A phase II trial of amonafide in patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Twenty-seven patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were entered into a Phase II study of amonatide; 24 patients were evaluable for toxicity, while 23 were evaluable for response. Patients received amonafide, 300 mg/m2, intravenously for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks. The median age of patients was 45 years. All but two patients were completely ambulatory. Twelve patients had received prior chemotherapy, while 22 had been treated with radiation therapy. One of 27 (4.3%) patients had a partial response (PR) to this regimen and 13 (56.5%) had stable disease. Sixteen patients experienced a median white blood cell (WBC) nadir of 350/mm3, seven developed life-threatening thrombocytopenia, and one had severe anemia requiring transfusion. Nonhematologic toxicity was mild. Amonafide had insignificant activity in these patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.     

Prediction of rock brittleness using nondestructive methods for hard rock tunneling

The material and elastic properties of rocks are utilized for predicting and evaluating hard rock brittleness using artificial neural networks(ANN). Herein hard rock brittleness is defined using Yagiz’method. A predictive model is developed using a comprehensive database compiled from 30 years’ worth of rock tests at the Earth Mechanics Institute(EMI), Colorado School of Mines. The model is sensitive to density, elastic properties, and P- and S-wave velocities. The results show that the model is a better predictor of rock brittleness than conventional destructive strength-test based models and multiple regression techniques. While the findings have direct implications on intact rock, the methodology can be extrapolated to rock mass problems in both tunneling and underground mining where rock brittleness is an important control.     

单门器件及其对无线系统功耗的影响

今日无线产品设计人员所面对的一大挑战, 是便携设备的功能不断增加但功耗却要持续降低。市场对便携设备的要求是功能更多、外形更小,并同时延长电池寿命、提高功率分配的效率。要满足这种种要求,其中一个途径是了解并实施功耗最小化技术。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis>-space data processing for magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)

Objective

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) requires substantial data processing based on phase image reconstruction, wave enhancement, and inverse problem solving. The objective of this study is to propose a new, fast MRE method based on MR raw data processing, particularly adapted to applications requiring fast MRE measurement or high elastogram update rate.

Materials and methods

The proposed method allows measuring tissue elasticity directly from raw data without prior phase image reconstruction and without phase unwrapping. Experimental feasibility is assessed both in a gelatin phantom and in the liver of a porcine model in vivo. Elastograms are reconstructed with the raw MRE method and compared to those obtained using conventional MRE. In a third experiment, changes in elasticity are monitored in real-time in a gelatin phantom during its solidification by using both conventional MRE and raw MRE.

Results

The raw MRE method shows promising results by providing similar elasticity values to the ones obtained with conventional MRE methods while decreasing the number of processing steps and circumventing the delicate step of phase unwrapping. Limitations of the proposed method are the influence of the magnitude on the elastogram and the requirement for a minimum number of phase offsets.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the feasibility of directly reconstructing elastograms from raw data.

     

Biodegradable Thin Metal Foils and Spin‐On Glass Materials for Transient Electronics

Biodegradable substrates and encapsulating materials play critical roles in the development of an emerging class of semiconductor technology, generally referred as “transient electronics”, whose key characteristic is an ability to dissolve completely, in a controlled manner, upon immersion in ground water or biofluids. The results presented here introduce the use of thin foils of Mo, Fe, W, or Zn as biodegradable substrates and silicate spin‐on‐glass (SOG) materials as insulating and encapsulating layers, with demonstrations of transient active (diode and transistor) and passive (capacitor and inductor) electronic components. Complete measurements of electrical characteristics demonstrate that the device performance can reach levels comparable to those possible with conventional, nontransient materials. Dissolution kinetics of the foils and cytotoxicity tests of the SOG yield information relevant to use in transient electronics for temporary biomedical implants, resorbable environmental monitors, and reduced waste consumer electronics.     

Medial prefrontal lesion deficits involving or sparing the prelimbic area in the rat

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate wound healing of incisions created by the scalpel, electrocautery, CO2 laser, and potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser in the upper aerodigestive tract in an animal model. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized study in an animal model. METHODS: Postoperative oral intake, histologic depth of injury, and tensile mechanical strength were measured in rat tongues after creating incisions using a scalpel, electrocautery, CO2 laser, and KTP laser. An unpaired, two-tailed Student's t-test was used to compare results between the experimental groups. RESULTS: Oral intake, indirectly assessed by postoperative weight loss, by the third postoperative day was significantly decreased in the electrocautery (P = 0.004), CO2 laser (P = 0.001), and KTP laser (P = 0.0001) groups as compared with the scalpel group. The depth of the wound healing, as assessed by histologic examination, was successively greater for the scalpel (75 +/- 13 microm), electrocautery (110 +/- 10 microm), CO2 laser (145 +/- 10 microm), and KTP laser (195 +/- 23 microm) groups. However, this difference was only statistically significant for the CO2 laser (P = 0.006) and KTP laser (P = 0.01) groups relative to the scalpel group. Wounds created by the KTP laser had the lowest strength (76.5 +/- 6.9 kPa) as compared with the CO2 laser (156 +/- 28.4 kPa), electrocautery (153 +/- 15.7 kPa), and scalpel groups (249 +/- 61.8 kPa). This difference was only statistically significant for the KTP laser group (P = 0.02) when compared with the scalpel group. CONCLUSIONS: Wounds created in the upper aerodigestive tract of rats by scalpels result in the least postoperative weight loss, tissue destruction, and decrease in tensile strength, whereas wounds created by the KTP laser demonstrated a significantly greater postoperative weight loss, depth of wounding, and decrease in tensile strength.     

Behavioral risks during the transition from high school to college.

The transition from high school to college is an important developmental milestone that holds the potential for personal growth and behavioral change. A cohort of 2,245 students was recruited during the summer before they matriculated into college and completed Internet-based surveys about their participation in a variety of behavioral risks during the last 3 months of high school and throughout the 1st year of college. Alcohol use, marijuana use, and sex with multiple partners increased during the transition from high school to college, whereas driving after drinking, aggression, and property crimes decreased. Those from rural high schools and those who elected to live in private dormitories in college were at highest risk for heavy drinking and driving after drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)