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The applicability extent of hadron therapy for tumor treatment is currently limited by the lack of reliable online monitoring techniques. An active topic of investigation is the research of monitoring systems based on the detection of secondary radiation produced during treatment. MACACO, a multi-layer Compton camera based on LaBr3 scintillator crystals and SiPMs, is being developed at IFIC-Valencia for this purpose. This work reports the results obtained from measurements of a 150 MeV proton beam impinging on a PMMA target. A neural network trained on Monte Carlo simulations is used for event selection, increasing the signal to background ratio before image reconstruction. Images of the measured prompt gamma distributions are reconstructed by means of a spectral reconstruction code, through which the 4.439 MeV spectral line is resolved. Images of the emission distribution at this energy are reconstructed, allowing calculation of the distal fall-off and identification of target displacements of 3 mm.

International audience; The IRIS group at IFIC-Valencia has developed a second version of a Compton camera prototype for hadron therapy treatment monitoring, with the aim of improving the performance with respect to its predecessor. The system is composed of three Lanthanum (III) bromide (LaBr 3) crystals coupled to silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The detector energy resolution has been improved to 5.6 % FWHM at 511 keV and an angular resolution of 8.0 • has been obtained. Images of a 22 Na point-like source have been reconstructed selecting two and three interaction events. Moreover, the experimental data have been reproduced with Monte Carlo simulations using a Compton camera module (CCMod) in GATE v8.2 obtaining a good correlation.

In recent decades, PET scanners have been widely used for diagnosis and treatment monitoring in nuclear medicine. The continuous effort of the scientific community has led to improvements in scanner performance. Total-body PET is one of the latest upgrades in PET scanners. These kinds of scanners are able to scan the whole body of the patient with a single bed position, since the scanner tube is long enough for the patient to fit inside. While these scanners show unprecedented efficiency and extended field-of-view, a drawback is their low spatial resolution compared to dedicated scanners. In order to improve the spatial resolution of specific areas when measuring with a total-body PET scanner, the IRIS group at IFIC-Valencia is developing a probe. The proposed setup of the probe contains a monolithic scintillation crystal and a SiPM. The signal of the probe is read out by a TOFPET2 ASIC from PETsys, which has shown good performance for PET in terms of spatial and time resolutions. Furthermore, the PETsys technology generates a trigger signal that will be used to time synchronise the probe and the scanner. The proof-of-concept of the probe will be tested in a Preclinical Super Argus PET/CT scanner for small animals located at IFIC. Preliminary simulations of the scanner and the probe under ideal conditions show a slight improvement in the position reconstruction compared to the data obtained with the scanner, therefore we expect a considerable improvement when using the probe in a total-body PET scanner. Characterisation tests of the probe have been performed with a 22Na point-like source, obtaining an energy resolution of 9.09% for the 511 keV energy peak and a temporal resolution of 619 ps after time walk correction. The next step of the project is to test the probe measuring in temporal coincidence with the scanner.

Background β-Lactam antibiotics are the most common trigger of reactions in children with most of them being nonimmediate (85.5%), but proven allergy after the allergological workup is between 7% and 10%. There is no agreement on how to perform the provocation tests in these types of hypersensitivity reactions. Objective To determine whether or not repeated doses of the β-lactams are required to reproduce a nonimmediate reaction in children. Methods This is a retrospective observational study. We included children under 14 years who were referred for a nonimmediate reaction to β-lactams. All patients underwent a 1-day hospital provocation and were kept under observation at home during the following days for at least the time elapsed between the first dose and the symptoms of the index reaction. If no reaction was triggered, the patient resumed the provocation at home with 2 daily therapeutic doses for an equal of interval time. Results Ninety-seven patients were included in the study. A positive reaction was recorded in 14 of them (14.4%). The short hospital provocation triggered 3 immediate reactions and 8 delayed reactions. The home rechallenge developed 1 immediate reaction and 2 delayed reactions. Conclusions Nonimmediate reactions to β-lactams in children may be triggered with a 1-day provocation test. We suggest to perform a 1-day provocation test followed by an observational period of at least the time interval of the index reaction. If this challenge is negative, an extended home provocation could subsequently be carried out.

Game can offer a variety of benefits in learning. There are two ways that a user can learn via game, it's either through gamification or mobile learning based game. This paper covered both. This study was created in a foundation that everyone deserve to be financially literate. In order to make this study possible and credible, a partnership with the government's highest financial institution was established. This paper is about the design of a mobile learning app to introduce financial education in a form of game and microlecture. The contents of this app was intellectually developed by experts in the financial industry to give the best illustration on the topic of money and investments intended for mobile and smartphone users.

The IRIS group of IFIC-Valencia has developed and fully characterized a first version of MACACO (Medical Applications CompAct COmpton camera), a three-layer Compton telescope based on LaBr 3 crystals and SiPMs for treatment monitoring in hadron therapy. Results obtained in laboratory and beam tests have demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed technology. The limitations of this first version of MACACO have been identified, being energy resolution one of the most critical parameters in the system performance. For this reason, an improved version of the detectors employing a new SiPM array has been assembled. Characterization tests have been performed. Also, coincidence tests have been carried out with two new detectors operated in time coincidence. Point-like sources and an array of 37 point-like sources have been imaged. Tests with the new detectors show a general improvement of the device performance.

In recent years, it has become recognized that patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have an increased risk of multiple autoimmune diseases. Possible shared genetic aetiologies have been observed between EoE and autoimmune diseases. Currently, it is believed that EoE is not associated with a higher risk of neoplasms since such published cases are very rare and there are only isolated reports. Herein, we describe a unique case of EoE due to gluten without coeliac disease. The patient presented some unusual comorbidities, such as hypothyroidism (autoimmune disease) and essential thrombocythemia (neoplasm of haematologic origin).

Anthropogenic activities affect water quality and biological resources in bays such as zooplankton community. A survey on the zooplankton in Manila Bay was done from January to December 2013 in relation to physico-chemical parameters.Temperature and salinity in the bay showed uniform spatial patterns. Mean DO concentrations in the bay ranges from 2.79-6.25 mg/L, the lowest value was recorded in station 14 in the month of July with a value of 1.01 mg/L. Mean concentrations of nitrate, phosphate, nitrite, silicate ranges from 0.0265-8.3902 μM, 0.0135-0.2573 μM, 0.1385- 0.8396 μM, and 5.4887-53.2027 μM respectively. Arthropods, consist mainly of copepods, dominated the zooplankton community in the bay. High concentrations were observed in the eastern and southern part of the bay. Copepod nauplii, calanids and Oithona sp. were among the dominant species. Redundancy Analysis revealed that salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phosphate and nitrate have positive correlation with zooplankton.

Research is a core university activity that contributes to the formation of critical thinking by students and teachers and promotes knowledge and scientific development that may help built better societies. The good performance of a university research system depends on, among other things, the ability to properly distribute the limited financial resources that are allocated to this activity. A common problem in grading activities usually considered in research is the integration of a long list of criteria and sub-criteria. The aim of this study was to determine how financial resources are distributed among all the research centers and institutes at the Universidad Autonoma Chapingo (UACh). Three methods were used for weighting criteria: simple ranking, point distribution and analytic hierarchy process. The aggregation of the values was carried out using TOPSIS and weighted sum methods and the resulting distributions were compared to the traditional way of distributing resources. It was concluded that although the differences were not significant, the TOSPIS method provides a more reliable allocation.