cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Celiac Artery Stenting to Facilitate Hepatic Yttrium-90 Radioembolization Therapy

Radioembolization offers a novel way to treat the nonresectable, liver predominant hepatic malignancies with better tumor response and overall progression-free survival rates. Transarterial catheter-based radioembolization procedure involves the hepatic arterial administration of glass- or resin-based beta emitting Yttirum-90 microspheres. Safe delivery of the tumoricidal radiation dose requires careful angiogram planning and coil embolization to quantify lung shunting and prevent systemic toxicity, respectively. Diagnostic pretreatment angiogram also serves to identify the hepatic arterial variant anatomy and other coexisting pathologies that might require a different or alternative approach. We describe a complex case of celiac artery stenosis with tortuous pancreaticoduodenal arterial arcade precluding access to the right hepatic artery for performing radioembolization. Celiac artery stenting of the stenosis was performed to facilitate subsequent safe and successful Yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization.
Estimation of shape of the sea lion for hydrodynamic analysis. Response to 'Cambered profile of a California sea lion's body'.

To understand the complexity of aero- and hydrodynamic effects related to the morphology of animals, the shape of the organism is often simplified. Researchers used engineered foils to approximate the geometry of aquatic animals ([Hertel, 1966][1]; [Aleyev, 1977][2]; [Feldkamp, 1987][3]; [Fish and
Association of atrial fibrillation and aortic atherosclerosis: a population-based study.

Objectives To examine the association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and aortic atherosclerosis in the general population. Subjects and Methods Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 581 subjects, a random sample of the adult Olmsted County, Minnesota, population (45 years of age or older) participating in the Stroke Prevention: Assessment of Risk in a Community (SPARC) study. The frequency of aortic atherosclerosis was determined in 42 subjects with AF and compared with that in 539 subjects without AF (non-AF group). Results Subjects with AF were significantly older than non-AF subjects (mean ± SD age, 82±10 vs 66±13 years, respectively; P .10). The odds of aortic atherosclerosis (of any degree) were 2.87 times greater (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41–5.83; P=.004) and the odds of complex atherosclerosis (protruding atheroma >4 mm thick, mobile debris, or plaque ulceration) were 2.71 times greater (CI, 1.13–6.53; P=.03) in the AF group than in the non-AF group. Age was a significant predictor of aortic atherosclerosis (P Conclusions In the general population, AF is associated with aortic atherosclerosis, including complex atherosclerosis. This association is related to age since both AF and aortic atherosclerosis are more frequent in the elderly population.
Asymptotic Analysis of the Gaussian Broadcast Channel with Perturbation Preprocessing

The sum rate capacity of the multi-antenna Gaussian broadcast channel has recently been computed. However, the search for computationally efficient practical schemes that achieve it is still in progress. When the channel state information is fully available at the transmitter, the dirty paper coding (DPC) technique is known to achieve the maximal throughput, but is computationally infeasible. In this paper, we analyze the asymptotic behavior of one of its alternatives - the recently suggested so-called vector perturbation technique. We show that for a square channel, where the number of users is large and equal to the number of transmit antennas, its sum rate approaches that of the DPC technique. More precisely, we show that at both low and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the scheme under consideration is asymptotically optimal. Furthermore, we obtain similar results in the case where the number of users is much larger than the number of transmit antennas.
Connection management methods for network service providers

Network service providers purchase connection rights from network owners then offer network access to individual users at a price. Under this system the service provider seeks to maximize profit and minimize blocking by properly provisioning (purchasing) and allocating (pricing) network connections. Determining the appropriate amount to provision and allocate depends on accurately estimating user demand, which is problematic due to the unpredictable nature of users and market interactions. This paper introduces user demand estimation techniques required to optimally manage network connections. These methods maximize profit, while maintaining a low blocking probability for each connection. Analytical results are validated using simulation under variable conditions and demonstrate the impact of accurate demand estimation on profit and blocking.
The Assessment of Limb Length Discrepancy Before Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Introduction The clinical relevance of limb length discrepancy (LLD) after total hip arthroplasty gains attention as the number of total hip arthroplasties increases. Although several techniques are commonly used to assess LLD using a pelvic radiograph, their accuracy is not well established. This study measures LLD using different techniques viewing the pelvis and compares the measurements with the true LLD. Method Pelvic landmarks used included the femoral head, lesser trochanter, acetabular teardrop, ischial tuberosity, and tibial plafond. The true LLD was determined by finding the difference in distance between the lowest point of the ischial tuberosity and the tibial plafond as well as the top of the femoral head to the center of the tibial plafond for each lower limb. Results Using pelvic landmarks to assess LLD is significantly different ( P P = .08). Also, using the acetabular teardrop as a landmark has less reliability when compared to the ischial tuberosity. Discussion Owing to the extensive variety of pathologies that are associated with LLD, preoperative planning should include an assessment of any preexisting LLD. Although it may be reasonable to compare pelvic measurements preoperatively and postoperatively to assess for changes, the data from this study do not support the estimation of the true LLD using a pelvic radiograph.
Live Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and a Killed-Bacterium Vaccine Induce Distinct Subcutaneous Granulomas, with Unique Cellular and Cytokine Profiles

