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OBJECTIVE As novel therapies improve survival for men with prostate cancer, intracranial metastatic disease has become more common. The purpose of this multicenter study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the management of intracranial prostate cancer metastases. METHODS Demographic data, primary tumor characteristics, SRS treatment parameters, and clinical and imaging follow-up data of patients from nine institutions treated with SRS from July 2005 to June 2020 for cerebral metastases from prostate carcinoma were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Forty-six patients were treated in 51 SRS procedures for 120 prostate cancer intracranial metastases. At SRS, the mean patient age was 68.04 ± 9.05 years, the mean time interval from prostate cancer diagnosis to SRS was 4.82 ± 4.89 years, and extracranial dissemination was noted in 34 (73.9%) patients. The median patient Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score at SRS was 80, and neurological symptoms attributed to intracranial involvement were present prior to 39 (76%) SRS procedures. Single-fraction SRS was used in 49 procedures. Stereotactic radiotherapy using 6 Gy in five sessions was utilized in 2 procedures. The median margin dose was 18 (range 6–28) Gy, and the median tumor volume was 2.45 (range 0.04–45) ml. At a median radiological follow-up of 6 (range 0–156) months, local progression was seen with 14 lesions. The median survival following SRS was 15.18 months, and the 1-year overall intracranial progression-free survival was 44%. The KPS score at SRS was noted to be associated with improved overall (p = 0.02) and progression-free survival (p = 0.03). Age ≥ 65 years at SRS was associated with decreased overall survival (p = 0.04). There were no serious grade 3–5 toxicities noted. CONCLUSIONS SRS appears to be a safe, well-tolerated, and effective management option for patients with prostate cancer intracranial metastases.

BACKGROUND: Hyperbilirubinemia (HB), defined as elevated total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels, commonly affects neonates and requires prompt treatment to prevent neurological complications. Up to 10%of neonates experience rebound hyperbilirubinemia (RHB), requiring re-initiation of treatment. Unfortunately, treatment guidelines lack practical recommendations surrounding subthreshold phototherapy, treatment termination, and RHB investigations. We examined local management practices for HB and RHB treatment in a well newborn nursery. As a secondary aim, we investigated the association between treatment practices and RHB rates. METHODS: Retrospective chart review identified neonates treated for hyperbilirubinemia between January 2015 and December 2019 during their birth hospitalization at a tertiary care centre. Standardized data collection sheets were used to record treatment parameters. RESULTS: Over the 5-year period, there were 9683 births and 305 (3.15%) neonates received phototherapy. Of the treated cases, 20–25%were subthreshold to practice guideline values. Upon treatment termination 25–55%of cases had TSB levels within 3 mg/dL, which may increase the risk of RHB. In our cohort, 20.3%of treated cases experienced one episode of RHB and 3.9%experienced two episodes of RHB. Although clinicians evaluated neonates for RHB 0–12 hours following treatment termination prior to discharge, many cases were identified in outpatient settings and required re-admission for phototherapy. CONCLUSION: When managing HB and RHB, treatment practices such as when to terminate treatment in relation to threshold values, and timing of RHB investigations, are largely inconsistent amongst clinicians. Future studies are required to better understand the landscape of hyperbilirubinemia treatment beyond initiation of phototherapy.

Background As a promising technology, photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) plays a critical role in diagnosis and assessment of dermatological conditions by providing subtle vascular networks non-invasively. However, the established PAMs are insufficient for clinical dermatology when faced with complex structures of human skin instead of animal models owing to high melanin content and superimposed vasculature for Asians, which cannot balance the spatial resolution and the imaging depth. Objectives To evaluate the ability of bifocal 532/1064-nm alternately illuminated photoacoustic microscopy (BF-PAM) to non-invasively reveal the morphological structure of human skin for improving the diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy of skin diseases. Methods A BF-PAM was developed to capture biopsy-like information of human skin from epidermis to hypodermis. The optical foci of the two excitation beams are staggered in the axial direction to form an extended depth-of-field, which can maintain the lateral resolution and the contrast of PA image. Results The imaging capability of the BF-PAM was demonstrated by depicting the vascular morphology of multilayered skin with imaging depth of ˜3 mm. Furtherly, vascular malformations in port-wine stains skin were quantitatively assessed without the need for any contrast agent, and the distribution, depth and diameter of the ectatic vessels can determine an optimal treatment protocol for port-wine stains lesions. Conclusions The quantitative vascular morphology in the dermis can be used to accurately assess vascular characteristics, in which case it enables clinicians to determine optimum treatment parameters in individual patients. As a non-invasive imaging technique, BF-PAM holds great potential to provide objective assessment to enhance the therapeutic efficacy. Ethical statement The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). The study was approved by the Chinese Ethics Committee of Registering Clinical Trials (ChiECRCT20200184) and registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000034400). Before skin imaging, written informed consent was taken from all individual participants.

