Backward whirl in a simple rotor supported on hydrodynamic bearings

The asymmetric nature of the fluid film stiffness and damping properties in rotors supported on fluid film bearings causes a forward or a backward whirl depending on the bearing parameters and the speed of the rotor. A rotor was designed to exhibit backward synchronous whirl. The rotor-bearing system exhibited split criticals, and a backward whirl was observed between the split criticals. The orbital diagrams show the whirl pattern

STRUCTURE OF BENZ[A]ANTHRACENE-7,12-DIONE

C18H1002, monoclinic, C2/c, a = 10.918 (1), b = 11.369(1), c = 19.850(1)A, /~= 97.224(7) ° , U = 2444.4 A 3, Z = 8, D,n = 1.41 (2), D c = 1.403 Mg m -3, F(000) = 1072, 2(CuKa) = 1.5418/~, ~t = 0.742 mm -1. 2253 reflections were measured, of which 1039 had significant intensities. Refinement converged to a final R of 0.045. The molecule is approximately planar. Ring C is significantly non-delocalized. Bonds C(3)-C(4) and C(5)-C(6) are short, and indicate pronounced olefinic character for these bonds

Agenator: An open source computer-controlled dry aging system for beef

Dry aging of beef is a process where beef is exposed to a controlled environment with the ultimate goal of drying the beef to improve its quality and value. Comprehensive investigations into the effects of various environmental conditions on dry aging are crucial for understanding and optimizing the process, but the lack of affordable equipment focused on data collection makes it difficult to do so. The Agenator was thus developed as an open source system with a suite of features for investigating dry aging such as: measuring and recording relative humidity, temperature, mass, air velocity, and fan rotational speed; precise control within 1% for relative humidity and 50 rpm for fan rotational speed; robust signal integrity preservation and data recovery features; modular design for easy addition and removal of individual chamber units; and non-permanent fixtures to allow easy adaptation of the system for other applications such as investigating dehydration of food products. The open source system comes with user-friendly computer software for interfacing with the system and creating sophisticated environmental control programs. The Agenator is available to the public at https://osf.io/87nck/

Targeted therapy of advanced gallbladder cancer and cholangiocarcinoma with aggressive biology: eliciting early response signals from phase 1 trials.

PurposePatients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and gallbladder carcinoma (GC) have few therapeutic options for relapsed disease. methods: Given the overall poor prognosis in this population and the availability of novel targeted therapies, we systematically analyzed the characteristics and outcomes for GC and CC patients treated on phase I trials with an emphasis on targeted agents and locoregional therapies.ResultsOf 40 treated patients (GC=6; CC=34; median age, 60 years), 8 (20%) had stable disease (SD) > 6 months, 3 (8%) partial response (PR), on protocols with hepatic arterial drug infusion and anti-angiogenic, anti-HER-2/neu or novel MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitors. Median progression-free survival (PFS) on phase I trials was 2.0 months (95% CI 1.7, 2.8) versus 3.0 months (95% CI 2.4, 5.0), 3.0 months (95% CI 2.3, 4.6), and 3.0 months (95% CI 2.4, 3.9) for their first-, second-, and last-line FDA-approved therapy. In univariate analysis, >3 metastatic sites, elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (>56IU/L), serum creatinine (>1.6mg/dL), and CA19-9 (>35U/mL) were associated with a shorter PFS. Mutational analysis revealed mutation in the KRAS oncogene in 2 of 11 patients (18%). The SD >6 months/PR rate of 28% was seen with hepatic arterial infusion of oxaliplatin, and inhibitors of angiogenesis, HER-2/neu or MEK.ConclusionsThe PFS in phase I trials was similar to that of the first, second, and last-line therapy (P=0.95, 0.98, 0.76, respectively) with FDA-approved agents given in the advanced setting, emphasizing a role for targeted agents in a clinical trials setting as potentially valuable therapeutic options for these patients