Type II (lepromatous) granulomas are characterized by a lack of organization, with large numbers of macrophages heavily burdened with bacilli and disorganized lymphocyte infiltrations. Type II granulomas are a characteristic feature of the enteric lesions that develop during clinical Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in the bovine. Considering the poor organization and function of these granulomas, it is our hypothesis that dendritic cell (DC) function within the granuloma is impaired during initial infection. In order to test our hypothesis, we used a subcutaneous M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection model to examine early DC function within M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-induced granulomas. In this model, we first characterized the morphology, cellular composition, and cytokine profiles of subcutaneous granulomas that develop 7 days after subcutaneous inoculation with either vaccine or live M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Second, we isolated CD11c+ cells from within granulomas and measured their maturation status and ability to induce T-cell responses. Our results demonstrate that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or vaccine administration resulted in the formation of distinct granulomas with unique cellular and cytokine profiles. These distinct profiles corresponded to significant differences in the phenotypes and functional responses of DCs from within the granulomas. Specifically, the DCs from the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-induced granulomas had lower levels of expression of costimulatory and chemokine receptors, suggesting limited maturation. This DC phenotype was associated with weaker induction of T-cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings suggest that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in vivo influences DC function, which may shape the developing granuloma and initial local protection.
Preferential Selection Independent of Race and Gender: Effects on Self-Evaluations and Newcomer Information-Seeking Behaviors

The current study investigated the effects of an experimentally imposed program of preferential selection on beneficiary self-evaluations and newcomer informationseeking behavior. One hundred-twenty undergraduates were randomly assigned to a classification condition (in which they were informed that they tended to think in either an “analytical” or “abstract” manner) and collaborated on a task in groups of three. A fourth participant was introduced into each of these 40 extant groups under either a condition of preferential selection or not. Preferentially selected newcomers were shown to have more positive self-evaluations than their nonpreferentially selected counterparts. The presence or absence of a “similar” (in terms of thinking style) incumbent moderated the effect of being preferentially selected on the use of specific information-seeking behaviors.
The Effect of Suboptimal Concentrations of Mitogens on the Immunosuppressive Action of Azathioprine and Prednisolone on Human Lymphocytes in Vitro

AbstractThe interaction of two commonly used immunosuppressive agents, azathioprine (AZA) and prednisolone sodium succinate (PSS), with three mitogens, Concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was studied. Using the endpoint of 50% inhibition of 3H-thymidine incorporation (ID50) as an indicator of cellular replication, the affect of suboptimal and optimal concentrations of mitogen on the immunosuppressive action of AZA or PSS on human lymphocyte replication in vitro was determined by isobolic analysis. The AZA ID50 for optimal concentrations of Con A (60 mcm/cc) was 242 ± 21 ngm/cc (mean % SEM, n=8), and at a suboptimal concentration of Con A (20 mcg/cc) it was 233 ± 42, i.e., the AZA ID50 was independent of the concentration of Con A. This same independent interaction was found for PHA and PWM. However, at the optimal concentration of Con A (60 mcg/cc) the PSS IDSO of 523 ± 55 ngm/cc was significantly higher (p< 0.001) than the PSS ID at the suboptimal concentration of...
Safety, health, and loss prevention in the undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum

Through this medium, the students have developed a better understanding of their responsibilities as engineers to protect both occupational and public health and safety.
Oxidative degradation of polyethylene

The degradation of polyethylene in molecular oxygen between 150 and 250°C., in ozone-enriched O2 between 20 and 109°C. and in fuming HNO3 between 25 and 83°C. has been studied. The solid, liquid, and vapor products have been analyzed by means of their infrared spectra. Kinetically, the O2 oxidation reaction appears to be second order. The Elovich chemisorption equation dq/dt = ae−αq was applied to the data and yielded comparable results. The kinetics were followed by pressure change and constant pressure measurements of oxygen uptake, and by the rate of increase of bands in the infrared spectra. The activation energy of the process was found to be 8–9 kcal./mole for the volumetric and manometric studies as well as for the ozone-catalyzed reaction, while the HNO3 oxidation gave a 35.6 kcal. value.
Using error-in-variable regression to predict tree diameter and crown width from remotely sensed imagery.

