Succession Planning in the Iranian Health System: A Case Study of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education

PubMed Central

Mehrtak, Mohamad; Vatankhah, Soodabeh; Delgoshaei, Bahram; Gholipour, Arian

2014-01-01

Background: Succession planning promotes the culture of private ownership, staff loyalty to the organization and develops organizational commitment, and increases organizational stability. The study was conducted to examine the status of succession planning in the Iranian health system in order to highlight the key concepts, provide new insight, and attract the attention of senior managers of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education to the importance of succession planning in achieving organizational goals. Methods: In a qualitative study with a framework analysis approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample selected using purposive and snowball sampling procedure. The MAXQDA-10 was used to apply the codes and manage the data. The codes were extracted using inductive and deductive methods. Results: Fourteen themes and six main subthemes were identified, including planning, organizational culture, system approach, competency model, career path, and senior managers. Our findings indicate a lack of succession planning in the Iranian health system. Conclusion: lack of succession planning could lead to inefficiency and ineffectiveness in health services provision. Implementation of succession planning could maximize human resources utilization. PMID:25168998

Probabilistic Reasoning for Plan Robustness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaffer, Steve R.; Clement, Bradley J.; Chien, Steve A.

2005-01-01

A planning system must reason about the uncertainty of continuous variables in order to accurately project the possible system state over time. A method is devised for directly reasoning about the uncertainty in continuous activity duration and resource usage for planning problems. By representing random variables as parametric distributions, computing projected system state can be simplified in some cases. Common approximation and novel methods are compared for over-constrained and lightly constrained domains. The system compares a few common approximation methods for an iterative repair planner. Results show improvements in robustness over the conventional non-probabilistic representation by reducing the number of constraint violations witnessed by execution. The improvement is more significant for larger problems and problems with higher resource subscription levels but diminishes as the system is allowed to accept higher risk levels.

Establishing an Environmental Scanning System to Augment College and University Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, James L.

A plan to establish an environmental scanning and forecasting system for colleges and universities is discussed as a way to maximize long-range planning. After proposing a program structure, attention is directed to methods of gaining organizational acceptance, developing a comprehensive taxonomy with an electronic filing system, identifying and…

Probabilistic objective functions for margin-less IMRT planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohoslavsky, Román; Witte, Marnix G.; Janssen, Tomas M.; van Herk, Marcel

2013-06-01

We present a method to implement probabilistic treatment planning of intensity-modulated radiation therapy using custom software plugins in a commercial treatment planning system. Our method avoids the definition of safety-margins by directly including the effect of geometrical uncertainties during optimization when objective functions are evaluated. Because the shape of the resulting dose distribution implicitly defines the robustness of the plan, the optimizer has much more flexibility than with a margin-based approach. We expect that this added flexibility helps to automatically strike a better balance between target coverage and dose reduction for surrounding healthy tissue, especially for cases where the planning target volume overlaps organs at risk. Prostate cancer treatment planning was chosen to develop our method, including a novel technique to include rotational uncertainties. Based on population statistics, translations and rotations are simulated independently following a marker-based IGRT correction strategy. The effects of random and systematic errors are incorporated by first blurring and then shifting the dose distribution with respect to the clinical target volume. For simplicity and efficiency, dose-shift invariance and a rigid-body approximation are assumed. Three prostate cases were replanned using our probabilistic objective functions. To compare clinical and probabilistic plans, an evaluation tool was used that explicitly incorporates geometric uncertainties using Monte-Carlo methods. The new plans achieved similar or better dose distributions than the original clinical plans in terms of expected target coverage and rectum wall sparing. Plan optimization times were only about a factor of two higher than in the original clinical system. In conclusion, we have developed a practical planning tool that enables margin-less probability-based treatment planning with acceptable planning times, achieving the first system that is feasible for clinical implementation.

Production Planning and Planting Pattern Scheduling Information System for Horticulture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitadiar, Tanhella Zein; Farikhin; Surarso, Bayu

2018-02-01

This paper present the production of planning and planting pattern scheduling faced by horticulture farmer using two methods. Fuzzy time series method use to predict demand on based on sales amount, while linear programming is used to assist horticulture farmers in making production planning decisions and determining the schedule of cropping patterns in accordance with demand predictions of the fuzzy time series method, variable use in this paper is size of areas, production advantage, amount of seeds and age of the plants. This research result production planning and planting patterns scheduling information system with the output is recommendations planting schedule, harvest schedule and the number of seeds will be plant.

48 CFR 1515.305-70 - Scoring plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Scoring plans. 1515.305-70 Section 1515.305-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Source Selection 1515.305-70 Scoring plans. When...

48 CFR 1515.305-70 - Scoring plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Scoring plans. 1515.305-70 Section 1515.305-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Source Selection 1515.305-70 Scoring plans. When...

An efficient inverse radiotherapy planning method for VMAT using quadratic programming optimization.

PubMed

Hoegele, W; Loeschel, R; Merkle, N; Zygmanski, P

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of an inverse planning optimization approach for the Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) based on quadratic programming and the projection method. The performance of this method is evaluated against a reference commercial planning system (eclipse(TM) for rapidarc(TM)) for clinically relevant cases. The inverse problem is posed in terms of a linear combination of basis functions representing arclet dose contributions and their respective linear coefficients as degrees of freedom. MLC motion is decomposed into basic motion patterns in an intuitive manner leading to a system of equations with a relatively small number of equations and unknowns. These equations are solved using quadratic programming under certain limiting physical conditions for the solution, such as the avoidance of negative dose during optimization and Monitor Unit reduction. The modeling by the projection method assures a unique treatment plan with beneficial properties, such as the explicit relation between organ weightings and the final dose distribution. Clinical cases studied include prostate and spine treatments. The optimized plans are evaluated by comparing isodose lines, DVH profiles for target and normal organs, and Monitor Units to those obtained by the clinical treatment planning system eclipse(TM). The resulting dose distributions for a prostate (with rectum and bladder as organs at risk), and for a spine case (with kidneys, liver, lung and heart as organs at risk) are presented. Overall, the results indicate that similar plan qualities for quadratic programming (QP) and rapidarc(TM) could be achieved at significantly more efficient computational and planning effort using QP. Additionally, results for the quasimodo phantom [Bohsung et al., "IMRT treatment planning: A comparative inter-system and inter-centre planning exercise of the estro quasimodo group," Radiother. Oncol. 76(3), 354-361 (2005)] are presented as an example for an extreme concave case. Quadratic programming is an alternative approach for inverse planning which generates clinically satisfying plans in comparison to the clinical system and constitutes an efficient optimization process characterized by uniqueness and reproducibility of the solution.

Automated construction of an intraoperative high-dose-rate treatment plan library for the Varian brachytherapy treatment planning system.

PubMed

Deufel, Christopher L; Furutani, Keith M; Dahl, Robert A; Haddock, Michael G

2016-01-01

The ability to create treatment plans for intraoperative high-dose-rate (IOHDR) brachytherapy is limited by lack of imaging and time constraints. An automated method for creation of a library of high-dose-rate brachytherapy plans that can be used with standard planar applicators in the intraoperative setting is highly desirable. Nonnegative least squares algebraic methods were used to identify dwell time values for flat, rectangular planar applicators. The planar applicators ranged in length and width from 2 cm to 25 cm. Plans were optimized to deliver an absorbed dose of 10 Gy to three different depths from the patient surface: 0 cm, 0.5 cm, and 1.0 cm. Software was written to calculate the optimized dwell times and insert dwell times and positions into a .XML plan template that can be imported into the Varian brachytherapy treatment planning system. The user may import the .XML template into the treatment planning system in the intraoperative setting to match the patient applicator size and prescribed treatment depth. A total of 1587 library plans were created for IOHDR brachytherapy. Median plan generation time was approximately 1 minute per plan. Plan dose was typically 100% ± 1% (mean, standard deviation) of the prescribed dose over the entire length and width of the applicator. Plan uniformity was best for prescription depths of 0 cm and 0.5 cm from the patient surface. An IOHDR plan library may be created using automated methods. Thousands of plan templates may be optimized and prepared in a few hours to accommodate different applicator sizes and treatment depths and reduce treatment planning time. The automated method also enforces dwell time symmetry for symmetrical applicator geometries, which simplifies quality assurance. Copyright © 2016 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systems design study of the Pioneer Venus spacecraft. Volume 2. Preliminary program development plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The preliminary development plan for the Pioneer Venus program is presented. This preliminary plan treats only developmental aspects that would have a significant effect on program cost. These significant development areas were: master program schedule planning; test planning - both unit and system testing for probes/orbiter/ probe bus; ground support equipment; performance assurance; and science integration Various test planning options and test method techniques were evaluated in terms of achieving a low-cost program without degrading mission performance or system reliability. The approaches studied and the methodology of the selected approach are defined.

Analysis and preliminary design of Kunming land use and planning management information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Li; Chen, Zhenjie

2007-06-01

This article analyzes Kunming land use planning and management information system from the system building objectives and system building requirements aspects, nails down the system's users, functional requirements and construction requirements. On these bases, the three-tier system architecture based on C/S and B/S is defined: the user interface layer, the business logic layer and the data services layer. According to requirements for the construction of land use planning and management information database derived from standards of the Ministry of Land and Resources and the construction program of the Golden Land Project, this paper divides system databases into planning document database, planning implementation database, working map database and system maintenance database. In the design of the system interface, this paper uses various methods and data formats for data transmission and sharing between upper and lower levels. According to the system analysis results, main modules of the system are designed as follows: planning data management, the planning and annual plan preparation and control function, day-to-day planning management, planning revision management, decision-making support, thematic inquiry statistics, planning public participation and so on; besides that, the system realization technologies are discussed from the system operation mode, development platform and other aspects.

Development of Financial Plans for Regional Transportation Plans - Methods, Data and Issues

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

This paper focuses on the portion of the Financial Plan for the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) dealing with the road system in Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) metropolitan planning region under the jurisdiction of county road a...

A Set of Planning Tools for School Leaders & Teams: Differentiated Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Bruce H.

This presentation outline with overheads demonstrates differentiated planning, a system with four separate planning methods designed to reduce confusion and increase staff commitment to planning efforts. Differentiated planning involves: (1) prioritization (used for single question issues, multiple question issues, and as a follow-up to the…

Automated replication of cone beam CT-guided treatments in the Pinnacle(3) treatment planning system for adaptive radiotherapy.

PubMed

Hargrave, Catriona; Mason, Nicole; Guidi, Robyn; Miller, Julie-Anne; Becker, Jillian; Moores, Matthew; Mengersen, Kerrie; Poulsen, Michael; Harden, Fiona

2016-03-01

Time-consuming manual methods have been required to register cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images with plans in the Pinnacle(3) treatment planning system in order to replicate delivered treatments for adaptive radiotherapy. These methods rely on fiducial marker (FM) placement during CBCT acquisition or the image mid-point to localise the image isocentre. A quality assurance study was conducted to validate an automated CBCT-plan registration method utilising the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Structure Set (RS) and Spatial Registration (RE) files created during online image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). CBCTs of a phantom were acquired with FMs and predetermined setup errors using various online IGRT workflows. The CBCTs, DICOM RS and RE files were imported into Pinnacle(3) plans of the phantom and the resulting automated CBCT-plan registrations were compared to existing manual methods. A clinical protocol for the automated method was subsequently developed and tested retrospectively using CBCTs and plans for six bladder patients. The automated CBCT-plan registration method was successfully applied to thirty-four phantom CBCT images acquired with an online 0 mm action level workflow. Ten CBCTs acquired with other IGRT workflows required manual workarounds. This was addressed during the development and testing of the clinical protocol using twenty-eight patient CBCTs. The automated CBCT-plan registrations were instantaneous, replicating delivered treatments in Pinnacle(3) with errors of ±0.5 mm. These errors were comparable to mid-point-dependant manual registrations but superior to FM-dependant manual registrations. The automated CBCT-plan registration method quickly and reliably replicates delivered treatments in Pinnacle(3) for adaptive radiotherapy.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qu, H; Yu, N; Qi, P

Purpose: In commercial secondary dose calculation system, an average effective depth is used to calculate the Monitor Units for an arc beam from the volumetric modulated arc (VMAT) plans. Typically, an arithmetic mean of the effective depths (AMED) of a VMAT arc beam is used, which may result in large MU discrepancy from that of the primary treatment planning system. This study is to demonstrate the use of a dose weighted mean effective depth (DWED) can improve accuracy of MU calculation for the secondary MU verification. Methods: In-house scripts were written in the primary treatment planning system (TPS) to firstmore » convert a VMAT arc beam to a series of static step & shoot beams (every 4 degree). The computed dose and effective depth of each static beam were then used to obtain the dose weighted mean effective depth (DWED) for the VMAT beam. The DWED was used for the secondary MU calculation for VMAT plans. Six lung SBRT VMAT plans, eight head and neck VMAT plans and ten prostate VMAT plans that had > 5% MU deviations (failed MU verification) using the AMED method were recalculated with the DWED. For comparison, same number VMAT plans that had < 5% MU deviations (passed MU verification) using AMED method were also reevaluated with the dose weighted mean effective depth method. Results: For MU verification passed plans, the mean and standard deviation of MU differences between the TPS and the secondary calculation program were 2.2%±1.5% for the AMED and 2.1%±1.7% for the DMED method. For the failed plans, the mean and standard deviation of MU differences of TPS to the secondary calculation program were 9.9%±4.7% and 4.7%±2.6, respectively. Conclusion: The dose weighted mean effective depth improved MU calculation accuracy which can be used for the pre-treatment MU verification of VMAT plans.« less

Case report of a near medical event in stereotactic radiotherapy due to improper units of measure from a treatment planning system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gladstone, D. J.; Li, S.; Jarvis, L. A.

2011-07-15

Purpose: The authors hereby notify the Radiation Oncology community of a potentially lethal error due to improper implementation of linear units of measure in a treatment planning system. The authors report an incident in which a patient was nearly mistreated during a stereotactic radiotherapy procedure due to inappropriate reporting of stereotactic coordinates by the radiation therapy treatment planning system in units of centimeter rather than in millimeter. The authors suggest a method to detect such errors during treatment planning so they are caught and corrected prior to the patient positioning for treatment on the treatment machine. Methods: Using pretreatment imaging,more » the authors found that stereotactic coordinates are reported with improper linear units by a treatment planning system. The authors have implemented a redundant, independent method of stereotactic coordinate calculation. Results: Implementation of a double check of stereotactic coordinates via redundant, independent calculation is simple and accurate. Use of this technique will avoid any future error in stereotactic treatment coordinates due to improper linear units, transcription, or other similar errors. Conclusions: The authors recommend an independent double check of stereotactic treatment coordinates during the treatment planning process in order to avoid potential mistreatment of patients.« less

Method and system for vehicle refueling

DOEpatents

Surnilla, Gopichandra; Leone, Thomas G; Prasad, Krishnaswamy Venkatesh; Agarwal, Apoorv; Hinds, Brett Stanley

2014-06-10

Methods and systems are provided for facilitating refueling operations in vehicles operating with multiple fuels. A vehicle operator may be assisted in refueling the multiple fuel tanks of the vehicle by being provided one or more refueling profiles that take into account the vehicle's future trip plans, the predicted environmental conditions along a planned route, and the operator's preferences.

Method and system for vehicle refueling

DOEpatents

Surnilla, Gopichandra; Leone, Thomas G; Prasad, Krishnaswamy Venkatesh; Argarwal, Apoorv; Hinds, Brett Stanley

2012-11-20

Methods and systems are provided for facilitating refueling operations in vehicles operating with multiple fuels. A vehicle operator may be assisted in refueling the multiple fuel tanks of the vehicle by being provided one or more refueling profiles that take into account the vehicle's future trip plans, the predicted environmental conditions along a planned route, and the operator's preferences.

Private and Public Sector Enterprise Resource Planning System Post-Implementation Practices: A Comparative Mixed Method Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachman, Charles A.

2010-01-01

While private sector organizations have implemented enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems since the mid 1990s, ERP implementations within the public sector lagged by several years. This research conducted a mixed method, comparative assessment of post "go-live" ERP implementations between public and private sector organization. Based on a…

Implementation and verification of nuclear interactions in a Monte-Carlo code for the Procom-ProGam proton therapy planning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostyuchenko, V. I.; Makarova, A. S.; Ryazantsev, O. B.; Samarin, S. I.; Uglov, A. S.

2014-06-01

A great breakthrough in proton therapy has happened in the new century: several tens of dedicated centers are now operated throughout the world and their number increases every year. An important component of proton therapy is a treatment planning system. To make calculations faster, these systems usually use analytical methods whose reliability and accuracy do not allow the advantages of this method of treatment to implement to the full extent. Predictions by the Monte Carlo (MC) method are a "gold" standard for the verification of calculations with these systems. At the Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics (ITEP) which is one of the eldest proton therapy centers in the world, an MC code is an integral part of their treatment planning system. This code which is called IThMC was developed by scientists from RFNC-VNIITF (Snezhinsk) under ISTC Project 3563.

48 CFR 1515.305-70 - Scoring plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Source Selection 1515.305-70 Scoring plans. When... solicitation, e.g., other numeric, adjectival, color rating systems, etc. Scoring Plan Value Descriptive...

A Method for Suppressing Line Overload Phenomena Using NAS Battery Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtaka, Toshiya; Iwamoto, Shinichi

In this paper, we pay attention to the superior operating control function and instantaneous discharging characteristics of NAS battery systems, and propose a method for determining installation planning and operating control schemes of NAS battery systems for suppressing line overload phenomena. In the stage of planning, a target contingency is identified, and an optimal allocation and capacity of NAS battery systems and an amount of generation changes are determined for the contingency. In the stage of operation, the control strategy of NAS battery system is determined. Simulations are carried out for verifying the validity of the proposed method using the IEEJ 1 machine V system model and an example 2 machine 16 bus system model.

Planning for Downtown Circulation Systems. Volume 2. Analysis Techniques.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-10-01

This volume contains the analysis and refinement stages of downtown circulator planning. Included are sections on methods for estimating patronage, costs, revenues, and impacts, and a section on methods for performing micro-level analyses.

Ubiquitous Robotic Technology for Smart Manufacturing System.

PubMed

Wang, Wenshan; Zhu, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Liyu; Qiu, Qiang; Cao, Qixin

2016-01-01

As the manufacturing tasks become more individualized and more flexible, the machines in smart factory are required to do variable tasks collaboratively without reprogramming. This paper for the first time discusses the similarity between smart manufacturing systems and the ubiquitous robotic systems and makes an effort on deploying ubiquitous robotic technology to the smart factory. Specifically, a component based framework is proposed in order to enable the communication and cooperation of the heterogeneous robotic devices. Further, compared to the service robotic domain, the smart manufacturing systems are often in larger size. So a hierarchical planning method was implemented to improve the planning efficiency. A test bed of smart factory is developed. It demonstrates that the proposed framework is suitable for industrial domain, and the hierarchical planning method is able to solve large problems intractable with flat methods.

Ubiquitous Robotic Technology for Smart Manufacturing System

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Liyu; Qiu, Qiang; Cao, Qixin

2016-01-01

As the manufacturing tasks become more individualized and more flexible, the machines in smart factory are required to do variable tasks collaboratively without reprogramming. This paper for the first time discusses the similarity between smart manufacturing systems and the ubiquitous robotic systems and makes an effort on deploying ubiquitous robotic technology to the smart factory. Specifically, a component based framework is proposed in order to enable the communication and cooperation of the heterogeneous robotic devices. Further, compared to the service robotic domain, the smart manufacturing systems are often in larger size. So a hierarchical planning method was implemented to improve the planning efficiency. A test bed of smart factory is developed. It demonstrates that the proposed framework is suitable for industrial domain, and the hierarchical planning method is able to solve large problems intractable with flat methods. PMID:27446206

TH-EF-BRB-05: 4pi Non-Coplanar IMRT Beam Angle Selection by Convex Optimization with Group Sparsity Penalty

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O’Connor, D; Nguyen, D; Voronenko, Y

Purpose: Integrated beam orientation and fluence map optimization is expected to be the foundation of robust automated planning but existing heuristic methods do not promise global optimality. We aim to develop a new method for beam angle selection in 4π non-coplanar IMRT systems based on solving (globally) a single convex optimization problem, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method by comparison with a state of the art column generation method for 4π beam angle selection. Methods: The beam angle selection problem is formulated as a large scale convex fluence map optimization problem with an additional group sparsity term thatmore » encourages most candidate beams to be inactive. The optimization problem is solved using an accelerated first-order method, the Fast Iterative Shrinkage-Thresholding Algorithm (FISTA). The beam angle selection and fluence map optimization algorithm is used to create non-coplanar 4π treatment plans for several cases (including head and neck, lung, and prostate cases) and the resulting treatment plans are compared with 4π treatment plans created using the column generation algorithm. Results: In our experiments the treatment plans created using the group sparsity method meet or exceed the dosimetric quality of plans created using the column generation algorithm, which was shown superior to clinical plans. Moreover, the group sparsity approach converges in about 3 minutes in these cases, as compared with runtimes of a few hours for the column generation method. Conclusion: This work demonstrates the first non-greedy approach to non-coplanar beam angle selection, based on convex optimization, for 4π IMRT systems. The method given here improves both treatment plan quality and runtime as compared with a state of the art column generation algorithm. When the group sparsity term is set to zero, we obtain an excellent method for fluence map optimization, useful when beam angles have already been selected. NIH R43CA183390, NIH R01CA188300, Varian Medical Systems; Part of this research took place while D. O’Connor was a summer intern at RefleXion Medical.« less

SU-E-T-154: Establishment and Implement of 3D Image Guided Brachytherapy Planning System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, S; Zhao, S; Chen, Y

2014-06-01

Purpose: Cannot observe the dose intuitionally is a limitation of the existing 2D pre-implantation dose planning. Meanwhile, a navigation module is essential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the implantation. Hence a 3D Image Guided Brachytherapy Planning System conducting dose planning and intra-operative navigation based on 3D multi-organs reconstruction is developed. Methods: Multi-organs including the tumor are reconstructed in one sweep of all the segmented images using the multiorgans reconstruction method. The reconstructed organs group establishs a three-dimensional visualized operative environment. The 3D dose maps of the three-dimentional conformal localized dose planning are calculated with Monte Carlo method whilemore » the corresponding isodose lines and isodose surfaces are displayed in a stereo view. The real-time intra-operative navigation is based on an electromagnetic tracking system (ETS) and the fusion between MRI and ultrasound images. Applying Least Square Method, the coordinate registration between 3D models and patient is realized by the ETS which is calibrated by a laser tracker. The system is validated by working on eight patients with prostate cancer. The navigation has passed the precision measurement in the laboratory. Results: The traditional marching cubes (MC) method reconstructs one organ at one time and assembles them together. Compared to MC, presented multi-organs reconstruction method has superiorities in reserving the integrality and connectivity of reconstructed organs. The 3D conformal localized dose planning, realizing the 'exfoliation display' of different isodose surfaces, helps make sure the dose distribution has encompassed the nidus and avoid the injury of healthy tissues. During the navigation, surgeons could observe the coordinate of instruments real-timely employing the ETS. After the calibration, accuracy error of the needle position is less than 2.5mm according to the experiments. Conclusion: The speed and quality of 3D reconstruction, the efficiency in dose planning and accuracy in navigation all can be improved simultaneously.« less

Study on Battery Capacity for Grid-connection Power Planning with Forecasts in Clustered Photovoltaic Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, Takae; Kawasaki, Norihiro; Ueda, Yuzuru; Sugihara, Hiroyuki; Kurokawa, Kosuke

This paper aims to clarify the battery capacity required by a residential area with densely grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems. This paper proposes a planning method of tomorrow's grid-connection power from/to the external electric power system by using demand power forecasting and insolation forecasting for PV power predictions, and defines a operation method of the electricity storage device to control the grid-connection power as planned. A residential area consisting of 389 houses consuming 2390 MWh/year of electricity with 2390kW PV systems is simulated based on measured data and actual forecasts. The simulation results show that 8.3MWh of battery capacity is required in the conditions of half-hour planning and 1% or less of planning error ratio and PV output limiting loss ratio. The results also show that existing technologies of forecasting reduce required battery capacity to 49%, and increase the allowable installing PV amount to 210%.

TU-D-201-06: HDR Plan Prechecks Using Eclipse Scripting API

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palaniswaamy, G; Morrow, A; Kim, S

Purpose: Automate brachytherapy treatment plan quality check using Eclipse v13.6 scripting API based on pre-configured rules to minimize human error and maximize efficiency. Methods: The HDR Precheck system is developed based on a rules-driven approach using Eclipse scripting API. This system checks for critical plan parameters like channel length, first source position, source step size and channel mapping. The planned treatment time is verified independently based on analytical methods. For interstitial or SAVI APBI treatment plans, a Patterson-Parker system calculation is performed to verify the planned treatment time. For endobronchial treatments, an analytical formula from TG-59 is used. Acceptable tolerancesmore » were defined based on clinical experiences in our department. The system was designed to show PASS/FAIL status levels. Additional information, if necessary, is indicated appropriately in a separate comments field in the user interface. Results: The HDR Precheck system has been developed and tested to verify the treatment plan parameters that are routinely checked by the clinical physicist. The report also serves as a reminder or checklist for the planner to perform any additional critical checks such as applicator digitization or scenarios where the channel mapping was intentionally changed. It is expected to reduce the current manual plan check time from 15 minutes to <1 minute. Conclusion: Automating brachytherapy plan prechecks significantly reduces treatment plan precheck time and reduces human errors. When fully developed, this system will be able to perform TG-43 based second check of the treatment planning system’s dose calculation using random points in the target and critical structures. A histogram will be generated along with tabulated mean and standard deviation values for each structure. A knowledge database will also be developed for Brachyvision plans which will then be used for knowledge-based plan quality checks to further reduce treatment planning errors and increase confidence in the planned treatment.« less

Formal Methods Specification and Verification Guidebook for Software and Computer Systems. Volume 1; Planning and Technology Insertion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The Formal Methods Specification and Verification Guidebook for Software and Computer Systems describes a set of techniques called Formal Methods (FM), and outlines their use in the specification and verification of computer systems and software. Development of increasingly complex systems has created a need for improved specification and verification techniques. NASA's Safety and Mission Quality Office has supported the investigation of techniques such as FM, which are now an accepted method for enhancing the quality of aerospace applications. The guidebook provides information for managers and practitioners who are interested in integrating FM into an existing systems development process. Information includes technical and administrative considerations that must be addressed when establishing the use of FM on a specific project. The guidebook is intended to aid decision makers in the successful application of FM to the development of high-quality systems at reasonable cost. This is the first volume of a planned two-volume set. The current volume focuses on administrative and planning considerations for the successful application of FM.

300 Area waste acid treatment system closure plan. Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-03-01

This section provides a description of the Hanford Site, identifies the proposed method of 300 Area Waste Acid Treatment System (WATS) closure, and briefly summarizes the contents of each chapter of this plan.

Test, Control and Monitor System maintenance plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buehler, David P.; Lougheed, M. J.

1993-01-01

The maintenance requirements for Test, Control, and Monitor System (TCMS) and the method for satisfying these requirements prior to First Need Date (FND) of the last TCMS set are described. The method for satisfying maintenance requirements following FND of the last TCMS set will be addressed by a revision to this plan. This maintenance plan serves as the basic planning document for maintenance of this equipment by the NASA Payloads Directorate (CM) and the Payload Ground Operations Contractor (PGOC) at KSC. The terms TCMS Operations and Maintenance (O&M), Payloads Logistics, TCMS Sustaining Engineering, Payload Communications, and Integrated Network Services refer to the appropriate NASA and PGOC organization. For the duration of their contract, the Core Electronic Contractor (CEC) will provide a Set Support Team (SST). One of the primary purposes of this team is to help NASA and PGOC operate and maintain TCMS. It is assumed that SST is an integral part of TCMS O&M. The purpose of this plan is to describe the maintenance concept for TCMS hardware and system software in order to facilitate activation, transition planning, and continuing operation. When software maintenance is mentioned in this plan, it refers to maintenance of TCMS system software.

Evolutionistic or revolutionary paths? A PACS maturity model for strategic situational planning.

PubMed

van de Wetering, Rogier; Batenburg, Ronald; Lederman, Reeva

2010-07-01

While many hospitals are re-evaluating their current Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), few have a mature strategy for PACS deployment. Furthermore, strategies for implementation, strategic and situational planning methods for the evolution of PACS maturity are scarce in the scientific literature. Consequently, in this paper we propose a strategic planning method for PACS deployment. This method builds upon a PACS maturity model (PMM), based on the elaboration of the strategic alignment concept and the maturity growth path concept previously developed in the PACS domain. First, we review the literature on strategic planning for information systems and information technology and PACS maturity. Secondly, the PMM is extended by applying four different strategic perspectives of the Strategic Alignment Framework whereupon two types of growth paths (evolutionistic and revolutionary) are applied that focus on a roadmap for PMM. This roadmap builds a path to get from one level of maturity and evolve to the next. An extended method for PACS strategic planning is developed. This method defines eight distinctive strategies for PACS strategic situational planning that allow decision-makers in hospitals to decide which approach best suits their hospitals' current situation and future ambition and what in principle is needed to evolve through the different maturity levels. The proposed method allows hospitals to strategically plan for PACS maturation. It is situational in that the required investments and activities depend on the alignment between the hospital strategy and the selected growth path. The inclusion of both strategic alignment and maturity growth path concepts make the planning method rigorous, and provide a framework for further empirical research and clinical practice.

A mission planning concept and mission planning system for future manned space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wickler, Martin

1994-01-01

The international character of future manned space missions will compel the involvement of several international space agencies in mission planning tasks. Additionally, the community of users requires a higher degree of freedom for experiment planning. Both of these problems can be solved by a decentralized mission planning concept using the so-called 'envelope method,' by which resources are allocated to users by distributing resource profiles ('envelopes') which define resource availabilities at specified times. The users are essentially free to plan their activities independently of each other, provided that they stay within their envelopes. The new developments were aimed at refining the existing vague envelope concept into a practical method for decentralized planning. Selected critical functions were exercised by planning an example, founded on experience acquired by the MSCC during the Spacelab missions D-1 and D-2. The main activity regarding future mission planning tasks was to improve the existing MSCC mission planning system, using new techniques. An electronic interface was developed to collect all formalized user inputs more effectively, along with an 'envelope generator' for generation and manipulation of the resource envelopes. The existing scheduler and its data base were successfully replaced by an artificial intelligence scheduler. This scheduler is not only capable of handling resource envelopes, but also uses a new technology based on neuronal networks. Therefore, it is very well suited to solve the future scheduling problems more efficiently. This prototype mission planning system was used to gain new practical experience with decentralized mission planning, using the envelope method. In future steps, software tools will be optimized, and all data management planning activities will be embedded into the scheduler.

SU-F-T-440: The Feasibility Research of Checking Cervical Cancer IMRT Pre- Treatment Dose Verification by Automated Treatment Planning Verification System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, X; Yin, Y; Lin, X

Purpose: To assess the preliminary feasibility of automated treatment planning verification system in cervical cancer IMRT pre-treatment dose verification. Methods: The study selected randomly clinical IMRT treatment planning data for twenty patients with cervical cancer, all IMRT plans were divided into 7 fields to meet the dosimetric goals using a commercial treatment planning system(PianncleVersion 9.2and the EclipseVersion 13.5). The plans were exported to the Mobius 3D (M3D)server percentage differences of volume of a region of interest (ROI) and dose calculation of target region and organ at risk were evaluated, in order to validate the accuracy automated treatment planning verification system.more » Results: The difference of volume for Pinnacle to M3D was less than results for Eclipse to M3D in ROI, the biggest difference was 0.22± 0.69%, 3.5±1.89% for Pinnacle and Eclipse respectively. M3D showed slightly better agreement in dose of target and organ at risk compared with TPS. But after recalculating plans by M3D, dose difference for Pinnacle was less than Eclipse on average, results were within 3%. Conclusion: The method of utilizing the automated treatment planning system to validate the accuracy of plans is convenientbut the scope of differences still need more clinical patient cases to determine. At present, it should be used as a secondary check tool to improve safety in the clinical treatment planning.« less

Modeling sustainability in renewable energy supply chain systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Fei

This dissertation aims at modeling sustainability of renewable fuel supply chain systems against emerging challenges. In particular, the dissertation focuses on the biofuel supply chain system design, and manages to develop advanced modeling framework and corresponding solution methods in tackling challenges in sustaining biofuel supply chain systems. These challenges include: (1) to integrate "environmental thinking" into the long-term biofuel supply chain planning; (2) to adopt multimodal transportation to mitigate seasonality in biofuel supply chain operations; (3) to provide strategies in hedging against uncertainty from conversion technology; and (4) to develop methodologies in long-term sequential planning of the biofuel supply chain under uncertainties. All models are mixed integer programs, which also involves multi-objective programming method and two-stage/multistage stochastic programming methods. In particular for the long-term sequential planning under uncertainties, to reduce the computational challenges due to the exponential expansion of the scenario tree, I also developed efficient ND-Max method which is more efficient than CPLEX and Nested Decomposition method. Through result analysis of four independent studies, it is found that the proposed modeling frameworks can effectively improve the economic performance, enhance environmental benefits and reduce risks due to systems uncertainties for the biofuel supply chain systems.

Alternatives to Re-Planning: Methods for Plan Re-Evaluation at Runtime

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benazera, Emmanuel

2005-01-01

Current planning algorithms have difficulty handling the complexity that is due to an increase in domain uncertainty, and especially in the case of multi-dimensional continuous spaces. Therefore, they produce plans that do not take into account numerous situations that can occur at runtime, such as faults or other changes in the planning domain itself. Thus there is a gap between the plan generation and the reality experienced at runtime. Here we present two methods that allow the plan conditionals to be revised w.r.t. uncertainty on the system as estimated at runtime.

Determination of boundaries between ranges of high and low gradient of beam profile.

PubMed

Wendykier, Jacek; Bieniasiewicz, Marcin; Grządziel, Aleksandra; Jedynak, Tadeusz; Kośniewski, Wiktor; Reudelsdorf, Marta; Wendykier, Piotr

2016-01-01

This work addresses the problem of treatment planning system commissioning by introducing a new method of determination of boundaries between high and low gradient in beam profile. The commissioning of a treatment planning system is a very important task in the radiation therapy. One of the main goals of this task is to compare two field profiles: measured and calculated. Applying points of 80% and 120% of nominal field size can lead to the incorrect determination of boundaries, especially for small field sizes. The method that is based on the beam profile gradient allows for proper assignment of boundaries between high and low gradient regions even for small fields. TRS 430 recommendations for commissioning were used. The described method allows a separation between high and low gradient, because it directly uses the value of the gradient of a profile. For small fields, the boundaries determined by the new method allow a commissioning of a treatment planning system according to the TRS 430, while the point of 80% of nominal field size is already in the high gradient region. The method of determining the boundaries by using the beam profile gradient can be extremely helpful during the commissioning of the treatment planning system for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy or for other techniques which require very small field sizes.

Performance planning for rural planning organizations - final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-01

Recent federal rules place increased emphasis on performance-based management of the multimodal : transportation system and require the use of performance based methods in state, metropolitan, and : non-metropolitan transportation planning and progra...

Benchmarking of a treatment planning system for spot scanning proton therapy: Comparison and analysis of robustness to setup errors of photon IMRT and proton SFUD treatment plans of base of skull meningioma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harding, R., E-mail: ruth.harding2@wales.nhs.uk; Trnková, P.; Lomax, A. J.

Purpose: Base of skull meningioma can be treated with both intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and spot scanned proton therapy (PT). One of the main benefits of PT is better sparing of organs at risk, but due to the physical and dosimetric characteristics of protons, spot scanned PT can be more sensitive to the uncertainties encountered in the treatment process compared with photon treatment. Therefore, robustness analysis should be part of a comprehensive comparison between these two treatment methods in order to quantify and understand the sensitivity of the treatment techniques to uncertainties. The aim of this work was tomore » benchmark a spot scanning treatment planning system for planning of base of skull meningioma and to compare the created plans and analyze their robustness to setup errors against the IMRT technique. Methods: Plans were produced for three base of skull meningioma cases: IMRT planned with a commercial TPS [Monaco (Elekta AB, Sweden)]; single field uniform dose (SFUD) spot scanning PT produced with an in-house TPS (PSI-plan); and SFUD spot scanning PT plan created with a commercial TPS [XiO (Elekta AB, Sweden)]. A tool for evaluating robustness to random setup errors was created and, for each plan, both a dosimetric evaluation and a robustness analysis to setup errors were performed. Results: It was possible to create clinically acceptable treatment plans for spot scanning proton therapy of meningioma with a commercially available TPS. However, since each treatment planning system uses different methods, this comparison showed different dosimetric results as well as different sensitivities to setup uncertainties. The results confirmed the necessity of an analysis tool for assessing plan robustness to provide a fair comparison of photon and proton plans. Conclusions: Robustness analysis is a critical part of plan evaluation when comparing IMRT plans with spot scanned proton therapy plans.« less

Commissioning and initial acceptance tests for a commercial convolution dose calculation algorithm for radiotherapy treatment planning in comparison with Monte Carlo simulation and measurement

PubMed Central

Moradi, Farhad; Mahdavi, Seyed Rabi; Mostaar, Ahmad; Motamedi, Mohsen

2012-01-01

In this study the commissioning of a dose calculation algorithm in a currently used treatment planning system was performed and the calculation accuracy of two available methods in the treatment planning system i.e., collapsed cone convolution (CCC) and equivalent tissue air ratio (ETAR) was verified in tissue heterogeneities. For this purpose an inhomogeneous phantom (IMRT thorax phantom) was used and dose curves obtained by the TPS (treatment planning system) were compared with experimental measurements and Monte Carlo (MCNP code) simulation. Dose measurements were performed by using EDR2 radiographic films within the phantom. Dose difference (DD) between experimental results and two calculation methods was obtained. Results indicate maximum difference of 12% in the lung and 3% in the bone tissue of the phantom between two methods and the CCC algorithm shows more accurate depth dose curves in tissue heterogeneities. Simulation results show the accurate dose estimation by MCNP4C in soft tissue region of the phantom and also better results than ETAR method in bone and lung tissues. PMID:22973081

SU-E-I-97: Smart Auto-Planning Framework in An EMR Environment (SAFEE)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, B; Chen, S; Mutaf, Y

2014-06-01

Purpose: Our Radiation Oncology Department uses clinical practice guidelines for patient treatment, including normal tissue sparing and other dosimetric constraints. These practice guidelines were adapted from national guidelines, clinical trials, literature reviews, and practitioner's own experience. Modern treatment planning systems (TPS) have the capability of incorporating these practice guidelines to automatically create radiation therapy treatment plans with little human intervention. We are developing a software infrastructure to integrate clinical practice guidelines and radiation oncology electronic medical record (EMR) system into radiation therapy treatment planning system (TPS) for auto planning. Methods: Our Smart Auto-Planning Framework in an EMR environment (SAFEE) usesmore » a software pipeline framework to integrate practice guidelines,EMR, and TPS together. The SAFEE system starts with retrieving diagnosis information and physician's prescription from the EMR system. After approval of contouring, SAFEE will automatically create plans according to our guidelines. Based on clinical objectives, SAFEE will automatically select treatment delivery techniques (such as, 3DRT/IMRT/VMAT) and optimize plans. When necessary, SAFEE will create multiple treatment plans with different combinations of parameters. SAFEE's pipeline structure makes it very flexible to integrate various techniques, such as, Model-Base Segmentation (MBS) and plan optimization algorithms, e.g., Multi-Criteria Optimization (MCO). In addition, SAFEE uses machine learning, data mining techniques, and an integrated database to create clinical knowledgebase and then answer clinical questions, such as, how to score plan quality or how volume overlap affects physicians' decision in beam and treatment technique selection. Results: In our institution, we use Varian Aria EMR system and RayStation TPS from RaySearch, whose ScriptService API allows control by external programs. These applications are the building blocks of our SAFEE system. Conclusion: SAFEE is a feasible method of integrating clinical information to develop an auto-planning paradigm to improve clinical workflow in cancer patient care.« less

Knowledge and intelligent computing system in medicine.

PubMed

Pandey, Babita; Mishra, R B

2009-03-01

Knowledge-based systems (KBS) and intelligent computing systems have been used in the medical planning, diagnosis and treatment. The KBS consists of rule-based reasoning (RBR), case-based reasoning (CBR) and model-based reasoning (MBR) whereas intelligent computing method (ICM) encompasses genetic algorithm (GA), artificial neural network (ANN), fuzzy logic (FL) and others. The combination of methods in KBS such as CBR-RBR, CBR-MBR and RBR-CBR-MBR and the combination of methods in ICM is ANN-GA, fuzzy-ANN, fuzzy-GA and fuzzy-ANN-GA. The combination of methods from KBS to ICM is RBR-ANN, CBR-ANN, RBR-CBR-ANN, fuzzy-RBR, fuzzy-CBR and fuzzy-CBR-ANN. In this paper, we have made a study of different singular and combined methods (185 in number) applicable to medical domain from mid 1970s to 2008. The study is presented in tabular form, showing the methods and its salient features, processes and application areas in medical domain (diagnosis, treatment and planning). It is observed that most of the methods are used in medical diagnosis very few are used for planning and moderate number in treatment. The study and its presentation in this context would be helpful for novice researchers in the area of medical expert system.

Systemic Planning: An Annotated Bibliography and Literature Guide. Exchange Bibliography No. 91.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catanese, Anthony James

Systemic planning is an operational approach to using scientific rigor and qualitative judgment in a complementary manner. It integrates rigorous techniques and methods from systems analysis, cybernetics, decision theory, and work programing. The annotated reference sources in this bibliography include those works that have been most influential…

Adaptable mission planning for kino-dynamic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, Lawrence A. M.; Jimenez, Tony R.; Williams, Brian C.

Autonomous systems can perform tasks that are dangerous, monotonous, or even impossible for humans. To approach the problem of planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) we present a hierarchical method that combines a high-level planner with a low-level planner. We pose the problem of high-level planning as a Selective Traveling Salesman Problem (STSP) and select the order in which to visit our science sites. We then use a kino-dynamic path planner to create a large number of intermediate waypoints. This is a complete system that combines high and low level planning to achieve a goal. This paper demonstrates the benefits gained by adaptable high-level plans versus static and greedy plans.

How "the best" companies use MRP (materiel requirements planning) and just-in-time for successful manufacturing.

PubMed

Spencer, M S

1994-08-01

A study of production planning and control methods used in six leading companies found that a blending strategy is more effective than reliance on a single system. The blending of just-in-time and materiel requirements planning and other approaches allowed companies to select methods that best fit the unique characteristics of their production environments.

Case Study on Project Risk Management Planning Based on Soft System Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lifang, Xie; Jun, Li

This paper analyzed the soft system characters of construction projects and the applicability on using Soft System Methodology (SSM) for risk analysis after a brief review of SSM. Taking a hydropower project as an example, it constructed the general frame of project risk management planning (PRMP) and established the Risk Management Planning (RMP) system from the perspective of the interests of co-ordination. This paper provided the ideas and methods for construction RMP under the win-win situation through the practice of SSM.

Research on large equipment maintenance system in life cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaowei; Wang, Hongxia; Liu, Zhenxing; Zhang, Nan

2017-06-01

In order to change the current disadvantages of traditional large equipment maintenance concept, this article plans to apply the technical method of prognostics and health management to optimize equipment maintenance strategy and develop large equipment maintenance system. Combined with the maintenance procedures of various phases in life cycle, it concluded the formulation methods of maintenance program and implement plans of maintenance work. In the meantime, it takes account into the example of the dredger power system of the Waterway Bureau to establish the auxiliary platform of ship maintenance system in life cycle.

A simple DVH generation technique for various radiotherapy treatment planning systems for an independent information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Byung Jun; Nam, Heerim; Jeong, Il Sun; Lee, Hyebin

2015-07-01

In recent years, the use of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) for radiation therapy has become the norm in hospital environments and has been suggested for collecting and managing data using Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) objects from different treatment planning systems (TPSs). However, some TPSs do not provide the ability to export the dose-volume histogram (DVH) in text or other format. In addition, plan review systems for various TPSs often allow DVH recalculations with different algorithms. These algorithms result in inevitable discrepancies between the values obtained with the recalculation and those obtained with TPS itself. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple method for generating reproducible DVH values by using the TPSs. Treatment planning information, including structures and delivered dose, was exported in the DICOM format from the Eclipse v8.9 or the Pinnacle v9.6 planning systems. The supersampling and trilinear interpolation methods were employed to calculate the DVH data from 35 treatment plans. The discrepancies between the DVHs extracted from each TPS and those extracted by using the proposed calculation method were evaluated with respect to the supersampling ratio. The volume, minimum dose, maximum dose, and mean dose were compared. The variations in DVHs from multiple TPSs were compared by using the MIM software v6.1, which is a commercially available treatment planning comparison tool. The overall comparisons of the volume, minimum dose, maximum dose, and mean dose showed that the proposed method generated relatively smaller discrepancies compared with TPS than the MIM software did compare with the TPS. As the structure volume decreased, the overall percent difference increased. The largest difference was observed in small organs such as the eye ball, eye lens, and optic nerve which had volume below 10 cc. A simple and useful technique was developed to generate a DVH with an acceptable error from a proprietary TPS. This study provides a convenient and common framework that will allow the use of a single well-managed storage solution for an independent information system.

Short Term Load Forecasting with Fuzzy Logic Systems for power system planning and reliability-A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmukhe, R. M.; Dhumale, Mrs. Sunita; Chaudhari, Mr. P. S.; Kulkarni, Mr. P. P.

2010-10-01

Load forecasting is very essential to the operation of Electricity companies. It enhances the energy efficient and reliable operation of power system. Forecasting of load demand data forms an important component in planning generation schedules in a power system. The purpose of this paper is to identify issues and better method for load foecasting. In this paper we focus on fuzzy logic system based short term load forecasting. It serves as overview of the state of the art in the intelligent techniques employed for load forecasting in power system planning and reliability. Literature review has been conducted and fuzzy logic method has been summarized to highlight advantages and disadvantages of this technique. The proposed technique for implementing fuzzy logic based forecasting is by Identification of the specific day and by using maximum and minimum temperature for that day and finally listing the maximum temperature and peak load for that day. The results show that Load forecasting where there are considerable changes in temperature parameter is better dealt with Fuzzy Logic system method as compared to other short term forecasting techniques.

The National Manpower Survey of the Criminal Justice System. Volume Six: Criminal Justice Manpower Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Planning Association, Washington, DC.

Focusing on data needs and methods for manpower planning and manpower projections, this document is one in a series of six volumes reporting the results of the National Manpower Survey (NMS) of the Criminal Justice System. Chapter 1 of five chapters discusses the role and objectives of criminal justice manpower planning at different levels of…

Optimal allocation model of construction land based on two-level system optimization theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Min; Liu, Yanfang; Xia, Yuping; Lei, Qihong

2007-06-01

The allocation of construction land is an important task in land-use planning. Whether implementation of planning decisions is a success or not, usually depends on a reasonable and scientific distribution method. Considering the constitution of land-use planning system and planning process in China, multiple levels and multiple objective decision problems is its essence. Also, planning quantity decomposition is a two-level system optimization problem and an optimal resource allocation decision problem between a decision-maker in the topper and a number of parallel decision-makers in the lower. According the characteristics of the decision-making process of two-level decision-making system, this paper develops an optimal allocation model of construction land based on two-level linear planning. In order to verify the rationality and the validity of our model, Baoan district of Shenzhen City has been taken as a test case. Under the assistance of the allocation model, construction land is allocated to ten townships of Baoan district. The result obtained from our model is compared to that of traditional method, and results show that our model is reasonable and usable. In the end, the paper points out the shortcomings of the model and further research directions.

New method for estimation of fluence complexity in IMRT fields and correlation with gamma analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanušová, T.; Vondráček, V.; Badraoui-Čuprová, K.; Horáková, I.; Koniarová, I.

2015-01-01

A new method for estimation of fluence complexity in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) fields is proposed. Unlike other previously published works, it is based on portal images calculated by the Portal Dose Calculation algorithm in Eclipse (version 8.6, Varian Medical Systems) in the plane of the EPID aS500 detector (Varian Medical Systems). Fluence complexity is given by the number and the amplitudes of dose gradients in these matrices. Our method is validated using a set of clinical plans where fluence has been smoothed manually so that each plan has a different level of complexity. Fluence complexity calculated with our tool is in accordance with the different levels of smoothing as well as results of gamma analysis, when calculated and measured dose matrices are compared. Thus, it is possible to estimate plan complexity before carrying out the measurement. If appropriate thresholds are determined which would distinguish between acceptably and overly modulated plans, this might save time in the re-planning and re-measuring process.

Environmental monitoring plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holland, R.C.

This Environmental Monitoring Plan was written to fulfill the requirements of Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 and DOE Environmental Regulatory Guide DOE/EH 0173T. This Plan documents the background, organizational structure, and methods used for effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance at Sandia National Laboratories/California. The design, rationale, and historical results of the environmental monitoring system are discussed in detail. Throughout the Plan, recommendations for improvements to the monitoring system are made. 52 refs., 10 figs., 12 tabs.

SU-E-T-99: Design and Development of Isocenter Parameter System for CT Simulation Laser Based On DICOM RT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luo, G

2014-06-01

Purpose: In order to receive DICOM files from treatment planning system and generate patient isocenter positioning parameter file for CT laser system automatically, this paper presents a method for communication with treatment planning system and calculation of isocenter parameter for each radiation field. Methods: Coordinate transformation and laser positioning file formats were analyzed, isocenter parameter was calculated via data from DICOM CT Data and DICOM RTPLAN file. An in-house software-DicomGenie was developed based on the object-oriented program platform-Qt with DCMTK SDK (Germany OFFIS company DICOM SDK) . DicomGenie was tested for accuracy using Philips CT simulation plan system (Tumor LOC,more » Philips) and A2J CT positioning laser system (Thorigny Sur Marne, France). Results: DicomGenie successfully established DICOM communication between treatment planning system, DICOM files were received by DicomGenie and patient laser isocenter information was generated accurately. Patient laser parameter data files can be used for for CT laser system directly. Conclusion: In-house software DicomGenie received and extracted DICOM data, isocenter laser positioning data files were created by DicomGenie and can be use for A2J laser positioning system.« less

Coordinating robot motion, sensing, and control in plans. LDRD project final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xavier, P.G.; Brown, R.G.; Watterberg, P.A.

1997-08-01

The goal of this project was to develop a framework for robotic planning and execution that provides a continuum of adaptability with respect to model incompleteness, model error, and sensing error. For example, dividing robot motion into gross-motion planning, fine-motion planning, and sensor-augmented control had yielded productive research and solutions to individual problems. Unfortunately, these techniques could only be combined by hand with ad hoc methods and were restricted to systems where all kinematics are completely modeled in planning. The original intent was to develop methods for understanding and autonomously synthesizing plans that coordinate motion, sensing, and control. The projectmore » considered this problem from several perspectives. Results included (1) theoretical methods to combine and extend gross-motion and fine-motion planning; (2) preliminary work in flexible-object manipulation and an implementable algorithm for planning shortest paths through obstacles for the free-end of an anchored cable; (3) development and implementation of a fast swept-body distance algorithm; and (4) integration of Sandia`s C-Space Toolkit geometry engine and SANDROS motion planer and improvements, which yielded a system practical for everyday motion planning, with path-segment planning at interactive speeds. Results (3) and (4) have either led to follow-on work or are being used in current projects, and they believe that (2) will eventually be also.« less

Scenario Planning: A Phenomenological Examination of Influence on Organizational Learning and Decision-Making in a K-12 Public Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deklotz, Patricia F.

2013-01-01

Organizations commonly engage in long range planning to direct decisions. Scenario planning, one method of private sector planning, is recognized as useful when organizations are facing uncertainty. Scenario planning engages the organization in a process that produces plausible stories, called scenarios, describing the organization in several…

Methods for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage planning; The hidden side of cities.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaxa-Rozen, M.; Bloemendal, M.; Theo, O.

2017-12-01

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas, by supplying heating and cooling to buildings with a heat pump combined with seasonal heat storage in aquifers. The climactic and geohydrological conditions required for this technology can be found in many temperate regions around the world; In The Netherlands there are currently approximately 2,200 active systems. Despite this modest adoption level, many urban areas in the Netherlands already struggle to accommodate the subsurface claims needed to further develop ATES under current planning regulations. To identify best practices for ATES planning and maximize the technology's future potential, this work first reviews a set of 24 ATES-plans which were used for the spatial layout of ATES in various urban areas in The Netherlands and the method used to make those plans. This analysis revealed that three crucial elements are found to be missing in current ATES planning: i) a consistent assessment framework which can be used to compare the performance of different planning strategies; ii) a systematic adjustment of ATES design parameters to suit local conditions; iii) the identification and use of aquifer allocation thresholds to guide the choice of a planning strategy. All three steps are elaborated and added to the method. For the latter, these thresholds are identified by exploratory numerical modelling, using a coupled agent-based/geohydrological (MODFLOW) simulation to explore a broad range of scenarios for ATES design and layout parameters. The results give insight in how technical ATES-well design choices affect optimal use of subsurface space and in the trade-of between individual efficiency and overall emission reductions. The improved ATES-planning method now fosters planning and design rules ensuring optimal and sustainable use of subsurface space, i.e. maximizing energy saving by accommodating as much ATES systems as possible while maintaining individual well efficiency.

Earth Observing System (EOS)/Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A): Calibration management plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This is the Calibration Management Plan for the Earth Observing System/Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). The plan defines calibration requirements, calibration equipment, and calibration methods for the AMSU-A, a 15 channel passive microwave radiometer that will be used for measuring global atmospheric temperature profiles from the EOS polar orbiting observatory. The AMSU-A system will also provide data to verify and augment that of the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder.

The California general plan process and sustainable transportation planning

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-11-01

This study reviewed the current and potential utility of California's General Plan process as a tool for promoting more sustainable local transportation systems The study used multiple methods to investigate this issue, including: 1. An extensive lit...

Automation and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Individualized High-Quality Tangent Breast Treatment Plans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Purdie, Thomas G., E-mail: Tom.Purdie@rmp.uhn.on.ca; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario; Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario

Purpose: To demonstrate the large-scale clinical implementation and performance of an automated treatment planning methodology for tangential breast intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials: Automated planning was used to prospectively plan tangential breast IMRT treatment for 1661 patients between June 2009 and November 2012. The automated planning method emulates the manual steps performed by the user during treatment planning, including anatomical segmentation, beam placement, optimization, dose calculation, and plan documentation. The user specifies clinical requirements of the plan to be generated through a user interface embedded in the planning system. The automated method uses heuristic algorithms to definemore » and simplify the technical aspects of the treatment planning process. Results: Automated planning was used in 1661 of 1708 patients receiving tangential breast IMRT during the time interval studied. Therefore, automated planning was applicable in greater than 97% of cases. The time for treatment planning using the automated process is routinely 5 to 6 minutes on standard commercially available planning hardware. We have shown a consistent reduction in plan rejections from plan reviews through the standard quality control process or weekly quality review multidisciplinary breast rounds as we have automated the planning process for tangential breast IMRT. Clinical plan acceptance increased from 97.3% using our previous semiautomated inverse method to 98.9% using the fully automated method. Conclusions: Automation has become the routine standard method for treatment planning of tangential breast IMRT at our institution and is clinically feasible on a large scale. The method has wide clinical applicability and can add tremendous efficiency, standardization, and quality to the current treatment planning process. The use of automated methods can allow centers to more rapidly adopt IMRT and enhance access to the documented improvements in care for breast cancer patients, using technologies that are widely available and already in clinical use.« less

Technology management: a perspective on system support, procurement, and replacement planning.

PubMed

Dickerson, M L; Jackson, M E

1992-01-01

The escalating costs associated with medical technology present a host of challenges for the hospital clinical engineering department. As service and support costs comprise ever larger portions of a system's life cycle cost, innovative management of service provider mix and mechanisms can provide substantial savings in operating expenses. In addition to full-service contracts, the use of demand service and independents has become commonplace. Medical equipment maintenance insurance programs provide yet another service alternative, combining the flexibility of demand service with the safety of a capped budget. These programs have gained acceptance among hospitals as their providers have become more focused on the healthcare market and its many needs. In view of the long-term cost impact surrounding technology procurement, the authors recommend that hospitals refine system evaluation methodologies and develop more comprehensive techniques directed at capital equipment replacement planning. One replacement planning approach, based on an estimation of system value changes, is described and illustrated using data collected through client consultations. Although the validity of this method has not been demonstrated, it represents a simplified approach to life cycle cost analysis and is intended to provide a standard method by which system replacement planning may be quantified. As a departure from system devaluation based solely on depreciation, this method estimates prospective system values derived from anticipated operations and maintenance costs, projected revenue, and the availability of new technology.

Mixed-Initiative Activity Planning for Mars Rovers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bresina, John; Jonsson, Ari; Morris, Paul; Rajan, Kanna

2005-01-01

One of the ground tools used to operate the Mars Exploration Rovers is a mixed-initiative planning system called MAPGEN. The role of the system is to assist operators building daily plans for each of the rovers, maximizing science return, while maintaining rover safety and abiding by science and engineering constraints. In this paper, we describe the MAPGEN system, focusing on the mixed-initiative planning aspect. We note important challenges, both in terms of human interaction and in terms of automated reasoning requirements. We then describe the approaches taken in MAPGEN, focusing on the novel methods developed by our team.

A knowledge-based approach to improving optimization techniques in system planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Momoh, J. A.; Zhang, Z. Z.

1990-01-01

A knowledge-based (KB) approach to improve mathematical programming techniques used in the system planning environment is presented. The KB system assists in selecting appropriate optimization algorithms, objective functions, constraints and parameters. The scheme is implemented by integrating symbolic computation of rules derived from operator and planner's experience and is used for generalized optimization packages. The KB optimization software package is capable of improving the overall planning process which includes correction of given violations. The method was demonstrated on a large scale power system discussed in the paper.

Creating a future worth experiencing: nursing strategic planning in an integrated healthcare delivery system.

PubMed

Drenkard, K N

2001-01-01

The application of a strategic planning methodology for the discipline of nursing is described in use by a large, nonprofit integrated healthcare system. The methodology uses a transformational leadership assessment tool, quality planning methods, and large group intervention to engage nurses in the implementation of strategies. Based on systems theory, the methodology outlined by the author has application at any level in an organization, from an entire delivery network, to a patient care unit. The author discusses getting started on a strategic planning journey, tools that are useful in the process, integrating already existing business plans into the strategies for nursing, preliminary measures to monitor progress, and lessons learned along the journey.

Microworlds of the dynamic balanced scorecard for university (DBSC-UNI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawari, Nurul Nazihah; Tahar, Razman Mat

2015-12-01

This research focuses on the development of a Microworlds of the dynamic balanced scorecard for university in order to enhance the university strategic planning process. To develop the model, we integrated both the balanced scorecard method and the system dynamics modelling method. Contrasting the traditional university planning tools, the developed model addresses university management problems holistically and dynamically. It is found that using system dynamics modelling method, the cause-and-effect relationships among variables related to the four conventional balanced scorecard perspectives are better understand. The dynamic processes that give rise to performance differences between targeted and actual performances also could be better understood. So, it is expected that the quality of the decisions taken are improved because of being better informed. The developed Microworlds can be exploited by university management to design policies that can positively influence the future in the direction of desired goals, and will have minimal side effects. This paper integrates balanced scorecard and system dynamics modelling methods in analyzing university performance. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness and strength of system dynamics modelling method in solving problem in strategic planning area particularly in higher education sector.

Backward assembly planning with DFA analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sukhan (Inventor)

1992-01-01

An assembly planning system that operates based on a recursive decomposition of assembly into subassemblies is presented. The planning system analyzes assembly cost in terms of stability, directionality, and manipulability to guide the generation of preferred assembly plans. The planning in this system incorporates the special processes, such as cleaning, testing, labeling, etc., that must occur during the assembly. Additionally, the planning handles nonreversible, as well as reversible, assembly tasks through backward assembly planning. In order to decrease the planning efficiency, the system avoids the analysis of decompositions that do not correspond to feasible assembly tasks. This is achieved by grouping and merging those parts that can not be decomposable at the current stage of backward assembly planning due to the requirement of special processes and the constraint of interconnection feasibility. The invention includes methods of evaluating assembly cost in terms of the number of fixtures (or holding devices) and reorientations required for assembly, through the analysis of stability, directionality, and manipulability. All these factors are used in defining cost and heuristic functions for an AO* search for an optimal plan.

Trajectory planning of mobile robots using indirect solution of optimal control method in generalized point-to-point task

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazemizadeh, M.; Rahimi, H. N.; Amini Khoiy, K.

2012-03-01

This paper presents an optimal control strategy for optimal trajectory planning of mobile robots by considering nonlinear dynamic model and nonholonomic constraints of the system. The nonholonomic constraints of the system are introduced by a nonintegrable set of differential equations which represent kinematic restriction on the motion. The Lagrange's principle is employed to derive the nonlinear equations of the system. Then, the optimal path planning of the mobile robot is formulated as an optimal control problem. To set up the problem, the nonlinear equations of the system are assumed as constraints, and a minimum energy objective function is defined. To solve the problem, an indirect solution of the optimal control method is employed, and conditions of the optimality derived as a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations. The optimality equations are solved numerically, and various simulations are performed for a nonholonomic mobile robot to illustrate effectiveness of the proposed method.

Transport aircraft loading and balancing system: Using a CLIPS expert system for military aircraft load planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, J.; Labbe, M.; Belala, Y.; Leduc, Vincent

1994-01-01

The requirement for improving aircraft utilization and responsiveness in airlift operations has been recognized for quite some time by the Canadian Forces. To date, the utilization of scarce airlift resources has been planned mainly through the employment of manpower-intensive manual methods in combination with the expertise of highly qualified personnel. In this paper, we address the problem of facilitating the load planning process for military aircraft cargo planes through the development of a computer-based system. We introduce TALBAS (Transport Aircraft Loading and BAlancing System), a knowledge-based system designed to assist personnel involved in preparing valid load plans for the C130 Hercules aircraft. The main features of this system which are accessible through a convivial graphical user interface, consists of the automatic generation of valid cargo arrangements given a list of items to be transported, the user-definition of load plans and the automatic validation of such load plans.

Method and Tool for Design Process Navigation and Automatic Generation of Simulation Models for Manufacturing Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, Masaru; Kubota, Fumiko; Inamori, Yutaka; Mitsuyuki, Keiji

Manufacturing system designers should concentrate on designing and planning manufacturing systems instead of spending their efforts on creating the simulation models to verify the design. This paper proposes a method and its tool to navigate the designers through the engineering process and generate the simulation model automatically from the design results. The design agent also supports collaborative design projects among different companies or divisions with distributed engineering and distributed simulation techniques. The idea was implemented and applied to a factory planning process.

Automation and intensity modulated radiation therapy for individualized high-quality tangent breast treatment plans.

PubMed

Purdie, Thomas G; Dinniwell, Robert E; Fyles, Anthony; Sharpe, Michael B

2014-11-01

To demonstrate the large-scale clinical implementation and performance of an automated treatment planning methodology for tangential breast intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Automated planning was used to prospectively plan tangential breast IMRT treatment for 1661 patients between June 2009 and November 2012. The automated planning method emulates the manual steps performed by the user during treatment planning, including anatomical segmentation, beam placement, optimization, dose calculation, and plan documentation. The user specifies clinical requirements of the plan to be generated through a user interface embedded in the planning system. The automated method uses heuristic algorithms to define and simplify the technical aspects of the treatment planning process. Automated planning was used in 1661 of 1708 patients receiving tangential breast IMRT during the time interval studied. Therefore, automated planning was applicable in greater than 97% of cases. The time for treatment planning using the automated process is routinely 5 to 6 minutes on standard commercially available planning hardware. We have shown a consistent reduction in plan rejections from plan reviews through the standard quality control process or weekly quality review multidisciplinary breast rounds as we have automated the planning process for tangential breast IMRT. Clinical plan acceptance increased from 97.3% using our previous semiautomated inverse method to 98.9% using the fully automated method. Automation has become the routine standard method for treatment planning of tangential breast IMRT at our institution and is clinically feasible on a large scale. The method has wide clinical applicability and can add tremendous efficiency, standardization, and quality to the current treatment planning process. The use of automated methods can allow centers to more rapidly adopt IMRT and enhance access to the documented improvements in care for breast cancer patients, using technologies that are widely available and already in clinical use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Preliminary application of scripting in RayStation TPS system].

