Advancing combined radiological and optical scanning for breast-conserving surgery margin guidance

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and standard-of-care for early-stage disease typically involves a lumpectomy or breast-conserving surgery (BCS). BCS involves the local resection of cancerous tissue, while sparring as much healthy tissue as possible. State-of-the-art methods for intraoperatively evaluating BCS margins are limited. Approximately 20% of BCS cases result in a tissue resection with cancer at or near the resection surface (i.e., a positive margin). A two-fold increase in ipsilateral breast cancer recurrence is associated with the presence of one or more positive margins. Consequently, positive margins often necessitate costly re-excision procedures to achieve a curative outcome. X-ray micro-computed tomography (CT) is emerging as a powerful ex vivo specimen imaging technology, as it provides robust three-dimensional sensing of tumor morphology rapidly. However, X-ray attenuation lacks contrast between soft tissues that are important for surgical decision making during BCS. Optical structured light imaging, including spatial frequency domain imaging and active line scan imaging, can act as adjuvant tools to complement micro-CT, providing wide field-of-view, non-contact sensing of relevant breast tissue subtypes on resection margins that cannot be differentiated by micro-CT alone. This thesis is dedicated to multimodal imaging of BCS tissues to ultimately improve intraoperative BCS margin assessment, reducing the number of positive margins after initial surgeries and thereby reducing the need for costly follow-up procedures. Volumetric sensing of micro-CT is combined with surface-weighted, sub-diffuse optical reflectance derived from high spatial frequency structured light imaging. Sub-diffuse reflectance plays the key role of providing enhanced contrast to a suite of normal, abnormal benign, and malignant breast tissue subtypes. This finding is corroborated through clinical studies imaging BCS specimen slices post-operatively and is further investigated through an observational clinical trial focused on combined, intraoperative micro-CT and optical imaging of whole, freshly resected BCS tumors. The central thesis of this work is that combining volumetric X-ray imaging and sub-diffuse optical scanning provides a synergistic multimodal imaging solution to margin assessment, one that can be readily implemented or retrofitted in X-ray specimen imaging systems and that could meaningfully improve surgical guidance during initial BCS procedures

Impacts of invasive Opuntia cacti on wild mammals in Kenya

In this thesis, I explored the impacts of invasive plants on animal behaviour, using the invasion of Opuntia cacti in Laikipia County, Kenya, as a specific case study. In the opening chapter, I introduced the topic of biological invasions, addressing essential background material and identifying key knowledge gaps. In the second chapter, I focused on the impacts of invasive plants on animal behaviour, an important – yet neglected – topic. I synthesised the disparate literature on invasive plants’ behavioural impacts within a novel mechanistic framework, revealing that invasive plants can cause profound behavioural changes in native animals, with ecological consequences at multiple scales. I also found that environmental context played an important role in moderating how an invader’s modes of impact translate into behavioural changes in native species, and how these behavioural changes then generate ecological impacts. Finally, I identified priority research questions relating to the behavioural impacts of invasive plants. Invasive plants’ behavioural impacts can manifest as changes to the occurrence patterns of native animals. In Chapter 3, I used simulations to explore model selection in occupancy models, which are a powerful tool for studying the patterns and drivers of occurrence. Specifically, I investigated the consequences of collider bias – a type of confounding that can arise when adding explanatory variables to a model – for model selection using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Schwarz Criterion (or Bayesian Information Criterion, BIC). I found that the effect of collider bias, and consequently the inferential and predictive accuracy of the AIC/BIC-best model, depended on whether the collider bias was present in the occupancy or detection data-generating process. My findings illustrate the importance of distinguishing between inference and prediction in ecological modelling and have more general implications for the use of information criteria in all linear modelling approaches. In Chapter 4, I applied the mechanistic framework from Chapter 2 and the modelling conclusions from Chapter 3 to the problem of understanding Opuntia’s behavioural impacts in Laikipia County. Specifically, I used camera traps to explore the effects of Opuntia on occupancy and activity for eight key mammal species. I found that the effects of Opuntia varied among mammal species and depended on the spatial scale of the Opuntia cover covariate. These findings have important implications for the conservation of endangered mammal species in the region, the future spread of Opuntia through seed dispersal, and interactions between wildlife and local communities. In Chapter 5, I addressed key knowledge gaps pertaining to Opuntia’s biotic interactions with native animals. First, I quantified the relationship between height and fruiting in O. engelmannii and O. stricta, finding that height was positively related to fruiting for both species, and that the relationship was stronger for O. engelmannii than for O. stricta. I also found that local habitat variables were related to height and/or fruiting in both Opuntia species. Second, I documented the interactions between animals and Opuntia using camera traps. In so doing, I confirmed the importance of interactions that were previously thought to be important, while also highlighting interactions which have previously received little attention in the published scientific literature

Letter to Andrew H. Foote aboard the USS Cumberland, from Chaplain Charles Samuel Stewart, writing from New York, dated November 23, 1843.

Andrew Hull Foote is known for his naval service and contribution to reforms in the US Navy. At the time of this letter, it appears that Foote was on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the USS Cumberland. Chaplain Charles S. Stewart writes to Foote from New York to encourage his prospect and promise for moral and spiritual good upon the USS Cumberland.https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/littlejohnmss/1263/thumbnail.jp

New York’s Professor John R. Nolon: A National Leader in Land Use Law with a Large Impact Across the Hudson Valley and the State of New York

As Professor John R. Nolon steps down from active law teaching, this article reflects not only on his contributions as a national thought leader in the field, but also on how he has a hand in changing the land use and conservation patterns in New York while promoting affordable housing and combating discrimination

Distance learning plan for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS): a study for the Defense Business Management University (DBMU)

This thesis analyzes the requirements and design considerations of a video teletraining (VIT) delivery system for 25 Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) centers located throughout the continental United States. Current DFAS VTT capabilities are reviewed and included. The study's sponsor, The Defense Business Management University (DBMU). bas been tasked by the DoD Comptroller to implement a training program for these centers. The DBMU has identified VTT as an extremely cost-effective option for training personnel at these 25 DFAS satellite adivities. The study focuses on current VTT technologies-both in industry and in the DoD. Basic VTT concepts are presented, evolving VTT standards are discussed, existing DoD VIT infrastructures are outlined, and problem areas such as system interoperability are explored. The study presents recommendations for an immediale DFAS VTT implementation plan using available DoD one-way/two-way satellite and/or two-way/two-way terrestrial distance education capabilities. This thesis also presents a recommendation for integration of a long term V1T network broadacast system including a single site program origination studio.http://archive.org/details/distancelearning1094543029U.S. Naval Reserve (USNR) author.;U.S. Navy (USN) authorApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Evaluation of containers as a virtualisation alternative for HEP workloads

In this paper the emerging technology of Linux containers is examined and evaluated for use in the High Energy Physics (HEP) community. Key technologies required to enable containerisation will be discussed along with emerging technologies used to manage container images. An evaluation of the requirements for containers within HEP will be made and benchmarking will be carried out to asses performance over a range of HEP workflows. The use of containers will be placed in a broader context and recommendations on future work will be given