bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Entrainment by a Refrigerated Air Curtain Down a Wall
Authors: Bhattacharjee Pratik , Loth Eric
Published: December 2004

Thermal entrainment is important as it adversely affects energy consumption and evaporator humidity levels of refrigerated air curtain display cases, often at transitional Reynolds numbers. In order to get a more fundamental understanding of the mean and unsteady thermal entrainment processes, the shelf structure of a display case has been idealized to that of a plane, adiabatic wall subjected to refrigerated wall jets at laminar and transitional flow conditions. The wall jets are studied at different inflow profiles, Reynolds numbers, and Richardson numbers to investigate the effect on thermal entrainment rates. The primary simulation technique was direct numerical simulation of the Navier–Stokes equations in two dimensions for the low and moderate Reynolds numbers (though three-dimensional simulations were also conducted). At higher Reynolds numbers, a conventional Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes approach was employed, which was found to give reasonable agreement with the above approach at a wall jet (early-transitional) Reynolds number of 2000. In general, the results yielded a significant variation in entrainment as a function of Reynolds number, with a minimum occurring at flow speeds immediately prior to transition. The entrainment rates were also sensitive to the initial velocity distribution, whereby a constant gradient profile (where any local velocity-gradient peaks were minimized) provided the least entrainment. Entrainment was also found to decrease with increasing Richardson number.
Numerical Analysis of Fully Developed Flow in Curved Square Ducts With Internal Fins
Authors: Papadopoulos P. K. , Hatzikonstantinou P. M.
Published: December 2004

The laminar incompressible flow in a curved square duct with two or four internal longitudinal fins is studied numerically with the SIMPLE method. The results show an increase of the friction factor depending on the fin height and the Dean number. The visualization of the flow reveals the existence of complex flow patterns in the transverse plane of the channel, where up to ten vortices are found to form. The effect of the curvature on the friction factor is examined and a functional relation for the latter is developed in terms of the Dean number and the fin height.
Three-dimensional Hybrid Continuum-Atomistic Simulations For Multiscale Hydrodynamics
Authors: Wijesinghe H. S. , Hornung R. D. , Garcia A. L. , Hadjiconstantinou N. G.
Published: December 2004

We present an adaptive mesh and algorithmic refinement (AMAR) scheme for modeling multi-scale hydrodynamics. The AMAR approach extends standard conservative adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) algorithms by providing a robust flux-based method for coupling an atomistic fluid representation to a continuum model. The atomistic model is applied locally in regions where the continuum description is invalid or inaccurate, such as near strong flow gradients and at fluid interfaces, or when the continuum grid is refined to the molecular scale. The need for such “hybrid” methods arises from the fact that hydrodynamics modeled by continuum representations are often under-resolved or inaccurate while solutions generated using molecular resolution globally are not feasible. In the implementation described herein, Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) provides an atomistic description of the flow and the compressible two-fluid Euler equations serve as our continuum-scale model. The AMR methodology provides local grid refinement while the algorithm refinement feature allows the transition to DSMC where needed. The continuum and atomistic representations are coupled by matching fluxes at the continuum-atomistic interfaces and by proper averaging and interpolation of data between scales. Our AMAR application code is implemented in C++ and is built upon the SAMRAI (Structured Adaptive Mesh Refinement Application Infrastructure) framework developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. SAMRAI provides the parallel adaptive gridding algorithm and enables the coupling between the continuum and atomistic methods.
Factorial Design Applied to CFD
Authors: Cervantes Michel J. , Engstro¨m T. Fredrik
Published: December 2004

Factorial design, a statistical method widely used for experiments, and its application to CFD are discussed. The aim is to propose a systematic, objective, and quantitative method for engineers to design a set of simulations in order to evaluate main and joint effects of input parameters on the numerical solution. The input parameters may be experimental uncertainty on boundary conditions, unknown boundary conditions, grid, differencing schemes, and turbulence models. The complex flow of the Turbine-99 test case, a hydropower draft tube flow, is used to illustrate the method, where four factors are chosen to perform a 24 factorial design. The radial velocity at the inlet (not measured) is shown to have an important influence on the pressure recovery (7%) and the energy loss factor (49%).
Geometric misalignment and calibration in cone‐beam tomography
Authors: von Smekal Lorenz , Kachelrieß Marc , Stepina Elizaveta , Kalender Willi A.
Published: December 2004

We present a new high‐precision method for the geometric calibration in cone‐beam computed tomography. It is based on a Fourier analysis of the projection‐orbit data, recorded with a flat‐panel area detector, of individual point‐like objects. For circular scan trajectories the complete set of misalignment parameters which determine the deviation of the detector alignment from the ideal scan geometry are obtained from explicit analytic expressions. To derive these expressions we show how to disentangle the problems of calculating misalignment parameters and point coordinates. The calculation of the coordinates of the point objects inside the scanned volume, in units of the distance from the focal spot to the center of rotation, is then possible analytically likewise. We simulate point‐projection data on a misaligned detector with various amounts of randomness added to mimic measurement uncertainties. This data is then employed in our calibration to validate the method by comparing the resulting misalignment parameters and point coordinates to the known true ones. We also present our implementation and results for the geometric calibration of micro‐CT systems. The effectiveness of the corresponding misalignment correction in reducing image artifacts is exemplified by reconstructed micro‐CT images.
Adaptive radiation therapy for compensation of errors in patient setup and treatment delivery
Authors: Rehbinder Henrik , Forsgren Camilla , Löf Johan
Published: December 2004

