bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Iatrogenic Cushing's Syndrome in Dogs with Electroacupuncture Stimulation of Stomach 36
Authors: Lin J. H. , Su H. L. , Chang S. H. , Shien Y. S. , Wu L. S. 
Published: November 2004

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) on the recovery of adrenocortical function from Iatrogenic Cushings Syndrome (ICS) in dogs. Experiment I: Selection of the most effective Acupuncture point to treat ICS — Six healthy adult female dogs were treated bilaterally with EA for 15 minutes at loci BL22 + BL23 + BL24, ST36, or a non-locus control point on M. brachialis. Each dog was tested at all three sites in rotation. Blood samples were collected before and 0, 15 and 60 minutes after EA, and the serum cortisol levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The data showed that EA at ST 36 resulted in the highest response of serum cortisol levels among the three treatments. Experiment II: Evaluation of the effectiveness of EA ST36 in the treatment of ICS in dogs - Eight healthy adult female dogs were given prednisolone acetate 2mg/kg/day IM for 3 weeks. They were then randomly divided into ST36 and control groups of 4 dogs each. In the ST36 group, ST36 was treated bilaterally with EA for 30 minutes, 3 times per week, for 3 consecutive weeks. For the control, a non-locus point on M. brachialis was treated bilaterally with the same protocol. After the first week of EA, the serum cortisol levels of the ST36 and control groups were 0.9±0.1 and 0.5 ± 0.1 μg/dl ( P < 0.005) baseline and 2.5±0.2 and 1.4 ±0.4 μg/dl ( p < 0.05) and after ACTH stimulation test, respectively. After the third week of EA treatment, the results were 1.0±0.1 and 0.6±0.2 μg/dl ( p < 0.05) baseline and 4.0±0.5 and 1.7±0.5 μg/dl ( p < 0.001) after ACTH stimulation respectively. These data indicated that EA at ST36 could restore the adrenocortical hypofunction resulting from ICS in dogs.
NUMERICAL STUDY OF A TWO-POINT CORRELATION FUNCTION AND LIOUVILLE FIELD PROPERTIES IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL QUANTUM GRAVITY
Authors: AGISHTEIN M.E. , BENAV R. , MIGDAL A.A. , SOLOMON S. 
Published: November 2004

Two-point Green’s function is measured on the manifolds of a 2-dimensional quantum gravity. The recursive sampling technique is used to generate the triangulations, lattice sizes being up to hundred thousand triangles. The grid Laplacian was inverted by means of the algebraic multi-grid solver. The free field model of the Quantum Gravity assumes the Gaussian behavior of Liouville field and curvature. We measured histograms as well as six momenta of these fields. Our results support the Gaussian assumption.
c = 1 − 6(n − 1)2/n, THEORIES COUPLED TO GRAVITY: A COMMENT ON THEIR POSSIBLE LATTICE MODELS REALIZATIONS
Authors: SALEUR HUBERT 
Published: November 2004

We discuss the recently proposed logarithmic violation of scaling for c = 1 − 6(n − 1)2/n theories in the light of lattice models. We study for this purpose the Q state Potts model in its antiferromagnetic regime eK − 1 = −Q1/2, coupled to gravity. Setting Q1/2 = 2 cos π/t, this model is known to have a generic central charge c = 1 − 6(t − 1)2/t. Summing over all possible planar graphs allows us to make connection with Kostov's solution of IRF models, and to calculate the genus zero properties along the critical line. Except for n = 1, 2 we do not get indications of logarithmic violations. The apparent regularity of the thermodynamic properties (γ str = −(n − 1) = integer ) is explained by a discontinuity of the free energy of the Potts model when Q crosses the Beraha numbers [Formula: see text], n ≥ 3 in the antiferromagnetic region. Such behavior was recently observed for some regular lattices. The logarithmic terms for n = 2, c = −2 appear simply because a derivative with respect to Q has to be taken to define a non-vanishing partition function. Only the n = 1, c = 1 logarithmic terms seem to have a non-trivial origin.
EFFECTIVE ACTION FOR INDUCED GRAVITY ON A 2-DIMENSIONAL MANIFOLD
Authors: YOSHIDA K. 
Published: November 2004

