One scheme for harmonic generation employs free electron lasers (FELs) with two undulators: the first uses a seed laser to modulate the energy of the electron beam; following a dispersive element which acts to bunch the beam, the second undulator radiates at a higher harmonic. These processes are currently evaluated using extensive calculations or simulation codes which can be slow to evaluate and difficult to set up. We describe a simple algorithm to predict the output of a harmonic generation beamline in the low-gain FEL regime, based on trial functions for the output radiation. Full three-dimensional effects are included. This method has been implemented as a Mathematica package, named CAMPANILE, which runs rapidly and can be generalized to include effects such as asymmetric beams and misalignments. This method is compared with simulation results using the FEL code GENESIS, both for single stages of harmonic generation and for the LUX project, a design concept for an ultrafast X-ray facility, where multiple stages upshift the input laser frequency by factors of up to 200.

We sought to explore whether the elderly are high users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and to determine which modalities they use. We also sought to describe patterns and positive predictors of CAM use among 3 ethnically diverse groups of community-residing elderly.

A 7-page questionnaire was developed and translated into Spanish and Vietnamese.

A population of 525 community-residing elderly completed personal interviews.

Two hundred and fifty-one respondents (47.8%) reported using CAM over the past year. Dietary supplements (47.4%), chiropractic (16.3%), home remedies (15.9%), acupuncture (15.1%), and Oriental medicine (12.8%), were the most frequently cited therapies. The majority of CAM users (62.4%) did not inform their physicians that they were using it, but 58% consulted their physician for the same problem for which they used CAM. Family and friends were most relied upon for making the choice of therapy. Among the 3 ethnic groups studied, Asians were higher users of acupuncture (28%) and Oriental medicine (31%), Hispanics were higher users of dietary supplements (56%), home remedies (25%), and curanderos (8%), while white non-Hispanics were higher users of chiropractic (42%), massage (20%), vitamins (20%), diet (17%), and psychospiritual (15%) modalities. Pain was a higher indicator of CAM use among Asians, gastrointestinal problems and diabetes among Hispanics, and stress/fatigue and cardiovascular problems among white non-Hispanics.

Findings indicated a high use of CAM among the elderly and emphasize the likelihood that elderly immigrants use those therapies with which they are familiar. Modalities and conditions varied with the ethnicity of respondents.

LUX is a design study to develop concepts for future ultrafast x-ray facilities. Presently, LUX is based on an electron beam accelerated to ~;3-GeV energy in a superconducting, recirculating linac. Included in the design are multiple free-electron laser (FEL) beamlines which use the harmonic cascade approach to produce coherent XUV and soft X-ray emission beginning with a strong input seed at ~;200-nm wavelength obtained from a "conventional" laser. Each cascade module generally operates in the low-gain regime and is composed of a radiator together with a modulator section, separated by a magnetic chicane. The chicane temporally delays the electron beam pulse in order that a "virgin" pulse region (with undegraded energy spread) be brought into synchronism with the radiation pulse. For a given cascade, the output photon energy can be selected over a wide range by varying the seed laser wavelength and the field strength in the undulators. We present numerical simulation results, as well as those from analytical models, to examine certain aspects of the predicted FEL performance. We also discuss lattice considerations pertinent to harmonic cascade FELs, some sensitivity studies and requirements on the undulator alignment, and temporal pulse evolution initiated by short input radiation seeds.

LUX is a design concept for an ultrafast X-ray science facility, based on an electron beam accelerated to GeV energies in a recirculating linac. Included in the design are short duration (200 fs or shorter FWHM) light sources using multiple stages of higher harmonic generation, seeded by a 200-250 nm laser of similar duration. This laser modulates the energy of a group of electrons within the electronbunch; this section of the electron bunch then produces radiation at a higher harmonic after entering a second, differently tuned undulator. Repeated stages in a cascade yield increasing photon energies up to 1 keV. Most of the undulators in the cascade operate in the low-gain FEL regime. Harmonic cascades have been designed for each pass of the recirculating linac up to a final electron beam energy of 3.1 GeV. For a given cascade, the photon energy can be selected over a wide range by varying the seed laser frequency and the field strength in the undulators. We present simulation results using the codes GENESIS and GINGER, as well as the results of analytical models which predict FEL performance. We discuss lattice considerations pertinent for harmonic cascade FELs, as well as sensitivity studies and requirements on the electron beam.

Background: S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is a dietary supplement used in the management of osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms. Studies evaluating SAMe in the management of OA have been limited to Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs ( NSAIDs) for comparison. The present study compares the effectiveness of SAMe to a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor ( celecoxib) for pain control, functional improvement and to decrease side effects in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods: A randomized double-blind cross-over study, comparing SAMe ( 1200 mg) with celecoxib ( Celebrex 200 mg) for 16 weeks to reduce pain associated with OA of the knee. Sixty-one adults diagnosed with OA of the knee were enrolled and 56 completed the study. Subjects were tested for pain, functional health, mood status, isometric joint function tests, and side effects. Results: On the first month of Phase 1, celecoxib showed significantly more reduction in pain than SAMe ( p = 0.024). By the second month of Phase 1, there was no significant difference between both groups ( p < 0.01). The duration of treatment and the interaction of duration with type of treatment were statistically significant (ps 0.029). On most functional health measures both groups showed a notable improvement from baseline, however no significant difference between SAMe and celecoxib was observed. Isometric joint function tests appeared to be steadily improving over the entire study period regardless of treatment. Conclusion: SAMe has a slower onset of action but is as effective as celecoxib in the management of symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. Longer studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of SAMe and the optimal dose to be used.

BACKGROUND: The optimal retrieval of a literature search in biomedicine depends on the appropriate use of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), descriptors and keywords among authors and indexers. We hypothesized that authors, investigators and indexers in four biomedical databases are not consistent in their use of terminology in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). METHODS: Based on a research question addressing the validity of spinal palpation for the diagnosis of neuromuscular dysfunction, we developed four search concepts with their respective controlled vocabulary and key terms. We calculated the frequency of MeSH, descriptors, and keywords used by authors in titles and abstracts in comparison to standard practices in semantic and analytic indexing in MEDLINE, MANTIS, CINAHL, and Web of Science. RESULTS: Multiple searches resulted in the final selection of 38 relevant studies that were indexed at least in one of the four selected databases. Of the four search concepts, validity showed the greatest inconsistency in terminology among authors, indexers and investigators. The use of spinal terms showed the greatest consistency. Of the 22 neuromuscular dysfunction terms provided by the investigators, 11 were not contained in the controlled vocabulary and six were never used by authors or indexers. Most authors did not seem familiar with the controlled vocabulary for validity in the area of neuromuscular dysfunction. Recently, standard glossaries have been developed to assist in the research development of manual medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Searching biomedical databases for CAM is challenging due to inconsistent use of controlled vocabulary and indexing procedures in different databases. A standard terminology should be used by investigators in conducting their search strategies and authors when writing titles, abstracts and submitting keywords for publications.