Digital Commons Network^™

Clinical And Dosimetric Results Of Proton Or Photon Radiation Therapy For Large (>5 Cm) Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis, Rodney Cheng-En Hsieh, Ching-Hsin Lee, Hsiao-Chieh Huang, Shu-Wei Wu, Chen-Yu Chou, Sheng-Ping Hung, Chao-Wei Lee, Sunil Krishnan, Bhanu Prasad Venkatesulu, Jin-Chiao Lee, Yung-Chih Chou, Kun-Ming Chan, Po-Ting Lin, Wei-Chen Lee, Chen-Chun Lin, Shen-Yen Lin, Ji-Hong Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Our purpose was to report the clinical and dosimetric attributes of patients with large unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing proton or photon radiation therapy.

Methods and materials: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes and dosimetric indices of 159 patients with >5 cm nonmetastatic HCC who underwent definitive radiation therapy using either protons (N = 105) or photons (N = 54) between 2014 and 2018. Additional photon plans were performed in the 105 proton-treated patients using the same dose prescription criteria for intragroup dosimetric comparison.

Results: After a median follow-up of 47 months, patients with biologically effective dose (BED10) ≥ 75 …

Esophageal Cancer Outcomes After Definitive Chemotherapy With Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy, Chike O Abana, Pim J Damen, Peter S Van Rossum, Pablo Lopez Bravo, Xiong Wei, Julianne M Pollard-Larkin, Paige L Nitsch, Mariela Blum Murphy, Wayne L Hofstetter, Zhongxing Liao, Steven H Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The effectiveness of intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for esophageal cancer treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiation therapy remains inadequately explored. We investigated long-term outcomes and toxicity experienced by patients who received IMPT as part of definitive esophageal cancer treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified and analyzed 34 patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who received IMPT with concurrent chemotherapy as a definitive treatment regimen at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2011 to 2021. The median IMPT dose was 50.4 GyRBE in 28 fractions; concurrent chemotherapy consisted of fluorouracil and/or taxane and/or platinum. Survival outcomes were …

Spectrophotometric Analysis Of Purple Urine Secondary To Methylene Blue And Hydroxocobalamin Co-Administration, Jeremy Hardin, Henrik Galust, Richard Franklin Clark, Binh Ly, Raymond Theodore Suhandynata

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The development of purple urine after methylene blue (methylthioninium chloride) and hydroxocobalamin co-administration is a rare clinical entity that has not been fully elucidated. A 47-year-old male presented to the emergency department with hypotension, cyanosis, and depressed mental status. The patient was noted to have profound peripheral and central cyanosis, as well as chocolate-colored arterial blood. He was treated with both methylene blue and hydroxocobalamin and developed purple urine for approximately 1 week.

METHODS: Color chromatography was performed by placing the patient's urine directly onto absorbent filter paper. Urine spectrophotometry was performed utilizing the NanoDrop One/One C UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. …

Cancer Patients With Clonal Hematopoiesis Die From Primary Malignancy Or Comorbidities Despite Higher Rates Of Transformation To Myeloid Neoplasms, Kelly S Chien, Faustine Ong, Kunhwa Kim, Ziyi Li, Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna, Courtney D Dinardo, Koichi Takahashi, Guillermo Montalban-Bravo, Danielle Hammond, Koji Sasaki, Sherry A Pierce, Hagop M Kantarjian, Guillermo Garcia-Manero

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of somatic mutations in patients with no evidence of hematological disorders is called clonal hematopoiesis (CH). CH, whose subtypes include CH of indeterminate potential and clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance, has been associated with both hematologic cancers and systemic comorbidities. However, CH's effect on patients, especially those with concomitant malignancies, is not fully understood.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective evaluation of all patients with CH at a tertiary cancer center. Patient characteristics, mutational data, and outcomes were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS: Of 78 individuals included, 59 (76%) had a history of cancer and 60 (77%) had moderate …

