Human essential hypertension affects over 75 million people in the United States, and can lead to death due to its several serious health complications such as hypertension-related cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this research was to understand how hypertension could cause physiological changes to the microcirculation, specifically the PO2 dependence of oxygen consumption (VO2) in skeletal muscle of normotensive and hypertensive rats. The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) strain was used as the diseased model, and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as controls to conduct this study. The SHR strain develops hypertension between 5-6 weeks after birth with an average systolic blood pressure of 150 mmHg. By arresting blood flow using an objective-mounted inflatable airbag, PO2 measurements were obtained along with an oxygen disappearance curve (ODC), which was used to calculate VO2 over various ranges of physiological PO2 values. PO2 and VO2 curves were analyzed based on Hill’s equation to fit the data and describe the PO2 dependence of VO2. When compared to the healthy Wistar-Kyoto rats, the SHRs exhibited a higher Vmax, or maximum rate of oxygen consumption. The average maximal rate of consumption by the hypertensive animal models could be a consequence of a “mitochondrial uncoupling” or some disconnect in the mitochondrial oxygen consumption and the normal corresponding ATP production. In conclusion, this project demonstrated that in situ muscle tissue from hypertensive and normotensive rats had a PO2 dependence of oxygen consumption over a wide range of physiological PO2 values and the hypertensive rats consumed oxygen at a higher maximal rate.

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Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien var att undersöka för elitorienterare resultaten vid och korrelationen mellan ett så kallat 5 minuters pyramidtest (5MPT) och ett maximalt test för bestämning av maximalt syreupptag (VO2max) på rullband. Frågorna vi ställde oss var: Vilken korrelation föreligger mellan 5MPT och ett bestämt VO2max på rullband hos elitorienterare? Hur ser en jämförelse ut mellan uppmätt samt beräknat VO2max? Vilken är reliabiliteten för 5MPT? Hur ser ekvationen ut för att beskriva sambandet mellan dessa två olika maxtester? Metod I valideringsstudien deltog 16 elitorienterare (6 kvinnor och 10 män) i åldrarna 17 till 37 år. De två testerna som genomfördes var 5MPT och bestämning av VO2max på rullband. 5MPT är ett skytteltest som är fem minuter långt, där testpersonen (tp) tar sig fram och tillbaka mellan två stolpar (sträcka 5.5 m) där en vertikal trappa (formad likt en pyramid) passeras under varje vända. Antalet vändor, skattad ansträngning samt hjärtfrekvens (HF) registrerades. Utvecklad power (effekt) erhölls genom produkten av vikt, gravitation, antal vändor, höjd på högsta plinten (0,62 m) dividerat med total duration i 5MPT. Testet för att bestämma VO2max utfördes med löpning på ett motordrivet rullband. Under den första minuten av testet sprang tp på en hastighet av 8km/h (kvinnor) respektive10km/h (män) utan lutning. För varje minut ökades hastigheten med 1km/h. Lutningen höjdes med en grad efter minut ett och därefter med 0,5 grader/minut. Testet pågick till dess tp nått sin VO2max. Var 15:e sekund registrerades tp:s HF, VO2 (l/min), VCO2 (l/min), VO2 (ml/kg/min) och respiratorisk kvot (RER) med hjälp av ett datoriserat syreupptagningssystem. Resultat Korrelationen var signifikant och hög (r = 0,89, p<0,0001) mellan utvecklad power på 5MPT och VO2max (l/min) och även mellan antalet vändor på 5MPT och VO2max (l/min) (r = 0,89, p<0,0001) på detta material av elitorienterare. Följande formler, baserade på resultaten från elitorienterarna, kan användas för att predicera VO2max efter genomfört 5MPT: VO2max  (l/min) = (5MPTPOWER – 50,914) / 25,795 VO2max (l/min) = (5MPTVÄNDOR – 74,447) / 9,7668 Slutsats 5MPT uppvisar en stark korrelation med bestämd VO2max sett till power och/eller antalet genomförda vändor. Beräkningsformler för prediktion av VO2max har varit möjligt att beskriva. Se resultatdelen för andra resultat och samband mellan 5MPT och VO2max. / Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to investigate for elite orienteers the results in and the correlation between a so called 5-minutes-pyramid test (5MPT) and a specific maximum oxygen uptake test (VO2max) on a treadmill. The questions we asked ourselves were: Which correlation exists between 5MPT and a specific VO2max on the treadmill for elite orienteers? How would a comparison look like between measured and estimated VO2max? What is the reliability for the 5MPT? How would an equation look like that describe the correlation above? Method In the validity the study 16 elite orienteers (6 women and 10 men) aged 17 to 37 years participated. The two tests that have been carried out were the 5MPT and determined VO2max during running on a treadmill. The 5MPT is a 5-minute-shuttle test, in which the participant moves back and forth in a short interval (5.5 m) over boxes (highest height: 0.62) formed like a pyramid. Power in the pyramid test (5MPTPOWER) was calculated as the product of numbers of laps, body weight, gravity and highest box level divided by time. To determine VO2max the method running on a treadmill was performed. During the first minute the running speed was 8km/h (women)/10 km/h (men) without elevation. Each minute the velocity increased with 1 km/h. The elevation increased with 1 degree after the first minute and thereafter with 0,5 degrees/minute.  