Mean energy, energy-range relationships and depth-scaling factors for clinical electron beams

Using Monte Carlo simulations we have studied the electron mean energy, Eo, and the most probable energy, Eo,p, at the phantom surface and their relationships with half-value depth, R50, and the practical range, Rp, for a variety of beams from five commercial medical accelerators with an energy range of 5-50 MeV. It is difficult to obtain a relation between R50 and Eo for all electrons at the surface because the number of scattered lower-energy electrons varies with the machine design. However, using only direct electrons to calculate Eo, there is a relationship which is in close agreement with that calculated using monoenergetic beams by Rogers and Bielajew [Med. Phys. 13, 687-694 (1986)]. We show that the empirical formula Eo,p = 0.22 + 1.98Rp + 0.0025R2p describes accurately the relationship between Rp and Eo,p for clinical beams of energies from 5 to 50 MeV with an accuracy of 3%. The electron mean energy, Ed, is calculated as a function of depth in water as well as plastic phantoms and is compared both with the relation, Ed = Eo (1-d/Rp), employed in AAPM protocols and with values in the IAEA Code of Practice. The conventional relations generally overestimate Ed over the entire therapeutic depth, e.g., the AAPM and IAEA overestimate Ed at dmax by up to 20% for an 18 MeV beam from a Clinac 2100C. It is also found that at all depths mean energies are 1%-3% higher near the field edges than at the central axis. We calculated depth-scaling factors for plastic phantoms by scaling the depth in plastics to the water-equivalent depth where the mean energies are equal. The depth-scaling factor is constant with depth in a given beam but there is a small variation ( < 1.5%) depending on the incident beam energies. Depth-scaling factors as a function of R50 in plastic or water are presented for clear polystyrene, white polystyrene and PMMA phantom materials. The calculated depth-scaling factor is found to be equal to R50water/R50plastic. This is just the AAPM definition of effective density but there are up to 2% discrepancies between our calculated values and those recommended by the AAPM and the IAEA protocols. We find that the depth-scaling factors obtained by using the ratio of continuous-slowing-down ranges are inaccurate and overestimate our calculated values by 1%-2% in all cases. We also find that for accurate work, it is incorrect to use a simple 1/r2 correction to convert from parallel beam depth-dose curves to point source depth-dose curves, especially for high-energy beams.     

Taenia crassiceps invasive cysticercosis: a new human pathogen in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome?

High-energy electrons bombarded on materials can induce radioactivity by either directly knocking out neutrons or by first converting a fraction of the electron kinetic energy into electromagnetic energy, with subsequent neutron emission induced by the photons produced. The purpose of this paper was to develop a calculation method for estimating neutron emission and radionuclide production by high-energy (15-25 MeV) electrons directly interacting with a nucleus. The reaction (e,n) is considered using the method of virtual photons. The cross section for electron bombardment of lead, tantalum, rhenium, and tungsten targets is calculated. The electron cross sections are roughly 100 times less than the corresponding photon cross sections. The cross section increases monotonically with incident energy. A traveling wave linear accelerator was used for a qualitative test of the magnitude and energy dependence of the calculated cross sections. Tantalum was bombarded with electrons and the resultant emission of neutrons was inferred from the induced activation of 180Ta. The energy dependence and magnitude of the calculated electron cross sections agree with experiment within experimental uncertainties. It is concluded that accurate estimates of electron activation via the direct process is possible.     

Measurement of distributions of small-scale energy depositions from low-linear energy transfer particles using the superheated drop detector

We have developed a new detection method for measuring distributions of energy depositions from particles characterized by low linear energy transfers (LETs). In particular, we have developed a detection system to measure energy depositions produced by electrons and photons on nanometer scales. The detector is based upon the operational principles of the superheated drop detector (SDD). SDDs consist of tiny droplets of superheated liquid suspended within a gel-like emulsion. The SDDs in this study are fabricated using Freon-115 and a glycerol-based gel as the superheated liquid and host medium. This SDD configuration is operated as a threshold temperature-dependent detector for measuring nanoscopic distributions of energy depositions from low-LET particles. Measured results are compared to the calculated distributions of energy depositions along an electron track. A new electron track code, ESLOW3.1, is used to perform the computational study. Measurements show good agreement with computational results in the energy deposition range of 40-200 eV.     

