Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monte Carlo simulation of active scanning proton therapy system with Gate/Geant4 : Towards a better patient dose quality assurance

Hadron Therapy is an advanced radiotherapy technique for cancer treatment. It offers a better irradiation ballistic than conventional techniques and therefore requires appropriate quality assurance procedures. In this work, we upgraded the GEANT4-based GATE Monte Carlo platform in order to recalculate the TPS dose distributions in view of further benchmarking. In a ﬁrst step, we selected an appropriate simulation environment (physics models and parameters) in order to produce accurate and eﬃcient simulations. GATE simulations were validated using measurements and other Monte Carlo codes for depth-dose and transverse proﬁles. While a good agreement was found for depth-dose proﬁles, larger discrepancies were pointed out for transverse proﬁles. In a second step, we developed a modeling method to simulate active scanning beam delivery systems, which does not require to simulate the components of the treatment nozzle. The method has been successfully applied to an IBA proton therapy system and validated against measurements for complex treatment plans. Interfaces have also been developed in order to link DICOM RT ION PLAN and DICOM RT DOSE with GATE. Finally, we compared in a third step the TPS and Monte Carlo dose distributions in homogeneous and heterogeneous conﬁgurations. The beam models of both dose engines were in satisfactory agreement, allowing further evaluation of clinical treatment plans. A two-ﬁeld prostate plan has been evaluated, showing a satisfactory agreement between the TPS and Monte Carlo, and demonstrating the novel capabilities of the platform for the evaluation of the TPS. To summarize, we selected an appropriate simulation environment for proton therapy, proposed a modeling method for active scanning systems and presented a method to compare the TPS and Monte Carlo dose distributions. All tools developed in GATE were or will be publicly released. A detailed validation stage of the system including absolute dosimetry is still necessary, in order to quantitatively evaluate its accuracy in various homogeneous and heterogeneous conﬁgurations. In this thesis, we have demonstrated that the GATE Monte Carlo platform is a good candidate for the simulation of active scanning delivery systems, allowing further TPS benchmarking. Moreover, the GATE platform also handles imaging applications, such as PET or prompt-gamma imaging towards online treatment monitoring and paves the way of interdisciplinary research advances.
A Comparative Study of the Lipophilicity of Metformin and Phenformin

The results presented in this paper confirm the beneficial role of an easy-to-use and low-cost thin-layer chromatography (TLC) technique for describing the retention behavior and the experimental lipophilicity parameter of two biguanide derivatives, metformin and phenformin, in both normal-phase (NP) and reversed-phase (RP) TLC systems. The retention parameters (RF, RM) obtained under different chromatographic conditions, i.e., various stationary and mobile phases in the NP-TLC and RP-TLC systems, were used to determine the lipophilicity parameter (RMW) of metformin and phenformin. This study confirms the poor lipophilicity of both metformin and phenformin. It can be stated that the optimization of chromatographic conditions, i.e., the kind of stationary phase and the composition of mobile phase, was needed to obtain the reliable value of the chromatographic lipophilicity parameter (RMW) in this study. The fewer differences in the RMW values of both biguanide derivatives were ensured by the RP-TLC system composed of RP2, RP18, and RP18W plates and the mixture composed of methanol, propan-1-ol, and acetonitrile as an organic modifier compared to the NP-TLC analysis. The new calculation procedures for logP of drugs based on topological indices 0χν, 0χ, 1χν, M, and Mν may be a certain alternative to other algorithms as well as the TLC procedure performed under optimized chromatographic conditions. The knowledge of different lipophilicity parameters of the studied biguanides can be useful in the future design of novel and more therapeutically effective metformin and phenformin formulations for antidiabetic and possible anticancer treatment. Moreover, the topological indices presented in this work may be further used in the QSAR study of the examined biguanides.
Behaviour and throughput of dairy cows when entering and exiting two types of parallel rotaries

