Can knowledge-based planning models validated on ethnically diverse patients lead to global standardisation of external beam radiation therapy for locally advanced cervix cancer?

Background And Purpose: Knowledge-based planning (KBP) can consistently and efficiently create high-quality Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT) plans for cervix cancer. This study describes the cross-validation of two KBP models on geographically distinct populations and their comparison to manual plans from 67 centers. The purpose was to determine the universal applicability of a generic KBP model.

From Micro to Macro: Avian Chromosome Evolution is Dominated by Natural Selection.

Birds display striking variation in chromosome number, defying the traditional view of highly conserved avian karyotypes. However, the evolutionary drivers of this variability remain unclear. To address this, we fit probabilistic models of chromosome number evolution across birds, enabling us to estimate rates of evolution for total chromosome number and the number of microchromosomes and macrochromosomes while simultaneously accounting for the impact of other evolving traits.

Genome assembly of the southern pine beetle ( Zimmerman) reveals the origins of gene content reduction in .

also known as southern pine beetle (SPB), is the most damaging insect forest pest in the southeastern United States. Genomic data are important to provide information on pest biology and to identify molecular targets to develop improved pest management approaches. Here, we produced a chromosome-level genome assembly of SPB using long-read sequencing data.

Impact of a National Virtual Oncology Course on Medical Student Competency and Interest in Oncology.

Globally, surveys have identified that medical learners of all levels perceive their oncology instruction to be inadequate. To address these gaps, we systematically developed and implemented the Oncology National Course for Advocacy, Research, and Education (ONCARE), a novel, nationally organized virtual course available to all Canadian medical students and evaluated its impact on oncology competency and interest. ONCARE was designed utilizing Kern's Six-Step Model for Curriculum Development.

Adjuvant Treatment of Stage I-II Serous Endometrial Cancer: A Single Institution 20-Year Experience.

Serous endometrial carcinoma (SEC) is a high-risk subtype of endometrial cancer. The effectiveness of multiple adjuvant therapies, namely chemotherapy (CT), radiotherapy (RT), and sequential/concurrent chemotherapy with radiotherapy (CRT), have previously been investigated. However, optimal management of early-stage SEC remains unclarified.

Genome assembly of the southern pine beetle ( Zimmerman) reveals the origins of gene content reduction in .

, also known as southern pine beetle (SPB), represents the most damaging forest pest in the southeastern United States. Strategies to predict, monitor and suppress SPB outbreaks have had limited success. Genomic data are critical to inform on pest biology and to identify molecular targets to develop improved management approaches.

Prognostic impact and causality of age on oncological outcomes in women with endometrial cancer: a multimethod analysis of the randomised PORTEC-1, PORTEC-2, and PORTEC-3 trials.

Background: Numerous studies have shown that older women with endometrial cancer have a higher risk of recurrence and cancer-related death. However, it remains unclear whether older age is a causal prognostic factor, or whether other risk factors become increasingly common with age. We aimed to address this question with a unique multimethod study design using state-of-the-art statistical and causal inference techniques on datasets of three large, randomised trials.

A reference quality genome assembly for the jewel scarab Chrysina gloriosa.

The jewel scarab Chrysina gloriosa is one of the most charismatic beetles in the United States and is found from the mountains of West Texas to the Southeastern Arizona sky islands. This species is highly sought by professional and amateur collectors worldwide due to its gleaming metallic coloration. However, the impact of the large-scale collection of this beetle on its populations is unknown, and there is a limited amount of genetic information available to make informed decisions about its conservation.

Survival in esophageal cancer with nonregional lymphadenopathy: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Survival among patients with esophageal cancer with stage IV nonregional lymphadenopathy treated with neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection is not well described. This study aimed to compare the survival outcomes of patients with nonregional lymphadenopathy with a propensity-matched cohort of patients with locoregional disease.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of a prospectively maintained database from a regional upper gastrointestinal cancer network in Quebec, Canada.

The Impact on Peer Mentorship After Implementation of a Competency-Based Residency Curriculum in Canadian Radiation Oncology Training Programs.

Purpose: Peer mentorship provides professional and personal support between physicians with similar experiences and levels of training. While peer mentorship has shown to benefit academic success and professional growth, little data has examined contextual factors, such as curricular change, that may affect the quality of these relationships. This study aims to explore the impact of a new, nationwide radiation oncology (RO) residency curriculum, known as competence by design (CBD), on peer mentorship experiences between Canadian RO residents.