The test was finished when the participant had reached her VO2max. Every 15 second the participants heart rate, VO2 (l/min), VCO2 (l/min), VO2 (ml/kg/min) and RER, was registered by means of an online system. Results The correlation between the developed power of the 5MPT and measured VO2max (l/min) was high (r = 0.89, p<0,0001) and also between the number of laps in the 5MPT and measured VO2max (l/min) (r = 0.89, p < 0,0001). The following formulas can be used to predict VO2max after completed 5MPT: VO2max  (l/min) = (5MPTPOWER – 50,914) / 25,795 VO2max (l/min) = (5MPTLAPS – 74,447) / 9,7668 Conclusions 5MPT show a strong correlation with VO2max determined in terms of power and/or the number of completed laps. Calculated formulas for prediction of VO2max have been possible to describe. See results section for other results and relationships between 5MPT and VO2max. / Maximal Aerobic Power versus Performance in Two Aerobic Endurance Tests among Young and Old Adults.Andersson E, Lundahl N, Wecke L, Lindblom I, Nilsson, J.

Les oxydes doubles lamellaires de cobalt et les oxydes de vanadium ont récemment suscité un vifintérêt suite à la découverte de leurs propriétés thermoélectriques prometteuses. Nos efforts visentà synthétiser de nouveaux composés dérivés de ces systèmes en utilisant la synthèse à l'étatsolide, l'échange d'ions et/ou les techniques hydrothermales. Afin de moduler et d'optimiser leurscaractéristiques thermoélectriques, nous avons ajusté la composition des oxydes de cobalt grâce àdes substitutions appropriées. Au sein du dioxyde de vanadium quasi-1D, nous avons considérétrois différentes structures polymorphes : M1, A et B. Nous avons exploré les différents systèmesen construisant l'ensemble des diagrammes de phases. Nous avons également étudié l'effet de lasubstitution du vanadium par le molybdène et le chrome sur la stabilité de ces structurespolymorphes et caractérisé leurs propriétés électroniques en relation avec les mécanismes detransition de phase.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-01-27T14:59:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Tese - Viviane Soares - 2014.pdf: 1975633 bytes, checksum: e3190782e47ad3342d7bdc080356bd0f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-01-28T13:30:31Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Tese - Viviane Soares - 2014.pdf: 1975633 bytes, checksum: e3190782e47ad3342d7bdc080356bd0f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-28T13:30:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Tese - Viviane Soares - 2014.pdf: 1975633 bytes, checksum: e3190782e47ad3342d7bdc080356bd0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-30 / Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its treatment, hemodialysis, favors the increase of comorbidities to patients and the protein-energy malnutrition is the main complication, with consequent wasting of muscle tissue that reduce muscle strength, lung function and oxygenation of body tissues resulting in poor functional capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life of these patients. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare body composition between hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects, to evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness by oxygen uptake ( peak VO2  ) and the effects of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on respiratory function and quality of life of male patients on hemodialysis. A clinical trial was conducted with 62 patients, aged 22-71 years. Body composition was estimated by vectorial bioelectrical impedance and anthropometric measures. Respiratory muscle strength was assessed by manometer to obtain the maximal inspiratory (Pimax) and expiratory pressures (Pemax). Pulmonary function and classification of respiratory disorders were examined by spirometry. