bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of and selection criteria for drought resistance in Chinese semiwinter rapeseed varieties at different developmental stages
Authors: Huang Qian , Zhao Yongguo , Liu Chunqing , Zou Xiling , Cheng Yong , Fu Guiping , Xu Jingsong , Zhang Xuekun , Lu Guangyuan 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe impacts of water deficit imposed at either the germination stage or the reproductive stage on biological traits of 37 semiwinter rapeseed varieties were analysed. The osmotic stress induced by 14% polyethylene glycol had a substantial impact on seed germination and caused significant reductions in plant growth and seed vigour. Relative water content was identified as a good indicator for early screening of drought resistance. At the reproductive stage, seed yield, 1000‐seed weight, height of the first branch, plant height and number of pods per plant were all markedly reduced under the exceptionally long and severe drought condition. Two of the top three resistant genotypes at the germination stage were also shown to be resistant based on the drought susceptibility index for seed yield. Phenotypic correlation and path analyses were employed to rank the relative importance of other agronomic traits with regard to seed yield. The important contributors to seed yield under drought conditions, in descending order, were as follows: 1000‐seed weight, days to maturity, number of pods per plant and plant height.
The Association of Infant Growth Patterns with Adiposity in Adolescence: Prospective Observations from Hong Kong's ‘Children of 1997’ Birth Cohort
Authors: Hui L. L. , Wong M. Y. , Leung G. M. , Schooling C. M. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe role of infant growth in adiposity remains unclear.MethodsWe used multivariable linear regression, with inverse probability weighting and multiple imputation to account for loss to follow‐up, in a population‐representative Chinese birth cohort, ‘Children of 1997’ in Hong Kong, to examine, in terms births, the adjusted association of infant (birth to 12 months) weight growth trajectories with body mass index (BMI) (n = 6861, 88% follow‐up), waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR), and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) (n = 5398, 69% follow‐up) at ∼14 years.ResultsInfant weight growth trajectories had graded associations with adolescent BMI and WHtR but not with WHR, such that compared with adolescents born light with slow infant growth, adolescents born heavy with fast infant growth had higher BMI z‐score [0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49, 0.70], higher WHtR z‐score (0.17, 95% CI 0.08, 0.26) but similar WHR z‐score (−0.02, 95% CI −0.11, 0.08), adjusted for sex, gestational age, parental education, parental BMI, parental height, and parental place of birth.ConclusionsVarying associations of infant growth with different adiposity measures suggest a complex role of infant growth in long‐term health, perhaps because infant growth, or its underlying drivers, influences build and body composition as well as adiposity.
Regulation of B Cell to Plasma Cell Transition within the Follicular B Cell Response
Authors: Nera K.‐P. , Kyläniemi M. K. , Lassila O. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractPersistent humoral immunity depends on the follicular B cell response and on the generation of somatically mutated high‐affinity plasma cells and memory B cells. Upon activation by an antigen, cognately activated follicular B cells and follicular T helper (TFH) cells initiate germinal centre (GC) reaction during which high‐affinity effector cells are generated. The differentiation of activated follicular B cells into plasma cells and memory B cells is guided by complex selection events, both at the cellular and molecular level. The transition of B cell into a plasma cell during the GC response involves alterations in the microenvironment and developmental state of the cell, which are guided by cell‐extrinsic signals. The developmental cell fate decisions in response to these signals are coordinated by cell‐intrinsic gene regulatory network functioning at epigenetic, transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels.
