Surface and buildup region dose measurements with Markus parallel-plate ionization chamber, Gafchromic EBT3 film and MOSFET detector for high energy photon beams

The aim of the study was to investigate surface and buildup region doses for 6MV and 15MV photon beams using a Markus parallel-plate ionization chamber, GafChromic EBT3 film, and MOSFET detector for different field sizes and beam angles. The measurements were made in a water equivalent solid phantom at the surface and in the buildup region of the 6MV and 15MV photon beams at 100 cm source-detector distance for 5 x 5, 10 x 10, and 20 x 20 cm2 field sizes and 0, 30, 60, and 80 beam angles. The surface doses using 6MVphoton beams for 10 x 10 cm2 field size were found to be 20.3%, 18.8%, and 25.5% for Markus chamber, EBT3 film, and MOSFET detector, respectively. The surface doses using 15MV photon beams for 10 x 10 cm2 field size were found to be 14.9%, 13.4%, and 16.4% for Markus chamber, EBT3 film, and MOSFET detector, respectively. The surface dose increased with field size for all dosimeters. As the angle of the incident radiation beam became more oblique, the surface dose increased. The effective measurement depths of dosimeters vary; thus, the results of the measurements could be different. This issue can lead to mistakes at surface and buildup dosimetry and must be taken into account

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

SITE QUALITY ESTIMATIONS BASED ON THE GENERALIZED ALGEBRAIC DIFFERENCE APPROACH: A CASE STUDY IN ÇANKIRI FORESTS

ABSTRACT In this study, it is aimed that the dynamic site index models were developed for Crimean Pine stands in Sarikaya-Cankiri forests located in middle northern Turkey. The data for this study are 153 sample trees obtained from the Crimean Pine stands. In modeling relationships between height and age of dominant or co-dominant trees, some dynamic site index equations such as Chapman-Richards (M1, M2, M3), Lundqvist (M4 and M6), Hossfeld (M5), Weibull (M7) and Schumacher (M8) based on the Generalized Algebraic Difference Approach (GADA) were used. The estimations for these eight-dynamic site index model parameters with well as various statistical values were obtained using the nonlinear regression technique. Among these equations, the Chapman-Richards’s equation, M3, was determined to be the most successful model, with accounted for 89.03 % of the total variance in height-age relationships with MSE: 1.7633, RMSE: 1.3279, SSE: 1165.6, Bias: -0.0380. After determination of the best predictive model, ARMA (1, 1) autoregressive prediction technique was used to account autocorrelation problems for time-series height measurements. When ARMA autoregressive prediction technique was applied to the Chapman-Richards function for solving autocorrelation problem, these success statistics were improved as SSE: 868.7, MSE: 1.3183, RMSE: 1.1482, Bias: -0.06369, R2: 0.918. Also, Durbin-Watson statistics displayed that autocorrelation problem was solved by the use of ARMA autoregressive prediction technique; DW test value=1.99, DWP=0.4378. The dynamic site index model that was developed has provided results compatible with the growth characteristics expected in the modeling of height-age relations, such as polymorphism, multiple asymptote, and base-age invariance

Long Term Validity of Monetary Exchange Rate Model: Evidence from Turkey

In this study, it was analyzed if there is a long term relationship among the nominal exchange rate and monetary fundamentals within the periods of 1998:1-2011:2 in Turkey. This relationship has been analysed by using structural VAR (SVAR) model. Besides, Granger causality test and Dolado-Lütkepohl Granger causality test were used to determine if there were a causality relationship among the nominal exchange rate and monetary fundamentals. As a result of the SVAR model, the relationship among the series related to nominal exchange rate and money supply, GDP, interest rate in Turkey in long term were not determined and at the end of causality tests, causality relationship among the nominal exchange rate and monetary fundamentals were not determined

Data Packet Length Optimization for Wireless Sensor Network Lifetime Maximization

10th International Conference on Communications (COMM) (2014 : Bucharest, ROMANIA)Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) comprising of battery-powered sensor nodes are being used in a wide range of applications. The feasibility of such applications is highly influenced by the longevity of these networks. In this work, we present a realistic WSN lifetime optimization framework where transmission power levels for both data and ACK packets are optimally selected (i.e., a complete link-layer handshaking cycle is modeled). Log-normal shadowing path loss model is employed to take into account the effects of path losses. We utilized the developed Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) based optimization framework to investigate the impact of data packet length on WSN lifetime. To quantify the effects of data packet length on network lifetime we explored the parameter space consisting of the number of nodes and node deployment density. Our results show that the optimal data packet length is the maximum allowed length

Dosimetric comparison of tools for intensity modulated radiation therapy with gamma analysis: a phantom study