PubMed

Zhang, Jianying; Sun, Jing; Wang, Yun

2013-07-01

Discussing the basic application of scripting in RayStation TPS system. On the RayStation 3.0 Platform, the programming methods and the points should be considered during basic scripting application were explored with the help of utility scripts. The typical planning problems in the field of beam arrangement and plan outputting were used as examples by ironprthon language. The necessary properties and the functions of patient object for script writing can be extracted from RayStation system. With the help of NET controls, planning functions such as the interactive parameter input, treatment planning control and the extract of the plan have been realized by scripts. With the help of demo scripts, scripts can be developed in RayStation, as well as the system performance can be upgraded.

Using GIS and Ahp for Planning Primer Transportation of Forest Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akay, A. E.; Yılmaz, B.

2017-11-01

Primer transportation is one of the most costly and time consuming forestry activities in extraction of timber from forest lands. Transportation methods are essentially determined based on terrain characteristics, especially ground slope. Besides, unsuitable machine selection and unplanned operations may cause ecological damages such as soil disturbance. Soil damage can lead to long term impacts on forest ecosystem. Thus, the optimum transportation methods should be determined by considering not only economic factors but also topographical factors and soil conditions. In recent decades, some of the advanced features of Geographical Information System (GIS) assist decision makers to solve such complex transportation problems with various constraints. In this study, it was aimed to plan forest transportation operation by using GIS integrated Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, considering ground slope, soil type, and available transportation equipment in the region. This method was implemented within the border of İnegöl Forest Enterprise Chief in the city of Bursa in Turkey. Alternative transportation method included cable system, chute system, skidder, and farm tractor. GIS-based method integrated with AHP found that skidder was the optimal transportation method for about 60% of the study area, while farm tractor was the second most suitable method with 25% ground cover. The results indicated that GIS-based decision support systems can be effectively used as rational, quick, and economic tool for forest transportation planning.

Internet-based system for simulation-based medical planning for cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Steele, Brooke N; Draney, Mary T; Ku, Joy P; Taylor, Charles A

2003-06-01

Current practice in vascular surgery utilizes only diagnostic and empirical data to plan treatments, which does not enable quantitative a priori prediction of the outcomes of interventions. We have previously described simulation-based medical planning methods to model blood flow in arteries and plan medical treatments based on physiologic models. An important consideration for the design of these patient-specific modeling systems is the accessibility to physicians with modest computational resources. We describe a simulation-based medical planning environment developed for the World Wide Web (WWW) using the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) and the Java programming language.

Intensity modulated neutron radiotherapy optimization by photon proxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snyder, Michael; Hammoud, Ahmad; Bossenberger, Todd

2012-08-15

Purpose: Introducing intensity modulation into neutron radiotherapy (IMNRT) planning has the potential to mitigate some normal tissue complications seen in past neutron trials. While the hardware to deliver IMNRT plans has been in use for several years, until recently the IMNRT planning process has been cumbersome and of lower fidelity than conventional photon plans. Our in-house planning system used to calculate neutron therapy plans allows beam weight optimization of forward planned segments, but does not provide inverse optimization capabilities. Commercial treatment planning systems provide inverse optimization capabilities, but currently cannot model our neutron beam. Methods: We have developed a methodologymore » and software suite to make use of the robust optimization in our commercial planning system while still using our in-house planning system to calculate final neutron dose distributions. Optimized multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf positions for segments designed in the commercial system using a 4 MV photon proxy beam are translated into static neutron ports that can be represented within our in-house treatment planning system. The true neutron dose distribution is calculated in the in-house system and then exported back through the MATLAB software into the commercial treatment planning system for evaluation. Results: The planning process produces optimized IMNRT plans that reduce dose to normal tissue structures as compared to 3D conformal plans using static MLC apertures. The process involves standard planning techniques using a commercially available treatment planning system, and is not significantly more complex than conventional IMRT planning. Using a photon proxy in a commercial optimization algorithm produces IMNRT plans that are more conformal than those previously designed at our center and take much less time to create. Conclusions: The planning process presented here allows for the optimization of IMNRT plans by a commercial treatment planning optimization algorithm, potentially allowing IMNRT to achieve similar conformality in treatment as photon IMRT. The only remaining requirements for the delivery of very highly modulated neutron treatments are incremental improvements upon already implemented hardware systems that should be readily achievable.« less

WE-H-BRC-06: A Unified Machine-Learning Based Probabilistic Model for Automated Anomaly Detection in the Treatment Plan Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, X; Liu, S; Kalet, A

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to investigate the ability of a machine-learning based probabilistic approach to detect radiotherapy treatment plan anomalies given initial disease classes information. Methods In total we obtained 1112 unique treatment plans with five plan parameters and disease information from a Mosaiq treatment management system database for use in the study. The plan parameters include prescription dose, fractions, fields, modality and techniques. The disease information includes disease site, and T, M and N disease stages. A Bayesian network method was employed to model the probabilistic relationships between tumor disease information, plan parameters and an anomalymore » flag. A Bayesian learning method with Dirichlet prior was useed to learn the joint probabilities between dependent variables in error-free plan data and data with artificially induced anomalies. In the study, we randomly sampled data with anomaly in a specified anomaly space.We tested the approach with three groups of plan anomalies – improper concurrence of values of all five plan parameters and values of any two out of five parameters, and all single plan parameter value anomalies. Totally, 16 types of plan anomalies were covered by the study. For each type, we trained an individual Bayesian network. Results: We found that the true positive rate (recall) and positive predictive value (precision) to detect concurrence anomalies of five plan parameters in new patient cases were 94.45±0.26% and 93.76±0.39% respectively. To detect other 15 types of plan anomalies, the average recall and precision were 93.61±2.57% and 93.78±3.54% respectively. The computation time to detect the plan anomaly of each type in a new plan is ∼0.08 seconds. Conclusion: The proposed method for treatment plan anomaly detection was found effective in the initial tests. The results suggest that this type of models could be applied to develop plan anomaly detection tools to assist manual and automated plan checks. The senior author received research grants from ViewRay Inc. and Varian Medical System.« less

Preoperative Planning in Orthopaedic Surgery. Current Practice and Evolving Applications.

PubMed

Atesok, Kivanc; Galos, David; Jazrawi, Laith M; Egol, Kenneth A

2015-12-01

Preoperative planning is an essential prerequisite for the success of orthopaedic procedures. Traditionally, the exercise has involved the written down, step by step "blueprint" of the surgical procedure. Preoperative planning of the technical aspects of the orthopaedic procedure has been performed on hardcopy radiographs using various methods such as copying the radiographic image on tracing papers to practice the planned interventions. This method has become less practical due to variability in radiographic magnification and increasing implementation of digital imaging systems. Advances in technology along with recognition of the importance of surgical safety protocols resulted in widespread changes in orthopaedic preoperative planning approaches. Nowadays, perioperative "briefings" have gained particular importance and novel planning methods have started to integrate into orthopaedic practice. These methods include using software that enables surgeons to perform preoperative planning on digital radiographs and to construct 3D digital models or prototypes of various orthopaedic pathologies from a patient's CT scans to practice preoperatively. Evidence-to-date suggests that preoperative planning and briefings are effective means of favorably influencing the outcomes of orthopaedic procedures.

Using SysML for verification and validation planning on the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvy, Brian M.; Claver, Charles; Angeli, George

2014-08-01

This paper provides an overview of the tool, language, and methodology used for Verification and Validation Planning on the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Project. LSST has implemented a Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach as a means of defining all systems engineering planning and definition activities that have historically been captured in paper documents. Specifically, LSST has adopted the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) standard and is utilizing a software tool called Enterprise Architect, developed by Sparx Systems. Much of the historical use of SysML has focused on the early phases of the project life cycle. Our approach is to extend the advantages of MBSE into later stages of the construction project. This paper details the methodology employed to use the tool to document the verification planning phases, including the extension of the language to accommodate the project's needs. The process includes defining the Verification Plan for each requirement, which in turn consists of a Verification Requirement, Success Criteria, Verification Method(s), Verification Level, and Verification Owner. Each Verification Method for each Requirement is defined as a Verification Activity and mapped into Verification Events, which are collections of activities that can be executed concurrently in an efficient and complementary way. Verification Event dependency and sequences are modeled using Activity Diagrams. The methodology employed also ties in to the Project Management Control System (PMCS), which utilizes Primavera P6 software, mapping each Verification Activity as a step in a planned activity. This approach leads to full traceability from initial Requirement to scheduled, costed, and resource loaded PMCS task-based activities, ensuring all requirements will be verified.

The Value of Accuracy in Information for Planning and Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, J. C.

1974-01-01

The author discusses some approaches to assessing the impact of inaccurate information when the planning system involves formulae of the management accounting type or models of the operational research variety. The most appropriate method for quantifying information value in management information systems is through Bayesian analysis and decision…

Integrated technique of planning the capital repair of residential buildings and objects of transport infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dement'eva, Marina

2017-10-01

The paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of two fundamentally different methods for planning capital repairs of objects of transport infrastructure and residential development. The first method was based on perspective long-term plans. Normative service life were the basis for planning the periodicity of repairs. The second method was based on the performance of repairs in fact of the onset of the malfunction. Problems of financing repair work, of the uneven aging of constructs and engineering systems, different wear mechanism in different conditions of exploitation, absence of methods of planning repairs of administrative and production buildings (depots, stations, etc.) justify the need to optimize methods of planning the repair and the relevance of this paper. The aim of the study was to develop the main provisions of an integrated technique for planning the capital repair of buildings of any functional purpose, which combines the advantages of each of the discussed planning methods. For this purpose, the consequences of technical and economic risk were analyzed of the buildings, including stations, depots, transport transfer hubs, administrative buildings, etc when choosing different planning methods. One of the significant results of the study is the possibility of justifying the optimal period of capital repairs on the basis of the proposed technical and economic criteria. The adjustment of the planned repair schedule is carried out taking into account the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the exploitation process.

SU-G-TeP4-06: An Integrated Application for Radiation Therapy Treatment Plan Directives, Management, and Reporting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matuszak, M; Anderson, C; Lee, C

Purpose: With electronic medical records, patient information for the treatment planning process has become disseminated across multiple applications with limited quality control and many associated failure modes. We present the development of a single application with a centralized database to manage the planning process. Methods: The system was designed to replace current functionalities of (i) static directives representing the physician intent for the prescription and planning goals, localization information for delivery, and other information, (ii) planning objective reports, (iii) localization and image guidance documents and (iv) the official radiation therapy prescription in the medical record. Using the Eclipse Scripting Applicationmore » Programming Interface, a plug-in script with an associated domain-specific SQL Server database was created to manage the information in (i)–(iv). The system’s user interface and database were designed by a team of physicians, clinical physicists, database experts, and software engineers to ensure usability and robustness for clinical use. Results: The resulting system has been fully integrated within the TPS via a custom script and database. Planning scenario templates, version control, approvals, and logic-based quality control allow this system to fully track and document the planning process as well as physician approval of tradeoffs while improving the consistency of the data. Multiple plans and prescriptions are supported along with non-traditional dose objectives and evaluation such as biologically corrected models, composite dose limits, and management of localization goals. User-specific custom views were developed for the attending physician review, physicist plan checks, treating therapists, and peer review in chart rounds. Conclusion: A method was developed to maintain cohesive information throughout the planning process within one integrated system by using a custom treatment planning management application that interfaces directly with the TPS. Future work includes quantifying the improvements in quality, safety and efficiency that are possible with the routine clinical use of this system. Supported in part by NIH-P01-CA-059827.« less

Java RMI Software Technology for the Payload Planning System of the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Barrett R.

1999-01-01

The Payload Planning System is for experiment planning on the International Space Station. The planning process has a number of different aspects which need to be stored in a database which is then used to generate reports on the planning process in a variety of formats. This process is currently structured as a 3-tier client/server software architecture comprised of a Java applet at the front end, a Java server in the middle, and an Oracle database in the third tier. This system presently uses CGI, the Common Gateway Interface, to communicate between the user-interface and server tiers and Active Data Objects (ADO) to communicate between the server and database tiers. This project investigated other methods and tools for performing the communications between the three tiers of the current system so that both the system performance and software development time could be improved. We specifically found that for the hardware and software platforms that PPS is required to run on, the best solution is to use Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) for communication between the client and server and SQLJ (Structured Query Language for Java) for server interaction with the database. Prototype implementations showed that RMI combined with SQLJ significantly improved performance and also greatly facilitated construction of the communication software.

System and method for identifying, validating, weighing and characterizing moving or stationary vehicles and cargo

DOEpatents

Beshears, David L.; Batsell, Stephen G.; Abercrombie, Robert K.; Scudiere, Matthew B.; White, Clifford P.

2007-12-04

An asset identification and information infrastructure management (AI3M) device having an automated identification technology system (AIT), a Transportation Coordinators' Automated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II), a weigh-in-motion system (WIM-II), and an Automated Air Load Planning system (AALPS) all in electronic communication for measuring and calculating actual asset characteristics, either statically or in-motion, and further calculating an actual load plan.

Considerations for using data envelopment analysis for the assessment of radiotherapy treatment plan quality.

PubMed

Simpson, John; Raith, Andrea; Rouse, Paul; Ehrgott, Matthias

2017-10-09

Purpose The operations research method of data envelopment analysis (DEA) shows promise for assessing radiotherapy treatment plan quality. The purpose of this paper is to consider the technical requirements for using DEA for plan assessment. Design/methodology/approach In total, 41 prostate treatment plans were retrospectively analysed using the DEA method. The authors investigate the impact of DEA weight restrictions with reference to the ability to differentiate plan performance at a level of clinical significance. Patient geometry influences plan quality and the authors compare differing approaches for managing patient geometry within the DEA method. Findings The input-oriented DEA method is the method of choice when performing plan analysis using the key undesirable plan metrics as the DEA inputs. When considering multiple inputs, it is necessary to constrain the DEA input weights in order to identify potential plan improvements at a level of clinical significance. All tested approaches for the consideration of patient geometry yielded consistent results. Research limitations/implications This work is based on prostate plans and individual recommendations would therefore need to be validated for other treatment sites. Notwithstanding, the method that requires both optimised DEA weights according to clinical significance and appropriate accounting for patient geometric factors is universally applicable. Practical implications DEA can potentially be used during treatment plan development to guide the planning process or alternatively used retrospectively for treatment plan quality audit. Social implications DEA is independent of the planning system platform and therefore has the potential to be used for multi-institutional quality audit. Originality/value To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published examination of the optimal approach in the use of DEA for radiotherapy treatment plan assessment.

Automated planning of MRI scans of knee joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bystrov, Daniel; Pekar, Vladimir; Young, Stewart; Dries, Sebastian P. M.; Heese, Harald S.; van Muiswinkel, Arianne M.

2007-03-01

A novel and robust method for automatic scan planning of MRI examinations of knee joints is presented. Clinical knee examinations require acquisition of a 'scout' image, in which the operator manually specifies the scan volume orientations (off-centres, angulations, field-of-view) for the subsequent diagnostic scans. This planning task is time-consuming and requires skilled operators. The proposed automated planning system determines orientations for the diagnostic scan by using a set of anatomical landmarks derived by adapting active shape models of the femur, patella and tibia to the acquired scout images. The expert knowledge required to position scan geometries is learned from previous manually planned scans, allowing individual preferences to be taken into account. The system is able to automatically discriminate between left and right knees. This allows to use and merge training data from both left and right knees, and to automatically transform all learned scan geometries to the side for which a plan is required, providing a convenient integration of the automated scan planning system in the clinical routine. Assessment of the method on the basis of 88 images from 31 different individuals, exhibiting strong anatomical and positional variability demonstrates success, robustness and efficiency of all parts of the proposed approach, which thus has the potential to significantly improve the clinical workflow.

48 CFR 2905.101 - Methods of disseminating information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Methods of disseminating information. 2905.101 Section 2905.101 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Dissemination of Information 2905.101 Methods of disseminating...

Planning and simulation of medical robot tasks.

PubMed

Raczkowsky, J; Bohner, P; Burghart, C; Grabowski, H

1998-01-01

Complex techniques for planning and performing surgery revolutionize medical interventions. In former times preoperative planning of interventions usually took place in the surgeons mind. Today's new computer techniques allow the surgeon to discuss various operation methods for a patient and to visualize them three-dimensionally. The use of computer assisted surgical planning helps to get better results of a treatment and supports the surgeon before and during the surgical intervention. In this paper we are presenting our planning and simulation system for operations in maxillo-facial surgery. All phases of a surgical intervention are supported. Chapter 1 gives a description of the medical motivation for our planning system and its environment. In Chapter 2 the basic components are presented. The planning system is depicted in Chapter 3 and a simulation of a robot assisted surgery can be found in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 concludes the paper and gives a survey about our future work.

Splines and polynomial tools for flatness-based constrained motion planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryawan, Fajar; De Doná, José; Seron, María

2012-08-01

This article addresses the problem of trajectory planning for flat systems with constraints. Flat systems have the useful property that the input and the state can be completely characterised by the so-called flat output. We propose a spline parametrisation for the flat output, the performance output, the states and the inputs. Using this parametrisation the problem of constrained trajectory planning can be cast into a simple quadratic programming problem. An important result is that the B-spline parametrisation used gives exact results for constrained linear continuous-time system. The result is exact in the sense that the constrained signal can be made arbitrarily close to the boundary without having intersampling issues (as one would have in sampled-data systems). Simulation examples are presented, involving the generation of rest-to-rest trajectories. In addition, an experimental result of the method is also presented, where two methods to generate trajectories for a magnetic-levitation (maglev) system in the presence of constraints are compared and each method's performance is discussed. The first method uses the nonlinear model of the plant, which turns out to belong to the class of flat systems. The second method uses a linearised version of the plant model around an operating point. In every case, a continuous-time description is used. The experimental results on a real maglev system reported here show that, in most scenarios, the nonlinear and linearised models produce almost similar, indistinguishable trajectories.

Technical Note: Development and performance of a software tool for quality assurance of online replanning with a conventional Linac or MR-Linac

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Guang-Pei, E-mail: gpchen@mcw.edu; Ahunbay, Ergun; Li, X. Allen

Purpose: To develop an integrated quality assurance (QA) software tool for online replanning capable of efficiently and automatically checking radiation treatment (RT) planning parameters and gross plan quality, verifying treatment plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary monitor unit (MU) calculation with or without a presence of a magnetic field from MR-Linac, and validating the delivery record consistency with the plan. Methods: The software tool, named ArtQA, was developed to obtain and compare plan and treatment parameters from both the TPS and the R&V system database. The TPS data aremore » accessed via direct file reading and the R&V data are retrieved via open database connectivity and structured query language. Plan quality is evaluated with both the logical consistency of planning parameters and the achieved dose–volume histograms. Beams in between the TPS and R&V system are matched based on geometry configurations. To consider the effect of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. Results: ArtQA has been used in their clinic and can quickly detect inconsistencies and deviations in the entire RT planning process. With the use of the ArtQA tool, the efficiency for plan check including plan quality, data transfer, and delivery check can be improved by at least 60%. The newly developed independent MU calculation tool for MR-Linac reduces the difference between the plan and calculated MUs by 10%. Conclusions: The software tool ArtQA can be used to perform a comprehensive QA check from planning to delivery with conventional Linac or MR-Linac and is an essential tool for online replanning where the QA check needs to be performed rapidly.« less

Strategic planning--a plan for excellence for South Haven Health System.

PubMed

Urbanski, Joanne; Baskel, Maureen; Martelli, Mary

2011-01-01

South Haven Health System has developed an innovative approach to strategic planning. The key to success of this process has been the multidisciplinary involvement of all stakeholders from the first planning session through the final formation of a strategic plan with measurable objectives for each goal. The process utilizes a Conversation Café method for identifying opportunities and establishing goals, Strategic Oversight Teams to address each goal and a Champion for implementation of each objective. Progress is measured quarterly by Strategic Oversight Team report cards. Transparency of communication within the organization and the sharing of information move the plan forward. The feedback from participant evaluations has been overwhelmingly positive. They are involved and excited.

Decision support systems and the healthcare strategic planning process: a case study.

PubMed

Lundquist, D L; Norris, R M

1991-01-01

The repertoire of applications that comprises health-care decision support systems (DSS) includes analyses of clinical, financial, and operational activities. As a whole, these applications facilitate developing comprehensive and interrelated business and medical models that support the complex decisions required to successfully manage today's health-care organizations. Kennestone Regional Health Care System's use of DSS to facilitate strategic planning has precipitated marked changes in the organization's method of determining capital allocations. This case study discusses Kennestone's use of DSS in the strategic planning process, including profiles of key DSS modeling components.

A novel artificial intelligence method for weekly dietary menu planning.

PubMed

Gaál, B; Vassányi, I; Kozmann, G

2005-01-01

Menu planning is an important part of personalized lifestyle counseling. The paper describes the results of an automated menu generator (MenuGene) of the web-based lifestyle counseling system Cordelia that provides personalized advice to prevent cardiovascular diseases. The menu generator uses genetic algorithms to prepare weekly menus for web users. The objectives are derived from personal medical data collected via forms in Cordelia, combined with general nutritional guidelines. The weekly menu is modeled as a multilevel structure. Results show that the genetic algorithm-based method succeeds in planning dietary menus that satisfy strict numerical constraints on every nutritional level (meal, daily basis, weekly basis). The rule-based assessment proved capable of manipulating the mean occurrence of the nutritional components thus providing a method for adjusting the variety and harmony of the menu plans. By splitting the problem into well determined sub-problems, weekly menu plans that satisfy nutritional constraints and have well assorted components can be generated with the same method that is for daily and meal plan generation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tanny, S; Bogue, J; Parsai, E

Purpose: Potential collisions between the gantry head and the patient or table assembly are difficult to detect in most treatment planning systems. We have developed and implemented a novel software package for the representation of potential gantry collisions with the couch assembly at the time of treatment planning. Methods: Physical dimensions of the Varian Edge linear accelerator treatment head were measured and reproduced using the Visual Python display package. A script was developed for the Pinnacle treatment planning system to generate a file with the relevant couch, gantry, and isocenter positions for each beam in a planning trial. A pythonmore » program was developed to parse the information from the TPS and produce a representative model of the couch/gantry system. Using the model and the Visual Python libraries, a rendering window is generated for each beam that allows the planner to evaluate the possibility of a collision. Results: Comparison against heuristic methods and direct verification on the machine validated the collision model generated by the software. Encounters of <1 cm between the gantry treatment head and table were visualized as collisions in our virtual model. Visual windows were created depicting the angle of collision for each beam, including the anticipated table coordinates. Visual rendering of a 6 arc trial with multiple couch positions was completed in under 1 minute, with network bandwidth being the primary bottleneck. Conclusion: The developed software allows for quick examination of possible collisions during the treatment planning process and helps to prevent major collisions prior to plan approval. The software can easily be implemented on future planning systems due to the versatility and platform independence of the Python programming language. Further integration of the software with the treatment planning system will allow the possibility of patient-gantry collision detection for a range of treatment machines.« less

Succession planning in the Iranian health system: a case study of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

PubMed

Mehrtak, Mohamad; Vatankhah, Soodabeh; Delgoshaei, Bahram; Gholipour, Arian

2014-05-30

Succession planning promotes the culture of private ownership, staff loyalty to the organization and develops organizational commitment, and increases organizational stability. The study was conducted to examine the status of succession planning in the Iranian health system in order to highlight the key concepts, provide new insight, and attract the attention of senior managers of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education to the importance of succession planning in achieving organizational goals. In a qualitative study with a framework analysis approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample selected using purposive and snowball sampling procedure. The MAXQDA-10 was used to apply the codes and manage the data. The codes were extracted using inductive and deductive methods. Fourteen themes and six main subthemes were identified, including planning, organizational culture, system approach, competency model, career path, and senior managers. Our findings indicate a lack of succession planning in the Iranian health system. lack of succession planning could lead to inefficiency and ineffectiveness in health services provision. Implementation of succession planning could maximize human resources utilization.

Analysis of the performance of the drive system and diffuser of the Langley unitary plan wind tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasel, L. E.; Stallings, R. L.

1981-01-01

A broad program was initiated at the Langley Research Center in 1973 to reduce the energy consumption of the laboratory. As a part of this program, the performance characteristics of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel were reexamined to determine if potential methods for incresing the operating efficiencies of the tunnel could be formulated. The results of that study are summarized. The performance characteristics of the drive system components and the variable-geometry diffuser system of the tunnel are documented and analyzed. Several potential methods for reducing the energy requirements of the facility are discussed.

Project Planning and Reporting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Project Planning Analysis and Reporting System (PPARS) is automated aid in monitoring and scheduling of activities within project. PPARS system consists of PPARS Batch Program, five preprocessor programs, and two post-processor programs. PPARS Batch program is full CPM (Critical Path Method) scheduling program with resource capabilities. Can process networks with up to 10,000 activities.

How Green Is Green? Developing a Process for Determining Sustainability When Planning Campuses and Academic Buildings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernheim, Anthony

2003-01-01

Proposes structured workshops as the method to integrate green planning seamlessly into campus building planning. Explains that green rating systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), offer specific ways to gauge the environmental effectiveness of green measures. (EV)

Using component technology to facilitate external software reuse in ground-based planning systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, A.

2003-01-01

APGEN (Activity Plan GENerator - 314), a multi-mission planning tool, must interface with external software to vest serve its users. AP-GEN's original method for incorporating external software, the User-Defined library mechanism, has been very successful in allowing APGEN users access to external software functionality.

Vehicle management and mission planning systems with shuttle applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A preliminary definition of a concept for an automated system is presented that will support the effective management and planning of space shuttle operations. It is called the Vehicle Management and Mission Planning System (VMMPS). In addition to defining the system and its functions, some of the software requirements of the system are identified and a phased and evolutionary method is recommended for software design, development, and implementation. The concept is composed of eight software subsystems supervised by an executive system. These subsystems are mission design and analysis, flight scheduler, launch operations, vehicle operations, payload support operations, crew support, information management, and flight operations support. In addition to presenting the proposed system, a discussion of the evolutionary software development philosophy that the Mission Planning and Analysis Division (MPAD) would propose to use in developing the required supporting software is included. A preliminary software development schedule is also included.

Range optimization for mono- and bi-energetic proton modulated arc therapy with pencil beam scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Parcerisa, Daniel; Kirk, Maura; Fager, Marcus; Burgdorf, Brendan; Stowe, Malorie; Solberg, Tim; Carabe, Alejandro

2016-11-01

The development of rotational proton therapy plans based on a pencil-beam-scanning (PBS) system has been limited, among several other factors, by the energy-switching time between layers, a system-dependent parameter that ranges between a fraction of a second and several seconds. We are investigating mono- and bi-energetic rotational proton modulated arc therapy (PMAT) solutions that would not be affected by long energy switching times. In this context, a systematic selection of the optimal proton energy for each arc is vital. We present a treatment planning comparison of four different range selection methods, analyzing the dosimetric outcomes of the resulting treatment plans created with the ranges obtained. Given the patient geometry and arc definition (gantry and couch trajectories, snout elevation) our in-house treatment planning system (TPS) FoCa was used to find the maximum, medial and minimum water-equivalent thicknesses (WETs) of the target viewed from all possible field orientations. Optimal ranges were subsequently determined using four methods: (1) by dividing the max/min WET interval into equal steps, (2) by taking the average target midpoints from each field, (3) by taking the average WET of all voxels from all field orientations, and (4) by minimizing the fraction of the target which cannot be reached from any of the available angles. After the range (for mono-energetic plans) or ranges (for bi-energetic plans) were selected, the commercial clinical TPS in use in our institution (Varian Eclipse™) was used to produce the PMAT plans using multifield optimization. Linear energy transfer (LET) distributions of all plans were also calculated using FoCa and compared among the different methods. Mono- and bi-energetic PMAT plans, composed of a single 180° arc, were created for two patient geometries: a C-shaped target located in the mediastinal area of a thoracic tissue-equivalent phantom and a small brain tumor located directly above the brainstem. All plans were optimized using the same procedure to (1) achieve target coverage, (2) reduce dose to OAR and (3) limit dose hot spots in the target. Final outcomes were compared in terms of the resulting dose and LET distributions. Data shows little significant differences among the four studied methods, with superior results obtained with mono-energetic plans. A streamlined systematic method has been implemented in an in-house TPS to find the optimal range to maximize target coverage with rotational mono- or bi-energetic PBS rotational plans by minimizing the fraction of the target that cannot be reached by any direction.

Stability, structure and scale: improvements in multi-modal vessel extraction for SEEG trajectory planning.

PubMed

Zuluaga, Maria A; Rodionov, Roman; Nowell, Mark; Achhala, Sufyan; Zombori, Gergely; Mendelson, Alex F; Cardoso, M Jorge; Miserocchi, Anna; McEvoy, Andrew W; Duncan, John S; Ourselin, Sébastien

2015-08-01

Brain vessels are among the most critical landmarks that need to be assessed for mitigating surgical risks in stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) implantation. Intracranial haemorrhage is the most common complication associated with implantation, carrying significantly associated morbidity. SEEG planning is done pre-operatively to identify avascular trajectories for the electrodes. In current practice, neurosurgeons have no assistance in the planning of electrode trajectories. There is great interest in developing computer-assisted planning systems that can optimise the safety profile of electrode trajectories, maximising the distance to critical structures. This paper presents a method that integrates the concepts of scale, neighbourhood structure and feature stability with the aim of improving robustness and accuracy of vessel extraction within a SEEG planning system. The developed method accounts for scale and vicinity of a voxel by formulating the problem within a multi-scale tensor voting framework. Feature stability is achieved through a similarity measure that evaluates the multi-modal consistency in vesselness responses. The proposed measurement allows the combination of multiple images modalities into a single image that is used within the planning system to visualise critical vessels. Twelve paired data sets from two image modalities available within the planning system were used for evaluation. The mean Dice similarity coefficient was 0.89 ± 0.04, representing a statistically significantly improvement when compared to a semi-automated single human rater, single-modality segmentation protocol used in clinical practice (0.80 ± 0.03). Multi-modal vessel extraction is superior to semi-automated single-modality segmentation, indicating the possibility of safer SEEG planning, with reduced patient morbidity.

SU-E-J-199: A Software Tool for Quality Assurance of Online Replanning with MR-Linac

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, G; Ahunbay, E; Li, X

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a quality assurance software tool, ArtQA, capable of automatically checking radiation treatment plan parameters, verifying plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary MU calculation considering the effect of magnetic field from MR-Linac, and verifying the delivery and plan consistency, for online replanning. Methods: ArtQA was developed by creating interfaces to TPS (e.g., Monaco, Elekta), R&V system (Mosaiq, Elekta), and secondary MU calculation system. The tool obtains plan parameters from the TPS via direct file reading, and retrieves plan data both transferred from TPS and recorded during themore » actual delivery in the R&V system database via open database connectivity and structured query language. By comparing beam/plan datasets in different systems, ArtQA detects and outputs discrepancies between TPS, R&V system and secondary MU calculation system, and delivery. To consider the effect of 1.5T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. Results: ArtQA is capable of automatically checking plan integrity and logic consistency, detecting plan data transfer errors, performing secondary MU calculations with or without a transverse magnetic field, and verifying treatment delivery. The tool is efficient and effective for pre- and post-treatment QA checks of all available treatment parameters that may be impractical with the commonly-used visual inspection. Conclusion: The software tool ArtQA can be used for quick and automatic pre- and post-treatment QA check, eliminating human error associated with visual inspection. While this tool is developed for online replanning to be used on MR-Linac, where the QA needs to be performed rapidly as the patient is lying on the table waiting for the treatment, ArtQA can be used as a general QA tool in radiation oncology practice. This work is partially supported by Elekta Inc.« less

Planning for a Distributed Disruption: Innovative Practices for Incorporating Distributed Solar into Utility Planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mills, Andrew D.; Barbose, Galen L.; Seel, Joachim

The rapid growth of distributed solar photovoltaics (DPV) has critical implications for U.S. utility planning processes. This report informs utility planning through a comparative analysis of roughly 30 recent utility integrated resource plans or other generation planning studies, transmission planning studies, and distribution system plans. It reveals a spectrum of approaches to incorporating DPV across nine key planning areas, and it identifies areas where even the best current practices might be enhanced. (1) Forecasting DPV deployment: Because it explicitly captures several predictive factors, customer-adoption modeling is the most comprehensive forecasting approach. It could be combined with other forecasting methods tomore » generate a range of potential futures. (2) Ensuring robustness of decisions to uncertain DPV quantities: using a capacity-expansion model to develop least-cost plans for various scenarios accounts for changes in net load and the generation portfolio; an innovative variation of this approach combines multiple per-scenario plans with trigger events, which indicate when conditions have changed sufficiently from the expected to trigger modifications in resource-acquisition strategy. (3) Characterizing DPV as a resource option: Today's most comprehensive plans account for all of DPV's monetary costs and benefits. An enhanced approach would address non-monetary and societal impacts as well. (4) Incorporating the non-dispatchability of DPV into planning: Rather than having a distinct innovative practice, innovation in this area is represented by evolving methods for capturing this important aspect of DPV. (5) Accounting for DPV's location-specific factors: The innovative propensity-to-adopt method employs several factors to predict future DPV locations. Another emerging utility innovation is locating DPV strategically to enhance its benefits. (6) Estimating DPV's impact on transmission and distribution investments: Innovative practices are being implemented to evaluate system needs, hosting capacities, and system investments needed to accommodate DPV deployment. (7) Estimating avoided losses associated with DPV: A time-differentiated marginal loss rate provides the most comprehensive estimate of avoided losses due to DPV, but no studies appear to use it. (8) Considering changes in DPV's value with higher solar penetration: Innovative methods for addressing the value changes at high solar penetrations are lacking among the studies we evaluate. (9) Integrating DPV in planning across generation, transmission, and distribution: A few states and regions have started to develop more comprehensive processes that link planning forums, but there are still many issues to address.« less

Planning for a Distributed Disruption: Innovative Practices for Incorporating Distributed Solar into Utility Planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mill, Andrew; Barbose, Galen; Seel, Joachim

The rapid growth of distributed solar photovoltaics (DPV) has critical implications for U.S. utility planning processes. This report informs utility planning through a comparative analysis of roughly 30 recent utility integrated resource plans or other generation planning studies, transmission planning studies, and distribution system plans. It reveals a spectrum of approaches to incorporating DPV across nine key planning areas, and it identifies areas where even the best current practices might be enhanced. 1) Forecasting DPV deployment: Because it explicitly captures several predictive factors, customer-adoption modeling is the most comprehensive forecasting approach. It could be combined with other forecasting methods tomore » generate a range of potential futures. 2) Ensuring robustness of decisions to uncertain DPV quantities: using a capacity-expansion model to develop least-cost plans for various scenarios accounts for changes in net load and the generation portfolio; an innovative variation of this approach combines multiple per-scenario plans with trigger events, which indicate when conditions have changed sufficiently from the expected to trigger modifications in resource-acquisition strategy. 3) Characterizing DPV as a resource option: Today’s most comprehensive plans account for all of DPV’s monetary costs and benefits. An enhanced approach would address non-monetary and societal impacts as well. 4) Incorporating the non-dispatchability of DPV into planning: Rather than having a distinct innovative practice, innovation in this area is represented by evolving methods for capturing this important aspect of DPV. 5) Accounting for DPV’s location-specific factors: The innovative propensity-to-adopt method employs several factors to predict future DPV locations. Another emerging utility innovation is locating DPV strategically to enhance its benefits. 6) Estimating DPV’s impact on transmission and distribution investments: Innovative practices are being implemented to evaluate system needs, hosting capacities, and system investments needed to accommodate DPV deployment. 7) Estimating avoided losses associated with DPV: A time-differentiated marginal loss rate provides the most comprehensive estimate of avoided losses due to DPV, but no studies appear to use it. 8) Considering changes in DPV’s value with higher solar penetration: Innovative methods for addressing the value changes at high solar penetrations are lacking among the studies we evaluate. 9) Integrating DPV in planning across generation, transmission, and distribution: A few states and regions have started to develop more comprehensive processes that link planning forums, but there are still many issues to address.« less

Report of the AAPM Task Group No. 105: Issues associated with clinical implementation of Monte Carlo-based photon and electron external beam treatment planning.

PubMed

Chetty, Indrin J; Curran, Bruce; Cygler, Joanna E; DeMarco, John J; Ezzell, Gary; Faddegon, Bruce A; Kawrakow, Iwan; Keall, Paul J; Liu, Helen; Ma, C M Charlie; Rogers, D W O; Seuntjens, Jan; Sheikh-Bagheri, Daryoush; Siebers, Jeffrey V

2007-12-01

The Monte Carlo (MC) method has been shown through many research studies to calculate accurate dose distributions for clinical radiotherapy, particularly in heterogeneous patient tissues where the effects of electron transport cannot be accurately handled with conventional, deterministic dose algorithms. Despite its proven accuracy and the potential for improved dose distributions to influence treatment outcomes, the long calculation times previously associated with MC simulation rendered this method impractical for routine clinical treatment planning. However, the development of faster codes optimized for radiotherapy calculations and improvements in computer processor technology have substantially reduced calculation times to, in some instances, within minutes on a single processor. These advances have motivated several major treatment planning system vendors to embark upon the path of MC techniques. Several commercial vendors have already released or are currently in the process of releasing MC algorithms for photon and/or electron beam treatment planning. Consequently, the accessibility and use of MC treatment planning algorithms may well become widespread in the radiotherapy community. With MC simulation, dose is computed stochastically using first principles; this method is therefore quite different from conventional dose algorithms. Issues such as statistical uncertainties, the use of variance reduction techniques, the ability to account for geometric details in the accelerator treatment head simulation, and other features, are all unique components of a MC treatment planning algorithm. Successful implementation by the clinical physicist of such a system will require an understanding of the basic principles of MC techniques. The purpose of this report, while providing education and review on the use of MC simulation in radiotherapy planning, is to set out, for both users and developers, the salient issues associated with clinical implementation and experimental verification of MC dose algorithms. As the MC method is an emerging technology, this report is not meant to be prescriptive. Rather, it is intended as a preliminary report to review the tenets of the MC method and to provide the framework upon which to build a comprehensive program for commissioning and routine quality assurance of MC-based treatment planning systems.

A method for verification of treatment delivery in HDR prostate brachytherapy using a flat panel detector for both imaging and source tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Ryan L., E-mail: ryan.smith@wbrc.org.au; Millar, Jeremy L.; Franich, Rick D.

Purpose: Verification of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment delivery is an important step, but is generally difficult to achieve. A technique is required to monitor the treatment as it is delivered, allowing comparison with the treatment plan and error detection. In this work, we demonstrate a method for monitoring the treatment as it is delivered and directly comparing the delivered treatment with the treatment plan in the clinical workspace. This treatment verification system is based on a flat panel detector (FPD) used for both pre-treatment imaging and source tracking. Methods: A phantom study was conducted to establish the resolutionmore » and precision of the system. A pretreatment radiograph of a phantom containing brachytherapy catheters is acquired and registration between the measurement and treatment planning system (TPS) is performed using implanted fiducial markers. The measured catheter paths immediately prior to treatment were then compared with the plan. During treatment delivery, the position of the {sup 192}Ir source is determined at each dwell position by measuring the exit radiation with the FPD and directly compared to the planned source dwell positions. Results: The registration between the two corresponding sets of fiducial markers in the TPS and radiograph yielded a registration error (residual) of 1.0 mm. The measured catheter paths agreed with the planned catheter paths on average to within 0.5 mm. The source positions measured with the FPD matched the planned source positions for all dwells on average within 0.6 mm (s.d. 0.3, min. 0.1, max. 1.4 mm). Conclusions: We have demonstrated a method for directly comparing the treatment plan with the delivered treatment that can be easily implemented in the clinical workspace. Pretreatment imaging was performed, enabling visualization of the implant before treatment delivery and identification of possible catheter displacement. Treatment delivery verification was performed by measuring the source position as each dwell was delivered. This approach using a FPD for imaging and source tracking provides a noninvasive method of acquiring extensive information for verification in HDR prostate brachytherapy.« less

Backward assembly planning with DFA analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sukhan (Inventor)

1995-01-01

An assembly planning system that operates based on a recursive decomposition of assembly into subassemblies, and analyzes assembly cost in terms of stability, directionality, and manipulability to guide the generation of preferred assembly plans is presented. The planning in this system incorporates the special processes, such as cleaning, testing, labeling, etc. that must occur during the assembly, and handles nonreversible as well as reversible assembly tasks through backward assembly planning. In order to increase the planning efficiency, the system avoids the analysis of decompositions that do not correspond to feasible assembly tasks. This is achieved by grouping and merging those parts that can not be decomposable at the current stage of backward assembly planning due to the requirement of special processes and the constraint of interconnection feasibility. The invention includes methods of evaluating assembly cost in terms of the number of fixtures (or holding devices) and reorientations required for assembly, through the analysis of stability, directionality, and manipulability. All these factors are used in defining cost and heuristic functions for an AO* search for an optimal plan.

SU-F-T-308: Mobius FX Evaluation and Comparison Against a Commercial 4D Detector Array for VMAT Plan QA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vazquez Quino, L; Huerta Hernandez, C; Morrow, A

2016-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the use of MobiusFX as a pre-treatment verification IMRT QA tool and compare it with a commercial 4D detector array for VMAT plan QA. Methods: 15 VMAT plan QA of different treatment sites were delivered and measured by traditional means with the 4D detector array ArcCheck (Sun Nuclear corporation) and at the same time measurement in linac treatment logs (Varian Dynalogs files) were analyzed from the same delivery with MobiusFX software (Mobius Medical Systems). VMAT plan QAs created in Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian) in a TrueBeam linac machine (Varian) were delivered and analyzed with the gammamore » analysis routine from SNPA software (Sun Nuclear corporation). Results: Comparable results in terms of the gamma analysis with 99.06% average gamma passing with 3%,3mm passing rate is observed in the comparison among MobiusFX, ArcCheck measurements, and the Treatment Planning System dose calculated. When going to a stricter criterion (1%,1mm) larger discrepancies are observed in different regions of the measurements with an average gamma of 66.24% between MobiusFX and ArcCheck. Conclusion: This work indicates the potential for using MobiusFX as a routine pre-treatment patient specific IMRT method for quality assurance purposes and its advantages as a phantom-less method which reduce the time for IMRT QA measurement. MobiusFX is capable of produce similar results of those by traditional methods used for patient specific pre-treatment verification VMAT QA. Even the gamma results comparing to the TPS are similar the analysis of both methods show that the errors being identified by each method are found in different regions. Traditional methods like ArcCheck are sensitive to setup errors and dose difference errors coming from the linac output. On the other hand linac log files analysis record different errors in the VMAT QA associated with the MLCs and gantry motion that by traditional methods cannot be detected.« less

Probabilistic structural analysis methods for space transportation propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.; Moore, N.; Anis, C.; Newell, J.; Nagpal, V.; Singhal, S.

1991-01-01

Information on probabilistic structural analysis methods for space propulsion systems is given in viewgraph form. Information is given on deterministic certification methods, probability of failure, component response analysis, stress responses for 2nd stage turbine blades, Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) structural durability, and program plans. .

SPIDERplan: A tool to support decision-making in radiation therapy treatment plan assessment.

PubMed

Ventura, Tiago; Lopes, Maria do Carmo; Ferreira, Brigida Costa; Khouri, Leila

2016-01-01

In this work, a graphical method for radiotherapy treatment plan assessment and comparison, named SPIDERplan, is proposed. It aims to support plan approval allowing independent and consistent comparisons of different treatment techniques, algorithms or treatment planning systems. Optimized plans from modern radiotherapy are not easy to evaluate and compare because of their inherent multicriterial nature. The clinical decision on the best treatment plan is mostly based on subjective options. SPIDERplan combines a graphical analysis with a scoring index. Customized radar plots based on the categorization of structures into groups and on the determination of individual structures scores are generated. To each group and structure, an angular amplitude is assigned expressing the clinical importance defined by the radiation oncologist. Completing the graphical evaluation, a global plan score, based on the structures score and their clinical weights, is determined. After a necessary clinical validation of the group weights, SPIDERplan efficacy, to compare and rank different plans, was tested through a planning exercise where plans had been generated for a nasal cavity case using different treatment planning systems. SPIDERplan method was applied to the dose metrics achieved by the nasal cavity test plans. The generated diagrams and scores successfully ranked the plans according to the prescribed dose objectives and constraints and the radiation oncologist priorities, after a necessary clinical validation process. SPIDERplan enables a fast and consistent evaluation of plan quality considering all targets and organs at risk.

Verification of intensity modulated radiation therapy beams using a tissue equivalent plastic scintillator dosimetry system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petric, Martin Peter

This thesis describes the development and implementation of a novel method for the dosimetric verification of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) fields with several advantages over current techniques. Through the use of a tissue equivalent plastic scintillator sheet viewed by a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, this method provides a truly tissue equivalent dosimetry system capable of efficiently and accurately performing field-by-field verification of IMRT plans. This work was motivated by an initial study comparing two IMRT treatment planning systems. The clinical functionality of BrainLAB's BrainSCAN and Varian's Helios IMRT treatment planning systems were compared in terms of implementation and commissioning, dose optimization, and plan assessment. Implementation and commissioning revealed differences in the beam data required to characterize the beam prior to use with the BrainSCAN system requiring higher resolution data compared to Helios. This difference was found to impact on the ability of the systems to accurately calculate dose for highly modulated fields, with BrainSCAN being more successful than Helios. The dose optimization and plan assessment comparisons revealed that while both systems use considerably different optimization algorithms and user-control interfaces, they are both capable of producing substantially equivalent dose plans. The extensive use of dosimetric verification techniques in the IMRT treatment planning comparison study motivated the development and implementation of a novel IMRT dosimetric verification system. The system consists of a water-filled phantom with a tissue equivalent plastic scintillator sheet built into the top surface. Scintillation light is reflected by a plastic mirror within the phantom towards a viewing window where it is captured using a CCD camera. Optical photon spread is removed using a micro-louvre optical collimator and by deconvolving a glare kernel from the raw images. Characterization of this new dosimetric verification system indicates excellent dose response and spatial linearity, high spatial resolution, and good signal uniformity and reproducibility. Dosimetric results from square fields, dynamic wedged fields, and a 7-field head and neck IMRT treatment plan indicate good agreement with film dosimetry distributions. Efficiency analysis of the system reveals a 50% reduction in time requirements for field-by-field verification of a 7-field IMRT treatment plan compared to film dosimetry.

A novel method for vaginal cylinder treatment planning: a seamless transition to 3D brachytherapy

PubMed Central

Wu, Vincent; Wang, Zhou; Patil, Sachin

2012-01-01

Purpose Standard treatment plan libraries are often used to ensure a quick turn-around time for vaginal cylinder treatments. Recently there is increasing interest in transitioning from conventional 2D radiograph based brachytherapy to 3D image based brachytherapy, which has resulted in a substantial increase in treatment planning time and decrease in patient through-put. We describe a novel technique that significantly reduces the treatment planning time for CT-based vaginal cylinder brachytherapy. Material and methods Oncentra MasterPlan TPS allows multiple sets of data points to be classified as applicator points which has been harnessed in this method. The method relies on two hard anchor points: the first dwell position in a catheter and an applicator configuration specific dwell position as the plan origin and a soft anchor point beyond the last active dwell position to define the axis of the catheter. The spatial location of various data points on the applicator's surface and at 5 mm depth are stored in an Excel file that can easily be transferred into a patient CT data set using window operations and then used for treatment planning. The remainder of the treatment planning process remains unaffected. Results The treatment plans generated on the Oncentra MasterPlan TPS using this novel method yielded results comparable to those generated on the Plato TPS using a standard treatment plan library in terms of treatment times, dwell weights and dwell times for a given optimization method and normalization points. Less than 2% difference was noticed between the treatment times generated between both systems. Using the above method, the entire planning process, including CT importing, catheter reconstruction, multiple data point definition, optimization and dose prescription, can be completed in ~5–10 minutes. Conclusion The proposed method allows a smooth and efficient transition to 3D CT based vaginal cylinder brachytherapy planning. PMID:23349650

SU-E-T-492: Implementing a Method for Brain Irradiation in Rats Utilizing a Commercially Available Radiosurgery Irradiator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cates, J; Drzymala, R

2014-06-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to implement a method for accurate rat brain irradiation using the Gamma Knife Perfexion unit. The system needed to be repeatable, efficient, and dosimetrically and spatially accurate. Methods: A platform (“rat holder”) was made such that it is attachable to the Leskell Gamma Knife G Frame. The rat holder utilizes two ear bars contacting bony anatomy and a front tooth bar to secure the rat. The rat holder fits inside of the Leskell localizer box, which utilizes fiducial markers to register with the GammaPlan planning system. This method allows for accurate, repeatable setup.Amore » cylindrical phantom was made so that film can be placed axially in the phantom. We then acquired CT image sets of the rat holder and localizer box with both a rat and the phantom. Three treatment plans were created: a plan on the rat CT dataset, a phantom plan with the same prescription dose as the rat plan, and a phantom plan with the same delivery time as the rat plan. Results: Film analysis from the phantom showed that our setup is spatially accurate and repeatable. It is also dosimetrically accurate, with an difference between predicted and measured dose of 2.9%. Film analysis with prescription dose equal between rat and phantom plans showed a difference of 3.8%, showing that our phantom is a good representation of the rat for dosimetry purposes, allowing for +/- 3mm diameter variation. Film analysis with treatment time equal showed an error of 2.6%, which means we can deliver a prescription dose within 3% accuracy. Conclusion: Our method for irradiation of rat brain has been shown to be repeatable, efficient, and accurate, both dosimetrically and spatially. We can treat a large number of rats efficiently while delivering prescription doses within 3% at millimeter level accuracy.« less

An Evaluation on Medical Education, Research and Development of AYUSH Systems of Medicine through Five Year Plans of India

PubMed Central

Dehury, Ranjit Kumar

2016-01-01

Introduction Indian system of medicine has its origin in India. The system is currently renamed as AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathy. These are the six Indian systems of medicine prevalent and practiced in India and in few neighboring Asian countries. Objective The primary objective of this review was to gain insight in to the prior and existing initiatives which would enable reflection and assist in the identification of future change. Materials and Methods A review was carried out based on the five year plan documents, obtained from the planning commission web portal of Govt. of India, on medical education, research and development of AYUSH systems of medicine. Results Post independence, the process of five year planning took its birth with the initiation of long term planning in India. The planning process embraced all the social and technology sectors in it. Since the beginning of five year planning, health and family welfare planning became imperative as a social sector planning. Planning regarding Indian Systems of Medicine became a part of health and family welfare planning since then. During the entire planning process a progressive path of development could be observed as per this evaluation. A relatively sluggish process of development was observed up to seventh plan however post eighth plan the growth took its pace. Eighth plan onwards several innovative development processes could be noticed. Despite the relative developments and growth of Indian systems of medicine these systems have to face lot of criticism and appraisal owing to their various characteristic features. In the beginning the system thrived with great degree of uncertainty, as described in 1st five year plan, however progressed ahead with a vision to be a globally accepted system, as envisaged in 11th five year plan. Conclusion A very strong optimistic approach in spreading India’s own medical heritage is the need of the hour. The efforts are neither completely insufficient nor sufficient enough; hence a continuous endeavor for the revival and dissemination of India’s own medical inheritance for the welfare of the society at large is highly desirable. PMID:27437245

Planning "and" Sprinting: Use of a Hybrid Project Management Methodology within a CIS Capstone Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Aaron; Riggins, Frederick J.

2012-01-01

An increasing number of information systems projects in industry are managed using hybrid project management methodologies, but this shift in project management methods is not fully represented in our CIS curriculums. CIS capstone courses often include an applied project that is managed with traditional project management methods (plan first,…

Motion Planning of Two Stacker Cranes in a Large-Scale Automated Storage/Retrieval System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kung, Yiheng; Kobayashi, Yoshimasa; Higashi, Toshimitsu; Ota, Jun

We propose a method for reducing the computational time of motion planning for stacker cranes. Most automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RSs) are only equipped with one stacker crane. However, this is logistically challenging, and greater work efficiency in warehouses, such as those using two stacker cranes, is required. In this paper, a warehouse with two stacker cranes working simultaneously is proposed. Unlike warehouses with only one crane, trajectory planning in those with two cranes is very difficult. Since there are two cranes working together, a proper trajectory must be considered to avoid collision. However, verifying collisions is complicated and requires a considerable amount of computational time. As transport work in AS/RSs occurs randomly, motion planning cannot be conducted in advance. Planning an appropriate trajectory within a restricted duration would be a difficult task. We thereby address the current problem of motion planning requiring extensive calculation time. As a solution, we propose a “free-step” to simplify the procedure of collision verification and reduce the computational time. On the other hand, we proposed a method to reschedule the order of collision verification in order to find an appropriate trajectory in less time. By the proposed method, we reduce the calculation time to less than 1/300 of that achieved in former research.

Improving TOGAF ADM 9.1 Migration Planning Phase by ITIL V3 Service Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanum Harani, Nisa; Akhmad Arman, Arry; Maulana Awangga, Rolly

2018-04-01

Modification planning of business transformation involving technological utilization required a system of transition and migration planning process. Planning of system migration activity is the most important. The migration process is including complex elements such as business re-engineering, transition scheme mapping, data transformation, application development, individual involvement by computer and trial interaction. TOGAF ADM is the framework and method of enterprise architecture implementation. TOGAF ADM provides a manual refer to the architecture and migration planning. The planning includes an implementation solution, in this case, IT solution, but when the solution becomes an IT operational planning, TOGAF could not handle it. This paper presents a new model framework detail transitions process of integration between TOGAF and ITIL. We evaluated our models in field study inside a private university.

ATIPS: Automatic Travel Itinerary Planning System for Domestic Areas

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Leisure travel has become a topic of great interest to Taiwanese residents in recent years. Most residents expect to be able to relax on a vacation during the holidays; however, the complicated procedure of travel itinerary planning is often discouraging and leads them to abandon the idea of traveling. In this paper, we design an automatic travel itinerary planning system for the domestic area (ATIPS) using an algorithm to automatically plan a domestic travel itinerary based on user intentions that allows users to minimize the process of trip planning. Simply by entering the travel time, the departure point, and the destination location, the system can automatically generate a travel itinerary. According to the results of the experiments, 70% of users were satisfied with the result of our system, and 82% of users were satisfied with the automatic user preference learning mechanism of ATIPS. Our algorithm also provides a framework for substituting modules or weights and offers a new method for travel planning. PMID:26839529

ATIPS: Automatic Travel Itinerary Planning System for Domestic Areas.

PubMed

Chang, Hsien-Tsung; Chang, Yi-Ming; Tsai, Meng-Tze

2016-01-01

Leisure travel has become a topic of great interest to Taiwanese residents in recent years. Most residents expect to be able to relax on a vacation during the holidays; however, the complicated procedure of travel itinerary planning is often discouraging and leads them to abandon the idea of traveling. In this paper, we design an automatic travel itinerary planning system for the domestic area (ATIPS) using an algorithm to automatically plan a domestic travel itinerary based on user intentions that allows users to minimize the process of trip planning. Simply by entering the travel time, the departure point, and the destination location, the system can automatically generate a travel itinerary. According to the results of the experiments, 70% of users were satisfied with the result of our system, and 82% of users were satisfied with the automatic user preference learning mechanism of ATIPS. Our algorithm also provides a framework for substituting modules or weights and offers a new method for travel planning.

Optimized production planning model for a multi-plant cultivation system under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Shunkui; Guo, Doudou; Niu, Qingliang; Huang, Danfeng

2015-02-01

An inexact multi-constraint programming model under uncertainty was developed by incorporating a production plan algorithm into the crop production optimization framework under the multi-plant collaborative cultivation system. In the production plan, orders from the customers are assigned to a suitable plant under the constraints of plant capabilities and uncertainty parameters to maximize profit and achieve customer satisfaction. The developed model and solution method were applied to a case study of a multi-plant collaborative cultivation system to verify its applicability. As determined in the case analysis involving different orders from customers, the period of plant production planning and the interval between orders can significantly affect system benefits. Through the analysis of uncertain parameters, reliable and practical decisions can be generated using the suggested model of a multi-plant collaborative cultivation system.

Statistical assessment of speech system performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moshier, Stephen L.

1977-01-01

Methods for the normalization of performance tests results of speech recognition systems are presented. Technological accomplishments in speech recognition systems, as well as planned research activities are described.

Health Workforce Planning

PubMed Central

Al-Sawai, Abdulaziz; Al-Shishtawy, Moeness M.

2015-01-01

In most countries, the lack of explicit health workforce planning has resulted in imbalances that threaten the capacity of healthcare systems to attain their objectives. This has directed attention towards the prospect of developing healthcare systems that are more responsive to the needs and expectations of the population by providing health planners with a systematic method to effectively manage human resources in this sector. This review analyses various approaches to health workforce planning and presents the Six-Step Methodology to Integrated Workforce Planning which highlights essential elements in workforce planning to ensure the quality of services. The purpose, scope and ownership of the approach is defined. Furthermore, developing an action plan for managing a health workforce is emphasised and a reviewing and monitoring process to guide corrective actions is suggested. PMID:25685381

Winter Simulation Conference, Miami Beach, Fla., December 4-6, 1978, Proceedings. Volumes 1 & 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Highland, H. J. (Editor); Nielsen, N. R.; Hull, L. G.

1978-01-01

The papers report on the various aspects of simulation such as random variate generation, simulation optimization, ranking and selection of alternatives, model management, documentation, data bases, and instructional methods. Simulation studies in a wide variety of fields are described, including system design and scheduling, government and social systems, agriculture, computer systems, the military, transportation, corporate planning, ecosystems, health care, manufacturing and industrial systems, computer networks, education, energy, production planning and control, financial models, behavioral models, information systems, and inventory control.

Validation of a pretreatment delivery quality assurance method for the CyberKnife Synchrony system.

PubMed

Mastella, E; Vigorito, S; Rondi, E; Piperno, G; Ferrari, A; Strata, E; Rozza, D; Jereczek-Fossa, B A; Cattani, F

2016-08-01

To evaluate the geometric and dosimetric accuracies of the CyberKnife Synchrony respiratory tracking system (RTS) and to validate a method for pretreatment patient-specific delivery quality assurance (DQA). An EasyCube phantom was mounted on the ExacTrac gating phantom, which can move along the superior-inferior (SI) axis of a patient to simulate a moving target. The authors compared dynamic and static measurements. For each case, a Gafchromic EBT3 film was positioned between two slabs of the EasyCube, while a PinPoint ionization chamber was placed in the appropriate space. There were three steps to their evaluation: (1) the field size, the penumbra, and the symmetry of six secondary collimators were measured along the two main orthogonal axes. Dynamic measurements with deliberately simulated errors were also taken. (2) The delivered dose distributions (from step 1) were compared with the planned ones, using the gamma analysis method. The local gamma passing rates were evaluated using three acceptance criteria: 3% local dose difference (LDD)/3 mm, 2%LDD/2 mm, and 3%LDD/1 mm. (3) The DQA plans for six clinical patients were irradiated in different dynamic conditions, to give a total of 19 cases. The measured and planned dose distributions were evaluated with the same gamma-index criteria used in step 2 and the measured chamber doses were compared with the planned mean doses in the sensitive volume of the chamber. (1) A very slight enlargement of the field size and of the penumbra was observed in the SI direction (on average <1 mm), in line with the overall average CyberKnife system error for tracking treatments. (2) Comparison between the planned and the correctly delivered dose distributions confirmed the dosimetric accuracy of the RTS for simple plans. The multicriteria gamma analysis was able to detect the simulated errors, proving the robustness of their method of analysis. (3) All of the DQA clinical plans passed the tests, both in static and dynamic conditions. No statistically significant differences were found between static and dynamic cases, confirming the high degree of accuracy of the Synchrony RTS. The presented methods and measurements verified the mechanical and dosimetric accuracy of the Synchrony RTS. Their method confirms the fact that the RTS, if used properly, is able to treat a moving target with great precision. By combining PinPoint ion chamber, EBT3 films, and gamma evaluation of dose distributions, their DQA method robustly validated the effectiveness of CyberKnife and Synchrony system.

National plan to enhance aviation safety through human factors improvements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foushee, Clay

1990-01-01

The purpose of this section of the plan is to establish a development and implementation strategy plan for improving safety and efficiency in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. These improvements will be achieved through the proper applications of human factors considerations to the present and future systems. The program will have four basic goals: (1) prepare for the future system through proper hiring and training; (2) develop a controller work station team concept (managing human errors); (3) understand and address the human factors implications of negative system results; and (4) define the proper division of responsibilities and interactions between the human and the machine in ATC systems. This plan addresses six program elements which together address the overall purpose. The six program elements are: (1) determine principles of human-centered automation that will enhance aviation safety and the efficiency of the air traffic controller; (2) provide new and/or enhanced methods and techniques to measure, assess, and improve human performance in the ATC environment; (3) determine system needs and methods for information transfer between and within controller teams and between controller teams and the cockpit; (4) determine how new controller work station technology can optimally be applied and integrated to enhance safety and efficiency; (5) assess training needs and develop improved techniques and strategies for selection, training, and evaluation of controllers; and (6) develop standards, methods, and procedures for the certification and validation of human engineering in the design, testing, and implementation of any hardware or software system element which affects information flow to or from the human.

Test, Control and Monitor System (TCMS) operations plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macfarlane, C. K.; Conroy, M. P.

1993-01-01

The purpose is to provide a clear understanding of the Test, Control and Monitor System (TCMS) operating environment and to describe the method of operations for TCMS. TCMS is a complex and sophisticated checkout system focused on support of the Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP) and related activities. An understanding of the TCMS operating environment is provided and operational responsibilities are defined. NASA and the Payload Ground Operations Contractor (PGOC) will use it as a guide to manage the operation of the TCMS computer systems and associated networks and workstations. All TCMS operational functions are examined. Other plans and detailed operating procedures relating to an individual operational function are referenced within this plan. This plan augments existing Technical Support Management Directives (TSMD's), Standard Practices, and other management documentation which will be followed where applicable.

Comparing Public and Private Institutions That Have and Have Not Implemented Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: A Resource Dependence Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sendhil, Geetha R.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this national study was to utilize quantitative methods to examine institutional characteristics, financial resource variables, personnel variables, and customer variables of public and private institutions that have and have not implemented enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, from a resource dependence perspective.…

A Capital-Financing Plan for School Systems and Local Government

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, Penny

2012-01-01

School business officials are best equipped to lead in funding operating and capital needs because they understand the need for a methodical means of funding ongoing costs over time and the benefits of planning for future financial needs rather than letting emergencies dictate spending priorities. A capital-financing plan makes it possible to…

A Study of the Feasibility of Implementing the "CAMPUS" Planning Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keene, T. Wayne

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of implementing the CAMPUS (Comprehensive Analytical Methods for Planning in University/College Systems) PMS model for planning and resource allocation purposes in the University of South Florida College of Education. A description of CAMPUS PMS was developed, including the nature, output…

Embedding Agile Practices within a Plan-Driven Hierarchical Project Life Cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Millard, W. David; Johnson, Daniel M.; Henderson, John M.

2014-07-28

Organizations use structured, plan-driven approaches to provide continuity, direction, and control to large, multi-year programs. Projects within these programs vary greatly in size, complexity, level of maturity, technical risk, and clarity of the development objectives. Organizations that perform exploratory research, evolutionary development, and other R&D activities can obtain the benefits of Agile practices without losing the benefits of their program’s overarching plan-driven structure. This paper describes application of Agile development methods on a large plan-driven sensor integration program. While the client employed plan-driven, requirements flow-down methodologies, tight project schedules and complex interfaces called for frequent end-to-end demonstrations to provide feedbackmore » during system development. The development process maintained the many benefits of plan-driven project execution with the rapid prototyping, integration, demonstration, and client feedback possible through Agile development methods. This paper also describes some of the tools and implementing mechanisms used to transition between and take advantage of each methodology, and presents lessons learned from the project management, system engineering, and developer’s perspectives.« less

Robustness in practice--the regional planning of health services.

PubMed

Best, G; Parston, G; Rosenhead, J

1986-05-01

Earlier work has criticized the dominant tendencies in operational research contributions to health services planning as characterized by optimization, implausible demands for data, depoliticization, hierarchy and inflexibility. This paper describes an effort which avoids at least some of these pitfalls. The project was to construct a planning system for a regional health council in Ontario, Canada, which would take account of the possible alternative future states of the health-care system's environment and would aim to keep options for future development open. The planning system devised is described in the paper. It is based on robustness analysis, which evaluates alternative initial action sets in terms of the useful flexibility they preserve. Other features include the explicit incorporation of pressures for change generated outside the health-care system, and a satisficing approach to the identification of both initial action sets and alternative future configurations of the health-care system. It was found possible to borrow and radically 're-use' techniques or formulations from the mainstream of O.R. contributions. Thus the 'reference projection' method was used to identify inadequacies in performance which future health-care system configurations must repair. And Delphi analysis, normally a method for generating consensus, was used in conjunction with cluster analysis of responses to generate meaningfully different alternative futures.