In this paper, an adaptive radiation therapy algorithm is derived and evaluated using numerical simulations. Patient setup errors are considered and an off‐line adaptive method to compensate for the effect of these is provided. The method consists of two parts, one for correction of patient position to account for the systematic error, and one for modulation of the fluence profiles to account for the random errors. The method is based on standard control theory for linear systems. It is investigated if this adaptive method can replace the use of a planning target volume (PTV) and therefore increase the possibilities to escalate the dose. Numerical simulations of treatments of a prostate patient indicate that this is the case. The simulations show that better organ‐at‐risk protection can be achieved when using the adaptation algorithm to correct for the geometrical uncertainties than when using a PTV.
Dosimetric characteristics of the Leipzig surface applicators used in the high dose rate brachy radiotherapy
Authors: Niu Hongquan , Hsi Wen C. , Chu James C. H. , Kirk Michael C. , Kouwenhoven Erik
Published: December 2004

The nucletron Leipzig applicator is designed for (HDR) brachy radiotherapy of surface lesions. The dosimetric characteristics of this applicator were investigated using simulation method based on Monte Carlo N‐particle (MCNP) code and phantom measurements. The simulation method was validated by comparing calculated dose rate distributions of nucletron microSelectron HDR source against published data. Radiochromic films and metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) detectors were used for phantom measurements. The double exposure technique, correcting the nonuniform film sensitivity, was applied in the film dosimetry. The linear fit of multiple readings with different irradiation times performed for each MOSFET detector measurement was used to obtain the dose rate of each measurement and to correct the source transit‐time error. The film and MOSFET measurements have uncertainties of 3%–7% and 3%–5%, respectively. The dose rate distributions of the Leipzig applicator with opening calculated by the validated MC method were verified by measurements of film and MOSFET detectors. Calculated two‐dimensional planar dose rate distributions show similar patterns as the film measurement. MC calculated dose rate at a reference point defined at depth on the applicator's central axis is 7% lower than the film and 3% higher than the MOSFET measurements. The dose rate of a Leipzig applicator with opening at reference point is . The MC calculated depth dose rates and profiles were tabulated for clinic use.
Determination of the modulation transfer function using the edge method: Influence of scattered radiation
Authors: Neitzel Ulrich , Buhr Egbert , Hilgers Gerhard , Granfors Paul R.
Published: December 2004

The edge method for measuring the modulation transfer function (MTF) has recently gained popularity due to its simplicity and appropriateness particularly for digital imaging systems. Often edge test devices made of rather thin metal sheets are used, which are semitransparent to x rays and may generate scattered radiation. The effect of this scattered radiation on the determined MTF was investigated both theoretically (assuming an ideal detector) and experimentally using a CsI‐based digital detector. It was found that the MTF increases due to the scattered radiation for all spatial frequencies larger than . The theoretical model developed in this study predicts that the maximum error compared to the true detector MTF is given by , where is the attenuated fraction and is the scattered fraction reaching the detector, relative to the incident radiation. Theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement for radiation qualities corresponding to general radiography (RQA3, RQA5, and RQA7), whereas for chest beam quality (RQA9) the experimentally observed MTF error is larger than predicted by the simple model, possibly because the energy response of the CsI‐based detector differs from that of an ideal one. The theoretical MTF error reaches a value of 18% for a thick lead edge of RQA9. Since the MTF enters squared into the determination of the detective quantum efficiency (DQE), an error of at least 36% in DQE may result when using this edge test device. In conclusion, the use of fully absorbing edge material is advised for MTF determination with the edge method.
The influence of antiscatter grids on soft‐tissue detectability in cone‐beam computed tomography with flat‐panel detectors
Authors: Siewerdsen J. H. , Moseley D. J. , Bakhtiar B. , Richard S. , Jaffray D. A.
Published: December 2004

The influence of antiscatter x‐ray grids on image quality in cone‐beam computed tomography (CT) is evaluated through broad experimental investigation for various anatomical sites (head and body), scatter conditions (scatter‐to‐primary ratio (SPR) ranging from to 150%), patient dose, and spatial resolution in three‐dimensional reconstructions. Studies involved linear grids in combination with a flat‐panel imager on a system for kilovoltage cone‐beam CT imaging and guidance of radiation therapy. Grids were found to be effective in reducing x‐ray scatter “cupping” artifacts, with heavier grids providing increased image uniformity. The system was highly robust against ring artifacts that might arise in CT reconstructions as a result of gridline shadows in the projection data. The influence of grids on soft‐tissue detectability was evaluated quantitatively in terms of absolute contrast, voxel noise, and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) in cone‐beam CT reconstructions of “head” and “body” cylindrical phantoms. Imaging performance was investigated qualitatively in observer preference tests based on patient images (pelvis, abdomen, and head‐and‐neck sites) acquired with and without antiscatter grids. The results suggest that although grids reduce scatter artifacts and improve subject contrast, there is little strong motivation for the use of grids in cone‐beam CT in terms of CNR and overall image quality under most circumstances. The results highlight the tradeoffs in contrast and noise imparted by grids, showing improved image quality with grids only under specific conditions of high x‐ray scatter , high imaging dose , and low spatial resolution (voxel size ).
Guesswork and guilt—the mind of a suicide
Authors: Berry P
Published: December 2004