Automated individual tree detection and delineation from high spatial resolution imagery provides good opportunities for forest inventory at a large scale. However, the accuracy of delineated crown...
Combined thin-film heads for digital compact cassettes

A combined thin-film head has been developed for digital-compact-cassette (DCC) recording. In this head, the inductive recording head is placed behind the yoke-type magnetoresistive (MR) playback head. This design greatly simplifies fabrication by reducing the number of layers. Therefore, its structural stability and productivity are superior to those of other head designs. Its recording current is similar to that of a conventional thin-film recording head. The maximum output-level current is 120-160 mA/sub 0-p/, and the average output at 48 kHz exceeds 100 mu V/sub p-p/. The overwrite characteristics of 48 kHz on 9.6 kHz are about -19 dB. The influence of the recording field on the playback characteristics of the yoke-type MR head is negligible. This head has the characteristics required for DCC recording and playback. >
Satellite imagery is used to predict urban sprawl and its impact on surface hydrology

Land surface classification and impervious surface cover derived from Landsat TM imagery is coupled with an urban growth model to predict future changes in surface runoff resulting from urbanization. An illustration is presented for a medium-sized watershed, Spring Creek Basin in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
The Facets of Cultural Competence Searching Outside the Box

Sue’s proposed model is based on a critique of the Eurocentric assumptions underlying current clinical practice and reflects his innovative thinking and unique synthesis of past research. The specific areas addressed in this article focus on an examination of the multidimensional model of cultural competence (MDCC) and issues related to the definition of competence and its measurement. Areas of needed elaboration in the model include complexities related to power hierarchies (i.e., authority, authorization, and leadership) and implications for training and practice. Particular emphasis is placed on the complexities of cultural competence and the important contributions of Sue’s MDCC as an important step in making cultural competence a reality in the practice of counseling psychology.
Prognostic factors, recurrence, and survival in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: a 30-year experience in 252 patients

Abstract Objectives. To review a large single-center experience of patients treated for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) with extended follow-up in order to identify patterns of recurrence, assess patient outcomes, and determine the impact of traditional prognostic factors. Methods. We reviewed 252 patients treated surgically for upper tract TCC with a median follow-up of 64 months. Most patients (77%) underwent nephroureterectomy, whereas 17% were treated with a parenchymal sparing approach. Traditional prognostic factors including age, sex, tumor stage, grade, location, and type of surgical treatment were analyzed with respect to disease recurrence and survival. Results. Disease relapse occurred in 67 patients (27%) at a median time of 12.0 months. Recurrences were local in the retroperitoneum (9%), the bladder (51%), remaining upper tract (18%), or distant in the lung, bone, or liver (22%). The 6 patients with local relapse were among the 73 patients with pT3 or pT4 tumors, and all died of TCC at a median time from diagnosis of 37 months. Significant prognostic factors for recurrence by univariate analysis were tumor grade ( P = 0.0014) and stage ( P = 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, only tumor stage ( P = 0.017) and treatment modality ( P = 0.020) were predictors of recurrence. Actuarial 5-year disease-specific survival rates by primary tumor stage were 100% for Ta/cis, 91.7% for T1, 72.6% for T2, and 40.5% for T3. Patients with primary Stage T4 tumors had a median survival of 6 months. Although tumor stage and grade correlated with disease-specific survival on univariate analysis, only patient age ( P = 0.042) and stage ( P = 0.0001) were significant on multivariate analysis with the type of surgical procedure performed approaching significance ( P = 0.0504). Conclusions. Primary tumor stage and surgical procedure performed (radical versus parenchymal sparing) are important predictors of disease recurrence. Patient age and tumor stage were the only predictors of disease-specific survival on multivariate analysis with the type of surgical procedure approaching significance. Radical nephroureterectomy achieves excellent local control even in the setting of locally advanced (pT3 or T4) disease. The major clinical feature in this setting is distant failure, and the development of effective systemic therapy is needed to improve the outcome in these patients.
Halophytes for the treatment of saline aquaculture effluent

We determined the feasibility of using salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) as biofilters to remove nutrients from saline aquaculture wastewater. Suaeda esteroa, Salicornia bigelovii and Atriplex barclayana (Chenopodiaceae), species with potential as forage and oil seed crops, were grown in sand in draining containers (lysimeters) in a greenhouse experiment. They were irrigated to meet evapotranspiration demand and to produce a 0.3 leaching fraction, using aquaculture effluent generated from an intensive tilapia culture system. The effluent salinity was increased with NaCl to make salinity treatments of 0.5, 10 and 35 ppt. The plant–soil system removed 98% and 94% of the applied total and inorganic nitrogen, respectively. It removed 99% and 97% of the applied total and soluble reactive phosphorus, respectively. High removal rates occurred despite the high leaching fraction. Salt inhibited (P<0.05) the growth rate, nutrient removal, and volume of water that all three plant species could process. Suaeda and Salicornia, which are succulent salt marsh species, performed better than the desert saltbush, Atriplex, at the higher salinities.
Detection and Identification of Dizocilpine and its Major Urinary Metabolites in the Horse: A Preliminary Report

