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Summary The dead foliage of scorched crowns is one of the most conspicuous signatures of wildland fires. Globally, crown scorch from fires in savannas, woodlands and forests causes tree stress and death across diverse taxa. The term crown scorch, however, is inconsistently and ambiguously defined in the literature, causing confusion and conflicting interpretation of results. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms causing foliage death from fire are poorly understood. The consequences of crown scorch – alterations in physiological, biogeochemical and ecological processes and ecosystem recovery pathways – remain largely unexamined. Most research on the topic assumes the mechanism of leaf and bud death is exposure to lethal air temperatures, with few direct measurements of lethal heating thresholds. Notable information gaps include how energy transfer injures and kills leaves and buds, how nutrients, carbohydrates, and hormones respond, and what physiological consequences lead to mortality. We clarify definitions to encourage use of unified terminology for foliage and bud necrosis resulting from fire. We review the current understanding of the physical mechanisms driving foliar injury, discuss the physiological responses, and explore novel ecological consequences of crown injury from fire. From these elements, we propose research needs for the increasingly interdisciplinary study of fire effects.

Pre-sowing treatment of sunflower seeds in a magnetic field makes it possible to improve the sowing quality of seeds and increase the yield of sunflower without the use of mineral fertilizers and chemical plant protection products. Compared to other electrophysical methods, pre-sowing treatment of seeds in a magnetic field is a highly productive, energy-consuming, safe method for operating personnel and the environment. It has now been established that the yield and biometric indicators of agricultural crops depend on the dose of magnetic treatment. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the optimal energy dose for processing sunflower seeds in a magnetic field. An analytical expression has been obtained for determining the energy dose of sunflower seed treatment in a magnetic field. It contains all the operating parameters of seed treatment in a magnetic field. It has been established that the energy dose of sunflower seeds treatment in a magnetic field depends in direct proportion to the square of the magnetic induction and pole division and inversely to the speed of the seeds in the magnetic field. The carried out multifactorial experiment made it possible to determine the sunflower seeds germination energy and germination at various energy doses of treatment. This made it possible to determine the optimal mode of sunflower seeds treatment in a magnetic field. It was found that the optimal mode of pre-sowing treatment of sunflower seeds in a magnetic field is a magnetic induction of 0.065 T, four-fold re-magnetization, pole division 0.23 m, a seed velocity of 0.4 m/s, providing an energy treatment of 3.8 J‧s/kg. With the optimal treatment of sunflower seeds in a magnetic field, the germination energy increased by 28 %, the germination – by 24 %, and the yield – by 26 %. Key words: sunflower, pre-sowing treatment, magnetic field, magnetic induction, pole division, velocity of seed movement, energy dose of treatment

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of epithelium-off continuous light accelerated corneal cross-linking (CXL) with a total dose of 7.2 J/cm 2 for treating progressive keratoconus in a Chinese population during 24 months of follow-up. METHODS: In this retrospective, interventional case series, 45 eyes of 31 consecutive patients with progressive keratoconus were evaluated. All patients underwent accelerated CXL with settings of 30 mW/cm 2 for 4 minutes, corresponding to a total dose of 7.2 J/cm 2 . Visual acuity, manifest refraction, epithelial thickness, topography, tomography, aberrometry, endothelial cell count, and intraocular pressure were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Progressive keratoconus was stabilized in 91.11% and 93.33% of the patients at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The improvement in corrected distance visual acuity was significant throughout the postoperative follow-up period ( P < .05), excluding month 1. A significant decrease in the maximum keratometric values (0.67 ± 1.68, 0.92 ± 1.78, and 0.97 ± 1.73 D) was observed at months 12, 18, and 24, respectively ( P < .05 for all). Corneal irregularity improved, particularly total root mean square and higher order aberrations at 12 to 24 months after CXL. In bilateral CXL, the progression of the first eye was highly predictive of the outcome of the second eye. CONCLUSIONS: CXL with a total dose of 7.2 J/cm 2 maintains long-term results in halting the progression of keratoconus, with significant improvement in the corrected distance visual acuity and stability of keratometric values. Further clinical studies with longer follow-up periods and larger samples are necessary to confirm these results. [ J Refract Surg . 2020;36(11):731–739.]

Background – Despite verbose amount of publications and having gained approval by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1996 for food-surface disinfection applications, pulsed light (PL) still has not been used on a large scale by industry. Fresh produce remains a leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks where there is a pressing need for an effective post-harvest decontamination intervention such as PL that can replace or supplement post-harvest washing. Scope and approach This review describes current status of PL for non-thermal food-surface treatments. It addresses rationale and efficacy of methods used to assess PL disinfection performance along with addressing inter-related factors that are limiting PL development for these opportunities. Key findings and conclusions PL is a promising non-thermal technology for food-surface disinfection. Lack of international harmonisation and consensus on what constitutes priority experimental methods and exposure conditions is hampering commercial development of PL. Previously, many studies have reported on PL-food treatments using a cumulative energy dose or range of UV doses above the FDA recommended 12 J cm−2. Consensus on the choice and relevance of indirect cell and molecular methods to assess injury in PL-treated microorganisms has yet to be reached. This review provides recommendations in reporting experimental data and key parameters governing treatment that enables reporting of sufficient details to extent that other researchers would be able to repeat, compare and evaluate data between studies. Converging developments in adjacent industry sectors that may inform development of PL as a promising future food disruptive technology are described.