Lysosome‐Related Effector Vesicles in T Lymphocytes and NK Cells
Authors: Lettau M. , Kabelitz D. , Janssen O. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractLysosome‐related secretory organelles combine metabolic functions of conventional lysosomes with an inducible secretory potential. Specialized variants of such bi‐functional organelles are present in several haematopoietic cell types that store, mobilize and/or secrete effector proteins, for example in mast cells, macrophages or cytotoxic effector cells. In the case of T lymphocytes and NK cells, it was believed that secretory lysosomes serve as a common storage and transport compartment for the most relevant cytotoxic effector proteins including FasL, perforin, granzymes and granulysin. However, recent observations suggest that cytotoxic effector cells might be able to mobilize two distinct lysosomal entities in order to react to differential stimulation with either FasL surface appearance or degranulation‐associated release of perforin and granzymes. This assumption is supported by the proteomic characterization of enriched organelles from T and NK cells. FasL‐associated light lysosomes biochemically segregate from morphologically distinct heavy lysosomes that preferentially contain granzymes, perforin and mature granulysin. Here, we briefly summarize the current knowledge about cargo proteins that are stored and transported in secretory vesicles and how these vesicles might be generated and mobilized. In addition, we describe common features and major differences of the two distinct effector organelles and discuss how these observations might expand existing models of cytotoxic effector function.
Golden retriever cystic uveal disease: a longitudinal study of iridociliary cysts, pigmentary uveitis, and pigmentary/cystic glaucoma over a decade in western Canada
Authors: Holly Vanessa L. , Sandmeyer Lynne S. , Bauer Bianca S. , Verges Linda , Grahn Bruce H. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObjectivesTo determine the incidence of iridociliary cysts, pigmentary uveitis (PU)/pigmentary cystic glaucoma (PCG) in golden retriever dogs in western Canada, the progression of iridociliary cysts toPU/PCG, and a mode of inheritance for this disorder.Animal studiedA total of 830 golden retriever dogs from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba from 2004 to 2014 were studied.ProcedureData were compiled from Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) or Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) records (n = 630) and clinical consultations (n = 200) for a retrospective assessment of iridociliary cysts,PU, andPCG.ResultsTotal incidence of iridociliary cysts andPUfromCERF/OFAdata were 4.8% (n = 30/630) and 5.9% (n = 37/630), respectively. Incidence ofPUincreased with ages >4 years (12.7%,n = 32/251). Dogs diagnosed with thin‐walled, attached iridociliary cysts had a high risk of being diagnosed withPUorPCGupon re‐examination (56.5%,n = 13/23). No dogs diagnosed with thick‐walled, anterior chamber cysts (n = 7) developedPUorPCGwithin the time frame of the study. Data from clinical consultations confirmed thatPUcarried a poor prognosis for the affected eyes as 44.9% (n = 22/49) of dogs progressed toPCG.PU‐ andPCG‐affected dogs followed a familial pattern and there was an association with thin‐walled iridociliary cysts. Pedigree analysis suggested an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance with partial penetrance.ConclusionsThin‐walled iridociliary cysts are associated withPUandPCG. All breeding golden retriever dogs should be examined annually by an ophthalmologist. The incidence of this disorder is higher in western Canada than previous reports in North America.
Epidemiology of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease Diagnosis in Dogs Attending Primary‐Care Veterinary Practices in England
Authors: Taylor‐Brown Frances E. , Meeson Richard L. , Brodbelt Dave C. , Church David B. , McGreevy Paul D. , Thomson Peter C. , O'Neill Dan G. 
Published: June 2015

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence and risk factors for a diagnosis of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease in dogs and to describe the management of such cases attending primary‐care veterinary practices.Study designHistorical cohort with a nested case–control study.Sample populationNine hundred and fifty‐three dogs diagnosed with CCL disease from 171,522 dogs attending 97 primary‐care practices in England.MethodsMedical records of dogs attending practices participating in the VetCompass project that met selection criteria were assessed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to evaluate association of possible risk factors with diagnosis of CCL disease.ResultsThe prevalence of CCL disease diagnosis was estimated at 0.56% (95% confidence interval 0.52–0.59). Compared with crossbred dogs, Rottweilers, West Highland White Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Yorkshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers showed increased odds of CCL disease diagnosis while Cocker Spaniels showed reduced odds. Increasing bodyweight within breeds was associated with increased odds of diagnosis. Dogs aged over 3 years had increased odds of diagnosis compared with dogs aged less than 3 years. Neutered females had 2.1 times the odds of diagnosis compared with entire females. Insured dogs had 4 times the odds of diagnosis compared with uninsured dogs. Two‐thirds of cases were managed surgically, with insured and heavier dogs more frequently undergoing surgery. Overall, 21% of cases were referred, with referral more frequent in heavier and insured dogs. Referred dogs more frequently had surgery and an osteotomy procedure.ConclusionBreed predispositions and demographic factors associated with diagnosis and case management of CCL disease in dogs identified in this study can be used to help direct future research and management strategies.
