 dental pulp-derived stem cells (dental pulp stem cells and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth [SHED]) and compared their differentiation capacity into ECs. We further evaluated whether the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor I (VEGF-RI)-specific ligand placental growth factor-1 (PlGF-1) could mediate endothelial differentiation. Finally, we investigated whether the TGF-β signaling inhibitor SB-431542 could enhance the inductive effect of VEGF-A on endothelial differentiation, as well as the underlying mechanisms involved. ECs differentiated from dental pulp-derived stem cells exhibited the typical phenotypes of primary ECs, with SHED possessing a higher endothelial differentiation potential than dental pulp stem cells. VEGFR1-specific ligand-PLGF exerted a negligible effect on SHED-ECs differentiation. Compared with VEGF-A alone, the combination of VEGF-A and SB-431542 significantly enhanced the endothelial differentiation of SHED. The presence of SB-431542 inhibited the phosphorylation of Suppressor of Mothers Against Decapentaplegic 2/3 (SMAD2/3), allowing for VEGF-A-dependent phosphorylation and upregulation of VEGFR2. Our results indicate that the combination of VEGF-A and SB-431542 could enhance the differentiation of dental pulp-derived stem cells into endothelial cells, and this process is mediated through enhancement of VEGF-A-VEGFR2 signaling and concomitant inhibition of TGF-β-SMAD2/3 signaling.

Unusual interlayer quantum transport behavior caused by the zeroth Landau level in YbMnBi2

Relativistic fermions in topological quantum materials are characterized by linear energy-momentum dispersion near band crossing points. Under magnetic fields, relativistic fermions acquire Berry phase of π in cyclotron motion, leading to a zeroth Landau level (LL) at the crossing point, a signature unique to relativistic fermions. Here we report the unusual interlayer quantum transport behavior resulting from the zeroth LL mode observed in the time reversal symmetry breaking type II Weyl semimetal YbMnBi2. The interlayer magnetoresistivity and Hall conductivity of this material are found to exhibit surprising angular dependences under high fields, which can be well fitted by a model, which considers the interlayer quantum tunneling transport of the zeroth LL's Weyl fermions. Our results shed light on the unusual role of zeroth LLl mode in transport.The transport behavior of the carriers residing in the lowest Landau level is hard to observe in most topological materials. Here, Liu et al. report a surprising angular dependence of the interlayer magnetoresistivity and Hall conductivity arising from the lowest Landau level under high magnetic field in type II Weyl semimetal YbMnBi2.

Predicting IDH mutation status in grade II gliomas using amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) MRI

PURPOSE

To assess the amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) MRI features of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype and IDH-mutant grade II gliomas and to test the hypothesis that the APTw signal is a surrogate imaging marker for identifying IDH mutation status preoperatively.

METHODS

Twenty-seven patients with pathologically confirmed low-grade glioma, who were previously scanned at 3T, were retrospectively analyzed. The Mann-Whitney test was used to evaluate relationships between APTw intensities for IDH-mutant and IDH-wildtype groups, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of APTw.

RESULTS

Based on histopathology and molecular analysis, seven cases were diagnosed as IDH-wildtype grade II gliomas and 20 cases as IDH-mutant grade II gliomas. The maximum and minimum APTw values, based on multiple regions of interest, as well as the whole-tumor histogram-based mean and 50th percentile APTw values, were significantly higher in the IDH-wildtype gliomas than in the IDH-mutant groups. This corresponded to the areas under the ROC curves of 0.89, 0.76, 0.75, and 0.75, respectively, for the prediction of the IDH mutation status.

CONCLUSION

IDH-wildtype lesions typically were associated with relatively high APTw signal intensities as compared with IDH-mutant lesions. The APTw signal could be a valuable imaging biomarker by which to identify IDH1 mutation status in grade II gliomas. Magn Reson Med 78:1100-1109, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Emerging roles of RAC1 in treating lung cancer patients

The Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (RAC1), a member of the Rho family of small guanosine triphosphatases, is critical for many cellular activities, such as phagocytosis, adhesion, migration, motility, cell proliferation, and axonal growth. In addition, RAC1 plays an important role in cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and migration, and it has been reported to be related to most cancers, such as breast cancer, gastric cancer, testicular germ cell cancer, and lung cancer. Recently, the therapeutic target of RAC1 in cancer has been investigated. In addition, some investigations have shown that inhibition of RAC1 can reverse drug-resistance in non-small cell lung cancer. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in understanding the role of RAC1 in lung cancer and the underlying mechanisms and discuss its value in clinical therapy.

Colossal Magnetoresistance in a Mott Insulator via Magnetic Field-Driven Insulator-Metal Transition

We present a new type of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) arising from an anomalous collapse of the Mott insulating state via a modest magnetic field in a bilayer ruthenate, Ti-doped Ca_{3}Ru_{2}O_{7}. Such an insulator-metal transition is accompanied by changes in both lattice and magnetic structures. Our findings have important implications because a magnetic field usually stabilizes the insulating ground state in a Mott-Hubbard system, thus calling for a deeper theoretical study to reexamine the magnetic field tuning of Mott systems with magnetic and electronic instabilities and spin-lattice-charge coupling. This study further provides a model approach to search for CMR systems other than manganites, such as Mott insulators in the vicinity of the boundary between competing phases.