Dizocilpine ([+]-10,11-dihydro-5-methyl-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine), is a potent and selective NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist, which acts by blocking receptor ion channels. Dizocilpine is pharmacologically related to ketamine and phencyclidine; as such, it has the potential to affect behavior and performance in horses, with particular efficacy at lower concentrations. We now report development of a sensitive method for the detection of dizocilpine and preliminary characterization of its urinary metabolites in the horse. Dizocilpine (MW 221) readily produces a protonated species [M+H]+ in formic acid, and yields a m/z 205 product ion in Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM), allowing highly sensitive detection of parent drug. The 17 AMU loss most likely represents an unusual loss of CH5 from the exocyclic methyl group. No unchanged dizocilpine was identified in unhydrolysed urine, and the presence of hydroxymethyl and carboxydizocilpine glucuronide metabolites were supported by observation of m/z 414→238 and 428→235 transitions. Urine samples from horses dosed with dizocilpine (0.0132 and 0.0656 mg kg−1, iv) were hydrolysed with glucuronidase and were found to contain dizocilpine and OH-dizocilpine. Tentatively identified phase I post-hydrolysis compounds include dizocilpine itself, an hydroxymethyl metabolite, two ring-hydroxylated metabolites, a di-hydroxy metabolite, and a carboxy-dizocilpine metabolite. Corresponding Phase II glucuronidated metabolites were also identified as well as a number of combination metabolites and a posssible n-glucuronide metabolite for a total of at least six identifiable urinary glucuronide metabolites. Among the phase I metabolites, the hydroxymethyl metabolite apparently predominated, especially at the 0.0132 mg kg−1 dose. The goal of this research was to identify a target analyte for dizocilpine in post-administration equine urine, so that work may begin on development of a forensically validated qualitative method for this target analyte. Given the likelihood that the doses of dizocilpine used in attempts to influence the behavior or performance of horses, either alone or in combination with other agents, are expected to be in the order of 0.02 mg kg−1 or less, these results suggest selection of the phase I hydroxymethyl metabolite of dizocilpine as the optimal target analyte for regulatory control of dizocilpine in performance horses.
An overview of trends in animal poisoning cases in the United States: 2002-2010

Veterinary toxicology is a constantly evolving field. The authors use the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s medical record database to examine recent trends in veterinary toxicology/animal poisoning incidents received from 2002 to 2010. The demographics of animals exposed to potentially harmful substances, the types of substances ingested, changes/emerging trends in substance exposures, and trends in therapies used to treat exposures are discussed.
Analysis of line-scan output/e.h.t. generator circuit for c.r.t. displays

The operation of a typical line-scan output/e.h.t. generator circuit is analysed in detail. The results are given as a set of equations which are solved by an APL program, details of which are included. The analysis demonstrates how the various voltages, currents and time intervals in the circuit vary with e.h.t. load current. An important characteristic of the circuit is e.h.t. voltage regulation; this is found to depend significantly on the transformer leakage inductance, and on the charge storage and forward resistance of the e.h.t. rectifier. Over a range of load current depending on the leakage inductance, regulation is substantially better than if the leakage inductance were zero. Another characteristic that shows a similar dependence on leakage inductance is the flyback time. Performance of a test circuit has been computed and compared with measurements. The computed output voltage is found to be about 5.5 to 7% high and the incremental internal resistance about 33% low; probably the result of ignoring transfomer losses.
Evaluating 'drainage' in container and other shallow-drained horticultural soils.

Abstract Shallow‐drained horticultural soils utilized in containers, sporting areas, and landscape sites tend to retain excess water and be poorly aerated following irrigation or precipitation. This ensues even when soil hydraulic conductivity is very high. Such poor drainage is widely misconstrued as a consequence of impedance to water flux when it is most frequently a capillary retention effect. The adequacy of drainage in shallow soils and subsequent corrective measures for poor drainage arc therefore often inferred by application of inappropriate criteria. This paper briefly reviews the concept of drainage in shallow horticultural soils and describes some simple, practical methods for its correct evaluation and management.
Assessment of the Florida Pharmacist Self-Care Consultant Law Using Patient Profile and Prescription Audit Methods:

