Successful Strategies for Activity and Wellness after Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

Concurrent qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed methods approach) will be used to address Specific Aims 3 and 4. The types of assessment and...Beatrice Kiratli PhD RECIPIENT: Palo Alto Veterens Institute for Research Palo Alto, CA 94304 REPORT DATE: October 2016 TYPE OF REPORT...37/40) with 25% of transcript analysis accomplished. Staff training in qualitative research and use of mind mapping software has been completed with

76 FR 76475 - Tregaron Opportunity Fund I, L.P.; Notice Seeking Exemption Under Section 312 of the Small...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION [License No. 09/09-0463] Tregaron Opportunity Fund I, L.P.; Notice Seeking Exemption Under Section 312 of the Small Business Investment Act, Conflicts of Interest Notice is hereby given that Tregaron Opportunity Fund I, L.P., 540 University Avenue, Suite 250, Palo Alto, CA...

Targeting Chemerin Receptor CMKLR1 in Multiple Sclerosis

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Palo Alto Institute for Research & Education, Inc. Palo Alto, CA 94304-1290 REPORT DATE : September 2012 TYPE OF...if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY...September 2012 2. REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 29-August-2011-28-August-2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

Databases in Healthcare.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

34; Proc. ACM Pacific 75 Conference, Boole and Babbage , Palo Alto, CA., 1975. Giebin75 Giebink, G.A., et al: "Current Status of Ambulatory Health Care...13, pp. 36-49, 1978. Stimso78 Stimson, D.H. and G. Charles : "A Computer-Based Information System in an Ambulatory Care System and Case Study" Proc...Base Management Systems" Proc. ACM Pacific 75 Conference, Boole and Babbage , Palo Alto, CA, 1975. Szolov78 Szolovits, P. and S.G. Pauker: "Categorical

Passive Imagery Navigation

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-15

FINAL TECHNICAL REPT, 15 SEP 78.15 DEC, 80. 15 DEC, 80, REPTNO* LMSC.D767313 CONTRACTF33615-78.-! o AFWAL.TR.81.1044 FC"MtUMENT IDENTIFICATION ...motion stereo. As the stereo subsystem was V LOCKHEED PALO ALTO RESEARCH LABORATORY LOCKNEID MISSILIS & SPACI COMPANY. INC A IU SIOIAIY OF 1OCKNID AINC 1A...section 4.4) vii LOCKHEED PALO ALTO RESEARCH LABORATORY LOCNIID MISSILIS & SPACI COMPA NY. INC A SUISU OIAEY OI F LCfI 1 AII C IAF CORPORAIION 0 Special

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Philip H. Scherrer (left) principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, while colleagues Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters (right) look on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Answering Questions from Oceanography Texts: Learner, Task and Text Characteristics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-15

1 275-290. ’S.= Stowe, K. (1983). S , 2nd edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. ’?o.,i ’S= .. ’S.’ .5.% .5.% r. ** - ’, .* . . . % S 9.. . 9...94305 O Dr. Ed Aiken Leo Seltracchi Dr. John S. Brown " Navy Personnel R&D Center U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comm. XEROX Palo Alto Research Center " San...iego, CA 92152-6800 Washington, OC 20555 3333 Coyote Hill Road Palo Alto, CA 94304 Or. John R. Anderson Dr. Mark H. Bickhard Dr. Ann Brown Department

Mission Command: The Historical Roots of Mission Command in the US Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-21

Bauer, Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman, of the Old Southwest (Baton Rouge, LA : Louisiana State University Press, 1985), 1. General...Battle of Buena Vista , he observed the battle from so close that his coat ended up riddled with holes from grape shot.25 General Taylor created a...1846 report to Colonel Joseph Totten he describes his observations of the battle of Palo Alto and Resaca De La Palma. Scarritt served temporarily

Knowledge-Based Vision Techniques for the Autonomous Land Vehicle Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

Knowledge System The CKS is an object-oriented knowledge database that was originally designed to serve as the central information manager for a...34 Representation Space: An Approach to the Integra- tion of Visual Information ," Proc. of DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, Palo Alto, CA, pp. 263-272, May 1989...Strat, " Information Management in a Sensor-Based Au- tonomous System," Proc. DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, University of Southern CA, Vol.1, pp

Image Understanding: Proceedings of a Workshop held at Palo Alto, California, 15-16 September, 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-16

OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12 . REPORT DATE Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency September, 1982 11400 Wilson Boulevard 13. NUMBER OF PAGES Arlington...University of Southern California ............................................... 12 "Recent Results of the Rochester Image Understanding Project" J. A...Nevatia, R. 12 , 243 Nudd, G. 42 Pentland, A. P. 253 Price, K. E. 299 Qum~, L. 286 Pbenfeld, A. 1,72, 323 Schachter, B. J. 491 Shafer, S. A. 90, 265 Sher

Geologic map of the Palo Alto and part of the Redwood Point 7-1/2' quadrangles, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pampeyan, Earl H.

1993-01-01

The Palo Alto and southern part of the Redwood Point 7-1/2' quadrangles cover an area on the San Francisco peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains. San Francisquito and Los Trancos Creeks, in the southeastern part of the map area, form the boundary between San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. The area covered by the geologic map extends from tidal and marsh lands at the edge of the bay southward across a gently sloping alluvial plain to the foothills of the northern Santa Cruz Mountains. The foothills are separated from the main mass of the mountains by two northwest-striking faults, the San Andreas and Pilarcitos, that cross the southwest corner of the map area (fig. 1). The map and adjoining areas are here divided into three structural blocks juxtaposed along these faults, adopting the scheme of Nilsen and Brabb (1979): (1) the San Francisco Bay block lying east of the San Andreas Fault Zone; (2) the Pilarcitos block lying between the San Andreas and Pilarcitos Faults; and (3) the La Honda block that includes the main mass of the Santa Cruz Mountains lying west of the Pilarcitos Fault. The west boundary of the La Honda block is the Seal Cove-San Gregorio Fault. Pre-late Pleistocene Cenozoic rocks of the foothills have been compressed into northwest-striking folds, which have been overridden by Mesozoic rocks along southwest-dipping low-angle faults. Coarse- to fine-grained upper Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial and estuarine deposits, eroded from the foothills and composing the alluvial plain, are essentially undeformed. Most of the alluvial plain, including some parts of the marsh land that borders the bay, has been covered by residential and commercial developments, and virtually all of the remaining marsh land has been diked off and used as salt evaporating ponds. The map area includes parts of the municipalities of San Carlos, Redwood City, Atherton, Woodside, Portola Valley, Menlo Park, and East Palo Alto in San Mateo County; and Palo Alto, Stanford University, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills in Santa Clara County (fig. 2). Much of the university land remains as undeveloped open space surrounded by densely urbanized lands. Geologic maps of all or part of the present map area have been prepared previously by Branner and others (1909), Thomas (1949), Dobbs and Forbes (1960), Dibblee (1966), Page and Tabor (1967), Pampeyan (1970a, 1970b), Beaulieu (1970), Helley and others (1979), and by numerous Stanford University students working on topical earth science problems. In addition, numerous engineering geologic studies have been conducted for site investigations relating to residential and commercial developments and, in particular, for construction of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). The reports pertaining to SLAC are summarized in Skjei and others (1965) and more recently in a report by Earth Sciences Associates (1983). The interested reader is referred to Brabb and Pampeyan (1983), Brabb and others (1982), Wentworth and others (1985), Wieczorek and others (1985), Thomson and Evernden (1986), Brabb and Olson (1986), Youd and Perkins (1987), Perkins (1987), and Mark and Newman (1988) for information pertaining to geology, history, slope stability, seismic shaking, liquifaction potential, and faulting and seismicity in San Mateo County, some of which can be applied directly to northern Santa Clara County. Field work for the present geologic map was done in 1962-1964 and 1966 when SLAC and Interstate 280 were in early stages of construction. Only minor additions and revisions have been made since this mapping was first released (Pampeyan, 1970a; 1970b) as it was impractical to keep pace with accelerating urban development of the area. Geologic units of the flatlands area are largely adapted from Helley and Lajoie (1979).

Structure Optimization of 21,23-Core-Modified Porphyrins Absorbing Long-Wavelength Light as Potential Photosensitizers Against Breast Cancer Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

mail.biu.ac.il (B.E.); mdetty@buffalo.edu (M.R.D.). † Bar Ilan University. ‡ The State University of New York. # Incumbent of the Falk Chair in Laser ...δ 7.26 for proton, δ 77.36 for carbon) or CD3OD (δ 50.41 for carbon). Elemental analyses were con- ducted by Atlantic Microlabs, Inc. (Norcross, GA ...the laser beam at 514.5 nm for the measurements in methanol and 454.5 nm for the measurements in liposomes (Coherent Innova 200 Ar+, Palo Alto, CA

Ocular toxoplasmosis in the United States: recent and remote infections.

PubMed

Jones, Jeffrey L; Bonetti, Valerie; Holland, Gary N; Press, Cindy; Sanislo, Steven R; Khurana, Rahul N; Montoya, Jose G

2015-01-15

We tested all samples from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis sent to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Reference Laboratory from June 2004 through August 2010 for serologic evidence of recent Toxoplasma gondii infection. Of 205 patients aged 10-96 years, 11.7% had recent infection. Many people develop ocular disease soon after T. gondii infection. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Real-Time Tracking of Implanted Markers During Radiation Treatment by Use of Simultaneous kV and MV Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

the MV–kV correlation method by sinusoidally moving a block of solid water (measuring 5 × 5× 10 cm3) containing three embedded BB metallic markers (3 mm...in diameter). A 4D motion platform (Washington University, St Louis, MO) holding the block of solid water (figure 1) was programmed to produce the...Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The SS-IMRT plans were delivered to either the moving pelvic phantom or the cube of solid water attached to the

Astronaut George Nelson working on Comet Halley Active monitoring program

NASA Image and Video Library

1986-01-14

61C-05-026 (14 Jan. 1986) --- Astronaut George D. Nelson smiles for a fellow crew man's 35mm camera exposure while participating in the Comet Halley active monitoring program (CHAMP). Camera equipment and a protective shroud used to eliminate all cabin light interference surround the mission specialist. This is the first of three 1986 missions which are scheduled to monitor the rare visit by the comet. The principal investigators for CHAMP are S. Alan Stern of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado; and Dr. Stephen Mende of Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory.

K.I.S.S. and Kids: A Mandate for Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower, Eli M.

1972-01-01

Described is development and content of the Peer Counseling Program which trained 175 students to help other students with personal problems or situational stress in the Palo Alto (California) secondary schools. (Author/MC)

Particle Emission and Charging Effects Induced by Fracture

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-15

were completed in a collaboration with K. C. Yoo (Westinghouse R & D) and R. G. Rosemeer ( Brimrose Corporation). This work is described in Section XII... Brimrose Corporation of America, Baltimore, MD 21236 1 204 I Eadr experimental and theoretical studies on various ircot-eissimon phenomena have been reported...Tr 84302 3251 Hanover Street B204 Lockheed Palo Alto Research Lab Palto Alto, CA 94304 R.G. Rosemeier Brimrose Corporation 7720 Belair Road R.A

77 FR 40643 - Investigations Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-10

..., Inc. (Workers)... Albuquerque, NM....... 06/21/12 06/20/12 81735 International Textile Group/ Carlisle... 81738 Crystal Technology, LLC Palo Alto, CA......... 06/21/12 06/20/12 (State/One-Stop). 81739 Hewlett...

FIRST Quantum-(1980)-Computing DISCOVERY in Siegel-Rosen-Feynman-...A.-I. Neural-Networks: Artificial(ANN)/Biological(BNN) and Siegel FIRST Semantic-Web and Siegel FIRST ``Page''-``Brin'' ``PageRank'' PRE-Google Search-Engines!!!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Charles; Siegel, Edward Carl-Ludwig; Feynman, Richard; Wunderman, Irwin; Smith, Adolph; Marinov, Vesco; Goldman, Jacob; Brine, Sergey; Poge, Larry; Schmidt, Erich; Young, Frederic; Goates-Bulmer, William-Steven; Lewis-Tsurakov-Altshuler, Thomas-Valerie-Genot; Ibm/Exxon Collaboration; Google/Uw Collaboration; Microsoft/Amazon Collaboration; Oracle/Sun Collaboration; Ostp/Dod/Dia/Nsa/W.-F./Boa/Ubs/Ub Collaboration

2013-03-01

Belew[Finding Out About, Cambridge(2000)] and separately full-decade pre-Page/Brin/Google FIRST Siegel-Rosen(Machine-Intelligence/Atherton)-Feynman-Smith-Marinov(Guzik Enterprises/Exxon-Enterprises/A.-I./Santa Clara)-Wunderman(H.-P.) [IBM Conf. on Computers and Mathematics, Stanford(1986); APS Mtgs.(1980s): Palo Alto/Santa Clara/San Francisco/...(1980s) MRS Spring-Mtgs.(1980s): Palo Alto/San Jose/San Francisco/...(1980-1992) FIRST quantum-computing via Bose-Einstein quantum-statistics(BEQS) Bose-Einstein CONDENSATION (BEC) in artificial-intelligence(A-I) artificial neural-networks(A-N-N) and biological neural-networks(B-N-N) and Siegel[J. Noncrystalline-Solids 40, 453(1980); Symp. on Fractals..., MRS Fall-Mtg., Boston(1989)-5-papers; Symp. on Scaling..., (1990); Symp. on Transport in Geometric-Constraint (1990)

RESISTANCE AND CROSS-RESISTANCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI S MUTANTS TO THE RADIOMIMETIC AGENT PROFLAVINE

PubMed Central

Woody-Karrer, Pearl; Greenberg, Joseph

1964-01-01

Woody-Karrer, Pearl (Palo Alto Medical Research Foundation, Palo Alto, Calif.), and Joseph Greenberg. Resistance and cross-resistance of Escherichia coli S mutants to the radiomimetic agent proflavine. J. Bacteriol. 87:536–542. 1964.—All 50 of the first-step mutants of Escherichia coli S selected for resistance to proflavine were resistant to ultraviolet light and each of five different radiomimetic chemicals. The mutants were classified into eight types on the basis of their relative resistance to six different radiomimetic drugs and on the basis of the shape of their ultraviolet survival curves. Three of these types are identical to types previously isolated with other radiomimetic drugs; five of the types are new. A high proportion of the clones surviving proflavine treatment were phenotypically but not genetically resistant, and no strains were isolated which were resistant to proflavine but were not resistant to radiation. PMID:14129667

Natural disasters and the gas pipeline system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-11-01

Episodic descriptions are provided of the effects of the Loma Prieta earthquake (1989) on the gas pipeline systems of Pacific Gas & Electric Company and the Cit of Palo Alto and of the Northridge earthquake (1994) on Southern California Gas' pipeline...

Italian Word Association Norms.

DTIC Science & Technology

1966-07-01

itnik. Sua. TTniverso, Vpner- . i)t * Fre~.LUNGO (35,25) 41 Corto 16 Largo K 3 Fiume, Stretto 2 Alto, Breve, Esteso, M~are, Salto, Treno 1 Baratro...Binario, Corridoio, Durevole, Etc~rrio, Pilo, Gonna, Tn- fini-to, Largo , .etro, Palo, Pennone, "iede, ’Zeiioto, Sergente, Silenzi’, Snello, Sonno, Tema...35,22) 20 ’.are 11 Alto 8 Basso, Buio 7 Abisso 5 Oscuro 4 Imo, Pozzo 3 Nero 2 Baratro, Largo , Scuro, Superficie 1 Acqua, Cornplesso, Corto, Dante, Fesso

Shared medical appointments save money for capitated groups.

PubMed

2003-02-01

Shared medical appointments aren't money-makers for Palo Alto Medical Foundation, but they do cut expenses, improve patient healing and free up physician schedules. The group nature of the encounters also encourages patients to follow medical orders. Find out more.

77 FR 45656 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Pistoia Alliance...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-01

..., PORTUGAL; Deloitte Consulting LLP, New York, NY; Mary Chitty (individual member), Needham, MA; and Hewlett- Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA, have been added as parties to this venture. No other changes have been...

76 FR 27662 - Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of Comments Relating to the Public Interest

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-12

...-Packard Company of Palo Alto, CA; Apple Inc. of Cupertino, CA; Aruba Networks, Inc. of Sunnyvale, CA; Meru... Linex Technologies, Inc. on May 6, 2011. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff...

24 CFR 3280.305 - Structural design requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... Louisiana: Parishes of Jefferson, La Fourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Mary, and... Anoka Freeborn Nobles Douglas Chisapo Faribault Rock Grant Washington Waseca Stevens Hennepin Le Sueur... Clay Winnebago Franklin Pocahontas Wright Worth Hardin Palo Alto Wisconsin Douglas Oconto Pepin Lincoln...

Payload Isolation System for Launch Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

Payload Isolation System for Launch Vehicles Paul S. Wilke, Conor D. Johnson CSA Engineering Palo Alto, CA Eugene R. Fosness Air Force Phillips ... Laboratory , PL/VTVD Kirkland AFB, NM Spie Smart Structures and Materials San Diego, CA March 1997 Copyright 1997 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation

Subsidized Taxi Programs for Elderly and Handicapped Persons in the San Francisco Bay Area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-09-01

The report examines subsidized taxi systems serving elderly and handicapped persons in six locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. The systems studied are San Leandro, Santa Clara County, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Lafayette, and Fremont. These systems a...

Liquefaction Hazard Maps for Three Earthquake Scenarios for the Communities of San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale, Northern Santa Clara County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holzer, Thomas L.; Noce, Thomas E.; Bennett, Michael J.

2008-01-01

Maps showing the probability of surface manifestations of liquefaction in the northern Santa Clara Valley were prepared with liquefaction probability curves. The area includes the communities of San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale. The probability curves were based on complementary cumulative frequency distributions of the liquefaction potential index (LPI) for surficial geologic units in the study area. LPI values were computed with extensive cone penetration test soundings. Maps were developed for three earthquake scenarios, an M7.8 on the San Andreas Fault comparable to the 1906 event, an M6.7 on the Hayward Fault comparable to the 1868 event, and an M6.9 on the Calaveras Fault. Ground motions were estimated with the Boore and Atkinson (2008) attenuation relation. Liquefaction is predicted for all three events in young Holocene levee deposits along the major creeks. Liquefaction probabilities are highest for the M7.8 earthquake, ranging from 0.33 to 0.37 if a 1.5-m deep water table is assumed, and 0.10 to 0.14 if a 5-m deep water table is assumed. Liquefaction probabilities of the other surficial geologic units are less than 0.05. Probabilities for the scenario earthquakes are generally consistent with observations during historical earthquakes.

76 FR 13662 - Hewlett Packard Company, Enterprise Business Division, Technical Services America, Global Parts...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-14

... Packard Company, Enterprise Business Division, Technical Services America, Global Parts Supply Chain Group... Business Division, Technical Services America, Global Parts Supply Chain Group, Including Leased Workers... Supply Chain Group, including leased workers from QFlex, North America Logistics, and UPS, Palo Alto...

Management Concerns for Optical Based Filing Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

terminals, WORM Palo Alto, CA 94303 drives, optical jukeboxes, printers, scanners. Candi Technology Inc. Systems integrators providing 2354 Calle Del Mundo ...firms are using them to help design everything from parts to buildings. Auto makers use them to design new car moaels and even build the cars using

More Infant and Toddler Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hast, Fran; Hollyfield, Ann

Based on experiences gained at the Palo Alto Infant-Toddler Center and the view that quality child care for infants and toddlers depends upon nurturing, long-term connections with their caregivers, other children, and their families, this book presents strategies for interacting with young children that support the developing child as well as the…

78 FR 39326 - Notice Pursuant To the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Opendaylight...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-01

... Limited, Kawasaki, JAPAN; Hewlett Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA; Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA; International Business Machines Inc., Endicott, NY; Inocybe Technologies Inc...Daylight's planned activity is to (a) Advance the creation, evolution, promotion, and support of an open...

77 FR 53234 - Certain Communication Equipment, Components Thereof, and Products Containing the Same, Including...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-31

... respondents, including Avaya of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; Cisco Consumer Products LLC of Irvine, California, Cisco Systems International B.V. of the Netherlands, Cisco-Linksys LLC of Irvine, California (collectively, ``Cisco''); Hewlett-Packard Co. (``HP'') of Palo Alto, California; and Extreme Networks, Inc...

77 FR 26789 - Certain Semiconductor Chips Having Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory Controllers and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-07

... patents. 73 FR 75131. The principal respondent was NVIDIA Corporation of Santa Clara, California (``NVIDIA''). Joining NVIDIA as respondents were approximately twenty of NVIDIA's customers. The Commission found a... accused products in the United States: NVIDIA; Hewlett-Packard Co. of Palo Alto, California; ASUS Computer...

A School Outside of School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goben, Ronald D.

1967-01-01

At a day school in East Palo Alto, California, Negro preschool children attend classes which offer reading and mathematics instruction. The staff consists of volunteer teachers, most of whom are white and credentialed. The school's enrollment exceeds 200 pupils. Parents are encouraged to participate in the program, and when controversy over…

Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring of Trace Metals and a Benthic Community Near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay, California: 2004

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

11 Salinity ...24 Figure 3. Water column salinity ...sediments serve as a record of metal exposure in an estuary , with some integration over time. Fluctuations in the record may be indicative of changes in

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park Boundary Expansion and Redesignation Act of 2009

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Ortiz, Solomon P. [D-TX-27

2009-01-07

House - 02/04/2009 Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. (All Actions) Notes: For further action, see H.R.146, which became Public Law 111-11 on 3/30/2009. Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Engaging Families in the Galleries Using Design Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Lucy

2017-01-01

The Palo Alto Art Center sought a solution to the challenge that loyal family audiences, visiting weekly for art studio classes, rarely visit the contemporary art exhibition galleries. This article relates the experience of using the human-centered design process, often called Design Thinking, as the methodology to create a solution for family…

Library Voices; Cassette Conversations in a Tape Exchange.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christine, Emma Ruth

A proposal is made for an exchange of cassette tapes from librarians, teachers, and students between Palo Alto, California, and Queensland, Australia. The objectives of the project are to help children and adults from both countries to form a closer understanding, and to stimulate and share thoughts and ideas. Suggested activities include singing,…

Enhancing Emotion Regulation during Driving in OEF/OIF Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

brim and provides a continuous video record of the user’s line-of-sight that is time- stamped according to the iPhone clock. Storage is local and...driving-related cases are adjudicated. Our team has opened discussions with the national staff of the VA Justice Programs (sited in Palo Alto) who

THE DESIGN OF A MAN-MACHINE COUNSELING SYSTEM. A PROFESSIONAL PAPER.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

COGSWELL, J.F.; AND OTHERS

TWO PROJECTS ON THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF A MAN-MACHINE SYSTEM FOR COUNSELING IN THE PALO ALTO AND LOS ANGELES SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REPORTED. THE EARLIER PHILCO 2000 COMPUTER PROGRAMS SIMULATED A COUNSELOR'S WORK IN THE EDUCATIONAL PLANNING INTERVIEW BY ACCEPTING INPUTS SUCH AS SCHOOL GRADES, TEST SCORES, AND…

Total centralisation and optimisation of an oncology management suite via Citrix®

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, C.; Frantzis, J.; Ripps, L.; Fenton, P.

2014-03-01

The management of patient information and treatment planning is traditionally an intra-departmental requirement of a radiation oncology service. Epworth Radiation Oncology systems must support the transient nature of Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs). This unique work practice created challenges when implementing the vision of a completely paperless solution that allows for a responsive and efficient service delivery. ARIA® and EclipseTM (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) have been deployed across four dedicated Citrix® (Citrix Systems, Santa Clara, CA, USA) servers allowing VMOs to access these applications remotely. A range of paperless solutions were developed within ARIA® to facilitate clinical and organisational management whilst optimising efficient work practices. The IT infrastructure and paperless workflow has enabled VMOs to securely access the VarianTM (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) oncology software and experience full functionality from any location on multiple devices. This has enhanced access to patient information and improved the responsiveness of the service. Epworth HealthCare has developed a unique solution to enable remote access to a centralised oncology management suite, while maintaining a secure and paperless working environment.

Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 9): Rhone Poulenc/Zoecon/Sandoz, San Mateo County, East Palo Alto, CA. (First remedial action), March 1992. Final report

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

Not Available

1992-03-04

The 13.19-acre Rhone-Poulenc/Zoecon site is located in East Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California. The site is composed of at least 12 separately owned parcels that include a 5.19-acre former pesticide manufacturing plant, a sludge pond, and a chemical storage facility owned by Sandoz Crop Protection Corporation. In 1980, an investigation by the new site owners revealed severe contamination of soil and ground water with arsenic, which resulted from improper handling of pesticides during unloading. The ROD addresses the contaminated soil and ground water in the upland operable unit. The primary contaminants of concern affecting the soil and ground watermore » include arsenic, mercury, selenium, lead and cadmium. The selected remedial action for the site at the Sandoz and Bains properties includes removing and disposing of offsite soil from accessible areas with arsenic levels greater than 5,000 mg/kg and installing a cap; and removing or paving over soil.« less

Simulation Packages Expand Aircraft Design Options

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2013-01-01

In 2001, NASA released a new approach to computational fluid dynamics that allows users to perform automated analysis on complex vehicle designs. In 2010, Palo Alto, California-based Desktop Aeronautics acquired a license from Ames Research Center to sell the technology. Today, the product assists organizations in the design of subsonic aircraft, space planes, spacecraft, and high speed commercial jets.

Identification and Targeting of Candidate Pre-Existing Lurker Cells that Give Rise to Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE October 2015 2...cells, inflammatory signaling and prostate cancer. Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Palo Alto, CA. 9 Goldstein AS. (2014

System Engineering Concept Demonstration, Interface Standards Studies. Volume 4

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) 25 begat the Xerox Star; Steve Jobs visited PARC, saw the Star, went back to Apple, and begat the Mac. But...Author of Adobe Systems, PostScript Language Program Design, has left Adobe to join Steve Jobs ’ NeXT, Inc. Reid worked for Adobe Systems for four and a

Adoption of Energy Conservation among California Homeowners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard-Barton, Dorothy; Rogers, Everett M.

In spring 1977, just as California was emerging from one of the worst droughts in its history, 215 Palo Alto homeowners were interviewed about their views on energy and water conservation, and about the extent to which they had adopted 11 energy-conserving practices (ECP) in the home. The objective was to discover variables both important to…

Electronic Access to Information: A New Service Paradigm. Proceedings from a Symposium (July 23-24, 1993, Palo Alto, California).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiang, Win-Shin S., Ed.; Elkington, Nancy E., Ed.

The Research Libraries Group (RLG) hosted a symposium to explore opportunities for cooperative action--to take advantage of technology and to improve electronic access to information--particularly in the RLG context, and to develop strategies for making the most effective use of technology and electronic information in support of research and…

Military Deployments as a Respite from Burnout: An Analysis of Gender and Family

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-23

Maslach - Burnout Inventory ( Maslach & Jackson, 1986). The Emotional Exhaustion scale measures an...Exhaustion measure of the Maslach - Burnout Inventory has been tested and has been shown to have the highest reliability of the Maslach - Burnout Inventory ...1986). Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual (2nd Ed. ed.). Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press. Maslach , C., & Leiter, M. P. (1999). Take

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Volume 1. Army Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

92NAT-057 1029 CORPORATION WAY Office: NATICK PALO ALTO, CA 94303 Contract #: Phone: (415) 962-9111 P1: Craig A. Grimes Title: Development of Low...INC. AF Topic#: 92-042 ARMY Topic#: 92-139 AF Topic#: 92-066 DEEGAN RESEARCH GROUP, INC. AF Topic#: 92-138 AF Topic#: 92-001 SDIO Topic#: 92-003

ARC-1969-AC-31031

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-06-11

Ames aerodynamicists tested a wide variety of VTOL aircraft and helicopters during the 1960's. Here the Hiller rotorcycle YROE-1, made by Hiller Helicopter in nearby PaloAlto, California, hovers in front of the Ames Hangar. (4020, 4021, 4024) Published in NASA SP Flight Research at Ames: 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology and Ames 60yr History Atmosphere of Freedom.

Formal Foundations for the Specification of Software Architecture.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-03-01

Architectures For- mally: A Case-Study Using KWIC." Kestrel Institute, Palo Alto, CA 94304, April 1994. 58. Kang, Kyo C. Feature-Oriented Domain Analysis ( FODA ...6.3.5 Constraint-Based Architectures ................. 6-60 6.4 Summary ......... ............................. 6-63 VII. Analysis of Process-Based...between these architec- ture theories were investigated. A feasibility analysis on an image processing application demonstrated that architecture theories

Recent developments in the Zoecon Corporation and the Thuricide® forestry formulations

Treesearch

William R. Beck

1985-01-01

Sandoz is pleased to announce the acquisition of Zoecon Incorporated of the United States and Canada. Effective November 15, 1983, all Zoecon and Sandoz Crop Protection Division personnel, facilities and products will be combined under the Zoecon, Inc. name. Zoecon will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Sandoz Ltd. with major offices in Palo Alto, Calif. and Dallas,...

TCP Resynchronization

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-01-11

Centinela and Teale Streets Culver City, CA 90230 IBM Dr. Patrick Mantey, Manager L’cer Oriented Systems International Business Machines Corp. K54...282, Monterey and Cottle Roads San Jose, CA 95193 Dr. Leonard Y. Liu, Manager Computer Science International Business Machines Corp. K51-282...Monterey and Cottle Roads San Jose, CA 95193 Mr. Harry Reinstein International Business Machines Corp. 1501 California Avenue Palo Alto, Ca 94303

Evaluation of the new respiratory gating system

PubMed Central

Shi, Chengyu; Tang, Xiaoli; Chan, Maria

2018-01-01

Objective The newly released Respiratory Gating for Scanners (RGSC; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) system has limited existing quality assurance (QA) protocols and pertinent publications. Herein, we report our experiences of the RGSC system acceptance and QA. Methods The RGSC system integration was tested with peripheral equipment, spatial reproducibility, and dynamic localization accuracy for regular and irregular breathing patterns, respectively. A QUASAR Respiratory Motion Phantom and a mathematical fitting method were used for data acquisition and analysis. Results The results showed that the RGSC system could accurately measure regular motion periods of 3–10 s. For irregular breathing patterns, differences from the existing Real-time Position Management (RPM; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) system were observed. For dynamic localization measurements, the RGSC system showed 76% agreement with the programmed test data within ±5% tolerance in terms of fitting period. As s comparison, the RPM system showed 66% agreement within ±5% tolerance, and 65% for the RGSC versus RPM measurements. Conclusions New functions and positioning accuracy improve the RGSC system’s ability to achieve higher dynamic treatment precision. A 4D phantom is helpful for the QA tests. Further investigation is required for the whole RGSC system performance QA. PMID:29722356

Individual Differences in Military Training Environments: Four Areas of Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-30

training setting. Such factors as ability, skills, experience, intelligence , interests, personal characteristics (e.g., age) and motivation interact...recruits than were Intelligence scores; fast learners retained more and relearned more quickly than slow learners. This suggests that if the goal is to...and Development Center. Gottfredson , G.D., Holland, J.L. and Ogawa, D.K. (1982). Dictionary of Holland occupational codes. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting

Drug Evaluation in the Plasmodium Falciparum - Aotus Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-10-01

blood schizonticidal/curative activity of experimental antimalarial drugs. WR 245082, an acridineainine, at similar doses cured infections of chloroquine ...Guinea - Chesson strain). The curative activity of WR 245082, an acridineamine, for chloroquine - sensitive and chloroquine -resistant strains of P...antimalarial activity of two analogues of the amino acid histidine was assessed against infections of the Uganda Palo Alto strain. WR 251853, 2-fluoro-l

ARC-1963-A-31028

NASA Image and Video Library

1963-06-11

Ames aerodynamicists tested a wide variety of VTOL aircraft and helicopters during the 1960's Here the Hiller rotorcycle YROE-1, made by Hiller Helicopter in nearby Palo Alto, California, hovers in front of the Ames Hangar. The Rotorcycle was a small, 500pound, single-place helicopter. Tests indicated that the vehicle was unsafe because of low yaw-control capability to the right; the design also had oor crashworthiness.

Study of plasmasphere dynamics using incoherent scatter data from Chatanika, Alaska radar facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelley, E. G.

1975-01-01

Results of the study of Chatanika incoherent scatter radar data and Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory satellite data are reported. Specific topics covered include: determination of the effective recombination coefficient in the auroral E region; determination of the location of the auroral oval; auroral boundary characteristics; and the relationship of auroral current systems, particle precipitation, visual aurora, and radar aurora.

Rehabilitation Engineering Center with Research in Controls and Interfaces for Severely Disabled People. Progress Report for Third Year Grant, September 30, 1980-September 29, 1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBlanc, Maurice A.

The Rehabilitation Engineering Center (Palo Alto, California) has developed a wide range of patient services which provide assistance to the disabled community in northern California and various research activities which have had impact on the disabled population nationally. The Center has three philosophical goals: to assist each child toward as…

Interactive Nonlinear Structural Analysis: Enhancement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-31

3251 Hanover Street Palo Alto, California 94304 i "඙ 8 17 040 . G IS T GRAPHICS- INTERACTIVE STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS VIA THE GIFTS /STAGS SOFTWARE ASSEMBLY...GIST Software Components Page Section 3.0 Introduction * 2 3.1 GIFTS Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3.2 STAGS Architecture . . . 5 3.3 The... GIFTS ->STAGS Adaptor . . . . . . . . . . 6 3.4 The STAGS-> GIFTS Adaptor . . . . . . . . . . 37 3.5 The GIST Control Module . . . . . . . . . . 55 GIST

Faculty Perspectives on Online Learning: A Comparative Study of Palo Alto College and San Antonio College of the Alamo Community College District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garza, Robert Lee, Jr.

2008-01-01

Enrollments in distance education courses continue to rise and faculty members continue to teach them. In some cases, student demand for distance education courses exceeds the number of courses offered by the institution. Additional faculty members are needed to teach distance education courses to meet the increasing student demand. As…

Experimental Evaluation of Collaborating Teams (EECT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

385- 399. 22. Lazarus , R.S., & Folkman , S. Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1984. 23. Gildea, K. M., Schneider, T. R...Instability Adaptabilit y Need for Structure Neuroticism (R) Emotional Regulation (R) Cultural Adjustment N. for Cognitive Structure (R) N. for...Whetzel & G. R. Wheaton (Eds.), Applied Measurement Methods in Industrial Psychology. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, 1997. 46. Lazarus , R.S

The NFP Strategic Leader

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

BriggsTypeIndicator (3d ed.; Palo Alto, Calif.: Consulting Psycholo- gists Press, 1998). 8. Carl G. Jung , PsychologicalTypes (Princeton, N.J...Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving preferences. Winter2009-10 37 The Importance of Intuition The MBTI is based on Carl Jung’s theory of personality...preferences. Jung argues that the first function in personality is how one perceives the en- vironment and gathers data. Those with a Sensing

ARPA Internetwork Protocols Project Status Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-11-15

and Teale Streets Culver City, CA 90230 IBM Dr. Patrick Mantey, Manager User Oriented Systems International Business Machines Corp. K54-282...Monterey and Cottle Roads San Jose, CA 95193 Dr. Leonard Y. Liu, Manager Computer Science International Business Machines Corp. K51-282. Monterey...and Cottle Roads San Jose, CA 95193 Mr. Harry Reinstein International Business Machines Corp. 1501 California Avenue Palo Alto, Ca 94303 Illinois

The long-term prognostic value of the Q wave criteria for prior myocardial infarction recommended in the universal definition of myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Perino, Alexander C; Soofi, Muhammad; Singh, Nikhil; Aggarwal, Sonya; Froelicher, Victor

2015-01-01

We sought to characterize the prognostic value of the third universal definition of myocardial infarction (UDMI) and ≥40msec Q wave criteria. We evaluated hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for cardiovascular (CV) death for computerized Q wave measurements from the electrocardiograms of 43,661 patients collected from 1987 to 1999 at the Palo Alto VA. There were 3929 (9.0%) CV deaths over a mean follow-up of 7.6 (±3.8) years. The risk of CV death for Q waves ≥40msec in any two contiguous leads in any lead group was equivalent to or higher than that for contiguous UDMI Q waves, with HR 2.44 (95% CI 2.15-4.11) and HR 2.42 (95% CI (2.18-3.42), respectively. The UDMI Q wave criteria do not provide an advantage over ≥40msec Q waves at predicting CV death. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Biology and Space Exploration Video Series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

William, Jacqueline M.; Murthy, Gita; Rapa, Steve; Hargens, Alan R.

1995-01-01

The Biology and Space Exploration video series illustrates NASA's commitment to increasing the public awareness and understanding of life sciences in space. The video series collection, which was initiated by Dr. Joan Vernikos at NASA headquarters and Dr. Alan Hargens at NASA Ames Research Center, will be distributed to universities and other institutions around the United States. The video series parallels the "Biology and Space Exploration" course taught by NASA Ames scientists at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. In the past, students have shown considerable enthusiasm for this course and have gained a much better appreciation and understanding of space life sciences and exploration. However, due to the unique nature of the topics and the scarcity of available educational materials, most students in other universities around the country are unable to benefit from this educational experience. Therefore, with the assistance of Ames experts, we are producing a video series on selected aspects of life sciences in space to expose undergraduate students to the effects of gravity on living systems. Additionally, the video series collection contains space flight footage, graphics, charts, pictures, and interviews to make the materials interesting and intelligible to viewers.

SNIF-ACT: A Cognitive Model of User Navigation on the World Wide Web

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-03

opinions of others on a particular topic or problems. Obviously, our model was not able to answer these questions directly, and more research is... Research Center 3333 Coyote Hill Rd Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA Manuscript submitted to Human-Computer Interaction Date: Jan 03, 2007...models. Rational analysis is a variant form of an approach called methodological adaptationism that has also shaped research programs in behavioral

Fast Multiscale Algorithms for Wave Propagation in Heterogeneous Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-07

methods for waves’’, Nonlinear solvers for high- intensity focused ultrasound with application to cancer treatment, AIMS, Palo Alto, 2012. ``Hermite...formulation but different parametrizations. . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4 Density µ(t) at mode 0 for scattering of a plane Gaussian pulse from a sphere. On the...spatiotemporal scales. Two crucial components of the highly-efficient, general-purpose wave simulator we envision are • Reliable, low -cost methods for truncating

Evaluation of Improvements to Brayton Cycle Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-29

cogeneration systems. They are International Power Technology (IPT), Palo Alto, California and Mechanical Technology, Inc. (MTI), Latham, New York [13]. IPT...constant (10) For a constant Reynold’s number and dimensions, the friction factor will be constant. The relationship for friction of internal ...equation for the friction factor of internal turbulent flow is expressed as Ap -friction =f(Re) - constant. (12) pV 2 Applying Equation (11), Equation (12

The Breast Cancer DNA Interactome

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Research and Education 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER Palo Alto, CA 94304 9 . SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10...act as a growth modulator (7- 9 ). While correlations between serum levels of IGFBP3 and breast cancer have yielded contradictory results (3-5, 10...receptor (EGFR), another breast cancer related gene. EGFR is located approximately 9 Mb from IGFBP3 on chromosome 7. To examine this long-range

[Clinical experience in communication in autogenous psychotherapy and hypnosis].

PubMed

Eletti, P L; Peresson, L

1983-12-30

Questions relating to communication and metacommunication during two forms of directive psychotherapy (Schultz's autogenous training and hypnosis) are examined. The concept of rigidity and cognitive flexibility with regard to the physician-patient relationship is discussed: abstract-concrete dynamics, abstract generalisation of diagnosis, linguistic egocentricity, stereotypical adaptation to conventional language. Some attention is devoted to Heider's balance theory as the first approach to psychological understanding of the therapeutic relationship. The communicative and metacommunicative process described by the Palo Alto (California) school is discussed. Autogenous psychotherapy and hypnosis extend through the concepts of symmetrical relation and inferior complementarity. The criteria for reaching these objectives are stated, along with the pragmatic methods devised for decoding messages and gaining access to metacommunication. Three clinical cases treated through autogenous training and one with hypnosis are analysed with respect to communication and from the relational standpoint. The patient's messages are decoded, the ambiguity of the communication is detected, and the physician's possible answers are examined at both the technical and the emotive level. It is felt that the correct use of the communicational perspective greatly extends the possibilities of autogenous training and hypnosis. It is not a question of combining relational and autogenous management, but of using the Palo Alto discoveries in the more complete understanding of cases in which psychotherapy is employed.

Performance of a Working Face Recognition Machine using Cortical Thought Theory

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-04

been considered (2). Recommendations from Bledsoe’s study included research on facial - recognition systems that are "completely automatic (remove the...C. L. Location of some facial features . computer, Palo Alto: Panoramic Research, Aug 1966. 2. Bledsoe, W. W. Man-machine facial recognition : Is...34 image?" It would seem - that the location and size of the features left in this contrast-expanded image contain the essential information of facial

Targeting Epigenetic Mechanisms in Pain due to Trauma and TBI

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

pain by Anacardic acid. Karen Amanda Irvine, Peyman Sahbaie, De-Yong Liang, J. David Clark. Journal of Neurotrauma (Submitted). 4. Sex differences in...CA on Nov. 15, 2016. 17  2. Sex differences in nociceptive alterations and cognitive impairments in a preclinical model of polytrauma. Presented at...TBI Research Forum annual meeting at VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA on March 31, 2017. 3. Sex differences in nociceptive alterations and

A Chemical Characterization and Performance Study of Photodecomposed Hexanitrostilbene (HNS) and Hexanitrobibenzyl (HNBiB)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

any man-rated system, will adequately execute its life-critical function. 58 NSWC TR 90-60 REFERENCES 1. Shipp, K. C. and Kaplan , L. A., J. Org. Chem...Corvin ( MA2 ) 1 Los Angeles, CA 90009 Monsanto Research Corporation Attn: M. R. Feairheller 1 P.O. Box 32 Miamisburg, OH 45342 Ford Aerospace Corporation Attn: D. Harrison 1 3939 Fabian Way Palo Alto, CA 94303 (4)

Health Maintenance Education and Services for Senior Adults: Program Resume: Project S.M.I.L.E. [Services to Maintain Independent Living for the Elderly].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menker, Barbara W.

The program to provide basic health information and skills for older persons was sponsored by the city of Palo Alto with the cooperation of 14 health agencies. Weekly morning classes featured 12 topics ranging from exercise to coping with cancer and were presented by health professionals in as nontechnical a manner as possible. The classes were…

Characteristics and Sampling Efficiencies of Two Personal Aerosol Samplers

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-01

stainless steel and plastic; therefore, it can be decontaminated easily by immersing in decontamination solution. 9 PAS-2 PAS-1 Figure 3. Picture of PAS...portable, and easy to use for decontamination . The sampling efficiency tests were conducted with monodisperse 0.5-, 1-, and 2.1-gtm fluorescent...Scientific, Corp., Palo Alto, CA). The PSL aerosols were generated using a 24 jet Collison nebulizer and then passed through a radioactive isotope (Kr-85

Support for a Link between the Local Processing Bias and Social Deficits in Autism: An Investigation of Embedded Figures Test Performance in Non-Clinical Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell-Smith, Suzanna N.; Maybery, Murray T.; Bayliss, Donna M.; Sng, Adelln A. H.

2012-01-01

The aim of this investigation was to explore the degree to which specific subsets of autistic-like traits relate to performance on the Embedded Figures Test (Witkin et al. in A manual for the embedded figures test. Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA, 1971). In the first group-based investigation with this focus, students were selected…

Helicopter Controllability

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

106 3. Program CC Systems Technology, Inc. (STI) of Hawthorne, CA., develops and markets PC control system analysis and design software including...is marketed in Palo Alto, Ca., by Applied i and can be used for both linear and non- linear control system analysis. Using TUTSIM involves developing...gravity centroid ( ucg ) can be calculated as 112 n m pi - 2 zi acg n i (7-5) where pi = poles zi = zeroes n = number of poles m = number of zeroes If K

Students Celebrate Space Days with NASA and the Traveling Space Museum (Reporter Package)

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-04

NASA Ames Research Center partnered with the Traveling Space Museum to bring NASA Space Days to schools in California. Students visited 14 interactive stations that demonstrated concepts such as living in space, physics, aeronautics and Earth Science. During the Space Days at the Ronald McNair Academy in East Palo Alto, Calif., Cheryl McNair, the widow of the fallen astronaut, was a guest of honor who spoke to inspire the students.

An investigation of ground-water recharge by injection in the Palo Alto Baylands, California : hydraulic and chemical interactions; final report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamlin, S.N.

1985-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Santa Clara Valley Water District, has completed a study of ground-water recharge by injection in the Palo Alto baylands along San Francisco Bay, California. Selected wells within the Water District 's injection-extraction network were monitored to determine hydraulic and chemical interactions affecting well-field operation. The well field was installed to prevent and eliminate saline contamination in the local shallow aquifer system. The primary focus of this study is on factors that affect injection efficiency, specifically well and aquifer clogging. Mixing and break-through curves for major chemical constituents indicate ion exchange, adsorption, and dissolution reactions. Freshwater breakthrough was detected in water-level data, which reflected fluid-density change as well as head buildup. Dissolution of calcium carbonate caused by dilution of saline ground water probably accounts for an apparent increase in specific capacity possibly related to improved aquifer permeability. Adsorption evidently removed trace elements during passage of injected water through the aquifer. In terms of hydraulic and chemical compatibility, the well field is a viable system for ground-water recharge. Aquifer heterogeneity and operational constraints reduce the efficiency of the system. Efficiency may be maximized by careful attention to extraction distribution and quantity and to injection distribution, quantity, and water quality. (USGS)

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto regional water quality control plant in south San Francisco Bay, California: 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cain, Daniel J.; Parcheso, Francis; Thompson, Janet K.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Lorenzi, Allison H.; Moon, Edward; Shouse, Michelle K.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2006-01-01

Trace elements in sediment and the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica (Cohen and Carlton 1995), clam reproductive activity and benthic, macroinvertebrate community structure are reported for a mudflat one kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay. This report includes data collected for the period January to December 2005, and extends a critical long-term biogeochemical record dating back to 1974. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto's Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue during 2005 were consistent with results observed since 1990. Copper and zinc concentrations in sediment and bivalve tissue displayed a continued decrease over the last decade. In 2005, Cu concentrations were at or below the effects range-low (ERL) concentration (34 ?g/g) for the entire year, the first time this has been observed. Also, zinc concentrations never exceeded the ERL (150 ?g/g). Yearly average concentrations of copper, zinc and silver in Macoma petalum for 2005 were some of the lowest recorded since monitoring for metals began in 1975. The concentrations of mercury and selenium in sediments, during April and January 2004, respectively, were the highest values observed for these elements during this study. Later in 2005, concentrations decreased to historic levels. The increase in mercury and selenium in 2004 was not a permanent trend and concentrations of these elements in sediments and clams at Palo Alto remain similar to concentrations observed elsewhere in the San Francisco Bay. Analyses of the benthic-community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 31-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinal clam Macoma petalum from the same area. Analysis of the reproductive activity of M. petalum shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring of most years. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that suggests a more stable community that is subjected to less stress. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals. Heteromastus filiformis, a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying their eggs on or in the sediment has shown a concurrent increase in dominance. These changes in species dominance reflect a change in the community from one dominated by surface dwelling, brooding species to one with species with varying life history characteristics. For the first time since its invasion in 1986, the non-indigenous filter-feeding bivalve Corbula (Potamocorbula) amurensis has shown up in small but persistent numbers in the benthic community.

Analytical Representations of Blast Damage for Several Types of Targets

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-10-01

Office Box 195 Washington, D.C. Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 Mr. Eugene Kopf (1) Dr. Richard Garwin (1) Defense Advanced Research Projects IBM Fellow...Ridge National Laboratory Center for Planning & Research, Inc. Post Office Box X 750 Welch Road Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 Palo Alto, California 94304 Dr...Dr. Conrad V. Chester(i Oak Ridge National Laboratory Building 450C-S, Roan S-24o0 Post Office Box E O •k Ridge, Tennessee 37830 Institute for Defense

Proceedings of Image Understanding Workshop Held in Palo Alto, California on 23-26 May 1989.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-01

locations should be dissimilar since dissimilar 247 motions will probably be necessary. This is the essence of the constraint in Equation 2. Third, the...In essence it attempts to generate hypotheses for the identification of objects found in the image, discard those hypotheses found to be...discontinuities. The essence of the MRF model is that they give the probability distribution of the configuration of the fields, given a set of data, as a

The Implementation of Organizational Design Principles Throughout the San Mateo County Emergency Services Joint Powers Agreement and its Ability to Increase Applicability, Relevance, and Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

District Colma Fire Protection District East Palo Alto Sanitary District (San Mateo) Granada Sanitary District (San Mateo) Los Trancos County Water ... agricultural , livestock, industrial, cultural, or other fairs or exhibitions shall be deemed to have common power with respect to any such fair or...concept of operation. These principles remain consistent in all areas of emergency management. The Public Entity Risk Institute’s Characteristics

Speech Recognition: Proceedings of a Workshop Held in Palo Alto, California on 19-20 February 1986

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-01

always make the system fail - sometimes even when not trying to do so. Finally, Dr. Jelinek of IBM warned that the not-invented-here syndrome is hard to...Evaluation of its performance on 365 sentences indicates that 70% of the nasals are correctly located, with one impostor accepted for ev- ery nasal. Most...for each feature. Evaluation of the classifier performance on the same database indicates that 80% of the nasals and impostors are correctly id

Study of Radiation-Hardened Quartz Production Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-02-09

Pittsfield MA 01201 3939 Fabian Way Attn: Joseph J. Reidl Palo Alto, CA 94303 Attn: Edward R. Hahn/MS-X22 General Electric Company Attn: Donald R. McMorrow...Goodwin/Mail 0452 Attn: John R. Hoffman Attn: B. T. Graham/MS PO-454 Attn: Donald H. Bryce Attn: Albert P. Bridges McDonnell Douglas Corp. P 0 Box 516Litton...03060 Attn: Moe L. Aitel NCA 1 3236 Texas Instruments, Inc. P. 0. Box� Science Applications, Inc. Dallas, TX 75222 P.O. Box 2351 Attn: Donald J

Photonic Materials and Devices for Optical Information Processing and Computing Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-14

Odulov. and X. Soskin. "Diffraction or coupled - aves and ’.-termination of phase mismatch between ho- lographic ;rating and fringe pauter.’ Opt. Acta. vol...linear approximation is most accurate occur for strong levels of av - erage incoherent light illumination I. Two Grating Transcription. When an...Crystal Technology. Inc.. 1060 E. Meadow Circle. Palo Alto. CA 94303 Op-ed. Pnwenrnw and C e.N a0 Coynr C 19" by Acaro : PaSN . Inc. All non of hplrinua amy

Assessment of an Emerging Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.

1979-01-01

The AIAA's 1979 Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) Systems Technology Conference--the third of the series--was held July 11-13 in Palo Alto, Calif. Highlights of the conference proved to be strong interest in patrol and surveillance airships, particularly for coastal patrol missions, the session devoted to overviews of foreign activity, the luncheon address by Morris B. Jobe, president of Goodyear Aerospace, coincident remarks by RAdm. Manning of the Coast Guard R&D Office and RAdm Seiberlich of the Navy, and presence of the Goodyear advertising airship Columbia.

Nanotechnology in Space Exploration: Report of the National Nanotechnology Initiative Workshop Held in Palo Alto, California on 24-26 August 2004

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

Nanosensors and Instrumentation Nanotechnology in Space Exploration 19 simple, rugged design. Multiwalled carbon nanotube ( MWCNT ) cathodes were grown...probe tips. Existing approaches use both SWCNTs and MWCNTs . A unique fabrication process development at NASA Ames (see ref. [4] in Chapter 6...produces very robust MWCNT tips with a high aspect ratio (> 1 µm in length and 10 nm to 20 nm in diameter). In addition, a novel and simple tip sharpening

Guided Radiation Beams in Free Electron Lasers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-19

the electron beam in an FEL that the radiation beam will remain guided. 0 20 II. Refractive Index Associated with FELs In our model, the vector ...eIAw/ymOc(exp(ikwz) + c.c.) ex/2 , is the wiggle velocity, y is the Lorentz factor, Aw is the vector potential amplitude of the planar wiggler...Balboa Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94303 San Diego, CA 92123 38 Dr. S. Krinsky Nat. Synchrotron Light Source Dr. Michael Lavan Brookhaven National Laboratory U.S

A Micro-Computer Based Employee Scheduling System for the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Medical Center

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

scheduler’s knowledge of available employees ’ experience levels. If the scheduler lacks first-hand knowledge of employee experience levels, then assistance ...to start a new system of rotating primary employees and asked that this capability be included in the program . Yet he had only a vague idea 29 about...competitive with the DBASE prototype. The LOTUS 123 program was based around a spreadsheet that contained all the job, employee and schedule form data in a

Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring of Trace Metals and a Benthic Community Near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay, California: 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorenzi, Allison H.; Cain, Daniel J.; Parcheso, Francis; Thompson, Janet K.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2008-01-01

Results reported herein include trace element concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica (Cohen and Carlton 1995)), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure for a mudflat one kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay. This report includes data collected for the period January 2007 to December 2007, and extends a critical long-term biogeochemical record dating back to 1974. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto?s Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue during 2007 remained consistent with results observed since 1990. Most notably, copper and silver concentrations in sediment and clam tissue are elevated for the second consecutive year, but the values remain well within the range of past findings. Other metals such as chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc remained relatively constant throughout the year except for maximum values that generally occur in winter months (January-March). Mercury levels in sediment and clam tissue were some of the lowest seen on record. Last year?s elevated selenium levels appear to be transient, and selenium concentrations have returned to background levels. Overall, metal concentrations in sediments and tissue remain within past findings. Analyses of the benthic-community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 31-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the reproductive activity of M. petalum shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable, with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring of most years. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that suggests a more stable community that is subjected to less stress. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes, have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals. Heteromastus filiformis, a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying their eggs on or in the sediment, has shown a concurrent increase in dominance and is now showing signs of population stability. These changes in species dominance reflect a change in the community from one dominated by surface dwelling, brooding species to one with species with varying life history characteristics.

Which is riskier: windmills or reactors

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

Cromie, W.J.

1980-03-01

In 1978, Dr. Herbert Inhaber, a scientist employed by the Atomic Energy Board of Canada, published an evaluation of the health hazards of different energy systems entitled Risk of Energy Production. He concluded that natural gas and nuclear systems are safer than coal- and oil-fired power plants, hydroelectricity, various forms of solar energy, windmills, methanol (wood alcohol), and other nonconventional energy sources. The report and its conclusions drew widespread criticism, particularly from Dr. John P. Holdren, professor of energy and resources, University of California at Berkeley. Holdren and five colleagues wrote a stinging 232-page critique of the Inhaber report. Themore » Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, a nonprofit educational organization of writers and scientists, invited the two to debate the issue in front of an audience of science reporters. The confrontation took place at CASW's 17th Annual New Horizons in Science Briefing in Palo Alto, Calif., on Nov. 5, 1979. An edited transcript of the debate is presented here.« less

Investigation of Mechanisms for the Source and Loss of Electrons from the Radiation Belts Using Data from SEEP, SCATHA and P78-1 Satellites

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-11-19

1. Dot-dash line: Angerami and Thomas [1964); N -3000(2/L) 4. ORDER OF RESONANCE 9991 1 1 1 1 800 ~..... .. ............ n 2 500...J. G. Luhmann. B. K. Ching. and D. J. Boucher. Jr.. 1J981) and Angerami and Thomas [1964] have been used in An equilibrium model of the plasmaspheric...Hanover Street. Palo Alto. CA 94304. REFERENCES Angerami . J. J.. and J. 0. Thomas. Studies of planetary atmo- spheres. I. The distribution of

Electronic and Atomic Collisions. Abstracts of Contributed Papers. International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and atomic Collisions (14th) Held at Palo Alto, California in 1985,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

Vukstich, A. M. Solomon Electron-Electron Coincidence Spectrometer for the Study of Relative Triple Differential 709 Cross Sections for Autoionizing...wavelengths depen~eat three- and four -photon ionization spectra v v ., v VVvVvVV (V of Bi and Bi (2) The ionizatign of"Bi2 is studied by various one &(I...the observed energetic protons must arise from at least four repulsive states. The lower energy group consists of protons arising from" . excitation

Report on Workshop on Research in Experimental Computer Science Held in Palo Alto, California on 16-18 October 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

HiTech was the highest ranked chess ma- chine between 1985 and 1988, and the three things that were key to HiTech’s success ’D. S. Johnson and C. C...colleagues to help him understand anomalies. Hans Berliner discussed the HiTech chess machine. This was a small project that began with a new idea of one of...light. 4. Proposals to do experimental research should have detailed sections on the method- ology and the criteria that would constitute success of

Negative Regulation of Tumor Suppressor p53 Transcription in Breast Cancer Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-01

liu@icon.palo-alto.med.va.gov. myristate 13-acetate; LDL , low-density lipoprotein. 678 Suppression of p53 Gene Expression by OM $ OM, ng/mL: 0 0.1 1...different periods of times, and total RNA was isolated. Fig. 5 cells to 42.3% of control. Comparing the treated cells with shows that the level of...at the end of the treatment with the RNA isolation solution. Total RNA was isolated and 15 ug per sample was analyzed forp53 mRNA by Northern blot

KSOS Computer Program Development Specifications (Type B-5). (Kernelized Secure Operating System). I. Security Kernel (CDRL 0002AF). II. UNIX Emulator (CDRL 0002AG). III. Security-Related Software (CDRL 0002AH).

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

Commun- ications Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (March 1978). g. [Walter at al. 74] Walter, K.G. et al., " Primitive Models for Computer .. Security", ESD-TR...discussion is followed by a presenta- tion of the Kernel primitive operations upon these objects. All Kernel objects shall be referenced by a common...set of sizes. All process segments, regardless of domain, shall be manipulated by the same set of Kernel segment primitives . User domain segments

Damage Tolerant Design Handbook. A Compilation of Fracture and Crack- Growth Data for High-Strength Alloys. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

34. Report MCR -74-43, Martin Marietta Corp.. Denver Division, Deaver, CO. Contract HAS 9-13599 (Jamnary 1974). 0981" T!-6AL-IV da/dN ’ rI-6L-6V-2Sn KIc...34Lockheed-Palo Alto M. J. Rebholz Martin Marietta Alumi•um D. Mellem Materials Laboratory C. Harmsworth, J. Larsen, and T. Nicholas (Wright-Patterson AFB...Applications,’ Report AFML- TR-73-182, Boeing Comercial Airplane Co., Seattle, WA., Contract ?33615- 71 -C-1550, September 1973. 88136 PH 13-8 Mo KIc Dill

The Role of Interleukin-6 in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Weight Loss, Hypoglycemia and Fibrinogen Production, in Vivo

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-01

acute inflammation, since direct admin- Research Institute, Bethesda, MD 20614, USA. Address corespondence to: Dr G . Srssmann, Ouka America istration of...ELiSA, Romts e expresd W im x 10-MlO or mGio B-9 Sonay md ELISA. mpeeively. Nomal k-vels of IL.6 in WDFt mice we 0.02 :t 0.01 og&ud in ElISA. Mwe addkiod...pharmaceutical-grade antibody was used (a 6. Strassmann G , Fong M, Kenney JS, Jacob CO (1992) gift from Dr C.O. Jacob, Syntex, Palo Alto, CA). The Evidence for

The Grand Challenges of Organ Banking: Proceedings from the first global summit on complex tissue cryopreservation.

PubMed

Lewis, Jedediah K; Bischof, John C; Braslavsky, Ido; Brockbank, Kelvin G M; Fahy, Gregory M; Fuller, Barry J; Rabin, Yoed; Tocchio, Alessandro; Woods, Erik J; Wowk, Brian G; Acker, Jason P; Giwa, Sebastian

2016-04-01

The first Organ Banking Summit was convened from Feb. 27 - March 1, 2015 in Palo Alto, CA, with events at Stanford University, NASA Research Park, and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs. Experts at the summit outlined the potential public health impact of organ banking, discussed the major remaining scientific challenges that need to be overcome in order to bank organs, and identified key opportunities to accelerate progress toward this goal. Many areas of public health could be revolutionized by the banking of organs and other complex tissues, including transplantation, oncofertility, tissue engineering, trauma medicine and emergency preparedness, basic biomedical research and drug discovery - and even space travel. Key remaining scientific sub-challenges were discussed including ice nucleation and growth, cryoprotectant and osmotic toxicities, chilling injury, thermo-mechanical stress, the need for rapid and uniform rewarming, and ischemia/reperfusion injury. A variety of opportunities to overcome these challenge areas were discussed, i.e. preconditioning for enhanced stress tolerance, nanoparticle rewarming, cyroprotectant screening strategies, and the use of cryoprotectant cocktails including ice binding agents. Copyright © 2015.

Commissioning and comprehensive quality assurance of commercial 3D treatment planning system using IAEA Technical Report Series-430.

PubMed

Jamema, S V; Upreti, R R; Sharma, S; Deshpande, D D

2008-09-01

The purpose of this work is to report the results of commissioning and to establish a quality assurance (QA) program for commercial 3D treatment planning system (TPS) based on IAEA Technical Report Series 430. Eclipse v 7.3.10, (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, U.S.A.) TPS was commissioned for a Clinac 6EX (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) linear accelerator. CT images of a phantom with various known in-homogeneities were acquired. The images were transferred to TPS and tested for various parameters related to patient data acquisition, anatomical modeling, plan evaluation and dose calculation. Dosimetric parameters including open, asymmetric and wedged shaped fields, oblique incidence, buildup region behavior and SSD dependence were evaluated. Representative clinical cases were tested for MU calculation and point doses. The maximum variation between the measured and the known CT numbers was 20 +/- 11.7 HU (1 SD). The results of all non-dosimetric tests were found within tolerance, however expansion at the sharp corners was found distorted. The accuracy of the DVH calculations depends on the grid size. TPS calculations of all the dosimetric parameters were in good agreement with the measured values, however for asymmetric open and wedged fields, few points were found out of tolerance. Smaller grid size calculation showed better agreement of dose calculation in the build-up region. Independent tests for MU calculation showed a variation within +/-2% (relative to planning system), meanwhile variation of 3.0% was observed when the central axis was blocked. The test results were in agreement with the tolerance specified by IAEA TRS 430. A subset of the commissioning tests has been identified as a baseline data for an ongoing QA program.

South San Francisco Bay tidal marsh vegetation and elevation surveys-Corkscrew Marsh, Bird Island, and Palo Alto Baylands, California, 1983

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, James L.; Drexler, Judy Z.; Dedrick, Kent G.

2005-01-01

Changes in the topography and ecology of the San Francisco Bay Estuary ('Estuary') during the past 200 years have resulted in the loss of nearly 80 percent of the historical salt marsh in the region. Currently, numerous projects are being undertaken by federal, state, and local governments in an attempt to restore wetland habitat and ecosystem function at a number of locations within the Estuary. Much information is needed concerning the historical topographic and ecologic characteristics of the Estuary to facilitate these restoration efforts. This report presents previously unpublished vegetation and elevation data collected in 1983 by the California State Lands Commission at Corkscrew marsh, Bird Island, and Palo Alto Baylands, all located in South San Francisco Bay. These precise and detailed elevation and plant surveys represent a snapshot of South Bay flora before invasion by the Atlantic smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora. Such precise elevation data are rare for relatively undisturbed marshes in the San Francisco Bay; publication of these historical data may facilitate wetland restoration efforts. Marsh-surface and tidal-channel elevations were determined at a total of 962 stations by differential leveling to established tidal benchmark stations at each site and referenced to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) relative to the National Tidal Datum Epoch (1960-78). In addition, presence or absence of nine salt marsh species, percentage plant cover, and percentage bare soil were recorded for 1-square meter quadrats at 648 stations where elevations were determined. Collectively, over the three sites, salt marsh vegetation ranged in elevation from 0.98 to 2.94 m above MLLW. S. foliosa and Salicornia virginica were the most frequently observed plant species. Atriplex patula, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Limonium californicum were each recorded at only one of the three sites.

Geologic map and map database of the Palo Alto 30' x 60' quadrangle, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabb, E.E.; Jones, D.L.; Graymer, R.W.

2000-01-01

This digital map database, compiled from previously published and unpublished data, and new mapping by the authors, represents the general distribution of bedrock and surficial deposits in the mapped area. Together with the accompanying text file (pamf.ps, pamf.pdf, pamf.txt), it provides current information on the geologic structure and stratigraphy of the area covered. The database delineates map units that are identified by general age and lithology following the stratigraphic nomenclature of the U.S. Geological Survey. The scale of the source maps limits the spatial resolution (scale) of the database to 1:62,500 or smaller.

International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions (14th) Held in Palo Alto, California on 24-30 July 1985 (Electronic and Atomic Collisions. Invited Papers)

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-30

OA 3’, one of the cases studied by Lohmann et al(2 ). The new feature in their measurement is that they normalize their cross section by an...dynamic behav- ior of neutral and ionic clusters[lO]. In the case of ionic clusters there have been already extensive studies on their stability and...The specific cases studied so far on an ab initio level (e + F2 [12], e + N2 [13], e + H2 [14]) indicate that nonlocal effects are generally important

Serum and plasma for total and free anticonvulsant drug analyses: effects on EMIT assays and ultrafiltration devices.

PubMed

Godolphin, W; Trepanier, J; Farrell, K

1983-01-01

The suitability of serum and plasma anticoagulated with heparin, EDTA, citrate, or oxalate was assessed for analysis of free and total phenytoin, carbamazepine, and valproic acid. The free fraction was isolated by ultrafiltration through FreeLevel devices (Syva, Palo Alto, CA). Serum, heparin, and EDTA plasma were satisfactory for both free and total phenytoin and carbamazepine. EDTA could not be used for EMIT (Syva) analysis of valproate. Citrate and, to a lesser degree, oxalate cause a significant negative interference in the concentration of these three drugs as measured both by EMIT and gas-liquid chromatography.

