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Polymer based nanocomposites are gaining attention in various fields of science and technology due to its tunable properties. In this work, we report for the first time, the preparation and study on electrical and mechanical properties of standalone poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) based graphite nanoplatelet (GnP) composite films using modified film casting technique. Our modified tape casting method can produce films with uniform thickness, and uniform dispersion of filler deprived of pinholes. This technique is scalable for the mass production of polymer composite films for device application. We have obtained a significant enhancement in the electrical conductivity of 9 orders of magnitude and a maximum value of 0.143 S/m using PVA–GnP composites. To the best of our knowledge, this increase is the highest among the reported values for PVA–GnP composite films. However, a reduction in crystallinity and tensile strength can be seen with the addition of GnP fillers. The maximum tensile strength obtained for PVA–GnP composite films was 15 MPa and is adequate for use in electronic applications and devices. The effect of filler addition in PVA is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the characteristics of a low monitor unit (MU) setting is essential, particularly for intensity-modulated techniques. Intensity modulation can be achieved through intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT). There is possibility for low MUs in the segments of IMRT and VMAT plans. The minimum MU/segment must be set by the physicist in the treatment planning system at the time of commissioning. In this study, the characteristics such as dose linearity, stability, flatness, and symmetry of 6 MV photon beam of a Synergy linear accelerator at low MU settings were investigated for different dose rates. The measurements were performed for Synergy linear accelerator using a slab phantom with a FC65-G chamber and Profiler 2. The MU linearity was studied for 1-100 MU using a field size of 10 cm x 10 cm. The linearity error for 1 MU was 4.2%. Flatness of the beam was deteriorated in 1 MU condition. The beam stability and symmetry was well within the specification. Using this study, we conclude that the treatment delivered with <3 MU may result in uncertainty in dose delivery. To ensure the correct dose delivery with less uncertainty, it is recommended to use ≥3 MU as the minimum MU per segment in IMRT and VMAT plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organ motions during inter-fraction and intra-fraction radiotherapy introduce errors in dose delivery, irradiating excess of normal tissue, and missing target volume. Lung and heart involuntary motions cause above inaccuracies and gated dose delivery try to overcome above effects. Present work attempts a novel method to verify dynamic dose delivery using a four-dimensional (4D) phantom. Three patients with mobile target are coached to maintain regular and reproducible breathing pattern. Appropriate intensity projection image set generated from 4D-computed tomography (4D-CT) is used for target delineation. Intensity modulated radiotherapy plans were generated on selected phase using CT simulator (Siemens AG, Germany) in conjunction with "Real-time position management" (Varian, USA) to acquire 4D-CT images. Verification plans were generated for both ion chamber and Gafchromic (EBT) film image sets. Gated verification plans were delivered on the phantom moving with patient respiratory pattern. We developed a MATLAB-based software to generate maximum intensity projection, minimum intensity projections, and average intensity projections, also a program to convert patient breathing pattern to phantom compatible format. Dynamic thorax quality assurance (QA) phantom (Computerized Imaging Reference Systems type) is used to perform the patient specific QA, which holds an ion chamber and film to measure delivered radiation intensity. Exposed EBT films are analyzed and compared with treatment planning system calculated dose. The ion chamber measured dose shows good agreement with planned dose within ± 0.5% (0.203 ± 0.57%). Gamma value evaluated from EBT film shows passing rates 92-99% (96.63 ± 3.84%) for 3% dose and 3 mm distance criteria. Respiratory gated treatment delivery accuracy is found to be within clinically acceptable level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of dose rate on accuracy of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plan delivery by comparing the gamma agreement between the calculated and measured portal doses by pretreatment quality assurance (QA) using electronic portal imaging device dosimetry and creating a workflow for the pretreatment IMRT QA at hospital levels. As the improvement in gamma agreement leads to increase in the quality of IMRT treatment delivery, gamma evaluation was carried out for the calculated and the measured portal images for the criteria of 3% dose difference and 3 mm distance-to-agreement (DTA). Three gamma parameters: Maximum gamma, average gamma, and percentage of the field area with a gamma value >1.0 were analyzed. Three gamma index parameters were evaluated for 40 IMRT plans (315 IMRT fields) which were calculated for 400 monitor units (MU)/min dose rate and maximum multileaf collimator (MLC) speed of 2.5 cm/s. Gamma parameters for all 315 fields are within acceptable limits set at our center. Further, to improve the gamma results, we set an action level for this study using the mean and standard deviation (SD) values from the 315 fields studied. Forty out of 315 IMRT fields showed low gamma agreement (gamma parameters >2 SD as per action level of the study). The parameters were recalculated and reanalyzed for the dose rates of 300, 400 and 500 MU/min. Lowering the dose rate helped in getting an enhanced gamma agreement between the calculated and measured portal doses of complicated fields. This may be attributed to the less complex motion of MLC over time and the MU of the field/segment. An IMRT QA work flow was prepared which will help in