This study determined the ultraviolet-C (UV C) resistance of Listeria monocytogenes in coconut liquid endosperm and apple juice after previous exposures to suboptimal growth conditions. L. monocytogenes 1/2c and 4b strains were individually exposed to gradual acidification (final pH 4.5), desiccation (aw 0.96), heating (40 °C), and all their simultaneous combinations. Results showed that regardless of prior growth conditions and fruit beverage suspending medium, L. monocytogenes exhibited log-linear inactivation behavior. The UV-C energy dose necessary to reduce microbial population by 1 log cycle (DUV-C) varied across growth conditions and between fruit beverages. Regardless of growth condition, L. monocytogenes exhibited greater resistance in apple juice. In coconut liquid endosperm, the greatest UV-C resistance was observed in cells previously exposed to acidification and heat (A+H) (DUV-C 37.32 mJ/cm2), while cells previously exposed to acidification and desiccation (A+D) exhibited the greatest resistance to UV-C in apple juice (DUV-C 726.76 mJ/cm2). L. monocytogenes exhibited least UV-C resistance in coconut when previously exposed to heating (DUV-C 25.40 mJ/cm2), while exposure to A+H resulted in least UV-C resistance when suspended in apple juice (DUV-C 298.81 mJ/cm2). These results suggest that in addition to intrinsic suspending medium properties, implicit microbial physiology also affect the efficacy of UV-C treatment.

Objective: The aim of the study is to compare the operative time and degree of post-operative pain in children who underwent a tonsillectomy using different energy doses of bipolar cautery and to specify the most appropriate energy dose.Materials and Methods: Patients included in the study were allocated to three groups with 20 in each and each group underwent the operation with 20, 30 and 40 watt energy doses of bipolar cautery. Operative time was recorded for each patient. The Wong-Baker FACES pain rating Scale (WBS) was used in the post-operative period for each patient and the pain severity of the patients was evaluated at post-operative 30th min, 1st, 6th, 24th hours and 10th day. The operative times and pain severity of the patients were compared thereafter.Results: A significant difference was not detected between the groups in which 20, 30 and 40 watt bipolar cautery was used (p>0.05). A significant difference was not detected between groups with regard to pain scores at post-operative 30th min, 1st, 6th, 24th hour and 10th day (p>0.05).Conclusion: We have compared groups with regard to post-operative pain and operative time according to energy dose of bipolar cautery and detected no statistically significant difference in tonsillectomies conducted with different energy doses. Therefore we consider that energy dose should be as low as possible in tonsillectomies conducted with bipolar cautery.

Background Cardiac arrest in toddlers is rare, but accidental electrocution may induce arrhythmias. Case presentation A previously healthy one-year-old child suffered electrocution from an old shoe-warmer and went into cardiac arrest. Her mother started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the ambulance arrived after seven minutes. The first registered rhythm was ventricular tachycardia and the child was defibrillated with an energy dose of 50 joules. One minute after the shock, the child regained spontaneous breathing and was transported to the nearby hospital. The child was unconscious on arrival, intubated and sedated. The first capillary blood gas showed a pH of 7.20, a pCO2 of 5.2 kPa and lactate of 8.4 mmol/l. The child was extubated five hours later. Apart from burn injuries to both hands that necessitated skin transplants, the child survived without sequelae. Interpretation Healthcare providers must be prepared to apply a defibrillator in cases of paediatric cardiac arrest.

This work presents the developed method and equipment for assessing the effectiveness of treatment using photodynamic therapy (PDT). As a photosensitizer (PS), the drugs "Photoditazin" and "Alasens" were used. The problem of spectral separation of laser radiation and fluorescence of 5-ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX or Chlorin e6 was solved by selecting a combination of optical filters. The time of laser irradiation varied from 6 to 20 min, depending on the fluorescence index of the irradiated area, the energy dose was 100-200 J/cm2. The results showed the effectiveness of the new approach and equipment for conducting controlled PDT.

It is a common experience amongst laser dentists and patients that mid-IR wavelength application in cavity preparation may be achieved without causing any associated pain. The erbium family of lasers (Er,Cr:YSGG 2780 nm and Er:YAG 2940 nm) are frequently used without employing injectable local anesthesia as an adjunct: the phenomenon arising from the application of these devices is known as laser analgesia. This review seeks to apply a systematic approach to the examination of appropriate published studies but also to highlight the need for much more structured clinical investigations that consolidate photonic dose and methodology. A search of published data using PRISMA criteria was carried out to examine clinical trials into laser analgesia in conjunction with restorative dentistry, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. From this, 10 published articles were selected for analysis. Suitability assessment was carried out, using a modified Cochrane risk of bias methodology. In 8/10 of the included studies, laser-induced analgesia is claimed to be better and effective, while in 2/10 of the studies, no difference was exhibited compared to the control group. Statistical analysis of three split mouth studies concluded that only one of these investigations reviewed demonstrated a significant analgesic effect for laser treatment while the other two did not support this observation. From this data, it is inconclusive to assess the predictability of laser analgesia in cavity preparation. A possible rationale and laser operating parametry has been discussed. Successful implementation of this treatment modality remains technique sensitive and subject to further investigation.

Although Ultraviolet-B (UV-B)-plant interactions have been extensively analysed in the past years, many physiological aspects of the complex plant response mechanisms still need to be elucidated. Depending on the energy dose, this part of the electromagnetic spectrum can induce detrimental or beneficial effects in plant and fruit. In the present work, active thermography is used to analyse in real time the response of plants under different doses of artificial UV-B. In particular, we investigated the temporal variations of the leaf surface temperature (LST) to UV-B exposure by Long Pulse and Lock-in thermography in Epipremnum aureum and in Arabidopsis plants overexpressing or knockout mutants of UVR8, the known UV-B photoreceptor. In both cases, UV-B irradiation triggers a cooling effect, namely a thermal response characterised by a LST lower respect to the initial value. Lock-in thermography demonstrated that the cooling effect is associated with an immediate mobilization and accumulation of water in the leaves. Also, we demonstrated that thermographic responses change according to the different capability of plants to tolerate high UV-B radiation. Our study highlights new physiological and physical aspects of the plants response to UV-B radiation and, more in general, it opens new opportunities for the use of the thermography as smart tool for real-time monitoring of plant environmental interactions.

WOS:000609171200001 PMID: 33503217 Purpose: To evaluate the effect of diode laser use on experimental orthodontic tooth movements. Methods: Thirty Rattus norvegicus albinus Wistar were divided into three equal groups (n = 10), two experimentals and one control. Applying 20 g orthodontic force were attached to the maxillary incisors of the rats in all groups. Low dose laser was applied to the surrounding tissues of the maxillary incisors of the rats in the experimental groups. Two exposure times for laser irradiation were used for seven days: t = 12 min (energy dose = 72 J) and t = 9 min (energy dose = 54 J) by a 0.1 W DEKA brand diode laser with wavelength of 980 nm. Results: Osteoclastic activation increased in the 72 J group when compared to control group and decreased in comparison to the 54 J group. Osteoblastic activation was decreased in the 72 J group when compared to the control group and increased in comparison to the 54 J group. Conclusions: Applying 54 J laser energy has been found effective to accelerate the orthodontic tooth movement.

Non-thermal processes are in demand in the meat industry due to their ability to inactivate foodborne pathogens, such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, at room temperatures. Although ultraviolet-light (UV-C) is a potential process for eliminating pathogens while preserving the quality of foods, its inefficiency in penetrating solid foods might result in a lower log reduction of pathogens in meat. Thus, it is necessary to look at hurdle technologies. Lemongrass oil (LG), with its antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant properties, can be an ideal alternative. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of UV-C, LG, and their combination on E. coli K12 inoculated goat meat. Lemongrass oil at 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% concentrations (w/v) with intensities of 100 and 200 μW cm−2, which provided an energy dose of 0.2–2.4 mJ cm−2 of UV-C, was used to treat goat meat for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 min. The top surfaces of LG treated goat meat samples were treated with UV-C by these combinations of treatments. The combination of 1% LG + UV-C with 200 μW cm−2 treatment for 2 min resulted in a synergistic microbial reduction of 6.66 log10 CFU mL−1 (below detection levels) of E. coli K12 compared to the control, the level of which was significantly higher than individual and other hurdle treatments (P ≤ 0.05). No significant effect on the texture, whereas, changes in color and oxidative stability of goat meat was observed with LG + UV-C treatments. Although this combination seems to be a better option, treatment conditions need to be optimized and further studies are required to validate hurdle mechanisms for commercial applications.

The failure of endodontic treatment is linked to the presence of Enterococcus faecalis in the root canals. The scope of this study was to evaluate the influence of the energy dose and frequency of photodynamic therapy (PDT cycles), as well as the volume of bacterial suspensions (BS) in the elimination of Enterococcus faecalis in planktonic form.In four successive assays BS of Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 19433 were irradiated with a diode laser (40 mW) using the photosensitizer (PS) methylene blue (MB) (0.005 μg/mL). Group 1 - Effect of energy dose: 100 μ L of BS and 100 μ L of PS were irradiated by 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 minute s. Group 2 - Effect of PDT cycles: The BS received 1, 2, 3 or 4 PDT cycles (in each cycle 100 m L of PS was added and irradiated by 2.5 minutes). Group 3 - Effect of energy dose and bacterial suspension volume: 10 μ L of BS and 10 μ L of PS were irradiated similar to group 1. Group 4 - Effect of energy dose, bacterial suspension volume and PDT cycles: 10 μ L of BS and 10 μL of PS were irradiated according to group 2. The laser source and MB isolated represented the controls.The mean log reduction after separate applying laser light and MB were 0.01 and 0.07, respectively. It was found that wells with 100 μ L of BS irradiated with 2.4 to 24 J of energy did not cause significant bacterial elimination (p 0.05), on the other hand PDT cycles above 12 J increased significantly bacterial elimination (p 0.05). In 10 μ L wells irradiation from 12 J of energy provided higher bacterial elimination (p 0.05) which combined with PDT cycle resulted in the logarithmic elimination of E. faecalis (p 0.05).The energy dose, the volume of the bacterial suspension and, especially, the PDT cycles optimized the bacterial elimination of Enterococcus faecalis in planktonic form.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of increasing the energy dose in treating urinary lithiasis with extracorporeal lithotripsy through an expanded number of Shock Waves Per Session (SWPS). Materials and Methods: a randomized, prospective, and comparative study was performed with patients with renal or ureteral lithiasis from 2011 to 2014. Two groups were studied: Group A (n=136), treated with 3500 SWPS, and Group B (n=171), subjected to an expanded treatment with 7000 SWPS. Patients were considered stone free when there was no lithiasis or it were less or equal to 4mm after treatment. Variables related to the patient, stones, treatment, and complications were collected. Results: The global SFR was 75.0% and 87.7% in Groups A and B, respectively (p=0.004). In renal location, the SFR was higher in Group B (74.1% vs 90.7%, p=0.003) regardless of the size. In the ureteral location, there were differences in the pelvic only (73.7% vs 95.2%). There were no differences in either the complication rate (27.2% vs 25.7%, p=0.77), or the severity between the two groups. The variable number of SWPS was seen to be an independent predictor of the resolution of lithiasis, having the probability of resolving lithiasis 2.62 (CI 95%=1.40-4.89) times greater when applying 7000 SWPS. Conclusion: In our study, increasing the energy dose applied through an expanded number of SWPS has been shown to be more effective than standard regimens with a similar safety profile. However, more clinical studies on different types of lithotripters are required to confirm these results.