SU-F-T-65: AutomaticTreatment Planning for High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy with a VaginalCylinder Applicator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Y; Tan, J; Jiang, S

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment planning is conventionally performed in a manual fashion. Yet it is highly desirable to perform computerized automated planning to improve treatment planning efficiency, eliminate human errors, and reduce plan quality variation. The goal of this research is to develop an automatic treatment planning tool for HDR brachytherapy with a cylinder applicator for vaginal cancer. Methods: After inserting the cylinder applicator into the patient, a CT scan was acquired and was loaded to an in-house developed treatment planning software. The cylinder applicator was automatically segmented using image-processing techniques. CTV was generated based on user-specifiedmore » treatment depth and length. Locations of relevant points (apex point, prescription point, and vaginal surface point), central applicator channel coordinates, and dwell positions were determined according to their geometric relations with the applicator. Dwell time was computed through an inverse optimization process. The planning information was written into DICOM-RT plan and structure files to transfer the automatically generated plan to a commercial treatment planning system for plan verification and delivery. Results: We have tested the system retrospectively in nine patients treated with vaginal cylinder applicator. These cases were selected with different treatment prescriptions, lengths, depths, and cylinder diameters to represent a large patient population. Our system was able to generate treatment plans for these cases with clinically acceptable quality. Computation time varied from 3–6 min. Conclusion: We have developed a system to perform automated treatment planning for HDR brachytherapy with a cylinder applicator. Such a novel system has greatly improved treatment planning efficiency and reduced plan quality variation. It also served as a testbed to demonstrate the feasibility of automatic HDR treatment planning for more complicated cases.« less

Using sobol sequences for planning computer experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Statnikov, I. N.; Firsov, G. I.

2017-12-01

Discusses the use for research of problems of multicriteria synthesis of dynamic systems method of Planning LP-search (PLP-search), which not only allows on the basis of the simulation model experiments to revise the parameter space within specified ranges of their change, but also through special randomized nature of the planning of these experiments is to apply a quantitative statistical evaluation of influence of change of varied parameters and their pairwise combinations to analyze properties of the dynamic system.Start your abstract here...

Development and validation of MCNPX-based Monte Carlo treatment plan verification system

PubMed Central

Jabbari, Iraj; Monadi, Shahram

2015-01-01

A Monte Carlo treatment plan verification (MCTPV) system was developed for clinical treatment plan verification (TPV), especially for the conformal and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans. In the MCTPV, the MCNPX code was used for particle transport through the accelerator head and the patient body. MCTPV has an interface with TiGRT planning system and reads the information which is needed for Monte Carlo calculation transferred in digital image communications in medicine-radiation therapy (DICOM-RT) format. In MCTPV several methods were applied in order to reduce the simulation time. The relative dose distribution of a clinical prostate conformal plan calculated by the MCTPV was compared with that of TiGRT planning system. The results showed well implementation of the beams configuration and patient information in this system. For quantitative evaluation of MCTPV a two-dimensional (2D) diode array (MapCHECK2) and gamma index analysis were used. The gamma passing rate (3%/3 mm) of an IMRT plan was found to be 98.5% for total beams. Also, comparison of the measured and Monte Carlo calculated doses at several points inside an inhomogeneous phantom for 6- and 18-MV photon beams showed a good agreement (within 1.5%). The accuracy and timing results of MCTPV showed that MCTPV could be used very efficiently for additional assessment of complicated plans such as IMRT plan. PMID:26170554

[The study of establishment of the " Chinese provincial Blindness prevention technical guidance group performance evaluation system"].

PubMed

Lu, L N; He, X G; Zhu, J F; Xu, X; Zhang, R; Hu, X; Zou, H D

2016-11-11

Objective: To establish an assessment system, including indexes and scoring methods, that can be used for performance evaluation of the provincial blindness prevention technical guidance group properly and effectively . Methods: The indexes and scoring methods were set based on the core content of The " National Plan of Prevention and Treatment of Blindness (2012-2015)" , the specific requirement and target of the World Health Organization (WHO) "For the General Eye Health: Global plan of Action (2014-2019)" , and the current situation of the China's provinces and autonomous regions. These indexes should be of effectiveness, feasibility, comparability, guidance and advancing. Formed by a literature review of candidate indicators, the framework of the system is built by qualitative assessment. With the Delphi method, the system was further revised and improved. Empirical pilot study was then used to prove the feasibility, followed by the final qualitative analysis that establish the " Chinese provincial Blindness prevention technical guidance group performance evaluation system" . Results: Through the literature review and qualitative assessment, a six dimensional system framework was built, including 6 first-level indicators, 16 second-level indicators, and 29 third-level indicators through Delphi method evaluation. With the variation coefficient method, the coeffiences of the first-level index weight were calculated as: Organization and management 0.15, Development and implementation of blindness prevention plans 0.15, Implementation of blindness prevention projects 0.14, Training 0.17, Health education 0.18, and Cooperation and exchanges 0.21. The specific scoring method for this system is confirmed as: data and files check, field interview, and record interview, sampling investigation. Empirical pilot study was conducted in the Jilin, Guizhou and Gansu provinces, and the self-assessment results from local experts were consistent with the scores from the systems. Conclusion: This system established is appropriate at current time, and it can effectively evaluate the performance of the Chinese provincial Blindness prevention technical guidance group. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52:814-824) .

Human-Automation Integration: Principle and Method for Design and Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billman, Dorrit; Feary, Michael

2012-01-01

Future space missions will increasingly depend on integration of complex engineered systems with their human operators. It is important to ensure that the systems that are designed and developed do a good job of supporting the needs of the work domain. Our research investigates methods for needs analysis. We included analysis of work products (plans for regulation of the space station) as well as work processes (tasks using current software), in a case study of Attitude Determination and Control Officers (ADCO) planning work. This allows comparing how well different designs match the structure of the work to be supported. Redesigned planning software that better matches the structure of work was developed and experimentally assessed. The new prototype enabled substantially faster and more accurate performance in plan revision tasks. This success suggests the approach to needs assessment and use in design and evaluation is promising, and merits investigatation in future research.

Availability and Quality of Family Planning Services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: High Potential for Improvement

PubMed Central

Mpunga, Dieudonné; Lumbayi, JP; Dikamba, Nelly; Mwembo, Albert; Ali Mapatano, Mala; Wembodinga, Gilbert

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the availability and quality of family planning services within health facilities throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Methods: Data were collected for the cross-sectional study from April 2014 to June 2014 by the Ministry of Public Health. A total of 1,568 health facilities that reported data to the National Health Information System were selected by multistage random sampling in the 11 provinces of the DRC existing at that time. Data were collected through interviews, document review, and direct observation. Two dependent variables were measured: availability of family planning services (consisting of a room for services, staff assigned to family planning, and evidence of client use of family planning) and quality of family planning services (assessed as “high” if the facility had at least 1 trained staff member, family planning service delivery guidelines, at least 3 types of methods, and a sphygmomanometer, or “low” if the facility did not meet any of these 4 criteria). Pearson's chi-square test and odds ratios (ORs) were used to test for significant associations, using the alpha significance level of .05. Results: We successfully surveyed 1,555 facilities (99.2%) of those included in the sample. One in every 3 facilities (33%) offered family planning services as assessed by the index of availability, of which 20% met all 4 criteria for providing high-quality services. Availability was greatest at the highest level of the health system (hospitals) and decreased incrementally with each health system level, with disparities between provinces and urban and rural areas. Facilities in urban areas were more likely than in rural areas to meet the standard for high-quality services (P<.001). Public facilities were less likely than private facilities to have high-quality services (P=.02). Among all 1,555 facilities surveyed, 14% had at least 3 types of methods available at the time of the survey; the most widely available methods were male condoms, combined oral contraceptive pills, and progestin-only injectable contraceptives. Conclusion: Availability and quality of family planning services in health facilities in the DRC remain low, with inequitable distribution of services throughout the country. To improve access to and use of family planning, efforts should focus on improving availability and quality at lower health system levels and in rural areas where the majority of the population lives. PMID:28588047

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zaks, D; Fletcher, R; Salamon, S

Purpose: To develop an online framework that tracks a patient’s plan from initial simulation to treatment and that helps automate elements of the physics plan checks usually performed in the record and verify (RV) system and treatment planning system. Methods: We have developed PlanTracker, an online plan tracking system that automatically imports new patients tasks and follows it through treatment planning, physics checks, therapy check, and chart rounds. A survey was designed to collect information about the amount of time spent by medical physicists in non-physics related tasks. We then assessed these non-physics tasks for automation. Using these surveys, wemore » directed our PlanTracker software development towards the automation of intra-plan physics review. We then conducted a systematic evaluation of PlanTracker’s accuracy by generating test plans in the RV system software designed to mimic real plans, in order to test its efficacy in catching errors both real and theoretical. Results: PlanTracker has proven to be an effective improvement to the clinical workflow in a radiotherapy clinic. We present data indicating that roughly 1/3 of the physics plan check can be automated, and the workflow optimized, and show the functionality of PlanTracker. When the full system is in clinical use we will present data on improvement of time use in comparison to survey data prior to PlanTracker implementation. Conclusion: We have developed a framework for plan tracking and automatic checks in radiation therapy. We anticipate using PlanTracker as a basis for further development in clinical/research software. We hope that by eliminating the most simple and time consuming checks, medical physicists may be able to spend their time on plan quality and other physics tasks rather than in arithmetic and logic checks. We see this development as part of a broader initiative to advance the clinical/research informatics infrastructure surrounding the radiotherapy clinic. This research project has been financially supported by Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, through a Varian MRA.« less

Quality assurance for high dose rate brachytherapy treatment planning optimization: using a simple optimization to verify a complex optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deufel, Christopher L.; Furutani, Keith M.

2014-02-01

As dose optimization for high dose rate brachytherapy becomes more complex, it becomes increasingly important to have a means of verifying that optimization results are reasonable. A method is presented for using a simple optimization as quality assurance for the more complex optimization algorithms typically found in commercial brachytherapy treatment planning systems. Quality assurance tests may be performed during commissioning, at regular intervals, and/or on a patient specific basis. A simple optimization method is provided that optimizes conformal target coverage using an exact, variance-based, algebraic approach. Metrics such as dose volume histogram, conformality index, and total reference air kerma agree closely between simple and complex optimizations for breast, cervix, prostate, and planar applicators. The simple optimization is shown to be a sensitive measure for identifying failures in a commercial treatment planning system that are possibly due to operator error or weaknesses in planning system optimization algorithms. Results from the simple optimization are surprisingly similar to the results from a more complex, commercial optimization for several clinical applications. This suggests that there are only modest gains to be made from making brachytherapy optimization more complex. The improvements expected from sophisticated linear optimizations, such as PARETO methods, will largely be in making systems more user friendly and efficient, rather than in finding dramatically better source strength distributions.

Healthcare information systems: data mining methods in the creation of a clinical recommender system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, L.; Street, W. N.; Xu, E.

2011-05-01

Recommender systems have been extensively studied to present items, such as movies, music and books that are likely of interest to the user. Researchers have indicated that integrated medical information systems are becoming an essential part of the modern healthcare systems. Such systems have evolved to an integrated enterprise-wide system. In particular, such systems are considered as a type of enterprise information systems or ERP system addressing healthcare industry sector needs. As part of efforts, nursing care plan recommender systems can provide clinical decision support, nursing education, clinical quality control, and serve as a complement to existing practice guidelines. We propose to use correlations among nursing diagnoses, outcomes and interventions to create a recommender system for constructing nursing care plans. In the current study, we used nursing diagnosis data to develop the methodology. Our system utilises a prefix-tree structure common in itemset mining to construct a ranked list of suggested care plan items based on previously-entered items. Unlike common commercial systems, our system makes sequential recommendations based on user interaction, modifying a ranked list of suggested items at each step in care plan construction. We rank items based on traditional association-rule measures such as support and confidence, as well as a novel measure that anticipates which selections might improve the quality of future rankings. Since the multi-step nature of our recommendations presents problems for traditional evaluation measures, we also present a new evaluation method based on average ranking position and use it to test the effectiveness of different recommendation strategies.

SU-E-T-626: Accuracy of Dose Calculation Algorithms in MultiPlan Treatment Planning System in Presence of Heterogeneities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moignier, C; Huet, C; Barraux, V

Purpose: Advanced stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) treatments require accurate dose calculation for treatment planning especially for treatment sites involving heterogeneous patient anatomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of dose calculation algorithms, Raytracing and Monte Carlo (MC), implemented in the MultiPlan treatment planning system (TPS) in presence of heterogeneities. Methods: First, the LINAC of a CyberKnife radiotherapy facility was modeled with the PENELOPE MC code. A protocol for the measurement of dose distributions with EBT3 films was established and validated thanks to comparison between experimental dose distributions and calculated dose distributions obtained with MultiPlan Raytracing and MCmore » algorithms as well as with the PENELOPE MC model for treatments planned with the homogenous Easycube phantom. Finally, bones and lungs inserts were used to set up a heterogeneous Easycube phantom. Treatment plans with the 10, 7.5 or the 5 mm field sizes were generated in Multiplan TPS with different tumor localizations (in the lung and at the lung/bone/soft tissue interface). Experimental dose distributions were compared to the PENELOPE MC and Multiplan calculations using the gamma index method. Results: Regarding the experiment in the homogenous phantom, 100% of the points passed for the 3%/3mm tolerance criteria. These criteria include the global error of the method (CT-scan resolution, EBT3 dosimetry, LINAC positionning …), and were used afterwards to estimate the accuracy of the MultiPlan algorithms in heterogeneous media. Comparison of the dose distributions obtained in the heterogeneous phantom is in progress. Conclusion: This work has led to the development of numerical and experimental dosimetric tools for small beam dosimetry. Raytracing and MC algorithms implemented in MultiPlan TPS were evaluated in heterogeneous media.« less

Resource Management in Constrained Dynamic Situations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seok, Jinwoo

Resource management is considered in this dissertation for systems with limited resources, possibly combined with other system constraints, in unpredictably dynamic environments. Resources may represent fuel, power, capabilities, energy, and so on. Resource management is important for many practical systems; usually, resources are limited, and their use must be optimized. Furthermore, systems are often constrained, and constraints must be satisfied for safe operation. Simplistic resource management can result in poor use of resources and failure of the system. Furthermore, many real-world situations involve dynamic environments. Many traditional problems are formulated based on the assumptions of given probabilities or perfect knowledge of future events. However, in many cases, the future is completely unknown, and information on or probabilities about future events are not available. In other words, we operate in unpredictably dynamic situations. Thus, a method is needed to handle dynamic situations without knowledge of the future, but few formal methods have been developed to address them. Thus, the goal is to design resource management methods for constrained systems, with limited resources, in unpredictably dynamic environments. To this end, resource management is organized hierarchically into two levels: 1) planning, and 2) control. In the planning level, the set of tasks to be performed is scheduled based on limited resources to maximize resource usage in unpredictably dynamic environments. In the control level, the system controller is designed to follow the schedule by considering all the system constraints for safe and efficient operation. Consequently, this dissertation is mainly divided into two parts: 1) planning level design, based on finite state machines, and 2) control level methods, based on model predictive control. We define a recomposable restricted finite state machine to handle limited resource situations and unpredictably dynamic environments for the planning level. To obtain a policy, dynamic programing is applied, and to obtain a solution, limited breadth-first search is applied to the recomposable restricted finite state machine. A multi-function phased array radar resource management problem and an unmanned aerial vehicle patrolling problem are treated using recomposable restricted finite state machines. Then, we use model predictive control for the control level, because it allows constraint handling and setpoint tracking for the schedule. An aircraft power system management problem is treated that aims to develop an integrated control system for an aircraft gas turbine engine and electrical power system using rate-based model predictive control. Our results indicate that at the planning level, limited breadth-first search for recomposable restricted finite state machines generates good scheduling solutions in limited resource situations and unpredictably dynamic environments. The importance of cooperation in the planning level is also verified. At the control level, a rate-based model predictive controller allows good schedule tracking and safe operations. The importance of considering the system constraints and interactions between the subsystems is indicated. For the best resource management in constrained dynamic situations, the planning level and the control level need to be considered together.

Use of business planning methods to monitor global health budgets in Turkmenistan.

PubMed Central

Ensor, T.; Amannyazova, B.

2000-01-01

After undergoing many changes, the financing of health care in countries of the former Soviet Union is now showing signs of maturing. Soon after the political transition in these countries, the development of insurance systems and fee-for-service payment systems dominated the discussions on health reform. At present there is increasing emphasis on case mix adjusted payments in larger hospitals and on global budgets in smaller district hospitals. The problem is that such systems are often mistrusted for not providing sufficient financial control. At the same time, unless further planned restructuring is introduced, payment systems cannot on their own induce the fundamental change required in the health care system. As described in this article, in Tejen etrap (district), Turkmenistan, prospective business plans, which link planned objectives and activities with financial allocations, provide a framework for setting and monitoring budget expenditure. Plans can be linked to the overall objectives of the restructuring system and can be used to ensure sound financial management. The process of business planning, which calls for a major change in the way health facilities examine their activities, can be used as a vehicle to increase awareness of management issues. It also provides a way of satisfying the requirement for a rigorous, bottom-up planning of financial resources. PMID:10994288

Integrated planning for regional development planning and water resources management under uncertainty: A case study of Xining, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Z. H.; Zhao, H. J.; Wang, H.; Lu, W. T.; Wang, J.; Guo, H. C.

2017-11-01

Economic restructuring, water resources management, population planning and environmental protection are subjects to inner uncertainties of a compound system with objectives which are competitive alternatives. Optimization model and water quality model are usually used to solve problems in a certain aspect. To overcome the uncertainty and coupling in reginal planning management, an interval fuzzy program combined with water quality model for regional planning and management has been developed to obtain the absolutely ;optimal; solution in this study. The model is a hybrid methodology of interval parameter programming (IPP), fuzzy programing (FP), and a general one-dimensional water quality model. The method extends on the traditional interval parameter fuzzy programming method by integrating water quality model into the optimization framework. Meanwhile, as an abstract concept, water resources carrying capacity has been transformed into specific and calculable index. Besides, unlike many of the past studies about water resource management, population as a significant factor has been considered. The results suggested that the methodology was applicable for reflecting the complexities of the regional planning and management systems within the planning period. The government policy makers could establish effective industrial structure, water resources utilization patterns and population planning, and to better understand the tradeoffs among economic, water resources, population and environmental objectives.

A three-dimensional visualization preoperative treatment planning system for microwave ablation in liver cancer: a simulated experimental study.

PubMed

Liu, Fangyi; Cheng, Zhigang; Han, Zhiyu; Yu, Xiaoling; Yu, Mingan; Liang, Ping

2017-06-01

To evaluate the application value of three-dimensional (3D) visualization preoperative treatment planning system (VPTPS) for microwave ablation (MWA) in liver cancer. The study was a simulated experimental study using the CT imaging data of patients in DICOM format in a model. Three students (who learn to interventional ultrasound for less than 1 year) and three experts (who have more than 5 years of experience in ablation techniques) in MWA performed the preoperative planning for 39 lesions (mean diameter 3.75 ± 1.73 cm) of 32 patients using two-dimensional (2D) image planning method and 3D VPTPS, respectively. The number of planning insertions, planning ablation rate, and damage rate to surrounding structures were compared between2D image planning group and 3D VPTPS group. There were fewer planning insertions, lower ablation rate and higher damage rate to surrounding structures in 2D image planning group than 3D VPTPS group for both students and experts. When using the 2D ultrasound planning method, students could carry out fewer planning insertions and had a lower ablation rate than the experts (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in planning insertions, the ablation rate, and the incidence of damage to the surrounding structures between students and experts using 3D VPTPS. 3DVPTPS enables inexperienced physicians to have similar preoperative planning results to experts, and enhances students' preoperative planning capacity, which may improve the therapeutic efficacy and reduce the complication of MWA.

Location and Size Planning of Distributed Photovoltaic Generation in Distribution network System Based on K-means Clustering Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Siqi; Wang, Xiaorong; Wu, Junyong

2018-01-01

The paper presents a method to generate the planning scenarios, which is based on K-means clustering analysis algorithm driven by data, for the location and size planning of distributed photovoltaic (PV) units in the network. Taken the power losses of the network, the installation and maintenance costs of distributed PV, the profit of distributed PV and the voltage offset as objectives and the locations and sizes of distributed PV as decision variables, Pareto optimal front is obtained through the self-adaptive genetic algorithm (GA) and solutions are ranked by a method called technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). Finally, select the planning schemes at the top of the ranking list based on different planning emphasis after the analysis in detail. The proposed method is applied to a 10-kV distribution network in Gansu Province, China and the results are discussed.

Evaluation of the AFIT Teleteach Expanded Delivery System (TEDS) Method of Instruction for SYS 223 System Program Management.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

tasterls I4fhesis EIEY SYSTEM (TEDS) ZETHOD OF INSTRUC- ~ - ION FOR SYS 22 J3YSTEX PROGRAM MANAGEMEN .PrFOMN ,7WRWUME // John E.Aie Captain, USAF 3...Hypotheses .. .................. 13 II. METHODOLOGY. ................... 14 Sampling Plan. .................. 14 Student and Faculty Populations ...begins with a discussion of the sampling plan and student and faculty populations . This is followed by an explanation of the experimental design and

Next-generation simulation and optimization platform for forest management and analysis

Treesearch

Antti Makinen; Jouni Kalliovirta; Jussi Rasinmaki

2009-01-01

Late developments in the objectives and the data collection methods of forestry create new challenges and possibilities in forest management planning. Tools in forest management and forest planning systems must be able to make good use of novel data sources, use new models, and solve complex forest planning tasks at different scales. The SIMulation and Optimization (...

40 CFR 52.1281 - Original identification of plan section.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... prior to July 1, 1997. (b) The plan was officially submitted on February 4, 1972. (c) The plan revisions..., Appendix C; addition of testing methods, section 8, Appendix C; addition of Permit System, Appendix G and deletion of SO2 regulation, section 4, Appendix C submitted on May 4, 1972, by the Mississippi Air and...

40 CFR 52.1281 - Original identification of plan section.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... prior to July 1, 1997. (b) The plan was officially submitted on February 4, 1972. (c) The plan revisions..., Appendix C; addition of testing methods, section 8, Appendix C; addition of Permit System, Appendix G and deletion of SO2 regulation, section 4, Appendix C submitted on May 4, 1972, by the Mississippi Air and...

40 CFR 52.1281 - Original identification of plan section.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... prior to July 1, 1997. (b) The plan was officially submitted on February 4, 1972. (c) The plan revisions..., Appendix C; addition of testing methods, section 8, Appendix C; addition of Permit System, Appendix G and deletion of SO2 regulation, section 4, Appendix C submitted on May 4, 1972, by the Mississippi Air and...

Preventing Elder Abuse: The Texas Plan for a Coordinated Service Delivery System. Collaborative Elder Abuse Prevention Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDaniel, Garry L.

The Texas Department of Human Services, in collaboration with 13 other public and private organizations, co-sponsored a statewide Collaborative Elder Abuse Prevention project. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan for the prevention of elder abuse, a method for achieving a coordinated service delivery system for…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, D; Chi, Z; Yang, H

Purpose: To investigate the performances of three commercial treatment planning systems (TPS) for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) optimization regarding cervical cancer. Methods: For twenty cervical cancer patients, three IMRT plans were retrospectively re-planned: one with Pinnacle TPS,one with Oncentra TPS and on with Eclipse TPS. The total prescribed dose was 50.4 Gy delivered for PTV and 58.8 Gy for PTVnd by simultaneous integrated boost technique. The treatments were delivered using the Varian 23EX accelerator. All optimization schemes generated clinically acceptable plans. They were evaluated based on target coverage, homogeneity (HI) and conformity (CI). The organs at risk (OARs) were analyzedmore » according to the percent volume under some doses and the maximum doses. The statistical method of the collected data of variance analysis was used to compare the difference among the quality of plans. Results: IMRT with Eclipse provided significant better HI, CI and all the parameters of PTV. However, the trend was not extension to the PTVnd, it was still significant better at mean dose, D50% and D98%, but plans with Oncentra showed significant better in the hight dosage volume, such as maximum dose and D2%. For the bladder wall, there were not notable difference among three groups, although Pinnacle and Oncentra systems provided a little lower dose sparing at V50Gy of bladder and rectal wall and V40Gy of bladder wall, respectively. V40Gy of rectal wall (p=0.037), small intestine (p=0.001 for V30Gy, p=0.010 for maximum dose) and V50Gy of right-femoral head (p=0.019) from Eclipse plans showed significant better than other groups. Conclusion: All SIB-IMRT plans were clinically acceptable which were generated by three commercial TPSs. The plans with Eclipse system showed advantages over the plans with Oncentra and Pinnacle system in the overwhelming majority of the dose coverage for targets and dose sparing of OARs in cervical cancer.« less

Improving processes through evolutionary optimization.

PubMed

Clancy, Thomas R

2011-09-01

As systems evolve over time, their natural tendency is to become increasingly more complex. Studies on complex systems have generated new perspectives on management in social organizations such as hospitals. Much of this research appears as a natural extension of the cross-disciplinary field of systems theory. This is the 18th in a series of articles applying complex systems science to the traditional management concepts of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling. In this article, I discuss methods to optimize complex healthcare processes through learning, adaptation, and evolutionary planning.

A new multi-objective optimization model for preventive maintenance and replacement scheduling of multi-component systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghaddam, Kamran S.; Usher, John S.

2011-07-01

In this article, a new multi-objective optimization model is developed to determine the optimal preventive maintenance and replacement schedules in a repairable and maintainable multi-component system. In this model, the planning horizon is divided into discrete and equally-sized periods in which three possible actions must be planned for each component, namely maintenance, replacement, or do nothing. The objective is to determine a plan of actions for each component in the system while minimizing the total cost and maximizing overall system reliability simultaneously over the planning horizon. Because of the complexity, combinatorial and highly nonlinear structure of the mathematical model, two metaheuristic solution methods, generational genetic algorithm, and a simulated annealing are applied to tackle the problem. The Pareto optimal solutions that provide good tradeoffs between the total cost and the overall reliability of the system can be obtained by the solution approach. Such a modeling approach should be useful for maintenance planners and engineers tasked with the problem of developing recommended maintenance plans for complex systems of components.

Advancing mission in the marketplace. Integrated strategic planning and budgeting helps a system remain accountable.

PubMed

Smessaert, A H

1992-10-01

In the late 1980s Holy Cross Health System (HCHS), South Bend, IN, began to implement a revised strategic planning and budgeting process to effectively link the system's mission with its day-to-day operations. Leaders wanted a process that would help system employees internalize and act on the four major elements articulated in the HCHS mission statement: fidelity, excellence, empowerment, and stewardship. Representatives from mission, strategic planning, and finance from the corporate office and subsidiaries examined planning and budgeting methods. From the beginning, HCHS leaders decided that the process should be implemented gradually, with each step focusing on refining methodology and improving mission integration. As the process evolved. HCHS developed a sequence in which planning preceded budgeting. The system also developed a variety of educational and collaborative initiatives to help system employees adapt to the organization's change of direction. One critical aspect of HCHS's ongoing education is an ethical reflection process that helps participants balance ethical considerations by viewing an issue from three perspectives: social vision, multiple responsibility, and self-interest.

Application of scenario analysis and multiagent technique in land-use planning: a case study on Sanjiang wetlands.

PubMed

Yu, Huan; Ni, Shi-Jun; Kong, Bo; He, Zheng-Wei; Zhang, Cheng-Jiang; Zhang, Shu-Qing; Pan, Xin; Xia, Chao-Xu; Li, Xuan-Qiong

2013-01-01

Land-use planning has triggered debates on social and environmental values, in which two key questions will be faced: one is how to see different planning simulation results instantaneously and apply the results back to interactively assist planning work; the other is how to ensure that the planning simulation result is scientific and accurate. To answer these questions, the objective of this paper is to analyze whether and how a bridge can be built between qualitative and quantitative approaches for land-use planning work and to find out a way to overcome the gap that exists between the ability to construct computer simulation models to aid integrated land-use plan making and the demand for them by planning professionals. The study presented a theoretical framework of land-use planning based on scenario analysis (SA) method and multiagent system (MAS) simulation integration and selected freshwater wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain of China as a case study area. Study results showed that MAS simulation technique emphasizing quantitative process effectively compensated for the SA method emphasizing qualitative process, which realized the organic combination of qualitative and quantitative land-use planning work, and then provided a new idea and method for the land-use planning and sustainable managements of land resources.

Application of Scenario Analysis and Multiagent Technique in Land-Use Planning: A Case Study on Sanjiang Wetlands

PubMed Central

Ni, Shi-Jun; He, Zheng-Wei; Zhang, Cheng-Jiang; Zhang, Shu-Qing; Pan, Xin; Xia, Chao-Xu; Li, Xuan-Qiong

2013-01-01

Land-use planning has triggered debates on social and environmental values, in which two key questions will be faced: one is how to see different planning simulation results instantaneously and apply the results back to interactively assist planning work; the other is how to ensure that the planning simulation result is scientific and accurate. To answer these questions, the objective of this paper is to analyze whether and how a bridge can be built between qualitative and quantitative approaches for land-use planning work and to find out a way to overcome the gap that exists between the ability to construct computer simulation models to aid integrated land-use plan making and the demand for them by planning professionals. The study presented a theoretical framework of land-use planning based on scenario analysis (SA) method and multiagent system (MAS) simulation integration and selected freshwater wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain of China as a case study area. Study results showed that MAS simulation technique emphasizing quantitative process effectively compensated for the SA method emphasizing qualitative process, which realized the organic combination of qualitative and quantitative land-use planning work, and then provided a new idea and method for the land-use planning and sustainable managements of land resources. PMID:23818816

Periodic motion planning and control for underactuated mechanical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zeguo; Freidovich, Leonid B.; Zhang, Honghua

2018-06-01

We consider the problem of periodic motion planning and of designing stabilising feedback control laws for such motions in underactuated mechanical systems. A novel periodic motion planning method is proposed. Each state is parametrised by a truncated Fourier series. Then we use numerical optimisation to search for the parameters of the trigonometric polynomial exploiting the measure of discrepancy in satisfying the passive dynamics equations as a performance index. Thus an almost feasible periodic motion is found. Then a linear controller is designed and stability analysis is given to verify that solutions of the closed-loop system stay inside a tube around the planned approximately feasible periodic trajectory. Experimental results for a double rotary pendulum are shown, while numerical simulations are given for models of a spacecraft with liquid sloshing and of a chain of mass spring system.

The evaluation of a 2D diode array in “magic phantom” for use in high dose rate brachytherapy pretreatment quality assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Espinoza, A.; Petasecca, M.; Fuduli, I.

2015-02-15

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a treatment method that is used increasingly worldwide. The development of a sound quality assurance program for the verification of treatment deliveries can be challenging due to the high source activity utilized and the need for precise measurements of dwell positions and times. This paper describes the application of a novel phantom, based on a 2D 11 × 11 diode array detection system, named “magic phantom” (MPh), to accurately measure plan dwell positions and times, compare them directly to the treatment plan, determine errors in treatment delivery, and calculate absorbed dose. Methods: Themore » magic phantom system was CT scanned and a 20 catheter plan was generated to simulate a nonspecific treatment scenario. This plan was delivered to the MPh and, using a custom developed software suite, the dwell positions and times were measured and compared to the plan. The original plan was also modified, with changes not disclosed to the primary authors, and measured again using the device and software to determine the modifications. A new metric, the “position–time gamma index,” was developed to quantify the quality of a treatment delivery when compared to the treatment plan. The MPh was evaluated to determine the minimum measurable dwell time and step size. The incorporation of the TG-43U1 formalism directly into the software allows for dose calculations to be made based on the measured plan. The estimated dose distributions calculated by the software were compared to the treatment plan and to calibrated EBT3 film, using the 2D gamma analysis method. Results: For the original plan, the magic phantom system was capable of measuring all dwell points and dwell times and the majority were found to be within 0.93 mm and 0.25 s, respectively, from the plan. By measuring the altered plan and comparing it to the unmodified treatment plan, the use of the position–time gamma index showed that all modifications made could be readily detected. The MPh was able to measure dwell times down to 0.067 ± 0.001 s and planned dwell positions separated by 1 mm. The dose calculation carried out by the MPh software was found to be in agreement with values calculated by the treatment planning system within 0.75%. Using the 2D gamma index, the dose map of the MPh plane and measured EBT3 were found to have a pass rate of over 95% when compared to the original plan. Conclusions: The application of this magic phantom quality assurance system to HDR brachytherapy has demonstrated promising ability to perform the verification of treatment plans, based upon the measured dwell positions and times. The introduction of the quantitative position–time gamma index allows for direct comparison of measured parameters against the plan and could be used prior to patient treatment to ensure accurate delivery.« less

Motion planning for autonomous vehicle based on radial basis function neural network in unstructured environment.

PubMed

Chen, Jiajia; Zhao, Pan; Liang, Huawei; Mei, Tao

2014-09-18

The autonomous vehicle is an automated system equipped with features like environment perception, decision-making, motion planning, and control and execution technology. Navigating in an unstructured and complex environment is a huge challenge for autonomous vehicles, due to the irregular shape of road, the requirement of real-time planning, and the nonholonomic constraints of vehicle. This paper presents a motion planning method, based on the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network, to guide the autonomous vehicle in unstructured environments. The proposed algorithm extracts the drivable region from the perception grid map based on the global path, which is available in the road network. The sample points are randomly selected in the drivable region, and a gradient descent method is used to train the RBF network. The parameters of the motion-planning algorithm are verified through the simulation and experiment. It is observed that the proposed approach produces a flexible, smooth, and safe path that can fit any road shape. The method is implemented on autonomous vehicle and verified against many outdoor scenes; furthermore, a comparison of proposed method with the existing well-known Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) method is presented. The experimental results show that the proposed method is highly effective in planning the vehicle path and offers better motion quality.

Motion Planning for Autonomous Vehicle Based on Radial Basis Function Neural Network in Unstructured Environment

PubMed Central

Chen, Jiajia; Zhao, Pan; Liang, Huawei; Mei, Tao

2014-01-01

The autonomous vehicle is an automated system equipped with features like environment perception, decision-making, motion planning, and control and execution technology. Navigating in an unstructured and complex environment is a huge challenge for autonomous vehicles, due to the irregular shape of road, the requirement of real-time planning, and the nonholonomic constraints of vehicle. This paper presents a motion planning method, based on the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network, to guide the autonomous vehicle in unstructured environments. The proposed algorithm extracts the drivable region from the perception grid map based on the global path, which is available in the road network. The sample points are randomly selected in the drivable region, and a gradient descent method is used to train the RBF network. The parameters of the motion-planning algorithm are verified through the simulation and experiment. It is observed that the proposed approach produces a flexible, smooth, and safe path that can fit any road shape. The method is implemented on autonomous vehicle and verified against many outdoor scenes; furthermore, a comparison of proposed method with the existing well-known Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) method is presented. The experimental results show that the proposed method is highly effective in planning the vehicle path and offers better motion quality. PMID:25237902

Quality of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Treatment Plans Using a {sup 60}Co Magnetic Resonance Image Guidance Radiation Therapy System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wooten, H. Omar, E-mail: hwooten@radonc.wustl.edu; Green, Olga; Yang, Min

2015-07-15

Purpose: This work describes a commercial treatment planning system, its technical features, and its capabilities for creating {sup 60}Co intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans for a magnetic resonance image guidance radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) system. Methods and Materials: The ViewRay treatment planning system (Oakwood Village, OH) was used to create {sup 60}Co IMRT treatment plans for 33 cancer patients with disease in the abdominal, pelvic, thorax, and head and neck regions using physician-specified patient-specific target coverage and organ at risk (OAR) objectives. Backup plans using a third-party linear accelerator (linac)-based planning system were also created. Plans were evaluated bymore » attending physicians and approved for treatment. The {sup 60}Co and linac plans were compared by evaluating conformity numbers (CN) with 100% and 95% of prescription reference doses and heterogeneity indices (HI) for planning target volumes (PTVs) and maximum, mean, and dose-volume histogram (DVH) values for OARs. Results: All {sup 60}Co IMRT plans achieved PTV coverage and OAR sparing that were similar to linac plans. PTV conformity for {sup 60}Co was within <1% and 3% of linac plans for 100% and 95% prescription reference isodoses, respectively, and heterogeneity was on average 4% greater. Comparisons of OAR mean dose showed generally better sparing with linac plans in the low-dose range <20 Gy, but comparable sparing for organs with mean doses >20 Gy. The mean doses for all {sup 60}Co plan OARs were within clinical tolerances. Conclusions: A commercial {sup 60}Co MR-IGRT device can produce highly conformal IMRT treatment plans similar in quality to linac IMRT for a variety of disease sites. Additional work is in progress to evaluate the clinical benefit of other novel features of this MR-IGRT system.« less

Availability and Quality of Family Planning Services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: High Potential for Improvement.

PubMed

Mpunga, Dieudonné; Lumbayi, J P; Dikamba, Nelly; Mwembo, Albert; Ali Mapatano, Mala; Wembodinga, Gilbert

2017-06-27

To determine the availability and quality of family planning services within health facilities throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Data were collected for the cross-sectional study from April 2014 to June 2014 by the Ministry of Public Health. A total of 1,568 health facilities that reported data to the National Health Information System were selected by multistage random sampling in the 11 provinces of the DRC existing at that time. Data were collected through interviews, document review, and direct observation. Two dependent variables were measured: availability of family planning services (consisting of a room for services, staff assigned to family planning, and evidence of client use of family planning) and quality of family planning services (assessed as "high" if the facility had at least 1 trained staff member, family planning service delivery guidelines, at least 3 types of methods, and a sphygmomanometer, or "low" if the facility did not meet any of these 4 criteria). Pearson's chi-square test and odds ratios (ORs) were used to test for significant associations, using the alpha significance level of .05. We successfully surveyed 1,555 facilities (99.2%) of those included in the sample. One in every 3 facilities (33%) offered family planning services as assessed by the index of availability, of which 20% met all 4 criteria for providing high-quality services. Availability was greatest at the highest level of the health system (hospitals) and decreased incrementally with each health system level, with disparities between provinces and urban and rural areas. Facilities in urban areas were more likely than in rural areas to meet the standard for high-quality services ( P <.001). Public facilities were less likely than private facilities to have high-quality services ( P =.02). Among all 1,555 facilities surveyed, 14% had at least 3 types of methods available at the time of the survey; the most widely available methods were male condoms, combined oral contraceptive pills, and progestin-only injectable contraceptives. Availability and quality of family planning services in health facilities in the DRC remain low, with inequitable distribution of services throughout the country. To improve access to and use of family planning, efforts should focus on improving availability and quality at lower health system levels and in rural areas where the majority of the population lives. © Mpunga et al.

A method for verification of treatment delivery in HDR prostate brachytherapy using a flat panel detector for both imaging and source tracking.

PubMed

Smith, Ryan L; Haworth, Annette; Panettieri, Vanessa; Millar, Jeremy L; Franich, Rick D

2016-05-01

Verification of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment delivery is an important step, but is generally difficult to achieve. A technique is required to monitor the treatment as it is delivered, allowing comparison with the treatment plan and error detection. In this work, we demonstrate a method for monitoring the treatment as it is delivered and directly comparing the delivered treatment with the treatment plan in the clinical workspace. This treatment verification system is based on a flat panel detector (FPD) used for both pre-treatment imaging and source tracking. A phantom study was conducted to establish the resolution and precision of the system. A pretreatment radiograph of a phantom containing brachytherapy catheters is acquired and registration between the measurement and treatment planning system (TPS) is performed using implanted fiducial markers. The measured catheter paths immediately prior to treatment were then compared with the plan. During treatment delivery, the position of the (192)Ir source is determined at each dwell position by measuring the exit radiation with the FPD and directly compared to the planned source dwell positions. The registration between the two corresponding sets of fiducial markers in the TPS and radiograph yielded a registration error (residual) of 1.0 mm. The measured catheter paths agreed with the planned catheter paths on average to within 0.5 mm. The source positions measured with the FPD matched the planned source positions for all dwells on average within 0.6 mm (s.d. 0.3, min. 0.1, max. 1.4 mm). We have demonstrated a method for directly comparing the treatment plan with the delivered treatment that can be easily implemented in the clinical workspace. Pretreatment imaging was performed, enabling visualization of the implant before treatment delivery and identification of possible catheter displacement. Treatment delivery verification was performed by measuring the source position as each dwell was delivered. This approach using a FPD for imaging and source tracking provides a noninvasive method of acquiring extensive information for verification in HDR prostate brachytherapy.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klüter, Sebastian, E-mail: sebastian.klueter@med.uni-heidelberg.de; Schubert, Kai; Lissner, Steffen

Purpose: The dosimetric verification of treatment plans in helical tomotherapy usually is carried out via verification measurements. In this study, a method for independent dose calculation of tomotherapy treatment plans is presented, that uses a conventional treatment planning system with a pencil kernel dose calculation algorithm for generation of verification dose distributions based on patient CT data. Methods: A pencil beam algorithm that directly uses measured beam data was configured for dose calculation for a tomotherapy machine. Tomotherapy treatment plans were converted into a format readable by an in-house treatment planning system by assigning each projection to one static treatmentmore » field and shifting the calculation isocenter for each field in order to account for the couch movement. The modulation of the fluence for each projection is read out of the delivery sinogram, and with the kernel-based dose calculation, this information can directly be used for dose calculation without the need for decomposition of the sinogram. The sinogram values are only corrected for leaf output and leaf latency. Using the converted treatment plans, dose was recalculated with the independent treatment planning system. Multiple treatment plans ranging from simple static fields to real patient treatment plans were calculated using the new approach and either compared to actual measurements or the 3D dose distribution calculated by the tomotherapy treatment planning system. In addition, dose–volume histograms were calculated for the patient plans. Results: Except for minor deviations at the maximum field size, the pencil beam dose calculation for static beams agreed with measurements in a water tank within 2%/2 mm. A mean deviation to point dose measurements in the cheese phantom of 0.89% ± 0.81% was found for unmodulated helical plans. A mean voxel-based deviation of −0.67% ± 1.11% for all voxels in the respective high dose region (dose values >80%), and a mean local voxel-based deviation of −2.41% ± 0.75% for all voxels with dose values >20% were found for 11 modulated plans in the cheese phantom. Averaged over nine patient plans, the deviations amounted to −0.14% ± 1.97% (voxels >80%) and −0.95% ± 2.27% (>20%, local deviations). For a lung case, mean voxel-based deviations of more than 4% were found, while for all other patient plans, all mean voxel-based deviations were within ±2.4%. Conclusions: The presented method is suitable for independent dose calculation for helical tomotherapy within the known limitations of the pencil beam algorithm. It can serve as verification of the primary dose calculation and thereby reduce the need for time-consuming measurements. By using the patient anatomy and generating full 3D dose data, and combined with measurements of additional machine parameters, it can substantially contribute to overall patient safety.« less

A Method on Dynamic Path Planning for Robotic Manipulator Autonomous Obstacle Avoidance Based on an Improved RRT Algorithm.

PubMed

Wei, Kun; Ren, Bingyin

2018-02-13

In a future intelligent factory, a robotic manipulator must work efficiently and safely in a Human-Robot collaborative and dynamic unstructured environment. Autonomous path planning is the most important issue which must be resolved first in the process of improving robotic manipulator intelligence. Among the path-planning methods, the Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (RRT) algorithm based on random sampling has been widely applied in dynamic path planning for a high-dimensional robotic manipulator, especially in a complex environment because of its probability completeness, perfect expansion, and fast exploring speed over other planning methods. However, the existing RRT algorithm has a limitation in path planning for a robotic manipulator in a dynamic unstructured environment. Therefore, an autonomous obstacle avoidance dynamic path-planning method for a robotic manipulator based on an improved RRT algorithm, called Smoothly RRT (S-RRT), is proposed. This method that targets a directional node extends and can increase the sampling speed and efficiency of RRT dramatically. A path optimization strategy based on the maximum curvature constraint is presented to generate a smooth and curved continuous executable path for a robotic manipulator. Finally, the correctness, effectiveness, and practicability of the proposed method are demonstrated and validated via a MATLAB static simulation and a Robot Operating System (ROS) dynamic simulation environment as well as a real autonomous obstacle avoidance experiment in a dynamic unstructured environment for a robotic manipulator. The proposed method not only provides great practical engineering significance for a robotic manipulator's obstacle avoidance in an intelligent factory, but also theoretical reference value for other type of robots' path planning.

Fuzzy robust credibility-constrained programming for environmental management and planning.

PubMed

Zhang, Yimei; Hang, Guohe

2010-06-01

In this study, a fuzzy robust credibility-constrained programming (FRCCP) is developed and applied to the planning for waste management systems. It incorporates the concepts of credibility-based chance-constrained programming and robust programming within an optimization framework. The developed method can reflect uncertainties presented as possibility-density by fuzzy-membership functions. Fuzzy credibility constraints are transformed to the crisp equivalents with different credibility levels, and ordinary fuzzy inclusion constraints are determined by their robust deterministic constraints by setting a-cut levels. The FRCCP method can provide different system costs under different credibility levels (lambda). From the results of sensitivity analyses, the operation cost of the landfill is a critical parameter. For the management, any factors that would induce cost fluctuation during landfilling operation would deserve serious observation and analysis. By FRCCP, useful solutions can be obtained to provide decision-making support for long-term planning of solid waste management systems. It could be further enhanced through incorporating methods of inexact analysis into its framework. It can also be applied to other environmental management problems.

The application test system: Experiences to date and future plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, G. A.; Ashburn, P.; Hansen, H. L. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

The ATS analysis component is presented focusing on methods by which the varied data sources are used by the ATS analyst. Analyst training and initial processing of data is discussed along with short and long plans for the ATS.

Terminal location planning in intermodal transportation with Bayesian inference method.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

In this project, we consider the planning of terminal locations for intermodal transportation systems. For a given number of potential terminals and coexisted multiple service pairs, we find the set of appropriate terminals and their locations that p...

40 CFR 265.112 - Closure plan; amendment of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... residues and contaminated containment system components, equipment, structures, and soils during partial... contaminated soils, methods for sampling and testing surrounding soils, and criteria for determining the extent of decontamination necessary to satisfy the closure performance standard; and (5) A detailed...

40 CFR 264.112 - Closure plan; amendment of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... residues and contaminated containment system components, equipment, structures, and soils during partial... contaminated soils, methods for sampling and testing surrounding soils, and criteria for determining the extent of decontamination required to satisfy the closure performance standard; and (5) A detailed...

Evaluation of a commercial automatic treatment planning system for prostate cancers.

PubMed

Nawa, Kanabu; Haga, Akihiro; Nomoto, Akihiro; Sarmiento, Raniel A; Shiraishi, Kenshiro; Yamashita, Hideomi; Nakagawa, Keiichi

2017-01-01

Recent developments in Radiation Oncology treatment planning have led to the development of software packages that facilitate automated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning. Such solutions include site-specific modules, plan library methods, and algorithm-based methods. In this study, the plan quality for prostate cancer generated by the Auto-Planning module of the Pinnacle 3 radiation therapy treatment planning system (v9.10, Fitchburg, WI) is retrospectively evaluated. The Auto-Planning module of Pinnacle 3 uses a progressive optimization algorithm. Twenty-three prostate cancer cases, which had previously been planned and treated without lymph node irradiation, were replanned using the Auto-Planning module. Dose distributions were statistically compared with those of manual planning by the paired t-test at 5% significance level. Auto-Planning was performed without any manual intervention. Planning target volume (PTV) dose and dose to rectum were comparable between Auto-Planning and manual planning. The former, however, significantly reduced the dose to the bladder and femurs. Regression analysis was performed to examine the correlation between volume overlap between bladder and PTV divided by the total bladder volume and resultant V70. The findings showed that manual planning typically exhibits a logistic way for dose constraint, whereas Auto-Planning shows a more linear tendency. By calculating the Akaike information criterion (AIC) to validate the statistical model, a reduction of interoperator variation in Auto-Planning was shown. We showed that, for prostate cancer, the Auto-Planning module provided plans that are better than or comparable with those of manual planning. By comparing our results with those previously reported for head and neck cancer treatment, we recommend the homogeneous plan quality generated by the Auto-Planning module, which exhibits less dependence on anatomic complexity. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design, development and clinical validation of computer-aided surgical simulation system for streamlined orthognathic surgical planning

PubMed Central

Yuan, Peng; Mai, Huaming; Li, Jianfu; Ho, Dennis Chun-Yu; Lai, Yingying; Liu, Siting; Kim, Daeseung; Xiong, Zixiang; Alfi, David M.; Teichgraeber, John F.; Gateno, Jaime

2017-01-01

Purpose There are many proven problems associated with traditional surgical planning methods for orthognathic surgery. To address these problems, we developed a computer-aided surgical simulation (CASS) system, the AnatomicAligner, to plan orthognathic surgery following our streamlined clinical protocol. Methods The system includes six modules: image segmentation and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, registration and reorientation of models to neutral head posture, 3D cephalometric analysis, virtual osteotomy, surgical simulation, and surgical splint generation. The accuracy of the system was validated in a stepwise fashion: first to evaluate the accuracy of AnatomicAligner using 30 sets of patient data, then to evaluate the fitting of splints generated by AnatomicAligner using 10 sets of patient data. The industrial gold standard system, Mimics, was used as the reference. Result When comparing the results of segmentation, virtual osteotomy and transformation achieved with AnatomicAligner to the ones achieved with Mimics, the absolute deviation between the two systems was clinically insignificant. The average surface deviation between the two models after 3D model reconstruction in AnatomicAligner and Mimics was 0.3 mm with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.03 mm. All the average surface deviations between the two models after virtual osteotomy and transformations were smaller than 0.01 mm with a SD of 0.01 mm. In addition, the fitting of splints generated by AnatomicAligner was at least as good as the ones generated by Mimics. Conclusion We successfully developed a CASS system, the AnatomicAligner, for planning orthognathic surgery following the streamlined planning protocol. The system has been proven accurate. AnatomicAligner will soon be available freely to the boarder clinical and research communities. PMID:28432489

Final Design for a Comprehensive Orbital Debris Management Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The rationale and specifics for the design of a comprehensive program for the control of orbital debris, as well as details of the various components of the overall plan, are described. The problem of orbital debris has been steadily worsening since the first successful launch in 1957. The hazards posed by orbital debris suggest the need for a progressive plan for the prevention of future debris, as well as the reduction of the current debris level. The proposed debris management plan includes debris removal systems and preventative techniques and policies. The debris removal is directed at improving the current debris environment. Because of the variance in sizes of debris, a single system cannot reasonably remove all kinds of debris. An active removal system, which deliberately retrieves targeted debris from known orbits, was determined to be effective in the disposal of debris tracked directly from earth. However, no effective system is currently available to remove the untrackable debris. The debris program is intended to protect the orbital environment from future abuses. This portion of the plan involves various environment from future abuses. This portion of the plan involves various methods and rules for future prevention of debris. The preventative techniques are protective methods that can be used in future design of payloads. The prevention policies are rules which should be employed to force the prevention of orbital debris.

Facilitating Ambulatory Electronic Health Record System Implementation: Evidence from a Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Hefner, Jennifer; Robbins, Julie; Huerta, Timothy R.

2013-01-01

Background. Ambulatory care practices have increasing interest in leveraging the capabilities of electronic health record (EHR) systems, but little information is available documenting how organizations have successfully implemented these systems. Objective. To characterize elements of successful electronic health record (EHR) system implementation and to synthesize the key informants' perspectives about successful implementation practices. Methods. Key informant interviews and focus groups were conducted with a purposive sample of individuals from US healthcare organizations identified for their success with ambulatory EHR implementation. Rigorous qualitative data analyses used both deductive and inductive methods. Results. Participants identified personal and system-related barriers, at both the individual and organization levels, including poor computer skills, productivity losses, resistance to change, and EHR system failure. Implementation success was reportedly facilitated by careful planning and consistent communication throughout distinct stages of the implementation process. A significant element of successful implementation was an emphasis on optimization, both during “go-live” and, subsequently, when users had more experience with the system. Conclusion. Successful EHR implementation requires both detailed planning and clear mechanisms to deal with unforeseen or unintended consequences. Focusing on user buy-in early and including plans for optimization can facilitate greater success. PMID:24228257

SU-E-T-268: Differences in Treatment Plan Quality and Delivery Between Two Commercial Treatment Planning Systems for Volumetric Arc-Based Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, S; Zhang, H; Zhang, B

2015-06-15

Purpose: To clinically evaluate the differences in volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plan and delivery between two commercial treatment planning systems. Methods: Two commercial VMAT treatment planning systems with different VMAT optimization algorithms and delivery approaches were evaluated. This study included 16 clinical VMAT plans performed with the first system: 2 spine, 4 head and neck (HN), 2 brain, 4 pancreas, and 4 pelvis plans. These 16 plans were then re-optimized with the same number of arcs using the second treatment planning system. Planning goals were invariant between the two systems. Gantry speed, dose rate modulation, MLC modulation, planmore » quality, number of monitor units (MUs), VMAT quality assurance (QA) results, and treatment delivery time were compared between the 2 systems. VMAT QA results were performed using Mapcheck2 and analyzed with gamma analysis (3mm/3% and 2mm/2%). Results: Similar plan quality was achieved with each VMAT optimization algorithm, and the difference in delivery time was minimal. Algorithm 1 achieved planning goals by highly modulating the MLC (total distance traveled by leaves (TL) = 193 cm average over control points per plan), while maintaining a relatively constant dose rate (dose-rate change <100 MU/min). Algorithm 2 involved less MLC modulation (TL = 143 cm per plan), but greater dose-rate modulation (range = 0-600 MU/min). The average number of MUs was 20% less for algorithm 2 (ratio of MUs for algorithms 2 and 1 ranged from 0.5-1). VMAT QA results were similar for all disease sites except HN plans. For HN plans, the average gamma passing rates were 88.5% (2mm/2%) and 96.9% (3mm/3%) for algorithm 1 and 97.9% (2mm/2%) and 99.6% (3mm/3%) for algorithm 2. Conclusion: Both VMAT optimization algorithms achieved comparable plan quality; however, fewer MUs were needed and QA results were more robust for Algorithm 2, which more highly modulated dose rate.« less

SU-E-T-97: An Analysis of Knowledge Based Planning for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of the Spine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foy, J; Marsh, R; Owen, D

2015-06-15

Purpose: Creating high quality SBRT treatment plans for the spine is often tedious and time consuming. In addition, the quality of treatment plans can vary greatly between treatment facilities due to inconsistencies in planning methods. This study investigates the performance of knowledge-based planning (KBP) for spine SBRT. Methods: Treatment plans were created for 28 spine SBRT patients. Each case was planned to meet strict dose objectives and guidelines. After physician and physicist approval, the plans were added to a custom model in a KBP system (RapidPlan, Varian Eclipse v13.5). The model was then trained to be able to predict estimatedmore » DVHs and provide starting objective functions for future patients based on both generated and manual objectives. To validate the model, ten additional spine SBRT cases were planned manually as well as using the model objectives. Plans were compared based on planning time and quality (ability to meet the plan objectives, including dose metrics and conformity). Results: The average dose to the spinal cord and the cord PRV differed between the validation and control plans by <0.25% demonstrating iso-toxicity. Six out of 10 validation plans met all dose objectives without the need for modifications, and overall, target dose coverage was increased by about 4.8%. If the validation plans did not meet the dose requirements initially, only 1–2 iterations of modifying the planning parameters were required before an acceptable plan was achieved. While manually created plans usually required 30 minutes to 3 hours to create, KBP can be used to create similar quality plans in 15–20 minutes. Conclusion: KBP for spinal tumors has shown to greatly decrease the amount of time required to achieve high quality treatment plans with minimal human intervention and could feasibly be used to standardize plan quality between institutions. Supported by Varian Medical Systems.« less

SU-G-TeP4-14: Quality Control of Treatment Planning Using Knowledge-Based Planning Across a System of Radiation Oncology Practices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masi, K; Ditman, M; Marsh, R

Purpose: There is potentially a wide variation in plan quality for a certain disease site, even for clinics located in the same system of hospitals. We have used a prostate-specific knowledge-based planning (KBP) model as a quality control tool to investigate the variation in prostate treatment planning across a network of affiliated radiation oncology departments. Methods: A previously created KBP model was applied to 10 patients each from 4 community-based clinics (Clinics A, B, C, and D). The KBP model was developed using RapidPlan (Eclipse v13.5, Varian Medical Systems) from 60 prostate/prostate bed IMRT plans that were originally planned usingmore » an in-house treatment planning system at the central institution of the community-based clinics. The dosimetric plan quality (target coverage and normal-tissue sparing) of each model-generated plan was compared to the respective clinically-used plan. Each community-based clinic utilized the same planning goals to develop the clinically-used plans that were used at the main institution. Results: Across all 4 clinics, the model-generated plans decreased the mean dose to the rectum by varying amounts (on average, 12.5, 2.6, 4.5, and 2.7 Gy for Clinics A, B, C, and D, respectively). The mean dose to the bladder also decreased with the model-generated plans (5.4, 2.3, 3.0, and 4.1 Gy, respectively). The KBP model also identified that target coverage (D95%) improvements were possible for for Clinics A, B, and D (0.12, 1.65, and 2.75%) while target coverage decreased by 0.72% for Clinic C, demonstrating potentially different trade-offs made in clinical plans at different institutions. Conclusion: Quality control of dosimetric plan quality across a system of radiation oncology practices is possible with knowledge-based planning. By using a quality KBP model, smaller community-based clinics can potentially identify the areas of their treatment plans that may be improved, whether it be in normal-tissue sparing or improved target coverage. M. Matuszak has research funding for KBP from Varian Medical Systems.« less

Multi-agent planning and scheduling, execution monitoring and incremental rescheduling: Application to motorway traffic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mourou, Pascal; Fade, Bernard

1992-01-01

This article describes a planning method applicable to agents with great perception and decision-making capabilities and the ability to communicate with other agents. Each agent has a task to fulfill allowing for the actions of other agents in its vicinity. Certain simultaneous actions may cause conflicts because they require the same resource. The agent plans each of its actions and simultaneously transmits these to its neighbors. In a similar way, it receives plans from the other agents and must take account of these plans. The planning method allows us to build a distributed scheduling system. Here, these agents are robot vehicles on a highway communicating by radio. In this environment, conflicts between agents concern the allocation of space in time and are connected with the inertia of the vehicles. Each vehicle made a temporal, spatial, and situated reasoning in order to drive without collision. The flexibility and reactivity of the method presented here allows the agent to generate its plan based on assumptions concerning the other agents and then check these assumptions progressively as plans are received from the other agents. A multi-agent execution monitoring of these plans can be done, using data generated during planning and the multi-agent decision-making algorithm described here. A selective backtrack allows us to perform incremental rescheduling.

The role of complexity metrics in a multi-institutional dosimetry audit of VMAT

PubMed Central

Agnew, Christina E; Hussein, Mohammad; Tsang, Yatman; McWilliam, Alan; Hounsell, Alan R; Clark, Catharine H

2016-01-01

Objective: To demonstrate the benefit of complexity metrics such as the modulation complexity score (MCS) and monitor units (MUs) in multi-institutional audits of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery. Methods: 39 VMAT treatment plans were analysed using MCS and MU. A virtual phantom planning exercise was planned and independently measured using the PTW Octavius® phantom and seven29® 2D array (PTW-Freiburg GmbH, Freiburg, Germany). MCS and MU were compared with the median gamma index pass rates (2%/2 and 3%/3 mm) and plan quality. The treatment planning systems (TPS) were grouped by VMAT modelling being specifically designed for the linear accelerator manufacturer's own treatment delivery system (Type 1) or independent of vendor for VMAT delivery (Type 2). Differences in plan complexity (MCS and MU) between TPS types were compared. Results: For Varian® linear accelerators (Varian® Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA), MCS and MU were significantly correlated with gamma pass rates. Type 2 TPS created poorer quality, more complex plans with significantly higher MUs and MCS than Type 1 TPS. Plan quality was significantly correlated with MU for Type 2 plans. A statistically significant correlation was observed between MU and MCS for all plans (R = −0.84, p < 0.01). Conclusion: MU and MCS have a role in assessing plan complexity in audits along with plan quality metrics. Plan complexity metrics give some indication of plan deliverability but should be analysed with plan quality. Advances in knowledge: Complexity metrics were investigated for a national rotational audit involving 34 institutions and they showed value. The metrics found that more complex plans were created for planning systems which were independent of vendor for VMAT delivery. PMID:26511276

Recognition and Emergency Care of Wounds: Bleeding Control and Bandaging. First Responder Training, Lesson Plan No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upton, Robert

Designed for a 40-hour course in first-responder medical training, this lesson plan teaches students how to control bleeding and bandage wounds. This lesson includes discussions on skin, the circulatory system, and blood; describes seven types of wounds; and explains four bleeding control methods. The lesson plan begins with information on the…

Technical Note: Dosimetric effects of couch position variability on treatment plan quality with an MRI-guided Co-60 radiation therapy machine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chow, Phillip E., E-mail: pechow@mednet.ucla.edu

2016-08-15

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance in radiation therapy brings real-time imaging and adaptive planning into the treatment vault where it can account for interfraction and intrafraction movement of soft tissue. The only commercially available MRI-guided radiation therapy device is a three-head {sup 60}Co and MRI system with an integrated treatment planning system (TPS). Couch attenuation of the beam of up to 20% is well modeled in the TPS. Variations in the patient’s day-to-day position introduce discrepancies in the actual couch attenuation as modeled in the treatment plan. For this reason, the authors’ institution avoids plans with beams that passmore » through or near the couch edges. This study investigates the effects of differential beam attenuation by the couch due to couch shifts in order to determine whether couch edge avoidance restrictions can be lifted. Couch shifts were simulated using a Monte Carlo treatment planning system and ion chamber measurements performed for validation. Methods: A total of 27 plans from 23 patients were investigated. Couch shifts of 1 and 2 cm were introduced in combinations of lateral and vertical directions to simulate patient position variations giving 16 shifted plans per reference plan. The 1 and 2 cm shifts were based on shifts recorded in 320 treatment fractions. Results: Following TG176 recommendations for measurement methods, couch attenuation measurements agreed with TPS modeled attenuation to within 2.1%. Planning target volume D95 changed less than 1% for 1 and 2 cm couch shifts in only the x-direction and less than 3% for all directions. Conclusions: Dosimetry of all plans tested was robust to couch shifts up to ±2 cm. In general, couch shifts resulted in clinically insignificant dosimetric deviations. It is conceivable that in certain cases with large systematic couch shifts and plans that are particularly sensitive to shifts, dosimetric changes might rise to a clinically significant level.« less

SU-E-T-187: Collimation Methods in Spot Scanning Proton Therapy: A Treatment Plan Comparison Between a Fixed Aperture and a Dynamic Collimation System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, B; Gelover, E; Wang, D

2015-06-15

Purpose: Low-energy treatments during spot scanning proton therapy (SSPT) suffer from poor conformity due to increased spot size. Collimation devices can reduce the lateral penumbra of a proton therapy dose distribution and improve the overall plan quality. The purpose of this work was to study the advantages of individual energy-layer collimation, which is unique to a recently proposed Dynamic Collimation System (DCS), in comparison to a standard, fixed aperture that allows only a single shape for all energy layers. Methods: Three brain patients previously planned and treated with SSPT were re-planned using an in-house treatment planning system capable of modelingmore » collimated and un-collimated proton beamlets. The un-collimated plans, which served as a baseline for comparison, reproduced the target coverage of the clinically delivered plans. The collimator opening for the aperture based plans included a 0.6 cm expansion of the largest cross section of the target in the Beam’s Eye View, while the DCS based plans were created by optimizing the collimator position for beam spots near the periphery of the target in each energy layer. Results: The reduction of mean dose to normal tissue adjacent to the target, as defined by a 10 mm ring, averaged 9.13% and 3.48% for the DCS and aperture plans, respectively. The conformity index, as defined by the ratio of the volume of the 50% isodose line to the target volume, yielded an average improvement of 16.42% and 8.16% for the DCS and aperture plans, respectively. Conclusion: Collimation reduces the dose to normal tissue adjacent to the target and increases dose conformity to the target region for low-energy SSPT. The ability of the DCS to provide collimation to each energy layer yields better conformity in comparison to fixed aperture plans. This work was partially funded by IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.)« less

Realization of planning design of mechanical manufacturing system by Petri net simulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yanfang; Wan, Xin; Shi, Weixiang

1991-09-01

Planning design is to work out a more overall long-term plan. In order to guarantee a mechanical manufacturing system (MMS) designed to obtain maximum economical benefit, it is necessary to carry out a reasonable planning design for the system. First, some principles on planning design for MMS are introduced. Problems of production scheduling and their decision rules for computer simulation are presented. Realizable method of each production scheduling decision rule in Petri net model is discussed. Second, the solution of conflict rules for conflict problems during running Petri net is given. Third, based on the Petri net model of MMS which includes part flow and tool flow, according to the principle of minimum event time advance, a computer dynamic simulation of the Petri net model, that is, a computer dynamic simulation of MMS, is realized. Finally, the simulation program is applied to a simulation exmple, so the scheme of a planning design for MMS can be evaluated effectively.

