bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Overtaking in Asynchronous Periodic Systems
Authors: Pitt D. H. , Shields M. W. 
Published: October 2002

Abstract.
In this paper, we investigate the structure of the asynchronous behaviour of systems of cyclical, deterministic sequential processes. Specifically, we find conditions which, under certain finiteness assumptions, characterise periodic behaviours and pseudo-periodic behaviours, where a behaviour is periodic if it goes through a sequence of periods, i.e. of behaviours in which each active process executes one complete cycle, and a behaviour is pseudo-periodic, if it can be viewed as being composed of periods, possibly not happening in sequence. Thus, every periodic behaviour is pseudo-periodic. We identify a property, no overtaking, which a pseudo-periodic behaviour must have in order to be periodic.
A Structured Way to Use Channels for Communication in X-Machine Systems
Authors: Cowling Anthony J. , Georgescu Horia , Vertan Cristina 
Published: October 2002

Abstract.

This paper presents a new model for passing messages in communicating stream X-machine systems (CSXMS). The components are stream X-machines with ε-transitions, acting simultaneously. The states are partitioned into processing and communicating states. Passing messages between the X-machines involves only communicating states. A communication matrix is used as a common memory. It is shown that a structured way of using channels, namely via
select
constructs with guarded alternatives and
terminate
clause, may be implemented. An automatic scheme for writing concurrent programs in an Ada-like style, starting from a CSXMS, is proposed.
Relating Z and First-Order Logic
Authors: Martin Andrew P. 
Published: October 2002

Abstract.
Despite being widely regarded as a gloss on first-order logic and set theory, Z has not been found to be very supportive of proof. This paper attempts to distinguish between the different philosophies of proof in Z. It discusses some of the issues which must be addressed in creating a proof technology for Z, namely schemas, undefinedness, and what kind of logic to use.
Inhibitory effect of epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate on growth and invasion in human biliary tract Carcinoma cells
Authors: Takada Moriatsu , Ku Yonson , Habara Kazuto , Ajiki Tetsuo , Suzuki Yasuyuki , Kuroda Yoshikazu 
Published: October 2002

AbstractBased on recent evidence that tea consumption contributes to a decreased incidence of human carcinomas, a number of investigators have focused on the mechanisms of cancer prevention by tea extracts, especially green tea polyphenols. Epigallocatechin‐3‐galIate (EGCG) is a representative polyphenol that inhibits the activity of the cyclin‐dependent kinases of cdk2 and cdk4. This suggests that EGCG may exert its growth‐inhibitory effects through modulation of G1 regulatory proteins such as cdk2 and cdk4. The human biliary tract carcinoma cells (TGBC‐2, SK‐ChA‐1, and NOZC‐1) were treated with different doses of EGCG (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µM) for 48 hours in cell medium. Cell proliferation was analyzed by WST‐1 colorimetric assay. For the cell‐invasion analysis, the cells were incubated with 100 µM of EGCG for 2 hours. The cells were then added into a Matrigel‐coated Cell Insert. After incubation at 37°C for 24 hours, the cells visible through the Matrigel were counted under the microscope. All human biliary tract cancer cells studied showed a significant suppression of cell growth by EGCG treatment in a dose‐dependent manner (27.2%, 16.0%, and 10.1%, in TGBC‐2, SK‐ChA‐1, and NOZC‐1, respectively, at the dose of 200 µM). EpigaIlocatechin‐3‐gallate treatment also produced a significant suppression of invasive ability of the carcinoma cells (12.6%, 11.2%, 7.9%, in TGBC‐2, SK‐ChA‐1, and NOZC‐1, respectively, at a dose of 100 µM). These data indicated that EGCG might be a potent biological inhibitor of human biliary tract cancers, reducing their proliferative and invasive activities.
Reciprocal connections between the medullary dorsal reticular nucleus and the spinal dorsal horn in the rat
Authors: Almeida Armando , Tavares Isaura , Lima Deolinda 
Published: September 2002