The effect of temperature and the time of partial solution have been investigated for the IN792 superalloy. The samples were first heat-treated for 2.5 h at 1150 °C and cooled in air. The samples were then cooled to 1050 °C, 1080 °C, and 1100 °C for 2 h and 4 h. Finally, the samples were aged at 845 °C for 24 h. The results obtained using scanning electron microscopy showed that the volume fraction and precipitate size increased after aging with increasing temperature and partial solution time. Increasing the temperature to 1100 °C and a time of 2 h led to increasing the volume fraction to 95.2%. The maximum hardness of 450 Hv for the sample had the highest temperature and time.

CO2 hydrogenation has attracted great attention, yet the quest for highly-efficient catalysts is driven by the current disadvantages of poor activity, low selectivity, and ambiguous structure-performance relationship. We demonstrate here that C3N4-supported Cu single atom catalysts with tailored coordination structures, namely, Cu–N4 and Cu–N3, can serve as highly selective and active catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation at low temperature. The modulation of the coordination structure of Cu single atom is readily realized by simply altering the treatment parameters. Further investigations reveal that Cu–N4 favors CO2 hydrogenation to form CH3OH via the formate pathway, while Cu–N3 tends to catalyze CO2 hydrogenation to produce CO via the reverse water-gas-shift (RWGS) pathway. Significantly, the CH3OH productivity and selectivity reach 4.2 mmol g–1 h–1 and 95.5%, respectively, for Cu–N4 single atom catalyst. We anticipate this work will promote the fundamental researches on the structure-performance relationship of catalysts., CO2 hydrogenation has attracted intense scientific attention yet suffers from the disadvantage of poor activity and low selectivity. Here, the authors report that Cu single atom catalysts with tailored coordination environments on C3N4 serve as highly selective catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation.

Curcuma longa (Turmeric) is a tropical herbaceous perennial plant of the family Zingiberaceae and contains curcuminoids, sesquiterpenoids and monoterpenoids as its major components. Given the broad range of activities that Curcuma longa possesses and also its use as a traditional epilepsy remedy, this review attempts to systematically review the experimentally proven activities of Curcuma longa and its bioactive components, which are related to the management of epileptic seizures. Using the PRISMA model, five databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS and SpringerLink) were searched using the keywords [“Curcuma longa” AND “Epilepsy”] and [“Curcuma longa” AND “Seizures”], leaving 34 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The present systematic review elaborated on the experimentally proven potential of Curcuma longa components, such as an aqueous extract of Curcuma longa itself, Curcuma longa oil and active constituents like curcuminoids and bisabolene sesquiterpenoids found in Curcuma longa with anti-seizure potential. Using human equivalent dose calculations, human treatment parameters were suggested for each component by analysing the various studies in this review. This review also determined that the principal components possibly exert their anti-seizure effect via the reduction of corticosterone, modulation of neurotransmitters signalling, modulation of sodium ion channels, reduction of oxidative DNA damage, reduction of lipid peroxidation, upgregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mediated inhibition. It is anticipated that this review will help pave the way for future research into the development of Curcuma longa and its neuroactive constituents as potential drug candidates for the management of epilepsy.