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise test performed on a treadmill using the Bruce protocol which was adapted to estimate peak oxygen uptake ( peak OV 2  ). The aspects of quality of life were assessed by questionnaire KDQOL - SF (Kidney Disease Quality of Life - Short Form). The IMT was held for six months during the sessions and always at the first two hours of hemodialysis. Two training devices were used: a specific trainer and a respiratory incentive associated with two breathing exercises. The respiratory function of patients was evaluated before, during and after the inspiratory muscle training. The results were presented in three studies. In the first study, the comparison of body composition between hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects indicated differences for triceps skin fold (p<0.001) and arm circumference (p<0.001), but not for arm muscle circumference and area. The vectorial bioelectrical impedance indicated patients in dehydration and reduced body cell mass when compared with healthy subjects. In the second study was analyzed the usefulness of respiratory parameters to detect patients with poor functional capacity ( peak OV 2  below 70 % of predicted). The Pimax (β=-0.037, p=0.014) and percentage of predicted forced vital capacity - FVC % (β=-0.056, p=0.025) were significant to identify patients with poor functional capacity predictors and the ROC curve established cutoff points for MIP (<74 cmH2O) and % FVC (<79%). In the third study were verified the effects of IMT on respiratory muscle strength, lung function and quality of life of hemodialysis patients. After training muscle strength was found significant increase in respiratory strength in both groups. The group that used incentive spirometry had greater increment to inspiratory strength (39.80%) than the group that used the specific trainer (28.30%). The aspects related to quality of life, found significant differences for the dimensions cognitive function (p=0.03), sexual function (p=0.009) and social function (p=0.04) in the group that trained with specific trainer, and to physical function (p=0.03) in the group that trained with incentive spirometry. The results of this study show that male patients in hemodialysis exhibit differences in body composition when compared with healthy subjects; inspiratory muscle strength and percent of vital capacity predicted for age can be used as predictors of poor functional capacity in this group of patients; and finally, inspiratory muscle training improved inspiratory muscle strength and aspects related to the quality of life of the two trained groups. / A doença renal crônica (DRC) e o seu tratamento, hemodiálise, estão associados com o surgimento de comorbidades, tais como, alterações hormonais, aumento da resposta inflamatória, as doenças cardiovasculares e a desnutrição energético-protéica, com consequente perda de tecido muscular. Essa perda reduz a força muscular respiratória e a função pulmonar e culmina na reduzida capacidade funcional, aptidão cardiorrespiratória e qualidade de vida destes pacientes. Considerando o exposto acima, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a composição corporal, a capacidade aeróbia e os efeitos do treinamento muscular inspiratório (TMI) sobre a função respiratória e a qualidade de vida de pacientes do sexo masculino, submetidos à hemodiálise. Foi realizado um ensaio clínico com 62 pacientes, com idade entre 22-71 anos. A composição corporal foi estimada pelas medidas antropométricas e bioimpedância vetorial. A força muscular respiratória foi avaliada a partir da manovacuometria para obtenção das pressões inspiratória (Pimax) e expiratória máximas (Pemax). A função pulmonar e a classificação dos distúrbios ventilatórios foram examinadas pela espirometria. A aptidão cardiorrespiratória foi avaliada pelo teste de esforço cardiopulmonar, realizado em esteira e com a utilização do protocolo de Bruce que foi adaptado para estimar o consumo de oxigênio de pico ( pico OV 2  ). Os aspectos relacionados à qualidade de vida foram avaliados pelo questionário KDQOL-SF (Kidney Disease Quality of life – Short Form). O treinamento inspiratório foi realizado por seis meses durante as sessões e sempre nas primeiras duas horas da hemodiálise. Dois dispositivos de treinamento foram utilizados: um treinador específico e um incentivador respiratório associado a dois exercícios respiratórios. Os pacientes foram examinados quanto à função respiratória antes, durante e após o treinamento muscular inspiratório. Os resultados foram apresentados em três estudos. No primeiro estudo a comparação da composição corporal de pacientes em hemodiálise com a de sujeitos saudáveis indicaram diferenças para dobra cutânea tricipital (p<0,001) e circunferência de braço (p<0,001), mas, nenhuma para circunferência e área muscular de braço. A análise da bioimpedância vetorial indicou pacientes em estado de desidratação e redução de massa celular. No segundo estudo foi analisada a utilidade de parâmetros respiratórios para detectar pacientes com pobre capacidade funcional ( pico OV 2  abaixo de 70% do predito). A Pimax (β=-0,037; p=0,014) e a