Americans don’t trust government because they feel economically insecure

In new research, Andrew Wroe finds that those who feel less economically secure are also likely to trust the government less. He writes that while Americans are relatively rich compared to the rest of the world, many are also insecure – a situation they blame on the government, leading them to trust it less

Existing narratives of the effects of partisan polarization in Congress on foreign policy issues are too simplistic

Contemporary politics in America have become riven by the high level of partisan polarization between the Republican and Democratic parties. But has this polarization had an impact on foreign policy? In new research that analysis votes in the U.S. House of Representatives over the past 40 years, Steven Hurst and Andrew Wroe find that while the House was polarized on foreign policy issues after the 1970s, this largely disappeared by the early 2000s, only to reappear more recently. With this in mind, they argue that more sophisticated models are needed to capture the effects of partisan polarization on foreign policy

Economic Insecurity and Political Trust in the United States

Extant research demonstrates that citizens’ evaluations of national economic performance play an important role in determining trust in politicians and political institutions, whereas evaluations of their own economic situation play a lesser or even negligible role. Utilizing American National Election Studies data and more apposite measures of personal economic privation during an age of globalization and de-industrialization, this article finds that the extent to which citizens perceive themselves and their families to be economically insecure has a statistically significant and substantial negative effect on political trust. Indeed, the effect at least matches those of macroeconomic evaluations and party identification. This article therefore adds a new dimension to our understanding of the economy–trust nexus and contributes to the small but growing body of scholarship on insecurity’s effects on political behavior

Mapping the Sensitive Volume of an Ion-Counting Nanodosimeter

We present two methods of independently mapping the dimensions of the sensitive volume in an ion-counting nanodosimeter. The first method is based on a calculational approach simulating the extraction of ions from the sensitive volume, and the second method on probing the sensitive volume with 250 MeV protons. Sensitive-volume maps obtained with both methods are compared and systematic errors inherent in both methods are quantified.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to JINST, Jan. 16 200

Economic Policy

This chapter surveys George W. Bush's economic policies and the United State's economic performance in the first decade of the twenty-first centur

Incorporation of Multiple Coulomb Scattering in the Prediction of Optimal Focal Lengths in Magnetically Focused Proton Radiosurgery

Magnetic focusing of protons is a promising approach to improve patient radiation dose distribution in proton radiosurgery. The paths of individual protons are affected by multiple atomic deflections (multiple Coulomb scattering [MCS]) and affect overall beam characteristics in the patient. The purpose of this project is to account for the effects of MCS in the optimization of focal lengths in magnetically focused proton radiosurgery

Magnetically Focused Proton Irradiation of Small Volume Radiosurgery Targets Using a Triplet of Quadrupole Magnets

Proton therapy is an advantageous choice for the irradiation of tumors in proximity of critical structures due to rapid dose fall off and high dose deposition at target compared to dose at the surface of the patient (ie, peak-to-entrance dose ratio (P/E)). However, with target fields below 1.0 cm, as often encountered in proton radiosurgery, multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS) broadens proton beams leading to diminished P/E advantages and reduced dose delivery efficiency (DDE). Magnetic focusing tends to counteract MCS and is a promising method to reduce these undesirable effects. The purpose of this research is to investigate the advantages of proton magnetic focusing with a triplet of quadrupole rare earth permanent magnets

Evaluation of a non-metallic dual-port expander for intensity modulated proton therapy

Purpose: To provide a methodology for characterization of the technical properties of a newly developed non-metallic tissue expander for intensity modulated proton therapy. Methods: Three tissue expanders (AlloX2-Pro: plastic-dual port, AlloX2: metal-dual port, and Dermaspan: metal-single port) were deconstructed, CT-scanned, and modeled in RayStation12A. A 165 MeV single spot was used to create RayStation dose planes, and the integrated depth dose profiles were calculated and the DR90 extracted to predict water equivalent thickness (WET). These predictions were compared to measurements taken with an IBA Giraffe MLIC. Native, water, and fully modelled overrides were compared for the AlloX2 Pro to quantify differences in override choices. Geometric considerations between expanders were compared using a ray-tracing technique to contour the no-fly zone around metallic components using a clinical, three beam arrangement. Lastly, a planning and evaluation framework was provided using a single plan as an illustration. Results: The measured AlloX2-Pro WET values were within 0.22 cm of RayStation predictions while metallic values ranged from 0.08 to 0.46 cm. Using natively scanned density values for the AlloX2 Pro improved the discrepancy in WET between predicted and measured from -0.22 to -0.09 cm (drain) and from -0.17 to -0.12 cm (injection). The no-fly zone volume of all three beams reduced 95% between the AlloX2-Pro and Dermaspan, which geometrically allowed more uniform coverage behind the port and reduced need for beam modulation. Conclusion: The beam perturbation of the AlloX2-Pro is well modeled, but improved agreement with measured WET values was observed when utilizing native densities in calculations. The AlloX2 Pro can support beam arrangements that traverse the ports, which can enable simpler beam geometry and a reduction in dose modulation around the port to promote improved robustness and treatment delivery quality

Initial feasibility cohort of temporally modulated pulsed proton re-irradiation (TMPPR) for recurrent high-grade intracranial malignancies

Recurrent high-grade intracranial malignancies have a grim prognosis and uniform management guidelines are lacking. Re-irradiation is underused due to concerns about irreversible side effects. Pulsed-reduced dose rate radiotherapy (PRDR) aims to reduce toxicity while improving tumor control by exploiting dose-rate effects. We share our initial experience with temporally modulated pulsed proton re-irradiation (TMPPR), focusing on workflow, safety, feasibility, and outcomes for the first patient cohort. TMPPR was administered to patients with recurrent or progressive central nervous system malignancies using intensity modulated proton therapy with three fields. Patient and treatment data were collected, responses categorized using RANO assessment, and toxicities graded using CTCAE v5.0. Five patients received TMPPR between October 2022 and May 2023, with a median age of 54 years (Range: 32-72), and a median time from initial radiotherapy to re-RT of 23 months (Range 14-40). Treatment was completed without delay, with a median dose of 60 GyRBE in 30 fractions. Initial treatment response assessment showed complete (n = 1) or partial (n = 3) responses. Limited toxicity was observed, primarily grade 2 alopecia and one case of radiation necrosis graded at 2. This early experience demonstrates the feasibility of TMPPR delivery, highlighting the importance of prospective evaluations in the re-irradiation setting