Hay Prices and Trends

Kentucky’s large cattle and horse populations require considerable forage, and hay is one of the primary feed sources. The state ranks eighth nationally in the production of dry hay. This paper will look at this important sector of Kentucky’s agriculture production, specifically at the available sources of hay prices and recent price trends

Comprehensive concept-phase system safety analysis for hybrid-electric vehicles utilizing automated driving functions

2019 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Automotive system safety (SS) analysis involving automated driving functions (ADFs) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is an active subject of research but highly proprietary. A comprehensive SS analysis and a risk informed safety case (RISC) is required for all complex hybrid-vehicle builds especially when utilizing ADFs and ADAS. Industry standard SS procedures have been developed and are accessible but contain few detailed instructions or references for the process of completing a thorough automotive SS analysis. In this work, a comprehensive SS analysis is performed on an SAE-Level 2 autonomous hybrid-vehicle architecture in the concept phase which utilizes lateral and longitudinal automated corrective control actions. This paper first outlines a proposed SS process including a cross-functional SS working group procedure, followed by the development of an item definition inclusive of the ADFs and ADAS and an examination of 5 hazard analysis and risk assessment (HARA) techniques common to the automotive industry that were applied to 11 vehicle systems, and finally elicits the safety goals and functional requirements necessary for safe vehicle operation. The results detail functional failures, causes, effects, prevention, and mitigation methods as well as the utility of, and instruction for completing the various HARA techniques. The conclusion shows the resulting critical safety concerns for an SAE Level-2 autonomous system can be reduced through the use of the developed list of 116 safety goals and 950 functional safety requirements

Praxis der Datenerfassung mit Drohnen für GIS und Vermessung

In der Vorbereitung zur Bauphase von Projekten ist die Visualisierung sowie die Erfassung tagesaktueller Naturstandsdaten ein gewichtiger Aspekt. Bilder von Online-Karten, die via Satellit oder Flugzeug erstellt wurden, können bis zu mehreren Jahren alt sein. Drohnen mit Kameras bestückt können Gebiete gezielt befliegen und nach anschließender Auswertung werden die Daten zur Vermessung und Visualisierung herangezogen. Mit Hilfe der drohnengestützten Photogrammmetrie werden so digitale Karten, Geländemodelle, 3D Modelle rasch und tagesaktuell generiert. Ein wesentlicher Faktor stellt die weitere Integration der Daten in Verwaltungssysteme dar. Die generierten Pläne können in einer Verwaltungssoftware und/oder einer GIS Software direkt verarbeitet werden. Der administrative Aufwand, bei der Verortung von Sachdaten, wird dabei nicht nur durch die Visualisierung erheblich verringert. Beispielsweise soll hier die Digitalisierung von Friedhöfen genannt werden, die durch diese Technologie kostengünstig und rasch realisiert werden kann. Die durch Drohnenbefliegung generierten 3D Volumenmodelle von Steinbrüchen sind nicht nur für Visualisierungen interessant, sondern die daraus gewonnenen Höhenschichtmodelle, digitalen Gelände- oder Oberflächenmodelle dienen auch Vermessungen und sind Behördenkonform. Die Befliegung mit Flugrobotern, mit anschließender photogrammetrischer Auswertung, bietet mit Orthofotos, 3D Modellen und Luftbildern meist eine kostengünstig Alternative gegenüber der terrestrischen Vermessung. Das verwendete uLFZ (unbemannte Luftfahrzeug) muss von der Flugsicherungsbehörde (ACG = Austro Control) für den Betrieb zugelassenen werden, sowie der Pilot die entsprechende Befähigung nachweisen

Precompactness of solutions to the Ricci flow in the absence of injectivity radius estimates

Consider a sequence of pointed n-dimensional complete Riemannian manifolds {(M_i,g_i(t), O_i)} such that t in [0,T] are solutions to the Ricci flow and g_i(t) have uniformly bounded curvatures and derivatives of curvatures. Richard Hamilton showed that if the initial injectivity radii are uniformly bounded below then there is a subsequence which converges to an n-dimensional solution to the Ricci flow. We prove a generalization of this theorem where the initial metrics may collapse. Without injectivity radius bounds we must allow for convergence in the Gromov-Hausdorff sense to a space which is not a manifold but only a metric space. We then look at the local geometry of the limit to understand how it relates to the Ricci flow.Comment: Published by Geometry and Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/gt/GTVol7/paper14.abs.htm

