Narrow Inclusions Research Articles

Are we missing opportunities to detect acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in hospital care? A multijurisdictional cohort study.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate potential missed diagnoses of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease during hospital-based care among persons subsequently identified with these conditions.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used linked emergency department and inpatient administrative records from Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, and New South Wales during 2003-2018 (varying between jurisdictions by completeness of data) of all persons first identified with acute rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease while aged 8-24years. Using coded discharge diagnoses from the preceding 3years, we identified presentations (e.g. joint pains or heart murmur without specific identified cause) that potentially mimic and thereby represent a missed opportunity to detect acute rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease. Sociodemographic factors associated with experiencing ≥1 mimic diagnoses were investigated using multivariable logistic regression models.ResultsAmong 1855 persons, 65 (3.5%) (using narrow diagnostic inclusions) and 146 (7.9%) (with broad inclusions) experienced ≥1 mimic diagnosis. Joint disorders predominated. Mimics categorised as 'high-likelihood' (most specific) were more frequent among persons subsequently diagnosed as young adults (18-24years) than as children (8-12years) (odds ratio [OR] 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-4.47), and those from low-risk ethnic groups (including Australian-born non-Indigenous persons) compared with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.02-5.85).ConclusionMissed opportunities to detect acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease continue to occur in Australian hospitals, and present disproportionately among persons from demographic groups considered to be at low risk, suggesting the need for enhanced clinical suspicion in these groups.

Tight Interval Inclusions with Compensated Algorithms

Compensated algorithms consist in computing the rounding errors of individual operations and then adding them later on to the computed result. This makes it possible to increase the accuracy of the computed result efficiently. Computing the rounding error of an individual operation is possible through the use of a so-called error-free transformation. In this article, we show that it is possible to use compensated algorithms for having tight interval inclusions. We study compensated algorithms for summation, dot product and polynomial evaluation. We prove that the use of directed rounding makes it possible to get narrow inclusions with compensated algorithms. This is due to the fact that error-free transformations are no more exact but still sufficiently accurate to improve the numerical quality of results.

Ion beam synthesis of cubic-SiC layer on Si(111) substrate

We have investigated SiC layers produced by ion beam synthesis on Si(111) substrates using different procedures. Bare Si(111) and SiO2∕Si(111) structures were implanted with carbon at 40keV up to a fluence of 4×1017cm−2 at a temperature of 600°C. Postimplantation annealing was carried out at 1250°C for 2h in pure O2 or Ar (with 1% of O2). A SiC layer was synthesized for all the procedures involving annealing under Ar. However, for the samples annealed under pure O2 flux, only that employing implantation into the bare Si(111) resulted in SiC synthesis. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows that, after annealing, the stoichiometric composition is obtained. Transmission electron microscopy measurements demonstrate the synthesis of cubic-SiC layers that are completely epitaxial to the Si(111) substrate. However, there is a high density of nanometric twins, stacking faults, and also narrow amorphous inclusions of laminar shape between the crystalline regions. The procedure based on high temperature implantation through a SiO2 cap, etching the cap off, 1250°C postimplantation annealing under Ar ambient (with 1% of O2), and final etching has shown advantages from the point of view of surface flatness and increased layer thickness, keeping the same layer epitaxy and accurate composition.

Cubic polytype inclusions in 4H–SiC

Multiple stacking faults in 4H–SiC, leading to narrow 3C polytype inclusions along the hexagonal c direction, have been studied using an ab initio supercell approach with 96 atoms per supercell. The number of neighboring stacking faults considered is two, three, and four. The wave functions and the two-dimensional energy bands, located in the band gap and associated with the narrow inclusions, can be reconciled with a planar quantum-well model with quantum-well depth equal to the conduction band offset between 3C– and 4H–SiC. We show that the existence of the electronic dipole moment due to the spontaneous polarization leads to a clear asymmetry of the bound wave functions inside the quantum well, and that the perturbation associated with the change in the dipole moment caused by the 3C–like inclusion accounts for the appearance of very shallow localized states at the valence band edge. We have also calculated the stacking fault energies for successive stacking faults. It is found that the stacking fault energy for two stacking faults in adjacent basal planes is reduced by approximately a factor of 4 relative to that of one isolated stacking fault, indicating that double stacking faults in 4H–SiC could be quite common.

Theoretical Study of Cubic Polytype Inclusions in 4H-SiC

First-principles density-functional calculations of the band structure and wave functions around narrow X-like inclusions in 4H-SiC have been performed. X-like inclusions of various thicknesses, corresponding to two, three, and four stacking faults in neighbouring basal planes, have been investigated. The results for the number of bound states in the inclusion, their energies, and wave functions are well described by a simple one-dimensional quantum-well square potential. The quantum-well property of these inclusions suggests that X-like regions in 4H-SiC are efficient planar traps for conduction band electrons.