The synaptic architecture of spinal afferents of the dorsal portion (DRtd) of the medullary dorsal reticular nucleus (DRt) is studied. After iontophoretic injections of cholera toxin subunit B (CTb) into the superficial (laminae I–II), deep (laminae IV–V) or entire (laminae I–V) dorso‐ventral extent of the spinal dorsal horn at the cervico‐thoracic or lumbo‐sacral levels, axonal boutons of two distinct types were labelled in the DRtd. Type A boutons (82% after cervico‐thoracic injections and 92% after lumbo‐sacral injections) were roundish, small and presented few mitochondria and small, round synaptic vesicles. Type B boutons (18% after cervico‐thoracic injections and 8% after lumbo‐sacral injections) were elongated, two to three times larger, and exhibited numerous mitochondria and larger round vesicles. Both types of bouton established asymmetrical synaptic contacts with small dendritic profiles and, less frequently, with dendritic trunks and perikarya. Retrograde labelling occurred in the postsynaptic profile of 15–18% type A boutons labelled from any injection site.Taken together with previous data on DRt‐spinal synaptic contacts at the superficial dorsal horn, the present results point to the occurrence of a reciprocal excitatory loop connecting the dorsal DRt and lamina I, which may be at the basis of the DRt‐mediated pain‐facilitating effects described recently.
Peripheral neuropathic pain—a multidimensional burden for patients
Authors: Meyer‐Rosberg Karin , Kvarnström Ann , Kinnman Erik , Gordh Torsten , Nordfors Lars‐Olof , Kristofferson Ann 
Published: September 2002

The present study was undertaken to assess the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and burden of illness due to pain and its treatment for patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). It is the first step in finding reliable instruments/targets to evaluate treatment outcome in this patient population. Study population consisted of 126 patients suffering from neuropathic pain due to a peripheral nerve or root lesion, recruited from two multidisciplinary pain clinics. HRQoL was examined using Short Form 36 (SF‐36) Health Survey and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Pain intensity in four categories (at rest and evoked by movement, touch and cold) was rated on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Degree of discomfort from pain and 25 symptoms related to pain and side‐effects was also assessed. Reduction in workload due to pain was recorded, as was the pain relief from previous and current treatments and the reasons for discontinuing previous treatments.All dimensions in SF‐36 and NHP were significantly impaired. SF‐36 was a valid instrument for describing the impact of pain on the HRQoL of patients with PNP. NHP had a lower reliability but has other advantages that might be of importance. Many patients experienced poor pain relief from ongoing pain treatments. Most previous treatments were discontinued owing to lack of efficacy and/or severe side‐effects. Many patients experienced a high intensity of at least one type of pain; median VAS for the highest pain intensity score of each patient (any type of pain) was 74/100. Besides pain, patients were most bothered by difficulty in sleeping, lack of energy, drowsiness, difficulty in concentrating and dry mouth. Employment status was reduced owing to pain in 52% of the patients.The intense pain, other troublesome symptoms, limited efficacy and tolerability of available treatments, together with the impaired health and reduced work status, amount to a substantial burden for patients with PNP.
Do homeopathic medicines provoke adverse effects? A systematic review
Authors: Dantas F , Rampes H 
Published: September 2002