Artificial Neural Network Based Mission Planning Mechanism for Spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhaoyu; Xu, Rui; Cui, Pingyuan; Zhu, Shengying

2018-04-01

The ability to plan and react fast in dynamic space environments is central to intelligent behavior of spacecraft. For space and robotic applications, many planners have been used. But it is difficult to encode the domain knowledge and directly use existing techniques such as heuristic to improve the performance of the application systems. Therefore, regarding planning as an advanced control problem, this paper first proposes an autonomous mission planning and action selection mechanism through a multiple layer perceptron neural network approach to select actions in planning process and improve efficiency. To prove the availability and effectiveness, we use autonomous mission planning problems of the spacecraft, which is a sophisticated system with complex subsystems and constraints as an example. Simulation results have shown that artificial neural networks (ANNs) are usable for planning problems. Compared with the existing planning method in EUROPA, the mechanism using ANNs is more efficient and can guarantee stable performance. Therefore, the mechanism proposed in this paper is more suitable for planning problems of spacecraft that require real time and stability.

A cloud-based system for measuring radiation treatment plan similarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrea, Jennifer

PURPOSE: Radiation therapy is used to treat cancer using carefully designed plans that maximize the radiation dose delivered to the target and minimize damage to healthy tissue, with the dose administered over multiple occasions. Creating treatment plans is a laborious process and presents an obstacle to more frequent replanning, which remains an unsolved problem. However, in between new plans being created, the patient's anatomy can change due to multiple factors including reduction in tumor size and loss of weight, which results in poorer patient outcomes. Cloud computing is a newer technology that is slowly being used for medical applications with promising results. The objective of this work was to design and build a system that could analyze a database of previously created treatment plans, which are stored with their associated anatomical information in studies, to find the one with the most similar anatomy to a new patient. The analyses would be performed in parallel on the cloud to decrease the computation time of finding this plan. METHODS: The system used SlicerRT, a radiation therapy toolkit for the open-source platform 3D Slicer, for its tools to perform the similarity analysis algorithm. Amazon Web Services was used for the cloud instances on which the analyses were performed, as well as for storage of the radiation therapy studies and messaging between the instances and a master local computer. A module was built in SlicerRT to provide the user with an interface to direct the system on the cloud, as well as to perform other related tasks. RESULTS: The cloud-based system out-performed previous methods of conducting the similarity analyses in terms of time, as it analyzed 100 studies in approximately 13 minutes, and produced the same similarity values as those methods. It also scaled up to larger numbers of studies to analyze in the database with a small increase in computation time of just over 2 minutes. CONCLUSION: This system successfully analyzes a large database of radiation therapy studies and finds the one that is most similar to a new patient, which represents a potential step forward in achieving feasible adaptive radiation therapy replanning.

A Varian DynaLog file-based procedure for patient dose-volume histogram-based IMRT QA.

PubMed

Calvo-Ortega, Juan F; Teke, Tony; Moragues, Sandra; Pozo, Miquel; Casals-Farran, Joan

2014-03-06

In the present study, we describe a method based on the analysis of the dynamic MLC log files (DynaLog) generated by the controller of a Varian linear accelerator in order to perform patient-specific IMRT QA. The DynaLog files of a Varian Millennium MLC, recorded during an IMRT treatment, can be processed using a MATLAB-based code in order to generate the actual fluence for each beam and so recalculate the actual patient dose distribution using the Eclipse treatment planning system. The accuracy of the DynaLog-based dose reconstruction procedure was assessed by introducing ten intended errors to perturb the fluence of the beams of a reference plan such that ten subsequent erroneous plans were generated. In-phantom measurements with an ionization chamber (ion chamber) and planar dose measurements using an EPID system were performed to investigate the correlation between the measured dose changes and the expected ones detected by the reconstructed plans for the ten intended erroneous cases. Moreover, the method was applied to 20 cases of clinical plans for different locations (prostate, lung, breast, and head and neck). A dose-volume histogram (DVH) metric was used to evaluate the impact of the delivery errors in terms of dose to the patient. The ionometric measurements revealed a significant positive correlation (R² = 0.9993) between the variations of the dose induced in the erroneous plans with respect to the reference plan and the corresponding changes indicated by the DynaLog-based reconstructed plans. The EPID measurements showed that the accuracy of the DynaLog-based method to reconstruct the beam fluence was comparable with the dosimetric resolution of the portal dosimetry used in this work (3%/3 mm). The DynaLog-based reconstruction method described in this study is a suitable tool to perform a patient-specific IMRT QA. This method allows us to perform patient-specific IMRT QA by evaluating the result based on the DVH metric of the planning CT image (patient DVH-based IMRT QA).

Crystal Growth Furnace - An overview of the system configuration and planned experiments on the First United States Microgravity Laboratory mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivas, R.; Schaefer, D. A.

1992-01-01

The Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF) system configuration for the First United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-1) mission is reviewed, and the planned on-orbit experiments are briefly described. The CGF is configured to accommodate four scientific experiments involving crystal growth which are based on the classical Bridgman method and CVT method, including vapor transport crystal growth of mercury cadmium telluride; crystal growth of mercury zinc telluride by directional solidification; seeded Bridgman growth of zinc-doped cadmium telluride; and Bridgman growth of selenium-doped gallium arsenide.

On the performances of different IMRT treatment planning systems for selected paediatric cases

PubMed Central

Fogliata, Antonella; Nicolini, Giorgia; Alber, Markus; Åsell, Mats; Clivio, Alessandro; Dobler, Barbara; Larsson, Malin; Lohr, Frank; Lorenz, Friedlieb; Muzik, Jan; Polednik, Martin; Vanetti, Eugenio; Wolff, Dirk; Wyttenbach, Rolf; Cozzi, Luca

2007-01-01

Background To evaluate the performance of seven different TPS (Treatment Planning Systems: Corvus, Eclipse, Hyperion, KonRad, Oncentra Masterplan, Pinnacle and PrecisePLAN) when intensity modulated (IMRT) plans are designed for paediatric tumours. Methods Datasets (CT images and volumes of interest) of four patients were used to design IMRT plans. The tumour types were: one extraosseous, intrathoracic Ewing Sarcoma; one mediastinal Rhabdomyosarcoma; one metastatic Rhabdomyosarcoma of the anus; one Wilm's tumour of the left kidney with multiple liver metastases. Prescribed doses ranged from 18 to 54.4 Gy. To minimise variability, the same beam geometry and clinical goals were imposed on all systems for every patient. Results were analysed in terms of dose distributions and dose volume histograms. Results For all patients, IMRT plans lead to acceptable treatments in terms of conformal avoidance since most of the dose objectives for Organs At Risk (OARs) were met, and the Conformity Index (averaged over all TPS and patients) ranged from 1.14 to 1.58 on primary target volumes and from 1.07 to 1.37 on boost volumes. The healthy tissue involvement was measured in terms of several parameters, and the average mean dose ranged from 4.6 to 13.7 Gy. A global scoring method was developed to evaluate plans according to their degree of success in meeting dose objectives (lower scores are better than higher ones). For OARs the range of scores was between 0.75 ± 0.15 (Eclipse) to 0.92 ± 0.18 (Pinnacle3 with physical optimisation). For target volumes, the score ranged from 0.05 ± 0.05 (Pinnacle3 with physical optimisation) to 0.16 ± 0.07 (Corvus). Conclusion A set of complex paediatric cases presented a variety of individual treatment planning challenges. Despite the large spread of results, inverse planning systems offer promising results for IMRT delivery, hence widening the treatment strategies for this very sensitive class of patients. PMID:17302972

System for the design, manufacture, and testing of custom lenses with known amounts of high-order aberrations.

PubMed

Chernyak, Dimitri A; Campbell, Charles E

2003-11-01

Now that excimer laser systems can be programmed to correct complex aberrations of the eye on the basis of wave-front measurements, a method is needed to test the accuracy of the system from measurement through treatment. A closed-loop test method was developed to ensure that treatment plans generated by a wavefront measuring system were accurately transferred to and executed by the excimer laser. A surface was analytically defined, and a Shack-Hartmann-based wave-front system was used to formulate a treatment plan, which was downloaded to an excimer laser system. A plastic lens was ablated by the laser and then returned to the wave-front device, where it was measured and compared with the analytically defined wave-front surface. The two surfaces agreed up to 6th-order Zernike terms, validating the accuracy of the system.

Test and Evaluation for Enhanced Security: A Quantitative Method to Incorporate Expert Knowledge into Test Planning Decisions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rizzo, Davinia; Blackburn, Mark

Complex systems are comprised of technical, social, political and environmental factors as well as the programmatic factors of cost, schedule and risk. Testing these systems for enhanced security requires expert knowledge in many different fields. It is important to test these systems to ensure effectiveness, but testing is limited to due cost, schedule, safety, feasibility and a myriad of other reasons. Without an effective decision framework for Test and Evaluation (T&E) planning that can take into consideration technical as well as programmatic factors and leverage expert knowledge, security in complex systems may not be assessed effectively. Therefore, this paper coversmore » the identification of the current T&E planning problem and an approach to include the full variety of factors and leverage expert knowledge in T&E planning through the use of Bayesian Networks (BN).« less

An Integrated Planning Representation Using Macros, Abstractions, and Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baltes, Jacky; MacDonald, Bruce

1992-01-01

Planning will be an essential part of future autonomous robots and integrated intelligent systems. This paper focuses on learning problem solving knowledge in planning systems. The system is based on a common representation for macros, abstractions, and cases. Therefore, it is able to exploit both classical and case based techniques. The general operators in a successful plan derivation would be assessed for their potential usefulness, and some stored. The feasibility of this approach was studied through the implementation of a learning system for abstraction. New macros are motivated by trying to improve the operatorset. One heuristic used to improve the operator set is generating operators with more general preconditions than existing ones. This heuristic leads naturally to abstraction hierarchies. This investigation showed promising results on the towers of Hanoi problem. The paper concludes by describing methods for learning other problem solving knowledge. This knowledge can be represented by allowing operators at different levels of abstraction in a refinement.

Head-target tracking control of well drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agzamov, Z. V.

2018-05-01

The method of directional drilling trajectory control for oil and gas wells using predictive models is considered in the paper. The developed method does not apply optimization and therefore there is no need for the high-performance computing. Nevertheless, it allows following the well-plan with high precision taking into account process input saturation. Controller output is calculated both from the present target reference point of the well-plan and from well trajectory prediction with using the analytical model. This method allows following a well-plan not only on angular, but also on the Cartesian coordinates. Simulation of the control system has confirmed the high precision and operation performance with a wide range of random disturbance action.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thiyagarajan, Rajesh; Karrthick, KP; Kataria, Tejinder

Purpose: Performing DQA for Bilateral (B-L) breast tomotherapy is a challenging task due to the limitation of any commercially available detector array or film. Aim of this study is to perform DQA for B-L breast tomotherapy plan using MLC fluence sinogram. Methods: Treatment plan was generated on Tomotherapy system for B-L breast tumour. B-L breast targets were given 50.4 Gy prescribed over 28 fractions. Plan is generated with 6 MV photon beam & pitch was set to 0.3. As the width of the total target is 39 cm (left & right) length is 20 cm. DQA plan delivered without anymore » phantom on the mega voltage computed tomography (MCVT) detector system. The pulses recorded by MVCT system were exported to the delivery analysis software (Tomotherapy Inc.) for reconstruction. The detector signals are reconstructed to a sonogram and converted to MLC fluence sonogram. The MLC fluence sinogram compared with the planned fluence sinogram. Also point dose measured with cheese phantom and ionization chamber to verify the absolute dose component Results: Planned fluence sinogram and reconstructed MLC fluence sinogram were compared using Gamma metric. MLC positional difference and intensity of the beamlet were used as parameters to evaluate gamma. 3 mm positional difference and 3% beamlet intensity difference were used set for gamma calculation. A total of 26784 non-zero beamlets were included in the analysis out of which 161 beamlets had gamma more than 1. The gamma passing rate found to be 99.4%. Point dose measurements were within 1.3% of the calculated dose. Conclusion: MLC fluence sinogram based delivery quality assurance performed for bilateral breast irradiation. This would be a suitable alternate for large volume targets like bilateral breast, Total body irradiation etc. However conventional method of DQA should be used to validate this method periodically.« less

Three dimensional intensity modulated brachytherapy (IMBT): dosimetry algorithm and inverse treatment planning.

PubMed

Shi, Chengyu; Guo, Bingqi; Cheng, Chih-Yao; Esquivel, Carlos; Eng, Tony; Papanikolaou, Niko

2010-07-01

The feasibility of intensity modulated brachytherapy (IMBT) to improve dose conformity for irregularly shaped targets has been previously investigated by researchers by means of using partially shielded sources. However, partial shielding does not fully explore the potential of IMBT. The goal of this study is to introduce the concept of three dimensional (3D) intensity modulated brachytherapy and solve two fundamental issues regarding the application of 3D IMBT treatment planning: The dose calculation algorithm and the inverse treatment planning method. A 3D IMBT treatment planning system prototype was developed using the MATLAB platform. This system consists of three major components: (1) A comprehensive IMBT source calibration method with dosimetric inputs from Monte Carlo (EGSnrc) simulations; (2) a "modified TG-43" (mTG-43) dose calculation formalism for IMBT dosimetry; and (3) a physical constraint based inverse IMBT treatment planning platform utilizing a simulated annealing optimization algorithm. The model S700 Axxent electronic brachytherapy source developed by Xoft, Inc. (Fremont, CA), was simulated in this application. Ten intracavitary accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) cases were studied. For each case, an "isotropic plan" with only optimized source dwell time and a fully optimized IMBT plan were generated and compared to the original plan in various dosimetric aspects, such as the plan quality, planning, and delivery time. The issue of the mechanical complexity of the IMBT applicator is not addressed in this study. IMBT approaches showed superior plan quality compared to the original plans and tht isotropic plans to different extents in all studied cases. An extremely difficult case with a small breast and a small distance to the ribs and skin, the IMBT plan minimized the high dose volume V200 by 16.1% and 4.8%, respectively, compared to the original and the isotropic plans. The conformity index for the target was increased by 0.13 and 0.04, respectively. The maximum dose to the skin was reduced by 56 and 28 cGy, respectively, per fraction. Also, the maximum dose to the ribs was reduced by 104 and 96 cGy, respectively, per fraction. The mean dose to the ipsilateral and contralateral breasts and lungs were also slightly reduced by the IMBT plan. The limitations of IMBT are the longer planning and delivery time. The IMBT plan took around 2 h to optimize, while the isotropic plan optimization could reach the global minimum within 5 min. The delivery time for the IMBT plan is typically four to six times longer than the corresponding isotropic plan. In this study, a dosimetry method for IMBT sources was proposed and an inverse treatment planning system prototype for IMBT was developed. The improvement of plan quality by 3D IMBT was demonstrated using ten APBI case studies. Faster computers and higher output of the source can further reduce plan optimization and delivery time, respectively.

SU-G-TeP4-02: A Method for Evaluating the Direct Impact of Failed IMRT QAs On Patient Dose

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geneser, S; Butkus, M

Purpose: We developed a method to calculate patient doses corresponding to IMRT QA measurements in order to determine and assess the actual dose delivered for plans with failed (or borderline) IMRT QA. This work demonstrates the feasibility of automatically computing delivered patient dose from portal dosimetry measurements in the Varian TPS system, which would provide a valuable and clinically viable IMRT QA tool for physicists and physicians. Methods: IMRT QA fluences were measured using portal dosimetry, processed using in-house matlab software, and imported back into Eclipse to calculate dose on the planning CT. To validate the proposed workflow, the Eclipsemore » calculated portal dose for a 5-field sliding window prostate boost plan was processed as described above. The resulting dose was compared to the planned dose and found to be within 0.5 Gy. Two IMRT QA results for the prostate boost plan (one that failed and one that passed) were processed and the resulting patient doses were evaluated. Results: The max dose difference between IMRT QA #1 and the original planned and approved dose is 4.5 Gy, while the difference between the planned and IMRT QA #2 dose is 4.0 Gy. The inferior portion of the PTV is slightly underdosed in both plans, and the superior portion is slightly overdosed. The patient dose resulting from IMRT QA #1 and #2 differs by only 0.5 Gy. With this new information, it may be argued that the evaluated plan alteration to obtain passing gamma analysis produced clinically irrelevant differences. Conclusion: Evaluation of the delivered QA dose on the planning CT provides valuable information about the clinical relevance of failed or borderline IMRT QAs. This particular workflow demonstrates the feasibility of pushing the measured IMRT QA portal dosimetry results directly back onto the patient planning CT within the Varian system.« less

Online survey software as a data collection tool for medical education: A case study on lesson plan assessment.

PubMed

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background: There are no general strategies or tools to evaluate daily lesson plans; however, assessments conducted using traditional methods usually include course plans. This study aimed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of online survey software in collecting data on education in medical fields and the application of such softwares to evaluate students' views and modification of lesson plans. Methods: After investigating the available online survey software, esurveypro was selected for assessing daily lesson plans. After using the software for one semester, a questionnaire was prepared to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this method and students' views in a cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of the students (51.7%) rated the evaluation of classes per session (lesson plans) using the online survey as useful or very useful. About 51% (n=36) of the students considered this method effective in improving the management of each session, 67.1% (n=47) considered it effective in improving the management of sessions for the next semester, and 51.4% (n=36) said it had a high impact on improving the educational content of subsequent sessions. Finally, 61.4% (n=43) students expressed high and very high levels of satisfaction with using an online survey at each session. Conclusion: The use of online surveys may be appropriate to improve lesson plans and educational planning at different levels. This method can be used for other evaluations and for assessing people's opinions at different levels of an educational system.

Reliability demonstration test for load-sharing systems with exponential and Weibull components

PubMed Central

Hu, Qingpei; Yu, Dan; Xie, Min

2017-01-01

Conducting a Reliability Demonstration Test (RDT) is a crucial step in production. Products are tested under certain schemes to demonstrate whether their reliability indices reach pre-specified thresholds. Test schemes for RDT have been studied in different situations, e.g., lifetime testing, degradation testing and accelerated testing. Systems designed with several structures are also investigated in many RDT plans. Despite the availability of a range of test plans for different systems, RDT planning for load-sharing systems hasn’t yet received the attention it deserves. In this paper, we propose a demonstration method for two specific types of load-sharing systems with components subject to two distributions: exponential and Weibull. Based on the assumptions and interpretations made in several previous works on such load-sharing systems, we set the mean time to failure (MTTF) of the total system as the demonstration target. We represent the MTTF as a summation of mean time between successive component failures. Next, we introduce generalized test statistics for both the underlying distributions. Finally, RDT plans for the two types of systems are established on the basis of these test statistics. PMID:29284030

Reliability demonstration test for load-sharing systems with exponential and Weibull components.

PubMed

Xu, Jianyu; Hu, Qingpei; Yu, Dan; Xie, Min

2017-01-01

Conducting a Reliability Demonstration Test (RDT) is a crucial step in production. Products are tested under certain schemes to demonstrate whether their reliability indices reach pre-specified thresholds. Test schemes for RDT have been studied in different situations, e.g., lifetime testing, degradation testing and accelerated testing. Systems designed with several structures are also investigated in many RDT plans. Despite the availability of a range of test plans for different systems, RDT planning for load-sharing systems hasn't yet received the attention it deserves. In this paper, we propose a demonstration method for two specific types of load-sharing systems with components subject to two distributions: exponential and Weibull. Based on the assumptions and interpretations made in several previous works on such load-sharing systems, we set the mean time to failure (MTTF) of the total system as the demonstration target. We represent the MTTF as a summation of mean time between successive component failures. Next, we introduce generalized test statistics for both the underlying distributions. Finally, RDT plans for the two types of systems are established on the basis of these test statistics.

SU-F-T-359: Incorporating Dose Volume Histogram Prediction Into Auto-Planning for Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy in Rectal Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, K; Chen, X; Wang, J

Purpose: To incorporate dose volume histogram (DVH) prediction into Auto-Planning for volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment planning and investigate the benefit of this new technique for rectal cancer. Methods: Ninety clinically accepted VMAT plans for patients with rectal cancer were selected and trained in the RapidPlan for DVH prediction. Both internal and external validations were performed before implementing the prediction model. A new VMAT planning method (hybrid-VMAT) was created with combining the DVH prediction and Auto-Planning. For each new patient, the DVH will be predicted and individual DVH constrains will be obtained and were exported as the original optimization parametersmore » to the Auto-Planning (Pinnacle3 treatment planning system, v9.10) for planning. A total of 20 rectal cancer patients previously treated with manual VMAT (manual-VMAT) plans were replanned using this new method. Dosimetric comparisons were performed between manual VMAT and new method plans. Results: Hybrid-VMAT shows similar PTV coverage to manual-VMAT in D2%, D98% and HI (p>0.05) and superior coverage in CI (p=0.000). For the bladder, the means of V40 and mean dose are 36.0% and 35.6Gy for hybrid-VMAT and 42% and 38.0Gy for the manual-VMAT. For the left (right) femur, the means of V30 and mean dose are 10.6% (11.6%) and 17.9Gy (19.2Gy) for the hybrid-VMAT and 25.6% (24.1%) and 27.3Gy (26.2Gy) for the manual-VMAT. The hybrid-VMAT has significantly improved the organs at risk sparing. Conclusion: The integration of DVH prediction and Auto-Planning significantly improve the VMAT plan quality in the rectal cancer radiotherapy. Our results show the benefit of the new method and will be further investigated in other tumor sites.« less

Development of a fuzzy-stochastic programming with Green Z-score criterion method for planning water resources systems with a trading mechanism.

PubMed

Zeng, X T; Huang, G H; Li, Y P; Zhang, J L; Cai, Y P; Liu, Z P; Liu, L R

2016-12-01

This study developed a fuzzy-stochastic programming with Green Z-score criterion (FSGZ) method for water resources allocation and water quality management with a trading-mechanism (WAQT) under uncertainties. FSGZ can handle uncertainties expressed as probability distributions, and it can also quantify objective/subjective fuzziness in the decision-making process. Risk-averse attitudes and robustness coefficient are joined to express the relationship between the expected target and outcome under various risk preferences of decision makers and systemic robustness. The developed method is applied to a real-world case of WAQT in the Kaidu-Kongque River Basin in northwest China, where an effective mechanism (e.g., market trading) to simultaneously confront severely diminished water availability and degraded water quality is required. Results of water transaction amounts, water allocation patterns, pollution mitigation schemes, and system benefits under various scenarios are analyzed, which indicate that a trading-mechanism is a more sustainable method to manage water-environment crisis in the study region. Additionally, consideration of anthropogenic (e.g., a risk-averse attitude) and systemic factors (e.g., the robustness coefficient) can support the generation of a robust plan associated with risk control for WAQT when uncertainty is present. These findings assist local policy and decision makers to gain insights into water-environment capacity planning to balance the basin's social and economic growth with protecting the region's ecosystems.

SU-F-T-527: A Novel Dynamic Multileaf Collimator Leaf-Sequencing Algorithm in Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jing, J; Lin, H; Chow, J

Purpose: A novel leaf-sequencing algorithm is developed for generating arbitrary beam intensity profiles in discrete levels using dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC). The efficiency of this dynamic MLC leaf-sequencing method was evaluated using external beam treatment plans delivered by intensity modulated radiation therapy technique. Methods: To qualify and validate this algorithm, integral test for the beam segment of MLC generated by the CORVUS treatment planning system was performed with clinical intensity map experiments. The treatment plans were optimized and the fluence maps for all photon beams were determined. This algorithm started with the algebraic expression for the area under the beammore » profile. The coefficients in the expression can be transformed into the specifications for the leaf-setting sequence. The leaf optimization procedure was then applied and analyzed for clinical relevant intensity profiles in cancer treatment. Results: The macrophysical effect of this method can be described by volumetric plan evaluation tools such as dose-volume histograms (DVHs). The DVH results are in good agreement compared to those from the CORVUS treatment planning system. Conclusion: We developed a dynamic MLC method to examine the stability of leaf speed including effects of acceleration and deceleration of leaf motion in order to make sure the stability of leaf speed did not affect the intensity profile generated. It was found that the mechanical requirements were better satisfied using this method. The Project is sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry.« less

Theoretical and computational foundations of management class simulation

Treesearch

Denie Gerold

1978-01-01

Investigations on complicated, complex, and not well-ordered systems are possible only with the aid of mathematical methods and electronic data processing. Simulation as a method of operations research is particularly suitable for this purpose. Theoretical and computational foundations of management class simulation must be integrated into the planning systems of...

48 CFR 7.402 - Acquisition methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Acquisition methods. 7.402... ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 7.402 Acquisition methods. (a) Purchase method. (1) Generally, the purchase method is appropriate if the equipment will be used beyond the point in time when...

48 CFR 7.402 - Acquisition methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Acquisition methods. 7.402... ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 7.402 Acquisition methods. (a) Purchase method. (1) Generally, the purchase method is appropriate if the equipment will be used beyond the point in time when...

48 CFR 7.402 - Acquisition methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Acquisition methods. 7.402... ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 7.402 Acquisition methods. (a) Purchase method. (1) Generally, the purchase method is appropriate if the equipment will be used beyond the point in time when...

48 CFR 7.402 - Acquisition methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Acquisition methods. 7.402... ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 7.402 Acquisition methods. (a) Purchase method. (1) Generally, the purchase method is appropriate if the equipment will be used beyond the point in time when...

48 CFR 7.402 - Acquisition methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Acquisition methods. 7.402... ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 7.402 Acquisition methods. (a) Purchase method. (1) Generally, the purchase method is appropriate if the equipment will be used beyond the point in time when...

Muck Utilization Planning - Urban Transportation Tunneling : A Handbook of Rational Practices for Planners and Designers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-05-01

This handbook alerts transportation system planners and designers to planning methods which can lead to more efficient use of earth and rock materials produced during excavation for transportation tunnels and large excavations. The earth and rock mat...

Practical application of game theory based production flow planning method in virtual manufacturing networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olender, M.; Krenczyk, D.

2016-08-01

Modern enterprises have to react quickly to dynamic changes in the market, due to changing customer requirements and expectations. One of the key area of production management, that must continuously evolve by searching for new methods and tools for increasing the efficiency of manufacturing systems is the area of production flow planning and control. These aspects are closely connected with the ability to implement the concept of Virtual Enterprises (VE) and Virtual Manufacturing Network (VMN) in which integrated infrastructure of flexible resources are created. In the proposed approach, the players role perform the objects associated with the objective functions, allowing to solve the multiobjective production flow planning problems based on the game theory, which is based on the theory of the strategic situation. For defined production system and production order models ways of solving the problem of production route planning in VMN on computational examples for different variants of production flow is presented. Possible decision strategy to use together with an analysis of calculation results is shown.

Rapid weather information dissemination in Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martsolf, J. D.; Heinemann, P. H.; Gerber, J. F.; Crosby, F. L.; Smith, D. L.

1984-01-01

The development of the Florida Agricultural Services and Technology (FAST) plan to provide ports for users to call for weather information is described. FAST is based on the Satellite Frost Forecast System, which makes a broad base of weather data available to its users. The methods used for acquisition and dissemination of data from various networks under the FAST plan are examined. The system provides color coded IR or thermal maps, precipitation maps, and textural forecast information. A diagram of the system is provided.

An image-guided planning system for endosseous oral implants.

PubMed

Verstreken, K; Van Cleynenbreugel, J; Martens, K; Marchal, G; van Steenberghe, D; Suetens, P

1998-10-01

A preoperative planning system for oral implant surgery was developed which takes as input computed tomographies (CT's) of the jaws. Two-dimensional (2-D) reslices of these axial CT slices orthogonal to a curve following the jaw arch are computed and shown together with three-dimensional (3-D) surface rendered models of the bone and computer-aided design (CAD)-like implant models. A technique is developed for scanning and visualizing an eventual existing removable prosthesis together with the bone structures. Evaluation of the planning done with the system shows a difference between 2-D and 3-D planning methods. Validation studies measure the benefits of the 3-D approach by comparing plans made in 2-D mode only with those further adjusted using the full 3-D visualization capabilities of the system. The benefits of a 3-D approach are then evident where a prosthesis is involved in the planning. For the majority of the patients, clinically important adjustments and optimizations to the 2-D plans are made once the 3-D visualization is enabled, effectively resulting in a better plan. The alterations are related to bone quality and quantity (p < 0.05), biomechanics (p < 0.005), and esthetics (p < 0.005), and are so obvious that the 3-D plan stands out clearly (p < 0.005). The improvements often avoid complications such as mandibular nerve damage, sinus perforations, fenestrations, or dehiscences.

Challenges experienced by nurses in the implementation of a healthcare reform plan in Iran

PubMed Central

Salarvand, Shahin; Azizimalekabadi, Maryam; Jebeli, Azadeh Akbari; Nazer, Mohamadreza

2017-01-01

Introduction The Healthcare Reform Plan is counted as a plan for improving healthcare services in Iran. Undoubtedly pros and cons can be seen either in plan or implementation. This study was conducted to describe nurses’ challenges in implementing healthcare reform in Iran. Methods A qualitative method centered upon conventional content analysis was applied. We used purposive sampling and data saturation was obtained by 30 participants. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA software. Results Challenges experienced by nurses in the implementation of this reform include; unsuitable infrastructure, unfavorable vision, a complicated challenge, the necessity of monitoring, control plan outcomes, the impact on nurses, people’s misconceptions and solutions. Conclusions The Healthcare Reform Plan in Iran is a solution to establish equality in the health system, however, to eliminate these challenges, revision and appropriate foundation of infrastructures is called for. PMID:28607646

Evaluation of effectiveness of information systems implementation in organization (by example of ERP-systems)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demyanova, O. V.; Andreeva, E. V.; Sibgatullina, D. R.; Kireeva-Karimova, A. M.; Gafurova, A. Y.; Zakirova, Ch S.

2018-05-01

ERP in a modern enterprise information system allowed optimizing internal business processes, reducing production costs and increasing the attractiveness of enterprises for investors. It is an important component of success in the competition and an important condition for attracting investments in the key sector of the state. A vivid example of these systems are enterprise information systems using the methodology of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning - enterprise resource planning). ERP is an integrated set of methods, processes, technologies and tools. It is based on: supply chain management; advanced planning and scheduling; sales automation; tool responsible for configuring; final resource planning; intelligence business; OLAP technology; block e- Commerce; management of product data. The main purpose of ERP systems is the automation of interrelated processes of planning, accounting and management in key areas of the company. ERP systems are automated systems that effectively address complex problems, including optimal allocation of business resources, ensuring quick and efficient delivery of goods and services to the consumer. Knowledge embedded in ERP systems provided enterprise-wide automation to introduce the activities of all functional departments of the company as a single complex system. At the level of quality estimates, most managers understand that the implementations of ERP systems is a necessary and useful procedure. Assessment of the effectiveness of the information systems implementation is relevant.

Utilizing grassroots workers in family planning programs in India: prospects and problems.

PubMed

Mani, S B

1991-01-01

In order to rapidly expand the network of delivery systems and speed up the process of acceptance of family planning messages and methods, a shift took place in the Indian family planning program from the bureaucratic "clinical" approach to the people oriented "extension" approach. As a result, there is an increasing emphasis on moving the family planning efforts closer to the grassroots level. A key methodological issue centers on the proper selection, cultural acceptability, and the effectiveness of the grassroots workers who are to be trained and through whom family planning motivational messages and methods are to be introduced. The Indian government, from time to time, has trained and utilized different groups of grassroots workers in its family planning promotional efforts. Anthropological field studies were conducted in two different regions in India to examine the potential and actual roles of two groups of grassroots workers--opinion leaders and traditional birth attendants--in the delivery of family planning services in the rural areas. These studies revealed that while the traditional birth attendants can be trained and utilized to a limited extent in promoting family planning efforts, especially to the eligible female clients, the role of the opinion leaders in such efforts is at best questionable. Based on these field studies, cultural and technical (including bureaucratic) problems in training and utilizing opinion leaders and traditional birth attendants are explored in detail. Modifications in the training program strategies are suggested to improve and expand the family planning delivery system in rural India.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makarov, Yuri V.; Du, Pengwei; Etingov, Pavel V.

The document titled “WECC Variable Generation Planning Reference Book”. This book is divided into two volumes; one is the main document (volume 1)and the other is appendices (volume 2). The main document is a collection of the best practices and the information regarding the application and impact of variables generation on power system planning. This volume (appendices) has additional information on the following topics: Probabilistic load flow problems. 2. Additional useful indices. 3. high-impact low-frequency (HILF) events. 4. Examples of wide-area nomograms. 5. Transmission line ratings, types of dynamic rating methods. 6. Relative costs per MW-km of different electric powermore » transmission technologies. 7. Ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission. 8.High voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC). 9. HVDC. 10. Rewiring of existing transmission lines. 11. High-temperature low sag (HTLS) conductors. 12. The direct method and energy functions for transient stability analysis in power systems. 13.Blackouts caused by voltage instability. 14. Algorithm for parameter continuation predictor-corrector methods. 15. Approximation techniques available for security regions. 16. Impacts of wind power on power system small signals stability. 17. FIDVR. 18. FACTS. 19. European planning standard and practices. 20. International experience in wind and solar energy sources. 21. Western Renewable Energy Zones (WREZ). 22. various energy storage technologies. 23. demand response. 24. BA consolidation and cooperation options. 25. generator power management requirements and 26. European planning guidelines.« less

Autonomous Robot Navigation in Human-Centered Environments Based on 3D Data Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinhaus, Peter; Strand, Marcus; Dillmann, Rüdiger

2007-12-01

Efficient navigation of mobile platforms in dynamic human-centered environments is still an open research topic. We have already proposed an architecture (MEPHISTO) for a navigation system that is able to fulfill the main requirements of efficient navigation: fast and reliable sensor processing, extensive global world modeling, and distributed path planning. Our architecture uses a distributed system of sensor processing, world modeling, and path planning units. In this arcticle, we present implemented methods in the context of data fusion algorithms for 3D world modeling and real-time path planning. We also show results of the prototypic application of the system at the museum ZKM (center for art and media) in Karlsruhe.

The General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) System Test Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conway, Darrel J.; Hughes, Steven P.

2007-01-01

This document serves as the System Test Approach for the GMAT Project. Preparation for system testing consists of three major stages: 1) The Test Approach sets the scope of system testing, the overall strategy to be adopted, the activities to be completed, the general resources required and the methods and processes to be used to test the release. It also details the activities, dependencies and effort required to conduct the System Test. 2) Test Planning details the activities, dependencies and effort required to conduct the System Test. 3) Test Cases documents the tests to be applied, the data to be processed, the automated testing coverage and the expected results. This document covers the first two of these items, and established the framework used for the GMAT test case development. The test cases themselves exist as separate components, and are managed outside of and concurrently with this System Test Plan.

Ground data systems resource allocation process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berner, Carol A.; Durham, Ralph; Reilly, Norman B.

1989-01-01

The Ground Data Systems Resource Allocation Process at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides medium- and long-range planning for the use of Deep Space Network and Mission Control and Computing Center resources in support of NASA's deep space missions and Earth-based science. Resources consist of radio antenna complexes and associated data processing and control computer networks. A semi-automated system was developed that allows operations personnel to interactively generate, edit, and revise allocation plans spanning periods of up to ten years (as opposed to only two or three weeks under the manual system) based on the relative merit of mission events. It also enhances scientific data return. A software system known as the Resource Allocation and Planning Helper (RALPH) merges the conventional methods of operations research, rule-based knowledge engineering, and advanced data base structures. RALPH employs a generic, highly modular architecture capable of solving a wide variety of scheduling and resource sequencing problems. The rule-based RALPH system has saved significant labor in resource allocation. Its successful use affirms the importance of establishing and applying event priorities based on scientific merit, and the benefit of continuity in planning provided by knowledge-based engineering. The RALPH system exhibits a strong potential for minimizing development cycles of resource and payload planning systems throughout NASA and the private sector.

Evaluation of Dosimetry Check software for IMRT patient-specific quality assurance.

PubMed

Narayanasamy, Ganesh; Zalman, Travis; Ha, Chul S; Papanikolaou, Niko; Stathakis, Sotirios

2015-05-08

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of the Dosimetry Check system for patient-specific IMRT QA. Typical QA methods measure the dose in an array dosimeter surrounded by homogenous medium for which the treatment plan has been recomputed. With the Dosimetry Check system, fluence measurements acquired on a portal dosimeter is applied to the patient's CT scans. Instead of making dose comparisons in a plane, Dosimetry Check system produces isodose lines and dose-volume histograms based on the planning CT images. By exporting the dose distribution from the treatment planning system into the Dosimetry Check system, one is able to make a direct comparison between the calculated dose and the planned dose. The versatility of the software is evaluated with respect to the two IMRT techniques - step and shoot and volumetric arc therapy. The system analyzed measurements made using EPID, PTW seven29, and IBA MatriXX, and an intercomparison study was performed. Plans from patients previously treated at our institution with treated anatomical site on brain, head & neck, liver, lung, and prostate were analyzed using Dosimetry Check system for any anatomical site dependence. We have recommendations and possible precautions that may be necessary to ensure proper QA with the Dosimetry Check system.

48 CFR 5.101 - Methods of disseminating information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Methods of disseminating... ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Dissemination of Information 5.101 Methods of disseminating... posted instead of a notice, the contracting officer may employ various methods of satisfying the...

Insights into the government's role in food system policy making: improving access to healthy, local food alongside other priorities.

PubMed

Wegener, Jessica; Raine, Kim D; Hanning, Rhona M

2012-11-12

Government actors have an important role to play in creating healthy public policies and supportive environments to facilitate access to safe, affordable, nutritious food. The purpose of this research was to examine Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada) as a case study for "what works" with respect to facilitating access to healthy, local food through regional food system policy making. Policy and planning approaches were explored through multi-sectoral perspectives of: (a) the development and adoption of food policies as part of the comprehensive planning process; (b) barriers to food system planning; and (c) the role and motivation of the Region's public health and planning departments in food system policy making. Forty-seven in-depth interviews with decision makers, experts in public health and planning, and local food system stakeholders provided rich insight into strategic government actions, as well as the local and historical context within which food system policies were developed. Grounded theory methods were used to identify key overarching themes including: "strategic positioning", "partnerships" and "knowledge transfer" and related sub-themes ("aligned agendas", "issue framing", "visioning" and "legitimacy"). A conceptual framework to illustrate the process and features of food system policy making is presented and can be used as a starting point to  engage multi-sectoral stakeholders in plans and actions to facilitate access to healthy food.

Incorporating operational flexibility into electric generation planning Impacts and methods for system design and policy analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmintier, Bryan S.

This dissertation demonstrates how flexibility in hourly electricity operations can impact long-term planning and analysis for future power systems, particularly those with substantial variable renewables (e.g., wind) or strict carbon policies. Operational flexibility describes a power system's ability to respond to predictable and unexpected changes in generation or demand. Planning and policy models have traditionally not directly captured the technical operating constraints that determine operational flexibility. However, as demonstrated in this dissertation, this capability becomes increasingly important with the greater flexibility required by significant renewables (>= 20%) and the decreased flexibility inherent in some low-carbon generation technologies. Incorporating flexibility can significantly change optimal generation and energy mixes, lower system costs, improve policy impact estimates, and enable system designs capable of meeting strict regulatory targets. Methodologically, this work presents a new clustered formulation that tractably combines a range of normally distinct power system models, from hourly unit-commitment operations to long-term generation planning. This formulation groups similar generators into clusters to reduce problem size, while still retaining the individual unit constraints required to accurately capture operating reserves and other flexibility drivers. In comparisons against traditional unit commitment formulations, errors were generally less than 1% while run times decreased by several orders of magnitude (e.g., 5000x). Extensive numerical simulations, using a realistic Texas-based power system show that ignoring flexibility can underestimate carbon emissions by 50% or result in significant load and wind shedding to meet environmental regulations. Contributions of this dissertation include: 1. Demonstrating that operational flexibility can have an important impact on power system planning, and describing when and how these impacts occur; 2. Demonstrating that a failure to account for operational flexibility can result in undesirable outcomes for both utility planners and policy analysts; and 3. Extending the state of the art for electric power system models by introducing a tractable method for incorporating unit commitment based operational flexibility at full 876o hourly resolution directly into planning optimization. Together these results encourage and offer a new flexibility-aware approach for capacity planning and accompanying policy design that can enable cleaner, less expensive electric power systems for the future. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - docs mit.edu)

Study of impacts of different evaluation criteria on gamma pass rates in VMAT QA using MatriXX and EPID

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noufal, Manthala Padannayil; Abdullah, Kallikuzhiyil Kochunny; Niyas, Puzhakkal; Subha, Pallimanhayil Abdul Raheem

2017-12-01

Aim: This study evaluates the impacts of using different evaluation criteria on gamma pass rates in two commercially available QA methods employed for the verification of VMAT plans using different hypothetical planning target volumes (PTVs) and anatomical regions. Introduction: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a widely accepted technique to deliver highly conformal treatment in a very efficient manner. As their level of complexity is high in comparison to intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), the implementation of stringent quality assurance (QA) before treatment delivery is of paramount importance. Material and Methods: Two sets of VMAT plans were generated using Eclipse planning systems, one with five different complex hypothetical three-dimensional PTVs and one including three anatomical regions. The verification of these plans was performed using a MatriXX ionization chamber array embedded inside a MultiCube phantom and a Varian EPID dosimetric system attached to a Clinac iX. The plans were evaluated based on the 3%/3 mm, 2%/2 mm, and 1%/1 mm global gamma criteria and with three low-dose threshold values (0%, 10%, and 20%). Results: The gamma pass rates were above 95% in all VMAT plans, when the 3%/3mm gamma criterion was used and no threshold was applied. In both systems, the pass rates decreased as the criteria become stricter. Higher pass rates were observed when no threshold was applied and they tended to decrease for 10% and 20% thresholds. Conclusion: The results confirm the suitability of the equipments used and the validity of the plans. The study also confirmed that the threshold settings greatly affect the gamma pass rates, especially for lower gamma criteria.

The Logic of Reachability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David E.; Jonsson, Ari K.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In recent years, Graphplan style reachability analysis and mutual exclusion reasoning have been used in many high performance planning systems. While numerous refinements and extensions have been developed, the basic plan graph structure and reasoning mechanisms used in these systems are tied to the very simple STRIPS model of action. In 1999, Smith and Weld generalized the Graphplan methods for reachability and mutex reasoning to allow actions to have differing durations. However, the representation of actions still has some severe limitations that prevent the use of these techniques for many real-world planning systems. In this paper, we 1) separate the logic of reachability from the particular representation and inference methods used in Graphplan, and 2) extend the notions of reachability and mutual exclusion to more general notions of time and action. As it turns out, the general rules for mutual exclusion reasoning take on a remarkably clean and simple form. However, practical instantiations of them turn out to be messy, and require that we make representation and reasoning choices.

GIS-based planning system for managing the flow of construction and demolition waste in Brazil.

PubMed

Paz, Diogo Henrique Fernandes da; Lafayette, Kalinny Patrícia Vaz; Sobral, Maria do Carmo

2018-05-01

The objective of this article was to plan a network for municipal management of construction and demolition waste in Brazil with the assistance of a geographic information system, using the city of Recife as a case study. The methodology was carried out in three stages. The first was to map the illegal construction and demolition of waste disposal points across Recife and classify the waste according to its recyclability. In sequence, a method for indicating suitable areas for installation of voluntary delivery points, for small waste generators, are presented. Finally, a method for indicating suitable areas for the installation of trans-shipment and waste sorting areas, developed for large generators, is presented. The results show that a geographic information system is an essential tool in the planning of municipal construction and demolition waste management, in order to facilitate the spatial analysis and control the generation, sorting, collection, transportation, and final destination of construction and demolition waste, increasing the rate of recovery and recycling of materials.

Evaluation of Integrated Planning Systems in California Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckley, Jerry L.; Piland, William E.

2012-01-01

California community colleges are experiencing unprecedented levels of sanctions from their accrediting agency. A survey of planners in these colleges reveals a wide gap between current practice and perceived importance of integrated planning practices, as well as misalignment in budgeting methods. Statistically significant gaps were identified…

Enriching Planning through Industry Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Mario; Wolverton, Mimi

2009-01-01

Strategic planning is an important tool, but the sole dependence on it across departments and campuses has resulted in the underutilization of equally important methods of analysis. The evolution of higher and postsecondary education necessitates a systemic industry analysis, as the combination of new providers and delivery mechanisms and changing…

Organizing for low cost space operations - Status and plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, C.

1976-01-01

Design features of the Space Transportation System (vehicle reuse, low cost expendable components, simple payload interfaces, standard support systems) must be matched by economical operational methods to achieve low operating and payload costs. Users will be responsible for their own payloads and will be charged according to the services they require. Efficient use of manpower, simple documentation, simplified test, checkout, and flight planning are firm goals, together with flexibility for quick response to varying user needs. Status of the Shuttle hardware, plans for establishing low cost procedures, and the policy for user charges are discussed.

Getting past first base: Going all the way with Cognitive Work Analysis.

PubMed

McIlroy, Rich C; Stanton, Neville A

2011-01-01

This paper reports the application of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) to the problem of communications planning in military aviation. Applications of CWA rarely get beyond the first one or two phases; this paper presents an analysis in which all five phases have been completed. The method offers a formative description of the system, defining the set of boundaries and constraints that shape system activity in terms of work domain, recurring activities, decision making, social organisation and worker competency requirements. It is an analysis that is well suited to environments in which the occurrence of unanticipated events can have serious implications for both safety and productivity. Communications planning in military aviation is such an environment. The outputs of the analysis provided an extensive and exhaustive description of the system, highlighting the uneven spread of activity, across actors involved in communications planning and across the situations in which planning can occur. In addition, a new method for informing worker competency requirements based on abstract functions rather than specific decision steps is proposed and discussed in terms of job design, interface design, and person specification. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

A text-based data mining and toxicity prediction modeling system for a clinical decision support in radiation oncology: A preliminary study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kwang Hyeon; Lee, Suk; Shim, Jang Bo; Chang, Kyung Hwan; Yang, Dae Sik; Yoon, Won Sup; Park, Young Je; Kim, Chul Yong; Cao, Yuan Jie

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is an integrated research for text-based data mining and toxicity prediction modeling system for clinical decision support system based on big data in radiation oncology as a preliminary research. The structured and unstructured data were prepared by treatment plans and the unstructured data were extracted by dose-volume data image pattern recognition of prostate cancer for research articles crawling through the internet. We modeled an artificial neural network to build a predictor model system for toxicity prediction of organs at risk. We used a text-based data mining approach to build the artificial neural network model for bladder and rectum complication predictions. The pattern recognition method was used to mine the unstructured toxicity data for dose-volume at the detection accuracy of 97.9%. The confusion matrix and training model of the neural network were achieved with 50 modeled plans (n = 50) for validation. The toxicity level was analyzed and the risk factors for 25% bladder, 50% bladder, 20% rectum, and 50% rectum were calculated by the artificial neural network algorithm. As a result, 32 plans could cause complication but 18 plans were designed as non-complication among 50 modeled plans. We integrated data mining and a toxicity modeling method for toxicity prediction using prostate cancer cases. It is shown that a preprocessing analysis using text-based data mining and prediction modeling can be expanded to personalized patient treatment decision support based on big data.

A Comprehensive Revision of the Logistics Planning Exercise (Log-Plan-X).

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

teaching objectives. The difference between conventional teaching methods and simulation rests in the fact that most conventional techniques focus on...Communication and Humanitie. AFIT/LSH, WPAFB OH 45433220 V&. MONITORING AGENCY NAME9 & ADORES(II different fron Ca.U.Ufind Office) is. SECURITY UNCLASSIFIED I...error systems in real life can be very costly. Simulations can be an efficient and effective alternative to such trial and error methods by allowing

Use of convolution/superposition-based treatment planning system for dose calculations in the kilovoltage energy range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alaei, Parham

2000-11-01

A number of procedures in diagnostic radiology and cardiology make use of long exposures to x rays from fluoroscopy units. Adverse effects of these long exposure times on the patients' skin have been documented in recent years. These include epilation, erythema, and, in severe cases, moist desquamation and tissue necrosis. Potential biological effects from these exposures to other organs include radiation-induced cataracts and pneumonitis. Although there have been numerous studies to measure or calculate the dose to skin from these procedures, there have only been a handful of studies to determine the dose to other organs. Therefore, there is a need for accurate methods to measure the dose in tissues and organs other than the skin. This research was concentrated in devising a method to determine accurately the radiation dose to these tissues and organs. The work was performed in several stages: First, a three dimensional (3D) treatment planning system used in radiation oncology was modified and complemented to make it usable with the low energies of x rays used in diagnostic radiology. Using the system for low energies required generation of energy deposition kernels using Monte Carlo methods. These kernels were generated using the EGS4 Monte Carlo system of codes and added to the treatment planning system. Following modification, the treatment planning system was evaluated for its accuracy of calculations in low energies within homogeneous and heterogeneous media. A study of the effects of lungs and bones on the dose distribution was also performed. The next step was the calculation of dose distributions in humanoid phantoms using this modified system. The system was used to calculate organ doses in these phantoms and the results were compared to those obtained from other methods. These dose distributions can subsequently be used to create dose-volume histograms (DVHs) for internal organs irradiated by these beams. Using this data and the concept of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) developed for radiation oncology, the risk of future complications in a particular organ can be estimated.

Balancing Plan-Driven and Agile Methods in Software Engineering Project Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehm, Barry; Port, Dan; Winsor Brown, A.

2002-09-01

For the past 6 years, we have been teaching a two-semester software engineering project course. The students organize into 5-person teams and develop largely web-based electronic services projects for real USC campus clients. We have been using and evolving a method called Model- Based (System) Architecting and Software Engineering (MBASE) for use in both the course and in industrial applications. The MBASE Guidelines include a lot of documents. We teach risk-driven documentation: if it is risky to document something, and not risky to leave it out (e.g., GUI screen placements), leave it out. Even so, students tend to associate more documentation with higher grades, although our grading eventually discourages this. We are always on the lookout for ways to have students learn best practices without having to produce excessive documentation. Thus, we were very interested in analyzing the various emerging agile methods. We found that agile methods and milestone plan-driven methods are part of a “how much planning is enough?” spectrum. Both agile and plan-driven methods have home grounds of project characteristics where they clearly work best, and where the other will have difficulties. Hybrid agile/plan-driven approaches are feasible, and necessary for projects having a mix of agile and plan-driven home ground characteristics. Information technology trends are going more toward the agile methods' home ground characteristics of emergent requirements and rapid change, although there is a concurrent increase in concern with dependability. As a result, we are currently experimenting with risk-driven combinations of MBASE and agile methods, such as integrating requirements, test plans, peer reviews, and pair programming into “agile quality management.”

Foresight for commanders: a methodology to assist planning for effects-based operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Paul K.; Kahan, James P.

2006-05-01

Looking at the battlespace as a system of systems is a cornerstone of Effects-Based Operations and a key element in the planning of such operations, and in developing the Commander's Predictive Environment. Instead of a physical battleground to be approached with weapons of force, the battlespace is an interrelated super-system of political, military, economic, social, information and infrastructure systems to be approached with diplomatic, informational, military and economic actions. A concept that has proved useful in policy arenas other than defense, such as research and development for information technology, addressing cybercrime, and providing appropriate and cost-effective health care, is foresight. In this paper, we provide an overview of how the foresight approach addresses the inherent uncertainties in planning courses of action, present a set of steps in the conduct of foresight, and then illustrate the application of foresight to a commander's decision problem. We conclude that foresight approach that we describe is consistent with current doctrinal intelligence preparation of the battlespace and operational planning, but represents an advance in that it explicitly addresses the uncertainties in the environment and planning in a way that identifies strategies that are robust over different possible ground truths. It should supplement other planning methods.

Improved approach for electric vehicle rapid charging station placement and sizing using Google maps and binary lightning search algorithm

PubMed Central

Shareef, Hussain; Mohamed, Azah

2017-01-01

The electric vehicle (EV) is considered a premium solution to global warming and various types of pollution. Nonetheless, a key concern is the recharging of EV batteries. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach that considers the costs of transportation loss, buildup, and substation energy loss and that incorporates harmonic power loss into optimal rapid charging station (RCS) planning. A novel optimization technique, called binary lightning search algorithm (BLSA), is proposed to solve the optimization problem. BLSA is also applied to a conventional RCS planning method. A comprehensive analysis is conducted to assess the performance of the two RCS planning methods by using the IEEE 34-bus test system as the power grid. The comparative studies show that the proposed BLSA is better than other optimization techniques. The daily total cost in RCS planning of the proposed method, including harmonic power loss, decreases by 10% compared with that of the conventional method. PMID:29220396

Improved approach for electric vehicle rapid charging station placement and sizing using Google maps and binary lightning search algorithm.

PubMed

Islam, Md Mainul; Shareef, Hussain; Mohamed, Azah

2017-01-01

The electric vehicle (EV) is considered a premium solution to global warming and various types of pollution. Nonetheless, a key concern is the recharging of EV batteries. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach that considers the costs of transportation loss, buildup, and substation energy loss and that incorporates harmonic power loss into optimal rapid charging station (RCS) planning. A novel optimization technique, called binary lightning search algorithm (BLSA), is proposed to solve the optimization problem. BLSA is also applied to a conventional RCS planning method. A comprehensive analysis is conducted to assess the performance of the two RCS planning methods by using the IEEE 34-bus test system as the power grid. The comparative studies show that the proposed BLSA is better than other optimization techniques. The daily total cost in RCS planning of the proposed method, including harmonic power loss, decreases by 10% compared with that of the conventional method.

Discussion on teaching reform of environmental planning and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiugen; Chen, Suhua; Xie, Yu; Wei, Li'an; Ding, Yuan

2018-05-01

The curriculum of environmental planning and management is an environmental engineering major curriculum established by the teaching steering committee of environmental science and engineering of Education Ministry, which is the core curriculum of Chinese engineering education professional certification. It plays an important role in cultivating environmental planning and environmental management ability of environmental engineering major. The selection and optimization of the course teaching content of environmental planning and management were discussed which including curriculum teaching content updating and optimizing and teaching resource system construction. The comprehensive application of teaching method was discussed which including teaching method synthesis and teaching method. The final combination of the assessment method was also discussed which including the formative assessment normal grades and the final result of the course examination. Through the curriculum comprehensive teaching reform, students' knowledge had been broadened, the subject status and autonomy of learning had been enhanced, students' learning interest had been motivated, the ability of students' finding, analyzing and solving problems had been improved. Students' innovative ability and positive spirit had been well cultivated.

System-Level Planning, Coordination, and Communication

PubMed Central

Kanter, Robert K.; Dries, David; Luyckx, Valerie; Lim, Matthew L.; Wilgis, John; Anderson, Michael R.; Sarani, Babak; Hupert, Nathaniel; Mutter, Ryan; Devereaux, Asha V.; Christian, Michael D.; Kissoon, Niranjan; Christian, Michael D.; Devereaux, Asha V.; Dichter, Jeffrey R.; Kissoon, Niranjan; Rubinson, Lewis; Amundson, Dennis; Anderson, Michael R.; Balk, Robert; Barfield, Wanda D.; Bartz, Martha; Benditt, Josh; Beninati, William; Berkowitz, Kenneth A.; Daugherty Biddison, Lee; Braner, Dana; Branson, Richard D; Burkle, Frederick M.; Cairns, Bruce A.; Carr, Brendan G.; Courtney, Brooke; DeDecker, Lisa D.; De Jong, Marla J.; Dominguez-Cherit, Guillermo; Dries, David; Einav, Sharon; Erstad, Brian L.; Etienne, Mill; Fagbuyi, Daniel B.; Fang, Ray; Feldman, Henry; Garzon, Hernando; Geiling, James; Gomersall, Charles D.; Grissom, Colin K.; Hanfling, Dan; Hick, John L.; Hodge, James G.; Hupert, Nathaniel; Ingbar, David; Kanter, Robert K.; King, Mary A.; Kuhnley, Robert N.; Lawler, James; Leung, Sharon; Levy, Deborah A.; Lim, Matthew L.; Livinski, Alicia; Luyckx, Valerie; Marcozzi, David; Medina, Justine; Miramontes, David A.; Mutter, Ryan; Niven, Alexander S.; Penn, Matthew S.; Pepe, Paul E.; Powell, Tia; Prezant, David; Reed, Mary Jane; Rich, Preston; Rodriquez, Dario; Roxland, Beth E.; Sarani, Babak; Shah, Umair A.; Skippen, Peter; Sprung, Charles L.; Subbarao, Italo; Talmor, Daniel; Toner, Eric S.; Tosh, Pritish K.; Upperman, Jeffrey S.; Uyeki, Timothy M.; Weireter, Leonard J.; West, T. Eoin; Wilgis, John; Ornelas, Joe; McBride, Deborah; Reid, David; Baez, Amado; Baldisseri, Marie; Blumenstock, James S.; Cooper, Art; Ellender, Tim; Helminiak, Clare; Jimenez, Edgar; Krug, Steve; Lamana, Joe; Masur, Henry; Mathivha, L. Rudo; Osterholm, Michael T.; Reynolds, H. Neal; Sandrock, Christian; Sprecher, Armand; Tillyard, Andrew; White, Douglas; Wise, Robert; Yeskey, Kevin

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: System-level planning involves uniting hospitals and health systems, local/regional government agencies, emergency medical services, and other health-care entities involved in coordinating and enabling care in a major disaster. We reviewed the literature and sought expert opinions concerning system-level planning and engagement for mass critical care due to disasters or pandemics and offer suggestions for system-planning, coordination, communication, and response. The suggestions in this chapter are important for all of those involved in a pandemic or disaster with multiple critically ill or injured patients, including front-line clinicians, hospital administrators, and public health or government officials. METHODS: The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) consensus statement development process was followed in developing suggestions. Task Force members met in person to develop nine key questions believed to be most relevant for system-planning, coordination, and communication. A systematic literature review was then performed for relevant articles and documents, reports, and other publications reported since 1993. No studies of sufficient quality were identified upon which to make evidence-based recommendations. Therefore, the panel developed expert opinion-based suggestions using a modified Delphi process. RESULTS: Suggestions were developed and grouped according to the following thematic elements: (1) national government support of health-care coalitions/regional health authorities (HC/RHAs), (2) teamwork within HC/RHAs, (3) system-level communication, (4) system-level surge capacity and capability, (5) pediatric patients and special populations, (6) HC/RHAs and networks, (7) models of advanced regional care systems, and (8) the use of simulation for preparedness and planning. CONCLUSIONS: System-level planning is essential to provide care for large numbers of critically ill patients because of disaster or pandemic. It also entails a departure from the routine, independent system and involves all levels from health-care institutions to regional health authorities. National government support is critical, as are robust communication systems and advanced planning supported by realistic exercises. PMID:25144713

The exchange of radiotherapy data as part of an electronic patient-referral system.

PubMed

Lomax, A; Grossmann, M; Cozzi, L; Tercier, P A; Boehringer, T; Schneider, U; Logean, M; Volken, W; Ratib, O; Miralbell, R

2000-07-15

To describe the implementation and use of an electronic patient-referral system as an aid to the efficient referral of patients to a remote and specialized treatment center. A system for the exchange of radiotherapy data between different commercial planning systems and a specially developed planning system for proton therapy has been developed through the use of the PAPYRUS diagnostic image standard as an intermediate format. To ensure the cooperation of the different TPS manufacturers, the number of data sets defined for transfer has been restricted to the three core data sets of CT, VOIs, and three-dimensional dose distributions. As a complement to the exchange of data, network-wide application-sharing (video-conferencing) technologies have been adopted to provide methods for the interactive discussion and assessment of treatments plans with one or more partner clinics. Through the use of evaluation plans based on the exchanged data, referring clinics can accurately assess the advantages offered by proton therapy on a patient-by-patient basis, while the practicality or otherwise of the proposed treatments can simultaneously be assessed by the proton therapy center. Such a system, along with the interactive capabilities provided by video-conferencing methods, has been found to be an efficient solution to the problem of patient assessment and selection at a specialized treatment center, and is a necessary first step toward the full electronic integration of such centers with their remotely situated referral centers.

Development of a graphical method for choosing the optimal mode of traffic light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novikov, A. N.; Katunin, A. A.; Novikov, I. A.; Kravchenko, A. A.; Shevtsova, A. G.

2018-05-01

Changing the transportation infrastructure for improving the main characteristics of the transportation flow is the key problem in transportation planning, therefore the main question lies in the ability to plan the change of the main indicators for the long term. In this investigation, an analysis of the city’s population has been performed and the most difficult transportation segment has been identified. During its identification, the main characteristics of the transportation flow have been established. For the evaluation of these characteristics until 2025, an analysis of the available methods of establishing changes in their values has been conducted. During the analysis of the above mentioned methods of evaluation of the change in intensity, based on the method of extrapolation, three scenarios of the development of the transportation system have been identified. It has been established that the most favorable method of controlling the transportation flow in the entrance to the city is the long term control of the traffic system. For the first time, with the help of the authors, based on the investigations of foreign scientists and the mathematical analysis of the changes in intensiveness on the main routes of the given road, the method of graphically choosing the required control plan has been put forward. The effectiveness of said organization scheme of the transportation system has been rated in the Transyt-14 program, with the analysis of changes in the main characteristics of the transportation flow.

The model and the planning method of volume and variety assessment of innovative products in an industrial enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anisimov, V. G.; Anisimov, E. G.; Saurenko, T. N.; Sonkin, M. A.

2017-01-01

In the long term, the innovative development strategy efficiency is considered as the most crucial condition for assurance of economic system competitiveness in market conditions. It determines the problem relevance of such justification strategies with regard to specific systems features and conditions of their operation. The problem solution for industrial enterprises can be based on mathematical models of supporting the decision-making on the elements of the innovative manufacturing program. An optimization model and the planning method of innovative products volume and variety are suggested. The feature of the suggested model lies in the nonlinear nature of the objective function. It allows taking into consideration the law of diminishing marginal utility. The suggested method of optimization takes into account the system features and enables the effective implementation of manufacturing capabilities in modern conditions of production organization and sales in terms of market saturation.

48 CFR 5.101 - Methods of disseminating information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Methods of disseminating... ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Dissemination of Information 5.101 Methods of disseminating... various methods of satisfying the requirements of 5.207(c). For example, the contracting officer may meet...

Planning of distributed generation in distribution network based on improved particle swarm optimization algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jinze; Qu, Zhi; He, Xiaoyang; Jin, Xiaoming; Li, Tie; Wang, Mingkai; Han, Qiu; Gao, Ziji; Jiang, Feng

2018-02-01

Large-scale access of distributed power can improve the current environmental pressure, at the same time, increasing the complexity and uncertainty of overall distribution system. Rational planning of distributed power can effectively improve the system voltage level. To this point, the specific impact on distribution network power quality caused by the access of typical distributed power was analyzed and from the point of improving the learning factor and the inertia weight, an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm (IPSO) was proposed which could solve distributed generation planning for distribution network to improve the local and global search performance of the algorithm. Results show that the proposed method can well reduce the system network loss and improve the economic performance of system operation with distributed generation.

Joint ETV/NOWATECH test plan for the Sorbisense GSW40 passive sampler

EPA Science Inventory

The joint test plan is the implementation of a test design developed for verification of the performance of an environmental technology following the NOWATECH ETV method. The verification is a joint verification with the US EPA ETV scheme and the Advanced Monitoring Systems Cent...

MR Imaging Based Treatment Planning for Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

developed practical methods for heterogeneity correction for MRI - based dose calculations (Chen et al 2007). 6) We will use existing Monte Carlo ... Monte Carlo verification of IMRT dose distributions from a commercial treatment planning optimization system, Phys. Med. Biol., 45:2483-95 (2000) Ma...accuracy and consistency for MR based IMRT treatment planning for prostate cancer. A short paper entitled “ Monte Carlo dose verification of MR image based

Manufacturing Methods and Technology Program Plan, CY 1980.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

AD-A092 2Ii3 &RMY INDUSTRIAL BASE ENGINEERING ACTIVITY ROCK ISLAND IL FIG 1346 ..ANIJPACTRItd METH4OS AND TECNOLOGY PROGRAM PLAN. CY 1960. (U) %EP 60... innovative solutions. For example, material handling, process tools and inspection systems must be computerized to achieve the desired operating economics and...to decrease expensive direct labor; however, the new systems must also be capable of economic layaway for periods of ten years or more, a situation

Is health systems integration being advanced through Local Health District planning?