New Dimensions for Wound Strings: The Modular Transformation of Geometry to Topology

We show, using a theorem of Milnor and Margulis, that string theory on compact negatively curved spaces grows new effective dimensions as the space shrinks, generalizing and contextualizing the results in hep-th/0510044. Milnor's theorem relates negative sectional curvature on a compact Riemannian manifold to exponential growth of its fundamental group, which translates in string theory to a higher effective central charge arising from winding strings. This exponential density of winding modes is related by modular invariance to the infrared small perturbation spectrum. Using self-consistent approximations valid at large radius, we analyze this correspondence explicitly in a broad set of time-dependent solutions, finding precise agreement between the effective central charge and the corresponding infrared small perturbation spectrum. This indicates a basic relation between geometry, topology, and dimensionality in string theory.Comment: 28 pages, harvmac big. v2: references and KITP preprint number added, minor change

Assessment of range uncertainty in lung-like tissue using a porcine lung phantom and proton radiography

Thoracic tumours are increasingly considered indications for pencil beam scanned proton therapy (PBS-PT) treatments. Conservative robustness settings have been suggested due to potential range straggling effects caused by the lung micro-structure. Using proton radiography (PR) and a 4D porcine lung phantom, we experimentally assess range errors to be considered in robust treatment planning for thoracic indications. A human-chest-size 4D phantom hosting inflatable porcine lungs and corresponding 4D computed tomography (4DCT) were used. Five PR frames were planned to intersect the phantom at various positions. Integral depth-dose curves (IDDs) per proton spot were measured using a multi-layer ionisation chamber (MLIC). Each PR frame consisted of 81 spots with an assigned energy of 210 MeV (full width at half maximum (FWHM) 8.2 mm). Each frame was delivered five times while simultaneously acquiring the breathing signal of the 4D phantom, using an ANZAI load cell. The synchronised ANZAI and delivery log file information was used to retrospectively sort spots into their corresponding breathing phase. Based on this information, IDDs were simulated by the treatment planning system (TPS) Monte Carlo dose engine on a dose grid of 1 mm. In addition to the time-resolved TPS calculations on the 4DCT phases, IDDs were calculated on the average CT. Measured IDDs were compared with simulated ones, calculating the range error for each individual spot. In total, 2025 proton spots were individually measured and analysed. The range error of a specific spot is reported relative to its water equivalent path length (WEPL). The mean relative range error was 1.2% (1.5 SD 2.3 %) for the comparison with the time-resolved TPS calculations, and 1.0% (1.5 SD 2.2 %) when comparing to TPS calculations on the average CT. The determined mean relative range errors justify the use of 3% range uncertainty for robust treatment planning in a clinical setting for thoracic indications

Reproducibility of the lung anatomy under active breathing coordinator control:Dosimetric consequences for scanned proton treatments

Purpose The treatment of moving targets with scanned proton beams is challenging. For motion mitigation, an Active Breathing Coordinator (ABC) can be used to assist breath-holding. The delivery of pencil beam scanning fields often exceeds feasible breath-hold durations, requiring high breath-hold reproducibility. We evaluated the robustness of scanned proton therapy against anatomical uncertainties when treating nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients during ABC controlled breath-hold. Methods Four subsequent MRIs of five healthy volunteers (3 male, 2 female, age: 25-58, BMI: 19-29) were acquired under ABC controlled breath-hold during two simulated treatment fractions, providing both intrafractional and interfractional information about breath-hold reproducibility. Deformation vector fields between these MRIs were used to deform CTs of five NSCLC patients. Per patient, four or five cases with different tumor locations were modeled, simulating a total of 23 NSCLC patients. Robustly optimized (3 and 5 mm setup uncertainty respectively and 3% density perturbation) intensity-modulated proton plans (IMPT) were created and split into subplans of 20 s duration (assumed breath-hold duration). A fully fractionated treatment was recalculated on the deformed CTs. For each treatment fraction the deformed CTs representing multiple breath-hold geometries were alternated to simulate repeated ABC breath-holding during irradiation. Also a worst-case scenario was simulated by recalculating the complete treatment plan on the deformed CT scan showing the largest deviation with the first deformed CT scan, introducing a systematic error. Both the fractionated breath-hold scenario and worst-case scenario were dosimetrically evaluated. Results Looking at the deformation vector fields between the MRIs of the volunteers, up to 8 mm median intra- and interfraction displacements (without outliers) were found for all lung segments. The dosimetric evaluation showed a median difference in D-98% between the planned and breath-hold scenarios of -0.1 Gy (range: -4.1 Gy to 2.0 Gy). D-98% target coverage was more than 57.0 Gy for 22/23 cases. The D-1 cc of the CTV increased for 21/23 simulations, with a median difference of 0.9 Gy (range: -0.3 to 4.6 Gy). For 14/23 simulations the increment was beyond the allowed maximum dose of 63.0 Gy, though remained under 66.0 Gy (110% of the prescribed dose of 60.0 Gy). Organs at risk doses differed little compared to the planned doses (difference in mean doses <0.9 Gy for the heart and lungs, <1.4% difference in V-35 [%] and V-20 [%] to the esophagus and lung). Conclusions When treating under ABC controlled breath-hold, robustly optimized IMPT plans show limited dosimetric consequences due to anatomical variations between repeated ABC breath-holds for most cases. Thus, the combination of robustly optimized IMPT plans and the delivery under ABC controlled breath-hold presents a safe approach for PBS lung treatments