porcentagem predita da capacidade vital forçada - %CVF (β=-0,056; p=0,025) foram considerados preditores significativos para identificar os pacientes com pobre capacidade funcional e a curva ROC estabeleceu os pontos de corte para Pimax (<74 cmH2O) e %CVF (<79%). No terceiro estudo foram verificados os efeitos do TMI sobre função respiratória e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes em hemodiálise. Após o treinamento a força inspiratória aumentou, significativamente, nos dois grupos. O grupo que usou o incentivador respiratório teve maior incremento de força inspiratória (39,80%) que o grupo que utilizou o treinador específico (28,30%). Quanto à qualidade de vida, foram encontradas diferenças significativas para as dimensões função cognitivas (p=0,03), função sexual (p=0,009) e função social (p=0,04) no grupo que treinou com dispositivo específico; e para a dimensão função física (p=0,03) no grupo que treinou com incentivador respiratório. Conclui-se que os pacientes, do sexo masculino, em hemodiálise apresentam diferenças na composição corporal quando comparados com sujeitos saudáveis; a Pimax e a %CVF predita para idade podem ser utilizadas como preditores de pobre capacidade funcional nesse grupo de pacientes; e por último, o TMI melhorou de forma significativa a força inspiratória e os aspectos relacionados à qualidade de vida dos dois grupos treinados.

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Ce manuscrit présente une synthèse de mes activités de recherche, réalisées principalement au sein du département Minacom du laboratoire XLIM. Fortement multidisciplinaires, elles sont orientées vers la réalisation de dispositifs et systèmes originaux (intégration des matériaux innovants ou développement des dispositifs MEMS pour l'optique) dédiés à la microélectronique (basses et hautes fréquences) et au domaine de l'optique. Après une première partie résumant l'ensemble des activités de recherche et d'encadrement doctoral, la deuxième partie du manuscrit est dédiée à la présentation explicite des travaux de recherche. Tout d'abord, nous présentons le développement des composants MOEMS (ou MEMS optiques) et leur intégration (comme modulateurs actifs et, en même temps, miroirs de fond de cavité) dans des systèmes lasers à fibre. Nous montrons que l'association de ces modulateurs compacts et rapides au déclenchement de cavités lasers courtes, permet d'obtenir des impulsions laser très courtes, en régime nanoseconde. Ces microcomposants offrent un fort potentiel de miniaturisation et de réduction du coût des sources lasers impulsionnelles à fibre optique et montrent également leur capacité à atteindre des fréquences de fonctionnement supérieures au mégahertz, compatible au régime à verrouillage de modes d'une cavité laser. Leur robustesse et leur faible niveau d'activation (10 V-50 V) en font de bons candidats pour remplacer les solutions de modulations actuels (électro- ou acousto-optiques). Par la suite, nos recherches se sont étendues à l'association des sources lasers avec les propriétés remarquables des dispositifs MOEMS (compacité, faibles pertes d'insertion, achromaticité etc.) pour créer des systèmes lasers impulsionnels complexes : lasers fibrés avec des impulsions nanosecondes de forte puissance crête avec fréquences de récurrence ajustable, systèmes lasers bi- longueur d'onde, système de sélectivité spectrale en utilisant une source de continuum et une matrice de micro- miroirs, multiplexage temporel et spectral de sources lasers à MOEMS pour un fonctionnement à haute cadence etc. Les résultats obtenus permettent d'envisager des développements innovants dans des domaines comme la bio- photoniques (diagnostic ou tri cellulaire, tomographie optique cohérente), télécommunications, microscopie confocale, radar optique, etc. La suite du travail présenté dans ce mémoire concerne la conception et la fabrication de dispositifs reconfigurables pour la microélectronique basses et hautes fréquences (du DC aux fréquences THz) basés sur la transition réversible semi-conducteur- métal (Metal- Insulator Transition - MIT ou transition de Mott) d'un matériau " intelligent " : le dioxyde de vanadium, VO2. Actuellement, les matériaux intelligents font l'objet de beaucoup d'attention de la part de la communauté scientifique à cause de leurs caractères évolutifs et adaptatifs qui font d'eux des candidats potentiels pour de nombreuses applications (transmission de l'information, optoélectronique, matériaux artificiels). Nous avons utilisé les propriétés exceptionnels du matériau VO2 en couches minces pour concevoir et développer de nouveaux concepts de commutateurs et de dispositifs rapides fonctionnant dans les domaines DC, RF -micro-ondes, Térahertz et optique. Nous montrons que dans le couches minces de VO2 obtenus par ablation laser (PLD) ou par évaporation à faisceaux d'électrons, cette transition