Outline of an approach to management standards

In its book SMOG: A REPORT TO THE PEOPLE (1972), the Environmental Quality Laboratory (EQL) proposed that "management standards" be used as an approach to air quality in the Los Angeles Basin. The concept of management standards is based on technical, economic, and social feasibility. It envisions a relatively long-term, relatively stringent ambient air quality goal to be achieved eventually through a specified series of time-phased steps. Each step would set a target date by which there must be achieved substantial percentage reductions in the number of days per year on which the long-term ambient air quality goal is violated, reducing this figure by the ultimate target date to no (or insignificant) days of violation annually. Management standards thus aim at long-term goals, but they insist as well upon short-term, time-phased improvements -- each of which demands all feasible control steps, and each of which enhances air quality relative to what it was before. The outline that follows represents a first attempt at thinking about application of the management standards concept on a nationwide basis. The purpose is to achieve the commendable objectives of the Clean Air Amendments of 1970 in a manner that takes into account the varying problems and conditions that exist in different air quality regions. The approach suggested in the outline would preserve the strong features of the Clean Air Amendments; it would also require by law certain planning steps to have in fact been taken under, though they were not a formal part of, the Clean Air Amendments

Multiple scattering for diffraction enhanced X-ray imaging

Materials which multiply scatter X-rays and consisting of weakly absorbing microstructures, such as lung tissue, deliver significant signals and remarkable contrast using the diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) technique. The DEI technique is investigated with respect to multiple scattering properties and its applicability to soft tissue in order to improve medical diagnostics using phase contrast imaging as a new generation of radiography. Methods and calculation algorithms for extracting multiple scattering information by applying the DEI technique were recently developed considering ultra-small angle X-ray scattering. Algorithms and techniques developed in this work allow (i) extending the DEI technique to small-angle scattering of spherical and cylindrical micro-scattering particles, and (ii) computationally efficient analytical calculation of the scattering power by using the properties of a single scattering microparticle. This method was verified during several experiments at the large-scale facilities ELETTRA and ESRF using (i) synthetic specimens, and (ii) applying the calculations to a cow lung tissue specimen assuming alveolar air. While specimen preparation and deflation of the specimen led to uncertainties, the method was verified in this case by comparing the predicted scattering power of mouse lung tissue with Monte-Carlo simulations of the DEI group of Monash University, Melbourne (AUS). <br />The influence of specimen substructure on multiple scattering is investigated and can be qualitatively reconstructed using the model of scattering elaborated in this work. Calculated scattering angle distributions predict strong influence of substructures on the scattering power. <br />The instrumental effects of the analyser crystal, acting as an angular band-pass filter, on the multiple scattering power are analysed and simulated by calculation. Similar cut-offs by the analyser crystal are expected for soft tissue as for the synthetic specimens: The calculated scattering power of the cow lung tissue specimen as well as an exemplary calculation of the scattering power of a human lung for a frontal thorax exposure demonstrate a similar scattering power as the synthetic specimens.Deutsch <br /> Materialien wie etwa Lungengewebe, die aus schwach absorbierenden, vielfachstreuenden Mikrostrukturen bestehen, zeigen unter Verwendung der „Diffraction Enhanced Imaging“ (DEI) Technik signifikante Signale und bemerkenswerten Bildkontrast. Die DEI Technik wird im Hinblick auf Eigenschaften der Vielfachstreuung und ihre Anwendungsmöglichkeit zur medizinischen Diagnostik als neue Generation phasenkontrastsensitiver Radiografie untersucht. Methoden und Algorithmen zur Bestimmung der Vielfachstreustärke unter Verwendung der DEI Technik sind aktuell nur für besonders kleine Streuwinkel verfügbar. Diese Arbeit zeigt Methoden und Berechnungen (i) zur Erweiterung des Streuwinkelbereiches unter Verwendung von kugel- und zylinderförmigen Streupartikeln, und (ii) die rechentechnisch effektive Bestimmung der Vielfachstreustärke unter Zurückführung auf die Streustärke des einzelnen Partikels. Die vorgestellte Berechnungsmethode wird anhand von Experimenten an den Großforschungseinrichtungen ELETTRA und ESRF unter Benutzung von (i) synthetischen Proben und (ii) der Anwendung der Berechnungen auf eine Probe einer Kuhlunge experimentell verifiziert. Während die Präparation und das Zusammenfallen der Lungenprobe zu Unsicherheiten führt, zeigt die vergleichsweise Berechnung zur Streuwirkung einer Mauslunge, die durch die DEI Gruppe der Monash Universität in Melbourne (AUS) mithilfe der Monte-Carlo Methode simuliert wurde, gute Übereinstimmung. <br /> Der Einfluss von Substrukturen auf die Vielfachstreuwirkung wird untersucht und ist unter Benutzung des in dieser Arbeit vorgestellten Streumodells qualitativ rekonstruierbar. Simulierte Streuwinkelverteilungen prognostizieren einen starken Einfluss von Substrukturen auf die Streustärke. <br /> Der instrumentelle Einfluss des Analysatorkristalls, der als Winkelfilter wirkt, wird im Falle von Vielfachstreuung analysiert und kann rechentechnisch nachgebildet werden. Ähnliche signalverzerrende Eigenschaften, die im Experiment mit den synthetischen Proben beobachtet wurden, werden für Lungengewebe erwartet. Die Probe der Kuhlunge und eine Hochrechnung für die Streustärke der menschlichen Lunge bei einer frontalen Thoraxaufnahme zeigen vergleichbare Streustärken mit den im Experiment verwendeten synthetischen Proben. <br /> <br /> Italiano <br /> Materiali che causano la diffusione multipla di raggi X e che consistono di microstrutture poco assorbenti, come ad esempio il tessuto polmonare, producono segnali significativi e contrasti notevoli utilizzando la tecnica del “Diffraction Enhanced Imaging” (DEI). La tecnica DEI è investigata con particolare riguardo alle proprietà di diffusione multipla ed alle sue applicazioni all’imaging di tessuti molli col fine di migliorare la dignostica medica utilizzando il contrasto di fase come imaging radiografico di nuova generazione. Metodi ed algoritmi di calcolo per estrarre informazioni di diffusione multipla applicando la tecnica DEI sono stati recentemente sviluppati considerando la diffusione di raggi X a piccolissimo angolo. Le tecniche e gli algoritmi sviluppati in questo lavoro di tesi permettono (i) di estendere la tecnica DEI alla diffusione a piccolo angolo da micro particelle sferiche e cilindriche e (ii) di calcolare analiticamente e con un uso efficiente del calcolo numerico la potenza di diffusione utilizzando le proprietà di diffusione da una singola micro-particella. Questo metodo è stato verificato durante diversi esperimenti presso i grandi laboratori internazionali ELETTRA ed ESRF utilizzando (i) campioni sintetici e (ii) applicando i calcoli a campioni di tessuto polmonare di mucca assumendo aria negli alveoli. Poichè la preparazione del campione ed il suo deterioramento hanno portato ad alcune incertezze, il metodo in questo caso è stato verificato confrontando la potenza di scattering prevista nel caso di tessuto polmonare di topo con simulazioni Montecarlo del gruppo DEI dell’Università di Monash, Melbourne (AUS). <br /> L’influenza della sottostruttura del campione sulla diffusione multipla è stata investigata e può essere ricostruita qualitativamente utilizzando il modello di diffusione elaborato in questo lavoro di tesi. Le distribuzioni calcolate per l’angolo di diffusione predicono una forte influenza delle sottostrutture sulla potenza di diffusione. <br /> Si sono analizzati e ricostruiti mediante simulazioni gli effetti strumentali d cristallo analizzatore, che funge da filtro angolare passa-banda, sulla potenza di diffusione multipla. Effetti di taglio simili da parte del cristallo analizzatore sono attesi per i tessuti molli e per i campioni sintetici. La potenza di diffusione calcolata per i campioni di tessuto polmonare di mucca come pure un calcolo dimostrativo della potenza di diffusione di un polmone umano per una esposizione toracica frontale dimostrano una potenza di diffusione simile a quella dei campioni sintetici