Clinical assessment of the jaw-tracking function in IMRT for a brain tumor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jin-Young; Kim, Shin-Wook; Choe, Bo-Young; Suh, Tae-Suk; Park, Sung-Kwang; Jo, Sun-Mi; Oh, Won-Yong; Shin, Jung-Wook; Cho, Gyu-Seok; Nam, Sang-Hee; Chung, Jin-Beom; Kim, Jung-Ki; Lee, Young-Kyu

2015-01-01

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) improves dose conformity and saves critical organs. IMRT is widely used in cases of head and neck, prostate, and brain cancer due to the close location of the targets to critical structures. However, because IMRT has a larger amount of radiation exposure than 3 dimensional-conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), it has disadvantages such as increases in the low dose irradiation to normal tissues and in the accumulated dose for the whole volume due to leakage and transmission of the multi-leaf collimator (MLC). The increased accumulated dose and the larger low dose may increase the occurrence of secondary malignant neoplasms. For these reasons, the jaw-tracking function of the TrueBeam (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) was developed to reduce the leakage and the transmission dose of the MLC with linear accelerators. However, the change in the superficial dose has not been verified with a quantitative analysis of the dose reduction in a brain tumor. Therefore, in the present study, we intended to verify the clinical possibility of utilizing the jaw-tracking function for a brain tumor by comparing treatment plans and superficial doses. To accomplish this, we made three types of original treatment plans using Eclipse11 (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA): 1) farther than 2 cm from the organs at risk (OAR); 2) within 2 cm of the OAR; and 3) intersecting with the OAR. Jaw-tracking treatment plans were also made with copies of the original treatment plan using Smart LMC Version 11.0.31 (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). A comparison between the original treatment plans and jaw-tracking treatment plans was performed using the difference of the mean dose and maximum dose to the OARs in cumulative Dose Volume Histogram (DVH). In addition, the dependencies of the effects of transmission and the scattering doses according to jaw motion were assessed through the difference in the surface doses. In the DVH comparison, a maximum dose difference of 0.4% was observed between the planning methods in the case of over 2 cm distance, and the maximum dose of 0.6% was obtained for within the 2 cm distance. For the case intersecting with the OAR, the maximum dose difference of 2.3% was achieved. According to these results, the differences in the mean doses and the maximum doses to the OARs ware larger when the OARs and the planning target volume (PTV) were closer. In addition, small differences in the surface dose measurements were observed. In the case of the inside field, the differences were under 2% of the prescription dose while the difference was under 0.1% in the case of the outside field. Therefore, treatment plans with the jaw-tracking function consistently affected the dose reduction for a brain tumor, and the clinical possibility could be verified as the surface dose was not increased.

Breast cancer treatment across health care systems: linking electronic medical records and state registry data to enable outcomes research.

PubMed

Kurian, Allison W; Mitani, Aya; Desai, Manisha; Yu, Peter P; Seto, Tina; Weber, Susan C; Olson, Cliff; Kenkare, Pragati; Gomez, Scarlett L; de Bruin, Monique A; Horst, Kathleen; Belkora, Jeffrey; May, Suepattra G; Frosch, Dominick L; Blayney, Douglas W; Luft, Harold S; Das, Amar K

2014-01-01

Understanding of cancer outcomes is limited by data fragmentation. In the current study, the authors analyzed the information yielded by integrating breast cancer data from 3 sources: electronic medical records (EMRs) from 2 health care systems and the state registry. Diagnostic test and treatment data were extracted from the EMRs of all patients with breast cancer treated between 2000 and 2010 in 2 independent California institutions: a community-based practice (Palo Alto Medical Foundation; "Community") and an academic medical center (Stanford University; "University"). The authors incorporated records from the population-based California Cancer Registry and then linked EMR-California Cancer Registry data sets of Community and University patients. The authors initially identified 8210 University patients and 5770 Community patients; linked data sets revealed a 16% patient overlap, yielding 12,109 unique patients. The percentage of all Community patients, but not University patients, treated at both institutions increased with worsening cancer prognostic factors. Before linking the data sets, Community patients appeared to receive less intervention than University patients (mastectomy: 37.6% vs 43.2%; chemotherapy: 35% vs 41.7%; magnetic resonance imaging: 10% vs 29.3%; and genetic testing: 2.5% vs 9.2%). Linked Community and University data sets revealed that patients treated at both institutions received substantially more interventions (mastectomy: 55.8%; chemotherapy: 47.2%; magnetic resonance imaging: 38.9%; and genetic testing: 10.9% [P < .001 for each 3-way institutional comparison]). Data linkage identified 16% of patients who were treated in 2 health care systems and who, despite comparable prognostic factors, received far more intensive treatment than others. By integrating complementary data from EMRs and population-based registries, a more comprehensive understanding of breast cancer care and factors that drive treatment use was obtained. © 2013 American Cancer Society.

Release of tetracycline hydrochloride from electrospun poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate), poly(lactic acid), and a blend.

PubMed

Kenawy, El-Refaie; Bowlin, Gary L; Mansfield, Kevin; Layman, John; Simpson, David G; Sanders, Elliot H; Wnek, Gary E

2002-05-17

Electrospun fiber mats are explored as drug delivery vehicles using tetracycline hydrochloride as a model drug. The mats were made either from poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (PEVA), or from a 50:50 blend of the two. The fibers were electrospun from chloroform solutions containing a small amount of methanol to solubilize the drug. The release of the tetracycline hydrochloride from these new drug delivery systems was followed by UV-VIS spectroscopy. Release profiles from the electrospun mats were compared to a commercially available drug delivery system, Actisite (Alza Corporation, Palo Alto, CA), as well as to cast films of the various formulations.

COMET-AR User's Manual: COmputational MEchanics Testbed with Adaptive Refinement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moas, E. (Editor)

1997-01-01

The COMET-AR User's Manual provides a reference manual for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed with Adaptive Refinement (COMET-AR), a software system developed jointly by Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory and NASA Langley Research Center under contract NAS1-18444. The COMET-AR system is an extended version of an earlier finite element based structural analysis system called COMET, also developed by Lockheed and NASA. The primary extensions are the adaptive mesh refinement capabilities and a new "object-like" database interface that makes COMET-AR easier to extend further. This User's Manual provides a detailed description of the user interface to COMET-AR from the viewpoint of a structural analyst.

Support for the Forty-Second Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference Held in Palo Alto, California on 16-20 October 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-07

Sawin, and R. A. Brown J-3 COMPARISON OF CF AND CF2 LIF AND ACTINOMETRY IN A CF4 DISCHARGE L. D. Baston , J.-P. Nicolai, and H. H. Sawin J-4 SPATIAL...the algorithm. 109 Comparison of CF and CF7 LIF and Actinometry in a CF4 Discharge, L. D. BASTON , J.-P. NICOLAI, and H. H. SAWIN, MIT- Relative...28Baravian, G. E-32 Clark, R.E.H. J-27 Bardsley, J. N. BC-3, MA-4, NB-1 Clark, S. BB-2Bartnikas, R. NA-16 Colbert, T. NA-30 Baston , L. D. J-3 Colgan, M

Investigation of active regions at high resolution by balloon flights of the Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarbell, T.; Frank, Z.; Gilbreth, C.; Shine, R.; Title, A.; Topka, K.; Wolfson, J.

1989-01-01

SOUP is a versatile, visible-light solar observatory, built for space or balloon flight. It is designed to study magnetic and velocity fields in the solar atmosphere with high spatial resolution and temporal uniformity, which cannot be achieved from the surface of the earth. The SOUP investigation is carried out by the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, under contract to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Co-investigators include staff members at a dozen observatories and universities in the U.S. and Europe. The primary objectives of the SOUP experiment are: to measure vector magnetic and velocity fields in the solar atmosphere with much better spatial resolution than can be achieved from the ground; to study the physical processes that store magnetic energy in active regions and the conditions that trigger its release; and to understand how magnetic flux emerges, evolves, combines, and disappears on spatial scales of 400 to 100,000 km. SOUP is designed to study intensity, magnetic, and velocity fields in the photosphere and low chromosphere with 0.5 arcsec resolution, free of atmospheric disturbances. The instrument includes: a 30 cm Cassegrain telescope; an active mirror for image stabilization; broadband film and TV cameras; a birefringent filter, tunable over 5100 to 6600 A with 0.05 A bandpass; a 35 mm film camera and a digital CCD camera behind the filter; and a high-speed digital image processor.

Investigation of active regions at high resolution by balloon flights of the Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarbell, T.; Frank, Z.; Gilbreth, C.; Shine, R.; Title, A.; Topka, K.; Wolfson, J.

SOUP is a versatile, visible-light solar observatory, built for space or balloon flight. It is designed to study magnetic and velocity fields in the solar atmosphere with high spatial resolution and temporal uniformity, which cannot be achieved from the surface of the earth. The SOUP investigation is carried out by the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, under contract to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Co-investigators include staff members at a dozen observatories and universities in the U.S. and Europe. The primary objectives of the SOUP experiment are: to measure vector magnetic and velocity fields in the solar atmosphere with much better spatial resolution than can be achieved from the ground; to study the physical processes that store magnetic energy in active regions and the conditions that trigger its release; and to understand how magnetic flux emerges, evolves, combines, and disappears on spatial scales of 400 to 100,000 km. SOUP is designed to study intensity, magnetic, and velocity fields in the photosphere and low chromosphere with 0.5 arcsec resolution, free of atmospheric disturbances. The instrument includes: a 30 cm Cassegrain telescope; an active mirror for image stabilization; broadband film and TV cameras; a birefringent filter, tunable over 5100 to 6600 A with 0.05 A bandpass; a 35 mm film camera and a digital CCD camera behind the filter; and a high-speed digital image processor.

[Roles, functions and myths in the family group of the psychotic patient].

PubMed

Gallego Lluesma, O; Pugliese, R

1986-12-01

With the study of two families in treatment we can see the roles that each one gets, and the functions that the psychotic assumes. Because the family has a particular story, a lot of myths appear and the interpretation is the hermeneutic method which serves to explain them. This fact is very important because some of those myths show the pathologic unconscious of the family. Through the myths, the family expresses the values, the credences, the familiar ideology and the ideals, which generally are neither possible, real nor concrete. To consider the clinic material, we start from the description of a pathological family and we continue with the theoretical approximation of Pichon Riviére: the antipsychiatry, the structuralism and the theories about the communication of Palo Alto. Then, we arrive at universal situations about the roles in the psychotic's family: fixation and immobility, stereotypy and aupplementarity, double vinculum situation, the family gives up modifying the structure and the patient who assumes the family pathology is almost permanently disqualified. There is a downfall in the identity of the psychotic mainly because the father's function is perverted (in both families, the father appears as "powerful" and considered in society, but disqualified in the family).

[Retrospective seroprevalence study of bovine leptospirosis in Mexico considering the ecological regions].

PubMed

Alvarez, Miguel Angel Luna; Moles y Cervantes, Luis Pedro; Rosas, Dolores Gavaldón; Vasquez, Carmen Nava; García, Félix Salazar

2005-01-01

The newly published information about the different ecological regions of Mexico was analyzed aimed at knowing the situation of bovine leptospirosis. A bibliographical search was made and the articles were chosen according to the following inclusion criteria: a) diagnosis technique: microscopic agglutination, b) positive criterion titres of 1:100 or higher, c) time period: 1991-2003, d) publications such as thesis, memoirs of congresses, non-scientific journals and journals with arbitrage, e) location by states. The duplicated information was considered as the exclusion criteria. The results of frequency and of serovarieties of leptospirosis were reported by state, considering the different ecological regions. Reference to 17 states is made. The arid and semi-arid region had a frequency of 37.8 % with a range from 31% to 59%, the prevalent serovars were H-89 strain (hardjo genotype hardjoprajitno), hardjo, wolffi and tarassovi. In the dry tropical region, there was a frequency of 45.9 % with a range from 27 to 72 %. The prevailing serovarieties were wolffi, hardjo and tarassovi. In the humid tropical region , the frequency was 63.8 % with a range between 31.7 and 84.6 %. The predominating serovarieties were H-89 strain (hardjo genotype hardjoprajitno), hardjo, wolffi and tarassovi. In the mild climate, the average frequency of leptospirosis was 39.4 % with a range from 22.1 to 54.3 %. The prevailing serovarieties were Palo Alto strain (icterohaemorrhagiae), Sinaloa ACR strain (portlandvere), bratislava, pyrogenes, pomona, and H-89 strain (hardjoprajitno), hardjo, wolffi and tarassovi. It was concluded that the presence of antobodies against L. interrogans is endemic in the different ecological regions of Mexico and that there is an elevated prevalence of serovarieties hardjo, wolffi y tarassovi; although in the temperate region, the Palo Alto strain (icterohaemorrhagiae), the Sinaloa ACR strain (portland vere) and Bratislava are present, too. Apparently, the climate influences on the frequency of presentation of the serovarieties. This is the first analysis of bovine leptospirosis by regions made in Mexico.

Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring of Trace Metals and a Benthic Community Near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay, California: 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorenzi, Allison H.; Cain, Daniel J.; Parcheso, Francis; Thompson, Janet K.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica; Cervantes, Raul; Shouse, Michelle K.

2007-01-01

Results reported herein include trace element concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica (Cohen and Carlton 1995)), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure for a mudflat one kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay. This report includes data collected for the period January 2006 to December 2006, and extends a critical long-term biogeochemical record dating back to 1974. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto's Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue during 2006 were consistent with results observed since 1990. Most notably, copper and silver concentrations in sediment and clam tissue increased in the last year but the values remain well within range of past data. Other metals such as chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc remained relatively constant throughout the year except for maximum values generally occurring in winter months (January-March). Mercury levels in sediment and clam tissue were some of the lowest seen on record. Conversely, selenium concentrations reached a maximum level but soon returned to baseline levels. In all, metal concentrations in sediments and tissue remain within past findings. There are no obvious directional trends (increasing or decreasing). Analyses of the benthic-community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 31-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam M. petalum from the same area. Analysis of the reproductive activity of M. petalum shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable, with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring of most years. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that suggests a more stable community that is subjected to less stress. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes, have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals. Heteromastus filiformis, a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying their eggs on or in the sediment, has shown a concurrent increase in dominance. These changes in species dominance reflect a change in the community from one dominated by surface dwelling, brooding species to one with species with varying life history characteristics. For the first time since its invasion in 1986, the non-indigenous filter-feeding clam Corbula (Potamocorbula) amurensis has shown up in small, but persistent, numbers in the benthic community.

KSC-97pc222

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-24

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT

KSC-97pc223

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-24

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT

KSC-97pc224

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-24

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT

A decision-theoretic approach to the display of information for time-critical decisions: The Vista project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvitz, Eric; Ruokangas, Corinne; Srinivas, Sampath; Barry, Matthew

1993-01-01

We describe a collaborative research and development effort between the Palo Alto Laboratory of the Rockwell Science Center, Rockwell Space Operations Company, and the Propulsion Systems Section of NASA JSC to design computational tools that can manage the complexity of information displayed to human operators in high-stakes, time-critical decision contexts. We shall review an application from NASA Mission Control and describe how we integrated a probabilistic diagnostic model and a time-dependent utility model, with techniques for managing the complexity of computer displays. Then, we shall describe the behavior of VPROP, a system constructed to demonstrate promising display-management techniques. Finally, we shall describe our current research directions on the Vista 2 follow-on project.

GOES-K solar panel inspection at Astrotech

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT.

Sulfur cycling and metabolism of phototrophic and filamentous sulfur bacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guerrero, R.; Brune, D.; Poplawski, R.; Schmidt, T. M.

1985-01-01

Phototrophic sulfur bacteria taken from different habitate (Alum Rock State Park, Palo Alto salt marsh, and Big Soda Lake) were grown on selective media, characterized by morphological and pigment analysis, and compared with bacteria maintained in pure culture. A study was made of the anaerobic reduction of intracellular sulfur globules by a phototrophic sulfur bacterium (Chromatium vinosum) and a filamentous aerobic sulfur bacterium (Beggiatoa alba). Buoyant densities of different bacteria were measured in Percoll gradients. This method was also used to separate different chlorobia in mixed cultures and to assess the relative homogeneity of cultures taken directly or enriched from natural samples (including the purple bacterial layer found at a depth of 20 meters at Big Soda Lake.) Interactions between sulfide oxidizing bacteria were studied.

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California: 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyke, Jessica; Thompson, Janet K.; Cain, Daniel J.; Kleckner, Amy E.; Parcheso, Francis; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.

2012-01-01

Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco Bay, Calif. This report includes the data collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists for the period January 2011 to December 2011. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto's Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Following significant reductions in the late 1980s, silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) concentrations in sediment and M. petalum appear to have stabilized. Data for other metals, including chromium, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc, have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements have remained relatively constant, aside from seasonal variation that is common to all elements. In 2011, concentrations of Ag and Cu in M. petalum varied seasonally in response to a combination of site-specific metal exposures and annual growth and reproduction, as reported previously. Seasonal patterns for other elements, including Cr, Hg, Ni, Se, and Zn, were generally similar in timing and magnitude as those for Ag and Cu. In 2011, metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue were among the lowest concentrations on record. This record suggests that regional-scale factors now largely control sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of Ag and Cu, as well as other elements of regulatory interest, at the Palo Alto site. Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 38-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the M. petalum community shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable (2011), with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that indicates a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying its eggs on or in the sediment) showed a concurrent increase in dominance and, in the last several years before 2008, showed a stable population. H. filiformis abundance increased slightly in 2011. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss of the benthic animals, except for those deep-dwelling animals like Macoma petalum. Animals immediately returned to the mudflat in 2008, which was the first indication that the disturbance was not due to a persistent toxin or to anoxia. The reproductive mode of most species present in 2011 is reflective of the species that were available either as pelagic larvae or as mobile adults. Although egg layers were lower in number in this group, the authors hypothesize that these species will return slowly as more species move back into the area. The use of functional ecology was highlighted in the 2011 benthic community data, which show that the animals that have now returned to the mudflat are those that can respond successfully to a physical, nontoxic disturbance. Today, community data show a mix of animals that consume the sediment, filter feed, have pelagic larvae that must survive landing on the sediment, and brood their young. USGS scientists continue to observe the community's response to the 2008 defaunation event because it allows them to examine the response of the community to a natural disturbance (possible causes include sediment accretion or freshwater inundation) and compare this recovery to the long-term recovery observed in the 1970s when the decline in sediment pollutants was the dominating factor.

Toward an interstellar mission: Zeroing in on the zero-point-field inertia resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haisch, Bernhard; Rueda, Alfonso

2000-01-01

While still an admittedly remote possibility, the concept of an interstellar mission has become a legitimate topic for scientific discussion as evidenced by several recent NASA activities and programs. One approach is to extrapolate present-day technologies by orders of magnitude; the other is to find new regimes in physics and to search for possible new laws of physics. Recent work on the zero-point field (ZPF), or electromagnetic quantum vacuum, is promising in regard to the latter, especially concerning the possibility that the inertia of matter may, at least in part, be attributed to interaction between the quarks and electrons in matter and the ZPF. A NASA-funded study (independent of the BPP program) of this concept has been underway since 1996 at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto and the California State University at Long Beach. We report on a new development resulting from this effort: that for the specific case of the electron, a resonance for the inertia-generating process at the Compton frequency would simultaneously explain both the inertial mass of the electron and the de Broglie wavelength of a moving electron as first measured by Davisson and Germer in 1927. This line of investigation is leading to very suggestive connections between electrodynamics, inertia, gravitation and the wave nature of matter. .

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 2: The interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1988-01-01

This is the third set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language CLAMP, the command language interpreter CLIP, and the data manager GAL. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 3 describes the CLIP-Processor interface and related topics. It is intended only for processor developers.

Cathode performance during two beam operation of the high current high polarization electron gun for eRHIC

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

Rahman, O.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Degen, C.

Two electron beams from two activated bulk GaAs photocathodes were successfully combined during the recent beam test of the High Current High Polarization Electron gun for eRHIC. The beam test took place in Stangenes Industries in Palo Alto, CA, where the cathodes were placed in diagonally opposite locations inside the high voltage shroud. No significant cross talking between the cathodes was found for the pertinent vacuum and low average current operation, which is very promising towards combining multiple beams for higher average current. This paper describes the cathode preparation, transport and cathode performance in the gun for the combining test,more » including the QE and lifetimes of the photocathodes at various steps of the experiment.« less

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 1: The language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1988-01-01

This is the first set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language CLAMP, the command language interpreter CLIP, and the data manager GAL. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP, and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 1 presents the basic elements of the CLAMP language and is intended for all users.

Palo Alto Research Center - Smart Embedded Network of Sensors with an Optical Readout

ScienceCinema

Raghavan, Ajay; Sahu, Saroj; Bringans, Ross; Johnson, Noble; Kiesel, Peter; Saha, Bhaskar

2018-05-18

PARC is developing new fiber optic sensors that would be embedded into batteries to monitor and measure key internal parameters during charge and discharge cycles. Two significant problems with today's best batteries are their lack of internal monitoring capabilities and their design oversizing. The lack of monitoring interferes with the ability to identify and manage performance or safety issues as they arise, which are presently managed by very conservative design oversizing and protection approaches that result in cost inefficiencies. PARC's design combines low-cost, embedded optical battery sensors and smart algorithms to overcome challenges faced by today's best battery management systems. These advanced fiber optic sensing technologies have the potential to dramatically improve the safety, performance, and life-time of energy storage systems.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 2: Directives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1989-01-01

This is the second of a set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language (CLAMP), the command language interpreter (CLIP), and the data manager (GAL). Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 2 describes the CLIP directives in detail. It is intended for intermediate and advanced users.

Childhood Precursors of the Narcissistic Personality.

PubMed

Cramer, Phebe

2017-09-01

This research identifies the childhood personality characteristics that predict the presence of narcissism in adulthood. Using data from the longitudinal study of Block and Block (The California Child Q-set. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1980), childhood personality characteristics were assessed at age 11 (N = 100) using the California Child Q-set. A number of these were shown to differentially predict the presence of grandiose or vulnerable narcissism at age 23. Factor analyses of the Child Q-set items showed that the presence of Grandiose Narcissism was positively related to childhood factors representing social presence and negatively related to planfulness. In contrast, vulnerable narcissism was positively related to childhood impulsivity and negatively related to stable self-esteem. Both types of narcissism were positively related to childhood factors representing need for control.

Development of a patient-specific 3D dose evaluation program for QA in radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-03-01

We present preliminary results for a 3-dimensional dose evaluation software system ( P DRESS, patient-specific 3-dimensional dose real evaluation system). Scanned computed tomography (CT) images obtained by using dosimetry were transferred to the radiation treatment planning system (ECLIPSE, VARIAN, Palo Alto, CA) where the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) nasopharynx plan was designed. We used a 10 MV photon beam (CLiX, VARIAN, Palo Alto, CA) to deliver the nasopharynx treatment plan. After irradiation, the TENOMAG dosimeter was scanned using a VISTA ™ scanner. The scanned data were reconstructed using VistaRecon software to obtain a 3D dose distribution of the optical density. An optical-CT scanner was used to readout the dose distribution in the gel dosimeter. Moreover, we developed the P DRESS by using Flatform, which were developed by our group, to display the 3D dose distribution by loading the DICOM RT data which are exported from the radiotherapy treatment plan (RTP) and the optical-CT reconstructed VFF file, into the independent P DRESS with an ioniz ation chamber and EBT film was used to compare the dose distribution calculated from the RTP with that measured by using a gel dosimeter. The agreement between the normalized EBT, the gel dosimeter and RTP data was evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods, such as the isodose distribution, dose difference, point value, and profile. The profiles showed good agreement between the RTP data and the gel dosimeter data, and the precision of the dose distribution was within ±3%. The results from this study showed significantly discrepancies between the dose distribution calculated from the treatment plan and the dose distribution measured by a TENOMAG gel and by scanning with an optical CT scanner. The 3D dose evaluation software system ( P DRESS, patient specific dose real evaluation system), which were developed in this study evaluates the accuracies of the three-dimensional dose distributions. Further applications of the system utility are expected to result from future studies.

A stochastic automata network for earthquake simulation and hazard estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belubekian, Maya Ernest

1998-11-01

This research develops a model for simulation of earthquakes on seismic faults with available earthquake catalog data. The model allows estimation of the seismic hazard at a site of interest and assessment of the potential damage and loss in a region. There are two approaches for studying the earthquakes: mechanistic and stochastic. In the mechanistic approach, seismic processes, such as changes in stress or slip on faults, are studied in detail. In the stochastic approach, earthquake occurrences are simulated as realizations of a certain stochastic process. In this dissertation, a stochastic earthquake occurrence model is developed that uses the results from dislocation theory for the estimation of slip released in earthquakes. The slip accumulation and release laws and the event scheduling mechanism adopted in the model result in a memoryless Poisson process for the small and moderate events and in a time- and space-dependent process for large events. The minimum and maximum of the hazard are estimated by the model when the initial conditions along the faults correspond to a situation right after a largest event and after a long seismic gap, respectively. These estimates are compared with the ones obtained from a Poisson model. The Poisson model overestimates the hazard after the maximum event and underestimates it in the period of a long seismic quiescence. The earthquake occurrence model is formulated as a stochastic automata network. Each fault is divided into cells, or automata, that interact by means of information exchange. The model uses a statistical method called bootstrap for the evaluation of the confidence bounds on its results. The parameters of the model are adjusted to the target magnitude patterns obtained from the catalog. A case study is presented for the city of Palo Alto, where the hazard is controlled by the San Andreas, Hayward and Calaveras faults. The results of the model are used to evaluate the damage and loss distribution in Palo Alto. The sensitivity analysis of the model results to the variation in basic parameters shows that the maximum magnitude has the most significant impact on the hazard, especially for long forecast periods.

Palos Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Palos Crater has been suggested as a future landing site for Mars Missions. This crater has a channel called Tinto Vallis, which enters from the south. This site was suggested as a landing site because it may contain lake deposits. Palos Crater is named in honor of the port city in Spain from which Christopher Columbus sailed on his way to the New World in August of 1492. The floor of Palos Crater appears to be layered in places providing further evidence that this site may in fact have been the location of an ancient lake.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 4: The global-database manager GAL-DBM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Mary A.; Regelbrugge, Marc E.; Felippa, Carlos A.

1989-01-01

This is the fourth of a set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language CLAMP, the command language interpreter CLIP, and the data manager GAL. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 4 describes the nominal-record data management component of the NICE software. It is intended for all users.

Effect of the 80-hour workweek on resident burnout.

PubMed

Gelfand, Dmitri V; Podnos, Yale D; Carmichael, Joseph C; Saltzman, Darin J; Wilson, Samuel E; Williams, Russell A

2004-09-01

With the introduction of the newly mandated restrictions on resident work hours, we expected improvement in subjective feelings of personal accomplishment and lessened emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Residents and faculty members completed an anonymous online Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (3rd ed; Consulting Psychologist Press Inc, Palo Alto, Calif) and work-hour registry before and after implementation of new restrictions. Urban, university-based department of surgery. All house staff (n = 37) and faculty (n = 27). Introduction of new Institutional Standards for Resident Duty Hours 2003. Main Outcome Measure Resident work hours and levels of emotional exhaustion, perceived degree of depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Resident work hours per week decreased from 100.7 to 82.6 (P < .05) with introduction of the new schedule. Home call and formal educational activity time within working hours (eg, clinical conferences) significantly (P < .05) decreased from 11.5 and 4.8 hours to 4.6 and 2.5 hours per week, respectively. Operating room hours, clinic time, and duration of rounds did not show a significant change. Changes in parameters of resident and faculty emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment did not show statistical significance (P > .05). Despite successful reductions in resident work hours, measures of burnout were not significantly affected. However, important clinical activities such as time spent in the operating room, clinic, and making rounds were maintained. Formal in-hospital education time was reduced.

Measurement of precipitation induced FUV emission and Geocoronal Lyman Alpha from the IMI mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mende, Stephen B.; Fuselier, S. A.; Rairden, R. L.

1995-01-01

This final report describes the activities of the Lockheed Martin Palo Alto Research Laboratory in studying the measurement of ion and electron precipitation induced Far Ultra-Violet (FUV) emissions and Geocoronal Lyman Alpha for the NASA Inner Magnetospheric Imager (IMI) mission. this study examined promising techniques that may allow combining several FUV instruments that would separately measure proton aurora, electron aurora, and geocoronal Lyman alpha into a single instrument operated on a spinning spacecraft. The study consisted of two parts. First, the geocoronal Lyman alpha, proton aurora, and electron aurora emissions were modeled to determine instrument requirements. Second, several promising techniques were investigated to determine if they were suitable for use in an IMI-type mission. Among the techniques investigated were the Hydrogen gas cell for eliminating cold geocoronal Lyman alpha emissions, and a coded aperture spectrometer with sufficient resolution to separate Doppler shifted Lyman alpha components.

MRI Artifacts of a Metallic Stent Derived From a Human Aorta Specimen

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

Soto, M. E.; Flores, P.; Marrufo, O.

Magnetic resonance imaging has proved to be a useful technique to get images of the whole body. However, the presence of ferromagnetic material can cause susceptibility artifacts, which result from microscopic gradients that occur near the boundaries between areas displaying different magnetic susceptibility. These gradients cause dephasing of spins and frequency shifts in the surrounding tissues. Intravoxel dephasing and spatial mis-registration can degrade image quality. An aorta with a metallic stent was preserved in formaldehyde at 10% inside acrylic cylinders and used to obtain MR images. We tested pulsed spin echo and gradient echo sequences to improve image quality. Allmore » experiments were performed on a 7T/21 cm Varian system (Varian, Inc, Palo Alto, CA) equipped with Direct Drive technology and a 16-rung birdcage coil transceiver. The presence of metallic stents produces a lack of signal that might give falsely reassuring appearances within the vessel lumen.« less

Lockheed Solar Observatory and the Discovery of Moreton-Ramsey Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarbell, Theodore D.

2014-06-01

Moreton Waves are high-speed disturbances seen traveling away from large solar flares in H-alpha movies of the solar chromosphere. They were discovered by the observer Harry Ramsey in the late 1950s, and then published and publicized by the director Gail Moreton, both of the Lockheed Solar Observatory in the Hollywood Hills of Southern California. These efforts established the scientific reputation and secured continuing funding of the observatory, whose present-day successor is the Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab in Palo Alto. Moreton waves are rare, and there was limited interest in them until the EIT instrument on SOHO began seeing large numbers of similar waves in the corona in the late 1990s. The exact relation between the two observations is still a research topic today. This talk will describe some of the history of the observatory and the discovery and early interpretation of the waves.

[Diagnostic serology of swine leptospirosis in Mexico 1995-2000].

PubMed

Cisneros Puebla, Miguel Angel; Moles Cervantes, Luis Pedro; Rosas, Dolores Gavaldón; Serranía, Nora Rojas; Torres Barranca, Jorge Isaac

2002-01-01

Results obtained from sample testing of 1970 swines from a number of Mexican farms were analyzed. Such samples had been received in the Leptospira Lab of Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana de Xochimilco from 1995 to 2000. Sera with titers equal to or higher than 1:1000 were considered positive; 39,8% of the animals were seropositive (784) and the most frequent serovarieties were bratislava, 22.5%; icterohaemorrhagiae strain Palo Alto, 14,5%; portland vere strain Sinaloa ACR, 13,8%; icterohaemorrhagiae, 11,1%; grippotyphosa, 8,9%; hardjo strain H89,7.2%; tarassovi,7.1%; panama, 5.8%, pomona and hardjo, 5.1%; wolffi, 3%; shermani, 2.4%; pyrogenes, 1.2%; canicola, 0.8%; hebdomadis, 0,5%. The bratislava serovariety has been reported as the cause of reproductive failure in several countries and it holds the first place in serological studies. Therefore, the present paper provides information for stating that this is one of the most significant serovarieties in Mexico.

Using Facebook Within a Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Course

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Objective To evaluate using an Internet-based social networking site within an elective geriatric pharmacotherapy course. Design Thirty pharmacy students enrolled in a geriatric pharmacotherapy elective course were invited to join a closed Facebook (Facebook Inc, Palo Alto, CA) group to enhance communication among students and faculty members within the course. Creating a discussion board was the primary activity in the course. Each week, 3 students were assigned to post a healthy aging topic, and other students in the class were expected to post their comments and reactions. The healthy aging topics also were discussed during class. Assessment Students wrote reflections about their experiences using Facebook for the activities within this course. A survey instrument also measured students' opinions about using Facebook for educational purposes. Conclusion Using Facebook allowed students to discuss topics more openly and encouraged classroom discussions of healthy aging topics. PMID:21179256

Introduction to the computational structural mechanics testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lotts, C. G.; Greene, W. H.; Mccleary, S. L.; Knight, N. F., Jr.; Paulson, S. S.; Gillian, R. E.

1987-01-01

The Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) testbed software system based on the SPAR finite element code and the NICE system is described. This software is denoted NICE/SPAR. NICE was developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory and contains data management utilities, a command language interpreter, and a command language definition for integrating engineering computational modules. SPAR is a system of programs used for finite element structural analysis developed for NASA by Lockheed and Engineering Information Systems, Inc. It includes many complementary structural analysis, thermal analysis, utility functions which communicate through a common database. The work on NICE/SPAR was motivated by requirements for a highly modular and flexible structural analysis system to use as a tool in carrying out research in computational methods and exploring computer hardware. Analysis examples are presented which demonstrate the benefits gained from a combination of the NICE command language with a SPAR computational modules.

ARC-1978-A78-0077-4

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-01-27

Photographs and Captions courtesy of Joseph and Donna Roizen Telegen, Palo Alto, CA (from) Pioneer 10 and 11 Missions Jupiter encounters - Activities at Ames Research Center December 1973 and December 1974 - As a memento of the highly successful Pioneer 10 and 11 missions to Jupiter, this collection of photographs represents a sampling of those taken at Ames Research Center during the Jupiter encounter periods in December 1973 and December 1974. The captions for these photographs are meant to suggest the lighter side of the intense activities that took place during these periods. I would like to express my gratitude to all participants in the Pioneer 10/11 program for their teamwork in accomplishing the scientific and technical objectives of the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions to Jupiter. (signed) Charles F. Hall - Manager, Pioneer Project Charles F. Hall ' Pioneers 10 and 11 not only made schedule, but they got 51,326.149 miles per gallon and met EPA environment pollution limits.'

Voice synthesis application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lightstone, P. C.; Davidson, W. M.

1982-04-01

The military detection assessment laboratory houses an experimental field system which assesses different alarm indicators such as fence disturbance sensors, MILES cables, and microwave Racons. A speech synthesis board which could be interfaced, by means of a computer, to an alarm logger making verbal acknowledgement of alarms possible was purchased. Different products and different types of voice synthesis were analyzed before a linear predictive code device produced by Telesensory Speech Systems of Palo Alto, California was chosen. This device is called the Speech 1000 Board and has a dedicated 8085 processor. A multiplexer card was designed and the Sp 1000 interfaced through the card into a TMS 990/100M Texas Instrument microcomputer. It was also necessary to design the software with the capability of recognizing and flagging an alarm on any 1 of 32 possible lines. The experimental field system was then packaged with a dc power supply, LED indicators, speakers, and switches, and deployed in the field performing reliably.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 5: The Input-Output Manager DMGASP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1989-01-01

This is the fifth of a set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language (CLAMP), the command language interpreter (CLIP), and the data manager (GAL). Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 5 describes the low-level data management component of the NICE software. It is intended only for advanced programmers involved in maintenance of the software.

SU-E-T-163: Characterization of a Novel High Resolution 1D Silicon Monolithic Array for Small Field Commissioning and Quality Assurance

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

Bisello, F; IBA Dosimetry, Schwarzenbruck, DE; McGlade, J

2015-06-15

Purpose: To study the suitability of a novel 1D silicon monolithic array for dosimetry of small radiation fields and for QA of high dose gradient treatment modalities (IMRT and SBRT). Methods: A 1D array composed of 4 monolithic silicon modules of 64 mm length and 1 mm pixel pitch was developed by IBA Dosimetry. Measurements were carried out for 6MV and 15MV photons on two commercial different linacs (TrueBeam and Clinac iX, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) and for a CyberKnife G4 (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA). The 1D array was used to measure output factors (OF), profiles and offmore » axis correction factors (OACF) for the Iris CyberKnife variable collimator (5–60 mm). In addition, dose profiles (at the isocenter plane) were measured for multiple IMRT and SBRT treatment plans and compared with those obtained using EDR2radiographic film (Carestream Health, Rochester NY), a commercial 2D diode array and with the dose distribution calculated using a commercial TPS (Eclipse, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Results: Due to the small pixel pitch of the detector, IMRT and SBRT plan profiles deviate from film measurements by less than 2%. Similarly, the 1D array exhibits better performance than the 2D diode array due to the larger (7 mm) pitch of that device. Iris collimator OFs measured using the 1D silicon array are in good agreement with the commissioning values obtained using a commercial stereotactic diode as well as with published data. Maximum deviations are < 3% for the smallest field (5 and 7.5mm) and below 1% for all other dimensions. Conclusion: We have demonstrated good performances of the array for commissioning of small photon fields and in patient QA, compared with diodes and film typically used in these clinical applications. The technology compares favorably with existing commercial solutions The presenting author is founded by a Marie Curie Early Initial Training Network Fellowship of the European Communitys Seventh Framework Programme under contract number (PITN-GA-2011-289198-ARDENT). The research activity is hosted by IBA Dosimetry, Gmbh.« less

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California; 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyke, Jessica; Parchaso, Janet K.; Thompson, Janet K.; Cain, Daniel J.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.

2010-01-01

Results reported herein include trace element concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica (Cohen and Carlton, 1995)), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure for a mudflat one kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco Bay. This report includes data collected for the period January 2009 to December 2009 and extends a critical long-term biogeochemical record dating back to 1974. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto's Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. In 2009, metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue were among the lowest concentrations on record and consistent with results observed since 1991. Following significant reductions in the late 1980s, silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) concentrations appeared to have stabilized. Annual mean concentrations have fluctuated modestly (2-4 fold) in a nondirectional manner. Data for other metals, including chromium, mercury, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and zinc, have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements, which more likely reflect regional inputs and systemwide processes, have remained relatively constant, aside from typical seasonal variation that is common to all elements. Within years, the winter months (January-March) generally exhibit maximum concentrations, with a decline to annual minima in spring through fall. Mercury (Hg) in sediments and M. petalum were comparable to concentrations observed in 2008 and were generally consistent with data from previous years. Selenium (Se) concentrations in sediment varied among years and showed no sustained temporal trend. In 2009, sedimentary Se concentrations declined from the record high concentrations observed in 2008 to concentrations that were among the lowest on record. Selenium in M. petalum was unchanged from 2008. Overall, Cu and Ag concentrations in sediments and soft tissues of the clam, M. petalum, remained representative of the concentrations observed since 1991 following significant reductions in the discharge of these elements from the PARWQCP. This suggests that, as with other elements of regulatory interest, regional-scale factors now largely influence sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of Ag and Cu. Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 36-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the reproductive activity of M. petalum shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable, with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring of most years. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that suggests a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008 and 2009. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying its eggs on or in the sediment) showed a concurrent increase in dominance, with the last several years prior to 2008 showing a stable population. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss o

Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring of Trace Metals and a Benthic Community Near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay, California: 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cain, Daniel J.; Thompson, Janet K.; Dyke, Jessica; Parcheso, Francis; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.

2009-01-01

Results reported herein include trace element concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica (Cohen and Carlton, 1995)), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure for a mudflat one kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco Bay. This report includes data collected for the period January 2008 to December 2008 and extends a critical long-term biogeochemical record dating back to 1974. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto's Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. In 2008, metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue were among the lowest concentrations on record and consistent with results observed since 1991. Following significant reductions in the late 1980's, silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) concentrations appeared to have stabilized. Annual mean concentrations have fluctuated modestly (2-4 fold) in a nondirectional manner. Data for other metals, including chromium, mercury, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and zinc, have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements, which more likely reflect regional inputs and systemwide processes, have remained relatively constant, aside from typical seasonal variation that is common to all elements. Within years, concentrations generally reach maximum in winter months (January-March) and decline to annual minima in spring through fall. Mercury (Hg) in sediments spiked to the highest observed level in January 2008. However, sedimentary concentrations for the rest of the year and concentrations of Hg in M. petalum for the entire year were consistent with data from previous years. Average selenium (Se) concentrations in sediment were the highest on record, but there is no evidence, yet, to suggest a temporal trend of increasing sedimentary Se. Selenium in M. petalum was not elevated relative to past years. Overall, Cu and Ag concentrations in sediments and soft tissues of the clam, M. petalum, remained representative of the concentrations observed since 1991 following significant reductions in the discharge of these elements from PARWQCP, suggesting that, similar to other elements of regulatory interest, regional scale factors now largely influence sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of Cu and Ag. Analyses of the benthic-community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 31-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the reproductive activity of M. petalum shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable, with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring of most years. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that suggests a more stable community that is subjected to less stress. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes, have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals. Heteromastus filiformis, a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying their eggs on or in the sediment, has shown a concurrent increase in dominance and is now showing signs of population stability. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss of the benthic animals, except for those deep dwelling animals like Macoma petalum.

Internet-Based Laboratory Activities Designed for Studying the Sun with Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, T. F.

1998-12-01

Yohkoh Public Outreach Project (YPOP) is a collaborative industry, university, and K-16 project bringing fascinating and dynamic images of the Sun to the public in real-time. Partners have developed an extensive public access and educational WWW site containing more than 100 pages of vibrant images with current information that focuses on movies of the X-ray output of our Sun taken by the Yohkoh Satellite. More than 5 Gb of images and movies are available on the WWW site from the Yohkoh satellite, a joint project of the Institute for Space and Astronautical Sciences (ISAS) and NASA. Using a movie theater motif, the site was created by teams working at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA in the Solar and Astrophysics Research Group, the Montana State University Solar Physics Research Group, and the Montana State University Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research Group with funding from the NASA Learning Technology Project (LTP) program (NASA LTP SK30G4410R). The Yohkoh Movie Theater Internet Site is found at URL: http://www.lmsal.com/YPOP/ and mirrored at URL: http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/. In addition to being able to request automated movies for any dates in a 5 Gb on-line database, the user can view automatically updated daily images and movies of our Sun over the last 72 hours. Master science teachers working with the NASA funded Yohkoh Public Outreach Project have developed nine technology-based on-line lessons for K-16 classrooms. These interdisciplinary science, mathematics, and technology lessons integrate Internet resources, real-time images of the Sun, and extensive NASA image databases. Instructors are able to freely access each of the classroom-ready activities. The activities require students to use scientific inquiry skills and manage electronic information to solve problems consistent with the emphasis of the NRC National Science Education Standards.

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyke, Jessica; Thompson, Janet K.; Cain, Daniel J.; Kleckner, Amy E.; Parcheso, Francis; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.

2013-01-01

Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco Bay, Calif. This report includes the data collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists for the period January to December 2012. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto’s Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Following significant reductions in the late 1980s, silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) concentrations in sediment and in M. petalum appear to have stabilized. Data for other metals, including chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn), have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements have remained relatively constant, aside from seasonal variation that is common to all elements. In 2012, concentrations of Ag and Cu in M. petalum varied seasonally in response to a combination of site-specific metal exposures and annual growth and reproduction, as reported for previous time periods. Seasonal patterns for other elements, including Cr, Ni, Zn, Hg, and Se were generally similar in timing and magnitude as those for Ag and Cu. In 2012, metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue were among the lowest concentrations on record. This record suggests that regional-scale factors now largely control sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of Ag and Cu, as well as other elements of regulatory interest, at the Palo Alto site. Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 39-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the M. petalum community shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable (2012), with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that indicates a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying its eggs on or in the sediment) showed a concurrent increase in dominance and, in the last several years before 2008, showed a stable population. H. filiformis abundance increased slightly in 2011–2012. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss of the benthic animals, except for those deep-dwelling animals like Macoma petalum. Animals immediately returned to the mudflat in 2008, which was the first indication that the disturbance was not due to a persistent toxin or to anoxia. The reproductive mode of most species present in 2012 is reflective of the species that were available either as pelagic larvae or as mobile adults. Although oviparous species were lower in number in this group, the authors hypothesize that these species will return slowly as more species move back into the area. The use of functional ecology was highlighted in the 2012 benthic community data, which show that the animals that have now returned to the mudflat are those that can respond successfully to a physical, nontoxic disturbance. Today, community data show a mix of animals that consume the sediment, filter feed, have pelagic larvae that must survive landing on the sediment, and brood their young. USGS scientists continue to observe the community’s response to the 2008 defaunation event because it allows them to examine the response of the community to a natural disturbance (possible causes include sediment accretion or freshwater inundation) and compare this recovery to the long-term recovery observed in the 1970s when the decline in sediment pollutants was the dominating factor.

The impact of socially-accountable, community-engaged medical education on graduates in the Central Philippines: Implications for the global rural medical workforce.

PubMed

Siega-Sur, J L; Woolley, T; Ross, S J; Reeve, C; Neusy, A-J

2017-10-01

Developing and retaining a high quality medical workforce, especially within low-resource countries has been a world-wide challenge exacerbated by a lack of medical schools, the maldistribution of doctors towards urban practice, health system inequities, and training doctors in tertiary centers rather than in rural communities. To describe the impact of socially-accountable health professional education on graduates; specifically: their motivation towards community-based service, preparation for addressing local priority health issues, career choices, and practice location. Cross-sectional survey of graduates from two medical schools in the Philippines: the University of Manila-School of Health Sciences (SHS-Palo) and a medical school with a more conventional curriculum. SHS-Palo graduates had significantly (p < 0.05) more positive attitudes to community service. SHS-Palo graduates were also more likely to work in rural and remote areas (p < 0.001) either at district or provincial hospitals (p = 0.032) or in rural government health services (p < 0.001) as Municipal or Public Health Officers (p < 0.001). Graduates also stayed longer in both their first medical position (p = 0.028) and their current position (p < 0.001). SHS-Palo medical graduates fulfilled a key aim of their socially-accountable institution to develop a health professional workforce willing and able, and have a commitment to work in underserved rural communties.

75 FR 52045 - Arizona Public Service Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 3; Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-24

... Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No.... NPF-74, issued to Arizona Public Service Company (APS, the licensee), for operation of Palo Verde... Statement for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, NUREG-0841, dated February 1982. Agencies and...

Telebation: next-generation telemedicine in remote airway management using current wireless technologies.

PubMed

Mosier, Jarrod; Joseph, Bellal; Sakles, John C

2013-02-01

Since the first remote intubation with telemedicine guidance, wireless technology has advanced to enable more portable methods of telemedicine involvement in remote airway management. Three voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services were evaluated for quality of image transmitted, data lag, and audio quality with remotely observed and assisted intubations in an academic emergency department. The VoIP clients evaluated were Apple (Cupertino, CA) FaceTime(®), Skype™ (a division of Microsoft, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg), and Tango(®) (TangoMe, Palo Alto, CA). Each client was tested over a Wi-Fi network as well as cellular third generation (3G) (Skype and Tango). All three VoIP clients provided acceptable image and audio quality. There is a significant data lag in image transmission and quality when VoIP clients are used over cellular broadband (3G) compared with Wi-Fi. Portable remote telemedicine guidance is possible with newer technology devices such as a smartphone or tablet, as well as VoIP clients used over Wi-Fi or cellular broadband.

Geology of the Palo Alto 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, California: A digital database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabb, Earl E.; Graymer, R.W.; Jones, David Lawrence

1998-01-01

This map database represents the integration of previously published and unpublished maps by several workers (see Sources of Data index map on Sheet 2 and the corresponding table below) and new geologic mapping and field checking by the authors with the previously published geologic map of San Mateo County (Brabb and Pampeyan, 1983) and Santa Cruz County (Brabb, 1989, Brabb and others, 1997), and various sources in a small part of Santa Clara County. These new data are released in digital form to provide an opportunity for regional planners, local, state, and federal agencies, teachers, consultants, and others interested in geologic data to have the new data long before a traditional paper map is published. The new data include a new depiction of Quaternary units in the San Francisco Bay plain emphasizing depositional environment, important new observations between the San Andreas and Pilarcitos faults, and a new interpretation of structural and stratigraphic relationships of rock packages (Assemblages).

Austin chalk yields oil near basaltic cone

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

Not Available

1990-09-03

This paper reports on the completion of a Cretaceous Austin chalk horizontal oil well near a basaltic cone in the Uvalde volcanic field area of Dimmit County, Tex. The well is the HDP Inc. 1 autumn Unit, about 9 miles northeast to Carrizo Springs HDP, which stands for horizontal development and production, of Palo Alto, Calif., drilled the well on a farmout from American Exploration Co., Houston. It initially pumped and flowed 1,600 b/d of oil without stimulation from openhole. HDP drilled about 1,500 ft of horizontal and deviated hole in Austin chalk B-1, the producing horizon. Production in latemore » August was about 500 b/d of oil, pending determination of proration unit size and allowable. The well, in the greater Pearsall field Austin chalk play along the Dimmit-Savala county line, is the first horizontal chalk producer in Elaine field. The field has produced mainly from Escondido sand, Olmos sand and Anacacho limestone, all in the Upper Cretaceous.« less

Enrichments for phototrophic bacteria and characterization by morphology and pigment analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brune, D.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine several sulfide containing environments for the presence of phototrophic bacteria and to obtain enriched cultures of some of the bacteria present. The field sites were Alum Rock State Park, the Palo Alto salt marsh, the bay area salt ponds, and Big Soda Lake (near Fallon, Nevada). Bacteria from these sites were characterized by microscopic examination, measurement of in vitro absorption spectra, and analysis of carotenoid pigments. Field observations at one of the bay area salt ponds, in which the salt concentration was saturating (about 30 percent NaCl) and the sediments along the shore of the pond covered with a gypsum crust, revealed a layer of purple photosynthetic bacteria under a green layer in the gypsum crust. Samples of this gypsum crust were taken to the laboratory to measure light transmission through the crust and to try to identify the purple photosynthetic bacteria present in this extremely saline environment.

New Voltage and Current Thresholds Determined for Sustained Space Plasma Arcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Dale C.; Galofaro, Joel T.; Vayner, Boris V.

2003-01-01

It has been known for many years, based partly on NASA Glenn Research Center testing, that high-voltage solar arrays arc into the space plasma environment. Solar arrays are composed of solar cells in series with each other (a string), and the strings may be connected in parallel to produce the entire solar array power. Arcs on solar arrays can damage or destroy solar cells, and in the extreme case of sustained arcing, entire solar array strings, in a flash. In the case of sustained arcing (discovered at Glenn and applied to the design and construction of solar arrays on Space Systems/Loral (SS/Loral, Palo Alto, CA) satellites, Deep-Space 1, and Terra), an arc on one solar array string can couple to an adjacent string and continue to be powered by the solar array output until a permanent electrical short is produced. In other words, sustained arcs produced by arcs into the plasma (so-called trigger arcs) may turn into disastrous sustained arcs by involving other array strings.

78 FR 21933 - Archon Energy 1, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-12

... feasibility of the Palo Verde Diversion Dam Hydroelectric Project (Palo Verde Diversion Dam Project or project... Southern California Edison transmission line located approximately one mile west of the Palo Verde Dam. An...

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay, California: 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyke, Jessica; Cain, Daniel J.; Thompson, Janet K.; Kleckner, Amy E.; Parcheso, Francis; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Luoma, Samuel N.

2014-01-01

Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco Bay, Calif. This report includes the data collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists for the period January 2013 to December 2013. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto’s Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Following significant reductions in the late 1980s, silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) concentrations in sediment and M. petalum appear to have stabilized. Data for other metals, including chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn), have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements have remained relatively constant, aside from seasonal variation that is common to all elements. In 2013, concentrations of Ag and Cu in M. petalum varied seasonally in response to a combination of site-specific metal exposures and annual growth and reproduction, as reported previously. Seasonal patterns for other elements, including Cr, Ni, Zn, Hg, and Se, were generally similar in timing and magnitude as those for Ag and Cu. In M. petalum, all observed elements showed annual maxima in January–February and minima in April, except for Zn, which was lowest in December. In sediments, annual maxima also occurred in January–February, and minima were measured in June and September. In 2013, metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue were among the lowest concentrations on record. This record suggests that regional-scale factors now largely control sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of Ag and Cu, as well as other elements of regulatory interest, at the Palo Alto site. Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 40-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the M. petalum community shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable (2013), with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that indicates a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying its eggs on or in the sediment) showed a concurrent increase in dominance and, in the last several years before 2008, showed a stable population. H. filiformis abundance increased slightly in 2011–2012 and returned to pre-2011 numbers in 2013. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss of the benthic animals, except for those deep-dwelling animals like Macoma petalum. Animals immediately returned to the mudflat in 2008, which was the first indication that the disturbance was not due to a persistent toxin or to anoxia. The reproductive mode of most species present in 2013 is reflective of the species that were available either as pelagic larvae or as mobile adults. Although oviparous species were lower in number in this group, the authors hypothesize that these species will return slowly as more species move back into the area. The use of functional ecology was highlighted in the 2013 benthic community data, which show that the animals that have now returned to the mudflat are those that can respond successfully to a physical, nontoxic disturbance. Today, community data show a mix of animals that consume the sediment, filter feed, have pelagic larvae that must survive landing on the sediment, and brood their young. USGS scientists continue to observe the community’s response to the 2008 defaunation event because it allows them to examine the response of the community to a natural disturbance (possible causes include sediment accretion or freshwater inundation) and compare this recovery to the long-term recovery observed in the 1970s when the decline in sediment pollutants was the dominating factor.

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California; 2016

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cain, Daniel J.; Thompson, Janet K.; Parchaso, Francis; Pearson, Sarah; Stewart, Robin; Turner, Mathew; Barasch, David; Luoma, Samuel N.

2017-10-30

Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in south San Francisco Bay, Calif. This report includes the data collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists for the period January 2014 to December 2016. These append to long-term datasets extending back to 1974. A major focus of the report is an integrated description of the 2016 data within the context of the longer, multi-decadal dataset. This dataset supports the City of Palo Alto’s Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994.Significant reductions in silver and copper concentrations in sediment and M. petalum occurred at the site in the 1980s following the implementation by PARWQCP of advanced wastewater treatment and source control measures. Since the 1990s, concentrations of these elements appear to have stabilized at concentrations somewhat above (silver) or near (copper) regional background concentrations Data for other metals, including chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn), have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements have remained relatively constant, aside from seasonal variation that is common to all elements. In 2016, concentrations of silver and copper in M. petalum varied seasonally in response to a combination of site-specific metal exposures and annual growth and reproduction, as reported previously. Seasonal patterns for other elements, including Cr, Ni, Zn, Hg, and Se, were generally similar in timing and magnitude as those for Ag and Cu. This record suggests that legacy contamination and regional-scale factors now largely control sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of silver and copper, as well as other elements of regulatory interest, at the Palo Alto site.Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in south San Francisco Bay over a 40-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of M. petalum shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable (2016), with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring. The entire infaunal community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that indicates a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and showed signs of increasing abundance in 2016. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying its eggs on or in the sediment) showed a concurrent increase in dominance and, in the last several years before 2008, showed a stable population. H. filiformis abundance increased slightly in 2011–2012 and returned to pre-2011 numbers in 2016. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss of the benthic animals, except for deep-dwelling animals like Macoma petalum. However, within two months of this event animals returned to the mudflat. The resilience of the community suggested that the disturbance was not due to a persistent toxin or anoxia. The reproductive mode of most species present in 2016 is reflective of species that were available either as pelagic larvae or as mobile adults. Although oviparous species were lower in number in this group, the authors hypothesize that these species will return slowly as more species move back into the area. The use of functional ecology was highlighted in the 2016 benthic community data, which showed that the animals that have now returned to the mudflat are those that can respond successfully to a physical, nontoxic disturbance. Today, community data show a mix of species that consume the sediment, or filter feed, have pelagic larvae that must survive landing on the sediment, and those that brood their young. USGS scientists view the 2008 disturbance event as a response by the infaunal community to an episodic natural stressor (possibly sediment accretion or a pulse of freshwater), in contrast to the long-term recovery from metal contamination. We will compare this recovery to the long-term recovery observed after the 1970s when the decline in sediment pollutants was the dominating factor.

Development of the Electron Drift Instrument (EDI) for Cluster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, Jack; Christensen, John L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Electron Drift Instrument (EDI) is a new technique for measuring electric fields in space by detecting the effect on weak beams of test electrons. This U.S. portions of the technique, flight hardware, and flight software were developed for the Cluster mission under this contract. Dr. Goetz Paschmann of the Max Planck Institute in Garching, Germany, was the Principle Investigator for Cluster EDI. Hardware for Cluster was developed in the U.S. at the University of New Hampshire, Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, and University of California, San Diego. The Cluster satellites carrying the original EDI instruments were lost in the catastrophic launch failure of first flight of the Arianne-V rocket in 1996. Following that loss, NASA and ESA approved a rebuild of the Cluster mission, for which all four satellites were successfully launched in the Summer of 2000. Limited operations of EDI were also obtained on the Equator-S satellite, which was launched in December, 1997. A satellite failure caused a loss of the Equator-S mission after only 5 months, but these operations were extremely valuable in learning about the characteristics and operations of the complex EDI instrument. The Cluster mission, satellites, and instruments underwent an extensive on-orbit commissioning phase in the Fall of 2000, carrying over through January 2001. During this period all elements of the instruments were checked and careful measurements of inter-experiments interferences were made. EDI is currently working exceptionally well in orbit. Initial results verify that all aspects of the instrument are working as planned, and returning highly valuable scientific information. The first two papers describing EDI on-orbit results have been submitted for publication in April, 2001. The principles of the EDI technique, and its implementation on Cluster are described in two papers by Paschmann et al., attached as Appendices A and B. The EDI presentation at the formal Cluster Commissioning Review, held at ESA Headquarters in Paris, is attached as Appendix C.

7 CFR 301.89-3 - Regulated areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

.... That portion of Riverside County known as the Palo Verde Valley (in part) bounded by a line drawn as... and −114.691197 longitude; then, southwest along the unnamed canal to the shoreline of Palo Verde Lagoon; then, northeast along the shoreline of Palo Verde Lagoon to its intersection with Rannells Drain...

Deposition and Accumulation of Emerging Contaminants in the Sediments of the Palos Verde Shelf, California

EPA Science Inventory

Deposition and Accumulation of Emerging Contaminants in the Sediments of the Palos Verde Shelf, California Mark G. Cantwell, David R. Katz, Julia Sullivan, Robert P. Eganhouse, Monique M. Perron, Robert M. Burgess The Palos Verdes shelf is located off the Southern California coa...

Solar-A Prelaunch Mission Operation Report (MOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The Solar-A mission is a Japanese-led program with the participation of the United States and the United Kingdom. The Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) is providing the Solar-A spacecraft, two of the four science instruments, the launch vehicle and launch support, and the principal ground station with Operational Control Center. NASA is providing a science instrument, the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)and tracking support using the Deep Space Network (DSN) ground stations. The United Kingdom s Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) provides the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer. The Solar-A mission will study solar flares using a cluster of instruments on a satellite in a 600 km altitude, 31 degree inclination circular orbit. The emphasis of the mission is on imaging and spectroscopy of hard and soft X-rays. The principal instruments are a pair of X-ray imaging instruments, one for the hard X-ray range and one for the soft X-ray range. The Hard X-Ray Telescope (HXT), provided by ISAS, operates in the energy range of 10-100 keV and uses an array of modulation collimators to record Fourier transform images of the non-thermal and hot plasmas that are formed during the early phases of a flare. These images are thought to be intimately associated with the sites of primary energy release. The Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT), jointly provided by NASA and ISAS, operates in the wavelength range of 3-50 Angstroms and uses a grazing incidence mirror to form direct images of the lower temperature (but still very hot) plasmas that form as the solar atmosphere responds to the injection of energy. The SXT instrument is a joint development effort between the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. The U.S. effort also involves Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Hawaii, who provide support in the areas of theory, data analysis and interpretation, and ground-based observations. The hard and soft X-ray telescopes both have an alignment sensor, operating in the visual region of the spectrum, to provide co-alignment information.

76 FR 1197 - Arizona Public Service Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station; Notice of Availability of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-07

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. 50-528, 50-529, 50-530; NRC-2009-0012] Arizona Public Service Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station; Notice of Availability of the Final Supplement 43... of operation for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS). Possible alternatives to the...

Shared medical appointments: promoting weight loss in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Palaniappan, Latha P; Muzaffar, Amy L; Wang, Elsie J; Wong, Eric C; Orchard, Trevor J

2011-01-01

Shared medical appointments (SMAs) are 90-minute group appointments for patients with similar medical complaints. SMAs include components of a traditional office visit but provide further emphasis on health education. The effectiveness of SMAs on weight-loss in an outpatient setting has not been studied. Weight-loss SMAs were offered by one physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Teaching content included Diabetes Prevention Program materials. This analysis includes patients who attended at least one SMA (n = 74) compared with patients in the same physician's practice who had at least one office visit and a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m(2) (n = 356). The SMA group had a higher proportion of women than the comparison group (76% vs 64%) and were older (mean, 52.4 years; SD, 13.1 years vs mean, 47.0 years; SD, 13.3 years). SMA patients on average lost 1.0% of their baseline weight. Patients in the comparison group on average gained 0.8% of their baseline weight. SMAs may be a viable option for physicians to promote weight loss in the clinical setting.

Media exposure and dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: differential associations with PTSD symptom clusters.

PubMed

Collimore, Kelsey C; McCabe, Randi E; Carleton, R Nicholas; Asmundson, Gordon J G

2008-08-01

The present investigation examined the impact of anxiety sensitivity (AS) and media exposure on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Reactions from 143 undergraduate students in Hamilton, Ontario were assessed in the Fall of 2003 to gather information on anxiety, media coverage, and PTSD symptoms related to exposure to a remote traumatic event (September 11th). Regression analyses revealed that the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; [Peterson, R. A., & Reiss, S. (1992). Anxiety Sensitivity Index manual, 2nd ed. Worthington, Ohio: International Diagnostic Systems]) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory trait form (STAI-T; [Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). State-trait anxiety inventory. Palo Alto, California: Consulting Psychologists Press]) total scores were significant predictors of PTSD symptoms in general. The ASI total score was also a significant predictor of hyperarousal and avoidance symptoms. Subsequent analyses further demonstrated differential relationships based on subscales and symptom clusters. Specifically, media exposure and trait anxiety predicted hyperarousal and re-experiencing symptoms, whereas the ASI fear of somatic sensations subscale significantly predicted avoidance and overall PTSD symptoms. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

KSC-97pc713

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-25

The GOES-K weather satellite lifts off from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) at 1:49 a.m. EDT April 25. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The advanced weather satellite was built and launched for NOAA under technical guidance and project management by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Once it is in geosynchronous orbit at 22,240 miles above the Earth’s equator at 105 degrees West Longitude and undergoes its final checkout, the GOES-K will be designated GOES-10. The primary objective of the GOES-K launch is to provide a full-capability satellite in an on-orbit storage condition to assure NOAA backup continuity in weather coverage of the Earth in case one of the existing two operational GOES satellites now in orbit begins to malfunction

KSC-97pc716

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-25

The GOES-K weather satellite lifts off from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) at 1:49 a.m. EDT April 25. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The advanced weather satellite was built and launched for NOAA under technical guidance and project management by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Once it is in geosynchronous orbit at 22,240 miles above the Earth’s equator at 105 degrees West Longitude and undergoes its final checkout, the GOES-K will be designated GOES-10. The primary objective of the GOES-K launch is to provide a full-capability satellite in an on-orbit storage condition to assure NOAA backup continuity in weather coverage of the Earth in case one of the existing two operational GOES satellites now in orbit begins to malfunction

KSC-97pc714

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-25

The GOES-K weather satellite lifts off from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) at 1:49 a.m. EDT April 25. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The advanced weather satellite was built and launched for NOAA under technical guidance and project management by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Once it is in geosynchronous orbit at 22,240 miles above the Earth’s equator at 105 degrees West Longitude and undergoes its final checkout, the GOES-K will be designated GOES-10. The primary objective of the GOES-K launch is to provide a full-capability satellite in an on-orbit storage condition to assure NOAA backup continuity in weather coverage of the Earth in case one of the existing two operational GOES satellites now in orbit begins to malfunction

KSC-97pc712

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-25

The GOES-K weather satellite lifts off from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) at 1:49 a.m. EDT April 25. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The advanced weather satellite was built and launched for NOAA under technical guidance and project management by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Once it is in geosynchronous orbit at 22,240 miles above the Earth’s equator at 105 degrees West Longitude and undergoes its final checkout, the GOES-K will be designated GOES-10. The primary objective of the GOES-K launch is to provide a full-capability satellite in an on-orbit storage condition to assure NOAA backup continuity in weather coverage of the Earth in case one of the existing two operational GOES satellites now in orbit begins to malfunction

KSC-97pc715

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-25

The GOES-K weather satellite lifts off from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) at 1:49 a.m. EDT April 25. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The advanced weather satellite was built and launched for NOAA under technical guidance and project management by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Once it is in geosynchronous orbit at 22,240 miles above the Earth’s equator at 105 degrees West Longitude and undergoes its final checkout, the GOES-K will be designated GOES-10. The primary objective of the GOES-K launch is to provide a full-capability satellite in an on-orbit storage condition to assure NOAA backup continuity in weather coverage of the Earth in case one of the existing two operational GOES satellites now in orbit begins to malfunction

The strategic role of electric vehicles

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

Balzhiser, R.E.; Bryson, J.E

Electric vehicles could become one of the hottest items in the international marketplace within the next five years, say two electric-utility officials. Richard E. Balzhiser, president of the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California, and John E. Bryson, chief executive officer of Southern California Edison Company in Rosemead, California, say the opportunity is there. They strongly urge the electric utility industry to join with policy makers, urban planners, and environmentalists in seizing this historic opportunity: [open quotes]Electric transportation is the preferred mode for the future, not only for its direct environmental advantages but also for its broader valuemore » to the economy and national security,[close quotes] they claim. Acknowledging that the limitation of present batteries is the biggest technological handicap to widespread use of electric vehicles, they predict significant improvements over the next few years, thanks in part to the newly formed U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium. Government support will be vital in successfully launching a vital and self-sustaining electric-vehicle market, they say. But such support, they add, is fully justified.« less

Quantifying MLI Thermal Conduction in Cryogenic Applications from Experimental Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, R. G., Jr.

2015-12-01

Multilayer Insulation (MLI) uses stacks of low-emittance metalized sheets combined with low-conduction spacer features to greatly reduce the heat transfer to cryogenic applications from higher temperature surrounds. However, as the hot-side temperature decreases from room temperature to cryogenic temperatures, the level of radiant heat transfer drops as the fourth power of the temperature, while the heat transfer by conduction only falls off linearly. This results in cryogenic MLI being dominated by conduction, a quantity that is extremely sensitive to MLI blanket construction and very poorly quantified in the literature. To develop useful quantitative data on cryogenic blanket conduction, multilayer nonlinear heat transfer models are used to analyze extensive heat transfer data measured by Lockheed Palo Alto on their cryogenic dewar MLI and measured by JPL on their spacecraft MLI. The data-fitting aspect of the modeling allows the radiative and conductive thermal properties of the tested blankets to be explicitly quantified. Results are presented showing that MLI conductance varies by a factor of 600 between spacecraft MLI and Lockheed's best cryogenic MLI.

Are the yips a task-specific dystonia or "golfer's cramp"?

