Interferometric Mapping of Magnetic Fields in Star-forming Regions I. W51 e1/e2 Molecular Cores

We present the first interferometric polarization map of the W51 e1/e2 molecular cores obtained with the BIMA array at 1.3 mm wavelength with approximately 3 arcsecond resolution. The polarization angle varies smoothly across the double cores with an average position angle of 23+-5 degrees for W51 e1 and 15+-7 degrees for W51 e2. The inferred magnetic field direction is parallel to the minor axis of the double cores, which is consistent with the theoretical picture that clouds collapse along the field lines. However, the magnetic field may not determine the axis of angular momentum of these two cores as the field directions of the two cores significantly differ with the previously measured directions of rotational axes. The polarization percentage decreases toward regions with high intensity, suggesting that the dust alignment efficiency decreases toward high density regions. The field directions are highly ordered, and the small dispersion of the polarization angles implies that magnetic fields are strong ($\gtrsim$ 1 mG) and perhaps dominate turbulence in W51 e1/e2.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, Nov 10, 2001 issu

Analysis of CDMA systems that are characterized by eigenvalue spectrum

An approach by which to analyze the performance of the code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme, which is a core technology used in modern wireless communication systems, is provided. The approach characterizes the objective system by the eigenvalue spectrum of a cross-correlation matrix composed of signature sequences used in CDMA communication, which enables us to handle a wider class of CDMA systems beyond the basic model reported by Tanaka. The utility of the novel scheme is shown by analyzing a system in which the generation of signature sequences is designed for enhancing the orthogonality.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

SCAview: an Intuitive Visual Approach to the Integrative Analysis of Clinical Data in Spinocerebellar Ataxias

With SCAview, we present a prompt and comprehensive tool that enables scientists to browse large datasets of the most common spinocerebellar ataxias intuitively and without technical effort. Basic concept is a visualization of data, with a graphical handling and filtering to select and define subgroups and their comparison. Several plot types to visualize all data points resulting from the selected attributes are provided. The underlying synthetic cohort is based on clinical data from five different European and US longitudinal multicenter cohorts in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, 2, 3, and 6 (SCA1, 2, 3, and 6) comprising > 1400 patients with overall > 5500 visits. First, we developed a common data model to integrate the clinical, demographic, and characterizing data of each source cohort. Second, the available datasets from each cohort were mapped onto the data model. Third, we created a synthetic cohort based on the cleaned dataset. With SCAview, we demonstrate the feasibility of mapping cohort data from different sources onto a common data model. The resulting browser-based visualization tool with a thoroughly graphical handling of the data offers researchers the unique possibility to visualize relationships and distributions of clinical data, to define subgroups and to further investigate them without any technical effort. Access to SCAview can be requested via the Ataxia Global Initiative and is free of charge

Demographic, clinical and antibody characteristics of patients with digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis: data from the DUO Registry

OBJECTIVES: The Digital Ulcers Outcome (DUO) Registry was designed to describe the clinical and antibody characteristics, disease course and outcomes of patients with digital ulcers associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: The DUO Registry is a European, prospective, multicentre, observational, registry of SSc patients with ongoing digital ulcer disease, irrespective of treatment regimen. Data collected included demographics, SSc duration, SSc subset, internal organ manifestations, autoantibodies, previous and ongoing interventions and complications related to digital ulcers. RESULTS: Up to 19 November 2010 a total of 2439 patients had enrolled into the registry. Most were classified as either limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc; 52.2%) or diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc; 36.9%). Digital ulcers developed earlier in patients with dcSSc compared with lcSSc. Almost all patients (95.7%) tested positive for antinuclear antibodies, 45.2% for anti-scleroderma-70 and 43.6% for anticentromere antibodies (ACA). The first digital ulcer in the anti-scleroderma-70-positive patient cohort occurred approximately 5 years earlier than the ACA-positive patient group. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data from a large cohort of SSc patients with a history of digital ulcers. The early occurrence and high frequency of digital ulcer complications are especially seen in patients with dcSSc and/or anti-scleroderma-70 antibodies

Modified Maxwell equations in quantum electrodynamics

Divergencies in quantum field theory referred to as "infinite zero-point energy" have been a problem for 70 years. Renormalization has always been considered an unsatisfactory remedy. In 1985 it was found that Maxwell's equations generally do not have solutions that satisfy the causality law. An additional term for magnetic dipole currents corrected this shortcoming. Rotating magnetic dipoles produce magnetic dipole currents, just as rotating electric dipoles in a material like barium titanate produce electric dipole currents. Electric dipole currents were always part of Maxwell's equations.