A New Approach to Blade Design With Constant Rake and Relief Angles for Face-Hobbing of Bevel Gears
Authors: Habibi Mohsen , Chen Zezhong Chevy 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
Face-hobbing is a productive process to manufacture bevel and hypoid gears. Due to the complexity of face-hobbing, few research works have been conducted on this process. In face-hobbing, the cutting velocity along the cutting edge varies because of the intricate geometry of the cutting system and the machine tool kinematics. Due to the varying cutting velocity and the specific cutting system geometry, working relief and rake angles change along the cutting edge and have large variations at the corner which cause the local tool wear. In this paper, a new method to design cutting blades is proposed by changing the geometry of the rake and relief surfaces to avoid those large variations while the cutting edge is kept unchanged. In the proposed method, the working rake and relief angles are kept constant along the cutting edge by considering the varying cutting velocity and the machine tool kinematics. By applying the proposed method to design the blades, the tool wear characteristics are improved especially at the corner. In addition, in this paper, complete mathematical representations of the cutting system are presented. The working rake and relief angles are measured on the computer-aided design (CAD) model of the proposed and conventional blades and compared with each other. The results show that, unlike the conventional blade, in case of the proposed blade, the working rake and relief angles remain constant along the cutting edge. In addition, in order to validate the better tool wear characteristics of the proposed blade, finite element (FE) machining simulations are conducted on both the proposed and conventional blades. The results show improvements in the tool wear characteristics of the proposed blade in comparison with the conventional one.
SU‐B‐213‐06: Development of ABR Examination Questions
Authors: Allison J. 
Published: June 2015

The North American medical physics community validates the education received by medical physicists and the clinical qualifications for medical physicists through accreditation of educational programs and certification of medical physicists. Medical physics educational programs (graduate education and residency education) are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), whereas medical physicists are certified by several organizations, the most familiar of which is the American Board of Radiology (ABR). In order for an educational program to become accredited or a medical physicist to become certified, the applicant must meet certain specified standards set by the appropriate organization.In this Symposium, representatives from both CAMPEP and the ABR will describe the process by which standards are established as well as the process by which qualifications of candidates for accreditation or certification are shown to be compliant with these standards.The Symposium will conclude with a panel discussion.Learning Objectives:

Recognize the difference between accreditation of an educational program and certification of an individual
Identify the two organizations primarily responsible for these tasks
Describe the development of educational standards
Describe the process by which examination questions are developed
GS is Executive Secretary of CAMPEP.
SU‐C‐213‐06: Dosimetric Verification of 3D Printed Electron Bolus
Authors: Rasmussen K , Corbett M , Pelletier C , Huang Z , Feng Y , Jung J 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:To determine the dosimetric effect of 3D printed bolus in an anthropomorphic phantom.Methods:Conformable bolus material was generated for an anthropomorphic phantom from a DICOM volume. The bolus generated was a uniform expansion of 5mm applied to the nose region of the phantom, as this is a difficult area to uniformly apply bolus clinically. A Printrbot metal 3D Printer using PLA plastic generated the bolus. A 9MeV anterior beam with a 5cm cone was used to deliver dose to the nose of the phantom. TLD measurements were compared to predicted values at the phantom surface. Film planes were analyzed for the printed bolus, a standard 5mm bolus sheet placed on the phantom, and the phantom with no bolus applied to determine depth and dose distributions.Results:TLDs measured within 2.5% of predicted value for the 3D bolus. Film demonstrated a more uniform dose distribution in the nostril region for the 3d printed bolus than the standard bolus. This difference is caused by the air gap created around the nostrils by the standard bolus, creating a secondary build‐up region. Both demonstrated a 50% central axis dose shift of 5mm relative to the no bolus film. HU for the bolus calculated the PLA electron density to be ∼1.1g/cc. Physical density was measured to be 1.3g/cc overall.Conclusion:3D printed PLA bolus demonstrates improved dosimetric performance to standard bolus for electron beams with complex phantom geometry.
