title: Measurement of temperature-dependent specific heat of biological tissues.
abstract: We measured specific heat directly by heating a sample uniformly between two electrodes by an electric generator. We minimized heat loss by styrofoam insulation. We measured temperature from multiple thermocouples at temperatures from 25 degrees C to 80 degrees C while heating the sample, and corrected for heat loss. We confirm method accuracy with a 2.5% agar-0.4% saline physical model and obtain specific heat of 4121+/-89 J (kg K)(-1), with an average error of 3.1%.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haemmerich
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schutt
authors.forename: Icaro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mahvi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013821:Thermometers; D014018:Tissue Distribution