Role of auxiliary diagnostic tests in the clarification of the etiology of syncope: experience at an arrhythmia center

PURPOSE: A brief review is presented of the basic concepts in track structure and the relative merit of various theoretical approaches adopted in Monte-Carlo track-structure codes are examined. In the second part of the paper, a formal cluster analysis is introduced to calculate cluster-distance distributions. METHOD: Total experimental ionization cross-sections were least-square fitted and compared with the calculation by various theoretical methods. Monte-Carlo track-structure code Kurbuc was used to examine and compare the spectrum of the secondary electrons generated by using functions given by Born-Bethe, Jain-Khare, Gryzinsky, Kim-Rudd, Mott and Vriens' theories. The cluster analysis in track structure was carried out using the k-means method and Hartigan algorithm. RESULTS: Data are presented on experimental and calculated total ionization cross-sections: inverse mean free path (IMFP) as a function of electron energy used in Monte-Carlo track-structure codes; the spectrum of secondary electrons generated by different functions for 500 eV primary electrons; cluster analysis for 4 MeV and 20 MeV alpha-particles in terms of the frequency of total cluster energy to the root-mean-square (rms) radius of the cluster and differential distance distributions for a pair of clusters; and finally relative frequency distribution for energy deposited in DNA, single-strand break and double-strand breaks for 10MeV/u protons, alpha-particles and carbon ions. CONCLUSIONS: There are a number of Monte-Carlo track-structure codes that have been developed independently and the bench-marking presented in this paper allows a better choice of the theoretical method adopted in a track-structure code to be made. A systematic bench-marking of cross-sections and spectra of the secondary electrons shows differences between the codes at atomic level, but such differences are not significant in biophysical modelling at the macromolecular level. Clustered-damage evaluation shows: that a substantial proportion of dose ( 30%) is deposited by low-energy electrons; the majority of DNA damage lesions are of simple type; the complexity of damage increases with increased LET, while the total yield of strand breaks remains constant; and at high LET values nearly 70% of all double-strand breaks are of complex type.     

Production and dosimetry of copper L ultrasoft x-rays for biological and biochemical investigations

Ultrasoft x-rays provide a unique tool for investigating the intracellular mechanisms of radiation action. Secondary electrons are produced with a well defined energy and a range comparable with that of critical structures in the cell. Copper L characteristic x-rays of weighted average energy of 956 eV interact within the cell, mainly with the oxygen atom, typically producing a photoelectron with energy 424 eV (95%) followed by an Auger electron with an average energy of 505 eV, with a combined continuous slowing down approximation (csda) range of approximately 40 nm. The attenuation through the cell is similar to that of carbon K x-rays (277 eV, single electron), therefore a useful comparison can be made due to similar dose-averaging factors but different electron configurations (total range, and pairs versus singlets). The production, absorption, dosimetry and biological implications of Cu L x-rays using the Medical Research Council cold cathode source is described extending the number of energies available for study in the ultrasoft region. Design parameters were optimized to overcome the inherently low L-characteristic-to-bremsstrahlung yield ratio. Surface absorbed dose rates of 1 Gy min-1 have been obtained with a bremsstrahlung contamination of less than 0.5%. A confocal microscope was used to make thickness measurements on live cells to allow careful determination of the mean absorbed dose. Survival curves for V79-4 Chinese hamster cells were obtained, showing that Cu L x-rays are substantially more lethal per unit dose than are hard x-rays or gamma-rays, with a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 1.8. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that clustered damage at the DNA/chromatin level produced by low-energy electrons is biologically more effective.     

