The aim of this study was to dosimetrically compare three total body irradiation (TBI) techniques which can be delivered by a standard linear accelerator, and to deduce which one is preferable. Specifically, Extended Source to Surface Distance (SSD) Field-in-Field (FiF), Extended SSD Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), and Standard SSD VMAT TBI techniques were dosimetrically evaluated. Percent depth dose and dose profile measurements were made under treatment conditions for each specified technique. After having generated treatment plans with a treatment planning system (TPS), dose homogeneity and critical organ doses were investigated on a Rando phantom using radiochromic films and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs). TBI dose of 12 Gy in six fractions was prescribed for each technique. The gamma index (5%/5 mm) was used for the analysis of radiochromic films. Passing rates for Extended SSD FiF, Extended SSD VMAT and Standard SSD VMAT techniques were found to be 90%, 87% and 94%, respectively. OSLD measurements were within?±?5% agreement with TPS calculations for the first two techniques whereas the agreement was found to be within?±?3% for the Standard SSD VMAT technique. TPS calculations demonstrated that mean lung doses in the first two techniques were around 8.5 Gy while it was kept around 7 Gy in Standard SSD VMAT. It is concluded that Standard SSD VMAT is superior in sparing the lung tissue while all three TBI techniques are feasible in clinical practice with acceptable dose homogeneity. In the absence of VMAT-based treatment planning, Extended SSD FiF would be a reasonable choice compared to other conventional techniques.
The serum levels of copper, zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, cadmium, cobalt, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were
determined in seven different breeds of dogs: Pointer, Poodle, Setter, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd,
and Mallinois. Only slight variations were found among the different breeds, and the results presented in this study can be
used for laboratory studies in veterinary science. 相似文献
Trichinellosis often causing diarrhea and more rarely fever, periorbital edema and myositis in human, is commonly treated with benzimidazole derivatives. The Artemisia genus has been found to be effective against a variety of parasites. In the present study, the efficacy against trichinellosis (Trichinella spiralis) of Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia absinthium was examined for the first time in rats. The results of trichinoscopy and artificial digestion, during the enteral (adult) phase of the illness show that 300 mg/kg doses of methanol extracts of the aerial parts of A. vulgaris and A. absinthium reduced the larval rate by 75.6% and 63.5% in tongue, 53.4% and 37.7% in diaphragm, 67.8% and 46.2% in quadriceps, and 66.7% and 60.5% in biceps-triceps muscles of rats, respectively. Furthermore, during the parenteral (encapsulated larvae) phase, 600 mg/kg doses of A. vulgaris and A. absinthium extracts decreased the larval rate by 66.4% and 59.9% in tongue, 57.4% and 50.0% in diaphragm, 47.6% and 43.7% in quadriceps, 60.2% and 46.4% in biceps-triceps muscles of rats, respectively. Analysis of antibody also showed that A. vulgaris significantly reduced the antibody response (P < 0.05) during the enteral and parenteral phases. Thus, the results of the present study revealed that A. vulgaris could be an alternative drug against trichinellosis. 相似文献
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonize most frequently in the anterior nares of the nose and cause serious infections all over the world. The aim
of this study was to determine the nasal carriage rate of S. aureus and MRSA strains in Turkish elementary school children. We also analyzed molecular characterizations of MRSA strains by using
pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multi locus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing, and detection of the Panton-valentine leucocidin (PVL) gene. The nasal swabs were obtained from 4,050 children during
a 4 month period in Ankara. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing to 1 μg oxacillin and 30 μg cefoxitin was determined
by a disk diffusion method. We found that the 1,001 of 4,050 (24.7%) children were colonized with S. aureus. Three S. aureus strains were resistant to oxacillin and cefoxitin. The rate of MRSA among all children was 0.07%. The MRSA strains revealed
three different PFGE pattern. All MRSA isolates by harbored the SCCmec type IV element, but not the PVL gene. The two MRSA isolate belonged to sequence type (ST) 30, whereas the other one was
a unique type. The results of this study demonstrated that S. aureus nasal carriage rate was consistent with previous studies. However, MRSA carriage rate was low. This study also indicated