Computing narrow inclusions for the solution of integral equations

Interval analysis in connection with modified fixed point theorems is applied to compute close and guaranteed error bounds for he solution of Fredholm and Volterra integral equations of the second kind. The bounds can be obtained automatically by employing interval tools and using inclusions of the kernels and inhomogeneities. The theory of interval analysis is sketched briefly, then Fredholm and Volterra equations aretreated. At last some numerical examples are given.

Effect of periodic system of narrow inclusions on a plane steady temperature field

Finding the complex potential of a plane temperature field perturbed by a periodic system of narrow inclusions reduces to solving a singular integrodifferential equation. The effect of cracks on an arbitrary periodic temperature field is considered.

Morphologic and functional characteristics of bone marrow macrophages from imferon-treated mice

The iron storage macrophage has been isolated from the marrow of Imferon-treated mice and studied in vitro by morphologic, histochemical, and functional tests and isotope labeling techniques. These macrophages on stained preparations are large, many times binucleate cells (up to 150 mu), and show Prussian blue reactivity. In Epon-embedded, stained thick sections they contain elongated narrow basophilic inclusions. These macrophages are actively phagocytic and pinocytic; histochemical studies show that these cells are rich in acid phosphatase, nonspecific esterase, and PAS diastase-resistant activity. Iron storage macrophages do not incorporate the 3H-thymidine. The electron microscopic appearance of this macrophage shows that the cell has ferritin free in the cytoplasm and several types of cytoplasmic granules: those with large quantities of electron-dense ferritin and/or hemosiderin (type A), elongated granules (type B) with moderately electron dense homogeneous matrix and some ferritin at the periphery, and granules with heterogeneous content (type C). The above findings demonstrate that the iron storage cell is a mature macrophage which contains hydrolases, ferritin, and a unique population of cytoplasmic granules which are lysosomal in nature. There is some evidence to suggest that the unusual lysosome (type B granule) occurs after macrophages have ingested erythrocytes.

Morphologic and Functional Characteristics of Bone Marrow Macrophages From Imferon-treated Mice

The iron storage macrophage has been isolated from the marrow of Imferon-treated mice and studied in vitro by morphologic, histochemical, and functional tests and isotope labeling techniques. These macrophages on stained preparations are large, many times binucleate cells (up to 150 mu), and show Prussian blue reactivity. In Epon-embedded, stained thick sections they contain elongated narrow basophilic inclusions. These macrophages are actively phagocytic and pinocytic; histochemical studies show that these cells are rich in acid phosphatase, nonspecific esterase, and PAS diastase-resistant activity. Iron storage macrophages do not incorporate the 3H-thymidine. The electron microscopic appearance of this macrophage shows that the cell has ferritin free in the cytoplasm and several types of cytoplasmic granules: those with large quantities of electron-dense ferritin and/or hemosiderin (type A), elongated granules (type B) with moderately electron dense homogeneous matrix and some ferritin at the periphery, and granules with heterogeneous content (type C). The above findings demonstrate that the iron storage cell is a mature macrophage which contains hydrolases, ferritin, and a unique population of cytoplasmic granules which are lysosomal in nature. There is some evidence to suggest that the unusual lysosome (type B granule) occurs after macrophages have ingested erythrocytes.

Problem with periodicity for a piecewise homogeneous elastic flat plate with narrow elastic inclusions

Problem with periodicity for a piecewise homogeneous elastic flat plate with narrow elastic inclusions

Viscous phase in rocks and the low-velocity zone

The presence of partial melt in the low-velocity zone (LVZ) explains the occurrence of basaltic volcanism and serves as a soft layer for plate tectonics. If it is assumed that the melt occurs in inclusions, theoretical and experimental results show that the effective bulk modulus depends mainly on the bulk modulus of the inclusions and their aspect ratio. The effective shear modulus and attenuation in shear depend on the viscosity, aspect ratio, and frequency of applied stress waves. Only a very small amount of melt in narrow inclusions is necessary to cause a large reduction in shear modulus. The results are consistent with observed variations with depth in the LVZ of compressional and shear waves. However, both effective shear modulus and attenuation in shear are dependent on viscosity and frequency. Consequently, if there is partial melt in the LVZ, velocity and attenuation in, and the shape of, the LVZ are frequency dependent. When short-period and long-period seismic velocity data are combined, the ratio of relaxed to unrelaxed shear moduli in the LVZ is ∼0.83, the viscosity of the melt in the LVZ is found to be approximately 107 poises, and the period at which attenuation in shear has a peak is around 20 sec.