In vivo cranial bone strain and bite force in the agamid lizard Uromastyx geyri

In vivo bone strain data are the most direct evidence of deformation and strain regimes in the vertebrate cranium during feeding and can provide important insights into skull morphology. Strain data have been collected during feeding across a wide range of mammals; in contrast, in vivo cranial bone strain data have been collected from few sauropsid taxa. Here we present bone strain data recorded from the jugal of the herbivorous agamid lizard Uromastyx geyri along with simultaneously recorded bite force. Principal and shear strain magnitudes in Uromastyx geyri were lower than cranial bone strains recorded in Alligator mississippiensis, but higher than those reported from herbivorous mammals. Our results suggest that variations in principal strain orientations in the facial skeleton are largely due to differences in feeding behavior and bite location, whereas food type has little impact on strain orientations. Furthermore, mean principal strain orientations differ between male and female Uromastyx during feeding, potentially because of sexual dimorphism in skull morphology

Precise calibration of LIGO test mass actuators using photon radiation pressure

Precise calibration of kilometer-scale interferometric gravitational wave detectors is crucial for source localization and waveform reconstruction. A technique that uses the radiation pressure of a power-modulated auxiliary laser to induce calibrated displacements of one of the ~10 kg arm cavity mirrors, a so-called photon calibrator, has been demonstrated previously and has recently been implemented on the LIGO detectors. In this article, we discuss the inherent precision and accuracy of the LIGO photon calibrators and several improvements that have been developed to reduce the estimated voice coil actuator calibration uncertainties to less than 2 percent (1-sigma). These improvements include accounting for rotation-induced apparent length variations caused by interferometer and photon calibrator beam centering offsets, absolute laser power measurement using temperature-controlled InGaAs photodetectors mounted on integrating spheres and calibrated by NIST, minimizing errors induced by localized elastic deformation of the mirror surface by using a two-beam configuration with the photon calibrator beams symmetrically displaced about the center of the optic, and simultaneously actuating the test mass with voice coil actuators and the photon calibrator to minimize fluctuations caused by the changing interferometer response. The photon calibrator is able to operate in the most sensitive interferometer configuration, and is expected to become a primary calibration method for future gravitational wave searches.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravit

Precise calibration of LIGO test mass actuators using photon radiation pressure

Precise calibration of kilometer-scale interferometric gravitational wave detectors is crucial for source localization and waveform reconstruction. A technique that uses the radiation pressure of a power-modulated auxiliary laser to induce calibrated displacements of one of the ~10 kg arm cavity mirrors, a so-called photon calibrator, has been demonstrated previously and has recently been implemented on the LIGO detectors. In this article, we discuss the inherent precision and accuracy of the LIGO photon calibrators and several improvements that have been developed to reduce the estimated voice coil actuator calibration uncertainties to less than 2 percent (1-sigma). These improvements include accounting for rotation-induced apparent length variations caused by interferometer and photon calibrator beam centering offsets, absolute laser power measurement using temperature-controlled InGaAs photodetectors mounted on integrating spheres and calibrated by NIST, minimizing errors induced by localized elastic deformation of the mirror surface by using a two-beam configuration with the photon calibrator beams symmetrically displaced about the center of the optic, and simultaneously actuating the test mass with voice coil actuators and the photon calibrator to minimize fluctuations caused by the changing interferometer response. The photon calibrator is able to operate in the most sensitive interferometer configuration, and is expected to become a primary calibration method for future gravitational wave searches.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravit

Flavone acetic acid (FAA) with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) in advanced malignant melanoma. III: Cytokine studies.

Twelve patients undergoing IL-2 and flavone acetic acid (FAA) combination immunotherapy for advanced melanoma were studied throughout treatment for the induction of measurable levels of bioactive TNF, GM-CSF and IL-6 in their serum. This was to assess the extent of secondary cytokine induction in these patients and the possible role of such cytokines in both the toxic and therapeutic responses. The nature of the treatment schedule enabled these cytokines to be measured in response to FAA alone, FAA/IL-2 and FAA alone following IL-2/FAA activation of target cells. A small rise in the serum levels of these cytokines was seen on the initial course of FAA/IL-2 but this was minor compared to the marked elevation in levels 2-8 h following the initiation of the third course of FAA given with or without IL-2 and at a time point which coincided with maximum toxicity in those patients who experienced it. These results show that FAA alone can induce cytokine release from primed target cells. This may be associated with the therapeutic effect and/or toxicity of the agent

Pressure- and stress-induced fabric transition in olivine from peridotites in the Western Gneiss Region (Norway): implications for mantle seismic anisotropy (supporting files)