Goal of the study : to define the effect of various doses of laser radiation with 662 nm wave on the growth of M. tuberculosis in vitro. Materials and methods . Samples of mycobacterial suspension of M. tuberculosis H37Rv were processed by monopositional light radiation (λ = 662 nm) in six dosing regimens varying in power and duration of the exposure to the light. All samples of mycobacterial suspension of M. tuberculosis were inoculated on the solid nutritional media of Lowenstein-Jensen in triplets for each dose of the exposure to light. Cultures were incubated under 37°С for 90 days with weekly inspection of samples. Results . Continuous irradiation by diffused laser with 662 nm wave provides the most expressed bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against M. tuberculosis H37Rv under the density of the energy dose of 234.5 and 703.5 of J/sq.cm. Such a dose was obtained through 5 and 15-minute exposure respectively.

Several focal therapies are being investigated clinically to treat tumors in which surgery is contraindicated. Many of these ablation techniques, such as radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation, rely on thermal damage mechanisms which can put critical nerves or vasculature at risk. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a minimally invasive, non-thermal technique to destroy tumors. A series of short electric pulses create nanoscale defects in the cell membrane, eventually leading to cell death. Typical IRE protocols deliver a series of 50-100 µs monopolar pulses. High frequency IRE (H-FIRE) aims to replace these monopolar pulses with integrated bursts of 0.25-10 µs bipolar pulses. Here, we examine ablations created using a broad array of IRE and H-FIRE protocols in a potato tissue phantom model. Our results show that H-FIRE pulses require a higher energy dose to create equivalent lesions to standard IRE treatment protocols. We show that ablations in potato do not increase when more than 40 H-FIRE bursts are delivered. These results show that H-FIRE treatment protocols can be optimized to produce clinically relevant lesions while maintaining the benefits of a non-thermal ablation technique.

This study established the ultraviolet-C (UV-C)-mediated reduction of a cocktail of Salmonella enterica serovars, artificially inoculated onto desiccated coconut flakes. Inoculated cells exhibited biphasic inactivation behavior, characterized by an initial, log-linear population reduction, followed by a slower log-linear population decline where sublethal injury accumulated. Decimal reduction times in the faster inactivation phase (Dfast) ranged from 0.65 to 0.82 min, equivalent to UV-C energy dose of 86.58–109.22 mJ/cm2. The Dslow values ranged from 21.19 to 24.21 min, equivalent to energy dose of 2822.51–3224.78 mJ/cm2. A total of 3-log cycles reduction in inoculated Salmonella were observed after 40 min exposure of desiccated coconut to UV-C. Further, this 40-min process resulted in changes in the Hunter L*, a* and b* color parameter values, but were not detected by a test consumer panel as evident in the non-significant difference in the color acceptability of UV-C treated and untreated coconut flakes. The UV-C process also did not affect the general acceptability of baked coconut macaroons made from UV-C treated coconut flakes. The results obtained in this work may serve as baseline information in the development of an in- or post-process integration of a UV-C radiation step against Salmonella spp. in the desiccated coconut production process flow.

Light-curing units are widely employed in dentistry thanks to the development and progressive affirmation of resin composites. However, to clinically achieve great results and outcomes with adhesive dentistry, it is fundamental to understand how light curing works, its effects, and its limitations. In this chapter a basic knowledge will be given to the reader, in order to understand how to clinically deal with curing protocols and maximize the outcome of polymerization. The chemical reactions during light curing of composite resins are described, also explaining the influence of volumetric shrinkage and shrinkage stress on quality of the final restoration. The different light-curing units are presented, including quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH), argon-ion laser (AL), plasma arch (PAC), and light-emitting diode (LED). The importance of an adequate radiant emittance, the distance between the light and the tooth and the incident beam angle are important factors in order to deliver the necessary energy dose to properly cure the restorative material. The effects of different curing protocols on the shrinkage stress are explained, including the conventional and gradual curing protocols, such as pulse delay and soft start (ramp and step cycle). Important recommendations while performing adhesive luting of indirect restorations and glass fiber posts are also described. Finally, the ocular hazards of curing lights are presented, as well the necessary protective measures for the dentist, assistant, and patient.

The aim of this research is to find out the effect of GaAlAs diode laser 808 nm exposure on MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro with and without the addition of a photosensitizer. Methylene blue (C16H18N3SCl) with concentration of 2 µM is used as the photosensitizer based on the preliminary results of cytotoxicity assay. Energy dose is set in the range of 23, 043 to 322, 062 J/cm2. Laser exposure with the addition of the photosensitizer generates the highest percentage of cell death of 20.80% at energy dose of 184, 344 J/cm2 and cell death begin to decrease at energy dose above this value. This behavior is likely caused by photodegradation and photobleaching effect of the photosensitizer due to the longer exposure time. However, the percentage of cell death without the addition of photosensitizer is increased proportionally to the increase of energy dose and achieved 32, 45% cell mortality at 299, 559 J/cm2. This study not only shows that the exposure of infrared laser can be used to inactivate cancer cells but also determines its optimum energy dose, makes it a possible candidate for photodynamic therapy in the future.