Halogen anion formation in 5-halouracil films: X rays compared to subionization electrons

The radiosensitization properties of 5-halouracils (5-FU, 5-BrU and 5-IU), i.e. the enhanced sensitivity of biological media containing these compounds to ionizing radiation, have been studied using surface science methods. We show that soft X rays and near 0 eV electrons both induce dissociation of 5-halouracils into a halogen anion and a uracilyl radical. The yield of anions from 5-FU is much smaller than that from the bromo- and iodo-analogs. We explain the high anion yields in 5-BrU and 5-IU with dissociative electron attachment (DEA) of near 0 eV electrons. The thermodynamic threshold for DEA to 5-FU is near 2 eV and therefore prohibits dissociation by near 0 eV electrons.     

Sensitivity of amorphous selenium to x rays from 40 kVp to 18 MV: measurements and implications for portal imaging

Recently, the clinical application of electronic portal imaging devices has enabled more frequent verification of patient setup for radiation treatment. However, the image quality has sometimes proven to be inadequate, motivating the investigation of alternative sensors with better image quality. Amorphous selenium (a-Se) is potentially one such sensor since the electrostatic image formation process has high resolution. To fully evaluate the potential of a-Se for portal imaging, it is necessary to investigate all the imaging properties at high x-ray energies. Here, measurements of the sensitivity of a-Se to incident x-ray spectra ranging in energy from 40 kVp to 18 MV and for a-Se thicknesses ranging from approximately 10 to 300 microns under full buildup conditions are described. When x rays or energetic electrons deposit energy in a photoconductor with an applied electric field, F, electrons and holes are released. The x-ray conversion sensitivity may be defined as 1/W +/-, where W +/- is the energy required to release an electron-hole pair. Consistent with the results of previous investigators, W +/- is found to vary approximately with F-2/3. Unexpectedly, over the energy range of 40 kVp to 18 MV, W +/- was found to decrease by a factor of nearly 3. These dependencies are compared to the predictions of two competing charge recombination models, geminate and columnar. The results are explained by a microdosimetric model in which the sensitivity at megavoltage energies is governed by geminate recombination, but at lower energies, both mechanisms are involved. Thus, the sensitivity of a-Se to x rays spanning the diagnostic and radiotherapy range has been measured and the physical basis for this behavior established.     

Sociodemographic predictors of treatment outcome in chronic non-malignant pain patients. Do patients receiving or applying for disability pension benefit from multidisciplinary pain treatment?

A respiration trial was conducted in 14 adult sows to investigate the energetic effects of a high carbohydrate and a high fat diet over a period of 21 weeks. The basal ration was mainly based on barley and soybean meal and covered 60% of the maintenance requirement for energy. The addition of starch (50% wheat starch, 50% maize starch) or fats (25% lard, 25% soybean oil, 50% olive oil) was 173 kJ/kgW0.75. All rations were calculated with reference to the initial weight of the sows and remained constant throughout the experiment. The animals were fed twice daily. Feces and urine were collected during the first and last part of the experiment over six days each. Forty eight hour measurements of the gas exchange were recorded five times in the course of the trial. Energy balances were calculated using an indirect calorimetry technique (RQ method) as well as the carbon nitrogen balance technique. All components of the energy balance (feces energy, urine energy, metabolizable energy, energy retention) showed no significant difference between the two treatments. The heat production of the animals was 413 +/- 31 with the starch diet and 412 +/- 36 kJ/kg W0.75 when the fat diet was fed. The mean weekly body weights of both treatment groups coincided in all phases of the experiment. Calculation of nutrient oxidation performed for diets and for animal metabolism revealed that only the carbohydrate balance was achieved, whereas the fat balance showed unrealistic results. The sensitivity of the nutrient balance method to measurement errors of the gas exchange has been discussed. The current results indicate that an equal supply of starch or fat energy acts identically in the long-term on body weight regulation and energy balance when overfeeding is not present.     