PubMed

Saunders, Carla; Carter, David J

2017-05-01

Objective Delivering genuine integrated health care is one of three strategic directions in the New South Wales (NSW) Government State Health Plan: Towards 2021. This study investigated the current key health service plan of each NSW Local Health District (LHD) to evaluate the extent and nature of health systems integration strategies that are currently planned. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify common key principles and practices for successful health systems integration to enable the development of an appraisal tool to content assess LHD strategic health service plans. Results The strategies that are planned for health systems integration across LHDs focus most often on improvements in coordination, health care access and care delivery for complex at-risk patients across the care continuum by both state- and commonwealth-funded systems, providers and agencies. The most common reasons given for integrated activities were to reduce avoidable hospitalisation, avoid inappropriate emergency department attendance and improve patient care. Conclusions Despite the importance of health systems integration and finding that all NSW LHDs have made some commitment towards integration in their current strategic health plans, this analysis suggests that health systems integration is in relatively early development across NSW. What is known about the topic? Effective approaches to managing complex chronic diseases have been found to involve health systems integration, which necessitates sound communication and connection between healthcare providers across community and hospital settings. Planning based on current health systems integration knowledge to ensure the efficient use of scarce resources is a responsibility of all health systems. What does this paper add? Appropriate planning and implementation of health systems integration is becoming an increasingly important expectation and requirement of effective health systems. The present study is the first of its kind to assess the planned activity in health systems integration in the NSW public health system. NSW health districts play a central role in health systems integration; each health service plan outlines the strategic directions for the development and delivery of all state-funded services across each district for the coming years, equating to hundreds of millions of dollars in health sector funding. The inclusion of effective health systems integration strategies allows Local Health Districts to lay the foundation for quality patient outcomes and long-term financial sustainability despite projected increases in demand for health services. What are the implications for practice? Establishing robust ongoing mechanisms for effective health systems integration is now a necessary part of health planning. The present study identifies several key areas and strategies that are wide in scope and indicative of efforts towards health systems integration, which may support Local Health Districts and other organisations in systematic planning and implementation.

Multileaf collimator characteristics and reliability requirements for IMRT Elekta system.

PubMed

Liu, Chihray; Simon, Thomas A; Fox, Christopher; Li, Jonathan; Palta, Jatinder R

2008-01-01

Understanding the characteristics of a multileaf collimator (MLC) system, modeling MLC in a treatment planning system, and maintaining the mechanical accuracy of the linear accelerator gantry head system are important factors in the safe implementation of an intensity-modulated radiotherapy program. We review the characteristics of an Elekta MLC system, discuss the necessary MLC modeling parameters for a treatment planning system, and provide a novel method to establish an MLC leaf position quality assurance program. To perform quality assurance on 40 pairs of individual MLC leaves is a time-consuming and difficult task. In this report, an effective routine MLC quality assurance method based on the field edge of a backup jaw as referenced in conjunction with a diode array as a radiation detector system is discussed. The sensitivity of this test for determining the relative leaf positions was observed to be better than 0.1 mm. The Elekta MLC leaf position accuracy measured with this system has been better than 0.3 mm.

Defining and Enabling Resiliency of Electric Distribution Systems With Multiple Microgrids

DOE PAGES

Chanda, Sayonsom; Srivastava, Anurag K.

2016-05-02

This paper presents a method for quantifying and enabling the resiliency of a power distribution system (PDS) using analytical hierarchical process and percolation theory. Using this metric, quantitative analysis can be done to analyze the impact of possible control decisions to pro-actively enable the resilient operation of distribution system with multiple microgrids and other resources. Developed resiliency metric can also be used in short term distribution system planning. The benefits of being able to quantify resiliency can help distribution system planning engineers and operators to justify control actions, compare different reconfiguration algorithms, develop proactive control actions to avert power systemmore » outage due to impending catastrophic weather situations or other adverse events. Validation of the proposed method is done using modified CERTS microgrids and a modified industrial distribution system. Furthermore, simulation results show topological and composite metric considering power system characteristics to quantify the resiliency of a distribution system with the proposed methodology, and improvements in resiliency using two-stage reconfiguration algorithm and multiple microgrids.« less

Machine learning algorithms for the creation of clinical healthcare enterprise systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Indrajit

2017-10-01

Clinical recommender systems are increasingly becoming popular for improving modern healthcare systems. Enterprise systems are persuasively used for creating effective nurse care plans to provide nurse training, clinical recommendations and clinical quality control. A novel design of a reliable clinical recommender system based on multiple classifier system (MCS) is implemented. A hybrid machine learning (ML) ensemble based on random subspace method and random forest is presented. The performance accuracy and robustness of proposed enterprise architecture are quantitatively estimated to be above 99% and 97%, respectively (above 95% confidence interval). The study then extends to experimental analysis of the clinical recommender system with respect to the noisy data environment. The ranking of items in nurse care plan is demonstrated using machine learning algorithms (MLAs) to overcome the drawback of the traditional association rule method. The promising experimental results are compared against the sate-of-the-art approaches to highlight the advancement in recommendation technology. The proposed recommender system is experimentally validated using five benchmark clinical data to reinforce the research findings.

Dosimetric verification of IMRT treatment planning using Monte Carlo simulations for prostate cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Li, J.; Chen, L.; Price, R.; McNeeley, S.; Qin, L.; Wang, L.; Xiong, W.; Ma, C.-M.

2005-03-01

The purpose of this work is to investigate the accuracy of dose calculation of a commercial treatment planning system (Corvus, Normos Corp., Sewickley, PA). In this study, 30 prostate intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment plans from the commercial treatment planning system were recalculated using the Monte Carlo method. Dose-volume histograms and isodose distributions were compared. Other quantities such as minimum dose to the target (Dmin), the dose received by 98% of the target volume (D98), dose at the isocentre (Diso), mean target dose (Dmean) and the maximum critical structure dose (Dmax) were also evaluated based on our clinical criteria. For coplanar plans, the dose differences between Monte Carlo and the commercial treatment planning system with and without heterogeneity correction were not significant. The differences in the isocentre dose between the commercial treatment planning system and Monte Carlo simulations were less than 3% for all coplanar cases. The differences on D98 were less than 2% on average. The differences in the mean dose to the target between the commercial system and Monte Carlo results were within 3%. The differences in the maximum bladder dose were within 3% for most cases. The maximum dose differences for the rectum were less than 4% for all the cases. For non-coplanar plans, the difference in the minimum target dose between the treatment planning system and Monte Carlo calculations was up to 9% if the heterogeneity correction was not applied in Corvus. This was caused by the excessive attenuation of the non-coplanar beams by the femurs. When the heterogeneity correction was applied in Corvus, the differences were reduced significantly. These results suggest that heterogeneity correction should be used in dose calculation for prostate cancer with non-coplanar beam arrangements.

Online survey software as a data collection tool for medical education: A case study on lesson plan assessment

PubMed Central

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background: There are no general strategies or tools to evaluate daily lesson plans; however, assessments conducted using traditional methods usually include course plans. This study aimed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of online survey software in collecting data on education in medical fields and the application of such softwares to evaluate students' views and modification of lesson plans. Methods: After investigating the available online survey software, esurveypro was selected for assessing daily lesson plans. After using the software for one semester, a questionnaire was prepared to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this method and students’ views in a cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of the students (51.7%) rated the evaluation of classes per session (lesson plans) using the online survey as useful or very useful. About 51% (n=36) of the students considered this method effective in improving the management of each session, 67.1% (n=47) considered it effective in improving the management of sessions for the next semester, and 51.4% (n=36) said it had a high impact on improving the educational content of subsequent sessions. Finally, 61.4% (n=43) students expressed high and very high levels of satisfaction with using an online survey at each session. Conclusion: The use of online surveys may be appropriate to improve lesson plans and educational planning at different levels. This method can be used for other evaluations and for assessing people’s opinions at different levels of an educational system. PMID:28491839

Efficiency improvement of technological preparation of power equipment manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milukov, I. A.; Rogalev, A. N.; Sokolov, V. P.; Shevchenko, I. V.

2017-11-01

Competitiveness of power equipment primarily depends on speeding-up the development and mastering of new equipment samples and technologies, enhancement of organisation and management of design, manufacturing and operation. Actual political, technological and economic conditions cause the acute need in changing the strategy and tactics of process planning. At that the issues of maintenance of equipment with simultaneous improvement of its efficiency and compatibility to domestically produced components are considering. In order to solve these problems, using the systems of computer-aided process planning for process design at all stages of power equipment life cycle is economically viable. Computer-aided process planning is developed for the purpose of improvement of process planning by using mathematical methods and optimisation of design and management processes on the basis of CALS technologies, which allows for simultaneous process design, process planning organisation and management based on mathematical and physical modelling of interrelated design objects and production system. An integration of computer-aided systems providing the interaction of informative and material processes at all stages of product life cycle is proposed as effective solution to the challenges in new equipment design and process planning.

The evaluation of a 2D diode array in "magic phantom" for use in high dose rate brachytherapy pretreatment quality assurance.

PubMed

Espinoza, A; Petasecca, M; Fuduli, I; Howie, A; Bucci, J; Corde, S; Jackson, M; Lerch, M L F; Rosenfeld, A B

2015-02-01

High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a treatment method that is used increasingly worldwide. The development of a sound quality assurance program for the verification of treatment deliveries can be challenging due to the high source activity utilized and the need for precise measurements of dwell positions and times. This paper describes the application of a novel phantom, based on a 2D 11 × 11 diode array detection system, named "magic phantom" (MPh), to accurately measure plan dwell positions and times, compare them directly to the treatment plan, determine errors in treatment delivery, and calculate absorbed dose. The magic phantom system was CT scanned and a 20 catheter plan was generated to simulate a nonspecific treatment scenario. This plan was delivered to the MPh and, using a custom developed software suite, the dwell positions and times were measured and compared to the plan. The original plan was also modified, with changes not disclosed to the primary authors, and measured again using the device and software to determine the modifications. A new metric, the "position-time gamma index," was developed to quantify the quality of a treatment delivery when compared to the treatment plan. The MPh was evaluated to determine the minimum measurable dwell time and step size. The incorporation of the TG-43U1 formalism directly into the software allows for dose calculations to be made based on the measured plan. The estimated dose distributions calculated by the software were compared to the treatment plan and to calibrated EBT3 film, using the 2D gamma analysis method. For the original plan, the magic phantom system was capable of measuring all dwell points and dwell times and the majority were found to be within 0.93 mm and 0.25 s, respectively, from the plan. By measuring the altered plan and comparing it to the unmodified treatment plan, the use of the position-time gamma index showed that all modifications made could be readily detected. The MPh was able to measure dwell times down to 0.067 ± 0.001 s and planned dwell positions separated by 1 mm. The dose calculation carried out by the MPh software was found to be in agreement with values calculated by the treatment planning system within 0.75%. Using the 2D gamma index, the dose map of the MPh plane and measured EBT3 were found to have a pass rate of over 95% when compared to the original plan. The application of this magic phantom quality assurance system to HDR brachytherapy has demonstrated promising ability to perform the verification of treatment plans, based upon the measured dwell positions and times. The introduction of the quantitative position-time gamma index allows for direct comparison of measured parameters against the plan and could be used prior to patient treatment to ensure accurate delivery. © 2015 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

A fixed-jaw method to protect critical organs during intensity-modulated radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Jiayun; Chen, Xinyuan; Huang, Manni, E-mail: dai_jianrong@163.com

2014-01-01

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plays an important role in cancer radiotherapy. For some patients being treated with IMRT, the extremely low tolerances of critical organs (such as lens, ovaries, and testicles) cannot be met during treatment planning. The aim of this article is to introduce a new planning method to overcome that problem. In current planning practice, jaw positions are automatically set to cover all target volumes by the planning system (e.g., Pinnacle{sup 3} system). Because of such settings, critical organs may be fully blocked by the multileaf collimator (MLC), but they still sit in the field that is shaped bymore » collimator jaws. These critical organs receive doses from the transmission and leakage of MLC leaves. We manually fixed jaw positions to block them to further reduce such doses. This method has been used for different treatment sites in our clinic, and it was thoroughly evaluated in patients with radical hysterectomy plus ovarian transposition after surgery. For each patient, 2 treatment plans were designed with the same optimization parameters: the original plan with automatically chosen jaw positions (called O-plan) and the plan with fixed-jaw positions (named F-plan). In the F-plan, the jaws were manually fixed to block the ovaries. For target coverage, the mean conformity index (CI) of the F-plan (1.28 ± 0.02) was remarkably lower than that of the O-plan (1.53 ± 0.09) (p < 0.05). The F-plan and the O-plan performed similarly in target dose homogeneity. Meanwhile, for the critical organ sparing, the mean dose of both ovaries were much lower in the F-plan than that in the O-plan (p < 0.05). The V{sub 20}, V{sub 30}, and V{sub 40} of bladder were also lower in the F-plan (93.57 ± 1.98, 73.99 ± 5.76, and 42.33 ± 3.7, respectively) than those in the O-plan (97.98 ± 1.11, 85.07 ± 4.04, and 49.71 ± 3.63, respectively) (p < 0.05). The maximum dose to the spinal cord planning organ at risk (OAR) volume (PRV) in the O-plan (3940.24 ± 102.8) was higher than that in the F-plan (3628.18 ± 131.45) with significant differences (p < 0.01). For other OARs, there were no significant differences in doses between these 2 plans except that the high-dose regions of the rectum were higher for V{sub 40} in the O-plan than that in the F-plan (p < 0.01). But the monitor units (MUs) in the F-plan were 1.4 times as much as that in the O-plan. Thus the treatment time could be longer by using the F-plan. As it results in more MUs in spite of better plan quality, it is recommended to be used only in situations in which clinical requirements to critical organs cannot be met with the regular method.« less

Implementation of green infrastructure concept in Citarum Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maryati, Sri; Humaira, An Nisaa'Siti

2017-03-01

Green infrastructure has several benefits compared to grey infrastructure in term of environmental services and sustainability, such as reducing energy consumption, improving air quality, providing carbon sequestration, and increasing property values. Nevertheless in practice, the implementation of the concept in Indonesia is still limited. Implementation of the certain concept has to be guided in planning document. In this paper, green infrastructure concept in the current spatial plan and other planning documents is assessed. The purpose of this research is to figure out how far the green infrastructure concept is integrated into planning system, based on the analysis of planning documents in Citarum Watershed and expert interviews with local stakeholders. Content analysis method is used to analyze the documents and result of interview. The result shows that green infrastructure concept has not been accommodated in spatial plan or other planning documents widely. There are some challenges in implementing the concept including reward and punishment system (incentive and disincentive), coordination, and lack of human resources.

Dual stage potential field method for robotic path planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Pradyumna Kumar; Parida, Pramod Kumar

2018-04-01

Path planning for autonomous mobile robots are the root for all autonomous mobile systems. Various methods are used for optimization of path to be followed by the autonomous mobile robots. Artificial potential field based path planning method is one of the most used methods for the researchers. Various algorithms have been proposed using the potential field approach. But in most of the common problems are encounters while heading towards the goal or target. i.e. local minima problem, zero potential regions problem, complex shaped obstacles problem, target near obstacle problem. In this paper we provide a new algorithm in which two types of potential functions are used one after another. The former one is to use to get the probable points and later one for getting the optimum path. In this algorithm we consider only the static obstacle and goal.

Orthovoltage radiation therapy treatment planning using Monte Carlo simulation: treatment of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the maxillary sinus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Wanbao; Raeside, David E.

1997-12-01

Dose distributions that result from treating a patient with orthovoltage beams are best determined with a treatment planning system that uses the Monte Carlo method, and such systems are not readily available. In the present work, the Monte Carlo method was used to develop a computer code for determining absorbed dose distributions in orthovoltage radiation therapy. The code was used in planning treatment of a patient with a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the maxillary sinus. Two lateral high-energy photon beams supplemented by an anterior orthovoltage photon beam were utilized in the treatment plan. For the clinical case and radiation beams considered, a reasonably uniform dose distribution is achieved within the target volume, while the dose to the lens of each eye is 4 - 8% of the prescribed dose. Therefore, an orthovoltage photon beam, when properly filtered and optimally combined with megavoltage beams, can be effective in the treatment of cancers below the skin, providing that accurate treatment planning is carried out to establish with accuracy and precision the doses to critical structures.

Key issues and technical route of cyber physical distribution system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, P. X.; Chen, B.; Zheng, L. J.; Zhang, G. L.; Fan, Y. L.; Pei, T.

2017-01-01

Relying on the National High Technology Research and Development Program, this paper introduced the key issues in Cyber Physical Distribution System (CPDS), mainly includes: composite modelling method and interaction mechanism, system planning method, security defence technology, distributed control theory. Then on this basis, the corresponding technical route is proposed, and a more detailed research framework along with main schemes to be adopted is also presented.

SU-F-T-231: Improving the Efficiency of a Radiotherapy Peer-Review System for Quality Assurance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsu, S; Basavatia, A; Garg, M

Purpose: To improve the efficiency of a radiotherapy peer-review system using a commercially available software application for plan quality evaluation and documentation. Methods: A commercial application, FullAccess (Radialogica LLC, Version 1.4.4), was implemented in a Citrix platform for peer-review process and patient documentation. This application can display images, isodose lines, and dose-volume histograms and create plan reports for peer-review process. Dose metrics in the report can also be benchmarked for plan quality evaluation. Site-specific templates were generated based on departmental treatment planning policies and procedures for each disease site, which generally follow RTOG protocols as well as published prospective clinicalmore » trial data, including both conventional fractionation and hypo-fractionation schema. Once a plan is ready for review, the planner exports the plan to FullAccess, applies the site-specific template, and presents the report for plan review. The plan is still reviewed in the treatment planning system, as that is the legal record. Upon physician’s approval of a plan, the plan is packaged for peer review with the plan report and dose metrics are saved to the database. Results: The reports show dose metrics of PTVs and critical organs for the plans and also indicate whether or not the metrics are within tolerance. Graphical results with green, yellow, and red lights are displayed of whether planning objectives have been met. In addition, benchmarking statistics are collected to see where the current plan falls compared to all historical plans on each metric. All physicians in peer review can easily verify constraints by these reports. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the improvement in a radiotherapy peer-review system, which allows physicians to easily verify planning constraints for different disease sites and fractionation schema, allows for standardization in the clinic to ensure that departmental policies are maintained, and builds a comprehensive database for potential clinical outcome evaluation.« less

Modelling and Experiment Based on a Navigation System for a Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgical Robot.

PubMed

Duan, Xingguang; Gao, Liang; Wang, Yonggui; Li, Jianxi; Li, Haoyuan; Guo, Yanjun

2018-01-01

In view of the characteristics of high risk and high accuracy in cranio-maxillofacial surgery, we present a novel surgical robot system that can be used in a variety of surgeries. The surgical robot system can assist surgeons in completing biopsy of skull base lesions, radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion, and radioactive particle implantation of skull base malignant tumors. This paper focuses on modelling and experimental analyses of the robot system based on navigation technology. Firstly, the transformation relationship between the subsystems is realized based on the quaternion and the iterative closest point registration algorithm. The hand-eye coordination model based on optical navigation is established to control the end effector of the robot moving to the target position along the planning path. The closed-loop control method, "kinematics + optics" hybrid motion control method, is presented to improve the positioning accuracy of the system. Secondly, the accuracy of the system model was tested by model experiments. And the feasibility of the closed-loop control method was verified by comparing the positioning accuracy before and after the application of the method. Finally, the skull model experiments were performed to evaluate the function of the surgical robot system. The results validate its feasibility and are consistent with the preoperative surgical planning.

Modelling and Experiment Based on a Navigation System for a Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgical Robot

PubMed Central

Duan, Xingguang; Gao, Liang; Li, Jianxi; Li, Haoyuan; Guo, Yanjun

2018-01-01

In view of the characteristics of high risk and high accuracy in cranio-maxillofacial surgery, we present a novel surgical robot system that can be used in a variety of surgeries. The surgical robot system can assist surgeons in completing biopsy of skull base lesions, radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion, and radioactive particle implantation of skull base malignant tumors. This paper focuses on modelling and experimental analyses of the robot system based on navigation technology. Firstly, the transformation relationship between the subsystems is realized based on the quaternion and the iterative closest point registration algorithm. The hand-eye coordination model based on optical navigation is established to control the end effector of the robot moving to the target position along the planning path. The closed-loop control method, “kinematics + optics” hybrid motion control method, is presented to improve the positioning accuracy of the system. Secondly, the accuracy of the system model was tested by model experiments. And the feasibility of the closed-loop control method was verified by comparing the positioning accuracy before and after the application of the method. Finally, the skull model experiments were performed to evaluate the function of the surgical robot system. The results validate its feasibility and are consistent with the preoperative surgical planning. PMID:29599948

How healthcare systems evaluate their advance care planning initiatives: Results from a systematic review.

PubMed

Biondo, Patricia D; Lee, Lydia D; Davison, Sara N; Simon, Jessica E

2016-09-01

Advance care planning initiatives are being implemented across healthcare systems around the world, but how best to evaluate their implementation is unknown. To identify gaps and/or redundancies in current evaluative strategies to help healthcare systems develop future evaluative frameworks for ACP. Systematic review. Peer-reviewed and gray literature searches were conducted till February 2015 to answer: "What methods have healthcare systems used to evaluate implementation of advance care planning initiatives?" A PICOS framework was developed to identify articles describing the implementation and evaluation of a health system-level advance care planning initiative. Outcome measures were mapped onto a conceptual quality indicator framework based on the Institute of Medicine and Donabedian models of healthcare quality. A total of 46 studies met inclusion criteria for analysis. Most articles reported on single parts of a healthcare system (e.g. continuing care). The most common outcome measures pertained to document completion, followed by healthcare resource use. Patient-, family-, or healthcare provider-reported outcomes were less commonly measured. Concordance measures (e.g. dying in place of choice) were reported by only 26% of studies. The conceptual quality indicator framework identified gaps and redundancies in measurement and is presented as a potential foundation from which to develop a comprehensive advance care planning evaluation framework. Document completion is frequently used to evaluate advance care planning program implementation; capturing the quality of care appears to be more difficult. This systematic review provides health system administrators with a comprehensive summary of measures used to evaluate advance care planning and may identify gaps in evaluation within their local context. © The Author(s) 2016.

Highly Efficient Training, Refinement, and Validation of a Knowledge-based Planning Quality-Control System for Radiation Therapy Clinical Trials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Nan; Carmona, Ruben; Sirak, Igor

Purpose: To demonstrate an efficient method for training and validation of a knowledge-based planning (KBP) system as a radiation therapy clinical trial plan quality-control system. Methods and Materials: We analyzed 86 patients with stage IB through IVA cervical cancer treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy at 2 institutions according to the standards of the INTERTECC (International Evaluation of Radiotherapy Technology Effectiveness in Cervical Cancer, National Clinical Trials Network identifier: 01554397) protocol. The protocol used a planning target volume and 2 primary organs at risk: pelvic bone marrow (PBM) and bowel. Secondary organs at risk were rectum and bladder. Initial unfiltered dose-volumemore » histogram (DVH) estimation models were trained using all 86 plans. Refined training sets were created by removing sub-optimal plans from the unfiltered sample, and DVH estimation models… and DVH estimation models were constructed by identifying 30 of 86 plans emphasizing PBM sparing (comparing protocol-specified dosimetric cutpoints V{sub 10} (percentage volume of PBM receiving at least 10 Gy dose) and V{sub 20} (percentage volume of PBM receiving at least 20 Gy dose) with unfiltered predictions) and another 30 of 86 plans emphasizing bowel sparing (comparing V{sub 40} (absolute volume of bowel receiving at least 40 Gy dose) and V{sub 45} (absolute volume of bowel receiving at least 45 Gy dose), 9 in common with the PBM set). To obtain deliverable KBP plans, refined models must inform patient-specific optimization objectives and/or priorities (an auto-planning “routine”). Four candidate routines emphasizing different tradeoffs were composed, and a script was developed to automatically re-plan multiple patients with each routine. After selection of the routine that best met protocol objectives in the 51-patient training sample (KBP{sub FINAL}), protocol-specific DVH metrics and normal tissue complication probability were compared for original versus KBP{sub FINAL} plans across the 35-patient validation set. Paired t tests were used to test differences between planning sets. Results: KBP{sub FINAL} plans outperformed manual planning across the validation set in all protocol-specific DVH cutpoints. The mean normal tissue complication probability for gastrointestinal toxicity was lower for KBP{sub FINAL} versus validation-set plans (48.7% vs 53.8%, P<.001). Similarly, the estimated mean white blood cell count nadir was higher (2.77 vs 2.49 k/mL, P<.001) with KBP{sub FINAL} plans, indicating lowered probability of hematologic toxicity. Conclusions: This work demonstrates that a KBP system can be efficiently trained and refined for use in radiation therapy clinical trials with minimal effort. This patient-specific plan quality control resulted in improvements on protocol-specific dosimetric endpoints.« less

A computer-aided audit system for respiratory therapy consult evaluations: description of a method and early results.

PubMed

Kester, Lucy; Stoller, James K

2013-05-01

Use of respiratory therapist (RT)-guided protocols enhances allocation of respiratory care. In the context that optimal protocol use requires a system for auditing respiratory care plans to assure adherence to protocols and expertise of the RTs generating the care plan, a live audit system has been in longstanding use in our Respiratory Therapy Consult Service. Growth in the number of RT positions and the need to audit more frequently has prompted development of a new, computer-aided audit system. The number and results of audits using the old and new systems were compared (for the periods May 30, 2009 through May 30, 2011 and January 1, 2012 through May 30, 2012, respectively). In contrast to the original, live system requiring a patient visit by the auditor, the new system involves completion of a respiratory therapy care plan using patient information in the electronic medical record, both by the RT generating the care plan and the auditor. Completing audits in the new system also uses an electronic respiratory therapy management system. The degrees of concordance between the audited RT's care plans and the "gold standard" care plans using the old and new audit systems were similar. Use of the new system was associated with an almost doubling of the rate of audits (ie, 11 per month vs 6.1 per month). The new, computer-aided audit system increased capacity to audit more RTs performing RT-guided consults while preserving accuracy as an audit tool. Ensuring that RTs adhere to the audit process remains the challenge for the new system, and is the rate-limiting step.

SU-F-T-256: 4D IMRT Planning Using An Early Prototype GPU-Enabled Eclipse Workstation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hagan, A; Modiri, A; Sawant, A

Purpose: True 4D IMRT planning, based on simultaneous spatiotemporal optimization has been shown to significantly improve plan quality in lung radiotherapy. However, the high computational complexity associated with such planning represents a significant barrier to widespread clinical deployment. We introduce an early prototype GPU-enabled Eclipse workstation for inverse planning. To our knowledge, this is the first GPUintegrated Eclipse system demonstrating the potential for clinical translation of GPU computing on a major commercially-available TPS. Methods: The prototype system comprised of four NVIDIA Tesla K80 GPUs, with a maximum processing capability of 8.5 Tflops per K80 card. The system architecture consisted ofmore » three key modules: (i) a GPU-based inverse planning module using a highly-parallelizable, swarm intelligence-based global optimization algorithm, (ii) a GPU-based open-source b-spline deformable image registration module, Elastix, and (iii) a CUDA-based data management module. For evaluation, aperture fluence weights in an IMRT plan were optimized over 9 beams,166 apertures and 10 respiratory phases (14940 variables) for a lung cancer case (GTV = 95 cc, right lower lobe, 15 mm cranio-caudal motion). Sensitivity of the planning time and memory expense to parameter variations was quantified. Results: GPU-based inverse planning was significantly accelerated compared to its CPU counterpart (36 vs 488 min, for 10 phases, 10 search agents and 10 iterations). The optimized IMRT plan significantly improved OAR sparing compared to the original internal target volume (ITV)-based clinical plan, while maintaining prescribed tumor coverage. The dose-sparing improvements were: Esophagus Dmax 50%, Heart Dmax 42% and Spinal cord Dmax 25%. Conclusion: Our early prototype system demonstrates that through massive parallelization, computationally intense tasks such as 4D treatment planning can be accomplished in clinically feasible timeframes. With further optimization, such systems are expected to enable the eventual clinical translation of higher-dimensional and complex treatment planning strategies to significantly improve plan quality. This work was partially supported through research funding from National Institutes of Health (R01CA169102) and Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA.« less

Transforming User Needs into Functional Requirements for an Antibiotic Clinical Decision Support System

PubMed Central

Bright, T.J.

2013-01-01

Summary Background Many informatics studies use content analysis to generate functional requirements for system development. Explication of this translational process from qualitative data to functional requirements can strengthen the understanding and scientific rigor when applying content analysis in informatics studies. Objective To describe a user-centered approach transforming emergent themes derived from focus group data into functional requirements for informatics solutions and to illustrate these methods to the development of an antibiotic clinical decision support system (CDS). Methods The approach consisted of five steps: 1) identify unmet therapeutic planning information needs via Focus Group Study-I, 2) develop a coding framework of therapeutic planning themes to refine the domain scope to antibiotic therapeutic planning, 3) identify functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system via Focus Group Study-II, 4) discover informatics solutions and functional requirements from coded data, and 5) determine the types of information needed to support the antibiotic CDS system and link with the identified informatics solutions and functional requirements. Results The coding framework for Focus Group Study-I revealed unmet therapeutic planning needs. Twelve subthemes emerged and were clustered into four themes; analysis indicated a need for an antibiotic CDS intervention. Focus Group Study-II included five types of information needs. Comments from the Barrier/Challenge to information access and Function/Feature themes produced three informatics solutions and 13 functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system. Comments from the Patient, Institution, and Domain themes generated required data elements for each informatics solution. Conclusion This study presents one example explicating content analysis of focus group data and the analysis process to functional requirements from narrative data. Illustration of this 5-step method was used to develop an antibiotic CDS system, resolving unmet antibiotic prescribing needs. As a reusable approach, these techniques can be refined and applied to resolve unmet information needs with informatics interventions in additional domains. PMID:24454586

System of indexes and indicators for the quality evaluation of HACCP plans based on the results of the official controls conducted by the Servizio di Igiene degli Alimenti della Nutrizione (Food and Nutrition Health Service) of the Local Health Authority of Foggia, Italy.

PubMed

Panunzio, Michele F; Antoniciello, Antonietta; Pisano, Alessandra

2007-03-01

Within the realm of evaluating self-monitoring plans, developed based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) method and adopted by food companies, little research has been done concerning the quality of the plans. The Servizio di Igiene degli Alimenti e della Nutrizione (Food and Nutrition Health Service) of the Local Health Authority of Foggia, Italy, has conducted research with the aim to adopt a system of indexes and indicators for the qualitative evaluation of HACCP plans. The critical areas considered were the following: simplicity, specificity, feasibility and adherence. During the period from January 2004 to June 2005, the evaluation grid was used in examining 250 HACCP self-monitoring plans of food companies. For the analysis of the determining factor four groups were considered, with reference to HACCP self-monitoring plans designed: group 1 - with the aid of a qualified team; group 2 - with the aid of an unqualified team; group 3 - with the aid of an unqualified expert; group 4 - without the aid of an expert. The mean values of the measures elaborated decrease towards insufficiency moving from group 1 to group 4. In particular, collaboration by teams of unqualified experts brought about drafting unacceptable HACCP plans on the levels of specificity and adherence, with respect to the HACCP method. The method proposed of the analysis of the indexes and indicators beginning with an evaluation sheet can also help the individual company to better adjust contribution by internal or external professionals to the company.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, S; Guerrero, M; Zhang, B

Purpose: To implement a comprehensive non-measurement-based verification program for patient-specific IMRT QA Methods: Based on published guidelines, a robust IMRT QA program should assess the following components: 1) accuracy of dose calculation, 2) accuracy of data transfer from the treatment planning system (TPS) to the record-and-verify (RV) system, 3) treatment plan deliverability, and 4) accuracy of plan delivery. Results: We have implemented an IMRT QA program that consist of four components: 1) an independent re-calculation of the dose distribution in the patient anatomy with a commercial secondary dose calculation program: Mobius3D (Mobius Medical Systems, Houston, TX), with dose accuracy evaluationmore » using gamma analysis, PTV mean dose, PTV coverage to 95%, and organ-at-risk mean dose; 2) an automated in-house-developed plan comparison system that compares all relevant plan parameters such as MU, MLC position, beam iso-center position, collimator, gantry, couch, field size settings, and bolus placement, etc. between the plan and the RV system; 3) use of the RV system to check the plan deliverability and further confirm using “mode-up” function on treatment console for plans receiving warning; and 4) implementation of a comprehensive weekly MLC QA, in addition to routine accelerator monthly and daily QA. Among 1200 verifications, there were 9 cases of suspicious calculations, 5 cases of delivery failure, no data transfer errors, and no failure of weekly MLC QA. These 9 suspicious cases were due to the PTV extending to the skin or to heterogeneity correction effects, which would not have been caught using phantom measurement-based QA. The delivery failure was due to the rounding variation of MLC position between the planning system and RV system. Conclusion: A very efficient, yet comprehensive, non-measurement-based patient-specific QA program has been implemented and used clinically for about 18 months with excellent results.« less

Monte Carlo treatment planning with modulated electron radiotherapy: framework development and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Andrew William

Within the field of medical physics, Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations are considered to be the most accurate method for the determination of dose distributions in patients. The McGill Monte Carlo treatment planning system (MMCTP), provides a flexible software environment to integrate Monte Carlo simulations with current and new treatment modalities. A developing treatment modality called energy and intensity modulated electron radiotherapy (MERT) is a promising modality, which has the fundamental capabilities to enhance the dosimetry of superficial targets. An objective of this work is to advance the research and development of MERT with the end goal of clinical use. To this end, we present the MMCTP system with an integrated toolkit for MERT planning and delivery of MERT fields. Delivery is achieved using an automated "few leaf electron collimator" (FLEC) and a controller. Aside from the MERT planning toolkit, the MMCTP system required numerous add-ons to perform the complex task of large-scale autonomous Monte Carlo simulations. The first was a DICOM import filter, followed by the implementation of DOSXYZnrc as a dose calculation engine and by logic methods for submitting and updating the status of Monte Carlo simulations. Within this work we validated the MMCTP system with a head and neck Monte Carlo recalculation study performed by a medical dosimetrist. The impact of MMCTP lies in the fact that it allows for systematic and platform independent large-scale Monte Carlo dose calculations for different treatment sites and treatment modalities. In addition to the MERT planning tools, various optimization algorithms were created external to MMCTP. The algorithms produced MERT treatment plans based on dose volume constraints that employ Monte Carlo pre-generated patient-specific kernels. The Monte Carlo kernels are generated from patient-specific Monte Carlo dose distributions within MMCTP. The structure of the MERT planning toolkit software and optimization algorithms are demonstrated. We investigated the clinical significance of MERT on spinal irradiation, breast boost irradiation, and a head and neck sarcoma cancer site using several parameters to analyze the treatment plans. Finally, we investigated the idea of mixed beam photon and electron treatment planning. Photon optimization treatment planning tools were included within the MERT planning toolkit for the purpose of mixed beam optimization. In conclusion, this thesis work has resulted in the development of an advanced framework for photon and electron Monte Carlo treatment planning studies and the development of an inverse planning system for photon, electron or mixed beam radiotherapy (MBRT). The justification and validation of this work is found within the results of the planning studies, which have demonstrated dosimetric advantages to using MERT or MBRT in comparison to clinical treatment alternatives.

Development of 3-D Ice Accretion Measurement Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sam; Broeren, Andy P.; Addy, Harold E., Jr.; Sills, Robert; Pifer, Ellen M.

2012-01-01

A research plan is currently being implemented by NASA to develop and validate the use of a commercial laser scanner to record and archive fully three-dimensional (3-D) ice shapes from an icing wind tunnel. The plan focused specifically upon measuring ice accreted in the NASA Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). The plan was divided into two phases. The first phase was the identification and selection of the laser scanning system and the post-processing software to purchase and develop further. The second phase was the implementation and validation of the selected system through a series of icing and aerodynamic tests. Phase I of the research plan has been completed. It consisted of evaluating several scanning hardware and software systems against an established selection criteria through demonstrations in the IRT. The results of Phase I showed that all of the scanning systems that were evaluated were equally capable of scanning ice shapes. The factors that differentiated the scanners were ease of use and the ability to operate in a wide range of IRT environmental conditions.

Insights into the Government’s Role in Food System Policy Making: Improving Access to Healthy, Local Food Alongside Other Priorities

PubMed Central

Wegener, Jessica; Raine, Kim D.; Hanning, Rhona M.

2012-01-01

Government actors have an important role to play in creating healthy public policies and supportive environments to facilitate access to safe, affordable, nutritious food. The purpose of this research was to examine Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada) as a case study for “what works” with respect to facilitating access to healthy, local food through regional food system policy making. Policy and planning approaches were explored through multi-sectoral perspectives of: (a) the development and adoption of food policies as part of the comprehensive planning process; (b) barriers to food system planning; and (c) the role and motivation of the Region’s public health and planning departments in food system policy making. Forty-seven in-depth interviews with decision makers, experts in public health and planning, and local food system stakeholders provided rich insight into strategic government actions, as well as the local and historical context within which food system policies were developed. Grounded theory methods were used to identify key overarching themes including: “strategic positioning”, “partnerships” and “knowledge transfer” and related sub-themes (“aligned agendas”, “issue framing”, “visioning” and “legitimacy”). A conceptual framework to illustrate the process and features of food system policy making is presented and can be used as a starting point to engage multi-sectoral stakeholders in plans and actions to facilitate access to healthy food. PMID:23202834

Decision support systems for transportation system management and operations (TSM&O).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

There is a need for the development of tools and methods to support off-line and real-time : planning and operation decisions associated with the Transportation System Management and : Operations (TSM&O) program. The goal of this proposed project is ...

Retrieval with Clustering in a Case-Based Reasoning System for Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khussainova, Gulmira; Petrovic, Sanja; Jagannathan, Rupa

2015-05-01

Radiotherapy treatment planning aims to deliver a sufficient radiation dose to cancerous tumour cells while sparing healthy organs in the tumour surrounding area. This is a trial and error process highly dependent on the medical staff's experience and knowledge. Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is an artificial intelligence tool that uses past experiences to solve new problems. A CBR system has been developed to facilitate radiotherapy treatment planning for brain cancer. Given a new patient case the existing CBR system retrieves a similar case from an archive of successfully treated patient cases with the suggested treatment plan. The next step requires adaptation of the retrieved treatment plan to meet the specific demands of the new case. The CBR system was tested by medical physicists for the new patient cases. It was discovered that some of the retrieved cases were not suitable and could not be adapted for the new cases. This motivated us to revise the retrieval mechanism of the existing CBR system by adding a clustering stage that clusters cases based on their tumour positions. A number of well-known clustering methods were investigated and employed in the retrieval mechanism. Results using real world brain cancer patient cases have shown that the success rate of the new CBR retrieval is higher than that of the original system.

Methods and apparatus for graphical display and editing of flight plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibbs, Michael J. (Inventor); Adams, Jr., Mike B. (Inventor); Chase, Karl L. (Inventor); Lewis, Daniel E. (Inventor); McCrobie, Daniel E. (Inventor); Omen, Debi Van (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Systems and methods are provided for an integrated graphical user interface which facilitates the display and editing of aircraft flight-plan data. A user (e.g., a pilot) located within the aircraft provides input to a processor through a cursor control device and receives visual feedback via a display produced by a monitor. The display includes various graphical elements associated with the lateral position, vertical position, flight-plan and/or other indicia of the aircraft's operational state as determined from avionics data and/or various data sources. Through use of the cursor control device, the user may modify the flight-plan and/or other such indicia graphically in accordance with feedback provided by the display. In one embodiment, the display includes a lateral view, a vertical profile view, and a hot-map view configured to simplify the display and editing of the aircraft's flight-plan data.

SU-G-TeP1-05: Development and Clinical Introduction of Automated Radiotherapy Treatment Planning for Prostate Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winkel, D; Bol, GH; Asselen, B van

Purpose: To develop an automated radiotherapy treatment planning and optimization workflow for prostate cancer in order to generate clinical treatment plans. Methods: A fully automated radiotherapy treatment planning and optimization workflow was developed based on the treatment planning system Monaco (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden). To evaluate our method, a retrospective planning study (n=100) was performed on patients treated for prostate cancer with 5 field intensity modulated radiotherapy, receiving a dose of 35×2Gy to the prostate and vesicles and a simultaneous integrated boost of 35×0.2Gy to the prostate only. A comparison was made between the dosimetric values of the automatically andmore » manually generated plans. Operator time to generate a plan and plan efficiency was measured. Results: A comparison of the dosimetric values show that automatically generated plans yield more beneficial dosimetric values. In automatic plans reductions of 43% in the V72Gy of the rectum and 13% in the V72Gy of the bladder are observed when compared to the manually generated plans. Smaller variance in dosimetric values is seen, i.e. the intra- and interplanner variability is decreased. For 97% of the automatically generated plans and 86% of the clinical plans all criteria for target coverage and organs at risk constraints are met. The amount of plan segments and monitor units is reduced by 13% and 9% respectively. Automated planning requires less than one minute of operator time compared to over an hour for manual planning. Conclusion: The automatically generated plans are highly suitable for clinical use. The plans have less variance and a large gain in time efficiency has been achieved. Currently, a pilot study is performed, comparing the preference of the clinician and clinical physicist for the automatic versus manual plan. Future work will include expanding our automated treatment planning method to other tumor sites and develop other automated radiotherapy workflows.« less

Development of a Mixed Scanning Interactive System for Decision Support.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-07-01

strategic planning, management control , and i I gineering design of information systems for planning and deci- operational control . The method-of-evidence...Nvstrom 13351 _ . "The functional equivalence of prohlem soiing skills." and W I. Starbuck. Eds.. llandhoot of Or’ani:ational Design . (’,gnitite P’ iihol...concerns make design means do we necessarily learn well from ex- and application of the aforementioned adju- perience [10]. vants a non routine task

Safe teleradiology: information assurance as project planning methodology.

PubMed

Collmann, Jeff; Alaoui, Adil; Nguyen, Dan; Lindisch, David

2005-01-01

The Georgetown University Medical Center Department of Radiology used a tailored version of OCTAVE, a self-directed information security risk assessment method, to design a teleradiology system that complied with the regulation implementing the security provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. The system addressed threats to and vulnerabilities in the privacy and security of protected health information. By using OCTAVE, Georgetown identified the teleradiology program's critical assets, described threats to the assurance of those assets, developed and ran vulnerability scans of a system pilot, evaluated the consequences of security breaches, and developed a risk management plan to mitigate threats to program assets, thereby implementing good information assurance practices. This case study illustrates the basic point that prospective, comprehensive planning to protect the privacy and security of an information system strategically benefits program management as well as system security.

Barriers of modern contraceptive practices among Asian women: a mini literature review.

PubMed

Najafi-Sharjabad, Fatemeh; Zainiyah Syed Yahya, Sharifah; Abdul Rahman, Hejar; Hanafiah Juni, Muhamad; Abdul Manaf, Rosliza

2013-07-22

Family planning has been cited as essential to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Family planning has a direct impact on women's health and consequence of each pregnancy. The use of modern contraception among Asian women is less than global average. In Asia a majority of unintended pregnancies are due to using traditional contraceptive or no methods which lead to induced unsafe abortion. Cultural attitudes, lack of knowledge of methods and reproduction, socio demographic factors, and health service barriers are the main obstacles to modern contraceptive practice among Asian women. Culturally sensitive family planning program, reforming health system, and reproductive health education through mass media to create awareness of the benefits of planned parenthood are effective strategies to improve modern contraceptive practice among Asian women.

Barriers of Modern Contraceptive Practices among Asian Women: A Mini Literature Review

PubMed Central

Najafi-Sharjabad, Fatemeh; Syed Yahya, Sharifah Zainiyah; Rahman, Hejar Abdul; Hanafiah, Muhamad; Abdul Manaf, Rosliza

2013-01-01

Family planning has been cited as essential to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Family planning has a direct impact on women's health and consequence of each pregnancy. The use of modern contraception among Asian women is less than global average. In Asia a majority of unintended pregnancies are due to using traditional contraceptive or no methods which lead to induced unsafe abortion. Cultural attitudes, lack of knowledge of methods and reproduction, socio demographic factors, and health service barriers are the main obstacles to modern contraceptive practice among Asian women. Culturally sensitive family planning program, reforming health system, and reproductive health education through mass media to create awareness of the benefits of planned parenthood are effective strategies to improve modern contraceptive practice among Asian women. PMID:23985120

Automation for "Direct-to" Clearances in Air-Traffic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erzberger, Heinz; McNally, David

2006-01-01

A method of automation, and a system of computer hardware and software to implement the method, have been invented to assist en-route air-traffic controllers in the issuance of clearances to fly directly to specified waypoints or navigation fixes along straight paths that deviate from previously filed flight plans. Such clearances, called "direct-to" clearances, have been in use since before the invention of this method and system.

Evaluation and development plan of NRTA measurement methods for the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, T.K.; Hakkila, E.A.; Flosterbuer, S.F.

Near-real-time accounting (NRTA) has been proposed as a safeguards method at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP), a large-scale commercial boiling water and pressurized water reactors spent-fuel reprocessing facility. NRTA for RRP requires material balance closures every month. To develop a more effective and practical NRTA system for RRP, we have evaluated NRTA measurement techniques and systems that might be implemented in both the main process and the co-denitration process areas at RRP to analyze the concentrations of plutonium in solutions and mixed oxide powder. Based on the comparative evaluation, including performance, reliability, design criteria, operation methods, maintenance requirements, and estimatedmore » costs for each possible measurement method, recommendations for development were formulated. This paper discusses the evaluations and reports on the recommendation of the NRTA development plan for potential implementation at RRP.« less

SCSD: The Project and the Schools. A Report from Educational Facilities Laboratories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benet, James; And Others

SCSD, a structurally coordinated school building components system, is a highly automated method of building new schools that creatively meet the needs of the ever changing educational environment through functional and flexible planning. Examples of why SCSD high schools are efficient, flexible, and spatially planned, are cited. Environmental…

Development of an Integrated GIS and Land Use Planning Course: Impacts of Hybrid Instructional Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamruzzaman, M.

2014-01-01

This study reports an action research undertaken at Queensland University of Technology. It evaluates the effectiveness of the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) within the substantive domains of an existing land use planning course in 2011. Using student performance, learning experience survey, and questionnaire survey data, it…

Engaging Participants without Leaving the Office: Planning and Conducting Effective Webinars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Julie; Poling, Mary

2017-01-01

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service has been developing and refining webinar delivery practices since 2012. On the basis of a review of existing literature and our own experiences, we have established methods for necessary planning, organization of content and people, and effective delivery of…

Formulation of consumables management models: Mission planning processor payload interface definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torian, J. G.

1977-01-01

Consumables models required for the mission planning and scheduling function are formulated. The relation of the models to prelaunch, onboard, ground support, and postmission functions for the space transportation systems is established. Analytical models consisting of an orbiter planning processor with consumables data base is developed. A method of recognizing potential constraint violations in both the planning and flight operations functions, and a flight data file storage/retrieval of information over an extended period which interfaces with a flight operations processor for monitoring of the actual flights is presented.

SU-E-T-205: Improving Quality Assurance of HDR Brachytherapy: Verifying Agreement Between Planned and Delivered Dose Distributions Using DICOM RTDose and Advanced Film Dosimetry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmer, A L; University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey; Bradley, D A

Purpose: HDR brachytherapy is undergoing significant development, and quality assurance (QA) checks must keep pace. Current recommendations do not adequately verify delivered against planned dose distributions: This is particularly relevant for new treatment planning system (TPS) calculation algorithms (non TG-43 based), and an era of significant patient-specific plan optimisation. Full system checks are desirable in modern QA recommendations, complementary to device-centric individual tests. We present a QA system incorporating TPS calculation, dose distribution export, HDR unit performance, and dose distribution measurement. Such an approach, more common in external beam radiotherapy, has not previously been reported in the literature for brachytherapy.more » Methods: Our QA method was tested at 24 UK brachytherapy centres. As a novel approach, we used the TPS DICOM RTDose file export to compare planned dose distribution with that measured using Gafchromic EBT3 films placed around clinical brachytherapy treatment applicators. Gamma analysis was used to compare the dose distributions. Dose difference and distance to agreement were determined at prescription Point A. Accurate film dosimetry was achieved using a glass compression plate at scanning to ensure physically-flat films, simultaneous scanning of known dose films with measurement films, and triple-channel dosimetric analysis. Results: The mean gamma pass rate of RTDose compared to film-measured dose distributions was 98.1% at 3%(local), 2 mm criteria. The mean dose difference, measured to planned, at Point A was -0.5% for plastic treatment applicators and -2.4% for metal applicators, due to shielding not accounted for in TPS. The mean distance to agreement was 0.6 mm. Conclusion: It is recommended to develop brachytherapy QA to include full-system verification of agreement between planned and delivered dose distributions. This is a novel approach for HDR brachytherapy QA. A methodology using advanced film dosimetry and gamma comparison to DICOM RTDose files has been demonstrated as suitable to fulfil this need.« less

The Uncertainties on the GIS Based Land Suitability Assessment for Urban and Rural Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H.; Zhan, Q.; Zhan, M.

2017-09-01

The majority of the research on the uncertainties of spatial data and spatial analysis focuses on some specific data feature or analysis tool. Few have accomplished the uncertainties of the whole process of an application like planning, making the research of uncertainties detached from practical applications. The paper discusses the uncertainties of the geographical information systems (GIS) based land suitability assessment in planning on the basis of literature review. The uncertainties considered range from index system establishment to the classification of the final result. Methods to reduce the uncertainties arise from the discretization of continuous raster data and the index weight determination are summarized. The paper analyzes the merits and demerits of the "Nature Breaks" method which is broadly used by planners. It also explores the other factors which impact the accuracy of the final classification like the selection of class numbers, intervals and the autocorrelation of the spatial data. In the conclusion part, the paper indicates that the adoption of machine learning methods should be modified to integrate the complexity of land suitability assessment. The work contributes to the application of spatial data and spatial analysis uncertainty research on land suitability assessment, and promotes the scientific level of the later planning and decision-making.

Normal tissue complication probability modelling of tissue fibrosis following breast radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, M. A. R.; Brooks, W. A.; Blake, S. W.

2007-04-01

Cosmetic late effects of radiotherapy such as tissue fibrosis are increasingly regarded as being of importance. It is generally considered that the complication probability of a radiotherapy plan is dependent on the dose uniformity, and can be reduced by using better compensation to remove dose hotspots. This work aimed to model the effects of improved dose homogeneity on complication probability. The Lyman and relative seriality NTCP models were fitted to clinical fibrosis data for the breast collated from the literature. Breast outlines were obtained from a commercially available Rando phantom using the Osiris system. Multislice breast treatment plans were produced using a variety of compensation methods. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) obtained for each treatment plan were reduced to simple numerical parameters using the equivalent uniform dose and effective volume DVH reduction methods. These parameters were input into the models to obtain complication probability predictions. The fitted model parameters were consistent with a parallel tissue architecture. Conventional clinical plans generally showed reducing complication probabilities with increasing compensation sophistication. Extremely homogenous plans representing idealized IMRT treatments showed increased complication probabilities compared to conventional planning methods, as a result of increased dose to areas receiving sub-prescription doses using conventional techniques.

SU-F-T-344: Commissioning Constant Dose Rate VMAT in the Raystation Treatment Planning System for a Varian Clinac IX

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pursley, J; Gueorguiev, G; Prichard, H

Purpose: To demonstrate the commissioning of constant dose rate volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in the Raystation treatment planning system for a Varian Clinac iX with Exact couch. Methods: Constant dose rate (CDR) VMAT is an option in the Raystation treatment planning system, enabling VMAT delivery on Varian linacs without a RapidArc upgrade. Raystation 4.7 was used to commission CDR-VMAT for a Varian Clinac iX. Raystation arc model parameters were selected to match machine deliverability characteristics. A Varian Exact couch model was added to Raystation 4.7 and commissioned for use in VMAT optimization. CDR-VMAT commissioning checks were performed on themore » linac, including patient-specific QA measurements for 10 test patients using both the ArcCHECK from Sun Nuclear Corporation and COMPASS from IBA Dosimetry. Multi-criteria optimization (MCO) in Raystation was used for CDR-VMAT planning. Results: Raystation 4.7 generated clinically acceptable and deliverable CDR-VMAT plans for the Varian Clinac. VMAT plans were optimized including a model of the Exact couch with both rails in the out positions. CDR-VMAT plans generated with MCO in Raystation were dosimetrically comparable to Raystation MCO-generated IMRT plans. Patient-specific QA measurements with the ArcCHECK on the couch showed good agreement with the treatment planning system prediction. Patient-specific, structure-specific, multi-statistical parameter 3D QA measurements with gantry-mounted COMPASS also showed good agreement. Conclusion: Constant dose rate VMAT was successfully modeled in Raystation 4.7 for a Varian Clinac iX, and Raystation’s multicriteria optimization generated constant dose rate VMAT plans which were deliverable and dosimetrically comparable to IMRT plans.« less

Linear algebraic methods applied to intensity modulated radiation therapy.

PubMed

Crooks, S M; Xing, L

2001-10-01

Methods of linear algebra are applied to the choice of beam weights for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). It is shown that the physical interpretation of the beam weights, target homogeneity and ratios of deposited energy can be given in terms of matrix equations and quadratic forms. The methodology of fitting using linear algebra as applied to IMRT is examined. Results are compared with IMRT plans that had been prepared using a commercially available IMRT treatment planning system and previously delivered to cancer patients.

Developing an information systems strategy for nursing.

PubMed

Callanan, K M; Hughes, S J

1995-01-01

With the rapidly changing health care environment and information technology advances, organizations need to engage in strategic, planned change in order to allocate limited resources, achieve the organization's goals, and fulfill its mission [1]. One of the most important aspects of the organization's planned strategies for change concerns the information systems. The involvement of the nursing department in this process is critical. This poster presentation will communicate how nurses can develop an information systems strategic plan that will enable them to play an active role as contributors and vital participants in the strategic and business planning processes for information systems. This information systems strategy for nursing will: a) provide direction and purpose, b) guide nursing in identifying the kinds of information technology needed, c) assist in timely implementation of a system that supports nursing, and d) identify desired outcomes and benefits of an information system. The nursing information systems plan must be built on, and support, the organization's mission and business plan and integrate into the over-all information systems plans [2]. Components of the nursing strategic plan include the nursing mission statement and vision, an assessment of the current environment to identify supporting technology needed to achieve the nursing vision, expectations/anticipated outcomes, environmental considerations, and special staffing/expertise considerations. The nursing vision and mission statement is an articulation of the overall direction and purpose of the nursing organization. An assessment of the nursing organization, problem areas, opportunities for growth, the physical environment, existing systems, communications requirements, and resources is carried out to help identify areas where new technologies and automated methods of managing information could be applied. Special staffing and expertise not currently available in the organization, but necessary to the successful implementation of the plan, should be identified, and plans for filling those needs should be included in the planning and prioritization process. Based on the mission and assessment findings, goals or anticipated outcomes are developed. These goals must be realistic, financially feasible, and logistically achievable; they should also provide direction for action and decision-making [3]. Measurable objectives and detailed action plans can then be developed from these goals when implementation of this aspect of the strategic plan is begun. It is especially important, even at a strategic planning level, to consider change management techniques, including specific steps to involve individuals who will be affected by the change and to ensure open communication throughout the process. Efforts to collaborate with all affected departments and to offer input and educational opportunities to the various members of the health care team should be included in the strategic plan. A business plan describing the mission, goals, and objectives for a specific system implementation is the final step in the strategic planning process. The business plan includes expected outcomes and cost justification and may be done in cooperation with other departments (in the organization) that will be involved with this system. The business plan is used to communicate the information system's needs to the administration and governing board of the organization. With a good information systems strategy, nursing will be prepared to make more timely and better informed decisions related to applying information technology within the nursing department. The end results of this planning should be evident in the improved utilization of information technology to support the nursing vision and mission.

Virtual care policy recommendations for patient-centred primary care: findings of a consensus policy dialogue using a nominal group technique.

PubMed

Shaw, James; Jamieson, Trevor; Agarwal, Payal; Griffin, Bailey; Wong, Ivy; Bhatia, R Sacha

2017-01-01

Background The development of new virtual care technologies (including telehealth and telemedicine) is growing rapidly, leading to a number of challenges related to health policy and planning for health systems around the world. Methods We brought together a diverse group of health system stakeholders, including patient representatives, to engage in policy dialogue to set health system priorities for the application of virtual care in the primary care sector in the Province of Ontario, Canada. We applied a nominal group technique (NGT) process to determine key priorities, and synthesized these priorities with group discussion to develop recommendations for virtual care policy. Methods included a structured priority ranking process, open-ended note-taking, and thematic analysis to identify priorities. Results Recommendations were summarized under the following themes: (a) identify clear health system leadership to embed virtual care strategies into all aspects of primary and community care; (b) make patients the focal point of health system decision-making; (c) leverage incentives to achieve meaningful health system improvements; and (d) building virtual care into streamlined workflows. Two key implications of our policy dialogue are especially relevant for an international audience. First, shifting the dialogue away from technology toward more meaningful patient engagement will enable policy planning for applications of technology that better meet patients' needs. Second, a strong conceptual framework on guiding the meaningful use of technology in health care settings is essential for intelligent planning of virtual care policy. Conclusions Policy planning for virtual care needs to shift toward a stronger focus on patient engagement to understand patients' needs.

On Intelligent Design and Planning Method of Process Route Based on Gun Breech Machining Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hongzhi, Zhao; Jian, Zhang

2018-03-01

The paper states an approach of intelligent design and planning of process route based on gun breech machining process, against several problems, such as complex machining process of gun breech, tedious route design and long period of its traditional unmanageable process route. Based on gun breech machining process, intelligent design and planning system of process route are developed by virtue of DEST and VC++. The system includes two functional modules--process route intelligent design and its planning. The process route intelligent design module, through the analysis of gun breech machining process, summarizes breech process knowledge so as to complete the design of knowledge base and inference engine. And then gun breech process route intelligently output. On the basis of intelligent route design module, the final process route is made, edited and managed in the process route planning module.

New problem with sales, inventories, and operations planning in a supply chain environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Andre; Lamouri, Samir

2000-10-01

The highest level of planning and control system is necessary, because production and logistics systems are not so flexible to follow, from day to day, sales evolutions. The companies are therefore held to standardize the good practices concerning the elaboration of their Sales, Inventories and Operations Planning (SIOP). The SIOP makes it possible to implement the strategic objectives defined by Top Management at the time of the Business Plan. It is the link between sales and manufacturing planning. The objectives of each of those depend on the specificity of their trade: the Sales Department will go for a maximum sales whereas Production will endeavor to keep industrial cost prices as low as possible while the Finance Department will try to optimize the use of available funds. There are several tools for this optimization: Graphical method and linear programming. Today, the economic context requires robust optimization.

Computing and Systems Applied in Support of Coordinated Energy, Environmental, and Climate Planning

EPA Science Inventory

This talk focuses on how Dr. Loughlin is applying Computing and Systems models, tools and methods to more fully understand the linkages among energy systems, environmental quality, and climate change. Dr. Loughlin will highlight recent and ongoing research activities, including: ...

E-Learning Systems: Promises and Pitfalls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Carlyle H.; Robbins, Lisa I.

2006-01-01

Objective: This review examines the use of e-learning systems in psychiatric education. Method: The authors review the Instructional System Design process, focusing on ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). The authors also report on two representative teaching projects, discussing the planning, work, and assessment…

Challenges in Patient Discharge Planning in the Health System of Iran: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Gholizadeh, Masumeh; Delgoshaei, Bahram; Gorji, Hasan Abulghasem; Torani, Sogand; Janati, Ali

2016-01-01

Background: One of the main factors relating to quality of hospitals is effective discharge planning. Discharge planning promotes the quality of inpatient care and reduces unplanned hospital readmission. The current study investigated the challenges of discharge planning observed in the health system of Iran. Methods: This qualitative research was conducted using a thematic and framework analyses to identify the challenges under each themes defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), to understand barriers in developing an effective discharge planning system in Iran health system. The data was collected from detailed semi-structured interviews and sessions of focus group discussions. This study involved 51 participants including health policy makers, hospital and health managers, faculty members, nurses, practitioners, community medicine specialists and other professionals of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). To reduce the bias and to increase the credibility of the study, evaluation criteria from Lincoln and Guba were used. All interviews and FGDs were recorded and transcribed, then analyzed by the software MAXQDA-11 and also manually. Results: According to the WHO health systems framework, challenges of effective hospital discharge planning were divided into six areas, leadership/governance, service delivery, information, financing, health workforce, and medical production(themes), in which there were 5,3,2,2,3,1 subthemes respectively. Conclusion: It is evident from the findings of this study that changes in the perspective of policy makers, health staff and managers, strengthening of systematic approach, and establishment of required infrastructures are essential for successful implementation of effective discharge planning in health systems in Iran. PMID:26755460

Computer-based route-definition system for peripheral bronchoscopy.

PubMed

Graham, Michael W; Gibbs, Jason D; Higgins, William E

2012-04-01

Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scanners produce high-resolution images of the chest. Given a patient's MDCT scan, a physician can use an image-guided intervention system to first plan and later perform bronchoscopy to diagnostic sites situated deep in the lung periphery. An accurate definition of complete routes through the airway tree leading to the diagnostic sites, however, is vital for avoiding navigation errors during image-guided bronchoscopy. We present a system for the robust definition of complete airway routes suitable for image-guided bronchoscopy. The system incorporates both automatic and semiautomatic MDCT analysis methods for this purpose. Using an intuitive graphical user interface, the user invokes automatic analysis on a patient's MDCT scan to produce a series of preliminary routes. Next, the user visually inspects each route and quickly corrects the observed route defects using the built-in semiautomatic methods. Application of the system to a human study for the planning and guidance of peripheral bronchoscopy demonstrates the efficacy of the system.

Acoustic Sensor Planning for Gunshot Location in National Parks: A Pareto Front Approach

PubMed Central

González-Castaño, Francisco Javier; Alonso, Javier Vales; Costa-Montenegro, Enrique; López-Matencio, Pablo; Vicente-Carrasco, Francisco; Parrado-García, Francisco J.; Gil-Castiñeira, Felipe; Costas-Rodríguez, Sergio

2009-01-01

In this paper, we propose a solution for gunshot location in national parks. In Spain there are agencies such as SEPRONA that fight against poaching with considerable success. The DiANa project, which is endorsed by Cabaneros National Park and the SEPRONA service, proposes a system to automatically detect and locate gunshots. This work presents its technical aspects related to network design and planning. The system consists of a network of acoustic sensors that locate gunshots by hyperbolic multi-lateration estimation. The differences in sound time arrivals allow the computation of a low error estimator of gunshot location. The accuracy of this method depends on tight sensor clock synchronization, which an ad-hoc time synchronization protocol provides. On the other hand, since the areas under surveillance are wide, and electric power is scarce, it is necessary to maximize detection coverage and minimize system cost at the same time. Therefore, sensor network planning has two targets, i.e., coverage and cost. We model planning as an unconstrained problem with two objective functions. We determine a set of candidate solutions of interest by combining a derivative-free descent method we have recently proposed with a Pareto front approach. The results are clearly superior to random seeding in a realistic simulation scenario. PMID:22303135

Acoustic sensor planning for gunshot location in national parks: a pareto front approach.

PubMed

González-Castaño, Francisco Javier; Alonso, Javier Vales; Costa-Montenegro, Enrique; López-Matencio, Pablo; Vicente-Carrasco, Francisco; Parrado-García, Francisco J; Gil-Castiñeira, Felipe; Costas-Rodríguez, Sergio

2009-01-01

In this paper, we propose a solution for gunshot location in national parks. In Spain there are agencies such as SEPRONA that fight against poaching with considerable success. The DiANa project, which is endorsed by Cabaneros National Park and the SEPRONA service, proposes a system to automatically detect and locate gunshots. This work presents its technical aspects related to network design and planning. The system consists of a network of acoustic sensors that locate gunshots by hyperbolic multi-lateration estimation. The differences in sound time arrivals allow the computation of a low error estimator of gunshot location. The accuracy of this method depends on tight sensor clock synchronization, which an ad-hoc time synchronization protocol provides. On the other hand, since the areas under surveillance are wide, and electric power is scarce, it is necessary to maximize detection coverage and minimize system cost at the same time. Therefore, sensor network planning has two targets, i.e., coverage and cost. We model planning as an unconstrained problem with two objective functions. We determine a set of candidate solutions of interest by combining a derivative-free descent method we have recently proposed with a Pareto front approach. The results are clearly superior to random seeding in a realistic simulation scenario.

Full Monte Carlo-Based Biologic Treatment Plan Optimization System for Intensity Modulated Carbon Ion Therapy on Graphics Processing Unit.