SU‐C‐213‐07: Fabrication and Testing of a 3D‐Printed Small Animal Rectal Cooling Device to Evaluate Local Hypothermia as a Radioprotector During Prostate SBRT
Authors: Hrycushko B , Chopra R , Futch C , Bing C , Wodzak M , Stojadinovic S , Jiang S , Medin P 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:The protective effects of induced or even accidental hypothermia on the human body are widespread with several medical uses currently under active research. In vitro experiments using human cell lines have shown hypothermia provides a radioprotective effect that becomes more pronounced at large, single‐fraction doses common to SBRT treatments. Relevant to prostate SBRT, this work details the fabrication and testing of a 3D‐printed cooling device to facilitate the investigation of the radioprotective effect of local hypothermia on the rat rectum.Methods:A 3cm long, two‐channel rectal cooling device was designed in SOLIDWORKS CAD for 3D printing. The water intake nozzle is connected to a 1mm diameter brass pipe from which water flows and circulates back around to the exit nozzle. Both nozzles are connected by plastic tubing to a water chiller pump. Following leak‐proof testing, fiber optic temperature probes were used to evaluate the temperature over time when placed adjacent to the cooling device within a rat rectum. MRI thermometry characterized the relative temperature distribution in concentric ROIs surrounding the probe. CBCT images from a small‐animal irradiator were evaluated for imaging artifacts which could affect Monte Carlo dose calculations during treatment planning.Results:The rectal temperature adjacent to the cooling device decreased from body temperature (37°C) to 15°C in 10–20 minutes from device insertion. Rectal temperature was maintained at 15±3°C during active cooling. MRI thermometry tests revealed a steep temperature gradient with increasing distance from the cooling device, with the desired temperature range maintained within the surrounding few millimeters.Conclusion:A 3D printed rectal cooling device was fabricated for the purpose of inducing local hypothermia in rat rectums. Rectal cooling capabilities were characterized in‐vivo to facilitate an investigation of the radioprotective effect of hypothermia for late rectal toxicity following a single large dose of radiation.Funding support provided by RSNA research seed grant
SU‐C‐304‐04: A Compact Modular Computational Platform for Automated On‐Board Imager Quality Assurance
Authors: Dolly S , Cai B , Chen H , Anastasio M , Tan J , Sun B , Yaddanapudi S , Noel C , Goddu S , Mutic S , Li H 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:Traditionally, the assessment of X‐ray tube output and detector positioning accuracy of on‐board imagers (OBI) has been performed manually and subjectively with rulers and dosimeters, and typically takes hours to complete. In this study, we have designed a compact modular computational platform to automatically analyze OBI images acquired with in‐house designed phantoms as an efficient and robust surrogate.Methods:The platform was developed as an integrated and automated image analysis‐based platform using MATLAB for easy modification and maintenance. Given a set of images acquired with the in‐house designed phantoms, the X‐ray output accuracy was examined via cross‐validation of the uniqueness and integration minimization of important image quality assessment metrics, while machine geometric and positioning accuracy were validated by utilizing pattern‐recognition based image analysis techniques.Results:The platform input was a set of images of an in‐house designed phantom. The total processing time is about 1–2 minutes. Based on the data acquired from three Varian Truebeam machines over the course of 3 months, the designed test validation strategy achieved higher accuracy than traditional methods. The kVp output accuracy can be verified within +/−2 kVp, the exposure accuracy within 2%, and exposure linearity with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 0.1. Sub‐millimeter position accuracy was achieved for the lateral and longitudinal positioning tests, while vertical positioning accuracy within +/−2 mm was achieved.Conclusion:This new platform delivers to the radiotherapy field an automated, efficient, and stable image analysis‐based procedure, for the first time, acting as a surrogate for traditional tests for LINAC OBI systems. It has great potential to facilitate OBI quality assurance (QA) with the assistance of advanced image processing techniques. In addition, it provides flexible integration of additional tests for expediting other OBI quality assurance tests, such as 2D/3D image quality, making completely automated QA possible.Research Funding from Varian Medical Systems Inc. . Dr. Sasa Mutic receives compensation for providing patient safety training services from Varian Medical Systems, the sponsor of this study.
