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A seed specific dose kernel method for low-energy brachytherapy dosimetry.
We describe a method for independently verifying the dose distributions from pre- and post-implant brachytherapy source distributions. Monte Carlo calculations have been performed to characterize the three-dimensional dose distribution in water phantom from a low-energy brachytherapy source. The calculations are performed in a voxelized, Cartesian coordinate geometry and normalized based upon a separate Monte Carlo calculation for the seed specific air-kerma strength to produce an absolute dose grid with units of cGy hr(-1) x U(-1). The seed-specific, three-dimensional dose grid is stored as a text file for processing using a separate visual basic program. This program requires the coordinate positions of each seed in the pre- or post-plan and sums the kernel file for a three-dimensional composite dose distribution. A kernel matrix size of 81x81x81 with a voxel size of 1.0x1.0x1.0 mm3 was chosen as a compromise between calculation time, kernel size, and truncation of the stored dose distribution as a function of radial distance from the midpoint of the seed. Good agreement is achieved for a representative pre- and post-plan comparison versus a commercial implementation of the TG-43 brachytherapy dosimetry protocol
Time-course of effects of external beam radiation on [18F]FDG uptake in healthy tissue and bone marrow.
The utility of PET for monitoring responses to radiation therapy have been complicated by metabolically active processes in surrounding normal tissues. We examined the time-course of [18F]FDG uptake in normal tissues using small animal-dedicated PET during the 2 month period following external beam radiation. Four mice received 12 Gy of external beam radiation, in a single fraction to the left half of the body. Small animal [18F]FDG-PET scans were acquired for each mouse at 0 (pre-radiation), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 19, 24, and 38 days following irradiation. [18F]FDG activity in various tissues was compared between irradiated and non-irradiated body halves before, and at each time point after irradiation. Radiation had a significant impact on [18F]FDG uptake in previously healthy tissues, and time-course of effects differed in different types of tissues. For example, liver tissue demonstrated increased uptake, particularly over days 3-12, with the mean left to right uptake ratio increasing 52% over mean baseline values (p < 0.0001). In contrast, femoral bone marrow uptake demonstrated decreased uptake, particularly over days 2-8, with the mean left to right uptake ratio decreasing 26% below mean baseline values (p = 0.0005). Significant effects were also seen in lung and brain tissue. Radiation had diverse effects on [18F]FDG uptake in previously healthy tissues. These kinds of data may help lay groundwork for a systematically acquired database of the time-course of effects of radiation on healthy tissues, useful for animal models of cancer therapy imminently, as well as interspecies extrapolations pertinent to clinical application eventually
A Monte Carlo based phase space model for quality assurance of intensity modulated radiotherapy incorporating leaf specific characteristics
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134797/1/mp3409.pd
Cooper Pairing in Ultracold K-40 Using Feshbach Resonances
We point out that the fermionic isotope K-40 is a likely candidate for the
formation of Cooper pairs in an ultracold atomic gas. Specifically, in an
optical trap that simultaneously traps the spin states |9/2,-9/2> and
|9/2,-7/2>, there exists a broad magnetic field Feshbach resonance at B = 196
gauss that can provide the required strong attractive interaction between
atoms. An additional resonance, at B = 191 gauss, could generate p-wave pairing
between identical |9/2,-7/2> atoms. A Cooper-paired degenerate Fermi gas could
thus be constructed with existing ultracold atom technology.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figs, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Resonance superfluidity in a quantum degenerate Fermi gas
We consider the superfluid phase transition that arises when a Feshbach
resonance pairing occurs in a dilute Fermi gas. We apply our theory to consider
a specific resonance in potassium-40, and find that for achievable experimental
conditions, the transition to a superfluid phase is possible at the high
critical temperature of about 0.5 T_F. Observation of superfluidity in this
regime would provide the opportunity to experimentally study the crossover from
the superfluid phase of weakly-coupled fermions to the Bose-Einstein
condensation of strongly-bound composite bosons.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Clusters at Half Hubble Time: Galaxy Structure and Colors in RXJ0152.7-1357 and MS1054-03
We study the photometric and structural properties of spectroscopically
confirmed members in the two massive X-ray--selected z=0.83 galaxy clusters
MS1054-03 and RXJ0152-1357 using three-band mosaic imaging with the Hubble
Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. The samples include 105 and 140
members of MS1054-03 and RXJ0152-1357, respectively, with ACS F775W magnitude <
24.0. We develop a promising new structural classification method, based on a
combination of the best-fit Sersic indices and the normalized root-mean-square
residuals from the fits; the resulting classes agree well with the visual ones,
but are less affected by galaxy orientation. We examine the color--magnitude
relations in detail and find that the color residuals correlate with the local
mass density measured from our weak lensing maps; we identify a threshold
density of , in units of the critical density, above which
the star formation appears to cease. For RXJ0152-1357, we also find a trend in
the color residuals with velocity, resulting from an offset of about 980 km/s
in the mean redshifts of the early- and late-type galaxies. Analysis of the
color--color diagrams indicates that a range of star formation time-scales are
needed to reproduce the loci of the galaxy colors. We also identify some