Velocity and turbulence measurements in a cylindrical bath subject to centric bottom gas injection

Laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) measurements were made to clarify the fluid flow behavior in a bath subject to centric bottom gas injection. Correlations of the axial mean velocity and turbulence components in the gas-liquid two-phase flow region,i.e., in the bubbling jet region, were proposed as functions of the inner diameter of nozzle, gas flow rate, and densities of gas and liquid. Measured values of the flow rate, momentum, and kinetic energy of water rising upward were approximated satisfactorily by these empirical correlations. In addition, the Reynolds shear stress was calculated and compared with measured values. Formerly Graduate Student, Osaka University,     

Thermodynamics of the superalloys

Using the parameters of Kaufman and Nesor, we have calculated the activities of Al, Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, and W in 17 superalloys. These components behave in three distinctly different ways: Al and Ti have very.small activity coefficients; Fe, Co, and Ni have activity coefficients close to unity; and Cr, Mo, and W have activity coefficients of approximately 10. The calculated free energy of formation of the gamma prime in these alloys gives values similar to that for pure Ni3Al. The calculations of the free energy change for the formation of a Cr-Co sigma phase gives a lower estimate of the potential for sigma formation. These results show that the presently available thermodynamic representations and parameters are capable of providing useful information on very complex systems.     

Species-specific primers resolve members of Fusarium section Fusarium. Taxonomic status of the edible "Quorn" fungus reevaluated

This paper concerns rotational energy levels and line intensities for electronic, vibrational, and microwave transitions in an open-shell complex consisting of an open-shell diatomic molecule and a closed-shell partner. The electronic state of the open-shell diatomic fragment is a 2S+1Sigma state, where S >/= 12, the close-shell partner could be a rare gas atom or a diatomic molecule or a planar polyatomic molecule. We are considering a near-rigid rotor model for a nonlinear complex, taking into account thoroughly all effects of the electron spin and the quartic centrifugal distortion correction terms. The total Hamiltonian is expressed as H=Hrot+Hsr+Hss+Hcd+Hsrcd+Hsscd. We have derived all the nonvanishing matrix elements of the Hamiltonian operators in the molecular basis set. The rotational energy levels are calculated by numerical diagonalization of the total Hamiltonian matrix for each J value. The nonvanishing matrix elements of the electric dipole moment operator are derived in the molecular basis set for electronic, vibrational, and microwave transitions within the complex. Expectation values of the quantum numbers and of the parities of the rotational states are derived in the molecular basis set. Relative intensities of the allowed rotational transitions, expectation values of the quantum numbers and the parities are calculated numerically in the space of the eigenvectors obtained from diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. The formalism and the computer program of this paper are considered as extensions to our previous work [W. M. Fawzy and J. T. Hougen, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 137, 154-165 (1989); W. M. Fawzy, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 160, 84-96 (1993)] and are expected to be particularly useful for analyzing and fitting high-resolution spectra of weakly bonded oxygen complexes. A brief discussion of the Hamiltonian operators, the matrix elements, and the computer program is given. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.     

Synthesis of hafnium carbide by mechanochemistry and irradiation

The interaction in the Hf–C system during mechanical activation performed in a high-energy planetary ball mill and the irradiation-assisted fabrication of hafnium carbide from an Hf/C mechanocomposite are studied by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (at a quantum energy of 33.7 keV) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The mechanochemical interaction results in the formation of an Hf/C mechanocomposite at the first stage and mechanical activation for ≥8 min forms hafnium carbide. The irradiation of the Hf/C mechanocomposite with a high-energy electron beam (~150 W/mm²) causes melting and spreading of hafnium over the carbon particle surface and the crystallization of hafnium carbide.     

