Ethanol and cocaine intake by rats selectively bred for oral opioid acceptance

Lines which accept or reject the potent opioid etonitazene, and a randomly bred control line, were assessed for the specificity of selective breeding. Drug-naive subjects from generation 8 were offered a continuous choice between water and 10% ethanol for 20 days. There was no difference between the accepting and rejecting lines in preference for one fluid, or in amount of ethanol consumed. The same rats were then given a choice between water and increasing concentrations (0.08-0.64 mg/ml) of cocaine, 7 days at each concentration. There were no differences among the lines in preference for the drug, but the rejecting line drank more of the cocaine solution than the accepting line. Finally, these rats were subjected to the regimen used in choosing rats for selective breeding, 4 days of a water-etonitazene choice. In their preference for etonitazene the order of the lines was as expected: accepting > control > rejecting. In addition, the accepting line drank more of the etonitazene solution than the other two lines. These data suggest that selection has been rather specific and not for a generalized tendency to become intoxicated.     

Right ventricular arrhythmia in the absence of arrhythmogenic dysplasia: MR imaging of myocardial abnormalities

PURPOSE: To evaluate right ventricular abnormalities with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients with arrhythmia but without arrhythmogenic dysplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 53 patients being evaluated for right ventricular arrhythmia and 15 control subjects, MR imaging was performed to evaluate fixed thinning, fatty replacement, or reduced systolic wall thickening or motion. A diagnosis of idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia or indeterminate was assigned for each patient, and the severity of arrhythmia was categorized. RESULTS: Right ventricular abnormalities were revealed in 32 (60%) of the 53 patients: fixed thinning in 27 (84%), fatty replacement in eight (25%), and reduced wall thickening or motion in 31 (97%). Right ventricular abnormalities were found in 35 (76%) of 46 patients with idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia and in seven (39%) of 18 patients with indeterminate diagnoses (P = .022). CONCLUSION: Mild right ventricular abnormalities are likely sources for arrhythmias, even in the absence of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.     

Investigation of reported anomalies in the electrotransport of interstitial solutes in titanium and iron

The electric mobilities, effective valences, and diffusivities of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in β-titanium were measured in the temperature range of 1335 to 1575°C. The effective valence, Z*, of carbon was determined to be positive and nitrogen and oxygen to be negative, thus confirming a previously reported anomaly in the electrotransport behavior of carbon in titanium. A similar anomaly in the effective charge of nitrogen in γ iron was also investigated. The previously reported negativeZ* value was not supported by the results of this investigation. PositiveZ* values were obtained for nitrogen in both α and γ iron in agreement with those for carbon in these two phases. An analytical method of solving for the various transport parameters was used in this investigation. A mathematical proof of the method and the treatment of errors is described in the paper.     

Male and female subjects in personality research.

Though studies have consistently demonstrated psychological differences between males and females, a review of published research indicated how little this finding influenced the selection of Ss for studies or the interpretation of results. A plea is made to include as easy a measure to obtain as the sex variable in the design. From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2AF82C. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Equilibrium studies on a chi phase-strengthened ferritic alloy

The phase relationships for a quaternary ferritic alloy with promising high temperature properties were investigated. The alloy of interest has the composition Fe-13 pct Cr-1.5 pct Mo-3.5 pct Ti and owes its high temperature strength to the presence of a Chi phase precipitate. A “quasi binary” section representing the phase equilibria up to 1250°C is proposed on the basis of evidence from microprobe, thermal analysis, metal-lographic and X-Ray examinations. There is a marked temperature dependence in the solid solubility of the Chi phase in the ferrite matrix which becomes particularly pro-nounced above 1000°C. An eutectic horizontal has been identified at 1325°C. The Chi phase exhibits a wide range of stoichiometry, extending from the ternary Chi phase, Fe₃₆Cri₁₂Mo₁₀ to Fe₃₆Cr₁₂Mo₃Ti₇ accompa-nied by a regular increase in lattice par-ameter and a decrease in the solidus temperature from 1455 to 1350°C.     

The importance of the lumpectomy surgical margin status in long-term results of breast conservation

BACKGROUND: The impact of the surgical margin status on long-term local control rates for breast cancer in women treated with lumpectomy and radiation therapy is unclear. METHODS: The records of 289 women with 303 invasive breast cancers who were treated with lumpectomy and radiation therapy from 1972 to 1992 were reviewed. The surgical margin was classified as positive (transecting the inked margin), close (less than or equal to 2 mm from the margin), negative, or indeterminate, based on the initial biopsy findings and reexcision specimens, as appropriate. Various clinical and pathologic factors were analyzed as potential prognostic factors for local recurrence in addition to the margin status, including T classification, N classification, age, histologic features, and use of adjuvant therapy. The mean follow-up was 6.25 years. RESULTS: The actuarial probability of freedom from local recurrence for the entire group of patients at 5 and 10 years was 94% and 87%, respectively. The actuarial probability of local control at 10 years was 98% for those patients with negative surgical margins versus 82% for all others (P = 0.007). The local control rate at 10 years was 97% for patients who underwent reexcision and 84% for those who did not. Reexcision appears to convey a local control benefit for those patients with close, indeterminate, or positive initial margins, when negative final margins are attained (P = 0.0001). Final margin status was the most significant determinant of local recurrence rates in univariate analysis. By multivariate analysis, the final margin status and use of adjuvant chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The attainment of negative surgical margins, initially or at the time of reexcision, is the most significant predictor of local control after breast-conserving treatment with lumpectomy and radiation therapy.