Deflection of a dilute stream of particles.

We consider a two-dimensional system in which a dilute stream of particles collides with an oblique planar wall. Both collisions between particles and collisions between particles and the wall are inelastic. We perform numerical simulations in two dimensions and show that the mean force experienced by the wall can be a nonmonotonic function of the angle between the wall and the particle stream.

Degenerate orbit transitions in a one-dimensional inelastic particle system.

Continuous transitions between different periodic orbits in a one-dimensional inelastic particle system are investigated. We show that continuous transitions that occur when adding or subtracting a single collision are, generically, of co-dimension 2. We give a full mechanical description of the system and explain why this is the case.

Increased risk for hepatitis C associated with solvent use among Canadian Aboriginal injection drug users.

Background: Solvent abuse is a particularly serious issue affecting Aboriginal people. Here we examine the association between solvent use and socio-demographic variables, drug-related risk factors, and pathogen prevalence in Aboriginal injection drug users (IDU) in Manitoba, Canada.

Methods: Data originated from a cross-sectional survey of IDU from December 2003 to September 2004.

Development of a patient-reported questionnaire for collecting toxicity data following prostate brachytherapy.

Purpose: To improve a questionnaire used to collect patient-reported outcomes from patients with early stage prostate cancer treated with brachytherapy. A secondary aim was to adapt the Late Effects of Normal Tissue (LENT) subjective toxicity questionnaire for use to collect Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) data, the current preferred platform for assessing radiation toxicity.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred and seventy-seven patients were treated with permanent iodine-125 seed implant brachytherapy for early prostate cancer.

Proximal humeral fractures with a severe varus deformity treated by fixation with a locking plate.

We treated 47 patients with a mean age of 57 years (22 to 88) who had a proximal humeral fracture in which there was a severe varus deformity, using a standard operative protocol of anatomical reduction, fixation with a locking plate and supplementation by structural allografts in unstable fractures. The functional and radiological outcomes were reviewed. At two years after operation the median Constant score was 86 points and the median Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score 17 points.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sequence type 398 in humans, Canada.

Rates of colonization with livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sequence type 398 have been high for pigs and pig farmers in Canada, but prevalence rates for the general human population are unknown. In this study, 5 LA-MRSA isolates, 4 of which were obtained from skin and soft tissue infections, were identified from 3,687 tested MRSA isolates from persons in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada. Further molecular characterization determined that these isolates all contained staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mecV, were negative for Panton-Valentine leukocidin, and were closely related by macrorestriction analysis with the restriction enzyme Cfr91.

Phonological awareness and mathematical difficulty: a longitudinal perspective.

The present longitudinal study sought to investigate the impact of poor phonology on children's mathematical status. From a screening sample of 256 five-year-olds, 82 children were identified as either typically achieving (TA; N = 31), having comorbid poor phonology and mathematical difficulties (PDMD; N = 31), or having only poor phonology (phonological difficulty, PD; N = 20). Children were assessed on eight components of informal and formal mathematics achievement at ages 5-7 years.

The effect of medical comorbidity on self-reported shoulder-specific health related quality of life in patients with shoulder disease.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate further the effect of medical comorbidity on a patient reported shoulder specific health related quality of life (HRQoL) measure. We investigated which types of comorbidities have a detrimental effect upon shoulder specific HRQoL. We hypothesized that general medical comorbidity would not negatively affect shoulder specific HRQoL questionnaires, but that comorbidities specific to the chest region would, when properly controlling for other patient factors.

Atypical fibroxanthoma: Case series of 16 patients.

Atypical fibroxanthoma is an unusual tumour of skin seen mainly in the head and neck region of elderly patients. Clinically it appears as red, ulcerated nodules, which can be difficult to differentiate from other tumours without histopathological examination. Immunohistochemical analysis also aids diagnosis.

Relationship between intended sites of RF ablation and post-procedural scar in AF patients, using late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the left atrium (LA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is guided by electroanatomic mapping systems. The cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) technique can detect scar after ablation. Direct comparisons between the locations of intended RF ablation sites and locations of scar formation in the LA have not been performed.

Efficacy of data capture for patient-reported toxicity following radiotherapy for prostate or cervical cancer.

We investigated the efficacy of data capture of patient-reported toxicity following radiotherapy by comparing electronic and paper formats. Patient-reported toxicity questionnaires based on items from the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) were created for patients receiving radiotherapy. Electronic and paper questionnaires had identical questions.

Role of CT angiography and embolisation in the management of life-threatening haemorrhage following microvascular head and neck reconstruction.