Residual stresses on aluminum parts can be modified during heat treatments. During solution heat treatment, quenching, and aging, metallurgical transformations combined with thermal gradients lead to a modification of parts properties. Quench and aging treatments sensitivity of AA 7175 aluminum alloy components is addressed in this work. Samples have been subjected to various quenching and aging treatments to verify the actual effect of the treatment parameters on their residual stresses. After a solution heat treatment, quenching has been performed in agitated and non-agitated water at room temperature, as well as at 67°C. The effects of the aging treatment (T74) and stress relief treatment have also been studied. Residual stresses determined by the contour method are reported and it is found that for the specimens used in this work, quenching into agitated water had no significant effect while warm water quench, T74 aging, and stress relief treatments substantially reduce the residual stresses.

The process of quenching of a Navy C-ring specimen from steel AISI 4140 is simulated with the help of the DANTE software for determining the effect of stirring of the quenching medium and of the quenching temperature on the distortion of the specimen. The heat transfer coefficients (KT) of the quenching medium at different intensities of its stirring are determined experimentally with the use of a CHTE probe for controlling the heat treatment parameters of metallic materials. The experimental data agree well with the simulation results.

Background: Low-level laser (light) therapy is a promising technology that stimulates healing, relieves pain and inflammation, and restores function in injured body parts. However, few studies have compared the effects of lightemitting diodes of different fluence levels or different treatment durations. Objective: Here, we investigated the effects of various fluence levels and treatment durations on wound closure in mice. Methods: Full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsal skin using an 8-mm diameter punch, and the wounds were irradiated at 1, 4, or 40 J/cm2 for 5 consecutive days starting on day 1. To determine the optimal irradiation duration, wounds were irradiated at the most potent fluence of previous study for 5, 10, or 15 days. Photographic documentation, skin biopsies, and wound measurements were performed to compare the effects of different treatment parameters. Results: The most effective fluence level was 40 J/cm2 at day 5, as determined by monitoring wound closure. There were no statistically significant differences in wound healing with different durations. Conclusion: We have shown that repeated exposure to low levels of light significantly stimulates wound healing in mice and demonstrated more efficient wound closure with certain fluences of 830 nm irradiation. (Ann Dermatol 33(4) 318∼323, 2021)

Since the first peer-reviewed publication on MicroPulse® Transscleral Laser Therapy (MP-TLT) in 2010, authors worldwide have used a wide range of treatment parameter combinations with varying clinical efficacy in terms of the magnitude of intraocular pressure reduction, success rate, durability, and safety profile. This has made it difficult to determine the proper parameters necessary to optimize efficacy and safety, and has made comparison of results from one investigation to another difficult. The first goal of this paper is to explain and highlight the impact of the choices of exposure time and the number of sweeps per hemisphere in terms of “sweep velocity” on energy delivery to the eye. These treatment parameters are underreported in the literature. The second goal is to introduce fluence as a “dose” metric, that combines all the treatment parameters and constants into a single number. Fluence may be a better light-dose metric and a more reliable indicator of clinical outcomes compared to total energy.

Ion beams used for radiotherapy exhibit an increased relative biological effectiveness (RBE), which depends on several physical treatment parameters as well as on biological factors of the irradiated tissues. While the RBE is an experimentally well-defined quantity, translation to patients is complex and requires radiobiological studies, dedicated models to calculate the RBE in treatment planning as well as strategies for dose prescription. Preclinical in vivo studies and analysis of clinical outcome are important to validate and refine RBE-models. This review describes the concept of the experimental and clinical RBE and explains the fundamental dependencies of the RBE based on in vitro experiments. The available preclinical in vivo studies on normal tissue and tumor RBE for ions heavier than protons are reviewed in the context of the historical and present development of ion beam radiotherapy. In addition, the role of in vivo RBE-values in the development and benchmarking of RBE-models as well as the transition of these models to clinical application are described. Finally, limitations in the translation of experimental RBE-values into clinical application and the direction of future research are discussed.