SU‐C‐304‐05: Use of Local Noise Power Spectrum and Wavelets in Comprehensive EPID Quality Assurance
Authors: Lee S , Gopal A , Yan G , Bassett P , Park C , Samant S 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:As EPIDs are increasingly used for IMRT QA and real‐time treatment verification, comprehensive quality assurance (QA) of EPIDs becomes critical. Current QA with phantoms such as the Las Vegas and PIPSpro™ can fail in the early detection of EPID artifacts. Beyond image quality assessment, we propose a quantitative methodology using local noise power spectrum (NPS) to characterize image noise and wavelet transform to identify bad pixels and inter‐subpanel flat‐fielding artifacts.Methods:A total of 93 image sets including bar‐pattern images and open exposure images were collected from four iViewGT a‐Si EPID systems over three years. Quantitative metrics such as modulation transform function (MTF), NPS and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were computed for each image set. Local 2D NPS was calculated for each subpanel. A 1D NPS was obtained by radial averaging the 2D NPS and fitted to a power‐law function. R‐square and slope of the linear regression analysis were used for panel performance assessment. Haar wavelet transformation was employed to identify pixel defects and non‐uniform gain correction across subpanels.Results:Overall image quality was assessed with DQE based on empirically derived area under curve (AUC) thresholds. Using linear regression analysis of 1D NPS, panels with acceptable flat fielding were indicated by r‐square between 0.8 and 1, and slopes of −0.4 to −0.7. However, for panels requiring flat fielding recalibration, r‐square values less than 0.8 and slopes from +0.2 to −0.4 were observed. The wavelet transform successfully identified pixel defects and inter‐subpanel flat fielding artifacts. Standard QA with the Las Vegas and PIPSpro phantoms failed to detect these artifacts.Conclusion:The proposed QA methodology is promising for the early detection of imaging and dosimetric artifacts of EPIDs. Local NPS can accurately characterize the noise level within each subpanel, while the wavelet transforms can detect bad pixels and inter‐subpanel flat fielding artifacts.
SU‐C‐304‐06: Determination of Intermediate Correction Factors for Three Dosimeters in Small Composite Photon Fields Used in Robotic Radiosurgery
Authors: Christiansen E , Belec J , Muir B , Vandervoort E 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:To calculate using Monte‐Carlo the intermediate and total correction factors (CFs) for two microchambers and a plastic scintillator for composite fields delivered by the CyberKnife system.Methods:A linac model was created in BEAMnrc by matching percentage depth dose (PDD) curves and output factors (OFs) measured using an A16 microchamber with Monte Carlo calculations performed in egs_chamber to explicitly model detector response. Intermediate CFs were determined for the A16 and A26 microchambers and the W1 plastic scintillator in fourteen different composite fields inside a solid water phantom. Seven of these fields used a 5 mm diameter collimator; the remaining fields employed a 7.5 mm collimator but were otherwise identical to the first seven. Intermediate CFs are reported relative to the respective CF for a 60 mm collimator (800 mm source to detector distance and 100 mm depth in water).Results:For microchambers in composite fields, the intermediate CFs that account for detector density and volume were the largest contributors to total CFs. The total CFs for the A26 were larger than those for the A16, especially for the 5 mm cone (1.227±0.003 to 1.144±0.004 versus 1.142±0.003 to 1.099±0.004), due to the A26's larger active volume (0.015 cc) relative to the A16 (0.007 cc), despite the A26 using similar wall and electrode material. The W1 total and intermediate CFs are closer to unity, due to its smaller active volume and near water‐equivalent composition, however, 3–4% detector volume corrections are required for 5 mm collimator fields. In fields using the 7.5 mm collimator, the correction is nearly eliminated for the W1 except for a non‐isocentric field.Conclusion:Large and variable CFs are required for microchambers in small composite fields primarily due to density and volume effects. Corrections are reduced but not eliminated for a plastic scintillator in the same fields.