Evaluation of a mucoadhesive buccal patch for delivery of peptides: in vitro screening of bioadhesion

We have assessed the bioadhesive properties of several different mucoadhesive buccal patches. The patches consisted of custom coformulations of silicone polymers and Carbopol 974P. The contact angle of water was measured for each of the test formulations, using an ophthalmic shadow scope. The corresponding work of adhesion between the water and the patches (W1), and between the patches and freshly-excised rabbit buccal mucosa (W2) was then calculated, using a modification of Dupre's equation. The bioadhesive strength between the patches and excised rabbit buccal mucosa was also assessed. The results of the contact-angle measurements indicated that the contact angle decreased with an increase in the amount of Carbopol in the formulation. Additionally, the calculated values of both W1 and W2 increased with an increase in the amount of Carbopol in the buccal-patch formulations. A correlation (r not equal to 0.9808) was found between the measured contact angle and the calculated values for W2. The direct measurement of the force required to separate a buccal patch from excised rabbit buccal mucosa with the INSTRON demonstrated that the adhesive strength increased with an increase in the amount of Carbopol. This preliminary study has shown that the measurement of contact angles alone may provide a useful technique for estimating the work of adhesion, and may serve as a convenient and rapid screening procedure to identify potential mucoadhesive buccal-patch formulations.     

Numerical modeling of γ precipitate growth during Fe-Ni martensite decomposition at low temperatures (≤400 °C)

A numerical model was developed to simulate Ni composition profiles developed around γ (FeNi) precipitates growing during martensite (α₂) decomposition in Fe-Ni at low temperatures (300 °C to 400 °C). The model is based on the theory of partial interface reaction control of the precipitate growth process. Experimental Ni composition profiles were measured across γ -α₂ interfaces using high spatial resolution analytical electron microscopy. The simulated Ni composition profiles show good agreement with the experimentally measured profiles, indicating that partial interface reaction control of the γ growth is a reasonable assumption. The diffusion coefficients and the interface mobilities were estimated from the simulations. The activation energy for diffusion in the α₂ matrix obtained from the computer model is 0.7 eV with an error range from 0.58 to 0.98 eV. This value is similar to the activation energy for diffusion obtained from the calculated γ -α₂ interface mobility (0.62 eV with an error range from 0.57 to 0.67 eV). This result is consistent with the observed high dislocation density in the α₂ matrix. Both these values of the activation energy are well below that for lattice diffusion (223C;3 eV). Therefore, it is concluded that the prevailing diffusion mechanisms at these temperatures are short circuit (defect) diffusion in the α₂ matrix and rapid diffusion across the γ -α₂ interface. Formerly Research Assistant, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Lehigh University     

Smelting‐Reduction Export Gas as Syngas in the Chemical Industry

Export gases from iron‐making processes are typically used as an energy source for heat and power generation within the iron and steel industry, although their calorific value is comparatively low. The fact that COREX® and FINEX® smelting‐reduction export gases typically consist of the major syngas‐components CO and H₂ (approx. 50% of gas composition), makes them attractive for utilization in the direct reduction of iron ores and in the chemical synthesis industry. This paper will discuss the required process steps for converting smelting‐reduction export gases into synthesis gas (syngas) using the example of methanol production. The calculated CO₂‐balance shows promising results for chemical utilization of COREX® export gas compared to energy utilization in conventional or combined power plants.     

Kinetics of Reduction of NiO–WO3 Mixtures by Hydrogen

The kinetics of reduction of the oxide mixtures of Ni-W with different Ni/(Ni-W) molar ratios within the range of 923 K to 1173 K in flowing hydrogen gas was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis under isothermal conditions. The products were examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electron dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. Five different oxide mixtures apart from the pure oxides were studied in the present work. The results indicate that the reduction reaction proceeds through three consecutive steps that are as follows: $$ {\text{NiO-}} {\text{WO}}_{ 3} \to {\text{Ni-}}{\text{WO}}_{ 3} \to {\text{Ni-}}{\text{WO}}_{ 2} \to {\text{Ni-}}{\text{W}} $$ From the experimental results, the Arrhenius activation energies of the three steps were evaluated for all of the studied compositions. The activation energy for the first step was calculated to be approximately 18 kJ/mol. For the second and third stages, the activation energy values varied from 62 to 38 kJ/mol for the second stage and 51 to 34 kJ/mol for the third stage depending on the Ni/(Ni + W) molar ratio in the precursors; the activation energy increased with increasing ratios. SEM images showed that the grain size of the final product was dependent on the Ni/(Ni + W) molar ratio; smaller grains were formed at higher nickel contents.     