AbstractObjective: To evaluate the safety of homeopathic medicines by critically appraising reports of adverse effects published in English from 1970 to 1995.Method: Systematic review on information regarding adverse effects of homeopathic medicines identified using electronic databases, hand searching, searching reference lists, reviewing the bibliography of trials, and other relevant articles, contacting homeopathic pharmaceutical companies and drug regulatory agencies in UK and USA, and by communicating with experts in homeopathy.Results: The mean incidence of adverse effects of homeopathic medicines was greater than placebo in controlled clinical trials (9.4/6.1) but effects were minor, transient and comparable. There was a large incidence of pathogenetic effects in healthy volunteers taking homeopathic medicines but the methodological quality of these studies was generally low. Anecdotal reports of adverse effects in homeopathic publications were not well documented and mainly reported aggravation of current symptoms. Case reports in conventional medical journals pointed more to adverse effects of mislabelled ‘homeopathic products’ than to true homeopathic medicines.Conclusions: Homeopathic medicines in high dilutions, prescribed by trained professionals, are probably safe and unlikely to provoke severe adverse reactions. It is difficult to draw definite conclusions due to the low methodological quality of reports claiming possible adverse effects of homeopathic medicines.
Nux vomica 30 prepared with and without succussion shows antialcoholic effect on toads and distinctive molecular association
Authors: Sukul NC , De A , Dutta R , Sukul A , Sinhababu SP 
Published: September 2002

AbstractAdult toads, Bufo melanostictus, were administered Nux vomica (Nux v) 30 prepared with and without succussion on the tongue. The drug was mixed with sterile distilled water at the rate 0.05 ml/ml water and given orally 0.05 ml/individual. The control consisted of blank ethanol solution. Seeds of Strychnos nuxvomica were ground and extracted with 90% ethanol in the laboratory. Nux v 30 was prepared by successive dilution and succussion in 30 steps, Nux v 30 u was prepared by successive dilution only. Four hours after treatment, toads were given 25% ethanol i.p. at 8 g/kg body weight. The duration of ethanol induced sleep time was recorded for each toad. Both Nux v 30 and Nux v 30 u significantly reduced ethanol induced sleep time in toads as compared to their respective controls.Electronic, infra red and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of Nux v 30, Nux v 30 u and their diluent medium (90% ethanol) show marked differences from each other. These dilutions and ethanol 30 and ethanol 30 u show marked differences from each other with respect to spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and chemical shift. The difference has been attributed to the variation in intra and inter-molecular association of ethanol and water.
Homeopathy in the USA
Authors: Thomas P 
Published: September 2002

AbstractHomeopathy was introduced into the USA by Hans Burch Gram in 1825. It developed largely through immigration of German homeopaths. The first homeopathic medical college was established in Allentown, PA in 1835. The American institute of Homeopathy (AIH) was founded in 1844. The American Medical Association was founded in 1847 and pursued policies hostile to homeopathy from the outset. Eclectic medicine was widespread in nineteenth century medicine, one of the greatest homeopaths, JT Kent had originally been an eclectic. The International Hahnemannian Association split from the AIH in 1880. The Flexner Report of 1910 resulted in many homeopathic medical colleges being closed down. Homeopathy in the USA was in steep decline from the 1920s to the 1960s but has had a strong recovery since the 1970s.
Observational study of quality of life in patients with headache, receiving homeopathic treatment
Authors: Muscari-Tomaioli G , Allegri F , Miali E , Pomposelli R , Tubia P , Targhetta A , Castellini M , Bellavite P 
Published: September 2002

AbstractThis study describes the results obtained from a prospective observational research of homeopathic treatment for patients suffering from headache (migraine with- and without aura and tension-type headache). Fifty-three patients were asked to complete the SF-36 questionnaire at the beginning of the treatment and after 4–6 months. The homeopathic medicine and potency were not pre-defined, but were adapted to each single patient according to individualised homeopathic prescription. Most patients (73.6%) completed the study. There was heterogeneity in the answers (patients in very poor health as well as those with only slight disorders). Analysis of the data according to the concept of ‘intention-to-treat’ showed that after therapy, the mean and median scores of all life quality dimensions rose. More than 60% of the cases experienced an improvement in pain and the limitations caused by pain, as well as in limitations in social activities and health in general. All the differences between pre/post treatment were statistically highly significant, with the strongest results in the ‘bodily pain’ and ‘vitality’ parameters (P<0.0001).
Integrating surface georadar and crosshole radar tomography: A validation experiment in braided stream deposits
Authors: Tronicke Jens , Dietrich Peter , Wahlig Uwe , Appel Erwin 
Published: September 2002

