Existing soft actuators have persistent challenges that restrain the potential of soft robotics, highlighting a need for soft transducers that are powerful, high-speed, efficient, and robust. We describe a class of soft actuators, termed hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators, which harness a mechanism that couples electrostatic and hydraulic forces to achieve a variety of actuation modes. We introduce prototypical designs of HASEL actuators and demonstrate their robust, muscle-like performance as well as their ability to repeatedly self-heal after dielectric breakdown-all using widely available materials and common fabrication techniques. A soft gripper handling delicate objects and a self-sensing artificial muscle powering a robotic arm illustrate the wide potential of HASEL actuators for next-generation soft robotic devices.

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To test the hypothesis that endurance training Is associated with a decreased llpemla after a high fat meal, 16 young men [22 to 34 years old, nine of whom were trained (T) and seven of whom were untrained (UT)] were recruited. T ran >30 or blked >100 miles a week, while UT had been sedentary for at least the preceding 3 months. Dally caloric Intake and dally caloric expenditure during exercise were 35% and 704% greater, respectively, In T than In UT. V O i^ was 31% greater, while percent body fat was 36% lower In T than In UT. Dietary composition and body height and weight were similar. After a fasting blood sample was taken, the men ate a high fat meal (approximately 56% of total calories as fat In 1100 kcal adjusted to body weight), and additional blood samples were taken hourly for 8 hours. Fasting llplds were similar. Postprandial peak trtglyceride (TGw), percent TG Increase (%TGI), and total llpemlc response (TLR, the area under the llpemla curve In excess of fasting TG) were 42%, 54%, and 75% greater, respectively, In UT vs. T. Stepwlse regression analysis showed that the same three-variable model (training status, fasting TG, and VOJ™,) described the variation In T G^ (/7'=0.97), %TGI (ft'=0.75), and TLR (ft 2 =0.92). Furthermore, this same analysis showed that after adjustment for fasting TG and VOftn.,, the UT group had a significantly greater postprandial llpemla whether expressed as T G^ (/X0.0001), %TGI (p=0.0002), or TLR (p=0.0002). Thus, endurance training appears to be associated with a diminished llpemla after a high fat meal in young adult men. (Arteriosclerosis 9:217-223, March/April 1989) A therosclerosis is the major underlying cause of death and disability in Western society.1 Most research dealing with the etiology of atherosclerotic vascular disease has linked elevated postabsorptive blood cholesterol and low density lipoproteins with an increased risk of developing the disease. In contrast, little attention has been paid to fat tolerance, which may be defined as the plasma triglyceride (TG) response to a fatty meal.2 However, the magnitude of the triglyceridemic response to a standard fatty meal (postprandial lipemia) differs substantially among apparently healthy individuals who are considered normolipidemic on the basis of fasting blood lipid values.3 Even among apparently normolipidemic individuals, the variability in postprandial lipemia may be pathophysiological, since a significant lipemia may persist throughout most of the day in normal adults consuming fatty foods over three meals. 4 In fact, recent work by Zilversmit 3 suggests that postprandial metabolism of TGrich lipoproteins may constitute an atherogenic process in individuals who chronically eat a diet rich in fat and cholesterol. Furthermore, Engelberg 6 has recently reviewed some older literature, which suggests that tissue hypoxia Received January 4,1988; revision accepted October 24,1988. can also result from this postprandial lipemia and that this hypoxia may also be atherogenic. Thus, if the rate of atherogenesis ...

Exposure of HeLa and L cells to chloramphenicol causes a progressive dose-dependent decrease in cytochrome oxidase and succinate-cytochrome c reductase activities, concomitant with an increase in the amount of cytochrome c . At 2-3 days, the specific activities of the enzymes have fallen to about one-half of control values ; the mitochondria appear swollen . By day 5, enzyme activities are about one-quarter of control values ; the mitochondria are more swollen, with disorientation and disintegration of cristae . By day 6-8, after three generations, growth has stopped, enzyme activities are approximately the same as on day 5, and cytochrome c content has reached 170% of control value. Mitochondria show severe changes, cristae being affected more than peripheral inner membrane . The number of profiles continues to be nearly normal . After 30 days, cytochrome oxidase activity remains low but now there are mitochondria in intermediate and condensed configuration . There is a gradual accumulation in the cytoplasm of smooth membrane elements . If chloramphenicol is removed, cells recover . Ethidium bromide treatment for up to 8 days yields results virtually identical to those obtained with chloramphenicol . Cells treated with 10-' M KCN show a decrease in cytochrome oxidase activity to about one-third of control value and an elevated amount of cytochrome c . Only a small number of mitochondria appear damaged . Autochthonous mitochondrial syntheses appear to be essential for the organization of the cristae . When cytochrome oxidase activity is impaired, a regulatory mechanism for cytochrome biosynthesis geared to mitochondrial function may be lacking, resulting in an increase in cytochrome c content .imbalance of cytochrome syntheses (7, 8) accompanied by defects in mitochondrial ultrastructure

In these immunoturbidimetric assays developed for apolipoproteins A, AI, AII, and B we used the Cobas-Bio centrifugal analyzer and commercially available antisera and calibrators. Within-day and within-run precision ranged from 1.0 to 5.8% for the four assays. The addition of bilirubin, up to 150 mg/L, or hemoglobin, 50 g/L, to sera did not interfere with the measurement of these apolipoproteins. Comparison of results of the immunoturbidimetric assays with those of radial immunodiffusion assays yielded slopes of 1.002, 0.822, and 0.957 and intercepts of -0.02, 0.47, and 0.03 g/L for apolipoproteins B, A, and AI, respectively. Reference intervals for the four apolipoproteins were determined by using sera from 193 apparently healthy individuals.

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An insulin-containing ovarian carcinoid was found at the autopsy of a 63-year-old woman with a 12-year history of episodic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. In terms of histology, the carcinoid displayed both insular and trabecular patterns and contained a small focus of mucinous cystadenoma. Beta secretory granules were demonstrated by electron microscopy, and immunoreactivity for insulin was demonstrated in tumor cell cytoplasm by immunohistochemistry. Additional autopsy findings included a solitary parathyroid adenoma and a microscopic focus of pituitary hyperplasia. This is the first recorded case of insulin production by a primary ovarian neoplasm. The patient's constellation of endocrine findings may represent a variant of the syndrome of type I multiple endocrine neoplasia.