This article examines pharmacist and physician prescribing patterns during the first two years of the Florida Pharmacist Self-Care Consultant Law. Nineteen pharmacies were audited. The mandatory patient profiles were audited for a two-year period, and the prescription files were audited for a five-year period. For the nine pharmacies maintaining patient profiles, the prescribing activities of the pharmacists almost doubled from the first year to the second year. However, these prescriptions made up a very small portion of the total. Pharmacist prescribing appeared to be limited to three primary drug categories: Topical pediculicides (lindane shampoo), oral analgesics, and otic analgesics; these comprised 82 percent of all pharmacist-generated prescriptions.
Isolated blunt abdominal aortic injury without concomitant abdominal injuries treated with endovascular stent grafting

Blunt injury of the abdominal aorta is a rare event, seen in only 0.07% to 0.17% of all blunt traumas. These injuries are frequently associated with other intra-abdominal injuries, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. We present a case of isolated blunt abdominal aortic trauma to the infrarenal aorta without concomitant abdominal or spinal injuries. The patient was treated with endovascular aortic stent grafting and is without complications 12 months after the procedure.
TERRESTRIAL RESOURCE EXPLOITATION ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND, CALIFORNIA: MACROBOTANICAL DATA FROM FOUR MIDDLE HOLOCENE SITES

Abstract. On the northern Channel Islands, the occupation of interior sites during the Middle Holocene (6650–3350 cal BP) has been attributed, in part, to terrestrial resource exploitation. The presence of groundstone artifacts, particularly mortars and pestles, in Middle Holocene sites and burials supports the idea that plants were important during this time period. The current study presents macrobotanical data from 4 Middle Holocene sites on Santa Cruz Island. Of the 4 sites, 3 are located within the Central Valley, the island's most productive watershed; whereas the fourth site is located on a coastal bluff on the eastern end of the island. This arrangement allows for a comparison of contemporary coastal and interior sites. Although very few seeds were recovered from these samples, the results provide clues to seasonality of occupation and exploited habitats. The presence of seeds from medicinal plants at all 3 interior sites and the absence of seeds at the coastal site suggests that access to these r...
Heterotopic Ossification of the Calvarium Following Bilateral Craniectomies in Traumatic Brain Injury

Background: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is defined as ectopic bone formation following traumatic brain injury. Patients typically develop lesions in the hips, knees, and elbows that cause pain, restricted range of motion, nerve impingement, and pressure ulcers. Case Report: We report an unusual presentation of HO in an 18-year-old male who was involved in a motor vehicle accident and subsequently developed malignant intracranial pressure. His HO developed following bilateral craniectomies in which 2 different dural substitutes were used. Radiographic timing of ectopic bone formation and its continued growth varied. Conclusion: We describe a case of HO in the cranium, a condition that is underreported in the literature. Of significance, despite sustaining multiple traumatic fractures that were managed conservatively, our patient failed to demonstrate any evidence of ectopic axial HO following his incident.
Does Ion Aggregation Impact Polymer Dynamics and Conductivity in PEO-Based Single Ion Conductors?

We describe quasi-elastic neutron scattering measurements of polymer backbone dynamics in PEO-based single ion conductors with varying morphologies. These morphologies include aggregates, multiplets and ion pairs, where the dominant ion state varies with cation identity: Li+ samples are mostly aggregates, Cs+ samples are mostly ion pairs, and Na+ samples contain a range of ion states. The conductivities of these samples are roughly equivalent, suggesting that ion state does not have a large impact on conductivity. Because conductivity is connected to polymer dynamics, we use quasi-elastic neutron scattering to assess polymer dynamics in all three samples. In all three ionomers, the motion of the PEO spacer is slower near the ionic comonomer [anchor atoms] than it is in the spacer midpoint [bridge atoms], leading to two fractions in the measured dynamics. Anchor atom dynamics depend on cation content but not on the different morphologies associated with cation identity. We thus conclude that for this syste...
Pulsed Ion Beam Annealing Of Nickel Thin Films on Silicon

High power pulsed ion beams have been applied to anneal nickel thin films on silicon. RBS and TEM have been performed to study ion beam induced effects. With Ba+ ion beams at energy densities greater than 0.7 J/cm2 and H+ beams above about 1.3 J/cm2, cellular structures were found. At about 0.6 J/cm2 for Ba+ (about 1.0 J/cm2 for H+), epitaxial NiSi2 was formed. At lower energy densities, polycrystalline layers containing a mixture of suicide phases were observed. With ion beam annealing, melting starts at the Ni/Si interface and epitaxy was found at energy densities well below that required to melt Ni or crystalline Si.
The Determinants of Public Administrators’ Participation in Policy Formulation

