3,390 research outputs found
Accuracy of computerized tomography in determining hepatic tumor size in patients receiving liver transplantation or resection
Computerized tomography (CT) of liver is used in oncologic practice for staging tumors, evaluating response to treatment, and screening patients for hepatic resection. Because of the impact of CT liver scan on major treatment decisions, it is important to assess its accuracy. Patients undergoing liver transplantation or resection provide a unique opportunity to test the accuracy of hepatic-imaging techniques by comparison of finding of preoperative CT scan with those at gross pathologic examination of resected specimens. Forty-one patients who had partial hepatic resection (34 patients) or liver transplantation (eight patients) for malignant (30 patients) or benign (11 patients) tumors were evaluable. Eight (47%) of 17 patients with primary malignant liver tumors, four (31%) of 13 patients with metastatic liver tumors, and two (20%) of 10 patients with benign liver tumors had tumor nodules in resected specimens that were not apparent on preoperative CT studies. These nodules varied in size from 0.1 to 1.6 cm. While 11 of 14 of these nodules were 1.0 cm. These results suggest that conventional CT alone may be insufficient to accurately determine the presence or absence of liver metastases, extent of liver involvement, or response of hepatic metastases to treatment
Structural and electronic properties of the metal-metal intramolecular junctions of single-walled carbon nanotubes
Several intramolecular junctions (IMJs) connecting two metallic (11, 8) and
(9, 6) carbon nanotubes along their common axis have been realized by using a
layer-divided technique to the nanotubes and introducing the topological
defects. Atomic structure of each IMJ configuration is optimized with a
combination of density-functional theory (DFT) and the universal force field
(UFF) method, based upon which a four-orbital tight-binding calculation is made
on its electronic properties. Different topological defect structures and their
distributions on the IMJ interfaces have been found, showing decisive effects
on the localized density of states, while the sigma-pi coupling effect is
negligible near Fermi energy (EF). Finally, a new IMJ model has been proposed,
which probably reflects a real atomic structure of the M-M IMJ observed in the
experiment [Science 291, 97 (2001)].Comment: 11 pages and 3 figure
Through-membrane electron-beam lithography for ultrathin membrane applications
We present a technique to fabricate ultrathin (down to 20 nm) uniform
electron transparent windows at dedicated locations in a SiN membrane for in
situ transmission electron microscopy experiments. An electron-beam (e-beam)
resist is spray-coated on the backside of the membrane in a KOH- etched cavity
in silicon which is patterned using through-membrane electron-beam lithography.
This is a controlled way to make transparent windows in membranes, whilst the
topside of the membrane remains undamaged and retains its flatness. Our
approach was optimized for MEMS-based heating chips but can be applied to any
chip design. We show two different applications of this technique for (1)
fabrication of a nanogap electrode by means of electromigration in thin
free-standing metal films and (2) making low-noise graphene nanopore devices
Negative differential resistance in nanotube devices
Carbon nanotube junctions are predicted to exhibit negative differential
resistance, with very high peak-to-valley current ratios even at room
temperature. We treat both nanotube p-n junctions and undoped
metal-nanotube-metal junctions, calculating quantum transport through the
self-consistent potential within a tight-binding approximation. The undoped
junctions in particular may be suitable for device integration.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physical Review Letter
Completely Positive Quantum Dissipation
A completely positive master equation describing quantum dissipation for a
Brownian particle is derived starting from microphysical collisions, exploiting
a recently introduced approach to subdynamics of a macrosystem. The obtained
equation can be cast into Lindblad form with a single generator for each
Cartesian direction. Temperature dependent friction and diffusion coefficients
for both position and momentum are expressed in terms of the collision
cross-section.Comment: 8 pages, revtex, no figure
Interference effects in electronic transport through metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes
In a recent paper Liang {\it et al.} [Nature {\bf 411}, 665 (2001)] showed
experimentally, that metallic nanotubes, strongly coupled to external
electrodes, may act as coherent molecular waveguides for electronic transport.
The experimental results were supported by theoretical analysis based on the
scattering matrix approach. In this paper we analyze theoretically this problem
using a real-space approach, which makes it possible to control quality of
interface contacts. Electronic structure of the nanotube is taken into account
within the tight-binding model. External electrodes and the central part
(sample) are assumed to be made of carbon nanotubes, while the contacts between
electrodes and the sample are modeled by appropriate on-site (diagonal) and
hopping (off-diagonal) parameters. Conductance is calculated by the Green
function technique combined with the Landauer formalism. In the plots
displaying conductance {\it vs.} bias and gate voltages, we have found typical
diamond structure patterns, similar to those observed experimentally. In
certain cases, however, we have found new features in the patterns, like a
double-diamond sub-structure.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. To apear in Phys. Rev.
Mean-field calculations of quasi-elastic responses in 4He
We present calculations of the quasi-elastic responses functions in 4He based
upon a mean-field model used to perform analogous calculations in heavier
nuclei. The meson exchange current contribution is small if compared with the
results of calculations where short-range correlations are explicitly
considered. It is argued that the presence of these correlations in the
description of the nuclear wave functions is crucial to make meson exchange
current effects appreciable.Comment: uuencoded file containing 7 LaTex peges plus 3 ps figures. To be
published in Physical Review
Multiple Functionality in Nanotube Transistors
Calculations of quantum transport in a carbon nanotube transistor show that
such a device offers unique functionality. It can operate as a ballistic
field-effect transistor, with excellent characteristics even when scaled to 10
nm dimensions. At larger gate voltages, channel inversion leads to resonant
tunneling through an electrostatically defined nanoscale quantum dot. Thus the
transistor becomes a gated resonant tunelling device, with negative
differential resistance at a tunable threshold. For the dimensions considered
here, the device operates in the Coulomb blockade regime, even at room
temperature.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Numerical Study of Order in a Gauge Glass Model
The XY model with quenched random phase shifts is studied by a T=0 finite
size defect energy scaling method in 2d and 3d. The defect energy is defined by
a change in the boundary conditions from those compatible with the true ground
state configuration for a given realization of disorder. A numerical technique,
which is exact in principle, is used to evaluate this energy and to estimate
the stiffness exponent . This method gives in
2d and in 3d, which are considerably larger than
previous estimates, strongly suggesting that the lower critical dimension is
less than three. Some arguments in favor of these new estimates are given.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, revtex. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
- …