PubMed

Adler, Charles H; Crews, Debra; Kahol, Kanav; Santello, Marco; Noble, Brie; Hentz, Joseph G; Caviness, John N

2011-09-01

This study compared golfers with and without the yips using joint movement and surface electromyographic detectors. Fifty golfers (25 with and 25 without complaints of the yips) were studied while putting. All putts were videotaped. Surface electromyography assessed arm cocontraction. A CyberGlove II (Immersion Technologies, Palo Alto, CA) assessed right-arm angular movements. Primary analysis was done by subjective complaint of the yips, whereas secondary analysis was done by video evidence of an involuntary movement. When grouped by subjective complaints, there were no differences in any movement parameter. When grouped by video evidence of an involuntary movement, yips cases had more (P < 0.001) angular movement in wrist pronation/supination and a trend (P = 0.08) for wrist flexor/extensor cocontraction (yips: 7 of 17, 41.2%; no yips: 6 of 33, 18.2%). Golfers with video evidence of an involuntary movement while putting have excessive rotation of the right wrist in a pronation/supination motion and, as previously reported, a trend for wrist flexor/extensor cocontraction. Copyright © 2011 Movement Disorder Society.

The Vocational Training FacilityAn Interactive Learning Program to Return Persons With Physical Disabilities to Employment.

PubMed

Hammel, J M; Van Der Loos, H F; Lepage, P; Burgar, C; Perkash, I; Shafer, D; Topp, E; Lees, D

1994-01-01

This paper describes the results of the program-development phase of the Vocational Training Facility (VTF) taking place at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center Rehabilitation Research and Development Center. The VTF staff has developed a self-paced, multimedia curriculum comprised of adapted training packages, interactive videos, and additional training and testing materials designed to teach entry-level desktop publishing and reasonable accommodation skills to individuals with spinal cord injuries. The curriculum is taught via the Macintosh™ computer to allow independent, "hands-off" access to training materials. Each student is given an integrated workstation that is equipped with the Desktop Vocational Assistant Robot (De VAR); a set of low-and high-technology assistive hardware, software, and devices; and ergonomic furniture and adaptations customized to fit individual learning and access needs. Each student completes a 12-week, full-time training program followed by a 3-month internship with a local corporate sponsor. This paper summarizes the evaluation results of the VTF program by the first nine students, with spinal cord injuries ranging paraplegia to high-level quadriplegia, who have completed the program.

The Road to IRIS data products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurlburt, N. E.; Title, A. M.; De Pontieu, B.; Lemen, J. R.; Wuelser, J.; Tarbell, T. D.; Wolfson, C. J.; Schrijver, C. J.; Golub, L.; DeLuca, E. E.; Kankelborg, C. C.; Hansteen, V. H.; Carlsson, M.; Bush, R. I.

2013-12-01

The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph generates a complex set of data products that the IRIS team has strived to deliver to the community in forms that are easy to find and use. We review the results of these efforts and invite the community to explore the data and tools. All standard IRIS data products are based on calibrated images are corrected for a variety of instrumental effects. The resulting products are incorporated into the Heliophysics Event Knowledgebase (HEK) as annotated data sets accessible through the HEK Coverage Registry (HCR). Annotations include descriptions of the data products themselves (pointing, field of view, cadence...) as well as references to coordinated observations from the Hinode mission and other observatories, and to solar events identified in the HEK Event Registry (HER). IRIS data products are available at the LMSAL and Stanford (JSOC) data centers in Palo Alto and the Hinode Data Center in Oslo. Portals that can help users to select data products include the LMSAL iSolsearch, the Virtual Solar Observatory and Helioviewer. Supporting analysis software is available in the IRIS branch of SolarSoft.

A randomized evaluation of a computer-based physician's workstation: design considerations and baseline results.

PubMed Central

Rotman, B. L.; Sullivan, A. N.; McDonald, T.; DeSmedt, P.; Goodnature, D.; Higgins, M.; Suermondt, H. J.; Young, C. Y.; Owens, D. K.

1995-01-01

We are performing a randomized, controlled trial of a Physician's Workstation (PWS), an ambulatory care information system, developed for use in the General Medical Clinic (GMC) of the Palo Alto VA. Goals for the project include selecting appropriate outcome variables and developing a statistically powerful experimental design with a limited number of subjects. As PWS provides real-time drug-ordering advice, we retrospectively examined drug costs and drug-drug interactions in order to select outcome variables sensitive to our short-term intervention as well as to estimate the statistical efficiency of alternative design possibilities. Drug cost data revealed the mean daily cost per physician per patient was 99.3 cents +/- 13.4 cents, with a range from 0.77 cent to 1.37 cents. The rate of major interactions per prescription for each physician was 2.9% +/- 1%, with a range from 1.5% to 4.8%. Based on these baseline analyses, we selected a two-period parallel design for the evaluation, which maximized statistical power while minimizing sources of bias. PMID:8563376

IPL vs PDL in treatment of facial erythema: A split-face study.

PubMed

Handler, Marc Z; Bloom, Bradley S; Goldberg, David J

2017-12-01

Lasers and noncoherent intense pulse light sources effectively treat vascular lesions. Intense pulsed light (IPL), a nonablative treatment for photorejuvenation, uses a flashlamp which emits noncoherent light between 400 and 1400 nm. The light may be filtered to target a specific chromophore. The pulsed dye laser (PDL), at 595 nm, has been the historical standard of care in the treatment of facial erythema. We sought to determine whether IPL may be used in lieu of PDL in reducing facial erythema. To determine whether IPL may be used to treat facial erythema with equal efficacy as PDL used at nonpurpuric settings. Prospective investigation of a cohort of 15 subjects with unwanted bilateral facial erythema. Subjects presented for two treatments with an IPL (BBL™ BroadBand Light; Sciton, Palo Alto, CA) to one half of the face and PDL (Cynergy™; Cynosure, Westford, MA) to the other half. Patients with facial erythema may be successfully treated with IPL or PDL. Intense pulsed light and pulsed dye laser with nonpurpuric settings were equally effective in reducing facial erythema. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

76 FR 42725 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Southern California Edison Company...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-19

... Devers-Palo Verde No. 2 Transmission Line Project, California AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior... the Devers-Palo Verde No. 2 Transmission Line Project located in southern California. The Palm Springs..., located near the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix, Arizona. A 50-mile 230-kV...

75 FR 8149 - Arizona Public Service Company, et al. Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-23

...] Arizona Public Service Company, et al. Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3... Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS, the facility), Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively, located in... for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, NUREG- 0841, dated February 1982...

75 FR 13606 - Arizona Public Service Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. STN 50-528, STN 50-529, and STN 50-530; NRC-2010-0114] Arizona Public Service Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Environmental...-74, issued to Arizona Public Service Company (APS, the licensee), for operation of the Palo Verde...

Efficacy of palonosetron and 1-day dexamethasone in moderately emetogenic chemotherapy compared with fosaprepitant, granisetron, and dexamethasone: a prospective randomized crossover study.

PubMed

Kitayama, Hiromitsu; Tsuji, Yasushi; Sugiyama, Junko; Doi, Ayako; Kondo, Tomohiro; Hirayama, Michiaki

2015-12-01

Although palonosetron (PALO) and NK1 receptor antagonist both reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, no comparison trial in moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) had been reported. The purpose of this study was to find out which drug combinations are preferable for patients receiving MEC. Chemotherapy-naive patients receiving MEC were randomized to two groups; group A first received PALO therapy [PALO plus 1-day dexamethasone (DEX)], and group B first received fosaprepitant (FAPR) therapy [FAPR, granisetron (GRAN), and DEX]. Patients were re-allocated to the other therapy, respectively, for the second cycle of chemotherapy. We administered intravenous PALO (0.75 mg) and DEX (9.9 mg) to the PALO therapy group, and FAPR (150 mg), DEX (4.95 mg), and GRAN (3 mg) to the FAPR therapy group, on Day 1. Complete response (CR) was the primary endpoint; complete control (CC), total control (CT), and the therapy chosen by the patients for their third and following cycles of antiemetic therapy were the secondary endpoints. We evaluated CR, CC, and TC in the acute phase, in the delayed phase, and over the whole period. A total of 35 patients and 70 cycles of therapy was evaluable for analysis. No significant difference was found at all evaluation points. Overall CR rates for PALO and FAPR therapy were 74 vs 69 % (P = 0.567), CC rates 66 vs 69 % (P = 0.521), and TC rates 46 vs 60 % (P = 0.235), respectively. Patients also showed no clear preference for their third and following cycles of chemotherapy, choosing both regimens almost equally often (PALO 10 vs FAPR 13). PALO and 1-day DEX is almost equivalent to FAPR, GRAN, and DEX for MEC.

A polymeric sealant inhibits anastomotic suture hole bleeding more rapidly than gelfoam/thrombin: results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Glickman, Marc; Gheissari, Ali; Money, Samuel; Martin, John; Ballard, Jeffrey L

2002-03-01

An experimental polymeric sealant (CoSeal [Cohesion Technologies, Palo Alto, Calif]) provides equivalent anastomotic sealing to Gelfoam (Upjohn, Kalamazoo, Mich)/thrombin during surgical placement of prosthetic vascular grafts. Randomized controlled trial. Nine university-affiliated medical centers. One hundred forty-eight patients scheduled for implantation of polytetrafluoroethylene grafts, mainly for infrainguinal revascularization procedures or the creation of dialysis access shunts, who were treated randomly with either an experimental intervention (n = 74) or control (n = 74). Following polytetrafluoroethylene graft placement, anastomotic suture hole bleeding was treated intraoperatively in all control subjects with Gelfoam/thrombin. Subjects in the experimental group had the polymeric sealant applied directly to the suture lines without concomitant manual compression. Primary treatment success was defined as the proportion of subjects in each group that achieved complete anastomotic sealing within 10 minutes. The proportion of subjects that achieved immediate sealing and the time required to fully inhibit suture hole bleeding also were compared between treatment groups. Overall 10-minute sealing success was equivalent (86% vs 80%; P =.29) between experimental and control subjects, respectively. However, subjects treated with CoSeal achieved immediate anastomotic sealing at more than twice the rate of subjects treated with Gelfoam/thrombin (47% vs 20%; P<.001). Consequently, the median time needed to inhibit bleeding in control subjects was more than 10 times longer than for experimental subjects (16.5 seconds vs 189.0 seconds; P =.01). Strikingly similar findings for all comparisons were observed separately for subgroups of subjects having infrainguinal bypass grafting and for those undergoing placement of dialysis access shunts. The experimental sealant offers equivalent anastomotic sealing performance compared with Gelfoam/thrombin, but it provides this desired effect in a significantly more rapid time frame.

Comparison of 2 wavefront-guided excimer lasers for myopic laser in situ keratomileusis: one-year results.

PubMed

Yu, Charles Q; Manche, Edward E

2014-03-01

To compare laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) outcomes between 2 wavefront-guided excimer laser systems in the treatment of myopia. University eye clinic, Palo Alto, California, USA. Prospective comparative case series. One eye of patients was treated with the Allegretto Wave Eye-Q system (small-spot scanning laser) and the fellow eye with the Visx Star Customvue S4 IR system (variable-spot scanning laser). Evaluations included measurement of uncorrected visual acuity, corrected visual acuity, and wavefront aberrometry. One hundred eyes (50 patients) were treated. The mean preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) refraction was -3.89 diopters (D) ± 1.67 (SD) and -4.18 ± 1.73 D in the small-spot scanning laser group and variable-spot scanning laser group, respectively. There were no significant differences in preoperative higher-order aberrations (HOAs) between the groups. Twelve months postoperatively, all eyes in the small-spot scanning laser group and 92% in the variable-spot scanning laser group were within ±0.50 D of the intended correction (P = .04). At that time, the small-spot scanning laser group had significantly less spherical aberration (0.12 versus 0.15) (P = .04) and significantly less mean total higher-order root mean square (0.33 μm versus 0.40 μm) (P = .01). Subjectively, patients reported that the clarity of night and day vision was significantly better in the eye treated with the small-spot scanning laser. The predictability and self-reported clarity of vision of wavefront-guided LASIK were better with the small-spot scanning laser. Eyes treated with the small-spot scanning laser had significantly fewer HOAs. Copyright © 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Telemedicine in pediatric cardiac critical care.

PubMed

Munoz, Ricardo A; Burbano, Nelson H; Motoa, María V; Santiago, Gabriel; Klevemann, Matthew; Casilli, Jeanne

2012-03-01

To describe our international telemedicine experience in pediatric cardiac critical care. This is a case series of pediatric patients teleassisted from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, to the CICU at Hospital Valle del Lili, Cali, Valle, Colombia, between March and December 2010. An attending intensivist from the CICU in Pittsburgh reviewed cases, monitored real-time vital signs, and gave formal medical advice as requested by the attending physician in Cali. The network connection is a Cisco (San Jose, CA)-based Secure Sockets Layer virtual private network via the Internet that allows access to the web-based interface of the Dräger(®) (Lübeck, Germany) physiological monitor system. The videoconferencing equipment consists of a standard component on a custom-made mobile cart that uses an APC(®) (West Kingston, RI) uninterruptible power supply for portable power and 3Com(®) (Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CA) for wireless connectivity. A post-intervention survey regarding satisfaction with the telemedicine service was conducted. Seventy-one recommendations were given regarding 53 patients. Median age and weight were 10 months and 7.1 kg, respectively. Ventricular septal defect, transposition of the great vessels, and single ventricle accounted for most cases. The most frequent recommendations were related to surgical conduct, management of arrhythmias, and performance of cardiac catheterization studies. No technical difficulties were experienced during the monitoring of the patients. Satisfaction rates were equally high for technical and medical aspects of telemedicine service. Telemedicine is a feasible option for pediatric intensivists seeking experienced assistance in the management of complex cardiac patients. Real-time remote assistance may improve the medical care of pediatric cardiac patients treated in developing countries.

Community-Based Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning Documentation: Evidence from a Multispecialty Group.

PubMed

Tai-Seale, Ming; Yang, Yan; Dillon, Ellis; Tapper, Sharon; Lai, Steve; Yu, Peter; Allore, Heather; Ritchie, Christine

2018-02-01

With the growing public demand for access to critical health data across care settings, it is essential that advance care planning (ACP) information be included in the electronic health record (EHR) so that multiple clinicians can access it and understand individuals' preferences for end-of-life care. Community-based palliative care programs often incorporate ACP services. This study examined whether a community-based palliative care program is associated with digitally extractable ACP documentation in the EHR. Observational study using propensity score-weighted generalized estimation equations to examine patterns of digitally extractable ACP documentation. Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), a multispecialty ambulatory healthcare system in northern California. Individuals aged 65 and older with serious illnesses between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014 (N = 3,444). Community-based palliative care program in PAMF. Digitally extractable ACP in EHR. We found that only 14% (n = 483) of individuals with serious illnesses had digitally extractable ACP in electronic health records. Of the 6% of individuals receiving palliative care, 65% had ACP, versus 11% of those not receiving palliative care. Study results showed a strong positive association between palliative care and ACP. Only a small percentage of individuals with serious illnesses had ACP documentation in the EHR. Individuals with serious illnesses infrequently used palliative care delivered by board-certified palliative care specialists. Palliative care service use was associated with higher rates of ACP after controlling for organizational and individual characteristics using a propensity score weighting method. Scalable interventions targeted at non-palliative care clinicians for universal access to ACP are needed. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

75 FR 51498 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplement 43 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-20

... Nuclear Plants, and Public Meetings for the License Renewal of Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Stations..., NPF-51 and NPF-74 for an additional 20 years of operation for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station... NRC by e-mail at PaloVerde[email protected] . All comments received by the Commission, including those made...

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Palo Duro Homes — Palo Duro Homes, Albuquerque, NM

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

none,

2014-09-01

This builder was honored for Most DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes Built in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards. By July 2014, Palo Duro had completed 152 homes since the program began in 2013 (under the original program title DOE Challenge Home), all of them certified to the stringent efficiency requirements of DOE’s Zero Energy Ready Home program.

First Global Observations of the Interstellar Interaction from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McComas, D. J.

2009-12-01

The Sun moves through the local interstellar medium, continuously emitting ionized, supersonic solar wind plasma and carving out a cavity in interstellar space, called the heliosphere. The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has just completed the first all-sky maps of the interstellar interaction at the edge of the heliosphere, by imaging energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) emanating from this region. IBEX all-sky maps and energy spectra provide detailed information about the interaction. Our observations show globally distributed fluxes ordered by the solar wind structure, which are superposed by another, unexpected feature, which is neither seen by the Voyager spacecraft nor predicted by any current model or theory. This talk summarizes the IBEX observations, shares our unexpected results, and discusses some of the possible ideas for what may be missing in our current understanding of the heliosphere’s global interaction. IBEX Science Team: D.J. McComas1,2, F. Allegrini1,2, P. Bochsler3, M. Bzowski4, E.R. Christian5, G.B. Crew6, R. DeMajistre7, H. Fahr8, H. Fichtner9, P.C. Frisch10, H.O. Funsten11, S. A. Fuselier12, G. Gloeckler13, M. Gruntman14, J. Heerikhuisen15, V. Izmodenov16, P. Janzen17, P. Knappenberger18, S. Krimigis7,19, H. Kucharek20, M. Lee20, G. Livadiotis1, S. Livi1,2, R.J. MacDowall5, D. Mitchell7, E. Möbius20, T. Moore5, N.V. Pogorelov15, D. Reisenfeld17, E. Roelof7, L. Saul3, N.A. Schwadron21, P.W. Valek1,2, R. Vanderspek6, P. Wurz3, G.P. Zank15 (1)Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA (2) University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA (3)University of Bern, Physikalisches Institut, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland (4)Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland (5)NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA (6)Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA (7)Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA (8)University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany (9)Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Bochum, Germany (10)University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA (11)Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA (12)Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA (13)University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA (14)University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (15)University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL, USA (16) Moscow State University; Space Research Institute (IKI) and Institute for Problems in Mechanics Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia (17)University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA (18)Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL, USA (19)Office for Space Research and Technology, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece (20)University of New Hampshire, Space Science Center, Durham, NH, USA (21) Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

Private payer telehealth reimbursement in the United States.

PubMed

Antoniotti, Nina M; Drude, Kenneth P; Rowe, Nancy

2014-06-01

Significant information is available about government-reimbursed telehealth services such as Medicare and Medicaid across the United States. Although currently 20 states mandate reimbursement for telehealth services and some private insurers have voluntarily covered those services in other states, relatively little is known about telehealth provider experiences with reimbursement from private insurance payers. To investigate this, the American Telemedicine Association's (ATA's) Telemental Health Special Interest Group (SIG), the Policy Group, and the Business and Finance SIG, with the help of ATA staff, conducted a national private payer reimbursement online survey in 2012 using Survey Monkey™ (Palo Alto, CA) ( www.surveymonkey.com/ ). Survey responses were received from respondents in 46 of the 50 states. The survey found that telehealth services are being reimbursed by private payers but that progress in reimbursement has been relatively slow compared with earlier surveys. Key findings from this study were that government payers as well as several major private payers are highly influential in payment policies for telehealth private payers, that private payers have administrative rules regarding telehealth reimbursement that are barriers to services and reimbursement, and that some providers would benefit from being better informed about billing and coding for telehealth services and how to advocate for telehealth services reimbursement.

Effect of the thermoplastic masks on dose distribution in the build-up region for photon beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Półtorak, Michał; Fujak, Edyta; Kukołowicz, Paweł

2016-03-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of thermoplastic masks material (Klarity Medical&Equipment Co., Guangzhou, China) with different diameters of holes (ϕ 0.25 cm and ϕ 0.40 cm) on the dose distribution in the build-up region for photon beams. Measurements were made for external radiation beams produced by the linear accelerator (TrueBeam, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA) using the Markus parallel plane ionization chamber and the Unidos electrometer (both from PTW, Freiburg, Germany). Measurements were made in a solid water phantom for two photon energies 6 MV and 15 MV, at 90 cm source to skin distance, for four fields of 5 cm × 5 cm, 10 cm × 10 cm, 15 cm × 15 cm and 20 cm × 20 cm. Compared to the open field, the maximum dose with mask was closer to the surface of the phantom by about 1.4 mm and 1.2 mm for 6 MV and 15 MV X-Rays, respectively. The surface dose increase from 10% to 42% for 6 MV and from 5% to 28% for 15 MV X-Rays.

Seasonal variation of acute toxoplasmic lymphadenopathy in the United States.

PubMed

Contopoulos-Ioannidis, D; Talucod, J; Maldonado, Y; Montoya, J G

2015-07-01

We describe the seasonal variation of acute toxoplasmosis in the United States. Acute toxoplasmic lymphadenopathy (ATL) can be a surrogate of acute toxoplasmosis in patients in whom the date of onset of lymphadenopathy matches the window of acute infection predicted by serological tests performed at a reference laboratory. We used the electronic database of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory (PAMF-TSL) (1997-2011) to identify cases of ATL. We tested the uniformity of distribution of ATL cases per month, across the 12 calendar months, using circular statistics uniformity tests. We identified 112 consecutive cases of ATL. The distribution of cases was not uniform across the 12 calendar months. We observed the highest peak of cases in December and a second highest peak in September. Similar months were identified in patients with acute toxoplasmosis in rural areas in France. The results were similar when we performed weighted analyses, weighting for the total number of Toxoplasma gondii IgG tests performed per month in the PAMF-TSL laboratory. This is the largest study to date of the seasonal variation of ATL in the United States. Physicians should advise high-risk individuals to avoid risk factors associated with T. gondii infections especially around those months.

High resolution studies of sunspots and flux tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Title, Alan

1994-01-01

This contract is for a three-year research study of sunspots and magnetic flux tubes in the solar atmosphere, using tunable filter images collected with a CCD camera during observing runs at the Canary Islands observatories in Spain. The best observations are analyzed and compared with theoretical models, to study the structure and dynamics of sunspots, their connections with surrounding magnetic fields, and the properties and evolution of smaller flux tubes in plage and quiet sun. Scientific results are reported at conferences and published in the appropriate journals. The contract is being performed by the Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, part of the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory (LPARL) of the Research and Development Division (RDD) of Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., Inc. (LMSC). The principal investigator is Dr. Alan Title, and the research is done by him and other scientific staff at LPARL and Solar Physics Research Corporation (SPRC), often in collaboration with visiting scientists and students from other institutions. Highlights during this reporting period include completing the final version of a paper on the Evershed effect, writing a paper on magnetic diffusion, continuing work on contrast of small flux tubes, and work on the development of new models to interpret our sunspots observations.

Can a commercial gel dosimetry system be used to verify stereotactic spinal radiotherapy treatment dose distributions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kairn, T.; Asena, A.; Crowe, S. B.; Livingstone, A.; Papworth, D.; Smith, S.; Sutherland, B.; Sylvander, S.; Franich, R. D.; Trapp, J. V.

2017-05-01

This study investigated the use of the TruView xylenol-orange-based gel and VISTA optical CT scanner (both by Modus Medical Inc, London, Canada), for use in verifying the accuracy of planned dose distributions for hypo-fractionated (stereotactic) vertebral treatments. Gel measurements were carried out using three stereotactic vertebral treatments and compared with planned doses calculated using the Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, USA) as well as with film measurements made using Gafchromic EBT3 film (Ashland Inc, Covington, USA), to investigate the accuracy of the gel system. The gel was calibrated with reference to a moderate-dose gradient region in one of the gel samples. Generally, the gel measurements were able to approximate the close agreement between the doses calculated by the treatment planning system and the doses measured using film (which agreed with each other within 2%), despite lower resolution and bit depth. Poorer agreement was observed when the dose delivered to the gel exceeded the range of doses delivered in the calibration region. This commercial gel dosimetry system may be used to verify hypo-fractionated treatments of vertebral targets, although separate gel calibration measurements are recommended.

Tumor Volume Is a Prognostic Factor in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Chemoradiotherapy

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

Alexander, Brian M.; Othus, Megan; Caglar, Hale B.

2011-04-01

Purpose: To investigate whether primary tumor and nodal volumes defined on radiotherapy planning scans are correlated with outcome (survival and recurrence) after combined-modality treatment. Methods and Materials: A retrospective review of patients with Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer treated with chemoradiation at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute from 2000 to 2006 was performed. Tumor and nodal volume measurements, as computed by Eclipse (Varian, Palo Alto, CA), were used as independent variables, along with existing clinical factors, in univariate and multivariate analyses for association with outcomes. Results: For patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy, both nodal volume (hazard ratio [HR], 1.09;more » p < 0.01) and tumor volume (HR, 1.03; p < 0.01) were associated with overall survival on multivariate analysis. Both nodal volume (HR, 1.10; p < 0.01) and tumor volume (HR, 1.04; p < 0.01) were also associated with local control but not distant metastases. Conclusions: In addition to traditional surgical staging variables, disease burden, measured by primary tumor and nodal metastases volume, provides information that may be helpful in determining prognosis and identifying groups of patients for which more aggressive local therapy is warranted.« less

Visual symptomatology and referral patterns for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans with traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Bulson, Ryan; Jun, Weon; Hayes, John

2012-01-01

Advances in protective armor technology and changes in the "patterns of war" have created a population of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) that provide a unique challenge to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare practitioners. The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of symptomatic ocular and visual sequelae of TBI in OIF/OEF veterans at the Portland VA Medical Center, a Polytrauma Support Clinic Team site. A retrospective analysis of 100 OIF/OEF veterans with TBI was conducted to determine the prevalence of ocular and visual complaints. Referral patterns were also investigated. Visual symptoms were reported in approximately 50% of veterans with TBI. Loss of consciousness, but not number of deployments or number of blast exposures, was found to have a statistically significant association with severity of reported visual symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms included blurred vision (67%), photosensitivity (50%), and accommodative problems (40%). Visual symptoms of OIF/OEF veterans at the Portland VA Medical Center are reported at slightly lower rates than similar studies conducted at the Palo Alto and Edward Hines Jr VA facilities.

Program development and defining characteristics of returning military in a VA Polytrauma Network Site.

PubMed

Lew, Henry L; Poole, John H; Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Goodrich, Gregory L; Dekelboum, Sharon; Guillory, Sylvia B; Sigford, Barbara; Cifu, David X

2007-01-01

The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a new generation of combat survivors with complex physical injuries and emotional trauma. This article reports the initial implementation of the Polytrauma Network Site (PNS) clinic, which is a key component of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma System of Care and serves military personnel returning from combat. The PNS clinic in Palo Alto, California, is described to demonstrate the VA healthcare system's evolving effort to meet the clinical needs of this population. We summarize the following features of this interdisciplinary program: (1) sequential assessment, from initial traumatic brain injury screening throughout our catchment area to evaluation by the PNS clinic team, and (2) clinical evaluation results for the first 62 clinic patients. In summary, this population shows a high prevalence of postconcussion symptoms, posttraumatic stress, poor cognitive performance, head and back pain, auditory and visual symptoms, and problems with dizziness or balance. An anonymous patient feedback survey, which we used to fine-tune the clinic process, reflected high satisfaction with this new program. We hope that the lessons learned at one site will enhance the identification and treatment of veterans with polytrauma across the country.

How Do We Communicate Both the Knowns and Unknowns of Climate Change?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, P.; Selin, C.; Garfinkle, R.

2011-12-01

The overwhelming consensus amongst climatologists is that anthropogenic climate change is underway, but leading climate scientists also anticipate that over the next 20 years research will only modestly reduce the uncertainty about where, when and by how much climate will change. Uncertainty about these aspects of climate change and their impacts presents not only scientific challenges but social, political and economic quandaries as well. The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) in partnership with the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University, the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota, and the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, CA proposes to create a major national touring science exhibition that focuses both on informing the public on what is known about climate change and on how to plan for the future in light of the uncertainties identified above. The scientific and educational communities understand that climate change will test the resilience of societies especially because of the uncertainties regarding where, when and by how much climate will change. Yet the civic space for such conversations is circumscribed. Various interest groups are actively engaged in sowing doubt and confusion in the public's mind about the existence of anthropogenic climate change. Consequently, some in the scientific community find the mention of uncertainty in association with climate change as an anathema because of concerns about potentially eroding public understanding and acceptance of the reality of anthropogenic climate change. SMM and its partners are interested in the perspectives of the scientific community with respect to the proposed exhibition. This session will engage participants in a dialog around a number of questions: How should we discuss the uncertainties of climate change while still communicating the scientific consensus on climate change? How do we gain the confidence of the scientific community to get the balance right between the reality of climate change and the uncertainty of how it will manifest itself? How might this project help reopen the presently stifled U.S. civic conversation about climate change? SMM and its partners seek your insights into these and other critical climate change education questions.

Cost-utility and budget impact analyses of the use of NEPA for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting prophylaxis in Italy

PubMed Central

Restelli, Umberto; Saibene, Gabriella; Nardulli, Patrizia; Di Turi, Roberta; Bonizzoni, Erminio; Scolari, Francesca; Perrone, Tania; Croce, Davide; Celio, Luigi

2017-01-01

Objective To evaluate the efficiency of resources allocation and sustainability of the use of netupitant+palonosetron (NEPA) for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) prophylaxis assuming the Italian National Health Service (NHS) perspective. A published Markov model was adapted to assess the incremental cost-utility ratio of NEPA compared with aprepitant (APR) + palonosetron (PALO), fosaprepitant (fAPR) + PALO, APR + ondansetron (ONDA), fAPR + ONDA in patients receiving a highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) and with APR + PALO and fAPR + PALO in patients receiving a moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). Setting Oncology hospital department in Italy. Methods A Markov model was used to determine the impact of NEPA on the budget of the Italian NHS on a 5-day time horizon, corresponding to the acute and delayed CINV prophylaxis phases. Direct medical costs considered were related to antiemetic drugs, adverse events management, CINV episodes management. Clinical and quality of life data referred to previously published works. The budget impact analysis considered the aforementioned therapies plus PALO alone (for HEC and MEC) on a 5-year time horizon, comparing two scenarios: one considering the use of NEPA and one not considering its use. Primary and secondary outcome measures Incremental cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) and differential economic impact for the Italian NHS between the two scenarios considered. Results NEPA is more effective and less expensive (dominant) compared with APR + PALO (for HEC and MEC), fAPR + PALO (for HEC and MEC), APR + ONDA (for HEC), fAPR + ONDA (for HEC). The use of NEPA would lead to a 5-year cost decrease of €63.7 million (€42.7 million for HEC and €20.9 million for MEC). Conclusions NEPA allows an efficient allocation of resources for the Italian NHS and it is sustainable, leading to a cost decrease compared with a scenario which does not consider its use. PMID:28765126

Streamflow gains and losses along San Francisquito Creek and characterization of surface-water and ground-water quality, southern San Mateo and northern Santa Clara counties, California, 1996-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metzger, Loren F.

2002-01-01

San Francisquito Creek is an important source of recharge to the 22-square-mile San Francisquito Creek alluvial fan ground-water subbasin in the southern San Mateo and northern Santa Clara Counties of California. Ground water supplies as much as 20 percent of the water to some area communities. Local residents are concerned that infiltration and consequently ground-water recharge would be reduced if additional flood-control measures are implemented along San Francisquito Creek. To improve the understanding of the surface-water/ground-water interaction between San Francisquito Creek and the San Francisquito Creek alluvial fan, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated streamflow gains and losses along San Francisquito Creek and determined the chemical quality and isotopic composition of surface and ground water in the study area.Streamflow was measured at 13 temporary streamflow-measurement stations to determine streamflow gains and losses along a 8.4-mile section of San Francisquito Creek. A series of five seepage runs between April 1996 and May 1997 indicate that losses in San Francisquito Creek were negligible until it crossed the Pulgas Fault at Sand Hill Road. Streamflow losses increased between Sand Hill Road and Middlefield Road where the alluvial deposits are predominantly coarse-grained and the water table is below the bottom of the channel. The greatest streamflow losses were measured along a 1.8-mile section of the creek between the San Mateo Drive bike bridge and Middlefield Road; average losses between San Mateo Drive and Alma Street and from there to Middlefield Road were 3.1 and 2.5 acre-feet per day, respectively.Downstream from Middlefield Road, streamflow gains and losses owing to seepage may be masked by urban runoff, changes in bank storage, and tidal effects from San Francisco Bay. Streamflow gains measured between Middlefield Road and the 1200 block of Woodland Avenue may be attributable to urban runoff and (or) ground-water inflow. Water-level measurements from nearby wells indicate that the regional water table may coincide with the channel bottom along this reach of San Francisquito Creek, particularly during the winter and early spring when water levels usually reach their maximum. Streamflow losses resumed below the 1200 block of Woodland Avenue, extending downstream to Newell Road. Discharge from a large storm drain between Newell Road and East Bayshore Road may account for the streamflow gains measured between these sites. Streamflow gains were measured between East Bayshore Road and the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, but this reach is difficult to characterize because of the probable influence of high tides.Estimated average streamflow losses totaled approximately 1,050 acre-feet per year for the reaches between USGS stream gage 11164500 at Stanford University (upstream of Junipero Serra Boulevard) and the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, including approximately 595 acre-feet per year for the 1.8-mile section between San Mateo Drive and Middlefield Road. Approximately 58 percent, or 550 acre-feet, of the total estimated average annual recharge from San Francisquito Creek occurs between the San Mateo Drive and Middlefield Road sites.The chemical composition of San Francisquito Creek water varies as a function of seasonal changes in hydrologic conditions. Measurements of specific conductance indicate that during dry weather and low flow, the dissolved-solids concentrations tends to be high, and during wet weather, the concentration tends to be low owing to dilution by surface water. Compared with water samples from upstream sites at USGS stream gage 11164500 and San Mateo Drive, the samples from the downstream sites at Alma Street and Woodland Avenue had low specific conductance; low concentrations of magnesium, sodium, sulfate, chloride, boron, and total dissolved solids; high nutrient concentrations; and light isotopic compositions indicating that urban runoff constitutes most of the streamflow

Palo Verde College Facts, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palo Verde Coll., Blythe, CA.

This is a 2001 report on Palo Verde College (PVC) (California) student demographics, enrollment status, citizenship, educational goals, and academic persistence. Student data were collected and analyzed to meet accrediting standards, improve institutional effectiveness, and fulfill the local district's mission. The report discusses enrollment…

Control of nausea with palonosetron versus granisetron, both combined with dexamethasone, in patients receiving cisplatin- or anthracycline plus cyclophosphamide-based regimens.

PubMed

Kubota, Kaoru; Saito, Mitsue; Aogi, Kenjiro; Sekine, Ikuo; Yoshizawa, Hirohisa; Yanagita, Yasuhiro; Sakai, Hiroshi; Inoue, Kenichi; Kitagawa, Chiyoe; Ogura, Takashi

2016-09-01

In a comparative phase 3 study involving 1114 Japanese patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC), palonosetron (PALO) was found to be superior to granisetron (GRA) for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in the delayed phase. This post hoc analysis of the phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy of PALO for the control of nausea. The proportion of patients without nausea was assessed at 24-h intervals during the acute phase (0-24 h), delayed phase (24-120 h), and overall (0-120 h). No nausea rates were also evaluated by sex, type of chemotherapy (cisplatin or doxorubicin/epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide [AC/EC]), and age (<55 vs. ≥55 years). Nausea severity was categorized using a 4-point Likert scale (0 = no nausea to 3 = severe nausea). The proportion of patients without nausea was significantly higher in the PALO arm than in the GRA arm in the delayed phase (37.8 % vs. 27.2 %; p = 0.002) and overall (31.9 % vs. 25.0 %; p = 0.0117). When analyzed by stratification factors, the proportion of patients without nausea was significantly higher in the PALO arm in the delayed phase and overall in patients who were female, younger, or treated with cisplatin and in the delayed phase in patients who were older or treated with doxorubicin or epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide (all p < 0.05). PALO was more effective than GRA in prophylaxis of HEC-induced nausea in the delayed phase and overall. In addition, PALO was more effective than GRA in young and female patients, who are at high risk of CINV, both in the delayed phase and overall.

Cost-utility and budget impact analyses of the use of NEPA for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting prophylaxis in Italy.

PubMed

Restelli, Umberto; Saibene, Gabriella; Nardulli, Patrizia; Di Turi, Roberta; Bonizzoni, Erminio; Scolari, Francesca; Perrone, Tania; Croce, Davide; Celio, Luigi

2017-08-01

To evaluate the efficiency of resources allocation and sustainability of the use of netupitant+palonosetron (NEPA) for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) prophylaxis assuming the Italian National Health Service (NHS) perspective. A published Markov model was adapted to assess the incremental cost-utility ratio of NEPA compared with aprepitant (APR) + palonosetron (PALO), fosaprepitant (fAPR) + PALO, APR + ondansetron (ONDA), fAPR + ONDA in patients receiving a highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) and with APR + PALO and fAPR + PALO in patients receiving a moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). Oncology hospital department in Italy. A Markov model was used to determine the impact of NEPA on the budget of the Italian NHS on a 5-day time horizon, corresponding to the acute and delayed CINV prophylaxis phases. Direct medical costs considered were related to antiemetic drugs, adverse events management, CINV episodes management. Clinical and quality of life data referred to previously published works. The budget impact analysis considered the aforementioned therapies plus PALO alone (for HEC and MEC) on a 5-year time horizon, comparing two scenarios: one considering the use of NEPA and one not considering its use. Incremental cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) and differential economic impact for the Italian NHS between the two scenarios considered. NEPA is more effective and less expensive (dominant) compared with APR + PALO (for HEC and MEC), fAPR + PALO (for HEC and MEC), APR + ONDA (for HEC), fAPR + ONDA (for HEC). The use of NEPA would lead to a 5-year cost decrease of €63.7 million (€42.7 million for HEC and €20.9 million for MEC). NEPA allows an efficient allocation of resources for the Italian NHS and it is sustainable, leading to a cost decrease compared with a scenario which does not consider its use. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

75 FR 66389 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Blythe Solar Power Project and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-28

... development agreement with Solar Millennium and requested that the project be assigned to Palo Verde Solar I...) transmission line will be constructed to interconnect to the Devers-Palo Verde II 500-kV transmission line at...

Using high-resolution multibeam bathymetry to identify seafloor surface rupture along the Palos Verdes fault complex in offshore Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marlow, M. S.; Gardner, J.V.; Normark, W.R.

2000-01-01

Recently acquired high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data reveal several linear traces that are the surficial expressions of seafloor rupture of Holocene faults on the upper continental slope southeast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. High-resolution multichannel and boomer seismic-reflection profiles show that these linear ruptures are the surficial expressions of Holocene faults with vertical to steep dips. The most prominent fault on the multibeam bathymetry is about 10 km to the west of the mapped trace of the Palos Verdes fault and extends for at least 14 km between the shelf edge and the base of the continental slope. This fault is informally called the Avalon Knoll fault for the nearby geographic feature of that name. Seismic-reflection profiles show that the Avalon Knoll fault is part of a northwest-trending complex of faults and anticlinal uplifts that are evident as scarps and bathymetric highs on the multibeam bathymetry. This fault complex may extend onshore and contribute to the missing balance of Quaternary uplift determined for the Palos Verdes Hills and not accounted for by vertical uplift along the onshore Palos Verdes fault. We investigate the extent of the newly located offshore Avalon Knoll fault and use this mapped fault length to estimate likely minimum magnitudes for events along this fault.

Entropy and the Magic Flute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morowitz, Harold J.

1996-10-01

Harold Morowitz has long been highly regarded both as an eminent scientist and as an accomplished science writer. The essays in The Wine of Life , his first collection, were hailed by C.P. Snow as "some of the wisest, wittiest and best informed I have ever read," and Carl Sagan called them "a delight to read." In later volumes he established a reputation for a wide-ranging intellect, an ability to see unexpected connections and draw striking parallels, and a talent for communicating scientific ideas with optimism and wit. With Entropy and the Magic Flute , Morowitz once again offers an appealing mix of brief reflections on everything from litmus paper to the hippopotamus to the sociology of Palo Alto coffee shops. Many of these pieces are appreciations of scientists that Morowitz holds in high regard, while others focus on health issues, such as America's obsession with cheese toppings. There is also a fascinating piece on the American Type Culture Collection, a zoo or warehouse for microbes that houses some 11,800 strains of bacteria, and over 3,000 specimens of protozoa, algae, plasmids, and oncogenes. Here then are over forty light, graceful essays in which one of our wisest experimental biologists comments on issues of science, technology, society, philosophy, and the arts.

Predicting anxious response to a social challenge: the predictive utility of the social interaction anxiety scale and the social phobia scale in a college population.

PubMed

Gore, K L; Carter, M M; Parker, S

2002-06-01

Trait anxiety is believed to be a hierarchical construct composed of several lower-order factors (Adv. Behav. Res. Therapy, 15 (1993) 147; J. Anxiety Disorders, 9 (1995) 163). Assessment devices such as the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, the Social Phobia Scale (SIAS and SPS; Behav. Res. Therapy, 36 (4) (1998) 455), and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; Behav. Res. Therapy, 24 (1986) 1) are good measures of the presumably separate lower-order factors. This study compared the effectiveness of the SIAS, SPS, ASI-physical scale and STAI-T (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press (1970)) as predictors of anxious response to a social challenge (asking an aloof confederate out on a date). Consistent with the hierarchical model of anxiety, the measures of trait anxiety were moderately correlated with each other and each was a significant predictor of anxious response. The specific measures of trait social anxiety were slightly better predictors of anxious response to the social challenge than was either the ASI-physical scale or the STAI-T. The results provide evidence of the predictive validity of these social trait measures and some support for their specificity in the prediction of anxious response to a social challenge.

Collocated Dataglyphs for large-message storage and retrieval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motwani, Rakhi C.; Breidenbach, Jeff A.; Black, John R.

2004-06-01

In contrast to the security and integrity of electronic files, printed documents are vulnerable to damage and forgery due to their physical nature. Researchers at Palo Alto Research Center utilize DataGlyph technology to render digital characteristics to printed documents, which provides them with the facility of tamper-proof authentication and damage resistance. This DataGlyph document is known as GlyphSeal. Limited DataGlyph carrying capacity per printed page restricted the application of this technology to a domain of graphically simple and small-sized single-paged documents. In this paper the authors design a protocol motivated by techniques from the networking domain and back-up strategies, which extends the GlyphSeal technology to larger-sized, graphically complex, multi-page documents. This protocol provides fragmentation, sequencing and data loss recovery. The Collocated DataGlyph Protocol renders large glyph messages onto multiple printed pages and recovers the glyph data from rescanned versions of the multi-page documents, even when pages are missing, reordered or damaged. The novelty of this protocol is the application of ideas from RAID to the domain of DataGlyphs. The current revision of this protocol is capable of generating at most 255 pages, if page recovery is desired and does not provide enough data density to store highly detailed images in a reasonable amount of page space.

Personal Trainer Demographics, Current Practice Trends and Common Trainee Injuries.

PubMed

Waryasz, Gregory R; Daniels, Alan H; Gil, Joseph A; Suric, Vladimir; Eberson, Craig P

2016-09-19

Increasing emphasis on maintaining a healthy lifestyle has led many individuals to seek advice on exercise from personal trainers. There are few studies to date that evaluate personal trainer education, practice trends, and injuries they have seen while training clients. A survey was distributed to personal trainers using Survey Monkey® (Palo Alto, CA, USA) with 605 personal trainers accessing the survey. An exercise related bachelor's degree was held by 64.2% of survey participants and a certification in personal training by 89.0%. The most common personal trainer certifications were from American College of Sports Medicine (59.2%) and National Strength and Conditioning Association (28.9%). Only 2.9% of all personal trainers surveyed had no exercise-related bachelor's degree and no personal trainer certification. The most common injuries seen by personal trainers during sessions were lumbar muscle strain (10.7%), rotator cuff tear/tendonitis (8.9%), shin splints (8.1%), ankle sprain (7.5%), and cervical muscle strain (7.4%). There is variability in the practices between different personal trainers when analyzing differences in collegiate education, personal trainer certifications, and strength and conditioning certifications. The clinical implication of the differences in practices is unknown as to the impact on injuries or exercise prescription effectiveness.

Hydrological controls on methylmercury distribution and flux in a tidal marsh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Hua; Moffett, Kevan B.; Windham-Myers, Lisamarie; Gorelick, Steven M.

2014-01-01

The San Francisco Estuary, California, contains mercury (Hg) contamination originating from historical regional gold and Hg mining operations. We measured hydrological and geochemical variables in a tidal marsh of the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve to determine the sources, location, and magnitude of hydrological fluxes of methylmercury (MeHg), a bioavailable Hg species of ecological and health concern. Based on measured concentrations and detailed finite-element simulation of coupled surface water and saturated-unsaturated groundwater flow, we found pore water MeHg was concentrated in unsaturated pockets that persisted over tidal cycles. These pockets, occurring over 16% of the marsh plain area, corresponded to the marsh root zone. Groundwater discharge (e.g., exfiltration) to the tidal channel represented a significant source of MeHg during low tide. We found that nonchannelized flow accounted for up to 20% of the MeHg flux to the estuary. The estimated net flux of filter-passing (0.45 μm) MeHg toward estuary was 10 ± 5 ng m–2 day–1 during a single 12-h tidal cycle, suggesting an annual MeHg load of 1.17 ± 0.58 kg when the estimated flux was applied to present tidal marshes and planned marsh restorations throughout the San Francisco Estuary.

Exploring differences in inpatient drug purchasing cost between two pediatric hospitals.

PubMed

Nydert, Per; Poole, Robert

2012-10-01

In this study, the hospital cost of purchasing drugs at two children's hospitals is explored with respect to high-cost drugs and drug classes and discussed with regard to differences in hospital setting, drug price, or number of treatments. The purchasing costs of drugs at the two hospitals were retrieved and analyzed. All information was connected to the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical code and compared in a Microsoft Access database. The 6-month drug purchasing costs at Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital (ALCH), Stockholm, Sweden, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford (LPCH), Palo Alto, California, are similar and result in a cost per patient day of US $149 and US $136, respectively. The hospital setting and choice of drug products are factors that influence the drug cost in product-specific ways. Several problems are highlighted when only drug costs are compared between hospitals. For example, the comparison does not take into account the amount of waste, risk of adverse drug events, local dosing strategies, disease prevalence, and national drug-pricing models. The difference in cost per inpatient day at ALCH may indicate that cost could be redistributed in Sweden to support pediatric pharmacy services. Also, when introducing new therapies seen at the comparison hospital, it may be possible to extrapolate the estimated increase in cost.

Exploring Differences in Inpatient Drug Purchasing Cost Between Two Pediatric Hospitals

PubMed Central

Nydert, Per; Poole, Robert

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES In this study, the hospital cost of purchasing drugs at two children's hospitals is explored with respect to high-cost drugs and drug classes and discussed with regard to differences in hospital setting, drug price, or number of treatments. METHODS The purchasing costs of drugs at the two hospitals were retrieved and analyzed. All information was connected to the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical code and compared in a Microsoft Access database. RESULTS The 6-month drug purchasing costs at Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital (ALCH), Stockholm, Sweden, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford (LPCH), Palo Alto, California, are similar and result in a cost per patient day of US $149 and US $136, respectively. The hospital setting and choice of drug products are factors that influence the drug cost in product-specific ways. CONCLUSIONS Several problems are highlighted when only drug costs are compared between hospitals. For example, the comparison does not take into account the amount of waste, risk of adverse drug events, local dosing strategies, disease prevalence, and national drug-pricing models. The difference in cost per inpatient day at ALCH may indicate that cost could be redistributed in Sweden to support pediatric pharmacy services. Also, when introducing new therapies seen at the comparison hospital, it may be possible to extrapolate the estimated increase in cost. PMID:23413208

CrossFit® Instructor Demographics and Practice Trends

PubMed Central

Waryasz, Gregory R.; Suric, Vladimir; Daniels, Alan H.; Gil, Joseph A.; Eberson, Craig P.

2017-01-01

CrossFit® is an increasingly popular exercise modality that uses high intensity power training. The literature to date regarding CrossFit® has focused on its benefits to VO2 Max, body composition and the motivational variables of participants of CrossFit®. A computerized survey was distributed to CrossFit® instructors using Survey Monkey® (Palo Alto, CA, USA). One hundred and ninety-three CrossFit® instructors responded to the survey. Of these 86.6% (155/179) reported being a certified CrossFit® instructor with 26.7% (48/180) having a bachelor’s degree in an exercise-related field. Instructors with a CrossFit® certification have less bachelor’s (P=0.04) or master’s (P=0.0001) degrees compared to those without a CrossFit® certification, more utilization of Olympic weightlifting (P=0.03), one-on-one teaching (P=0.0001), 1-RM max on snatch (P=0.004), 1-RM on clean and jerk or hang clean (P=0.0003), kettlebell use (P=0.0001) and one-on-one training (P=0.0001). Instructors report differences in their education and differences in use of weightlifting platforms and various types of footwear. Non-certified instructors differ from CrossFit® certified instructors in regards to teaching of Olympic weightlifting and exercise programming. PMID:27994826

Personal Trainer Demographics, Current Practice Trends and Common Trainee Injuries

PubMed Central

Waryasz, Gregory R.; Daniels, Alan H.; Gil, Joseph A.; Suric, Vladimir; Eberson, Craig P.

2016-01-01

Increasing emphasis on maintaining a healthy lifestyle has led many individuals to seek advice on exercise from personal trainers. There are few studies to date that evaluate personal trainer education, practice trends, and injuries they have seen while training clients. A survey was distributed to personal trainers using Survey Monkey® (Palo Alto, CA, USA) with 605 personal trainers accessing the survey. An exercise related bachelor’s degree was held by 64.2% of survey participants and a certification in personal training by 89.0%. The most common personal trainer certifications were from American College of Sports Medicine (59.2%) and National Strength and Conditioning Association (28.9%). Only 2.9% of all personal trainers surveyed had no exercise-related bachelor’s degree and no personal trainer certification. The most common injuries seen by personal trainers during sessions were lumbar muscle strain (10.7%), rotator cuff tear/tendonitis (8.9%), shin splints (8.1%), ankle sprain (7.5%), and cervical muscle strain (7.4%). There is variability in the practices between different personal trainers when analyzing differences in collegiate education, personal trainer certifications, and strength and conditioning certifications. The clinical implication of the differences in practices is unknown as to the impact on injuries or exercise prescription effectiveness. PMID:27761219

CrossFit® Instructor Demographics and Practice Trends.

PubMed

Waryasz, Gregory R; Suric, Vladimir; Daniels, Alan H; Gil, Joseph A; Eberson, Craig P

2016-11-17

CrossFit ® is an increasingly popular exercise modality that uses high intensity power training. The literature to date regarding CrossFit ® has focused on its benefits to VO2 Max, body composition and the motivational variables of participants of CrossFit ® . A computerized survey was distributed to CrossFit ® instructors using Survey Monkey ® (Palo Alto, CA, USA). One hundred and ninety-three CrossFit ® instructors responded to the survey. Of these 86.6% (155/179) reported being a certified CrossFit ® instructor with 26.7% (48/180) having a bachelor's degree in an exercise-related field. Instructors with a CrossFit ® certification have less bachelor's (P=0.04) or master's (P=0.0001) degrees compared to those without a CrossFit ® certification, more utilization of Olympic weightlifting (P=0.03), one-on-one teaching (P=0.0001), 1-RM max on snatch (P=0.004), 1-RM on clean and jerk or hang clean (P=0.0003), kettlebell use (P=0.0001) and one-on-one training (P=0.0001). Instructors report differences in their education and differences in use of weightlifting platforms and various types of footwear. Non-certified instructors differ from CrossFit ® certified instructors in regards to teaching of Olympic weightlifting and exercise programming.

Science Hack Day: an opportunity for public engagement, art/science mash-ups, and inspiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellis, Matthew

2013-04-01

The idea of a Science Hack Day (http://sciencehackday.com/) is to put non-scientists (designers, web developers, artists, interested enthusiasts) in a room with scientists and some good ideas, and see what science-themed project they can create in a weekend (about 24 hours of real hacking). The motto of the organizers is ``Get Excited and Make Things with Science!'' I have participated in several of these events including the first one held in the United State in Palo Alto in 2010 and as a remote advisor to participants in Nairobi, Kenya. To these events I have brought particle physics data from both the BaBar and the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiments, data from the CoGeNT dark matter direct-detection experiment, and my expertise and enthusiasm. The experience has been transformative for me as both a scientist and a science advocate. This talk will recount my experiences with Science Hack Day events in general and detail some projects that have come out of these days, including the Particle Physics Wind Chime (http://www.mattbellis.com/windchime/) and the Standard Model of Cocktail Physics (http://www.physicsdavid.net/2012/11/standard-model-of-cocktail-physics/). Opportunities for other scientists to take part in similar events will be discussed.

Modeling Educational Content: The Cognitive Approach of the PALO Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez-Artacho, Miguel; Verdejo Maillo, M. Felisa

2004-01-01

This paper presents a reference framework to describe educational material. It introduces the PALO Language as a cognitive based approach to Educational Modeling Languages (EML). In accordance with recent trends for reusability and interoperability in Learning Technologies, EML constitutes an evolution of the current content-centered…

PILOT IN SITU CAPPING PROJECT FOR PALOS VERDES SHELF CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The Palos Verdes Shelf Pilot Capping Project will evaluate the short-term results of capping the DDT- and PCB-contaminated sediment with clean sediment. It will also determine how these results are affected by variables such as cap material, placement method and water depth. The ...

Passive Sampling to Measure Baseline Dissolved Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations in the Water Column of the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site

EPA Science Inventory

Passive sampling was used to deduce water concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the vicinity of a marine Superfund site on the Palos Verdes Shelf, California, USA. Pre-calibrated solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers and polyethylene (PE) strips that were...

The offshore Palos Verdes fault zone near San Pedro, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, M.A.; Normark, W.R.; Langenheim, V.E.; Calvert, A.J.; Sliter, R.

2004-01-01

High-resolution seismic-reflection data are combined with a variety of other geophysical and geological data to interpret the offshore structure and earthquake hazards of the San Pedro shelf, near Los Angeles, California. Prominent structures investigated include the Wilmington graben, the Palos Verdes fault zone, various faults below the west part of the San Pedro shelf and slope, and the deep-water San Pedro basin. The structure of the Palos Verdes fault zone changes markedly along strike southeastward across the San Pedro shelf and slope. Under the north part of the shelf, this fault zone includes several strands, with the main strand dipping west. Under the slope, the main fault strands exhibit normal separation and mostly dip east. To the southeast near Lasuen Knoll, the Palos Verdes fault zone locally is low angle, but elsewhere near this knoll, the fault dips steeply. Fresh seafloor scarps near Lasuen Knoll indicate recent fault movement. We explain the observed structural variation along the Palos Verdes fault zone as the result of changes in strike and fault geometry along a master right-lateral strike-slip fault at depth. Complicated movement along this deep fault zone is suggested by the possible wave-cut terraces on Lasuen Knoll, which indicate subaerial exposure during the last sea level lowstand and subsequent subsidence of the knoll. Modeling of aeromagnetic data indicates a large magnetic body under the west part of the San Pedro shelf and upper slope. We interpret this body to be thick basalt of probable Miocene age. This basalt mass appears to have affected the pattern of rock deformation, perhaps because the basalt was more competent during deformation than the sedimentary rocks that encased the basalt. West of the Palos Verdes fault zone, other northwest-striking faults deform the outer shelf and slope. Evidence for recent movement along these faults is equivocal, because we lack age dates on deformed or offset sediment.

Evaluation of Polyethylene Passive Samplers to Estimate Deep Water PCB Concentrations at the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site

EPA Science Inventory

The Palos Verdes Superfund site is located in over 50 meters of water on the continental shelf and slope off the coast of southern California (USA). The site includes 27 km2 of seabed contaminated over several decades by municipal treatment plant effluent discharged via outfall ...

Use of Polyethylene Passive Samplers to Estimate Dissolved Phase PCBs in the Water Column of the Palos Verdes Superfund Site

EPA Science Inventory

The Palos Verdes Superfund site is located in over 50 meters of water on the continental shelf and slope off the coast of southern California (USA). The site includes 27 km2 of seabed contaminated over several decades by municipal treatment plant effluent discharged via outfall ...

76 FR 55413 - Proposed Safe Harbor Agreement for California Red-legged Frog, California Tiger Salamander, Smith...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

... Butterfly, and Yadon's Piperia at Palo Corona Regional Park, Monterey County, CA AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife...: [email protected] . Include ``Palo Corona SHA'' in the subject line of the message. U.S. Mail... Corona Regional Park in Monterey County, California. Within the 4,300 acres of land within the Enrolled...

The Bridges SOI Model School Program at Palo Verde School, Palo Verde, Arizona.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stock, William A.; DiSalvo, Pamela M.

The Bridges SOI Model School Program is an educational service based upon the SOI (Structure of Intellect) Model School curriculum. For the middle seven months of the academic year, all students in the program complete brief daily exercises that develop specific cognitive skills delineated in the SOI model. Additionally, intensive individual…

Calculating the Diffusive Flux of Persistent Organic Pollutants between Sediments and the Water Column on the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site using Polymeric Passive Samplers

EPA Science Inventory

Passive samplers were used to determine water concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the surface sediments and near-bottom water of a marine Superfund site on the Palos Verdes Shelf, California, USA. Measured concentrations in the porewater and water column at...

Positive implications from socially accountable, community-engaged medical education across two Philippines regions.

PubMed

Woolley, Torres; Cristobal, Fortunato; Siega-Sur, Jusie; Ross, Simone; Neusy, Andre-Jacques; Halili, Servando; Reeve, Carole

2018-02-01

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide lack access to quality health services, largely because of geographic and socioeconomic maldistribution of qualified practitioners. This study describes differences between the practice locations of Philippines medical graduates from two 'socially accountable, community-engaged' health professional education (SAHPE) schools and the practice locations of graduates from two 'conventionally trained' medical schools located in the same respective geographic regions. Licensed medical graduates were currently practising in the Philippines and had been practising for at least 6 months. Graduates were from two Philippines SAHPE schools (Ateneo de Zamboanga University-School of Medicine (ADZU-SOM) on the Zamboanga Peninsula (n=212) and the University of the Philippines Manila-School of Health Sciences (SHS-Palo) in Eastern Visayas (n=71), and from two 'conventional' medical schools Methods: Current graduate practice locations in municipalities or cities were linked with their respective population size and socioeconomic income class, and geocoded using Geographical Information System software onto a geospatial map of the Philippines. Bivariate analysis compared the population size and socioeconomic class of communities where the SAHPE medical graduates practised to communities where 'conventional' medical school graduates practised. Thirty-one percent of ADZU-SOM medical graduates practised in communities <100 000 population versus 7% of graduates from the conventional school in the Zamboanga region (p<0.001), while 61% of SHS-Palo medical graduates practised in communities <100 000 population versus 12% of graduates from the conventional school in the Visayas region (p<0.001). Twenty-seven percent of ADZU-SOM graduates practised in lower income category communities (categories 2-6) versus 8% of graduates from the conventional school in the same region (p<0.001), while 49% of SHS-Palo graduates practised in lower income category communities (categories 2-6) versus 11% of graduates from the conventional school in the same region (p<0.001). SAHPE has contributed to increased medical coverage across rural and/or economically disadvantaged areas in two Philippines regions. The extensive community-based medical student placements associated with SAHPE likely play a significant role in graduates choosing to practice in rural and/or economically disadvantaged communities. Governments experiencing medical workforce maldistributions similar to those in the Philippines should consider SAHPE as a potentially cost-effective strategy in recruiting and retaining health graduates to underserved areas.

Using Passive Samplers to Calculate the Diffusive Flux of DDTs and PCBs from Sediments to Water Column at the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Objectives. The Palos Verdes Shelf (PVS) Superfund site is in over 50 meters of water on the continental shelf and slope off the coast of southern California (USA). The site includes over 25 km2 of sediments contaminated over several decades by municipal treatment pla...

New, Late Miocene mammalian assemblage from the Palo Pintado Formation (Northwestern Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimicz, Natalia; Payrola, Patricio; del Papa, Cecilia

2018-01-01

A new mammalian assemblage from the Late Miocene Palo Pintado Formation in Northwestern Argentina is described. Specimens were exhumed from the lower levels of the unit cropping out at Tonco Valley, Salta Province. The association includes representatives of seven families and three orders: Cingulata (Macrochorobates, Vetelia, Euphractini gen et sp. indet. a and b), Notoungulata (Paedotherium, Protypotherium, Typotheriopsis), and Rodentia (Caviidae gen et sp. indet. a and b, Procardiomys, Protabrocoma, Prolagostomus, Lagostomus). This assemblage, together with stratigraphical information, suggests a Late Miocene age, probably intermediate between Chasicoan and Huayquerian SALMAs for the fossiliferous levels of the Palo Pintado Formation in Tonco Valley. Paleoecological data discernible from the faunal association suggest grassland and marsh communities that developed in the flood-plain setting under a seasonal climate with a conspicuous dry season.

Review of a Proposal to Convert the Needles Outreach Operation to a State-Approved Educational Center. Commission Report 06-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2006

2006-01-01

In this report, the Commission considers a proposal by the Palo Verde Community College District to convert the Needles outreach operation to a state-approved off-campus educational center of Palo Verde Community College. The proposal responds to the district's need to enhance educational services in the extremely remote community of Needles and…

Proceedings: Fourteenth annual EPRI conference on fuel science

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

Not Available

1990-05-01

EPRI's Fourteenth Annual Contractors' Conference on Fuel Science was held on May 18--19, 1989 in Palo Alto, CA. The conference featured results of work on coal science, coal liquefaction, methanol production, and coal oil coprocessing and coal upgrading. The following topics were discussed: recent development in coal liquefaction at the Wilsonville Clean Coal Research Center; British coal's liquid solvent extraction (LSE) process; feedstock reactivity in coal/oil co-processing; utility applications for coal-oil coprocessed fuels; effect of coal rank and quality on two-stage liquefaction; organic sulfur compounds in coals; the perchloroethylene refining process of high-sulfur coals; extraction of sulfur coals; extraction ofmore » sulfur from coal; agglomeration of bituminous and subbituminous coals; solubilization of coals by cell-free extracts derived from polyporus versicolor; remediation technologies and services; preliminary results from proof-of-concept testing of heavy liquid cyclone cleaning technology; clean-up of soil contaminated with tarry/oily organics; midwest ore processing company's coal benefication technology: recent prep plant, scale and laboratory activities; combustion characterization of coal-oil agglomerate fuels; status report on the liquid phase methanol project; biomimetic catalysis; hydroxylation of C{sub 2} {minus} C{sub 3} and cycloc{sub 6} hydrocarbons with Fe cluster catalysts as models for methane monooxygenase enzyme; methanol production scenarios; and modeling studies of the BNL low temperature methanol catalyst. Individual projects are processed separately for the data bases.« less

Remote Teaching of Histopathology Using Scanned Slides via Skype Between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

PubMed

Rotimi, Olorunda; Orah, Nnamdi; Shaaban, Abeer; Daramola, Adetola O; Abdulkareem, Fatimah B

2017-02-01

-Web-based learning is a major component of distance education. -To explore Web-based applications for pathology teaching in resource-limited sub-Saharan Africa. -The participants were consultant pathologists and trainees drawn from tertiary institutions in Nigeria. They viewed the digital slides via the Leeds virtual pathology Web site, after which, interactive lectures were given via Skype (Skype Communications, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg). Questionnaires were administered via SurveyMonkey (Palo Alto, California) to all participants of 12 sessions between 2014 and 2015. -Nine consultant pathologists and 33 trainees participated in this survey. Of all respondents, 29 (69%) thought it was fairly easy to navigate the system, 11 (26.2%) thought it was easy, whereas 2 (4.8%) felt it was difficult. In addition, 26 respondents (61.9%) found it fairly easy to make a make a diagnosis, 13 (31%) thought it was easy, and 3 (7.1%) noted that it was difficult. Twenty-four respondents (57.1%) had a fairly smooth user experience, 12 (28.6%) experienced occasional crashes, whereas 6 (14.3%) reported a smooth experience. Almost all (41 of 42; 97.6%) respondents felt the pathology teaching was beneficial to their local pathology practice, and all (100%) indicated the need for additional, similar sessions. -The beneficial applications of Internet-based lectures make them a viable, cheaper, and cost-effective alternative to face-to-face lectures in our environment.

Family-centered care in pediatric critical care transport.

PubMed

Joyce, Crystal N; Libertin, Rachel; Bigham, Michael T

2015-01-01

Family-centered care (FCC) in medicine highlights mutually beneficial partnerships among providers, patients, and families. In the field of specialty pediatric critical care transport (SPCCT), FCC includes family presence during transport. We sought to describe family presence and family/staff perspectives of FCC in transport. This institutional review board-approved study established family presence rates among 5 SPCCT teams. At the top-performing family presence team, parents of transported children were interviewed. A staff survey measured perspectives on FCC using SurveyMonkey (Palo Alto, CA). Statistical tests including chi-square and Fisher exact tests for comparative data were applied using SPSSv17.0 software (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). The cohort-wide range of family presence was 23% to 66%. Parents were 4 times more likely to accompany their child if transported by ground versus air (ground: 26 [59%] vs. air: 6 [26%]). Sex, race, travel distance from referral hospital, and child's age did not influence the rate of family accompaniment. Most staff (76%) received education on FCC. This study informs how transport factors and parent/staff perceptions influence parental presence on transport at a single center. Opportunities to optimize transport FCC include defining protocols for ground and air transport, establishing a more welcoming attitude toward parents, and designing an FCC educational module specific for transport staff. Copyright © 2015 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reentering the Gravitational Fringe Field of the Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, P. C.

A 1998 proposal to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) described how to update an earlier proposal outline for an experiment involving a manned spacecraft that traveled to just outside the gravitational field of the solar system. The recent proposal briefly describes how to initiate a 25-year program to launch a seven-year mission. Very little thought has been given to astronomical/astrophysical investigations that might be carried out over seven years, but one or more generations of NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder program might be included. Only a little serious thought has been given to how to reenter the solar system's gravitational fringe field, but access to several procedures and three-fold redundancy seems desirable. Some details of the proposed paper study will be given. Non-responsibility statement, from source document of calendar 1973. This document was prepared while the author was on an unpaid leave of absence from The Lockheed Missiles and Space Company (LMSC) of Palo Alto, California. The comments made herein are partly the results of experiments carried out over a number of years. For a portion of this time, both NASA and LMSC financed the author's space astronomy investigations. It may be that either or both these institutions may possess some proprietary rights to portions of the ideas and information presented. This work was supported by Ruffner Associates, Inc.

Erbium laser resurfacing for actinic cheilitis.

PubMed

Cohen, Joel L

2013-11-01

Actinic cheilitis is a precancerous condition characterized by grayish-whitish area(s) of discoloration on the mucosal lip, often blunting the demarcation between mucosa and cutaneous lip. Actinic cheilitis is considered to be an early part of the spectrum of squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma specifically of the lip has a high rate of recurrence and metastasis through the oral cavity leading to a poor overall survival. Risk factors for the development of actinic cheilitis include chronic solar irradiation, increasing age, male gender, light skin complexion, immunosuppression, and possibly tobacco and alcohol consumption. Treatment options include topical pharmacotherapy (eg, fluorouracil, imiquimod) or procedural interventions (eg, cryotherapy, electrosurgery, surgical vermillionectomy, laser resurfacing), each with their known advantages and disadvantages. There is little consensus as to which treatment options offer the most clinical utility given the paucity of comparative clinical data. In my practice, laser resurfacing has become an important tool for the treatment of actinic cheilitis owing to its ease of use and overall safety, tolerability, and cosmetic acceptability. Herein the use of erbium laser resurfacing is described for three actinic cheilitis presentations for which I find it particularly useful: clinically prominent actinic cheilitis, biopsy-proven actinic cheilitis, and treatment of the entire lip following complete tumor excision of squamous cell carcinoma. All patients were treated with a 2940-nm erbium laser (Sciton Profile Contour Tunable Resurfacing Laser [TRL], Sciton, Inc., Palo Alto, CA).