There are few who would question that within their everyday discretionary choices and decision making, public servants can develop into consequential and dynamic actors in the policy process. Participation in policy formulation is a particularly meaningful stage within which administrators can make a noticeable impact in shaping public policy. Whether they do so or not often comes down to an individual choice. Yet, while there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence regarding public servants’ involvement in policy formulation, there is relatively less empirical research in the area. In particular, there is little known about the conditions under which some public administrators are more likely than others to seek to become involved in policy formulation. This study explores the effects that stakeholders’ expectations, self-expectations, administrative discretion, and tenure have on administrators’ predispositions to seek opportunities to participate in the formulation of public policy issues they find important.
Multidimensional NMR inversion without Kronecker products: Multilinear inversion

Multidimensional NMR inversion using Kronecker products poses several challenges. First, kernel compression is only possible when the kernel matrices are separable, and in recent years, there has been an increasing interest in NMR sequences with non-separable kernels. Second, in three or more dimensions, the singular value decomposition is not unique; therefore kernel compression is not well-defined for higher dimensions. Without kernel compression, the Kronecker product yields matrices that require large amounts of memory, making the inversion intractable for personal computers. Finally, incorporating arbitrary regularization terms is not possible using the Lawson-Hanson (LH) or the Butler-Reeds-Dawson (BRD) algorithms. We develop a minimization-based inversion method that circumvents the above problems by using multilinear forms to perform multidimensional NMR inversion without using kernel compression or Kronecker products. The new method is memory efficient, requiring less than 0.1% of the memory required by the LH or BRD methods. It can also be extended to arbitrary dimensions and adapted to include non-separable kernels, linear constraints, and arbitrary regularization terms. Additionally, it is easy to implement because only a cost function and its first derivative are required to perform the inversion.
Short communication: possible activity of beta-carotene in patients with the AIDS related complex. A pilot study.

In a pilot single blind study, beta-carotene (BC) supplementation produced, in ARC patients under current treatment, apparent recovery from asthenia, fever, nocturnal sweating, diarrhoea, lass in weight, and led as a result to an improvement in general health and working efficiency, but not to an improvement in multiple district lympho-adenopathies. Nevertheless, BC appeared to prevent progress to AIDS and, in addition, to lower the effective dosage of AZT used in one case of ARC developed into AIDS, producing a recovery from opportunistic infections and an inhibition of Kaposi sarcoma diffusion, in line with a two-fold rise in CD4 counts.
MENA: Geopolitics of Conflicts and Refugees

Geopolitically intertwined and strategically significant, refugee policy in the MENA region is frequently analyzed in light of well-documented ethnic, religious, class, and border conflicts. Yet, policy is also inexorably linked to the broader geopolitics of the global refugee protection regime and discourse. This chapter analyzes the complex relationship between geopolitics, domestic political dynamics, and their attendant crises in the MENA region. It examines three regional case studies, which have been selected as representations of refugee and migration policy in the MENA region and for their role in triggering or complicating refugee movements. First, the situation of mixed migration across the Egyptian–Israeli border is discussed and the complexity of migration motivations highlighted. Second, the issue of Palestinian refugees in MENA is explored from a historical perspective, highlighting ongoing challenges to protecting human rights. Finally, the chapter discusses migration policy in Libya and its relationship with divergent EU and international interests.
Brain Development Measured by MRI

MRI data read as normal on 88 male and female patients aged 3 months to 30 years and on 73 healthy male volunteers aged 21 to 70 years were quantified and the volumes of cortical white matter, gray matter, and CSF were computed in a study at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.
Making Tranexamic Acid the Standard of Care in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Commentary on an article by Brian Hallstrom, MD, et al.: "The Michigan Experience with Safety and Effectiveness of Tranexamic Acid Use in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty".

A theoretical drawback of the use of antifibrinolytics in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), and tranexamic acid (TXA) specifically, has been the concern regarding an increase in venous thromboembolism (VTE). This has probably been the single-most important factor affecting the slow uptake and usage of this drug, despite the large amount of published literature demonstrating efficacy and safety going back to the late 1990s1,2. A number of early studies were published mainly in the European anesthesia literature, and as a result, received little readership among North American orthopaedic surgeons. Over the next 10 years, numerous attempts to limit postoperative transfusions following TJA, such as preoperative administration of erythropoietin, preoperative autologous donation for postoperative transfusion, intraoperative blood salvage, and postoperative reinfusion, failed to result in a substantial decrease in the transfusion rate. In the mid 2000s, …
Geometry of Crystal Structures

The reader, if he or she has had even the slightest exposure to science or engineering, will certainly recall many examples of the relation of atomic arrangements to properties. Ball models of the atoms in crystals have become part of almost every laboratory in the last sixty years. Most of our knowledge concerning atomic arrangements comes from diffraction — simply because any diffraction grating expresses itself in its diffraction pattern; this pattern can tell us much about the nature of the grating.
An examination of the growing US undergraduate public health movement.

