Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dosimetric assessment of rigid setup error by CBCT for HN‐IMRT

Dose distributions in HN‐IMRT are complex and may be sensitive to the treatment uncertainties. The goals of this study were to evaluate: 1) dose differences between plan and actual delivery and implications on margin requirement for HN‐IMRT with rigid setup errors; 2) dose distribution complexity on setup error sensitivity; and 3) agreement between average dose and cumulative dose in fractionated radiotherapy. Rigid setup errors for HN‐IMRT patients were measured using cone‐beam CT (CBCT) for 30 patients and 896 fractions. These were applied to plans for 12 HN patients who underwent simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) IMRT treatment. Dose distributions were recalculated at each fraction and summed into cumulative dose. Measured setup errors were scaled by factors of 2–4 to investigate margin adequacy. Two plans, direct machine parameter optimization (DMPO) and fluence only (FO), were available for each patient to represent plans of different complexity. Normalized dosimetric indices, conformity index (CI) and conformation number (CN) were used in the evaluation. It was found that current 5 mm margins are more than adequate to compensate for rigid setup errors, and that standard margin recipes overestimate margins for rigid setup error in SIB HN‐IMRT because of differences in acceptance criteria used in margin evaluation. The CTV‐to‐PTV margins can be effectively reduced to 1.9 mm and 1.5 mm for CTV1 and CTV2. Plans of higher complexity and sharper dose gradients are more sensitive to setup error and require larger margins. The CI and CN are not recommended for cumulative dose evaluation because of inconsistent definition of target volumes used. For fractionated radiotherapy in HN‐IMRT, the average fractional dose does not represent the true cumulative dose received by the patient through voxel‐by‐voxel summation, primarily due to the setup error characteristics, where the random component is larger than systematic and different target regions get underdosed at each fraction. PACS numbers: 87.53. Kn, 87.53. Tf.
Circadian Variation of the Human Metabolome Captured by Real-Time Breath Analysis

Circadian clocks play a significant role in the correct timing of physiological metabolism, and clock disruption might lead to pathological changes of metabolism. One interesting method to assess the current state of metabolism is metabolomics. Metabolomics tries to capture the entirety of small molecules, i.e. the building blocks of metabolism, in a given matrix, such as blood, saliva or urine. Using mass spectrometric approaches we and others have shown that a significant portion of the human metabolome in saliva and blood exhibits circadian modulation; independent of food intake or sleep/wake rhythms. Recent advances in mass spectrometry techniques have introduced completely non-invasive breathprinting; a method to instantaneously assess small metabolites in human breath. In this proof-of-principle study, we extend these findings about the impact of circadian clocks on metabolomics to exhaled breath. As previously established, our method allows for real-time analysis of a rich matrix during frequent non-invasive sampling. We sampled the breath of three healthy, non-smoking human volunteers in hourly intervals for 24 hours during total sleep deprivation, and found 111 features in the breath of all individuals, 36–49% of which showed significant circadian variation in at least one individual. Our data suggest that real-time mass spectrometric "breathprinting" has high potential to become a useful tool to understand circadian metabolism, and develop new biomarkers to easily and in real-time assess circadian clock phase and function in experimental and clinical settings.
Evaluation of a novel secondary check tool for intensity‐modulated radiotherapy treatment planning

The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy and efficacy of an automated treatment plan verification, or “secondary check”, tool (Mobius3D), which uses a reference dataset to perform an independent three‐dimensional dose verification of the treatment planning system (TPS) dose calculation and assesses plan quality by comparing dose‐volume histograms to reference benchmarks. The accuracy of the Mobius3D (M3D) system was evaluated by comparing dose calculations from IMRT and VMAT plans with measurements in phantom geometries and with TPS calculated dose distributions in prostate, lung, and head and neck patients (ten each). For the patient cases, instances of DVH limits exceeding reference values were also recorded. M3D showed agreement with measured point and planar doses that was comparable to the TPS in phantom geometries. No statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were noted. M3D dose distributions from VMAT plans in patient cases were in good agreement with the TPS, with an average of 99.5% of dose points showing γ5%,3mm<1. The M3D system also identified several plans that had exceeded dose‐volume limits specified by RTOG protocols for those sites. The M3D system showed dosimetric accuracy comparable with the TPS, and identified several plans that exceeded dosimetric benchmarks. The M3D system possesses the potential to enhance the current treatment plan verification paradigm and improve safety in the clinical treatment planning and review process. PACS number: 87.55. D‐, 87.55. km, 87.55. Qr,
Alkali Metal Doping for Improved CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells

Organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskites are proven to be a promising semiconductor material as the absorber layer of solar cells. However, the perovskite films always suffer from nonuniform coverage or high trap state density due to the polycrystalline characteristics, which degrade the photoelectric properties of thin films. Herein, the alkali metal ions which are stable against oxidation and reduction are used in the perovskite precursor solution to induce the process of crystallization and nucleation, then affect the properties of the perovskite film. It is found that the addition of the alkali metal ions clearly improves the quality of perovskite film: enlarges the grain sizes, reduces the defect state density, passivates the grain boundaries, increases the built‐in potential (V bi), resulting to the enhancement in the power conversion efficiency of perovskite thin film solar cell.
D-dencichine Regulates Thrombopoiesis by Promoting Megakaryocyte Adhesion, Migration and Proplatelet Formation

Life-threatening chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia can increase the risk of bleeding due to a dramatic low platelet count, which may limit or delay treatment schedules in cancer patients. The pressing need for the rapid alleviation of the symptoms of thrombocytopenia has prompted us to search for novel highly effective and safe thrombopoietic agents. Pharmacological investigations have indicated that dencichine can prevent and treat blood loss and increase the number of platelets. On the basis of the neurotoxicity of dencichine, D-dencichine is artificially synthesized in the laboratory. Our initial results showed that D-dencichine had potential to elevate peripheral platelet levels in mice with carboplatin-induced thrombocytopenia. However, the mechanisms of D-dencichine on thrombopoiesis have been poorly understood. In this study, we found that sequential administration of D-dencichine had a distinct ability to elevate numbers of reticulated platelets, and did not alter their clearance. Moreover, we demonstrated that D-dencichine was able to modulate the return of hematopoietic factors to normal levels, including thrombopoietin and IL-6. However, subsequent analysis revealed that D-dencichine treatment had no direct effects on megakaryocytes proliferation, differentiation, and polyploidization. Further in vitro studies, we demonstrated for the first time that D-dencichine significantly stimulated megakaryocyte adhesion, migration, and proplatelet formation in a dose-dependent manner through extracellular regulated protein kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) and v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) signaling pathways. This study sufficiently characterized the role of the effects of D-dencichine treatment on the regulation of thrombopoiesis and provided a promising avenue for CIT treating.
Proper Motion Objects in the Hubble Deep Field

Using the deepest and finest resolution images of the universe acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope and a similar image taken 7 yr later for the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey, we have derived proper motions for the point sources in the Hubble Deep Field-North. Two faint blue objects, HDF 2234 and HDF 3072, are found to display significant proper motion, 10.0 ± 2.5 and 15.5 ± 3.8 mas yr-1. Photometric distances and tangential velocities for these stars are consistent with disk white dwarfs located at ~500 pc. The faint blue objects analyzed by Ibata et al. and Mendez & Minniti do not show any significant proper motion; they are not halo white dwarfs, and they do not contribute to the Galactic dark matter. These objects are likely to be distant active galactic nuclei.
Pre-Computing Appropriate Parameters: How to Accelerate Somewhat Homomorphic Encryption for Cloud Auditing

In a Semi-autonomic cloud auditing architecture we weaved in privacy enhancing mechanisms [15] by applying the public key version of the Somewhat homomorphic encryption (SHE) scheme from [4]. It turns out that the performance of the SHE can be significantly improved by carefully deriving relevant crypto parameters from the concrete cloud auditing use cases for which the scheme serves as a privacy enhancing approach. We provide a generic algorithm for finding good SHE parameters with respect to a given use case scenario by analyzing and taking into consideration security, correctness and performance of the scheme. Also, to show the relevance of our proposed algorithms we apply it to two predominant cloud auditing use cases.
Updating clinical recommendations for breast, colorectal and lung cancer treatments: an opportunity to improve methodology and clinical relevance.

BACKGROUND clinical guidelines can improve quality of care summarising available knowledge and proposing recommendations for health care decisions. Being up to date is one of their quality requisites. Little experience is available on when and how guidelines should be updated. We report on the update process of evidence-based clinical recommendations on anticancer drugs. METHODS three multidisciplinary panels, supported by methodology experts, updated the recommendations. The methodologists were in charge of the qualitative and quantitative synthesis of the evidence. The panels were responsible for the final decision about risk/benefit profile of the drugs and strength of the recommendations. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach was used. RESULTS six recommendations out of 15 were completely updated in 8 months time. In four cases, the strength of the recommendation changed; in two of them, we moved from a weak to a strong positive one. Despite the increased certainty about the positive risk/benefit profile, this was translated in a change in the strength of the recommendation only in one case out of three. Three recommendations were refined making them more clinically specific. CONCLUSIONS accumulation of evidence is an opportunity for guideline panels to refine methodological rigour, clinical relevance and to foster consensus on recommendations. This requires time and resource investments.
‘It feels like being trapped in an abusive relationship’: bullying prevalence and consequences in the New Zealand senior medical workforce: a cross-sectional study

