Morphological instability of the solid-liquid interface in crystal growth under supercooled liquid film flow and natural convection airflow

Ring-like ripples on the surface of icicles are an example of morphological instability of the ice-water interface during ice growth under supercooled water film flow. The surface of icicles is typically covered with ripples of about 1 cm in wavelength, and the wavelength appears to be almost independent of external temperature, icicle radius, and volumetric water flow rate. One side of the water layer consists of the water-air surface and growing ice is the other. This is one of the more complicated moving phase boundary problems with two interfaces. A recent theoretical work [K. Ueno, Phys. Rev. E 68, (2003) 021603] to address the underlying instability that produces ripples is based on the assumption of the absence of airflow around icicles. In this paper, we extend the previous theoretical framework to include a natural convection airflow ahead of the water-air surface and consider whether the effect of natural convection airflow on the wavelength of ripples produced on an ice surface is essential or not.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figure

Recommendations related to the analytical equivalence assessment of gene panel testing

Advances in cancer genome care over the past few years have included the development of gene panel testing for various biomarkers. This article summarizes issues and provides recommendations related to analytical performance evaluations for new oncology gene panels. The scope of these recommendations includes comprehensive genomic profiling assays related to gene panel testing that uses histological or serum specimens to detect gene mutations. As a research project of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development Research on Regulatory Science of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, we convened the working group committee that consisted of more than 30 experts from academia, industry, and government. We have discussed the points that should be considered to allow maximal simplification of assessments using clinical specimens in evaluating accuracy and limit of detection in equivalence and analytical performance for three years. We provide recommendations specific to each type of gene mutation as well as to reference standards or specimens used for evaluations. In addition, in order to facilitate the discussion on the analytical performance of gene panel tests by multidisciplinary tumor boards of hospitals, the present recommendations also describe the items that companies are expected to provide information on in their packaging inserts and reports, and the items that are expected to be discussed by multidisciplinary tumor boards. Our working group document will be important for participants in multidisciplinary tumor boards including medical oncologists and genome scientists, and developers of gene panels not only in Japan but also in other countries

Relative angle determinable stitching interferometry for hard x-ray reflective optics

Metrology plays an important role in surface figuring with subnanometer accuracy. We have developed relative angle determinable stitching interferometry for the surface figuring of elliptical mirrors, in order to realize hard x-ray nanofocusing. In a stitching system, stitching angles are determined not by the general method using a common area between neighboring shots, but by the new method using the mirror's tilt angles measured at times when profile data are acquired. The high measurement accuracy of approximately 4 nm (peak-to-valley) was achieved in the measurement of a cylindrical surface having the same curvature as the elliptically designed shape to enable hard x-ray nanofocusing. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.Hidekazu Mimura, Hirokatsu Yumoto, Satoshi Matsuyama, Kazuya Yamamura, Yasuhisa Sano, Kazumasa Ueno, Katsuyoshi Endo, Yuzo Mori, Makina Yabashi, Kenji Tamasaku, Yoshinori Nishino, Tetsuya Ishikawa and Kazuto Yamauchi, "Relative angle determinable stitching interferometry for hard x-ray reflective optics", Review of Scientific Instruments 76(4), 045102 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.186847

Fabrication of elliptically figured mirror for focusing hard x rays to size less than 50 nm

In this study, we designed, fabricated, and evaluated a hard x-ray focusing mirror having an ideally focused beam with a full width at half maximum in the intensity profile of 36 nm at an x-ray energy of 15 keV. The designed elliptically curved shape was fabricated by a computer-controlled fabrication system using plasma chemical vaporization machining and elastic emission machining, on the basis of surface profiles accurately measured by combining microstitching interferometry with relative angle determinable stitching interferometry. A platinum-coated surface was employed for hard x-ray focusing with a large numerical aperture. Line-focusing tests on the fabricated elliptical mirror are carried out at the 1-km -long beamline of SPring-8. A full width at half maximum of 40 nm was achieved in the focused beam intensity profile under the best focus conditions. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.Hirokatsu Yumoto, Hidekazu Mimura, Satoshi Matsuyama, Hideyuki Hara, Kazuya Yamamura, Yasuhisa Sano Kazumasa Ueno, Katsuyoshi Endo Yuzo Mori, Makina Yabashi, Yoshinori Nishino, Kenji Tamasaku, Tetsuya Ishikawa and Kazuto Yamauchi, "Fabrication of elliptically figured mirror for focusing hard x rays to size less than 50nm", Review of Scientific Instruments 76(6), 063708 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1922827

Problems in early diagnosis of bladder cancer in a spinal cord injury patient: Report of a case of simultaneous production of granulocyte colony stimulating factor and parathyroid hormone-related protein by squamous cell carcinoma of urinary bladder

BACKGROUND: Typical symptoms and signs of a clinical condition may be absent in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. CASE PRESENTATION: A male with paraplegia was passing urine through penile sheath for 35 years, when he developed urinary infections. There was no history of haematuria. Intravenous urography showed bilateral hydronephrosis. The significance of abnormal outline of bladder was not appreciated. As there was large residual urine, he was advised intermittent catheterisation. Serum urea: 3.5 mmol/L; creatinine: 77 umol/L. A year later, serum urea: 36.8 mmol/l; creatinine: 632 umol/l; white cell count: 22.2; neutrophils: 18.88. Ultrasound: bilateral hydronephrosis. Bilateral nephrostomy was performed. Subsequently, blood tests showed: Urea: 14.2 mmol/l; Creatinine: 251 umol/l; Adjusted Calcium: 3.28 mmol/l; Parathyroid hormone: < 0.7 pmol/l (1.1 – 6.9); Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP): 2.3 pmol/l (0.7 – 1.8). Ultrasound scan of urinary bladder showed mixed echogenicity, which was diagnosed as debris. CT of pelvis was interpreted as vesical abscess. Urine cytology: Transitional cells showing mild atypia. Bladder biopsy: Inflamed mucosa lined by normal urothelial cells. A repeat ultrasound scan demonstrated a tumour arising from right lateral wall; biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma. In view of persistently high white cell count and high calcium level, immunohistochemistry for G-CSF and PTHrP was performed. Dense staining of tumour cells for G-CSF and faintly positive staining for C-terminal PTHrP were observed. This patient expired about five months later. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates how delay in diagnosis of bladder cancer could occur in a SCI patient due to absence of characteristic symptoms and signs