Study Of The Relationship Among Economic Variables In Cattle Production In A Region Of Peru, Based On Plithogenic Statistics, Ketty Marilú Moscoso-Paucarchuco, Michael Raiser Vásquez-Ramírez, Humberto Rafael Yupanqui-Villanueva, Wilfredo Fernando Yupanqui-Villanueva, Omar Arturo Vivanco-Nuñez, Manuel Michael Beraún-Espíritu, Rafael Jesús Fernández-Jaime, Edgar Gutiérrez-Gómez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This paper is an in-depth study that starts from a preliminary one, where we surveyed 141 ranchers from the town of Coto-Coto in Peru to obtain as much information as possible about the relationship between two economic variables, Activity Cost and Financial Management. Furthermore, we study the correlation of the first one of them with three other economic vari ables. To do this, we process the survey data using logical operators with the support of the plithogenic statistics theory. These results given in the form of plithogenic values are logically aggregated and were converted to crisp values and studied through …

Applications Of Sets And Functions By Using An Open Sets In Fuzzy Neutrosophic Topological Spaces, Basker P, Broumi Said, Vennila J

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

The definitions provided by the authors of the current study are offered together with a discussion of the recent advances that they have contributed. We begin with an introduction to ���� Fr#bϱN , which includes the concepts of closed and open sets. We explore characteristics in ����-βd#bϱN and ����-℮bϱN (ϱN), and provide an idea of obtained results by adding the notion of FNbϱN OS and analyzing a few of their properties in ��������. We've researched the contrasts between the derived, exterior, and frontier notions that are provided. We also looked at the ideas of 〈��bϱN〉��-functions and Γ��-segregated functions and examined …

Measurement Of The Effectiveness Of An Educational Program Inspired By Indigenous Knowledge For Forest Management, Applied To Forest Engineering Students At The National University Of Central Peru, Using The Neutrosophic 2-Tuple Linguistic Method, Melina Lisbet, Rubén Gelacio Caballero Salas, Milciades Aníbal Baltazar Ruiz, Carlos Eduardo Caballero Salas, Guillermo Ayllon Pinchi, Rolando Carlos Canteño Gavino, Keneth Reategui Del Aguila, Wilmer Ortega Chávez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

The “guide to Asháninka knowledge for forest management” is a document prepared by aca demics and scientists from the National University of Central Peru (NUCP) in the Faculty of Forestry Engineering, which includes the knowledge of this indigenous people about forest nature. Despite being ancestral knowledge, we believe that it can serve as a complement to the scientific study of the subject since it is based on knowledge accumulated over centuries of experience. The main purpose of this article is to determine the influence of the “Ashaninka knowledge guide for forest management” on the learning level of NUCP Forest Engineering …

A Photographic Exploration Of Wigi (Currently Called Humboldt Bay), Aldaron Laird

Trade & Scholarly Monographs

For decades, Aldaron has walked the shores of the bay, climbed its nearby sand dunes, and kayaked its entire periphery, taking over 25,000 photos that reveal the beauty of Wigi as it might appear in some magical, glimmering dream. From those thousands of photos, Aldaron selected 119 for this book. For each photo he kept, he discarded 209 others, which means that of those 25,000 images, he used less than one percent. We might think that taking all those photos required a tremendous amount of work, but it soon becomes clear that Aldaron did not work on this book, he …

Insecticide Contamination In Organic Agriculture: Evidence From A Long-Term Farming Systems Comparisons Trial, Ivonne Kampermann, David Bautze, Millicent Mapili, Martha Musyoka, Edward Karanja, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Janet Irungu, Noah Adamtey

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Synthetic pesticides applied in conventional agriculture to control pests tend to compromise ecosystem services, and their residues may contaminate organic agriculture. To understand the significance of this contamination, also in small-scale farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa, quantitative data is required. Therefore, we compared synthetic insecticide and botanical/biopesticide residues in conventional and organic agricultural production systems after nine years of continuous cultivation of a maize-based crop rotation system at two sites in Kenya. Our results show high detectable concentrations of synthetic insecticide residues (imidacloprid, acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos, and chlorantraniliprole) in conventional plant produce and soil. Furthermore, the organophosphate chlorpyrifos was detected at …

Masthead

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Calculating The Harms Of Political Use Of Popular Music, Jake Linford, Aaron Perzanowski

UC Law Journal

When Donald Trump descended the escalator of Trump Tower to announce his 2016 presidential bid, Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” blared from the loudspeakers. Almost immediately, Young’s management made clear that the campaign’s use of the song was unauthorized. Neil Young was not alone. Trump drew similar objections from dozens of artists during his first two presidential bids. But as a matter of copyright law, it is unclear whether artists can prevent their songs from being played at campaign rallies. Putting the intricacies of copyright licensing aside, what motivates artists to object to the use of their songs …