A New Approach in Manufacturing of Reverse Vending Machine

Reverse vending machine is a concept or an idea which inculcate the habit of recycling the waste materials. Reverse vending machine will be working by taking recyclable waste into the machine and gives a use full thing as a token of appreciation. The aim of this project is to design and fabricate a reverse vending machine which takes recyclable waste into the machine and displays a token of appreciation. The machine can accept a plastic bottle of 90mm diameter without cap and tin cans can be accepted and crushed and stored. The machine has a capacity of storing 50 plastic bottles and 50 tin cans. There basically two parts, one is the mechanical part and the other is the electronics part. The mechanical part is used to crush the recyclable waste which is kept in the machine so that more plastic and cans can be recycled and stored. The electronics part which consist of sensor and microcontroller, is used to take the correct input and segregate the waste into its respective categories and give a token of appreciation as a LCD display. The whole system is automated by the help of electronics. Combining both parts will give a reverse vending machine. Reverse vending machine will be working by taking recyclable waste into the machine and gives a use full thing as a token of appreciation. With limited resources in the world, we need to start preserving them and put an end to wastage. Being encouraged to recycle through a rewards system.To encourage recycling process we are designing and manufacturing reverse vending machine

Retreatment with anti-EGFR based therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer: impact of intervening time interval and prior anti-EGFR response.

BackgroundThis retrospective study aims to investigate the activity of retreatment with anti-EGFR-based therapies in order to explore the concept of clonal evolution by evaluating the impact of prior activity and intervening time interval.MethodsEighty-nine KRAS exon 2-wild-type metastatic colorectal patients were retreated on phase I/II clinical trials containing anti-EGFR therapies after progressing on prior cetuximab or panitumumab. Response on prior anti-EGFR therapy was defined retrospectively per physician-records as response or stable disease ≥6 months. Multivariable statistical methods included a multiple logistic regression model for response, and Cox proportional hazards model for progression-free survival.ResultsRetreatment anti-EGFR agents were cetuximab (n = 76) or cetuximab plus erlotinib (n = 13). The median interval time between prior and retreatment regimens was 4.57 months (range: 0.46-58.7). Patients who responded to the prior cetuximab or panitumumab were more likely to obtain clinical benefit to the retreatment compared to the non-responders in both univariate (p = 0.007) and multivariate analyses (OR: 3.38, 95 % CI: 1.27, 9.31, p = 0.019). The clinical benefit rate on retreatment also showed a marginally significant association with interval time between the two anti-EGFR based therapies (p = 0.053). Median progression-free survival on retreatment was increased in prior responders (4.9 months, 95 % CI: 3.6, 6.2) compared to prior non-responders (2.5 months, 95 % CI, 1.58, 3.42) in univariate (p = 0.064) and multivariate analysis (HR: 0.70, 95 % CI: 0.43-1.15, p = 0.156).ConclusionOur data lends support to the concept of clonal evolution, though the clinical impact appears less robust than previously reported. Further work to determine which patients benefit from retreatment post progression is needed

Outcomes of Whipple procedure/pancreaticoduodenectomy- an eighteen-year experience at a tertiary cancer care centre in south India

Background: Early postoperative mortality rates after pancreaticoduodenectomy are in the range of 2-5%. Nonetheless, morbidity rates are still at 30-50% calling for apt strategies. The goal of this study was to examine the outcomes in terms of postoperative morbidity and 30-day mortality while additionally reviewing the demographic, clinical and pathological features of patients undergoing Whipple procedure at our government institution and comparing the outcomes with literature. Methods: Data about demographic characteristics, intraoperative findings, postoperative histopathology, postoperative course, early post-operative outcomes, complications, and causes of postoperative death in patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary and pancreatic carcinoma between September 2006-August 2023 were collected and analysed. Results: 45 patients were analysed. Mortality rate was 15.6%. Seven patients died perioperatively; three from cardiac cause (myocardial infarction), two from bile leak and sepsis, one from pulmonary embolism, and one as a result of postoperative hemorrhage. The morbidity rate was 54%. The most common early postoperative complication was delayed gastric emptying (31%) followed by postoperative pancreatic fistula (22%).  The median overall survival of 39 patients was 21±6.5 months. The 5-year survival was 17 months. Conclusions: Considering the fact that postoperative morbidity after Whipple procedure was similar to other centres, but the mortality rate being high, better knowledge about salvage techniques, improvements in perioperative care, use of interventional radiology, and running quality improvement projects to standardize postoperative recovery protocol could help in reducing the mortality and improve the outcome.