Dosimetry of the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is very important because of the complex dose distributions. Diode arrays are the most common and practical measurement tools for clinical usage for IMRT. Phantom selection is critical for QA process. IMRT treatment plans are recalculated for the phantom irradiation in QA. Phantoms are made in different geometrical shapes to measure the doses of different types of irradiation techniques. Comparison of measured and calculated dose distributions for IMRT can be made by using gamma analysis. In this study, 10 head-and-neck IMRT QA plans were created with Varian Eclipse 8.9 treatment planning system. Water equivalent RW3-slab phantoms, Octavius-2 phantom and PTW Seven29 2D-array were used for QA measurements. Gantry, collimator and couch positions set to 00 and QA plans were delivered to RW3 and Octavius phantoms. Then the positions set to original angles and QA plans irradiated again. Measured and calculated fluence maps were evaluated with gamma analysis for different DD and DTA criteria. The effect of different set-up conditions for RW3 and Octavius phantoms in QA plan delivery evaluated by gamma analysis. Results of gamma analysis show that using RW3-slab phantoms with setting parameters to 00 is more appropriate for IMRT QA

Dosimetric comparison of tools for intensity modulated radiation therapy with gamma analysis: a phantom study

Dosimetry of the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is very important because of the complex dose distributions. Diode arrays are the most common and practical measurement tools for clinical usage for IMRT. Phantom selection is critical for QA process. IMRT treatment plans are recalculated for the phantom irradiation in QA. Phantoms are made in different geometrical shapes to measure the doses of different types of irradiation techniques. Comparison of measured and calculated dose distributions for IMRT can be made by using gamma analysis. In this study, 10 head-and-neck IMRT QA plans were created with Varian Eclipse 8.9 treatment planning system. Water equivalent RW3-slab phantoms, Octavius-2 phantom and PTW Seven29 2D-array were used for QA measurements. Gantry, collimator and couch positions set to 0(0) and QA plans were delivered to RW3 and Octavius phantoms. Then the positions set to original angles and QA plans irradiated again. Measured and calculated fluence maps were evaluated with gamma analysis for different DD and DTA criteria. The effect of different set-up conditions for RW3 and Octavius phantoms in QA plan delivery evaluated by gamma analysis. Results of gamma analysis show that using RW3-slab phantoms with setting parameters to 0(0) is more appropriate for IMRT QA

Dosimetric comparison of tools for intensity modulated radiation therapy with gamma analysis: a phantom study

Dosimetry of the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is very important because of the complex dose distributions. Diode arrays are the most common and practical measurement tools for clinical usage for IMRT. Phantom selection is critical for QA process. IMRT treatment plans are recalculated for the phantom irradiation in QA. Phantoms are made in different geometrical shapes to measure the doses of different types of irradiation techniques. Comparison of measured and calculated dose distributions for IMRT can be made by using gamma analysis. In this study, 10 head-and-neck IMRT QA plans were created with Varian Eclipse 8.9 treatment planning system. Water equivalent RW3-slab phantoms, Octavius-2 phantom and PTW Seven29 2D-array were used for QA measurements. Gantry, collimator and couch positions set to 00 and QA plans were delivered to RW3 and Octavius phantoms. Then the positions set to original angles and QA plans irradiated again. Measured and calculated fluence maps were evaluated with gamma analysis for different DD and DTA criteria. The effect of different set-up conditions for RW3 and Octavius phantoms in QA plan delivery evaluated by gamma analysis. Results of gamma analysis show that using RW3-slab phantoms with setting parameters to 00 is more appropriate for IMRT QA

Changing Trends in Radiotherapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme and Effects on Normal Tissue Doses

Introduction: The aim of the study is to reveal the changing trends in radiotherapy (RT) for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) from past to present and to show the changes in organs at risk (OARs) doses

Investigation of conformal and intensity-modulated radiation therapy techniques to determine the absorbed fetal dose in pregnant patients with breast cancer

The aim of this research was to investigate the fetal doses of pregnant patients undergoing conformal radiotherapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for breast cancers. An Alderson Rando phantom was chosen to simulate a pregnant patient with breast cancer who is receiving radiation therapy. This phantom was irradiated using the Varian Clinac DBX 600 system (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA) linear accelerator, according to the standard treatment plans of both three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3-D CRT) and IMRT techniques. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were used to measure the irradiated phantom's virtually designated uterus area. Thermoluminescent dosimeter measurements (in the phantom) revealed that the mean cumulative fetal dose for 3-D CRT is 1.39 cGy and for IMRT it is 8.48 cGy, for a pregnant breast cancer woman who received radiation treatment of 50 Gy. The fetal dose was confirmed to increase by 70% for 3-D CRT and 40% for IMRT, if it is closer to the irradiated field by 5 cm. The mean fetal dose from 3-D CRT is 1.39 cGy and IMRT is 8.48 cGy, consistent with theoretic calculations. The IMRT technique causes the fetal dose to be 5 times more than that of 3-D CRT. Theoretic knowledge concerning the increase in the peripheral doses as the measurements approached the beam was also practically proven. (C) 2016 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists