Comparative evaluation of a novel, moderately hypofractionated radiation protocol in 56 dogs with symptomatic intracranial neoplasia

BACKGROUND: Use of strongly hypofractionated radiation treatments in dogs with intracranial neoplasia did not improve outcomes and yielded increased rates of toxicosis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate safety and efficacy of a new, moderately hypofractionated radiation protocol of 10 × 4 Gy compared to a standard protocol. ANIMALS: Convenience sample of 56 client-owned dogs with primary symptomatic brain tumors. METHODS: Retrospective observational study. Twenty-six dogs were assigned to the control standard protocol of 20 × 2.5 Gy (group A) and 30 dogs to the new protocol of 10 × 4 Gy (group B), assigned on owners' informed consent. Statistical analysis was conducted under the "as treated" regime, using Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression analysis. Treatment was delivered with technically advanced image-guided radiation therapy. The 2 treatment groups were compared in terms of outcome and signs of toxicosis. RESULTS: Overall progression-free interval (PFI) and overall survival (OS) time were favorable, with 663 (95%CI: 497;828) and 637 (95%CI: 403;870) days, respectively. We found no significant difference between the two groups: PFI for dogs in group A vs B was 608 (95%CI: 437;779) days and mean (median not reached) 863 (95%CI: 644;1083) days, respectively (P = .89), and OS for dogs in group A vs B 610 (95%CI: 404;816) and mean (median not reached) 796 (95%CI: 586;1007) days (P = .83). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: In conclusion, 10 × 4 Gy is a safe and efficient protocol for treatment of primary intracranial neoplasia and future dose escalation can be considered

Are the 'weak measurements' really measurements?

Weak measurements can be seen as an attempt at answering the 'Which way?' question without destroying interference between the pathways involved. Unusual mean values obtained in such measurements represent the response of a quantum system to this 'forbidden' question, in which the 'true' composition of virtual pathways is hidden from the observer. Such values indicate a failure of a measurement where the uncertainty principle says it must fail, rather than provide an additional insight into physical reality

Microwave Measurements Part I: Linear Measurements

An Overview of the most relevant issues concerning RF and microwave linear measurements is presented. Vector Network Analyzer foremost used instrumentation for this kind of measures is describe

Microwave Measurements. Part II - Nonlinear Measurements

This paper addresses the problems in microwave non-linear measurements. It discusses techniques to synthesize loads, the most used non-linear measurement techniques, and harmonic load-pulling. An experimental setup for characterizing power amplifiers must be able to measure the complex spectrum of the waves at the amplifier ports as a function of frequency, input power, and source and load termination at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies. The vector network analyzer (VNA) is the core instrument used in the non-linear characterization scenario. The basic idea is to keep the operations of VNA/mixers linear, diverting to them only a small portion of the signal present at the device under test (DUT) ports, therefore keeping unaltered the VNA capabilities already exhibited for small signal measurements

Measurements of stimulated-Raman-scattering-induced tilt in spectral-amplitude-coding optical code-division multiple-access systems

We measure the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)-induced tilt in spectral-amplitude-coding optical code-division multiple-access (SAC–OCDMA) systems as a function of system main parameters (transmission distance, power per chip, and number of users) via computer simulations. The results show that SRS-induced tilt significantly increases as transmission distance, power per chip, or number of users grows

Digital near source accelerograms recorded by instrumental arrays in Tangshan, China. Part I (1982.7-1984.12)

The ultimate goal of earthquake hazard mitigation research is to gain sufficient understanding of the phenomena involved in an earthquake to minimize the loss of life and property resulting from such an event. In order to design safe, economical structures and facilities in seismic areas, it is necessary to understand the nature of the ground motion generated by an earthquake. This understanding can ultimately come only from the measurement of the strong ground motion resulting from actual damaging earthquakes. In order to facilitate the acquisition of strong ground motion data world-wide, an International Workshop on Strong Motion Earthquake Instrument Arrays was held in 1978 in Hawaii. Participants in the Workshop appealed to the earthquake-threatened countries of the world to undertake a concerted effort to establish strong-motion accelerograph arrays and networks. In response to the appeal of these experts in earthquake hazard mitigation, and in accord with the "China-U.S. Protocol for Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Earthquake Studies," a joint research project on strong ground motion measurement has been established in China. In the first phase of this project, from April 1981 to December 1984, 22 Kinemetrics PDR-1 Digital Event Recorders equipped with FBA-13 Force Balance Accelerometers, and 18 Kinemetrics SMA-1 Analog Accelerographs were deployed in China. Of this total, 13 PDR-1 and 3 SMA1 instruments were deployed in a surface array and a three-dimensional array in the aftershock region of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. These two arrays recorded a total of 1053 near-source accelerograms from 416 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from ML = 1.2 to 5.7. The source-station distances ranged from 2 to 45 kilometers. Most of the records contain the complete P- and S-wave motion along with accurate absolute time. Both the volume and quality of the accelerograms are much greater than ever before obtained in China. The largest event recorded was the ML = 5.7 Lulong earthquake of October 19, 1982. Nine instruments were triggered by this event. The epicentral distance from the recording stations ranged from 5 to 41 kilometers, and the corresponding peak horizontal acceleration ranged from 0.217 to 0.008g. Accelerograms were recorded by the three-dimensional array from twenty-eight events. Measurements were made to a depth of 900 meters below the ground surface. The records obtained provide a unique source of data for the study of the propagation of seismic waves near the earth's surface. In order to make these data more useful, they will be published along with site data in a separate volume. In this report, 218 of the most significant accelerograms; are published. The data was obtained from earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from ML = 2.3 to 5.7. All of the data reproduced in this report is available on 9-track computer tape

Reflectance measurements

The productivity of spectroreflectometer equipment and operating personnel and the accuracy and sensitivity of the measurements were investigated. Increased optical sensitivity and better design of the data collection and processing scheme to eliminate some of the unnecessary present operations were conducted. Two promising approaches to increased sensitivity were identified, conventional processing with error compensation and detection of random noise modulation

Forest Measurements

Forest measurements, one of the cornerstones in the foundation of forestry, is the art and science of providing the quantitative information about trees and forest stands necessary for forest management, planning, and research. The updated edition (sixth edition) of this longstanding classic textbook, Forest Measurements, provides new and complete coverage of conventional and current measurement practices and technological applications that link the role of forest measurements with management of forest resources