Quality evaluation of Semen Cassiae (Cassia obtusifolia L.) by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei-Dong; Wang, Ying; Wang, Qing; Yang, Wan-Jun; Gu, Yi; Wang, Rong; Song, Xiao-Mei; Wang, Xiao-Juan

2012-08-01

A sensitive and reliable ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry has been developed and partially validated to evaluate the quality of Semen Cassiae (Cassia obtusifolia L.) through simultaneous determination of 11 anthraquinones and two naphtha-γ-pyrone compounds. The analysis was achieved on a Poroshell 120 EC-C(18) column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 2.7 μm; Agilent, Palo Alto, CA, USA) with gradient elution using a mobile phase that consisted of acetonitrile-water (30 mM ammonium acetate) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. For quantitative analysis, all calibration curves showed perfect linear regression (r(2) > 0.99) within the testing range. This method was also validated with respect to precision and accuracy, and was successfully applied to quantify the 13 components in nine batches of Semen Cassiae samples from different areas. The performance of developed method was compared with that of conventional high-performance liquid chromatography method. The significant advantages of the former include high-speed chromatographic separation, four times faster than high-performance liquid chromatography with conventional columns, and great enhancement in sensitivity. This developed method provided a new basis for overall assessment on quality of Semen Cassiae. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Using narrow beam profiles to quantify focal spot size, for accurate Monte Carlo simulations of SRS/SRT systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kairn, T.; Crowe, S. B.; Charles, P. H.; Trapp, J. V.

2014-03-01

This study investigates the variation of photon field penumbra shape with initial electron beam diameter, for very narrow beams. A Varian Millenium MLC (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, USA) and a Brainlab m3 microMLC (Brainlab AB. Feldkirchen, Germany) were used, with one Varian iX linear accelerator, to produce fields that were (nominally) 0.20 cm across. Dose profiles for these fields were measured using radiochromic film and compared with the results of simulations completed using BEAMnrc and DOSXYZnrc, where the initial electron beam was set to FWHM = 0.02, 0.10, 0.12, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.50 cm. Increasing the electron-beam FWHM produced increasing occlusion of the photon source by the closely spaced collimator leaves and resulted in blurring of the simulated profile widths from 0.24 to 0.58 cm, for the MLC, from 0.11 to 0.40 cm, for the microMLC. Comparison with measurement data suggested that the electron spot size in the clinical linear accelerator was between FWHM = 0.10 and 0.15 cm, encompassing the result of our previous output-factor based work, which identified a FWHM of 0.12 cm. Investigation of narrow-beam penumbra variation has been found to be a useful procedure, with results varying noticeably with linear accelerator spot size and allowing FWHM estimates obtained using other methods to be verified.

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

Öğretici, Akın, E-mail: akinogretici@gmail.com; Akbaş, Uğur; Köksal, Canan

The aim of this research was to investigate the fetal doses of pregnant patients undergoing conformal radiotherapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for breast cancers. An Alderson Rando phantom was chosen to simulate a pregnant patient with breast cancer who is receiving radiation therapy. This phantom was irradiated using the Varian Clinac DBX 600 system (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA) linear accelerator, according to the standard treatment plans of both three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-D CRT) and IMRT techniques. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were used to measure the irradiated phantom's virtually designated uterus area. Thermoluminescent dosimeter measurements (in the phantom) revealedmore » that the mean cumulative fetal dose for 3-D CRT is 1.39 cGy and for IMRT it is 8.48 cGy, for a pregnant breast cancer woman who received radiation treatment of 50 Gy. The fetal dose was confirmed to increase by 70% for 3-D CRT and 40% for IMRT, if it is closer to the irradiated field by 5 cm. The mean fetal dose from 3-D CRT is 1.39 cGy and IMRT is 8.48 cGy, consistent with theoretic calculations. The IMRT technique causes the fetal dose to be 5 times more than that of 3-D CRT. Theoretic knowledge concerning the increase in the peripheral doses as the measurements approached the beam was also practically proven.« less

Medicare annual preventive care visits: use increased among fee-for-service patients, but many do not participate.

PubMed

Chung, Sukyung; Lesser, Lenard I; Lauderdale, Diane S; Johns, Nicole E; Palaniappan, Latha P; Luft, Harold S

2015-01-01

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare coverage expanded in 2011 to fully cover annual preventive care visits. We assessed the impact of coverage expansion, using 2007-13 data from primary care patients of Medicare-eligible age at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (204,388 patient-years), which serves people in four counties near San Francisco, California. We compared trends in preventive visits and recommended preventive services among Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) patients as well as non-Medicare patients ages 65-75 who were covered by private fee-for-service and private HMO plans. Among Medicare fee-for-service patients, the annual use of preventive visits rose from 1.4 percent before the implementation of the ACA to 27.5 percent afterward. This increase was significantly larger than was seen for patients in the other insurance groups. Nevertheless, rates of annual preventive care visit use among Medicare fee-for-service patients remained 10-20 percentage points lower than was the case for people with private coverage (43-44 percent) or those in a Medicare HMO (53 percent). ACA policy changes led to increased preventive service use by Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, which suggests that Medicare coverage expansion is an effective way to increase seniors' use of preventive services. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

The 140 GHZ, 1 MW Gyrotron - Status and Recent Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gantenbein, G.; Dammertz, G.; Illy, S.; Kern, S.; Leonhardt, W.; Piosczyk, B.; Schmid, M.; Thumm, M.; Braune, H.; Erckmann, V.; Laqua, H. P.; Michel, G.; Kasparek, W.; Lechte, C.; Legrand, F.; Lievin, C.; Prinz, O.

2009-04-01

A 10 MW ECRH system is currently under construction for the stellarator W7-X which will be built up and operated by IPP in Greifswald, Germany. The present status of the complete system is reported in [1]. The RF power will be provided by 10 gyrotrons. A European collaboration has been established to develop and build the 10 gyrotrons each with an output power of 1 MW for continuous wave (CW) operation [2]. Nine gyrotrons are being manufactured by Thales Electron Devices (TED), Vélizy, France, one gyrotron was produced by CPI, Palo Alto, CA and passed the acceptance tests at IPP. The acceptance tests of the TED gyrotrons are performed at the test stand at FZK and on site at IPP. The first series tube yielded a total output power of 0.98 MW, with an efficiency of 31 % (without a single stage depressed collector) in short pulse operation and of 0.92 MW in pulses of 1800 s (efficiency of almost 45 % at a depression voltage of 29 kV) [3], The Gaussian mode output power was 0.91 MW. The RF power, measured in a calorimetric load at the end of a 25 m long quasi-optical transmission line with seven mirrors, was 0.87 MW. In this contribution typical results of the next series gyrotrons will be reported.

Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in South San Francisco Bay, California-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyke, Jessica; Parcheso, Francis; Thompson, Janet K.; Cain, Daniel J.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Hornberger, Michelle I.

2011-01-01

Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 37-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the M. petalum community shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable (2010), with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring of most years. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that indicates a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the

Age of Palos Verdes submarine debris avalanche, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Normark, W.R.; McGann, M.; Sliter, R.

2004-01-01

The Palos Verdes debris avalanche is the largest, by volume, late Quaternary mass-wasted deposit recognized from the inner California Borderland basins. Early workers speculated that the sediment failure giving rise to the deposit is young, taking place well after sea level reached its present position. A newly acquired, closely-spaced grid of high-resolution, deep-tow boomer profiles of the debris avalanche shows that the Palos Verdes debris avalanche fills a turbidite leveed channel that extends seaward from San Pedro Sea Valley, with the bulk of the avalanche deposit appearing to result from a single failure on the adjacent slope. Radiocarbon dates from piston-cored sediment samples acquired near the distal edge of the avalanche deposit indicate that the main failure took place about 7500 yr BP. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Providing Inservice Teachers with a "TICKET" to Digital Delivery Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kochery, Timothy S.

2000-01-01

In July 1998, Pennsylvania State University, Mont Alto, began its version of the "TICKET" (Technology Integration Certification for K-12 Educators and Teachers) program that provides classroom teachers in remote regional school districts with access to educational opportunities to develop technology competencies that can enhance their instruction.…

Connections Among the Spatial and Temporal Structures in Tidal Currents, Internal Bores, and Surficial Sediment Distributions Over the Shelf off Palos Verdes, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noble, Marlene A.; Rosenberger, Kurt J.; Xu, Jingping; Signell, Richard P.; Steele, Alex

2009-01-01

The topography of the Continental Shelf in the central portion of the Southern California Bight has rapid variations over relatively small spatial scales. The width of the shelf off the Palos Verdes peninsula, just northwest of Los Angeles, California, is only 1 to 3 km. About 7 km southeast of the peninsula, the shelf within San Pedro Bay widens to about 20 km. In 2000, the Los Angeles County Sanitation District began deploying a dense array of moorings in this complex region of the central Southern California Bight to monitor local circulation patterns. Moorings were deployed at 13 sites on the Palos Verdes shelf and within the northwestern portion of San Pedro Bay. At each site, a mooring supported a string of thermistors and an adjacent bottom platform housed an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler. These instruments collected vertical profiles of current and temperature data continuously for one to two years. The variable bathymetry in the region causes rapid changes in the amplitudes and spatial structures of barotropic tidal currents, internal tidal currents, and in the associated nonlinear baroclinic currents that occur at approximate tidal frequencies. The largest barotropic tidal constituent is M2, the principal semidiurnal tide. The amplitude of this tidal current changes over fairly short along-shelf length scales. Tidal-current amplitudes are largest in the transition region between the two shelves; they increase from about 5 cm/s over the northern San Pedro shelf to nearly 10 cm/s on the southern portion of the Palos Verdes Shelf. Tidal-current amplitudes are then reduced to less than 2 cm/s over the very narrow section of the northern Palos Verdes shelf that lies just 6 km upcoast of the southern sites. Models suggest that the amplitude of the barotropic M2 tidal currents, which propagate toward the northwest primarily as a Kelvin wave, is adjusting to the short topographic length scales in the region. Semidiurnal sea-level oscillations are, as expected, independent of these topographic variations; they have a uniform amplitude and phase structure over the entire region. Because the cross-shelf angle of the seabed over most of the Palos Verdes shelf is 1 to 3 degrees, which is critical for the local generation and/or enhancement of nonlinear characteristics in semidiurnal internal tides, some internal tidal-current events have strong asymmetric current oscillations that are enhanced near the seabed. Near-bottom currents in these events are directed primarily offshore with amplitudes that exceed 30 cm/s. The spatial patterns in these energetic near-bottom currents have fairly short-length scales. They are largest over the inner shelf and in the transition region between the Palos Verdes and San Pedro shelves. This spatial pattern is similar to that found in the barotropic tidal currents. Because these baroclinic currents have an approximate tidal frequency, an asymmetric vertical structure, and a somewhat stable phase, they can produce a non-zero depth-mean flow for periods of a few months. These baroclinic currents can interact with the barotropic tidal current and cause an apparent increase (or decrease) in the estimated barotropic tidal-current amplitude. The apparent amplitude of the barotropic tidal current may change by 30 to 80 percent or more in a current record that is less than three months long. The currents and surficial sediments in this region are in dynamic equilibrium in that the spatial patterns in bottom stresses generated by near-bed currents from surface tides, internal tides, and internal bores partly control the spatial patterns in the local sediments. Coarser sediments are found in the regions with enhanced bottom stresses (that is, over the inner shelf and in the region between the Palos Verdes and San Pedro shelves). Finer sediments are found over the northwestern portion of the Palos Verdes shelf, where near-bottom currents are relatively weak. The nonlinear asymmetries in the i

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Palo Duro Homes, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

none,

2013-09-01

Palo Duro uses advanced framing techniques like 2x6 24-inch on-center framing, open headers above windows on non-load-bearing walls, 2-stud corners, ladder blocking where walls intersect, and single top and bottom plates. These techniques reduce the amount of lumber in the wall, allowing more room for insulation and reducing costs and installation time. The builder garnered a 2013 Housing Innovation Award in the production builder category.

Polytrauma transitional rehabilitation programs: Comprehensive rehabilitation for community integration after brain injury.

PubMed

Duchnick, Jennifer J; Ropacki, Susan; Yutsis, Maya; Petska, Kelly; Pawlowski, Carey

2015-08-01

When the U.S. Congress passed the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2005, Veterans Affairs (VA) traumatic brain injury centers responded by establishing and developing the polytrauma rehabilitation centers and polytrauma transitional rehabilitation programs (PTRPs) across 4 sites in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Palo Alto, California, Richmond, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida, in 2007. The 5th PTRP was opened in 2011 in San Antonio, Texas. This article presents the context of establishing these programs within a VA system, describes aspects of programmatic design, and shares characteristics and outcomes of individuals served by the first 4 national centers. PTRPs provide specialized, interdisciplinary brain injury rehabilitation to active-duty service members and veterans with complex rehabilitation needs. A total of 286 individuals participated in the first 4 PTRPs during the first 3 years. Admission and discharge data were collected as part of routine care, and data review focused on describing the demographic, injury, and neurobehavioral functioning outcomes across 4 sites. Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory Abilities, Adjustment, and Participation subscales and total scale T-scores served as primary functioning outcome measures. Mean scores are presented. Statistical analysis found a significant change in total scale T-score from admission to discharge, consistent with improved patient functional ability. Challenges associated with the development and implementation of programs are discussed. Elements of programming may be applicable for other health care organizations that seek to improve rehabilitation care delivery. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Induction of high tolerance to artemisinin by sub-lethal administration: A new in vitro model of P. falciparum.

PubMed

De Lucia, Serena; Tsamesidis, Ioannis; Pau, Maria Carmina; Kesely, Kristina R; Pantaleo, Antonella; Turrini, Francesco

2018-01-01

Artemisinin resistance is a major threat to malaria control efforts. Resistance is characterized by an increase in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite clearance half-life following treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and an increase in the percentage of surviving parasites. The remarkably short blood half-life of artemisinin derivatives may contribute to drug-resistance, possibly through factors including sub-lethal plasma concentrations and inadequate exposure. Here we selected for a new strain of artemisinin resistant parasites, termed the artemisinin resistant strain 1 (ARS1), by treating P. falciparum Palo Alto (PA) cultures with sub-lethal concentrations of dihydroartemisinin (DHA). The resistance phenotype was maintained for over 1 year through monthly maintenance treatments with low doses of 2.5 nM DHA. There was a moderate increase in the DHA IC50 in ARS1 when compared with parental strain PA after 72 h of drug exposure (from 0.68 nM to 2 nM DHA). In addition, ARS1 survived treatment physiologically relevant DHA concentrations (700 nM) observed in patients. Furthermore, we confirmed a lack of cross-resistance against a panel of antimalarials commonly used as partner drugs in ACTs. Finally, ARS1 did not contain Pfk13 propeller domain mutations associated with ART resistance in the Greater Mekong Region. With a stable growth rate, ARS1 represents a valuable tool for the development of new antimalarial compounds and studies to further elucidate the mechanisms of ART resistance.

Analysis techniques of charging damage studied on three different high-current ion implanters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felch, S. B.; Larson, L. A.; Current, M. I.; Lindsey, D. W.

1989-02-01

One of the Greater Silicon Valley Implant Users' Group's recent activities has been to sponsor a round-robin on charging damage, where identical wafers were implanted on three different state-of-the-art, high-current ion implanters. The devices studied were thin-dielectric (250 Å SiO2), polysilicon-gate MOS capacitors isolated by thick field oxide. The three implanters involved were the Varian/Extrion 160XP, the Eaton/Nova 10-80, and the Applied Materials PI9000. Each implanter vendor was given 48 wafers to implant with 100 keV As+ ions at a dose of 1 × 1016 cm-2. Parameters that were varied include the beam current, electron flood gun current, and chamber pressure. The charge-to-breakdown, breakdown voltage, and leakage current of several devices before anneal have been measured. The results from these tests were inconclusive as to the physical mechanism of charging and as to the effectiveness of techniques to reduce its impact on devices. However, the methodology of this study is discussed in detail to aid in the planning of future experiments. Authors' industrial affiliations: S.B. Felch, Varian Research Center, 611 Hansen Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA; L.A. Larson, National Semiconductor Corp., P.O. Box 58090, Santa Clara, CA 95052-8090, USA; M.I. Current, Applied Materials, 3050 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA; D.W. Lindsey, Eaton/NOVA, 931 Benicia Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086, USA.

Perioral Rejuvenation With Ablative Erbium Resurfacing.

PubMed

Cohen, Joel L

2015-11-01

Since the introduction of the scanning full-field erbium laser, misconceptions regarding ablative erbium resurfacing have resulted in its being largely overshadowed by ablative fractional resurfacing. This case report illustrates the appropriateness of full-field erbium ablation for perioral resurfacing. A patient with profoundly severe perioral photodamage etched-in lines underwent full-field ablative perioral resurfacing with an erbium laser (Contour TRL, Sciton Inc., Palo Alto, CA) that allows separate control of ablation and coagulation. The pre-procedure consultations included evaluation of the severity of etched-in lines, and discussion of patient goals, expectations, and appropriate treatment options, as well as a review of patient photos and post-treatment care required. The author generally avoids full-field erbium ablation in patients with Fitzpatrick type IV and above. For each of 2 treatment sessions (separated by approximately 4 months), the patient received (12 cc plain 2% lidodaine) sulcus blocks before undergoing 4 passes with the erbium laser at 150 μ ablation, no coagulation, and then some very focal 30 μ ablation to areas of residual lines still visualized through the pinpoint bleeding. Similarly, full-field ablative resurfacing can be very reliable for significant wrinkles and creping in the lower eyelid skin--where often a single treatment of 80 μ ablation, 50 μ coagulation can lead to a nice improvement. Standardized digital imaging revealed significant improvement in deeply etched rhytides without significant adverse events. For appropriately selected patients requiring perioral (or periorbital) rejuvenation, full-field ablative erbium resurfacing is safe, efficacious and merits consideration.

Heart rate recovery, exercise capacity, and mortality risk in male veterans.

PubMed

Kokkinos, Peter; Myers, Jonathan; Doumas, Michael; Faselis, Charles; Pittaras, Andreas; Manolis, Athanasios; Kokkinos, John Peter; Narayan, Puneet; Papademetriou, Vasilios; Fletcher, Ross

2012-04-01

Both impaired heart rate recovery (HRR) and low fitness are associated with higher mortality risk. In addition, HRR is influenced by fitness status. The interaction between HRR, mortality, and fitness has not been clearly defined. Thus, we sought to evaluate the association between HRR and all-cause mortality and to assess the effects of fitness on this association. Treadmill exercise testing was performed in 5974 male veterans for clinical reasons at two Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (Washington, DC and Palo Alto, CA). HRR was calculated at 1 and 2 min of recovery. All-cause mortality was determined over a mean 6.2-year follow-up period. Mortality risk was significantly and inversely associated with HRR, only at 2 min. A cut-off value of 14 beats/min at 2 min recovery was the strongest predictor of mortality for the cohort (hazard ratio = 2.4; CI 1.6-3.5). The mortality risk was overestimated when exercise capacity was not considered. When both low fitness and low HRR were present (≤6 metabolic equivalents and ≤14 beats/min), mortality risk was approximately seven-fold higher compared to the High-fit + High-HRR group (>6 metabolic equivalents and >14 beats/min). HRR at 2 min post exercise is strongly and inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Exercise capacity affects HRR-associated mortality substantially and should be considered when applying HRR to estimate mortality.

Science with the solar optical telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, S. D.; Hogan, G. D.

1984-01-01

The Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) is designed to provide the solar physics community with the data necessary for solving several fundamental problems in the energetics and dynamics of the solar atmosphere. Among these problems are questions on the origin and evolution of the sun's magnetic field, heating of the outer solar atmosphere, and sources of the solar wind in the lower lying regions of the outer atmosphere. The SOT will be built under the management of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, with science instruments provided by teams led by Principal Investigators. The telescope will be built by the Perkin-Elmer Corporation, and the science instruments selected for the first flight will be provided by the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory (LPARL) and the California Institute of Technology, with actual construction of a combined science instrument taking place at the LPARL. The SOT has a 1.3-meter-diameter primary mirror that will be capable of achieving diffraction-limited viewing in the visible of 0.1 arc-second. This dimension is less than a hydrodynamic scale-height or a mean-free-path of a continuum photon in the solar atmosphere. Image stability will be achieved by a control system in the telescope, which moves both the primary and tertiary mirrors in tandem, and will be further enhanced by a correlation tracker in the combined science instrument. The SOT Facility is currently scheduled for its first flight on Spacelab at the beginning of the 1990's.

An efficient method to determine double Gaussian fluence parameters in the eclipse™ proton pencil beam model.

PubMed

Shen, Jiajian; Liu, Wei; Stoker, Joshua; Ding, Xiaoning; Anand, Aman; Hu, Yanle; Herman, Michael G; Bues, Martin

2016-12-01

To find an efficient method to configure the proton fluence for a commercial proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) treatment planning system (TPS). An in-water dose kernel was developed to mimic the dose kernel of the pencil beam convolution superposition algorithm, which is part of the commercial proton beam therapy planning software, eclipse™ (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The field size factor (FSF) was calculated based on the spot profile reconstructed by the in-house dose kernel. The workflow of using FSFs to find the desirable proton fluence is presented. The in-house derived spot profile and FSF were validated by a direct comparison with those calculated by the eclipse TPS. The validation included 420 comparisons of the FSFs from 14 proton energies, various field sizes from 2 to 20 cm and various depths from 20% to 80% of proton range. The relative in-water lateral profiles between the in-house calculation and the eclipse TPS agree very well even at the level of 10 -4 . The FSFs between the in-house calculation and the eclipse TPS also agree well. The maximum deviation is within 0.5%, and the standard deviation is less than 0.1%. The authors' method significantly reduced the time to find the desirable proton fluences of the clinical energies. The method is extensively validated and can be applied to any proton centers using PBS and the eclipse TPS.

ECH Technology Development

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

Temkin, Richard

2014-12-24

Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) is needed for plasma heating, current drive, plasma stability control, and other applications in fusion energy sciences research. The program of fusion energy sciences supported by U. S. DOE, Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences relies on the development of ECH technology to meet the needs of several plasma devices working at the frontier of fusion energy sciences research. The largest operating ECH system in the world is at DIII-D, consisting of six 1 MW, 110 GHz gyrotrons capable of ten second pulsed operation, plus two newer gyrotrons. The ECH Technology Development research program investigated themore » options for upgrading the DIII-D 110 GHz ECH system. Options included extending present-day 1 MW technology to 1.3 – 1.5 MW power levels or developing an entirely new approach to achieve up to 2 MW of power per gyrotron. The research consisted of theoretical research and designs conducted by Communication and Power Industries of Palo Alto, CA working with MIT. Results of the study would be validated in a later phase by research on short pulse length gyrotrons at MIT and long pulse / cw gyrotrons in industry. This research follows a highly successful program of development that has led to the highly reliable, six megawatt ECH system at the DIII-D tokamak. Eventually, gyrotrons at the 1.5 megawatt to multi-megawatt power level will be needed for heating and current drive in large scale plasmas including ITER and DEMO.« less

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

Gritti, Fabrice; Guiochon, Georges A

The adsorption isotherms of phenol, caffeine, propranolol chloride, and amitriptyline chloride were measured on three new brands of C{sub 18}-bonded silica that have been designed to be more resistant than conventional C{sub 18}-bonded silica at high pHs (>8). These columns were the 4 {micro}m Bidendate Cogent-C{sub 18} (Microsolv Technology Corporation, Long Branch, NJ, USA), the 3.5 {micro}m Zorbax Extend-C{sub 18} (Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, USA), and the 5 {micro}m XTerra-C{sub 18} (Waters, Milford, MA, USA). The originality of these adsorbents is due to their surface chemistry, which protects them from rapid hydrolysis or dissolution at extreme pH conditions. Theirmore » adsorption properties were compared to those of the 3 {micro}m Luna-C{sub 18} (Phenomenex, Torrance, CA), which is a more conventional monofunctional material. The adsorption data were acquired by frontal analysis (FA) and the adsorption energy distributions (AEDs) of all systems studied were calculated by the expectation-maximization (EM) method. The experimental results show that neither a simple surface protection (Extend-C{sub 18}) nor the elimination of most of the silanol groups (Cogent-C{sub 18}) is sufficient to avoid a peak tailing of the basic compounds at pH 8 that is of thermodynamic origin. The incorporation of organic moieties in the silica matrix, which was achieved in XTerra-C{sub 18}, the first generation of hybrid methyl/silica material, reduces the silanols activity and is more successful in reducing this peak tailing.« less

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

None

PREFACE The Twenty-First Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering was held at the Holiday Inn, Palo Alto on January 22-24, 1996. There were one-hundred fifty-five registered participants. Participants came from twenty foreign countries: Argentina, Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. The performance of many geothermal reservoirs outside the United States was described in several of the papers. Professor Roland N. Horne opened the meeting and welcomed visitors. The key note speaker was Marshall Reed, who gave a brief overview of themore » Department of Energy's current plan. Sixty-six papers were presented in the technical sessions of the workshop. Technical papers were organized into twenty sessions concerning: reservoir assessment, modeling, geology/geochemistry, fracture modeling hot dry rock, geoscience, low enthalpy, injection, well testing, drilling, adsorption and stimulation. Session chairmen were major contributors to the workshop, and we thank: Ben Barker, Bobbie Bishop-Gollan, Tom Box, Jim Combs, John Counsil, Sabodh Garg, Malcolm Grant, Marcel0 Lippmann, Jim Lovekin, John Pritchett, Marshall Reed, Joel Renner, Subir Sanyal, Mike Shook, Alfred Truesdell and Ken Williamson. Jim Lovekin gave the post-dinner speech at the banquet and highlighted the exciting developments in the geothermal field which are taking place worldwide. The Workshop was organized by the Stanford Geothermal Program faculty, staff, and graduate students. We wish to thank our students who operated the audiovisual equipment. Shaun D. Fitzgerald Program Manager.« less

KSC-2013-2909

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-25

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA hosted a prelaunch news conference on the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory scheduled to launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Participating in the news conference are George Diller, NASA Public Affairs, Geoffrey Yoder, deputy associate administrator for the Programs, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., Tim Dunn, NASA launch director/NASA Launch Manager at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Bryan Baldwin, Pegasus launch vehicle program director for Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., Gary Kushner, IRIS project manager for Lockheed Martin's Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto, Calif., and First Lt. Jennifer Kelley, launch weather officer for the U.S. Air Force 30th Operations Support Squadron at Vandenberg. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/ Daniel Casper

A globally efficient means of distributing UTC time and frequency through GPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kusters, John A.; Giffard, Robin P.; Cutler, Leonard S.; Allan, David W.; Miranian, Mihran

1995-01-01

Time and frequency outputs comparable in quality to the best laboratories have been demonstrated on an integrated system suitable for field application on a global basis. The system measures the time difference between 1 pulse-per-second (pps) signals derived from local primary frequency standards and from a multi-channel GPS C/A receiver. The measured data is processed through optimal SA Filter algorithms that enhance both the stability and accuracy of GPS timing signals. Experiments were run simultaneously at four different sites. Even with large distances between sites, the overall results show a high degree of cross-correlation of the SA noise. With sufficiently long simultaneous measurement sequences, the data shows that determination of the difference in local frequency from an accepted remote standard to better than 1 x 10(exp -14) is possible. This method yields frequency accuracy, stability, and timing stability comparable to that obtained with more conventional common-view experiments. In addition, this approach provides UTC(USNO MC) in real time to an accuracy better than 20 ns without the problems normally associated with conventional common-view techniques. An experimental tracking loop was also set up to demonstrate the use of enhanced GPS for dissemination of UTC(USNO MC) over a wide geographic area. Properly disciplining a cesium standard with a multi-channel GPS receiver, with additional input from USNO, has been found to permit maintaining a timing precision of better than 10 ns between Palo Alto, CA and Washington, DC.

Submarine landslides of the Southern California Borderland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, H.J.; Greene, H. Gary; Edwards, B.D.; Fisher, M.A.; Normark, W.R.

2009-01-01

Conventional bathymetry, sidescan-sonar and seismic-reflection data, and recent, multibeam surveys of large parts of the Southern California Borderland disclose the presence of numerous submarine landslides. Most of these features are fairly small, with lateral dimensions less than ??2 km. In areas where multibeam surveys are available, only two large landslide complexes were identified on the mainland slope- Goleta slide in Santa Barbara Channel and Palos Verdes debris avalanche on the San Pedro Escarpment south of Palos Verdes Peninsula. Both of these complexes indicate repeated recurrences of catastrophic slope failure. Recurrence intervals are not well constrained but appear to be in the range of 7500 years for the Goleta slide. The most recent major activity of the Palos Verdes debris avalanche occurred roughly 7500 years ago. A small failure deposit in Santa Barbara Channel, the Gaviota mudflow, was perhaps caused by an 1812 earthquake. Most landslides in this region are probably triggered by earthquakes, although the larger failures were likely conditioned by other factors, such as oversteepening, development of shelf-edge deltas, and high fluid pressures. If a subsequent future landslide were to occur in the area of these large landslide complexes, a tsunami would probably result. Runup distances of 10 m over a 30-km-long stretch of the Santa Barbara coastline are predicted for a recurrence of the Goleta slide, and a runup of 3 m over a comparable stretch of the Los Angeles coastline is modeled for the Palos Verdes debris avalanche. ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Marine geology and earthquake hazards of the San Pedro Shelf region, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Michael A.; Normark, William R.; Langenheim, V.E.; Calvert, Andrew J.; Sliter, Ray

2004-01-01

High-resolution seismic-reflection data have been com- bined with a variety of other geophysical and geological data to interpret the offshore structure and earthquake hazards of the San Pedro Shelf, near Los Angeles, California. Prominent structures investigated include the Wilmington Graben, the Palos Verdes Fault Zone, various faults below the western part of the shelf and slope, and the deep-water San Pedro Basin. The structure of the Palos Verdes Fault Zone changes mark- edly southeastward across the San Pedro Shelf and slope. Under the northern part of the shelf, this fault zone includes several strands, but the main strand dips west and is probably an oblique-slip fault. Under the slope, this fault zone con- sists of several fault strands having normal separation, most of which dip moderately east. To the southeast near Lasuen Knoll, the Palos Verdes Fault Zone locally is a low-angle fault that dips east, but elsewhere near this knoll the fault appears to dip steeply. Fresh sea-floor scarps near Lasuen Knoll indi- cate recent fault movement. The observed regional structural variation along the Palos Verdes Fault Zone is explained as the result of changes in strike and fault geometry along a master strike-slip fault at depth. The shallow summit and possible wavecut terraces on Lasuen knoll indicate subaerial exposure during the last sea-level lowstand. Modeling of aeromagnetic data indicates the presence of a large magnetic body under the western part of the San Pedro Shelf and upper slope. This is interpreted to be a thick body of basalt of Miocene(?) age. Reflective sedimentary rocks overlying the basalt are tightly folded, whereas folds in sedimentary rocks east of the basalt have longer wavelengths. This difference might mean that the basalt was more competent during folding than the encasing sedimentary rocks. West of the Palos Verdes Fault Zone, other northwest-striking faults deform the outer shelf and slope. Evidence for recent movement along these faults is equivocal, because age dates on deformed or offset sediment are lacking.

p,p'-DDE bioaccumulation in female sea lions of the California Channel Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, John P.; Glaser, David

2002-05-01

An area of sediment on the Palos Verdes shelf and in Santa Monica Bay off Los Angeles, CA is contaminated with DDE and other breakdown products of DDT as a result of discharges of DDT through the Whites Point outfall. Elevated concentrations of DDE have been found in the water column of the Palos Verdes Shelf and in various fish species inhabiting the shelf and Santa Monica Bay. High concentrations have also been found in California sea lions from San Miguel Island and sea lion carcasses on Santa Catalina Island. These islands are located some distance from the Palos Verdes shelf and Santa Monica Bay. It was the purpose of this study to determine if it is likely that the Palos Verdes Shelf/Santa Monica Bay sediments were the principal source of the DDE in the Channel Island sea lions via a pathway from sediments to water and fish preyed on by sea lions. A time variable, age dependent, physiologically based toxicokinetic model of female California sea lions was developed. Mass and energy balance equations describe the uptake and loss of contaminants. The contaminants are partitioned among multiple body compartments, including lipid and non-lipid body tissue and milk. Contaminants are distributed into a fetus of females. Physiological and toxicokinetic data were used to establish rates of growth, respiration, reproduction and lactation, internal partitioning of DDE, efficiency of DDE uptake and rates of DDE excretion. The model was used to estimate the likely DDE exposure history of the sea lions in view of their DDE body burdens. Field-measured dietary composition and prey contaminant levels were then used to establish potential exposure to DDE from various regions within the Southern California Bight. Comparison of the estimated exposure history with that attainable from the various regions indicated that the more highly contaminated lactating females were exposed to prey at levels found only on the Palos Verdes Shelf and in Santa Monica Bay. Thus, it is likely that the sediments impacted by the Whites Point outfall were the source of much of the DDE and PCBs in these animals.

NEPA, a fixed oral combination of netupitant and palonosetron, improves control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) over multiple cycles of chemotherapy: results of a randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial versus oral palonosetron.

PubMed

Aapro, Matti; Karthaus, Meinolf; Schwartzberg, Lee; Bondarenko, Igor; Sarosiek, Tomasz; Oprean, Cristina; Cardona-Huerta, Servando; Hansen, Vincent; Rossi, Giorgia; Rizzi, Giada; Borroni, Maria Elisa; Rugo, Hope

2017-04-01

Antiemetic guidelines recommend co-administration of targeted prophylactic medications inhibiting molecular pathways involved in emesis. NEPA is a fixed oral combination of a new NK 1 receptor antagonist (RA), netupitant (NETU 300 mg), and palonosetron (PALO 0.50 mg), a pharmacologically distinct 5-HT 3 RA. NEPA showed superior prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) compared with oral PALO in a single chemotherapy cycle; maintenance of efficacy/safety over continuing cycles is the objective of this study. This study is a multinational, double-blind study comparing a single oral dose of NEPA vs oral PALO in chemotherapy-naïve patients receiving anthracycline/cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy along with dexamethasone 12 mg (NEPA) or 20 mg (PALO) on day 1. The primary efficacy endpoint was delayed (25-120 h) complete response (CR: no emesis, no rescue medication) in cycle 1. Sustained efficacy was evaluated during the multicycle extension by calculating the proportion of patients with overall (0-120 h) CR in cycles 2-4 and by assessing the probability of sustained CR over multiple cycles. Of 1455 patients randomized, 1286 (88 %) participated in the multiple-cycle extension for a total of 5969 cycles; 76 % completed ≥4 cycles. The proportion of patients with an overall CR was significantly greater for NEPA than oral PALO for cycles 1-4 (74.3 vs 66.6 %, 80.3 vs 66.7 %, 83.8 vs 70.3 %, and 83.8 vs 74.6 %, respectively; p ≤ 0.001 each cycle). The cumulative percentage of patients with a sustained CR over all 4 cycles was also greater for NEPA (p < 0.0001). NEPA was well tolerated over cycles. NEPA, a convenient, guideline-consistent, fixed antiemetic combination is effective and safe over multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

Data for wells at the low-level radioactive-waste burial site in the Palos Forest Preserve, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olimpio, J.C.

1982-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is studying the geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical properties of the glacial drift and underlying bedrock at a low-level radioactive-waste burial site in the Palos Forest Preserve, 22 kilometers southwest of Chicago. Data collected from the 33 test wells drilled into the drift plus data from 4 wells drilled into the underlying dolomite bedrock are presented. Data include maps showing the location of the test wells, a general description of the drift, well-construction information, and lithologic descriptions of cores from the wells finished in the drift.

Effect of Voice-Part Training and Music Complexity on Focus of Attention to Melody or Harmony

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lindsey R.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible effects of choral voice-part training/experience and music complexity on focus of attention to melody or harmony. Participants (N = 150) were members of auditioned university choral ensembles divided by voice-part (sopranos, n = 44; altos, n = 33; tenors, n = 35; basses, n = 38). The music…

Clinical characteristics of older male military veterans seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction.

PubMed

Beaudreau, Sherry A; Rideaux, Tiffany; Zeiss, Robert A

2011-02-01

Male sexual dysfunction is a significant international public health issue affecting both middle-aged and older adults. To date, however, no studies have compared age differences in psychiatric issues, frequency of sexual activity and treatment recommendations between older and middle-aged male military Veterans seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) in the U.S.A. Data were collected between 1982 and 2003 at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Andrology Clinic. The 1,250 participants, aged 22 to 87 years (median = 63), completed a semi-structured interview. Using multiple linear regressions, we examined age differences in five domains: medical and endocrine risk factors; psychiatric and psychosocial risk factors; frequency of sexual behaviors; self-reported and objectively measured erectile function; and treatment recommendations. Compared with middle-aged adults, older adults were more likely to present for ED treatment with medical risk factors and were more often recommended a vacuum pump treatment. Middle-aged male Veterans were more likely to experience psychiatric risk factors for ED and were more sexually active than older Veterans. Despite greater objective erectile ability in middle-aged adults, there were no age differences in maximum self-reported erectile functioning. These results provide some evidence of age-related characteristics and treatment needs of male patients seeking treatment for sexual dysfunction. We encourage health care professionals working with adults across the lifespan to consider ways to individualize psychoeducation and brief psychotherapy for the treatment of ED to the specific needs of the patient, which may vary between middle-aged and older cohorts of patients.

Results from a clinical yoga program for veterans: yoga via telehealth provides comparable satisfaction and health improvements to in-person yoga.

PubMed

Schulz-Heik, R Jay; Meyer, Hilary; Mahoney, Louise; Stanton, Michael V; Cho, Rachael H; Moore-Downing, Danae P; Avery, Timothy J; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Varni, Joanne M; Collery, Linda Martin; Bayley, Peter J

2017-04-04

Yoga is increasingly popular, though little data regarding its implementation in healthcare settings is available. Similarly, telehealth is being utilized more frequently to increase access to healthcare; however we know of no research on the acceptability or effectiveness of yoga delivered through telehealth. Therefore, we evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and patient-reported effectiveness of a clinical yoga program at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and assessed whether these outcomes differed between those participating in-person and those participating via telehealth. Veterans who attended a yoga class at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System were invited to complete an anonymous program evaluation survey. 64 Veterans completed the survey. Participants reported high satisfaction with the classes and the instructors. More than 80% of participants who endorsed a problem with pain, energy level, depression, or anxiety reported improvement in these symptoms. Those who participated via telehealth did not differ from those who participated in-person in any measure of satisfaction, overall improvement (p = .40), or improvement in any of 16 specific health problems. Delivering yoga to a wide range of patients within a healthcare setting appears to be feasible and acceptable, both when delivered in-person and via telehealth. Patients in this clinical yoga program reported high levels of satisfaction and improvement in multiple problem areas. This preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of a clinical yoga program complements prior evidence for the efficacy of yoga and supports the use of yoga in healthcare settings.

Quantifying protein interface footprinting by hydroxyl radical oxidation and molecular dynamics simulation: application to galectin-1.

PubMed

Charvátová, Olga; Foley, B Lachele; Bern, Marshall W; Sharp, Joshua S; Orlando, Ron; Woods, Robert J

2008-11-01

Biomolecular surface mapping methods offer an important alternative method for characterizing protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions in cases in which it is not possible to determine high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) structures of complexes. Hydroxyl radical footprinting offers a significant advance in footprint resolution compared with traditional chemical derivatization. Here we present results of footprinting performed with hydroxyl radicals generated on the nanosecond time scale by laser-induced photodissociation of hydrogen peroxide. We applied this emerging method to a carbohydrate-binding protein, galectin-1. Since galectin-1 occurs as a homodimer, footprinting was employed to characterize the interface of the monomeric subunits. Efficient analysis of the mass spectrometry data for the oxidized protein was achieved with the recently developed ByOnic (Palo Alto, CA) software that was altered to handle the large number of modifications arising from side-chain oxidation. Quantification of the level of oxidation has been achieved by employing spectral intensities for all of the observed oxidation states on a per-residue basis. The level of accuracy achievable from spectral intensities was determined by examination of mixtures of synthetic peptides related to those present after oxidation and tryptic digestion of galectin-1. A direct relationship between side-chain solvent accessibility and level of oxidation emerged, which enabled the prediction of the level of oxidation given the 3D structure of the protein. The precision of this relationship was enhanced through the use of average solvent accessibilities computed from 10 ns molecular dynamics simulations of the protein.

Supporting data for hydrologic studies in San Francisco Bay, California; meteorological measurements at the Port of Redwood City during 1992-1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schemel, Laurence E.

1995-01-01

Meteorological data were collected during 1992-94 at the Port of Redwood City, California, to support hydrologic studies in southern San Francisco Bay. The meteorological variables that were measured were air temperature, atmospheric pressure, quantum flux (insolation), and four parameters of wind speed and direction: scalar mean horizontal wind speed, (vector) resultant horizontal wind speed, resultant wind direction, and standard deviation of the wind direction. Hourly mean values based on measurements at five-minute intervals were logged at the site, then transferred to a portable computer monthly. Daily mean values were computed for temperature, insolation, pressure, and scalar wind speed. Hourly- mean and daily-mean values are presented in time- series plots and daily variability and seasonal and annual cycles are described. All data are provided in ASCII files on an IBM-formatted disk. Observations of temperature and wind speed at the Port of Redwood City were compared with measurements made at the San Francisco International Airport. Most daily mean values for temperature agreed within one- to two-tenths of a degree Celsius between the two locations. Daily mean wind speeds at the Port of Redwood City were typically half the values at the San Francisco International Airport. During summers, the differences resulted from stronger wind speeds at the San Francisco International Airport occurring over longer periods of each day. A comparison of hourly wind speeds at the Palo Alto Municipal Airport with those at the Port of Redwood City showed that values were similar in magnitude.

NCAA strength and conditioning coach demographics, current practice trends and common injuries of athletes during strength and conditioning sessions.

PubMed

Waryasz, Gregory R; Daniels, Alan H; Gil, Joseph A; Suric, Vladimir; Eberson, Craig P

2016-10-01

NCAA strength and conditioning coaches are responsible for the day-to-day conditioning and strength training of collegiate athletes. NCAA regulations will likely require all strength and conditioning coaches to have a strength and conditioning certification. NCAA strength and conditioning coaches have varied philosophies on exercise programming based on educational background. The study aims to further evaluate the backgrounds and exercise philosophies of NCAA strength and conditioning coaches. A survey (Survey Monkey®, Palo Alto, CA, USA) was distributed to NCAA strength and conditioning professionals to evaluate their education background, current practice trends, use of specific equipment and footwear, and what injuries occurred during sessions. Of the 208 survey participants, 77.9% were male with an average age of 34.5±9.1 years old. An exercise-related bachelor's degree was held by 80.4% and an exercise-related master's degree by 72.4%. Over 89% had a strength and conditioning certification. Having a master's, bachelor's, or type strength and conditioning certification had no difference in 1-repetition maximal practice with athletes. Lower extremity injuries made up the highest percentage (58.9%) of injuries seen by NCAA Strength and Conditioning Coaches than lumbar spine injuries (16.7%). The five most common injuries reported during workouts were lumbar strain (N.=431, 14.7%), hamstring strain (N.=332, 11.3%), ankle sprain (N.=299, 10.2%), patellar tendonitis (N.=232, 7.9%), and shin splints (N.=226, 7.7%). Collegiate education and certifications have impact on practice patterns of strength and conditioning coaches in the NCAA.

SU-F-T-262: Commissioning Varian Portal Dosimetry for EPID-Based Patient Specific QA in a Non-Aria Environment

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

Schmidt, M; Knutson, N; University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

2016-06-15

Purpose: Development of an in-house program facilitates a workflow that allows Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) patient specific quality assurance (QA) measurements to be acquired and analyzed in the Portal Dosimetry Application (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) using a non-Aria Record and Verify (R&V) system (MOSAIQ, Elekta, Crawley, UK) to deliver beams in standard clinical treatment mode. Methods: Initial calibration of an in-house software tool includes characterization of EPID dosimetry parameters by importing DICOM images of varying delivered MUs to determine linear mapping factors in order to convert image pixel values to Varian-defined Calibrated Units (CU). Using this information,more » the Portal Dose Image Prediction (PDIP) algorithm was commissioned by converting images of various field sizes to output factors using the Eclipse Scripting Application Programming Interface (ESAPI) and converting a delivered configuration fluence to absolute dose units. To verify the algorithm configuration, an integrated image was acquired, exported directly from the R&V client, automatically converted to a compatible, calibrated dosimetric image, and compared to a PDIP calculated image using Varian’s Portal Dosimetry Application. Results: For two C-Series and one TrueBeam Varian linear accelerators, gamma comparisons (global 3% / 3mm) of PDIP algorithm predicted dosimetric images and images converted via the inhouse system demonstrated agreement for ≥99% of all pixels, exceeding vendor-recommended commissioning guidelines. Conclusion: Combinations of a programmatic image conversion tool and ESAPI allow for an efficient and accurate method of patient IMRT QA incorporating a 3rd party R&V system.« less

Poster — Thur Eve — 55: An automated XML technique for isocentre verification on the Varian TrueBeam

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

Asiev, Krum; Mullins, Joel; DeBlois, François

2014-08-15

Isocentre verification tests, such as the Winston-Lutz (WL) test, have gained popularity in the recent years as techniques such as stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) treatments are more commonly performed on radiotherapy linacs. These highly conformal treatments require frequent monitoring of the geometrical accuracy of the isocentre to ensure proper radiation delivery. At our clinic, the WL test is performed by acquiring with the EPID a collection of 8 images of a WL phantom fixed on the couch for various couch/gantry angles. This set of images is later analyzed to determine the isocentre size. The current work addresses the acquisition process. Amore » manual WL test acquisition performed by and experienced physicist takes in average 25 minutes and is prone to user manipulation errors. We have automated this acquisition on a Varian TrueBeam STx linac (Varian, Palo Alto, USA). The Varian developer mode allows the execution of custom-made XML script files to control all aspects of the linac operation. We have created an XML-WL script that cycles through each couch/gantry combinations taking an EPID image at each position. This automated acquisition is done in less than 4 minutes. The reproducibility of the method was verified by repeating the execution of the XML file 5 times. The analysis of the images showed variation of the isocenter size less than 0.1 mm along the X, Y and Z axes and compares favorably to a manual acquisition for which we typically observe variations up to 0.5 mm.« less

Determination of oral bioavailability of curcuminoid dispersions and nanoemulsions prepared from Curcuma longa Linnaeus.

PubMed

Lu, Pei Shan; Inbaraj, Baskaran Stephen; Chen, Bing Huei

2018-01-01

Curcuminoid from Curcuma longa Linnaeus has been demonstrated to be effective in anti-cancer and anti-inflammation. The objectives of the present study were to prepare curcuminoid dispersion and nanoemulsion from C. longa and determine their oral bioavailabilities in rats. After curcuminoid extraction using 99.5% ethanol, bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and curcumin were separated within 10 min by high-performance liquid chromatography using an Eclipse XDB-C18 column (Agilent, Palo Alto, CA, USA) and a gradient mobile phase of 0.1% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile, with a flow rate of 1 mL min -1 , column temperature of 35 °C and detection wavelength of 425 nm. Curcuminoid nanoemulsion at a particle size of 12.1 nm and encapsulation efficiency 98.8% was prepared using lecithin, Tween 80 and water. A pharmacokinetic study in rats revealed that the parameters including T max , C max , t 1/2 and the area under the curve were higher for curcuminoid nanoemulsions than for curcuminoid dispersion at the same dose employed for gavage administration, whereas, for intravenous injection, an opposite trend was shown. The oral bioavailabilities of BDMC, DMC, curcumin and total curcuminoids in nanoemulsion and dispersion were 34.39 and 4.65%, 39.93 and 5.49%, 47.82 and 9.38%, and 46 and 8.7%, respectively. The results of the present study demonstrate a higher oral bioavailability after incorporation of curcuminoid into nanoemulsion, facilitating its application as a botanic drug. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Initial evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program.

PubMed

Hickey, Kathleen T; Hodges, Eric A; Thomas, Tami L; Coffman, Maren J; Taylor-Piliae, Ruth E; Johnson-Mallard, Versie M; Goodman, Janice H; Jones, Randy A; Kuntz, Sandra; Galik, Elizabeth; Gates, Michael G; Casida, Jesus M

2014-01-01

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars (RWJF NFS) program was developed to enhance the career trajectory of young nursing faculty and to train the next generation of nurse scholars. Although there are publications that describe the RWJF NFS, no evaluative reports have been published. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the first three cohorts (n = 42 scholars) of the RWJF NFS program. A descriptive research design was used. Data were derived from quarterly and annual reports, and a questionnaire (seven open-ended questions) was administered via Survey Monkey Inc. (Palo Alto, CA, USA). During their tenure, scholars had on average six to seven articles published, were teaching/mentoring at the graduate level (93%), and holding leadership positions at their academic institutions (100%). Eleven scholars (26%) achieved fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing, one of the highest nursing honors. The average ratings on a Likert scale of 1 (not at all supportive) to 10 (extremely supportive) of whether or not RWJF had helped scholars achieve their goals in teaching, service, research, and leadership were 7.7, 8.0, 9.4, and 9.5, respectively. The majority of scholars reported a positive, supportive relationship with their primary nursing and research mentors; although, several scholars noted challenges in connecting for meetings or telephone calls with their national nursing mentors. These initial results of the RWJF NFS program highlight the success of the program in meeting its overall goal-preparing the next generation of nursing academic scholars for leadership in the profession. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Right Care for the Right Patient Each and Every Time.

PubMed

Basavatia, Amar; Fret, Jose; Lukaj, Alex; Kuo, Hsiang; Yaparpalvi, Ravindra; Tome, Wolfgang A; Kalnicki, Shalom

2016-02-12

To implement a biometric patient identification system in the field of radiation oncology. A biometric system using palm vein scanning technology has been implemented to ensure the delivery of treatment to the correct patient each and every time. By interfacing a palm vein biometrics system (PVBS) (PatientSecure®, Imprivata, Lexington, Massachusetts) with the radiation oncology patient management system (ROPMS) (ARIA®, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, California) one can integrate patient check-in at the front desk and identify and open the correct treatment record of the patient at the point of care prior to the initiation of the radiation therapy treatment. The learning time for the use of the software and palm scanner was extremely short. The staff at the front desk and treatment machines learned the procedures to use, clean, and care for the device in one hour's time. The first key to the success of the system is to have a policy and procedure in place; such a procedure was created and put in place in the department from the first day. The second key to the success is the actual hand placement on the scanner. Learning the proper placement and gently reminding patients from time to time was found to be efficient and to work well. The use of a biometric patient identification system employing palm vein technology allows one to ensure that the right care is delivered to the right patient each and every time. Documentation through the PVBS database now exists to show that this has taken place.

Ancient Streamlined Islands of the Palos Outflow Channel

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-24

This image shows the northern terminus of an outflow channel located in the volcanic terrains of Amenthes Planum. The channel sources from the Palos impact crater to the south, where water flowed into the crater from Tinto Vallis and eventually formed a paleo lake. As rising lake levels breached through the crater's rim and inundated the plains to the north, the resulting high velocity, large discharge floods plucked out and eroded the volcanic plains scouring out the "Palos Outflow Channel" and the streamlined mesa-islands on its floor. These streamlined forms are the eroded remnants of plains material sculpted by catastrophic floods and are not sediment deposits emplaced by lower magnitude stream flows. Both the fluvial channel floor and the volcanic island surfaces are densely cratered by impacts suggesting that both the surfaces and the flood events are ancient. The morphology (shape) of the channel system and its islands have been preserved through the eons, but water has long been absent from this drainage system. Since then, winds have transported light-toned sediments across this terrain forming extensive dune fields within the channel system, on the floors of impact craters, and in other protected locations in the Palos Outflow Channel region. A closer look shows chevron, or fish-bone shaped, light-toned dunes located near the top of the image where numerous smaller channels have cut through the landscape. These dunes likely started out as Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TAR) that form perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction where the wind-blown sediment supply is scarce. This intriguing morphology likely reflects changes in the prevailing wind environment over time. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21023

Tube structural integrity evaluation of Palo Verde Unit 1 steam generators for axial upper-bundle cracking

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

Woodman, B.W.; Begley, J.A.; Brown, S.D.

1995-12-01

The analysis of the issue of upper bundle axial ODSCC as it apples to steam generator tube structural integrity in Unit 1 at the Palo Verde Nuclear generating Station is presented in this study. Based on past inspection results for Units 2 and 3 at Palo Verde, the detection of secondary side stress corrosion cracks in the upper bundle region of Unit 1 may occur at some future date. The following discussion provides a description and analysis of the probability of axial ODSCC in Unit 1 leading to the exceedance of Regulatory Guide 1.121 structural limits. The probabilities of structuralmore » limit exceedance are estimated as function of run time using a conservative approach. The chosen approach models the historical development of cracks, crack growth, detection of cracks and subsequent removal from service and the initiation and growth of new cracks during a given cycle of operation. Past performance of all Palo Verde Units as well as the historical performance of other steam generators was considered in the development of cracking statistics for application to Unit 1. Data in the literature and Unit 2 pulled tube examination results were used to construct probability of detection curves for the detection of axial IGSCC/IGA using an MRPC (multi-frequency rotating panake coil) eddy current probe. Crack growth rates were estimated from Unit 2 eddy current inspection data combined with pulled tube examination results and data in the literature. A Monte-Carlo probabilistic model is developed to provide an overall assessment of the risk of Regulatory Guide exceedance during plant operation.« less

Agrochemical characterization of vermicomposts produced from residues of Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) essential oil extraction.

PubMed

Carrión-Paladines, Vinicio; Fries, Andreas; Gómez-Muñoz, Beatriz; García-Ruiz, Roberto

2016-12-01

Fruits of Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) are used for essential oil extraction. The extraction process is very efficient, because up to 3% of the fresh fruits can be transformed into essential oil; however, a considerable amount of waste is concurrently produced (>97% of the fresh biomass). Recent developments in Ecuadorian policies to foster environmentally friendly agroforestry and industrial practices have led to widespread interest in reusing the waste. This study evaluated the application of four vermicomposts (VMs), which are produced from the waste of the Palo Santo fruit distillation in combination with other raw materials (kitchen leftovers, pig manure, goat manure, and King Grass), for agrochemical use and for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) decomposition in two soils with different textures. The results showed that the vermicompost mixtures (VMM) were valuable for agricultural utilisation, because total N (min. 2.63%) was relatively high and the C/N ratio (max. 13.3), as well as the lignin (max. 3.8%) and polyphenol (max. 1.6%) contents were low. In addition, N availability increased for both soil types after the application of the VMM. In contrast, N became immobile during decomposition if the VM of the pure waste was added. This likely occurred because of the relatively low total N (1.16%) content and high C/N ratio (35.0). However, the comparatively low C decomposition of this VM type makes its application highly recommendable as a strategy to increase the levels of organic matter and C, as well as for soil reclamation. Overall, these results suggest that the residues of the Palo Santo essential oil extraction are a potential source for vermicompost production and sustainable agriculture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Digital Astronaut Project Biomechanical Models: Biomechanical Modeling of Squat, Single-Leg Squat and Heel Raise Exercises on the Hybrid Ultimate Lifting Kit (HULK)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, William K.; Gallo, Christopher A.; Crentsil, Lawton; Lewandowski, Beth E.; Humphreys, Brad T.; DeWitt, John K.; Fincke, Renita S.; Mulugeta, Lealem

2015-01-01

The NASA Digital Astronaut Project (DAP) implements well-vetted computational models to predict and assess spaceflight health and performance risks, and to enhance countermeasure development. The DAP Musculoskeletal Modeling effort is developing computational models to inform exercise countermeasure development and to predict physical performance capabilities after a length of time in space. For example, integrated exercise device-biomechanical models can determine localized loading, which will be used as input to muscle and bone adaptation models to estimate the effectiveness of the exercise countermeasure. In addition, simulations of mission tasks can be used to estimate the astronaut's ability to perform the task after exposure to microgravity and after using various exercise countermeasures. The software package OpenSim (Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA) (Ref. 1) is being used to create the DAP biomechanical models and its built-in muscle model is the starting point for the DAP muscle model. During Exploration missions, such as those to asteroids and Mars, astronauts will be exposed to reduced gravity for extended periods. Therefore, the crew must have access to exercise countermeasures that can maintain their musculoskeletal and aerobic health. Exploration vehicles may have very limited volume and power available to accommodate such capabilities, even more so than the International Space Station (ISS). The exercise devices flown on Exploration missions must be designed to provide sufficient load during the performance of various resistance and aerobic/anaerobic exercises while meeting potential additional requirements of limited mass, volume and power. Given that it is not practical to manufacture and test (ground, analog and/or flight) all candidate devices, nor is it always possible to obtain data such as localized muscle and bone loading empirically, computational modeling can estimate the localized loading during various exercise modalities performed on a given device to help formulate exercise prescriptions and other operational considerations. With this in mind, NASA's Digital Astronaut Project (DAP) is supporting the Advanced Exercise Concepts (AEC) Project, Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures (ExPC) laboratory and NSBRI-funded researchers by developing and implementing well-validated computational models of exercises with advanced exercise device concepts. This report focuses specifically on lower-body resistance exercises performed with the Hybrid Ultimate Lifting Kit (HULK) device as a deliverable to the AEC Project.

Using Behavioral Intervention Technologies to Help Low-Income and Latino Smokers Quit: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Bunge, Eduardo L; Barrera, Alinne Z; Wickham, Robert E; Lee, Jessica

2016-01-01

Background The Institute for International Internet Interventions for Health at Palo Alto University proposes to develop digital tools specifically to help low-income English- and Spanish-speaking smokers to quit. Individuals from lower-income countries and those with lower social status quit at lower rates than those from high-income countries and those with higher social status. Objective We plan to launch a project designed to test whether a mobile-based digital intervention designed with systematic input from low-income English- and Spanish-speaking smokers from a public-sector health care system can significantly improve its acceptability, utilization, and effectiveness. Methods Using human-centered development methods, we will involve low-income patients in the design of a Web app/text messaging tool. We will also use their input to improve our recruitment and dissemination strategies. We will iteratively develop versions of the digital interventions informed by our human-centered approach. The project involves three specific aims: (1) human-centered development of an English/Spanish smoking cessation web app, (2) improvement of dissemination strategies, and (3) evaluation of resulting smoking cessation web app. We will develop iterative versions of a digital smoking cessation tool that is highly responsive to the needs and preferences of the users. Input from participants will identify effective ways of reaching and encouraging low-income English- and Spanish-speaking smokers to use the digital smoking cessation interventions to be developed. This information will support ongoing dissemination and implementation efforts beyond the grant period. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the successive versions of the resulting stop smoking Web app by an online randomized controlled trial. Increased effectiveness will be defined as increased utilization of the Web app and higher abstinence rates than those obtained by a baseline usual care Web app. Results Recruitment will begin January 2016, the study is intended to be completed by summer 2018, and the results should be available by fall 2019. Conclusions This study will provide useful knowledge in developing, testing, and disseminating mobile-based interventions for low-income smokers. ClinicalTrial ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02666482; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02666482 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6gtcwaT28) PMID:27302623

Search for neutrino oscillations at the palo verde nuclear reactors

PubMed

Boehm; Busenitz; Cook; Gratta; Henrikson; Kornis; Lawrence; Lee; McKinny; Miller; Novikov; Piepke; Ritchie; Tracy; Vogel; Wang; Wolf

2000-04-24

We report on the initial results from a measurement of the antineutrino flux and spectrum at a distance of about 800 m from the three reactors of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station using a segmented gadolinium-loaded scintillation detector. We find that the antineutrino flux agrees with that predicted in the absence of oscillations excluding at 90% C.L. nu;(e)-nu;(x) oscillations with Deltam(2)>1.12x10(-3) eV(2) for maximal mixing and sin (2)2straight theta>0.21 for large Deltam(2). Our results support the conclusion that the atmospheric neutrino oscillations observed by Super-Kamiokande do not involve nu(e).

Ages of Quaternary Rio Grande terrace-fill deposits, Albuquerque area, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

,; Mahan, Shannon; Stone, Byron D.; Shroba, Ralph R.

2007-01-01

Results from luminescence dating on 13 samples from the Albuquerque area show that major-drainage fluvial deposits represent significant periods of aggradation that formed paired, correlatable terraces on the east and west margins of the Rio Grande valley . The youngest terrace fills (Primero Alto) formed during late Pleistocene as a result of streamflow variations with climate cooling during Marine Oxygen-Isotope Stage 3; our ages suggest aggradation of the upper part of the fill occurred at about 47–40 ka . Deposits of the second (Segundo Alto) terraces reached maximum height during climate cooling in the early part of Marine Oxygen-Isotope Stage 5 as late as 90–98 ka (based on dated basalt flows) . Our luminescence ages show considerable scatter and tend to be younger (range from 63 ka to 162 ka) . The third (Tercero Alto) and fourth (Cuarto Alto) terraces are dated on the basis of included volcanic tephra. Tercero Alto terrace-fill deposits contain the Lava Creek B tephra (639 ka), and Cuarto Alto terrace-fill deposits contain tephra of the younger Bandelier Tuff eruption (1 .22 Ma), the Cerro Toledo Rhyolite (1 .47 Ma), and the older Bandelier Tuff eruption (1 .61 Ma). These periods of aggradation culminated in fluvial terraces that are preserved at maximum heights of 360 ft (Cuarto Alto), 300 ft. (Tercero Alto), 140 ft (Segundo Alto), and 60 ft. (Primero Alto) above the modern floodplain. Despite lithologic differences related to local source-area contributions, these terracefill deposits can be correlated across the Rio Grande and up- and down-valley for tens of miles based on maximum height of the terrace above the modern floodplain.

A Simple Economic Model of Cocaine Production

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

University of New Mexico Press: Albuquerque (revised editionL 1988 11. "Plan de F*ecucion del Proyecto de Desarrollo Rural Integral del Alto Huallaga...ensuing raw material supplies (an industrial altenative)? This policy is represented in the model by ’Onewould alsohaeummakwbEr de otu of thsenw eprse...tht iemantngpoWAMdualoldi dieweinvesumaitisdie sa.sdietoldieoutpu ~~maahth~~~~ lnu~Ti srpemtdi dwemodelbyaeng diet die tota bacor A~l, ssousud it de nw

Parasite communities of the neotropical cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Gmelin) (Aves, Phalacrocoracidae) from two coastal lagoons in Guerrero state, Mexico.

PubMed

Violante-González, Juan; Monks, Scott; Gil-Guerrero, Salvador; Rojas-Herrera, Agustín; Flores-Garza, Rafael; Larumbe-Morán, Edvino

2011-11-01

The parasite community structure of the neotropical cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, from two lagoons (Coyuca and Tres Palos) from Guerrero state, México, was examined. Fourteen species of adult helminths (6,391 individuals) from 48 cormorants were identified: 9 digeneans, 1 acanthocephalan, 1 cestode, and 3 nematodes. A total of 11 species were collected in Coyuca Lagoon and 12 in Tres Palos Lagoon. Nine species co-occurred in cormorants of both lagoons but, with the exception of Contracaecum multipapillatum and Drepanocephalus olivaceus, species were not equally common in both lagoons. The prevalence values of six species of helminth and the mean abundance of four species varied significantly between lagoons, and C. multipapillatum was numerically dominant in both lagoons. The qualitative similarity between the two communities at the component level was 64%. All cormorants examined were infected, and parasite species richness was 3-5 in Coyuca and 4-9 in Tres Palos lagoon. The results indicate that both communities presented a similar structure at the component level, probably because the cormorants of both lagoons feed on the same species of fish and thus acquire almost the same species of parasites. Differences observed at the infracommunity level were attributed to variations in the degree of dominance of the particular species.

Movement patterns, habitat use and site fidelity of the white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) in the Palos Verdes Superfund Site, Los Angeles, California.

PubMed

Wolfe, Barrett W; Lowe, Christopher G

2015-08-01

White croaker (Genyonemus lineatus family: Sciaenidae) are a schooling, benthic foraging fish historically associated with soft sediment and wastewater outfalls in southern California. While they are often used as an indicator species due to their high organochlorine contaminant loads, little is known of their movements in relation to contaminated habitats. A Vemco Positioning System acoustic telemetry array was used to collect fine-scale movement data and characterize the site fidelity, area use, and dispersal of 83 white croaker on the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site, California over 27 months. White croaker generally demonstrated low residency and recurrence to the Palos Verdes Shelf, and were observed to be largely nomadic. However, individual behavior was highly variable. Although the entire monitored shelf was visited by tagged white croaker, habitats in 0-200 m proximity to wastewater outfalls and between 25 and 35 m depth were used most frequently. Approximately half of white croaker migrated into Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors; areas where they may be targeted by subsistence fishers. A model framework for incorporating fish movement data into contaminant exposure estimates was developed to better understanding organochlorine contaminant exposure for planning future remediation and monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Submarine landslides of San Pedro Escarpment, southwest of Long Beach, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, R.G.; Gardner, J.V.

2004-01-01

The coastal infrastructure of the southern greater Los Angeles metropolitan area would be profoundly affected by a large tsunami. Submarine slope failures and active faults, either of which could have generated a tsunami, are known on the shelf and slope near Long Beach. Large slope failures are present on the San Pedro Escarpment and on the basin slope adjacent to the San Pedro shelf. The southeastern part of the escarpment has had a long history of slope failure. The most recent failure, the Palos Verdes slide, is over 4.5 km long, has been dated as 7500 years old, and involved over 0.34 km 3 of material, which now litters the adjacent basin floor. Other, smaller, deposits from nearby failures are also present, as are buried wedges of debris that indicate slope failures have occurred locally throughout the Holocene and much of the late Pleistocene. Slope failures have occurred in response to continual Quaternary uplift of the Palos Verdes anticlinorium. The Palos Verdes slide could potentially have generated a failure-related tsunami with an amplitude in the range of 8-12 m because it apparently failed catastrophically, started in shallow water, evolved on low-drag bedding planes, had a long slide path, and involved high-strength lithified material. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Palos Verdes Shelf oceanographic study; data report for observations December 2007–April 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenberger, Kurt J.; Noble, Marlene A.; Sherwood, Christopher R.; Martini, Marinna M.; Ferreira, Joanne T.; Montgomery, Ellyn T.