Austempering of ductile iron was described in this paper. All the influential parameters during production of ADI have been clarified. The literature data indicate that each heat treatment parameter has a certain influence on the final microstructure and, therefore, on the mechanical properties of ADI. Effect of alloying elements in ductile iron has been investigated. Based on the current knowledge and austempering heat treatment parameters, a plan of experiments was designed. In this paper, the influence of the most important heat treatment parameters and copper content on the final microstructure of ADI was determined. By varying the copper content, it is possible to influence the volume fraction of retained austenite in ADI. The results of the planned research could serve as a basis for the development of unique mathematical models that would include the influence of each individual parameter of heat treatment and copper content on the microstructure of ADI. The mathematical models thus developed would serve to predict the final mechanical properties depending on the input parameters of the heat treatment and the copper content.

This article describes a device developed and manufactured on the basis of the Physical-Technical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, an induction hardening complex, and a range of parts suitable for processing. In addition, the article provides an example of the development of a technology for hardening parts from the moment a drawing of a part is obtained, indicating the required parameters of the hardened layer, until the determination of the technology of hardening, determining the type of inductor used and determining the necessary parameters of hardening, such as: size of the heating zone, size of the cooling zone, speed of mutual movement of the part and inductor, as well as the type and pressure of the quenching fluid. The article also presents examples of simulation results, various processes of heating and cooling parts using the UNIVERSAL 2D program, and offers an example of analysis of the data and possible ways to adjust the heating parameters in order to obtain the desired result, which allows to obtaining hardened layers of parts of the desired size and hardness. The importance of the stage of modeling of heating modes, especially in the case of large workpieces, is noted. Thus, the insufficient cooling rate of such parts can lead to warping, especially at a too high quenching temperature and heating depth. Self-tempering significantly affects the hardness values of the deep layers. Various combinations of heating modes for one type of parts are selected individually, according to the requirement of a customer and the type of generator used. The higher the depth of the heating zone, the higher the effect of self-tempering on the deeper layers is.

Surface treatment of natural fibers with the help of chemicals has been proved to be an effective method for improving the properties of its associated composites. The present research investigates...

Toprak işleme makinaları sürüm işlemi yaparken, işleyici parçalar ile toprakta bulunan kuvars veya korundun gibi partiküller sürtünmektedir ve bu durum toprakta sürüm yapan işleyici tarım ekipmanlarında aşınmalara neden olmaktadır. Ülkemizde, bu ekipmanların mekanik özelliklerinin iyileştirilmesi ve aşınmaya karşı dirençlerini artırabilmek amacıyla uygulanan sertleştirme ısıl işlemleri gelişen teknikler ile birlikte değişmektedir. Yapılan çalışmada süneklik ve tokluk değerlerinin yüksek olduğu bilinen ve tarım aletlerinin belli bölümlerinde sıklıkla kullanılan 60SiMn5 alaşımına sertleştirme işleminden sonra farklı sıcaklıklarda (250 °C ve 270 °C) uygulanan menevişleme işlemlerinin mikroyapı ve mekanik özelliklerine etkileri incelenmiştir. Bu amaçla, 970 °C’ de östenitleştirme ve ardından yağda soğutma işlemi uygulandıktan sonra farklı sıcaklıklarda menevişleme işlemi uygulanmıştır. Uygulanan menevişleme işlemlerinin mikroyapıya etkisi optik mikroskop ve SEM-EDX analizleri ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Numunelerin sertlik, darbe ve kuru kum kauçuk aşınma testleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonucunda 270 °C’ de yapılan menevişleme işlemi ile numunede alt beynit yapısının daha homojen dağılmasının sağlaması sebebi ile malzemenin tokluk değerinde artış görülmüştür. Ayrıca uygulanan menevişleme işlemlerinin akma, çekme ve aşınma dayanımlarını arttırdığı ve mekanik özellikleri olumlu yönde etkilediği gözlemlenmiştir.

At the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine, which uses a large number of machine parts for mining operations, the issue of optimizing the compositions of wear-resistant chromium cast irons while maintaining their operational characteristics has arisen. The paper presents the results of studying the phase composition of the cast alloy, as well as the effect of heat treatment of cast iron with a high chromium content on its structure and properties. As heat treatment operations, quenching in various modes and low tempering were used. The study made it possible to systematize the known literature data on the heat treatment parameters of a group of wear-resistant chromium cast irons, as well as to optimize their heat treatment modes for parts operating in mining and processing industry.