PubMed

Qin, Nan; Shen, Chenyang; Tsai, Min-Yu; Pinto, Marco; Tian, Zhen; Dedes, Georgios; Pompos, Arnold; Jiang, Steve B; Parodi, Katia; Jia, Xun

2018-01-01

One of the major benefits of carbon ion therapy is enhanced biological effectiveness at the Bragg peak region. For intensity modulated carbon ion therapy (IMCT), it is desirable to use Monte Carlo (MC) methods to compute the properties of each pencil beam spot for treatment planning, because of their accuracy in modeling physics processes and estimating biological effects. We previously developed goCMC, a graphics processing unit (GPU)-oriented MC engine for carbon ion therapy. The purpose of the present study was to build a biological treatment plan optimization system using goCMC. The repair-misrepair-fixation model was implemented to compute the spatial distribution of linear-quadratic model parameters for each spot. A treatment plan optimization module was developed to minimize the difference between the prescribed and actual biological effect. We used a gradient-based algorithm to solve the optimization problem. The system was embedded in the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system under a client-server architecture to achieve a user-friendly planning environment. We tested the system with a 1-dimensional homogeneous water case and 3 3-dimensional patient cases. Our system generated treatment plans with biological spread-out Bragg peaks covering the targeted regions and sparing critical structures. Using 4 NVidia GTX 1080 GPUs, the total computation time, including spot simulation, optimization, and final dose calculation, was 0.6 hour for the prostate case (8282 spots), 0.2 hour for the pancreas case (3795 spots), and 0.3 hour for the brain case (6724 spots). The computation time was dominated by MC spot simulation. We built a biological treatment plan optimization system for IMCT that performs simulations using a fast MC engine, goCMC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that full MC-based IMCT inverse planning has been achieved in a clinically viable time frame. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A DICOM based radiotherapy plan database for research collaboration and reporting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westberg, J.; Krogh, S.; Brink, C.; Vogelius, I. R.

2014-03-01

Purpose: To create a central radiotherapy (RT) plan database for dose analysis and reporting, capable of calculating and presenting statistics on user defined patient groups. The goal is to facilitate multi-center research studies with easy and secure access to RT plans and statistics on protocol compliance. Methods: RT institutions are able to send data to the central database using DICOM communications on a secure computer network. The central system is composed of a number of DICOM servers, an SQL database and in-house developed software services to process the incoming data. A web site within the secure network allows the user to manage their submitted data. Results: The RT plan database has been developed in Microsoft .NET and users are able to send DICOM data between RT centers in Denmark. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) calculations performed by the system are comparable to those of conventional RT software. A permission system was implemented to ensure access control and easy, yet secure, data sharing across centers. The reports contain DVH statistics for structures in user defined patient groups. The system currently contains over 2200 patients in 14 collaborations. Conclusions: A central RT plan repository for use in multi-center trials and quality assurance was created. The system provides an attractive alternative to dummy runs by enabling continuous monitoring of protocol conformity and plan metrics in a trial.

Application programming in C# environment with recorded user software interactions and its application in autopilot of VMAT/IMRT treatment planning.

PubMed

Wang, Henry; Xing, Lei

2016-11-08

An autopilot scheme of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT)/intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning with the guidance of prior knowl-edge is established with recorded interactions between a planner and a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). Microsoft (MS) Visual Studio Coded UI is applied to record some common planner-TPS interactions as subroutines. The TPS used in this study is a Windows-based Eclipse system. The interactions of our application program with Eclipse TPS are realized through a series of subrou-tines obtained by prerecording the mouse clicks or keyboard strokes of a planner in operating the TPS. A strategy to autopilot Eclipse VMAT/IMRT plan selection process is developed as a specific example of the proposed "scripting" method. The autopiloted planning is navigated by a decision function constructed with a reference plan that has the same prescription and similar anatomy with the case at hand. The calculation proceeds by alternating between the Eclipse optimization and the outer-loop optimization independent of the Eclipse. In the C# program, the dosimetric characteristics of a reference treatment plan are used to assess and modify the Eclipse planning parameters and to guide the search for a clinically sensible treatment plan. The approach is applied to plan a head and neck (HN) VMAT case and a prostate IMRT case. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of application programming method in C# environment with recorded interactions of planner-TPS. The process mimics a planner's planning process and automatically provides clinically sensible treatment plans that would otherwise require a large amount of manual trial and error of a planner. The proposed technique enables us to harness a commercial TPS by application programming via the use of recorded human computer interactions and provides an effective tool to greatly facilitate the treatment planning process. © 2016 The Authors.

Application programming in C# environment with recorded user software interactions and its application in autopilot of VMAT/IMRT treatment planning

PubMed Central

Wang, Henry

2016-01-01

An autopilot scheme of volumetric‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT)/intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning with the guidance of prior knowledge is established with recorded interactions between a planner and a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). Microsoft (MS) Visual Studio Coded UI is applied to record some common planner‐TPS interactions as subroutines. The TPS used in this study is a Windows‐based Eclipse system. The interactions of our application program with Eclipse TPS are realized through a series of subroutines obtained by prerecording the mouse clicks or keyboard strokes of a planner in operating the TPS. A strategy to autopilot Eclipse VMAT/IMRT plan selection process is developed as a specific example of the proposed “scripting” method. The autopiloted planning is navigated by a decision function constructed with a reference plan that has the same prescription and similar anatomy with the case at hand. The calculation proceeds by alternating between the Eclipse optimization and the outer‐loop optimization independent of the Eclipse. In the C# program, the dosimetric characteristics of a reference treatment plan are used to assess and modify the Eclipse planning parameters and to guide the search for a clinically sensible treatment plan. The approach is applied to plan a head and neck (HN) VMAT case and a prostate IMRT case. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of application programming method in C# environment with recorded interactions of planner‐TPS. The process mimics a planner's planning process and automatically provides clinically sensible treatment plans that would otherwise require a large amount of manual trial and error of a planner. The proposed technique enables us to harness a commercial TPS by application programming via the use of recorded human computer interactions and provides an effective tool to greatly facilitate the treatment planning process. PACS number(s): 87.55.D‐, 87.55.kd, 87.55.de PMID:27929493

Power control and management of the grid containing largescale wind power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aula, Fadhil Toufick

The ever increasing demand for electricity has driven many countries toward the installation of new generation facilities. However, concerns such as environmental pollution and global warming issues, clean energy sources, high costs associated with installation of new conventional power plants, and fossil fuels depletion have created many interests in finding alternatives to conventional fossil fuels for generating electricity. Wind energy is one of the most rapidly growing renewable power sources and wind power generations have been increasingly demanded as an alternative to the conventional fossil fuels. However, wind power fluctuates due to variation of wind speed. Therefore, large-scale integration of wind energy conversion systems is a threat to the stability and reliability of utility grids containing these systems. They disturb the balance between power generation and consumption, affect the quality of the electricity, and complicate load sharing and load distribution managing and planning. Overall, wind power systems do not help in providing any services such as operating and regulating reserves to the power grid. In order to resolve these issues, research has been conducted in utilizing weather forecasting data to improve the performance of the wind power system, reduce the influence of the fluctuations, and plan power management of the grid containing large-scale wind power systems which consist of doubly-fed induction generator based energy conversion system. The aims of this research, my dissertation, are to provide new methods for: smoothing the output power of the wind power systems and reducing the influence of their fluctuations, power managing and planning of a grid containing these systems and other conventional power plants, and providing a new structure of implementing of latest microprocessor technology for controlling and managing the operation of the wind power system. In this research, in order to reduce and smooth the fluctuations, two methods are presented. The first method is based on a de-loaded technique while the other method is based on utilizing multiple storage facilities. The de-loaded technique is based on characteristics of the power of a wind turbine and estimation of the generated power according to weather forecasting data. The technique provides a reference power by which the wind power system will operate and generate a smooth power. In contrast, utilizing storage facilities will allow the wind power system to operate at its maximum tracking power points' strategy. Two types of energy storages are considered in this research, battery energy storage system (BESS) and pumped-hydropower storage system (PHSS), to suppress the output fluctuations and to support the wind power system to follow the system load demands. Furthermore, this method provides the ability to store energy when there is a surplus of the generated power and to reuse it when there is a shortage of power generation from wind power systems. Both methods are new in terms of utilizing of the techniques and wind speed data. A microprocessor embedded system using an IntelRTM Atom(TM) processor is presented for controlling the wind power system and for providing the remote communication for enhancing the operation of the individual wind power system in a wind farm. The embedded system helps the wind power system to respond and to follow the commands of the central control of the power system. Moreover, it enhances the performance of the wind power system through self-managing, self-functioning, and self-correcting. Finally, a method of system power management and planning is modeled and studied for a grid containing large-scale wind power systems. The method is based on a new technique through constructing a new load demand curve (NLDC) from merging the estimation of generated power from wind power systems and forecasting of the load. To summarize, the methods and their results presented in this dissertation, enhance the operation of the large-scale wind power systems and reduce their drawbacks on the operation of the power grid.

A computational method for estimating the dosimetric effect of intra-fraction motion on step-and-shoot IMRT and compensator plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waghorn, Ben J.; Shah, Amish P.; Ngwa, Wilfred; Meeks, Sanford L.; Moore, Joseph A.; Siebers, Jeffrey V.; Langen, Katja M.

2010-07-01

Intra-fraction organ motion during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment can cause differences between the planned and the delivered dose distribution. To investigate the extent of these dosimetric changes, a computational model was developed and validated. The computational method allows for calculation of the rigid motion perturbed three-dimensional dose distribution in the CT volume and therefore a dose volume histogram-based assessment of the dosimetric impact of intra-fraction motion on a rigidly moving body. The method was developed and validated for both step-and-shoot IMRT and solid compensator IMRT treatment plans. For each segment (or beam), fluence maps were exported from the treatment planning system. Fluence maps were shifted according to the target position deduced from a motion track. These shifted, motion-encoded fluence maps were then re-imported into the treatment planning system and were used to calculate the motion-encoded dose distribution. To validate the accuracy of the motion-encoded dose distribution the treatment plan was delivered to a moving cylindrical phantom using a programmed four-dimensional motion phantom. Extended dose response (EDR-2) film was used to measure a planar dose distribution for comparison with the calculated motion-encoded distribution using a gamma index analysis (3% dose difference, 3 mm distance-to-agreement). A series of motion tracks incorporating both inter-beam step-function shifts and continuous sinusoidal motion were tested. The method was shown to accurately predict the film's dose distribution for all of the tested motion tracks, both for the step-and-shoot IMRT and compensator plans. The average gamma analysis pass rate for the measured dose distribution with respect to the calculated motion-encoded distribution was 98.3 ± 0.7%. For static delivery the average film-to-calculation pass rate was 98.7 ± 0.2%. In summary, a computational technique has been developed to calculate the dosimetric effect of intra-fraction motion. This technique has the potential to evaluate a given plan's sensitivity to anticipated organ motion. With knowledge of the organ's motion it can also be used as a tool to assess the impact of measured intra-fraction motion after dose delivery.

What is the Final Verification of Engineering Requirements?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poole, Eric

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the process of development through the final verification of engineering requirements. The definition of the requirements is driven by basic needs, and should be reviewed by both the supplier and the customer. All involved need to agree upon a formal requirements including changes to the original requirements document. After the requirements have ben developed, the engineering team begins to design the system. The final design is reviewed by other organizations. The final operational system must satisfy the original requirements, though many verifications should be performed during the process. The verification methods that are used are test, inspection, analysis and demonstration. The plan for verification should be created once the system requirements are documented. The plan should include assurances that every requirement is formally verified, that the methods and the responsible organizations are specified, and that the plan is reviewed by all parties. The options of having the engineering team involved in all phases of the development as opposed to having some other organization continue the process once the design has been complete is discussed.

48 CFR 2905.101 - Methods of disseminating information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... information. 2905.101 Section 2905.101 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Dissemination of Information 2905.101 Methods of disseminating... dissemination of information concerning procurement actions. The Division of Acquisition Management Services...

Strategic Planning towards a World-Class University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usoh, E. J.; Ratu, D.; Manongko, A.; Taroreh, J.; Preston, G.

2018-02-01

Strategic planning with a focus on world-class university status is an option that cannot be avoided by universities today to survive and succeed in competition as a provider of higher education. The objective of this research is to obtain exploratory research results on the strategic plans of universities that are prepared to generate world-class university status. This research utilised exploratory qualitative research method and data was collected by in-depth interviews method. Interview transcripts were analyzed by using thematic content analysis through NVivo software analysis and manual systems. The main finding of interview shows that most interviewees agreed that UNIMA has been engaged in strategic planning. Contribution from faculties and schools are acknowledged and inform the planning process. However, a new model of strategic planning should be adopted by UNIMA due to the shift towards a “corporate university”. The finding results from documents, literature review and interview were the addition of world-class university characteristics and features to current strategic planning of UNIMA and how to upgrade by considering to use the characteristics and features towards world-class university.

[Computer-assisted operational planning for pediatric abdominal surgery. 3D-visualized MRI with volume rendering].

PubMed

Günther, P; Tröger, J; Holland-Cunz, S; Waag, K L; Schenk, J P

2006-08-01

Exact surgical planning is necessary for complex operations of pathological changes in anatomical structures of the pediatric abdomen. 3D visualization and computer-assisted operational planning based on CT data are being increasingly used for difficult operations in adults. To minimize radiation exposure and for better soft tissue contrast, sonography and MRI are the preferred diagnostic methods in pediatric patients. Because of manifold difficulties 3D visualization of these MRI data has not been realized so far, even though the field of embryonal malformations and tumors could benefit from this.A newly developed and modified raycasting-based powerful 3D volume rendering software (VG Studio Max 1.2) for the planning of pediatric abdominal surgery is presented. With the help of specifically developed algorithms, a useful surgical planning system is demonstrated. Thanks to the easy handling and high-quality visualization with enormous gain of information, the presented system is now an established part of routine surgical planning.

SU-F-T-336: A Quick Auto-Planning (QAP) Method for Patient Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peng, J; Zhang, Z; Wang, J

2016-06-15

Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop a quick auto-planning system that permits fast patient IMRT planning with conformal dose to the target without manual field alignment and time-consuming dose distribution optimization. Methods: The planning target volume (PTV) of the source and the target patient were projected to the iso-center plane in certain beameye- view directions to derive the 2D projected shapes. Assuming the target interior was isotropic for each beam direction boundary analysis under polar coordinate was performed to map the source shape boundary to the target shape boundary to derive the source-to-target shape mapping function. Themore » derived shape mapping function was used to morph the source beam aperture to the target beam aperture over all segments in each beam direction. The target beam weights were re-calculated to deliver the same dose to the reference point (iso-center) as the source beam did in the source plan. The approach was tested on two rectum patients (one source patient and one target patient). Results: The IMRT planning time by QAP was 5 seconds on a laptop computer. The dose volume histograms and the dose distribution showed the target patient had the similar PTV dose coverage and OAR dose sparing with the source patient. Conclusion: The QAP system can instantly and automatically finish the IMRT planning without dose optimization.« less

Quality assessment for VMAT prostate radiotherapy planning based on data envelopment analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Kuan-Min; Simpson, John; Sasso, Giuseppe; Raith, Andrea; Ehrgott, Matthias

2013-08-01

The majority of commercial radiotherapy treatment planning systems requires planners to iteratively adjust the plan parameters in order to find a satisfactory plan. This iterative trial-and-error nature of radiotherapy treatment planning results in an inefficient planning process and in order to reduce such inefficiency, plans can be accepted without achieving the best attainable quality. We propose a quality assessment method based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) to address this inefficiency. This method compares a plan of interest to a set of past delivered plans and searches for evidence of potential further improvement. With the assistance of DEA, planners will be able to make informed decisions on whether further planning is required and ensure that a plan is only accepted when the plan quality is close to the best attainable one. We apply the DEA method to 37 prostate plans using two assessment parameters: rectal generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) as the input and D95 (the minimum dose that is received by 95% volume of a structure) of the planning target volume (PTV) as the output. The percentage volume of rectum overlapping PTV is used to account for anatomical variations between patients and is included in the model as a non-discretionary output variable. Five plans that are considered of lesser quality by DEA are re-optimized with the goal to further improve rectal sparing. After re-optimization, all five plans improve in rectal gEUD without clinically considerable deterioration of the PTV D95 value. For the five re-optimized plans, the rectal gEUD is reduced by an average of 1.84 Gray (Gy) with only an average reduction of 0.07 Gy in PTV D95. The results demonstrate that DEA can correctly identify plans with potential improvements in terms of the chosen input and outputs.

3D Displays And User Interface Design For A Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning CAD Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosher, Charles E.; Sherouse, George W.; Chaney, Edward L.; Rosenman, Julian G.

1988-06-01

The long term goal of the project described in this paper is to improve local tumor control through the use of computer-aided treatment design methods that can result in selection of better treatment plans compared with conventional planning methods. To this end, a CAD tool for the design of radiation treatment beams is described. Crucial to the effectiveness of this tool are high quality 3D display techniques. We have found that 2D and 3D display methods dramatically improve the comprehension of the complex spatial relationships between patient anatomy, radiation beams, and dose distributions. In order to take full advantage of these displays, an intuitive and highly interactive user interface was created. If the system is to be used by physicians unfamiliar with computer systems, it is essential that a user interface is incorporated that allows the user to navigate through each step of the design process in a manner similar to what they are used to. Compared with conventional systems, we believe our display and CAD tools will allow the radiotherapist to achieve more accurate beam targetting leading to a better radiation dose configuration to the tumor volume. This would result in a reduction of the dose to normal tissue.

Earth Observing System (EOS)/Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit A (AMSU-A) configuration management plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavanaugh, J.

1994-01-01

This plan describes methods and procedures Aerojet will follow in the implementation of configuration control for each established baseline. The plan is written in response to the GSFC EOS CM Plan 420-02-02, dated January 1990, and also meets he requirements specified in DOD-STD-480, DOD-D 1000B, MIL-STD-483A, and MIL-STD-490B. The plan establishes the configuration management process to be used for the deliverable hardware, software, and firmware of the EOS/AMSU-A during development, design, fabrication, test, and delivery. This revision includes minor updates to reflect Aerojet's CM policies.

SU-F-T-199: A New Strategy for Integrating Photon with Proton and Carbon Ion in the Treatment Planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Z; Wang, J; Hu, W

2016-06-15

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a viable strategy to integrate photon plan and proton/carbon ion plan based on deformable registration. Methods: Two prostate cancer patients were enrolled in this study. Each patient has 2 CTs, which were input in the Raystation radiotherapy treatment planning system (TPS). CT1 was deformed to the second CT2 using the Hybrid deformation method. The dice similarity coefficient (DSC) parameter was used to evaluate the difference between the actual structures (bladder, rectum and CTV) and the corresponding deformed structures on CT2. The prescription dose was 63.02GyE to CTV, which included 49.32GyE formore » CTV1 with carbon and boost 13.7Gy for CTV2 with photon. The carbon plan was made first in Syngo TPS (Syngo PT Planning system, version VB10. Siemens, Germany) on CT1 and transferred to Raystation TPS. Selected Isodoses (23.5Gy, 36.8Gy, 39.1Gy, 47.0Gy and 49.3Gy) of carbon plan were converted to contours and then deformed to CT2, which was used as normal tissues for photon plan optimization on CT2. The final plan was the combination of photon plan and the carbon deformation plan on the CT2. The plan from this strategy was compared with direct optimization of the photon plan on CT2 added some clinical endpoints from carbon plan on CT1. Results: The new strategy with deformable registration is tested and combined plans were successfully obtained for the 2 patients. This strategy obtained both integrated DVH and dose distribution information. For patient 1, the rectum V30, V60 and bladder V63 were 45.8, 10.3 and 9.7 for the combined plan with deformation and 48.1, 11.0 and 12.0 for the direct photon plan. Conclusion: The new strategy for combining photon and carbon/proton is feasible. However, the clinical accuracy is still need more evaluation.« less

Sparsity constrained split feasibility for dose-volume constraints in inverse planning of intensity-modulated photon or proton therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penfold, Scott; Zalas, Rafał; Casiraghi, Margherita; Brooke, Mark; Censor, Yair; Schulte, Reinhard

2017-05-01

A split feasibility formulation for the inverse problem of intensity-modulated radiation therapy treatment planning with dose-volume constraints included in the planning algorithm is presented. It involves a new type of sparsity constraint that enables the inclusion of a percentage-violation constraint in the model problem and its handling by continuous (as opposed to integer) methods. We propose an iterative algorithmic framework for solving such a problem by applying the feasibility-seeking CQ-algorithm of Byrne combined with the automatic relaxation method that uses cyclic projections. Detailed implementation instructions are furnished. Functionality of the algorithm was demonstrated through the creation of an intensity-modulated proton therapy plan for a simple 2D C-shaped geometry and also for a realistic base-of-skull chordoma treatment site. Monte Carlo simulations of proton pencil beams of varying energy were conducted to obtain dose distributions for the 2D test case. A research release of the Pinnacle 3 proton treatment planning system was used to extract pencil beam doses for a clinical base-of-skull chordoma case. In both cases the beamlet doses were calculated to satisfy dose-volume constraints according to our new algorithm. Examination of the dose-volume histograms following inverse planning with our algorithm demonstrated that it performed as intended. The application of our proposed algorithm to dose-volume constraint inverse planning was successfully demonstrated. Comparison with optimized dose distributions from the research release of the Pinnacle 3 treatment planning system showed the algorithm could achieve equivalent or superior results.

Traffic routing in a switched regenerative satellite. Volume 1, task 3: Traffic assignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-12-01

Time plan assignment in a multibeam SS-TDMA is discussed. System features fixed by the designer, such as the number and the speed of ground terminals installed in each station, and the number and the speed of satellite transponders working in each spot are described. Linkage among terminals and transponders is also discussed, including having more than one transponder linked to one terminal. A procedure to achieve a switching plan with high efficiency, taking into account all system constraints such as no bursts breaking and two transmission rates harmonization is proposed. Algorithms to be implemented are: the Hungarian method; branch and bound; the INSERT heuristic; and the HOLE heuristic. Computer programs were developed, and a time plan for a European Satellite System is produced.

Advanced flight deck/crew station simulator functional requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, R. L.; Tate, J. L.; Moss, M. J.

1980-01-01

This report documents a study of flight deck/crew system research facility requirements for investigating issues involved with developing systems, and procedures for interfacing transport aircraft with air traffic control systems planned for 1985 to 2000. Crew system needs of NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and industry were investigated and reported. A matrix of these is included, as are recommended functional requirements and design criteria for simulation facilities in which to conduct this research. Methods of exploiting the commonality and similarity in facilities are identified, and plans for exploiting this in order to reduce implementation costs and allow efficient transfer of experiments from one facility to another are presented.

SU-E-J-73: Extension of a Clinical OIS/EMR/R&V System to Deliver Safe and Efficient Adaptive Plan-Of-The-Day Treatments Using a Fully Customizable Plan-Library-Based Workflow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akhiat, A.; Elekta, Sunnyvale, CA; Kanis, A.P.

Purpose: To extend a clinical Record and Verify (R&V) system to enable a safe and fast workflow for Plan-of-the-Day (PotD) adaptive treatments based on patient-specific plan libraries. Methods: Plan libraries for PotD adaptive treatments contain for each patient several pre-treatment generated treatment plans. They may be generated for various patient anatomies or CTV-PTV margins. For each fraction, a Cone Beam CT scan is acquired to support the selection of the plan that best fits the patient’s anatomy-of-the-day. To date, there are no commercial R&V systems that support PotD delivery strategies. Consequently, the clinical workflow requires many manual interventions. Moreover, multiplemore » scheduled plans have a high risk of excessive dose delivery. In this work we extended a commercial R&V system (MOSAIQ) to support PotD workflows using IQ-scripting. The PotD workflow was designed after extensive risk analysis of the manual procedure, and all identified risks were incorporated as logical checks. Results: All manual PotD activities were automated. The workflow first identifies if the patient is scheduled for PotD, then performs safety checks, and continues to treatment plan selection only if no issues were found. The user selects the plan to deliver from a list of candidate plans. After plan selection, the workflow makes the treatment fields of the selected plan available for delivery by adding them to the treatment calendar. Finally, control is returned to the R&V system to commence treatment. Additional logic was added to incorporate off-line changes such as updating the plan library. After extensive testing including treatment fraction interrupts and plan-library updates during the treatment course, the workflow is running successfully in a clinical pilot, in which 35 patients have been treated since October 2014. Conclusion: We have extended a commercial R&V system for improved safety and efficiency in library-based adaptive strategies enabling a wide-spread implementation of those strategies. This work was in part funded by a research grant of Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden.« less

A Quality Assurance Method that Utilizes 3D Dosimetry and Facilitates Clinical Interpretation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldham, Mark, E-mail: mark.oldham@duke.edu; Thomas, Andrew; O'Daniel, Jennifer

2012-10-01

Purpose: To demonstrate a new three-dimensional (3D) quality assurance (QA) method that provides comprehensive dosimetry verification and facilitates evaluation of the clinical significance of QA data acquired in a phantom. Also to apply the method to investigate the dosimetric efficacy of base-of-skull (BOS) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment. Methods and Materials: Two types of IMRT QA verification plans were created for 6 patients who received BOS IMRT. The first plan enabled conventional 2D planar IMRT QA using the Varian portal dosimetry system. The second plan enabled 3D verification using an anthropomorphic head phantom. In the latter, the 3D dose distribution wasmore » measured using the DLOS/Presage dosimetry system (DLOS = Duke Large-field-of-view Optical-CT System, Presage Heuris Pharma, Skillman, NJ), which yielded isotropic 2-mm data throughout the treated volume. In a novel step, measured 3D dose distributions were transformed back to the patient's CT to enable calculation of dose-volume histograms (DVH) and dose overlays. Measured and planned patient DVHs were compared to investigate clinical significance. Results: Close agreement between measured and calculated dose distributions was observed for all 6 cases. For gamma criteria of 3%, 2 mm, the mean passing rate for portal dosimetry was 96.8% (range, 92.0%-98.9%), compared to 94.9% (range, 90.1%-98.9%) for 3D. There was no clear correlation between 2D and 3D passing rates. Planned and measured dose distributions were evaluated on the patient's anatomy, using DVH and dose overlays. Minor deviations were detected, and the clinical significance of these are presented and discussed. Conclusions: Two advantages accrue to the methods presented here. First, treatment accuracy is evaluated throughout the whole treated volume, yielding comprehensive verification. Second, the clinical significance of any deviations can be assessed through the generation of DVH curves and dose overlays on the patient's anatomy. The latter step represents an important development that advances the clinical relevance of complex treatment QA.« less

Computer-aided head film analysis: the University of California San Francisco method.

PubMed

Baumrind, S; Miller, D M

1980-07-01

Computer technology is already assuming an important role in the management of orthodontic practices. The next 10 years are likely to see expansion in computer usage into the areas of diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment-record keeping. In the areas of diagnosis and treatment planning, one of the first problems to be attacked will be the automation of head film analysis. The problems of constructing computer-aided systems for this purpose are considered herein in the light of the authors' 10 years of experience in developing a similar system for research purposes. The need for building in methods for automatic detection and correction of gross errors is discussed and the authors' method for doing so is presented. The construction of a rudimentary machine-readable data base for research and clinical purposes is described.

Intelligent Tutoring Systems: A Tutorial Survey.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

through the Socratic method of instruction. Proceeding chronologically, examples of intelligent tutoring systems are described in terms of their internal...metacognition); modeling the plans behind procedural behavior; and forcing articulation of model inconsistencies through the Socratic method of...pedagogical philosophies. First, we have the Socratic approach, in which the teacher keeps asking questions and giving new cases to force the student to

A Preliminary Look at Systems of Evaluating Teachers in Institutions of Higher Education and at Evaluation Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinese Education and Society, 2005

2005-01-01

This article takes a preliminary look at the fundamental characteristics of systems and methods of evaluating teachers in institutions of higher education as well as at planning and implementing them. Its purpose is to deepen one's knowledge of such evaluation and improve the way it is carried out in practice. The article discusses the…

Intelligent rover decision-making in response to exogenous events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chouinard, C.; Estlin, T.; Gaines, D.; Fisher, F.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an introduction to the CLEAR system which performs rover command generation and re-planning, the challenges faced maintaining domain specific information in an uncertain environment, and the successes demonstrated with several methods of system testing.

Strategies for automatic planning: A collection of ideas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Carol; George, Julia; Zamani, Elaine

1989-01-01

The main goal of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is to obtain science return from interplanetary probes. The uplink process is concerned with communicating commands to a spacecraft in order to achieve science objectives. There are two main parts to the development of the command file which is sent to a spacecraft. First, the activity planning process integrates the science requests for utilization of spacecraft time into a feasible sequence. Then the command generation process converts the sequence into a set of commands. The development of a feasible sequence plan is an expensive and labor intensive process requiring many months of effort. In order to save time and manpower in the uplink process, automation of parts of this process is desired. There is an ongoing effort to develop automatic planning systems. This has met with some success, but has also been informative about the nature of this effort. It is now clear that innovative techniques and state-of-the-art technology will be required in order to produce a system which can provide automatic sequence planning. As part of this effort to develop automatic planning systems, a survey of the literature, looking for known techniques which may be applicable to our work was conducted. Descriptions of and references for these methods are given, together with ideas for applying the techniques to automatic planning.

Characteristics of selected elements of the air quality management system in urban areas in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sówka, Izabela; Kobus, Dominik; Chlebowska Styś, Anna; Zathey, Maciej

2017-11-01

Most of Europeans living in cities are exposed to concentrations of air pollutants in excess of the thresholds given in the WHO guidelines and EU legislation. Due to this fact, for the urban air quality systems, the mechanisms of proper information and warning of the inhabitants as well as legal, economic and spatial planning instruments should be improved. The analysis of Polish air quality management system and its' selected components (exemplary measures, information-spreading methods, spatial planning instruments) in four selected Polish cities (Wroclaw, Warsaw, Poznan and Cracow) indicated the need to develop effective solutions, among others, in terms of: emission requirements for combustion of fuels of power of up to 1 MW; admission of high emission fuels on the market; legal and coordination issues at the level of implementation of the area development policy and coordination of activities covering issues within the scope of the structure of planning documents including mainly: ambient air protection programs, spatial developments plans in communes and voivodeships, low emission economy plans, plans of sustainable development of public transport, plans of providing heat, electric power and gas fuels to communes, acts of regional parliaments, introducing limitations based on the Environmental Protection Act and strategies of voivodeship.

REPORT ON THE OECD CONFERENCE ON SYSTEM ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES IN EDUCATIONAL PLANNING (PARIS, FRANCE, JANUARY 25-27, 1967).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STOLLER, DAVID S.

AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP FOR THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) MET TO EXCHANGE METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING, TECHNIQUES, AND PROGRESS, AND TO DISCUSS MEANS OF MAKING EDUCATION AVAILABLE TO ALL SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS OF SOCIETY. RAPIDLY EXPANDING INDUSTRIAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, MILITARY, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMS IN ALL…

The riparian species recovery plan: A status report

Treesearch

Steven M. Chambers

1996-01-01

Several Federal and State agencies in Arizona and New Mexico are collaborating on the development of a strategy for the restoration of riparian systems. The strategy that is taking shape is the development of a package of formats, methods and information that can guide local groups in developing and implementing local riparian restoration plans. The major elements of...

Task three: technical memorandum for Federal Highway Administration (ITS-JPO) on case studies : assessment of state of the practice and state of the art in evacuation transportation management

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-02-06

for which there is advance warning. With advance warning, evacuations can be planned and managed using procedures and systems that have been developed as a result of extensive and methodical pre-planning. This approach, however, does not adequately s...

An Introduction to Project PRIME and CAMPUS MINNESOTA. Project PRIME Report, Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordes, David C.

PRIME is an acronym for Planning Resources in Minnesota Education. The project's primary objective is to test the implementation of CAMPUS (Comprehensive Analytical Methods for Planning University Systems) in one State College, one Junior College, and in one school at the University of Minnesota. The CAMPUS model was developed by the Institute for…

Range and mission scheduling automation using combined AI and operations research techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arbabi, Mansur; Pfeifer, Michael

1987-01-01

Ground-based systems for Satellite Command, Control, and Communications (C3) operations require a method for planning, scheduling and assigning the range resources such as: antenna systems scattered around the world, communications systems, and personnel. The method must accommodate user priorities, last minute changes, maintenance requirements, and exceptions from nominal requirements. Described are computer programs which solve 24 hour scheduling problems, using heuristic algorithms and a real time interactive scheduling process.

SU-E-T-279: Realization of Three-Dimensional Conformal Dose Planning in Prostate Brachytherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Z; Jiang, S; Yang, Z

2014-06-01

Purpose: Successful clinical treatment in prostate brachytherapy is largely dependent on the effectiveness of pre-surgery dose planning. Conventional dose planning method could hardly arrive at a satisfy result. In this abstract, a three-dimensional conformal localized dose planning method is put forward to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of pre-implantation dose planning. Methods: Using Monte Carlo method, the pre-calculated 3-D dose map for single source is obtained. As for multiple seeds dose distribution, the maps are combined linearly to acquire the 3-D distribution. The 3-D dose distribution is exhibited in the form of isodose surface together with reconstructed 3-D organs groupmore » real-timely. Then it is possible to observe the dose exposure to target volume and normal tissues intuitively, thus achieving maximum dose irradiation to treatment target and minimum healthy tissues damage. In addition, the exfoliation display of different isodose surfaces can be realized applying multi-values contour extraction algorithm based on voxels. The needles could be displayed in the system by tracking the position of the implanted seeds in real time to conduct block research in optimizing insertion trajectory. Results: This study extends dose planning from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, realizing the three-dimensional conformal irradiation, which could eliminate the limitations of 2-D images and two-dimensional dose planning. A software platform is developed using VC++ and Visualization Toolkit (VTK) to perform dose planning. The 3-D model reconstruction time is within three seconds (on a Intel Core i5 PC). Block research could be conducted to avoid inaccurate insertion into sensitive organs or internal obstructions. Experiments on eight prostate cancer cases prove that this study could make the dose planning results more reasonable. Conclusion: The three-dimensional conformal dose planning method could improve the rationality of dose planning by safely reducing the large target margin and avoiding dose dead zones for prostate cancer treatment. 1) National Natural Science Foundation of People's Republic of China (No. 51175373); 2) New Century Educational Talents Plan of Chinese Education Ministry (NCET-10-0625); 3) Scientific and Technological Major Project, Tianjin (No. 12ZCDZSY10600)« less

Use of Knowledge Base Systems (EMDS) in Strategic and Tactical Forest Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, M. E.; Reynolds, K.; Stockmann, K.

2008-12-01

The USDA Forest Service 2008 Planning Rule requires Forest plans to provide a strategic vision for maintaining the sustainability of ecological, economic, and social systems across USFS lands through the identification of desired conditions and objectives. In this paper we show how knowledge-based systems can be efficiently used to evaluate disparate natural resource information to assess desired conditions and related objectives in Forest planning. We use the Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system (http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds/), which facilitates development of both logic-based models for evaluating ecosystem sustainability (desired conditions) and decision models to identify priority areas for integrated landscape restoration (objectives). The study area for our analysis spans 1,057 subwatersheds within western Montana and northern Idaho. Results of our study suggest that knowledge-based systems such as EMDS are well suited to both strategic and tactical planning and that the following points merit consideration in future National Forest (and other land management) planning efforts: 1) Logic models provide a consistent, transparent, and reproducible method for evaluating broad propositions about ecosystem sustainability such as: are watershed integrity, ecosystem and species diversity, social opportunities, and economic integrity in good shape across a planning area? The ability to evaluate such propositions in a formal logic framework also allows users the opportunity to evaluate statistical changes in outcomes over time, which could be very useful for regional and national reporting purposes and for addressing litigation; 2) The use of logic and decision models in strategic and tactical Forest planning provides a repository for expert knowledge (corporate memory) that is critical to the evaluation and management of ecosystem sustainability over time. This is especially true for the USFS and other federal resource agencies, which are likely to experience rapid turnover in tenured resource specialist positions within the next five years due to retirements; 3) Use of logic model output in decision models is an efficient method for synthesizing the typically large amounts of information needed to support integrated landscape restoration. Moreover, use of logic and decision models to design customized scenarios for integrated landscape restoration, as we have demonstrated with EMDS, offers substantial improvements to traditional GIS-based procedures such as suitability analysis. To our knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to link evaluations of desired conditions for ecosystem sustainability in strategic planning to tactical planning regarding the location of subwatersheds that best meet the objectives of integrated landscape restoration. The basic knowledge-based approach implemented in EMDS, with its logic (NetWeaver) and decision (Criterion Decision Plus) engines, is well suited both to multi-scale strategic planning and to multi-resource tactical planning.

SU-F-T-519: Is Geometry Based Setup Sufficient for All of the Head and Neck Treatment Cases?: A Feasibility Study Towards the Dose Based Setup

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S; Chen, S; Zhang, B

Purpose: This study compares the geometric-based setup (GBS) which is currently used in the clinic to a novel concept of dose-based setup (DBS) of head and neck (H&N) patients using cone beam CT (CBCT) of the day; and evaluates the clinical advantages. Methods: Ten H&N patients who underwent re-simulation and re-plan due to noticeable anatomic changes during the course of the treatments were retrospectively reviewed on dosimetric changes in the assumption of no plan modification was performed. RayStation planning system (RaySearch Laboratories AB, Sweden) was used to match (ROI fusion module) between prescribed isodoseline (IDL) in the CBCT imported alongmore » with ROIs from re-planned CT and the IDL of original plan (Dose-based setup: DBS). Then, the CBCT plan based on daily setup using the GBS (previously used for a patient) and the DBS CBCT plan recalculated in RayStation compared against the original CT-sim plan. Results: Most of patients’ tumor coverage and OAR doses got generally worsen when the CBCT plans were compared with original CT-sim plan with GBS. However, when DBS intervened, the OAR dose and tumor coverage was better than the GBS. For example, one of patients’ daily average doses of right parotid and oral cavity increased to 26% and 36%, respectively from the original plan to the GBS planning. However, it only increased by 13% and 24%, respectively with DBS. GTV D95 coverage also decreased by 16% with GBS, but only 2% decreased with DBS. Conclusion: DBS method is superior to GBS to prevent any abrupt dose changes to OARs as well as PTV/CTV or GTV at least for some H&N cases. Since it is not known when the DBS is beneficial to the GBS, a system which enables the on-line DBS may be helpful for better treatment of H&N.« less

I.C.I.S. Inter-Campus Information System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvir, Howard P.

A decision making system for educators to enable them to plan and make information-based decisions is briefly described. The information system's characteristics are explained, along with a summary of information systems in higher education. A self-test criteria of effectiveness and feedback and evaluation methods are also included. A request form…

A Collaborative Web-Based Approach to Planning Research, Integration, and Testing Using a Wiki

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delaney, Michael M.; Koshimoto, Edwin T.; Noble, Deleena; Duggan, Christopher

2010-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Integrated Vehicle Health Management program touches on many different research areas while striving to enable the automated detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and mitigation of adverse events at the aircraft and system level. At the system level, the research focus is on the evaluation of multidisciplinary integrated methods, tools, and technologies for achieving the program goal. The participating program members form a diverse group of government, industry, and academic researchers. The program team developed the Research and Test Integration Plan in order to track significant test and evaluation activities, which are important for understanding, demonstrating, and communicating the overall project state and project direction. The Plan is a living document, which allows the project team the flexibility to construct conceptual test scenarios and to track project resources. The Plan also incorporates several desirable feature requirements for Plan users and maintainers. A wiki has proven to be the most efficient and effective means of implementing the feature requirements for the Plan. The wiki has proven very valuable as a research project management tool, and there are plans to expand its scope.

Research on global path planning based on ant colony optimization for AUV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hong-Jian; Xiong, Wei

2009-03-01

Path planning is an important issue for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) traversing an unknown environment such as a sea floor, a jungle, or the outer celestial planets. For this paper, global path planning using large-scale chart data was studied, and the principles of ant colony optimization (ACO) were applied. This paper introduced the idea of a visibility graph based on the grid workspace model. It also brought a series of pheromone updating rules for the ACO planning algorithm. The operational steps of the ACO algorithm are proposed as a model for a global path planning method for AUV. To mimic the process of smoothing a planned path, a cutting operator and an insertion-point operator were designed. Simulation results demonstrated that the ACO algorithm is suitable for global path planning. The system has many advantages, including that the operating path of the AUV can be quickly optimized, and it is shorter, safer, and smoother. The prototype system successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the concept, proving it can be applied to surveys of unstructured unmanned environments.

Using Program Data to Improve Access to Family Planning and Enhance the Method Mix in Conflict-Affected Areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

PubMed Central

Ho, Lara S; Wheeler, Erin

2018-01-01

Unmet need for family planning in the conflict-affected area of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been reported to be as high as 38%, and women in such conflict settings are often the most at risk for maternal mortality. The International Rescue Committee implements the Family Planning and Post-Abortion Care in Emergencies program in 3 provinces of eastern DRC to provide women and couples access to family planning, including long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). This article presents routine program data from June 2011 through December 2013 from 2 health zones as well as results from a qualitative assessment of family planning clients and of male and female non-users, conducted in 2013. It then describes how these findings were used to make program adjustments to improve access to family planning services and client informed choice and assesses the effects of the program design changes on family planning uptake and method mix using routine program data from January 2014 through December 2016. Between 2011 and 2013, 8,985 clients adopted family planning, with an average 14 clients adopting a method per facility, per month. The method mix remained stable during this period, with implants dominating at 48%. Barriers to uptake identified from the qualitative research were both supply- and demand-related, including misconceptions about certain modern contraceptive methods on the part of providers, users, and other community members. The program implemented several program changes based on the assessment findings, including clinical coaching and supportive supervision to improve provider skills and attitudes, introduction of immediate postpartum insertion of the intrauterine device (IUD) and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), and behavior change communication campaigns to raise awareness about family planning. After these program changes, the mean number of clients adopting modern family planning per facility, per month increased from 14 to 37 and the percentage of family planning adopters choosing LARCs increased from 50% to 66%. While implants continued to be the most dominant method, reaching 60% of the method mix in 2016, the percentage of clients adopting IUDs increased each year, from 3% in 2014 to 13% in 2016. In total, 39,399 clients started family planning methods during the post-program design change period (2014–2016). Our experience in eastern DRC demonstrates that women and their partners affected by conflict want family planning, and that it is feasible to deliver the full range of modern contraceptive methods when programs are adapted and sensitive to the local context. PMID:29602870

Calibrations of the LHD Thomson scattering system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamada, I., E-mail: yamadai@nifs.ac.jp; Funaba, H.; Yasuhara, R.

2016-11-15

The Thomson scattering diagnostic systems are widely used for the measurements of absolute local electron temperatures and densities of fusion plasmas. In order to obtain accurate and reliable temperature and density data, careful calibrations of the system are required. We have tried several calibration methods since the second LHD experiment campaign in 1998. We summarize the current status of the calibration methods for the electron temperature and density measurements by the LHD Thomson scattering diagnostic system. Future plans are briefly discussed.

Calibrations of the LHD Thomson scattering system.

PubMed

Yamada, I; Funaba, H; Yasuhara, R; Hayashi, H; Kenmochi, N; Minami, T; Yoshikawa, M; Ohta, K; Lee, J H; Lee, S H

2016-11-01

The Thomson scattering diagnostic systems are widely used for the measurements of absolute local electron temperatures and densities of fusion plasmas. In order to obtain accurate and reliable temperature and density data, careful calibrations of the system are required. We have tried several calibration methods since the second LHD experiment campaign in 1998. We summarize the current status of the calibration methods for the electron temperature and density measurements by the LHD Thomson scattering diagnostic system. Future plans are briefly discussed.

Technical Note: Development and performance of a software tool for quality assurance of online replanning with a conventional Linac or MR-Linac.

PubMed

Chen, Guang-Pei; Ahunbay, Ergun; Li, X Allen

2016-04-01

To develop an integrated quality assurance (QA) software tool for online replanning capable of efficiently and automatically checking radiation treatment (RT) planning parameters and gross plan quality, verifying treatment plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary monitor unit (MU) calculation with or without a presence of a magnetic field from MR-Linac, and validating the delivery record consistency with the plan. The software tool, named ArtQA, was developed to obtain and compare plan and treatment parameters from both the TPS and the R&V system database. The TPS data are accessed via direct file reading and the R&V data are retrieved via open database connectivity and structured query language. Plan quality is evaluated with both the logical consistency of planning parameters and the achieved dose-volume histograms. Beams in between the TPS and R&V system are matched based on geometry configurations. To consider the effect of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. ArtQA has been used in their clinic and can quickly detect inconsistencies and deviations in the entire RT planning process. With the use of the ArtQA tool, the efficiency for plan check including plan quality, data transfer, and delivery check can be improved by at least 60%. The newly developed independent MU calculation tool for MR-Linac reduces the difference between the plan and calculated MUs by 10%. The software tool ArtQA can be used to perform a comprehensive QA check from planning to delivery with conventional Linac or MR-Linac and is an essential tool for online replanning where the QA check needs to be performed rapidly.

Operative planning of functional sessions for multisatellite observation and communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darnopykh, Valeriy V.; Malyshev, Veniamin V.

2012-04-01

An important control aspect of modern satellite observation and communication systems is the control of the functional processes. Functional sessions proceed under conditions of restricted technical ability, large amounts or information to be processed by the on-board equipment, practice inequality of the received information, intentions of system management and operators, interests of customers and other factors. A large number of spacecrafts (SC) in orbital constellation is one of the most important factors affecting the functional process also. Besides that some modern projects of satellite systems are multifunctional that is mixed operations of observation and communication. Therefore the functioning of SC on-board equipment must be accurately co-ordinate. That is why the problem of operative planning the functioning of these systems, while directly affecting the efficiency of the system, is very complex and actual at present. A methodical approach and software package for operative planning of functional processes for satellite observation and communication systems, including multifunctional projects, are considered in the paper. The base scheme of this approach consists of four main stages: stage 1—modeling of SC orbital kinematics and dynamics; stage 2—modeling of system functional processes with all kind of restrictions and criterion function values; stage 3—solving an optimization tasks by numerical applicable algorithms and constructing the optimal (or accuracy) plans; stage 4—repeated plan optimization (different variants) and analyzing. Such scheme is the result of authors practical research which have been realized during last 15 years by the operative planning as for any kinds of single SC as for satellite systems with different structure of orbital constellation. The research helps to unify the procedure of operative planning, to formulate basic principles and approaches for its solving, to develop special software package. The main aspects of the approach proposed are illustrated in the paper. The results of the calculations of applied planning problems are presented. The objects of research in these problems are: projects of CBERS observation systems (1-3 SC) and projects of Iridium (66 SC) global communication system.

Community and health systems barriers and enablers to family planning and contraceptive services provision and use in Kabwe District, Zambia.

PubMed

Silumbwe, Adam; Nkole, Theresa; Munakampe, Margarate Nzala; Milford, Cecilia; Cordero, Joanna Paula; Kriel, Yolandie; Zulu, Joseph Mumba; Steyn, Petrus S

2018-05-31

Unmet need for contraception results in several health challenges such as unintended pregnancies, unwanted births and unsafe abortions. Most interventions have been unable to successfully address this unmet need due to various community and health system level factors. Identifying these inhibiting and enabling factors prior to implementation of interventions forms the basis for planning efforts to increase met needs. This qualitative study was part of the formative phase of a larger research project that aimed to develop an intervention to increase met needs for contraception through community and health system participation. The specific study component reported here explores barriers and enablers to family planning and contraceptive services provision and utilisation at community and health systems levels. Twelve focus group discussions were conducted with community members (n = 114) and two with healthcare providers (n = 19). Ten in-depth interviews were held with key stakeholders. The study was conducted in Kabwe district, Zambia. Interviews/discussions were translated and transcribed verbatim. Data were coded and organised using NVivo 10 (QSR international), and were analysed using thematic analysis. Health systems barriers include long distances to healthcare facilities, stock-outs of preferred methods, lack of policies facilitating contraceptive provision in schools, and undesirable provider attitudes. Community level barriers comprise women's experience with contraceptive side effects, myths, rumours and misconceptions, societal stigma, and negative traditional and religious beliefs. On the other hand, health systems enablers consist of political will from government to expand contraceptive services access, integration of contraceptive services, provision of couples counselling, and availability of personnel to offer basic methods mix. Functional community health system structures, community desire to delay pregnancy, and knowledge of contraceptive services are enablers at a community level. These study findings highlight key community and health systems factors that should be considered by policy, program planners and implementers in the design and implementation of family planning and contraceptive services programmes, to ensure sustained uptake and increased met needs for contraceptive methods and services.

Software components for medical image visualization and surgical planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starreveld, Yves P.; Gobbi, David G.; Finnis, Kirk; Peters, Terence M.

2001-05-01

Purpose: The development of new applications in medical image visualization and surgical planning requires the completion of many common tasks such as image reading and re-sampling, segmentation, volume rendering, and surface display. Intra-operative use requires an interface to a tracking system and image registration, and the application requires basic, easy to understand user interface components. Rapid changes in computer and end-application hardware, as well as in operating systems and network environments make it desirable to have a hardware and operating system as an independent collection of reusable software components that can be assembled rapidly to prototype new applications. Methods: Using the OpenGL based Visualization Toolkit as a base, we have developed a set of components that implement the above mentioned tasks. The components are written in both C++ and Python, but all are accessible from Python, a byte compiled scripting language. The components have been used on the Red Hat Linux, Silicon Graphics Iris, Microsoft Windows, and Apple OS X platforms. Rigorous object-oriented software design methods have been applied to ensure hardware independence and a standard application programming interface (API). There are components to acquire, display, and register images from MRI, MRA, CT, Computed Rotational Angiography (CRA), Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA), 2D and 3D ultrasound, video and physiological recordings. Interfaces to various tracking systems for intra-operative use have also been implemented. Results: The described components have been implemented and tested. To date they have been used to create image manipulation and viewing tools, a deep brain functional atlas, a 3D ultrasound acquisition and display platform, a prototype minimally invasive robotic coronary artery bypass graft planning system, a tracked neuro-endoscope guidance system and a frame-based stereotaxy neurosurgery planning tool. The frame-based stereotaxy module has been licensed and certified for use in a commercial image guidance system. Conclusions: It is feasible to encapsulate image manipulation and surgical guidance tasks in individual, reusable software modules. These modules allow for faster development of new applications. The strict application of object oriented software design methods allows individual components of such a system to make the transition from the research environment to a commercial one.

The Roles of System and Organizational Leadership in System-Wide Evidence-Based Intervention Sustainment: A Mixed-Method Study.

PubMed

Aarons, Gregory A; Green, Amy E; Trott, Elise; Willging, Cathleen E; Torres, Elisa M; Ehrhart, Mark G; Roesch, Scott C

2016-11-01

If evidence-based interventions (EBIs) are not sustained, investments are wasted and public health impact is limited. Leadership has been suggested as a key determinant of implementation and sustainment; however, little empirical work has examined this factor. This mixed-methods study framed using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) conceptual framework examines leadership in both the outer service system context and inner organizational context in eleven system-wide implementations of the same EBI across two U.S. states and 87 counties. Quantitative data at the outer context (i.e., system) and inner context (i.e., team) levels demonstrated that leadership predicted future sustainment and differentiated between sites with full, partial, or no sustainment. In the outer context positive sustainment leadership was characterized as establishing a project's mission and vision, early and continued planning for sustainment, realistic project plans, and having alternative strategies for project survival. Inner context frontline transformational leadership predicted sustainment while passive-avoidant leadership predicted non-sustainment. Qualitative results found that sustainment was associated with outer context leadership characterized by engagement in ongoing supportive EBI championing, marketing to stakeholders; persevering in these activities; taking action to institutionalize the EBI with funding, contracting, and system improvement plans; and fostering ongoing collaboration between stakeholders at state and county, and community stakeholder levels. For frontline leadership the most important activities included championing the EBI and providing practical support for service providers. There was both convergence and expansion that identified unique contributions of the quantitative and qualitative methods. Greater attention to leadership in both the outer system and inner organizational contexts is warranted to enhance EBI implementation and sustainment.

The Roles of System and Organizational Leadership in System-Wide Evidence-Based Intervention Sustainment: A Mixed-Method Study

PubMed Central

Aarons, Gregory A.; Green, Amy E.; Trott, Elise; Willging, Cathleen E.; Torres, Elisa M.; Ehrhart, Mark G.; Roesch, Scott C.

2017-01-01

If evidence-based interventions (EBIs) are not sustained, investments are wasted and public health impact is limited. Leadership has been suggested as a key determinant of implementation and sustainment; however, little empirical work has examined this factor. This mixed-methods study framed using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) conceptual framework examines leadership in both the outer service system context and inner organizational context in eleven system-wide implementations of the same EBI across two U.S. states and 87 counties. Quantitative data at the outer context (i.e., system) and inner context (i.e., team) levels demonstrated that leadership predicted future sustainment and differentiated between sites with full, partial, or no sustainment. In the outer context positive sustainment leadership was characterized as establishing a project’s mission and vision, early and continued planning for sustainment, realistic project plans, and having alternative strategies for project survival. Inner context frontline transformational leadership predicted sustainment while passive-avoidant leadership predicted non-sustainment. Qualitative results found that sustainment was associated with outer context leadership characterized by engagement in ongoing supportive EBI championing, marketing to stakeholders; persevering in these activities; taking action to institutionalize the EBI with funding, contracting, and system improvement plans; and fostering ongoing collaboration between stakeholders at state and county, and community stakeholder levels. For frontline leadership the most important activities included championing the EBI and providing practical support for service providers. There was both convergence and expansion that identified unique contributions of the quantitative and qualitative methods. Greater attention to leadership in both the outer system and inner organizational contexts is warranted to enhance EBI implementation and sustainment. PMID:27439504

A GPU-accelerated and Monte Carlo-based intensity modulated proton therapy optimization system.

PubMed

Ma, Jiasen; Beltran, Chris; Seum Wan Chan Tseung, Hok; Herman, Michael G

2014-12-01

Conventional spot scanning intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) treatment planning systems (TPSs) optimize proton spot weights based on analytical dose calculations. These analytical dose calculations have been shown to have severe limitations in heterogeneous materials. Monte Carlo (MC) methods do not have these limitations; however, MC-based systems have been of limited clinical use due to the large number of beam spots in IMPT and the extremely long calculation time of traditional MC techniques. In this work, the authors present a clinically applicable IMPT TPS that utilizes a very fast MC calculation. An in-house graphics processing unit (GPU)-based MC dose calculation engine was employed to generate the dose influence map for each proton spot. With the MC generated influence map, a modified least-squares optimization method was used to achieve the desired dose volume histograms (DVHs). The intrinsic CT image resolution was adopted for voxelization in simulation and optimization to preserve spatial resolution. The optimizations were computed on a multi-GPU framework to mitigate the memory limitation issues for the large dose influence maps that resulted from maintaining the intrinsic CT resolution. The effects of tail cutoff and starting condition were studied and minimized in this work. For relatively large and complex three-field head and neck cases, i.e., >100,000 spots with a target volume of ∼ 1000 cm(3) and multiple surrounding critical structures, the optimization together with the initial MC dose influence map calculation was done in a clinically viable time frame (less than 30 min) on a GPU cluster consisting of 24 Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan cards. The in-house MC TPS plans were comparable to a commercial TPS plans based on DVH comparisons. A MC-based treatment planning system was developed. The treatment planning can be performed in a clinically viable time frame on a hardware system costing around 45,000 dollars. The fast calculation and optimization make the system easily expandable to robust and multicriteria optimization.

An Intelligent Tutor for Intrusion Detection on Computer Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Neil C.; Schiavo, Sandra

1998-01-01

Describes an intelligent tutor incorporating a program using artificial-intelligence planning methods to generate realistic audit files reporting actions of simulated users and intruders of a UNIX system, and a program simulating the system afterwards that asks students to inspect the audit and fix problems. Experiments show that students using…

The Costs of Decedents in the Medicare Program: Implications for Payments to Medicare+Choice Plans

PubMed Central

Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Garber, Alan M; McClellan, Mark; Newhouse, Joseph P

2004-01-01

Objective To discuss and quantify the incentives that Medicare managed care plans have to avoid (through selective enrollment or disenrollment) people who are at risk for very high costs, focusing on Medicare beneficiaries in the last year of life—a group that accounts for more than one-quarter of Medicare's annual expenditures. Data Source Medicare administrative claims for 1994 and 1995. Study Design We calculated the payment a plan would have received under three risk-adjustment systems for each beneficiary in our 1995 sample based on his or her age, gender, county of residence, original reason for Medicare entitlement, and principal inpatient diagnoses received during any hospital stays in 1994. We compared these amounts to the actual costs incurred by those beneficiaries. We then looked for clinical categories that were predictive of costs, including costs in a beneficiary's last year of life, not accounted for by the risk adjusters. Data Extraction Methods The analyses were conducted using claims for a 5 percent random sample of Medicare beneficiaries who died in 1995 and a matched group of survivors. Principal Findings Medicare is currently implementing the Principal Inpatient Diagnostic Cost Groups (PIP-DCG) risk adjustment payment system to address the problem of risk selection in the Medicare+Choice program. We quantify the strong financial disincentives to enroll terminally ill beneficiaries that plans still have under this risk adjustment system. We also show that up to one-third of the selection observed between Medicare HMOs and the traditional fee-for-service system could be due to differential enrollment of decedents. A risk adjustment system that incorporated more of the available diagnostic information would attenuate this disincentive; however, plans could still use clinical information (not included in the risk adjustment scheme) to identify beneficiaries whose expected costs exceed expected payments. Conclusions More disaggregated prospective risk adjustment methods and alternative payment systems that compensate plans for delivering care to certain classes of patients should be considered to ensure access to high-quality managed care for all beneficiaries. PMID:14965080

Results From the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston's Anthropomorphic Phantoms Used for Proton Therapy Clinical Trial Credentialing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, Paige A., E-mail: pataylor@mdanderson.org; Kry, Stephen F.; Alvarez, Paola

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to summarize the findings of anthropomorphic proton phantom irradiations analyzed by the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston QA Center (IROC Houston). Methods and Materials: A total of 103 phantoms were irradiated by proton therapy centers participating in clinical trials. The anthropomorphic phantoms simulated heterogeneous anatomy of a head, liver, lung, prostate, and spine. Treatment plans included those for scattered, uniform scanning, and pencil beam scanning beam delivery modalities using 5 different treatment planning systems. For every phantom irradiation, point doses and planar doses were measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) and film, respectively. Differencesmore » between measured and planned doses were studied as a function of phantom, beam delivery modality, motion, repeat attempt, treatment planning system, and date of irradiation. Results: The phantom pass rate (overall, 79%) was high for simple phantoms and lower for phantoms that introduced higher levels of difficulty, such as motion, multiple targets, or increased heterogeneity. All treatment planning systems overestimated dose to the target, compared to TLD measurements. Errors in range calculation resulted in several failed phantoms. There was no correlation between treatment planning system and pass rate. The pass rates for each individual phantom are not improving over time, but when individual institutions received feedback about failed phantom irradiations, pass rates did improve. Conclusions: The proton phantom pass rates are not as high as desired and emphasize potential deficiencies in proton therapy planning and/or delivery. There are many areas for improvement with the proton phantom irradiations, such as treatment planning system dose agreement, range calculations, accounting for motion, and irradiation of multiple targets.« less

Computer Based Decision Support Tool for Helicopter Mission Planning in Disaster Relief and Military Operations (Outil informatique d’aide a la decision pour la planification des missions d’helicopteres dans des operations militaires et de secours en cas de catastrophe)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

capacity planning; • Electrical generation capacity planning; • Machine scheduling; • Freight scheduling; • Dairy farm expansion planning...Support Systems and Multi Criteria Decision Analysis Products A.2.11.2.2.1 ELECTRE IS ELECTRE IS is a generalization of ELECTRE I. It is a...criteria, ELECTRE IS supports the user in the process of selecting one alternative or a subset of alternatives. The method consists of two parts

Multi Criteria Decision Support Model for the Turkish Air Force Personnel Course/Education Planning System

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Utility Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 2.2.4 ELECTRE Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 2.2.5 PROMETHEE Method...more complicated than the other ones because of its structure. 2.2.5 PROMETHEE Method. PROMETHEE (Preference Ranking Organization Method for...Enrichment Evaluations) method was proposed by Brans and Vincke (1985). Basically this method has two different types. PROMETHEE I has been designed for

Technology in education: A guidebook for developing a science and math education support program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, C.L.

1992-09-01

Education is vital to survival and success in an increasingly technical world, and the quality of education is the responsibility of everyone students, teachers, parents, industry, and government. Any technical organization wanting to contribute to that success through its local education system can do so easily and effectively through careful planning. This report details that planning process and includes methods to (1) identify the interests, strengths, and resources of the technical organization; (2) identify the needs of the local education system; (3) interface with local school system administration, principals, and teachers; and (4) develop a unique plan to match themore » organization's strengths and resources with the needs of the school system. Following these getting started'' activities is the actual program that the Engineering Technology Division implemented in a local elementary school, including the curriculum, topics, and actual lesson plans used by technical personnel in the classroom. Finally, there are enrichment activities for teachers and students, suggestions for measuring the success of an education support program, and an overview of student responses to questions about the overall program.« less

Technology in education: A guidebook for developing a science and math education support program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, C.L.

1992-09-01

Education is vital to survival and success in an increasingly technical world, and the quality of education is the responsibility of everyone students, teachers, parents, industry, and government. Any technical organization wanting to contribute to that success through its local education system can do so easily and effectively through careful planning. This report details that planning process and includes methods to (1) identify the interests, strengths, and resources of the technical organization; (2) identify the needs of the local education system; (3) interface with local school system administration, principals, and teachers; and (4) develop a unique plan to match themore » organization`s strengths and resources with the needs of the school system. Following these ``getting started`` activities is the actual program that the Engineering Technology Division implemented in a local elementary school, including the curriculum, topics, and actual lesson plans used by technical personnel in the classroom. Finally, there are enrichment activities for teachers and students, suggestions for measuring the success of an education support program, and an overview of student responses to questions about the overall program.« less

SU-F-T-48: Clinical Implementation of Brachytherapy Planning System for COMS Eye Plaques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferreira, C; Islam, M; Ahmad, S

Purpose: To commission the Brachytherapy Planning (BP) system (Varian, Palo Alto, CA) for the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) eye plaques by evaluating dose differences against original plans from Nucletron Planning System (NPS). Methods: NPS system is the primary planning software for COMS-plaques at our facility; however, Brachytherapy Planning 11.0.47 (Varian Medical Systems) is used for secondary check and for seed placement configurations not originally commissioned. Dose comparisons of BP and NPS plans were performed for prescription of 8500 cGy at 5 mm depth and doses to normal structures: opposite retina, inner sclera, macula, optic disk and lens. Plans weremore » calculated for Iodine-125 seeds (OncoSeeds, Model 6711) using COMS-plaques of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 mm diameters. An in-house program based on inverse-square was utilized to calculate point doses for comparison as well. Results: The highest dose difference between BP and NPS was 3.7% for the prescription point for all plaques. Doses for BP were higher than doses reported by NPS for all points. The largest percent differences for apex, opposite retina, inner sclera, macula, optic disk, and lens were 3.2%, 0.9%, 13.5%, 20.5%, 15.7% and 2.2%, respectively. The dose calculated by the in-house program was 1.3% higher at the prescription point, and were as high as 42.1%, for points away from the plaque (i.e. opposite retina) when compared to NPS. Conclusion: Doses to the tumor, lens, retina, and optic nerve are paramount for a successful treatment and vision preservation. Both systems are based on TG-43 calculations and assume water medium tissue homogeneity (ρe=1, water medium). Variations seen may result from the different task group versions and/or mathematical algorithms of the software. BP was commissioned to serve as a backup system and it also enables dose calculation in cases where seeds don’t follow conventional placement configuration.« less

Active distribution network planning considering linearized system loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiao; Wang, Mingqiang; Xu, Hao

2018-02-01

In this paper, various distribution network planning techniques with DGs are reviewed, and a new distribution network planning method is proposed. It assumes that the location of DGs and the topology of the network are fixed. The proposed model optimizes the capacities of DG and the optimal distribution line capacity simultaneously by a cost/benefit analysis and the benefit is quantified by the reduction of the expected interruption cost. Besides, the network loss is explicitly analyzed in the paper. For simplicity, the network loss is appropriately simplified as a quadratic function of difference of voltage phase angle. Then it is further piecewise linearized. In this paper, a piecewise linearization technique with different segment lengths is proposed. To validate its effectiveness and superiority, the proposed distribution network planning model with elaborate linearization technique is tested on the IEEE 33-bus distribution network system.

Review of 3D image data calibration for heterogeneity correction in proton therapy treatment planning.

