Optimisation in HDR brachytherapy

New HDR machines supplied with stepping source systems give us an additional opportunity to optimise source distribution by modeling source dwell time. Different optimization algorithms are implemented in the commercial planning systems connected with HDR machines. The choice of proper optimization procedures is basic for Quality Assurance in brachytherapy planning.The main ideas of optimization algorithms implemented in PLATO system are presented.Some examples of gynaecological, intralumenal and interstitial brachytherapy are analyzed. Nonoptimised and “geometrically” optimized interstitial implants are compared. The advantages of optimization are discussed on the basic of dose-volume histograms. The danger of wrong optimization is also discussed.This work is supported by KBN Grant No 8T11E0440

Is there an orthographic boost for ambiguous words during their processing?

The present study explores the issue of why ambiguous words are recognized faster than unambiguous ones during word recognition. To this end we contrasted two different hypotheses: the semantic feedback hypothesis (Hino and Lupker in J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 22:1331-1356, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.22.6.1331 ), and the hypothesis proposed by Borowsky and Masson (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cognit 22:63-85, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.22.1.63 ). Although both hypotheses agree that ambiguous words benefit during recognition in that they engage more semantic activation, they disagree as to whether or not this greater semantic activation feeds back to the orthographic level, hence speeding up the orthographic coding of ambiguous words. Participants were presented with ambiguous and unambiguous words in two tasks, a lexical decision task (LDT) and a two-alternative forced-choice task (2AFC). We found differences between ambiguous and unambiguous words in both the LDT and the 2AFC tasks. These results suggest that the orthographic coding of ambiguous words is boosted during word processing. This finding lends support to the semantic feedback hypothesis.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PSI2015-63525-P) and by the Research Promotion Program of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (2016PFR-URV-B2-37). This has also been partially supported by the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) through the state budget with Reference IF/00784/2013/CP1158/CT0013. The first author also holds a grant from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (2015PMF-PIPF-16)

Jugs at the Edge of the World: The Production, Trade, and Significance of Pottery in Medieval Ireland, 1169- The Mid 14th Century

The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 changed the island more than nearly any other event in its history. The Anglo-Normans had a completely different lifestyle than the native Irish inhabitants. The use of pottery was one such difference. Unlike other more ephemeral materials, pottery lasts indefinitely, and it is destroyed only though purposeful human action, or the weathering of geologic time. Further, pottery is part of the greater context of material culture and it can tell us a great deal about the material culture as a whole. As political boundaries shifted rapidly in a complex patchwork, in some areas the invaders and natives began to integrate. If their social cultures interwove, so too, must have their material cultures. Through the evidence left by the production, use, and trade of pottery, we can determine, to what degree the native Irish, Anglo-Irish, and Anglo-Norman colonists\u27 material cultures integrated as the groups moved closer to homogenization

The Jefferson Lab High Resolution TDC Module

We discuss the design of a high resolution TDC module for use in nuclear physics experiments at Jefferson Lab. Preliminary results on the performance of the prototype module are presented

The Upgrade Path from Legacy VME to VXS Dual Star Connectivity for Large Scale Data Acquisition and Trigger Systems

New instrumentation modules have been designed by Jefferson Lab and to take advantage of the higher performance and elegant backplane connectivity of the VITA 41 VXS standard. These new modules are required to meet the 200KHz trigger rates envisioned for the 12GeV experimental program. Upgrading legacy VME designs to the high speed gigabit serial extensions that VXS offers, comes with significant challenges, including electronic engineering design, plus firmware and software development issues. This paper will detail our system design approach including the critical system requirement stages, and explain the pipeline design techniques and selection criteria for the FPGA that require embedded Gigabit serial transceivers. The entire trigger system is synchronous and operates at 250MHz clock with synchronization signals, and the global trigger signals distributed to each front end readout crate via the second switch slot in the 21 slot, dual star VXS backplane. The readout of the buffered detector signals relies on 2eSST over the standard VME64x path at >200MB/s. We have achieved 20Gb/s transfer rate of trigger information within one VXS crate and will present results using production modules in a two crate test configuration with both VXS crates fully populated. The VXS trigger modules that reside in the front end crates, will be ready for production orders by the end of the 2011 fiscal year. VXS Global trigger modules are in the design stage now, and will be complete to meet the installation schedule for the 12GeV Physics program