Optimized EDXRF system for simultaneous detection of gold and silver nanoparticles in tumor phantom

An energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence system (EDXRF) was optimized for simultaneous detection of gold and silver nanoparticles inside water-equivalent phantoms applied to theranostics. The optimization process was carried out in order to maximize the fluorescence detection, keeping dose levels as low as possible. Gold and silver fluorescent emissions were simultaneously detected emerging from phantom's volume, allowing the future development of multi-parametric imaging associated to specific tumor characteristics. For fluorescence detection, gold LIII-edge and silver K-edge emission lines were used, exited with a conventional X-ray source with a tungsten target. Several combinations of filters of different thickness were used to hardening the Bremsstrahlung spectrum, thus producing energetically narrow beams with central energy according to both excitation edges. In the case of gold, incident spectrum was optimized by means of strontium (Sr) and yttrium (Y) filters to relatively incrementing photons capable of exciting gold LIII-edge, while silver K-edge excitation was improved using a tin (Sn) filter. Filtering combinations made of 212.0 μm Sr with 94.5 μm Sn, and 130.2 μm Y with 94.5 μm Sn maximized fluorescence detection sensitivity and minimized delivered dose, resulting in doses 2.24 and 2.36 times lower than individual gold or silver fluorescent detection. Furthermore, when dual gold and silver fluorescent detection was performed, the minimum detectable concentration was lower than single element detection: 0.042 ± 0.002 mg/mL of Au and 0.024 ± 0.005 mg/mL of Ag in dual detection against 0.058 ± 0.003 mg/mL of Au and 0.124 ± 0.007 mg/mL of Ag when measured independently.Fil: Santibáñez, M.. Universidad de La Frontera; ChileFil: Saavedra, R.. Universidad de La Frontera; ChileFil: Vedelago, José Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; ArgentinaFil: Malano, Francisco Mauricio. Universidad de La Frontera; ChileFil: Valente, Mauro Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Universidad de La Frontera; Chil

Fricke and polymer gel 2D dosimetry validation using Monte Carlo simulation

Complexity in modern radiotherapy treatments demands advanced dosimetry systems for quality control. These systems must have several characteristics, such as high spatial resolution, tissue equivalence, three-dimensional resolution, and dose-integrating capabilities. In this scenario, gel dosimetry has proved to be a very promising option for quality assurance. In this study, the feasibility of Fricke and polymer gel dosimeters suitably shaped in form of thin layers and optically analyzed by visible light transmission imaging has been investigated for quality assurance in external radiotherapy. Dosimeter irradiation was carried out with a 6-MV photon beam (CLINAC 600C). The analysis of the irradiated dosimeters was done using two-dimensional optical transmission images. These dosimeters were compared with a treatment plan system using Monte Carlo simulations as a reference by means of a gamma test with parameters of 1 mm and 2%. Results show very good agreement between the different dosimetric systems: in the worst-case scenario, 98% of the analyzed points meet the test quality requirements. Therefore, gel dosimetry may be considered as a potential tool for the validation of other dosimetric systems.Fil: Vedelago, José Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Chacón Obando, D.. Universidad Nacional. Physics Department; Costa Rica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Malano, Francisco Mauricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Conejeros, R.. Servicio de Radioterapia, Icos. Temuco, Chile;Fil: Figueroa, R.. Universidad de la Frontera; ChileFil: Garcia, D.. Servicio de Imagenes por Resonancia Magnética; ChileFil: González, G.. Servicio de Imagenes por Resonancia Magnética; ChileFil: Romero, Marcelo Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Santibañez, M.. Servicio de Imagenes por Resonancia Magnética; ChileFil: Strumia, Miriam Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Velásquez, J.. Servicio de Radioterapia; ChileFil: Mattea, Facundo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Valente, M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad de La Frontera. Departamento de Ciencias Físicas; Chil

Integrated Evaluation of Hybrid Water Supply Systems Using a PROMETHEE-GAIA Approach

There are pressures on existing centralized water infrastructures in urban centers which justify the search for alternatives. An increasingly important alternative is to shift from centralized to hybrid systems, often in response to climate variability and demographic changes. In a hybrid system, water is supplied and discharged through a mix of centralized and decentralized systems. There is usually no single objective that justifies the choice of hybrid water systems, but they typically are justified based on the consideration of a number of different criteria in order to evaluate the overall quality of service provision. The most important criteria include meeting water demand, as well as reducing demand for fresh water and instead using local alternative water supplies. Integration of multiple objectives to evaluate the hybrid water supply systems can be accomplished by multi-criteria decision aid techniques. This paper evaluates a number of hybrid water supply scenarios using a case study based on the Northern Growth Area of Melbourne, Australia. It uses the Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) and Geometrical Analysis for Interactive Decision Aid (GAIA), one of the multi-criteria decision-making methods through D-Sight software, to rank the hybrid water supply scenarios, and this ranking is validated by means of sensitivity analysis. The centralized system combined with stormwater harvesting and the centralized system combined with treated wastewater and rainwater tanks yielded the first and second most preferred scenarios, while the centralized water supply system combined with treated wastewater yielded the worst hybrid water supply option