The generating functional of the correlation functions of the stress energy-tensor in conformal field theory is explicitly constructed first on the Euclidean plane and then on an arbitrary Riemann surface. For the first case, one finds “anti-holomorphic” SL(2C) symmetry as the counterpart of the SL(2C) current algebra of Polyakov’s quantized gravity in 2 dimensions. For a general real 2-dimensional manifold, one expects a fundamental change due to the breaking of SL(2C) symmetry and to loss of locality.
ANOMALOUS INCREASE OF THE TRANSPORT AND INDUCTIVE CRITICAL CURRENT DENSITY DUE TO LOW DC-FIELD COOLING IN SINTERED RBa2Cu3O7−x HIGH Tc SUPERCONDUCTORS
Authors: PUIG T. , PONT M. , MUÑOZ J.S. 
Published: November 2004

The transport critical current density of bulk sintered samples of RBa2Cu3O7−x with R=Y, Gd, Ho, and Er has been determined at 77 K from I–V curves at different applied dc-magnetic fields (0≤H≤20 Oe), also the ac-susceptibility as a function of ac-field amplitude has been measured with a superimposed dc-magnetic field from 0 to 30 Oe at 77 K. The transport and magnetic (inductive) critical current densities, are clearly larger in field cooled samples than in zero field cooled samples. Likewise, the degree of shielding as determined from the ac-susceptibility measurements is larger for field cooled samples than for zero field cooled. This anomalous behaviour can be explained in terms of the magnetic flux pinning present in the grains when the sample is field cooled, which leads to a decrease in the magnetic induction of the intergrain region and therefore to a higher intergranular critical current density compared to a zero field cooled sample.
Mannose-binding lectin enhances phagocytosis and killing ofNeisseria meningitidisby human macrophages
Authors: Jack Dominic L , Lee Margaret E , Turner Malcolm W , Klein Nigel J , Read Robert C 
Published: November 2004

AbstractDeficiency of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is probably the most common human immunodeficiency and is associated with an increased risk of mucosally acquired infections including meningococcal disease. Tissue macrophages are an important component of mucosal defense, and so we determined the effect of MBL on uptake of meningococci by human monocyte-derived macrophages. Opsonization with MBL significantly increased the capture and doubled the amount of internalization of Neisseria meningitidis. Inhibition of f-actin polymerization indicated that MBL exerted this effect by a dose-dependent acceleration of uptake into phagosomes, which was maximal within the normal physiological concentration of MBL (1.5 μg/ml) and was independent of scavenger receptors. MBL accelerated the acquisition and subsequent loss of the early endosome marker, early endosomal antigen-1, and enhanced the acquisition of the late endosomal marker, lysosome-associated membrane protein-1. MBL reduced the survival of meningococci within macrophages by more than half, despite the increased uptake of organisms, and significantly reduced the number of viable extracellular bacteria by 80%. We conclude that MBL is a dependent opsonin able to accelerate microbial uptake and killing. These results suggest that MBL could modify disease susceptibility by modulating macrophage interactions with mucosal organisms at the site of initial acquisition.
Select forms of tumor cell apoptosis induce dendritic cell maturation
Authors: Demaria Sandra , Santori Fabio R , Ng Bruce , Liebes Leonard , Formenti Silvia C , Vukmanovic Stanislav 
Published: November 2004

AbstractDendritic cells (DC) play a crucial role in initiating immune responses to tumors. DC can efficiently present antigens from apoptotic tumor cells, but apoptotic cells are thought to lack the inflammatory signals required to induce DC maturation. Here, we show that apoptosis of 67NR mouse carcinoma cells via the Fas (CD95) pathway or induced by the anticancer drug bortezomib (PS-341) but not by ultraviolet irradiation is associated with the production of maturation signals for DC. These data have important implications for the effects of chemotherapy on antitumor immunity in solid and hematologic malignancies.
Copy Number of Chromosome 17 but Not HER2 Amplification Predicts Clinical Outcome of Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Stoecklein Nikolas H. , Luebke Andreas M. , Erbersdobler Andreas , Knoefel Wolfram T. , Schraut Winfried , Verde Pablo E. , Stern Franziska , Scheunemann Peter , Peiper Matthias , Eisenberger Claus F. , Izbicki Jakob R. , Klein Christoph A. , Hosch Stefan B. 
Published: November 2004