This is an imagined dialogue between the ghost of a young suicide and an old schoolfriend. The living discussant, a doctor now, regrets that he did not realise how deeply troubled his friend was, and wants to know if and in what way he could have dissuaded the depressed schoolboy from his irrevocable decision. The ghost, however, confident in death, free from mental anguish, challenges the doctor’s presumptions. What right does he, does society have, to stop, detain, dissuade, and “cure” those who wish to kill themselves? The issues of sanity, free will, and societal judgment are explored in an encounter that can never take place, but which sheds light on the thought processes of the suicidal.
Serjeant Musgrave’s disease
Authors: Langley G E
Published: December 2004

The present title takes a liberty with the title of playwright John Arden’sSerjeant Musgrave’s Dance, but not with the text. Toward the end of the play, Serjeant Musgrave exclaims “There used to be my duty: now there’s a disease”. So what is the serjeant’s “disease”? The play, subtitled “an unhistoric parable” is a commentary on an unspecified late 19th century war in a British protectorate as experienced by four soldiers, now returned to England and visiting a North country colliery town, ostensibly to recruit, but with a deeper motive not initially apparent. Readers ofMedical Humanitieswill know that the arts hold more for doctors than direct clinical relevance, and this play is no exception. There is a powerful account, not inappropriate at the present time, of the disruptive effects of war and violence on the soldiers involved, their families, and the civilian populations. War is contrasted with the industrial unrest in the local colliery. My present concern is to examine Serjeant Musgrave’s mental state, and the dynamics within his band.
Amelioration of Diabetic Nephropathy by Dried Rehmanniae Radix (Di Huang) Extract
Authors: Yokozawa Takako , Kim Hyun Young , Yamabe Noriko
Published: December 2004

The effects of dried Rehmanniae Radix (Di Huang) extract were investigated using a diabetic nephropathy model: rats given streptozotocin after nephrectomy. The results showed that this crude drug reduced the magnitudes of the increases in glucose, urea nitrogen, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and thiobarbituric acid (TBA)-reactive substance levels, with the effects being most marked in the high blood glucose group. The renal histopathological lesions, which were conspicuous in rats not given dried Rehmanniae Radix extract, were ameliorated considerably in the high blood glucose group given this extract. It appears that dried Rehmanniae Radix extract may be useful as a therapeutic agent for inhibiting the progression of diabetic nephropathy. On the basis of these results, the possible mechanisms of action of this crude drug are discussed.
Influence of Ganoderma lucidum on Blood Biochemistry and Immunocompetence in Horses
Authors: Lai Shao-Wen , Lin Jen-Hsou , Lai Shiow-Suey , Wu Ying-Ling
Published: December 2004

The characteristic ingredients of Ganoderma lucidum, such as polysaccharides, triterpenoids, nucleic acids and small proteins, have been found and proved to have many special pharmacological properties. Mice and rats have been extensively used to investigate the effects of G. lucidum. Experiments with horses as an animal model for investigating the effects of G. lucidum have never been reported. The purpose of this investigation was to understand the influence of G. lucidum feeding on blood biochemistry and immunocompetence in horses. Complete blood count (CBC) and blood biochemistry were surveyed routinely. Cellular-mediated immunity was monitored by flow cytometry to survey the percentage changes of CD5+, CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). The effect of G. lucidum on humoral immunity was experimented by fast plate agglutination test to survey the change and manifestation of the titer of specific anti-egg albumin antibodies in the serum after egg albumin injection. The findings on CBC and blood biochemistry indicated that G. lucidum was quite safe to horses. Experimental result on cell-mediated immunity showed that G. lucidum could increase the percentage of CD5+, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes in PBLs (p<0.001). Experimental result on humoral immunity showed that G. lucidum could help the horses to produce a significantly higher quantity of specific antibodies in a shorter time (p<0.001).
The Treatment of Allergies Using Sanfujiu: A Method of Applying Chinese Herbal Medicine Paste to Acupoints on Three Peak Summer Days
Authors: Tai Chen-Jei , Chien Li-Yin
Published: December 2004

Sanfujiu is a method of applying herbal drug paste onto acupoints Fengmen and Feishu during the 3 hottest summer days, to treat patients with allergies using traditional Chinese medicine. The objectives of this study were to describe the immediate reactions (adverse effects and perceived efficacy) to the Sanfujiu treatment, and examine the variations in the prevalence of the reactions to and perceived efficacy of Sanfujiu among different sub-groups, based on patient age and diagnosis. The study subjects included 119 patients who completed Sanfujiu treatment at a regional hospital in Taipei. One week after treatment, trained interviewers conducted telephone interviews with the patients. More than 80% of the patients reported having reactive symptoms after using the Sanfujiu treatment. Younger subjects (≤16 years of age) were more likely to have reactive symptoms. Patients with rhinitis were more likely to have runny noses and nasal congestion after the treatment. Patients with allergic eczema were more likely to have skin itching all over the body. Overall, 44.6% of patients perceived the treatment as being effective, while 52.1% of patients did not notice any effects, either good or bad, from the treatment. The perceived efficacy of Sanfujiu treatment was not related to patient age, sex, or diagnosis. This study demonstrated that Sanfujiu treatment was moderately effective, as perceived by the patients, in treating their allergic symptoms immediately after the treatment. Symptoms reactive to the treatment were common but are usually mild. This information is essential for patient consultation, and serves as a reference for clinicians.
FIVE-DIMENSIONAL KALUZA–KLEIN THEORY WITH A SOURCE
Authors: MA YONGGE , WU JUN
Published: December 2004