Thermodynamic models of liquid multicomponent metallic solutions

Thermodynamic models for regular, pseudo-regular, subregular, and pseudosubregular metallic solutions are considered. It is shown that the transition from the excess Gibbs energy of a solution to the excess chemical potentials of the components in the subregular solution model leads to more complex dependences of the activity coefficients on the solution composition than those in the regular and pseudoregular solution models. Equations for the excess chemical potentials of components obtained by these models are presented for binary, ternary, and multicomponent solutions. The energy of mixing of components in binary solutions are calculated and estimated using experimental data obtained by various authors for the last half a century. The zero-order and first-order interaction parameters are estimated from the energy parameters for dilute solutions.     

Impact Mechanics and High-Energy Absorbing Materials: Review

In this paper a review of impact mechanics and high-energy absorbing materials is presented. We review different theoretical models (rigid-body dynamics, elastic, shock, and plastic wave propagation, and nonclassical or nonlocal models) and computational methods (finite-element, finite-difference, and mesh-free methods) used in impact mechanics. Some recent developments in numerical simulation of impact (e.g., peridynamics) and new design concepts proposed as high energy absorbing materials (lattice and truss structures, hybrid sandwich composites, metal foams, magnetorheological fluids, porous shape memory alloys) are discussed. Recent studies on experimental evaluation and constitutive modeling of strain rate-dependent polymer matrix composites are also presented. Impact damage on composite materials in aerospace engineering is discussed along with future research needs. A particular example for the design of a sandwich material as an impact mitigator is given in more detail. This brief review is intended to help the readers in identifying starting points for research in modeling and simulation of impact problems and in designing energy absorbing materials and structures.     

Quantitative patterns in the clinical manifestations of radiation sickness in large laboratory animals exposed to radiation at superlethal doses. The quantitative patterns in the manifestations of radiation sickness in dogs

Radiation sickness manifestations have been studied in dogs exposed to electrons (electron energy 25 MeV) and gamma-neutron radiation (neutron energies of 0.37 and 1.2 MeV) in a wide dose range. Dose-response relationships have been calculated for mortality and some clinical manifestations of the intestinal and cerebral forms of radiation sickness. With regard to mortality, the highest effect has been observed for gamma-neutron radiation with a neutron energy of 1.2 MeV. For equal physical doses and for those equally effective in relation to mortality, clinical manifestations of damage are more prominent following exposure to electrons.     

Does conformational free energy distinguish loop conformations in proteins?

Limitations in protein homology modeling often arise from the inability to adequately model loops. In this paper we focus on the selection of loop conformations. We present a complete computational treatment that allows the screening of loop conformations to identify those that best fit a molecular model. The stability of a loop in a protein is evaluated via computations of conformational free energies in solution, i.e., the free energy difference between the reference structure and the modeled one. A thermodynamic cycle is used for calculation of the conformational free energy, in which the total free energy of the reference state (i.e., gas phase) is the CHARMm potential energy. The electrostatic contribution of the solvation free energy is obtained from solving the finite-difference Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The nonpolar contribution is based on a surface area-based expression. We applied this computational scheme to a simple but well-characterized system, the antibody hypervariable loop (complementarity-determining region, CDR). Instead of creating loop conformations, we generated a database of loops extracted from high-resolution crystal structures of proteins, which display geometrical similarities with antibody CDRs. We inserted loops from our database into a framework of an antibody; then we calculated the conformational free energies of each loop. Results show that we successfully identified loops with a "reference-like" CDR geometry, with the lowest conformational free energy in gas phase only. Surprisingly, the solvation energy term plays a confusing role, sometimes discriminating "reference-like" CDR geometry and many times allowing "non-reference-like" conformations to have the lowest conformational free energies (for short loops). Most "reference-like" loop conformations are separated from others by a gap in the gas phase conformational free energy scale. Naturally, loops from antibody molecules are found to be the best models for long CDRs (> or = 6 residues), mainly because of a better packing of backbone atoms into the framework of the antibody model.