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is increasingly used for management of perioptic meningiomas. OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and effectiveness of SRS for perioptic meningiomas. METHODS: From 12 institutions participating in the International Radiosurgery Research Foundation (IRRF), we retrospectively assessed treatment parameters and outcomes following SRS for meningiomas located within 3 mm of the optic apparatus. RESULTS: A total of 438 patients (median age 51 yr) underwent SRS for histologically confirmed (29%) or radiologically suspected (71%) perioptic meningiomas. Median treatment volume was 8.01 cm(3). Median prescription dose was 12 Gy, and median dose to the optic apparatus was 8.50 Gy. A total of 405 patients (93%) underwent single-fraction SRS and 33 patients (7%) underwent hypofractionated SRS. During median imaging follow-up of 55.6 mo (range: 3.15-239 mo), 33 (8%) patients experienced tumor progression. Actuarial 5-yr and 10-yr progression-free survival was 96% and 89%, respectively. Prescription dose of ≥12 Gy (HR: 0.310; 95% CI [0.141-0.679], P = .003) and single-fraction SRS (HR: 0.078; 95% CI [0.016-0.395], P = .002) were associated with improved tumor control. A total of 31 (10%) patients experienced visual decline, with actuarial 5-yr and 10-yr post-SRS visual decline rates of 9% and 21%, respectively. Maximum dose to the optic apparatus ≥10 Gy (HR = 2.370; 95% CI [1.086-5.172], P = .03) and tumor progression (HR = 4.340; 95% CI [2.070-9.097], P

Palm oil can produce high productivity which must be supported from several aspects, one of them is a good and correct nursery. Palm oil nursery isusually carried out conventionally, namely planting using soil media. Hydroponic research using cocopeat and rice husks planting media on the growth of palm oil seeds in pre nursery has never been carried out. The objective of this study was to determine the growth of palm oil seedlings using the hydroponic method. This research was conducted in the STIPAP Medan greenhouse. This research was conducted from April to July 2018. This research was a non-factorial RAK, which consisted of four treatments, namely M0 (top soil), M1 (Cocopeat), M2 (rice husks), M3 (combination). Height, stem, number of leaves, dry and wet weight of roots and plants, root length were observed. Then data analysis with ANOVA with the continued test of 5% Duncan was performed. The results of the effect of cocopeat and rice husk media was there was no a significant effect on the treatment parameters of seed height, number of leaves, dry and wet weight of roots and plants, and root length.

HighlightsCanola fibers were treated at different levels of time, temperature, and NaHCO3 concentration.Fiber yield, chemical composition, crystallinity index, and thermal stability were measured.A model was developed to predict the optimal treatment parameters.The optimal treatment parameters were 38 h time, 58°C temperature, and 5.6% NaHCO3 concentration.Abstract. Optimal treatment conditions for high quantity and quality fibers for composite applications have not been well documented for canola fibers. In this study, experiments were conducted to treat canola stalks in chemical solutions under the following treatment conditions: 12 to 72 h reaction time, 24°C to 90°C temperature, and 0% to 10% NaHCO3 concentration (% w/w). Fiber yield, chemical composition, crystallinity index, thermal stability, and maximum degradation temperature of the fibers were measured. With the experimental data, a multi-objective optimization model that was a combination of a genetic algorithm (GA) with consecutive sequential quadratic programming (SQP) was developed to predict the optimal treatment parameters. Results showed that reaction time was the most important parameter, followed by reaction temperature and NaHCO3 concentration. These treatment parameters affected the fiber yield and thermal properties in different ways. The treatments also changed the chemical composition of the fibers. The optimal treatment parameters for time, temperature, and NaHCO3 concentration to achieve the highest quantity and quality fibers were 38 h, 58°C, and 5.6%, respectively. The results from this study will enhance understanding of the relationships between canola fiber properties and treatment conditions and help in selecting the best possible treatment for extracting fibers from canola stalks. Keywords: Canola fiber, Fiber yield, Optimization, Property, Treatment.