Post-operative haemorrhage in the head and neck cancer patient can have a catastrophic outcome either for the patient or the free flap if microvascular reconstruction has been performed. The life of the patient always takes priority over the flap; however the pedicle can be at risk when the patient is returned to theatre for arrest of the haemorrhage. CT angiography is a good non-invasive method of determining the source of bleeding and facilitating superselective embolisation, minimizing risk to the flap pedicle.

ADAMTS metalloproteases generate active versican fragments that regulate interdigital web regression.

We show that combinatorial mouse alleles for the secreted metalloproteases Adamts5, Adamts20 (bt), and Adamts9 result in fully penetrant soft-tissue syndactyly. Interdigital webs in Adamts5(-/-);bt/bt mice had reduced apoptosis and decreased cleavage of the proteoglycan versican; however, the BMP-FGF axis, which regulates interdigital apoptosis was unaffected. BMP4 induced apoptosis, but without concomitant versican proteolysis.

10mM glucosamine prevents activation of proADAMTS5 (aggrecanase-2) in transfected cells by interference with post-translational modification of furin.

Objective: Glucosamine has been previously shown to suppress cartilage aggrecan catabolism in explant cultures. We determined the effect of glucosamine on ADAMTS5 (a disintegrin-like and metalloprotease domain (reprolysin type) with thrombospondin type-1 motifs 5), a major aggrecanase in osteoarthritis, and investigated a potential mechanism underlying the observed effects.

Design: HEK293F and CHO-K1 cells transiently transfected with ADAMTS5 cDNA were treated with glucosamine or the related hexosamine mannosamine.

Rapid detection of Naegleria fowleri in water distribution pipeline biofilms and drinking water samples.

Rapid detection of pathogenic Naegleria fowler in water distribution networks is critical for water utilities. Current detection methods rely on sampling drinking water followed by culturing and molecular identification of purified strains. This culture-based method takes an extended amount of time (days), detects both nonpathogenic and pathogenic species, and does not account for N.

Concordance between locomotor morphology and foraging mode in lacertid lizards.

Foraging behaviors exist along a continuum from highly sedentary, ambush foraging, to more continuous searching, or active foraging. Foraging strategies, or modes, are defined based upon locomotor behaviors (e.g.

Lung contusion in children--early computed tomography versus radiography.

Objective: To investigate, in children, the correlation between the extent of lung contusion as detected on early radiologic examination (chest radiograph [CXR] and/or thoracic computed tomography [TCT]) and subsequent clinical outcome measures.

Design: Retrospective chart review study with blinded assessment of thoracic imaging.

Setting: A university-affiliated, level 1 designated pediatric trauma center.

Driven inelastic-particle systems with drag.

We study steady states of the motion of a large number of particles in a closed box that are excited by a vibrating boundary and experience a linear drag force from the interstitial fluid. The dissipation in such systems arises from two main sources: Inelasticity in particle collisions and the effects of interstitial fluid on the particles. In many applications, order of magnitude estimates suggest that the dissipation due to interstitial fluid effects may greatly exceed that due to inelasticity and one is naturally led to neglect inelastic effects.

Recurrence of atrial fibrillation correlates with the extent of post-procedural late gadolinium enhancement: a pilot study.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate radiofrequency (RF) ablation lesions in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and to correlate the ablation patterns with treatment success.

Background: RF ablation procedures for treatment of AF result in localized scar that is detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR. We hypothesized that the extent of scar in the left atrium and pulmonary veins (PV) would correlate with moderate-term procedural success.

Assessing the effect of a contouring protocol on postprostatectomy radiotherapy clinical target volumes and interphysician variation.

Purpose: To compare postprostatectomy clinical target volume (CTV) delineation before and after the introduction of a contouring protocol and to investigate its effect on interphysician variability

Methods And Materials: Six site-specialized radiation oncologists independently delineated a CTV on the computed tomography (CT) scans of 3 patients who had received postprostatectomy radiotherapy. At least 3 weeks later this was repeated, but with the physicians adhering to the contouring protocol from the Medical Research Council's Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation In Combination After Local Surgery (RADICALS) trial. The volumes obtained before and after the protocol were compared and the effect of the protocol on interphysician variability assessed.

Individual differences in trajectories of arithmetical development in typically achieving 5- to 7-year-olds.

The arithmetical performance of typically achieving 5- to 7-year-olds (N=29) was measured at four 6-month intervals. The same seven tasks were used at each time point: exact calculation, story problems, approximate arithmetic, place value, calculation principles, forced retrieval, and written problems. Although group analysis showed mostly linear growth over the 18-month period, analysis of individual differences revealed a much more complex picture.