Early experience with targeted therapy as a first-line adjuvant treatment for pediatric low-grade glioma.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) frequently exhibit dysregulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Targeted therapies, including mutant BRAF inhibitors (dabrafenib) and MEK inhibitors (trametinib), have shown promise in patients in whom conventional chemotherapy has failed. However, few studies have investigated the use of targeted therapy as a first-line treatment for pLGG. Here, the authors reviewed their institutional experience with using a personalized medicine approach to patients with newly diagnosed pLGGs. METHODS: All pediatric patients at the authors\u27 institution who had been treated with dabrafenib or trametinib for pLGG without first receiving conventional chemotherapy or radiation were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data were collected. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent targeted therapy as a first-line treatment for pLGG. Five patients had a BRAF alteration (1 with a BRAFV600E mutation, 4 with a KIAA1549:BRAF fusion), and 3 patients had an NF1 mutation. One of the 8 patients was initially treated with dabrafenib, and trametinib was added later. Seven patients were initially treated with trametinib; of these, 2 later transitioned to dual therapy, whereas 5 continued with trametinib monotherapy. Six patients (75%) demonstrated a partial response to therapy during their treatment course, whereas stable disease was identified in the remaining 2 patients (25%). One patient experienced mild disease progression after completing a course of trametinib monotherapy, but ultimately stabilized after a period of close observation. Another patient experienced tumor progression while on dabrafenib, but subsequently responded to dual therapy with dabrafenib and trametinib. The most common adverse reactions to targeted therapy were cutaneous toxicity (100%) and diarrhea (50%). CONCLUSIONS: Targeted therapies have the potential to become a standard treatment option for pLGG due to their favorable toxicity profile and oral route of administration. This case series provides preliminary evidence that targeted therapies can induce an early disease response as a first-line adjuvant treatment; however, large-scale studies are required to assess long-term durability and safety

p63 is an alternative p53 repressor in melanoma that confers chemoresistance and a poor prognosis.

The role of apoptosis in melanoma pathogenesis and chemoresistance is poorly characterized. Mutations in TP53 occur infrequently, yet the TP53 apoptotic pathway is often abrogated. This may result from alterations in TP53 family members, including the TP53 homologue TP63. Here we demonstrate that TP63 has an antiapoptotic role in melanoma and is responsible for mediating chemoresistance. Although p63 was not expressed in primary melanocytes, up-regulation of p63 mRNA and protein was observed in melanoma cell lines and clinical samples, providing the first evidence of significant p63 expression in this lineage. Upon genotoxic stress, endogenous p63 isoforms were stabilized in both nuclear and mitochondrial subcellular compartments. Our data provide evidence of a physiological interaction between p63 with p53 whereby translocation of p63 to the mitochondria occurred through a codependent process with p53, whereas accumulation of p53 in the nucleus was prevented by p63. Using RNA interference technology, both isoforms of p63 (TA and ΔNp63) were demonstrated to confer chemoresistance, revealing a novel oncogenic role for p63 in melanoma cells. Furthermore, expression of p63 in both primary and metastatic melanoma clinical samples significantly correlated with melanoma-specific deaths in these patients. Ultimately, these observations provide a possible explanation for abrogation of the p53-mediated apoptotic pathway in melanoma, implicating novel approaches aimed at sensitizing melanoma to therapeutic agents