Purpose To determine the frequency and the potential clinical use of HER2 (17q21) gene amplification and chromosome 17 aneuploidy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Materials and Methods Serial tissue sections of 50 resected PDACs were analyzed with chromogenic in situ hybridization using locus-specific HER2 probes and centromeric probes for chromosome 17. Centromeric probes for chromosome 7 and 8 were hybridized to confirm ploidy levels. Expression of HER2 protein was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Correlations of experimental findings with clinical and follow-up data were tested. Results The HER2 gene locus was frequently (24%) amplified in PDAC and the rate of overexpression (2+ and 3+) was 10%, but no prognostic significance was found. Copy number analysis of chromosomes 7, 8, and 17 revealed disomic (40%), trisomic (36%), and hypertetrasomic (24%) tumors. Compared with patients with disomic tumors, patients with hypertetrasomic tumors exhibited a significantly decreased relapse-free and overall survival (5.0 v 13.0 months, P = .0144 and 7.0 v 20.0 months, P = .0099, respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed the independent prognostic significance of hypertetrasomy. Conclusion Tumor ploidy levels correlate with prognosis of PDAC patients, indicating characteristic biologic properties of PDAC with high chromosomal instability. In contrast, no prognostic influence on patient outcome was found for the amplification of the HER2 oncogene or p185HER2 overexpression. Therefore, evaluation of ploidy levels offers new opportunities for patient stratification in clinical trials and enables novel approaches to study the well-known aggressiveness of PDAC.
Symmetry preserving algorithm for large displacement frictionless contact by the pre‐discretization penalty method
Authors: Gabriel D. , Plešek J. , Ulbin M. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractA three‐dimensional contact algorithm based on the pre‐discretization penalty method is presented. Using the pre‐discretization formulation gives rise to contact searching performed at the surface Gaussian integration points. It is shown that the proposed method is consistent with the continuum formulation of the problem and allows an easy incorporation of higher‐order elements with midside nodes to the analysis. Moreover, a symmetric treatment of mutually contacting surfaces is preserved even under large displacement increments. The proposed algorithm utilizes the BFGS method modified for constrained non‐linear systems. The effectiveness of quadratic isoparametric elements in contact analysis is tested in terms of numerical examples verified by analytical solutions and experimental measurements. The symmetry of the algorithm is clearly manifested in the problem of impact of two elastic cylinders. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A universal measure of the conformity of a mesh with respect to an anisotropic metric field
Authors: Labbé P. , Dompierre J. , Vallet M.‐G. , Guibault F. , Trépanier J.‐Y. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractIn this paper, a method is presented to measure the non‐conformity of a mesh with respect to a size specification map given in the form of a Riemannian metric. The measure evaluates the difference between the metric tensor of a simplex of the mesh and the metric tensor specified on the size specification map. This measure is universal because it is a unique, dimensionless number which characterizes either a single simplex of a mesh or a whole mesh, both in size and in shape, be it isotropic or anisotropic, coarse or fine, in a small or a big domain, in two or three dimensions. This measure is important because it can compare any two meshes in order to determine unequivocally which of them is better. Analytical and numerical examples illustrate the behaviour of this measure. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality of life in patients receiving treatment for gynecologic malignancies: Special considerations for patient care
Authors: Wenzel L. , Vergote I. , Cella D. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAdvances in the treatment of gynecologic cancer have extended the duration of survival of many patients. However, these patients frequently experience a variety of treatment‐ and disease‐related side effects that diminish their quality of life (QOL) during and after treatment; among these are pain, nausea and vomiting, anemia, fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, emotional distress, and sexual dysfunction. Given the gains in survival time, patient care is being expanded to include enhancement or preservation of QOL in addition to early diagnosis and disease treatment, thus treating the whole person. In parallel with this evolution in cancer care, supportive measures are being increasingly recognized as crucial to effective patient management. This paper reviews some of the potential causes of diminished QOL in gynecologic cancer patients and basic treatment strategies for their control, with a focus on short‐term QOL issues. It is important that clinicians monitor QOL during the course of the disease and its treatment, utilize procedures and therapeutic agents that take patient preferences and QOL into account, and proactively prevent ant treat relevant symptoms.
PLATINUM GROUP ELEMENT HIGH-ENERGY PIXE
Authors: HALDEN NORMAN M. , HAWTHORNE FRANK C. , GUY DUROCHER J.J. , McKEE JASPER S.C. , MIRZAI ALI 
Published: November 2004