PubMed

Zhu, Jiahua; Penfold, Scott N

2016-06-01

Correct modelling of the interaction parameters of patient tissues is of vital importance in proton therapy treatment planning because of the large dose gradients associated with the Bragg peak. Different 3D imaging techniques yield different information regarding these interaction parameters. Given the rapidly expanding interest in proton therapy, this review is written to make readers aware of the current challenges in accounting for tissue heterogeneities and the imaging systems that are proposed to tackle these challenges. A summary of the interaction parameters of interest in proton therapy and the current and developmental 3D imaging techniques used in proton therapy treatment planning is given. The different methods to translate the imaging data to the interaction parameters of interest are reviewed and a summary of the implementations in several commercial treatment planning systems is presented.

Efficient Digital Implementation of The Sigmoidal Function For Artificial Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratap, Rana; Subadra, M.

2011-10-01

An efficient piecewise linear approximation of a nonlinear function (PLAN) is proposed. This uses simulink environment design to perform a direct transformation from X to Y, where X is the input and Y is the approximated sigmoidal output. This PLAN is then used within the outputs of an artificial neural network to perform the nonlinear approximation. In This paper, is proposed a method to implement in FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) circuits different approximation of the sigmoid function.. The major benefit of the proposed method resides in the possibility to design neural networks by means of predefined block systems created in System Generator environment and the possibility to create a higher level design tools used to implement neural networks in logical circuits.

SU-G-TeP4-12: Individual Beam QA for a Robotic Radiosurgery System Using a Scintillator Cone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGuinness, C; Descovich, M; Sudhyadhom, A

2016-06-15

Purpose: The targeting accuracy of the Cyberknife system is measured by end-to-end tests delivering multiple isocentric beams to a point in space. While the targeting accuracy of two representative beams can be determined by a Winston-Lutz-type test, no test is available today to determine the targeting accuracy of each clinical beam. We used a scintillator cone to measure the accuracy of each individual beam. Methods: The XRV-124 from Logos Systems Int’l is a scintillator cone with an imaging system that is able to measure individual beam vectors and a resulting error between planned and measured beam coordinates. We measured themore » targeting accuracy of isocentric and non-isocentric beams for a number of test cases using the Iris and the fixed collimator. The average difference between plan and measured beam position was 0.8–1.2mm across the collimator sizes and plans considered here. The max error for a single beam was 2.5mm for the isocentric plans, and 1.67mm for the non-isocentric plans. The standard deviation of the differences was 0.5mm or less. Conclusion: The CyberKnife System is specified to have an overall targeting accuracy for static targets of less than 0.95mm. In E2E tests using the XRV124 system we measure average beam accuracy between 0.8 to 1.23mm, with maximum of 2.5mm. We plan to investigate correlations between beam position error and robot position, and to quantify the effect of beam position errors on patient specific plans. Martina Descovich has received research support and speaker honoraria from Accuray.« less

A knowledge-based approach to automated planning for hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Zhang, Yujie; Li, Tingting; Xiao, Han; Ji, Weixing; Guo, Ming; Zeng, Zhaochong; Zhang, Jianying

2018-01-01

To build a knowledge-based model of liver cancer for Auto-Planning, a function in Pinnacle, which is used as an automated inverse intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning system. Fifty Tomotherapy patients were enrolled to extract the dose-volume histograms (DVHs) information and construct the protocol for Auto-Planning model. Twenty more patients were chosen additionally to test the model. Manual planning and automatic planning were performed blindly for all twenty test patients with the same machine and treatment planning system. The dose distributions of target and organs at risks (OARs), along with the working time for planning, were evaluated. Statistically significant results showed that automated plans performed better in target conformity index (CI) while mean target dose was 0.5 Gy higher than manual plans. The differences between target homogeneity indexes (HI) of the two methods were not statistically significant. Additionally, the doses of normal liver, left kidney, and small bowel were significantly reduced with automated plan. Particularly, mean dose and V15 of normal liver were 1.4 Gy and 40.5 cc lower with automated plans respectively. Mean doses of left kidney and small bowel were reduced with automated plans by 1.2 Gy and 2.1 Gy respectively. In contrast, working time was also significantly reduced with automated planning. Auto-Planning shows availability and effectiveness in our knowledge-based model for liver cancer. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

The current status and future prospects of computer-assisted hip surgery.

PubMed

Inaba, Yutaka; Kobayashi, Naomi; Ike, Hiroyuki; Kubota, So; Saito, Tomoyuki

2016-03-01

The advances in computer assistance technology have allowed detailed three-dimensional preoperative planning and simulation of preoperative plans. The use of a navigation system as an intraoperative assistance tool allows more accurate execution of the preoperative plan, compared to manual operation without assistance of the navigation system. In total hip arthroplasty using CT-based navigation, three-dimensional preoperative planning with computer software allows the surgeon to determine the optimal angle of implant placement at which implant impingement is unlikely to occur in the range of hip joint motion necessary for daily activities of living, and to determine the amount of three-dimensional correction for leg length and offset. With the use of computer navigation for intraoperative assistance, the preoperative plan can be precisely executed. In hip osteotomy using CT-based navigation, the navigation allows three-dimensional preoperative planning, intraoperative confirmation of osteotomy sites, safe performance of osteotomy even under poor visual conditions, and a reduction in exposure doses from intraoperative fluoroscopy. Positions of the tips of chisels can be displayed on the computer monitor during surgery in real time, and staff other than the operator can also be aware of the progress of surgery. Thus, computer navigation also has an educational value. On the other hand, its limitations include the need for placement of trackers, increased radiation exposure from preoperative CT scans, and prolonged operative time. Moreover, because the position of a bone fragment cannot be traced after osteotomy, methods to find its precise position after its movement need to be developed. Despite the need to develop methods for the postoperative evaluation of accuracy for osteotomy, further application and development of these systems are expected in the future. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SU-E-T-488: An Iso-Dose Curve Based Interactive IMRT Optimization System for Physician-Driven Plan Tuning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, F; Tian, Z; Jia, X

Purpose: In treatment plan optimization for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), after a plan is initially developed by a dosimetrist, the attending physician evaluates its quality and often would like to improve it. As opposed to having the dosimetrist implement the improvements, it is desirable to have the physician directly and efficiently modify the plan for a more streamlined and effective workflow. In this project, we developed an interactive optimization system for physicians to conveniently and efficiently fine-tune iso-dose curves. Methods: An interactive interface is developed under C++/Qt. The physician first examines iso-dose lines. S/he then picks an iso-dose curvemore » to be improved and drags it to a more desired configuration using a computer mouse or touchpad. Once the mouse is released, a voxel-based optimization engine is launched. The weighting factors corresponding to voxels between the iso-dose lines before and after the dragging are modified. The underlying algorithm then takes these factors as input to re-optimize the plan in near real-time on a GPU platform, yielding a new plan best matching the physician's desire. The re-optimized DVHs and iso-dose curves are then updated for the next iteration of modifications. This process is repeated until a physician satisfactory plan is achieved. Results: We have tested this system for a series of IMRT plans. Results indicate that our system provides the physicians an intuitive and efficient tool to edit the iso-dose curves according to their preference. The input information is used to guide plan re-optimization, which is achieved in near real-time using our GPU-based optimization engine. Typically, a satisfactory plan can be developed by a physician in a few minutes using this tool. Conclusion: With our system, physicians are able to manipulate iso-dose curves according to their preferences. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this tool.« less

Accuracy Evaluation of Oncentra™ TPS in HDR Brachytherapy of Nasopharynx Cancer Using EGSnrc Monte Carlo Code

PubMed Central

Hadad, K.; Zohrevand, M.; Faghihi, R.; Sedighi Pashaki, A.

2015-01-01

Background HDR brachytherapy is one of the commonest methods of nasopharyngeal cancer treatment. In this method, depending on how advanced one tumor is, 2 to 6 Gy dose as intracavitary brachytherapy is prescribed. Due to high dose rate and tumor location, accuracy evaluation of treatment planning system (TPS) is particularly important. Common methods used in TPS dosimetry are based on computations in a homogeneous phantom. Heterogeneous phantoms, especially patient-specific voxel phantoms can increase dosimetric accuracy. Materials and Methods In this study, using CT images taken from a patient and ctcreate-which is a part of the DOSXYZnrc computational code, patient-specific phantom was made. Dose distribution was plotted by DOSXYZnrc and compared with TPS one. Also, by extracting the voxels absorbed dose in treatment volume, dose-volume histograms (DVH) was plotted and compared with Oncentra™ TPS DVHs. Results The results from calculations were compared with data from Oncentra™ treatment planning system and it was observed that TPS calculation predicts lower dose in areas near the source, and higher dose in areas far from the source relative to MC code. Absorbed dose values in the voxels also showed that TPS reports D90 value is 40% higher than the Monte Carlo method. Conclusion Today, most treatment planning systems use TG-43 protocol. This protocol may results in errors such as neglecting tissue heterogeneity, scattered radiation as well as applicator attenuation. Due to these errors, AAPM emphasized departing from TG-43 protocol and approaching new brachytherapy protocol TG-186 in which patient-specific phantom is used and heterogeneities are affected in dosimetry. PMID:25973408

Applications of numerical optimization methods to helicopter design problems: A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miura, H.

1984-01-01

A survey of applications of mathematical programming methods is used to improve the design of helicopters and their components. Applications of multivariable search techniques in the finite dimensional space are considered. Five categories of helicopter design problems are considered: (1) conceptual and preliminary design, (2) rotor-system design, (3) airframe structures design, (4) control system design, and (5) flight trajectory planning. Key technical progress in numerical optimization methods relevant to rotorcraft applications are summarized.

Applications of numerical optimization methods to helicopter design problems - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miura, H.

1985-01-01

A survey of applications of mathematical programming methods is used to improve the design of helicopters and their components. Applications of multivariable search techniques in the finite dimensional space are considered. Five categories of helicopter design problems are considered: (1) conceptual and preliminary design, (2) rotor-system design, (3) airframe structures design, (4) control system design, and (5) flight trajectory planning. Key technical progress in numerical optimization methods relevant to rotorcraft applications are summarized.

Applications of numerical optimization methods to helicopter design problems - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miura, H.

1984-01-01

A survey of applications of mathematical programming methods is used to improve the design of helicopters and their components. Applications of multivariable search techniques in the finite dimensional space are considered. Five categories of helicopter design problems are considered: (1) conceptual and preliminary design, (2) rotor-system design, (3) airframe structures design, (4) control system design, and (5) flight trajectory planning. Key technical progress in numerical optimization methods relevant to rotorcraft applications are summarized.

Safer Systems: A NextGen Aviation Safety Strategic Goal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darr, Stephen T.; Ricks, Wendell R.; Lemos, Katherine A.

2008-01-01

The Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), is charged by Congress with developing the concepts and plans for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The National Aviation Safety Strategic Plan (NASSP), developed by the Safety Working Group of the JPDO, focuses on establishing the goals, objectives, and strategies needed to realize the safety objectives of the NextGen Integrated Plan. The three goal areas of the NASSP are Safer Practices, Safer Systems, and Safer Worldwide. Safer Practices emphasizes an integrated, systematic approach to safety risk management through implementation of formalized Safety Management Systems (SMS) that incorporate safety data analysis processes, and the enhancement of methods for ensuring safety is an inherent characteristic of NextGen. Safer Systems emphasizes implementation of safety-enhancing technologies, which will improve safety for human-centered interfaces and enhance the safety of airborne and ground-based systems. Safer Worldwide encourages coordinating the adoption of the safer practices and safer systems technologies, policies and procedures worldwide, such that the maximum level of safety is achieved across air transportation system boundaries. This paper introduces the NASSP and its development, and focuses on the Safer Systems elements of the NASSP, which incorporates three objectives for NextGen systems: 1) provide risk reducing system interfaces, 2) provide safety enhancements for airborne systems, and 3) provide safety enhancements for ground-based systems. The goal of this paper is to expose avionics and air traffic management system developers to NASSP objectives and Safer Systems strategies.

Beam commissioning and measurements validating the beam model in a new TPS that converts helical tomotherapy plans to step-and-shoot IMRT plans.

PubMed

Petersson, Kristoffer; Ceberg, Crister; Engström, Per; Knöös, Tommy

2011-01-01

A new type of treatment planning system called SHAREPLAN has been studied, which enables the transfer of treatment plans generated for helical tomotherapy delivery to plans that can be delivered on C-arm linacs. The purpose is to ensure continuous patient treatment during periods of unscheduled downtime for the TomoTherapy unit, particularly in clinics without a backup unit. The purpose of this work was to verify that the plans generated in this novel planning system are deliverable and accurate. The work consists primarily of beam commissioning, verification of the beam model, and measurements verifying that generated plans are deliverable with sufficient accuracy. The beam commissioning process involves input of general geometric properties of the modeled linac, profiles and depth dose curves for a specific photon nominal energy (6 MV), and the automated modeling of other beam properties. Some manual tuning of the beam model is required. To evaluate its accuracy, the confidence limit concept [J. Venselaar et al., "Tolerances for the accuracy of photon beam dose calculations of treatment planning systems," Radiother. Oncol. 60, 191-201 (2001)] was used, which is a method supported by ESTRO. Measurements were conducted with a 2D diode array at the commissioned linac as a final check of the beam model and to evaluate whether the generated plans were deliverable and accurate. The comparison and evaluation of calculated data points and measured data according to the method applied confirmed the accuracy of the beam model. The profiles had a confidence limit of 1.1% and the depth dose curves had a confidence limit of 1.7%, both of which were well below the tolerance limit of 2%. Plan specific QC measurements and evaluation verified that different plans generated in the TPS were deliverable with sufficient accuracy at the commissioned linac, as none of the 160 beams for the 20 different plans evaluated had a fraction of approved data points below 90%, the local clinical approval criterion for delivery QA measurements. This study is a validation of the new TPS as it verifies that the generated plans are deliverable at a commissioned linac with adequate accuracy. A thorough investigation of the treatment plan quality will require a separate study. The TPS is proving to be a useful and time-saving complement, especially for clinics having a single unit for helical delivery among its conventional linacs.

Using evaluation to adapt health information outreach to the complex environments of community-based organizations.

PubMed

Olney, Cynthia A

2005-10-01

After arguing that most community-based organizations (CBOs) function as complex adaptive systems, this white paper describes the evaluation goals, questions, indicators, and methods most important at different stages of community-based health information outreach. This paper presents the basic characteristics of complex adaptive systems and argues that the typical CBO can be considered this type of system. It then presents evaluation as a tool for helping outreach teams adapt their outreach efforts to the CBO environment and thus maximize success. Finally, it describes the goals, questions, indicators, and methods most important or helpful at each stage of evaluation (community assessment, needs assessment and planning, process evaluation, and outcomes assessment). Literature from complex adaptive systems as applied to health care, business, and evaluation settings is presented. Evaluation models and applications, particularly those based on participatory approaches, are presented as methods for maximizing the effectiveness of evaluation in dynamic CBO environments. If one accepts that CBOs function as complex adaptive systems-characterized by dynamic relationships among many agents, influences, and forces-then effective evaluation at the stages of community assessment, needs assessment and planning, process evaluation, and outcomes assessment is critical to outreach success.

NOTE: Reducing the number of segments in unidirectional MLC segmentations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellado, X.; Cruz, S.; Artacho, J. M.; Canellas, M.

2010-02-01

In intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), fluence matrices obtained from a treatment planning system are usually delivered by a linear accelerator equipped with a multileaf collimator (MLC). A segmentation method is needed for decomposing these fluence matrices into segments suitable for the MLC, and the number of segments used is an important factor for treatment time. In this work, an algorithm for reduction of the number of segments (NS) is presented for unidirectional segmentations, where there is no backtracking of the MLC leaves. It uses a geometrical representation of the segmentation output for searching the key values in a fluence matrix that complicate its decomposition. The NS reduction is achieved by performing minor modifications in these values, under the conditions of avoiding substantial modifications of the dose-volume histogram, and does not increase in average the total number of monitor units delivered. The proposed method was tested using two clinical cases planned with the PCRT 3D® treatment planning system.

Integrated system dynamics toolbox for water resources planning.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reno, Marissa Devan; Passell, Howard David; Malczynski, Leonard A.

2006-12-01

Public mediated resource planning is quickly becoming the norm rather than the exception. Unfortunately, supporting tools are lacking that interactively engage the public in the decision-making process and integrate over the myriad values that influence water policy. In the pages of this report we document the first steps toward developing a specialized decision framework to meet this need; specifically, a modular and generic resource-planning ''toolbox''. The technical challenge lies in the integration of the disparate systems of hydrology, ecology, climate, demographics, economics, policy and law, each of which influence the supply and demand for water. Specifically, these systems, their associatedmore » processes, and most importantly the constitutive relations that link them must be identified, abstracted, and quantified. For this reason, the toolbox forms a collection of process modules and constitutive relations that the analyst can ''swap'' in and out to model the physical and social systems unique to their problem. This toolbox with all of its modules is developed within the common computational platform of system dynamics linked to a Geographical Information System (GIS). Development of this resource-planning toolbox represents an important foundational element of the proposed interagency center for Computer Aided Dispute Resolution (CADRe). The Center's mission is to manage water conflict through the application of computer-aided collaborative decision-making methods. The Center will promote the use of decision-support technologies within collaborative stakeholder processes to help stakeholders find common ground and create mutually beneficial water management solutions. The Center will also serve to develop new methods and technologies to help federal, state and local water managers find innovative and balanced solutions to the nation's most vexing water problems. The toolbox is an important step toward achieving the technology development goals of this center.« less

SU-E-J-122: The CBCT Dose Calculation Using a Patient Specific CBCT Number to Mass Density Conversion Curve Based On a Novel Image Registration and Organ Mapping Method in Head-And-Neck Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, J; Lasio, G; Chen, S

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a CBCT HU correction method using a patient specific HU to mass density conversion curve based on a novel image registration and organ mapping method for head-and-neck radiation therapy. Methods: There are three steps to generate a patient specific CBCT HU to mass density conversion curve. First, we developed a novel robust image registration method based on sparseness analysis to register the planning CT (PCT) and the CBCT. Second, a novel organ mapping method was developed to transfer the organs at risk (OAR) contours from the PCT to the CBCT and corresponding mean HU values of eachmore » OAR were measured in both the PCT and CBCT volumes. Third, a set of PCT and CBCT HU to mass density conversion curves were created based on the mean HU values of OARs and the corresponding mass density of the OAR in the PCT. Then, we compared our proposed conversion curve with the traditional Catphan phantom based CBCT HU to mass density calibration curve. Both curves were input into the treatment planning system (TPS) for dose calculation. Last, the PTV and OAR doses, DVH and dose distributions of CBCT plans are compared to the original treatment plan. Results: One head-and-neck cases which contained a pair of PCT and CBCT was used. The dose differences between the PCT and CBCT plans using the proposed method are −1.33% for the mean PTV, 0.06% for PTV D95%, and −0.56% for the left neck. The dose differences between plans of PCT and CBCT corrected using the CATPhan based method are −4.39% for mean PTV, 4.07% for PTV D95%, and −2.01% for the left neck. Conclusion: The proposed CBCT HU correction method achieves better agreement with the original treatment plan compared to the traditional CATPhan based calibration method.« less

Predicted Weather Display and Decision Support Interface for Flight Deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Walter W. (Inventor); Wong, Dominic G. (Inventor); Koteskey, Robert W. (Inventor); Wu, Shu-Chieh (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A system and method for providing visual depictions of a predictive weather forecast for in-route vehicle trajectory planning. The method includes displaying weather information on a graphical display, displaying vehicle position information on the graphical display, selecting a predictive interval, displaying predictive weather information for the predictive interval on the graphical display, and displaying predictive vehicle position information for the predictive interval on the graphical display, such that the predictive vehicle position information is displayed relative to the predictive weather information, for in-route trajectory planning.

Operations planning and analysis handbook for NASA/MSFC phase B development projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batson, Robert C.

1986-01-01

Current operations planning and analysis practices on NASA/MSFC Phase B projects were investigated with the objectives of (1) formalizing these practices into a handbook and (2) suggesting improvements. The study focused on how Science and Engineering (S&E) Operational Personnel support Program Development (PD) Task Teams. The intimate relationship between systems engineering and operations analysis was examined. Methods identified for use by operations analysts during Phase B include functional analysis, interface analysis methods to calculate/allocate such criteria as reliability, Maintainability, and operations and support cost.

SU-C-BRB-03: Cross-Institutional Validation of An Ultrafast Automatic Planning Platform for Breast Irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, T; Lockamy, V; Anne, P

2016-06-15

Purpose: Recently an ultrafast automatic planning system for breast irradiation using tangential beams was developed by modeling relationships between patient anatomy and achieved dose distribution. This study evaluates the performance of this system when applied to a different patient population and dose calculation algorithm. Methods: The system and its anatomy-to-dose models was developed at institution A based on 20 cases, which were planned using manual fluence painting technique and calculated WITH heterogeneity correction. Institution B uses field-in-field planning technique and dose calculation WITHOUT heterogeneity correction. 11 breast cases treated at Institution B were randomly selected for retrospective study, including leftmore » and right sides, and different breast size (irradiated volumes defined by Jaw/MLC opening range from 875cc to 3516cc). Comparisons between plans generated automatically (Auto-Plans) and those used for treatment (Clinical-Plans) included: energy choice (single/mixed), volumes receiving 95%/100%/105%/110% Rx dose (V95%/V100%/V105%/V100%) relative to irradiated volume, D1cc, and LungV20Gy. Results: In 9 out of 11 cases single/mixed energy choice made by the software agreed with Clinical-Plans. For the remaining 2 cases software recommended using mixed energy and dosimetric improvements were observed. V100% were similar (p=0.223, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test) between Auto-Plans and Clinical-Plans (57.6±8.9% vs. 54.8±9.5%). V95% is 2.3±3.0% higher for Auto-Plans (p=0.027), indicating reduced cold areas. Hot spot volume V105% were significantly reduced in Auto-Plan by 14.4±7.2% (p=0.004). Absolute V105% was reduced from 395.6±359.9cc for Clinical-Plans to 108.7±163cc for Auto-Plans. D1cc was 107.4±2.8% for Auto-Plans, and 109.2±2.4% for Clinical-Plans (p=0.056). LungV20Gy were 13.6±4.0% for Auto-Plan vs. 14.0±4.1% for Clinical-Plans (p=0.043). All optimizations were finished within 1.5min. Conclusion: The performance of this breast auto-planning system remained stable and satisfactory when applied to a different patient population and dose calculation algorithm. The auto-planning system was able to produce clinically similar Rx dose coverage with significantly improved homogeneity inside breast tissue, in less than 1.5min.« less

SU-F-J-129: Verification of Geometric and Dosimetric Accuracy of Respiratory Management Systems Using Homemade Phantom

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goksel, E; Kucucuk, H; Senkesen, O

Purpose: Different placements of Infrared Cameras (IRC) in CT and treatment rooms can cause gating window level (GWL) variations leading to differences between GWL used for planning and treatments. Although, Varian Clinac DHX-OBI sytem and CT are equipped with the same kind of IRC, Truebeam STx (TB) has a different type of IRC known as banana type. In this study; geometric and dosimetric accuracy of respiratory management system (RPM) for different machines were investigated with a special homemade phantom. Methods: Special phantom was placed on the respiratory simulator machine and a CT data set was obtained at the end ofmore » the expirium phase (EOE). Conformal and IMRT plans were generated on the EOE CT image series for both DHX-OBI and TB LINACs while a VMAT plan was generated only for TB.The acquired respiratory graphs in the CT were directly sent to DHX-OBI system, and they were converted with software before sending to TB. EBT3 films were placed inside the phantom and were irradiated using RPM system with two machines for different plans. Planar dose distributions were compared with gamma analysis (GA) method (3mm, %3) to evaluate planned-measured dose differences. In addition, radio-opac marker was placed in the center of the phantom to evaluate the geometric accuracy of treatment field with gated flouroscopy (GF). Results: There were no shifts detected between planning and treeatment GWL for both DHX-OBI and TB. Difference on the GF image between digital graticule and radio-opac marker was <1mm for TB and 1mm for DHX-OBI. Although, GA agreement was 97% for conformal and IMRT techniques in TB, it was 96% for VMAT technique. While GA agreement was 98% for conformal technique in DHX-OBI, IMRT was 95%.ConclusionThis study showed that RPM can be used accurately in spite of different IRC placements or different types of ICR used.« less

New partnership for health? Business groups on health and health systems agencies.

PubMed Central

Bradbury, R C

1983-01-01

The experience of the Central Massachusetts Health Systems Agency (CMHSA) and the Central Massachusetts Business Group on Health (CMBGH) demonstrates the feasibility of cooperation between HSAs and BGHs. Objectives and strategies of the two groups in carrying out community health planning and working for health systems change are compared. Nearly two decades of government-sponsored community health planning programs, first through comprehensive health planning agencies and then through HSAs, have had less impact than many had anticipated because neither the technical nor political basis for such planning was sufficiently established. The CMHSA experience is typical, although it is credited with developing a hospital systems plan that is based on sound planning methods and statistical data. It is in the implementation of plans that the CMHSA has made slow progress, reflecting its inadequate community power base. The CMBGH, 1 of more than 90 groups that have developed recently across the country to attack high health care costs, was formed in 1981 by business leaders to address these rising costs. The principal strategy adopted by the CMBGH involves fostering a competitive health care market by creating a critical number of competing health plans. The providers in each plan will then have incentives to provide effective care in an efficient manner to keep the premium competitive and attract enrollees. Cooperation between the CMBGH and CMHSA is based on each organization's emphasizing its strengths. The CMHSA's data base and analyses have been the primary resources used by the CMBGH to identify problems. Each organization has developed its own set of goals and objectives, while keeping in mind those of the other organization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:6419277

Combining computer and manual overlays—Willamette River Greenway Study

Treesearch

Asa Hanamoto; Lucille Biesbroeck

1979-01-01

We will present a method of combining computer mapping with manual overlays. An example of its use is the Willamette River Greenway Study produced for the State of Oregon Department of Transportation in 1974. This one year planning study included analysis of data relevant to a 286-mile river system. The product is a "wise use" plan which conserves the basic...

Analysis And Assistant Planning System Ofregional Agricultural Economic Inform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jie; Zhang, Junfeng

For the common problems existed in regional development and planning, we try to design a decision support system for assisting regional agricultural development and alignment as a decision-making tool for local government and decision maker. The analysis methods of forecast, comparative advantage, liner programming and statistical analysis are adopted. According to comparative advantage theory, the regional advantage can be determined by calculating and comparing yield advantage index (YAI), Scale advantage index (SAI), Complicated advantage index (CAI). Combining with GIS, agricultural data are presented as a form of graph such as area, bar and pie to uncover the principle and trend for decision-making which can't be found in data table. This system provides assistant decisions for agricultural structure adjustment, agro-forestry development and planning, and can be integrated to information technologies such as RS, AI and so on.

Target dose conformity in 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy.

PubMed

Wu, Vincent W C; Kwong, Dora L W; Sham, Jonathan S T

2004-05-01

Dose conformity to the planning target volume is an important criterion in radiotherapy treatment planning, for which the conformity index is a useful assessment tool. The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in CI for the treatment planning of four cancers including the nasopharynx, oesophagus, lung and prostate. Seventy patients with cancers of nasopharynx (30), oesophagus (15), lung (15) and prostate (10) were recruited. Each of these patients was planned with three sets of treatment plans using the FOCUS treatment planning system: the forward and inverse 3DCRT plans and the IMRT plan. The CI was generated for each treatment plan. The mean CI from each cancer patient group was calculated and compared with the other three cancer groups. The mean value of CI was also compared among the three planning methods. The oesophageal and lung cancers demonstrated relatively higher overall mean CI values (0.64 and 0.62, respectively), whereas that of the nasopharynx and prostate were lower (0.54 and 0.50, respectively). With regards to the planning method groups, the IMRT plans produced the highest overall mean CI (0.62), while those for the forward and inverse 3DCRT were similar (0.57 and 0.55, respectively). For the four selected cancers, oesophageal and lung cancers were easier to conform than the nasopharyngeal and prostate cancers. The IMRT plans were more effective in achieving better dose conformity than that of the 3DCRT.

World University Ranking Systems: An Alternative Approach Using Partial Least Squares Path Modelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jajo, Nethal K.; Harrison, Jen

2014-01-01

University rankings are key drivers in national and institutional strategic planning. The increase in the number of university ranking systems and the diversity of methods and indicators used by these systems necessitate the development of an index that can measure a university's performance in all these systems at once. This article presents…

Web-based system for surgical planning and simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eldeib, Ayman M.; Ahmed, Mohamed N.; Farag, Aly A.; Sites, C. B.

1998-10-01

The growing scientific knowledge and rapid progress in medical imaging techniques has led to an increasing demand for better and more efficient methods of remote access to high-performance computer facilities. This paper introduces a web-based telemedicine project that provides interactive tools for surgical simulation and planning. The presented approach makes use of client-server architecture based on new internet technology where clients use an ordinary web browser to view, send, receive and manipulate patients' medical records while the server uses the supercomputer facility to generate online semi-automatic segmentation, 3D visualization, surgical simulation/planning and neuroendoscopic procedures navigation. The supercomputer (SGI ONYX 1000) is located at the Computer Vision and Image Processing Lab, University of Louisville, Kentucky. This system is under development in cooperation with the Department of Neurological Surgery, Alliant Health Systems, Louisville, Kentucky. The server is connected via a network to the Picture Archiving and Communication System at Alliant Health Systems through a DICOM standard interface that enables authorized clients to access patients' images from different medical modalities.

Urban permeable pavement system design based on “sponge city” concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, M. M.; Zhu, J. W.; Gao, W. F.; Xu, D. P.; Zhao, M.

2017-08-01

Based on the “sponge city” concept, to implement the goal of building a city within the city to solve the sponge waterlogging, rational utilization of water resources, reduce water pollution this paper, combined with the city planning level in China, establishes the design system of city road flooding from the macro, medium and micro level, explore the design method of city water permeable pavement system, and has a practical significance the lower flood risk water ecological problems. On the macro level, we established an urban pavement sponge system under the regional ecological pattern by “spot permeable open space - low impact developing rain water road system - catchment area and catchment wetland”. On a medium level, this paper proposed the permeable suitability of pavement and the planning control indicators when combined with urban functional districts to conduct permeable pavement roads plans and controls. On micro level, the paper studied sponge technology design of permeable pavement from road structure, surface material, and other aspects aimed at the pavement permeability requirements.

Procedures for prioritizing road improvements under the statewide highway plan : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-01-01

The road improvement prioritizing system currently utilized by the Virginia Department of Transportation is similar to the method utilized by many states: it is a sufficiency rating system that evaluates proposed projects on the basis of points assig...

Water System Adaptation To Hydrological Changes: Module 11, Methods and Tools: Computational Models

EPA Science Inventory

This course will introduce students to the fundamental principles of water system adaptation to hydrological changes, with emphasis on data analysis and interpretation, technical planning, and computational modeling. Starting with real-world scenarios and adaptation needs, the co...

Insurance-related Practices at Title X-funded Family Planning Centers under the Affordable Care Act: Survey and Interview Findings

PubMed Central

Zolna, Mia R.; Kavanaugh, Megan L.; Hasstedt, Kinsey

2018-01-01

Introduction Given the recent reforms in the United States health care system, including the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act, as well as anticipated upcoming changes to health care coverage, it is critical that publicly funded health care providers understand how to effectively work with their states’ Medicaid programs and the private health insurance plans in their service areas to provide high-quality contraceptive care to the millions of women relying on services at these sites annually. Methods We collected survey data from a nationally representative sample of 535 clinics providing family planning services that received Title X funding and conducted semistructured interviews with 23 administrators at a subsample of surveyed clinics to explore provider-reported experiences working with health plans and to identify barriers to, and practices that lead to, adequate reimbursement for services provided. Results Providers report that knowledgeable staff are crucial to securing contracts with both public and private insurance plan issuers, and that the contracts they secure often include coverage restrictions on methods or services clinics offer their clients. Good staff relationships with issuers are key to obtaining adequate and consistent reimbursement for all covered services. Conclusions Providers are trying to understand how insurance programs in their area knit together. Regardless of how U.S. health policies and delivery systems may change in the coming years, it is imperative that publicly funded family planning centers continue to work with health plans and maximize their third-party revenue to provide services to those in need. PMID:29108987

SU-E-J-88: The Study of Setup Error Measured by CBCT in Postoperative Radiotherapy for Cervical Carcinoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Runxiao, L; Aikun, W; Xiaomei, F

2015-06-15

Purpose: To compare two registration methods in the CBCT guided radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma, analyze the setup errors and registration methods, determine the margin required for clinical target volume(CTV) extending to planning target volume(PTV). Methods: Twenty patients with cervical carcinoma were enrolled. All patients were underwent CT simulation in the supine position. Transfering the CT images to the treatment planning system and defining the CTV, PTV and the organs at risk (OAR), then transmit them to the XVI workshop. CBCT scans were performed before radiotherapy and registered to planning CT images according to bone and gray value registration methods. Comparedmore » two methods and obtain left-right(X), superior-inferior(Y), anterior-posterior (Z) setup errors, the margin required for CTV to PTV were calculated. Results: Setup errors were unavoidable in postoperative cervical carcinoma irradiation. The setup errors measured by method of bone (systemic ± random) on X(1eft.right),Y(superior.inferior),Z(anterior.posterior) directions were(0.24±3.62),(0.77±5.05) and (0.13±3.89)mm, respectively, the setup errors measured by method of grey (systemic ± random) on X(1eft-right), Y(superior-inferior), Z(anterior-posterior) directions were(0.31±3.93), (0.85±5.16) and (0.21±4.12)mm, respectively.The spatial distributions of setup error was maximum in Y direction. The margins were 4 mm in X axis, 6 mm in Y axis, 4 mm in Z axis respectively.These two registration methods were similar and highly recommended. Conclusion: Both bone and grey registration methods could offer an accurate setup error. The influence of setup errors of a PTV margin would be suggested by 4mm, 4mm and 6mm on X, Y and Z directions for postoperative radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma.« less

Two years experience with quality assurance protocol for patient related Rapid Arc treatment plan verification using a two dimensional ionization chamber array

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Purpose To verify the dose distribution and number of monitor units (MU) for dynamic treatment techniques like volumetric modulated single arc radiation therapy - Rapid Arc - each patient treatment plan has to be verified prior to the first treatment. The purpose of this study was to develop a patient related treatment plan verification protocol using a two dimensional ionization chamber array (MatriXX, IBA, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). Method Measurements were done to determine the dependence between response of 2D ionization chamber array, beam direction, and field size. Also the reproducibility of the measurements was checked. For the patient related verifications the original patient Rapid Arc treatment plan was projected on CT dataset of the MatriXX and the dose distribution was calculated. After irradiation of the Rapid Arc verification plans measured and calculated 2D dose distributions were compared using the gamma evaluation method implemented in the measuring software OmniPro (version 1.5, IBA, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). Results The dependence between response of 2D ionization chamber array, field size and beam direction has shown a passing rate of 99% for field sizes between 7 cm × 7 cm and 24 cm × 24 cm for measurements of single arc. For smaller and larger field sizes than 7 cm × 7 cm and 24 cm × 24 cm the passing rate was less than 99%. The reproducibility was within a passing rate of 99% and 100%. The accuracy of the whole process including the uncertainty of the measuring system, treatment planning system, linear accelerator and isocentric laser system in the treatment room was acceptable for treatment plan verification using gamma criteria of 3% and 3 mm, 2D global gamma index. Conclusion It was possible to verify the 2D dose distribution and MU of Rapid Arc treatment plans using the MatriXX. The use of the MatriXX for Rapid Arc treatment plan verification in clinical routine is reasonable. The passing rate should be 99% than the verification protocol is able to detect clinically significant errors. PMID:21342509

Quantifying the Combined Effect of Radiation Therapy and Hyperthermia in Terms of Equivalent Dose Distributions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kok, H. Petra, E-mail: H.P.Kok@amc.uva.nl; Crezee, Johannes; Franken, Nicolaas A.P.

2014-03-01

Purpose: To develop a method to quantify the therapeutic effect of radiosensitization by hyperthermia; to this end, a numerical method was proposed to convert radiation therapy dose distributions with hyperthermia to equivalent dose distributions without hyperthermia. Methods and Materials: Clinical intensity modulated radiation therapy plans were created for 15 prostate cancer cases. To simulate a clinically relevant heterogeneous temperature distribution, hyperthermia treatment planning was performed for heating with the AMC-8 system. The temperature-dependent parameters α (Gy{sup −1}) and β (Gy{sup −2}) of the linear–quadratic model for prostate cancer were estimated from the literature. No thermal enhancement was assumed for normalmore » tissue. The intensity modulated radiation therapy plans and temperature distributions were exported to our in-house-developed radiation therapy treatment planning system, APlan, and equivalent dose distributions without hyperthermia were calculated voxel by voxel using the linear–quadratic model. Results: The planned average tumor temperatures T90, T50, and T10 in the planning target volume were 40.5°C, 41.6°C, and 42.4°C, respectively. The planned minimum, mean, and maximum radiation therapy doses were 62.9 Gy, 76.0 Gy, and 81.0 Gy, respectively. Adding hyperthermia yielded an equivalent dose distribution with an extended 95% isodose level. The equivalent minimum, mean, and maximum doses reflecting the radiosensitization by hyperthermia were 70.3 Gy, 86.3 Gy, and 93.6 Gy, respectively, for a linear increase of α with temperature. This can be considered similar to a dose escalation with a substantial increase in tumor control probability for high-risk prostate carcinoma. Conclusion: A model to quantify the effect of combined radiation therapy and hyperthermia in terms of equivalent dose distributions was presented. This model is particularly instructive to estimate the potential effects of interaction from different treatment modalities.« less

Are joint health plans effective for coordination of health services? An analysis based on theory and Danish pre-reform results

PubMed Central

Strandberg-Larsen, Martin; Bernt Nielsen, Mikkel; Krasnik, Allan

2007-01-01

Background Since 1994 formal health plans have been used for coordination of health care services between the regional and local level in Denmark. From 2007 a substantial reform has changed the administrative boundaries of the system and a new tool for coordination has been introduced. Purpose To assess the use of the pre-reform health plans as a tool for strengthening coordination, quality and preventive efforts between the regional and local level of health care. Methods A survey addressed to: all counties (n=15), all municipalities (n=271) and a randomised selected sample of general practitioners (n=700). Results The stakeholders at the administrative level agree that health plans have not been effective as a tool for coordination. The development of health plans are dominated by the regional level. At the functional level 27 percent of the general practitioners are not familiar with health plans. Among those familiar with health plans 61 percent report that health plans influence their work to only a lesser degree or not at all. Conclusion Joint health planning is needed to achieve coordination of care. Efforts must be made to overcome barriers hampering efficient whole system planning. Active policies emphasising the necessity of health planning, despite involved cost, are warranted to insure delivery of care that benefits the health of the population. PMID:17925882

A genetic technique for planning a control sequence to navigate the state space with a quasi-minimum-cost output trajectory for a non-linear multi-dimnensional system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hein, C.; Meystel, A.

1994-01-01

There are many multi-stage optimization problems that are not easily solved through any known direct method when the stages are coupled. For instance, we have investigated the problem of planning a vehicle's control sequence to negotiate obstacles and reach a goal in minimum time. The vehicle has a known mass, and the controlling forces have finite limits. We have developed a technique that finds admissible control trajectories which tend to minimize the vehicle's transit time through the obstacle field. The immediate applications is that of a space robot which must rapidly traverse around 2-or-3 dimensional structures via application of a rotating thruster or non-rotating on-off for such vehicles is located at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama. However, it appears that the development method is applicable to a general set of optimization problems in which the cost function and the multi-dimensional multi-state system can be any nonlinear functions, which are continuous in the operating regions. Other applications included the planning of optimal navigation pathways through a transversability graph; the planning of control input for under-water maneuvering vehicles which have complex control state-space relationships; the planning of control sequences for milling and manufacturing robots; the planning of control and trajectories for automated delivery vehicles; and the optimization and athletic training in slalom sports.

Work management plan for data systems and analysis directorate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nichols, L. R.

1979-01-01

A contract with the Data Systems and Analysis Directorate contains a specified level of resources related to a specific set of work in support of three divisions within the Data Systems and Analysis Directorate. The divisions are Institutional Data Systems Division, Ground Data Systems Division, and Mission Planning and Analysis Division. The Statement of work defines at a functional requirements level the type of support to be provided to the three divisions. The contract provides for further technical direction to the contractor through issuance of Job Orders. The Job order is the prime method of further defining the work to be done, allocating a portion of the total resources in the contract to the defined tasks, and further delegating technical responsibility.

Intelligent decision support algorithm for distribution system restoration.

PubMed

Singh, Reetu; Mehfuz, Shabana; Kumar, Parmod

2016-01-01

Distribution system is the means of revenue for electric utility. It needs to be restored at the earliest if any feeder or complete system is tripped out due to fault or any other cause. Further, uncertainty of the loads, result in variations in the distribution network's parameters. Thus, an intelligent algorithm incorporating hybrid fuzzy-grey relation, which can take into account the uncertainties and compare the sequences is discussed to analyse and restore the distribution system. The simulation studies are carried out to show the utility of the method by ranking the restoration plans for a typical distribution system. This algorithm also meets the smart grid requirements in terms of an automated restoration plan for the partial/full blackout of network.

Integrated Care Planning for Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Arthurs, Erin; Gradin, Sharon; MacKinnon, Marnie; Sussman, Jonathan; Kukreti, Vishal

2017-01-01

Introduction: There has been a growing emphasis on the use of integrated care plans to deliver cancer care. However little is known about how integrated care plans for cancer patients are developed including featured core activities, facilitators for uptake and indicators for assessing impact. Methods: Given limited consensus around what constitutes an integrated care plan for cancer patients, a scoping review was conducted to explore the components of integrated care plans and contextual factors that influence design and uptake. Results: Five types of integrated care plans based on the stage of cancer care: surgical, systemic, survivorship, palliative and comprehensive (involving a transition between stages) are described in current literature. Breast, esophageal and colorectal cancers were common disease sites. Multi-disciplinary teams, patient needs assessment and transitional planning emerged as key features. Provider buy-in and training alongside informational technology support served as important facilitators for plan uptake. Provider-level measurement was considerably less robust compared to patient and system-level indicators. Conclusions: Similarities in design features, components and facilitators across the various types of integrated care plans indicates opportunities to leverage shared features and enable a management lens that spans the trajectory of a patient’s journey rather than a phase-specific silo approach to care. PMID:29588638

'Who's actually gonna read this?' An evaluation of staff experiences of the value of information contained in written care plans in supporting care in three different dementia care settings.

PubMed

Drummond, C; Simpson, A

2017-08-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: A written plan is designed to improve communication and co-ordinate care between mental health inpatient wards and community settings. Reports of care plan quality issues and staff and service user dissatisfaction with healthcare bureaucracy have focused on working age mental health or general hospital settings. Little is known about mental health staff perspectives on the value of written care plans in supporting dementia care. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Competing demands on staff time and resources to meet administrative standards for care plans caused a tension with their own professional priorities for supporting care. Mental health staff face difficulties using electronic records alongside other systems of information sharing. Further exploration is needed of the gap between frontline staff values and those of the local organization and managers when supporting good dementia care. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Frontline staff should be involved in designing new information systems including care plans. Care plan documentation needs to be refocused to ensure it is effective in enabling staff to communicate amongst themselves and with others to support people with dementia. Practice-based mentors could be deployed to strengthen good practice in effective information sharing. Background Reports of increased healthcare bureaucracy and concerns over care plan quality have emerged from research and surveys into staff and service user experiences. Little is known of mental health staff perspectives on the value of written care plans in supporting dementia care. Aim To investigate the experiences and views of staff in relation to care planning in dementia services in one National Health Service (NHS) provider Trust in England. Method Grounded Theory methodology was used. A purposive sample of 11 multidisciplinary staff were interviewed across three sites in one NHS Trust. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed using the constant comparative method. Findings Five themes were identified and are explored in detail below: (1) Repetition; (2) the impact of electronic records on practice; (3) ambivalence about the value of paperwork; (4) time conflicts; and (5) alternative sources of information to plan care. Discussion Participants perceived that written care plans did not help staff with good practice in planning care or to support dementia care generally. Staff were frustrated by repetitive documentation, inflexible electronic records and conflicting demands on their time. Implications for practice Frontline staff should be involved in designing new information systems including care plans. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Spectrum orbit utilization program technical manual SOUP5 Version 3.8

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidson, J.; Ottey, H. R.; Sawitz, P.; Zusman, F. S.

1984-01-01

The underlying engineering and mathematical models as well as the computational methods used by the SOUP5 analysis programs, which are part of the R2BCSAT-83 Broadcast Satellite Computational System, are described. Included are the algorithms used to calculate the technical parameters and references to the relevant technical literature. The system provides the following capabilities: requirements file maintenance, data base maintenance, elliptical satellite beam fitting to service areas, plan synthesis from specified requirements, plan analysis, and report generation/query. Each of these functions are briefly described.

Demonstrations of Alternative Delivery Systems Under Medicare and Medicaid

PubMed Central

Galblum, Trudi W.; Trieger, Sidney

1982-01-01

The current Administration supports competition as one method of helping to contain escalating costs. Proponents of competition claim many advantages to its implementation, but their claims have yet to be widely tested. Over the past several years, however, the Health Care Financing Administration has supported a number of Medicare and Medicaid demonstrations to yield information on plan participation, marketing, and reimbursement under alternative delivery systems. Much of these data are applicable to the competitive plans being considered by the Administration and Congress. This paper discusses recent findings from these projects. PMID:10309599

A global quality assurance system for personalized radiation therapy treatment planning for the prostate (or other sites)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nwankwo, Obioma; Sihono, Dwi Seno K.; Schneider, Frank; Wenz, Frederik

2014-09-01

Introduction: the quality of radiotherapy treatment plans varies across institutions and depends on the experience of the planner. For the purpose of intra- and inter-institutional homogenization of treatment plan quality, we present an algorithm that learns the organs-at-risk (OARs) sparing patterns from a database of high quality plans. Thereafter, the algorithm predicts the dose that similar organs will receive in future radiotherapy plans prior to treatment planning on the basis of the anatomies of the organs. The predicted dose provides the basis for the individualized specification of planning objectives, and for the objective assessment of the quality of radiotherapy plans. Materials and method: one hundred and twenty eight (128) Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) plans were selected from a database of prostate cancer plans. The plans were divided into two groups, namely a training set that is made up of 95 plans and a validation set that consists of 33 plans. A multivariate analysis technique was used to determine the relationships between the positions of voxels and their dose. This information was used to predict the likely sparing of the OARs of the plans of the validation set. The predicted doses were visually and quantitatively compared to the reference data using dose volume histograms, the 3D dose distribution, and a novel evaluation metric that is based on the dose different test. Results: a voxel of the bladder on the average receives a higher dose than a voxel of the rectum in optimized radiotherapy plans for the treatment of prostate cancer in our institution if both voxels are at the same distance to the PTV. Based on our evaluation metric, the predicted and reference dose to the bladder agree to within 5% of the prescribed dose to the PTV in 18 out of 33 cases, while the predicted and reference doses to the rectum agree to within 5% in 28 out of the 33 plans of the validation set. Conclusion: We have described a method to predict the likely dose that OARs will receive before treatment planning. This prospective knowledge could be used to implement a global quality assurance system for personalized radiation therapy treatment planning.

Combining qualitative and quantitative spatial and temporal information in a hierarchical structure: Approximate reasoning for plan execution monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoebel, Louis J.

1993-01-01

The problem of plan generation (PG) and the problem of plan execution monitoring (PEM), including updating, queries, and resource-bounded replanning, have different reasoning and representation requirements. PEM requires the integration of qualitative and quantitative information. PEM is the receiving of data about the world in which a plan or agent is executing. The problem is to quickly determine the relevance of the data, the consistency of the data with respect to the expected effects, and if execution should continue. Only spatial and temporal aspects of the plan are addressed for relevance in this work. Current temporal reasoning systems are deficient in computational aspects or expressiveness. This work presents a hybrid qualitative and quantitative system that is fully expressive in its assertion language while offering certain computational efficiencies. In order to proceed, methods incorporating approximate reasoning using hierarchies, notions of locality, constraint expansion, and absolute parameters need be used and are shown to be useful for the anytime nature of PEM.

Construction Systems. Curriculum Guide for Technology Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Albert G.

This curriculum guide for a 1-semester or 1-year course on construction systems is designed to acquaint students with the nature of the construction industry and its technology--tools, materials, and methods of construction--as well as the systems for planning and managing construction projects. The guide contains a course outline, competencies…

30 CFR 75.215 - Longwall mining systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Longwall mining systems. 75.215 Section 75.215... MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.215 Longwall mining systems. For each longwall mining section, the roof control plan shall specify— (a) The methods that will be used to maintain...

30 CFR 75.215 - Longwall mining systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Longwall mining systems. 75.215 Section 75.215... MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.215 Longwall mining systems. For each longwall mining section, the roof control plan shall specify— (a) The methods that will be used to maintain...

Evolution of Query Optimization Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameurlain, Abdelkader; Morvan, Franck

Query optimization is the most critical phase in query processing. In this paper, we try to describe synthetically the evolution of query optimization methods from uniprocessor relational database systems to data Grid systems through parallel, distributed and data integration systems. We point out a set of parameters to characterize and compare query optimization methods, mainly: (i) size of the search space, (ii) type of method (static or dynamic), (iii) modification types of execution plans (re-optimization or re-scheduling), (iv) level of modification (intra-operator and/or inter-operator), (v) type of event (estimation errors, delay, user preferences), and (vi) nature of decision-making (centralized or decentralized control).

Framework and components for effective discharge planning system: a delphi methodology

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To reduce avoidable hospital readmissions, effective discharge planning and appropriate post discharge support care are key requirements. This study is a 3-staged process to develop, pretest and pilot a framework for an effective discharge planning system in Hong Kong. This paper reports on the methodology of Delphi approach and findings of the second stage on pre-testing the framework developed so as to validate and attest to its applicability and practicability in which consensus was sought on the key components of discharge planning. Methods Delphi methodology was adopted to engage a group of experienced healthcare professionals to rate and discuss the framework and components of an effective discharge planning. The framework was consisted 36 statements under 5 major themes: initial screening, discharge planning process, coordination of discharge, implementation of discharge, and post discharge follow-up. Each statement was rated independently based on 3 aspects including clarity, validity and applicability on a 5-point Likert-scale. Statement with 75% or above of participants scoring 4–5 on all 3 aspects would be included in the discharge planning framework. For those statements not reaching 75% of consensus in any one of the aspect, it would be revised or discarded following the group discussion, and be re-rated in another round. Results A total of 24 participants participated in the consensus-building process. In round one rating, consensus was achieved in 25 out of 36 statements. Among those 11 statements not reaching consensus, the major concern was related to the “applicability” of the statements. The participants expressed a lack of manpower, skills and time in particular during weekends and long holidays in carrying out assessment and care plans within 24 h after admission. There were also timeliness and availability issue in providing transportation and necessary equipment to the patients. To make the statements more applicable, the wordings of some of the statements were revised to provide greater flexibility. Due to the lack of a statement in clarifying the role of the members of the healthcare professional team, one additional statement on the role and responsibility of the multidisciplinary team members was added. The first theme on “initial screening” was further revised to “initial screening and assessment” to better reflect the first stage of discharge planning process. After two rounds of rating process, all the 36 statements and the newly added statement reached consensus Conclusions A structured, systematic and coordinated system of hospital discharge system is required to facilitate the discharge process to ensure a smooth patient transition from the hospital to the community and improve patient health outcome in both clinical and social aspect. The findings of this paper provide a reference framework helping policymakers and hospital managers to facilitate the development of a coherent and systematized discharge planning process. Adopting a Delphi approach also demonstrates the values of the method as a pre-test (before the clinical run) of the components and requirements of a discharge planning system taking into account of the local context and system constraints, which would lead to improvements to its applicability and practicability. To confirm the applicability and practicability of this consensus framework for discharge planning system, the third stage of process of development of the discharge planning framework is to apply and pilot the framework in a hospital setting to evaluate its feasibility, applicability and impact in hospital including satisfaction from both the perspectives of staff and patients. PMID:23151173

Opportunities and challenges of resident specialists’ attendance plan guidelines (health-care transformation plan) in Isfahan university hospitals in 2015

PubMed Central

Moradi, Reza; Karimi, Saeid; Yarmohammadian, Mohammad Hossein; Kiaei, Mohammad Zakaria; Mazaheri, Elaheh

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Given new reforms in Iran's health-care system and due to the need for gathering evidence regarding the implementation of this plan, this study aimed to investigate opportunities and challenges created by resident specialist attendance plan guidelines in university hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study used the qualitative method. Semi-structured interviews were used for data gathering. The study population included all experts of Isfahan University of Medical Science. Sampling was carried out using purposeful sampling method and continued until data saturation was reached. In total, 16 experts were interviewed. Criteria such as “reliability of information,” “trustworthiness,” and “verifiability of the information” were considered. Interviewees were assured that their names would keep hidden and that all information is confidential. Subject analysis method was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The findings of this study based on subject analysis led to extracting three themes in regards of challenges in the implementation of resident (specialist or fellowship) plan in hospitals including structural, management, and resource challenges and one theme in the area of opportunities which were improved quality and timely provision of services. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that despite the strengths of this guideline, there are some fundamental challenges in various areas and need better attention by national level policymakers. These results help health-care policymakers to evaluate the problem with a better attitude and improve the necessary plans for implementation of these guidelines. PMID:29619390

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Passarge, M; Fix, M K; Manser, P

Purpose: To create and test an accurate EPID-frame-based VMAT QA metric to detect gross dose errors in real-time and to provide information about the source of error. Methods: A Swiss cheese model was created for an EPID-based real-time QA process. The system compares a treatmentplan- based reference set of EPID images with images acquired over each 2° gantry angle interval. The metric utilizes a sequence of independent consecutively executed error detection Methods: a masking technique that verifies infield radiation delivery and ensures no out-of-field radiation; output normalization checks at two different stages; global image alignment to quantify rotation, scaling andmore » translation; standard gamma evaluation (3%, 3 mm) and pixel intensity deviation checks including and excluding high dose gradient regions. Tolerances for each test were determined. For algorithm testing, twelve different types of errors were selected to modify the original plan. Corresponding predictions for each test case were generated, which included measurement-based noise. Each test case was run multiple times (with different noise per run) to assess the ability to detect introduced errors. Results: Averaged over five test runs, 99.1% of all plan variations that resulted in patient dose errors were detected within 2° and 100% within 4° (∼1% of patient dose delivery). Including cases that led to slightly modified but clinically equivalent plans, 91.5% were detected by the system within 2°. Based on the type of method that detected the error, determination of error sources was achieved. Conclusion: An EPID-based during-treatment error detection system for VMAT deliveries was successfully designed and tested. The system utilizes a sequence of methods to identify and prevent gross treatment delivery errors. The system was inspected for robustness with realistic noise variations, demonstrating that it has the potential to detect a large majority of errors in real-time and indicate the error source. J. V. Siebers receives funding support from Varian Medical Systems.« less

Three-dimensional surgical simulation.

PubMed

Cevidanes, Lucia H C; Tucker, Scott; Styner, Martin; Kim, Hyungmin; Chapuis, Jonas; Reyes, Mauricio; Proffit, William; Turvey, Timothy; Jaskolka, Michael

2010-09-01

In this article, we discuss the development of methods for computer-aided jaw surgery, which allows us to incorporate the high level of precision necessary for transferring virtual plans into the operating room. We also present a complete computer-aided surgery system developed in close collaboration with surgeons. Surgery planning and simulation include construction of 3-dimensional surface models from cone-beam computed tomography, dynamic cephalometry, semiautomatic mirroring, interactive cutting of bone, and bony segment repositioning. A virtual setup can be used to manufacture positioning splints for intraoperative guidance. The system provides further intraoperative assistance with a computer display showing jaw positions and 3-dimensional positioning guides updated in real time during the surgical procedure. The computer-aided surgery system aids in dealing with complex cases with benefits for the patient, with surgical practice, and for orthodontic finishing. Advanced software tools for diagnosis and treatment planning allow preparation of detailed operative plans, osteotomy repositioning, bone reconstructions, surgical resident training, and assessing the difficulties of the surgical procedures before the surgery. Computer-aided surgery can make the elaboration of the surgical plan a more flexible process, increase the level of detail and accuracy of the plan, yield higher operative precision and control, and enhance documentation of cases. 2010 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

3D Surgical Simulation

PubMed Central

Cevidanes, Lucia; Tucker, Scott; Styner, Martin; Kim, Hyungmin; Chapuis, Jonas; Reyes, Mauricio; Proffit, William; Turvey, Timothy; Jaskolka, Michael

2009-01-01

This paper discusses the development of methods for computer-aided jaw surgery. Computer-aided jaw surgery allows us to incorporate the high level of precision necessary for transferring virtual plans into the operating room. We also present a complete computer-aided surgery (CAS) system developed in close collaboration with surgeons. Surgery planning and simulation include construction of 3D surface models from Cone-beam CT (CBCT), dynamic cephalometry, semi-automatic mirroring, interactive cutting of bone and bony segment repositioning. A virtual setup can be used to manufacture positioning splints for intra-operative guidance. The system provides further intra-operative assistance with the help of a computer display showing jaw positions and 3D positioning guides updated in real-time during the surgical procedure. The CAS system aids in dealing with complex cases with benefits for the patient, with surgical practice, and for orthodontic finishing. Advanced software tools for diagnosis and treatment planning allow preparation of detailed operative plans, osteotomy repositioning, bone reconstructions, surgical resident training and assessing the difficulties of the surgical procedures prior to the surgery. CAS has the potential to make the elaboration of the surgical plan a more flexible process, increase the level of detail and accuracy of the plan, yield higher operative precision and control, and enhance documentation of cases. Supported by NIDCR DE017727, and DE018962 PMID:20816308

Integrating planning and reactive control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenschein, Stanley J.; Kaelbling, Leslie Pack

1989-01-01

Artificial intelligence research on planning is concerned with designing control systems that choose actions by manipulating explicit descriptions of the world state, the goal to be achieved, and the effects of elementary operations available to the system. Because planning shifts much of the burden of reasoning to the machine, it holds great appeal as a high-level programming method. Experience shows, however, that it cannot be used indiscriminately because even moderately rich languages for describing goals, states, and the elementary operators lead to computational inefficiencies that render the approach unsuitable for realistic applications. This inadequacy has spawned a recent wave of research on reactive control or situated activity in which control systems are modeled as reacting directly to the current situation rather than as reasoning about the future effects of alternative action sequences. While this research has confronted the issue of run-time tractability head on, in many cases it has done so by sacrificing the advantages of declarative planning techniques. Ways in which the two approaches can be unified are discussed. The authors begin by modeling reactive control systems as state machines that map a stream of sensory inputs to a stream of control outputs. These machines can be decomposed into two continuously active subsystems: the planner and the execution module. The planner computes a plan, which can be seen as a set of bits that control the behavior of the execution module. An important element of this work is the formulation of a precise semantic interpretation for the inputs and outputs of the planning system. They show that the distinction between planned and reactive behavior is largely in the eye of the beholder: systems that seem to compute explicit plans can be redescribed in situation-action terms and vice versa. They also discuss practical programming techniques that allow the advantages of declarative programming and guaranteed reactive response to be achieved simultaneously.

Formulation of detailed consumables management models for the development (preoperational) period of advanced space transportation system: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torian, J. G.

1976-01-01

Formulation of models required for the mission planning and scheduling function and establishment of the relation of those models to prelaunch, onboard, ground support, and postmission functions for the development phase of space transportation systems (STS) was conducted. The preoperational space shuttle is used as the design baseline for the subject model formulations. Analytical models were developed which consist of a mission planning processor with appropriate consumables data base and a method of recognizing potential constraint violations in both the planning and flight operations functions. A flight data file for storage/retrieval of information over an extended period which interfaces with a flight operations processor for monitoring of the actual flights was examined.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Texas: Deployment Summary and Case Study of Deployment Methodologies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-06-01

The state of the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) program in Texas is summarized and analyzed. The report first reviews the types of ITS deployments within each Texas Department of Transportation district. The methods used to plan, design, co...

Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication for Leak Detection Relays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

KOCH, M.R.; JOHNS, B.R.

1999-12-21

This Test Plan provides a test method to dedicate the leak detection relays used on the new Pumping and Instrumentation Control (PIC) skids. The new skids are fabricated on-site. The leak detection system is a safety class system per the Authorization Basis.

Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication for Leak Detection Relays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

KOCH, M.R.

2000-02-28

This Test Plan provides a test method to dedicate the leak detection relays used on the new Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skids. The new skids are fabricated on-site. The leak detection system is a safety class system per the Authorization Basis.

Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication for Leak Detection Relays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

KOCH, M.R.

1999-08-11

This Test Plan provides a test method to dedicate the leak detection relays used on the new Pumping and Instrumentation Control (PIC) skids. The new skids are fabricated on-site. The leak detection system is a safety class system per the Authorization Basis.

Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication for Leak Detection Relays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

JOHNS, B.R.

1999-05-05

This Test Plan provides a test method to dedicate the leak detection relays used on the new Pumping and Instrumentation Control (PIC) skids. The new skids are fabricated on-site. The leak detection system is a safety class system per the Authorization Basis.

Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication for Leak Detection Relays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

KOCH, M.R.

1999-10-26

This Test Plan provides a test method to dedicate the leak detection relays used on the new Pumping and Instrumentation Control (PIC) skids. The new skids are fabricated on-site. The leak detection system is a safety class system per the Authorization Basis.

Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication for Leak Detection Relays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

JOHNS, B.R.; KOCH, M.R.

2000-01-28

This Test Plan provides a test method to dedicate the leak detection relays used on the new Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skids. The new skids are fabricated on-site. The leak detection system is a safety class system per the Authorization Basis.

Using historical data to measure transportation infrastructure constraints on land use.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-06-01

This study had three goals: (1) To develop a method for reversing the planning process, such that we begin with transportation system usage and conclude with transportation system usage and conclude with an indication of land use; (2) To validate thi...

Geographic Information Systems for Assessing Existing and Potential Bio-energy Resources: Their Use in Determining Land Use and Management Options which Minimize Ecological and Landscape Impacts in Rural Areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackman, A. E.; Fabos, J. G.; Carlozzi, C. C.

1982-01-01

A management construct is described which forms part of an overall landscape ecological planning model which has as a principal objective the extension of the traditional descriptive land use mapping capabilities of geographic information systems into land management realms. It is noted that geographic information systems appear to be moving to more comprehensive methods of data handling and storage, such as relational and hierarchical data management systems, and a clear need has simultaneously arisen therefore for planning assessment techniques and methodologies which can actually use such complex levels of data in a systematic, yet flexible and scenario dependent way. The descriptive of mapping method proposed broaches such issues and utilizes a current New England bioenergy scenario, stimulated by the use of hardwoods for household heating purposes established in the post oil crisis era and the increased awareness of the possible landscape and ecological ramifications of the continued increasing use of the resource.

What must be the Pillars of Iran’s Health System in 2025? Values and Principles of Health System Reform Plan

PubMed Central

RAJABI, Fateme; ESMAILZADEH, Hamid; ROSTAMIGOORAN, Narges; MAJDZADEH, Reza

2013-01-01

Background: Preparing long term reformatory plan for the health system, like other macro plans, requires guiding principles which is according to the values, and as a bridge, connect the ideals and values to the goals. This study was designed with the purpose of explaining the values and principles of health system, and as a pre-requisite to compilation of Iran’s health system reform plan at 2025. Method: The document of values and principles of health system reform plan for 2025 was developed by reviewing the literature and receiving the opinions of senior experts of health system, and was criticized in focus group discussion sessions of experts and decision makers. Results: The values of Iran are: dignity of human, the right to maximum attainable level of health, comprehensive health, equity and social cohesion. The principles of this health system include: institutionalizing the ethical values, responsiveness and accountability, equitable access (utilization), prevention and health promotion, community participation, inter-sectoral collaboration, integrated stewardship, benefit from innovation and desired technology, human resources promotion and excellence and harmony. Conclusion: Based on the perception of cultural and religious teachings in Iran, protecting of human dignity and human prosperity are the ultimate social goal. In this sense, health and healthy humans, in its holistic concept (physical, mental, social health and spiritual) are the center and development in any form should lead to the human prosperity in a way that each of the individuals could enjoy the maximum attainable level of health in its holistic meaning and in a faire manner. PMID:23515322

[Consumer satisfaction study in philanthropic hospital health plans].