The effects of pressure, water and differential stress on the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of olivine were investigated by an integrated study on 13 peridotite samples from four areas in the Western Gneiss Region (WGR) of the Norwegian Caledonides. The highly depleted dunites are mantle residues after Archean melt extraction, while the garnet peridotites were formed by refertilization of the dunites via melt percolation in the Proterozoic. These orogenic peridotites were tectonically emplaced into Proterozoic gneisses and metasedimentary rocks of the WGR and were recrystallized under high-pressure (HP) to ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) conditions when the Baltic Shield was subducted beneath Laurentia during the 420–400 Ma Scandian orogeny. The CPOs of olivine, enstatite and diopside were measured using the electron backscatter diffraction technique. The weakly deformed garnet wehrlites and dunites from the HP central WGR (the Gurskøy, Almklovdalen and Tafjord areas) show the A-type olivine fabric defined by the [100] axis subparallel to the stretching lineation and the (010) plane subparallel to the foliation, which may be a relict fabric formed at high temperature and low strain rate in the mantle wedge prior to subduction. The [001](010) fabric (B-type) is observed in strongly sheared HP garnet peridotites and dunites from the Almklovdalen and Tafjord areas, suggesting the dominant activation of [001](010) slip system at high stress and high strain rate. Recrystallized fine olivine grains may develop a fabric different from porphyroclasts and record a gradual fabric transition. The olivine CPO in garnet lherzolites from Otrøy in the northernmost WGR is characterized by the concentration of [001] axes parallel to the stretching lineation and [100] axes normal to the foliation, indicating a prevailing [001](100) slip (C-type fabric) at P–T conditions of <6 GPa and 850–950 °C. Despite very different deformation microstructures, Fourier transform infrared analysis reveals very low water contents (<13 ppm H2O by the Paterson calibration) in olivine for both coarse porphyroclasts and recrystallized small grains, which is consistent with the high-degree partial melting of the peridotites during the Archean. Therefore, a combination of UHP and low temperature plays a more important role than water in promoting the C-type olivine fabric in a dry, cold and deeply subducted continental slab. With increasing subduction depths, the C-type olivine fabric will predominate over the A-type fabric and make the maximum P-wave velocity and shear wave splitting of peridotites normal to the foliation. However, the stress-induced fabric transition in olivine from the A-type to the B-type may be localized in shear zones and not distinguishable in seismic anisotropy observations

Early evaluation of tumour metabolic response using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography:a pilot study following the phase II chemotherapy schedule for temozolomide in recurrent high-grade gliomas

Quantitation of metabolic changes in tumours may provide an objective measure of clinical and subclinical response to anticancer therapy. This pilot study assesses the value of quantitation of metabolic rate of glucose (MRGlu) measured in mmol min−1ml−1to assess early subclinical response to therapy in a relatively non-responsive tumour. Nine patients receiving the CRC Phase II study schedule of temozolomide were assessed with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) scans prior to and 14 days after treatment with temozolomide given as 750–1000 mg m−2over 5 days every 28 days. Tumour MRGlu was calculated and compared with objective response at 8 weeks. Pretreatment MRGlu was higher in responders than non-responders. The responding patient group had a greater than 25% reduction in MRGlu in regions of high focal tumour uptake (HFU). Whole tumour changes in MRGlu did not correlate with response. Percentage change in HFU standardized uptake value (SUV) did discriminate the responding from the non-responding patients, but not as well as with MRGlu. Large differences also occurred in the normal brain SUV following treatment. Thus, MRGlu appeared to be a more sensitive discriminator of response than the simplified static SUV analysis. Changes in MRGlu may reflect the degree of cell kill following chemotherapy and so may provide an objective, quantitative subclinical measure of response to therapy. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Weekly epirubicin for breast cancer with liver metastases and abnormal liver biochemistry.

Thirty-six consecutive patients with breast cancer and liver metastases with abnormal liver biochemistry were treated with epirubicin 25 mg m-2 i.v. weekly. No dose modification was made for abnormal liver biochemistry, but dose intensity was adjusted by delaying treatment according to myelosuppression. The UICC overall response rate according to UICC criteria was 11/36 (30%) and median response duration was 27 weeks. Liver biochemistry improved in a further seven patients. Treatment was well tolerated. Epirubicin given in this way is effective in patients with breast cancer and liver metastases. An initial deterioration in liver biochemistry may occur before there is a response to epirubicin

High-dose therapy including carboplatin adjusted for renal function in patients with relapsed or refractory germ cell tumour: outcome and prognostic factors.

Thirty-one consecutive patients with relapsed or refractory GCT received an HDT schedule including carboplatin, the dose of which was adjusted to measured glomerular filtration rate. There was one HDT-associated death (3%), due to acute renal failure. The 3-year probability of overall and disease-free survival for 21 patients with primary refractory disease or responsive relapse was 60% and 42%, respectively, while none of ten patients with refractory relapse have survived disease free