Objectives To estimate prevalence of and factors contributing to bullying among senior doctors and dentists in New Zealand’s public health system, to ascertain rates of reporting bullying behaviour, perceived barriers to reporting and the effects of bullying professionally and personally. Design Cross-sectional, mixed methods study. Setting New Zealand. Participants Members of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (40.8% response rate). Main outcome measures Prevalence of bullying was measured using the Negative Acts Questionnaire (revised) (NAQ-r). Workplace demands and level of peer and managerial support were measured with the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards Analysis tool. Categories of perpetrators for self-reported and witnessed bullying and barriers to reporting bullying were obtained and qualitative data detailing the consequence of bullying were analysed thematically. Results The overall prevalence of bullying, measured by the NAQ-r, was 38% (at least one negative act on a weekly or daily basis), 37.2% self-reported and 67.5% witnessed. There were significant differences in rates of bullying by specialty (P=0.001) with emergency medicine reporting the highest bullying prevalence (47.9%). The most commonly cited perpetrators were other senior medical or dental specialists. 69.6% declined to report their bullying. Bullying across all measures was significantly associated with increasing work demands and lower peer and managerial support (P=0.001). Consequences of bullying were wide ranging, affecting workplace environments, personal well-being and subjective quality of patient care. Conclusions Bullying is prevalent in New Zealand’s senior medical workforce and is associated with high workloads and low peer and managerial support. These findings help identify conditions and pressures that may encourage bullying and highlight the significant risk of bullying for individuals and their patients.
Hybrid Electric Power System Validation through Parameter Optimization

Battery models can be developed from first principles or from empirical methods. The work presented in this thesis is semi-empirical, the model was validated using test data through parameter optimization. Simulink Parameter Estimation toolbox was used to identify the battery parameters and validate the battery model with test data. Experimental data was obtained by discharging the battery of a modified 2013 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid electric vehicle. The resulting battery model provided accurate simulation results over the validation data. For the constant current discharge, the mean squared error between measured and simulated data was 0.26 volts for the terminal voltage and 6.07e-4 (%) for state of charge. For the extended variable current discharge, the mean squared error between measured and simulated data was 0.21 volts for terminal voltage and 9.25e-4 (%) for state of charge. The validated battery model was implemented in the hybrid electric vehicle model and an optimization routine was conducted in Simulink to validate a launch control strategy. The vehicle model was subject to two maximum acceleration tests from 0-60mph. Test 1 corresponded to a maximum acceleration in EV-only mode and test 2 corresponded to a maximum acceleration in HEV mode or launch control mode. In both tests, the simulated data matched the experimental data with a root mean square error below 0.45 mph for vehicle speed and 3.5 volts for bus voltage.
Clinical experience with two frameless stereotactic radiosurgery (fSRS) systems using optical surface imaging for motion monitoring

The purpose of this study was to compare two clinical immobilization systems for intracranial frameless stereotactic radiosurgery (fSRS) under the same clinical procedure using cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) for setup and video‐based optical surface imaging (OSI) for initial head alignment and intrafractional motion monitoring. A previously established fSRS procedure was applied using two intracranial immobilization systems: PinPoint system (head mold and mouthpiece) and Freedom system (head mold and open face mask). The CBCT was used for patient setup with four degrees of freedom (4DOF), while OSI was used for 6DOF alignment prior to CBCT, post‐CBCT setup verification at all treatment couch angles (zero and nonzero), and intrafractional motion monitoring. Quantitative comparison of the two systems includes residual head rotation, head restriction capacity, and patient setup time in 25 patients (29 lesions) using PinPoint and 8 patients (29 fractions) using Freedom. The maximum possible motion was assessed in nine volunteers with deliberate, forced movement in Freedom system. A consensus‐based comparison of patient comfort level and clinical ease of use is reported. Using OSI‐guided corrections, the maximum residual rotations in all directions were 1.1°±0.5° for PinPoint and 0.6°±0.3° for Freedom. The time spent performing rotation corrections was 5.0±4.1 min by moving the patient with PinPoint and 2.7±1.0 min by adjusting Freedom couch extension. After CBCT, the OSI–CBCT discrepancy due to different anatomic landmarks for alignment was 2.4±1.3 mm using PinPoint and 1.5±0.7 mm using Freedom. Similar results were obtained for setup verification at couch angles (<1.5 mm) and for motion restriction: 0.4±0.3 mm/0.2°±0.2° in PinPoint and 0.6±0.3 mm/0.3°±0.1° in Freedom. The maximum range of forced head motion was 2.2±1.0 mm using Freedom. Both intracranial fSRS immobilization systems can restrict head motion within 1.5 mm during treatment as monitored by OSI. Setting a motion threshold for beam‐hold ensures that head motion is constrained within the treatment margin during beam‐on periods. The capability of 6D setup is useful to improve treatment accuracy. Patient comfort and clinical workflow should play a substantial role in system selection, and Freedom system outperforms PinPoint system in these two aspects. PACS number: 87.53. Ly, 87.55. D‐, 87.57. Q‐, 87.6s. L‐, 87.85. gi
Numerical simulation of jet aerodynamics using the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code PAB3D