2011-01-01

Beginning in 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined a contaminated section of the Palos Verdes Shelf region in southern California as a Superfund Site, initiating a continuing investigation of this area. The investigation involved the EPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) data, and other allied agencies. In mid-2007, the Palos Verdes Shelf project team identified the need for additional data on the sediment properties and oceanographic conditions at the Palos Verdes Superfund Site and deployed seven bottom platforms, three subsurface moorings, and three surface moorings on the shelf. This additional data was needed to support ongoing modeling and feasibility studies and to improve our ability to model the fate of the effluent-affected deposit over time. It provided more detail on the spatial variability and magnitude of resuspension of the deposit during multiple storms that are expected to transit the region during a winter season. The operation began in early December 2007 and ended in early April 2008. The goal was to measure the sediment response (threshold of resuspension, suspended-sediment concentrations, and suspended-sediment transport rates) to bed stresses associated with waves and currents. Other objectives included determining the structure of the bottom boundary layer (BBL) relating nearbed currents with those measured at 10 m above bottom (mab) and comparing those with the long-term data from the LACSD Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) deployments for nearbed current speed and direction. Low-profile tripods with high-frequency ADCPs co-located with two of the large tripods were selected for this goal. This report describes the data obtained during the field program, the instruments and data-processing procedures used, and the archive that contains the data sets that have passed our quality-assurance procedures.

Identification of target genes responsive to JP-8 exposure in the rat central nervous system.

PubMed

Lin, B; Ritchie, G D; Rossi, J; Pancrazio, J J

2001-06-01

Concern for the health risk associated with occupational exposure to jet fuel has emerged in the Department of Defense. Jet propulsion fuel-8 (JP-8) is the fuel used in most US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) jet aircraft, and will be the predominant fuel both for military land vehicles and aircraft into the twenty-first century. JP-8 exhibits reduced volatility and lower benzene content as compared to JP-4, the predominant military aircraft fuel before 1992, possibly suggesting greater occupational exposure safety. However, the higher rates of occupational exposure through fueling and maintenance of increasingly larger numbers of aircraft/vehicles raise concerns with respect to toxicity. Clinical studies of workers experiencing long-term exposure to certain jet fuels demonstrated deficits in CNS function, including fatigue, neurobehavioral changes, psychiatric disorders, and abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG). In the present study, cDNA nylon arrays (Atlas Rat 1.2 Array, Clontech Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA) were utilized to measure changes in gene expression in whole brain tissue of rats exposed repeatedly to JP-8, under conditions that simulated possible real-world occupational exposure (6 h/day for 91 days) to JP-8 vapor at 1,000 mg/m3. Gene expression analysis of the exposure group compared to the control group revealed a modulation of several genes, including glutathione S-transferase Yb2 subunit (GST Yb2); cytochrome P450 IIIAl (CYP3A1); glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP); alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1-AT); polyubiquitin; GABA transporter 3 (GAT-3); and plasma membrane Ca2+-transporting ATPase (brain isoform 2) (PMCA2). The implications of these vapor-induced changes in gene expression are discussed.

Assessment of the Monitor Unit Objective tool for VMAT in the Eclipse treatment planning system.

PubMed

Jiménez-Puertas, Sara; Sánchez-Artuñedo, David; Hermida-López, Marcelino

2018-01-01

This work aims to achieve the highest possible monitor units (MU) reduction using the MU Objective tool included in the Eclipse treatment planning system, while preserving the plan quality. The treatment planning system Eclipse (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) includes a control mechanism for the number of monitor units of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans, named the MU Objective tool. Forty prostate plans, 20 gynecological plans and 20 head and neck plans designed with VMAT were retrospectively studied. Each plan ( base plan ) was optimized without using the MU Objective tool, and it was re-optimized with different values of the Maximum MU ( MaxMU ) parameter of the MU Objective tool. MU differences were analyzed with a paired samples t -test and changes in plan quality were assessed with a set of parameters for OARs and PTVs. The average relative MU difference [Formula: see text] considering all treatment sites, was the highest when MaxMU  = 400 (-4.2%, p  < 0.001). For prostate plans, the lowest [Formula: see text] was obtained (-3.7%, p  < 0.001). For head and neck plans [Formula: see text] was -7.3% ( p  < 0.001) and for gynecological plans [Formula: see text] was 7.0% ( p  = 0.002). Although similar MU reductions were observed for both sites, for some gynecological plans maximum differences were greater than 10%. All the assessed parameters for PTVs and OARs sparing showed average differences below 2%. For the three studied clinical sites, establishing MaxMU  = 400 led to the optimum MU reduction, maintaining the original dose distribution and dosimetric parameters practically unaltered.

Catching errors with patient-specific pretreatment machine log file analysis.

PubMed

Rangaraj, Dharanipathy; Zhu, Mingyao; Yang, Deshan; Palaniswaamy, Geethpriya; Yaddanapudi, Sridhar; Wooten, Omar H; Brame, Scott; Mutic, Sasa

2013-01-01

A robust, efficient, and reliable quality assurance (QA) process is highly desired for modern external beam radiation therapy treatments. Here, we report the results of a semiautomatic, pretreatment, patient-specific QA process based on dynamic machine log file analysis clinically implemented for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatments delivered by high energy linear accelerators (Varian 2100/2300 EX, Trilogy, iX-D, Varian Medical Systems Inc, Palo Alto, CA). The multileaf collimator machine (MLC) log files are called Dynalog by Varian. Using an in-house developed computer program called "Dynalog QA," we automatically compare the beam delivery parameters in the log files that are generated during pretreatment point dose verification measurements, with the treatment plan to determine any discrepancies in IMRT deliveries. Fluence maps are constructed and compared between the delivered and planned beams. Since clinical introduction in June 2009, 912 machine log file analyses QA were performed by the end of 2010. Among these, 14 errors causing dosimetric deviation were detected and required further investigation and intervention. These errors were the result of human operating mistakes, flawed treatment planning, and data modification during plan file transfer. Minor errors were also reported in 174 other log file analyses, some of which stemmed from false positives and unreliable results; the origins of these are discussed herein. It has been demonstrated that the machine log file analysis is a robust, efficient, and reliable QA process capable of detecting errors originating from human mistakes, flawed planning, and data transfer problems. The possibility of detecting these errors is low using point and planar dosimetric measurements. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

The influence of trauma and patient characteristics on provider burnout in VA post-traumatic stress disorder specialty programmes.

PubMed

Garcia, Hector A; McGeary, Cindy A; Finley, Erin P; McGeary, Donald D; Ketchum, Norma S; Peterson, Alan L

2016-03-01

Prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) - post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments now available at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - expose the provider to graphic traumatic material. Little is known about the impact of traumatic material on VHA providers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between trauma content, patient characteristics, and burnout among VHA PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) providers. It was hypothesized that trauma content and patient characteristics would significantly predict burnout in this population. This cross-sectional study consisted of 137 participants. The sample was mostly female (67%), Caucasian (non-Hispanic; 81%), and married (70%) with a mean age of 44.3 years (SD = 11.3). Participants completed an electronic survey that assessed demographics, patient characteristics (i.e., anger, personality disorder, malingering), trauma content characteristics (e.g., killing of women and children) as well as burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS; Maslach et al., 1996, Burnout inventory manual. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologist Press). Over half of the study population reported being bothered by trauma content; however, trauma content did not predict burnout. Treating patients with personality disorders and suspected malingering predicted burnout in PCT providers. High numbers (77%) reported perceiving that emotional exhaustion impacted the quality of care they provided. These findings suggest an important role of burnout assessment, prevention, and treatment strategies at the VHA. This paper addresses the impact of provider burnout on perceived quality of care. This paper also addresses potential predictors of burnout in PCT settings. This paper outlines potential remedies to provider burnout in the VHA. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Motion vector field phase-to-amplitude resampling for 4D motion-compensated cone-beam CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauppe, Sebastian; Kuhm, Julian; Brehm, Marcus; Paysan, Pascal; Seghers, Dieter; Kachelrieß, Marc

2018-02-01

We propose a phase-to-amplitude resampling (PTAR) method to reduce motion blurring in motion-compensated (MoCo) 4D cone-beam CT (CBCT) image reconstruction, without increasing the computational complexity of the motion vector field (MVF) estimation approach. PTAR is able to improve the image quality in reconstructed 4D volumes, including both regular and irregular respiration patterns. The PTAR approach starts with a robust phase-gating procedure for the initial MVF estimation and then switches to a phase-adapted amplitude gating method. The switch implies an MVF-resampling, which makes them amplitude-specific. PTAR ensures that the MVFs, which have been estimated on phase-gated reconstructions, are still valid for all amplitude-gated reconstructions. To validate the method, we use an artificially deformed clinical CT scan with a realistic breathing pattern and several patient data sets acquired with a TrueBeamTM integrated imaging system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA). Motion blurring, which still occurs around the area of the diaphragm or at small vessels above the diaphragm in artifact-specific cyclic motion compensation (acMoCo) images based on phase-gating, is significantly reduced by PTAR. Also, small lung structures appear sharper in the images. This is demonstrated both for simulated and real patient data. A quantification of the sharpness of the diaphragm confirms these findings. PTAR improves the image quality of 4D MoCo reconstructions compared to conventional phase-gated MoCo images, in particular for irregular breathing patterns. Thus, PTAR increases the robustness of MoCo reconstructions for CBCT. Because PTAR does not require any additional steps for the MVF estimation, it is computationally efficient. Our method is not restricted to CBCT but could rather be applied to other image modalities.

Patient training in respiratory-gated radiotherapy

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

Kini, Vijay R.; Vedam, Subrahmanya S.; Keall, Paul J.

2003-03-31

Respiratory gating is used to counter the effects of organ motion during radiotherapy for chest tumors. The effects of variations in patient breathing patterns during a single treatment and from day to day are unknown. We evaluated the feasibility of using patient training tools and their effect on the breathing cycle regularity and reproducibility during respiratory-gated radiotherapy. To monitor respiratory patterns, we used a component of a commercially available respiratory-gated radiotherapy system (Real Time Position Management (RPM) System, Varian Oncology Systems, Palo Alto, CA 94304). This passive marker video tracking system consists of reflective markers placed on the patient's chestmore » or abdomen, which are detected by a wall-mounted video camera. Software installed on a PC interfaced to this camera detects the marker motion digitally and records it. The marker position as a function of time serves as the motion signal that may be used to trigger imaging or treatment. The training tools used were audio prompting and visual feedback, with free breathing as a control. The audio prompting method used instructions to 'breathe in' or 'breathe out' at periodic intervals deduced from patients' own breathing patterns. In the visual feedback method, patients were shown a real-time trace of their abdominal wall motion due to breathing. Using this, they were asked to maintain a constant amplitude of motion. Motion traces of the abdominal wall were recorded for each patient for various maneuvers. Free breathing showed a variable amplitude and frequency. Audio prompting resulted in a reproducible frequency; however, the variability and the magnitude of amplitude increased. Visual feedback gave a better control over the amplitude but showed minor variations in frequency. We concluded that training improves the reproducibility of amplitude and frequency of patient breathing cycles. This may increase the accuracy of respiratory-gated radiation therapy.« less

Correlation of dosimetric parameters obtained with the analytical anisotropic algorithm and toxicity of chest chemoradiation in lung carcinoma

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

Cartier, Lysian; Auberdiac, Pierre; Khodri, Mustapha

The purpose of this study was to analyze and revisit toxicity related to chest chemoradiotherapy and to correlate these side effects with dosimetric parameters obtained using analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) in locally unresectable advanced lung cancer. We retrospectively analyzed data from 47 lung cancer patients between 2005 and 2008. All received conformal 3D radiotherapy using high-energy linear accelerator plus concomitant chemotherapy. All treatment planning data were transferred into Eclipse 8.05 (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) and dosimetric calculations were performed using AAA. Thirty-three patients (70.2%) developed acute pneumopathy after radiotherapy (grades 1 and 2). One patient (2.1%) presented withmore » grade 3 pneumopathy. Thirty-one (66%) presented with grades 1-2 lung fibrosis, and 1 patient presented with grade 3 lung fibrosis. Thirty-four patients (72.3%) developed grade 1-2 acute oesophagic toxicity. Four patients (8.5%) presented with grades 3 and 4 dysphagia, necessitating prolonged parenteral nutrition. Median prescribed dose was 64 Gy (range 50-74) with conventional fractionation (2 Gy per fraction). Dose-volume constraints were respected with a median V20 of 23.5% (maximum 34%) and a median V30 of 17% (maximum 25%). The median dose delivered to healthy contralateral lung was 13.1 Gy (maximum 18.1 Gy). At univariate analysis, larger planning target volume and V20 were significantly associated with the probability of grade {>=}2 radiation-induced pneumopathy (p = 0.022 and p = 0.017, respectively). No relation between oesophagic toxicity and clinical/dosimetric parameters could be established. Using AAA, the present results confirm the predictive value of the V20 for lung toxicity as already demonstrated with the conventional pencil beam convolution approach.« less

SU-F-T-431: Dosimetric Validation of Acuros XB Algorithm for Photon Dose Calculation in Water

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

Kumar, L; Yadav, G; Kishore, V

2016-06-15

Purpose: To validate the Acuros XB algorithm implemented in Eclipse Treatment planning system version 11 (Varian Medical System, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA) for photon dose calculation. Methods: Acuros XB is a Linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) solver that solves LBTE equation explicitly and gives result equivalent to Monte Carlo. 6MV photon beam from Varian Clinac-iX (2300CD) was used for dosimetric validation of Acuros XB. Percentage depth dose (PDD) and profiles (at dmax, 5, 10, 20 and 30 cm) measurements were performed in water for field size ranging from 2×2,4×4, 6×6, 10×10, 20×20, 30×30 and 40×40 cm{sup 2}. Acuros XBmore » results were compared against measurements and anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA) algorithm. Results: Acuros XB result shows good agreement with measurements, and were comparable to AAA algorithm. Result for PDD and profiles shows less than one percent difference from measurements, and from calculated PDD and profiles by AAA algorithm for all field size. TPS calculated Gamma error histogram values, average gamma errors in PDD curves before dmax and after dmax were 0.28, 0.15 for Acuros XB and 0.24, 0.17 for AAA respectively, average gamma error in profile curves in central region, penumbra region and outside field region were 0.17, 0.21, 0.42 for Acuros XB and 0.10, 0.22, 0.35 for AAA respectively. Conclusion: The dosimetric validation of Acuros XB algorithms in water medium was satisfactory. Acuros XB algorithm has potential to perform photon dose calculation with high accuracy, which is more desirable for modern radiotherapy environment.« less

Integrating the home management plan of care for children with asthma into an electronic medical record.

PubMed

Patel, Shilpa J; Longhurst, Christopher A; Lin, Anna; Garrett, Lyn; Gillette-Arroyo, Jenny; Mark, John D; Wood, Matthew S; Sharek, Paul J

2012-08-01

Asthma exacerbation is one of the most common causes for pediatric hospitalization. One of the three Joint Commission quality measures--which has proven the most challenging--addresses the provision of a home management plan of care (HMPC) for discharge of pediatric inpatients with a primary diagnosis of asthma. A user-friendly electronic medical record (EMR)-generated HMPC was developed and implemented at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) Palo Alto, California, an HPMC needed to be completed before entry of an inpatient discharge order. A cohort study using historical controls was conducted in 2010-2011. Patients were eligible to receive an HMPC if they were between the ages of 2 and 17 years old at discharge, had a length of stay < 120 days, were not enrolled in clinical trials, and had the primary discharge diagnosis of asthma. These patients were identified by the EMR if this diagnosis was listed in the diagnosis list or problem list or if the asthma admit/discharge order set was initiated. Compliance with the HMPC increased from 65.3% for the 39 months (April 1, 2007-June 30, 2010) before integration of the HMPC into EMR to 93.7% for the 18 months after integration (July 1, 2010, through December 31, 2011); p < .0001. Users of the EMR-integrated HMPC found it to be significantly easier to complete, less time-consuming, and less prone to potential errors or omission. Lessons learned at LPCH included the need for a continuous surveillance and improvement model, which resulted in several iterations of the HMPC; the importance of soliciting user input, which resulted in improvements in work flow; and consistent support from the quality management and information technology departments, which are crucial to eliminating barriers and facilitating improvement.

Emotion recognition impairment and apathy after subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson's disease have separate neural substrates.

PubMed

Drapier, D; Péron, J; Leray, E; Sauleau, P; Biseul, I; Drapier, S; Le Jeune, F; Travers, D; Bourguignon, A; Haegelen, C; Millet, B; Vérin, M

2008-09-01

To test the hypothesis that emotion recognition and apathy share the same functional circuit involving the subthalamic nucleus (STN). A consecutive series of 17 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) was assessed 3 months before (M-3) and 3 months (M+3) after STN deep brain stimulation (DBS). Mean (+/-S.D.) age at surgery was 56.9 (8.7) years. Mean disease duration at surgery was 11.8 (2.6) years. Apathy was measured using the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) at both M-3 and M3. Patients were also assessed using a computerised paradigm of facial emotion recognition [Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1976). Pictures of facial affect. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologist Press] before and after STN DBS. Prior to this, the Benton Facial Recognition Test was used to check that the ability to perceive faces was intact. Apathy had significantly worsened at M3 (42.5+/-8.9, p=0.006) after STN-DBS, in relation to the preoperative assessment (37.2+/-5.5). There was also a significant reduction in recognition percentages for facial expressions of fear (43.1%+/-22.9 vs. 61.6%+/-21.4, p=0.022) and sadness (52.7%+/-19.1 vs. 67.6%+/-22.8, p=0.031) after STN DBS. However, the postoperative worsening of apathy and emotion recognition impairment were not correlated. Our results confirm that the STN is involved in both the apathy and emotion recognition networks. However, the absence of any correlation between apathy and emotion recognition impairment suggests that the worsening of apathy following surgery could not be explained by a lack of facial emotion recognition and that its behavioural and cognitive components should therefore also be taken into consideration.

Treating resistant hypertension with new devices.

PubMed

Wienemann, H; Meincke, F; Kaiser, L; Heeger, C H; Bergmann, M W

2014-06-01

Arterial hypertension is a frequent, chronic disease, which is one of the main risk factor for cardiovascular and renal diseases such as heart failure, chronic kidney disease, hypertensive heart disease, stroke as well as cardiac arrhythmias. In the clinical setting it remains challenging to accomplish the thresholds of guideline blood pressure (BP) levels now defined as office based BP to be below <140 mmHg. Patients on three or more antihypertensive drugs, with systolic BP values above ≥160 mmHg (≥150 mmHg for patients with type 2 diabetes) are classified as having resistant hypertension. In the past six years the development of interventional sympathetic renal artery denervation (RDN) opened a new treatment option targeting the afferent and efferent sympathetic nerves of the kidney to reduce BP. A large variety of devices are available on the market. Newly developed devices try to focus on new strategies such as ultrasound or irrigated catheters, which might reduce the post-procedural complications and increase the success rate. The first generation SymplicityTM device (Medtronic, Palo Alto, CA, USA) was shown to be safe, with side effects rarely occurring. Clinical trials demonstrate that this procedure is successful in about 70% of patients. However current data from Simplicity HTN-3 with 25% african-americans and a massive BP-lowering effect in the control "sham" group was not able to find a significant effect in the overall patient cohort. Possibly devices which allow to safely destroy sympathetic renal innervation more efficiently might allow for a higher responder rate. Irrigated RDN and ultrasound devices could deliver more energy to deeper tissue levels. This article provides an overview of currently available data on devices.

Viscosities of implantable biomaterials in vocal fold augmentation surgery.

PubMed

Chan, R W; Titze, I R

1998-05-01

Vocal fold vibration depends critically on the viscoelasticity of vocal fold tissues. For instance, phonation threshold pressure, a measure of the "ease" of phonation, has been shown to be directly related to the viscosity of the vibrating mucosa. Various implantable biomaterials have been used in vocal fold augmentation surgery, with implantation sites sometimes close to or inside the mucosa. Yet their viscosities or other mechanical properties are seldom known. This study attempts to provide data on viscosities of commonly used phonosurgical biomaterials. Using a parallel-plate rotational rheometer, oscillatory shear experiments were performed on implantable polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or Polytef; Mentor Inc., Hingham, MA), collagen (Zyderm; Collagen Corp., Palo Alto, CA), glutaraldehyde crosslinked (GAX) collagen (Phonagel or Zyplast; Collagen Corp.), absorbable gelatin (Gelfoam; Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, MI), and human abdominal subcutaneous fat. Samples of human vocal fold mucosal tissues were also tested. Under sinusoidal oscillatory shear at 10 Hz and at 37 degrees C, the dynamic viscosity was 116 Pascal-seconds (Pa-s) for polytetrafluoroethylene, 21 Pa-s for gelatin, 8-13 Pa-s for the two types of collagen, 3 Pa-s for fat, and 1 to 3 Pa-s for vocal fold mucosa. Results extrapolated to 100 Hz also show similar differences among the biomaterials, but all values are an order of magnitude lower because of the typical inverse frequency relation (shear thinning effect) for polymeric and biologic materials. The data suggest that the use of fat for vocal fold augmentation may be more conducive to the "ease" of phonation because of its relatively low viscosity, which is closest to physiologic levels. This implication is probably the most relevant in predicting initial outcome of the postoperative voice before there is any significant assimilation (e.g., resorption and fibrosis) of the implanted biomaterial.

The prognostic value of early repolarization with ST-segment elevation in African Americans.

PubMed

Perez, Marco V; Uberoi, Abhimanyu; Jain, Nikhil A; Ashley, Euan; Turakhia, Mintu P; Froelicher, Victor

2012-04-01

Increased prevalence of classic early repolarization, defined as ST-segment elevation (STE) in the absence of acute myocardial injury, in African Americans is well established. The prognostic value of this pattern in different ethnicities remains controversial. Measure association between early repolarization and cardiovascular mortality in African Americans. The resting electrocardiograms of 45,829 patients were evaluated at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Hospital. Subjects with inpatient status or electrocardiographic evidence of acute myocardial infarction were excluded, leaving 29,281 subjects. ST-segment elevation, defined as an elevation of >0.1 mV at the end of the QRS, was electronically flagged and visually adjudicated by 3 observers blinded to outcomes. An association between ethnicity and early repolarization was measured by using multivariate logistic regression. We analyzed associations between early repolarization and cardiovascular mortality by using the Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Subjects were 13% women and 13.3% African Americans, with an average age of 55 years and followed for an average of 7.6 years, resulting in 1995 cardiovascular deaths. There were 479 subjects with lateral STE and 185 with inferior STE. After adjustment for age, sex, heart rate, and coronary artery disease, African American ethnicity was associated with lateral or inferior STE (odds ratio 3.1; P = .0001). While lateral or inferior STE in non-African Americans was independently associated with cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1.6; P = .02), it was not associated with cardiovascular death in African Americans (hazard ratio 0.75; P = .50). Although early repolarization is more prevalent in African Americans, it is not predictive of cardiovascular death in this population and may represent a distinct electrophysiologic phenomenon. Copyright © 2012 Heart Rhythm Society. All rights reserved.

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

Zhang, R; Jee, K; Sharp, G

Purpose: Proton radiography, which images the patients with the same type of particles that they are to be treated with, is a promising approach for image guidance and range uncertainties reduction. This study aimed to realize quality proton radiography by measuring dose rate functions (DRF) in time domain using a single flat panel and retrieve water equivalent path length (WEPL) from them. Methods: An amorphous silicon flat panel (PaxScan™ 4030CB, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA) was placed behind phantoms to measure DRFs from a proton beam modulated by the modulator wheel. To retrieve WEPL and RSP, calibration modelsmore » based on the intensity of DRFs only, root mean square (RMS) of DRFs only and the intensity weighted RMS were tested. The quality of obtained WEPL images (in terms of spatial resolution and level of details) and the accuracy of WEPL were compared. Results: RSPs for most of the Gammex phantom inserts were retrieved within ± 1% errors by calibration models based on the RMS and intensity weighted RMS. The mean percentage error for all inserts was reduced from 1.08% to 0.75% by matching intensity in the calibration model. In specific cases such as the insert with a titanium rod, the calibration model based on RMS only fails while the that based on intensity weighted RMS is still valid. The quality of retrieved WEPL images were significantly improved for calibration models including intensity matching. Conclusion: For the first time, a flat panel, which is readily available in the beamline for image guidance, was tested to acquire quality proton radiography with WEPL accurately retrieved from it. This technique is promising to be applied for image-guided proton therapy as well as patient specific RSP determination to reduce uncertainties of beam ranges.« less

Impact of a Telehealth and Care Management Program on All-Cause Mortality and Healthcare Utilization in Patients with Heart Failure.

PubMed

Kao, David P; Lindenfeld, JoAnn; Macaulay, Dendy; Birnbaum, Howard G; Jarvis, John L; Desai, Urvi S; Page, Robert L

2016-01-01

Telehealth has the potential to improve chronic disease management and outcomes, but data regarding direct benefit of telehealth in patients with heart failure (HF) have been mixed. The objective of this study was to determine whether the Health Buddy Program (HBP) (Bosch Healthcare, Palo Alto, CA), a content-driven telehealth system coupled with care management, is associated with improved outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries with HF. This was a retrospective cohort study of 623 Medicare beneficiaries with HF offered HBP enrollment compared with a propensity score-matched control group of Medicare beneficiaries with HF from the Medicare 5% sample. Associations between availability of the HBP and all-cause mortality, hospitalization, hospital days, and emergency department visits were evaluated. Beneficiaries offered enrollment in the HBP had 24.9% lower risk-adjusted all-cause mortality over 3 years of follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.89; p = 0.001). Patients who used the HBP at least once (36.9%) had 57.2% lower mortality compared with matched controls (HR = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.31-0.60; p < 0.001), whereas patients who did not use the HBP had no significant difference in survival (HR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.78-1.19; p = 0.69). Patients offered the HBP also had fewer hospital admissions following enrollment (Δ = -0.05 admissions/quarter; p = 0.011), which was primarily observed in patients who used the HBP at least once (Δ = -0.10 admissions/quarter; p < 0.001). The HBP, a content-driven telehealth system coupled with care management, was associated with significantly better survival and reduced hospitalization in Medicare beneficiaries with HF. Prospective study is warranted to determine the mechanism of this association and opportunities for optimization.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Reclassification of Risk for Incidence of Heart Failure: The Veterans Exercise Testing Study.

PubMed

Myers, Jonathan; Kokkinos, Peter; Chan, Khin; Dandekar, Eshan; Yilmaz, Bilge; Nagare, Atul; Faselis, Charles; Soofi, Muhammad

2017-06-01

It is well established that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is inversely associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. However, little is known regarding the association between CRF and incidence of heart failure (HF). Between 1987 and 2014, we assessed CRF in 21 080 HF-free subjects (58.3±11 years) at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Washington, DC, and Palo Alto, CA. Subjects were classified by age-specific quintiles of CRF. Multivariable Cox models were used to determine the association between HF incidence and clinical and exercise test variables. Reclassification characteristics of fitness relative to standard clinical risk factors were determined using the category-free net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement indices. During the follow-up (mean 12.3±7.4 years), 1902 subjects developed HF (9.0%; average annual incidence rate, 7.4 events per 1000 person-years). When CRF was considered as a binary variable (unfit/fit), low fitness was the strongest predictor of risk for HF among clinical and exercise test variables (hazard ratio, 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.74-2.09; P <0.001). In a fully adjusted model with the least-fit group as the reference, there was a graded and progressive reduction in risk for HF as fitness level was higher. Risks for developing HF were 36%, 41%, 67%, and 76% lower among increasing quintiles of fitness compared with the least-fit subjects ( P <0.001). Adding CRF to standard risk factors resulted in a net reclassification improvement of 0.37 ( P <0.001). CRF is strongly, inversely, and independently associated with the incidence of HF in veterans referred for exercise testing. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

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

Herrington, J; Price, M; Brindle, J

Purpose: To evaluate the equivalence of spine SBRT treatment plans created in Eclipse for the TrueBeam STx (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA) compared to plans using CyberKnife and MultiPlan (Accuray, Sunnyvale, CA). Methods: CT data and contours for 23 spine SBRT patients previously treated using CyberKnife (CK) were exported from MultiPlan treatment planning system into Eclipse where they were planned using static IMRT 6MV coplanar beams. Plans were created according to the original prescription dose and fractionation schedule while limiting spinal dose according to the RTOG 0631 protocol and maintaining target coverage comparable to the original CK plans. Plansmore » were evaluated using new conformity index (nCI), homogeneity index (HI), dose-volume histogram data, number of MU, and estimated treatment time. To ensure all Eclipse plans were deliverable, standard clinical IMRT QA was performed. The plan results were matched with their complimentary CK plans for paired statistical analysis. Results: Plans generated in Eclipse demonstrated statistically significant (p<0.01) improvements compared to complimentary CK plans in median values of maximum spinal cord dose (17.39 vs. 18.12 Gy), RTOG spinal cord constraint dose (14.50 vs. 16.93 Gy), nCI (1.28 vs. 1.54), HI (1.13 vs. 1.27), MU (3918 vs. 36416), and estimated treatment time (8 vs. 48 min). All Eclipse generated plans passed our clinically used protocols for IMRT QA. Conclusion: CK spine SBRT replanned utilizing Eclipse for LINAC delivery demonstrated dosimetric advantages. We propose improvements in plan quality metrics reviewed in this study may be attributed to dynamic MLCs that facilitate treatment of complicated geometries as well as posterior beams ideal for centrally located and/or posterior targets afforded by gantry-based RT delivery.« less

Analysis of antibodies to newly described Plasmodium falciparum merozoite antigens supports MSPDBL2 as a predicted target of naturally acquired immunity.

PubMed

Tetteh, Kevin K A; Osier, Faith H A; Salanti, Ali; Kamuyu, Gathoni; Drought, Laura; Failly, Marilyne; Martin, Christophe; Marsh, Kevin; Conway, David J

2013-10-01

Prospective studies continue to identify malaria parasite genes with particular patterns of polymorphism which indicate they may be under immune selection, and the encoded proteins require investigation. Sixteen new recombinant protein reagents were designed to characterize three such polymorphic proteins expressed in Plasmodium falciparum schizonts and merozoites: MSPDBL1 (also termed MSP3.4) and MSPDBL2 (MSP3.8), which possess Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains, and SURFIN4.2, encoded by a member of the surface-associated interspersed (surf) multigene family. After testing the antigenicities of these reagents by murine immunization and parasite immunofluorescence, we analyzed naturally acquired antibody responses to the antigens in two cohorts in coastal Kenya in which the parasite was endemic (Chonyi [n = 497] and Ngerenya [n = 461]). As expected, the prevalence and levels of serum antibodies increased with age. We then investigated correlations with subsequent risk of clinical malaria among children <11 years of age during 6 months follow-up surveillance. Antibodies to the polymorphic central region of MSPDBL2 were associated with reduced risk of malaria in both cohorts, with statistical significance remaining for the 3D7 allelic type after adjustment for individuals' ages in years and antibody reactivity to whole-schizont extract (Chonyi, risk ratio, 0.51, and 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.93; Ngerenya, risk ratio, 0.38, and 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.82). For the MSPDBL1 Palo Alto allelic-type antigen, there was a protective association in one cohort (Ngerenya, risk ratio, 0.53, and 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.89), whereas the other antigens showed no protective associations after adjustment. These findings support the prediction that antibodies to the polymorphic region of MSPDBL2 contribute to protective immunity.

The sensitivity of patient specific IMRT QC to systematic MLC leaf bank offset errors.

PubMed

Rangel, Alejandra; Palte, Gesa; Dunscombe, Peter

2010-07-01

Patient specific IMRT QC is performed routinely in many clinics as a safeguard against errors and inaccuracies which may be introduced during the complex planning, data transfer, and delivery phases of this type of treatment. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of detecting systematic errors in MLC leaf bank position with patient specific checks. 9 head and neck (H&N) and 14 prostate IMRT beams were delivered using MLC files containing systematic offsets (+/- 1 mm in two banks, +/- 0.5 mm in two banks, and 1 mm in one bank of leaves). The beams were measured using both MAPCHECK (Sun Nuclear Corp., Melbourne, FL) and the aS1000 electronic portal imaging device (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Comparisons with calculated fields, without offsets, were made using commonly adopted criteria including absolute dose (AD) difference, relative dose difference, distance to agreement (DTA), and the gamma index. The criteria most sensitive to systematic leaf bank offsets were the 3% AD, 3 mm DTA for MAPCHECK and the gamma index with 2% AD and 2 mm DTA for the EPID. The criterion based on the relative dose measurements was the least sensitive to MLC offsets. More highly modulated fields, i.e., H&N, showed greater changes in the percentage of passing points due to systematic MLC inaccuracy than prostate fields. None of the techniques or criteria tested is sufficiently sensitive, with the population of IMRT fields, to detect a systematic MLC offset at a clinically significant level on an individual field. Patient specific QC cannot, therefore, substitute for routine QC of the MLC itself.

A study of low mass x-ray binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Catura, Richard C.

1994-01-01

The entire effort under this contract during the period through January 1992 was devoted to a study of the cost and schedule required to put an upgraded Aries payload on the ASTRO-SPAS carrier provided by the German space agency, DARA. The ASTRO-SPAS is flown on the Space Shuttle, deployed by the crew for 5 to 7 days of free-flying observations and then recovered and returned to Earth. The spectrograph was to be provided by a collaboration involving the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory (LPARL), the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy (CASA) at the U. of Colorado and the Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) in England. The payload for the ASTRO-SPAS mission included our own spectrograph and an instrument provided by Dr. Joachim Trumper of the Max Planck Institute (MPI) in Garching, Germany. A meeting was held in late July, 1991 with German scientists, DARA representatives and MBB, the ASTRO-SPAS spacecraft contractor. Sufficient information was exchanged to allow us to complete the study and the name LEXSA (Low Energy X-ray Spectrograph on ASTRO-SPAS) was given to our instrument and HERTA (High Energy x-Ray Telescope on ASTR0-SPAS) to the German instrument. The combination was called SPECTRO-SPAS. On October 1, 1991 CASA and LPARL submitted a cost and brief technical proposal to NASA on results of the study. The total cost over 4 fiscal years was 6.16 M dollars including CASA costs. NASA Headquarters was briefed on 3 October on details of the proposal. They found our costs reasonable, but indicated that the NASA FY '92 budget is extremely tight, they could not readily identify where the -S2.3M for LEXSA could be found and it was not clear that FY '93 would improve.

Development and validation of a music performance anxiety inventory for gifted adolescent musicians.

PubMed

Osborne, Margaret S; Kenny, Dianna T

2005-01-01

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a distressing experience for musicians of all ages, yet the empirical investigation of MPA in adolescents has received little attention to date. No measures specifically targeting MPA in adolescents have been empirically validated. This article presents findings of an initial study into the psychometric properties and validation of the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents (MPAI-A), a new self-report measure of MPA for this group. Data from 381 elite young musicians aged 12-19 years was used to investigate the factor structure, internal reliability, construct and divergent validity of the MPAI-A. Cronbach's alpha for the full measure was .91. Factor analysis identified three factors, which together accounted for 53% of the variance. Construct validity was demonstrated by significant positive relationships with social phobia (measured using the Social Phobia Anxiety Inventory [Beidel, D. C., Turner, S. M., & Morris, T. L. (1995). A new inventory to assess childhood social anxiety and phobia: The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children. Psychological Assessment, 7(1), 73-79; Beidel, D. C., Turner, S. M., & Morris, T. L. (1998). Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C). North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems Inc.]) and trait anxiety (measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory [Spielberger, C. D. (1983). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI (Form Y). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.]). The MPAI-A demonstrated convergent validity by a moderate to strong positive correlation with an adult measure of MPA. Discriminant validity was established by a weaker positive relationship with depression, and no relationship with externalizing behavior problems. It is hoped that the MPAI-A, as the first empirically validated measure of adolescent musicians' performance anxiety, will enhance and promote phenomenological and treatment research in this area.

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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. 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. 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). 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. 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.

A System-Wide Approach to Physician Efficiency and Utilization Rates for Non-Operating Room Anesthesia Sites.

PubMed

Tsai, Mitchell H; Huynh, Tinh T; Breidenstein, Max W; O'Donnell, Stephen E; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M; Urman, Richard D

2017-07-01

There has been little in the development or application of operating room (OR) management metrics to non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) sites. This is in contrast to the well-developed management framework for the OR management. We hypothesized that by adopting the concept of physician efficiency, we could determine the applicability of this clinical productivity benchmark for physicians providing services for NORA cases at a tertiary care center. We conducted a retrospective data analysis of NORA sites at an academic, rural hospital, including both adult and pediatric patients. Using the time stamps from WiseOR® (Palo Alto, CA), we calculated site utilization and physician efficiency for each day. We defined scheduling efficiency (SE) as the number of staffed anesthesiologists divided by the number of staffed sites and stratified the data into three categories (SE < 1, SE = 1, and SE >1). The mean physician efficiency was 0.293 (95% CI, [0.281, 0.305]), and the mean site utilization was 0.328 (95% CI, [0.314, 0.343]). When days were stratified by scheduling efficiency (SE < 1, =1, or >1), we found differences between physician efficiency and site utilization. On days where scheduling efficiency was less than 1, that is, there are more sites than physicians, mean physician efficiency (95% CI, [0.326, 0.402]) was higher than mean site utilization (95% CI, [0.250, 0.296]). We demonstrate that scheduling efficiency vis-à-vis physician efficiency as an OR management metric diverge when anesthesiologists travel between NORA sites. When the opportunity to scale operational efficiencies is limited, increasing scheduling efficiency by incorporating different NORA sites into a "block" allocation on any given day may be the only suitable tactical alternative.

Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in the United States.

PubMed

Jones, Jeffrey L; Dargelas, Valerie; Roberts, Jacquelin; Press, Cindy; Remington, Jack S; Montoya, Jose G

2009-09-15

Toxoplasmosis can cause severe ocular and neurological disease. We sought to determine risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in the United States. We conducted a case-control study of adults recently infected with T. gondii. Case patients were selected from the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory from August 2002 through May 2007; control patients were randomly selected from among T. gondii-seronegative persons. Data were obtained from serological testing and patient questionnaires. We evaluated 148 case patients with recent T. gondii infection and 413 control patients. In multivariate analysis, an elevated risk of recent T. gondii infection was associated with the following factors: eating raw ground beef (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.67; 95% confidence limits [CLs], 2.09, 21.24; attributable risk [AR], 7%); eating rare lamb (aOR, 8.39; 95% CLs, 3.68, 19.16; AR, 20%); eating locally produced cured, dried, or smoked meat (aOR, 1.97; 95% CLs, 1.18, 3.28; AR, 22%); working with meat (aOR, 3.15; 95% CLs, 1.09, 9.10; AR, 5%); drinking unpasteurized goat's milk (aOR, 5.09; 95% CLs, 1.45, 17.80; AR, 4%); and having 3 or more kittens (aOR, 27.89; 95% CLs, 5.72, 135.86; AR, 10%). Eating raw oysters, clams, or mussels (aOR, 2.22; 95% CLs, 1.07, 4.61; AR, 16%) was significant in a separate model among persons asked this question. Subgroup results are also provided for women and for pregnant women. In the United States, exposure to certain raw or undercooked foods and exposure to kittens are risk factors for T. gondii infection. Knowledge of these risk factors will help to target prevention efforts.

Severe congenital toxoplasmosis in the United States: clinical and serologic findings in untreated infants.

PubMed

Olariu, Tudor Rares; Remington, Jack S; McLeod, Rima; Alam, Ambereen; Montoya, Jose G

2011-12-01

Congenital toxoplasmosis can cause significant neurologic manifestations and other untoward sequelae. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory database was searched for data on infants 0 to 180 days old, in whom congenital toxoplasmosis had been confirmed and who had been tested for Toxoplasma gondii-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA antibodies, between 1991 and 2005. Their clinical findings were confirmed at the National Collaborative Chicago-based Congenital Toxoplasmosis Study center. We reviewed available clinical data and laboratory profiles of 164 infants with congenital toxoplasmosis whose mothers had not been treated for the parasite during gestation. One or more severe clinical manifestations of congenital toxoplasmosis were reported in 84% of the infants and included eye disease (92.2%), brain calcifications (79.6%), and hydrocephalus (67.7%). In 61.6% of the infants, eye disease, brain calcifications, and hydrocephalus were present concurrently. T. gondii-specific IgM, IgA, and IgE antibodies were demonstrable in 86.6%, 77.4%, and 40.2% of the infants, respectively. Testing for IgM and IgA antibodies increased the sensitivity of making the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis to 93% compared with testing for IgM or IgA individually. IgM and IgA antibodies were still present in 43.9% of infants diagnosed between 1 and 6 months of life. Our study reveals that severe clinical signs of congenital toxoplasmosis including hydrocephalus, eye disease, or intracranial calcifications occurred in 85% infants whose sera were referred to our reference Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory during a period of 15 years. Laboratory tests, including serologic and polymerase chain reaction tests, were critical for diagnosis in the infants. Our results contrast remarkably with those of European investigators who rarely observe severe clinical signs in infants with congenital toxoplasmosis.

Robust breathing signal extraction from cone beam CT projections based on adaptive and global optimization techniques

PubMed Central

Chao, Ming; Wei, Jie; Li, Tianfang; Yuan, Yading; Rosenzweig, Kenneth E; Lo, Yeh-Chi

2017-01-01

We present a study of extracting respiratory signals from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) projections within the framework of the Amsterdam Shroud (AS) technique. Acquired prior to the radiotherapy treatment, CBCT projections were preprocessed for contrast enhancement by converting the original intensity images to attenuation images with which the AS image was created. An adaptive robust z-normalization filtering was applied to further augment the weak oscillating structures locally. From the enhanced AS image, the respiratory signal was extracted using a two-step optimization approach to effectively reveal the large-scale regularity of the breathing signals. CBCT projection images from five patients acquired with the Varian Onboard Imager on the Clinac iX System Linear Accelerator (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) were employed to assess the proposed technique. Stable breathing signals can be reliably extracted using the proposed algorithm. Reference waveforms obtained using an air bellows belt (Philips Medical Systems, Cleveland, OH) were exported and compared to those with the AS based signals. The average errors for the enrolled patients between the estimated breath per minute (bpm) and the reference waveform bpm can be as low as −0.07 with the standard deviation 1.58. The new algorithm outperformed the original AS technique for all patients by 8.5% to 30%. The impact of gantry rotation on the breathing signal was assessed with data acquired with a Quasar phantom (Modus Medical Devices Inc., London, Canada) and found to be minimal on the signal frequency. The new technique developed in this work will provide a practical solution to rendering markerless breathing signal using the CBCT projections for thoracic and abdominal patients. PMID:27008349

Accuracy evaluation of the optical surface monitoring system on EDGE linear accelerator in a phantom study

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

Mancosu, Pietro; Fogliata, Antonella, E-mail: Antonella.Fogliata@humanitas.it; Stravato, Antonella

2016-07-01

Frameless stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) requires dedicated systems to monitor the patient position during the treatment to avoid target underdosage due to involuntary shift. The optical surface monitoring system (OSMS) is here evaluated in a phantom-based study. The new EDGE linear accelerator from Varian (Varian, Palo Alto, CA) integrates, for cranial lesions, the common cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and kV-MV portal images to the optical surface monitoring system (OSMS), a device able to detect real-time patient's face movements in all 6 couch axes (vertical, longitudinal, lateral, rotation along the vertical axis, pitch, and roll). We have evaluated the OSMS imagingmore » capability in checking the phantoms' position and monitoring its motion. With this aim, a home-made cranial phantom was developed to evaluate the OSMS accuracy in 4 different experiments: (1) comparison with CBCT in isocenter location, (2) capability to recognize predefined shifts up to 2° or 3 cm, (3) evaluation at different couch angles, (4) ability to properly reconstruct the surface when the linac gantry visually block one of the cameras. The OSMS system showed, with a phantom, to be accurate for positioning in respect to the CBCT imaging system with differences of 0.6 ± 0.3 mm for linear vector displacement, with a maximum rotational inaccuracy of 0.3°. OSMS presented an accuracy of 0.3 mm for displacement up to 1 cm and 1°, and 0.5 mm for larger displacements. Different couch angles (45° and 90°) induced a mean vector uncertainty < 0.4 mm. Coverage of 1 camera produced an uncertainty < 0.5 mm. Translations and rotations of a phantom can be accurately detect with the optical surface detector system.« less

'Pinning and flux dynamics I' in the memory of Professor John Clem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Harald W.

2014-04-01

The local Organizing Committee and the International Advisory Committee of EUCAS 2013 decided to dedicate the Session 'Pinning and Flux Dynamics I' to the memory of Professor John Clem, who passed away on 2 August 2013. Let me briefly summarize John's career and try to convey the incredible loss for the whole superconductor community. John was born in 1938 in Waukegan, a small town in Illinois. After school he obtained several scholarships at the University of Illinois. There he received a BSc in Engineering Physics in 1960, followed by an MSc in Physics in 1962, and earned a PhD focusing on the theory of superconductivity under John Bardeen in 1965. After two years of postdoctoral positions at the University of Maryland and the Technical University of Munich, he joined the Physics Department of the Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory in 1967, where he spent the rest of his scientific career. He became Full Professor at ISU and Senior Physicist at the Ames Lab in 1975 and was Chairman of the Physics Department from 1982 to 1985. He spent several sabbaticals in the US at IBM Yorktown Heights, Stanford and EPRI in Palo Alto, was named 'Distinguished Professor' at ISU, was a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics in London and, at the ASC 2012 in Portland he received the IEEE Award for 'Continuing and Significant Contributions in the Field of Applied Superconductivity', especially for his theoretical insight into the nature of vortices in 2D superconductors, which he called 'pancake vortices'. John, who married his high school sweetheart Judy right after college graduation, immediately turned Ames into a much-visited center for scientists from all over the world (including myself), who were interested in vortex physics and the properties of the flux line lattice, flux pinning, flux cutting and vortex dynamics. But it was not only the science at ISU that attracted us, it was also the warm atmosphere created by John and Judy at their home and at barbecues during the hot and humid evenings of typical Iowa summer days. We were sometimes lucky in persuading John to sing for us in his beautiful baritone. He performed regularly at special events in the Church or at ISU's Musica Antiqua. We all got to know their children, Paul and Jean, and followed their development with great pleasure. Paul became a well known physicist himself. With the advent of high temperature superconductivity, John played a leading role worldwide, as the editor and heart of the famous 'High-Tc Update' and as the author of fundamental papers on the subject. He was certainly the most sought-after invited or plenary speaker, both at small workshops and at huge international conferences; and each of his lectures was certainly to the point and enlightening! As fate unfortunately hit the Clem family in 2001 and Judy became completely paralyzed after brain tumor surgery, John took early retirement in order to be at home and to take care of his beloved wife. However, in 2009 he too received bad news as he was diagnosed with 'mesothelioma', a type of lung cancer, which he thought he may have contracted as a youngster working with asbestos during the school holidays. He lost this battle on 2 August 2013. John, we'll miss you and we'll certainly remember you with the greatest respect for your science and with great love for your warm and charming personality. Genova, 18 September 2013

Reformatted data sets used in the Cooperative LACSD/USGS Palos Verdes Flow Study, 2000--2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Todd; Rosenberger, Kurt J.; Gartner, Anne L.

2012-01-01

Beginning in 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined a contaminated section of the Palos Verdes shelf in southern California as a Superfund site, initiating a continuing investigation of this area. A number of agencies, including the EPA, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), conducted two oceanographic measurement programs in 2004 and 2007-2008 (SAIC, 2004, 2005; Rosenberger and others, 2010; Sherwood and others, unpublished data) to improve our understanding of the natural processes that resuspend and transport sediment in the area, especially in the region southeast of the Whites Point ocean outfall where earlier measurements were thought to be deficient. Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) deployed a simpler but much broader array of instruments on the Palos Verdes shelf and within the northern reaches of San Pedro Bay from 2000 to 2008 in order to characterize the current and temperature patterns within these regions. This program overlapped the two programs run by USGS and other agencies in 2004 and 2007. The LACSD data were made available to the USGS and the EPA in order to support their joint efforts to model the transport of the contaminated sediments in the region. This report describes the LACSD data sets, the instruments and data-processing procedures used, and the archive that contains the data sets that have passed our quality-assurance procedures.

DDE in sediments of the Palos Verdes shelf, California: In situ transformation rates and geochemical fate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eganhouse, R.P.; Pontolillo, J.

2008-01-01

From 1947 to 1971 the world's largest manufacturer of DDT discharged process wastes into the sewers of Los Angeles County. Roughly 870-1450 t of DDT were released to the ocean off Palos Verdes, CA, a portion of which (???100 t) resides in sediments on the continental shelf and slope. The most abundant DDT compound in the sediments, p,p???-DDE, is degrading by reductive dechlorination, butthe rate of transformation and factors controlling it are not well understood. In order to estimate in situ transformation rates and predict the long-term fate of p,p???-DDE, box cores were collected in 1992 and 2003 from a single location on the Palos Verdes Shelf and analyzed for 8 DDT compounds and 84 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. The PCBs show no evidence of dechlorination, and inventories did not change between 1992 and 2003. By contrast, the inventory of p,p???-DDE decreased by 43%, whereas that of p,p???-DDMU, the putative reductive dechlorination product increased by 34%. The first-order transformation rate for p,p???-DDE at the study site is 0.051 ?? 0.006 yr-1. A multistep reaction model suggests that inventories of p,p???-DDE and p,p???-DDMU will continue to decline, whereas that of p,p???-DDNU will reach a maximum around 2014.

Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 689: Methodologies for Intelligent Systems: International Symposium, ISMIS 󈨡 (7th) Held at Trondheim (Norway) April 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-18

expresses 171 From our earliest days we learn to perceive time as a result of two im- portant cognitive abilities : the awareness of change in the world...agent. - Learning and cognition are closely related. Between the levels of sensory percep- tion and abstract language there are several levels of...Kaufmann, Los Altos, California, 1988. Previously available as I Report PM-01-87, School of Mathematics , University of Bristol. [13] Y. Shoham

75 FR 70673 - Ocean Transportation Intermediary License Applicants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

..., Fairview, NJ 07650, Officers: Yoon H. Cho, Vice President/Secretary (Qualifying Individual), Young S. Cho...., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, Officers: Stephen M. Kiang, President (Qualifying Individual), Benjamin L...

Estimates of consumptive use and ground-water return flow using water budgets in Palo Verde Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen-Joyce, Sandra J.; Kimsey, Steven L.

1987-01-01

Palo Verde Valley, California, is an agricultural area in the flood plain of the Colorado River where irrigation water is diverted from the river and groundwater is discharged to a network of drainage ditches and (or) the river. Consumptive use by vegetation and groundwater return flow were calculated using water budgets. Consumptive use by vegetation was 484,000 acre-ft in 1981, 453,600 acre-ft in 1982, 364,400 acre-ft in 1983, and 374,300 acre-ft in 1984. The consumptive-use estimates are most sensitive to two measured components of the water budget, the diversion at Palo Verde Dam and the discharge from drainage ditches to the river. Groundwater return flow was 31,700 acre-ft in 1981, 24,000 acre-ft in 1982, 2,500 acre-ft in 1983, and 7 ,900 acre-ft in 1984. The return-flow estimates are most sensitive to discharge from drainage ditches; various irrigation requirements and crop areas, particularly alfalfa; the diversion at Palo Verde Dam; and the estimate of consumptive use. During increasing flows in the river, the estimate of groundwater return flow is sensitive also to change in groundwater storage. Change in groundwater storage was estimated to be -5,700 acre-ft in 1981, -12,600 acre-ft in 1982, 5,200 acre-ft in 1983, and 11 ,600 acre-ft in 1984. Changes in storage can be a significant component in the water budget used to estimate groundwater return flow but is negligible in the water budget used to estimate consumptive use. Change in storage was 1 to 3% of annual consumptive use. Change in storage for the area drained by the river ranged from 7 to 96% of annual groundwater return flow during the 4 years studied. Consumptive use calculated as diversions minus return flows was consistently lower than consumptive use calculated in a water budget. Water-budget estimates of consumptive use account for variations in precipitation, tributary inflow, river stage, and groundwater storage. The calculations for diversions minus return flows do not account for these components, which can be large enough to affect the estimates of consumptive use. (Author 's abstract)

Characterization of Palo Podrido, a Natural Process of Delignification in Wood †

PubMed Central

Agosin, Eduardo; Blanchette, Robert A.; Silva, Herman; Lapierre, Catherine; Cease, Kory R.; Ibach, Rebecca E.; Abad, André R.; Muga, Pedro

1990-01-01

Chemical and morphological changes of incipient to advanced stages of palo podrido, an extensively delignified wood, and other types of white rot decay found in the temperate forests of southern Chile were investigated. Palo podrido is a general term for white rot decay that is either selective or nonselective for the removal of lignin, whereas palo blanco describes the white decayed wood that has advanced stages of delignification. Selective delignification occurs mainly in trunks of Eucryphia cordifolia and Nothofagus dombeyi, which have the lowest lignin content and whose lignins have the largest amount of β-aryl ether bonds and the highest syringyl/guaiacyl ratio of all the native woods included in this study. A Ganoderma species was the main white rot fungus associated with the decay. The structural changes in lignin during the white rot degradation were examined by thioacidolysis, which revealed that the β-aryl ether-linked syringyl units were more specifically degraded than the guaiacyl ones, particularly in the case of selective delignification. Ultrastructural studies showed that the delignification process was diffuse throughout the cell wall. Lignin was first removed from the secondary wall nearest the lumen and then throughout the secondary wall toward the middle lamella. The middle lamella and cell corners were the last areas to be degraded. Black manganese deposits were found in some, but not all, selectively delignified samples. In advanced stages of delignification, almost pure cellulose could be found, although with a reduced degree of polymerization. Cellulolytic enzymes appeared to be responsible for depolymerization. A high brightness and an easy refining capacity were found in an unbleached pulp made from selectively delignified N. dombeyi wood. Its low viscosity, however, resulted in poor resistance properties of the pulp. The last stage of degradation (i.e., decomposition of cellulose-rich secondary wall layers) resulted in a gelatinlike substance. Ultrastructural and chemical analyses of this substance showed the matrix to have no microfibrillar structure characteristic of woody cell walls but to still be rich in glucan. Images PMID:16348107

Groundwater quality in the Colorado River basins, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dawson, Barbara J. Milby; Belitz, Kenneth

2012-01-01

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Four groundwater basins along the Colorado River make up one of the study areas being evaluated. The Colorado River study area is approximately 884 square miles (2,290 square kilometers) and includes the Needles, Palo Verde Mesa, Palo Verde Valley, and Yuma groundwater basins (California Department of Water Resources, 2003). The Colorado River study area has an arid climate and is part of the Sonoran Desert. Average annual rainfall is about 3 inches (8 centimeters). Land use in the study area is approximately 47 percent (%) natural (mostly shrubland), 47% agricultural, and 6% urban. The primary crops are pasture and hay. The largest urban area is the city of Blythe (2010 population of 21,000). Groundwater in these basins is used for public and domestic water supply and for irrigation. The main water-bearing units are gravel, sand, silt, and clay deposited by the Colorado River or derived from surrounding mountains. The primary aquifers in the Colorado River study area are defined as those parts of the aquifers corresponding to the perforated intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health database. Public-supply wells in the Colorado River basins are completed to depths between 230 and 460 feet (70 to 140 meters), consist of solid casing from the land surface to a depth of 130 of 390 feet (39 to 119 meters), and are screened or perforated below the solid casing. The main source of recharge to the groundwater systems in the Needles, Palo Verde Mesa, and Palo Verde Valley basins is the Colorado River; in the Yuma basin, the main source of recharge is from subsurface flow from the groundwater basins to the west. Groundwater discharge is primarily to pumping wells, evapotranspiration, and, locally, to the Colorado River.

Development and pilot-testing of the Alopecia Areata Assessment Tool (ALTO).

PubMed

Li, David G; Huang, Kathie P; Xia, Fan Di; Joyce, Cara; Scott, Deborah A; Qureshi, Abrar A; Mostaghimi, Arash

2018-01-01

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by non-scarring hair loss. The lack of a definitive biomarker or formal diagnostic criteria for AA limits our ability to define the epidemiology of the disease. In this study, we developed and tested the Alopecia Areata Assessment Tool (ALTO) in an academic medical center to validate the ability of this questionnaire in identifying AA cases. The ALTO is a novel, self-administered questionnaire consisting of 8 closed-ended questions derived by the Delphi method. This prospective pilot study was administered during a 1-year period in outpatient dermatology clinics. Eligible patients (18 years or older with chief concern of hair loss) were recruited consecutively. No patients declined to participate. The patient's hair loss diagnosis was determined by a board-certified dermatologist. Nine scoring algorithms were created and used to evaluate the accuracy of the ALTO in identifying AA. 239 patients (59 AA cases and 180 non-AA cases) completed the ALTO and were included for analysis. Algorithm 5 demonstrated the highest sensitivity (89.8%) while algorithm 3 demonstrated the highest specificity (97.8%). Select questions were also effective in clarifying disease phenotype. In this study. we have successfully demonstrated that ALTO is a simple tool capable of discriminating AA from other types of hair loss. The ALTO may be useful to identify individuals with AA within large populations.

Initiatives to Reduce Earthquake Risk of Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, B. E.

2008-12-01

The seventeen-year-and-counting history of the Palo Alto-based nonprofit organization GeoHazards International (GHI) is the story of many initiatives within a larger initiative to increase the societal impact of geophysics and civil engineering. GHI's mission is to reduce death and suffering due to earthquakes and other natural hazards in the world's most vulnerable communities through preparedness, mitigation and advocacy. GHI works by raising awareness in these communities about their risk and about affordable methods to manage it, identifying and strengthening institutions in these communities to manage their risk, and advocating improvement in natural disaster management. Some of GHI's successful initiatives include: (1) creating an earthquake scenario for Quito, Ecuador that describes in lay terms the consequences for that city of a probable earthquake; (2) improving the curricula of Pakistani university courses about seismic retrofitting; (3) training employees of the Public Works Department of Delhi, India on assessing the seismic vulnerability of critical facilities such as a school, a hospital, a police headquarters, and city hall; (4) assessing the vulnerability of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India; (5) developing a seismic hazard reduction plan for a nonprofit organization in Kathmandu, Nepal that works to manage Nepal's seismic risk; and (6) assisting in the formulation of a resolution by the Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to promote school earthquake safety among OECD member countries. GHI's most important resource, in addition to its staff and Board of Trustees, is its members and volunteer advisors, who include some of the world's leading earth scientists, earthquake engineers, urban planners and architects, from the academic, public, private and nonprofit sectors. GHI is planning several exciting initiatives in the near future. One would oversee the design and construction of an earthquake- and tsunami-resistant structure in Sumatra to house a tsunami museum, a community training center, and offices of a local NGO that is preparing Padang for the next tsunami. This facility would be designed and built by a team of US and Indonesian academics, architects, engineers and students. Another initiative would launch a collaborative research program on school earthquake safety with the scientists and engineers from the US and the ten Islamic countries that comprise the Economic Cooperation Organization. Finally, GHI hopes to develop internet and satellite communication techniques that will allow earthquake risk managers in the US to interact with masons, government officials, engineers and architects in remote communities of vulnerable developing countries, closing the science and engineering divide.

Schooling and Identity: A Qualitative Analysis of Self-Portrait Drawings of Young Indigenous People from Chiapas, Mexico

PubMed Central

Esteban-Guitart, Moises; Monreal-Bosch, Pilar; Perera, Santiago; Bastiani, José

2017-01-01

One of the features associated with schooling and formal education is their decontextualized nature, a characteristic that has been related to the advancement of logical abstract thinking. The aim of this study was to compare and contrast self-portraits through the graphical representations and verbal explanations made by young indigenous people from the Altos de Chiapas with different educational levels ranging from primary school to university. Participants were of the same age. The results show the abstract nature (as opposed to the concrete character) of some of the self-portraits made by the group of university students and the prevalence of individual aspects (rather than social contextual factors) especially within this same group. PMID:28119664

Schooling and Identity: A Qualitative Analysis of Self-Portrait Drawings of Young Indigenous People from Chiapas, Mexico.

PubMed

Esteban-Guitart, Moises; Monreal-Bosch, Pilar; Perera, Santiago; Bastiani, José

2016-01-01

One of the features associated with schooling and formal education is their decontextualized nature, a characteristic that has been related to the advancement of logical abstract thinking. The aim of this study was to compare and contrast self-portraits through the graphical representations and verbal explanations made by young indigenous people from the Altos de Chiapas with different educational levels ranging from primary school to university. Participants were of the same age. The results show the abstract nature (as opposed to the concrete character) of some of the self-portraits made by the group of university students and the prevalence of individual aspects (rather than social contextual factors) especially within this same group.

Influence of the Portuguese Bend landslide on the character of the effluent-affected sediment deposit, Palos Verdes margin, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kayen, R.E.; Lee, H.J.; Hein, J.R.

2002-01-01

Historic accretion of sediment on the Palos Verdes margin off Los Angeles County, CA, is dominated by two sources, effluent from Whites Point outfall and sediment eroded from the toe of Portuguese Bend landslide. In this paper, we document the recent history of sedimentation from these non-marine sources from 1937 until the late 1990s, and attempt to estimate the amount of material preserved on the shelf. Toward that end, we characterized offshore sediment by physical and geotechnical testing, using non-destructive gamma-ray whole-core logging techniques and conventional geotechnical strength tests, and X-ray diffraction. Results are reported within a geographic information system framework that allows for: (1) the evaluation of the spatial variability of the measured properties, and (2) assessment of the influence of these properties on processes affecting the effluent-affected Sediment layer. In the inner shelf, material eroded by wave action from the toe of the Portuguese Bend landslide since 1956 has contributed 5.7-9.4 million metric tons (Mmt) of sediment, from a total eroded mass of 12.1 Mmt. A lesser fraction (???2.7Mmt) of sediment is incorporated into the mid- and outer-shelf effluent-affected sediment layer. Evidence from X-ray diffractograms clearly indicates that landslide material has mixed with the mid- and outer-shelf effluent. From 1937-1987, it is estimated that 3.8 Mmt of solid anthropogenic effluent was discharged into the water column and onto the Palos Verdes Shelf.

The Alto Tandem and Isol Facility at IPN Orsay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchoo, Serge

Alto is an infrastructure for experimental nuclear physics in France that comprises both an on-line isotope-separation facility based on the photofission of uranium and a stable-ion beam facility based on a 14.5-MV tandem accelerator. The isotope-separation on-line section of Alto is dedicated to the production of neutron-rich radioactive ion beams (RIB) from the interaction of the γ-flux induced by a 50-MeV 10-µA electron beam in a uranium-carbide target. It is dimensioned for 1011 fissions per second. The RIB facility is exploited in alternating mode with the tandem-based section of Alto, capable of accelerating both light ions for nuclear astrophysics and heavy ions for γ-spectroscopy. The facility thereby offers the opportunity to deliver beams to a large range of physics programmes from nuclear to interdisciplinary physics. In this article, we present the Alto facility as well as some of the highlights and prospects of the experimental programme.

Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. Bloodwood Legumeminosae, Legume Family, lotoideae, Pea Subfamily

Treesearch

Peter L. Weaver

1997-01-01

Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq., called palo de pollo in Puerto Rico, bloodwood in Guyana and Panama, and by numerous other names throughout its extensive range, is an evergreen tree that reaches 40m in height

A trend analysis of traffic law enforcement in the United States

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-06-01

This project assessed traffic law enforcement trends in eleven jurisdictions (State of California; San Diego, California; Douglas County, Colorado; State of Delaware; State of Florida; Orange County, Florida; Seminole County, Florida; Palos Heights, ...

A trend analysis of traffic law enforcement in the United States

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-04-01

This project assessed traffic law enforcement trends in eleven jurisdictions (State of California; San Diego, California; Douglas County, Colorado; State of Delaware; State of Florida; Orange County, Florida; Seminole County, Florida; Palos Heights, ...

Multibeam mapping of the Los Angeles, California Margin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, James V.; Dartnell, Peter

2002-01-01

The Los Angeles, California Margin was mapped using multibeam echosounders during three separate surveys (Figure 1). In 1996, the USGS surveyed the shelf and slope in Santa Monica Bay from Pt. Dume to south of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The mapping was accomplished using a Kongsberg Simrad EM1000 multibeam sonar system that provided high-quality bathymetry and quantitative backscatter. In 1998, the USGS continued the mapping to the south and surveyed the outer shelf, slope, and proximal basin off Long Beach and Newport using a Kongsberg Simrad EM300 multibeam sonar system. In 1999, the Los Angeles Margin mapping was completed with the surveying of the inner Long Beach shelf from the Palos Verdes Peninsula, south to Newport. This survey used a dual Kongsberg Simrad EM3000D multibeam sonar system. These three surveys were conducted to support USGS projects studying marine pollution and geohazards along the Los Angeles Margin.

NASA Aeronautics Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Fellowship Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossman, B.; Gurdal, Z.; Kapania, R. K.; Mason, W. H.; Schetz, J. A.