Trickle-Down Compliance: How Codifying The Mandatory Presidential Audit Can Improve Tax Morale And Tax Compliance, Emma Braden

UC Law Journal

A functioning government requires tax revenue, and democratic legitimacy requires a nation’s leaders be subject to the same laws as its citizens. The president’s tax behavior is an opportunity to address both needs. With a projected increase in the tax gap, there is a need for a politically viable, cost-effective way to increase revenues. In December 2022, the House Ways and Means Committee released a report revealing that the IRS failed to perform mandatory annual audits of former President Donald Trump’s taxes. The revelation imperils public trust in tax administration, requiring a new approach to guarantee accountability for a president’s …

I Spy With My Many Eyes: The Government’S Unbridled Use Of Your Surveillance Cameras, Brian A. Weikel

UC Law Journal

Surveillance cameras are increasingly used by the public and law enforcement to prevent and prosecute criminal activity. Individuals and companies can grant law enforcement access to private cameras for both live monitoring feeds and recorded footage, thereby creating a quasi- public network of private cameras. According to the third-party doctrine, the government can access all information from these surveillance cameras without a subpoena or warrant and without infringing upon Fourth Amendment privacy protections. However, as technology advances and the prevalence of surveillance cameras rises, this per se rule fails to account for one’s reasonable expectation of privacy in the public …

Marketing Video Games To Aging Demographics: A Generational Profile Analysis, Brinna Louise Ball

Theses

Marketing video games to aging demographics like Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials requires a unique approach by video game studios and consumer products divisions alike. The strategies employed for younger generations such as Generation Z and Generation Alpha differ from conventional methods, requiring a fresh outlook and a need for more innovative and inventive approaches. To comprehend the current aging audience more effectively, it's essential to examine four crucial factors: accessibility, exposure, media habits, and motivations to play video games. Examining these factors by generation, we can better grasp how to effectively market video games to these demographics. It's …

Paulus Potter’S Punishment Of A Hunter: A Study In Cultural Shifts, Moderation And Class, Taylor Brown

Theses

This paper proposes a new reading of the painting Punishment of a Hunter (1647-1652) by Dutch painter Paulus Potter through the lens of its unique position in seventeenth-century Dutch art with regards to allegory, human and animal caricature, human nature, class, and the influence of economic growth and complexity of class in Amsterdam. The painting consists of fourteen individual vignettes on one panel of wood. Utilizing socio-economic, political, historical and formal analysis, this thesis proposes a reading of the painting. A total of five chapters, each addressing key themes of the painting, will contribute to my main thesis asserting that …

Future-Proofing The Past: Artificial Intelligence In The Restoration Of Andalusian Architectural Heritage: A Case Study Of The Alhambra Palace, Granada, Spain, Kholoud Bader Hasan Ghaith

Theses

This thesis explains the contribution of artificial intelligence in heritage restoration as an icon of Andalusian architecture by using the Alhambra as an example. The task of sustaining heritage is increasing dramatically due to the accumulation of heritage assets and the need for modern and innovative operations to cope with preservation tasks. Therefore, this thesis reviews the role of artificial intelligence in improving the restoration operation to improve accuracy and efficiency. I applied the case study as a scientific methodology to explain this work to overcome scientific and subjective obstacles, such as scarce data and software integration while explaining the …

Optimal Trajectory Solutions For Unmanned Pursuer/Evader Offensive Counterair Including Engagement Zone, Alexander Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This work considers a two-actor scenario of a faster, unmanned pursuer with an engagement zone (EZ) and a non-maneuvering mobile evader. The pursuer aims to capture an evader with a circular EZ. The EZ is dynamic and shifts as a function of the evader’s velocity vector. As the evader’s strategy changes, the EZ relative to the pursuer adjusts based on relative heading and speed of the two agents. Using nonlinear optimal control techniques, the optimal trajectory and minimum time to engage the evader are determined for various pursuer initial headings and positions through MATLAB simulation. The results build a control …