World wide, the number of CT studies in children and the radiation exposure by CT increases. The same energy dose has a greater biological impact in children than in adults, and scan parameters have to be adapted to the smaller diameter of the juvenile body. Based on seven rules, a practical approach to paediatric CT is shown: Justification and patient preparation are important steps before scanning, and they differ from the preparation of adult patients. The subsequent choice of scan parameters aims at obtaining the minimal signal-to-noise ratio and volume coverage needed in a specific medical situation; exposure can be divided in two aspects: the CT dose index determining energy deposition per rotation and the dose-length product (DLP) determining the volume dose. DLP closely parallels the effective dose, the best parameter of the biological impact. Modern scanners offer dose modulation to locally minimise exposure while maintaining image quality. Beyond the selection of the physical parameters, the dose can be kept low by scanning the minimal length of the body and by avoiding any non-qualified repeated scanning of parts of the body. Following these rules, paediatric CT examinations of good quality can be obtained at a reasonable cost of radiation exposure.

Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) was proved to be an effective method to avoid the hyper-thermal injury in epidermal layer during the treatment of Port Wine Stain. A numerical analysis was performed to show the thermal history during the cryogen spray process. The analysis reveals that CSC not only reduces the surface temperature and protects the skin surface from burning but also makes a high energy dose possible to improve the clinic effect. The impact of the heat transfer coefficient on the cooling effect of CSC was also examined. One finds that the surface temperature decreases as the heat transfer coefficient increases and a high initial temperature improves the clinical result by increasing the final temperature in the PWS layer.

Antimicrobial resistance is a significant and growing concern. To continue to treat even simple infections, there is a pressing need for new alternative and complementary approaches to antimicrobial therapy. One possible addition to the current range of treatments is the use of narrow-wavelength light as an antimicrobial, which has been shown to eliminate a range of common pathogens. Much progress has already been made with blue light but the potential of other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum is largely unexplored. In order that the approach can be fully and most effectively realized, further research is also required into the effects of energy dose, the harmful and beneficial impacts of light on eukaryotic tissues, and the role of oxygen in eliciting microbial toxicity. These and other topics are discussed within this perspective.

Purpose To evaluate and compare the depth of corneal stromal demarcation line after accelerated collagen crosslinking (CXL) using continuous and pulsed light ultraviolet-A (UVA) exposure. Setting Department of Ophthalmology, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Design Retrospective case series. Methods Patients with progressive keratoconus were assigned to 1 of 2 treatment protocols using the same irradiation device for accelerated CXL. Patients assigned to Group A received accelerated CXL using continuous UVA light exposure at 30 mW/cm 2 for 4 minutes. Patients assigned to Group B received accelerated CXL using pulsed UVA light with 8 minutes (1 second on/1 second off) of UVA exposure at 30 mW/cm 2 and energy dose of 7.2 J/cm 2 . One month after surgery, corneal stromal demarcation line depth was measured by 2 independent observers using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Results A total of 60 patients were assessed. Corneal stromal demarcation line was easily identified on AS-OCT scans in all eyes by both observers. The mean depth of stromal demarcation line was 149.32 ± 36.03 μm in Group A and 213 ± 47.38 μm in Group B. The difference in stromal demarcation line depth between groups was statistically significant ( P Conclusions Using accelerated CXL, the corneal stromal demarcation line was significantly deeper using pulsed rather than continuous light exposure. Financial Disclosure No author has financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Great vocal well-being is a key worry to proficient voice clients such ad instructors and artists. Consequently, to improve the utilization of voice and appropriate recovery to reestablish vocal well-being is the need of the day. A framework has been created to give a way to quantitative vocal stacking appraisal for the avoidance of voice issues. The advancements in signal processing have helped us to achieve this goal. Time dose, cycle dose, energy dose, and distance dose are the vital voice dosage measures citied in writing. The initial two measurements are ascertained in the study. The parameters which determine these measurements are voicing time, fundamental frequency of speech, and intensity of speech. Silence/unvoiced/voiced classification of speech signal has been done. The fundamental frequency has been extracted by cepstrum analysis. Voice doses are calculated using the above parameters, and tests are done on male and female audio samples. In this study, MATLAB platform is used for speech signal recording as well as analysis.

e15642 Background: Hafnium oxide nanoparticles, NBTXR3, increase the effect of radiotherapy (RT) by enhancing local energy dose deposit within tumor cells, resulting in increased cell death compared to the same dose of RT alone. NBTXR3 efficacy was demonstrated in a phase II/III study in soft tissue sarcoma (NCT02379845) and is currently evaluated in other solid tumors including liver cancers. The use of this radio enhancer is particularly relevant in liver cancer management, a difficult to treat heterogenous population, due to the presence of underlying liver dysfunction. Methods: Phase I/II study of NBTXR3 activated by RT in patients (pts) with HCC (with/without portal vein tumor thrombus) or liver metastasis (mets) [NCT02721056]. The dose escalation part followed a 3+3 design with tested dose levels equivalent to 10%, 15%, 22% and 33% of baseline tumor volume. Patients were treated with a single intralesional injection (ILI) of NBTXR3 followed by Stereotaxic Body RT (SBRT: 45 Gy/3 fractions/5 to 7 days). Determination of recommended dose(s) and early dose limiting toxicities (DLT) were primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints include assessment of global safety profile, liver function evaluated by Child-Pugh score (CPS), AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI), and response rate (mRECIST/RECIST 1.1). Results: The 4 levels of ILI dose escalation were finalized (n = 17): 6 pts at 10% (2 SBRT doses tested due to organs constraints), 4 pts at 15% and 22% (due to fiducial displacement and ILI shift) and 3 pts at 33% were included. ILIs were successful and SBRT was delivered as planned with no observed DLT or NBTXR3-related SAE at all levels. Only one grade 1 AE (fatigue) related to NBTXR3 was reported at dose level 33%. No relevant change of CPS or APRI was observed over time. Among 7 evaluable HCC pts the best target lesion responses by mRECIST were: 3 CR and 4 PR and among 5 evaluable mets pts: 2 PR, 1 SD and 2 PD. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility and good tolerance of the first in class NBTXR3 ILI. These results have supported a protocol amendment adding a higher dose of NBTXR3 (42% of the tumor volume). This innovative approach might constitute a valuable solution for patients with unresectable liver tumors and liver dysfunction. Clinical trial information: NCT02721056.