A free test particle in five-dimensional Kaluza–Klein space–time will show its electricity in the reduced four-dimensional space–time when it moves along the fifth dimension. In the light of this observation, we study the coupling of a five-dimensional dust field with the Kaluza–Klein gravity. It turns out that the dust field can curve the five-dimensional space–time in such a way that it provides exactly the source of the electromagnetic field in the four-dimensional space–time after the dimensional reduction.
SUPERCONFORMAL GAUGE THEORIES AND NONCRITICAL SUPERSTRINGS
Authors: KLEBANOV IGOR R. , MALDACENA JUAN M.
Published: December 2004

We consider effective actions for six-dimensional noncritical superstrings. We show that the addition of N units of RR flux and of Nf space–time filling D5-branes produces AdS 5×S1 solutions with curvature comparable to the string scale. These solutions have the right structure to be dual to [Formula: see text] supersymmetric SU (N) gauge theories with Nf flavors. We further suggest bounds on the mass-squared of tachyonic fields in this background that should restrict the theory to the conformal window.
Taurine replacement attenuates hyperalgesia and abnormal calcium signaling in sensory neurons of STZ-D rats
Authors: Li Fei , Obrosova Irina G. , Abatan Omorodola , Tian Dequan , Larkin Dennis , Stuenkel Edward L. , Stevens Martin J.
Published: December 2004

The etiology of painful diabetic neuropathy is poorly understood, but may result from neuronal hyperexcitability secondary to alterations of Ca2+signaling in sensory neurons. The naturally occurring amino acid taurine functions as an osmolyte, antioxidant, Ca2+modulator, inhibitory neurotransmitter, and analgesic such that its depletion in diabetes may predispose one to neuronal hyperexcitability and pain. This study reports the effects of taurine replacement on hyperalgesia and sensory neuron Ca2+homeostasis in streptozotocin-diabetic (STZ-D) rats. Nondiabetic and STZ-D rats were treated with a 2% taurine-supplemented diet for 6–12 wk. Thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were determined by measuring hindpaw withdrawal latency to radiant heat and the withdrawal threshold to the von Frey anesthesiometer. Intracellular Ca2+signaling was explored in neurons from L4–L6dorsal root ganglia (DRG), using fura 2 fluorescence. Taurine replacement of diabetic rats attenuated deficits of nerve conduction and prevented reductions of mechanical and thermal withdrawal threshold and latency, respectively. In small DRG sensory neurons from diabetic rats, recovery of intracellular Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i) in response to KCl was slowed and 73% corrected by taurine. The amplitudes of caffeine and ATP-induced [Ca2+]itransients were decreased by 47 and 27% ( P < 0.05), respectively, in diabetic rat DRG sensory neurons and corrected by 74 and 93% ( P < 0.05), respectively, by taurine replacement. These data indicate that taurine is important in the regulation of neuronal Ca2+signaling and that taurine deficiency may predispose one to nerve hyperexcitability and pain, complicating diabetes.
Perspective: emerging evidence for signaling roles of mitochondrial anaplerotic products in insulin secretion
Authors: MacDonald Michael J. , Fahien Leonard A. , Brown Laura J. , Hasan Noaman M. , Buss Julian D. , Kendrick Mindy A.
Published: December 2004

The importance of mitochondrial biosynthesis in stimulus secretion coupling in the insulin-producing β-cell probably equals that of ATP production. In glucose-induced insulin secretion, the rate of pyruvate carboxylation is very high and correlates more strongly with the glucose concentration the β-cell is exposed to (and thus with insulin release) than does pyruvate decarboxylation, which produces acetyl-CoA for metabolism in the citric acid cycle to produce ATP. The carboxylation pathway can increase the levels of citric acid cycle intermediates, and this indicates that anaplerosis, the net synthesis of cycle intermediates, is important for insulin secretion. Increased cycle intermediates will alter mitochondrial processes, and, therefore, the synthesized intermediates must be exported from mitochondria to the cytosol (cataplerosis). This further suggests that these intermediates have roles in signaling insulin secretion. Although evidence is quite good that all physiological fuel secretagogues stimulate insulin secretion via anaplerosis, evidence is just emerging about the possible extramitochondrial roles of exported citric acid cycle intermediates. This article speculates on their potential roles as signaling molecules themselves and as exporters of equivalents of NADPH, acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA, as well as α-ketoglutarate as a substrate for hydroxylases. We also discuss the “succinate mechanism,” which hypothesizes that insulin secretagogues produce both NADPH and mevalonate. Finally, we discuss the role of mitochondria in causing oscillations in β-cell citrate levels. These parallel oscillations in ATP and NAD(P)H. Oscillations in β-cell plasma membrane electrical potential, ATP/ADP and NAD(P)/NAD(P)H ratios, and glycolytic flux are known to correlate with pulsatile insulin release. Citrate oscillations might synchronize oscillations of individual mitochondria with one another and mitochondrial oscillations with oscillations in glycolysis and, therefore, with flux of pyruvate into mitochondria. Thus citrate oscillations may synchronize mitochondrial ATP production and anaplerosis with other cellular oscillations.
Effects of weight loss and physical activity on skeletal muscle mitochondrial function in obesity
Authors: Menshikova Elizabeth V. , Ritov Vladimir B. , Toledo Frederico G. S. , Ferrell Robert E. , Goodpaster Bret H. , Kelley David E.
Published: December 2004