We have used a combination of surface ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) profiling, crosshole radar tomography, and natural gamma‐ray logging to characterize a gravelly braided stream deposit. In a gravel pit, we conducted a survey using 300‐MHz surface GPR, 250‐MHz crosshole radar, and densely sampled gamma‐ray logging at single‐borehole locations. After excavation, we validated the geophysical results by comparison with the sedimentological and hydrogeological information obtained from the corresponding outcrop wall. We found the visual lithofacies boundaries agreed very well with the images provided by applied geophysical techniques. Our results illustrate how GPR reflector images are improved using tomographic velocity information. In addition, the structural interpretation of tomographic velocity fields is guided by the GPR reflector images in combination with natural gamma‐ray logging results.Groundwater flow and transport modeling was also performed on different subsurface models. The hydrogeological response of parameter distributions derived from a digitized outcrop image are compared with the response of a parameter field derived from the combined geophysical data and with the response of a simple block interpolation between the boreholes. Comparison of cumulative particle arrival times (breakthrough curves) indicates that the characterization of an appropriate real aquifer would benefit from incorporating high‐resolution geophysical data into the analysis.
Wavefield separation using densely deployed three‐component single‐sensor groups in land surface‐seismic recordings
Authors: Robertsson Johan O. A. , Curtis Andrew 
Published: September 2002

Surface seismic data are usually acquired by placing receivers on the earth's free surface. This is exactly the surface at which all up‐coming wave energy is reflecting and converting into down‐going energy, so the wavefield recorded is the sum of up‐coming, down‐going reflected, and down‐going converted waves. In order to anaylze up‐coming (from the reservoir) energy only (e.g., for “true” amplitude analysis), it is necessary to separate and remove all down‐going waves from the recorded data. We present a new approach for wavefield separation of land surface‐seismic data based on receiver groups with densely deployed single‐sensor recordings. By converting vertical spatial derivatives to horizontal derivatives using the free‐surface condition, the methodology only requires locally dense measurements of the wavefield at the free surface to calculate all spatial derivatives of the wavefield. These can in turn be used to compute divergence (giving P‐wave potential) and curl (giving S‐wave potential) of the wavefield at the free surface. The effects of the free surface are removed through an up/down separation step using the elastodynamic representation theorem. This results in infinite spatial‐filter expressions that are appropriate for homogeneous media. The filter for P‐waves depends on both P‐ and S‐velocity at the receivers, whereas the S‐wave filters only depend on the S‐velocity. These velocities can be estimated using the techniques in the companion paper by Curtis and Robertsson in this issue. Spatially compact filters are chosen to approximate the analytical filter expressions. The filters are designed so that they can be applied within a densely deployed, spatially limited group of three‐component (3C) receivers. By assuming that the earth is locally homogeneous (no significant variations within the near‐surface region of the group), wavefield separation can be carried out also in areas with significant statics variations over the survey area. In particular, the simplest approximate expression for P‐waves consists of two terms. The first term corresponds to divergence in the presence of the free surface scaled by a material constant. The second term is a time derivative of the recorded vertical component scaled by a material constant. Hence, the first term is a correction that is added to the “traditional” P‐interpretation—the second term—which improves accuracy for incidence angles other than normal incidence. The proposed methodology is tested on synthetic data. By comparing “traditional” P‐sections to those obtained using the new methodology, we demonstrate that a significant improvement in amplitudes and phases of arrivals is obtained using the new methodology. By using the simplest possible filter which only involves first‐order derivatives in time and space, we obtained sufficiently accurate results up to incidence angles of around 30° away from normal incidence.
Brain somatic representation of phantom and intact limb: a fMRI study case report
Authors: Condés‐Lara Miguel , Barrios Fernando A. , Romo Juan Romero , Rojas Rafael , Salgado Perla , Sánchez‐Cortazar Julian 
Published: September 2002