Effect of ketamine anesthesia on cognitive function and immune function in young rats

The aim of the current study was to explore the effect of the ketamine on the immune function and cognitive function in young rats. The young rats (40) rats were randomly divided into two groups where each group contains 20 rats, such as Group I: normal control; Group II: Ketamine treated group. All group rats received the intravenous injection of treatment for three times and the hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and the immune parameters such as IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 and whole brain IL-1β level were estimated. The cognitive ability effect of the young rats was also tested using the Morris water maze test. In Morris water maze test, it has been found, as the time increases, the latency of the control group and ketamine treated groups rats were gradually decreased, with a significant difference. The latency rate of the control group was unchanged significantly (P<0.05), but after 3 days, the latency has been decreased significantly. The hippocampal neuronal apoptosis of the control group and ketamine treated group rats were found to be 13.5×5.8 % and (2.1×1.4) %, respectively. The level of the serum IL-4 and IL-10 were also found significantly (P<0.05) higher in the ketamine group as compared to the control group rats. The level of the IL-2 was found to be almost similar in both normal control and ketamine group rats. Markedly, the level of the whole brain IL-1β was found to be significantly higher in the ketamine treated group in comparison to the control group rats. On the basis of the above fact, it has been conclude that the ketamine might be able to inhibit the cognitive function as well as immune function.

Insulin receptor binding motif tagged with IgG4 Fc (Yiminsu) works as an insulin sensitizer to activate Akt signaling in hepatocytes

Insulin resistance is a key feature of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Interaction of insulin with the insulin receptor (IR) leads to both its auto-phosphorylation and phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the IR substrate (IRS) proteins, initiating the activation of intracellular signaling cascades. The metabolic effects of IRS are known to be mediated through pathways involving phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase (PI-3K), which result in the activation of Akt signaling. The C-terminal region of the IR ectodomain is required to facilitate the conformational changes that are required for high-affinity binding to insulin. Furthermore, the CH2 and CH3 domains in the Fc fragments of immunoglobulins are responsible for their binding to the Fc receptor, which triggers transcytosis. In this study, we created a fusion peptide of the C-terminal end of the human IR ectodomain with the IgG4 Fc fragment, including an intervening polyG fragment to ensure enough space for insulin binding. We named this new peptide "Yiminsu", meaning an insulin sensitizer. The results of our analyses show that Yiminsu significantly facilitates insulin signaling via the activation of Akt in hepatocytes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further studies are required to determine whether Yiminsu can act as an insulin sensitizer.

Type II deiodinase polymorphisms and serum thyroid hormone levels in patients with mild cognitive impairment

We investigated type II deiodinase (DIO2) polymorphisms and serum thyroid hormone levels in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a Uygur population. We studied the DIO2 Thr92Ala (rs225014) and ORFa-Gly3Asp (rs12885300) polymorphisms of 129 unrelated MCI cases and 131 matched controls. All subjects were genotyped using SNaPshot SNP genotyping assays. Serum thyroid hormone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Levels of serum triiodothyronine and thyroxine in the MCI group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Genotype and allele frequencies in the DIO2 gene between the MCI and control groups were not significantly different. There was no association in genotype and allele frequencies of Thr92Ala between genders in both groups. ORFa-Gly3Asp genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different in patients and controls by gender. The Asp allele was less frequent among male MCI patients compared to controls (odds ratio = 0.471, 95% confidence interval = 0.261-0.848). However, female Asp carriers were more frequent among MCI patients than among controls (odds ratio = 2.842, 95% confidence interval = 1.326-6.09). Serum levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine were lower in individuals of the Ala/Ala genotype than in those with the Thr/Thr or Thr/Ala genotype. Serum levels of triiodothyronine were lower in male Gly/Gly carriers than in Gly/Asp or Asp/Asp carriers. Decreased serum levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine may influence the incidence of MCI in the Uygur population. DIO2 gene polymorphisms may play a role in the incidence of MCI in male patients.

Is thoracolumbar fascia injury the cause of residual back pain after percutaneous vertebroplasty? A prospective cohort study

Some patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures still suffer from back pain after percutaneous vertebroplasty. We have found that osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with thoracolumbar fascia injury are common and that thoracolumbar fascia injury may account for the residual pain after percutaneous vertebroplasty.

PURPOSE

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures are successfully treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). However, some patients still suffer from back pain after the procedure. We hypothesized that there is a relationship between thoracolumbar (TL) fascia injury and residual postoperative pain.

METHODS

This prospective study included 133 elderly patients (age range 55 - 92 years) with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures treated with PVP from February 2010 to March 2012 in our hospital. The patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of TL fascia injury. A visual analog scale (VAS) and the Chinese modified Oswestry Disability Index were used to evaluate the pain before and after PVP.

