For the Progress of “Faustus and Helen”: Crane, Whitman, and the Metropolitan Progress Poem

This essay is meant to invigorate a critical discussion of the progress poem—a genre that, while prevalent in American literature, has been virtually ignored by critics and scholars. In lieu of tackling the genre in its entirety, a project too large for just one article, the author focuses the argument through the well-known alignment between Walt Whitman and Hart Crane on the subject of the modern city. It is through the progress poem genre that Crane and Whitman’s peculiar place in metropolitan poetics can best be understood, and it is through their poetry that scholars can begin to approach the broader issue of the progress poem’s place in American literature. Cet article vise à soulever un débat critique au sujet de la poésie du progrès, un genre courant dans la littérature étatsunienne, mais pratiquement ignoré par les critiques et les commentateurs. Plutôt que d’aborder le genre dans son entièreté – un projet qui déborde du cadre d’un article –, l’auteur resserre l’argumentation autour du parallèle bien connu entre Walt Whitman et Hart Crane concernant le traitement de la ville moderne. C’est la poésie du progrès en tant que genre qui permet le mieux de comprendre la place particulière qu’occupent ces deux auteurs dans la poésie métropolitaine, et c’est par leurs poèmes que les chercheurs peuvent aborder la question plus vaste de la place du poème sur le progrès dans la littérature étatsunienne

Measurement of Γ(Kμ3)/Γ(Ke3)\Gamma(K_{\mu 3})/\Gamma(K_{e3}) ratio using stopped positive kaons

The ratio of the $K^{+}\to \pi^{0} \mu^{+} \nu$ ($K_{\mu3}^+$) and $K^{+}\to \pi^{0} e^{+} \nu$ ($K_{e3}^+$) decay widths, $\Gamma(K_{\mu 3})/\Gamma(K_{e3})$, has been measured with stopped positive kaons. $K_{\mu3}^+$ and $K_{e3}^+$ samples containing 2.4$\times 10^4$ and 4.0$\times 10^4$ events, respectively, were analyzed. The $\Gamma(K_{\mu3})/\Gamma(K_{e3})$ ratio was obtained to be 0.671$\pm$0.007(stat.)$\pm$0.008(syst.) calculating the detector acceptance by a Monte Carlo simulation with the assumption of $\mu$-$e$ universality in $K_{l3}^+$ decay. The coefficient of the $q^2$ dependent term of the $f_0$ form factor was also determined to be $\lambda_0$=0.022$\pm$0.005(stat.)$\pm$0.004(syst.).Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure

Dual role of cerebral blood flow in regional brain temperature control in the healthy newborn infant.

Small shifts in brain temperature after hypoxia-ischaemia affect cell viability. The main determinants of brain temperature are cerebral metabolism, which contributes to local heat production, and brain perfusion, which removes heat. However, few studies have addressed the effect of cerebral metabolism and perfusion on regional brain temperature in human neonates because of the lack of non-invasive cot-side monitors. This study aimed (i) to determine non-invasive monitoring tools of cerebral metabolism and perfusion by combining near-infrared spectroscopy and echocardiography, and (ii) to investigate the dependence of brain temperature on cerebral metabolism and perfusion in unsedated newborn infants. Thirty-two healthy newborn infants were recruited. They were studied with cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy, echocardiography, and a zero-heat flux tissue thermometer. A surrogate of cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured using superior vena cava flow adjusted for cerebral volume (rSVC flow). The tissue oxygenation index, fractional oxygen extraction (FOE), and the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen relative to rSVC flow (CMRO2 index) were also estimated. A greater rSVC flow was positively associated with higher brain temperatures, particularly for superficial structures. The CMRO2 index and rSVC flow were positively coupled. However, brain temperature was independent of FOE and the CMRO2 index. A cooler ambient temperature was associated with a greater temperature gradient between the scalp surface and the body core. Cerebral oxygen metabolism and perfusion were monitored in newborn infants without using tracers. In these healthy newborn infants, cerebral perfusion and ambient temperature were significant independent variables of brain temperature. CBF has primarily been associated with heat removal from the brain. However, our results suggest that CBF is likely to deliver heat specifically to the superficial brain. Further studies are required to assess the effect of cerebral metabolism and perfusion on regional brain temperature in low-cardiac output conditions, fever, and with therapeutic hypothermia

The ALIAS (ALbumin In Acute Stroke) Phase III randomized multicentre clinical trial: design and progress report

High-dose human ALB (albumin) therapy is highly neuroprotective in animal models of ischaemic stroke. A recently completed 82-subject pilot-phase dose-escalation trial has shown that ALB is safe, with strong preliminary suggestions of possible efficacy. We are now proceeding to a large randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled multicentre trial funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health), the ALIAS (Albumin In Acute Stroke) Phase III Trial, which is designed to ascertain definitively whether high-dose ALB therapy confers neuroprotection in subjects with acute ischaemic stroke treated within 5 h of stroke onset. The primary efficacy outcome measure is a favourable outcome, defined as an NIHSS (NIH Stroke Scale) score of 0–1 or a modified Rankin Scale score of 0–1 at 3 months post-randomization. Separate randomization (1:1) to ALB or placebo therapy will be carried out in two cohorts of 900 subjects each, one that receives standard-of-care thrombolytic therapy and the other that does not. Approx. 60 North American clinical sites will participate. Subject enrolment is expected to commence in July 2006