Implementing a Novel "Frontiers in Neoplasia" Curriculum to Engage Fourth-Year Medical Students in Evidence-Based, Multidisciplinary Oncology Care.

Few medical students are exposed to evidence-based, multidisciplinary oncology care, and few studies in oncology education reflect consolidated pre-clinical curricula. We developed a four-week curriculum, "Frontiers in Neoplasia," for fourth-year medical students, which included didactic lectures, interactive site visits, and team-based simulations of tumor boards and clinical trial design. A mixed methods approach was utilized to investigate the course's impact on students' understanding and interest in oncology, involving pre- and post-course responses to Likert-scale and open-ended questions.

THz Polarimetric Imaging of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites Using the Portable Handled Spectral Reflection (PHASR) Scanner.

Recent advancements in novel fiber-coupled and portable terahertz (THz) spectroscopic imaging technology have accelerated applications in nondestructive testing (NDT). Although the polarization information of THz waves can play a critical role in material characterization, there are few demonstrations of polarization-resolved THz imaging as an NDT modality due to the deficiency of such polarimetric imaging devices. In this paper, we have inspected industrial carbon fiber composites using a portable and handheld imaging scanner in which the THz polarizations of two orthogonal channels are simultaneously captured by two photoconductive antennas.

Safe Hypofractionation Amid Diverse Technologies: Using Teamwork to Manage the Complexity.

Radiation oncology caregivers worldwide are dedicated to advancing cancer treatment with the ultimate goal of eradicating the disease. Recognizing the inherent complexity of cancer treatment using hypo-fractionation radiotherapy (HFRT), these caregivers are committed to exploring avenues for progress and providing personalized care to each patient. Strong teams and effective workflows are an essential component to implementing safe HFRT.

On the Computation of Mean and Variance of Spatial Displacements.

This paper studies the problem of computing an average (or mean) displacement from a set of given spatial displacements using three types of parametric representations: Euler angles and translation vectors, unit quaternions and translation vectors, and dual quaternions. It is shown that the use of Euclidean norm in the space of unit quaternions reduces the problem to that of computing the mean for each quaternion component separately and independently. While the resulting algorithm is simple, a change in the sign of a unit quaternion could lead to an incorrect result.

On the Construction of Confidence Regions for Uncertain Planar Displacements.

This paper studies the statistical concept of confidence region for a set of uncertain planar displacements with a certain level of confidence or probabilities. Three different representations of planar displacements are compared in this context and it is shown that the most commonly used representation based on the coordinates of the moving frame is the least effective. The other two methods, namely the exponential coordinates and planar quaternions, are equally effective in capturing the group structure of SE(2).

A handheld polarimetric imaging device and calibration technique for accurate mapping of terahertz Stokes vectors.

In recent years, handheld and portable terahertz instruments have been in rapid development for various applications ranging from non-destructive testing to biomedical imaging and sensing. For instance, we have deployed our Portable Handheld Spectral Reflection (PHASR) Scanners for in vivo full-spectroscopic imaging of skin burns in large animal models in operating room settings. In this paper, we debut the polarimetric version of the PHASR Scanner, and describe a generalized calibration technique to map the spatial and spectral dependence of the Jones matrix of an imaging scanner across its field of view.

Multimodal radiotherapy dose prediction using a multi-task deep learning model.

Background: In radiation therapy (RT), accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) has emerged as an increasingly preferred treatment modality over conventional whole breast irradiation due to its targeted dose delivery and shorter course of treatment. APBI can be delivered through various modalities including Cobalt-60-based systems and linear accelerators with C-arm, O-ring, or robotic arm design. Each modality possesses distinct features, such as beam energy or the degrees of freedom in treatment planning, which influence their respective dose distributions.

Master Breast Radiation Planning: Simple Guide for Radiation Oncology Residents.

This article focuses on various aspects of breast radiation treatment planning, from simulation to field design. It covers the most common techniques including tangents, mono isocentric, dual isocentric, electron-photon match, and VMAT. This can serve as a guide for radiation oncology residents and medical students to advance their understanding of key aspects of breast radiation treatment and planning processes.

Terahertz polarimetric imaging of biological tissue: Monte Carlo modeling of signal contrast mechanisms due to Mie scattering.

Many promising biomedical applications have been proposed for terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and diagnostic imaging techniques. Polarimetric imaging systems are generally useful for enhancing imaging contrasts, yet the interplay between THz polarization changes and the random discrete structures in biological samples is not well understood. In this work, we performed Monte Carlo simulations of the propagation of polarized THz waves in skin and adipose tissues based on the Mie scattering from intrinsic structures, such as hair follicles or sweat glands.

Deep learning-based forecasting of electricity consumption.

Building energy management systems (BEMS) are integrated computerized systems that track and manage the energy use of many pieces of building-related machinery and equipment, including lighting, power systems, and HVAC systems. Modern buildings must have BEMSs in order to reduce energy usage while maintaining comfort. Not only for energy-saving purposes, BEMS is essential in enhancing the quality of the energy supply, which helps to gain a better understanding of how energy is used and the building's energy usage.

Terahertz polarimetric imaging of biological tissues: Monte Carlo modeling of signal contrast mechanisms due to Mie scattering.

Many promising biomedical applications have been proposed for terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and diagnostic imaging techniques. Polarimetric imaging systems are generally useful for enhancing imaging contrasts, yet the interplay between THz polarization changes and the random discrete structures in biological samples are not well understood. In this work, we performed Monte Carlo simulations of the propagation of polarized THz waves in skin and adipose tissues based on the Mie scattering from intrinsic structures, such as hair follicles or sweat glands.

Design and characterization of a hyperbolic-elliptical lens pair in a rapid beam steering system for single-pixel terahertz spectral imaging of the cornea.

Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy has been investigated for assessment of the hydration levels in the cornea, intraocular pressure, and changes in corneal topography. Previous efforts at THz imaging of the cornea have employed off-axis parabolic mirrors to achieve normal incidence along the spherical surface. However, this comes at the cost of an asymmetric field-of-view (FOV) and a long scan time because it requires raster-scanning of the collimated beam across the large mirror diameter.

Epidemiology And Risk Factors Of Chronic Kidney Disease In Rural Areas 4 (Badin) Of Sind, Pakistan.

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiology of chronic kidney disease in a rural setting.

Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at Indus Hospital, Badin, Sindh, Pakistan, and comprised data of patients of either gender regardless of age who visited the nephrology clinic between July 2019 and July 2020. Data was retrieved from the institutional health management information system.

Predictive performance of qSOFA in confirmed COVID-19 patients presenting to the emergency department.

Objectives: It is critical to quickly and easily identify coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who become severely or even critically ill. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the accuracy of the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score in predicting the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective observational study of COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) between June 22, 2021, and November 21, 2021.

Polarimetric imaging of back-scattered terahertz speckle fields using a portable scanner.

Speckle patterns observed in coherent optical imaging reflect important characteristic information of the scattering object. To capture speckle patterns, angular resolved or oblique illumination geometries are usually employed in combination with Rayleigh statistical models. We present a portable and handheld 2-channel polarization-sensitive imaging instrument to directly resolve terahertz (THz) speckle fields in a collocated telecentric back-scattering geometry.

Base editing rescue of spinal muscular atrophy in cells and in mice.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant mortality, arises from survival motor neuron (SMN) protein insufficiency resulting from loss. Approved therapies circumvent endogenous SMN regulation and require repeated dosing or may wane. We describe genome editing of , an insufficient copy of harboring a C6>T mutation, to permanently restore SMN protein levels and rescue SMA phenotypes.

In Vivo Assessment and Monitoring of Burn Wounds Using a Handheld Terahertz Hyperspectral Scanner.

The accuracy of clinical assessment techniques in diagnosing partial-thickness burn injuries has remained as low as 50-76%. Depending on the burn depth and environmental factors in the wound, such as reactive oxygen species, inflammation, and autophagy, partial-thickness burns can heal spontaneously or require surgical intervention. Herein, it is demonstrated that terahertz time-domain spectral imaging (THz-TDSI) is a promising tool for in vivo quantitative assessment and monitoring of partial-thickness burn injuries in large animals.

On the Construction of Kinematic Confidence Ellipsoids for Uncertain Spatial Displacements.

This paper deals with the problem of estimating confidence regions of a set of uncertain spatial displacements for a given level of confidence or probabilities. While a direct application of the commonly used statistic methods to the coordinates of the moving frame is straight-forward, it is also the least effective in that it grossly overestimate the confidence region. Based on the dual-quaternion representation, this paper introduces the notion of the kinematic confidence ellipsoids as an alternative to the existing method called rotation and translation confidence limit (RTCL).

On the mean and variance of planar displacements.

This paper studies the problem of computing the mean (or the average displacement) and variance of a set of planar displacements. It presents three parametric representations of a planar displacement and studies how they influence the computations of means and variances. In particular, it advocates the use of the kinematic concept of relative displacements rather than simple difference in kinematic parameters in formulating the variance and for computing the mean of planar displacements.

Terahertz PHASR Scanner with 2 kHz, 100 picosecond Time-Domain Trace Acquisition Rate and an Extended Field-of-View Based on a Heliostat Design.

Recently, we introduced a Portable HAndheld Spectral Reflection (PHASR) Scanner to allow THz Time-Domain Spectroscopic (THz-TDS) imaging in clinical and industrial settings using a fiber-coupled and alignment-free telecentric beam steering design. The key limitations of the version 1.0 of the PHASR Scanner were its field-of-view and speed of time-domain trace acquisition.

Assessing Corneal Endothelial Damage Using Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy and Support Vector Machines.

The endothelial layer of the cornea plays a critical role in regulating its hydration by actively controlling fluid intake in the tissue via transporting the excess fluid out to the aqueous humor. A damaged corneal endothelial layer leads to perturbations in tissue hydration and edema, which can impact corneal transparency and visual acuity. We utilized a non-contact terahertz (THz) scanner designed for imaging spherical targets to discriminate between ex vivo corneal samples with intact and damaged endothelial layers.

Prevalence and microbiological and genetic characteristics of multidrug-resistant over three years in Qatar.

Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global priority with significant clinical and economic consequences. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) is one of the major pathogens associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In healthcare settings, the evaluation of prevalence, microbiological characteristics, as well as mechanisms of resistance is of paramount importance to overcome associated challenges.

Physiologic Scoring Systems in Predicting the COVID-19 Patients' one-month Mortality; a Prognostic Accuracy Study.

It is critical to quickly and easily identify severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and predict their mortality. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of the physiologic scoring systems in predicting the mortality of COVID-19 patients. : This prospective cross-sectional study was performed on COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department (ED).

Evolution of an adenine base editor into a small, efficient cytosine base editor with low off-target activity.

Cytosine base editors (CBEs) are larger and can suffer from higher off-target activity or lower on-target editing efficiency than current adenine base editors (ABEs). To develop a CBE that retains the small size, low off-target activity and high on-target activity of current ABEs, we evolved the highly active deoxyadenosine deaminase TadA-8e to perform cytidine deamination using phage-assisted continuous evolution. Evolved TadA cytidine deaminases contain mutations at DNA-binding residues that alter enzyme selectivity to strongly favor deoxycytidine over deoxyadenosine deamination.