improving the quality of IMRT delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic nanoparticles have attracted increasing attention due to their potential applications in many industrial fields, even extending their use in biomedical applications like in drug delivery system, Implants, biosensors, lab on a chip, image enhancement, hyperthermia therapy and so on.For better experimental applications magnetic nanoparticles are encapsulated. The coating material used in this study is pullulan. Pullulan is a non toxic, non immunogenic, plasma expanders which are coated with the magnetic nanoparticles. Acetylation of pullulan is carried out using Motozato's method and along with this magnetic gel was prepared. Pullulan acetate coated magnetic nanoparticles was the outcome of pullulan acetate and magnetic nanoparticles by solvent diffusion method. The sample was characterized using XRD (X-ray Diffraction), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometry) and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering). Biocompatibility studies show the percentage of cell viability with different concentration of samples. The material was checked for the increase in temperature by varying magnetic field and field intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the increment of gantry angle and the number of arcs on esophageal volumetric modulated arc therapy plan. All plans were done in Monaco planning system for Elekta Synergy linear accelerator with 80 multileaf collimator (MLC). Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans were done with different increment of gantry angle like 15°, 20°, 30° and 40°. The remaining parameters were similar for all the plans. The results were compared. To compare the plan quality with number of arcs, VMAT plans were done with single and dual arc with increment of gantry angle of 20°. The dose to gross tumor volume (GTV) for 60 Gy and planning target volume (PTV) for 48 Gy was compared. The dosimetric parameters D98%, D95%, D50% and Dmax of GTV were analyzed. The homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) of GTV were studied and the dose to 98% and 95% of PTV was analyzed. Maximum dose to spinal cord and planning risk volume of cord (PRV cord) was compared. The Volume of lung receiving 10 Gy, 20 Gy and mean dose was analyzed. The volume of heart receiving 30 Gy and 45 Gy was compared. The volume of normal tissue receiving greater than 2 Gy and 5 Gy was compared. The number of monitor units (MU) required to deliver the plans were compared. The plan with larger increment of gantry angle proved to be superior to smaller increment of gantry angle plans in terms of dose coverage, HI, CI and normal tissue sparing. The number of arcs did not make any difference in the quality of the plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) was isolated from the bones of sea bass (Lates calcarifer) fish by thermal calcination at 800°C. HAP-chitosan-coir pith composite was prepared with the isolated HAP, chitosan and coir pith. The prepared composite was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The composite prepared was crystalline with compressive strength of 13.96 ± 0.95 MPa, tensile strength of 1.51 ± 0.74 MPa and water absorption of 32.7%. It also exhibited slow biodegradation in soil burial test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the various dosimetric parameters of dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for base of tongue cases. All plans were done in Monaco planning system for Elekta synergy linear accelerator with 80 MLC. IMRT plans were planned with nine stationary beams, and VMAT plans were done for 360° arc with single arc or dual arc. The dose to the planning target volumes (PTV) for 70, 63, and 56 Gy was compared. The dose to 95, 98, and 50% volume of PTV were analyzed. The homogeneity index (HI) and the conformity index (CI) of the PTV70 were also analyzed. IMRT and VMAT plan showed similar dose coverage, HI, and CI. Maximum dose and dose to 1-cc volume of spinal cord, planning risk volume (PRV) cord, and brain stem were compared. IMRT plan and VMAT plan showed similar results except for the 1 cc of PRV cord that received slightly higher dose in VMAT plan. Mean dose and dose to 50% volume of right and left parotid glands were analyzed. VMAT plan gave better sparing of parotid glands than IMRT . In normal tissue dose analyses VMAT was better than IMRT . The number of monitor units (MU) required for delivering the good quality of the plan and the time required to deliver the plan for IMRT and VMAT were compared. The number of MUs for VMAT was higher than that of IMRT plans. However, the delivery time was reduced by a factor of two for VMAT compared with IMRT . VMAT plans yielded good quality of the plan compared with IMRT, resulting in reduced treatment time and improved efficiency for base of tongue cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Renal stone containing calcium oxalate monohydrate as a major component was subjected to microhardness and acoustic studies in order to understand its mechanical properties in vitro and use them to help in the treatment procedures for more effective stone fragmentation. The chemical composition and the crystalline nature of the stone were verified using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and the stone was also analyzed using thermo gravimetric analysis and by differential thermal analysis. The microhardness values were almost constant around 1000 MNm−2 in the load range of 1.96 N–9.8 N. The values of fracture toughness and brittleness index for the stone in this load range was varying from 1.12 (0.307) MNm−3/2 to 1.48 (0.296) MNm−3/2 and 674.25 m−1/2 to 878.07 m−1/2 respectively. The density of the stone and the ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity in the stone were found to be 1880 kgm−3 and 3399 ms−1 respectively indicating that the urinary stone under study was a compact one. The acoustic impedance and the dynamic modulus values were calculated as 6.39×106 kgm−2 s−1and 21.72 GNm−2 respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]