MIT est accompagnée par un changement rapide et remarquable des propriétés électriques et optiques du matériau (e.g. changement de quatre à cinq ordres de grandeur de résistivité entre les deux états). La transition MIT dans le matériau VO2 peut être initiée de différentes manières : thermiquement, électriquement ou optiquement. Dans un premier temps, nous exploitons l'important changement des propriétés électriques/ diélectriques de ce matériau soumis à un actionnement thermique et électrique pour réaliser des commutateurs micro-ondes en technologie coplanaire, et ensuite des dispositifs plus complexes comme des limiteurs de puissance large bande, des filtres micro-ondes à rejection de bande et à fréquences accordables ou encore des composants hybrides type métamatériaux accordables dans le domaine THz. Les composants intégrant le matériau VO2 présentent des propriétés intéressantes, notamment sur le plan des caractéristiques électriques ou ils montrent un comportement très large bande et de fortes isolations. Ils peuvent se positionner comme des solutions alternatives intéressantes aux technologies classiques (semi-conducteurs et dispositifs électromécaniques) utilisées dans la fabrication de composants millimétriques et submillimétriques. A un niveau plus fondamental (mais avec des applications potentiels très intéressantes), nous avons caractérisé les propriétés électriques fortement non-linéaires des couches minces de VO2 (apparition du phénomène de résistance négative différentielle (NDR) dans leurs caractéristiques courant-tension) et nous avons mis en évidence, la génération d'auto-oscillations électriques dans des dispositifs à base de films de VO2. Ces résultats nous permettent d'envisager dans un futur proche plusieurs directions de recherche innovantes basées sur l'utilisation des matériaux présentant des transitions MIT ou des transitions de phase, sous la forme de couches minces ou de nanostructures (nano-agrégats, nano-fils etc.). La dernière partie du mémoire est dédié aux perspectives de recherche à moyen et long terme en systématisant les directions de recherches que nous poursuivrons dans les prochaines années autour de l'étude et l'intégration de matériaux à propriétés accordables (couches minces ou nanostructures) dans des dispositifs innovants pour des applications comme le traitement de l'information, l'énergie ou la détection de grandeurs physiques variées.

Transition metal oxides and chalcogenides are an ideal platform for demonstrating and investigating many interesting electronic phases of matter. These phases emerge as a result of collective many body interactions among the electrons. The omnipresent electron, depending on its interaction with other electrons and with the underlying lattice, can generate diverse phases of matter with exotic physical properties. The ultimate objective of Materials Science is to provide a complete microscopic understanding of these myriad electronic phases of matter. A proper understanding of the collective quant-tum behaviour of electrons in different system can also help in designing and tuning new electronic phases of matter that may have strong impact in the field of microelectronics, well beyond that predicted by Moore s law. Strong electron correlation effects produce a wide spectrum of ground state prop-retires like superconductivity, Metal Insulator Transition (MIT), charge-orbital ordering and many more. Similarly, different spin interactions among electrons, essentially due to various kinds of exchange coupling, give rise to varying magnetic ground state prop-retires like ferromagnetism, anti-ferromagnetism, spin glass, among others. The main objective of this thesis is to understand and rationalize diverse electronic and magnetic phases of matter in some selected strongly correlated systems. In chapter 1 we have provided an overview of various electronic and magnetic phases of matter which are relevant and necessary for understanding the chapters that follow. The first part of this chapter describes the fundamental concepts of the so called Metal Insulator Transition (MIT). A small section is dedicated to the subtle interactions among electrons and lattice that actually drive a system from a highly conducting metallic state to a strongly resistive insulating state. The second part of this chapter offers a compilation of different magnetic ground states which are discussed in detail in the last two chapters. In Chapter 2, we have explained various methodologies and experimental tech-antiques that have been used in the work reported in this thesis. In Chapter 3, we have provided a detailed understanding of the MIT in different polymorphic forms of Vanadium dioxide (VO2). Although VO2 exhibits a number of polymorphic forms, only the rutile/monoclinic VO2 phase has been studied extensively compared to other polymorphic forms. This phase shows