218 research outputs found
An Electromagnetic Head and Neck Hyperthermia Applicator: experimental phantom verification and FDTD model
Purpose: To experimentally verify the feasibility of focused heating in the neck region by an array of two rings of six electromagnetic antennas. We also measured the dynamic specific absorption rate (SAR) steering possibilities of this setup and compared these SAR patterns to simulations.
Methods and Materials: Using a specially constructed laboratory prototype head-and-neck applicator, including
a neck-mimicking cylindrical muscle phantom, we performed SAR measurements by electric field, Schottkydiode sheet measurements and, using the power-pulse technique, by fiberoptic thermometry and infrared thermography. Using phase steering, we also steered the SAR distribution in radial and axial directions. All
measured distributions were compared with the predictions by a finite-difference time-domain–based electromagnetic
simulator.
Results: A central 50% iso-SAR focus of 35 +/- 3 mm in diameter and about 100 +/- 15 mm in length was obtained for all investigated settings. Furthermore, this SAR focus could be steered toward the desired location in the radial and axial directions with an accuracy of ~5 mm. The SAR distributions as measured by all three
experimental methods were well predicted by the simulations.
Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that focused heating in the neck is feasible and that this focus can be effectively steered in the radial and axial directions. For quality assurance measurements, we believe that the Schottky-diode sheet provides the best compromise among effort, speed, and accuracy, although a more specific and improved design is warranted
A head and neck hyperthermia applicator: Theoretical antenna array design
Purpose: Investigation into the feasibility of a circular array of dipole antennas to deposit RF-energy centrally in the neck
as a function of: (1) patient positioning, (2) antenna ring radius, (3) number of antenna rings, (4) number of antennas per
ring and (5) distance between antenna rings.
Materials and Methods: Power absorption (PA) distributions in realistic, head and neck, anatomy models are calculated
at 433 MHz. Relative PA distributions corresponding to different set-ups were analysed using the ratio of the average
PA (aPA) in the target and neck region.
Results: Enlarging the antenna ring radius from 12.5cm to 25 cm resulted in a ~21% decrease in aPA. By changing the
orientation of the patients with respect to the array an increase by ~11% was obtained. Increase of the amount of antenna
rings led to a better focussing of the power (1 - 2 / 3: ~17%). Increase of the distance between the antenna rings resulted in a
smaller (more target region conformal) focus but also a decreased power penetration.
Conclusions: A single optimum array setup suitable for all patients is difficult to define. Based on the results and practical
limitations a setup consisting of two rings of six antennas with a radius of 20 cm and 6 cm array spacing is considered a good
choice providing the ability to heat the majority of patients
A Patch Antenna Design for Application in a Phased-Array Head and Neck Hyperthermia Applicator
In this paper, we describe a specifically designed patch antenna that can be used as the basis antenna element of a clinical phased-array head and neck hyperthermia applicator. Using electromagnetic simulations we optimized the dimensions
of a probe-fed patch antenna design for operation at 433 MHz. By several optimization steps we could converge to a theoretical reflection of -38 dB and a bandwidth (-15 dB) of 20 MHz
(4.6%). Theoretically, the electrical performance of the antenna was satisfactory over a temperature range of 15 C–35 C, and stable for patient-antenna distances to as low as 4 cm. In an experimental cylindrical setup using six elements of the final patch design, we measured the impedance characteristics of the antenna 1) to establish its performance in the applicator and 2) to validate the simulations. For this experimental setup we simulated and measured comparable values: -21 dB reflection at 433 MHz and a bandwidth of 18.5 MHz. On the basis of this study, we anticipate good central interference of the fields of multiple antennas and conclude that this patch antenna design is very suitable for
the clinical antenna array. In future research we will verify the electrical performance in a prototype applicator
A new type of CP symmetry, family replication and fermion mass hierarchies
We study a two-Higgs-doublet model with four generalised CP symmetries in the
scalar sector. Electroweak symmetry breaking leads automatically to spontaneous
breaking of two of them. We require that these four CP symmetries can be
extended from the scalar sector to the full Lagrangian and call this
requirement the principle of maximal CP invariance. The Yukawa interactions of
the fermions are severely restricted by this requirement. In particular, a
single fermion family cannot be coupled to the Higgs fields. For two fermion
families, however, this is possible. Enforcing the absence of flavour-changing
neutral currents, we find degenerate masses in both families or one family
massless and one massive. In the latter case the Lagrangian is highly
symmetric, with the mass hierarchy being generated by electroweak symmetry
breaking. Adding a third family uncoupled to the Higgs fields and thus keeping
it massless we get a model which gives a rough approximation of some features
of the fermions observed in Nature. We discuss a number of predictions of the
model which may be checked in future experiments at the LHC.Comment: 24 pages. Version published in EPJC. Minor changes as suggested by
the refere
On heating head and neck tumours using the novel clinical em applicator: the HYPERcollar
Abstract
Purpose: Definition of all features and the potential of the novel HYPERcollar applicator system for hyperthermia treatments in the head and neck (H&N) region.
