GPU basierte Parallelisierung von deformierbaren Registrierungsverfahren als Grundlage für dynamische Anpassungen von Therapieplänen in der adaptiven Strahlentherapie

Hochkonforme Strahlentherapietechniken ermöglichen eine gezielte Tumorbestrahlung bei maximaler Schonung des benachbarten gesunden Gewebes und der Risikoorgane. Anatomische Veränderungen während des Bestrahlungsverlaufs können jedoch zu einer Abweichung von der verschriebenen Dosisverteilung führen. Durch Adaptionen der Patientenposition oder des Bestrahlungsplans können diese Abweichungen kompensiert werden. Dafür werden Transformationen benötigt, die diese Veränderungen beschreiben. Die sich verändernde Anatomie wird unter der Therapie in Kontrollaufnahmen abgebildet. Um die Transformationen aus den Aufnahmen zu ermitteln, können Bildregistrierungsverfahren eingesetzt werden. Zur Berücksichtigung von lokalen Veränderungen der Anatomie werden deformierbare Registrierungsverfahren benötigt. Um während der Therapie auf beobachtete Veränderungen eingehen zu können, steht nur ein sehr enges Zeitfenster zur Verfügung. Existierende Registrierungsverfahren sind zu langsam, um diese Aufgabe erfüllen zu können. Durch Parallelisierung der algorithmischen Komponenten lassen sich die Registierungsverfahren signifikant beschleunigen, ohne die Genauigkeit zu reduzieren. In dieser Arbeit wurde ein hoch parallelisierbares Verfahren zur Ermittelung der Deformationen aus Bildern entwickelt und auf einer parallelen Architektur der GPU Hardware umgesetzt. Die resultierende Rechendauer von unter einer bis wenigen Minuten bei guter Registrierungsqualität kann die Umsetzung von adaptiven Korrekturstrategien noch während der Behandlung ermöglichen

Increasing the identification of Hepatitis C and referral to treatment in primary care through a medical assistant driven workflow

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to increase Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) screening and identification through the implementation of universal screening for HCV with a Medical Assistant (MA) workflow as provider prompt. This QI project evaluated the effectiveness of universal HCV screening in a federally qualified health center (FQHC), community health center (CHC), patient centered medical home serving primarily Medicaid, Medicare and uninsured patients. HCV is a major cause of chronic liver disease throughout the world. It now causes more deaths than any other infectious disease in the United States (US). Costs associated with its treatment are significant and increasing. Therefore, early identification through screening and referral to treatment are essential in preventing the spread of the disease and reducing disease related morbidity and mortality. Methods: Implementation of universal screening for HCV through an MA driven workflow to identify the need for screening and as a provider prompt. Results: The number of HCV at-risk patients screened increased from 1,144 to 1,393, (x2 = 7.96, p = .0048), representing 21.8% increase in the eight weeks post implementation. The screening rate for all clinic patients increased from 27.1% to 32.2% (x2 = 26.598, p \u3c . 00001). Additionally, referrals to HCV treatment increased from 314 to 442 (x2 = 5.507, p = .0189), representing a 40.8% increase. Conclusion: This MA driven universal HCV screening workflow demonstrated the effectiveness of a simple, cost-effective practice change in improving the identification of HCV and referral to treatment

Modelling Vertical Migration:Combined Effects of Environment and Animal

Vertical migration is one of the most important types of animal migrations, encompassing most zooplankton and many fish species in the world’s oceans

Examining the Effects of Personalized Explanations in a Multi-list Food Recommender System

In the past decade, food recipe websites have become a popular approach to find a recipe. Due to the vast amount of options, food recommender systems have been devel- oped and used to suggest appetizing recipes. However, recommending appealing meals does not necessarily imply that they are healthy. Recent studies on recommender sys- tems have demonstrated a growing interest in altering the interface, where the usage of multi-list interfaces with explanations has been explored earlier in an unsuccessful at- tempt to encourage healthier food choices. Building upon other research that highlights the ability of personalized explanations to provide a better understanding of presented recommendations, this thesis explores whether a multi-list interface with personalized explanations, which takes into account user preferences, health, and nutritional aspects, can affect users’ evaluation and perception of a food recommender system, as well as steer them towards healthier choices. A food recommender system was develop, with which single- and multi-lists, as well as non-personalized and personalized explana- tions, were compared in an online experiment (N = 163) in which participants were requested to choose recipes they liked and to answer questionnaires. The analysis re- vealed that personalized explanations in a multi-list interface were not able to increase choice satisfaction, choice difficulty, understanding or support healthier choices. Sur- prisingly, users selected healthier recipes if non-personalized rather than personalized explanations were presented alongside them. In addition, users perceived multi-lists to be more diverse and found single-list to be more satisfying.Masteroppgave i informasjonsvitenskapINFO390MASV-INF

Non-resident companies tax liability in Norway Limited tax liability under the taxation act 2-3 (1) letter b, the permanent establishment and the arm’s length standard – Discussion on new rules of nexus and profit allocation for businesses without physical presence.

