Development and evaluation of lead(II) iodide-based polycrystalline digital dosimeter for quality assurance in brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a cancer treatment that involves intensively irradiating a tumor by placing a sealed radioactive isotope inside the body. Determining the position of the source through accurate quality assurance (QA) is important, because brachytherapy uses radioactive isotope sources with high dose rates. However, in clinical practice, the source position is determined with the naked eye through the use of a ruler, autoradiograph, video monitor, etc., which yields inaccurate results. Therefore, in this study, a lead (II) iodide (PbI2) based polycrystalline digital dosimeter that can measure the relative dose was developed for the QA of the brachytherapy device, and its applicability was evaluated in terms of reproducibility, linearity, percentage interval distance (PID), and angular dependence. Reproducibility evaluation yielded a relative standard deviation value of 1.41%, which satisfied the evaluation criterion of 1.5%. The linearity evaluation yielded an R2 value of 0.9993, which satisfied the evaluation criterion of 0.9990. The PID evaluation revealed that, as the distance from the source increased, the signal decreased according to the inverse-square law. When the PbI2-based digital dosimeter was rotated up to 45°, a difference of up to 13.20% in the angular dependence was observed. Thus, the dosimeter fabricated in this experiment met all the criteria of the aforementioned evaluations. Therefore, it is considered to be highly applicable as a dosimeter for the QA of brachytherapy devices.

Experimental Testing and Numerical Modeling of Small-Scale Boat With Drag-Reducing Air-Cavity System

Hydrodynamic performance of ships can be greatly improved by the formation of air cavities under ship bottom with the purpose to decrease water friction on the hull surface. The air-cavity ships using this type of drag reduction are usually designed for and typically effective only in a relatively narrow range of speeds and hull attitudes and sufficient rates of air supply to the cavity. To investigate the behavior of a small-scale air-cavity boat operating under both favorable and detrimental loading and speed conditions, a remotely controlled model hull was equipped with a data acquisition system, video camera and onboard sensors to measure air-cavity characteristics, air supply rate and the boat speed, thrust and trim in operations on open-water reservoirs. These measurements were captured by a data logger and also wirelessly transmitted to a ground station and video monitor. The experimental air-cavity boat was tested in a range of speeds corresponding to length Froude numbers between 0.17 and 0.5 under three loading conditions, resulting in near zero trim and significant bow-up and bow-down trim angles at rest. Reduced cavity size and significantly increased drag occurred when operating at higher speeds, especially in the bow-up trim condition. The other objective of this study was to determine whether computational fluid dynamics simulations can adequately capture the recorded behavior of the boat and air cavity. A computational software Star-CCM+ was utilized with the VOF method employed for multi-phase flow, RANS approach for turbulence modeling, and economical mesh settings with refinements in the cavity region and near free surface. Upon conducting the mesh verification study, several experimental conditions were simulated, and approximate agreement with measured test data was found. Adaptive mesh refinement and time step controls were also applied to compare results with those obtained on the user-generated mesh. Adaptive controls improved resolution of complex shedding patterns from the air cavity but had little impact on overall results. The presented here experimental approach and obtained results indicate that both outdoor experimentation and computationally inexpensive modeling can be used in the process of developing air-cavity systems for ship hulls.

Tracheal intubation skill retention using a McGRATH® MAC video laryngoscope with real-time feedback by faculty in novice first-year residents: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDuring endotracheal intubation training, only providing verbal guidance to students may result in inadequate recognition of the inner larynx and cause delays in mastering endotracheal intubation. Therefore, we introduced a deliberate practice approach to the education of residents in endotracheal intubation. For this purpose, a video laryngoscope was used to give the residents detailed feedback of the anesthesiology faculty. We hypothesized that if the anesthesiology faculty could provide sufficient and precise feedback of the larynx through the video monitor, the residents’ intubation skills would be retained for a more extended period.MethodsThis cluster randomized controlled study enrolled first-year residents who completed a two-month rotation at our department. Each rotation group (2–4 residents) was assigned to the Macintosh laryngoscope (ML) group or the McGRATH MAC video laryngoscope (MML) group. Endotracheal intubation skills were evaluated on a simulated mannequin immediately after the rotation, three months later, and six months later. The primary endpoint was the time required for intubation. The secondary endpoint was the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score.ResultsForty-six residents participated in this study and were assigned to the ML group (n = 23) or the MML group (n = 23). The time required for intubation was significantly shorter in the MML group than in the ML group. The POGO score did not show any significant differences between the two groups; however, the POGO score of the MML group had a relatively narrower confidence interval than the ML group.ConclusionsWhen comparing endotracheal intubation training using the Macintosh laryngoscope and video laryngoscope, the McGRATH MAC video laryngoscope shortened the intubation procedure and facilitated long-term skill retention.Trial registrationClinical registry and trial number, URL: https://www.umin.ac.jp, UMIN000036643 date of registration: 2019/05/03, This study was retrospectively registered.