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of preventive zinc supplementation

Background: Even though the WHO currently recommends zinc for diarrhea management, no consensus has been reached with respect to routine distribution of zinc for preventive reasons. We reviewed the health impact of preventive zinc interventions, and evaluated the relative cost effectiveness of currently feasible interventions. Methods: Using the latest relative risk estimates reported in the literature, we parameterized a health impact model, and calculated the expected benefits of zinc supplementation in a representative low-income country. We then computed the cost and cost-effectiveness for three delivery mechanisms: the direct distribution of zinc supplements, the distribution of micronutrient biscuits including zinc, and the distribution of zinc through water filtration systems. Results: Combining all health outcomes and impact estimates, we find that systematic zinc supplementation among children of ages one to five would avert 1.423 DALYs per 100 households and year in least developed countries. The estimated cost per DALY is US$606 for pill supplementation, US$ 1211 for micronutrient biscuits, and US$ 879 per DALY saved for water filtration systems. Conclusions: Preventive zinc supplementation to children of ages 1–5 appears to be a highly cost-effective intervention in typical developing country settings. More research will be needed to determine the most effective mechanism to deliver zinc to this target population

Football v. Football: A Comparison of Agent Regulation in France’s Ligue 1 and the National Football League

Baker, Heitner, Broçard and Byon, in their article Football v. Football, analyze agent regulation in the NFL and compare it to how agents are regulated in France for Ligue 1. The article begins with a brief discussion on the concept of a sports agency that includes analysis of governmental regulation of agency in both the United States and in France. The article continues by exploring how agents are regulated in their representation of the NFL and Ligue 1 football players. Subsequently the article concludes with a discussion that includes suggestions concerning future agent regulation for both the NFL and Ligue 1

Finite volume schemes for dispersive wave propagation and runup

Finite volume schemes are commonly used to construct approximate solutions to conservation laws. In this study we extend the framework of the finite volume methods to dispersive water wave models, in particular to Boussinesq type systems. We focus mainly on the application of the method to bidirectional nonlinear, dispersive wave propagation in one space dimension. Special emphasis is given to important nonlinear phenomena such as solitary waves interactions, dispersive shock wave formation and the runup of breaking and non-breaking long waves.Comment: 41 pafes, 20 figures. Other author's papers can be downloaded at http://www.lama.univ-savoie.fr/~dutykh

Predictors of acceptance of offered care management intervention services in a quality improvement trial for dementia

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93528/1/gps2830.pd