Origami Application And Attitude Control Investigation Of Space-Based Mirror System, David J. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Imaging and inspecting Resident Space Objects (RSO) have gained increasing importance in Space Situational Awareness (SSA) missions. These missions are driven by the necessity to perform satellite repairs, refueling, de-orbiting, and orbital debris reduction. However, the challenging lighting conditions in space often hinder these tasks. To overcome this challenge, a novel concept has been proposed—deploying mirrors from servicer satellites. These mirrors would harness solar energy to illuminate dimly-lit RSOs, enabling imaging, inspection, repair, and refueling operations. In this context, servicer satellites play a pivotal role in controlling the reflected light beam and precisely positioning themselves to illuminate RSOs effectively. Notably, …

Statistical Reliability Estimation Of Space Launch Vehicles, Brooke N. Wagenblast

Theses and Dissertations

Space launch vehicle reliability is imperative to understand since launch vehicles are crucial in getting payloads into space for a hopefully successful mission. This thesis examines the reliability of commercial, civil, and military space launch vehicles through trend analysis and a variety of statistical methods. Data sets obtained from the Seradata database are analyzed for trends by looking at data subsets including launch date, launch country, final mission orbit, section (commercial, civil or military), launch vehicle family and failed subsystem. First-level Bayesian analysis and mean success rates are performed, primarily split up by launch vehicle family and total launches, and …

A Comparative Study Of The Business Models Used In The U.S. And Saudi Arabia Firms In Relation To Venture Capital, Abdulmajeed Ali Alkthiri

Theses and Dissertations

While venture capital (VC) has expanded globally, challenges in comparing international VC strategies remain due to data limitations and theoretical variability. This study contrasts VC investment philosophies, support mechanisms, and exit strategies in mature US firms with those in developing Saudi Arabia from 2016-2021. Analyzing fundraising, sector focus, deal volume, and exit outcomes, it finds significant differences attributed to ecosystem maturity, with some convergence in contracting and mentoring. The findings highlight the need for US VC models to adapt strategically in Islamic markets, suggesting regulatory reforms for market development. This research provides guidelines for effective cross-border VC strategy adaptation.

An Nlp-Based Knowledge Extraction Approach For It Tech-Support/Helpdesk Transcripts, Gary Yu Zhao

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

In the realm of IT support, it is crucial to extract valuable information from various support channels, such as telephone, web chat, email, and social media. This extracted knowledge can help organizations prioritize customer-centric approaches and improve customer service. It also has broader applications, from decision support to product development and human resources policies. Traditionally, extracting knowledge from unstructured text was time-consuming and inefficient, but natural language processing (NLP) techniques demonstrated potential for extracting valuable insights in a variety of application contexts. However, their efficacy and potential in the context of domain-specific IT support transcripts remain primarily limited.

This research …

How Will California’S Electric Vehicle Policy Impact State-Generated Transportation Revenues? Projecting Scenarios Through 2040, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Hannah King, H. A. “Burt” Tasaico

Mineta Transportation Institute

California faces unprecedented uncertainty about how much revenue the state will raise from a package of taxes on motor fuels and annual registration fees on light-duty vehicles that was established in 2017 by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1). The SB 1 taxes are by far the largest source of revenue that the State of California generates to support maintenance, operations, and improvements for state highways, and the funds also contribute substantially to local transportation and public transit budgets. To help policymakers navigate the uncertainty about future SB 1 transportation revenue, this study used spreadsheet models to project revenue from the …

Effect Of Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles On Tire–Pavement Contact Forces, Jaime Hernandez, Angeli Jayme, Johann J. Cardenas Huaman, Imad L. Al-Qadi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Electric vehicles offer higher acceleration than conventional internal combustion engines due to larger engine torque. The design and placement of battery packs in heavy-duty electric vehicles are still being optimized, as they can affect axle load distributions and consequently impact pavement analysis and design. This study presents a finite element model of a dual tire assembly considering varying load and acceleration conditions to investigate the effect of conventional and electric heavy-duty vehicles on tire–pavement contact forces. Three scenarios for battery pack locations were examined, leading to six loading conditions for both internal combustion engines and electric trucks. The resulting 3D …

A Survey Assessment Of Neurosurgeons' Interest In Osteopathic Medicine And Its Integration Into Their Practice., Devin W Kolmetzky, Dillon B Gooder, Evan S Polly, Sarah N Glisan, Zein Al-Atrache, Clint A Badger, Steven S Yocom, Alan R Turtz, Donald Allison

PCOM Scholarly Works

INTRODUCTION: Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) encompasses techniques guided by the tenets of osteopathy aimed at facilitating the body's natural self-healing capabilities as a treatment option for injury or illness. This approach recognizes the interrelationship of structure and function in promoting overall health. The clinical applications of OMM have been highly researched throughout different subspecialties of medicine; however, there is a notable lack of osteopathic-based research targeted toward neurosurgical patient populations.

METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted via a survey generated using SurveyMonkey (SurveyMonkey, San Mateo, CA, USA; accessed at www.surveymonkey.com). Subjects for this survey were gathered using a convenience …

Baselining Historical And Cultural Context For Law Students: Aba Standard 303(C) And New York Law School’S “Community Days: Law In Context” Programme, Anthony W. Crowell

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Associations Between Personality And Mental Health Among Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets, Katie L. Andrews, Laleh Jamshidi, Jolan Nisbet, Tracie O. Afifi, Shannon Sauer-Zavala, Gregory P. Kratzig, Taylor A. Teckchandani, J. Patrick Neary, R. Nicholas Carleton

Psychology Faculty Publications

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) report frequent exposures to diverse potentially psychological traumatic events (PPTEs) that can lead to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders. Personality traits may partially inform the substantial mental health challenges reported by serving RCMP. The current study examines associations between HEXACO personality factor and facet-level dimensions and mental health disorders of RCMP cadets starting the Cadet Training Program (CTP). RCMP cadets (n = 772) starting the CTP self-reported sociodemographics, personality, and mental health disorder symptoms. Emotionality was associated with MDD, GAD, and SAD (AORs ranged from 6.23 to 10.22). Extraversion …

Skill Use Mediates The Within-Person Effect Of The Alliance On Session-To-Session Changes In Anxiety And Depression In The Unified Protocol, Martina Fruhbauerova, Douglas R. Terrill, Stephen A. Semcho, Nicole E. Stumpp, Jesse P. Mccann, Shannon Sauer-Zavala, Matthew W. Southward

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Both the therapeutic alliance and the specific skills taught in treatment are thought to contribute to change in cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), but it is unclear if or how these processes influence each other and outcomes in treatment. We tested the hypothesis that the degree to which patients used CBT skills would mediate the relation between the alliance and session-to-session changes in anxiety and depression. Method: Adult participants (N = 70; M_age = 33.74, 67% female, 70% White) with emotional disorders were randomized to receive 6 or 12 sessions of the Unified Protocol. Before each session, participants reported anxiety …

Anthrenus (Anthrenus) Muehlei, A New Species (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Megatominae) From Iran, Graham J. Holloway, Andreas Herrmann

Insecta Mundi

A new species, Anthrenus muehlei Holloway and Herrmann (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Megatominae), from Iran is described. Images of internal and external features are presented. Only female specimens were found and described, but the bursa copulatrix contains obvious sclerites enabling easy differentiation from all other known species from the Palaearctic A. pimpinellae complex. The possible function and taxonomic implication of the sclerites is mentioned.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:97661C20-803E-4785-A4B0-58B16C94D9A2

New Host Records For Nearctic And Neotropical Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Frank E. Kurczewski, Rick C. West, Cecilia Waichert

Insecta Mundi

We present new and atypical host records for 78 species, subspecies, species-groups, and variants of spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) from North America and South America. The records are listed in modified taxonomic order following the Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, Volume 2, Apocrita (Aculeata) (Krombein 1979). These records are an extension of previous host records reported by Kurczewski (2010), Kurczewski and Edwards (2012), and Kurczewski et al. (2017, 2020, 2022b). New genus and species host records are given for the genera and subgenera Calopompilus Ashmead, Chirodamus Haliday, Pepsis Fabricius, Hemipepsis Dahlbom, Priocnessus Banks, Entypus Dahlbom, Pompilocalus Roig-Alsina, …

Efficacy Of Passive Ventilation With High Exhaust Demands: A Case Study Of Cal Poly Sst, Siddarth Bokka

Construction Management

The Simpson Strong Tie Demonstration Laboratory serves as a multipurpose space allowing students at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic State University to build full scale construction projects. The building features a material storage area, a high bay for construction of full-scale projects, and a mezzanine level that houses digital fabrication equipment. However, the building was never designed to house the specific equipment currently installed on the mezzanine and ventilate the exhaust fumes from them. Rather, the building relies on passive natural ventilation that is likely ineffective at properly exhausting hazardous fumes, resulting in complaints from …