The Next Big Thing is Really Big!! Magnification in Dentistry

BACKGROUND The advances in the magnification sector have revolutionised the endodontic treatment from tactile and radiograph based to the vision driven. Using magnification tools like loupes, microscopes, rod lens endoscopes and oroscopes in the endodontic practice enables the clinician to magnify the field of treatment further than that by naked eyes. Suitable illumination along with magnification adds to the success of any dental procedure. Dating back to 1870, surgical loupes have been used. Apotheker and Jako introduced microscope in dentistry for the first time in 1978. Carr, in 1992 highlighted the role of the surgical operating microscope in endodontics. Various applications of surgical operating microscopes include minimally invasive surgical techniques like in periodontal regenerative procedures, adhesive dentistry and various procedures in endodontics like caries detection, for hidden canals, pulp stone removal, instrument removal, surgical endodontics, retreatment, perforation seal etc. Parts of operating microscope include optical components, objective lens, binocular tubes, eyepieces, lighting unit and mounting system. Accessories include motorised / foot-controlled adjustment of focal length, mechanical optical rotating assembly (MORA) interface and beam splitter. Magnification aids assist in producing higher quality procedures due to better precision and accuracy. Using the microscope aids improved ergonomics for the operator. Using loupes or microscopes improves the clarity in treatment plan as well as its execution. The magnification aids with camera and video monitor attached, enhance the patient education and better documentation. A strong consideration should be given to adopt using the concept of magnification. This review intended to explain the use of these tools in dental procedures for better accuracy, handling and thoroughness, which will lead to fewer procedural errors. KEY WORDS Magnification, Illumination, Loupes

Effectiveness assessment of improvement measures in physical protection system monitoring center

The optimization measures in the physical protection system monitoring center of a nuclear power plant include the prioritization of alarm signals, optimization of sound and light alarm form, improvement of the layout of video monitor screen, security training, and strengthening of organizational management. Based on the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, the influence of these factors on the probability of alert assessment and guard’s respond time in the EASI method are quantitatively analyzed. Making full use of the measures for prioritization of alarm signals can effectively promote the improvement of human-computer interaction efficiency. The degree of influence of the four factors (guarder’s status, decision strategy, guarder’s training and organization management) on guard’s decision-making is roughly the same.

Pattern Recognition and Neural Network-Driven Roller Track Analysis via 5G Network

Roller skating is an important and international physical exercise, which has beautiful body movements to be watched. However, the falling of roller athletes also happens frequently. Upon the roller athletes’ fall, it means that the whole competition is over and even the roller athletes are perhaps injured. In order to stave off the tragedy, the roller track can be analyzed and be notified the roller athlete to terminate the competition. With such consideration, this paper analyzes the roller track by using two advanced technologies, i.e., pattern recognition and neural network, in which each roller athlete is equipped with an automatic movement identifier (AMI). Meanwhile, AMI is connected with the remote video monitor referee via the transmission of 5G network. In terms of AMI, its function is realized by pattern recognition, including data collection module, data processing module, and data storage module. Among them, the data storage module considers the data classification based on roller track. In addition, the neural network is used to train the roller tracks stored at AMI and give the further analysis results for the remote video monitor referee. Based on NS3, the devised AMI is simulated and the experimental results reveal that the prediction accuracy can reach 100% and the analyzed results can be used for the falling prevention timely.

Usefulness of Autofluorescence Video-Monitoring to Enhanced Localization of Parathyroid Glands

Background and Objectives Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence photo imaging provides real time parathyroid anatomy enhancement. Moreover, autofluorescence enables intraoperative virtual reality parathyroid exploration of the optical characteristics of the parathyroid gland. This study was performed to demonstrate the new technique of visualizing the parathyroid gland using video-guided autofluorescence during thyroid and parathyroid surgery and to evaluate the outcomes. This is the first study that introduces the video-monitoring technique for intraoperative parathyroid mapping.Subjects and Method A total of 26 patients underwent 18 total thyroidectomies and 8 hemithyroidectomies in 2016. Fifty-six parathyroid glands were enrolled in this study. Surgery was performed by NIR video-monitoring via thyroid lateral side dissection to find the parathyroid tissues and extract the thyroid glands. With the operation room light turned on, the parathyroid glands were identified by the video-guided autofluorescence detection technique carried out in 3 stages (P1, P2, and P3), which are imaging with surgeon’s eyes before parathyroids exposure (P1), after identification (P2), and in extracted specimen (P3).Results The parathryoid autofluorescence could be video-monitored in real time by our NIR camera system with the indoor room light turned on. Of the total 56 parathyroids, 52 were detected by fluorescence. Of these, the location of 43 glands were predicted by using the high signal in a before-exposure state and the glands were confirmed as containing parathyroid tissues [in P1, sensitivity=82.69%, positive predictive value (PPV)=100.00%]. Of the nine glands that did not show high signals in P1, seven glands visually showed fluorescence signals (in P1 and P2, sensitivity=96.15%, PPV=100.00%). One of the two glands that showed high signals in the extracted tissue was identified as parathyroid, but the other one was proved not by histologic examination by despite high intensity fluorescence signal (in P1-P3, sensitivity=100.00%, PPV=98.08%). The accuracy of video-guided parathyroid mapping in P1, P2, and P3 were 83.93%, 96.43%, and 96.43%, respectively.Conclusion This is the first study that demonstrates the parathyroid gland autofluorescence as a real-time video-monitoring technique and shows that it could be applied to real surgery. Although parathyroid autofluorescence is a phenomenon seen in the invisible wavelength, our data suggest that the operator can see the parathyroid fluorescent signal in real time on the video-monitor. This technique could help the operator to predict the gland location and preserve them safely.

«Noi non riprendiamo la realtà: la inventiamo»: Eugenio Carmi

In the late 1960s, at the invitation of Umberto Eco, Eugenio Carmi began to collaborate with Servizio Programmi Sperimentali in Rai. After some research on perception, the artist proposed an actual “transgression” for the use of television medium: using cameras not to film the reality, but to create a completely abstract color video work. From an exchange with Rai technicians, the idea was born to use in an artistic way the disturbance generated when you point a video camera at its own playback video monitor. Thus began the first Italian videoart experiments of so-called “feedback” process, to get between 1972 and 1974 to the documentary Arte elettronica, arte della luce and the video work C’era una volta un re, and then, in 1977, the animated fairy tale Olivo verde vivo created by the painter’s daughters Antonia and Francesca Carmi with Giulio Masoni.