that the ST30-type IV without PVL gene MRSA clone may be expected to spread in Turkish community. 相似文献
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether altered serum total sialic acid (TSA), lipid-associated sialic acid
(LSA), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg) levels had an interactive connection
with diabetes and also whether they were correlated with each other in diabetic patients. Two study groups (control and type
2 diabetic subjects) were included. Two hundred patients (108 female and 92 male), diagnosed and treated for type 2 diabetes
in the Yuzuncu Yil University Hospital (Van, Turkey), were selected consecutively to represent type 2 diabetic patients. Fifty
healthy individuals (29 female and 21 male) served as the control group matched for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking
status were selected from hospital staff and other outpatient clinics. All participants had not taken vitamin or mineral supplements
for at least 2 wk before sampling. Blood samples were drawn after an overnight fasting in both groups for the determination
of serum glucose, TSA, LSA, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Fe, and Mg. It was found that diabetics had higher TSA, LSA, Fe, Mn, Fe/Zn, and
Cu/Zn levels, and lower Zn and Mg levels than those of controls. Although, Cu levels were higher, and Cr levels were lower
in total and male diabetic patients, they were not different in female diabetic patients than in controls. The Cu/Fe ratio
was lower in total and female diabetic patients, but not different in male diabetic patients than controls. The Zn/Cr ratio,
on the other hand, was not different in diabetics than in controls. There was only a positive correlation between Fe-Mn levels
in male diabetic patients. There was a negative correlation in LSA-Mn, Fe-Cu, Cu-Fe/Zn, and Mn-Cu/Zn levels in total diabetic
patients. There was a positive correlation in TSA-Cr, TSA-Mg, LSA-Cu/Fe, LSA-Zn/Cr levels, and a negative correlation in TSA-Cu/Zn,
LSA-Mn, Fe-Cu, Mn-Cu, Cu-Fe/Zn, Fe-cholesterol, and Cr-cholesterol in female diabetic patients. Our results showed that TSA,
LSA, and selected minerals have interactive connections with diabetes mellitus (DM). There are also many sex-related positive
or negative correlations between the altered parameters in diabetic patients. These parameters might be used as diagnostic
index in patients with DM. 相似文献
Efficient and accurate mapping of transition pathways is a challenging problem in allosteric proteins. We propose here a to our knowledge new methodology called collective molecular dynamics (coMD). coMD takes advantage of the collective modes of motions encoded by the fold, simultaneously evaluating the interactions and energetics via a full-atomic MD simulation protocol. The basic approach is to deform the structure collectively along the modes predicted by the anisotropic network model, upon selecting them via a Monte Carlo/Metropolis algorithm from among the complete pool of all accessible modes. Application to adenylate kinase, an allosteric enzyme composed of three domains, CORE, LID, and NMP, shows that both open-to-closed and closed-to-open transitions are readily sampled by coMD, with large-scale motions of the LID dominating. An energy-barrier crossing occurs during the NMP movements. The energy barrier originates from a switch between the salt bridges K136-D118 at the LID-CORE interface and K57-E170 and D33-R156 at the CORE-NMP and LID-NMP interfaces, respectively. Despite its simplicity and computing efficiency, coMD yields ensembles of transition pathways in close accord with detailed full atomic simulations, lending support to its utility as a multiscale hybrid method for efficiently exploring the allosteric transitions of multidomain or multimeric proteins. 相似文献
2D semiconducting nanoplatelets (NPLs) are an emerging class of photoactive materials. They can be used as building blocks in optoelectronic devices thanks to their large absorption coefficient, high carrier mobility, and unique thickness‐dependent optical transitions. The main drawback of NPLs is their large lateral size, which results in unfavorable band energy levels and low quantum yield (QY). Here, ultrasmall lead chalcogenide PbSe1–xSx NPLs are prepared, which exhibit an unprecedented QY of ≈60%, the highest ever reported for this structure. The NPLs are applied as light absorber in a photoelectrochemical system, leading to a saturated photocurrent density of ≈5.0 mA cm?2 (44 mL cm?2 d?1), which is a record for NPL‐based photoelectrodes in solar‐driven hydrogen generation. Ultrasmall NPLs hold the potential for breakthrough developments in the field of optically active nanomaterials. 相似文献