The lack of a reliable rechargeable lithium metal (Li-metal) anode is a critical bottleneck for next-generation batteries. The unique mechanical properties of lithium influence the dynamic evolution of Li-metal anodes during cycling. While recent models have aimed at understanding the coupled electrochemical-mechanical behavior of Li-metal anodes, there is a lack of rigorous experimental data on the bulk mechanical properties of Li. This work provides comprehensive mechanical measurements of Li using a combination of digital-image correlation and tensile testing in inert gas environments. The deformation of Li was measured over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures, and it was fitted to a power-law creep model. Strain hardening was only observed at high strain rates and low temperatures, and creep was the dominant deformation mechanism over a wide range of battery-relevant conditions. To contextualize the role of creep on Li-metal anode behavior, examples are discussed for solid-state batteries, "dead" Li, and protective coatings on Li anodes. This work suggests new research directions and can be used to inform future electrochemical-mechanical models of Li-metal anodes.

Statistics. More information about statistics is available in the Supplemental Methods. Study approval. All animal procedures were carried out in accordance with the guidelines provided in the Guide for the Use and Care of Laboratory Animals (National Academies Press, 2011) and were approved by the IACUC of the University of Michigan (PRO0007930).

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) of solid tumors is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat primary or metastatic cancer lesions via needle targeted thermal energy transfer. Some of the most common tumor lesions treated using PRFA include those within the liver, lungs and kidneys. Additionally, bone, thyroid, and breast lesions can also be treated. In most cases, this procedure is performed outside of the operating room in a specialized radiology suite. As a result, the clinician must adapt in many cases to the specific environmental issues attendant to providing anesthesia outside the operating room, including the lack of availability of an anesthesia machine in some cases, and frequently a lack of adequate scavenging and other specialized monitoring and equipment. At this time, routine practice and anesthetic prescriptions for PRFA can vary widely, ranging from patients receiving local anesthesia alone, to monitored anesthesia care, to regional anesthesia, to combined regional and general anesthesia. The choice of anesthetic technique will depend on tumor location and practitioner experience. This review aims to summarize the current state of the art in terms of anesthetic techniques for patients undergoing PRFA of solid tumors.

The urinary bladder is a highly dynamic organ, that undergoes large deformations several times a day. Mechanical characteristics of the tissue are crucial in determining the function, and dysfunction, of the organ. Yet, literature reporting on the mechanical properties of human bladder tissue is scarce and, at times, contradictory. In this study, we focused on mechanically testing tissue from both human and pig bladders using identical protocols, to validate the use of pigs as a model for the human bladder. Furthermore, we tested the effect on tissue mechanical properties of two treatments, elastase to digest elastin fibers and oxybutynin to reduce smooth muscle cells spasticity, as well as of the anatomical direction of testing. We also implemented two different material models to aid in the interpretation of the experimental results. We found that human tissue behaves similarly to pig tissue at high deformations (collagen-dominated behavior) while we detected differences between the species at low deformations (amorphous matrix-dominated behavior). Our results also suggest that elastin could play a role in determining the behavior of the collagen fibers network. Finally, we confirmed the anisotropy of the tissue which reached higher stresses in the transverse when compared to the longitudinal direction.

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