Methods and Materials: The HYPERcollar applicator consists of 1) an antenna ring, 2) a waterbolus system and 3) a positioning system. The specific absorption rate (SAR) profile of this applicator is investigated by performing infra-red (IR) measurements in a cylindrical phantom. Mandatory patient-specific treatment planning is performed as an object lesson to a patient with a laryngeal tumour and an artificial lymph node metastasis.
Results: The comfort tests with healthy volunteers have revealed that the applicator provides su±cient comfort to maintain in treatment position for an hour: in our center the standard hyperthermia treatment duration. We further established that a central focus in the neck can be obtained, with 50% iso-SAR lengths of 3.5cm in transversal directions and 9-11cm in the axial direction (z). Using treatment planning by detailed electromagnetic simulations, we showed that the SAR pattern can be optimized to enable simultaneous encompassing a primary laryngeal tumour and a lymph node metastasis at the 25% iso-SAR level.
Conclusions: A site-specific H&N applicator was designed that enables good control and sufficient possibilities for optimizing the SAR pattern. In an ongoing clinical feasibility study we will investigate the possibilities of heating various target regions in the neck with this apparatus
Final State Interactions in
It is believed that the production rate of is almost
solely determined by final state interactions (FSI) and hence provides an ideal
place to test FSI models. Here we examine model calculations of the
contributions from s-channel resonance and t-channel exchange to
the FSI effects in . The contribution from s-channel
is sma The results from
two methods are roughly consistent with each other and can reproduce the large
rate of reasonably well$Comment: Latex, 16 pages, with 2 figure
Final State Rescattering and Color-suppressed \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0} h^0 Decays
The color-suppressed \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0}\pi^0, D^{(*)0}\eta, D^0\omega decay
modes have just been observed for the first time. The rates are all larger than
expected, hinting at the presence of final state interactions. Considering \bar
B^0-> D^{(*)0}\pi^0 mode alone, an elastic D^{(*)}\pi -> D^{(*)}\pi
rescattering phase difference \delta \equiv \delta_{1/2} - \delta_{3/2} \sim
30^\circ would suffice, but the \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0}\eta, D^0\omega modes compel
one to extend the elastic formalism to SU(3) symmetry. We find that a universal
a_2/a_1=0.25 and two strong phase differences 20^\circ \sim \theta < \delta <
\delta^\prime \sim 50^\circ can describe both DP and D^*P modes rather well;
the large phase of order 50^\circ is needed to account for the strength of {\it
both} the D^{(*)0}\pi^0 and D^{(*)0}\eta modes. For DV modes, the nonet
symmetry reduces the number of physical phases to just one, giving better
predictive power. Two solutions are found. We predict the rates of the \bar
B^0-> D^{+}_s K^-, D^{*+}_s K^-, D^0\rho^0, D^+_s K^{*-} and D^0\phi modes, as
well as \bar B^0-> D^{0}\bar K^0, D^{*0}\bar K^0, D^{0}\bar K^{*0} modes. The
formalism may have implications for rates and CP asymmetries of charmless
modes.Comment: REVTeX4, 18 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Shifts in the Properties of the Higgs Boson from Radion Mixing
We examine how mixing between the Standard Model Higgs boson, , and the
radion present in the Randall-Sundrum model of localized gravity modifies the
expected properties of the Higgs boson. In particular, we demonstrate that the
total and partial decay widths of the Higgs, as well as the branching
fraction, can be substantially altered from their Standard Model expectations.
The remaining branching fractions are modified less than \lsim 5% for most of
the parameter space volume.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figs., LaTex; revised versio
MSSM Higgs-Boson Production at Hadron Colliders with Explicit CP Violation
Gluon fusion is the main production mechanism for Higgs bosons with masses up
to several hundred GeV in collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. We
investigate the effects of the CP-violating phases on the fusion process
including both the sfermion-loop contributions and the one-loop induced
CP-violating scalar-pseudoscalar mixing in the minimal supersymmetric standard
model. With a universal trilinear parameter assumed, every physical observable
involves only the sum of the phases of the universal trilinear parameter
and the higgsino mass parameter . The phase affects the lightest
Higgs-boson production rate significantly through the neutral Higgs-boson
mixing and, for the masses around the lightest stop-pair threshold, it also
changes the production rate of the heavy Higgs bosons significantly through
both the stop and sbottom loops and the neutral Higgs-boson mixing.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures. Some references and comments added. Typos
corrected. To appear in Phys. Rev.
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