K X-ray spectra have been obtained from Platinum-Group Element (PGE) minerals using 40 MeV Proton-Induced X-ray Emission. It is possible to resolve all four component X-ray lines for the PGEs. In cases where there is more than one PGE present, some K X-ray lines may overlap, but in all cases, there were single lines available for quantitative analysis. The spectrum obtained from the sperrylite during exposure to the proton beam beam contained Au X-rays. The presence of the Au can be attributed to (p,xn) reactions with Pt, induced by proton bombardment of the sample. The intensity of Au X-ray lines in the spectrum is proportional to the amount of Pt in the sample and the cross-section for (p,xn) reactions between Pt and Au at 40 MeV.
ANALYSIS OF TREE SAMPLES FROM AN ACIDIC AND A LIMED ENVIRONMENT BY MEANS OF PIXE
Authors: PERNESTÅL KJELL , JONSSON BENGT , HÄLLGREN JAN-ERIK , LI HONG-KO 
Published: November 2004

Three tree core samples of Norway spruce (Picea Abies) have been analysed by PIXE. The concentration profiles for 17 elements heavier than sodium have been determined by means of one PIXE measurement every 2 mm along the samples. The samples were collected at Fäxboda, an experimental area north of Uppsala where artificially acidified and limed environmental experiments are made. One sample from each of an acidified, a limed and a reference area has been collected. The main interest is focused on potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc. All three samples have about the same concentration profile in the heartwood. Large differences are observed in the sapwood. In the sample from the limed area the calcium content is much higher and the iron and chromium. contents are lower than in the sample from the reference area. In the sample from the acidified area the calcium and potassium contents are lower and the manganese, iron and chromium contents are much higher than in the sample from the reference area. The observed concentration profiles of trace elements in trees indicate that changes in the environment due to acidification can be quantified at an early stage by means of PIXE.
PHOTON PAIRING AND THE STRONG COUPLING PHASE OF MASSIVE QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS COOPER EQUATION
Authors: INAGAKI T. , KOMACHIYA M. , FUKUDA R. 
Published: November 2004

Through the Cooper equation of the photon pairing, the instability of the normal vacuum of the Quantum Electrodynamics with the massive electron is studied. Using the low energy effective Lagrangian, the normal vacuum is shown to be unstable against the condensation of the photon pairs above the critical value of the fine structure constant. These agree with the previous results obtained by the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The presence of the weak electric external field enhances the instability thus lowering the critical value. This can be a basis for the explanation of the anomalous GSI e+e− events.
TOPOLOGY AND LATTICES
Authors: BEN-AV RADEL , SOLOMON SORIN 
Published: November 2004

The concept of interpolation relates lattice configurations to continuum configurations. This relation induces from the continuum to the lattice the definitions of “continuous deformation”, topological classification and homotopy classes. The lattice homotopy classes obtained this way are separated by boundaries made out of “exceptional configurations” (EC). The EC boundaries allow the topological classification of the lattice configurations even in models in which it is impossible (or cumbersome) to give in a close form, a definition of the topological charge in terms of lattice variables. We give the description of the EC boundaries for the 2 dimensional XY spin model and the 4 dimensional SU(2) gauge model.
NEW EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS FOR INTERMEDIATE- AND HIGH-ENERGY POLARIZATION ASYMMETRY
Authors: YOKOSAWA AKIHIKO 
Published: November 2004

We review recent experimental data on polarization asymmetry at intermediate and high energies. We include phenomenological interpretations of the data. In this review we examine the present status of polarization physics at intermediate and high energies. Special attention is directed to controversial experimental results as well as interpretations of the data. Our objective is to contribute toward the planning of future experimental facilities and experiments. For more detailed description and discussion of various experiments and phenomenological interpretations, we provide extensive references. Polarized-beam programs at the SLC (Stanford Linear Collider), HERA (Hadron Electron Ring Accelerator, and EPC (Electron Positron Collider) are not included in this review. Neither do we discuss the technologies of polarized ion sources, polarized targets, polarized beams, or accelerators.
SIMPLE GEOMETRICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF QUASI-PERIODIC POINT SETS BY VARIOUS CONCEPTS OF INTERPENETRATION
Authors: CODDENS G. 
Published: November 2004