1999-01-01

This program began as a grant from NASA Headquarters, NGT-10025, which was in effect from 10/l/93 until 10/31/96. The remaining funding for this effort was transferred from NASA Headquarters to NASA Langley and a new grant NGT-1-52155 was issued covering the period II/l/96 to 5/15/99. This report serves as the final report of NGT-1-52155. For a number of years, Virginia Tech had been on the forefront of research in the area of multidisciplinary analysis and design. In June of 1994, faculty members from aerospace and ocean engineering, engineering science and mechanics, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, mathematics and computer sciences, at Virginia Tech joined together to form the Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design (MAD) Center for Advanced Vehicles. The center was established with the single goal: to perform research that is relevant to the needs of the US industry and to foster collaboration between the university, government and industry. In October of 1994, the center was chosen by NASA headquarters as one of the five university centers to establish a fellowship program to develop a graduate program in multidisciplinary analysis and design. The fellowship program provides full stipend and tuition support for seven U. S. students per year during their graduate studies. The grant is currently being administered by the NMO Branch of NASA Langley. To advise us regarding the problems faced by the industry, an industrial advisory board has been formed consisting of representatives from industry as well as government laboratories. The present membership includes major aerospace companies: Aurora Flight Sciences, Boeing: Philadelphia, Boeing: Long Beach, Boeing: Seattle, Boeing: St. Louis, Cessna, Ford, General Electric, Hughes, Lockheed-Martin: Palo Alto, Northrop-Grumman, Sikorsky, smaller, aerospace software companies: Aerosoft, Phoenix Integration and Proteus Engineering, along with representatives from government agencies, including: NASA Ames, Langley and Lewis. The function of the advisory board is to channel information from its member companies to faculty members concerning problems that need research attention in the general area of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). The faculty and their graduate students make presentations to the board on their research. The board makes recommendations on the research and suggests new areas and problems which need attention. Many students participating in the program spend 3-6 months in industry working on their research projects. We are completing the fifth year of the fellowship program and have had four advisory board meetings in Blacksburg. Ten students have spent the three month periods in industry. In addition to the research element of the MAD Center efforts we also have an academic component. We have developed a menu of design-related graduate courses and two new courses: one in Aerospace Manufacturing and another in MDO. Some of the MAD Center activities are described on the world-wide web at http://www.aoe.vt.edu/mads.html The MAD Center represents an innovative approach for joint Industry-Government-University cooperation in the development of a comprehensive program in engineering education which addresses the design needs of industry. The following charts list detail of the grant: mission of the MAD center, faculty members, purpose of the advisory board, board members, summary of the graduate and undergraduate program, history of the fellowship program, mission of the fellowship program, requirements of MAD fellows, course requirements, students supported, advisory board participants, and MAD center research papers

Evaluation of the trade-offs encountered in planning and treating locally advanced head and neck cancer: intensity-modulated radiation therapy vs dual-arc volumetric-modulated arc therapy

PubMed Central

Oliver, M; McConnell, D; Romani, M; McAllister, A; Pearce, A; Andronowski, A; Wang, X; Leszczynski, K

2012-01-01

Objective The primary purpose of this study was to assess the practical trade-offs between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and dual-arc volumetric-modulated arc therapy (DA-VMAT) for locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods For 15 locally advanced HNC data sets, nine-field step-and-shoot IMRT plans and two full-rotation DA-VMAT treatment plans were created in the Pinnacle3 v. 9.0 (Philips Medical Systems, Fitchburg, WI) treatment planning environment and then delivered on a Clinac iX (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) to a cylindrical detector array. The treatment planning goals were organised into four groups based on their importance: (1) spinal cord, brainstem, optical structures; (2) planning target volumes; (3) parotids, mandible, larynx and brachial plexus; and (4) normal tissues. Results Compared with IMRT, DA-VMAT plans were of equal plan quality (p>0.05 for each group), able to be delivered in a shorter time (3.1 min vs 8.3 min, p<0.0001), delivered fewer monitor units (on average 28% fewer, p<0.0001) and produced similar delivery accuracy (p>0.05 at γ2%/2mm and γ3%/3mm). However, the VMAT plans took more planning time (28.9 min vs 7.7 min per cycle, p<0.0001) and required more data for a three-dimensional dose (20 times more, p<0.0001). Conclusions Nine-field step-and-shoot IMRT and DA-VMAT are both capable of meeting the majority of planning goals for locally advanced HNC. The main trade-offs between the techniques are shorter treatment time for DA-VMAT but longer planning time and the additional resources required for implementation of a new technology. Based on this study, our clinic has incorporated DA-VMAT for locally advanced HNC. Advances in knowledge DA-VMAT is a suitable alternative to IMRT for locally advanced HNC. PMID:22806619

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

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

SU-F-T-395: Evaluation of Best Dosimetry Achievable with VMAT and IMRT Treatment Techniques Targeting Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

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

Harpool, K; Schnell, E; Herman, T

Purpose: To determine from retrospective study the most appropriate technique for targeting small borderline operable pancreatic cancer surrounding blood vessels by evaluating the dosimetry and normal tissue sparing achievable using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Methods: Treatment plans from ten patients who have undergone treatment with a prescribed dose of 4950 cGy, at 275 cGy per fraction, were analyzed. All plans were replanned using Eclipse TPS (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) with complementary VMAT or IMRT techniques to obtain paired data sets for comparison. The coverage to at least 95% of the plannedmore » target volume (PTV) was normalized to receive 100% of the prescription dose. The normal tissue constraints followed the quantitative analysis of normal tissue effects in the clinic (QUANTEC) guidelines and the organs at risks (OARs) were liver, kidneys, spinal cord and bowel. The plan evaluation was based on conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), uniformity index (UI), DVH parameters, and student’s-t statistics (2 tails). Results: The VMAT technique delivered less maximum dose to the right kidney, left kidney, total kidney, liver, spinal cord, and bowel by 9.3%, 5.9%, 6.7%, 3.9%, 15.1%, 3.9%, and 4.3%, respectively. The averaged V15 for the total kidney was 10.21% for IMRT and 7.29% for VMAT. The averaged V20 for the bowel was 19.89% for IMRT and 14.06% for VMAT. On average, the CI for IMRT was 1.20 and 1.16 for VMAT (p = 0.20). The HI was 0.08 for both techniques (p = 0.91) and UI was 1.05 and 1.06 for IMRT and VMAT respectively (p = 0.59). Conclusion: Both techniques achieve adequate PTV coverage. Although VMAT techniques show better normal tissue sparing from excessive dose, no significant differences were observed. Slight discrepancies may rise from different versions of calculation algorithms.« less

Global trends in the awareness of sepsis: insights from search engine data between 2012 and 2017.

PubMed

Jabaley, Craig S; Blum, James M; Groff, Robert F; O'Reilly-Shah, Vikas N

2018-01-17

Sepsis is an established global health priority with high mortality that can be curtailed through early recognition and intervention; as such, efforts to raise awareness are potentially impactful and increasingly common. We sought to characterize trends in the awareness of sepsis by examining temporal, geographic, and other changes in search engine utilization for sepsis information-seeking online. Using time series analyses and mixed descriptive methods, we retrospectively analyzed publicly available global usage data reported by Google Trends (Google, Palo Alto, CA, USA) concerning web searches for the topic of sepsis between 24 June 2012 and 24 June 2017. Google Trends reports aggregated and de-identified usage data for its search products, including interest over time, interest by region, and details concerning the popularity of related queries where applicable. Outlying epochs of search activity were identified using autoregressive integrated moving average modeling with transfer functions. We then identified awareness campaigns and news media coverage that correlated with epochs of significantly heightened search activity. A second-order autoregressive model with transfer functions was specified following preliminary outlier analysis. Nineteen significant outlying epochs above the modeled baseline were identified in the final analysis that correlated with 14 awareness and news media events. Our model demonstrated that the baseline level of search activity increased in a nonlinear fashion. A recurrent cyclic increase in search volume beginning in 2012 was observed that correlates with World Sepsis Day. Numerous other awareness and media events were correlated with outlying epochs. The average worldwide search volume for sepsis was less than that of influenza, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Analyzing aggregate search engine utilization data has promise as a mechanism to measure the impact of awareness efforts. Heightened information-seeking about sepsis occurs in close proximity to awareness events and relevant news media coverage. Future work should focus on validating this approach in other contexts and comparing its results to traditional methods of awareness campaign evaluation.

SU-D-207-01: Markerless Respiratory Motion Tracking with Contrast Enhanced Thoracic Cone Beam CT Projections

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

Chao, M; Yuan, Y; Rosenzweig, K

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a novel technique to enhance the image contrast of clinical cone beam CT projections and extract respiratory signals based on anatomical motion using the modified Amsterdam Shroud (AS) method to benefit image guided radiation therapy. Methods: Thoracic cone beam CT projections acquired prior to treatment were preprocessed to increase their contrast for better respiratory signal extraction. Air intensity on raw images was firstly estimated and then applied to correct the projections to generate new attenuation images that were subsequently improved with deeper anatomy feature enhancement through taking logarithm operation, derivative along superior-inferior direction, respectively. All pixels onmore » individual post-processed two dimensional images were horizontally summed to one column and all projections were combined side by side to create an AS image from which patient’s respiratory signal was extracted. The impact of gantry rotation on the breathing signal rendering was also investigated. Ten projection image sets from five lung cancer patients acquired with the Varian Onboard Imager on 21iX Clinac (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) were employed to assess the proposed technique. Results: Application of the air correction on raw projections showed that more than an order of magnitude of contrast enhancement was achievable. The typical contrast on the raw projections is around 0.02 while that on attenuation images could greater than 0.5. Clear and stable breathing signal can be reliably extracted from the new images while the uncorrected projection sets failed to yield clear signals most of the time. Conclusion: Anatomy feature plays a key role in yielding breathing signal from the projection images using the AS technique. The air correction process facilitated the contrast enhancement significantly and attenuation images thus obtained provides a practical solution to obtaining markerless breathing motion tracking.« less

Dosimetric Analysis of Unflattened (FFFB) and Flattened (FB) Photon Beam Energy for Gastric Cancers Using IMRT and VMAT-a Comparative Study.

PubMed

Bhushan, Manindra; Yadav, Girigesh; Tripathi, Deepak; Kumar, Lalit; Kishore, Vimal; Dewan, Abhinav; Kumar, Gourav; Wahi, Inderjit Kaur; Gairola, Munish

2018-03-08

To evaluate the feasibility of flattening filter free beam (FFFB) for the treatment of gastric tumors and to review their benefits over 6MV flatten beam (6MV_FFB). Fifteen patients with histologically proven gastric carcinoma were selected. CT scans with slice thickness of 0.3 cm were acquired and planning target volume (PTV) and organ at risk (OAR) were delineated. Plans were made retrospectively for each patient for the prescription dose of 45 Gy/25 fractions to the PTV. Four isocentric plans were compared in the present study on Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA). PTV D98% was 44.41 ± 0.12, 44.38 ± 0.13, 44.59 ± 0.14, and 44.49 ± 0.19 Gy for IMRT 6MV_FFB, IMRT 6MV_FFFB, VMAT 6MV_FFB, and VMAT 6MV_FFFB respectively. 6MV_FFFB beam minimizes the mean heart dose D mean (P = 0.001). VMAT dominates over IMRT when it came to kidney doses V 12Gy (P = 0.02), V 23Gy (P = 0.015), V 28Gy (P = 0.011), and D max (P < 0.01). VMAT has significantly reduced the doses to kidneys. It was analyzed that 6MV_FFFB significantly reduces the dose to normal tissues (P = 0.006 and P = 0.018). VMAT significantly reduces the TMU, which is required to deliver the similar dose by IMRT (P < 0.01). Unflattened beam spares the organs at risk significantly to avoid the chances of secondary malignancies and reduces the intra-fraction motion during treatment due to provision of higher dose rate. Hence, we conclude that 6MV unflattened beam can be used to treat gastric carcinoma.

SU-E-T-81: A Study On Correlation Between Gamma Analysis for Midline and Lateralized Tumors Using VMAT

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

Kumar, Syam; Anjana

Purpose: To evaluate the fluence for the midline and lateralized tumors for VMAT technique using 2D seven29 detector array combined with the Octavius phantom. Methods: 60 cases that are already being treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) have selected for this study. This includes tumors situated at the medial and lateral. Medial refers to the tumor situated at the midline of the body and lateral means toward the side or away from the midline of the body. Verification plans were created for each treatment plan in Varian Eclipse treatment planning system (version10, Varian medical systems, Palo Alto,CA) with themore » 2D Seven29 detector array and the Octavius phantom(PTW, Freiburg, Germany). Measurements were performed on a Varian Clinac 2100 iX, linear accelerator equipped with a millennium 120 leaf collimator. Analysis was done by comparing the fluence measured for the tumors situated on the midline and tumors situated laterally. Results: Fluence measured for all the delivered plans were analyzed using Verisoft software (PTW, Freiburg, Germany). The gamma pass percentage for midline tumors were found to be higher compared with the lateralized ones. The standard deviation between gamma values for midline and lateralized tumors is 2.18 and 3.5 respectively. Also the standard deviation between the point doses for midline and lateralized tumors is 0.38 and 0.29 respectively. The average gamma passing rate for midline tumors is 96.55% and for lateralized tumors are 94.94% for 3%DD and 3mm DTA criteria. From the T test, it was found that there is no significant difference between the gamma pass percentage between midline and lateralized tumors with p value of 0.28. Conclusion: There is no particular correlation found in the gamma pass criteria for midline and lateralized tumors.« less

Partnered research in healthcare delivery redesign for high-need, high-cost patients: development and feasibility of an Intensive Management Patient-Aligned Care Team (ImPACT).

PubMed

Zulman, Donna M; Ezeji-Okoye, Stephen C; Shaw, Jonathan G; Hummel, Debra L; Holloway, Katie S; Smither, Sasha F; Breland, Jessica Y; Chardos, John F; Kirsh, Susan; Kahn, James S; Asch, Steven M

2014-12-01

We employed a partnered research healthcare delivery redesign process to improve care for high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients within the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. Health services researchers partnered with VA national and Palo Alto facility leadership and clinicians to: 1) analyze characteristics and utilization patterns of HNHC patients, 2) synthesize evidence about intensive management programs for HNHC patients, 3) conduct needs-assessment interviews with HNHC patients (n = 17) across medical, access, social, and mental health domains, 4) survey providers (n = 8) about care challenges for HNHC patients, and 5) design, implement, and evaluate a pilot Intensive Management Patient-Aligned Care Team (ImPACT) for a random sample of 150 patients. HNHC patients accounted for over half (52 %) of VA facility patient costs. Most (94 %) had three or more chronic conditions, and 60 % had a mental health diagnosis. Formative data analyses and qualitative assessments revealed a need for intensive case management, care coordination, transitions navigation, and social support and services. The ImPACT multidisciplinary team developed care processes to meet these needs, including direct access to team members (including after-hours), chronic disease management protocols, case management, and rapid interventions in response to health changes or acute service use. Two-thirds of invited patients (n = 101) enrolled in ImPACT, 87 % of whom remained actively engaged at 9 months. ImPACT is now serving as a model for a national VA intensive management demonstration project. Partnered research that incorporated population data analysis, evidence synthesis, and stakeholder needs assessments led to the successful redesign and implementation of services for HNHC patients. The rigorous design process and evaluation facilitated dissemination of the intervention within the VA healthcare system. Employing partnered research to redesign care for high-need, high-cost patients may expedite development and dissemination of high-value, cost-saving interventions.

Performance of a commercial optical CT scanner and polymer gel dosimeters for 3-D dose verification

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

Xu, Y.; Wuu, C.-S.; Maryanski, Marek J.

2004-11-01

Performance analysis of a commercial three-dimensional (3-D) dose mapping system based on optical CT scanning of polymer gels is presented. The system consists of BANG{sup reg}3 polymer gels (MGS Research, Inc., Madison, CT), OCTOPUS{sup TM} laser CT scanner (MGS Research, Inc., Madison, CT), and an in-house developed software for optical CT image reconstruction and 3-D dose distribution comparison between the gel, film measurements and the radiation therapy treatment plans. Various sources of image noise (digitization, electronic, optical, and mechanical) generated by the scanner as well as optical uniformity of the polymer gel are analyzed. The performance of the scanner ismore » further evaluated in terms of the reproducibility of the data acquisition process, the uncertainties at different levels of reconstructed optical density per unit length and the effects of scanning parameters. It is demonstrated that for BANG{sup registered}3 gel phantoms held in cylindrical plastic containers, the relative dose distribution can be reproduced by the scanner with an overall uncertainty of about 3% within approximately 75% of the radius of the container. In regions located closer to the container wall, however, the scanner generates erroneous optical density values that arise from the reflection and refraction of the laser rays at the interface between the gel and the container. The analysis of the accuracy of the polymer gel dosimeter is exemplified by the comparison of the gel/OCT-derived dose distributions with those from film measurements and a commercial treatment planning system (Cadplan, Varian Corporation, Palo Alto, CA) for a 6 cmx6 cm single field of 6 MV x rays and a 3-D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) plan. The gel measurements agree with the treatment plans and the film measurements within the '3%-or-2 mm' criterion throughout the usable, artifact-free central region of the gel volume. Discrepancies among the three data sets are analyzed.« less

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

Cobb, Corie Lynn

The development of mass markets for large-format batteries, including electric vehicles (EVs) and grid support, depends on both cost reductions and performance enhancements to improve their economic viability. Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) has developed a multi-material, advanced manufacturing process called co-extrusion (CoEx) to remove multiple steps in a conventional battery coating process with the potential to simultaneously increase battery energy and power density. CoEx can revolutionize battery manufacturing across most chemistries, significantly lowering end-product cost and shifting the underlying economics to make EVs and other battery applications a reality. PARC’s scale-up of CoEx for electric vehicle (EV) batteries buildsmore » on a solid base of experience in applying CoEx to solar cell manufacturing, deposition of viscous ceramic pastes, and Li-ion battery chemistries. In the solar application, CoEx has been deployed commercially at production scale where multi-channel CoEx printheads are used to print viscous silver gridline pastes at full production speeds (>40 ft/min). This operational scale-up provided invaluable experience with the nuances of speed, yield, and maintenance inherent in taking a new technology to the factory floor. PARC has leveraged this experience, adapting the CoEx process for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturing. To date, PARC has worked with Li-ion battery materials and structured cathodes with high-density Li-ion regions and low-density conduction regions, documenting both energy and power performance. Modeling results for a CoEx cathode show a path towards a 10-20% improvement in capacity for an EV pouch cell. Experimentally, we have realized a co-extruded battery structure with a Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cathode at print speeds equivalent to conventional roll coating processes. The heterogeneous CoEx cathode enables improved capacity in thick electrodes at higher C-rates. The proof-of-principle coin cells demonstrate the feasibility of the CoEx technology and a path towards higher energy and higher power EV pouch cells.« less

SU-F-T-517: Determining the Tissue Equivalence of a Brass Mesh Bolus in a Reconstructed Chest Wall Irradiation

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

Shekel, E; Epstein, D; Levin, D

2016-06-15

Purpose: To determine the tissue equivalence of a brass mesh bolus (RPD) in the setting of a reconstructed chest wall irradiation Methods: We measured breast skin dose delivered by a tangential field plan on an anthropomorphic phantom using Mosfet and nanoDot (Landauer) dosimeters in five different locations on the breast. We also measured skin dose using no bolus, 5mm and 10 mm superflab bolus. In the Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian, Palo Alto, CA) we calculated skin dose for different bolus thicknesses, ranging from 0 to 10 mm, in order to evaluate which calculation best matches the brass mesh measurements,more » as the brass mesh cannot be simulated due to artefacts.Finally, we measured depth dose behavior with the brass mesh bolus to verify that the bolus does not affect the dose to the breast itself beyond the build-up region. Results: Mosfet and nanoDot measurements were consistent with each other.As expected, skin dose measurements with no bolus had the least agreement with Eclipse calculation, while measurements for 5 and 10 mm agreed well with the calculation despite the difficulty in conforming superflab bolus to the breast contour. For the brass mesh the best agreement was for 3 mm bolus Eclipse calculation. For Mosfets, the average measurement was 90.8% of the expected dose, and for nanoDots 88.33% compared to 83.34%, 88.64% and 93.94% (2,3 and 5 mm bolus calculation respectively).The brass mesh bolus increased skin dose by approximately 25% but there was no dose increase beyond the build-up region. Conclusion: Brass mesh bolus is most equivalent to a 3 mm bolus, and does not affect the dose beyond the build-up region. The brass mesh cannot be directly calculated in Eclipse, hence a 3mm bolus calculation is a good reflection of the dose response to the brass mesh bolus.« less

SU-F-T-626: Intracranial SRS Re-Treatment Without Acquisition of New CT Images

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

Wiant, D; Manning, M; Liu, H

Purpose: Linear accelerator based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for multiple intracranial lesions with frequent surveillance is becoming a popular treatment option. This strategy leads to retreatment with SRS as new lesions arise. Currently, each course of treatment uses magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) images for treatment planning. We propose that new MR images, with course 1 CT images, may be used for future treatment plans with negligible loss of dosimetric accuracy. Methods: Ten patients that received multiple courses of SRS were retrospectively reviewed. The treatment plans and contours from non-initial courses were copied to the initial CTs and recalculated.more » Doses metrics for the plans calculated on the initial CTs and later CTs were compared. All CT scans were acquired on a Philips CT scanner with a 600 mm field of view and 1 mm slice thickness (Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA). All targets were planned to 20 Gy and calculated in Eclipse V. 13.6 (Varian, Palo Alto, CA) using analytic anisotropic algorithm with 1 mm calculation grid. Results: Sixteen lesions were evaluated. The mean time between courses was 250 +/− 215 days (range 103–979). The mean target volume was 2.0 +/− 2.9 cc (range 0.1–10.1). The average difference in mean target dose between the two calculations was 0.2 +/− 0.3 Gy (range 0.0 – 1.0). The mean conformity index (CI) was 1.28 +/− 0.14 (range 1.07 – 1.82). The average difference in CI was 0.03 +/− 0.16 (range 0.00 – 0.44). Targets volumes < 0.5 cc showed the largest changes in both metrics. Conclusion: Continued treatment based on initial CT images is feasible. Dose calculation on the initial CT for future treatments provides reasonable dosimetric accuracy. Changes in dose metrics are largest for small volumes, and are likely dominated by partial volume effects in target definition.« less

SU-E-T-458: Determining Threshold-Of-Failure for Dead Pixel Rows in EPID-Based Dosimetry

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

Gersh, J; Wiant, D

Purpose: A pixel correction map is applied to all EPID-based applications on the TrueBeam (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). When dead pixels are detected, an interpolative smoothing algorithm is applied using neighboring-pixel information to supplement missing-pixel information. The vendor suggests that when the number of dead pixels exceeds 70,000, the panel should be replaced. It is common for entire detector rows to be dead, as well as their neighboring rows. Approximately 70 rows can be dead before the panel reaches this threshold. This study determines the number of neighboring dead-pixel rows that would create a large enough deviation inmore » measured fluence to cause failures in portal dosimetry (PD). Methods: Four clinical two-arc VMAT plans were generated using Eclipse's AXB algorithm and PD plans were created using the PDIP algorithm. These plans were chosen to represent those commonly encountered in the clinic: prostate, lung, abdomen, and neck treatments. During each iteration of this study, an increasing number of dead-pixel rows are artificially applied to the correction map and a fluence QA is performed using the EPID (corrected with this map). To provide a worst-case-scenario, the dead-pixel rows are chosen so that they present artifacts in the highfluence region of the field. Results: For all eight arc-fields deemed acceptable via a 3%/3mm gamma analysis (pass rate greater than 99%), VMAT QA yielded identical results with a 5 pixel-width dead zone. When 10 dead lines were present, half of the fields had pass rates below the 99% pass rate. With increasing dead rows, the pass rates were reduced substantially. Conclusion: While the vendor still suggests to request service at the point where 70,000 dead rows are measured (as recommended by the vendor), the authors suggest that service should be requested when there are greater than 5 consecutive dead rows.« less

Amygdala volume in combat-exposed veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kuo, Janice R; Kaloupek, Danny G; Woodward, Steven H

2012-10-01

Data from animal models demonstrate a link between stress exposure and hypertrophic changes in the amygdala; however, studies of adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have failed to find analogous structural alterations. To compare amygdala volumes between a sample of combat veterans with and without PTSD (analysis 1) and examine whether our observation of larger amygdala volume in individuals with PTSD could be accounted for by the presence of trauma exposure in childhood and the severity of combat exposure in adulthood (analysis 2). Cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging. Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System Inpatient Trauma Recovery Program and Veterans Affairs New England Health Care System Outpatient PTSD program. Ninety-nine combat-exposed veterans from the Vietnam Conflict or the Persian Gulf War who had been exposed to substantial military operational stress. Amygdala volume adjusted for total cerebral volume, Life Events Checklist, and the Combat Exposure Scale. Analysis 1 indicated that combat-exposed individuals with PTSD exhibited larger total amygdala volume compared with their non-PTSD counterparts (99 individuals, P = .047). Analysis 2 indicated that greater severity of combat exposure (87 individuals, P = .02), as well as the interaction between the presence of early life trauma and the severity of combat exposure (87 individuals, P = .008), were significantly associated with smaller total amygdala volume. The PTSD diagnosis continued to explain larger amygdala volume (87 individuals, P = .006). Posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with enlarged amygdala volume, above the variance accounted for by a history of early life trauma and severity of adult trauma exposure. The discrepancy between our and prior findings may be explained by variability in these trauma indices in previous investigations. These findings support additional study of amygdala structure in human stress disorders and further delineation of the role of early and adult trauma on associated neurologic changes.

Whole-Brain Radiotherapy With Simultaneous Integrated Boost to Multiple Brain Metastases Using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

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

Lagerwaard, Frank J.; Hoorn, Elles A.P. van der; Verbakel, Wilko

2009-09-01

Purpose: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (RapidArc [RA]; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) allows for the generation of intensity-modulated dose distributions by use of a single gantry rotation. We used RA to plan and deliver whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) with a simultaneous integrated boost in patients with multiple brain metastases. Methods and Materials: Composite RA plans were generated for 8 patients, consisting of WBRT (20 Gy in 5 fractions) with an integrated boost, also 20 Gy in 5 fractions, to Brain metastases, and clinically delivered in 3 patients. Summated gross tumor volumes were 1.0 to 37.5 cm{sup 3}. RA plans weremore » measured in a solid water phantom by use of Gafchromic films (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ). Results: Composite RA plans could be generated within 1 hour. Two arcs were needed to deliver the mean of 1,600 monitor units with a mean 'beam-on' time of 180 seconds. RA plans showed excellent coverage of planning target volume for WBRT and planning target volume for the boost, with mean volumes receiving at least 95% of the prescribed dose of 100% and 99.8%, respectively. The mean conformity index was 1.36. Composite plans showed much steeper dose gradients outside Brain metastases than plans with a conventional summation of WBRT and radiosurgery. Comparison of calculated and measured doses showed a mean gamma for double-arc plans of 0.30, and the area with a gamma larger than 1 was 2%. In-room times for clinical RA sessions were approximately 20 minutes for each patient. Conclusions: RA treatment planning and delivery of integrated plans of WBRT and boosts to multiple brain metastases is a rapid and accurate technique that has a higher conformity index than conventional summation of WBRT and radiosurgery boost.« less

Sources of Sodium in US Adults From 3 Geographic Regions

PubMed Central

Cogswell, Mary E.; Shikany, James M.; Gardner, Christopher D.; Gillespie, Cathleen; Loria, Catherine M.; Zhou, Xia; Yuan, Keming; Steffen, Lyn M.

2017-01-01

Background: Most US adults consume excess sodium. Knowledge about the dietary sources of sodium intake is critical to the development of effective reduction strategies. Methods: A total of 450 adults were recruited from 3 geographic locations: Birmingham, AL (n=150); Palo Alto, CA (n=150); and the Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN (n=150), metropolitan areas. Equal numbers of women and men from each of 4 race/ethnic groups (blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites) were targeted for recruitment. Four record-assisted 24-hour dietary recalls were collected from each participant with special procedures, which included the collection of duplicate samples of salt added to food at the table and in home food preparation. Results: Sodium added to food outside the home was the leading source of sodium, accounting for more than two thirds (70.9%) of total sodium intake in the sample. Although the proportion of sodium from this source was smaller in some subgroups, it was the leading contributor for all subgroups. Contribution ranged from 66.3% for those with a high school level of education or less to 75.0% for those 18 to 29 years of age. Sodium inherent to food was the next highest contributor (14.2%), followed by salt added in home food preparation (5.6%) and salt added to food at the table (4.9%). Home tap water consumed as a beverage and dietary supplement and nonprescription antacids contributed minimally to sodium intake (<0.5% each). Conclusions: Sodium added to food outside the home accounted for ≈70% of dietary sodium intake. This finding is consistent with the 2010 Institute of Medicine recommendation for reduction of sodium in commercially processed foods as the primary strategy to reduce sodium intake in the United States. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02474693. PMID:28483828

Adapting to large-scale changes in Advanced Placement Biology, Chemistry, and Physics: the impact of online teacher communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frumin, Kim; Dede, Chris; Fischer, Christian; Foster, Brandon; Lawrenz, Frances; Eisenkraft, Arthur; Fishman, Barry; Jurist Levy, Abigail; McCoy, Ayana

2018-03-01

Over the past decade, the field of teacher professional learning has coalesced around core characteristics of high quality professional development experiences (e.g. Borko, Jacobs, & Koellner, 2010. Contemporary approaches to teacher professional development. In P. L. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGaw (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (Vol. 7, pp. 548-556). Oxford: Elsevier.; Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017. Effective teacher professional development. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute). Many countries have found these advances of great interest because of a desire to build teacher capacity in science education and across the full curriculum. This paper continues this progress by examining the role and impact of an online professional development community within the top-down, large-scale curriculum and assessment revision of Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This paper is part of a five-year, longitudinal, U.S. National Science Foundation-funded project to study the relative effectiveness of various types of professional development in enabling teachers to adapt to the revised AP course goals and exams. Of the many forms of professional development our research has examined, preliminary analyses indicated that participation in the College Board's online AP Teacher Community (APTC) - where teachers can discuss teaching strategies, share resources, and connect with each other - had positive, direct, and statistically significant association with teacher self-reported shifts in practice and with gains in student AP scores (Fishman et al., 2014). This study explored how usage of the online APTC might be useful to teachers and examined a more robust estimate of these effects. Findings from the experience of AP teachers may be valuable in supporting other large-scale curriculum changes, such as the U.S. Next Generation Science Standards or Common Core Standards, as well as parallel curricular shifts in other countries.

Buying health: assessing the impact of a consumer-side vegetable subsidy on purchasing, consumption and waste.

PubMed

Smith-Drelich, Noah

2016-02-01

To measure the impact of a reimbursement-based consumer subsidy on vegetable expenditures, consumption and waste. Two-arm randomized controlled trial; two-week baseline observation period, three-week intervention period. Participants' vegetable expenditures, consumption and waste were monitored using receipts collection and through an FFQ. During the intervention period, the treatment group received reimbursement of up to 50 US dollars ($) for purchased vegetables. Participants were solicited from Palo Alto, CA, USA using materials advertising a 'consumer behavior study' and a small participation incentive. To prevent selection bias, solicitation materials did not describe the specific behaviour being evaluated. One hundred and fifty potential participants responded to the solicitations and 144 participants enrolled in the study; 138 participants completed all five weekly surveys. Accounting for the control group (n 69) and the two-week baseline period, the intervention significantly impacted the treatment group's (n 69) vegetable expenditures (+$8.16 (sd 2.67)/week, P<0.01), but not vegetable consumption (+1.3 (sd 1.2) servings/week, P=0.28) or waste (-0.23 (sd 1.2) servings/week, P=0.60). The consumer subsidy significantly increased participants' vegetable expenditures, but not consumption or waste, suggesting that this type of subsidy might not have the effects anticipated. Reimbursement-based consumer subsidies may therefore not be as useful a policy tool for impacting vegetable consumption as earlier studies have suggested. Moreover, moderation analysis revealed that the subsidy's effect on participants' vegetable expenditures was significant only in men. Additional research should seek to determine how far reaching gender-specific effects are in this context. Further research should also examine the effect of a similar consumer subsidy on high-risk populations and explore to what extent increases in participants' expenditures are due to the purchase of more expensive vegetables, purchasing of vegetables during the study period that were consumed outside the study period, or a shift from restaurant vegetable consumption to grocery vegetable consumption.

TU-FG-201-07: Development of SRS Conical Collimator Collision Prediction Software for Radiation Treatment Safety

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

Gutti, V; Morrow, A; Kim, S

Purpose: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments using conical collimators can potentially result in gantry collision with treatment table due to limited collision-clear spaces. An in-house software was developed to help the SRS treatment planner mitigate potential SRS conical collimator (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA) collisions with the treatment table. This software was designed to remove treatment re-planning secondary to unexpected collisions. Methods: A BrainLAB SRS ICT Frameless Extension used for SRS treatments in our clinic was mathematically modelled using surface points registered to the 3D co-ordinate space of the couch extension. The surface points are transformed based on the treatmentmore » isocenter point and potential collisions are determined in 3D space for couch and gantry angle combinations. The distance between the SRS conical collimators and LINAC isocenter is known. The collision detection model was programmed in MATLAB (Mathwork, Natick, MA) to display graphical plots of the calculations, and the plotted data is used to avoid the gantry and couch angle combinations that would likely result in a collision. We have utilized the cone collision tool for 23 SRS cone treatment plans (8 retrospective and 15 prospective for 10 patients). Results: Twenty one plans strongly agreed with the software tool prediction for collision. However, in two plans, a collision was observed with a 0.5 cm margin when the software predicted no collision. Therefore, additional margins were added to the clearance criteria in the program to achieve a lower risk of actual collisions. Conclusion: Our in-house developed collision check software successfully avoided SRS cone re-planning by 91.3% due to a reduction in cone collisions with the treatment table. Future developments to our software will include a CT image data set based collision prediction model as well as a beam angle optimization tool to avoid normal critical tissues as well as previously treated lesions.« less

SU-E-T-50: Automatic Validation of Megavoltage Beams Modeled for Clinical Use in Radiation Therapy

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

Melchior, M; Salinas Aranda, F; 21st Century Oncology, Ft. Myers, FL

2014-06-01

Purpose: To automatically validate megavoltage beams modeled in XiO™ 4.50 (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden) and Varian Eclipse™ Treatment Planning Systems (TPS) (Varian Associates, Palo Alto, CA, USA), reducing validation time before beam-on for clinical use. Methods: A software application that can automatically read and analyze DICOM RT Dose and W2CAD files was developed using MatLab integrated development environment.TPS calculated dose distributions, in DICOM RT Dose format, and dose values measured in different Varian Clinac beams, in W2CAD format, were compared. Experimental beam data used were those acquired for beam commissioning, collected on a water phantom with a 2D automatic beam scanningmore » system.Two methods were chosen to evaluate dose distributions fitting: gamma analysis and point tests described in Appendix E of IAEA TECDOC-1583. Depth dose curves and beam profiles were evaluated for both open and wedged beams. Tolerance parameters chosen for gamma analysis are 3% and 3 mm dose and distance, respectively.Absolute dose was measured independently at points proposed in Appendix E of TECDOC-1583 to validate software results. Results: TPS calculated depth dose distributions agree with measured beam data under fixed precision values at all depths analyzed. Measured beam dose profiles match TPS calculated doses with high accuracy in both open and wedged beams. Depth and profile dose distributions fitting analysis show gamma values < 1. Relative errors at points proposed in Appendix E of TECDOC-1583 meet therein recommended tolerances.Independent absolute dose measurements at points proposed in Appendix E of TECDOC-1583 confirm software results. Conclusion: Automatic validation of megavoltage beams modeled for their use in the clinic was accomplished. The software tool developed proved efficient, giving users a convenient and reliable environment to decide whether to accept or not a beam model for clinical use. Validation time before beam-on for clinical use was reduced to a few hours.« less

The Dawn of a New Era for Supernova 1987a

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Three decades ago, astronomers spotted one of the brightest exploding stars in more than 400 years. The titanic supernova, called Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), blazed with the power of 100 million suns for several months following its discovery on Feb. 23, 1987. Since that first sighting, SN 1987A has continued to fascinate astronomers with its spectacular light show. Located in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, it is the nearest supernova explosion observed in hundreds of years and the best opportunity yet for astronomers to study the phases before, during, and after the death of a star. "The 30 years' worth of observations of SN 1987A are important because they provide insight into the last stages of stellar evolution," said Robert Kirshner of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in Palo Alto, California. The latest data from these powerful telescopes indicate that SN 1987A has passed an important threshold. The supernova shock wave is moving beyond the dense ring of gas produced late in the life of the pre-supernova star when a fast outflow or wind from the star collided with a slower wind generated in an earlier red giant phase of the star's evolution. What lies beyond the ring is poorly known at present, and depends on the details of the evolution of the star when it was a red giant. Read more: go.nasa.gov/2lEgs8M NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

SU-F-J-68: Deformable Dose Accumulation for Voxel-Based Dose Tracking of PTV Cold Spots for Adaptive Radiotherapy of the Head and Neck

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

Liu, C; Chetty, I; Mao, W

Purpose: To utilize deformable dose accumulation (DDA) to determine how cold spots within the PTV change over the course of fractionated head and neck (H&N) radiotherapy. Methods: Voxel-based dose was tracked using a DDA platform. The DDA process consisted of B-spline-based deformable image registration (DIR) and dose accumulation between planning CT’s and daily cone-beam CT’s for 10 H&N cancer patients. Cold spots within the PTV (regions receiving less than the prescription, 70 Gy) were contoured on the cumulative dose distribution. These cold spots were mapped to each fraction, starting from the first fraction to determine how they changed. Spatial correlationmore » between cold spot regions over each fraction, relative to the last fraction, was computed using the Jaccard index Jk (Mk,N), where N is the cold spot within the PTV at the end of the treatment, and Mk the same region for fraction k. Results: Figure 1 shows good spatial correlation between cold spots, and highlights expansion of the cold spot region over the course of treatment, as a result of setup uncertainties, and anatomical changes. Figure 2 shows a plot of Jk versus fraction number k averaged over 10 patients. This confirms the good spatial correlation between cold spots over the course of treatment. On average, Jk reaches ∼90% at fraction 22, suggesting that possible intervention (e.g. reoptimization) may mitigate the cold spot region. The cold spot, D99, averaged over 10 patients corresponded to a dose of ∼65 Gy, relative to the prescription dose of 70 Gy. Conclusion: DDA-based tracking provides spatial dose information, which can be used to monitor dose in different regions of the treatment plan, thereby enabling appropriate mid-treatment interventions. This work is supported in part by Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA.« less

TU-CD-304-11: Veritas 2.0: A Cloud-Based Tool to Facilitate Research and Innovation

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

Mishra, P; Patankar, A; Etmektzoglou, A

Purpose: We introduce Veritas 2.0, a cloud-based, non-clinical research portal, to facilitate translation of radiotherapy research ideas to new delivery techniques. The ecosystem of research tools includes web apps for a research beam builder for TrueBeam Developer Mode, an image reader for compressed and uncompressed XIM files, and a trajectory log file based QA/beam delivery analyzer. Methods: The research beam builder can generate TrueBeam readable XML file either from scratch or from pre-existing DICOM-RT plans. DICOM-RT plan is first converted to XML format and then researcher can interactively modify or add control points to them. Delivered beam can be verifiedmore » via reading generated images and analyzing trajectory log files. Image reader can read both uncompressed and HND-compressed XIM images. The trajectory log analyzer lets researchers plot expected vs. actual values and deviations among 30 mechanical axes. The analyzer gives an animated view of MLC patterns for the beam delivery. Veritas 2.0 is freely available and its advantages versus standalone software are i) No software installation or maintenance needed, ii) easy accessibility across all devices iii) seamless upgrades and iv) OS independence. Veritas is written using open-source tools like twitter bootstrap, jQuery, flask, and Python-based modules. Results: In the first experiment, an anonymized 7-beam DICOM-RT IMRT plan was converted to XML beam containing 1400 control points. kV and MV imaging points were inserted into this XML beam. In another experiment, a binary log file was analyzed to compare actual vs expected values and deviations among axes. Conclusions: Veritas 2.0 is a public cloud-based web app that hosts a pool of research tools for facilitating research from conceptualization to verification. It is aimed at providing a platform for facilitating research and collaboration. I am full time employee at Varian Medical systems, Palo Alto.« less

Crisaborole Topical Ointment, 2% in Patients Ages 2 to 17 Years with Atopic Dermatitis: A Phase 1b, Open-Label, Maximal-Use Systemic Exposure Study.

PubMed

Zane, Lee T; Kircik, Leon; Call, Robert; Tschen, Eduardo; Draelos, Zoe Diana; Chanda, Sanjay; Van Syoc, Merrie; Hebert, Adelaide A

2016-07-01

Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) is a promising target in atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment. The pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and efficacy of crisaborole topical ointment, 2% (formerly AN2728) (Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto, CA), a boron-based benzoxaborole PDE4 inhibitor, were evaluated in children with mild to moderate AD. This phase 1b, open-label, maximal-use study of crisaborole topical ointment, 2% applied twice daily (dose 3 mg/cm(2) ) for 28 days enrolled patients ages 2 to 17 years with extensive AD involving 25% or more or 35% or more treatable body surface area, depending on age. Primary PK and safety assessments included systemic exposure to crisaborole and its metabolites after 7 days of treatment and the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Secondary efficacy assessments included change from baseline in Investigator Static Global Assessment (ISGA), treatment success (ISGA score ≤1 with a two-grade or greater improvement from baseline), and improvement in five AD signs and symptoms. Of 34 patients enrolled, 31 completed the study. Crisaborole was rapidly absorbed, with limited systemic exposure between days 1 and 8. Twenty-three of 34 patients reported one or more TEAEs; 95% were mild or moderate and one patient discontinued because of a TEAE. Mean ISGA scores declined from 2.65 at baseline to 1.15 at day 29, 47.1% of patients achieved treatment success, and 64.7% of patients achieved ISGA scores of clear (0) or almost clear . Mean severity scores for AD signs and symptoms declined throughout the study. This open-label study provides evidence that crisaborole topical ointment, 2% was well tolerated, with limited systemic exposure under maximal-use conditions in patients ages 2 years and older. © 2016 The Authors. Pediatric Dermatology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Post Hoc Analyses of the Effect of Crisaborole Topical Ointment, 2% on Atopic Dermatitis: Associated Pruritus from Phase 1 and 2 Clinical Studies.

PubMed

Draelos, Zoe Diana; Stein Gold, Linda F; Murrell, Dedee F; Hughes, Matilda H; Zane, Lee T

2016-02-01

Two post hoc analyses assessed the antipruritic activity of crisaborole topical ointment, 2% (crisaborole; Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Palo Alto, CA), a first-in-class boron-based phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor in development for treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD). Two pooled analyses included data from 4 studies evaluating crisaborole in AD (study 1, phase 1b, systemic exposure, safety, and pharmacokinetics [PK] under maximal-use conditions in children and adolescents; study 2, phase 2a, safety and PK in adolescents; study 3, phase 2a, efficacy and safety in adults; study 4, phase 2, efficacy and safety in adolescents). Pooled data from studies 1 and 2 included whole body assessments; studies 3 and 4 included target lesion assessments. Pruritus severity was evaluated using a 4-point rating scale (0=none to 3=severe). Efficacy assessments included percent change from baseline in pruritus severity scores at days 8 (first pooled assessment), 15, 22, and 29 (whole body assessments) or days 15 (first pooled assessment), 22, and 29 (target lesions). Paired t-tests comparing change from baseline against zero were used to calculate P values. Categorical shifts in pruritus severity were also assessed (no to mild pruritus, 0-1.5; moderate to severe pruritus, 2-3). In the pooled analysis of studies 1 and 2 (N=57), the percent change from baseline in pruritus severity scores were 63.0% and 64.9% at days 8 and 29, respectively (P<0.001 for each). Similar results were observed in the pooled analysis of studies 3 and 4 (N=67). In both analyses, most patients had mild to no pruritus from the first time point assessed through the remainder of treatment. Treatment with crisaborole topical ointment, 2% resulted in statistically significant reductions in pruritus severity at the first time point evaluated in both analyses. These findings provide preliminary evidence of the antipruritic activity of crisaborole topical ointment, 2%.

Generation of a novel phase-space-based cylindrical dose kernel for IMRT optimization.

PubMed

Zhong, Hualiang; Chetty, Indrin J

2012-05-01

Improving dose calculation accuracy is crucial in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). We have developed a method for generating a phase-space-based dose kernel for IMRT planning of lung cancer patients. Particle transport in the linear accelerator treatment head of a 21EX, 6 MV photon beam (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) was simulated using the EGSnrc/BEAMnrc code system. The phase space information was recorded under the secondary jaws. Each particle in the phase space file was associated with a beamlet whose index was calculated and saved in the particle's LATCH variable. The DOSXYZnrc code was modified to accumulate the energy deposited by each particle based on its beamlet index. Furthermore, the central axis of each beamlet was calculated from the orientation of all the particles in this beamlet. A cylinder was then defined around the central axis so that only the energy deposited within the cylinder was counted. A look-up table was established for each cylinder during the tallying process. The efficiency and accuracy of the cylindrical beamlet energy deposition approach was evaluated using a treatment plan developed on a simulated lung phantom. Profile and percentage depth doses computed in a water phantom for an open, square field size were within 1.5% of measurements. Dose optimized with the cylindrical dose kernel was found to be within 0.6% of that computed with the nontruncated 3D kernel. The cylindrical truncation reduced optimization time by approximately 80%. A method for generating a phase-space-based dose kernel, using a truncated cylinder for scoring dose, in beamlet-based optimization of lung treatment planning was developed and found to be in good agreement with the standard, nontruncated scoring approach. Compared to previous techniques, our method significantly reduces computational time and memory requirements, which may be useful for Monte-Carlo-based 4D IMRT or IMAT treatment planning.

Stereotactic, Single-Dose Irradiation of Lung Tumors: A Comparison of Absolute Dose and Dose Distribution Between Pencil Beam and Monte Carlo Algorithms Based on Actual Patient CT Scans

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

Chen Huixiao; Lohr, Frank; Fritz, Peter

2010-11-01

Purpose: Dose calculation based on pencil beam (PB) algorithms has its shortcomings predicting dose in tissue heterogeneities. The aim of this study was to compare dose distributions of clinically applied non-intensity-modulated radiotherapy 15-MV plans for stereotactic body radiotherapy between voxel Monte Carlo (XVMC) calculation and PB calculation for lung lesions. Methods and Materials: To validate XVMC, one treatment plan was verified in an inhomogeneous thorax phantom with EDR2 film (Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY). Both measured and calculated (PB and XVMC) dose distributions were compared regarding profiles and isodoses. Then, 35 lung plans originally created for clinical treatment by PB calculationmore » with the Eclipse planning system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) were recalculated by XVMC (investigational implementation in PrecisePLAN [Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden]). Clinically relevant dose-volume parameters for target and lung tissue were compared and analyzed statistically. Results: The XVMC calculation agreed well with film measurements (<1% difference in lateral profile), whereas the deviation between PB calculation and film measurements was up to +15%. On analysis of 35 clinical cases, the mean dose, minimal dose and coverage dose value for 95% volume of gross tumor volume were 1.14 {+-} 1.72 Gy, 1.68 {+-} 1.47 Gy, and 1.24 {+-} 1.04 Gy lower by XVMC compared with PB, respectively (prescription dose, 30 Gy). The volume covered by the 9 Gy isodose of lung was 2.73% {+-} 3.12% higher when calculated by XVMC compared with PB. The largest differences were observed for small lesions circumferentially encompassed by lung tissue. Conclusions: Pencil beam dose calculation overestimates dose to the tumor and underestimates lung volumes exposed to a given dose consistently for 15-MV photons. The degree of difference between XVMC and PB is tumor size and location dependent. Therefore XVMC calculation is helpful to further optimize treatment planning.« less

The Transport of Solar Ions Through the Earth's Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lennartsson, O. W.

1999-01-01

This report covers the initial phase of an investigation that was originally selected by NASA Headquarters for funding by a grant but was later transferred to NASA GSFC for continued funding under a new and separate contract. The principal objective of the investigation, led by Dr. O.W. Lennartsson, is to extract information about the solar origin plasma in Earth's magnetosphere, specifically about the entry and transport of this plasma, using energetic (10 eV/e to 18 keV/e) ion composition data from the Lockheed Plasma Composition Experiment on the NASA/ESA International Sun-Earth Explorer One (ISEE 1) satellite. These data were acquired many years ago, from November 1977 through March of 1982, but, because of subsequent failures of similar experiments on several other spacecraft, they are still the only substantial ion composition data available from Earth's magnetotail, beyond 10 R(sub E), in the critically important sub-kev to keV energy range. All of the Lockheed data now exist in a compacted scientific format, suitable for large-scale statistical investigations, which has been archived both at Lockheed Martin in Palo Alto and at the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) in Greenbelt. The completion of the archiving, by processing the remaining half of the data, was made possible by separate funding through a temporary NASA program for data restoration and was given priority over the data analysis by a no-cost extension of the subject grant. By chance, the period of performance coincided with an international study of source and loss processes of magnetospheric plasma, sponsored by the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern, Switzerland, for which Dr. Lennartsson was invited to serve as one of 12 co-chairs. This study meshed well with the continued analysis of the NASA/Lockheed ISEE ion composition data and provided a natural forum for a broader discussion of the results from this unique experiment. What follows is arranged, for the most part, in the context of the ISSI project.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in United States Veterans on Statin Therapy.

PubMed

Kokkinos, Peter; Faselis, Charles; Narayan, Puneet; Myers, Jonathan; Nylen, Eric; Sui, Xuemei; Zhang, Jiajia; Lavie, Carl J

2017-10-01

Impact of cardiorespiratory fitness on statin-related incidence of type 2 diabetes has not been assessed. We assessed the cardiorespiratory fitness and diabetes incidence association in dyslipidemic patients on statins. We identified dyslipidemic patients with a normal exercise test performed during 1986 and 2014 at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Washington, DC or Palo Alto, Calif. The statin-treated patients (n = 4092; age = 58.8 ± 10.9 years) consisted of 2701 Blacks and 1391 Whites. None had evidence of type 2 diabetes prior to statin therapy. We formed 4 fitness categories based on age and peak metabolic equivalents achieved: Least-fit (n = 954), Low-fit (n = 1201), Moderate-fit (n = 1242), and High-fit (n = 695). The non-statin-treated cohort (n = 3001; age = 57.2 ± 11.2 years) with no evidence of type 2 diabetes prior to the exercise test served as controls. Diabetes incidence was 24% higher in statin-treated compared with non-statin-treated patients (P <.001). In the statin-treated cohort, 1075 (26.3%) developed diabetes (average annual incidence rate of 30.6 events/1000 person-years). Compared with the Least-fit, adjusted risk decreased progressively with increasing fitness and was 34% lower for High-fit patients (hazard ratio [HR] 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53-0.82; P <.001). Compared with the nonstatin cohort, elevated risk was evident only in the Least-fit (HR 1.50; 95% CI, 1.30-1.73; P <.001) and Low-fit patients (HR 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06-1.41; P = .006). Risk of diabetes in statin-treated dyslipidemic patients was inversely and independently associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. The increased risk was evident only in relatively low-fitness patients. Improving fitness may modulate the potential diabetogenic effects of statins. Published by Elsevier Inc.

SU-E-T-568: Improving Normal Brain Sparing with Increasing Number of Arc Beams for Volume Modulated Arc Beam Radiosurgery of Multiple Brain Metastases

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

Hossain, S; Hildebrand, K; Ahmad, S

Purpose: Intensity modulated arc beams have been newly reported for treating multiple brain metastases. The purpose of this study was to determine the variations in the normal brain doses with increasing number of arc beams for multiple brain metastases treatments via the TrueBeam Rapidarc system (Varian Oncology, Palo Alto, CA). Methods: A patient case with 12 metastatic brain lesions previously treated on the Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion (GK) was used for the study. All lesions and organs at risk were contoured by a senior radiation oncologist and treatment plans for a subset of 3, 6, 9 and all 12 targetsmore » were developed for the TrueBeam Rapidarc system via 3 to 7 intensity modulated arc-beams with each target covered by at least 99% of the prescribed dose of 20 Gy. The peripheral normal brain isodose volumes as well as the total beam-on time were analyzed with increasing number of arc beams for these targets. Results: All intensisty modulated arc-beam plans produced efficient treatment delivery with the beam-on time averaging 0.6–1.5 min per lesion at an output of 1200 MU/min. With increasing number of arc beams, the peripheral normal brain isodose volumes such as the 12-Gy isodose line enclosed normal brain tissue volumes were on average decreased by 6%, 11%, 18%, and 28% for the 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-target treatment plans respectively. The lowest normal brain isodose volumes were consistently found for the 7-arc treatment plans for all the cases. Conclusion: With nearly identical beam-on times, the peripheral normal brain dose was notably decreased when the total number of intensity modulated arc beams was increased when treating multiple brain metastases. Dr Sahgal and Dr Ma are currently serving on the board of international society of stereotactic radiosurgery.« less

Dosimetric impact of the AeroForm tissue expander in postmastectomy radiation therapy: an ex vivo analysis.

PubMed

Moni, Janaki; Saleeby, Jonathan; Bannon, Elizabeth; Lo, Yuan-Chyuan; Fitzgerald, Thomas J

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effect of the AeroForm (AirXpanders Inc, Palo Alto, CA) tissue expander on the dose distribution in a phantom from a simulated postmastectomy radiation treatment for breast cancer. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect on the dose distribution with the metallic reservoir irradiated independently and with the entire AeroForm tissue expander placed on a RANDO phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY). The metallic reservoir was irradiated on a block of solid water with film at various depths ranging from 0 to 8.2 cm from the surface. The intact 400 cc AeroForm was inflated to full capacity and irradiated while positioned on a RANDO phantom, with 12 optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) placed at clinically relevant expander-tissue interface points. Film dosimetry with the reservoir perpendicular to film reveals 40% transmission at a depth of 0.7 cm, which increases to 60% at a depth of 8.2 cm. In the parallel position, the results vary depending on which area under the reservoir is examined, indicating that the reservoir is not a uniformly dense object. Testing of the intact expander on the phantom revealed that the average percent difference (measured vs expected dose) was 2.7%, σ = 6.2% with heterogeneity correction and 3.7%, σ = 2.4% without heterogeneity correction. The only position where the OSLD readings were consistently higher than the calculated dose by >5% was at position 1, just deep to the canister at the expander-phantom interface. At this position, the readings varied from 5.2% to 14.5%, regardless of heterogeneity correction. Film dosimetry demonstrated beam attenuation in the shadow of the metallic reservoir in the expander. This decrease in dose was not reproduced on the intact expander on the phantom designed to replicate a clinical setup. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is There a Clinical Role For Smartphone Sleep Apps? Comparison of Sleep Cycle Detection by a Smartphone Application to Polysomnography.

PubMed

Bhat, Sushanth; Ferraris, Ambra; Gupta, Divya; Mozafarian, Mona; DeBari, Vincent A; Gushway-Henry, Neola; Gowda, Satish P; Polos, Peter G; Rubinstein, Mitchell; Seidu, Huzaifa; Chokroverty, Sudhansu

2015-07-15

Several inexpensive, readily available smartphone apps that claim to monitor sleep are popular among patients. However, their accuracy is unknown, which limits their widespread clinical use. We therefore conducted this study to evaluate the validity of parameters reported by one such app, the Sleep Time app (Azumio, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA) for iPhones. Twenty volunteers with no previously diagnosed sleep disorders underwent in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) while simultaneously using the app. Parameters reported by the app were then compared to those obtained by PSG. In addition, an epoch-by-epoch analysis was performed by dividing the PSG and app graph into 15-min epochs. There was no correlation between PSG and app sleep efficiency (r = -0.127, p = 0.592), light sleep percentage (r = 0.024, p = 0.921), deep sleep percentage (r = 0.181, p = 0.444) or sleep latency (rs = 0.384, p = 0.094). The app slightly and nonsignificantly overestimated sleep efficiency by 0.12% (95% confidence interval [CI] -4.9 to 5.1%, p = 0.962), significantly underestimated light sleep by 27.9% (95% CI 19.4-36.4%, p < 0.0001), significantly overestimated deep sleep by 11.1% (CI 4.7-17.4%, p = 0.008) and significantly overestimated sleep latency by 15.6 min (CI 9.7-21.6, p < 0.0001). Epochwise comparison showed low overall accuracy (45.9%) due to poor interstage discrimination, but high accuracy in sleep-wake detection (85.9%). The app had high sensitivity but poor specificity in detecting sleep (89.9% and 50%, respectively). Our study shows that the absolute parameters and sleep staging reported by the Sleep Time app (Azumio, Inc.) for iPhones correlate poorly with PSG. Further studies comparing app sleep-wake detection to actigraphy may help elucidate its potential clinical utility. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 695. © 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

MO-FG-202-04: Gantry-Resolved Linac QA for VMAT: A Comprehensive and Efficient System Using An Electronic Portal Imaging Device

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

Zwan, B J; University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW; Barnes, M

2016-06-15

Purpose: To automate gantry-resolved linear accelerator (linac) quality assurance (QA) for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). Methods: A QA system for VMAT was developed that uses an EPID, frame-grabber assembly and in-house developed image processing software. The system relies solely on the analysis of EPID image frames acquired without the presence of a phantom. Images were acquired at 8.41 frames per second using a frame grabber and ancillary acquisition computer. Each image frame was tagged with a gantry angle from the linac’s on-board gantry angle encoder. Arc-dynamic QA plans were designed to assessmore » the performance of each individual linac component during VMAT. By analysing each image frame acquired during the QA deliveries the following eight machine performance characteristics were measured as a function of gantry angle: MLC positional accuracy, MLC speed constancy, MLC acceleration constancy, MLC-gantry synchronisation, beam profile constancy, dose rate constancy, gantry speed constancy, dose-gantry angle synchronisation and mechanical sag. All tests were performed on a Varian iX linear accelerator equipped with a 120 leaf Millennium MLC and an aS1000 EPID (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA). Results: Machine performance parameters were measured as a function of gantry angle using EPID imaging and compared to machine log files and the treatment plan. Data acquisition is currently underway at 3 centres, incorporating 7 treatment units, at 2 weekly measurement intervals. Conclusion: The proposed system can be applied for streamlined linac QA and commissioning for VMAT. The set of test plans developed can be used to assess the performance of each individual components of the treatment machine during VMAT deliveries as a function of gantry angle. The methodology does not require the setup of any additional phantom or measurement equipment and the analysis is fully automated to allow for regular routine testing.« less

Dosimetric evaluation of total marrow irradiation using 2 different planning systems

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

Nalichowski, Adrian, E-mail: nalichoa@karmanos.org; Eagle, Don G.; Burmeister, Jay

This study compared 2 different treatment planning systems (TPSs) for quality and efficiency of total marrow irradiation (TMI) plans. The TPSs used in this study were VOxel-Less Optimization (VoLO) (Accuray Inc, Sunnyvale, CA) using helical dose delivery on a Tomotherapy Hi-Art treatment unit and Eclipse (Varian Medical Systems Inc, Palo Alto, CA) using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) dose delivery on a Varian iX treatment unit. A total dose of 1200 cGy was prescribed to cover 95% of the planning target volume (PTV). The plans were optimized and calculated based on a single CT data and structure set using themore » Alderson Rando phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY) and physician contoured target and organ at risk (OAR) volumes. The OARs were lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and small bowel. The plans were evaluated based on plan quality, time to optimize the plan and calculate the dose, and beam on time. The resulting mean and maximum doses to the PTV were 1268 and 1465 cGy for VoLO and 1284 and 1541 cGy for Eclipse, respectively. For 5 of 6 OAR structures the VoLO system achieved lower mean and D10 doses ranging from 22% to 52% and 3% to 44%, respectively. Total computational time including only optimization and dose calculation were 0.9 hours for VoLO and 3.8 hours for Eclipse. These times do not include user-dependent target delineation and field setup. Both planning systems are capable of creating high-quality plans for total marrow irradiation. The VoLO planning system was able to achieve more uniform dose distribution throughout the target volume and steeper dose fall off, resulting in superior OAR sparing. VoLO's graphics processing unit (GPU)–based optimization and dose calculation algorithm also allowed much faster creation of TMI plans.« less

Quality of tri-Co-60 MR-IGRT treatment plans in comparison with VMAT treatment plans for spine SABR.

PubMed

Choi, Chang Heon; Park, So-Yeon; Kim, Jung-In; Kim, Jin Ho; Kim, Kyubo; Carlson, Joel; Park, Jong Min

2017-02-01

To investigate the plan quality of tri-Co-60 intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans for spine stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). A total of 20 patients with spine metastasis were retrospectively selected. For each patient, a tri-Co-60 IMRT plan and a volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan were generated. The spinal cords were defined based on MR images for the tri-Co-60 IMRT, while isotropic 1-mm margins were added to the spinal cords for the VMAT plans. The VMAT plans were generated with 10-MV flattening filter-free photon beams of TrueBeam STx ™ (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA), while the tri-Co-60 IMRT plans were generated with the ViewRay ™ system (ViewRay inc., Cleveland, OH). The initial prescription dose was 18 Gy (1 fraction). If the tolerance dose of the spinal cord was not met, the prescription dose was reduced until the spinal cord tolerance dose was satisfied. The mean dose to the target volumes, conformity index and homogeneity index of the VMAT and tri-Co-60 IMRT were 17.8 ± 0.8 vs 13.7 ± 3.9 Gy, 0.85 ± 0.20 vs 1.58 ± 1.29 and 0.09 ± 0.04 vs 0.24 ± 0.19, respectively. The integral doses and beam-on times were 16,570 ± 1768 vs 22,087 ± 2.986 Gy cm 3 and 3.95 ± 1.13 vs 48.82 ± 10.44 min, respectively. The tri-Co-60 IMRT seems inappropriate for spine SABR compared with VMAT. Advances in knowledge: For spine SABR, the tri-Co-60 IMRT is inappropriate owing to the large penumbra, large leaf width and low dose rate of the ViewRay system.

Quality of tri-Co-60 MR-IGRT treatment plans in comparison with VMAT treatment plans for spine SABR

PubMed Central

Choi, Chang Heon; Park, So-Yeon; Kim, Jung-in; Kim, Jin Ho; Kim, Kyubo; Carlson, Joel

2017-01-01

Objective: To investigate the plan quality of tri-Co-60 intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans for spine stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Methods: A total of 20 patients with spine metastasis were retrospectively selected. For each patient, a tri-Co-60 IMRT plan and a volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan were generated. The spinal cords were defined based on MR images for the tri-Co-60 IMRT, while isotropic 1-mm margins were added to the spinal cords for the VMAT plans. The VMAT plans were generated with 10-MV flattening filter-free photon beams of TrueBeam STx™ (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA), while the tri-Co-60 IMRT plans were generated with the ViewRay™ system (ViewRay inc., Cleveland, OH). The initial prescription dose was 18 Gy (1 fraction). If the tolerance dose of the spinal cord was not met, the prescription dose was reduced until the spinal cord tolerance dose was satisfied. Results: The mean dose to the target volumes, conformity index and homogeneity index of the VMAT and tri-Co-60 IMRT were 17.8 ± 0.8 vs 13.7 ± 3.9 Gy, 0.85 ± 0.20 vs 1.58 ± 1.29 and 0.09 ± 0.04 vs 0.24 ± 0.19, respectively. The integral doses and beam-on times were 16,570 ± 1768 vs 22,087 ± 2.986 Gy cm3 and 3.95 ± 1.13 vs 48.82 ± 10.44 min, respectively. Conclusion: The tri-Co-60 IMRT seems inappropriate for spine SABR compared with VMAT. Advances in knowledge: For spine SABR, the tri-Co-60 IMRT is inappropriate owing to the large penumbra, large leaf width and low dose rate of the ViewRay system. PMID:27781486

Critical appraisal of volumetric-modulated arc therapy compared with electrons for the radiotherapy of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma of lower extremities with bone sparing.

PubMed

Nicolini, G; Abraham, S; Fogliata, A; Jordaan, A; Clivio, A; Vanetti, E; Cozzi, L

2013-03-01

To evaluate the use of volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT, RapidArc® (RA); Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA] for the treatment of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of lower extremities with adequate target coverage and high bone sparing, and to compare VMAT with electron beam therapy. 10 patients were planned with either RA or electron beams. The dose was prescribed to 30 Gy, 10 fractions, to mean the planning target volume (PTV), and significant maximum dose to bone was limited to 30 Gy. Plans were designed for 6-MV photon beams for RA and 6 MeV for electrons. Dose distributions were computed with AcurosXB® (Varian Medical Systems) for photons and with a Monte Carlo algorithm for electrons. V(90%) was 97.3±1.2 for RA plans and 78.2±2.6 for electrons; similarly, V(107%) was 2.5±2.2 and 37.7±3.4, respectively. RA met coverage criteria. Concerning bone sparing, D(2%) was 29.6±1.1 for RA and 31.0±2.4 for electrons. Although acceptable for bone involvement, pronounced target coverage violations were obtained for electron plans. Monitor units were similar for electrons and RA, although for the latter they increased when superior bone sparing was imposed. Delivery times were 12.1±4.0 min for electrons and 4.8±1.3 min for the most modulated RA plans. High plan quality was shown for KS in the lower extremities using VMAT, and this might simplify their management in comparison with the more conventional usage of electrons, particularly in institutes with limited staff resources and heavy workloads. VMAT is also dosimetrically extremely advantageous in a typology of treatments where electron beam therapy is mainly considered to be effective owing to the limited penetration of the beams.

Statistical quality control for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery by using the machine's log data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheong, Kwang-Ho; Lee, Me-Yeon; Kang, Sei-Kwon; Yoon, Jai-Woong; Park, Soah; Hwang, Taejin; Kim, Haeyoung; Kim, Kyoung Ju; Han, Tae Jin; Bae, Hoonsik

2015-07-01

The aim of this study is to set up statistical quality control for monitoring the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery error by using the machine's log data. Eclipse and a Clinac iX linac with the RapidArc system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, USA) are used for delivery of the VMAT plan. During the delivery of the RapidArc fields, the machine determines the delivered monitor units (MUs) and the gantry angle's position accuracy and the standard deviations of the MU ( σMU: dosimetric error) and the gantry angle ( σGA: geometric error) are displayed on the console monitor after completion of the RapidArc delivery. In the present study, first, the log data were analyzed to confirm its validity and usability; then, statistical process control (SPC) was applied to monitor the σMU and the σGA in a timely manner for all RapidArc fields: a total of 195 arc fields for 99 patients. The MU and the GA were determined twice for all fields, that is, first during the patient-specific plan QA and then again during the first treatment. The sMU and the σGA time series were quite stable irrespective of the treatment site; however, the sGA strongly depended on the gantry's rotation speed. The σGA of the RapidArc delivery for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) was smaller than that for the typical VMAT. Therefore, SPC was applied for SBRT cases and general cases respectively. Moreover, the accuracy of the potential meter of the gantry rotation is important because the σGA can change dramatically due to its condition. By applying SPC to the σMU and σGA, we could monitor the delivery error efficiently. However, the upper and the lower limits of SPC need to be determined carefully with full knowledge of the machine and log data.

SU-F-R-41: Regularized PCA Can Model Treatment-Related Changes in Head and Neck Patients Using Daily CBCTs

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

Chetvertkov, M; Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Siddiqui, F

2016-06-15

Purpose: To use daily cone beam CTs (CBCTs) to develop regularized principal component analysis (PCA) models of anatomical changes in head and neck (H&N) patients, to guide replanning decisions in adaptive radiation therapy (ART). Methods: Known deformations were applied to planning CT (pCT) images of 10 H&N patients to model several different systematic anatomical changes. A Pinnacle plugin was used to interpolate systematic changes over 35 fractions, generating a set of 35 synthetic CTs for each patient. Deformation vector fields (DVFs) were acquired between the pCT and synthetic CTs and random fraction-to-fraction changes were superimposed on the DVFs. Standard non-regularizedmore » and regularized patient-specific PCA models were built using the DVFs. The ability of PCA to extract the known deformations was quantified. PCA models were also generated from clinical CBCTs, for which the deformations and DVFs were not known. It was hypothesized that resulting eigenvectors/eigenfunctions with largest eigenvalues represent the major anatomical deformations during the course of treatment. Results: As demonstrated with quantitative results in the supporting document regularized PCA is more successful than standard PCA at capturing systematic changes early in the treatment. Regularized PCA is able to detect smaller systematic changes against the background of random fraction-to-fraction changes. To be successful at guiding ART, regularized PCA should be coupled with models of when anatomical changes occur: early, late or throughout the treatment course. Conclusion: The leading eigenvector/eigenfunction from the both PCA approaches can tentatively be identified as a major systematic change during radiotherapy course when systematic changes are large enough with respect to random fraction-to-fraction changes. In all cases the regularized PCA approach appears to be more reliable at capturing systematic changes, enabling dosimetric consequences to be projected once trends are established early in the treatment course. This work is supported in part by a grant from Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA.« less

Aeronomical modeling of the outer planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waite, J. Hunter, Jr.