Efficient corneal cross linking (CXL) comprises three key ingredients: energy dose of the applied ultraviolet (UV) light, concentration or composition of riboflavin (vitamin B2), and oxygen. CXL obtains its relevance from the combination of UV light and riboflavin which triggers the polymerization (cross linking) process but requires available oxygen to be effective. In addition, side factors such as the hydration of the cornea, other molecules (e.g., Vitamin C), or the temperature during CXL can influence the reaction mechanism. Ultimately, the aim is to optimize control of the CXL process to improve the predictability of the CXL effect and to provide the best clinical outcome for patients. This chapter focuses on the infrastructure of CXL, starting with the history of CXL, going through the CXL procedure, and highlighting the role of scientists in creating an optimum treatment to stop the progression of keratoconus (KC). The biomechanics of the cornea are a keystone in this infrastructure; they are discussed in terms of future in vitro and in vivo applications to observe corneal shape changes in KC diagnostically versus computationally. Finally, the future of CXL is considered as a potential alternative to refractive correction.

Laser-induced eye injuries have been reported more and more often in the past years, yet the laser is not a modern invention. Based on stimulated emission, the wavelength, energy dose and pulse duration of the laser are the determining factors for its possible hazard potential. The eye, which is the most vulnerable body part for laser radiation, can be affected. As medical treatment is discussed controversial, a great demand has been put on developing laser protection gear. The present review summarizes the physical basics, clinical findings and therapeutic options of laser-induced eye injuries.

Aufgrund der von hochenergetischen Proton-Proton Kollisionen im LHC erzeugten einzigartigen Strahlungsfelder ist mit Auswirkungen auf die Detektoren der LHC Experimente und deren Elektronik zu rechnen. Das LHCb Experiment, eines der vier grossen LHC Experimente, hat im Jahr 2009 den Betrieb aufgenommen und sammelt seit 2011 Daten mit der urspr��nglich geplanten und sp��ter auch mit einer dieser gegen��ber erh��hten Kollisionsrate. Die Detektoren und die mit diesen verbundene Elektronik sind bei ��berschreitung der zu erwartenden Strahlungswerte dem Risiko von Besch��digungen ausgesetzt. Um die Situation ausreichend beurteilen und gegebenenfalls korrektive Massnahmen ergreifen zu k��nnen, ist es notwendig, die Strahlungsumgebung des Experimentbereichs zu ��berwachen und die Messwerte mit den Voraussagen von Simulationen zu vergleichen. Ein grunds��tzliches Verst��ndnis der existierenden Strahlungsumgebung gew��hrt wertvolle Einsichten f��r die Planung von Wartungsarbeiten sowie f��r den Betrieb mit erh��hter Luminosit��t nach dem geplanten Upgrade des Experiments. Eine Zusammenstellung von Strahlungsmessger��ten wurde im Experimentalbereich von LHCb installiert um verschiedene Aspekte der Strahlungsumgebung zu untersuchen. Passive Dosimeter, inklusive Thermo-Lumineszenz-, Radio-Photoluminescence- und Polymer-Alanine-Dosimeter, wurden um und innerhalb des Detektors verteilt um die je nach Messort stark variierenden Strahlungsniveaus abzudecken. Viele dieser teils bereits ��ber Jahre erprobten und in verschiedensten Situationen eingesetzten Sensortypen werden nun in dem im Experiment produzierten neuartigen Strahlenfeld eingesetzt. Aktiv betriebene Monitore, bestehend aus einer Leiterplatine mit mehreren Feldeffekt-Transistoren und Dioden als Sensoren, wurden in der N��he der passiven Sensorpositionen installiert um sowohl Spitzen- als auch Langzeitwerte des Strahlenfeldes zu messen. Diese aktiven Sensoren k��nnen online ausgelesen und deren Messwerte in einer Datenbank gespeichert werden. Die Dissertation besch��ftigt sich mit dem Studium des Strahlenfeldes des Experiments in all seinen Aspekten. Messungen von aktiven und passiven Sensoren werden analysiert und von Rohdaten in physikalische Messgr��ssen konvertiert. Vergleichende Analysen zwischen den beiden Systemen werden durchgef��hrt und die Messwerte werden mit den sich ��ndernden Betriebsbedingungen des Experiments korreliert. Viele Aspekte der Strahlungsumgebung des LHCb Experiments wurden in der Vergangenheit mittels Simulation unter der Annahme von 14 TeV center of mass (CM) Kollisionsenergie und nomineller LHCb Luminosit��t evaluiert. Um derartige Erwartungswerte besser mit den tats��chlichen Messwerten vergleichen zu k��nnen, werden neue Simulationsstudien durchgef��hrt, in denen die jeweiligen Betriebsparameter der Jahre 2010 bis 2013 mit 7 bzw. 8 TeV CM Kollisionsenergie nachempfunden werden. F��r die Realisierung dieser Studien wird das Monte Carlo Programm FLUKA benutzt, das eine realistische Simulation des Transports von Teilchen und deren Interaktion mit Materie erm��glicht. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studien werden begutachtet und es werden R��ckschl��sse auf potentielle Verbesserungsm��glichkeiten des experimentellen Aufbaus gezogen. Die Evaluierung des Verl��sslichkeitsgrades der Simulation ist essentiell, da die daraus resultierenden Absch��tzungen eine wichtige Informationsgrundlage darstellen, um technische Entscheidungen bez��glich des geplanten Upgrades des Experiments f��r einen Betrieb mit h��herer Luminosit��t zu f��llen., The unprecedented radiation levels of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) during high-energy proton-proton collisions will have an impact on the operation of its experiments- detectors and electronics. LHCb, one of the 4 major LHC experiments, has started operation in 2009 and from 2011 onward it has been collecting data at and above its design luminosity. Detectors and associated detector electronics are prone to damage if the radiation levels exceed the expected values. It is essential to monitor the radiation environment of the experimental area and compare it with predictions obtained from simulation studies in order to assess the situation and take corrective action in case of need. Understanding the existing radiation environment will also provide important input to the planning of maintenance and for operation at upgrade luminosity. A set of radiation detectors has been installed in the LHCb experimental area to measure different aspects of its radiation environment. Passive dosimeters including Thermo-Luminescence-Dosimeters, Radio-Photoluminescence-Dosimeters and Polymer-Alanine-Dosimeters are distributed throughout the detector to cover the wide range of radiation levels expected. Many of these sensors, widely used for the measurements of radiation fields, are applied in the unprecedented radiation environment that is being produced in the experiment. Active radiation monitors, consisting of small printed-circuit-boards with multiple radiation sensitive field-effect-transistor and diode sensors have been installed close to passive sensor positions to allow for the monitoring of both peak and long term radiation levels. They can be read out online and the data stored in a database. The thesis involves studying the radiation environments of the experiment in all of its aspects. Measurements collected by the active and passive sensors are analyzed and converted from raw data to physical quantities. Cross calibrations are performed between the two systems and the measurements are correlated with the evolving running conditions. Another important element of the project is the comparison of the measurements with simulation estimates. Many aspects of the radiation environment of the LHCb experiment have been numerically evaluated in the past assuming 14 TeV center of mass (CM) collision energy and nominal LHCb luminosity. In order to better compare the expectation with the measurements, new simulation studies reflecting the run conditions in 2010-2013 with 7 and 8 TeV CM collision energy are performed. These simulation studies to evaluate the various aspects of the radiation environment of LHCb are carried out with FLUKA, a state of the art program for the simulation of high energy particle transport and interaction with matter. The results are reviewed, also in regard to integrating changes in the experimental setup if needed. Establishing the reliability of the simulation is essential, as it is needed to provide important input for technical choices in view of the planned upgrade of the experiment for operation at higher luminosity.