Today a trend can be seen towards fewer dairy farms and increasing number of cows per farm. Larger farms set a higher demand of more labour efficient milking systems. The time to enter and exit milking rotary platforms is crucial to maintain a high cow throughput. This study is a project initiated by DeLaval in order to evaluate the cow throughput and cow behaviour during entry and exit in two types of parallel external rotaries with different bail designs. The two rotaries compared were DeLaval parallel rotary PR2100 and PR3100HD. The study included nine different farms located in Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The cow throughput was significantly higher in the PR3100HD with 277.7 cows per h compared to the PR2100 with 196.9 cows per h. The individual cow exit time was significantly shorter in the PR3100HD with 13.3 s compared to 19.8 s in the PR2100. No significant difference could be found for cow entry time between the two rotary models and the average entry time was 5.1-5.4 s. When feeding in the rotary and cow locator in the bail was investigated these factors had no significant effect on cow entry time. In the PR3100HD the cows were pushed by other cows significantly more during entry compared to in the PR2100. The cows were backing into other cows significantly more and showed a tendency of standing still more at the exit in the PR2100, causing problems for the cow throughput. Other observed behaviours during entry and exit were not significantly different between the two rotary models. Direct observations indicated that the cow throughput could be improved by further development and adaptation of the layout in exit area and exit lane.
Effects of Replacing Medical Zinc Oxide with Different Ratios of Inorganic: Organic Zinc or Reducing Crude Protein Diet with Mixed Feed Additives in Weaned Piglet Diets

Simple Summary Piglets frequently experience post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) due to various stress factors at the weaning stage. PWD affects the growth performance and mortality of piglets, and they face various diseases due to reduced immunity response. A high dose of zinc oxide (ZnO) is used as a feed additive to prevent diarrhea occurrence and to promote immune system development. However, most of ZnO is discharged as manure, causing soil heavy metalization, accumulation in pork, increased and antimicrobial resistance. For this reason, research to reduce zinc excretion and prevent PWD through the supplementation of low-dose zinc in feed is essential; moreover, it is essential to develop alternatives to ZnO addition. Therefore, we hypothesized that different ratios of inorganic zinc and organic zinc at 1000 mg/kg or a low-protein diet with commercial feed additives containing either essential oils, protease, and xylanase (MFA) could replace high-dose ZnO by preventing diarrhea and improving growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and gut health. We found that inorganic and organic zinc at a ratio of 500:500 mg/kg and a low-protein diet with essential oil, protease, and xylanase can be used to replace medical ZnO in weaned piglet diets. Abstract One hundred twenty weaned piglets (9.34 ± 0.74 kg) were used in a four-week experiment to investigate the effects of replacing medical ZnO with a different ratio of inorganic and organic zinc (IZ:OZ) or a low-crude-protein diet (LP) with mixed feed additives (MFAs) in the weaned piglets’ diet. The dietary treatments included a control (CON), T1 (T1; ZnO 1000 mg/kg), T2 (IZ:OZ 850:150), T3 (IZ:OZ 700:300), T4 (IZ:OZ, 500:500), and T5 (LP with MFAs (0.1% essential oils + 0.08% protease + 0.02% xylanase)). The growth performance was decreased (p < 0.05) in the CON treatment compared with the T4 treatment. The diarrhea incidence was decreased (p < 0.05) in the T4 and the T5 treatment compared with the CON and the T1 treatments. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients were increased (p < 0.05) in the T4 and T5 treatments compared with the CON, T1, and T2 treatments. The T4 treatment had a higher (p < 0.05) ATTD of zinc than the T1, T2, and T3 treatments. The fecal microflora was improved (p < 0.05) in the T5 treatment compared with the CON and T3 treatments. In conclusion, IZ:OZ 500:500 could improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and zinc utilization while reducing diarrhea incidence in weaned piglets. Moreover, LP with MFA could replace medical ZnO.
The effect of exergaming use on the enhancement of the psycho-motor component of physical literacy