With over 10,900 public health bachelor’s degree graduates conferred in 2015, public health undergraduate education in the USA has become mainstream. However, with the recent establishment of a majority of the programs, the impact of the undergraduate programs remains largely unknown. This study examines a sample of undergraduate programs in public health to further elucidate the undergraduate landscape. Semi-structured interviews and a review of program websites from a sample of 39 institutions across the USA with undergraduate majors labeled as public health were conducted in 2015 to examine program content and operations. Findings from the 39 programs reviewed demonstrated growing and diverse undergraduate public health programs rapidly evolving. While program enrollments, infrastructure, and curriculum varied among the individual programs, collectively, findings indicated increasing numbers of undergraduate students gaining knowledge and experience in matters related to the health of societies locally, nationally, and globally. Study findings suggest it is an opportune time for the field to offer guidance, support, and vision to these burgeoning undergraduate programs. Such engagement offers opportunities to advance the programs as well as increase the number of students attuned to societal health in whatever life roles they assume.
Dehydration of prions on environmentally relevant surfaces protects them from inactivation by freezing and thawing

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging prion disease in North America. Recent identification of CWD in wild cervids from Norway raises the concern of the spread of CWD in Europe. CWD infectivity can enter the environment through live animal excreta and carcasses where it can bind to soil. Well-characterized hamster prion strains and CWD field isolates in unadsorbed or soil-adsorbed forms that were either hydrated or dehydrated were subjected to repeated rounds of freezing and thawing. We found that 500 cycles of repeated freezing and thawing of hydrated samples significantly decreased the abundance of PrPSc and reduced protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) seeding activity that could be rescued by binding to soil. Importantly, dehydration prior to freezing and thawing treatment largely protected PrPSc from degradation, and the samples maintained PMCA seeding activity. We hypothesize that redistribution of water molecules during the freezing and thawing process alters the stability of PrPSc aggregates. Overall, these results have significant implications for the assessment of prion persistence in the environment.IMPORTANCE Prions excreted into the environment by infected animals, such as elk and deer infected with chronic wasting disease, persist for years and thus facilitate horizontal transmission of the disease. Understanding the fate of prions in the environment is essential to control prion disease transmission. The significance of our study is that it provides information on the possibility of prion degradation and inactivation under natural weathering processes. This information is significant for remediation of prion-contaminated environments and development of prion disease control strategies.
Problems in preparation of FeZSM-5 catalysts

FeZSM-5 catalysts for SCR of NO to N2 can be made in a highly durable form that may be useful for automotive exhaust cleanup, but not presently reproducible. Herein we outline the properties and characteristics of good versus poor catalysts and provide results of experiments that effect the properties of the final preparation. It is shown how Mossbauer characterization will be useful in understanding the changes that occur as the catalysts age. The problem has not yet been resolved. This letter is meant to challenge research by others.
Births and Deaths Under Stability

The previous chapter dealt with the properties of a population having a given life table and an arbitrary rate of increase r. In this chapter the rate of increase is no longer arbitrary, but determined by the life table and agespecific birth rates. We start with several wholly unoriginal questions designed only to elicit the basic theory.
Fishing Effort Coordination and Revenue Pooling Arrangement in Fishery Comanagement : Evidence from Japan

This paper analyzes the impact of fishing effort coordination and revenue pooling arrangement on overall returns from fishery comanagement. Using the survey data collected from the Japanese fishery management organizations (FMOs) in 2005, we focused on two management measures employed by FMOs: fishing effort coordination and revenue pooling arrangement. We found that FMOs with both effort coordination and pooling arrangement outperformed those with neither or only with either one. The specific activities that these FMOs are engaged in that had positive impacts on their economic performance include marketing and harvest control. Marketing in general had a significant positive effect for FMOs with both measures, but we also found that no single specific marketing activity is a silver bullet, suggesting that the specifics vary from case to case. Our analysis provides a hint of what a fishery comanagement group can do in order to be successful in their management effort.
What Exactly Was Torricelli’s “Barometer?”