Purpose. To assess the clinical and morphological outcomes of topography-guided accelerated corneal cross-linking. Design. Retrospective case series. Methods. 21 eyes of 20 patients with progressive keratoconus were enrolled. All patients underwent accelerated cross-linking using an ultraviolet-A (UVA) exposure with an energy release varying from 7.2 J/cm2 up to 15 J/cm2, according to the topographic corneal curvature. Uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuity, topography, in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), and anterior segment optic coherence tomography (AS-OCT) were evaluated preoperatively and at the 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results. 12 months after surgery UDVA and CDVA did not significantly vary from preoperative values. The average topographic astigmatism decreased from -4.61±0.74 diopters (D) to -3.20±0.81 D and coma aberration improved from 0.95 ± 0.03 μm to 0.88 ± 0.04 μm after surgery. AS-OCT and IVCM documented differential effects on the treated areas using different energies doses. The depths of demarcation line and keratocyte apoptosis were assessed. Conclusions. Preliminary results show correspondence between the energy dose applied and the microstructural stromal changes induced by the cross-linking at various depths in different areas of treated cornea. One year after surgery a significant reduction in the topographic astigmatism and comatic aberration was detected. None of the patients developed significant complications.

Purpose: To assess intraoperative corneal pachymetry in patients undergoing accelerated corneal collagen crosslinking with a dextran-free riboflavin solution. Methods: Prospective, non-comparative, multicenter interventional study. Thirty patients with progressive keratoconus were enrolled in the study from the Siena Crosslinking Center™ in Siena, Italy and the Eye Center in Catanzaro, Italy. The mean age was 26.9 ± 6.5 years. Patients underwent pulsed light accelerated crosslinking (PL-ACXL) by KXL I UV-A source (Avedro Inc., Waltham, MS, USA) with 8 min (1 s on/1 s off) of UV-A exposure, 30 mW/cm2and an energy dose of 7.2 J/cm2. Corneal stroma was soaked with a dextran-free 0.1% riboflavin solution plus hydroxyl-propyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (VibeX Rapid, Avedro). Intraoperative corneal thickness was preoperatively (PRE-OP) evaluated by corneal optical coherence tomography (iVUE Optovue Inc., Fremont, CA, USA) after epithelium removal (EPI-R), after 10 min of riboflavin soaking (RS) and after UV-A irradiation (IR). Statistical analysis was conducted using a Wilcoxon test and SPSS v16.0. A p-value of