Reports on phantom limb patients concerning neuronal reorganization using non‐invasive methods have focused mainly on the cortical regions and suggest the presence of pain as the cause of this reorganization. The phantom limb, however, includes other somatic and motor sensations other than pain. Here we describe the results of non‐painful stimulation in cortical and subcortical lateralization and reorganization and also examine the involvement of subcortical structures in phantom limb telescoping perception. We describe an enlarged contralateral cortical representation of the stump, a cortical and thalamic bilateral representation of the remaining leg, and a neuronal correlate of a telescoping perception of the phantom limb. The missing leg produces an enlarged cortical representation due to abnormal information and the remaining leg has a bilateral SII representation, which could be related to new, compensatory functions. The telescoping perception of a phantom limb by the stimulation of misallocation points was correlated with lenticular nuclei, thalamic and cingulate gyrus activation.We therefore propose that the reorganization concept of a phantom limb, applied mainly to the cortex, must extend to the thalamic and the somatosensory and motor systems (pathways and relay nuclei).
Post stroke shoulder pain: more common than previously realized
Authors: Gamble Giles E. , Barberan Elisa , Bowsher David , Tyrrell Pippa J. , Jones Anthony K.P. 
Published: September 2002

Stroke is a common disease often requiring rehabilitation, which may be prolonged by shoulder pain. The true incidence of post stroke shoulder pain has not been fully evaluated. In order to establish this, we undertook a prospective study of 123 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of acute stroke during a 6‐month period. Patients were assessed by interview, full rheumatological and neurological examination, 14 days post stroke, for a history of shoulder pain according to predetermined criteria. In addition, Barthel Index, HAD score and pain scores were also recorded. Twenty‐five percent of patients developed shoulder pain within 2 weeks of their stroke. There was a statistically significant association with ipsilateral sensory impairment (p<0.005), abnormal rheumatological examination (p<0.001) and depression score (p<0.005).We conclude that post stroke shoulder pain is more common than previously realized and in addition to abnormal shoulder joint examination may also be associated with upper limb sensory impairment. Thorough neurological examination is required to detect sensory loss and hence establish patients at risk. This is probably best done by a structured proforma.
Differential time courses of skin blood flow and hyperalgesia in the human sunburn reaction following ultraviolet irradiation of the skin
Authors: Benrath Justus , Gillardon Frank , Zimmermann Manfred 
Published: September 2002

The response of skin to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is an inflammation with pronounced vasodilation and hyperalgesia. Volunteers underwent UV irradiation of patches of forearm skin 3 cm in diameter. The intensity of the UV irradiation (290–320 nm) ranged between 133 mJ/cm2and 400 mJ/cm2. Changes in skin blood flow were measured with laser Doppler technique at 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60, 72, 96 and 216 h post UV irradiation. The alteration in pain threshold was measured for heat with a Peltier thermode and for pressure with a metal stylus. The effect of repeated topical pre‐treatment 4 days prior to UV irradiation with 1.5 g of 0.04% capsaicin containing ointment was also investigated.UV irradiation resulted in a dose‐dependent increase of skin blood flow for more than 96 h post‐irradiation. There were two peaks of blood flow at 12 h and 36 h. Topical application of capsaicin prior to UV irradiation attenuated blood flow from 30 h to 45 h post UV irradiation. Enhanced blood flow was also present 5 mm outside the irradiated area (flare reaction). The control level of heat pain threshold was 44.5±0.7 C in normal skin. Heat pain thresholds were lowered by up to 7.761.2C in UV‐irradiated areas in a dose‐dependent fashion. The control level of pressure pain threshold was 15.260.3N. Pressure pain thresholds were lowered by up to 6 N in irradiated areas. Maximal hyperalgesia coincided with the second peak of skin blood flow between 30 h and 60 h post UV irradiation. The effects of topical application of capsaicin suggests an involvement of neuropeptide mechanisms in the late phase of the human sunburn reaction.