What exactly was Evangelista Torricelli up to when, in 1644, he took mercury filled tubes and turned them upside down in other mercury filled tubs? A canonical story anchored by the larger historiographical edifice of the “Scientific Revolution” holds that Torricelli was using a new instrumental experimental approach to natural philosophy to demonstrate and measure the weight of atmospheric air. Within this frame, Torricelli’s mercury esperienza as he called it heralds the birth of modern experimental science through his invention of the first modern barometer. This paper questions this traditional narrative by re-interpreting the archival foundations upon which this account is based. In particular, it stresses the gaps between the rather slim documentary record of Torricelli’s work and the canonical interpretation of it built by the “Scientific Revolution” literature. It also uses other documentary contexts available in the same archive to give a different, though insistently historical, account of Torricelli’s motivations for and conceptualization of his labors. The paper does not conclude by claiming a new and definitive revisionist interpretation of Torricelli’s mercury esperienza, but by suggesting instead that the emphatically historical but also interpretively flexible approach to Torricelli’s work pursued in this paper exemplifies a “Baroque” approach to the history of science, one that can be useful in generating fresh interpretive insights about the early history of modern science.
Optimal dividend payout under compound Poisson income

We consider an individual who receives income, which may be either positive or negative, and is allowed to pay out a dividend at any time as long as the accumulated income remains positive. In case the accumulated income become negative at some point in time, the individual declares bankruptcy, pays a penalty based on his accumulated income, and the process stops. Assuming that the input process is described by a compound Poisson process and that the individual's value is given by the accumulated dividends minus the penalty, both appropriately discounted, we demonstrate an optimal policy for paying dividends and provide an iterative means for estimating the corresponding value.
A Probabilistic Methodology for Assessing Post-Earthquake Fire Ignition Vulnerability in Residential Buildings

Post-earthquake fire (PEF) ignition events constitute a secondary consequence of an earthquake and may result in the loss of life and substantial property damage, especially in urban areas where the potential for fire spread and conflagration exists. These secondary hazards can cause severe structural and non-structural damage, potentially more significant damage than the direct damage caused by the initial earthquake, and can lead to catastrophic structural failures, devastating economic losses, and casualties. To manage the impact of PEF in urban areas, it is important to identify the potential ignition sources and quantify the vulnerabilities of these ignition sources as a result of earthquake-induced structural damage. The results of such analyses can be used to offer resiliency improvement investments and mitigation strategies in urban areas located in seismically active regions. Most of the previous PEF studies are data-driven, utilizing ignitions reported following recent earthquakes. However, in areas for which historical PEF data are not available, such as the Midwestern United States, a different methodology for developing a PEF model is needed. This paper describes an analytical model for quantifying the vulnerabilities of residential buildings to PEF by estimating the failure of ignition sources upon a probable seismic event. The underlying concept in developing the method is that (1) ignition sources in residential buildings remain unchanged before and after an earthquake, and (2) the total probability of PEF occurrence can be estimated by adjusting the probabilistic fire occurrence data for normal conditions (everyday operation of ignition sources) to account for the effect of the earthquake. This paper’s contribution to state of the art is in developing a new framework for estimating the probability of PEF for areas in which historical PEF data is unavailable. The developed framework uses the likelihood of ignition occurrence during normal condition as a baseline; this baseline is then adjusted using certain key parameters to capture spatial characteristics, ignitability, and potential seismic intensity of the study area to estimate the probability of PEF as a function of projected earthquake characteristics. The model was tested for St. Louis City as a populated area with potential future earthquake hazard because of its proximity to the New Madrid Fault zone. Using the National Fire Incident Reporting System dataset, the frequency of normal condition ignitions was determined as 1.97E−03 ignition per unit per year. Using the proposed PEF model considering PEFs caused by damage to drift and acceleration sensitive equipment and human actions, the projected frequency of PEF was estimated between 2.79E−06 and 2.81E−06 ignitions per household per year. Using this model, and the average number of households between 2010 to 2015, 175,854 households, it was estimated that in the next 50 years, approximately 25 households would experience fires related to probable earthquake events in St. Louis City.
Imaging in Acute Pyelonephritis: Utilization, Findings, and Effect on Management.

Objectives To determine the frequency, timing, and types of imaging obtained in patients with a discharge diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis, and how often imaging findings affect therapy. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of 1062 adults with a diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis discharged from an urban, safety-net hospital between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012. From the 739 patients selected after exclusions, we determined the number and proportion of patients imaged within the first 24 hours of admission, stratified by risk factors for pyelonephritis complications, and the frequency of positive findings leading to invasive interventions. Results Of 739 patients, 468 (63%) were imaged within 24 hours of admission, 262/414 (63%) of whom had risk factors for complications and 206/325 of whom (63%) did not. Among these, studies were positive in 117/468 (25%), 78/262 (30%) in those with risk factors, and 39/206 (19%) of those without risk factors. Of the 117 patients with positive imaging findings within 24 hours of admission, 58 (50%) underwent invasive procedures, 47 (60%) with risk factors and 11 (28%) without. Among all of the patients, interventions were directed at relieving obstructions much more commonly than treating abscess (51 patients vs 8). Conclusions Among this population, imaging is frequently done earlier than recommended. Because the majority of interventions targeted stone disease, ultrasound may be the preferred initial modality rather than contrasted tomography when obtaining imaging early. Current guidelines may need to be revisited.