A proposed use of exergaming is the enhancement of a child’s physical literacy. Physical literacy is defined as the fundamental physical, cognitive, and affective skills that are necessary for a person to confidently participate in physical activity. This study determined whether or not an exergaming intervention could improve physical literacy, specifically the psycho-motor component of agility, balance, and coordination among six to nine year old children. Pre and post-tests of agility, balance and coordination were compared for a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group completed an exergaming intervention that consisted of 12, 30-minute exergaming sessions spread out over seven and a half weeks. The experimental group demonstrated an improvement in agility (p = 0.02) whereas the control group showed none. There was no improvement found in either group in balance or coordination. More research is required to further explore the relationship between exergaming and physical literacy.
Wavelength translation in optical multi-wavelength multi-fibre transport networks.

A frequency/space diversity data transmission system includes a transmitter for transmitting two or more distinct RF signals having the same modulation from different antennas separated a wavelength or more, the frequency spacing of the carrier signals being at least ten times greater than the frequency of the modulating signal, and a broad band receiver including a video diode detector and a frequency demodulator which recovers the modulating frequency from the carrier.
Automated Processing and Phenotype Extraction of Ovine Medical Images Using a Combined Generative Adversarial Network and Computer Vision Pipeline

The speed and accuracy of phenotype detection from medical images are some of the most important qualities needed for any informed and timely response such as early detection of cancer or detection of desirable phenotypes for animal breeding. To improve both these qualities, the world is leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning against this challenge. Most recently, deep learning has successfully been applied to the medical field to improve detection accuracies and speed for conditions including cancer and COVID-19. In this study, we applied deep neural networks, in the form of a generative adversarial network (GAN), to perform image-to-image processing steps needed for ovine phenotype analysis from CT scans of sheep. Key phenotypes such as gigot geometry and tissue distribution were determined using a computer vision (CV) pipeline. The results of the image processing using a trained GAN are strikingly similar (a similarity index of 98%) when used on unseen test images. The combined GAN-CV pipeline was able to process and determine the phenotypes at a speed of 0.11 s per medical image compared to approximately 30 min for manual processing. We hope this pipeline represents the first step towards automated phenotype extraction for ovine genetic breeding programmes.
Misregulation of Wnt Signaling Pathways at the Plasma Membrane in Brain and Metabolic Diseases

Wnt signaling pathways constitute a group of signal transduction pathways that direct many physiological processes, such as development, growth, and differentiation. Dysregulation of these pathways is thus associated with many pathological processes, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancer. At the same time, alterations are observed in plasma membrane compositions, lipid organizations, and ordered membrane domains in brain and metabolic diseases that are associated with Wnt signaling pathway activation. Here, we discuss the relationships between plasma membrane components—specifically ligands, (co) receptors, and extracellular or membrane-associated modulators—to activate Wnt pathways in several brain and metabolic diseases. Thus, the Wnt–receptor complex can be targeted based on the composition and organization of the plasma membrane, in order to develop effective targeted therapy drugs.
Invasive Fungal Infections Complicating COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) can complicate the clinical course of COVID-19 and are associated with a significant increase in mortality, especially in critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). This narrative review concerns 4099 cases of IFIs in 58,784 COVID-19 patients involved in 168 studies. COVID-19-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is a diagnostic challenge because its non-specific clinical/imaging features and the fact that the proposed clinically diagnostic algorithms do not really apply to COVID-19 patients. Forty-seven observational studies and 41 case reports have described a total of 478 CAPA cases that were mainly diagnosed on the basis of cultured respiratory specimens and/or biomarkers/molecular biology, usually without histopathological confirmation. Candidemia is a widely described secondary infection in critically ill patients undergoing prolonged hospitalisation, and the case reports and observational studies of 401 cases indicate high crude mortality rates of 56.1% and 74.8%, respectively. COVID-19 patients are often characterised by the presence of known risk factors for candidemia such as in-dwelling vascular catheters, mechanical ventilation, and broad-spectrum antibiotics. We also describe 3185 cases of mucormycosis (including 1549 cases of rhino-orbital mucormycosis (48.6%)), for which the main risk factor is a history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (>76%). Its diagnosis involves a histopathological examination of tissue biopsies, and its treatment requires anti-fungal therapy combined with aggressive surgical resection/debridement, but crude mortality rates are again high: 50.8% in case reports and 16% in observational studies. The presence of other secondary IFIs usually diagnosed in severely immunocompromised patients show that SARS-CoV-2 is capable of stunning the host immune system: 20 cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, 5 cases of cryptococcosis, 4 cases of histoplasmosis, 1 case of coccidioides infection, 1 case of pulmonary infection due to Fusarium spp. , and 1 case of pulmonary infection due to Scedosporium.
Genetic Parameters of Wood Properties in a 9 Year Old E. Dunnii Progeny Trial in NSW, Australia

Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden (Dunns white gum) is a relatively new, but increasingly important plantation species in eastern Australia. Almost 9,000 ha of E. dunnii plantation has been established in NSW (33% of the total plantation estate), and it remains one of the favoured species for planting, with some 40% of current plantings in north-east NSW and south-east Queensland using this species. Although it forms a crucial component of the long-term supply to the sawlog industry, this emerging resource remains relatively untried by the solid wood industry. Tests showed that the majority of wood property traits under moderate or high genetic control. Acoustic tools were found to give fair estimations of MOE in Eucalyptus dunnii, and measurement of shrinkage on cores gave a fair prediction of Tangential shrinkage in boards.
Clinical Pilot Study of Rectal Suppository Containing Combined Extract of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. and Acmella paniculata (Wall ex. DC.) R. K. Jansen in Acute Hemorrhoids

Background Cissus quadrangularis Linn. (CQ) is a medicinal plant with good evidence for the treatment of hemorrhoids, listed in the Thai National List of Herbal Products in the oral dosage form. Acmella paniculata (Wall ex. DC.) R. K. Jansen. (AP) is a medicinal plant with a local anesthetic effect. Objective To investigate the potential of rectal suppositories containing CQ and AP extracts to alleviate symptoms of hemorrhoids compared with the commercialized rectal suppository containing hydrocortisone and cinchocaine. Materials and Methods Hemorrhoid outpatients (n = 105) with different severity grades (I, II, or III) from eight hospitals in northern Thailand were included in this study. Hemorrhoid severity was graded by proctoscopy associated with either anal pain or bleeding related to hemorrhoids or both. The patients were randomly allocated to two groups: CQ-AP group (n = 52) or the commercialized rectal suppository group (n = 53). One suppository was rectally administered twice daily in the morning and at bedtime for seven days. Evaluations were performed by physicians on days 1, 4, and 8 of the study. The primary endpoints were bleeding and prolapse size, while the secondary endpoint was anal pain. Results Baseline demographics, lifestyle, constipation, number of prolapses, grade of hemorrhoid severity, and duration of experiencing hemorrhoids were comparable in both groups of patients. The effects of CQ-AP and the commercialized rectal suppository on bleeding, prolapse size, and anal pain were comparable. The patients in both groups were satisfied with both products at comparable levels and stated a preference for further use in the case of hemorrhoids recurrence. In terms of safety, the patients in the commercialized rectal suppository group experienced a higher incidence of adverse events, including anal pain and bleeding. Conclusion Rectal suppositories containing a combined extract of CQ and AP show potential in alleviating hemorrhoidal symptoms with a good safety profile.
Fire performance of hollowcore floor systems in New Zealand

