A Real-time Image Reconstruction System for Particle Treatment Planning Using Proton Computed Tomography (pCT)

Proton computed tomography (pCT) is a novel medical imaging modality for mapping the distribution of proton relative stopping power (RSP) in medical objects of interest. Compared to conventional X-ray computed tomography, where range uncertainty margins are around 3.5%, pCT has the potential to provide more accurate measurements to within 1%. This improved efficiency will be beneficial to proton-therapy planning and pre-treatment verification. A prototype pCT imaging device has recently been developed capable of rapidly acquiring low-dose proton radiographs of head-sized objects. We have also developed an advanced, fast image reconstruction software based on distributed computing that utilizes parallel processors and graphical processing units. The combination of fast data acquisition and fast image reconstruction will enable the availability of RSP images within minutes for use in clinical settings. The performance of our image reconstruction software has been evaluated using data collected by the prototype pCT scanner from several phantoms.Comment: Paper presented at Conference on the Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry, CAARI 2016, 30 October to 4 November 2016, Ft. Worth, TX, US

Relations of Cercospora beticola with Host Plants and Fungal Antagonists

Cerco pora leaf pot (CLS) cau ed by Cercospora beticola Sacc., is sti ll considered to be the mo t important foliar di ease of ugar beel. The di ea e ha been reported wherever ugar beet i grO\\ n (Bieiholder and Weltzien 1972). Since the di ease wa fir t identified. management of CLS of ugar beet has been an ongoing mi ion of plant pathologists. Toda}. everal trategie are available and applied either s ingly or in combination to manage the di ea e. The e management trategie , which were ummarized by Windels et al. (1998), include cultural practice uch a deep tillage, rotation with non-host crops and identification and elimination of econdary weed host . Other include breeding and use of re i.tant cultivars and application of fungicide. The u e of re i tant sugar beet cultivars has long been an integral pan of CLS management; however, problems associated with selection of re i tant cuhivars again t CLS are wel l documented and were recently reviewed by Weiland and Koch (2004). According to the author , resistance to CLS in sugar beet has been de cribed as quantitatively in herited and rate limiting with respect to disease development (Smith and Gaskill 1970, Ro i et a l. 1999). Although resistant cultivars have proven effective in both North America and Europe, they nonetheless exhibit low heritability (Smith and Ruppel 1974), and cultivar bred for Cercospora resistance can still exhibit leaf pots if climatic condition favorable for the disease occur

Lunar lander conceptual design

A conceptual design is presented of a Lunar Lander, which can be the primary vehicle to transport the equipment necessary to establish a surface lunar base, the crew that will man the base, and the raw materials which the Lunar Station will process. A Lunar Lander will be needed to operate in the regime between the lunar surface and low lunar orbit (LLO), up to 200 km. This lander is intended for the establishment and operation of a manned surface base on the moon and for the support of the Lunar Space Station. The lander will be able to fulfill the requirements of 3 basic missions: A mission dedicated to delivering maximum payload for setting up the initial lunar base; Multiple missions between LLO and lunar surface dedicated to crew rotation; and Multiple missions dedicated to cargo shipments within the regime of lunar surface and LLO. A complete set of structural specifications is given

Tillage, Crop Rotation, and Cultural Practice Effects on Dryland Soil Carbon Fractions

Information is needed on novel management practices to increase dryland C sequestration and soil quality in the northern Great Plains, USA. We evaluated the effects of tillage, crop rotation, and cultural practice on dryland crop biomass (stems and leaves) yield, surface residue, and soil C fractions at the 0-20 cm depth from 2004 to 2008 in a Williams loam in eastern Montana, USA. Treatments were two tillage (no-tillage [NT] and conventional tillage [CT]), two crop rotations (continuous spring wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] [CW] and spring wheat-barley [Hordeum vulgaris L.] hay-corn [Zea mays L.]-pea [Pisum sativum L.] [W-B-C-P]), and two cultural practices (regular [conventional seed rates and plant spacing, conventional planting date, broadcast N fertilization, and reduced stubble height] and ecological [variable seed rates and plant spacing, delayed planting, banded N fertilization, and increased stubble height]). Carbon fractions were soil organic C (SOC), particulate organic C (POC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and potential C mineralization (PCM). Crop biomass was 24% to 39% greater in W-B-C-P than in CW in 2004 and 2005. Surface residue C was 36% greater in NT than in CT in the regular practice. At 5 - 20 cm, SOC was 14% greater in NT with W-B-C-P and the regular practice than in CT with CW and the ecological practice. In 2007, POC and PCM at 0 - 20 cm were 23 to 54% greater in NT with CW or the regular practice than in CT with CW or the ecological practice. Similarly, MBC at 10 - 20 cm was 70% greater with the regular than with the ecological practice in NT with CW. Surface residue, PCM, and MBC declined from autumn 2007 to spring 2008. No-tillage with the regular cultural practice increased surface residue and soil C storage and microbial biomass and activity compared to conventional tillage with the ecological practice. Mineralization reduced surface residue and soil labile C fractions from autumn to spring