cluster galaxies whose colors can only be explained by large amounts, mag, of internal dust extinction. [Abstract shortened]Comment: 30 pages, emulateapj format; 23 figures, many in color. Accepted by
ApJ; scheduled for the 10 June 2006 issue. Some figures degraded; for a
higher resolution version, see: http://astro.wsu.edu/blakeslee/z1clusters
Signatures of resonance superfluidity in a quantum Fermi gas
In this letter, we predict a direct and observable signature of the
superfluid phase in a quantum Fermi gas, in a temperature regime already
accessible in current experiments. We apply the theory of resonance
superfluidity to a gas confined in a harmonic potential and demonstrate that a
significant increase in density will be observed in the vicinity of the trap
center.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Creation of ultracold molecules from a Fermi gas of atoms
Since the realization of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) in atomic gases an
experimental challenge has been the production of molecular gases in the
quantum regime. A promising approach is to create the molecular gas directly
from an ultracold atomic gas; for example, atoms in a BEC have been coupled to
electronic ground-state molecules through photoassociation as well as through a
magnetic-field Feshbach resonance. The availability of atomic Fermi gases
provides the exciting prospect of coupling fermionic atoms to bosonic
molecules, and thus altering the quantum statistics of the system. This
Fermi-Bose coupling is closely related to the pairing mechanism for a novel
fermionic superfluid proposed to occur near a Feshbach resonance. Here we
report the creation and quantitative characterization of exotic, ultracold
K molecules. Starting with a quantum degenerate Fermi gas of atoms
at T < 150 nanoKelvin we scan over a Feshbach resonance to adiabatically create
over a quarter million trapped molecules, which we can convert back to atoms by
reversing the scan. The small binding energy of the molecules is controlled by
detuning from the Feshbach resonance and can be varied over a wide range. We
directly detect these weakly bound molecules through rf photodissociation
spectra that probe the molecular wavefunction and yield binding energies that
are consistent with theory
Evolution of the Color-Magnitude Relation in Galaxy Clusters at z ~1 from the ACS Intermediate Redshift Cluster Survey
We apply detailed observations of the Color-Magnitude Relation (CMR) with the
ACS/HST to study galaxy evolution in eight clusters at z~1. The early-type red
sequence is well defined and elliptical and lenticular galaxies lie on similar
CMRs. We analyze CMR parameters as a function of redshift, galaxy properties
and cluster mass. For bright galaxies (M_B < -21mag), the CMR scatter of the
elliptical population in cluster cores is smaller than that of the S0
population, although the two become similar at faint magnitudes. While the
bright S0 population consistently shows larger scatter than the ellipticals,
the scatter of the latter increases in the peripheral cluster regions. If we
interpret these results as due to age differences, bright elliptical galaxies
in cluster cores are on average older than S0 galaxies and peripheral
elliptical galaxies (by about 0.5Gyr). CMR zero point, slope, and scatter in
the (U-B)_z=0 rest-frame show no significant evolution out to redshift z~1.3
nor significant dependence on cluster mass. Two of our clusters display CMR
zero points that are redder (by ~2sigma) than the average (U-B)_z=0 of our
sample. We also analyze the fraction of morphological early-type and late-type
galaxies on the red sequence. We find that, while in the majority of the
clusters most (80% to 90%) of the CMR population is composed of early-type
galaxies, in the highest redshift, low mass cluster of our sample, the CMR
late-type/early-type fractions are similar (~50%), with most of the late-type
population composed of galaxies classified as S0/a. This trend is not
correlated with the cluster's X-ray luminosity, nor with its velocity
dispersion, and could be a real evolution with redshift.Comment: ApJ, in press, 27 pages, 22 figure
Global Policy Barriers and Enablers to Exercise and Physical Activity in Kidney Care
Objective: Impairment in physical function and physical performance leads to decreased independence and health-related quality of life in people living with chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. Physical activity and exercise in kidney care are not priorities in policy development. We aimed to identify global policy-related enablers, barriers, and strategies to increase exercise participation and physical activity behavior for people living with kidney disease. Design and Methods: Guided by the Behavior Change Wheel theoretical framework, 50 global renal exercise experts developed policy barriers and enablers to exercise program implementation and physical activity promotion in kidney care. The consensus process consisted of developing themes from renal experts from North America, South America, Continental Europe, United Kingdom, Asia, and Oceania. Strategies to address enablers and barriers were identified by the group, and consensus was achieved. Results: We found that policies addressing funding, service provision, legislation, regulations, guidelines, the environment, communication, and marketing are required to support people with kidney disease to be physically active, participate in exercise, and improve health-related quality of life. We provide a global perspective and highlight Japanese, Canadian, and other regional examples where policies have been developed to increase renal physical activity and rehabilitation. We present recommendations targeting multiple stakeholders including nephrologists, nurses, allied health clinicians, organizations providing renal care and education, and renal program funders. Conclusions: We strongly recommend the nephrology community and people living with kidney disease take action to change policy now, rather than idly waiting for indisputable clinical trial evidence that increasing physical activity, strength, fitness, and function improves the lives of people living with kidney disease
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