Investigating the use of aperture shape controller in VMAT treatment deliveries.

Background: Aperture shape controller (ASC) is a recently introduced leaf sequencer that controls the complexity of multileaf collimator apertures in the Photon Optimizer algorithm of the Eclipse treatment planning system. The aim of this study is to determine if the ASC can reduce plan complexity and improve verification results, without compromising plan quality.

Methods: Thirteen plans grouped into cohorts of head and neck/brain, breast/chest and pelvis were reoptimised using the same optimization as the non-ASC setting for low, moderate and high ASC settings.

Automated data mining of a plan-check database and example application.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to present the development and example application of an automated data mining software platform that preforms bulk analysis of results and patient data passing through the 3D plan and delivery QA system, Mobius3D.

Methods: Python, matlab, and Java were used to create an interface that reads JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) created for every approved Mobius3D pre-treatment plan-check. The aforementioned JSON files contain all the information for every pre-treatment QA check performed by Mobius3D, including all 3D dose, CT, structure set information, as well as all plan information and patient demographics.

Organizational-Level Recruitment of Barbershops as Health Promotion Intervention Study Sites: Addressing Health Disparities Among Black Men.

This article describes the process and results associated with the organizational-level recruitment of Black barbershops into Fitness in the Shop (FITShop), a 6-month barbershop-based intervention study designed to promote physical activity among Black men. Organizational-level recruitment activities included (1) a telephone call to prospective barbershop owners to assess their interest and eligibility for participation, (2) an organizational eligibility letter sent to all interested and eligible barbershops, (3) a visit to interested and eligible barbershops, where a culturally sensitive informational video was shown to barbershop owners to describe the study activities and share testimonies from trusted community stakeholders, and (4) a signed agreement with barbershop owners and barbers, which formalized the organizational partnership. Structured interviews were conducted with owners of a total of 14 enrolled barbershops, representing 30% of those determined to be eligible and interested.

Corrigendum: Relationship between Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Knowledge, HIV-Related Stigma, and HIV Testing among Young Black Adults in a Southeastern City.

[This corrects the article on p. 47 in vol. 5, PMID: 28349049.

Relationship between Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Knowledge, HIV-Related Stigma, and HIV Testing among Young Black Adults in a Southeastern City.

The southeast is identified as the epicenter of the nation's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, accounting for nearly 44% of all persons living with a HIV diagnosis in the United States. HIV stigma and knowledge have been cited as some of the complex factors increasing risk of acquiring HIV within African-American communities. We sought to understand how HIV knowledge and HIV-related stigma impact HIV testing experience among young Black adults who completed a community-based participatory research survey in a Southeastern city.

A clinical database to assess action levels and tolerances for the ongoing use of Mobius3D.

In radiation therapy, calculation of dose within the patient contains inherent uncertainties, inaccuracies, limitations, and the potential for random error. Thus, point dose-independent verification of such calculations is a well-established process, with published data to support the setting of both action levels and tolerances. Mobius3D takes this process one step further with a full independent calculation of patient dose and comparisons of clinical parameters such as mean target dose and voxel-by-voxel gamma analysis.

Concurrency and Other Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Young Adults in a Southeastern City.

Black Americans continue to have higher rates of HIV disease than other races/ethnicities. Conventional individual-level risk behaviors do not fully account for these racial/ethnic disparities. Sexual concurrency may help explain them.

HIV Testing Experience and Risk Behavior Among Sexually Active Black Young Adults: A CBPR-Based Study Using Respondent-Driven Sampling in Durham, North Carolina.

African Americans are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic inclusive of men who have sex with men, heterosexual men, and women. As part of a community-based participatory research study we assessed HIV testing experience among sexually active 18-30 year old Black men and women in Durham, NC. Of 508 participants, 173 (74 %) men and 236 (86 %; p = 0.

Using the PRECEDE Planning Approach to Develop a Physical Activity Intervention for African American Men Who Visit Barbershops: Results From the FITShop Study.

African American (AA) men have a higher prevalence of many chronic disease risk behaviors compared to Caucasian men, including physical inactivity. Innovative ways to reach AA men with interventions to increase physical activity (PA) and decrease other key risk factors are needed to reduce health disparities in this population. The barbershop is a natural but underutilized setting for reaching AA men.

A RapidArc planning strategy for prostate with simultaneous integrated boost.

Since the clinical implementation of novel rotational forms of intensity-modulated radiotherapy, a variety of planning studies have been published that reinforce the major selling points of the technique. Namely, comparable or even improved dose distributions with a reduction in both monitor units and treatment times, when compared with static gantry intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Although the data are promising, a rigorous approach to produce these plans has yet to be established.

A case study in teaching tobacco policy advocacy at a Historically Black university.

Policy advocacy is increasingly recognized as a crucial component of the training provided to health educators but relatively few universities offer advocacy training as part of their professional preparation programs for health educators. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) represent a natural setting for creating strong Black leaders in tobacco policy advocacy. This case study focuses on experiential education at an HBCU to develop advocacy skills around tobacco issues among Black college students.

Exploring the use of little cigars by students at a historically black university.

Introduction: Considerable evidence exists that little cigars are popular among African American adolescents and young adults who smoke. However, few studies have been published on the use of this tobacco product by young blacks in the United States. This research investigated little-cigar use among students at a historically black university in the southeastern United States.

Interest in testing for genetic susceptibility to lung cancer among Black college students "at risk" of becoming cigarette smokers.

Receptivity to genetic testing for lung cancer susceptibility was assessed among African American college freshmen, who held attitudes favorable towards or had experimented with cigarette smoking. Students (n = 95) completed a telephone survey that assessed beliefs about genetics and lung cancer risk, interest in genetic testing, and expectations about the test outcome. Interest in being tested was moderately high (mean, 5; SD, 2.

Technical assistance for the evaluation of community-based HIV prevention programs.

Funding agencies are using technical assistance (TA) to strengthen the evaluation capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs) engaged in HIV prevention efforts. The authors used qualitative methods to identify the types of evaluation TA needed by CBOs, to understand CBOs' past experiences with evaluation TA, and to elicit ideas for optimal delivery of evaluation TA. Assistance in developing evaluation tools and data analysis were the most commonly cited needs.

Platelet-rich plasma gel promotes differentiation and regeneration during equine wound healing.

Nonhealing wounds of the lower equine limb represent a challenging model. The platelet is a natural source of a myriad of growth factors and cytokines that promote wound healing. This study evaluates the potential of platelet derived factors to enhance wound healing in the lower equine limb.

Evaluation barriers and facilitators among community-based HIV prevention programs.

Funding agencies are using technical assistance to promote evaluation of their community-based HIV prevention programs. Using qualitative methods, we identified 11 factors that hinder and facilitate evaluation within community-based organizations (CBOs): staff perceptions, availability of funding, data collection, data validity, data utility, technical assistance, effects on services, effects on funding, staff skills, tools and technology, and expectations of the funding agency. Using these factors, we developed eight strategies to promote CBO evaluation.