The aim of this study was the in vitro investigation of the change in mechanical properties of a fast-degrading electro-spun polymeric scaffold for the use in soft tissue regenerative implants. Tubular scaffolds were electro-spun from a DegraPol® D30 polyesther-urethane solution (target outer diameter: 5.0 mm; scaffold wall thickness: 0.99 ± 0.18 mm). Scaffold samples were subjected to hydrolyt...

PURPOSE Several robotic delivery systems for prostate brachytherapy are under development or in pre-clinical testing. One of the features of robotic brachytherapy is the ability to vary spacing of needles at non-fixed intervals. This feature may play an important role in prostate brachytherapy, which is traditionally template-based with fixed needle spacing of 0.5 cm. We sought to quantify pote...

PURPOSE We aimed to study the radiation induced brachial plexopathy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with Sequential Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (S-IMRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS This IRB approved study included 68 patients with HNSCC treated consecutively. Detailed dose volume histogram data was generated for ipsilateral and contralateral brachia...

BACKGROUND basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals are commonly found in osteoarthritis (OA) and are associated with cartilage destruction. BCP crystals induce in vitro catabolic responses with the production of metalloproteases and inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1). In vivo, IL-1 production induced by BCP crystals is both dependant and independent of NLRP3 inflammasome. We aim...

Serotonin is known to regulate energy and calcium homeostasis in several mammalian species. The objective of this study was to determine if pre-partum infusions of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the immediate precursor to serotonin synthesis, could modulate energy homeostasis at the level of the hepatocyte in post-partum Holstein and Jersey dairy cows. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows and twelve ...

Tandem computers are employed extensively in heavy volume, OnLine Transaction Processing environments. Tandem systems can be found in 24 of the top 25 US banks; 32 of the top 50 European banks; 250 brokerage and security firms; 60 major insurance companies; and in 40of the world s busiest stock and commodities exchanges. Tandem computers run 75% of all automated teller machine transactions, 66%...

A basic problem facing most labor markets is that workers can neither commit to long-term wage contracts nor can they self …nance the costs of production. I study the e¤ects of these imperfections when talent is industry-speci…c, it can only be revealed on the job, and once learned becomes public information. I show that …rms bid excessively for the pool of incumbent workers at the expense of t...

Pregnancy success is critical to the profitability of cattle operations. However, the molecular events driving the uterine tissue towards embryo receptivity are poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the uterine transcriptome profiles of pregnant (P) versus non-pregnant (NP) cows during early pregnancy and attempted to define a potential set of marker genes that can be valuable for...

This study reviewed prostate volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans after prostate IMRT technique was replaced by VMAT in an institution. Characterizations of dosimetry and radiobiological variation in prostate were determined based on treatment plans of 40 prostate IMRT patients (planning target volume = 77.8-335 cm(3)) and 50 VMAT pati...