The current study was undertaken to address responsiveness of skeletal muscle mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) activity to weight loss (WL) and exercise in overweight or obese, sedentary volunteers. Fourteen middle-aged participants (7 male/7 female) had assessments of mitochondrial ETC activity and mitochondrial (mt)DNA in vastus lateralis muscle, obtained by percutaneous biopsy, before and after a 16-wk intervention. Mean WL was 9.7 (1.5%) and the mean increase in V̇o2 max was [means (SD)] 21.7 (3.7)%. Total ETC activity increased significantly, from 0.13 (0.02) to 0.19 (0.03) U/mU creatine kinase (CK; P < 0.001). ETC activity was also assessed in mitochondria isolated into subsarcolemmal (SSM) and intermyofibrillar (IMF-M) fractions. In response to intervention, there was a robust increase of ETC activity in SSM (0.028 (0.007) to 0.046 (0.011) U/mU CK, P < 0.001), and in IMF-M [0.101 (0.015) to 0.148 (0.018) U/mU CK, P < 0.005]. At baseline, the percentage of ETC activity contained in the SSM fraction was low and remained unchanged following intervention [19 ( 3 ) vs. 22 ( 2 )%], despite the increase in ETC activity. Also, muscle mtDNA content did not change significantly [1665 (213) vs. 1874 (214) mtDNA/nuclear DNA], denoting functional improvement rather than proliferation of mitochondria as the principal mechanism of enhanced ETC activity. Increases in ETC activity were correlated with energy expenditure during exercise sessions, and ETC activity in SSM correlated with insulin sensitivity after adjustment for V̇o2 max. In summary, skeletal muscle ETC activity is increased by WL and exercise in previously sedentary obese men and women. We conclude that improved skeletal muscle ETC activity following moderate WL and improved aerobic capacity contributes to associated alleviation of insulin resistance.
Discrimination of Nonobstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy From Hypertensive Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on the Basis of Strain Rate Imaging by Tissue Doppler Ultrasonography
Authors: Kato Tomoko S. , Noda Akiko , Izawa Hideo , Yamada Akira , Obata Koji , Nagata Kohzo , Iwase Mitsunori , Murohara Toyoaki , Yokota Mitsuhiro
Published: December 2004

Background—

The differentiation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) from hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (H-LVH) on the basis of morphological information obtained by conventional echocardiography is occasionally problematic. We investigated whether strain rate (SR) imaging derived from tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is able to discriminate HCM from H-LVH.

Methods and Results—

Conventional echocardiography and TDI were performed with 34 patients with LVH and 16 reference subjects. Mean values of systolic strain (ε
sys
), peak systolic SR, and early diastolic SR obtained from 8 left ventricular (LV) segments were calculated. LV pressures were recorded simultaneously in the patients. Patients were diagnosed with HCM (n=20) or H-LVH (n=14) on the basis of conventional echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy findings. Multivariate analysis revealed that septum/posterior wall thickness ratio (
P
=0.00013) and ε
sys
(
P
<0.0001) were each able to discriminate HCM from H-LVH. A ε
sys
cutoff value of −10.6% discriminated between HCM and H-LVH with a sensitivity of 85.0%, specificity of 100.0%, and predictive accuracy of 91.2%. The combination of the septum/posterior wall thickness ratio and ε
sys
discriminated HCM from H-LVH with a predictive accuracy of 96.1%. The ε
sys
parameter was significantly correlated with pulmonary arterial wedge pressure, LV end-diastolic pressure, the peak positive first derivative of LV pressure, and the time constant of LV pressure decay.

Conclusions—

SR imaging is able to discriminate HCM from H-LVH, with ε
sys
reflecting myocardial contractile and lusitropic properties.
Selective Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme C-Domain Inhibition Is Sufficient to Prevent Angiotensin I–Induced Vasoconstriction
Authors: van Esch Joep H.M. , Tom Beril , Dive Vincent , Batenburg Wendy W. , Georgiadis Dimitris , Yiotakis Athanasios , van Gool Jeanette M.G. , de Bruijn René J.A. , de Vries René , Danser A.H. Jan
Published: December 2004