TPS551 Background: A new class of material with high electron density, hafnium oxide, was designed at the nanoscale (NBTXR3) to efficiently enhance the energy dose deposit from within the tumor cells and increase lethality of tumors, when exposed to radiotherapy (RT). The physical mode of action of NBTXR3 may represent a breakthrough approach for the local treatment of liver cancers, as it does not engage liver and renal functions, i.e. nanoparticles are not metabolized and not excreted by kidney. A phase I/II trial has been implemented for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastasis [NCT02721056]. The study is currently recruiting patients. Methods: Patients (pts) receive a single intralesional (IL) injection of NBTXR3 (53.3g/L) at Volume levels equivalent to 10%, 15%, 22% and 33% of the baseline tumor volume, followed by RT (SBRT, 45Gy / 3 fractions / 5 to 7 days). For the Phase I part, primary endpoints include determination of the Recommended Dose and Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLT). The Phase II part will test three different groups of patients, HCC with portal vein thrombus, HCC without portal vein thrombus and a third cohort with liver metastases. Primary endpoints are complete response rate and safety. Results: Enrollment was completed for Volume levels 10% (6 pts) and 15% (4 pts) and is currently recruiting patients at 22% level. The NBTXR3 injections were successful in all cases. Radiotherapy has been delivered as planned without any DLT occurrence. No serious adverse event (SAE) related to NBTXR3 or the treatment procedure occurred. Three adverse events related to the injection were reported and no adverse event related to NBTXR3. Importantly, NBTXR3 nanoparticles did not have any impact on the reliability of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Conclusion: The injection of NBTXR3 was safe and well tolerated at these levels. Patients received the planned RT. No DLT occurred. Enrollment is now opened at the 22% level. NBTXR3 shows promising results in terms of safety and antitumor activity and is also currently evaluated in other six clinical studies. Clinical trial information: NCT02721056.

Purpose This study investigated the effect of a gallium–aluminum–arsenide (GaAlAs) diode laser used in low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with the application of Mecsina Hemostopper on mandibular alveolar bone healing. Materials and Methods Standard semispherical bone defects were created in left mandibular diastema sites of 32 female Long-Evans rats. Experimental animals were allocated to 1 of 4 groups: control group (no treatment), laser group (GaAlAs LLLT), Mecsina group, and laser-Mecsina combination group. Liquid Mecsina 0.01 mL was applied to the bone defects. Laser treatment was performed for 7 days after surgery at an energy dose of 10 J/cm2. All animals were sacrificed to observe hard tissue healing histologically, immunohistochemically, and radiologically at 30 days after surgery. Results Histologic assessment showed significantly more calcified tissue areas and significantly more osteoblast cells in the laser and laser-Mecsina groups than in the other groups (P Conclusion This study showed that LLLT, Mecsina application, and combined treatments were effective in healing alveolar bone among all tested treatment modalities.

Background: To document alterations in Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels with different energy doses by monopolar cautery in ovarian drilling (OD) in rats. Methods: Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups that each contained 10 animals. Group A was the Sham group. Groups B, C and D were intervention groups to which OD was applied by monopolar cautery, with 20, 60 and 120 J/ovary, respectively. The total amount of energy was calculated using the following formula: energy (J) = power (W) × duration (s) × number of punctures. Results: The pre- and postoperative AMH levels for Groups A, B and C were not statistically and significantly different according to the Bonferroni correction (p > 0.0125). However, the postoperative AMH levels were significantly lower than the preoperative AMH levels in Group D (1.25 ng/ml (1.07-2.05) vs. 0.40 ng/ml (0.30-0.72); p = 0.012). Conclusions: AMH is a promising marker that can be used for the individualization of the energy dose to increase OD success, but the relationship between the energy and AMH has not been documented yet. This study demonstrates that postoperative changes in AMH levels could be observed only after a certain amount of energy was applied. Further experimental animal models are needed to conclusively address this issue.

To determine the dose received by thoron (220Rn) domestically, conventional methods measure the activity concentration of thoron progeny only (namely the 212Pb atoms) and calculate the dose by using a set of conversion factors. This may be due to the measurement of progeny being simpler since it is longer lived and will be evenly spread throughout the room, whereas the thoron gas, with its short half-life, will exist only near the source and hence will not be of major concern for the majority of the room. However, concrete walls are a source of thoron, and spending prolonged amounts of time near them may lead to greatly increased radiation exposure, the degree of which is not revealed through progeny activity alone. The present paper compares the energy received from the ionising radiation of both thoron gas and thoron progeny near its source. Converting the energy dose to radiation dose is not within the scope of this paper. The results suggest a difference of an order of magnitude higher when taking into account the dose received by thoron gas.

Energy dose ranges for fabrication of subsurface and ablated ridge waveguides were defined using a low repetition rate femtosecond laser. The waveguides were written along the width of water-white glass slides. The buried waveguides written between 0.23 and 0.62 μJ/μmsup3/supenergy dose show strong guidance at 633 nm, reaching in the best cases propagation losses of 0.7 dB/cm. Meanwhile, the ridge waveguides were fabricated between 2.04 and 31.9 μJ/μmsup3/sup, with a best case of 3.1 dB/cm. Outcomes of this study are promising for use in the manufacturing of sensing devices.

Radiotherapy has a universal and predictable mode of action, that is, a physical mode of action consisting of the deposit of a dose of energy in tissues. Tumour cell damage is proportional to the energy dose. However, the main limitation of radiotherapy is the lack of spatial control of the deposition of energy, that is, it penetrates the healthy tissues, damages them and renders unfeasible delivery of an efficient energy dose when tumours are close to important anatomical structures. True nanosized radiation enhancers may represent a disruptive approach to broaden the therapeutic window of radiation therapy. They offer the possibility of entering tumour cells and depositing high amounts of energy in the tumour only when exposed to ionizing radiations (on/off activity). They may unlock the potential of radiation therapy by rendering the introduction of a greater energy dose, exactly within the tumour structure without passing through surrounding tissues feasible. Several nanosized radiation enhancers have been studied in in vitro and in vivo models with positive results. One agent has received the authorization to conduct clinical trials for human use. Opportunities to improve outcomes for patients receiving radiotherapy, to create new standards of care and to offer solutions to new patient populations are looked over here.