First data on plastic ingestion by blue sharks (Prionace glauca) from the Ligurian Sea (North-Western Mediterranean Sea)

Few studies have focused so far on plastic ingestion by sharks in the Mediterranean Sea. The aim of this paper was to determine, for the first time, the plastic litter ingested by blue sharks (Prionace glauca), categorized as \u201cCritically Endangered\u201d in the Mediterranean Sea by IUCN, caught in the Pelagos Sanctuary SPAMI (North-Western Mediterranean Sea). The analysis of the stomach contents was performed following the MSFD Descriptor 10 standard protocol implemented with FT-IR spectroscopy technique. The results showed that 25.26% of sharks ingested plastic debris of wide scale of sizes from microplastics (<5 mm) to macroplastics (>25 mm). The polyethylene sheetlike user plastics, widely used as packaging material, are the most ingested debris. This research raises a warning alarm on the impact of plastic debris on a threatened species, with a key role in the food web, and adds important information for futures mitigation actions

integration of enhanced optical tracking techniques and imaging in igrt

Patient setup/Optical tracking/IGRT/Treatment surveillance. In external beam radiotherapy, modern technologies for dynamic dose delivery and beam conformation provide high selectivity in radiation dose administration to the pathological volume. A comparable accuracy level is needed in the 3-D localization of tumor and organs at risk (OARs), in order to accomplish the planned dose distribution in the reality of each irradiation session. In-room imaging techniques for patient setup verification and tumor targeting may benefit of the combined daily use of optical tracking technologies, supported by techniques for the detection and compensation of organ motion events. Multiple solutions to enhance the use of optical tracking for the on-line correction of target localization uncertainties are described, with specific emphasis on the compensation of setup errors, breathing movements and non-rigid deformations. The final goal is the implementation of customized protocols where appropriate external landmarks, to be tracked in real-time by means of noninvasive optical devices, are selected as a function of inner target localization. The presented methodology features high accuracy in patient setup optimization, also providing a valuable tool for on-line patient surveillance, taking into account both breathing and deformation effects. The methodic application of optical tracking is put forward to represent a reliable and low cost procedure for the reduction of safety margins, once the patient-specific correlation between external landmarks and inner structures has been established. Therefore, the integration of optical tracking with in-room imaging devices is proposed as a way to gain higher confidence in the framework of Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) treatments

Comparación de la anatomía foliar de cuatro especies del género cryptochloa swallen (poaceae: bambusoideae: olyreae)

El género Cryptochloa consta de nueve especies distribuidas desde América Central, hasta el noroeste de América del Sur. Este género se caracteriza por presentar muchos nudos hacia la parte superior de los culmos y hojas planas. En Panamá, se han reportado ocho especies, de las cuales cuatro son endémicas. El objetivo de este trabajo es comparar la anatomía interna y la epidermis foliar, de cuatro especies del género: C. concinna, C. decumbens, C. dressleri y C. variana. Para ello, se recolectaron hojas frescas de cinco individuos por especie: en Cerro Jefe, Parque Nacional Chagres (provincia de Panamá), Parque Nacional Altos de Campana (provincia de Panamá) y Santa Rita Arriba (provincia de Colón). Se prepararon placas fijas de cortes transversales de la parte media de la hoja y se documentó la anatomía interna mediante micrografías. Además, se obtuvieron imágenes de la epidermis empleando microscopio electrónico de barrido. Con los caracteres observados se elaboró una matriz y utilizando el programa de análisis multivariado (MVSP), y se aplicó el análisis de grupo ponderado emparejado con media aritmética (UPGMA). Este análisis permitió agrupar C. concinna con C. dressleri y C. decumbens con C. variana

Análise comparativa dos Índices Padrão do Sistema PEARLS de Cooperativas de Crédito de Livre Admissão e Crédito Rural do Estado do Paraná de 2013 a 2015