The results of the effect of steaming and softening duration on the yield and culinary evaluation of flattered emmer wheat depending on the hulling index are presented. It was found that the yield of high-grade flattened grits depended most on the duration of hulling. The highest yield (91.7 %) of this flattened grits of high-grade emmer wheat grain was obtained from unhulled grain after 9 minutes of steaming and 3 minutes of moistening. The yield of this grits was lower by 1–2 % with a shorter duration of grain steaming (3 and 6 min). With an increase in the grain hulling index of 2–11.3 %, steaming role increased. Softening of steamed grain caused a decrease in the yield of flattened grits. Porridge made of emmer wheat grain was characterized by a high culinary evaluation. Grits obtained from unhulled grain had the lowest overall culinary evaluation of 6.7 points. An increase in the grain hulling index of 3.2–9.9 % increased the culinary evaluation to 7.0–8.1 points. Porridge with a hulling index of 11.6 % had the highest culinary evaluation of 8.7 points. There are high correlations between the overall culinary evaluation (r = 0,86±0,02), the yield of high-grade flattened grits (r = -0,87±0,01) and the duration of hulling. The culinary assessment of porridge is not affected by increasing the duration of steaming and moisturizing. Porridge obtained from cereals with a low peeling index (0–6.9 %) is characterized by a high overall culinary score, which is due to the peculiarities of the species of spelled wheat. Based on the analysis of the obtained data, it can be concluded that for the emmer wheat grain it is recommended to steam for 6–9 minutes with short softening (3 min) and hull for 80–120 s which is equal to the hulling index of 6.9–9.9 % and has a high culinary evaluation — 7.7–8.1 points.

This study discusses the spread of measles in a mathematical model. Mathematical modeling is not only limited to the world of mathematics but can also be applied in the health sector. Measles is a disease with a high transmission rate. The spread of measles in this model was modified by adding the treated population and the treatment parameters of the exposed population. In this article, we examine the equilibrium points in the SMEIUR mathematical model and perform stability analysis and numerical simulations. In this study, two equilibrium points were obtained, namely the disease-free and endemic equilibrium point. After getting the equilibrium point, an analysis is carried out to find the stability of the model. Furthermore, the simulation produces a stable disease-free equilibrium point at conditions R01 and a stable endemic equilibrium point at conditions R01. In this study, a numerical simulation was carried out to see population dynamics by varying the parameter values. The simulation results show that to reduce the spread of measles, it is necessary to increase the rate of advanced immunization, the rate of the infected population undergoing treatment, and the proportion of individuals who are treated cured.

Intermetallic alloys based on TiAl compound are most promising high-temperature materials for gas turbine engines. The effect of alloying TiAl with active elements together with hot deformation and heat treatment on the structure of stamped components is studied. Alloy composition is selected and hot pressure treatment and heat treatment parameters are selected providing an improved set of mechanical properties in stamped components.

Poplar (Populus) wood was subjected in this work to thermo-hydro-mechanical treatment. The influence of the treatment parameters on the physical and mechanical properties were investigated. The wood samples were densified under three compression ratios (0%, 30%, and 50%), and thermally treated at three temperatures (180 degrees C, 200 degrees C, and 220 degrees C), at three thermal treatment durations (3 h, 4 h, and 5 h). The density, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, radial hardness, and thickness swelling were measured. The results showed that the densities of the samples increased by 36.6% to 49.7%. As the compression rate increased, the temperature, duration, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, and hardness increased. However, the dimensions of the densified samples were less stable. Compared to the densified samples, the maximum thickness swelling could be reduced by 74% (from 29.7% to 7.8%) when subjected to a thermal treatment at 220 degrees C for 3 h. Science and Technology Projects of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region [201802031]; National Natural Science Foundation of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region [2019MS03059] The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Science and Technology Projects of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (201802031) and the National Natural Science Foundation of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (2019MS03059).

