Fluid dynamics video of domains with spiral dislocations formed in the wake of an enslaved phase-separation front

Enslaved phase-separation fronts that move with a speed just smaller than that of a free front will leave in their wake a morphology of alternating domains that are roughly aligned with the front. However, these alternating domains will typically not be in phase initially. Instead there are defects. Here we present novel phase-separation morphologies that are formed in such systems where the defects are reminiscent of spiral dislocations in crystal growth.Comment: 1 pag

Viscoelastic Multicomponent Fluids in confined Flow-Focusing Devices

The effects of elasticity on the break-up of liquid threads in microfluidic cross-junctions is investigated using numerical simulations based on the "lattice Boltzmann models" (LBM). Working at small Capillary numbers, we investigate the effects of non-Newtonian phases in the transition from droplet formation at the cross-junction (DCJ) and droplet formation downstream of the cross-junction (DC) (Liu & Zhang, ${\it Phys. Fluids.}$ ${\bf 23}$, 082101 (2011)). Viscoelasticity is found to influence the break-up point of the threads, which moves closer to the cross-junction and stabilizes. This is attributed to an increase of the polymer feedback stress forming in the corner flows, where the side channels of the device meet the main channel.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, AIP Conference Proceedings, 201

Enslaved Phase-Separation Fronts in One-Dimensional Binary Mixtures

Phase-separation fronts leave in their wakes morphologies that are substantially different from the morphologies formed in homogeneous phase-separation. In this paper we focus on fronts in binary mixtures that are enslaved phase-separation fronts, i.e. fronts that follow in the wake of a control-parameter front. In the one-dimensional case, which is the focus of this paper, the formed morphology is deceptively simple: alternating domains of a regular size. However, determining the size of these domains as a function of the front speed and other system parameters is a non-trivial problem. We present an analytical solution for the case where no material is deposited ahead of the front and numerical solutions and scaling arguments for more general cases. Through these enslaved phase-separation fronts large domains can be formed that are practically unattainable in homogeneous one-dimensional phase-separation

A European collaborative study of treatment outcomes in 346 patients with cardiac stage III AL amyloidosis.

Treatment outcomes of patients with cardiac stage III light chain (AL) amyloidosis remain poorly studied. Such cases have been excluded from most clinical studies due to perceived dismal prognosis. We report treatment outcomes of 346 patients with stage III AL amyloidosis from the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Greece. Median overall survival (OS) was 7 months with OS at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of 73\%, 55\%, 46\%, and 29\%, respectively; 42\% died before first response evaluation. On an intention-to-treat basis, the overall hematologic response rate was 33\%, including a complete response rate of 12\%. OS rates at 12 and 24 months, respectively, for 201 response evaluable patients were 88\% and 85\% for complete responders, 74\% and 53\% for partial responders, and 39\% and 22\% for nonresponders. Forty-five percent of responders achieved an organ response. Amino-terminal fragment of brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) >8500 ng/L and systolic blood pressure (SBP) <100 mm Hg were the only factors that independently impacted OS and identified an especially poor prognosis subgroup of patients with a median OS of only 3 months. Outcome and organ function of stage III AL amyloidosis without very elevated NT-proBNP and low SBP is improved by a very good hematologic response to chemotherapy