a well-established MIT across ∼340 K, which has been extensively investigated in order to understand the relative importance of many body electron correlation effects arising primarily from on-site Coulomb interactions within the Vanadium 3d manifold, and single electron effects flounced by the dimerization of Vanadium atoms. Unlike the rutile phase of VO2, little is known about the MIT appearing across 212 K in the metastable B-phase of VO2. This phase shows dimerization of only half of the Vanadium atoms in the insulating state, in contrast to rutile/monoclinic VO2, which show complete dimerization. There is a long standing debate about the origin of the MIT in the rutile/monoclinic phase, that contrasts the role of the many-body Hubbard U term, with single particle effects of the dimerization. In light of this debate, the MIT in the B-phase offers a unique opportunity to understand and address the competition between many body and single particle effects, that has been unresolved over several decades. In this chapter we have investigated different polymorphs of VO2 to understand the underlying electronic structure and the nature of the MIT in these polymorphic forms. The MIT in VO2 B phase is very broad in nature. X-ray photoemission and optical conductivity data indicate that in case of VO2 B phase both correlation effects and dimerization is necessary to drive the MIT. We have also established that the correlation effects are more prominent for VO2 B phase compared to rutile/monoclinic phase. In Chapter 4, we have discussed the electronic structure of LaTiO3 (LTO)-SrTiO3 (STO) system. At the interface between polar LTO and non-polar (STO) oxides, an unique two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) like state appears, that exhibits a phenomenal range of unexpected transport, magnetic, and electronic properties. Thus, this interface stands as a prospective candidate for not only fundamental scientific investigation, but also application in technological and ultimately commercial frontiers. In this chapter, using variable energy Hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES), we have experimentally investigated the layer resolved evolution of electronic structure across the interface in LTO-STO system. HAXPES results suggest that the interface is more coherent in nature and the coherent to incoherent feature ratio changes significantly as we probe deeper into the layer In chapter 5, we have investigated the electronic structure of the chemically exfoliated trigonal phase of MoS2. This elusive trigonal phase exists only as small patches on chemically exfoliated MoS2, and is believed to control functioning of MoS2 based devices. Its electronic structure is little understood, with total absence of any spec-troscopic data, and contradictory claims from theoretical investigations. We have ad-dressed this issue experimentally by studying the electronic structure of few layered chemically exfoliated MoS2 systems using spatially resolved X-ray photoemission spec-otoscopy and micro Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with electronic structure calculations. We have established that the ground state of this unique trigonal phase is actually a small gap (∼90 meV) semiconductor. This is in contrast with most of the claims in existing literature. In chapter 6, we have re-examined and revaluated the electronic structure of the late 3d transition metal monoxides (NiO, FeO, and CoO) using a combination of HAX-PES and state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. We have observed a strong evolution in the valence band spectra as a function of excitation energy. Theoretical results show that a combined GW+LDA+DMFT scheme is essential for explaining the observed experimental findings. Additionally, variable temperature HAXPES measurement In chapter 8, we have differentiated the surface and the bulk electronic structure in Sr2FeMoO6 and also have provided a new route to increase the Curie temperature of this material. Sr2FeMoO6 is well known for its high Curie temperature (Tc ∼410 K), half-metallic ferromagnetism, and a spectacularly large tunnelling magnetoresistance. The surface electronic structure of Sr2FeMoO6 is believed to be different from the bulk; leading to a Spin-Valve type Magnetoresistance. We have carried out variable energy HAXPES on Sr2FeMoO6 to probe electronic structure as a function of surface depth. Our experimental results indicate that surface is more Mo6+ rich. We have also demonstrated what we believe is the first direct experimental evidence of hard ferro-magnetism in the surface layer using X Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) with dual detection mode. In the second part of this chapter we have designed a new route to increase the Curie temperature and have been successfully able to achieve a Curie temperature as high as 515 K.