RESULTS

The mean VAS score and the Chinese modified Oswestry Disability Index in the patients with TL fascia injury were reduced from 9.11 ± 0.76 to 6.4 ± 1.1 and 73.93 ± 1.46% to 44.6 ± 3.1%, respectively, and in the patients without TL fascia injury from 9.26 ± 0.82 to 8.0 ± 1.3 and 73.96 ± 1.38% to 51.7 ± 1.8%, respectively. Pain and disability were reduced more in patients without TL fascia injury than in those with TL fascia injury (both p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There may be a relationship between TL fascia injury and residual back pain after PVP.

Magnetoelectric coupling in the paramagnetic state of a metal-organic framework

Although the magnetoelectric effects - the mutual control of electric polarization by magnetic fields and magnetism by electric fields, have been intensively studied in a large number of inorganic compounds and heterostructures, they have been rarely observed in organic materials. Here we demonstrate magnetoelectric coupling in a metal-organic framework [(CH3)2NH2]Mn(HCOO)3 which exhibits an order-disorder type of ferroelectricity below 185 K. The magnetic susceptibility starts to deviate from the Curie-Weiss law at the paraelectric-ferroelectric transition temperature, suggesting an enhancement of short-range magnetic correlation in the ferroelectric state. Electron spin resonance study further confirms that the magnetic state indeed changes following the ferroelectric phase transition. Inversely, the ferroelectric polarization can be improved by applying high magnetic fields. We interpret the magnetoelectric coupling in the paramagnetic state in the metal-organic framework as a consequence of the magnetoelastic effect that modifies both the superexchange interaction and the hydrogen bonding.

Early extremity MRI findings and pathological synovial changes in antigen-induced arthritis rabbit model

PURPOSE

To investigate the association between early extremity MRI (E-MRI) findings and synovial pathological changes in antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) rabbit model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

AIA was successfully induced in the right knee of 32 sensitized Japanese white rabbits, which were then divided into four groups according to the time of killing after AIA induction: 1-week (Group A), 2-weeks (Group B), 3-weeks (Group C), and 4-weeks (Group D); the left knee served as control in each rabbit.

RESULTS

There were varying degrees of joint effusion in all AIA groups. E-MRI scan showed low signal in T1-weighted images (T1Wi) and high signal in T2-weighted images (T2Wi). Enhanced E-MRI revealed elevated synovial signal at the right knee in the three-dimensional spoiled gradient T1WI, showing linear and band-shaped, diffuse hyperintensity. Histological examination of right knees found scattered inflammatory cell infiltration, swelling, and proliferation of the synovial cells at 7 days after AIA induction and dispersed and disordered proliferation of synovial cells up to 3 layers at 28 days postinduction. The synovial enhancement of right knee E-MRI was consistent with a synovial pathology score for all rabbits (Kappa = 0.965, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

E-MRI can reveal the degree of changes in the joints and synovium at different periods of the AIA model.

Anti-inflammatory effect of purified dietary anthocyanin in adults with hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and previous studies have demonstrated that anthocyanin inhibits atherosclerosis. In the present study, we explored the effects of anthocyanins on inflammatory cytokines in hypercholesterolemic adults and cell lines.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 150 subjects with hypercholesterolemia consumed a purified anthocyanin mixture (320 mg/d) or a placebo twice a day for 24 weeks in a randomized, double-blind trial. Anthocyanin consumption significantly decreased the levels of serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (-21.6% vs. -2.5%, P = 0.001), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) (-12.3% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.005) and plasma IL-1β (-12.8% vs. -1.3%, P = 0.019) compared to the placebo. We also found a significant difference in the LDL-cholesterol (-10.4% vs. 0.3%, P = 0.030) and HDL-cholesterol level changes (14.0% vs. -0.9%, P = 0.036) between the two groups. In cell culture assays in vitro, purified anthocyanin mixture, delphinidin-3-Ο-β-glucoside (Dp-3g) and cyanidin-3-Ο-β-glucoside (Cy-3g) inhibited IL-6 and IL-1β-induced CRP production (P < 0.05) in HepG2 cell line and LPS-induced VCAM-1 secretion (P < 0.05) in porcine iliac artery endothelial cell line respectively in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the reduction of inflammatory cytokines associated with anthocyanin mixture was stronger when compared with the effects of Dp-3g and Cy-3g separately (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Anthocyanin mixture reduced the inflammatory response in hypercholesterolemic subjects. In addition, different anthocyanin compounds were found to have additive or synergistic effects in mediating anti-inflammatory responses in vitro cell culture assays.

Electric-field control of nonvolatile magnetization in Co40Fe40B20/Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))(0.7)Ti(0.3)O3 structure at room temperature

We report a large and nonvolatile bipolar-electric-field-controlled magnetization at room temperature in a Co(40)Fe(40)B(20)/Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))(0.7)Ti(0.3)O(3) structure, which exhibits an electric-field-controlled looplike magnetization. Investigations on the ferroelectric domains and crystal structures with in situ electric fields reveal that the effect is related to the combined action of 109° ferroelastic domain switching and the absence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in Co(40)Fe(40)B(20). This work provides a route to realize large and nonvolatile magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature and is significant for applications.