Purpose To report on the use of surface guided imaging during frameless intracranial stereotactic radiotherapy with automated delivery via HyperArcTM (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Methods All patients received intracranial radiotherapy with HyperArcTM and were monitored for intrafraction motion by the AlignRT® (VisionRT, London, UK) surface imaging (SI) system. Immobilization was with the EncompassTM (Qfix, Avondale, PA) aquaplast mask device. AlignRT® log files were correlated with trajectory log files to correlate treatment parameters with SI reported offsets. SI reported offsets were correlated with gantry angle and analyzed for performance issues at non‐zero couch angles and during camera‐pod blockage during gantry motion. Demographics in the treatment management system were used to identify race and determine if differences in SI reported offsets are due to skin tone settings. Results A total of 981 fractions were monitored over 14 months and 819 were analyzed. The median AlignRT® reported motion from beginning to the end of treatment was 0.24 mm. The median offset before beam on at non‐zero couch angles was 0.55 mm. During gantry motion when camera pods are blocked, the median magnitude was below 1 mm. Median magnitude of offsets at non‐zero couch angles was not found to be significantly different for patients stratified by race. Conclusions Surface image guidance is a viable alternative to scheduled mid‐treatment imaging for monitoring intrafraction motion during stereotactic radiosurgery with automated delivery.

Purpose Brachytherapy (BT) forms major treatment modality in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck cancers (HNC). However, there is a dearth of literature and guidelines for the use in various indications. High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) in Indian scenario is an important treatment modality, and the recommendations in this guidelines aim to provide the necessary recommendations for the use of HDR-BT for uniform application across the country in patients with HNC. Material and methods A panel consisting of members of the Indian Brachytherapy Society (IBS), based on their clinical experience was invited. The process involved defining important steps, precautions, target volumes and indications, thorough literature review, and discussion with fellow members. The guidelines were established and formulated the recommendations for HDR-BT based on available evidences and individual experience for sites, relevant to Indian settings. Results The IBS recommends the use of HDR brachytherapy as a part of treatment of head and neck tumors. The scope of these guidelines and recommendations included practical suggestions, ensuring efficient use of brachytherapy treatment as radical with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) boost, palliative and adjuvant as definitive, or re-radiation as salvage for HNC in India. The IBS has made specific site-wise recommendations for previously untreated and recurrent HNC patients on their selection criteria, implant techniques, target volume definition, and HDR treatment parameters, such as time, dose rate, total dose, and fractionation schedules. Limited experience exists with HDR-BT in patients with head and neck cancers in India and across the globe. Conclusions IBS provided a consensus statement and guidelines for the head and neck brachytherapy and believed that these recommendations will overcome the fear of practicing radiation oncologists. This should generate interest amongst students and will help radiation oncologists all across the country to use the art of brachytherapy carefully in HNC patients, with better curative and salvage options.

PRECIS Patients with glaucoma have reduced and irregular corneal epithelial thickness (CET) even if they do not report symptoms of dry eyes. The reduction of corneal epithelium affects equally the superior and inferior areas of the cornea. PURPOSE To evaluate CET parameters by means of anterior segment optical coherence tomography in glaucomatous patients undergoing medical treatment and compare them with CET parameters of controls. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 62 patients with primary open-angle or pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (study group) and 62 age-matched controls. Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (RTVue) with a corneal adaptor module was used in the present study. Τhe pachymetry scan pattern was used to map the cornea and the software generated corneal thickness parameters were recorded. Simple comparisons between groups were performed and the correlations of CET parameters with parameters associated with medication use (treatment duration, number of medications and number of instillations) were assessed. RESULTS Mean age of the patients was 68±11.9 years in the glaucoma group and 65.5±8.5, years in the control group (P=0.17). Median number of instillations of medication was 2 (range, 1 to 6) for the glaucoma group. Central corneal thickness was 537.6±33.3 in the glaucoma group and 550.8±33.7 in the control group, respectively (P=0.028). The central CET was 48.8.±3.7 μm in the glaucoma group and 53.5±3.7 μm in the control group (P

The aim of this study is to enhance the coating adhesion strength by optimizing the air plasma application parameters. Air-plasma treatment parameters were selected as working distance, treatment s...