1992-01-01

The purpose is twofold: to report the programmatic issues of the project as to accomplishments and anticipated work statement for the next six months and to report the technical findings of the project. From the programmatic point of view the study was a clear success. Four talks were given on the work: (1) a talk on electron Bremsstrahlung X ray production at the annual American Astronomical Society, Division of Planetary Studies meeting in October of 1990 in Charlottesville, Virginia; (2) a poster on proton precipitation at the May, 1991 American Geophysical Union in Baltimore, Maryland; (3) an invited paper on multispectral time dependent modeling at the International Union of Geodosy and Geomagnetism in Vienna in August of 1991; and (4) a paper at the annual Division of Planetary Studies of the American Astronomical Society held in Palo Alto in November of 1991 entitled 'Jovian Bremsstrahlung X Rays: A Ulysses Prediction' which predicted the Jovian auroral X ray flux that should be measured by the Ulysses Gamma Ray Burst experiment during the Ulysses spacecraft's closest encounter with Jupiter in February 1992. The Ulysses' prediction paper generated much interest from people studying the Jovian aurora and from experimenters on the Ulysses spacecraft. As a result of this interest two things happened: (1) a paper of the same title was submitted and accepted for publication in the January issue of the Geophysical Research Letters; and (2) a massive observing campaign was organized to provide supporting ultraviolet and infrared observations at the time of the Ulysses encounter. This observational interest allowed personnel at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) (Alan Stern, PI; Hunter Waite Co-I) to obtain director's discretionary time on the Hubble Space Telescope to support the Ulysses encounter by obtaining ultraviolet observations. Once the multiple wavelength observations are obtained in February, the auroral model developed under this project will be used to analyze the data with hopes of providing new insight into the physical processes responsible for the Jovian aurora.

Multi-GPU configuration of 4D intensity modulated radiation therapy inverse planning using global optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagan, Aaron; Sawant, Amit; Folkerts, Michael; Modiri, Arezoo

2018-01-01

We report on the design, implementation and characterization of a multi-graphic processing unit (GPU) computational platform for higher-order optimization in radiotherapy treatment planning. In collaboration with a commercial vendor (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA), a research prototype GPU-enabled Eclipse (V13.6) workstation was configured. The hardware consisted of dual 8-core Xeon processors, 256 GB RAM and four NVIDIA Tesla K80 general purpose GPUs. We demonstrate the utility of this platform for large radiotherapy optimization problems through the development and characterization of a parallelized particle swarm optimization (PSO) four dimensional (4D) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) technique. The PSO engine was coupled to the Eclipse treatment planning system via a vendor-provided scripting interface. Specific challenges addressed in this implementation were (i) data management and (ii) non-uniform memory access (NUMA). For the former, we alternated between parameters over which the computation process was parallelized. For the latter, we reduced the amount of data required to be transferred over the NUMA bridge. The datasets examined in this study were approximately 300 GB in size, including 4D computed tomography images, anatomical structure contours and dose deposition matrices. For evaluation, we created a 4D-IMRT treatment plan for one lung cancer patient and analyzed computation speed while varying several parameters (number of respiratory phases, GPUs, PSO particles, and data matrix sizes). The optimized 4D-IMRT plan enhanced sparing of organs at risk by an average reduction of 26% in maximum dose, compared to the clinical optimized IMRT plan, where the internal target volume was used. We validated our computation time analyses in two additional cases. The computation speed in our implementation did not monotonically increase with the number of GPUs. The optimal number of GPUs (five, in our study) is directly related to the hardware specifications. The optimization process took 35 min using 50 PSO particles, 25 iterations and 5 GPUs.

Multi-GPU configuration of 4D intensity modulated radiation therapy inverse planning using global optimization.

PubMed

Hagan, Aaron; Sawant, Amit; Folkerts, Michael; Modiri, Arezoo

2018-01-16

We report on the design, implementation and characterization of a multi-graphic processing unit (GPU) computational platform for higher-order optimization in radiotherapy treatment planning. In collaboration with a commercial vendor (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA), a research prototype GPU-enabled Eclipse (V13.6) workstation was configured. The hardware consisted of dual 8-core Xeon processors, 256 GB RAM and four NVIDIA Tesla K80 general purpose GPUs. We demonstrate the utility of this platform for large radiotherapy optimization problems through the development and characterization of a parallelized particle swarm optimization (PSO) four dimensional (4D) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) technique. The PSO engine was coupled to the Eclipse treatment planning system via a vendor-provided scripting interface. Specific challenges addressed in this implementation were (i) data management and (ii) non-uniform memory access (NUMA). For the former, we alternated between parameters over which the computation process was parallelized. For the latter, we reduced the amount of data required to be transferred over the NUMA bridge. The datasets examined in this study were approximately 300 GB in size, including 4D computed tomography images, anatomical structure contours and dose deposition matrices. For evaluation, we created a 4D-IMRT treatment plan for one lung cancer patient and analyzed computation speed while varying several parameters (number of respiratory phases, GPUs, PSO particles, and data matrix sizes). The optimized 4D-IMRT plan enhanced sparing of organs at risk by an average reduction of [Formula: see text] in maximum dose, compared to the clinical optimized IMRT plan, where the internal target volume was used. We validated our computation time analyses in two additional cases. The computation speed in our implementation did not monotonically increase with the number of GPUs. The optimal number of GPUs (five, in our study) is directly related to the hardware specifications. The optimization process took 35 min using 50 PSO particles, 25 iterations and 5 GPUs.

SU-E-J-18: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Compression Methods in SBRT for Lung.

PubMed

Liao, Y; Tolekids, G; Yao, R; Templeton, A; Sensakovic, W; Chu, J

2012-06-01

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of compression in immobilizing tumor during stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung cancer. Published data have demonstrated bigger respiratory motion in lower lobe than in upper lobe during normal breathing. We hypothesize that 4DCT-based patient selection and abdominal compression would immobilize lung tumor volumes effectively, regardless of their location. We retrospectively reviewed 12 SBRT lung cases treated with Trilogy® (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA). Either compression plate or Vac-LokTM was used as abdomen compression of the SBRT immobilization system (Body Pro-LokTM, CIVCO) to restrict patients' breathing during CT simulation and treatment delivery. These cases are grouped into 2 categories: lower and upper lobe tumor, each with 6 cases. Records for 33 treatments were studied. On each treatment day, the patient was set up to the bony anatomy using kV-kV-match. A CBCT was performed to further set up the patient to the tumor based on the soft tissue information. The shifts from CBCT-setup were analyzed as displacement vectors demonstrating the magnitude of the tumor motion relative to the bony anatomy. The mean magnitude of displacement vectors for upper lobe and lower lobe were 3.7±2.7 and 4.2±6.3, [1S.D.] mm, respectively. The Wilcoxon rank sum test indicates that the difference in the displacement vector between the two groups is not statistically significant (p-value = 0.33). The magnitude of shifts from CBCT were small with mean value <5mm in SBRT lung treatments. No statistically significant difference were observed in the displacement of tumor between lower and upper lobes. With limited sample size, this suggests that our current 4DCT screening/abdominal compression approach is effective in restricting the respiration-induced tumor motion despite its location within the lung. We plan to confirm this Result in additional patients. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Development of a software based automatic exposure control system for use in image guided radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, Daniel R.

Modern image guided radiation therapy involves the use of an isocentrically mounted imaging system to take radiographs of a patient's position before the start of each treatment. Image guidance helps to minimize errors associated with a patients setup, but the radiation dose received by patients from imaging must be managed to ensure no additional risks. The Varian On-Board Imager (OBI) (Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA) does not have an automatic exposure control system and therefore requires exposure factors to be manually selected. Without patient specific exposure factors, images may become saturated and require multiple unnecessary exposures. A software based automatic exposure control system has been developed to predict optimal, patient specific exposure factors. The OBI system was modelled in terms of the x-ray tube output and detector response in order to calculate the level of detector saturation for any exposure situation. Digitally reconstructed radiographs are produced via ray-tracing through the patients' volumetric datasets that are acquired for treatment planning. The ray-trace determines the attenuation of the patient and subsequent x-ray spectra incident on the imaging detector. The resulting spectra are used in the detector response model to determine the exposure levels required to minimize detector saturation. Images calculated for various phantoms showed good agreement with the images that were acquired on the OBI. Overall, regions of detector saturation were accurately predicted and the detector response for non-saturated regions in images of an anthropomorphic phantom were calculated to generally be within 5 to 10 % of the measured values. Calculations were performed on patient data and found similar results as the phantom images, with the calculated images being able to determine detector saturation with close agreement to images that were acquired during treatment. Overall, it was shown that the system model and calculation method could potentially be used to predict patients' exposure factors before their treatment begins, thus preventing the need for multiple exposures.

A new respiratory monitoring and processing system based on Wii remote: proof of principle.

PubMed

Peng, Y; Vedam, S; Gao, S; Balter, P

2013-07-01

To create a patient respiratory management system and patient self-practice tool using the Wii remote, a widely available consumer hardware product. The Wii remote (Wiimote) (Nintendo, Redmond, WA) contains an infrared (IR) camera that can track up to four spots whose coordinates are reported to a host computer via Bluetooth. The Wiimote is capable of tracking a fiducial box currently used by a commercial monitoring system [Real-time Position Management(TM) (RPM) system, Varian Associates, Palo Alto, CA], if the correct IR source is used. The authors validated the Wiimote tracking by comparing the amplitude and frequency of signals among those reported by Wiimote with known movements from an inhouse servo-driven respiratory simulator, as well as with those measured using the RPM. The simulator comparison was done using standard sinusoid signals with amplitude of 2.0 cm as well as recorded patient respiratory traces. The RPM comparisons were done by simultaneously recording the RPM reflective box position with the Wiimote and the RPM. Timing was compared between these two systems by using the digital beam-on signal from the CT scanner, for the 4DCT to synchronize these acquisitions. The data acquisition rate from the Wiimote was 100.0 ± 0.4 Hz with a version 2.1 Bluetooth adaptor. The standard deviation of the height of the motion extrema was 0.06 and 1.1 mm when comparing those measured by the Wiimote and the servomotor encoder for standard sinusoid signal and prerecorded patient respiratory signal, respectively. The standard deviation of the amplitude of motion extrema between the Wiimote and RPM was 0.9 mm and the timing difference was 253 ms. The performance of Wiimote shows promise for respiratory monitoring for its faster sampling rate as well as the potential optical and GPU abilities. If used with care it can deliver reasonable spatial and temporal accuracy.

Three Techniques for Task Analysis: Examples from the Nuclear Utilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlisle, Kenneth E.

1984-01-01

Discusses three task analysis techniques utilized at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station to review training programs: analysis of (1) job positions, (2) procedures, and (3) instructional presentations. All of these include task breakdown, relationship determination, and task restructuring. (MBR)

78 FR 61352 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-03

... shares of FirstSecure Bank and Trust Company, Palos Hill, IL. B. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis..., Julie Jennings, Lone Tree, Colorado, and R. Will Isham, Gordon, Nebraska, in their individual capacities...

Crisp clustering of airborne geophysical data from the Alto Ligonha pegmatite field, northeastern Mozambique, to predict zones of increased rare earth element potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberle, Detlef G.; Daudi, Elias X. F.; Muiuane, Elônio A.; Nyabeze, Peter; Pontavida, Alfredo M.

2012-01-01

The National Geology Directorate of Mozambique (DNG) and Maputo-based Eduardo-Mondlane University (UEM) entered a joint venture with the South African Council for Geoscience (CGS) to conduct a case study over the meso-Proterozoic Alto Ligonha pegmatite field in the Zambézia Province of northeastern Mozambique to support the local exploration and mining sectors. Rare-metal minerals, i.e. tantalum and niobium, as well as rare-earth minerals have been mined in the Alto Ligonha pegmatite field since decades, but due to the civil war (1977-1992) production nearly ceased. The Government now strives to promote mining in the region as contribution to poverty alleviation. This study was undertaken to facilitate the extraction of geological information from the high resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric data sets recently acquired through a World Bank funded survey and mapping project. The aim was to generate a value-added map from the airborne geophysical data that is easier to read and use by the exploration and mining industries than mere airborne geophysical grid data or maps. As a first step towards clustering, thorium (Th) and potassium (K) concentrations were determined from the airborne geophysical data as well as apparent magnetic susceptibility and first vertical magnetic gradient data. These four datasets were projected onto a 100 m spaced regular grid to assemble 850,000 four-element (multivariate) sample vectors over the study area. Classification of the sample vectors using crisp clustering based upon the Euclidian distance between sample and class centre provided a (pseudo-) geology map or value-added map, respectively, displaying the spatial distribution of six different classes in the study area. To learn the quality of sample allocation, the degree of membership of each sample vector was determined using a-posterior discriminant analysis. Geophysical ground truth control was essential to allocate geology/geophysical attributes to the six classes. The highest probability to meet pegmatite bodies is in close vicinity to (magnetic) amphibole schist occurring in areas where depletion of potassium as indication of metasomatic processes is evident from the airborne radiometric data. Clustering has proven to be a fast and effective method to compile value-added maps from multivariate geophysical datasets. Experience made in the Alto Ligonha pegmatite field encourages adopting this new methodology for mapping other parts of the Mozambique Fold Belt.

Transport processes near coastal ocean outfalls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noble, M.A.; Sherwood, C.R.; Lee, Hooi-Ling; Xu, Jie; Dartnell, P.; Robertson, G.; Martini, M.

2001-01-01

The central Southern California Bight is an urbanized coastal ocean where complex topography and largescale atmospheric and oceanographic forcing has led to numerous sediment-distribution patterns. Two large embayments, Santa Monica and San Pedro Bays, are connected by the short, very narrow shelf off the Palos Verdes peninsula. Ocean-sewage outfalls are located in the middle of Santa Monica Bay, on the Palos Verdes shelf and at the southeastern edge of San Pedro Bay. In 1992, the US Geological Survey, together with allied agencies, began a series of programs to determine the dominant processes that transport sediment and associated pollutants near the three ocean outfalls. As part of these programs, arrays of instrumented moorings that monitor currents, waves, water clarity, water density and collect resuspended materials were deployed on the continental shelf and slope information was also collected on the sediment and contaminant distributions in the region. The data and models developed for the Palos Verdes shelf suggest that the large reservoir of DDT/DDE in the coastal ocean sediments will continue to be exhumed and transported along the shelf for a long time. On the Santa Monica shelf, very large internal waves, or bores, are generated at the shelf break. The near-bottom currents associated with these waves sweep sediments and the associated contaminants from the shelf onto the continental slope. A new program underway on the San Pedro shelf will determine if water and contaminants from a nearby ocean outfall are transported to the local beaches by coastal ocean processes. The large variety of processes found that transport sediments and contaminants in this small region of the continental margin suggest that in regions with complex topography, local processes change markedly over small spatial scales. One cannot necessarily infer that the dominant transport processes will be similar even in adjacent regions.

Geostatistical mapping of effluent-affected sediment distribution on the Palos Verdes shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murray, C.J.; Lee, H.J.; Hampton, M.A.

2002-01-01

Geostatistical techniques were used to study the spatial continuity of the thickness of effluent-affected sediment in the offshore Palos Verdes Margin area. The thickness data were measured directly from cores and indirectly from high-frequency subbottom profiles collected over the Palos Verdes Margin. Strong spatial continuity of the sediment thickness data was identified, with a maximum range of correlation in excess of 1.4 km. The spatial correlation showed a marked anisotropy, and was more than twice as continuous in the alongshore direction as in the cross-shelf direction. Sequential indicator simulation employing models fit to the thickness data variograms was used to map the distribution of the sediment, and to quantify the uncertainty in those estimates. A strong correlation between sediment thickness data and measurements of the mass of the contaminant p,p???-DDE per unit area was identified. A calibration based on the bivariate distribution of the thickness and p,p???-DDE data was applied using Markov-Bayes indicator simulation to extend the geostatistical study and map the contamination levels in the sediment. Integrating the map grids produced by the geostatistical study of the two variables indicated that 7.8 million m3 of effluent-affected sediment exist in the map area, containing approximately 61-72 Mg (metric tons) of p,p???-DDE. Most of the contaminated sediment (about 85% of the sediment and 89% of the p,p???-DDE) occurs in water depths < 100 m. The geostatistical study also indicated that the samples available for mapping are well distributed and the uncertainty of the estimates of the thickness and contamination level of the sediments is lowest in areas where the contaminated sediment is most prevalent. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic models to elucidate the enantioseparation of drugs with two stereogenic centers by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

PubMed

Guo, Xuming; Liu, Qiuxia; Hu, Shaoqiang; Guo, Wenbo; Yang, Zhuo; Zhang, Yonghua

2017-08-25

An equilibrium model depicting the simultaneous protonation of chiral drugs and partitioning of protonated ions and neutral molecules into chiral micelles in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) has been introduced. It was used for the prediction and elucidation of complex changes in migration order patterns with experimental conditions in the enantioseparation of drugs with two stereogenic centers. Palonosetron hydrochloride (PALO), a weakly basic drug with two stereogenic centers, was selected as a model drug. Its four stereoisomers were separated by MEKC using sodium cholate (SC) as chiral selector and surfactant. Based on the equilibrium model, equations were derived for a calculation of the effective mobility and migration time of each stereoisomer at a certain pH. The migration times of four stereoisomers at different pHs were calculated and then the migration order patterns were constructed with derived equations. The results were in accord with the experiment. And the contribution of each mechanism to the separation and its influence on the migration order pattern was analyzed separately by introducing virtual isomers, i.e., hypothetical stereoisomers with only one parameter changed relative to a real PALO stereoisomer. A thermodynamic model for a judgment of the correlation of interactions between two stereogenic centers of stereoisomers and chiral selector was also proposed. According to this model, the interactions of two stereogenic centers of PALO stereoisomers in both neutral molecules and protonated ions with chiral selector are not independent, so the chiral recognition in each pair of enantiomers as well as the recognition for diastereomers is not simply the algebraic sum of the contributions of two stereogenic centers due to their correlation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composition of fluid inclusions in Permian salt beds, Palo Duro Basin, Texas, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roedder, E.; d'Angelo, W. M.; Dorrzapf, A.F.; Aruscavage, P. J.

1987-01-01

Several methods have been developed and used to extract and chemically analyze the two major types of fluid inclusions in bedded salt from the Palo Duro Basin, Texas. Data on the ratio K: Ca: Mg were obtained on a few of the clouds of tiny inclusions in "chevron" salt, representing the brines from which the salt originally crystallized. Much more complete quantitative data (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Sr, Cl, SO4 and Br) were obtained on ??? 120 individual "large" (mostly ???500 ??m on an edge, i.e., ??? ??? 1.6 ?? 10-4 g) inclusions in recrystallized salt. These latter fluids have a wide range of compositions, even in a given piece of core, indicating that fluids of grossly different composition were present in these salt beds during the several (?) stages of recrystallization. The analytical results indicating very large inter-and intra-sample chemical variation verify the conclusion reached earlier, from petrography and microthermometry, that the inclusion fluids in salt and their solutes are generally polygenetic. The diversity in composition stems from the combination of a variety of sources for the fluids (Permian sea, meteoric, and groundwater, as well as later migrating ground-, formation, or meteoric waters of unknown age), and a variety of subsequent geochemical processes of dissolution, precipitation and rock-water interaction. The compositional data are frequently ambiguous but do provide constraints and may eventually yield a coherent history of the events that produced these beds. Such an understanding of the past history of the evaporite sequence of the Palo Duro Basin should help in predicting the future role of the fluids in the salt if a nuclear waste repository is sited there. ?? 1987.

ARC-1994-AC94-0353-4

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-07-20

Credit: Calar Alto Observatory Spectacular first view of Fragment Q impacts on Jupiter. Infrared image in the 2.3m micron methane band taken using MAGIC on the 3.5m telescope, Calar Alto Observatory, Spain.

First-of-A-Kind Control Room Modernization Project Plan

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

Thomas, Kenneth David

This project plan describes a comprehensive approach to the design of an end-state concept for a modernized control room for Palo Verde. It describes the collaboration arrangement between the DOE LWRS Program Control Room Modernization Project and the APS Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. It further describes the role of other collaborators, including the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). It combines advanced tools, methodologies, and facilities to enable a science-based approach to the validation of applicable engineering and human factors principles for nuclear plant control rooms. It addresses the required project results andmore » documentation to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. It describes the project tasks that will be conducted in the project, and the deliverable reports that will be developed through these tasks. This project plan will be updated as new tasks are added and as project milestones are completed. It will serve as an ongoing description on the project both for project participants and for industry stakeholders.« less

Characterization of differences in calculated and actual measured skin doses to canine limbs during stereotactic radiosurgery using Gafchromic film

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

Walters, Jerri; Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; Ryan, Stewart

Accurate calculation of absorbed dose to the skin, especially the superficial and radiosensitive basal cell layer, is difficult for many reasons including, but not limited to, the build-up effect of megavoltage photons, tangential beam effects, mixed energy scatter from support devices, and dose interpolation caused by a finite resolution calculation matrix. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been developed as an alternative limb salvage treatment option at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for dogs with extremity bone tumors. Optimal dose delivery to the tumor during SBRT treatment can be limited by uncertainty in skin dose calculation. The aim of thismore » study was to characterize the difference between measured and calculated radiation dose by the Varian Eclipse (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) AAA treatment planning algorithm (for 1-mm, 2-mm, and 5-mm calculation voxel dimensions) as a function of distance from the skin surface. The study used Gafchromic EBT film (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ), FilmQA analysis software, a limb phantom constructed from plastic water Trade-Mark-Sign (fluke Biomedical, Everett, WA) and a canine cadaver forelimb. The limb phantom was exposed to 6-MV treatments consisting of a single-beam, a pair of parallel opposed beams, and a 7-beam coplanar treatment plan. The canine forelimb was exposed to the 7-beam coplanar plan. Radiation dose to the forelimb skin at the surface and at depths of 1.65 mm and 1.35 mm below the skin surface were also measured with the Gafchromic film. The calculation algorithm estimated the dose well at depths beyond buildup for all calculation voxel sizes. The calculation algorithm underestimated the dose in portions of the buildup region of tissue for all comparisons, with the most significant differences observed in the 5-mm calculation voxel and the least difference in the 1-mm voxel. Results indicate a significant difference between measured and calculated data extending to average depths of 2.5 mm, 3.4 mm, and 10 mm for the 1-mm, 2-mm, and 5-mm dimension calculation matrices, respectively. These results emphasize the importance of selecting as small a treatment planning software calculation matrix dimension as is practically possible and of taking a conservative approach for skin treatment planning objectives. One suggested conservative approach is accomplished by defining the skin organ as the outermost 2-3 mm of the body such that the high dose tail of the skin organ dose-volume histogram curve represents dose on the deep side of the skin where the algorithm is more accurate.« less

76 FR 5218 - Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

..., October 21, 2010 (74 FR 65038-65039). Thursday, February 10, 2011, Conference Room T2-B1, 11545 Rockville... Evaluation Report Associated with the License Renewal Application for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating... NRC staff and Arizona Public Service Company regarding the final Safety Evaluation Report associated...

Mesa Community College at Red Mountain, Mesa, Arizona.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Design Cost Data, 2002

2002-01-01

Describes the Desert Willow Library and Classroom Building, Mesquite Student Services and Administration Building, Palo Verde Science Laboratories and Classroom Building, and Ironwood Central Plant of the title college, including educational context and design goals. Includes a general description; information on the architect, construction team,…

Buckeye Union High School District. Report of Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arizona State Univ., Tempe. Bureau of Educational Research and Services.

Embracing 4 Arizona elementary school districts (Arlington, Buckeye, Liberty, and Palo Verde) visited by consultants for evaluative purposes, this report presents information about and recommendations for the elementary schools in the Buckeye Union High School District. Summaries on the educational programs (language arts, social studies,…

Obituary: Patrick L. Nolan (1952-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Digel, Seth

2011-12-01

Patrick Lee Nolan died at his home in Palo Alto, California, on November 6, 2011, from complications related to a brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, which had been diagnosed less than five months earlier. He was born in Colusa, California, on November 18, 1952. Pat was the only child of John Henry Nolan and Carol Lee Harris Nolan. For most of his childhood they lived in Grass Valley, California, where his father was a butcher and his mother was a surgical nurse. Pat graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 1974 with a B.S. in Physics and completed a Ph.D. at the University of California at San Diego in 1982. His graduate and professional career was devoted to high-energy astronomy. His loss is being keenly felt by his friends and colleagues around the world, including the members of the Chancel Choir of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member for 25 years. At U. C. San Diego, Pat worked on construction of the Hard X-ray and Low Energy Gamma Ray Experiment for the first High Energy Astronomy Observatory mission, which was launched in 1977. His Ph.D. thesis, supervised by Prof. Laurence E. Peterson, was based on data from this instrument and addressed variability of the high-energy emission from Cygnus X-1 and other black hole binary systems in the Milky Way. After he completed his Ph.D., Pat took a National Research Council postdoctoral research position at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He worked there from 1982-1984 developing spectral analysis software and studying gamma-ray bursts using the gamma-ray spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite. A paper in Nature setting constraining limits on positron-electron annihilation radiation in the spectra of bursts marked the culmination of his efforts. Pat was hired by Prof. Robert Hofstadter at Stanford University in 1984 to work on the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET). As a co-investigator for EGRET, Pat worked on its calorimeter subsystem, including calibration at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), as well as on data analysis software and methods. EGRET was carried into space by the Shuttle Atlantis in 1991 as part of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. He led analyses of gamma-ray pulsars and other astrophysical sources, including a major study of EGRET source variability, and he was a valued resource to the many EGRET graduate students at Stanford. Members of the EGRET team regularly turned to Pat for advice on statistical analysis issues. After the launch of the Compton Observatory, Pat became a member of a small group at Stanford University and SLAC that developed and promoted a new design for a next-generation gamma-ray telescope, based on modern solid-state detectors for particle physics detectors. The concept became the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope mission, which was launched by NASA in 2008 and renamed the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The scientific collaboration for the Large Area Telescope on Fermi has grown to about 400 members from a number of countries. Pat was a recognized expert in statistics and data analysis within the collaboration and as a member of the Publication Board developed the Web and database systems for internal review of scientific publications. Pat was unassuming, widely read, and knowledgeable in many fields. These qualities together with his quiet joy in science made him a valued friend and colleague to many. At the time of his death, Pat was a Senior Research Physicist in the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory at Stanford University.

Taking Care of Ourselves and Others

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nazareno, Lori; Krafel, Alysia

2017-01-01

Not all schools are obsessed with ensuring high test scores for students. Some schools have designed themselves around a priority of creating safe, empathetic learning environments. The Chrysalis Charter School in Palo Cedro, California, has a mission of developing a culture of kindness. The Minnesota New Country School in Henderson, Minnesota,…

Lichens in Puerto Rico: an ecosystem approach

Treesearch

Joel A. Mercado-Díaz; William A. Gould; Grizelle Gonzalez; Robert Lücking

2015-01-01

This work presents basic information on tropical lichenology. It also describes general aspects about the ecology and biodiversity of these organisms in eight forest ecosystems present along an elevational gradient in northeastern Puerto Rico. These ecosystems consist of elfin woodlands, palo colorado, sierra palm, tabonuco, lowland moist, dry, mangrove, and...

A CASE STUDY OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PALOS VERDES LANDFILL GAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the first-ever-attempt to capture sanitary landfill gases and beneficiate them to natural gas pipeline quality--or very nearly so. For this reason the authors must credit the entrepreneurs for a successful first full-scale demonstration of a technology that ...

Planting Seeds, Growing Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hua, Vanessa

2011-01-01

Last year, when students at Ridgecrest Intermediate School in Palos Verdes, California, were asked to name scientists, their answers--Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Bill Nye the Science Guy--reflected a common perception. Most of the leading scientists they came up with were white, male, or dead. Although women and people of…

The Role of Evaluation and Plans for Evaluating the Current Testing Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winters, Lynn

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Office of Program Evaluation and Research is responsible for providing information for program development and improvement; providing test information to special programs coordinators; and acting as a clearinghouse for all information concerning tests, evaluation methodology, and educational…

The Full-Scale Implementation of an Innovative Biological Ammonia Treatment Process

EPA Science Inventory

Across the United States, high levels of ammonia in drinking water sources can be found, including small communities like Palo, Iowa (approximate population of 1,026). Although ammonia in water does not pose a direct health concern, ammonia nitrification can cause a number of iss...

Speed Reader. MicroSIFT Courseware Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT (Except for the Evaluation Summary Table): VERSION: Copyright 1981. PRODUCER: Davidson and Associates, 6069 Groveoak Place #12, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274. EVALUATION COMPLETED: January, 1983 by the Oakland ISD of Pontiac, Michigan. COST: $70.00. ABILITY LEVEL: Secondary. SUBJECT: Reading. MEDIUM…

Long-term Monitoring of Comet 103P/Hartley 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Z.-Y.; Lara, L. M.; Ip, W.-H.

2013-07-01

We report the spectrophotometric, photometric, and imaging monitoring results of comet 103P/Hartley 2 obtained at the Lulin (1 m), Calar Alto (2.2 m), and Beijing Astronomical (2.16 m) observatories from 2010 April to December. We found that a dust feature in the sunward direction was detected starting from the end of September until the beginning of December (our last observation from the Lulin and Calar Alto observatories). Two distinct sunward jet features in the processed images were observed on October 11 and after October 29 until November 2. In parallel, the CN images reveal two asymmetrical jet features which are nearly perpendicular to the Sun-nucleus direction, these asymmetrical features imply that the comet was in a nearly side-on view in late October and early November. In addition to the jet features, the average result of the C2-to-CN production rate ratio ranges from 0.7 to 1.5, consistent with 103P/Hartley 2 being of typical cometary chemistry. We found that the rh dependence for the dust production rate, Afρ (5000 km), is -3.75 ± 0.45 before perihelion and -3.44 ± 1.20 during the post-perihelion period. We detected higher dust reddening around the optocenter and decreased reddening along the sunward jet feature. We concluded that higher dust reddening could be associated with strong jet activity while lower dust reddening could be associated with the outburst or might imply changes in the optical properties. The average dust color did not appear to vary significantly as the comet passed through perihelion. Based on observations collected at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by the Max-Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), at Lulin Observatory operated by the Institute of Astronomy, National Central University in Taiwan, and at Xinglong Station inaugurated by the National Astronomical Observatory (BAO), Beijing.

Cruise report; RV Coastal Surveyor Cruise C1-99; multibeam mapping of the Long Beach, California continental shelf; April 12 through May 19, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, James V.; Hughes-Clarke, John E.; Mayer, Larry A.

1999-01-01

The greater Los Angeles area of California is home to more than 10 million people. This large population puts increased pressure on the adjacent offshore continental shelf and margin with activities such as ocean disposal for dredged spoils, explosive disposal, waste-water outfall, and commercial fishing. The increased utilization of the shelf and margin in this area has generated accelerated multi-disciplinary research efforts in all aspects of the environment of the coastal zone. Prior to 1996 there were no highly accurate base maps of the continental shelf and slope upon which the research activities could be located and monitored. In 1996, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project began to address this problem by mapping the Santa Monica shelf and margin (Fig. 1) using a state-of-the-art, high-resolution multibeam sonar system (Gardner, et al., 1996; 1999). Additional seafloor mapping in 1998 provided coverage of the continental margin from south of Newport to the proximal San Pedro Basin northwest of Palos Verdes Peninsula (Gardner, et al., 1998) (Fig. 1). The mapping of the seafloor in the greater Los Angeles continental shelf and margin was completed with a 30-day mapping of the Long Beach shelf in April and May 1999, the subject of this report. The objective of Cruise C-1-99-SC was to completely map the broad continental shelf from the eastern end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula to the narrow shelf south of Newport Beach, from the break in slope at about 120-m isobath to the inner shelf at about the 10-m isobath. Mapping the Long Beach shelf was jointly funded by the U.S. Geological Survey and the County of Orange (CA) Sanitation District and was conducted under a Cooperative Agreement with the Ocean Mapping Group from the University of New Brunswick (OMG/UNB). The OMG/UNB contracted with C&C Technologies, Inc. of Lafayette, LA for use of the RV Coastal Surveyor and the latest evolution of high-resolution multibeam sonars, a dual Kongsberg Simrad EM3000D.

75 FR 43519 - Parker-Davis Project; Transmission Capacity for Renewable Energy Between Electrical District No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-26

... for Renewable Energy Between Electrical District No. 5 Substation and the Palo Verde Hub AGENCY... transmission service on the P- DP for the purpose of transmitting renewable energy. Specifically, Western is soliciting interest from entities looking to transfer renewable energy from the area south of Phoenix...

Parkinsonia L.

Treesearch

Kristina F. Connor; Jane E. Rodgers; Carol Miller

2008-01-01

There are three noteworthy species of Parkinsonia grown in the United States. Palo verde is a thorny, green-barked shrub/small tree which can reach a height of 11 m. The name refers to the very noticeable green color of the smooth trunk of this drought-resistant tree of the hot southern deserts. The open-crowned trees have alternate, bipinnate...

Facts and Figures: Past, Present, and Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moraine Valley Community College., Palos Hills, IL. Office of Institutional Research.

Historical data is provided on students, programs, and costs at Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC), in Palos Hills, Illinois, in the form of tables and graphs divided into five sections. The first section provides census data and demographic information for the MVCC district, including a map of the district, population trends from 1980 to…

Library Service to Industry; Series of Four Workshops.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Library, Sacramento.

Library services to industry was the theme of four workshops held in Fresno, Altadena, Palos Verdes and Sacramento during March 1969. The composition of the panel at each workshop and the procedure for each panel presentation were basically the same. Each panel had a representative from industry and four practicing librarians: a public librarian,…

Advanced Placement Program at Palo Verde College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twitchell, Theodore G.

This study reports the outcome of an initial implementation of a California law permitting mentally gifted high school students to attend a junior college part time. The program procedure is described in terms of (1) selection and enrollment, (2) discipline, (3) books, (4) matters relating to high school graduation, (5) information for parents,…

75 FR 48323 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Palos Verdes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-10

... deep for direct human contact; however, fish in the PV Shelf area bioaccumulate the contaminants... response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time...

77 FR 58203 - AER Energy Resources, Inc.; Alto Group Holdings, Inc.; Bizrocket.Com Inc.; Fox Petroleum, Inc...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-19

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [File No. 500-1] AER Energy Resources, Inc.; Alto Group Holdings, Inc.; Bizrocket.Com Inc.; Fox Petroleum, Inc.; Geopulse Explorations Inc.; Global Technologies... accuracy of press releases concerning the company's revenues. 4. Fox Petroleum, Inc. is a Nevada...

Culicoides and other biting flies on the Palos Verdes Peninsula of Southern California, and their possible relationship to equine dermatitis.

PubMed

Mullens, Bradley A; Owen, Jeb P; Heft, David E; Sobeck, Ruth V

2005-03-01

Biting insects were sampled to investigate the cause(s) of dermatitis (putative Culicoides hypersensitivity [CHS]) on horses on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Los Angeles County, California. Suction traps baited with CO2 were operated at 5 sites from April 2002 to August 2003, supplemented by sampling from horses. Six species of Culicoides, 7 species of mosquitoes, and occasional Simulium and Stomoxys were collected in traps. Culicoides sonorensis was the most common midge trapped, although C. obsoletus and C. freeborni also were collected repeatedly. Insects from the belly region of horses in spring (peak dermatitis period) were mostly C. obsoletus, which were far more abundant than indicated by CO2-baited suction traps. The predominant mosquito was Culiseta incidens; Culex quinquefasciatus and Cx. tarsalis also could be common, depending on the site. Mosquitoes, particularly Cs. incidens, were more abundant the 2nd year (normal rainfall), whereas C. sonorensis and C. freeborni were more abundant the 1st year (drought period). Culicoides obsoletus, supplemented by C. sonorensis, is regarded as a primary suspect causing CHS in this area.

Channel Response to Low-Elevation Desert Fire: The King Valley Fire of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Webb, Robert H.; Griffiths, Peter G.; Wallace, Cynthia S.A.; Boyer, Diane E.

2007-01-01

In late September to early October 2005, a fire swept north from the Yuma Proving Grounds and into the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), traveling mainly along desert wash systems and low-relief alluvial fans. This fire burned 9,975 ha, moving through xeroriparian systems in washes as well as low-elevation desert ecosystems in King Valley, a major area of designated wilderness in the southern part of the Kofa NWR. Using satellite imagery, we determined that 9,255 ha of the Kofa NWR in King Valley burned. The fine-fuel loading for the fire was mostly a native forb (Plantago insularis), and the desert environment that was burned was mostly low-cover creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) scrub with scattered palo verde (Cercidium microphyllum). The wash environments had significant tree cover, including ironwood (Olneya tesota), blue palo verde (Cercidium floridum), desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), and/or smoke tree (Psorothamnus spinosa). This report presents monitoring data collected in June 2006 and January-February 2007 on the effects of this fire on channel morphology in King Valley.

Paleomagnetic and magnetostratigraphic investigations of the whitehorse group/quartermaster (Dewey Lake) formation (upper permian-lowermost triassic) in the Palo Duro basin, northwest Texas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Dylan R.

In northwest Texas, upper Permian to lowermost Triassic hematite-cemented detrital sedimentary rocks, which include a small number of regionally extensive ash beds, were deposited during the time interval of the greatest mass extinction event sequences in Earth history. The magnetic polarity stratigraphy, as well as key rock magnetic properties, of the upper Whitehorse Group (WH) and Quartermaster formations (QM) at selected sections in the Palo Duro Basin, have been determined using thermal, and chemical demagnetization approaches and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, acquisition of isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and backfield demagnetization, and thermal demagnetization of three component IRM methods. Demagnetization results show that the WH/QM contains a primary/near-primary characteristic remanent magnetization at each level sampled and thus the magnetic polarity stratigraphy for each section can be compared with existing polarity time scales across the Permian-Triassic boundary. Estimated site mean directions yield a paleomagnetic pole for the latest Permian for North America of 57.8°N, 130.6°E from 38 sampled sites.

Restoring diversity after cattail expansion: disturbance, resilience, and seasonality in a tropical dry wetland.

PubMed

Osland, Michael J; González, Eugenio; Richardson, Curtis J

2011-04-01

As the human footprint expands, ecologists and resource managers are increasingly challenged to explain and manage abrupt ecosystem transformations (i.e., regime shifts). In this study, we investigated the role of a mechanical disturbance that has been used to restore and maintain local wetland diversity after a monotypic regime shift in northwestern Costa Rica [specifically, an abrupt landscape-scale cattail (Typha) expansion]. The study was conducted in Palo Verde Marsh (Palo Verde National Park; a RAMSAR Wetland of International Importance), a seasonally flooded freshwater wetland that has historically provided habitat for large populations of wading birds and waterfowl. A cattail (T. domingensis) expansion in the 1980s greatly altered the plant community and reduced avian habitat. Since then, Typha has been managed using a form of mechanical disturbance called fangueo (a Spanish word, pronounced "fahn-gay-yo" in English). We applied a Typha removal treatment at three levels (control, fangueo, and fangueo with fencing to exclude cattle grazing). Fangueo resulted in a large reduction in Typha dominance (i.e., decreased aboveground biomass, ramet density, and ramet height) and an increase in habitat heterogeneity. As in many ecosystems that have been defined by multiple and frequent disturbances, a large portion of the plant community regenerated after disturbance (via propagule banking) and fangueo resulted in a more diverse plant community that was strongly dictated by seasonal processes (i.e., distinct wet- and dry-season assemblages). Importantly, the mechanical disturbance had no apparent short-term impact on any of the soil properties we measured (including bulk density). Interestingly, low soil and foliar N:P values indicate that Palo Verde Marsh and other wetlands in the region may be nitrogen limited. Our results quantify how, in a cultural landscape where the historical disturbance regime has been altered and diversity has declined, a mechanical disturbance in combination with seasonal drought and flooding has been used to locally restrict a clonal monodominant plant expansion, create habitat heterogeneity, and maintain plant diversity.

Changes in CO2 Composition in the Air of the Los Angeles Megacity Coinciding with the Prolonged Drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, S.; Xu, X.; Miller, C. E.; Yung, Y. L.

2016-12-01

California has been in a severe drought for five years affecting weather, vegetation, and policy. Unfortunately, the last year's strong El Nino conditions did not bring the expected extra rainfall relief to southern California, and we are just finishing a year of water rationing, concentrating on limiting irrigation of outdoor landscape. What changes in the atmospheric CO2 composition in the Los Angeles, CA (LA) megacity have occurred during this period? We investigate changes reflected in the radiocarbon (Δ14C) and stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of the CO2 in LA. We use the long-term records at our Pasadena (18 years, 11 with Δ14C) and Palos Verdes (7 years) sites to put the last five years in context. Pasadena is inland and a good receptor site for emissions in the LA basin for much of the year when the prevailing winds are from the ocean passing over LA. Palos Verdes is on the coast and usually receives winds from the ocean except during Santa Ana conditions, when dry, warm winds come from the north to northeast from the desert over the mountains and across the basin. Radiocarbon measurements give information on the fossil fuel and biosphere components of the local emissions. The amplitude of the observed seasonal cycle of CO2 derived from fossil fuel emissions (CO2ff) has decreased in Pasadena, while the amplitude of the biosphere's seasonal cycle has increased since the beginning of the drought, at both the Pasadena and Palos Verdes sites. There is evidence that the δ13C signature of the biosphere in Pasadena may have changed in the last year or so, which is consistent with an increase in the proportion of C4 vegetation surviving the drought and being planted to replace less drought-resistant C3 plants.

Restoration of eroded soil in the Sonoran Desert with native leguminous trees using plant growth-promoting microorganisms and limited amounts of compost and water.

PubMed

Bashan, Yoav; Salazar, Bernardo G; Moreno, Manuel; Lopez, Blanca R; Linderman, Robert G

2012-07-15

Restoration of highly eroded desert land was attempted in the southern Sonoran Desert that had lost its natural capacity for self-revegetation. In six field experiments, the fields were planted with three native leguminous trees: mesquite amargo Prosopis articulata, and yellow and blue palo verde Parkinsonia microphylla and Parkinsonia florida. Restoration included inoculation with two of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB; Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus pumilus), native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and small quantities of compost. Irrigation was applied, when necessary, to reach a rainy year (300 mm) of the area. The plots were maintained for 61 months. Survival of the trees was marginally affected by all supplements after 30 months, in the range of 60-90%. This variation depended on the plant species, where all young trees were established after 3 months. Plant density was a crucial variable and, in general, low plant density enhanced survival. High planting density was detrimental. Survival significantly declined in trees 61 months after planting. No general response of the trees to plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost was found. Mesquite amargo and yellow palo verde responded well (height, number of branches, and diameter of the main stem) to inoculation with PGPB, AM fungi, and compost supplementation after three months of application. Fewer positive effects were recorded after 30 months. Blue palo verde did not respond to most treatments and had the lowest survival. Specific plant growth parameters were affected to varying degrees to inoculations or amendments, primarily depending on the tree species. Some combinations of tree/inoculant/amendment resulted in small negative effects or no response when measured after extended periods of time. Using native leguminous trees, this study demonstrated that restoration of severely eroded desert lands was possible. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CALIFA, the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey. I. Survey presentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, S. F.; Kennicutt, R. C.; Gil de Paz, A.; van de Ven, G.; Vílchez, J. M.; Wisotzki, L.; Walcher, C. J.; Mast, D.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; Albiol-Pérez, S.; Alonso-Herrero, A.; Alves, J.; Bakos, J.; Bartáková, T.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Boselli, A.; Bomans, D. J.; Castillo-Morales, A.; Cortijo-Ferrero, C.; de Lorenzo-Cáceres, A.; Del Olmo, A.; Dettmar, R.-J.; Díaz, A.; Ellis, S.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Flores, H.; Gallazzi, A.; García-Lorenzo, B.; González Delgado, R.; Gruel, N.; Haines, T.; Hao, C.; Husemann, B.; Iglésias-Páramo, J.; Jahnke, K.; Johnson, B.; Jungwiert, B.; Kalinova, V.; Kehrig, C.; Kupko, D.; López-Sánchez, Á. R.; Lyubenova, M.; Marino, R. A.; Mármol-Queraltó, E.; Márquez, I.; Masegosa, J.; Meidt, S.; Mendez-Abreu, J.; Monreal-Ibero, A.; Montijo, C.; Mourão, A. M.; Palacios-Navarro, G.; Papaderos, P.; Pasquali, A.; Peletier, R.; Pérez, E.; Pérez, I.; Quirrenbach, A.; Relaño, M.; Rosales-Ortega, F. F.; Roth, M. M.; Ruiz-Lara, T.; Sánchez-Blázquez, P.; Sengupta, C.; Singh, R.; Stanishev, V.; Trager, S. C.; Vazdekis, A.; Viironen, K.; Wild, V.; Zibetti, S.; Ziegler, B.

2012-02-01

The final product of galaxy evolution through cosmic time is the population of galaxies in the local universe. These galaxies are also those that can be studied in most detail, thus providing a stringent benchmark for our understanding of galaxy evolution. Through the huge success of spectroscopic single-fiber, statistical surveys of the Local Universe in the last decade, it has become clear, however, that an authoritative observational description of galaxies will involve measuring their spatially resolved properties over their full optical extent for a statistically significant sample. We present here the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey, which has been designed to provide a first step in this direction. We summarize the survey goals and design, including sample selection and observational strategy. We also showcase the data taken during the first observing runs (June/July 2010) and outline the reduction pipeline, quality control schemes and general characteristics of the reduced data. This survey is obtaining spatially resolved spectroscopic information of a diameter selected sample of ~600 galaxies in the Local Universe (0.005 < z < 0.03). CALIFA has been designed to allow the building of two-dimensional maps of the following quantities: (a) stellar populations: ages and metallicities; (b) ionized gas: distribution, excitation mechanism and chemical abundances; and (c) kinematic properties: both from stellar and ionized gas components. CALIFA uses the PPAK integral field unit (IFU), with a hexagonal field-of-view of ~1.3⎕', with a 100% covering factor by adopting a three-pointing dithering scheme. The optical wavelength range is covered from 3700 to 7000 Å, using two overlapping setups (V500 and V1200), with different resolutions: R ~ 850 and R ~ 1650, respectively. CALIFA is a legacy survey, intended for the community. The reduced data will be released, once the quality has been guaranteed. The analyzed data fulfillthe expectations of the original observing proposal, on the basis of a set of quality checks and exploratory analysis: (i) the final datacubes reach a 3σ limiting surface brightness depth of ~23.0 mag/arcsec2 for the V500 grating data (~22.8 mag/arcsec2 for V1200); (ii) about ~70% of the covered field-of-view is above this 3σ limit; (iii) the data have a blue-to-red relative flux calibration within a few percent in most of the wavelength range; (iv) the absolute flux calibration is accurate within ~8%with respect to SDSS; (v) the measured spectral resolution is ~85 km s-1 for V1200 (~150 km s-1 for V500); (vi) the estimated accuracy of the wavelength calibration is ~5 km s-1 for the V1200 data (~10 km s-1 for the V500 data); (vii) the aperture matched CALIFA and SDSS spectra are qualitatively and quantitatively similar. Finally, we show that we are able to carry out all measurements indicated above, recovering the properties of the stellar populations, the ionized gas andthe kinematics of both components. The associated maps illustrate the spatial variation of these parameters across the field, reemphasizing the redshift dependence of single aperture spectroscopic measurements. We conclude from this first look at the data that CALIFA will be an important resource for archaeological studies of galaxies in the Local Universe. Based on observations collected at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by the Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC).

Schooling and Critical Citizenship: Pedagogies of Political Agency in El Alto, Bolivia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazar, Sian

2010-01-01

This article explores the formation of citizenship as social practice in a school in El Alto, Bolivia. I examine interactions between "banking" forms of education, students' responses, and embodied practices of belonging and political agency, and argue that the seemingly passive forms of knowledge transmission so criticized by critical…

75 FR 53985 - Arizona Public Service Company, et al., Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 3; Temporary...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-02

... are authorized by law, will not present an undue risk to public health or safety, and are consistent... Public Health and Safety The underlying purpose of 10 CFR 50.46 is to establish acceptance criteria for... (LOCA) and non-LOCA criteria, mechanical design, thermal hydraulics, seismic, core physics, and...

77 FR 60672 - Grant of Authority for Subzone Status; Tesla Motors, Inc., (Electric Passenger Vehicles), Palo...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-04

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [Order No. 1859] Grant of Authority for Subzone... expedite and encourage foreign commerce, and for other purposes,'' and authorizes the Foreign-Trade Zones... benefit and is in the public interest; Whereas, the City of San Jose, California, grantee of Foreign-Trade...

76 FR 64893 - Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Rosemont Copper Project on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-19

... 90-day public comment period, which begins with the Environmental Protection Agency's publication of... contact information, will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the... Elementary School, 23 Elgin Road, Elgin, AZ 85611 (tentative). 3. November 12, 2011, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Palo...

76 FR 24064 - Arizona Public Service Company, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, Notice...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

... Decision Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) has... notice also serves as the record of decision for Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51... Decision--General.'' NUREG-1437, ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear...

Preface: The aging eye: normal changes, age-related diseases and sight-saving approaches

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This volume presents chapters based on a workshop held on June 14-16, 2013 in Rancho Palos Verde, CA sponsored by the Ocular Research Symposia Foundation (ORSF). The mission of the ORSF is to focus attention on unmet needs and current research opportunities in eye research with the objective of acce...

Use of the Community College Goals Inventory (CCGI) as an Impetus for Change in a Rural Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arter, Margaret H.

In an effort to establish priorities for long- and short-range planning, Palo Verde College (PVC) administered the Educational Testing Service's Community College Goals Inventory to all PVC faculty and administrators, 20 community residents, five trustees, and approximately 200 students. The inventory asked respondents to rate the importance of…

76 FR 187 - Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Final Finding of No Significant Impact for Exemptions...

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Technical Note: Direct measurement of continuous TMR data with a 1D tank and automated couch movements.

PubMed

Knutson, Nels C; Schmidt, Matthew C; Belley, Matthew D; Nguyen, Ngoc B; Li, H Harold; Sajo, Erno; Price, Michael J

2017-07-01

Real-time dynamic control of the linear accelerator, couch, and imaging parameters during radiation delivery was investigated as a novel technique for acquiring tissue maximum ratio (TMR) data. TrueBeam Developer Mode (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) was used to control the linear accelerator using the Extensible Markup Language (XML). A single XML file was used to dynamically manipulate the machine, couch, and imaging parameters during radiation delivery. A TG-51 compliant 1D water tank was placed on the treatment couch, and used to position a detector at isocenter at a depth of 24.5 cm. A depth scan was performed towards the water surface. Via XML control, the treatment couch vertical position was simultaneously lowered at the same rate, maintaining the detector position at isocenter, allowing for the collection of TMR data. To ensure the detector remained at isocenter during the delivery, the in-room camera was used to monitor the detector. Continuous kV fluoroscopic images during 10 test runs further confirmed this result. TMR data at multiple Source to Detector Distances (SDD) and scan speeds were acquired to investigate their impact on the TMR data. Percentage depth dose (PDD) scans (for conversion to TMR) along with traditional discrete TMR data were acquired as a standard for comparison. More than 99.8% of the measured points had a gamma value (1%/1 mm) < 1 when compared with discrete or PDD converted TMR data. Fluoroscopic images showed that the concurrent couch and tank movements resulted in SDD errors < 1 mm. TMRs acquired at SDDs of 99, 100, and 101 cm showed differences less than 0.004. TrueBeam Developer Mode was used to collect continuous TMR data with the same accuracy as traditionally collected discrete data, but yielded higher sampled resolution and reduced acquisition time. This novel method does not require the modification of any equipment and does not use a 3D tank or reservoir. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

SU-E-J-257: A PCA Model to Predict Adaptive Changes for Head&neck Patients Based On Extraction of Geometric Features From Daily CBCT Datasets

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

Chetvertkov, M; Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Siddiqui, F

2015-06-15

Purpose: Using daily cone beam CTs (CBCTs) to develop principal component analysis (PCA) models of anatomical changes in head and neck (H&N) patients and to assess the possibility of using these prospectively in adaptive radiation therapy (ART). Methods: Planning CT (pCT) images of 4 H&N patients were deformed to model several different systematic changes in patient anatomy during the course of the radiation therapy (RT). A Pinnacle plugin was used to linearly interpolate the systematic change in patient for the 35 fraction RT course and to generate a set of 35 synthetic CBCTs. Each synthetic CBCT represents the systematic changemore » in patient anatomy for each fraction. Deformation vector fields (DVFs) were acquired between the pCT and synthetic CBCTs with random fraction-to-fraction changes were superimposed on the DVFs. A patient-specific PCA model was built using these DVFs containing systematic plus random changes. It was hypothesized that resulting eigenDVFs (EDVFs) with largest eigenvalues represent the major anatomical deformations during the course of treatment. Results: For all 4 patients, the PCA model provided different results depending on the type and size of systematic change in patient’s body. PCA was more successful in capturing the systematic changes early in the treatment course when these were of a larger scale with respect to the random fraction-to-fraction changes in patient’s anatomy. For smaller scale systematic changes, random changes in patient could completely “hide” the systematic change. Conclusion: The leading EDVF from the patientspecific PCA models could tentatively be identified as a major systematic change during treatment if the systematic change is large enough with respect to random fraction-to-fraction changes. Otherwise, leading EDVF could not represent systematic changes reliably. This work is expected to facilitate development of population-based PCA models that can be used to prospectively identify significant anatomical changes early in treatment. This work is supported in part by a grant from Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA.« less

MO-FG-202-03: Efficient Data Collection of Continuous 2D and Discrete Relative Dosimetric Data for Annual LINAC QA Using TrueBeam Developer Mode and a 1D Scanning Tank

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

Knutson, N; Schmidt, M; University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop a method to exploit real-time dynamic machine and couch parameter control during linear accelerator (LINAC) beam delivery to facilitate efficient performance of TG-142 suggested, Annual LINAC QA tests. Methods: Varian’s TrueBeam Developer Mode (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) facilitates control of Varian’s TrueBeam LINAC via instructions provided in Extensible Markup Language (XML) files. This allows machine and couch parameters to be varied dynamically, in real-time, during beam delivery. Custom XML files were created to allow for the collection of (1) continuous Tissue Maximum Ratios (TMRs), (2) beam profiles, and (3) continuous output factors using a 1D-scanningmore » tank. TMRs were acquired by orienting an ionization chamber (IC) at isocenter (depth=25cm) and synchronizing a depth scan towards the water surface while lowering the couch at 1mm/s. For beam profiles, the couch was driven laterally and longitudinally while logging IC electrometer readings. Output factors (OFs) where collected by continually varying field sizes (4×4 to 30×30-cm{sup 2}) at a constant speed of 6.66 mm/s. To validate measurements, comparisons were made to data collected using traditional methods (e.g. 1D or 3D tank). Results: All data collecting using the proposed methods agreed with traditionally collected data (TMRs within 1%, OFs within 0.5% and beam profile agreement within 1% / 1mm) while taking less time to collect (factor of approximately 1/10) and with a finer sample resolution. Conclusion: TrueBeam developer mode facilitates collection of continuous data with the same accuracy as traditionally collected data with a finer resolution in less time. Results demonstrate an order of magnitude increase in sampled resolution and an order of magnitude reduction in collection time compared to traditional acquisition methods (e.g. 3D scanning tank). We are currently extending this approach to perform other TG-142 tasks.« less

Motion management within two respiratory-gating windows: feasibility study of dual quasi-breath-hold technique in gated medical procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Taeho; Kim, Siyong; Park, Yang-Kyun; Youn, Kaylin K.; Keall, Paul; Lee, Rena

2014-11-01

A dual quasi-breath-hold (DQBH) technique is proposed for respiratory motion management (a hybrid technique combining breathing-guidance with breath-hold task in the middle). The aim of this study is to test a hypothesis that the DQBH biofeedback system improves both the capability of motion management and delivery efficiency. Fifteen healthy human subjects were recruited for two respiratory motion measurements (free breathing and DQBH biofeedback breathing for 15 min). In this study, the DQBH biofeedback system utilized the abdominal position obtained using an real-time position management (RPM) system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, USA) to audio-visually guide a human subject for 4 s breath-hold at EOI and 90% EOE (EOE90%) to improve delivery efficiency. We investigated the residual respiratory motion and the delivery efficiency (duty-cycle) of abdominal displacement within the gating window. The improvement of the abdominal motion reproducibility was evaluated in terms of cycle-to-cycle displacement variability, respiratory period and baseline drift. The DQBH biofeedback system improved the abdominal motion management capability compared to that with free breathing. With a phase based gating (mean ± std: 55  ±  5%), the averaged root mean square error (RMSE) of the abdominal displacement in the dual-gating windows decreased from 2.26 mm of free breathing to 1.16 mm of DQBH biofeedback (p-value = 0.007). The averaged RMSE of abdominal displacement over the entire respiratory cycles reduced from 2.23 mm of free breathing to 1.39 mm of DQBH biofeedback breathing in the dual-gating windows (p-value = 0.028). The averaged baseline drift dropped from 0.9 mm min-1 with free breathing to 0.09 mm min-1 with DQBH biofeedback (p-value = 0.048). The averaged duty-cycle with an 1 mm width of displacement bound increased from 15% of free breathing to 26% of DQBH biofeedback (p-value = 0.003). The study demonstrated that the DQBH biofeedback system has the potential to significantly reduce the residual respiratory motion with the improved duty cycle during the respiratory gating procedure.

A low-complexity 2-point step size gradient projection method with selective function evaluations for smoothed total variation based CBCT reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Bongyong; Park, Justin C.; Song, William Y.

2014-11-01

The Barzilai-Borwein (BB) 2-point step size gradient method is receiving attention for accelerating Total Variation (TV) based CBCT reconstructions. In order to become truly viable for clinical applications, however, its convergence property needs to be properly addressed. We propose a novel fast converging gradient projection BB method that requires ‘at most one function evaluation’ in each iterative step. This Selective Function Evaluation method, referred to as GPBB-SFE in this paper, exhibits the desired convergence property when it is combined with a ‘smoothed TV’ or any other differentiable prior. This way, the proposed GPBB-SFE algorithm offers fast and guaranteed convergence to the desired 3DCBCT image with minimal computational complexity. We first applied this algorithm to a Shepp-Logan numerical phantom. We then applied to a CatPhan 600 physical phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY) and a clinically-treated head-and-neck patient, both acquired from the TrueBeam™ system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Furthermore, we accelerated the reconstruction by implementing the algorithm on NVIDIA GTX 480 GPU card. We first compared GPBB-SFE with three recently proposed BB-based CBCT reconstruction methods available in the literature using Shepp-Logan numerical phantom with 40 projections. It is found that GPBB-SFE shows either faster convergence speed/time or superior convergence property compared to existing BB-based algorithms. With the CatPhan 600 physical phantom, the GPBB-SFE algorithm requires only 3 function evaluations in 30 iterations and reconstructs the standard, 364-projection FDK reconstruction quality image using only 60 projections. We then applied the algorithm to a clinically-treated head-and-neck patient. It was observed that the GPBB-SFE algorithm requires only 18 function evaluations in 30 iterations. Compared with the FDK algorithm with 364 projections, the GPBB-SFE algorithm produces visibly equivalent quality CBCT image for the head-and-neck patient with only 180 projections, in 131.7 s, further supporting its clinical applicability.

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

Howard, Michelle, E-mail: howard.michelle1@mayo.edu; Beltran, Chris; Mayo, Charles S.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of the minimum monitor unit (MU) on the quality of clinical treatment plans for scanned proton therapy. Methods: Delivery system characteristics limit the minimum number of protons that can be delivered per spot, resulting in a min-MU limit. Plan quality can be impacted by the min-MU limit. Two sites were used to investigate the impact of min-MU on treatment plans: pediatric brain tumor at a depth of 5–10 cm; a head and neck tumor at a depth of 1–20 cm. Three-field, intensity modulated spot scanning proton plans were created for each site with the followingmore » parameter variations: min-MU limit range of 0.0000–0.0060; and spot spacing range of 2–8 mm. Comparisons were based on target homogeneity and normal tissue sparing. For the pediatric brain, two versions of the treatment planning system were also compared to judge the effects of the min-MU limit based on when it is accounted for in the optimization process (Eclipse v.10 and v.13, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Results: The increase of the min-MU limit with a fixed spot spacing decreases plan quality both in homogeneous target coverage and in the avoidance of critical structures. Both head and neck and pediatric brain plans show a 20% increase in relative dose for the hot spot in the CTV and 10% increase in key critical structures when comparing min-MU limits of 0.0000 and 0.0060 with a fixed spot spacing of 4 mm. The DVHs of CTVs show min-MU limits of 0.0000 and 0.0010 produce similar plan quality and quality decreases as the min-MU limit increases beyond 0.0020. As spot spacing approaches 8 mm, degradation in plan quality is observed when no min-MU limit is imposed. Conclusions: Given a fixed spot spacing of ≤4 mm, plan quality decreases as min-MU increased beyond 0.0020. The effect of min-MU needs to be taken into consideration while planning proton therapy treatments.« less

SU-C-209-02: 3D Fluoroscopic Image Generation From Patient-Specific 4DCBCT-Based Motion Models Derived From Clinical Patient Images

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

Dhou, S; Cai, W; Hurwitz, M

Purpose: We develop a method to generate time varying volumetric images (3D fluoroscopic images) using patient-specific motion models derived from four-dimensional cone-beam CT (4DCBCT). Methods: Motion models are derived by selecting one 4DCBCT phase as a reference image, and registering the remaining images to it. Principal component analysis (PCA) is performed on the resultant displacement vector fields (DVFs) to create a reduced set of PCA eigenvectors that capture the majority of respiratory motion. 3D fluoroscopic images are generated by optimizing the weights of the PCA eigenvectors iteratively through comparison of measured cone-beam projections and simulated projections generated from the motionmore » model. This method was applied to images from five lung-cancer patients. The spatial accuracy of this method is evaluated by comparing landmark positions in the 3D fluoroscopic images to manually defined ground truth positions in the patient cone-beam projections. Results: 4DCBCT motion models were shown to accurately generate 3D fluoroscopic images when the patient cone-beam projections contained clearly visible structures moving with respiration (e.g., the diaphragm). When no moving anatomical structure was clearly visible in the projections, the 3D fluoroscopic images generated did not capture breathing deformations, and reverted to the reference image. For the subset of 3D fluoroscopic images generated from projections with visibly moving anatomy, the average tumor localization error and the 95th percentile were 1.6 mm and 3.1 mm respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that 4DCBCT-based 3D fluoroscopic images can accurately capture respiratory deformations in a patient dataset, so long as the cone-beam projections used contain visible structures that move with respiration. For clinical implementation of 3D fluoroscopic imaging for treatment verification, an imaging field of view (FOV) that contains visible structures moving with respiration should be selected. If no other appropriate structures are visible, the images should include the diaphragm. This project was supported, in part, through a Master Research Agreement with Varian Medical Systems, Inc, Palo Alto, CA.« less

Imaging doses in radiation therapy from kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyer, Daniel Ellis

Advances in radiation treatment delivery, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), have made it possible to deliver large doses of radiation with a high degree of conformity. While highly conformal treatments offers the advantage of sparing surrounding normal tissue, this benefit can only be realized if the patient is accurately positioned during each treatment fraction. The need to accurately position the patient has led to the development and use of gantry mounted kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kV-CBCT) systems. These systems are used to acquire high resolution volumetric images of the patient which are then digitally registered with the planning CT dataset to confirm alignment of the patient on the treatment table. While kV-CBCT is a very useful tool for aligning the patient prior to treatment, daily use in a high fraction therapy regimen results in a substantial radiation dose. In order to quantify the radiation dose associated with CBCT imaging, an anthropomorphic phantom representing a 50th percentile adult male and a fiber-optic coupled (FOC) dosimetry system were both constructed as part of this dissertation. These tools were then used to directly measure organ doses incurred during clinical protocols for the head, chest, and pelvis. For completeness, the dose delivered from both the X-ray Volumetric Imager (XVI, Elekta Oncology Systems, Crawley, UK) and the On-Board Imager (OBI, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) were investigated. While this study provided a direct measure of organ doses for estimating risk to the patient, a practical method for estimating organ doses that could be performed with phantoms and dosimeters currently available at most clinics was also desired. To accomplish this goal, a 100 mm pencil ion chamber was used to measure the "cone beam dose index" (CBDI) inside standard CT dose index (CTDI) acrylic phantoms. A weighted CBDI (CBDIw), similar to the weighted CT dose index (CTDIw), was then calculated to represent the average dose in the acrylic phantom. By comparing this value to the measured organ doses, organ dose conversion coefficients were developed. These conversion coefficients allow specific organ doses to be estimated quickly and easily using readily available clinical equipment.

The dosimetric effects of photon energy on the quality of prostate volumetric modulated arc therapy.