MasteroppgaveJUS399MAJUR-2MAJU

A Personal Experience of Working with Classical Grounded Theory: From Beginner to Experienced Grounded Theorist

In this article the authors offer an example of the application of principles of classical grounded theory (Glaser) in data collection and analysis and present how they generated a substantive grounded theory named Preparative Waiting for patients who underwent the diagnostic phase at a gastric ward. They demonstrate how patients’ main concern emerged by constant comparison of data in open coding and how the core category of the theory and related concepts developed through selective coding. The authors offer examples of memos, the fitting of concepts to their data set, and the process of theoretical coding to illustrate how three different models were generated to improve fit, relevance, and workability of their grounded theory. They also discuss when and how to search and read the literature during a grounded theory study

Formative Assessment in Physical Education: An analysis of teaching and mentoring in preservice training practice

This study investigates the prevalence and quality of formative assessment in Physical Education pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) teaching lessons. Moreover, we draw attention to how mentor teachers emphasise formative assessment in mentoring sessions. Data collection was conducted during the PSTs’ field practice. A multi-case design was chosen and the study included 15 PSTs and 4 mentors. The PSTs were in their second year (fourth semester) of the ITE-program. The participants were in four different groups (School 1, 2, 3 and 4) each consisting of three/four PSTs and one mentor. Results revealed brief instances of formative assessment in PSTs’ teaching and in mentors’ comments during mentoring sessions. The findings indicated PSTs’ limited capability to identify critical elements in an exercise, and partly a lack of ability to differentiate their teaching. Furthermore, we found little evidence of feedback loops between PSTs and students that stimulated learning, and/or promoted students’ understanding and participation. The mentoring sessions had a strong focus on organising the lessons and effective time utilisation. There were no discussions of how the PSTs could maximise students’ engagement for learning. A possible explanation for the PSTs’ modest use of formative assessment may be that campus teaching has failed to introduce the topic in a proper way. Moreover, there appears to be a need to strengthen cooperation between campus and partner schools to stimulate the importance of formative assessment.publishedVersio

A Personal Experience of Working with Classical Grounded Theory: From Beginner to Experienced Grounded Theorist

In this article the authors offer an example of the application of principles of classical grounded theory (Glaser) in data collection and analysis and present how they generated a substantive grounded theory named Preparative Waiting for patients who underwent the diagnostic phase at a gastric ward. They demonstrate how patients’ main concern emerged by constant comparison of data in open coding and how the core category of the theory and related concepts developed through selective coding. The authors offer examples of memos, the fitting of concepts to their data set, and the process of theoretical coding to illustrate how three different models were generated to improve fit, relevance, and workability of their grounded theory. They also discuss when and how to search and read the literature during a grounded theory study.publishedVersio

Mental health staff perspectives on spiritual care competencies in Norway: A pilot study

Spirituality and spiritual care have long been kept separate from patient care in mental health, primarily because it has been associated with psycho-pathology. Nursing has provided limited spiritual care competency training for staff in mental health due to fears that psychoses may be activated or exacerbated if religion and spirituality are addressed. However, spirituality is broader than simply religion, including more existential issues such as providing non-judgmental presence, attentive listening, respect, and kindness (International Council of Nursing [ICN], 2012). Unfortunately, healthcare personnel working in mental health institutions are not well prepared to address spiritual concerns or resources of their patients (Cone and Giske, 2018). Therefore, a mixed-method pilot study was conducted using a self-assessment survey tool to examine spiritual care competencies of mental health staff in Norway and to understand the perspectives of mental health staff in the Scandinavian context (Stockman, 2018). Five questions and comments related to survey items provided rich qualitative data. While only a small pilot with 24 participants, this study revealed a need for spiritual care educational materials targeted specifically for those who work in mental health, materials that address the approach of improving attitudes, enhancing skills, and increasing knowledge related to spirituality and spiritual care of patients.publishedVersio