Behind several methods to describe quasicrystals there is some concept of interpenetration. Two such concepts are outlined in this paper, giving a geometrically attractive interpretation of quasi-periodic (QP) point sets. First we show how QP tilings constructed with the grid method can also be obtained by taking the mass centre of suitably chosen sets of points belonging to a union of periodic lattices (intertwinning). In a second part of the paper it is shown how from the projection method QP point sets can be obtained that can be decomposed into a superposition of distorted lattices (intergrowth1). These decompositions are derived for the case where a face-centered hypercubic Bravais lattice generates the pattern. A general study of such decompositions may be of heuristic value for structure determinations.
YANG-BAXTER ALGEBRAS, INTEGRABLE THEORIES AND BETHE ANSATZ
Authors: DE VEGA H.J. 
Published: November 2004

The Yang-Baxter algebras (YBA) are introduced in a general framework stressing their power to exactly solve the lattice models associated to them. The algebraic Bethe Ansatz is developed as an eigenvector construction based on the YBA. The six-vertex model solution is given explicitly. The generalization of YB algebras to face language is considered. The algebraic BA for the SOS model of Andrews, Baxter and Forrester is described using these face YB algebras. It is explained how these lattice models yield both solvable massive QFT and conformal models in appropiated scaling (continuous) limits within the lattice light-cone approach. This approach permit to define and solve rigorously massive QFT as an appropiate continuum limit of gapless vertex models. The deep links between the YBA and Lie algebras are analyzed including the quantum groups that underly the trigonometric/hyperbolic YBA. Braid and quantum groups are derived from trigonometric/hyperbolic YBA in the limit of infinite spectral parameter. To conclude, some recent developments in the domain of integrable theories are summarized.
RESEARCH ON CHINESE OCR IN TAIWAN
Authors: CHENG FANG-HSUAN , HSU WEN-HSING 
Published: November 2004

This paper describes typical research on Chinese optical character recognition in Taiwan. Chinese characters can be represented by a set of basic line segments called strokes. Several approaches to the recognition of handwritten Chinese characters by stroke analysis are described here. A typical optical character recognition (OCR) system consists of four main parts: image preprocessing, feature extraction, radical extraction and matching. Image preprocessing is used to provide the suitable format for data processing. Feature extraction is used to extract stable features from the Chinese character. Radical extraction is used to decompose the Chinese character into radicals. Finally, matching is used to recognize the Chinese character. The reasons for using strokes as the features for Chinese character recognition are the following. First, all Chinese characters can be represented by a combination of strokes. Second, the algorithms developed under the concept of strokes do not have to be modified when the number of characters increases. Therefore, the algorithms described in this paper are suitable for recognizing large sets of Chinese characters.
APPLICATIONS OF NEURAL NETWORKS TO CHARACTER RECOGNITION
Authors: GUYON I. 
Published: November 2004

Among the many applications that have been proposed for neural networks, character recognition has been one of the most successful. Compared to other methods used in pattern recognition, the advantage of neural networks is that they offer a lot of flexibility to the designer, i.e. expert knowledge can be introduced into the architecture to reduce the number of parameters determined by training by examples. In this paper, a general introduction to neural network architectures and learning algorithms commonly used for pattern recognition problems is given. The design of a neural network character recognizer for on-line recognition of handwritten characters is then described in detail.
TRANSFORMING CONJUNCTIVE MATCH INTO RETE: A CALL-GRAPH CACHING APPROACH
Authors: PERLIN MARK W. 
Published: November 2004

Conjunctive match is often used in Artificial Intelligence as the kernel of a pattern-directed inference [37] engine. Conjunctive match entails generating and testing all possible combinations of objects against a pattern of constraints. While simple to program, it is an expensive, exponential cost computation. To reduce this average match cost in production system engines, the RETE match algorithm [8] was devised. RETE compiles each rule's pattern of constraints into a network, and then incrementally updates partial matches as objects are inserted and deleted. RETE, however, has its own cost: conceptual and implementational complexity. Call-graph caching (CGC) [20] is a mechanism for transforming recursive specifications into highly optimized networks. In this paper, we describe CGC, and use it to transform a family of recursive conjunctive match formulations into their corresponding RETE networks. Our approach illustrates the ideas behind RETE, and shows their application to other algorithms.