This report presents a unified method for subsonic and supersonic jet analysis using the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code PAB3D. The Navier-Stokes code was used to obtain solutions for axisymmetric jets with on-design operating conditions at Mach numbers ranging from 0.6 to 3.0, supersonic jets containing weak shocks and Mach disks, and supersonic jets with nonaxisymmetric nozzle exit geometries. This report discusses computational methods, code implementation, computed results, and comparisons with available experimental data. Very good agreement is shown between the numerical solutions and available experimental data over a wide range of operating conditions. The Navier-Stokes method using the standard Jones-Launder two-equation kappa-epsilon turbulence model can accurately predict jet flow, and such predictions are made without any modification to the published constants for the turbulence model.
Location data quality in context: directions and challenges

In the last decade, following the emergence of the mobile applications domain, the significance of location information has changed radically. Nowadays, location data not only is a key component of geospatial databases, but also a critical resource for a broad spectrum of applications, including Location-based Services and IOT solutions. This change of perspective has been made possible by the availability of localization technologies providing accurate and reliable location information on moving entities in real time. We refer to real-time location as positioning data. Positioning data has unique characteristics, such as the strong dependency from both the localization technology and the environmental context, which make the specification of standard quality metrics and quality assessment procedures a complex task. In this paper, we elaborate on such an aspect, focusing in particular on indoor positioning data.
The Research and Application of Improved Ant Colony Algorithm with Multi-thresholds in Edge Detection

The traditional ant colony algorithm has been applied to image edge detection, but the result is not sufficiently ideal, and this paper puts forward an improved ant image edge detection algorithm. The improved algorithm optimizes the selection of the initial pheromone and ant's starting point, pheromone update strategy and ant's search termination condition; considering the edge curve's continuity, the inertia matrix is introduced to the heuristic information, and we set up multiple thresholds to make the edges more continuous, closer to the real edge and effective noise restraining. Compared with the traditional ant colony algorithm and Canny operator, the improved algorithm shows that it is more effective in detecting image edges.
Control of a Heavy-Lift Robotic Manipulator with Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Lightweight, compliant actuators are particularly desirable in robotic systems intended for interaction with humans. Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) exhibit these characteristics and are capable of higher specific work than comparably-sized hydraulic actuators and electric motors. The objective of this work is to develop a control algorithm that can smoothly and accurately track the desired motions of a manipulator actuated by pneumatic artificial muscles. The manipulator is intended for lifting humans in nursing assistance or casualty extraction scenarios; hence, the control strategy must be capable of responding to large variations in payload over a large range of motion. The present work first investigates the feasibility of two output feedback controllers (proportional-integral-derivative and fuzzy logic), but due to the limitations of pure output feedback control, a model-based feedforward controller is developed and combined with output feedback to achieve improved closed-loop performance. The model upon which the controller is based incorporates the internal airflow dynamics, the physical parameters of the pneumatic muscles and the manipulator dynamics. Simulations were performed in order to validate the control algorithms, guide controller design and predict optimal gains. Using real-time interface software and hardware, the controllers were implemented and experimentally tested on the manipulator, demonstrating the improved capability.
Why go logarithmic if we can go linear?: Towards effective distinct counting of search traffic

Estimating the number of distinct elements in a large multiset has several applications, and hence has attracted active research in the past two decades. Several sampling and sketching algorithms have been proposed to accurately solve this problem. The goal of the literature has always been to estimate the number of distinct elements while using minimal resources. However, in some modern applications, the accuracy of the estimate is of primal importance, and businesses are willing to trade more resources for better accuracy. Throughout our experience with building a distinct count system at a major search engine, Ask.com, we reviewed the literature of approximating distinct counts, and compared most algorithms in the literature. We deduced that Linear Counting, one of the least used algorithms, has unique and impressive advantages when the accuracy of the distinct count is critical to the business. For other estimators to attain comparable accuracy, they need more space than Linear Counting. We have supported our analytical results through comprehensive experiments. The experimental results highly favor Linear Counting when the number of distinct elements is large and the error tolerance is low.