PubMed

Gerschman, Silvia; Veiga, Luciana; Guimarães, César; Ugá, Maria Alicia Dominguez; Portela, Margareth Crisóstomo; Vasconcellos, Miguel Murat; Barbosa, Pedro Ribeiro; Lima, Sheyla Maria Lemos

2007-01-01

This paper presents the findings of research aimed at identifying and analyzing the argumentation and rationale that justify the satisfaction of consumers with their health plans. The qualitative method applied used the focus group technique, for which the following aspects were defined: the criteria for choosing the health plans which were considered, the composition of the group and its distribution, recruitment strategy, and infrastructure and dynamics of the meetings. The health plan beneficiaries were classified into groups according to their social class, the place where they lived, mainly, the relationship that they established with the health plan operators which enabled us to develop a typology for the plan beneficiaries. Initially, we indicated how the health plan beneficiaries assess and use the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), and, then, considering the types of plans defined, we evaluated their degree of satisfaction with the different aspects of health care, and identified which aspects mostly contributed explain their satisfaction.

Continual improvement plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

NASA's approach to continual improvement (CI) is a systems-oriented, agency-wide approach that builds on the past accomplishments of NASA Headquarters and its field installations and helps achieve NASA's vision, mission, and values. The NASA of the future will fully use the principles of continual improvement in every aspect of its operations. This NASA CI plan defines a systematic approach and a model for continual improvement throughout NASA, stressing systems integration and optimization. It demonstrates NASA's constancy of purpose for improvement - a consistent vision of NASA as a worldwide leader in top-quality science, technology, and management practices. The CI plan provides the rationale, structures, methods, and steps, and it defines NASA's short term (1-year) objectives for improvement. The CI plan presents the deployment strategies necessary for cascading the goals and objectives throughout the agency. It also provides guidance on implementing continual improvement with participation from top leadership and all levels of employees.

Earth Observing System/Meteorological Satellite (EOS/METSAT). Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) Contamination Control Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fay, M.

1998-01-01

This Contamination Control Plan is submitted in response the Contract Document requirements List (CDRL) 007 under contract NAS5-32314 for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit A (AMSU-A). In response to the CDRL instructions, this document defines the level of cleanliness and methods/procedures to be followed to achieve adequate cleanliness/contamination control, and defines the required approach to maintain cleanliness/contamination control through shipping, observatory integration, test, and flight. This plan is also applicable to the Meteorological Satellite (METSAT) except where requirements are identified as EOS-specific. This plan is based on two key factors: a. The EOS/METSAT AMSU-A Instruments are not highly contamination sensitive. b. Potential contamination of other EOS Instruments is a key concern as addressed in Section 9/0 of the Performance Assurance Requirements for EOS/METSAT Integrated Programs AMSU-A Instrument (MR) (NASA Specification S-480-79).

Personalized Location-Based Recommendation Services for Tour Planning in Mobile Tourism Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Chien-Chih; Chang, Hsiao-Ping

Travel and tour planning is a process of searching, selecting, grouping and sequencing destination related products and services including attractions, accommodations, restaurants, and activities. Personalized recommendation services aim at suggesting products and services to meet users’ preferences and needs, while location-based services focus on providing information based on users’ current positions. Due to the fast growing of user needs in the mobile tourism domain, how to provide personalized location-based tour recommendation services becomes a critical research and practical issue. The objective of this paper is to propose a system architecture and design methods for facilitating the delivery of location-based recommendation services to support personalized tour planning. Based on tourists’ current location and time, as well as personal preferences and needs, various recommendations regarding sightseeing spots, hotels, restaurants, and packaged tour plans can be generated efficiently. An application prototype is also implemented to illustrate and test the system feasibility and effectiveness.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barbee, D; McCarthy, A; Galavis, P

Purpose: Errors found during initial physics plan checks frequently require replanning and reprinting, resulting decreased departmental efficiency. Additionally, errors may be missed during physics checks, resulting in potential treatment errors or interruption. This work presents a process control created using the Eclipse Scripting API (ESAPI) enabling dosimetrists and physicists to detect potential errors in the Eclipse treatment planning system prior to performing any plan approvals or printing. Methods: Potential failure modes for five categories were generated based on available ESAPI (v11) patient object properties: Images, Contours, Plans, Beams, and Dose. An Eclipse script plugin (PlanCheck) was written in C# tomore » check errors most frequently observed clinically in each of the categories. The PlanCheck algorithms were devised to check technical aspects of plans, such as deliverability (e.g. minimum EDW MUs), in addition to ensuring that policy and procedures relating to planning were being followed. The effect on clinical workflow efficiency was measured by tracking the plan document error rate and plan revision/retirement rates in the Aria database over monthly intervals. Results: The number of potential failure modes the PlanCheck script is currently capable of checking for in the following categories: Images (6), Contours (7), Plans (8), Beams (17), and Dose (4). Prior to implementation of the PlanCheck plugin, the observed error rates in errored plan documents and revised/retired plans in the Aria database was 20% and 22%, respectively. Error rates were seen to decrease gradually over time as adoption of the script improved. Conclusion: A process control created using the Eclipse scripting API enabled plan checks to occur within the planning system, resulting in reduction in error rates and improved efficiency. Future work includes: initiating full FMEA for planning workflow, extending categories to include additional checks outside of ESAPI via Aria database queries, and eventual automated plan checks.« less

Techniques for overcoming community resistance to family planning programs.

PubMed

Palley, H A

1968-01-01

Methods of overcoming resistance to publicly subsidized family planning programs are discussed. The main sources of opposition include groups that oppose family planning for moral reasons, and those who object to the spending of government funds to provide services and information. Such opposition can be weakened by indicating that family planning clinics fulf: 11 important medical needs. Presenting social justification for family planning can help to lower oppostion. In order to secure participation in the programs by low income groups it is essential to have community leaders involved in policy decisions and to use indigenous community paraprofessionals in the clinics. A coalition of representatives of the poor community and the health and welfare system, aided by the community organization, can lead to an effective family planning program.

Team table: a framework and tool for continuous factory planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sihn, Wilfried; Bischoff, Juergen; von Briel, Ralf; Josten, Marcus

2000-10-01

Growing market turbulences and shorter product life cycles require a continuous adaptation of factory structures resulting in a continuous factory planning process. Therefore a new framework is developed which focuses on configuration and data management process integration. This enable an online system performance evaluation based on continuous availability of current data. The use of this framework is especially helpful and will guarantee high cost and time savings, when used in the early stages of the planning, called the concept or rough planning phase. The new framework is supported by a planning round table as a tool for team-based configuration processes integrating the knowledge of all persons involved in planning processes. A case study conducted at a German company shows the advantages which can be achieved by implementing the new framework and methods.

SU-F-T-328: Real-Time in Vivo Dosimetry of Prostate SBRT Boost Treatments Using MOSkin Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Legge, K; O’Connor, D J; Cutajar, D

Purpose: To provide in vivo measurements of dose to the anterior rectal wall during prostate SBRT boost treatments using MOSFET detectors. Methods: Dual MOSkin detectors were attached to a Rectafix rectal sparing device and inserted into patients during SBRT boost treatments. Patients received two boost fractions, each of 9.5–10 Gy and delivered using 2 VMAT arcs. Measurements were acquired for 12 patients. MOSFET voltages were read out at 1 Hz during delivery and converted to dose. MV images were acquired at known frequency during treatment so that the position of the gantry at each point in time was known. Themore » cumulative dose at the MOSFET location was extracted from the treatment planning system at in 5.2° increments (FF beams) or at 5 points during each delivered arc (FFF beams). The MOSFET dose and planning system dose throughout the entirety of each arc were then compared using root mean square error normalised to the final planned dose for each arc. Results: The average difference between MOSFET measured and planning system doses determined over the entire course of treatment was 9.7% with a standard deviation of 3.6%. MOSFETs measured below the planned dose in 66% of arcs measured. Uncertainty in the position of the MOSFET detector and verification point are major sources of discrepancy, as the detector is placed in a high dose gradient region during treatment. Conclusion: MOSkin detectors were able to provide real time in vivo measurements of anterior rectal wall dose during prostate SBRT boost treatments. This method could be used to verify Rectafix positioning and treatment delivery. Further developments could enable this method to be used during high dose treatments to monitor dose to the rectal wall to ensure it remains at safe levels. Funding has been provided by the University of Newcastle. Kimberley Legge is the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Award.« less

A Computer System for Making Quick and Economical Color Slides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pryor, Harold George

1986-01-01

A computer-based method for producing 35mm color slides has been used in Ohio State University's College of Dentistry. The method can produce both text and slides in less than two hours, providing substantial flexibility in planning and revising visual presentations. (Author/MLW)

Methods and approaches to support Indigenous water planning: An example from the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoverman, Suzanne; Ayre, Margaret

2012-12-01

SummaryIndigenous land owners of the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory Australia have begun the first formal freshwater allocation planning process in Australia entirely within Indigenous lands and waterways. The process is managed by the Northern Territory government agency responsible for water planning, the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, in partnership with the Tiwi Land Council, the principal representative body for Tiwi Islanders on matters of land and water management and governance. Participatory planning methods ('tools') were developed to facilitate community participation in Tiwi water planning. The tools, selected for their potential to generate involvement in the planning process needed both to incorporate Indigenous knowledge of water use and management and raise awareness in the Indigenous community of Western science and water resources management. In consultation with the water planner and Tiwi Land Council officers, the researchers selected four main tools to develop, trial and evaluate. Results demonstrate that the tools provided mechanisms which acknowledge traditional management systems, improve community engagement, and build confidence in the water planning process. The researchers found that participatory planning approaches supported Tiwi natural resource management institutions both in determining appropriate institutional arrangements and clarifying roles and responsibilities in the Islands' Water Management Strategy.

Forest control and regulation ... a comparison of traditional methods and alternatives

Treesearch

LeRoy C. Hennes; Michael J. Irving; Daniel I. Navon

1971-01-01

Two traditional techniques of forest control and regulation-formulas and area-volume check-are compared to linear programing, as used in a new computerized planning system called Timber Resource Allocation Method ( Timber RAM). Inventory data from a National Forest in California illustrate how each technique is used. The traditional methods are simpler to apply and...

Transforming user needs into functional requirements for an antibiotic clinical decision support system: explicating content analysis for system design.

PubMed

Bright, T J

2013-01-01

Many informatics studies use content analysis to generate functional requirements for system development. Explication of this translational process from qualitative data to functional requirements can strengthen the understanding and scientific rigor when applying content analysis in informatics studies. To describe a user-centered approach transforming emergent themes derived from focus group data into functional requirements for informatics solutions and to illustrate these methods to the development of an antibiotic clinical decision support system (CDS). THE APPROACH CONSISTED OF FIVE STEPS: 1) identify unmet therapeutic planning information needs via Focus Group Study-I, 2) develop a coding framework of therapeutic planning themes to refine the domain scope to antibiotic therapeutic planning, 3) identify functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system via Focus Group Study-II, 4) discover informatics solutions and functional requirements from coded data, and 5) determine the types of information needed to support the antibiotic CDS system and link with the identified informatics solutions and functional requirements. The coding framework for Focus Group Study-I revealed unmet therapeutic planning needs. Twelve subthemes emerged and were clustered into four themes; analysis indicated a need for an antibiotic CDS intervention. Focus Group Study-II included five types of information needs. Comments from the Barrier/Challenge to information access and Function/Feature themes produced three informatics solutions and 13 functional requirements of an antibiotic CDS system. Comments from the Patient, Institution, and Domain themes generated required data elements for each informatics solution. This study presents one example explicating content analysis of focus group data and the analysis process to functional requirements from narrative data. Illustration of this 5-step method was used to develop an antibiotic CDS system, resolving unmet antibiotic prescribing needs. As a reusable approach, these techniques can be refined and applied to resolve unmet information needs with informatics interventions in additional domains.

Bringing a European perspective to the health human resources debate: A scoping study..

PubMed

Kuhlmann, Ellen; Batenburg, Ronald; Groenewegen, Peter P; Larsen, Christa

2013-04-01

Healthcare systems across the world are increasingly challenged by workforce shortages and misdistribution of skills. Yet, no comprehensive European approach to health human resources (HHR) policy exists and action remains fragmented. This scoping study seeks to contribute to the debates by providing an overview of existing HHR research, and by exploring the challenges of a European approach with a focus on workforce planning. In terms of methods, we build on a scoping review comprising literature analysis and qualitative data gathered from policy experts. In our analysis we observe an overall lack of integrated HHR approaches as major obstacle of efficient HHR planning, and find that five dimensions of integration in HHR policy are needed: system, occupational, sector, gender, and socio-cultural integration. Increasing the analytical complexity of HHR planning models does not automatically bring about more reliable and efficient planning, as the added value of these models is highly context-dependent. Yet Europe is highly diverse and we therefore argue the need for a strategic HHR perspective that is capable of bridging many different HHR policies and planning systems, and combining national and European solutions efficiently. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operational forest management planning methods: proceedings, meeting of steering systems project group, International Union of Forestry Research Organizations, Bucharest, Romania, June 18-24, 1978

Treesearch

Daniel Navon

1978-01-01

These 14 papers were submitted to a conference of Project Group P4.07 Division IV, International Union of Forestry Research Organizations. Topics discussed included the uses of simulations, analytical techniques, and mathematical programming techniques in land management planning, reforestation programs, intensive forestry, timber management and production, tree growth...

Guidelines for Analysis of Indigeneous and Private Health Care Planning in Developing Countries. International Health Planning Methods Series, Volume 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scrimshaw, Susan

This guidebook is both a practical tool and a source book to aid health planners assess the importance, extent, and impact of indigenous and private sector medical systems in developing nations. Guidelines are provided for assessment in terms of: use patterns; the meaning and importance to users of various available health services; and ways of…

Marine Corps IT Hardware: A Method for Categorizing and Determining Technology Refreshment Cycles

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

PPB&E Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution xiv ROI return on investment SABRS Standard Accounting, Budgeting and Reporting System...and manage IT assets are the Standard Accounting, Budgeting and Reporting System ( SABRS ), the Total Force Structure Management System (TFSMS), and...Defense Property Accountability System (DPAS). The TFSMS and DPAS systems account for the physical hardware assets, while SABRS accounts for costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gopan, O; Yang, F; Ford, E

Purpose: The physics plan check verifies various aspects of a treatment plan after dosimetrists have finished creating the plan. Some errors in the plan which are caught by the physics check could be caught earlier in the departmental workflow. The purpose of this project was to evaluate a plan checking script that can be run within the treatment planning system (TPS) by the dosimetrists prior to plan approval and export to the record and verify system. Methods: A script was created in the Pinnacle TPS to automatically check 15 aspects of a plan for clinical practice conformity. The script outputsmore » a list of checks which the plan has passed and a list of checks which the plan has failed so that appropriate adjustments can be made. For this study, the script was run on a total of 108 plans: IMRT (46/108), VMAT (35/108) and SBRT (27/108). Results: Of the plans checked by the script, 77/108 (71%) failed at least one of the fifteen checks. IMRT plans resulted in more failed checks (91%) than VMAT (51%) or SBRT (63%), due to the high failure rate of an IMRT-specific check, which checks that no IMRT segment < 5 MU. The dose grid size and couch removal checks caught errors in 10% and 14% of all plans – errors that ultimately may have resulted in harm to the patient. Conclusion: Approximately three-fourths of the plans being examined contain errors that could be caught by dosimetrists running an automated script embedded in the TPS. The results of this study will improve the departmental workflow by cutting down on the number of plans that, due to these types of errors, necessitate re-planning and re-approval of plans, increase dosimetrist and physician workload and, in urgent cases, inconvenience patients by causing treatment delays.« less

Evaluating Primary Care Providers' Views on Survivorship Care Plans Generated by an Electronic Health Record System

PubMed Central

Donohue, SarahMaria; Sesto, Mary E.; Hahn, David L.; Buhr, Kevin A.; Jacobs, Elizabeth A.; Sosman, James M.; Andreason, Molly J.; Wiegmann, Douglas A.; Tevaarwerk, Amye J.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Survivorship care plans for cancer survivors may facilitate provider-to-provider communication. Primary care provider (PCP) perspectives on care plan provision and use are limited, especially when care plans are generated by an electronic health record (EHR) system. We sought to examine PCPs' perspectives regarding EHR-generated care plans. Methods: PCPs (N = 160) who were members of the Wisconsin Research and Education Network listserv received a sample 10-page plan (WREN cohort). PCPs (n = 81) who had or were currently seeing survivors enrolled onto one of our survivorship clinical trials received a copy of the survivor's personalized care plan (University of Wisconsin [UW] cohort). Both cohorts received a survey after reviewing the plan. All plans were generated within an EHR. Results: Forty-six and 26 PCPs participated in the WREN and UW cohorts, respectively. PCPs regarded EHR-generated plans as useful in coordinating care (88%), understanding treatments (94%), understanding treatment adverse effects (89%), and supporting clinical decisions (82%). Few felt using EHR-generated plans would disrupt clinic workflow (14%) or take too much time (11%). Most (89%) preferred receiving the plan via EHR. PCPs reported consistent provision (81%) and standard location in the medical record (89%) as key factors facilitating their use of survivorship care plans. Important facilitators of care plan use included a more abbreviated plan, ideally one to three pages (32%), and/or a plan specifically tailored to PCP use (57%). Conclusion: Plans were viewed as useful for coordinating care and making clinical decisions. However, PCPs desired shorter, clinician-oriented plans, accessible within an EHR and delivered and located in a standardized manner. PMID:25804989

Efficiency improvements of offline metrology job creation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuniga, Victor J.; Carlson, Alan; Podlesny, John C.; Knutrud, Paul C.

1999-06-01

Progress of the first lot of a new design through the production line is watched very closely. All performance metrics, cycle-time, in-line measurement results and final electrical performance are critical. Rapid movement of this lot through the line has serious time-to-market implications. Having this material waiting at a metrology operation for an engineer to create a measurement job plan wastes valuable turnaround time. Further, efficient use of a metrology system is compromised by the time required to create and maintain these measurement job plans. Thus, having a method to develop metrology job plans prior to the actual running of the material through the manufacture area can significantly improve both cycle time and overall equipment efficiency. Motorola and Schlumberger have worked together to develop and test such a system. The Remote Job Generator (RJG) created job plans for new device sin a manufacturing process from an NT host or workstation, offline. This increases available system tim effort making production measurements, decreases turnaround time on job plan creation and editing, and improves consistency across job plans. Most importantly this allows job plans for new devices to be available before the first wafers of the device arrive at the tool for measurement. The software also includes a database manager which allows updates of existing job plans to incorporate measurement changes required by process changes or measurement optimization. This paper will review the result of productivity enhancements through the increased metrology utilization and decreased cycle time associated with the use of RJG. Finally, improvements in process control through better control of Job Plans across different devices and layers will be discussed.

Policy improvement by a model-free Dyna architecture.

PubMed

Hwang, Kao-Shing; Lo, Chia-Yue

2013-05-01

The objective of this paper is to accelerate the process of policy improvement in reinforcement learning. The proposed Dyna-style system combines two learning schemes, one of which utilizes a temporal difference method for direct learning; the other uses relative values for indirect learning in planning between two successive direct learning cycles. Instead of establishing a complicated world model, the approach introduces a simple predictor of average rewards to actor-critic architecture in the simulation (planning) mode. The relative value of a state, defined as the accumulated differences between immediate reward and average reward, is used to steer the improvement process in the right direction. The proposed learning scheme is applied to control a pendulum system for tracking a desired trajectory to demonstrate its adaptability and robustness. Through reinforcement signals from the environment, the system takes the appropriate action to drive an unknown dynamic to track desired outputs in few learning cycles. Comparisons are made between the proposed model-free method, a connectionist adaptive heuristic critic, and an advanced method of Dyna-Q learning in the experiments of labyrinth exploration. The proposed method outperforms its counterparts in terms of elapsed time and convergence rate.

Advanced rotorcraft technology: Task force report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The technological needs and opportunities related to future civil and military rotorcraft were determined and a program plan for NASA research which was responsive to the needs and opportunities was prepared. In general, the program plan places the primary emphasis on design methodology where the development and verification of analytical methods is built upon a sound data base. The four advanced rotorcraft technology elements identified are aerodynamics and structures, flight control and avionic systems, propulsion, and vehicle configurations. Estimates of the total funding levels that would be required to support the proposed program plan are included.

Dynamic path planning for autonomous driving on various roads with avoidance of static and moving obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xuemin; Chen, Long; Tang, Bo; Cao, Dongpu; He, Haibo

2018-02-01

This paper presents a real-time dynamic path planning method for autonomous driving that avoids both static and moving obstacles. The proposed path planning method determines not only an optimal path, but also the appropriate acceleration and speed for a vehicle. In this method, we first construct a center line from a set of predefined waypoints, which are usually obtained from a lane-level map. A series of path candidates are generated by the arc length and offset to the center line in the s - ρ coordinate system. Then, all of these candidates are converted into Cartesian coordinates. The optimal path is selected considering the total cost of static safety, comfortability, and dynamic safety; meanwhile, the appropriate acceleration and speed for the optimal path are also identified. Various types of roads, including single-lane roads and multi-lane roads with static and moving obstacles, are designed to test the proposed method. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, and indicate its wide practical application to autonomous driving.

SU-G-201-01: An Automated Treatment Plan Quality Assurance Program for High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy with a VaginalCylinder Applicator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Y; Tan, J; Jiang, S

Purpose: Plan specific quality assurance (QA) is an important step in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy to ensure the integrity of a treatment plan. The conventional approach is to assemble a set of plan screen-captures in a document and have an independent plan-checker to verify it. Not only is this approach cumbersome and time-consuming, using a document also limits the items that can be verified, hindering plan quality and patient safety. We have initiated efforts to develop a web-based HDR brachytherapy QA system called AutoBrachy QA, for comprehensive and efficient QA. This abstract reports a new plugin in this systemmore » for the QA of a cylinder HDR brachytherapy treatment. Methods: A cylinder plan QA module was developed using Python. It was plugged into our AutoBrachy QA system. This module extracted information from CT images and treatment plan. Image processing techniques were employed to obtain geometric parameters, e.g. cylinder diameter. A comprehensive set of eight geometrical and eight dosimetric features of the plan were validated against user specified planning parameter, such as prescription value, treatment depth and length, etc. A PDF document was generated, consisting of a summary QA sheet with all the QA results, as well as images showing plan details. Results: The cylinder QA program has been implemented in our clinic. To date, it has been used in 11 patient cases and was able to successfully perform QA tests in all of them. The QA program reduced the average plan QA time from 7 min using conventional manual approach to 0.5 min. Conclusion: Being a new module in our AutoBrachy QA system, an automated treatment plan QA module for cylinder HDR brachytherapy has been successfully developed and clinically implemented. This module improved clinical workflow and plan integrity compared to the conventional manual approach.« less

Dosimetric advantages of generalised equivalent uniform dose-based optimisation on dose–volume objectives in intensity-modulated radiotherapy planning for bilateral breast cancer

PubMed Central

Lee, T-F; Ting, H-M; Chao, P-J; Wang, H-Y; Shieh, C-S; Horng, M-F; Wu, J-M; Yeh, S-A; Cho, M-Y; Huang, E-Y; Huang, Y-J; Chen, H-C; Fang, F-M

2012-01-01

Objective We compared and evaluated the differences between two models for treating bilateral breast cancer (BBC): (i) dose–volume-based intensity-modulated radiation treatment (DV plan), and (ii) dose–volume-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy with generalised equivalent uniform dose-based optimisation (DV-gEUD plan). Methods The quality and performance of the DV plan and DV-gEUD plan using the Pinnacle3® system (Philips, Fitchburg, WI) were evaluated and compared in 10 patients with stage T2–T4 BBC. The plans were delivered on a Varian 21EX linear accelerator (Varian Medical Systems, Milpitas, CA) equipped with a Millennium 120 leaf multileaf collimator (Varian Medical Systems). The parameters analysed included the conformity index, homogeneity index, tumour control probability of the planning target volume (PTV), the volumes V20 Gy and V30 Gy of the organs at risk (OAR, including the heart and lungs), mean dose and the normal tissue complication probability. Results Both plans met the requirements for the coverage of PTV with similar conformity and homogeneity indices. However, the DV-gEUD plan had the advantage of dose sparing for OAR: the mean doses of the heart and lungs, lung V20 Gy, and heart V30 Gy in the DV-gEUD plan were lower than those in the DV plan (p<0.05). Conclusions A better result can be obtained by starting with a DV-generated plan and then improving it by adding gEUD-based improvements to reduce the number of iterations and to improve the optimum dose distribution. Advances to knowledge The DV-gEUD plan provided superior dosimetric results for treating BBC in terms of PTV coverage and OAR sparing than the DV plan, without sacrificing the homogeneity of dose distribution in the PTV. PMID:23091290

SU-F-T-101: Insight into Dosimetry Workload and Planning Timelines: A 6 Year Review at One Institution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cardan, R; Popple, R; Smith, H

Purpose: To elucidate realistic clinical treatment planning workload and timelines to improve understanding for patients, payers, and other institutions involved in radiotherapy processes. Methods: A web based tool was developed using Oracle Express (Oracle Corp, Redwood City, CA) which allowed communication between the physicians and staff about the current state of the patient plan. For 6 years, all patient courses were logged and time-stamped in 22 discreet steps which detailed start and stop times for simulation, contouring, and treatment planning tasks. This data was combined with the treatment planning database (TPDB) using the Eclipse Scripting API (Varian Medical Systems, Palomore » Alto, CA) to cross-identify plans between the two systems. This time data was analyzed across our dosimetry staff and treatment modality. Results: In 6 years, 110,477 patient statuses were time-logged for 9683 courses of treatment using our internal software. The courses contained 8305 unique patients who were binned into one of 11 diagnosis site categories. 8253 courses could be reconciled against the TPDB using timestamp data from patient statuses. The average planning volume per dosimetrist was 375.8 ± 142.4 plans per year with the average number of planning revisions per dosimetrist of 71.0 ± 27.1 plans per year. The median treatment planning times by modality ranged from to 48.3 hours for IMRT plans 5 fields or less to 119.6 hours for IMRT with 8 or more fields. Two arc VMAT, three arc VMAT, and 3D plans median times were 89.1 hours, 113.8 hours, and 50.9 hours respectively. Conclusion: Using our web based tool, we have demonstrated the ability to quantify treatment planning timelines and workloads which could help in setting appropriate expectations for patients, payers, and hospital administration. COI: Author received monies from Varian Medical Systems for research and teaching honorarium.« less

Learning by Demonstration for Motion Planning of Upper-Limb Exoskeletons

PubMed Central

Lauretti, Clemente; Cordella, Francesca; Ciancio, Anna Lisa; Trigili, Emilio; Catalan, Jose Maria; Badesa, Francisco Javier; Crea, Simona; Pagliara, Silvio Marcello; Sterzi, Silvia; Vitiello, Nicola; Garcia Aracil, Nicolas; Zollo, Loredana

2018-01-01

The reference joint position of upper-limb exoskeletons is typically obtained by means of Cartesian motion planners and inverse kinematics algorithms with the inverse Jacobian; this approach allows exploiting the available Degrees of Freedom (i.e. DoFs) of the robot kinematic chain to achieve the desired end-effector pose; however, if used to operate non-redundant exoskeletons, it does not ensure that anthropomorphic criteria are satisfied in the whole human-robot workspace. This paper proposes a motion planning system, based on Learning by Demonstration, for upper-limb exoskeletons that allow successfully assisting patients during Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) in unstructured environment, while ensuring that anthropomorphic criteria are satisfied in the whole human-robot workspace. The motion planning system combines Learning by Demonstration with the computation of Dynamic Motion Primitives and machine learning techniques to construct task- and patient-specific joint trajectories based on the learnt trajectories. System validation was carried out in simulation and in a real setting with a 4-DoF upper-limb exoskeleton, a 5-DoF wrist-hand exoskeleton and four patients with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. Validation was addressed to (i) compare the performance of the proposed motion planning with traditional methods; (ii) assess the generalization capabilities of the proposed method with respect to the environment variability. Three ADLs were chosen to validate the system: drinking, pouring and lifting a light sphere. The achieved results showed a 100% success rate in the task fulfillment, with a high level of generalization with respect to the environment variability. Moreover, an anthropomorphic configuration of the exoskeleton is always ensured. PMID:29527161

Learning by Demonstration for Motion Planning of Upper-Limb Exoskeletons.

PubMed

Lauretti, Clemente; Cordella, Francesca; Ciancio, Anna Lisa; Trigili, Emilio; Catalan, Jose Maria; Badesa, Francisco Javier; Crea, Simona; Pagliara, Silvio Marcello; Sterzi, Silvia; Vitiello, Nicola; Garcia Aracil, Nicolas; Zollo, Loredana

2018-01-01

The reference joint position of upper-limb exoskeletons is typically obtained by means of Cartesian motion planners and inverse kinematics algorithms with the inverse Jacobian; this approach allows exploiting the available Degrees of Freedom (i.e. DoFs) of the robot kinematic chain to achieve the desired end-effector pose; however, if used to operate non-redundant exoskeletons, it does not ensure that anthropomorphic criteria are satisfied in the whole human-robot workspace. This paper proposes a motion planning system, based on Learning by Demonstration, for upper-limb exoskeletons that allow successfully assisting patients during Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) in unstructured environment, while ensuring that anthropomorphic criteria are satisfied in the whole human-robot workspace. The motion planning system combines Learning by Demonstration with the computation of Dynamic Motion Primitives and machine learning techniques to construct task- and patient-specific joint trajectories based on the learnt trajectories. System validation was carried out in simulation and in a real setting with a 4-DoF upper-limb exoskeleton, a 5-DoF wrist-hand exoskeleton and four patients with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. Validation was addressed to (i) compare the performance of the proposed motion planning with traditional methods; (ii) assess the generalization capabilities of the proposed method with respect to the environment variability. Three ADLs were chosen to validate the system: drinking, pouring and lifting a light sphere. The achieved results showed a 100% success rate in the task fulfillment, with a high level of generalization with respect to the environment variability. Moreover, an anthropomorphic configuration of the exoskeleton is always ensured.

Iterative Repair Planning for Spacecraft Operations Using the Aspen System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rabideau, G.; Knight, R.; Chien, S.; Fukunaga, A.; Govindjee, A.

2000-01-01

This paper describes the Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment (ASPEN). ASPEN encodes complex spacecraft knowledge of operability constraints, flight rules, spacecraft hardware, science experiments and operations procedures to allow for automated generation of low level spacecraft sequences. Using a technique called iterative repair, ASPEN classifies constraint violations (i.e., conflicts) and attempts to repair each by performing a planning or scheduling operation. It must reason about which conflict to resolve first and what repair method to try for the given conflict. ASPEN is currently being utilized in the development of automated planner/scheduler systems for several spacecraft, including the UFO-1 naval communications satellite and the Citizen Explorer (CX1) satellite, as well as for planetary rover operations and antenna ground systems automation. This paper focuses on the algorithm and search strategies employed by ASPEN to resolve spacecraft operations constraints, as well as the data structures for representing these constraints.

RELAP-7 Software Verification and Validation Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Curtis L.; Choi, Yong-Joon; Zou, Ling

This INL plan comprehensively describes the software for RELAP-7 and documents the software, interface, and software design requirements for the application. The plan also describes the testing-based software verification and validation (SV&V) process—a set of specially designed software models used to test RELAP-7. The RELAP-7 (Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program) code is a nuclear reactor system safety analysis code being developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The code is based on the INL’s modern scientific software development framework – MOOSE (Multi-Physics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment). The overall design goal of RELAP-7 is to take advantage of the previous thirty yearsmore » of advancements in computer architecture, software design, numerical integration methods, and physical models. The end result will be a reactor systems analysis capability that retains and improves upon RELAP5’s capability and extends the analysis capability for all reactor system simulation scenarios.« less

Clinical validation of an in-house EPID dosimetry system for IMRT QA at the Prince of Wales Hospital

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyler, M.; Vial, P.; Metcalfe, P.; Downes, S.

2013-06-01

In this study a simple method using standard flood-field corrected Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) images for routine Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Quality Assurance (QA) was investigated. The EPID QA system was designed and tested on a Siemens Oncor Impression linear accelerator with an OptiVue 1000ST EPID panel (Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc, USA) and an Elekta Axesse linear accelerator with an iViewGT EPID (Elekta AB, Sweden) for 6 and 10 MV IMRT fields with Step-and-Shoot and dynamic-MLC delivery. Two different planning systems were used for patient IMRT field generation for comparison with the measured EPID fluences. All measured IMRT plans had >95% agreement to the planning fluences (using 3 cGy / 3 mm Gamma Criteria) and were comparable to the pass-rates calculated using a 2-D diode array dosimeter.

Adequacy assessment of composite generation and transmission systems incorporating wind energy conversion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yi

The development and utilization of wind energy for satisfying electrical demand has received considerable attention in recent years due to its tremendous environmental, social and economic benefits, together with public support and government incentives. Electric power generation from wind energy behaves quite differently from that of conventional sources. The fundamentally different operating characteristics of wind energy facilities therefore affect power system reliability in a different manner than those of conventional systems. The reliability impact of such a highly variable energy source is an important aspect that must be assessed when the wind power penetration is significant. The focus of the research described in this thesis is on the utilization of state sampling Monte Carlo simulation in wind integrated bulk electric system reliability analysis and the application of these concepts in system planning and decision making. Load forecast uncertainty is an important factor in long range planning and system development. This thesis describes two approximate approaches developed to reduce the number of steps in a load duration curve which includes load forecast uncertainty, and to provide reasonably accurate generating and bulk system reliability index predictions. The developed approaches are illustrated by application to two composite test systems. A method of generating correlated random numbers with uniform distributions and a specified correlation coefficient in the state sampling method is proposed and used to conduct adequacy assessment in generating systems and in bulk electric systems containing correlated wind farms in this thesis. The studies described show that it is possible to use the state sampling Monte Carlo simulation technique to quantitatively assess the reliability implications associated with adding wind power to a composite generation and transmission system including the effects of multiple correlated wind sites. This is an important development as it permits correlated wind farms to be incorporated in large practical system studies without requiring excessive increases in computer solution time. The procedures described in this thesis for creating monthly and seasonal wind farm models should prove useful in situations where time period models are required to incorporate scheduled maintenance of generation and transmission facilities. There is growing interest in combining deterministic considerations with probabilistic assessment in order to evaluate the quantitative system risk and conduct bulk power system planning. A relatively new approach that incorporates deterministic and probabilistic considerations in a single risk assessment framework has been designated as the joint deterministic-probabilistic approach. The research work described in this thesis illustrates that the joint deterministic-probabilistic approach can be effectively used to integrate wind power in bulk electric system planning. The studies described in this thesis show that the application of the joint deterministic-probabilistic method provides more stringent results for a system with wind power than the traditional deterministic N-1 method because the joint deterministic-probabilistic technique is driven by the deterministic N-1 criterion with an added probabilistic perspective which recognizes the power output characteristics of a wind turbine generator.

Machine intelligence and autonomy for aerospace systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heer, Ewald (Editor); Lum, Henry (Editor)

1988-01-01

The present volume discusses progress toward intelligent robot systems in aerospace applications, NASA Space Program automation and robotics efforts, the supervisory control of telerobotics in space, machine intelligence and crew/vehicle interfaces, expert-system terms and building tools, and knowledge-acquisition for autonomous systems. Also discussed are methods for validation of knowledge-based systems, a design methodology for knowledge-based management systems, knowledge-based simulation for aerospace systems, knowledge-based diagnosis, planning and scheduling methods in AI, the treatment of uncertainty in AI, vision-sensing techniques in aerospace applications, image-understanding techniques, tactile sensing for robots, distributed sensor integration, and the control of articulated and deformable space structures.

IMRT: Improvement in treatment planning efficiency using NTCP calculation independent of the dose-volume-histogram

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grigorov, Grigor N.; Chow, James C.L.; Grigorov, Lenko

2006-05-15

The normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) is a predictor of radiobiological effect for organs at risk (OAR). The calculation of the NTCP is based on the dose-volume-histogram (DVH) which is generated by the treatment planning system after calculation of the 3D dose distribution. Including the NTCP in the objective function for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plan optimization would make the planning more effective in reducing the postradiation effects. However, doing so would lengthen the total planning time. The purpose of this work is to establish a method for NTCP determination, independent of a DVH calculation, as a quality assurancemore » check and also as a mean of improving the treatment planning efficiency. In the study, the CTs of ten randomly selected prostate patients were used. IMRT optimization was performed with a PINNACLE3 V 6.2b planning system, using planning target volume (PTV) with margins in the range of 2 to 10 mm. The DVH control points of the PTV and OAR were adapted from the prescriptions of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group protocol P-0126 for an escalated prescribed dose of 82 Gy. This paper presents a new model for the determination of the rectal NTCP ({sub R}NTCP). The method uses a special function, named GVN (from Gy, Volume, NTCP), which describes the {sub R}NTCP if 1 cm{sup 3} of the volume of intersection of the PTV and rectum (R{sub int}) is irradiated uniformly by a dose of 1 Gy. The function was 'geometrically' normalized using a prostate-prostate ratio (PPR) of the patients' prostates. A correction of the {sub R}NTCP for different prescribed doses, ranging from 70 to 82 Gy, was employed in our model. The argument of the normalized function is the R{sub int}, and parameters are the prescribed dose, prostate volume, PTV margin, and PPR. The {sub R}NTCPs of another group of patients were calculated by the new method and the resulting difference was <{+-}5% in comparison to the NTCP calculated by the PINNACLE3 software where Kutcher's dose-response model for NTCP calculation is adopted.« less

Personnel Information Requirements for the Support of Air Force Squadron Commanders’ Information Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

problem, was the library search procedure. In their book, Research Methods In Librarianship , Charles 24 Busha and Stephen Harter contend library...Planning," Information and Management, 6:11-25 (1983). 5. Busha, Charles H. and Stephen P. Hatter, Research Methods In Librarianship : Techniques and

Spatial allocation of forest recreation value

Treesearch

Kenneth A. Baerenklau; Armando Gonzalez-Caban; Catrina Paez; Edgard Chavez

2009-01-01

Non-market valuation methods and geographic information systems are useful planning and management tools for public land managers. Recent attention has been given to investigation and demonstration of methods for combining these tools to provide spatially-explicit representations of non-market value. Most of these efforts have focused on spatial allocation of...

Supporting local planning and budgeting for maternal, neonatal and child health in the Philippines

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Responsibility for planning and delivery of health services in the Philippines is devolved to the local government level. Given the recognised need to strengthen capacity for local planning and budgeting, we implemented Investment Cases (IC) for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) in three selected sub-national units: two poor, rural provinces and one highly-urbanised city. The IC combines structured problem-solving by local policymakers and planners to identify key health system constraints and strategies to scale-up critical MNCH interventions with a decision-support model to estimate the cost and impact of different scaling-up scenarios. Methods We outline how the initiative was implemented, the aspects that worked well, and the key limitations identified in the sub-national application of this approach. Results Local officials found the structured analysis of health system constraints helpful to identify problems and select locally appropriate strategies. In particular the process was an improvement on standard approaches that focused only on supply-side issues. However, the lack of data available at the local level is a major impediment to planning. While the majority of the strategies recommended by the IC were incorporated into the 2011 plans and budgets in the three study sites, one key strategy in the participating city was subsequently reversed in 2012. Higher level systemic issues are likely to have influenced use of evidence in plans and budgets and implementation of strategies. Conclusions Efforts should be made to improve locally-representative data through routine information systems for planning and monitoring purposes. Even with sound plans and budgets, evidence is only one factor influencing investments in health. Political considerations at a local level and issues related to decentralisation, influence prioritisation and implementation of plans. In addition to the strengthening of capacity at local level, a parallel process at a higher level of government to relieve fund channelling and coordination issues is critical for any evidence-based planning approach to have a significant impact on health service delivery. PMID:23343218

3D Computer aided treatment planning in endodontics.

PubMed

van der Meer, Wicher J; Vissink, Arjan; Ng, Yuan Ling; Gulabivala, Kishor

2016-02-01

Obliteration of the root canal system due to accelerated dentinogenesis and dystrophic calcification can challenge the achievement of root canal treatment goals. This paper describes the application of 3D digital mapping technology for predictable navigation of obliterated canal systems during root canal treatment to avoid iatrogenic damage of the root. Digital endodontic treatment planning for anterior teeth with severely obliterated root canal systems was accomplished with the aid of computer software, based on cone beam computer tomography (CBCT) scans and intra-oral scans of the dentition. On the basis of these scans, endodontic guides were created for the planned treatment through digital designing and rapid prototyping fabrication. The custom-made guides allowed for an uncomplicated and predictable canal location and management. The method of digital designing and rapid prototyping of endodontic guides allows for reliable and predictable location of root canals of teeth with calcifically metamorphosed root canal systems. The endodontic directional guide facilitates difficult endodontic treatments at little additional cost. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Integration of task level planning and diagnosis for an intelligent robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerstenfeld, Arthur

1988-01-01

The use of robots in the future must go beyond present applications and will depend on the ability of a robot to adapt to a changing environment and to deal with unexpected scenarios (i.e., picking up parts that are not exactly where they were expected to be). The objective of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating high level planning into a robot enabling it to deal with anomalous situations in order to minimize the need for constant human instruction. The heuristics can be used by a robot to apply information about previous actions towards accomplishing future objectives more efficiently. The system uses a decision network that represents the plan for accomplishing a task. This enables the robot to modify its plan based on results of previous actions. The system serves as a method for minimizing the need for constant human instruction in telerobotics. This paper describes the integration of expert systems and simulation as a valuable tool that goes far beyond this project. Simulation can be expected to be used increasingly as both hardware and software improve. Similarly, the ability to merge an expert system with simulation means that we can add intelligence to the system. A malfunctioning space satellite is described. The expert system uses a series of heuristics in order to guide the robot to the proper location. This is part of task level planning. The final part of the paper suggests directions for future research. Having shown the feasibility of an expert system embedded in a simulation, the paper then discusses how the system can be integrated with the MSFC graphics system.

Accuracy Evaluation of Oncentra™ TPS in HDR Brachytherapy of Nasopharynx Cancer Using EGSnrc Monte Carlo Code.

PubMed

Hadad, K; Zohrevand, M; Faghihi, R; Sedighi Pashaki, A

2015-03-01

HDR brachytherapy is one of the commonest methods of nasopharyngeal cancer treatment. In this method, depending on how advanced one tumor is, 2 to 6 Gy dose as intracavitary brachytherapy is prescribed. Due to high dose rate and tumor location, accuracy evaluation of treatment planning system (TPS) is particularly important. Common methods used in TPS dosimetry are based on computations in a homogeneous phantom. Heterogeneous phantoms, especially patient-specific voxel phantoms can increase dosimetric accuracy. In this study, using CT images taken from a patient and ctcreate-which is a part of the DOSXYZnrc computational code, patient-specific phantom was made. Dose distribution was plotted by DOSXYZnrc and compared with TPS one. Also, by extracting the voxels absorbed dose in treatment volume, dose-volume histograms (DVH) was plotted and compared with Oncentra™ TPS DVHs. The results from calculations were compared with data from Oncentra™ treatment planning system and it was observed that TPS calculation predicts lower dose in areas near the source, and higher dose in areas far from the source relative to MC code. Absorbed dose values in the voxels also showed that TPS reports D90 value is 40% higher than the Monte Carlo method. Today, most treatment planning systems use TG-43 protocol. This protocol may results in errors such as neglecting tissue heterogeneity, scattered radiation as well as applicator attenuation. Due to these errors, AAPM emphasized departing from TG-43 protocol and approaching new brachytherapy protocol TG-186 in which patient-specific phantom is used and heterogeneities are affected in dosimetry.

Yielding impressive results. The Egyptian experience in family planning communication campaign has been an exemplary model for many developing countries.

PubMed

Wafai, M

1994-09-01

In Egypt the current use of family planning methods nearly doubled from 1980 to 1992. The toughest obstacles to the promotion of family planning are the deeply rooted pronatalism, the high rate of illiteracy, and low use of print media. The early efforts of the 1960s through the 1970s helped raise people's awareness of the problem, but traditional attitudes to family planning persisted. The Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Center established in 1979 in the State Information Service (SIS) of the Ministry of Information spearheaded the IEC efforts for family planning throughout the country. The Egyptian Contraceptives Prevalence Survey conducted in 1984 showed that the current use of family planning methods had increased 6.1% from the 1980 level, and that 56% of married women wished to stop having children, but were afraid of side effects of contraceptive use. The SIS/IEC Center launched a creative mass media campaign using TV spots and dramas. It also pioneered community-based public communication activities on population and family planning by organizing population communication forums. The local communication work is implemented by each of the 60 regional offices of SIS. Other government agencies, such as Health Insurance Organization, also launched IEC campaigns promoting their own services. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Family of the Future and the Clinical Service Improvement Project also engaged in social marketing of contraceptives. The use of family planning methods mounted between 1980 and 1992 from 24% to nearly 48%, and the method of choice shifted from the pill to the IUD. The country's crude birth rate declined steadily from 40 per 1000 population in 1985 down to 29/1000 in 1992. The six major factors for success included an innovative communication program, religious support, political commitment, an improved service delivery system, involvement of NGOs, and the economic influence. The Egyptian experience in family planning IEC has been an exemplary model for many developing countries.

Interactive orbital proximity operations planning system instruction and training guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grunwald, Arthur J.; Ellis, Stephen R.

1994-01-01

This guide instructs users in the operation of a Proximity Operations Planning System. This system uses an interactive graphical method for planning fuel-efficient rendezvous trajectories in the multi-spacecraft environment of the space station and allows the operator to compose a multi-burn transfer trajectory between orbit initial chaser and target trajectories. The available task time (window) of the mission is predetermined and the maneuver is subject to various operational constraints, such as departure, arrival, spatial, plume impingement, and en route passage constraints. The maneuvers are described in terms of the relative motion experienced in a space station centered coordinate system. Both in-orbital plane as well as out-of-orbital plane maneuvering is considered. A number of visual optimization aids are used for assisting the operator in reaching fuel-efficient solutions. These optimization aids are based on the Primer Vector theory. The visual feedback of trajectory shapes, operational constraints, and optimization functions, provided by user-transparent and continuously active background computations, allows the operator to make fast, iterative design changes that rapidly converge to fuel-efficient solutions. The planning tool is an example of operator-assisted optimization of nonlinear cost functions.

A Multi-criteria Decision Analysis System for Prioritizing Sites and Types of Low Impact Development Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jae Yeol; Chung, Eun-Sung

2017-04-01

This study developed a multi-criteria decision analysis framework to prioritize sites and types of low impact development (LID) practices. This framework was systemized as a web-based system coupled with the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Using the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), which is a type of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method, multiple types and sites of designated LID practices are prioritized. This system is named the Water Management Prioritization Module (WMPM) and is an improved version of the Water Management Analysis Module (WMAM) that automatically generates and simulates multiple scenarios of LID design and planning parameters for a single LID type. WMPM can simultaneously determine the priority of multiple LID types and sites. In this study, an infiltration trench and permeable pavement were considered for multiple sub-catchments in South Korea to demonstrate the WMPM procedures. The TOPSIS method was manually incorporated to select the vulnerable target sub-catchments and to prioritize the LID planning scenarios for multiple types and sites considering socio-economic, hydrologic and physical-geometric factors. In this application, the Delphi method and entropy theory were used to determine the subjective and objective weights, respectively. Comparing the ranks derived by this system, two sub-catchments, S16 and S4, out of 18 were considered to be the most suitable places for installing an infiltration trench and porous pavement to reduce the peak and total flow, respectively, considering both socio-economic factors and hydrological effectiveness. WMPM can help policy-makers to objectively develop urban water plans for sustainable development. Keywords: Low Impact Development, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, SWMM, TOPSIS, Water Management Prioritization Module (WMPM)

Toward improved target conformity for two spot scanning proton therapy delivery systems using dynamic collimation

PubMed Central

Moignier, Alexandra; Gelover, Edgar; Smith, Blake R.; Wang, Dongxu; Flynn, Ryan T.; Kirk, Maura L.; Lin, Liyong; Solberg, Timothy D.; Lin, Alexander; Hyer, Daniel E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To quantify improvement in target conformity in brain and head and neck tumor treatments resulting from the use of a dynamic collimation system (DCS) with two spot scanning proton therapy delivery systems (universal nozzle, UN, and dedicated nozzle, DN) with median spot sizes of 5.2 and 3.2 mm over a range of energies from 100 to 230 MeV. Methods: Uncollimated and collimated plans were calculated with both UN and DN beam models implemented within our in-house treatment planning system for five brain and ten head and neck datasets in patients previously treated with spot scanning proton therapy. The prescription dose and beam angles from the clinical plans were used for both the UN and DN plans. The average reduction of the mean dose to the 10-mm ring surrounding the target between the uncollimated and collimated plans was calculated for the UN and the DN. Target conformity was analyzed using the mean dose to 1-mm thickness rings surrounding the target at increasing distances ranging from 1 to 10 mm. Results: The average reductions of the 10-mm ring mean dose for the UN and DN plans were 13.7% (95% CI: 11.6%–15.7%; p < 0.0001) and 11.5% (95% CI: 9.5%–13.5%; p < 0.0001) across all brain cases and 7.1% (95% CI: 4.4%–9.8%; p < 0.001) and 6.3% (95% CI: 3.7%–9.0%; p < 0.001), respectively, across all head and neck cases. The collimated UN plans were either more conformal (all brain cases and 60% of the head and neck cases) than or equivalent (40% of the head and neck cases) to the uncollimated DN plans. The collimated DN plans offered the highest conformity. Conclusions: The DCS added either to the UN or DN improved the target conformity. The DCS may be of particular interest for sites with UN systems looking for a more economical solution than upgrading the nozzle to improve the target conformity of their spot scanning proton therapy system. PMID:26936726

Statistical Methods in Assembly Quality Management of Multi-Element Products on Automatic Rotor Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pries, V. V.; Proskuriakov, N. E.

2018-04-01

To control the assembly quality of multi-element mass-produced products on automatic rotor lines, control methods with operational feedback are required. However, due to possible failures in the operation of the devices and systems of automatic rotor line, there is always a real probability of getting defective (incomplete) products into the output process stream. Therefore, a continuous sampling control of the products completeness, based on the use of statistical methods, remains an important element in managing the quality of assembly of multi-element mass products on automatic rotor lines. The feature of continuous sampling control of the multi-element products completeness in the assembly process is its breaking sort, which excludes the possibility of returning component parts after sampling control to the process stream and leads to a decrease in the actual productivity of the assembly equipment. Therefore, the use of statistical procedures for continuous sampling control of the multi-element products completeness when assembled on automatic rotor lines requires the use of such sampling plans that ensure a minimum size of control samples. Comparison of the values of the limit of the average output defect level for the continuous sampling plan (CSP) and for the automated continuous sampling plan (ACSP) shows the possibility of providing lower limit values for the average output defects level using the ACSP-1. Also, the average sample size when using the ACSP-1 plan is less than when using the CSP-1 plan. Thus, the application of statistical methods in the assembly quality management of multi-element products on automatic rotor lines, involving the use of proposed plans and methods for continuous selective control, will allow to automating sampling control procedures and the required level of quality of assembled products while minimizing sample size.

Key Aspects of a Sustainable Health Insurance System in Germany.

PubMed

Pelster, Matthias; Hagemann, Vera; Laporte Uribe, Franziska

2016-06-01

The main goals of health-care systems are to improve the health of the population they serve, respond to people's legitimate expectations, and offer fair financing. As a result, the health system in Germany is subject to continuous adaption as well as public and political discussions about its design. This paper analyzes the key challenges for the German health-care system and the underlying factors driving these challenges. We aim to identify possible solutions to put the German health-care system in a better position to face these challenges. We utilize a broad array of methods to answer these questions, including a review of the published and grey literature on health-care planning in Germany, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in the system, and an online questionnaire. We find that the most urgent (and manageable) aspects that merit attention are holistic hospital planning, initiatives to increase (administrative) innovation in the health-care system, incentives to increase prevention, and approaches to increase analytical quality assurance. We found that hospital planning, innovation, quality control, and prevention, are considered to be the topics most in need of attention in the German health system.

Development of a Nationally Coordinated Evaluation Plan for the Ghana National Strategy for Key Populations

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Heidi W; Atuahene, Kyeremeh; Sutherland, Elizabeth; Amenyah, Richard; Kwao, Isaiah Doe; Larbi, Emmanuel Tettey

2015-01-01

Objective Just as HIV prevention programs need to be tailored to the local epidemic, so should evaluations be country-owned and country-led to ensure use of those results in decision making and policy. The objective of this paper is to describe the process undertaken in Ghana to develop a national evaluation plan for the Ghana national strategy for key populations. Methods This was a participatory process that involved meetings between the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), other partners in Ghana working to prevent HIV among key populations, and MEASURE Evaluation. The process included three two-day, highly structured yet participatory meetings over the course of 12 months during which participants shared information about on-going and planned data and identified research questions and methods. Results An evaluation plan was prepared to inform stakeholders about which data collection activities need to be prioritized for funding, who would implement the study, the timing of data collection, the research question the data will help answer, and the analysis methods. The plan discusses various methods that can be used including the recommendation for the study design using multiple data sources. It has an evaluation conceptual model, proposed analyses, proposed definition of independent variables, estimated costs for filling data gaps, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders to carry out the plan, and considerations for ethics, data sharing and authorship. Conclusion The experience demonstrates that it is possible to design an evaluation responsive to national strategies and priorities with country leadership, regardless of stakeholders' experiences with evaluations. This process may be replicable elsewhere, where stakeholders want to plan and implement an evaluation of a large-scale program at the national or subnational level that is responsive to national priorities and part of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system. PMID:26120495

Hygiene guideline for the planning, installation, and operation of ventilation and air-conditioning systems in health-care settings - Guideline of the German Society for Hospital Hygiene (DGKH).

PubMed

Külpmann, Rüdiger; Christiansen, Bärbel; Kramer, Axel; Lüderitz, Peter; Pitten, Frank-Albert; Wille, Frank; Zastrow, Klaus-Dieter; Lemm, Friederike; Sommer, Regina; Halabi, Milo

2016-01-01

Since the publication of the first "Hospital Hygiene Guideline for the implementation and operation of air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) in hospitals" (http://www.krankenhaushygiene.de/informationen/fachinformationen/leitlinien/12) in 2002, it was necessary due to the increase in knowledge, new regulations, improved air-conditioning systems and advanced test methods to revise the guideline. Based on the description of the basic features of ventilation concepts, its hygienic test and the usage-based requirements for ventilation, the DGKH section "Ventilation and air conditioning technology" attempts to provide answers for the major air quality issues in the planning, design and the hygienically safe operation of HVAC systems in rooms of health care.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, J; Li, X; Liu, G

Purpose: We compare and investigate the dosimetric impacts on pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton treatment plans generated with CT calibration curves from four different CT scanners and one averaged ‘global’ CT calibration curve. Methods: The four CT scanners are located at three different hospital locations within the same health system. CT density calibration curves were collected from these scanners using the same CT calibration phantom and acquisition parameters. Mass density to HU value tables were then commissioned in a commercial treatment planning system. Five disease sites were chosen for dosimetric comparisons at brain, lung, head and neck, adrenal, and prostate.more » Three types of PBS plans were generated at each treatment site using SFUD, IMPT, and robustness optimized IMPT techniques. 3D dose differences were investigated using 3D Gamma analysis. Results: The CT calibration curves for all four scanners display very similar shapes. Large HU differences were observed at both the high HU and low HU regions of the curves. Large dose differences were generally observed at the distal edges of the beams and they are beam angle dependent. Out of the five treatment sites, lung plans exhibits the most overall range uncertainties and prostate plans have the greatest dose discrepancy. There are no significant differences between the SFUD, IMPT, and the RO-IMPT methods. 3D gamma analysis with 3%, 3 mm criteria showed all plans with greater than 95% passing rate. Two of the scanners with close HU values have negligible dose difference except for lung. Conclusion: Our study shows that there are more than 5% dosimetric differences between different CT calibration curves. PBS treatment plans generated with SFUD, IMPT, and the robustness optimized IMPT has similar sensitivity to the CT density uncertainty. More patient data and tighter gamma criteria based on structure location and size will be used for further investigation.« less

SU-E-T-109: Development of An End-To-End Test for the Varian TrueBeamtm with a Novel Multiple-Dosimetric Modality H and N Phantom

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zakjevskii, V; Knill, C; Rakowski, J

2014-06-01

Purpose: To develop a comprehensive end-to-end test for Varian's TrueBeam linear accelerator for head and neck IMRT using a custom phantom designed to utilize multiple dosimetry devices. Methods: The initial end-to-end test and custom H and N phantom were designed to yield maximum information in anatomical regions significant to H and N plans with respect to: i) geometric accuracy, ii) dosimetric accuracy, and iii) treatment reproducibility. The phantom was designed in collaboration with Integrated Medical Technologies. A CT image was taken with a 1mm slice thickness. The CT was imported into Varian's Eclipse treatment planning system, where OARs and themore » PTV were contoured. A clinical template was used to create an eight field static gantry angle IMRT plan. After optimization, dose was calculated using the Analytic Anisotropic Algorithm with inhomogeneity correction. Plans were delivered with a TrueBeam equipped with a high definition MLC. Preliminary end-to-end results were measured using film and ion chambers. Ion chamber dose measurements were compared to the TPS. Films were analyzed with FilmQAPro using composite gamma index. Results: Film analysis for the initial end-to-end plan with a geometrically simple PTV showed average gamma pass rates >99% with a passing criterion of 3% / 3mm. Film analysis of a plan with a more realistic, ie. complex, PTV yielded pass rates >99% in clinically important regions containing the PTV, spinal cord and parotid glands. Ion chamber measurements were on average within 1.21% of calculated dose for both plans. Conclusion: trials have demonstrated that our end-to-end testing methods provide baseline values for the dosimetric and geometric accuracy of Varian's TrueBeam system.« less

Lateral Support Systems And Underpinning. Volume III: Construction Methods

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-03-01

Contains the proceedings of the National Freight Planning Applications Conference held October 1996 and the proceedings of the Urban Goods Movement and Freight Forecasting Conference held in September 1997.

SU-E-T-43: A Methodology for Quality Control of IMPT Treatment Plan Based On VMAT Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, S; Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; Yang, Y

Purpose: IMPT plan design is highly dependent on planner’s experiences. VMAT plan design is relatively mature and can even be automated. The quality of IMPT plan designed by in-experienced planner could be inferior to that of VMAT plan designed by experienced planner or automatic planning software. Here we introduce a method for designing IMPT plan based on VMAT plan to ensure the IMPT plan be superior to IMRT/VMAT plan for majority clinical scenario. Methods: To design a new IMPT plan, a VMAT plan is first generated either by experienced planner or by in-house developed automatic planning system. An in-house developedmore » tool is used to generate the dose volume constrains for the IMPT plan as plan template to Eclipse TPS. The beam angles for IMPT plan are selected based on the preferred angles in the VMAT plan. IMPT plan is designed by importing the plan objectives generated from VMAT plan. Majority thoracic IMPT plans are designed using this plan approach in our center. In this work, a thoracic IMPT plan under RTOG 1308 protocol is selected to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of this approach. The dosimetric indices of IMPT are compared with VMAT plan. Results: The PTV D95, lung V20, MLD, mean heart dose, esophagus D1, cord D1 are 70Gy, 31%, 17.8Gy, 25.5Gy, 73Gy, 45Gy for IMPT plan and 65.3Gy, 34%, 21.6Gy, 35Gy, 74Gy, 48Gy for VMAT plan. For majority cases, the high dose region of the normal tissue which is in proximity of PTV is comparable between IMPT and VMAT plan. The low dose region of the IMPT plan is significantly better than VMAT plan. Conclusion: Using the knowledge gained in VMAT plan design can help efficiently and effectively design high quality IMPT plan. The quality of IMPT plan can be controlled to ensure the superiority of IMPT plan compared to VMAT/IMRT plan.« less

Evaluation of Contamination Inspection and Analysis Methods through Modeling System Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seasly, Elaine; Dever, Jason; Stuban, Steven M. F.

2016-01-01

Contamination is usually identified as a risk on the risk register for sensitive space systems hardware. Despite detailed, time-consuming, and costly contamination control efforts during assembly, integration, and test of space systems, contaminants are still found during visual inspections of hardware. Improved methods are needed to gather information during systems integration to catch potential contamination issues earlier and manage contamination risks better. This research explores evaluation of contamination inspection and analysis methods to determine optical system sensitivity to minimum detectable molecular contamination levels based on IEST-STD-CC1246E non-volatile residue (NVR) cleanliness levels. Potential future degradation of the system is modeled given chosen modules representative of optical elements in an optical system, minimum detectable molecular contamination levels for a chosen inspection and analysis method, and determining the effect of contamination on the system. By modeling system performance based on when molecular contamination is detected during systems integration and at what cleanliness level, the decision maker can perform trades amongst different inspection and analysis methods and determine if a planned method is adequate to meet system requirements and manage contamination risk.

Leveraging standards to support patient-centric interdisciplinary plans of care.

PubMed

Dykes, Patricia C; DaDamio, Rebecca R; Goldsmith, Denise; Kim, Hyeon-eui; Ohashi, Kumiko; Saba, Virginia K

2011-01-01

As health care systems and providers move towards meaningful use of electronic health records, the once distant vision of collaborative patient-centric, interdisciplinary plans of care, generated and updated across organizations and levels of care, may soon become a reality. Effective care planning is included in the proposed Stages 2-3 Meaningful Use quality measures. To facilitate interoperability, standardization of plan of care messaging, content, information and terminology models are needed. This degree of standardization requires local and national coordination. The purpose of this paper is to review some existing standards that may be leveraged to support development of interdisciplinary patient-centric plans of care. Standards are then applied to a use case to demonstrate one method for achieving patient-centric and interoperable interdisciplinary plan of care documentation. Our pilot work suggests that existing standards provide a foundation for adoption and implementation of patient-centric plans of care that are consistent with federal requirements.

Radiotherapy supporting system based on the image database using IS&C magneto-optical disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Yutaka; Tsukamoto, Nobuhiro; Kunieda, Etsuo; Kubo, Atsushi

1994-05-01

Since radiation oncologists make the treatment plan by prior experience, information about previous cases is helpful in planning the radiation treatment. We have developed an supporting system for the radiation therapy. The case-based reasoning method was implemented in order to search old treatments and images of past cases. This system evaluates similarities between the current case and all stored cases (case base). The portal images of the similar cases can be retrieved for reference images, as well as treatment records which show examples of the radiation treatment. By this system radiotherapists can easily make suitable plans of the radiation therapy. This system is useful to prevent inaccurate plannings due to preconceptions and/or lack of knowledge. Images were stored into magneto-optical disks and the demographic data is recorded to the hard disk which is equipped in the personal computer. Images can be displayed quickly on the radiotherapist's demands. The radiation oncologist can refer past cases which are recorded in the case base and decide the radiation treatment of the current case. The file and data format of magneto-optical disk is the IS&C format. This format provides the interchangeability and reproducibility of the medical information which includes images and other demographic data.

An adaptive reentry guidance method considering the influence of blackout zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yu; Yao, Jianyao; Qu, Xiangju

2018-01-01

Reentry guidance has been researched as a popular topic because it is critical for a successful flight. In view that the existing guidance methods do not take into account the accumulated navigation error of Inertial Navigation System (INS) in the blackout zone, in this paper, an adaptive reentry guidance method is proposed to obtain the optimal reentry trajectory quickly with the target of minimum aerodynamic heating rate. The terminal error in position and attitude can be also reduced with the proposed method. In this method, the whole reentry guidance task is divided into two phases, i.e., the trajectory updating phase and the trajectory planning phase. In the first phase, the idea of model predictive control (MPC) is used, and the receding optimization procedure ensures the optimal trajectory in the next few seconds. In the trajectory planning phase, after the vehicle has flown out of the blackout zone, the optimal reentry trajectory is obtained by online planning to adapt to the navigation information. An effective swarm intelligence algorithm, i.e. pigeon inspired optimization (PIO) algorithm, is applied to obtain the optimal reentry trajectory in both of the two phases. Compared to the trajectory updating method, the proposed method can reduce the terminal error by about 30% considering both the position and attitude, especially, the terminal error of height has almost been eliminated. Besides, the PIO algorithm performs better than the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm both in the trajectory updating phase and the trajectory planning phases.

Cassini/Huygens Program Archive Plan for Science Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conners, D.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this document is to describe the Cassini/Huygens science data archive system which includes policy, roles and responsibilities, description of science and supplementary data products or data sets, metadata, documentation, software, and archive schedule and methods for archive transfer to the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS).

Privatizing Education and Educational Choice: Concepts, Plans, and Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakim, Simon, Ed.; And Others

This book contains articles by educational researchers who examine the issues surrounding educational choice in public school systems and the voucher system for private schools. They discuss when choice should be considered, methods of implementation, and the extent to which government should be involved. Descriptions and evaluations of choice…