Somatic angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) contains 2 domains (C-domain and N-domain) capable of hydrolyzing angiotensin I (Ang I) and bradykinin. Here we investigated the effect of the selective C-domain and N-domain inhibitors RXPA380 and RXP407 on Ang I–induced vasoconstriction of porcine femoral arteries (PFAs) and bradykinin-induced vasodilation of preconstricted porcine coronary microarteries (PCMAs). Ang I concentration-dependently constricted PFAs. RXPA380, at concentrations >1 μmol/L, shifted the Ang I concentration-response curve (CRC) 10-fold to the right. This was comparable to the maximal shift observed with the ACE inhibitors (ACEi) quinaprilat and captopril. RXP407 did not affect Ang I at concentrations ≤0.1 mmol/L. Bradykinin concentration-dependently relaxed PCMAs. RXPA380 (10 μmol/L) and RXP407 (0.1 mmol/L) potentiated bradykinin, both inducing a leftward shift of the bradykinin CRC that equaled ≈50% of the maximal shift observed with quinaprilat. Ang I added to blood plasma disappeared with a half life (t
1/2
) of 42±3 minutes. Quinaprilat increased the t
1/2
≈4-fold, indicating that 71±6% of Ang I metabolism was attributable to ACE. RXPA380 (10 μmol/L) and RXP407 (0.1 mmol/L) increased the t
1/2
≈2-fold, thereby suggesting that both domains contribute to conversion in plasma. In conclusion, tissue Ang I–II conversion depends exclusively on the ACE C-domain, whereas both domains contribute to conversion by soluble ACE and to bradykinin degradation at tissue sites. Because tissue ACE (and not plasma ACE) determines the hypertensive effects of Ang I, these data not only explain why N-domain inhibition does not affect Ang I–induced vasoconstriction in vivo but also why ACEi exert blood pressure–independent effects at low (C-domain–blocking) doses.
Stroke Reduction in Hypertensive Adults With Cardiac Hypertrophy Randomized to Losartan Versus Atenolol
Authors: Kizer Jorge R. , Dahlöf Björn , Kjeldsen Sverre E. , Julius Stevo , Beevers Gareth , de Faire Ulf , Fyhrquist Frej , Ibsen Hans , Kristianson Krister , Lederballe-Pedersen Ole , Lindholm Lars H. , Nieminen Markku S. , Omvik Per , Oparil Suzanne , Wedel Hans , Wachtell Kristian , Edelman Jonathan M. , Snapinn Steven M. , Harris Katherine E. , Devereux Richard B.
Published: December 2004

The Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study showed that treatment with the angiotensin II type-1 receptor antagonist losartan reduces overall stroke risk compared with conventional therapy with the β-blocker atenolol. We conducted secondary analyses in LIFE to determine the extent to which the cerebrovascular benefits of losartan apply to different clinical subgroups and stroke subtypes and to assess the dependence of these benefits on baseline and time-varying covariates. Among 9193 hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy, random allocation to losartan-based treatment lowered the risk of fatal (hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43 to 0.96;
P
=0.032) and atherothrombotic stroke (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.88;
P
=0.001) compared with atenolol-based therapy. Although comparable risk reductions occurred for hemorrhagic and embolic stroke, these were not statistically significant. The number of neurological deficits per stroke was similar, but there were fewer strokes in the losartan group for nearly every level of stroke severity. Effects were consistent in all clinical subgroups except for those defined by age and ethnicity. The benefits of losartan on all strokes were independent of baseline and time-varying risk factors, including blood pressure. The number needed to treat for 5 years to prevent 1 stroke was 54 for the average participant, declining to 25, 24, and 9 for patients with cerebrovascular disease, isolated systolic hypertension, and atrial fibrillation, respectively. In conclusion, substantial cerebrovascular benefit could be realized with the institution of losartan-based therapy over conventional therapy among hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy across the spectrum of cardiovascular risk.
Application of the Islamic Law of Succession: Was the Propositus a Sunnī or a Shīʿī?
Authors: Carroll Lucy
Published: December 2004

One point at which the difference between Shīʿī and Sunnī law may dramatically and immediately impact upon the affairs of a Muslim family is on the occasion of the death of one of its members. The operation of the rules of succession frequently leads to very diverse results, depending on the sectarian affiliation of the deceased. The sectarian allegiance of the deceased, however, is not always easily ascertained, and the point may be contested by competing groups of would-be heirs. This essay examines the manner in which the Courts of South Asia approach the question of determining the sectarian affiliation of the deceased when this is necessary in order to resolve conflicts over the devolution of his (or her) estate. After examining the provocative litigation concerning the estate of Miss Fatima Jinnah, who, in life, had refused to identify herself as either a Sunnī or a Shīʿī, I shall consider the question of whether South Asian Muslims could be given the option of electing whether Sunnī or Shīʿī law shall govern the devolution of their estates.
Ibrāʾ in Highland Yemen: Two Jewish Divorce Settlements
Authors: Hollander Isaac
Published: December 2004

This essay contains a translation and discussion of two Jewish divorce settlements concluded in rural Yemen during the first half of this century. Drawing upon information provided by informants who were eyewitnesses to one of the settlements, I delineate — against a background of Jewish and Islamic law — patterns of behavior followed by Jews and Muslims in the field of marriage relations, drawing attention to some of the intricacies of Judeo-Muslim cultural and legal interaction in Imamic Yemen.
Qurʾan 2:229 “A Charter Granted to the Wife”?
Authors: Carroll Lucy
Published: December 2004

The study of Muslim law in South Asia highlights two important points: (i) what is termed Muslim law (or shariʿa) is not immutable; and (ii) to discuss Muslim law as a legal system in the modern world it is necessary to locate that legal system within the context of a nation-state.One of the most dramatic developments when the uncodified law applicable to Muslims in the new republic of Pakistan fell to be interpreted by Muslim judges of the superior Courts of the new nation was the judicial creation of a new form of divorce available at the demand of the wife—the “judicial Khulʿ.”In retrospect, however, it is unfortunate that counsel representing the women whose litigation resulted in the new dispensation relied upon Q. 2:229, rather than Q. 4:35. Thus the new dispensation of 1967 is merely a chapter in an unfinished story.
The Family Waqf and the Sharʿī Law of Succession in Modern Times
Authors: Layish Aharon
Published: December 2004