Comparing Stacked and Alternate-Year Cropping Systems In a Semiarid Environment

Diversification of continuous durum system can improve economic and environmental sustainability in semiarid cropping systems, but little is known about the influence of rotation type and management system on durum performance. We conducted a study from 2005 to 2011 comparing two sets of crops in stacked (durum-durum-canola-pea and durum-durum-flax-pea) and alternate-year (durum-canola-durum-pea and durum-flax-durum-pea) rotations under conventional and ecological management levels on durum yield and characteristics. Continuous durum was included as a control. Conventional management included preplant tillage, broadcast urea, standard seeding rates, and short durum residue height. Ecological management included zero tillage, banded urea at planting, greater seeding rates, and tall durum residue height. Average durum grain yield, plant height, and plant stand across years were lower in durum-durum-canola-pea than other rotations under the conventional but not under the ecological management. Overall, rotation type rarely influenced yield or yield components of durum. Durum yield was greater in three out of six years under the ecological than under the conventional management. Durum was taller, with more reproductive tillers but fewer seed per head, under the ecological than under the conventional management. Stacked rotation of durum with pea in the conventional management resulted in reduced durum grain yield and performance compared to other treatments in dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains

Host-microbiota interaction induces bi-phasic inflammation and glucose intolerance in mice

Objective: Gut microbiota modulates adiposity and glucose metabolism in humans and mice. Here we investigated how colonization of germ-free (GF) mice affects kinetics of adiposity and glucose metabolism. Methods: Adiposity and glucose metabolism were evaluated at different time points in ex-GF and antibiotic treated mice after colonization with gut microbiota from a conventionally raised (CONV-R) mouse. Mouse physiology, microbiome configuration, serum cytokine levels, and gene expression for inflammatory markers were performed in different tissues. Results: Colonization resulted in a bi-phasic glucose impairment: the first phase occurring within 3 days of colonization (early phase) and the second 14–28 days after colonization (delayed phase). The early phase co-occurred with an inflammatory response and was independent of adiposity, while the delayed phase was mostly ascribed to adipose tissue expansion and inflammation. Importantly, re-colonization of antibiotic treated mice displays only the delayed phase of glucose impairment and adiposity, suggesting that the early phase may be unique to colonization of the immature GF mice gut. Conclusions: Our results provide new insights on host–microbiota interaction during colonization of GF mice and the resulting effects on adiposity and glucose metabolism in a time resolved fashion

Yield, Pests, and Water Use of Durum and Selected Crucifer Oilseeds in Two-Year Rotations

Cool-season oilseed crops are potential feedstock for biofuel production, but few studies have compared oilseed-durum (Triticum durum Desf.) rotations on yield, quality, water use, and pests associated with crops. We conducted an experiment under dryland conditions during 2007 to 2010 near Culbertson, MT, comparing crop productivity, water balance, and key weed and arthropod pests of 2-yr oilseed-durum rotations under zero tillage. Rotations included durum with three Brassicaceae sp., camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz], crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst. ex R.E. Fries), and canola-quality Brassica juncea L., and fallow. Over 4 yr, B. juncea had the highest seed and oil yields of crucifer entries. Water use was similar among oilseed crops, averaging 286 mm. Water use was similar for durum following oilseeds, averaging 282 mm, 72 mm less than for durum following fallow. Durum following fallow averaged 775 kg ha−1 greater grain yield than durum following oilseeds due to higher water availability and use. Camelina had greater weed biomass at harvest and lower densities of Plutella xylostella L. than other oilseeds. Durum in rotation with crambe had higher weed density and biomass at harvest than durum following B. juncea or fallow. Brassica juncea generally performed better than crambe or camelina, but each oilseed crop had several positive attributes. Oilseed-durum rotations can be used for biofuel feedstock and grain production, but long-term sustainability of 2-yr rotations on crop yields and pest management requires further study

Using Action Research to Address Poor Waste Management at Kijjabwemi C/U Primary School in Kijjabwemi Suburb, Masaka City.

Background: This action research (AR) project was carried out at Kijjabwemi C/U Primary school at Kijjabwemi suburb of Kimaanya-Kabonera division of the newly formed Masaka City to identify, analyze, prioritize and identify solutions to address a health problem of priority at this setting using the locally accessible and available resources. Methodology: A participatory rural appraisal approach (PRA) guided how this research achieved its objectives right from the collection of information about the health challenges faced by this school. Data was collected using Focus group discussions, interviewing, and transect walk methods. Although the majority of data is qualitative, quantitative data is as well used especially where voting on an issue took place. At prioritization, a two-phase approach conceptualized by 1) multi-level voting techniques and 2) the Hanlon method of specifying criteria, PEARL testing, and Priority scoring was adopted to priorities the most urgent, serious, and feasible problem. The five Why/What for the root cause analysis was used to analyze the problem. Results: Out of the twelve health problems enlisted as urgent and serious by over 50% of stakeholders in the first phase, Poor waste management was identified as a major and priority problem caused by the excessive distance between generation and final disposal point, lack of designated collection points as well as containers, time and irregularity of disposal, shallow waste disposal pit and lack of well develop enforceable guidelines. Conclusion and recommendation: Stakeholder-centered- learning about excellent waste management practices, utilizing transferable plastic bins of 40ml capacity, increasing the depth of the disposal pit as well as fencing it, and developing settings-oriented guidelines to increase vigilance for waste generation reduction, frequency of disposal, and burning of waste was implemented as interventions