In a previous paper, a two-dimensional Fourier do-main synthetic aperture radar (SAR) raw signal simulator that exploits the efficiency of fast Fourier transform algorithms was presented. It accounts for the effects of sensor trajectory de-viations and is able to generate the raw signal corresponding to extended scenes in a few seconds. However, a narrow-beam-slow-deviation assumption is made; hence, the approach can be applied only to some SAR systems and/or trajectory devia-tions. To overcome this limitation, in this paper, we show that the narrow-beam-slow-deviation assumption can be relaxed, at the expense of computation efficiency, if use is made of one-dimensional azimuth Fourier domain processing followed by range time-domain integration. The latter approach only requires some reasonable assumptions on the sensor motion and on the SAR system features; hence, it can be used for airborne SAR systems, and turns out to be still much more efficient than the time-domain one; hence, extended scenes can still be considered. Validity limits of the approach are also analytically evaluated, and several simulation results are finally presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed simulation scheme. © 2006 IEEE

The GMQL system is freely available for non-commercial use as open source project at: http://www.bioinformatics.deib.polimi.it/GMQLsystem/.

In patients with peripheral arterial disease, limitation of exercise capacity will reduce the level of everyday physical activity and affect the quality of life. This study was designed (1) to examine the health-related quality of life of patients with intermittent claudication, and (2) to verify whether treadmill performance is related to the patient's perceived ability to function in the community. In 251 patients with intermittent claudication and 89 matched normal subjects, quality of life was assessed by a general health index questionnaire, the McMaster Health Index Questionnaire (MHIQ), which covers three dimensions of life (physical, social and emotional function). The maximal walking capacity of intermittent claudication patients was measured by the treadmill test. When controls were compared to intermittent claudication patients using the MHIQ, it was found that intermittent claudication patients showed a significant (p < 0.01) impairment of 'general health' and lower scores for physical (0.90 +/- 0.17 vs 0.65 +/- 0.17; p < 0.01), social (0.71 +/- 0.11 vs 0.63 +/- 0.12; p < 0.01) and emotional (0.75 +/- 0.17 vs 0.65 +/- 0.15; p < 0.01) function. Age, gender and work status had a significant impact upon health scores in several areas. Treadmill performance did not correlate with social or emotional function, whereas there was a small but significant relationship between maximal walking capacity and physical function scores (r = 0.197; p < 0.01). This study suggests that impairment in quality of life experience by patients with intermittent claudication poorly correlates with the reduced exercised capacity assessed by the treadmill test. Therefore, the evaluation of medical and surgical treatment of intermittent claudication should include the administration of a questionnaire for quality of life assessment.

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Although the precise mode of therapeutic action requires clarification, propionyl-L-carnitine, at a dose of 1 to 2 g/day, appears to be effective and well tolerated, with minimal adverse effects.

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