The mains of this study was to compare the standard index of the credit unions of Free Admission and Rural Credit of State Paraná, Brazil, from 2013 to 2015, using the indicators calculated from the model proposed by WOCCU, and adapted by Bressan (2010) for the Brazilian reality called the Pearls System. The methodology adopted was multi-cases in which was used the financial balance sheets of credit unions collected on the site of Brazilian Central Bank. The indicator P was significant in the rural credit unions, which presented a high level of protection against credit risks; Group E indicated that credit unions of free admission had a greater part of their own resources to finance their investments; in group A showed an acceptable level of mobilization in both credit unions; in group L the liquidity in both credit unions was low, but attend operational needs.O presente artigo teve como objetivo comparar os índices Padrão do ramo de cooperativas de crédito de Livre Admissão e Crédito Rural no Paraná nos períodos de 2013 a 2015, utilizando os indicadores calculados a partir do modelo proposto pelo WOCCU, e adaptado por Bressan (2010), para a realidade brasileira denominado Sistema PEARLS. A metodologia adota foi de multicasos onde foram utilizados os balancetes financeiros das cooperativas de crédito coletados no site do Banco Central do Brasil. O indicador P mostrou-se significativo nas cooperativas de crédito rural, que apresentaram alto nível de proteção contra riscos de crédito; o grupo E indicou que as cooperativas de livre admissão tem a maior parte dos seus recursos próprios financiando seus investimentos; os indicadores do grupo A demonstram que ambos ramos apresentam um nível de mobilização aceitável; no grupo L a liquidez nos dois ramos é baixa, mas supri as necessidades operacionais

Professional practice changes in radiotherapy physics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed changes in radiotherapy (RT) departments worldwide. Medical physicists (MPs) are key healthcare professionals in maintaining safe and effective RT. This study reports on MPs experience during the first pandemic peak and explores the consequences on their work. Methods A 39-question survey on changes in departmental and clinical practice and on the impact for the future was sent to the global MP community. A total of 433 responses were analysed by professional role and by country clustered on the daily infection numbers. Results The impact of COVID-19 was bigger in countries with high daily infection rate. The majority of MPs worked in alternation at home/on-site. Among practice changes, implementation and/or increased use of hypofractionation was the most common (47% of the respondents). Sixteen percent of respondents modified patient-specific quality assurance (QA), 21% reduced machine QA, and 25% moved machine QA to weekends/evenings. The perception of trust in leadership and team unity was reversed between management MPs (towards increased trust and unity) and clinical MPs (towards a decrease). Changes such as home-working and increased use of hypofractionation were welcomed. However, some MPs were concerned about pressure to keep negative changes (e.g. weekend work). Conclusion COVID-19 affected MPs through changes in practice and QA procedures but also in terms of trust in leadership and team unity. Some changes were welcomed but others caused worries for the future. This report forms the basis, from a medical physics perspective, to evaluate long-lasting changes within a multi-disciplinary setting

Protocollo per il campionamento dei parametri chimico-fisici a sostegno degli elementi biologici in ambiente lacustre

Abstract not availableIl protocollo sul campionamento delle acque lacustri integra completandole le metodologie di campionamento ed analisi del fitoplancton, delle macrofite acquatiche e della fauna a macroinvertebrati in ambiente lacustre riportati nei capitoli successivi di questo Manuale. Anche questo protocollo come i precedenti segue le indicazioni della Direttiva 60/2000/CE (Water Framework Directive, WFD) e del Regolamento per la progettazione del programma di monitoraggio emanato dal Ministero dell?Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare

Intra-fraction setup variability: IR optical localization vs. X-ray imaging in a hypofractionated patient population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study is to investigate intra-fraction setup variability in hypo-fractionated cranial and body radiotherapy; this is achieved by means of integrated infrared optical localization and stereoscopic kV X-ray imaging.</p> <p>Method and Materials</p> <p>We analyzed data coming from 87 patients treated with hypo-fractionated radiotherapy at cranial and extra-cranial sites. Patient setup was realized through the ExacTrac X-ray 6D system (BrainLAB, Germany), consisting of 2 infrared TV cameras for external fiducial localization and X-ray imaging in double projection for image registration. Before irradiation, patients were pre-aligned relying on optical marker localization. Patient position was refined through the automatic matching of X-ray images to digitally reconstructed radiographs, providing 6 corrective parameters that were automatically applied using a robotic couch. Infrared patient localization and X-ray imaging were performed at the end of treatment, thus providing independent measures of intra-fraction motion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>According to optical measurements, the size of intra-fraction motion was (<it>median ± quartile</it>) 0.3 ± 0.3 mm, 0.6 ± 0.6 mm, 0.7 ± 0.6 mm for cranial, abdominal and lung patients, respectively. X-ray image registration estimated larger intra-fraction motion, equal to 0.9 ± 0.8 mm, 1.3 ± 1.2 mm, 1.8 ± 2.2 mm, correspondingly.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Optical tracking highlighted negligible intra-fraction motion at both cranial and extra-cranial sites. The larger motion detected by X-ray image registration showed significant inter-patient variability, in contrast to infrared optical tracking measurement. Infrared localization is put forward as the optimal strategy to monitor intra-fraction motion, featuring robustness, flexibility and less invasivity with respect to X-ray based techniques.</p