The 2006 version of the New Zealand Concrete Standard NZS3101 has introduced two new details for connection of precast and prestressed hollowcore floor units to supporting reinforced concrete beams. Although these amended connection details have been experimentally proved to yield better seismic performance of the building, concerns about their performance in fire still remain. A simplified and novel approach to model the two way action of hollowcore floor slabs with topping is established. This paper analytically investigates the fire performance of the precast and prestressed hollowcore floor units connected to the supporting moment resisting reinforced concrete building frames according to the old practice and the improved details recommended in NZS3101 using the finite element tool SAFIR. The simulation results show that rigid connections between the hollowcore floor systems and perimeter beams provide better fire resistance than rotationally flexible connections.
ELECTROSTATIC ACTUATORS WITH MECHANICAL BRAKES

ABSTRACT New DRIE actuator systems have been developed which use a high-force, linear actuator to wrap a flexible brake band around the rigid brake shoe of a large-deflection, rotary actuator. The brake can hold the rotary actuator at any arbitrary location within its full range of travel. A third actuator may be used to engage a pair of locking pins in order to keep the brake motor extended in the event of a power failure. The 100× increase in rotational stiffness after the brake is applied raises the fundamental resonant frequency by more than an order of magnitude, enabling precision optical adjustments over a large tuning range in the presence of external shock and vibration. optical devices described at HH2002 [4]. A cavity formed in an INTRODUCTION With the improved stability from advances in suspension design, comb drive actuators are being deployed in applications requiring ever larger deflections. With total ranges in the hundreds of microns, the sub-micron positioning required for many applications is increasingly difficult to achieve, especially with the shocks and vibrations experienced in a product environment. This problem is commonly addressed in macroscopic applications by mounting small-deflection end effectors to large-deflection coarse positioners. However, this is less attractive with micromachined electrostatic actuators due to the additional fabrication complexity involved. An actuator with a mechanical brake provides similar functionality by increasing the suspension stiffness of the system to accomplish fine positioning once the coarse position has been set. Moreover, the brake may be used to implement a latching function, maintaining the actuated position of the motor in the event of a power failure or in applications requiring zero steady-state power. As shown schematically in Fig. 1, DRIE actuators have been developed with mechanical braking mechanisms somewhat analogous to a drum brake in an automobile. Initial contact occurs between the vertical sidewalls in the center of the brake band, and the contact area increases as the brake actuator causes the band to wrap around the brake shoe.
Overview of Metabolomic Analysis and the Integration with Multi-Omics for Economic Traits in Cattle

Metabolomics has been applied to measure the dynamic metabolic responses, to understand the systematic biological networks, to reveal the potential genetic architecture, etc., for human diseases and livestock traits. For example, the current published results include the detected relevant candidate metabolites, identified metabolic pathways, potential systematic networks, etc., for different cattle traits that can be applied for further metabolomic and integrated omics studies. Therefore, summarizing the applications of metabolomics for economic traits is required in cattle. We here provide a comprehensive review about metabolomic analysis and its integration with other omics in five aspects: (1) characterization of the metabolomic profile of cattle; (2) metabolomic applications in cattle; (3) integrated metabolomic analysis with other omics; (4) methods and tools in metabolomic analysis; and (5) further potentialities. The review aims to investigate the existing metabolomic studies by highlighting the results in cattle, integrated with other omics studies, to understand the metabolic mechanisms underlying the economic traits and to provide useful information for further research and practical breeding programs in cattle.
Linking climate change, environmental degradation, and migration: An update after 10 years

In WIREs Climate Change, Issue 1(4), 2010, I suggested a typology of the data and methods used to assess links between climate change, environmental degradation and migration (Piguet, 2010). My review of the literature included publications up to 2009. Since then, the number of empirically based scientific publications on this topic has risen substantially to average 40 articles per year and the scope of methods, stock of results and diversity of questions has widened. Based on the CLIMIG database—a systematic and analytic collection of scientific references published on migration and the environment—this new synthesis provides a methodological typology of an exceptionally large number of published case studies. This will complement existing reviews and meta‐studies and allow a global overview of the state of research by identifying consensus and disagreements, revisiting methodological challenges and mapping current and future research questions.