On the basis of an analysis of waqfiyyas collected mainly from the sijill of the sharīʿa courts of Mandatory Palestine and Israel, I seek to clarify the identity of the initial beneficiaries of the waqf and the manner in which entitlement is transmitted to and apportioned among subseqent generations of beneficiaries. I also evaluate the motives of the founder in using the waqf as an instrument for circumventing the compulsory Islamic inheritance rules and analyze the implications of this practice on the integrity of the patrimony and structure of the family. My main conclusions are: (1) the creation of a waqf makes it possible to keep property intact and prevents its division among heirs; (2) the concentration of entitlement on the founder's male agnatic descendants (in itself a victory of custom over sharīʿa) contributes to the disintegration of the extended family.
Awqāf in Persia: 6th-8th / 12th-14th Centuries
Authors: Lambton Ann
Published: December 2004

In this essay I have examined information on Awqāf in the 6th-8th/12th-14th centuries contained in various historical texts, including the local histories of Yazd, Fārs and Kirmān, especially the anonymous Tārīkh-i shāhī-i Qara Khitaʾiyan, the waqfiyya of Rashīd al-Dīn Fadl Allāh (dated 709/1309-10), the Jāmiʿ al-khayrāt of Sayyid Rukn al-Dīn Yazdī and his son Sayyid Shams al-Dīn (dated 748/1347-8) and a number of collections containing documents on Awqāf, notably the ʿAtabat al-kataba of Muʾayyad al-Dawla Muntajab al-Dīn al-Juwaynī and the anonymous al-Mukhtārāt min al-rasāʾil. I have sought to show the purposes for which Awqāf were consitituted, the motives of those who constituted them and their spread in the 6th-8th/12th-14th centuries.
ḥusayn b. ʿAbd al-Ṣamad al-ʿāmilī's Treatise for Sultan Suleiman and the Shīʿī Shāfiʿī Legal Tradition
Authors: Stewart Devin
Published: December 2004

This study draws on the work Nūr al-ḥaqīqah wa-nawr al-ḥadīqah, a treatise on ethics written by ḥusayn b. ʿAbd al-Ṣamad al-ḥārithī extant in two autograph manuscripts, in an effort to explain how the author and his close companion Zayn al-Dīn al-ʿāmilī, two of the most important Twelver Shiʿi jurists of the sixteenth century, were able to obtain appointments as professors of law at Sunni madrasahs under Ottoman control. Evidence from Nūr al-ḥaqīqah, corroborated by information from biographical sources, shows that they obtained these appointments by claiming affiliation with the Shāfiʿī madhhab and presenting themselves as accomplished Shāfiʿī jurists. Their efforts were in fact part of a long and developed tradition of association with the Shāfiʿī madhhab among Twelver Shiʿi scholars.
A Propos de la Constitutionnalité de la Sharīʿa:
Authors: Dupret Baudouin
Published: December 2004

L'examen de la jurisprudence de la Haute Cour Constitutionnelle égyptienne révèle que, dans un premier temps, cette juridiction a eu tendance, quand elle était saisie de dispositions supposées contraires a l'article 2 de la Constitution (la sharīʿa est la source de la législation), à ne pas s'engager sur le terrain de son interprétation. Il n'en va plus de même aujourd'hui. C'est ainsi qu'en 1993, distinguant entre règles de la sharīʿa dont la filiation et la signification sont concluantes et règles autorisant le raisonnement individuel, la Haute Cour a posé le principe d'un contrôle limité au respect du premier type de règles. L'arrêt dont on propose ici la traduction se situe dans cette ligne jurisprudentielle. Au départ d'un contentieux portant sur une question de pension alimentaire, il confirme la définition de principe adoptée par la Cour. Ce texte retiendra l'attention pour sa valeur documentaire et comme matériau constitutif d'une démarche tenant davantage à la sociologie et à l'anthropologie du droit.
Enquête sur le Financement d'un Waqf Égyptien du XVe Siècle: Les Comptes de Jawhār Al-Lālā
Authors: Garcin Jean-Claude , Taher Mustapha Anouar
Published: December 2004

This article endeavours to make evident, from an important collection of waqfs, dating from the 15th century, the great difference between the expected value of property income put in waqfs, and the value of the sum total consecrated in a diversity of pious acts. This difference is returned to the founder of the Waqf, which is kept at his free disposal until his death. It then tries to demonstrate, in keeping in account with the development of the money exchange rate (and the development of the ratio between gold and copper, for which the Waqf founder takes his advantage), how prudent the management of these pious works was in effect. It is this prudence which allows the financiers to reserve the surplus for investments in agricultural land (without doubt bought at the cheapest price at discount after epidemics [or other disasters]) and in rental property in Cairo.
Opening and Closing a Dispensary in Shan-Yin County: Some Thoughts about Charitable Associations, Organizations, and Institutions in Late Ming China
Authors: Handlin Smith Joanna
Published: December 2004

During the seventeenth century Chinese local elites sponsored charitable activities more visibly and vocally than ever before. One small outcome of the heightened interest in doing good was a dispensary that wealthy residents of Shan-yin county operated for the poor. Using materials relating to the dispensary, this article explores differences between loose associations, formal organizations, and lasting institutions. To understand voluntary cooperation among the philanthropists it considers several ingredients other than the needs of the poor and the compassion of the rich; these include the type of leadership and a proclivity among local elites of this period to form diverse associations.
Fugitives and Factotums: Slaves in Early Sixteenth-Century Istanbul
Authors: Seng Yvonne
Published: December 2004