This work was focused on the research of the different variability production deep-drawing sheets made of AlMg3 alloy which could influence on their deep-drawing properties e.g. non alloying elements Fe, Mn, heat treatment parameters and structure with aim to judge ascertained and analyzed properties of the sheets. The mechanical properties, mainly the highest elongation, and the other parameters (grain size, metallurgical purity), were measured due to they had had the main influence on the deep-drawing properties of the sheets made of AlMg3 alloy. For this research work had been obtained 5 deep-drawing sheets made of AlMg3 alloy with different production than chemical composition and heat treatment with the aim to realized ?complex analyze?, and to find up the best variant for production technology with the high deep-drawing properties.

The solution-aging treatment parameters, including solution temperature, cooling rate and aging temperature, have significant influences on the microstructures and comprehensive mechanical properties of titanium alloy. In this work, the detailed microevolution behaviors of Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al alloy under different solution and aging conditions have been investigated through a series of heat-treatment experiments. The results of solution-treatment experiments reveal that the content of αp-phase is reduced to zero as the solution temperature is raised to a certain α → β critical transformation point. Recrystallized β-grains can be observed at the solution temperature of 820°C. In addition, the cooling way (air cooling or water cooling) has little influence on the microevolution behaviors for this alloy during the solution-treatment process. As for the solution-aging-treatment experiments, the results reveal that αs-phases are precipitated from the supersaturated β-phase, and the fraction of αs-phase increases with increasing aging temperature. However, the precipitated α-grains intend to coalesce and coarsen as the aging temperature raises above 510°C. Therefore, the advocated solution-aging-treatment program is solution treatment at 820°C with air cooling followed by aging treatment at 510°C with air cooling.

Background Conventional thermal processing technologies for pasteurization and sterilization of fruit juices have been used for ensuring microbiological safety and enzyme inactivation. However, they could cause quality changes that may lower consumer acceptability. Therefore, an increasing effort has been made in applying novel non-thermal processing technologies to preserve the sensory, nutritional, and functional properties of juices while providing safe products. Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is one of such novel non-thermal processing technologies. Scope and approach This review presents an overview of ACP processing applications for fruit juices. Specific areas of research are focused on microbial inactivation and the effect of ACP on nutritional and physicochemical properties of juices. Key findings and conclusions: While some general trends can be observed for all juices, the effect of ACP differs based on treatment parameters and juice properties such as, the type of fruit used to make the juice. Thus, an understanding of ACP applications for the treatment of different juices is important for optimization of processing parameters to produce high quality and safe juices.

The widespread use of personal insulin pumps in the treatment of type 1 diabetes has significantly improved the effects of therapy. Patients achieved better metabolic control of diabetes, but also increased comfort of life and professional opportunities. One of the func­tions that increased the effectiveness of insulin therapy using a personal insulin pump is the bolus calculator. The bolus calculator function allows the user to dose their insulin more accurately before meals and to correct hyperglycaemia. The bolus calculator algorithms in insulin pumps of individual manufacturers differ in the way they calculate the correction dose and the amount of so-called active insulin. Consequently, with the same treatment parameters, individual bolus calculators may offer a different dose of insulin. Understanding the principles of the bolus calculator by therapeutic team members and patients is very important for proper diabetes education and diabetes management.

The effects of different heat treatment processes on microstructure evolution and tensile properties of Fe-0.11C-5.23Mn-1.11Al-0.10Si medium-Mn steel were investigated. The uniaxial tensile properties of tension specimens after heat treatment were tested, and the relationship between different annealed microstructures and tensile properties was analyzed; furthermore, the optimum heat treatment parameters were explored. Besides, the water-quenched sample exhibited an extensive TRIP effect than the furnace-cooled sample. The optimum microstructure and mechanical properties can be obtained when the sample is intercritically annealed at 625 °C for 4 h and then water-quenched. At the same time, the work hardening rate of the experimental steel is expounded, which provides theoretical reserve and technical support for the practical application of this kind of steel.