PubMed

Mattes, Malcolm D; Tai, Cyril; Lee, Alvin; Ashamalla, Hani; Ikoro, N C

2014-01-01

Studies comparing the dosimetric effects of high- and low-energy photons to treat prostate cancer using 3-dimensional conformal and intensity modulated radiation therapy have yielded mixed results. With the advent of newer radiation delivery systems like volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), the impact of changing photon energy is readdressed. Sixty-five patients treated for prostate cancer at our institution from 2011 to 2012 underwent CT simulation. A target volume encompassing the prostate and entire seminal vesicles was treated to 50.4 Gy, followed by a boost to the prostate and proximal seminal vesicles to a total dose of 81 Gy. The VMAT plans were generated for 6-MV and 10-MV photons under identical optimization conditions using the Eclipse system version 8.6 (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The analytical anisotropic algorithm was used for all dose calculations. Plans were normalized such that 98% of the planning target volume (PTV) received 100% of the prescribed dose. Dose-volumetric data from the treatment planning system was recorded for both 6-MV and 10-MV plans, which were compared for both the entire cohort and subsets of patients stratified according to the anterior-posterior separation. Plans using 10-MV photons had statistically significantly lower relative integral dose (4.1%), gradient measure (4.1%), skin Dmax (16.9%), monitor units (13.0%), and bladder V(30) (3.1%) than plans using 6-MV photons (P < .05). There was no difference in rectal dose, high-dose-region bladder dose, PTV coverage, or conformity index. The benefit of 10-MV photons was more pronounced for thicker patients (anterior-posterior separation >21 cm) for most parameters, with statistically significant differences in bladder V(30), bladder V(65), integral dose, conformity index, and monitor units. The main dosimetric benefits of 10-MV as compared with 6-MV photons are seen in thicker patients, though for the entire cohort 10-MV plans resulted in a lower integral dose, gradient measure, skin Dmax, monitor units, and bladder V(30), possibly at the expense of higher rectum V(81). Copyright © 2014 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MO-FG-BRA-08: Swarm Intelligence-Based Personalized Respiratory Gating in Lung SAbR

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

Modiri, A; Sabouri, P; Sawant, A

Purpose: Respiratory gating is widely deployed as a clinical motion-management strategy in lung radiotherapy. In conventional gating, the beam is turned on during a pre-determined phase window; typically, around end-exhalation. In this work, we challenge the notion that end-exhalation is always the optimal gating phase. Specifically, we use a swarm-intelligence-based, inverse planning approach to determine the optimal respiratory phase and MU for each beam with respect to (i) the state of the anatomy at each phase and (ii) the time spent in that state, estimated from long-term monitoring of the patient’s breathing motion. Methods: In a retrospective study of fivemore » lung cancer patients, we compared the dosimetric performance of our proposed personalized gating (PG) with that of conventional end-of-exhale gating (CEG) and a previously-developed, fully 4D-optimized plan (combined with MLC tracking delivery). For each patient, respiratory phase probabilities (indicative of the time duration of the phase) were estimated over 2 minutes from lung tumor motion traces recorded previously using the Synchrony system (Accuray Inc.). Based on this information, inverse planning optimization was performed to calculate the optimal respiratory gating phase and MU for each beam. To ensure practical deliverability, each PG beam was constrained to deliver the assigned MU over a time duration comparable to that of CEG delivery. Results: Maximum OAR sparing for the five patients achieved by the PG and the 4D plans compared to CEG plans was: Esophagus Dmax [PG:57%, 4D:37%], Heart Dmax [PG:71%, 4D:87%], Spinal cord Dmax [PG:18%, 4D:68%] and Lung V13 [PG:16%, 4D:31%]. While patients spent the most time in exhalation, the PG-optimization chose end-exhale only for 28% of beams. Conclusion: Our novel gating strategy achieved significant dosimetric improvements over conventional gating, and approached the upper limit represented by fully 4D optimized planning while being significantly simpler and more clinically translatable. This work was partially supported through research funding from National Institutes of Health (R01CA169102) and Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA.« less

SU-F-I-06: Evaluation of Imaging Dose for Modulation Layer Based Dual Energy Cone-Beam CT

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

Ju, Eunbin; Ahn, SoHyun; Cho, Samju

Purpose: Dual energy cone beam CT system is finding a variety of promising applications in diagnostic CT, both in imaging of endogenous materials and exogenous materials across a range of body sites. Dual energy cone beam CT system to suggest in this study acquire image by rotating 360 degree with half of the X-ray window covered using copper modulation layer. In the region that covered by modulation layer absorb the low energy X-ray by modulation layer. Relative high energy X-ray passes through the layer and contributes to image reconstruction. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize suchmore » an imaging acquirement technology for clinical use. Methods: For evaluating imaging dose of modulation layer based dual energy cone beam CT system, Prototype cone beam CT that configured X-ray tube (D054SB, Toshiba, Japan) and detector (PaxScan 2520V, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) is used. A range of 0.5–2.0 mm thickness of modulation layer is implemented in Monte Carlo simulation (MCNPX, ver. 2.6.0, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) with half of X-ray window covered. In-house phantom using in this study that has 3 cylindrical phantoms configured water, Teflon air with PMMA covered for verifying the comparability the various material in human body and is implemented in Monte Carlo simulation. The actual dose with 2.0 mm copper covered half of X-ray window is measured using Gafchromic EBT3 film with 5.0 mm bolus for compared with simulative dose. Results: Dose in phantom reduced 33% by copper modulation layer of 2.0 mm. Scattering dose occurred in modulation layer by Compton scattering effect is 0.04% of overall dose. Conclusion: Modulation layer of that based dual energy cone beam CT has not influence on unnecessary scatter dose. This study was supported by the Radiation Safety Research Programs (1305033) through the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.« less

Evaluation of On-Board kV Cone Beam Computed Tomography–Based Dose Calculation With Deformable Image Registration Using Hounsfield Unit Modifications

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

Onozato, Yusuke; Kadoya, Noriyuki, E-mail: kadoya.n@rad.med.tohoku.ac.jp; Fujita, Yukio

2014-06-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the accuracy of the dose calculation of On-Board Imager (Varian, Palo Alto, CA) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with deformable image registration (DIR), using the multilevel-threshold (MLT) algorithm and histogram matching (HM) algorithm in pelvic radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: One pelvis phantom and 10 patients with prostate cancer treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy were studied. To minimize the effect of organ deformation and different Hounsfield unit values between planning CT (PCT) and CBCT, we modified CBCT (mCBCT) with DIR by using the MLT (mCBCT{sub MLT}) and HM (mCBCT{sub HM})more » algorithms. To evaluate the accuracy of the dose calculation, we compared dose differences in dosimetric parameters (mean dose [D{sub mean}], minimum dose [D{sub min}], and maximum dose [D{sub max}]) for planning target volume, rectum, and bladder between PCT (reference) and CBCTs or mCBCTs. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of organ deformation compared with DIR and rigid registration (RR). We determined whether dose differences between PCT and mCBCTs were significantly lower than in CBCT by using Student t test. Results: For patients, the average dose differences in all dosimetric parameters of CBCT with DIR were smaller than those of CBCT with RR (eg, rectum; 0.54% for DIR vs 1.24% for RR). For the mCBCTs with DIR, the average dose differences in all dosimetric parameters were less than 1.0%. Conclusions: We evaluated the accuracy of the dose calculation in CBCT, mCBCT{sub MLT}, and mCBCT{sub HM} with DIR for 10 patients. The results showed that dose differences in D{sub mean}, D{sub min}, and D{sub max} in mCBCTs were within 1%, which were significantly better than those in CBCT, especially for the rectum (P<.05). Our results indicate that the mCBCT{sub MLT} and mCBCT{sub HM} can be useful for improving the dose calculation for adaptive radiation therapy.« less

A low-complexity 2-point step size gradient projection method with selective function evaluations for smoothed total variation based CBCT reconstructions.

PubMed

Song, Bongyong; Park, Justin C; Song, William Y

2014-11-07

The Barzilai-Borwein (BB) 2-point step size gradient method is receiving attention for accelerating Total Variation (TV) based CBCT reconstructions. In order to become truly viable for clinical applications, however, its convergence property needs to be properly addressed. We propose a novel fast converging gradient projection BB method that requires 'at most one function evaluation' in each iterative step. This Selective Function Evaluation method, referred to as GPBB-SFE in this paper, exhibits the desired convergence property when it is combined with a 'smoothed TV' or any other differentiable prior. This way, the proposed GPBB-SFE algorithm offers fast and guaranteed convergence to the desired 3DCBCT image with minimal computational complexity. We first applied this algorithm to a Shepp-Logan numerical phantom. We then applied to a CatPhan 600 physical phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY) and a clinically-treated head-and-neck patient, both acquired from the TrueBeam™ system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Furthermore, we accelerated the reconstruction by implementing the algorithm on NVIDIA GTX 480 GPU card. We first compared GPBB-SFE with three recently proposed BB-based CBCT reconstruction methods available in the literature using Shepp-Logan numerical phantom with 40 projections. It is found that GPBB-SFE shows either faster convergence speed/time or superior convergence property compared to existing BB-based algorithms. With the CatPhan 600 physical phantom, the GPBB-SFE algorithm requires only 3 function evaluations in 30 iterations and reconstructs the standard, 364-projection FDK reconstruction quality image using only 60 projections. We then applied the algorithm to a clinically-treated head-and-neck patient. It was observed that the GPBB-SFE algorithm requires only 18 function evaluations in 30 iterations. Compared with the FDK algorithm with 364 projections, the GPBB-SFE algorithm produces visibly equivalent quality CBCT image for the head-and-neck patient with only 180 projections, in 131.7 s, further supporting its clinical applicability.

Measurement of time delay for a prospectively gated CT simulator.

PubMed

Goharian, M; Khan, R F H

2010-04-01

For the management of mobile tumors, respiratory gating is the ideal option, both during imaging and during therapy. The major advantage of respiratory gating during imaging is that it is possible to create a single artifact-free CT data-set during a selected phase of the patient's breathing cycle. The purpose of the present work is to present a simple technique to measure the time delay during acquisition of a prospectively gated CT. The time delay of a Philips Brilliance BigBore (Philips Medical Systems, Madison, WI) scanner attached to a Varian Real-Time Position Management (RPM) system (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) was measured. Two methods were used to measure the CT time delay: using a motion phantom and using a recorded data file from the RPM system. In the first technique, a rotating wheel phantom was altered by placing two plastic balls on its axis and rim, respectively. For a desired gate, the relative positions of the balls were measured from the acquired CT data and converted into corresponding phases. Phase difference was calculated between the measured phases and the desired phases. Using period of motion, the phase difference was converted into time delay. The Varian RPM system provides an external breathing signal; it also records transistor-transistor logic (TTL) 'X-Ray ON' status signal from the CT scanner in a text file. The TTL 'X-Ray ON' indicates the start of CT image acquisition. Thus, knowledge of the start time of CT acquisition, combined with the real-time phase and amplitude data from the external respiratory signal, provides time-stamping of all images in an axial CT scan. The TTL signal with time-stamp was used to calculate when (during the breathing cycle) a slice was recorded. Using the two approaches, the time delay between the prospective gating signal and CT simulator has been determined to be 367 +/- 40 ms. The delay requires corrections both at image acquisition and while setting gates for the treatment delivery; otherwise the simulation and treatment may not be correlated with the patient's breathing.

SU-E-J-108: Template Matching Based On Multiple Templates Can Improve the Tumor Tracking Performance When There Is Large Tumor Deformation

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

Shi, X; Lin, J; Diwanji, T

2014-06-01

Purpose: Recently, template matching has been shown to be able to track tumor motion on cine-MRI images. However, artifacts such as deformation, rotation, and/or out-of-plane movement could seriously degrade the performance of this technique. In this work, we demonstrate the utility of multiple templates derived from different phases of tumor motion in reducing the negative effects of artifacts and improving the accuracy of template matching methods. Methods: Data from 2 patients with large tumors and significant tumor deformation were analyzed from a group of 12 patients from an earlier study. Cine-MRI (200 frames) imaging was performed while the patients weremore » instructed to breathe normally. Ground truth tumor position was established on each frame manually by a radiation oncologist. Tumor positions were also automatically determined using template matching with either single or multiple (5) templates. The tracking errors, defined as the absolute differences in tumor positions determined by the manual and automated methods, when using either single or multiple templates were compared in both the AP and SI directions, respectively. Results: Using multiple templates reduced the tracking error of template matching. In the SI direction where the tumor movement and deformation were significant, the mean tracking error decreased from 1.94 mm to 0.91 mm (Patient 1) and from 6.61 mm to 2.06 mm (Patient 2). In the AP direction where the tumor movement was small, the reduction of the mean tracking error was significant in Patient 1 (from 3.36 mm to 1.04 mm), but not in Patient 2 ( from 3.86 mm to 3.80 mm). Conclusion: This study shows the effectiveness of using multiple templates in improving the performance of template matching when artifacts like large tumor deformation or out-of-plane motion exists. Accurate tumor tracking capabilities can be integrated with MRI guided radiation therapy systems. This work was supported in part by grants from NIH/NCI CA 124766 and Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA.« less

Multi-institutional Validation Study of Commercially Available Deformable Image Registration Software for Thoracic Images.

PubMed

Kadoya, Noriyuki; Nakajima, Yujiro; Saito, Masahide; Miyabe, Yuki; Kurooka, Masahiko; Kito, Satoshi; Fujita, Yukio; Sasaki, Motoharu; Arai, Kazuhiro; Tani, Kensuke; Yagi, Masashi; Wakita, Akihisa; Tohyama, Naoki; Jingu, Keiichi

2016-10-01

To assess the accuracy of the commercially available deformable image registration (DIR) software for thoracic images at multiple institutions. Thoracic 4-dimensional (4D) CT images of 10 patients with esophageal or lung cancer were used. Datasets for these patients were provided by DIR-lab (dir-lab.com) and included a coordinate list of anatomic landmarks (300 bronchial bifurcations) that had been manually identified. Deformable image registration was performed between the peak-inhale and -exhale images. Deformable image registration error was determined by calculating the difference at each landmark point between the displacement calculated by DIR software and that calculated by the landmark. Eleven institutions participated in this study: 4 used RayStation (RaySearch Laboratories, Stockholm, Sweden), 5 used MIM Software (Cleveland, OH), and 3 used Velocity (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The ranges of the average absolute registration errors over all cases were as follows: 0.48 to 1.51 mm (right-left), 0.53 to 2.86 mm (anterior-posterior), 0.85 to 4.46 mm (superior-inferior), and 1.26 to 6.20 mm (3-dimensional). For each DIR software package, the average 3-dimensional registration error (range) was as follows: RayStation, 3.28 mm (1.26-3.91 mm); MIM Software, 3.29 mm (2.17-3.61 mm); and Velocity, 5.01 mm (4.02-6.20 mm). These results demonstrate that there was moderate variation among institutions, although the DIR software was the same. We evaluated the commercially available DIR software using thoracic 4D-CT images from multiple centers. Our results demonstrated that DIR accuracy differed among institutions because it was dependent on both the DIR software and procedure. Our results could be helpful for establishing prospective clinical trials and for the widespread use of DIR software. In addition, for clinical care, we should try to find the optimal DIR procedure using thoracic 4D-CT data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-G-BRC-06: Evaluation of a Novel Radiosurgery Software for Treating Multiple Brain Metastases Simultaneously in a Single Fraction

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

Levin, D; Shekel, E; Epstein, D

Purpose: To evaluate a new, automated brain metastases planning software designed to treat up to ten brain metastases simultaneously. Methods: We treated 61 patients with multiple brain metastases using the Elements software by BrainLab (Munich, Germany). Patients had between 2–10 metastases ranging from 0.01–8.64 cc. Dose prescription was 18–24 Gy. Plans use up to 5 non-coplanar arcs with a single isocenter at the metastases’ center of mass. The high degree of automation shortens the planning time to 15–20 minutes per patient.For comparison we planned 21 of the patients using Rapid Arc (Varian, Palo Alto CA) (RA). We used two coplanarmore » arcs so as to keep planning times comparable to the Elements. We also planned 8 patients using iPlan software (BrainLab). We compared conformity index (CI), volume of brain receiving over 12 Gy (V{sub 12}) and mean brain dose (MBD) for the three different planning systems (TPSs). Results: Plans from all TPSs were judged clinically acceptable. V{sub 12} and MBD were not statistically significantly different between TPSs.CI between RA and Elements was similar, however for iPlan CI was significantly worse compared to both RA and Elements (p<0.001). RA plans took approximately 40 minutes to plan (despite fusion and contouring being done in the Elements), and iPlan plans over an hour each. Delivery times were approximately 30 minutes for Elements, 10 minutes for RA, and up to 300 minutes for iPlan. Conclusion: Elements plans had good CI values and low brain doses. While treatment times for Elements were longer than for RA, 30 minutes is a significant improvement over conventional radiosurgery techniques where each metastasis is treated individually and delivery times to 10 metastases are close to 300 minutes.BrainLab Elements is a novel software allowing fast, automated planning and efficient irradiation of multiple brain metastases with minimal dose to healthy brain.« less

SU-C-BRA-07: Variability of Patient-Specific Motion Models Derived Using Different Deformable Image Registration Algorithms for Lung Cancer Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) Patients

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

Dhou, S; Williams, C; Ionascu, D

2016-06-15

Purpose: To study the variability of patient-specific motion models derived from 4-dimensional CT (4DCT) images using different deformable image registration (DIR) algorithms for lung cancer stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) patients. Methods: Motion models are derived by 1) applying DIR between each 4DCT image and a reference image, resulting in a set of displacement vector fields (DVFs), and 2) performing principal component analysis (PCA) on the DVFs, resulting in a motion model (a set of eigenvectors capturing the variations in the DVFs). Three DIR algorithms were used: 1) Demons, 2) Horn-Schunck, and 3) iterative optical flow. The motion models derived weremore » compared using patient 4DCT scans. Results: Motion models were derived and the variations were evaluated according to three criteria: 1) the average root mean square (RMS) difference which measures the absolute difference between the components of the eigenvectors, 2) the dot product between the eigenvectors which measures the angular difference between the eigenvectors in space, and 3) the Euclidean Model Norm (EMN), which is calculated by summing the dot products of an eigenvector with the first three eigenvectors from the reference motion model in quadrature. EMN measures how well an eigenvector can be reconstructed using another motion model derived using a different DIR algorithm. Results showed that comparing to a reference motion model (derived using the Demons algorithm), the eigenvectors of the motion model derived using the iterative optical flow algorithm has smaller RMS, larger dot product, and larger EMN values than those of the motion model derived using Horn-Schunck algorithm. Conclusion: The study showed that motion models vary depending on which DIR algorithms were used to derive them. The choice of a DIR algorithm may affect the accuracy of the resulting model, and it is important to assess the suitability of the algorithm chosen for a particular application. This project was supported, in part, through a Master Research Agreement with Varian Medical Systems, Inc, Palo Alto, CA.« less

Multi-institutional Validation Study of Commercially Available Deformable Image Registration Software for Thoracic Images

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

Kadoya, Noriyuki, E-mail: kadoya.n@rad.med.tohoku.ac.jp; Nakajima, Yujiro; Saito, Masahide

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of the commercially available deformable image registration (DIR) software for thoracic images at multiple institutions. Methods and Materials: Thoracic 4-dimensional (4D) CT images of 10 patients with esophageal or lung cancer were used. Datasets for these patients were provided by DIR-lab ( (dir-lab.com)) and included a coordinate list of anatomic landmarks (300 bronchial bifurcations) that had been manually identified. Deformable image registration was performed between the peak-inhale and -exhale images. Deformable image registration error was determined by calculating the difference at each landmark point between the displacement calculated by DIR software and that calculated bymore » the landmark. Results: Eleven institutions participated in this study: 4 used RayStation (RaySearch Laboratories, Stockholm, Sweden), 5 used MIM Software (Cleveland, OH), and 3 used Velocity (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The ranges of the average absolute registration errors over all cases were as follows: 0.48 to 1.51 mm (right-left), 0.53 to 2.86 mm (anterior-posterior), 0.85 to 4.46 mm (superior-inferior), and 1.26 to 6.20 mm (3-dimensional). For each DIR software package, the average 3-dimensional registration error (range) was as follows: RayStation, 3.28 mm (1.26-3.91 mm); MIM Software, 3.29 mm (2.17-3.61 mm); and Velocity, 5.01 mm (4.02-6.20 mm). These results demonstrate that there was moderate variation among institutions, although the DIR software was the same. Conclusions: We evaluated the commercially available DIR software using thoracic 4D-CT images from multiple centers. Our results demonstrated that DIR accuracy differed among institutions because it was dependent on both the DIR software and procedure. Our results could be helpful for establishing prospective clinical trials and for the widespread use of DIR software. In addition, for clinical care, we should try to find the optimal DIR procedure using thoracic 4D-CT data.« less

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in US Veterans: A Cohort Study.

PubMed

Kokkinos, Peter F; Faselis, Charles; Myers, Jonathan; Narayan, Puneet; Sui, Xuemei; Zhang, Jiajia; Lavie, Carl J; Moore, Hans; Karasik, Pamela; Fletcher, Ross

2017-01-01

To assess the association between exercise capacity and the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). A symptom-limited exercise tolerance test was performed to assess exercise capacity in 20,590 US veterans (12,975 blacks and 7615 whites; mean ± SD age, 58.2±11.0 years) from the Veterans Affairs medical centers in Washington, District of Columbia, and Palo Alto, California. None had a history of MACE or evidence of ischemia at the time of or before their exercise tolerance test. We established quintiles of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) categories based on age-specific peak metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved. We also defined the age-specific MET level associated with no risk for MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 1.0) and formed 4 additional CRF categories based on METs achieved below (least fit and low fit) and above (moderately fit and highly fit) that level. Multivariate Cox models were used to estimate HR and 95% CIs for mortality across fitness categories. During follow-up (median, 11.3 years; range, 0.3-33.0 years), 2846 individuals experienced MACEs. The CRF-MACE association was inverse and graded. The risk for MACE declined precipitously for those with a CRF level of 6.0 METs or higher. When considering CFR categories based on the age-specific MET threshold, the risk increased for those in the 2 CFR categories below that threshold (HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.73-2.21 and HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.27-1.56 for the least-fit and low-fit individuals, respectively) and decreased for those above it (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.68-0.87 and HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.48-0.67 for moderately fit and highly fit, respectively). Increased CRF is inversely and independently associated with the risk for MACE. When an age-specific MET threshold was defined, the risk for MACE increased significantly for those below that threshold and decreased for those above it (P<.001). Published by Elsevier Inc.

SU-E-J-67: Evaluation of Breathing Patterns for Respiratory-Gated Radiation Therapy Using Respiration Regularity Index

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

Cheong, K; Lee, M; Kang, S

2014-06-01

Purpose: Despite the importance of accurately estimating the respiration regularity of a patient in motion compensation treatment, an effective and simply applicable method has rarely been reported. The authors propose a simple respiration regularity index based on parameters derived from a correspondingly simplified respiration model. Methods: In order to simplify a patient's breathing pattern while preserving the data's intrinsic properties, we defined a respiration model as a power of cosine form with a baseline drift. According to this respiration formula, breathing-pattern fluctuation could be explained using four factors: sample standard deviation of respiration period, sample standard deviation of amplitude andmore » the results of simple regression of the baseline drift (slope and standard deviation of residuals of a respiration signal. Overall irregularity (δ) was defined as a Euclidean norm of newly derived variable using principal component analysis (PCA) for the four fluctuation parameters. Finally, the proposed respiration regularity index was defined as ρ=ln(1+(1/ δ))/2, a higher ρ indicating a more regular breathing pattern. Subsequently, we applied it to simulated and clinical respiration signals from real-time position management (RPM; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) and investigated respiration regularity. Moreover, correlations between the regularity of the first session and the remaining fractions were investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The respiration regularity was determined based on ρ; patients with ρ<0.3 showed worse regularity than the others, whereas ρ>0.7 was suitable for respiratory-gated radiation therapy (RGRT). Fluctuations in breathing cycle and amplitude were especially determinative of ρ. If the respiration regularity of a patient's first session was known, it could be estimated through subsequent sessions. Conclusions: Respiration regularity could be objectively determined using a respiration regularity index, ρ. Such single-index testing of respiration regularity can facilitate determination of RGRT availability in clinical settings, especially for free-breathing cases. This work was supported by a Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grant funded by the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (No. 2013043498)« less

SU-E-J-114: A Practical Hybrid Method for Improving the Quality of CT-CBCT Deformable Image Registration for Head and Neck Radiotherapy

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

Liu, C; Kumarasiri, A; Chetvertkov, M

2015-06-15

Purpose: Accurate deformable image registration (DIR) between CT and CBCT in H&N is challenging. In this study, we propose a practical hybrid method that uses not only the pixel intensities but also organ physical properties, structure volume of interest (VOI), and interactive local registrations. Methods: Five oropharyngeal cancer patients were selected retrospectively. For each patient, the planning CT was registered to the last fraction CBCT, where the anatomy difference was largest. A three step registration strategy was tested; Step1) DIR using pixel intensity only, Step2) DIR with additional use of structure VOI and rigidity penalty, and Step3) interactive local correction.more » For Step1, a public-domain open-source DIR algorithm was used (cubic B-spline, mutual information, steepest gradient optimization, and 4-level multi-resolution). For Step2, rigidity penalty was applied on bony anatomies and brain, and a structure VOI was used to handle the body truncation such as the shoulder cut-off on CBCT. Finally, in Step3, the registrations were reviewed on our in-house developed software and the erroneous areas were corrected via a local registration using level-set motion algorithm. Results: After Step1, there were considerable amount of registration errors in soft tissues and unrealistic stretching in the posterior to the neck and near the shoulder due to body truncation. The brain was also found deformed to a measurable extent near the superior border of CBCT. Such errors could be effectively removed by using a structure VOI and rigidity penalty. The rest of the local soft tissue error could be corrected using the interactive software tool. The estimated interactive correction time was approximately 5 minutes. Conclusion: The DIR using only the image pixel intensity was vulnerable to noise and body truncation. A corrective action was inevitable to achieve good quality of registrations. We found the proposed three-step hybrid method efficient and practical for CT/CBCT registrations in H&N. My department receives grant support from Industrial partners: (a) Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, and (b) Philips HealthCare, Best, Netherlands.« less

Megavoltage planar and cone-beam imaging with low-Z targets: dependence of image quality improvement on beam energy and patient separation.

PubMed

Robar, James L; Connell, Tanner; Huang, Weihong; Kelly, Robin G

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the improvement of megavoltage planar and cone-beam CT (CBCT) image quality with the use of low atomic number (Z) external targets in the linear accelerator. In this investigation, two experimental megavoltage imaging beams were generated by using either 3.5 or 7.0 MeV electrons incident on aluminum targets installed above the level of the carousel in a linear accelerator (2100EX, Varian Medical, Inc., Palo Alto, CA). Images were acquired using an amorphous silicon detector panel. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in planar and CBCT images was measured as a function of dose and a comparison was made between the imaging beams and the standard 6 MV therapy beam. Phantoms of variable diameter were used to examine the loss of contrast due to beam hardening. Porcine imaging was conducted to examine qualitatively the advantages of the low-Z target approach in CBCT. In CBCT imaging CNR increases by factors as high as 2.4 and 4.3 for the 7.0 and 3.5 MeV/Al beams, respectively, compared to images acquired with 6 MV. Similar factors of improvement are observed in planar imaging. For the imaging beams, beam hardening causes a significant loss of the contrast advantage with increasing phantom diameter; however, for the 3.5 MeV/Al beam and a phantom diameter of 25 cm, a contrast advantage remains, with increases of contrast by factors of 1.5 and 3.4 over 6 MV for bone and lung inhale regions, respectively. The spatial resolution is improved slightly in CBCT images for the imaging beams. CBCT images of a porcine cranium demonstrate qualitatively the advantages of the low-Z target approach, showing greater contrast between tissues and improved visibility of fine detail. The use of low-Z external targets in the linear accelerator improves megavoltage planar and CBCT image quality significantly. CNR may be increased by a factor of 4 or greater. Improvement of the spatial resolution is also apparent.

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

The impact of cine EPID image acquisition frame rate on markerless soft-tissue tracking

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

Yip, Stephen, E-mail: syip@lroc.harvard.edu; Rottmann, Joerg; Berbeco, Ross

2014-06-15

Purpose: Although reduction of the cine electronic portal imaging device (EPID) acquisition frame rate through multiple frame averaging may reduce hardware memory burden and decrease image noise, it can hinder the continuity of soft-tissue motion leading to poor autotracking results. The impact of motion blurring and image noise on the tracking performance was investigated. Methods: Phantom and patient images were acquired at a frame rate of 12.87 Hz with an amorphous silicon portal imager (AS1000, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The maximum frame rate of 12.87 Hz is imposed by the EPID. Low frame rate images were obtained bymore » continuous frame averaging. A previously validated tracking algorithm was employed for autotracking. The difference between the programmed and autotracked positions of a Las Vegas phantom moving in the superior-inferior direction defined the tracking error (δ). Motion blurring was assessed by measuring the area change of the circle with the greatest depth. Additionally, lung tumors on 1747 frames acquired at 11 field angles from four radiotherapy patients are manually and automatically tracked with varying frame averaging. δ was defined by the position difference of the two tracking methods. Image noise was defined as the standard deviation of the background intensity. Motion blurring and image noise are correlated with δ using Pearson correlation coefficient (R). Results: For both phantom and patient studies, the autotracking errors increased at frame rates lower than 4.29 Hz. Above 4.29 Hz, changes in errors were negligible withδ < 1.60 mm. Motion blurring and image noise were observed to increase and decrease with frame averaging, respectively. Motion blurring and tracking errors were significantly correlated for the phantom (R = 0.94) and patient studies (R = 0.72). Moderate to poor correlation was found between image noise and tracking error with R −0.58 and −0.19 for both studies, respectively. Conclusions: Cine EPID image acquisition at the frame rate of at least 4.29 Hz is recommended. Motion blurring in the images with frame rates below 4.29 Hz can significantly reduce the accuracy of autotracking.« less

KnowledgeLink: Impact of Context-Sensitive Information Retrieval on Clinicians' Information Needs

PubMed Central

Maviglia, Saverio M.; Yoon, Catherine S.; Bates, David W.; Kuperman, Gilad

2006-01-01

Objective: Infobuttons are message-based content search and retrieval functions embedded within other applications that dynamically return information relevant to the clinical task at hand. The objective of this study was to determine whether infobuttons effectively answer providers' questions about medications or affect patient care decisions. Design: The authors implemented and evaluated a medication infobutton application called KnowledgeLink. Health care providers at 18 outpatient clinics were randomized to one of two versions of KnowledgeLink, one that linked to information from Micromedex (Thomson Micromedex, Greenwood Village, Co) and the other to material from SkolarMD (Wolters Kluwer Health, Palo Alto, CA). Measurements: Data were collected about the frequency of use and demographics of users, patients, and drugs that were queried. Users were periodically surveyed with short questionnaires and then with a more extensive survey at the end of one year. Results: During the first year, KnowledgeLink was used 7,972 times by 359 users to look up information about 1,723 medications for 4,961 patients. Clinicians used KnowledgeLink twice a month on average, and during an average of 1.2% of patient encounters. KnowledgeLink was used by a wide variety of medical staff, not just physicians and nurse practitioners. The frequency of usage and the questions asked varied with user role (primary care physician, specialist physician, nurse practitioner). Although the median KnowledgeLink session was brief (21 seconds), KnowledgeLink answered users' queries 84% of the time, and altered patient care decisions 15% of the time. Users rated KnowledgeLink favorably on multiple scales, recommended extending KnowledgeLink to other content domains, and suggested enhancing the interface to allow refinement of the query and selection of the target resource. Conclusion: An infobutton can satisfy information needs about medications. Although used infrequently and for brief sessions, KnowledgeLink was positively received, answered most users' questions, and had a significant impact on medical decision making. The next steps would be to broaden the domains that KnowledgeLink covers to more specifically tailor results to the user type, to provide options when queries are not immediately answered, and to implement KnowledgeLink within other electronic clinical applications. PMID:16221942

SU-F-BRB-16: A Spreadsheet Based Automatic Trajectory GEnerator (SAGE): An Open Source Tool for Automatic Creation of TrueBeam Developer Mode Robotic Trajectories

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

Etmektzoglou, A; Mishra, P; Svatos, M

Purpose: To automate creation and delivery of robotic linac trajectories with TrueBeam Developer Mode, an open source spreadsheet-based trajectory generation tool has been developed, tested and made freely available. The computing power inherent in a spreadsheet environment plus additional functions programmed into the tool insulate users from the underlying schema tedium and allow easy calculation, parameterization, graphical visualization, validation and finally automatic generation of Developer Mode XML scripts which are directly loadable on a TrueBeam linac. Methods: The robotic control system platform that allows total coordination of potentially all linac moving axes with beam (continuous, step-and-shoot, or combination thereof) becomesmore » available in TrueBeam Developer Mode. Many complex trajectories are either geometric or can be described in analytical form, making the computational power, graphing and programmability available in a spreadsheet environment an easy and ideal vehicle for automatic trajectory generation. The spreadsheet environment allows also for parameterization of trajectories thus enabling the creation of entire families of trajectories using only a few variables. Standard spreadsheet functionality has been extended for powerful movie-like dynamic graphic visualization of the gantry, table, MLC, room, lasers, 3D observer placement and beam centerline all as a function of MU or time, for analysis of the motions before requiring actual linac time. Results: We used the tool to generate and deliver extended SAD “virtual isocenter” trajectories of various shapes such as parameterized circles and ellipses. We also demonstrated use of the tool in generating linac couch motions that simulate respiratory motion using analytical parameterized functions. Conclusion: The SAGE tool is a valuable resource to experiment with families of complex geometric trajectories for a TrueBeam Linac. It makes Developer Mode more accessible as a vehicle to quickly translate research ideas into machine readable scripts without programming knowledge. As an open source initiative, it also enables researcher collaboration on future developments. I am a full time employee at Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, California.« less

SU-C-207A-05: Feature Based Water Equivalent Path Length (WEPL) Determination for Proton Radiography by the Technique of Time Resolved Dose Measurement

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

Zhang, R; Jee, K; Sharp, G

Purpose: Studies show that WEPL can be determined from modulated dose rate functions (DRF). However, the previous calibration method based on statistics of the DRF is sensitive to energy mixing of protons due to scattering through different materials (termed as range mixing here), causing inaccuracies in the determination of WEPL. This study intends to explore time-domain features of the DRF to reduce the effect of range mixing in proton radiography (pRG) by this technique. Methods: An amorphous silicon flat panel (PaxScan™ 4030CB, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA) was placed behind phantoms to measure DRFs from a proton beammore » modulated by a specially designed modulator wheel. The performance of two methods, the previously used method based on the root mean square (RMS) and the new approach based on time-domain features of the DRF, are compared for retrieving WEPL and RSP from pRG of a Gammex phantom. Results: Calibration by T{sub 80} (the time point for 80% of the major peak) was more robust to range mixing and produced WEPL with improved accuracy. The error of RSP was reduced from 8.2% to 1.7% for lung equivalent material, with the mean error for all other materials reduced from 1.2% to 0.7%. The mean error of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of retrieved inserts was decreased from 25.85% to 5.89% for the RMS and T{sub 80} method respectively. Monte Carlo simulations in simplified cases also demonstrated that the T{sub 80} method is less sensitive to range mixing than the RMS method. Conclusion: WEPL images have been retrieved based on single flat panel measured DRFs, with inaccuracies reduced by exploiting time-domain features as the calibration parameter. The T{sub 80} method is validated to be less sensitive to range mixing and can thus retrieve the WEPL values in proximity of interfaces with improved numerical and spatial accuracy for proton radiography.« less

Critical appraisal of volumetric-modulated arc therapy compared with electrons for the radiotherapy of cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma of lower extremities with bone sparing

PubMed Central

Abraham, S; Fogliata, A; Jordaan, A; Clivio, A; Vanetti, E; Cozzi, L

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the use of volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT, RapidArc® (RA); Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA] for the treatment of cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) of lower extremities with adequate target coverage and high bone sparing, and to compare VMAT with electron beam therapy. Methods: 10 patients were planned with either RA or electron beams. The dose was prescribed to 30 Gy, 10 fractions, to mean the planning target volume (PTV), and significant maximum dose to bone was limited to 30 Gy. Plans were designed for 6-MV photon beams for RA and 6 MeV for electrons. Dose distributions were computed with AcurosXB® (Varian Medical Systems) for photons and with a Monte Carlo algorithm for electrons. Results: V90% was 97.3±1.2 for RA plans and 78.2±2.6 for electrons; similarly, V107% was 2.5±2.2 and 37.7±3.4, respectively. RA met coverage criteria. Concerning bone sparing, D2% was 29.6±1.1 for RA and 31.0±2.4 for electrons. Although acceptable for bone involvement, pronounced target coverage violations were obtained for electron plans. Monitor units were similar for electrons and RA, although for the latter they increased when superior bone sparing was imposed. Delivery times were 12.1±4.0 min for electrons and 4.8±1.3 min for the most modulated RA plans. Conclusion: High plan quality was shown for KS in the lower extremities using VMAT, and this might simplify their management in comparison with the more conventional usage of electrons, particularly in institutes with limited staff resources and heavy workloads. Advances in knowledge: VMAT is also dosimetrically extremely advantageous in a typology of treatments where electron beam therapy is mainly considered to be effective owing to the limited penetration of the beams. PMID:23392192

SU-E-T-101: Determination and Comparison of Correction Factors Obtained for TLDs in Small Field Lung Heterogenous Phantom Using Acuros XB and EGSnrc

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

Soh, R; Lee, J; Harianto, F

Purpose: To determine and compare the correction factors obtained for TLDs in 2 × 2cm{sup 2} small field in lung heterogenous phantom using Acuros XB (AXB) and EGSnrc. Methods: This study will simulate the correction factors due to the perturbation of TLD-100 chips (Harshaw/Thermoscientific, 3 × 3 × 0.9mm{sup 3}, 2.64g/cm{sup 3}) in small field lung medium for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). A physical lung phantom was simulated by a 14cm thick composite cork phantom (0.27g/cm{sup 3}, HU:-743 ± 11) sandwiched between 4cm thick Plastic Water (CIRS,Norfolk). Composite cork has been shown to be a good lung substitute materialmore » for dosimetric studies. 6MV photon beam from Varian Clinac iX (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) with field size 2 × 2cm{sup 2} was simulated. Depth dose profiles were obtained from the Eclipse treatment planning system Acuros XB (AXB) and independently from DOSxyznrc, EGSnrc. Correction factors was calculated by the ratio of unperturbed to perturbed dose. Since AXB has limitations in simulating actual material compositions, EGSnrc will also simulate the AXB-based material composition for comparison to the actual lung phantom. Results: TLD-100, with its finite size and relatively high density, causes significant perturbation in 2 × 2cm{sup 2} small field in a low lung density phantom. Correction factors calculated by both EGSnrc and AXB was found to be as low as 0.9. It is expected that the correction factor obtained by EGSnrc wlll be more accurate as it is able to simulate the actual phantom material compositions. AXB have a limited material library, therefore it only approximates the composition of TLD, Composite cork and Plastic water, contributing to uncertainties in TLD correction factors. Conclusion: It is expected that the correction factors obtained by EGSnrc will be more accurate. Studies will be done to investigate the correction factors for higher energies where perturbation may be more pronounced.« less

SU-E-J-235: Audiovisual Biofeedback Improves the Correlation Between Internal and External Respiratory Motion

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

Lee, D; Pollock, S; Keall, P

Purpose: External respiratory surrogates are often used to predict internal lung tumor motion for beam gating but the assumption of correlation between external and internal surrogates is not always verified resulting in amplitude mismatch and time shift. To test the hypothesis that audiovisual (AV) biofeedback improves the correlation between internal and external respiratory motion, in order to improve the accuracy of respiratory-gated treatments for lung cancer radiotherapy. Methods: In nine lung cancer patients, 2D coronal and sagittal cine-MR images were acquired across two MRI sessions (pre- and mid-treatment) with (1) free breathing (FB) and (2) AV biofeedback. External anterior-posterior (AP)more » respiratory motions of (a) chest and (b) abdomen were simultaneously acquired with physiological measurement unit (PMU, 3T Skyra, Siemens Healthcare Erlangen, Germany) and real-time position management (RPM) system (Varian, Palo Alto, USA), respectively. Internal superior-inferior (SI) respiratory motions of (c) lung tumor (i.e. centroid of auto-segmented lung tumor) and (d) diaphragm (i.e. upper liver dome) were measured from individual cine-MR images across 32 dataset. The four respiratory motions were then synchronized with the cine-MR image acquisition time. Correlation coefficients were calculated in the time variation of two nominated respiratory motions: (1) chest-abdomen, (2) abdomen-diaphragm and (3) diaphragm-lung tumor. The three combinations were compared between FB and AV biofeedback. Results: Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved chest-abdomen correlation by 17% (p=0.005) from 0.75±0.23 to 0.90±0.05 and abdomen-diaphragm correlation by 4% (p=0.058) from 0.91±0.11 to 0.95±0.05. Compared to FB, AV biofeedback improved diaphragm-lung tumor correlation by 12% (p=0.023) from 0.65±0.21 to 0.74±0.16. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that AV biofeedback significantly improved the correlation of internal and external respiratory motion, thus suggesting the need of AV biofeedback in respiratory-gated treatments.« less

SU-E-T-781: Using An Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) for Correlating Linac Photon Beam Energies

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

Yaddanapudi, S; Cai, B; Sun, B

2015-06-15

Purpose: Electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) have proven to be useful for measuring several parameters of interest in linear accelerator (linac) quality assurance (QA). The purpose of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of using EPIDs for determining linac photon beam energies. Methods: Two non-clinical Varian TrueBeam linacs (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) with 6MV and 10MV photon beams were used to perform the measurements. The linacs were equipped with an amorphous silicon based EPIDs (aSi1000) that were used for the measurements. We compared the use of flatness versus percent depth dose (PDD) for predicting changes in linacmore » photon beam energy. PDD was measured in 1D water tank (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne FL) and the profiles were measured using 2D ion-chamber array (IC-Profiler, Sun Nuclear) and the EPID. Energy changes were accomplished by varying the bending magnet current (BMC). The evaluated energies conformed with the AAPM TG142 tolerance of ±1% change in PDD. Results: BMC changes correlating with a ±1% change in PDD corresponded with a change in flatness of ∼1% to 2% from baseline values on the EPID. IC Profiler flatness values had the same correlation. We observed a similar trend for the 10MV beam energy changes. Our measurements indicated a strong correlation between changes in linac photon beam energy and changes in flatness. For all machines and energies, beam energy changes produced change in the uniformity (AAPM TG-142), varying from ∼1% to 2.5%. Conclusions: EPID image analysis of beam profiles can be used to determine linac photon beam energy changes. Flatness-based metrics or uniformity as defined by AAPM TG-142 were found to be more sensitive to linac photon beam energy changes than PDD. Research funding provided by Varian Medical Systems. Dr. Sasa Mutic receives compensation for providing patient safety training services from Varian Medical Systems, the sponsor of this study.« less

Exercise capacity and all-cause mortality in male veterans with hypertension aged ≥70 years.

PubMed

Faselis, Charles; Doumas, Michael; Pittaras, Andreas; Narayan, Puneet; Myers, Jonathan; Tsimploulis, Apostolos; Kokkinos, Peter

2014-07-01

Aging, even in otherwise healthy subjects, is associated with declines in muscle mass, strength, and aerobic capacity. Older individuals respond favorably to exercise, suggesting that physical inactivity plays an important role in age-related functional decline. Conversely, physical activity and improved exercise capacity are associated with lower mortality risk in hypertensive individuals. However, the effect of exercise capacity in older hypertensive individuals has not been investigated extensively. A total of 2153 men with hypertension, aged ≥70 years (mean, 75 ± 4) from the Washington, DC, and Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, underwent routine exercise tolerance testing. Peak workload was estimated in metabolic equivalents (METs). Fitness categories were established based on peak METs achieved, adjusted for age: very-low-fit, 2.0 to 4.0 METs (n=386); low-fit, 4.1 to 6.0 METs (n=1058); moderate-fit, 6.1 to 8.0 METs (n=495); high-fit >8.0 METs (n=214). Cox proportional hazard models were applied after adjusting for age, body mass index, race, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular medications, and risk factors. All-cause mortality was quantified during a mean follow-up period of 9.0 ± 5.5 years. There were a total of 1039 deaths or 51.2 deaths per 1000 person-years of follow-up. Mortality risk was 11% lower (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.93; P<0.001) for every 1-MET increase in exercise capacity. When compared with those achieving ≤4.0 METs, mortality risk was 18% lower (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.95; P=0.011) for the low-fit, 36% for the moderate-fit (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.78; P<0.001), and 48% for the high-fit individuals (hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.69; P<0.001). These findings suggest that exercise capacity is associated with lower mortality risk in elderly men with hypertension. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

The QuakeFinder Magnetometer Network - a Platform for Earth and Space Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bleier, T.; Kappler, K. N.; Schneider, D.

2016-12-01

QuakeFinder (QF) is a humanitarian research and development project attempting to characterize earth-emitting electromagnetic (EM) signals as potential precursors to earthquakes. Beginning in 2005, QF designed, built, deployed and now maintains an array of 165 remote monitoring stations in 6 countries (US/California, Taiwan, Greece, Indonesia, Peru and Chile). Having amassed approximately 70 TB of data and greater than 140 earthquakes (M4+), QF is focused on the data analysis and signal processing algorithms in our effort to enable a forecasting capability. QF's autonomous stations, located along major fault lines, collect and transmit electromagnetic readings from 3-axis induction magnetometers and positive/negative ion sensors, a geophone, as well as various station health status and local conditions. The induction magnetometers, oriented N-S,E-W and vertically, have a 40 nT range and 1 pT sensitivity. Data is continuously collected at 50 samples/sec (sps), GPS time-stamped and transmitted, primarily through cell phone networks, to our data center in Palo Alto, California. The induction magnetometers routinely detect subtle geomagnetic and ionospheric disturbances as observed worldwide. QF seeks to make available both historic data and the array platform to strategic partners in the EM-related research and operation fields. The QF system will be described in detail with examples of local and regional geomagnetic activity. The stations are robust and will be undergoing a system-level upgrade in the near future. Domestically, QF maintains a 98% `up time' among the 120 stations in California while internationally our metric is typically near 80%. Irregular cell phone reception is chief among the reasons for outages although little data has been lost as the stations can store up to 90 days of data. These data are retrieved by QF personnel or, when communication is reestablished, the QF data ingest process automatically updates the database. Planned station upgrades include a new processor and ARM board with additional data channels, increased robustness in station health monitoring and self-recovery features, induction magnetometers with a deeper frequency range, and possibly the addition of 3-axis flux gate magnetometers to expand the measurement range to 2000 nT.

Dose verification for respiratory-gated volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT)

PubMed Central

Qian, Jianguo; Xing, Lei; Liu, Wu; Luxton, Gary

2011-01-01

A novel commercial medical linac system (TrueBeam™, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) allows respiratory-gated volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), a new modality for treating moving tumors with high precision and improved accuracy by allowing for regular motion associated with a patient's breathing during VMAT delivery. The purpose of this work is to adapt a previously-developed dose reconstruction technique to evaluate the fidelity of VMAT treatment during gated delivery under clinic-relevant periodic motion related to patient breathing. A Varian TrueBeam system was used in this study. VMAT plans were created for three patients with lung or pancreas tumors. Conventional 6 MV and 15 MV beams with flattening filter and high dose-rate 10 MV beams with no flattening filter were used in these plans. Each patient plan was delivered to a phantom first without gating and then with gating for three simulated respiratory periods (3, 4.5 and 6 seconds). Using the adapted log file-based dose reconstruction procedure supplemented with ion chamber array (Seven29™, PTW, Freiburg, Germany) measurements, the delivered dose was used to evaluate the fidelity of gated VMAT delivery. Comparison of Seven29 measurements with and without gating showed good agreement with gamma-index passing rates above 99% for 1%/1mm dose accuracy/distance-to-agreement criteria. With original plans as reference, gamma-index passing rates were 100% for the reconstituted plans (1%/1 mm criteria) and 93.5–100% for gated Seven29 measurements (3%/3 mm criteria). In the presence of leaf error deliberately introduced into the gated delivery of a pancreas patient plan, both dose reconstruction and Seven29 measurement consistently indicated substantial dosimetric differences from the original plan. In summary, a dose reconstruction procedure was demonstrated for evaluating the accuracy of respiratory-gated VMAT delivery. This technique showed that under clinical operation, the TrueBeam system faithfully realized treatment plans with gated delivery. This methodology affords a useful tool for machine and patient-specific quality assurance of the newly available respiratory-gated VMAT. PMID:21753232

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

Bagher-Ebadian, H; Chetty, I; Liu, C

Purpose: To examine the impact of image smoothing and noise on the robustness of textural information extracted from CBCT images for prediction of radiotherapy response for patients with head/neck (H/N) cancers. Methods: CBCT image datasets for 14 patients with H/N cancer treated with radiation (70 Gy in 35 fractions) were investigated. A deformable registration algorithm was used to fuse planning CT’s to CBCT’s. Tumor volume was automatically segmented on each CBCT image dataset. Local control at 1-year was used to classify 8 patients as responders (R), and 6 as non-responders (NR). A smoothing filter [2D Adaptive Weiner (2DAW) with 3more » different windows (ψ=3, 5, and 7)], and two noise models (Poisson and Gaussian, SNR=25) were implemented, and independently applied to CBCT images. Twenty-two textural features, describing the spatial arrangement of voxel intensities calculated from gray-level co-occurrence matrices, were extracted for all tumor volumes. Results: Relative to CBCT images without smoothing, none of 22 textural features extracted showed any significant differences when smoothing was applied (using the 2DAW with filtering parameters of ψ=3 and 5), in the responder and non-responder groups. When smoothing, 2DAW with ψ=7 was applied, one textural feature, Information Measure of Correlation, was significantly different relative to no smoothing. Only 4 features (Energy, Entropy, Homogeneity, and Maximum-Probability) were found to be statistically different between the R and NR groups (Table 1). These features remained statistically significant discriminators for R and NR groups in presence of noise and smoothing. Conclusion: This preliminary work suggests that textural classifiers for response prediction, extracted from H&N CBCT images, are robust to low-power noise and low-pass filtering. While other types of filters will alter the spatial frequencies differently, these results are promising. The current study is subject to Type II errors. A much larger cohort of patients is needed to confirm these results. This work was supported in part by a grant from Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, CA)« less

75 FR 9623 - Arizona Public Service Company, et al.; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-03

... pressurized-water reactors located in Maricopa County, Arizona. 2.0 Request/Action Title 10 of the Code of... in CE NPSD-683-A, Revision 6, for the calculation of flaw stress intensity factors due to membrane stress from pressure loading (K IM ), an exemption was required, since the methodology for the...

Managing nuclear power plant induced disasters.

PubMed

Kyne, Dean

2015-01-01

To understand the management process of nuclear power plant (NPP) induced disasters. The study shields light on phases and issues associated with the NPP induced disaster management. This study uses Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station as study subject and Arizona State as study area. This study uses the Radiological Assessment System for Consequence Analysis (RASCAL) Source Term to Dose (STDose) of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a computer software to project and assess the source term dose and release pathway. This study also uses ArcGIS, a geographic information system to analyze geospatial data. A detailed case study of Palo Verde Nuclear Power Generation (PVNPG) Plant was conducted. The findings reveal that the NPP induced disaster management process is conducted by various stakeholders. To save lives and to minimize the impacts, it is vital to relate planning and process of the disaster management. Number of people who expose to the radioactive plume pathway and level of radioactivity could vary depending on the speed and direction of wind on the day the event takes place. This study findings show that there is a need to address the burning issue of different racial and ethnic groups' unequal exposure and unequal protection to potential risks associated with the NPPs.

Modular, Reconfigurable, High-Energy Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carrington, Connie; Howell, Joe

2006-01-01

The Modular, Reconfigurable High-Energy (MRHE) Technology Demonstrator project was to have been a series of ground-based demonstrations to mature critical technologies needed for in-space assembly of a highpower high-voltage modular spacecraft in low Earth orbit, enabling the development of future modular solar-powered exploration cargo-transport vehicles and infrastructure. MRHE was a project in the High Energy Space Systems (HESS) Program, within NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology (ESR&T) Program. NASA participants included Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Glenn Research Center (GRC). Contractor participants were the Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville, AL, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA, ENTECH, Inc. in Keller, TX, and the University of AL Huntsville (UAH). MRHE's technical objectives were to mature: (a) lightweight, efficient, high-voltage, radiation-resistant solar power generation (SPG) technologies; (b) innovative, lightweight, efficient thermal management systems; (c) efficient, 100kW-class, high-voltage power delivery systems from an SPG to an electric thruster system; (d) autonomous rendezvous and docking technology for in-space assembly of modular, reconfigurable spacecraft; (e) robotic assembly of modular space systems; and (f) modular, reconfigurable distributed avionics technologies. Maturation of these technologies was to be implemented through a series of increasingly-inclusive laboratory demonstrations that would have integrated and demonstrated two systems-of-systems: (a) the autonomous rendezvous and docking of modular spacecraft with deployable structures, robotic assembly, reconfiguration both during assembly and (b) the development and integration of an advanced thermal heat pipe and a high-voltage power delivery system with a representative lightweight high-voltage SPG array. In addition, an integrated simulation testbed would have been developed containing software models representing the technologies being matured in the laboratory demos. The testbed would have also included models for non-MRHE developed subsystems such as electric propulsion, so that end-to-end performance could have been assessed. This paper presents an overview of the MRHE Phase I activities at MSFC and its contractor partners. One of the major Phase I accomplishments is the assembly demonstration in the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LMATC) Robot-Satellite facility, in which three robot-satellites successfully demonstrated rendezvous & docking, self-assembly, reconfiguration, adaptable GN&C, deployment, and interfaces between modules. Phase I technology maturation results from ENTECH include material recommendations for radiation hardened Stretched Lens Array (SLA) concentrator lenses, and a design concept and test results for a hi-voltage PV receiver. UAH's accomplishments include Supertube heatpipe test results, which support estimates of thermal conductivities at 30,000 times that of an equivalent silver rod. MSFC performed systems trades and developed a preliminary concept design for a 100kW-class modular reconfigurable solar electric propulsion transport vehicle, and Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville performed assembly and rendezvous and docking trades. A concept animation video was produced by SAIC, wllich showed rendezvous and docking and SLA-square-rigger deployment in LEO.

Long range personalized cancer treatment strategies incorporating evolutionary dynamics.

PubMed

Yeang, Chen-Hsiang; Beckman, Robert A

2016-10-22

Current cancer precision medicine strategies match therapies to static consensus molecular properties of an individual's cancer, thus determining the next therapeutic maneuver. These strategies typically maintain a constant treatment while the cancer is not worsening. However, cancers feature complicated sub-clonal structure and dynamic evolution. We have recently shown, in a comprehensive simulation of two non-cross resistant therapies across a broad parameter space representing realistic tumors, that substantial improvement in cure rates and median survival can be obtained utilizing dynamic precision medicine strategies. These dynamic strategies explicitly consider intratumoral heterogeneity and evolutionary dynamics, including predicted future drug resistance states, and reevaluate optimal therapy every 45 days. However, the optimization is performed in single 45 day steps ("single-step optimization"). Herein we evaluate analogous strategies that think multiple therapeutic maneuvers ahead, considering potential outcomes at 5 steps ahead ("multi-step optimization") or 40 steps ahead ("adaptive long term optimization (ALTO)") when recommending the optimal therapy in each 45 day block, in simulations involving both 2 and 3 non-cross resistant therapies. We also evaluate an ALTO approach for situations where simultaneous combination therapy is not feasible ("Adaptive long term optimization: serial monotherapy only (ALTO-SMO)"). Simulations utilize populations of 764,000 and 1,700,000 virtual patients for 2 and 3 drug cases, respectively. Each virtual patient represents a unique clinical presentation including sizes of major and minor tumor subclones, growth rates, evolution rates, and drug sensitivities. While multi-step optimization and ALTO provide no significant average survival benefit, cure rates are significantly increased by ALTO. Furthermore, in the subset of individual virtual patients demonstrating clinically significant difference in outcome between approaches, by far the majority show an advantage of multi-step or ALTO over single-step optimization. ALTO-SMO delivers cure rates superior or equal to those of single- or multi-step optimization, in 2 and 3 drug cases respectively. In selected virtual patients incurable by dynamic precision medicine using single-step optimization, analogous strategies that "think ahead" can deliver long-term survival and cure without any disadvantage for non-responders. When therapies require dose reduction in combination (due to toxicity), optimal strategies feature complex patterns involving rapidly interleaved pulses of combinations and high dose monotherapy. This article was reviewed by Wendy Cornell, Marek Kimmel, and Andrzej Swierniak. Wendy Cornell and Andrzej Swierniak are external reviewers (not members of the Biology Direct editorial board). Andrzej Swierniak was nominated by Marek Kimmel.

Final Optical Design of PANIC, a Wide-Field Infrared Camera for CAHA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cárdenas, M. C.; Gómez, J. Rodríguez; Lenzen, R.; Sánchez-Blanco, E.

We present the Final Optical Design of PANIC (PAnoramic Near Infrared camera for Calar Alto), a wide-field infrared imager for the Ritchey-Chrtien focus of the Calar Alto 2.2 m telescope. This will be the first instrument built under the German-Spanish consortium that manages the Calar Alto observatory. The camera optical design is a folded single optical train that images the sky onto the focal plane with a plate scale of 0.45 arcsec per 18 μm pixel. The optical design produces a well defined internal pupil available to reducing the thermal background by a cryogenic pupil stop. A mosaic of four detectors Hawaii 2RG of 2 k ×2 k, made by Teledyne, will give a field of view of 31.9 arcmin ×31.9 arcmin.

Advanced Physiological Estimation of Cognitive Status. Part 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-24

Neurofeedback Algorithms and Gaze Controller EEG Sensor System g.USBamp *, ** • internal 24-bit ADC and digital signal processor • 16 channels (expandable...SUBJECT TERMS EEG eye-tracking mental state estimation machine learning Leonard J. Trejo Pacific Development and Technology LLC 999 Commercial St. Palo...fatigue, overload) Technology Transfer Opportunity Technology from PDT – Methods to acquire various physiological signals ( EEG , EOG, EMG, ECG, etc

Archeological and Historic Cultural Resources Inventory for a Proposed Flood Control Project at Devils Lake, Ramsey County, North Dakota.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

Chautauqua Association signed a contract with J.H. McCulloch to secure a right-of- way for the Chautauqua Railway. McCulloch received a 30 year franchise in...excavation at Bakery of U.S. military fort Palo Duro St. Park, TX; Test excavation at historic dugout Sea Rim State Park, TX; Archaeological survey San

DDT-related compounds as non-extractable residues in submarine sediments of the Palos Verdes Shelf, California, USA.

PubMed

Kucher, S; Schwarzbauer, J

2017-10-01

The Palos Verdes Shelf (PVS) and the continental slope off the Palos Verdes Peninsula are highly contaminated by degradation products of the pesticide DDT (1-chloro-4-[2,2,2-trichloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]benzene). Sediment samples from two box cores were analyzed to obtain further information about the fate of DDT and its degradation products within the environment. After solvent extraction, an alkaline hydrolysis procedure was applied. A comprehensive screening for 26 DDT compounds revealed that DDT and its degradates contaminate not only the extractable fraction but also the fraction released by alkaline hydrolysis. A comparison of the quantitative distribution of DDT degradation products in the extractable fraction and released by alkaline hydrolysis showed a distinct difference. DDE (1-chloro-4-[2,2-dichloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethenyl]benzene), DDD (1-chloro-4-[2,2-dichloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]benzene), DDMS (1-chloro-4-[2-chloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]benzene), and DDMU (1-chloro-4-[2-chloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethenyl]benzene) were predominant in the sediment extracts but minor components of the hydrolyzable fraction. The most abundant compounds released by the alkaline hydrolysis were DBP (bis(4-chlorophenyl)methanone), DDNU (1-chloro-4-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethenyl]benzene), DDM (1-chloro-4-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]benzene) and the water-soluble DDA (2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)acetic acid). The release of DDA may point to the presence of an important degradation pathway in marine environments. Concentration levels of DDT-related compounds showed corresponding vertical profiles in both fractions, but were significantly lower in the fraction released by alkaline hydrolysis. In contrast to fluvial sediments contaminated by DDT and its degradates the alkaline hydrolysis products represented a minor portion of the total sedimentary burden in the analyzed marine sediments. These findings show the necessity of a comprehensive screening for all DDT isomers and breakdown products in the extractable and non-extractable fraction to assess the total contamination abundance and potential environmental risks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for the transmission of infectious diseases agents at the wild birds-commercial birds interface. A pilot study in the region of the Altos de Jalisco, Mexico.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Altos de Jalisco region in west central Mexico is the location of the largest concentration of poultry farms. This district has witnessed the emergence of Low Pathogenic H5N2 and the Highly Pathogenic H7N3 Influenza viruses. Eighty counting stations along a 50 km corridor were designated in five...

Reconnaissance of sedimentation in the Rio Pilcomayo Basin, May 1975, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ritter, John R.

1977-01-01

The Río Pilcomayo "Alto" (Bolivia) and "Superior" (Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay) transport large quantities of sediment for the size of the basin. The Río Pilcomayo "Inferior" (Argentina and Paraguay) seems to carry little sediment. The large loads of the "Alto" and "Superior" must be considered before dams or irrigation projects are started. The shifting channel and flooding of the Río Pilcomayo "Superior" also are problems to be considered before development. The Río Pilcomayo "Alto" basin has relatively little deposition whereas the "Superior" basin has considerable deposition. A part of the "Superior" channel is filled with sediment to the top of its banks. The upstream limit of filling is moving farther upstream each year causing the place of overbank flooding to move upstream also.More data must be collected and more observations made before a complete analysis of the sediment movement in the basin can be made.

Population decline of the Elfin-woods Warbler Setophaga angelae in eastern Puerto Rico

Treesearch

W.J. Arendt; S.S. Qian; K. Mineard

2013-01-01

We estimated the population density of the globally threatened Elfin-woods Warbler Setophaga angelae within two forest types at different elevations in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in north-eastern Puerto Rico. Population densities ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 individuals/ha in elfin woodland and 0.06–0.26 individuals/ha in palo colorado forest in 2006, with average...

European Science Notes Information Bulletin Reports on Current European/ Middle Eastern Science

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

Palo-Oceanography, Marine Geophysics, Marine Environmental Geology, and Petrology of the Oceanic Crust. The spe- cific concerns of each of these...integration To compute numerically the expected value of an over the fermion fields, leaving an integral over the gauge operator, the configuration space...ethrough the machine (one space point per processor).In the gauge field theories of elementary particles, This is appropriate for generating gauge field

Transportation and Travel: Travel Overseas

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-20

FORT LEANORD WOOD OSCEOLA OFFUTT AFB NE FORT LEANORD WOOD PAGE OFFUTT AFB NE FORT LEANORD WOOD PALO OFFUTT AFB NE FORT LEANORD WOOD PLYMOUTH OFFUTT...goods—Continued COUNTY HHG ORDERS ADAIR FORT KNOX KY ALLEN FORT KNOX KY ANDERSON LEXINGTON BLUE GRASS ARMY DEPOT BALLARD FORT CAMPBELL KY BARREN FORT...MASSACHUSETTS FORT DEVENS MA PLYMOUTH JPPSO–MASSACHUSETTS FORT DEVENS MA SUFFOLK JPPSO–MASSACHUSETTS FORT DEVENS MA WORCESTER JPPSO–MASSACHUSETTS FORT DEVENS

Options for In Situ Capping of Palos Verdes Shelf Contaminated Sediments

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-01

coastal areas, as summarized by Rhoads and Carey (1996). In certain coastal areas the bioturbation effects of “ megafauna ” have received attention... Megafauna are exemplified by large skates and rays that excavate large pits during foraging and large crustaceans such as lobsters, crabs and mantis...disturbance, their pits are generally no deeper than 30 cm. Other potentially important megafauna included cuskeels and eelpouts, which are locally very

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Permian and Palo Duro Basins and Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin: Chapter K in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merrill, Matthew D.; Slucher, Ernie R.; Roberts-Ashby, Tina L.; Warwick, Peter D.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Freeman, P.A.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has completed an assessment of the potential geologic carbon dioxide storage resource in the onshore areas of the United States. To provide geological context and input data sources for the resources numbers, framework documents are being prepared for all areas that were investigated as part of the national assessment. This report is the geologic framework document for the Permian and Palo Duro Basins, the combined Bend arch-Fort Worth Basin area, and subbasins therein of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. In addition to a summarization of the geology and petroleum resources of studied basins, the individual storage assessment units (SAUs) within the basins are described and explanations for their selection are presented. Though appendixes in the national assessment publications include the input values used to calculate the available storage resource, this framework document provides only the context and source of inputs selected by the assessment geologists. Spatial files of boundaries for the SAUs herein, as well as maps of the density of known well bores that penetrate the SAU seal, are available for download with the release of this report.

Intelligence Professionalism in the Americas (profesionalismo de inteligencia en las americas)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-11-01

latinoamericanos, a lo largo de tres conceptuales artículos que relacionan estos informes, país por país, con el hemisferio en su conjunto. Su lectura ha... critica también la politización que existió en las actividades de inteligencia y propone una definición de inteligencia gubernamental como la recolección...Inteligencia en el Centro de Altos Estudios Nacionales, Instituto de Altos Estudios Policiales, Escuela Superior de Guerra Naval, Escuela Superior de Guerra

Vendor advertorial issue, 2004

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

Agnihotri, Newal

The focus of the July-August issue is on vendor advertorials. Major articles/reports in this issue include: A fascinating technology, by Andy White, GE Energy; Exciting times for the nuclear industry, by John Polcyn, AECL Technologies; SG replacement oversight program, by Ram Prabhakar, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station; Modifications for improvement, by Herbert Deutschmann, Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, HSK, Switzerland; and, Human factor approach in engineering, by Laure Quentin, EDF and Didier Niger, UNIPE, France.

DOE ZERH Case Study: Palo Duro Homes, Via del Cielo, Santa Fe, NM

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

none,

2015-09-01

Case study of a DOE 2015 Housing Innovation Award winning production home in the mixed-dry climate that got a HERS 48 without PV, with 2x6 24” on center walls with R-21 blown fiberglass; slab foundation with R-10 under slab and R-5rigid foam at slab edge; vented attic with R-75 blown fiberglass; ducted minisplit heat pump 16.5 SEER, 9.5 HSPF.

The dynamics of subtidal poleward flows over a narrow continental shelf, Palos Verdes, CA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noble, M.A.; Ryan, H.F.; Wiberg, P.L.

2002-01-01

The Palos Verdes peninsula is a short, very narrow (< 3 km) shelf in southern California that is bracketed by two large embayments. In May 1992, arrays of up to 4 moorings and 2 benthic tripods were deployed in a yearlong study of the circulation processes over this shelf and the adjacent slope. Wind stress, coastal sea level, atmospheric pressure and wave records were obtained from offshore sites and from coastal stations surrounding Palos Verdes. Bottom stress calculated for the mid-shelf sites using a boundary-layer model and data from the above instruments indicated the bottom drag coefficient over this shelf is about 0.003 Currents flow toward the northwest along the shelf and upper slope. Speeds are generally around 20-30 cm/s. There was no obvious seasonal structure in the flow. The first EOF for subtidal alongshelf current accounted for nearly 70% of the variance at sites on the shelf and upper slope. The dominant fluctuations had periods between 5 and 20 days, periods longer than seen in the regional wind stress field. Coastal sea level and the alongshore gradient in sea level had a similar concentration of energy in the 5-20 day frequency band. About 30% of the alongshelf flow was coherent with the alongshelf pressure gradient; currents flowed down the pressure gradient with minimal phase lag. Winds accounted for only 15-20% of the variance in subtidal currents, but the measured effect of wind stress was large. A 1 dyne/cm2 wind stress was associated with a 20-30 cm/s alongshore current. Both the regional wind stress and the alongshelf pressure gradients had spatial scales much larger than found on this small shelf. Subtidal flows forced by these regional fields were set up in the adjacent, much broader basins. The currents amplified as they moved onto the narrow shelf between the basins. Hence, local wind-driven currents had anomalously large amplitudes. The momentum equations for alongshelf wind or pressure gradients did not balance because some of the measured terms were associated with regional fields, others with local process. Our observations suggest that it is more difficult to determine which measured fields reflect the local processes in regions with rapidly changing topography. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.