Design and management guidelines for contour basin irrigation layouts in southeast Australia

Abstract Contour basin irrigation layouts are used in Australia for sequential cultivation of rice and other crops on soils with low infiltration rates. Multiple interconnected basins through gates installed in the check banks and backflow at the inlet end are unique features of contour basin layouts used in southeast Australia. Design and management guidelines were developed using a two-dimensional computer simulation model (COBASIM) for contour basin layouts. The computer model was used to simulate and analyse the performance of single-and multiple-basin layouts in response to key design variables including aspect ratio, inflow rates, microtopography, vertical interval between basins and number of interconnecting drainage outlets. The main aim of this study was to provide designers and practitioners with an overall view of the likely impact trends arising from variations in key design factors and to improve design practices. Irrigation performance was measured by the time of advance needed to cover the entire basin area, application efficiency, water requirement efficiency and distribution uniformity. The study revealed that the aspect ratio and local microtopography have a significant impact on the performance in these layouts. A mild slope in the advance direction can improve performance when a small depth of irrigation is required, while there are no significant benefits from increasing the elevation difference between adjacent basins. Crow

Hydro-economic modelling of the Upper Bhima Catchment, India

Water resources development has played a crucial role in the expansion of agriculture and industry in the Upper Bhima Catchment, Maharashtra, India. However, sustainable water resources management has become a challenging issue in this catchment in recent years as there is an increasing demand for renewable, yet finite water resources. Finding ways to meet this growing demand and also to achieve positive environmental and economic outcomes requires the aid of modeling tools to analyze the impact of alternative policy scenarios. Water resources management modeling at a catchment scale can provide policy makers with essential information needed to make rational resource allocation decisions..

Ensayo Estructural No Destructivo Utilizando Microtomografía de Rayos X para Estimación de Diferencias de Densidad Másica en Muestras Óseas de Conejo

Al realizarse estudios sobre muestras óseas para analizar características como dureza, densidad y salud, se suelen utilizar equipamientos que permiten la cuantificación de la densidad electrónica, proporcional a la densidad másica, que se relaciona directamente con la densidad mineral ósea. El test conocido como densitometría ósea se suele realizar con equipos de rayos X, ultrasonido o por medio de la utilización de isótopos radioactivos. Este estudio cuantifica la cantidad mineral ósea por superficie y suele ser utilizado para evaluar, entre otros, riesgos de fracturas o estado de osteoporosis. La técnica de tomografía computada utiliza imágenes bidimensionales de rayos X y métodos de reconstrucción tomográfica implementados en algoritmos computacionales para obtener información de la estructura interna de un objeto, de forma no destructiva. Equipamientos especialmente desarrollados logran obtener imágenes con resolución sub-milimétrica, dando lugar a la técnica conocida como micro-tomografía. La posibilidad de estudiar estructuras óseas con este grado de resolución y obtener imágenes morfológicas tridimensionales con información de la densidad electrónica, presenta una importante opción para estudios específicos sobre, entre otros, crecimiento de hueso y estudios de nuevos componentes que permiten acelerar el crecimiento de tejidos dañados. En el presente trabajo se analizan muestras óseas del cráneo de conejos donde se han dañado determinadas zonas y se han injertado diferentes sustancias tendientes a evaluar respuestas de reparación de tejido óseo. El análisis se realiza a los fines de estudiar la performance de la técnica de micro-tomografía desarrollada en laboratorio con el objetivo de observar su potencialidad en este tipo de estudios y la capacidad de estos análisis en la caracterización de las propiedades físicas de este tipo de muestras.publishedVersionFil: Pérez, P. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía, Física y Computación; Argentina.Fil: Pérez, P. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Malano, F. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía, Física y Computación; Argentina.Fil: Malano, F. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Fernández Bodereau, E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Odontología; Argentina.Fil: Dedossi, G. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Odontología; Argentina.Fil: Figueroa, R. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Figueroa, R. Centro de Física e Ingeniería en Medicina. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Santibañez, M. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Santibañez, M. Centro de Física e Ingeniería en Medicina. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Vedelago, J. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía, Física y Computación; Argentina.Fil: Vedelago, J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Vedelago, J. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Vedelago, J. Centro de Física e Ingeniería en Medicina. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Valente, M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía, Física y Computación; Argentina.Fil: Valente, M. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina.Fil: Valente, M. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile.Fil: Valente, M. Centro de Física e Ingeniería en Medicina. Universidad de La Frontera. Temuco; Chile