As one of the most immediate sources for the study of community life, the shariah court records of Istanbul capture one of the underlying characteristics of Ottoman society at the beginning of the sixteenth century, that of social and spatial mobility. This characteristic is clearly illustrated in the case of slaves. Records concerning fugitive slaves and slaves who resided in the region, either as freedmen or in servitude, clearly indicate that slavery helped fuel the economy of empire and, upon manumission, slaves were readily absorbed into local communities. The institution of slavery was an integral part of both Ottoman society and local community life and was used not only by the palace but by a wide variety of residents, across a range of socio-economic levels.
The Christian Population of Jerusalem in the Late Seventeenth Century: Aspects Of Demography, Economy, and Society
Authors: Peri Oded
Published: December 2004

Register 3643 of the Ottoman treasury records is a unique source for the study of the demography and the basic social and economic traits of the Christian population of Jerusalem in the latter part of the seventeenth century. It is a poll-tax collection report which differs from its seventeenth-century antecedents in that it was actually based on an updated census of the assessed population. As such, this census was probably the first taken in Jerusalem since the end of the sixteenth century. This probability as well as the rich statistical data recorded in the poll-tax register studied provide a peerless opportunity to reconstruct and sketch in real quantitative terms a demographic, social and economic profile of the Christian population of Jerusalem and its vicinity, as it may have existed in the late seventeenth century.
The Images of Immortals and Eminent Monks: Religious Mentality in Early Medieval China (4-6 c. A.D.)
Authors: Poo Mu-chou
Published: December 2004

This study seeks to investigate the religious mentality in early Medieval China. By comparing two types of characters, i.e., the immortals of the Taoist tradition, and the eminent monks of the Buddhist religion, we try to discover the special nature of both these types of characters, and to delineate their similarities as well as differences. Our analysis shows that the stories about the immortals and the eminent monks reflected a common mentality: a psychological need for an easy way to salvation; an attempt to control supernatural forces; an urge for solutions to some earthly problems concerning life and death. This common mentality, moreover, had existed among the Chinese people before the advancement of Buddhism and Taoism at the end of the Han dynasty, and continues to exist after the establishment of both religions. The successful development of Buddhism and Taoism, especially among the common people, should be seen not merely as the triumph of their teachings, but as the successful incorporation of this basic religious mentality. It was, therefore, an underlying bridge that logically connected the development of Chinese religious tradition from the pre-Buddhist and pre-Taoist era to the later period. It could also serve as one of the keys to the understanding of the formation and shape of popular religion in China in the subsequent era.
Demeter in Roman Corinth: Local Development in a Mediterranean Religion
Authors: DeMaris Richard
Published: December 2004

This study constructs a history of Demeter worship in Corinth and its environs based on archaeological finds from the Demeter and Kore sanctuary on Acrocorinth and elsewhere in the Corinthia. These finds document the changing character of Demeter devotion from the Greek to Roman period. Demeter worship survived the Roman sacking of Corinth in 146 BCE, but the reemerging cult changed: Demeter's chthonic aspect became dominant in the Roman period. The earlier Greek emphasis on fertility, substantiated by votive pottery finds from the Classical and Hellenistic periods, gave way to funerary and underwold emphases. Evidence both from the Demeter and Kore sanctuary on Acrocorinth and from Isthmia attests to the growing importance of Persephone and Pluto, the rulers of the dead, and of snake symbols, whose funerary and chthonic affinities were deeply rooted in ancient Mediterranean culture.
Apocalypses Real and Alleged in the Mani Codex
Authors: Frankfurter David
Published: December 2004

The florilegium of revelations that Mani adduces as proof of his own authority in the Cologne Mani Codex has stimulated research into the circulation and influence of Jewish apocalypses among the various Jewish-Christian sects of late antiquity. But it has also proved frustrating, since not one of the apocalyptic “texts” that Mani quotes matches extant apocalypses in the name of Enoch, Adam, Seth, or Enosh. Considering the breadth of the Enoch literature now known from textual and patristic sources, including Manichaean literature, the absence of a parallel for Mani's Enoch-“quotation” may be reason to suspect that Mani invented this quotation as well as the others. This paper proposes an interpretation of Mani's apocalyptic florilegium that depends not on the historical existence of the putative texts but on Mani's own distinctive scheme of prophetic lineage and authority. It is argued that Mani's universalist view of mission and religion led him to revise existing schemes of Jewish revelatory heroes that were traditional to Jewish and Jewish-Christian sects and that invoked the patriarchs constitutive of Jewish identity, like Abraham, Moses, and Elijah. In contrast, Mani promotes his relevation's ecumenical appeal by casting himself in a line of biblical figures who in the late antique world had especially universalist significance: Adam, Seth, and Enoch (all antediluvian and therefore pre-covenantal) and Paul (Mani's model of an ecumenical missionary).
Dying of Enforced Spinsterhood: ḥadramawt Through the Eyes of ʿAlī Aḥmad Bā Kathīr (1910-69)
Authors: Freitag Ulrike
Published: December 2004

A young widow of a noble although impoverished family meets a young man. They fall in love and want to marry, but her family prevents this from happening. Thereupon she falls ill and dies of broken heart. Upon hearing these news, her suitor in turn takes to the bed and dies shortly afterwards.