A new implementation of a semi-continuous method for DNA mixture interpretation.

A new calculation module within the PopStats module of the CODIS software package, based on the underlying mathematics presented in the MixKin software package, has been developed for assigning the Likelihood Ratio (LR) of DNA mixture profiles. This module uses a semi-continuous model that allows for population structure and allelic drop-out and drop-in but does not require allelic peak heights or other laboratory-specific parameters. This new implementation (named SC Mixture), like MixKin, does not specify or estimate a probability of drop-out.

Modeling lateral carbon fluxes for agroecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic region: Control factors and importance for carbon budget.

Estimating lateral carbon fluxes in agroecosystems presents challenges due to intricate anthropogenic and biophysical interactions. We used a modeling technique to enhance our comprehension of the determinants influencing lateral carbon fluxes and their significance in agroecosystem carbon budgets. The SWAT-C model was refined by incorporating a dynamic dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) module, enhancing our ability to accurately quantify total lateral carbon fluxes.

A Qualitative Analysis of Medical Student Reflections Following Participation in a Canadian Radiation Oncology Studentship.

Exposure to radiation oncology in medical school curricula is limited; thus, mentorship and research opportunities like the Dr. Pamela Catton Summer Studentship Program attempt to bridge this gap and stimulate interest in the specialty. In 2021, the studentship was redesigned as virtual research, mentorship, and case-based discussions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A pangenome graph reference of 30 chicken genomes allows genotyping of large and complex structural variants.

Background: The red junglefowl, the wild outgroup of domestic chickens, has historically served as a reference for genomic studies of domestic chickens. These studies have provided insight into the etiology of traits of commercial importance. However, the use of a single reference genome does not capture diversity present among modern breeds, many of which have accumulated molecular changes due to drift and selection.

Survival and perioperative outcomes of octo- and nonagenarians with resectable esophageal carcinoma.

The outcomes of different treatment modalities for patients aged 80 and above with locally advanced and resectable esophageal carcinoma are not well described. The aim of this study was to explore survival and perioperative outcomes among this specific group of patients. A retrospective, cohort analysis was performed on a prospectively maintained esophageal cancer database from the McGill regional upper gastroinestinal cancer network.

Effectiveness and diurnal variations of vegetative environmental buffers (VEBs) for mitigating NH and PM emissions from poultry houses.

Air pollutants from poultry production, such as ammonia (NH) and particulate matter (PM), have raised concerns due to their potential negative impacts on human health and the environment. Vegetative environmental buffers (VEBs), consisting of trees and/or grasses planted around poultry houses, have been investigated as a mitigation strategy for these emissions. Although previous research demonstrated that VEBs can reduce NH and PM emissions, these studies used a limited number of samplers and did not examine concentration profiles.

Post-processed data and graphical tools for a CONUS-wide eddy flux evapotranspiration dataset.

Large sample datasets of evapotranspiration (ET) measurements with well documented data provenance and quality assurance are critical for water management and many fields of earth science research. We present a post-processed ET oriented dataset at daily and monthly timesteps, from 161 stations, including 148 eddy covariance flux towers, that were chosen based on their data quality from nearly 350 stations across the contiguous United States. In addition to ET, the data includes energy and heat fluxes, meteorological measurements, and reference ET downloaded from gridMET for each flux station.

Safety and Efficacy of 2D Brachytherapy vs. 3D Image-Guided Adaptive Brachytherapy for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer-A Single Institution Retrospective Study.

Background: The treatment paradigm for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) has shifted from two-dimensional-brachytherapy (2D-BT) to three-dimensional-image-guided adaptive BT (3D-IGABT). In this retrospective study, we report our experience with the change from 2D-BT to 3D-IGABT.

Methods: We reviewed 146 LACC patients (98 3D-IGABT and 48 2D-BT) who received chemoradiation between 2004 and 2019.

Tempo and Mode of Genome Structure Evolution in Insects.

The division of the genome into discrete chromosomes is a fundamental characteristic of eukaryotic life. Insect taxonomists' early adoption of cytogenetics has led to an incredible amount of data describing genome structure across insects. In this article, we synthesize data from thousands of species and use biologically realistic models to infer the tempo and mode of chromosome evolution among insect orders.