| Home | [21–30] << 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 >> [41–50] |
|
Candela-Juan, C., Niatsetski, Y., van der Laarse, R., Granero, D., Ballester, F., Perez-Calatayud, J., et al. (2016). Design and characterization of a new high-dose-rate brachytherapy Valencia applicator for larger skin lesions. Med. Phys., 43(4), 1639–1648.
Abstract: Purpose: The aims of this study were (i) to design a new high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy applicator for treating surface lesions with planning target volumes larger than 3 cm in diameter and up to 5 cm in size, using the microSelectron-HDR or Flexitron afterloader (Elekta Brachytherapy) with a Ir-192 source; (ii) to calculate by means of the Monte Carlo (MC) method the dose distribution for the new applicator when it is placed against a water phantom; and (iii) to validate experimentally the dose distributions in water. Methods: The PENELOPE2008 MC code was used to optimize dwell positions and dwell times. Next, the dose distribution in a water phantom and the leakage dose distribution around the applicator were calculated. Finally, MC data were validated experimentally for a 192Ir mHDR-v2 source by measuring (i) dose distributions with radiochromic EBT3 films (ISP); (ii) percentage depth-dose (PDD) curve with the parallel-plate ionization chamber Advanced Markus (PTW); and (iii) absolute dose rate with EBT3 films and the PinPoint T31016 (PTW) ionization chamber. Results: The new applicator is made of tungsten alloy (Densimet) and consists of a set of interchangeable collimators. Three catheters are used to allocate the source at prefixed dwell positions with preset weights to produce a homogenous dose distribution at the typical prescription depth of 3 mm in water. The same plan is used for all available collimators. PDD, absolute dose rate per unit of air kerma strength, and off-axis profiles in a cylindrical water phantom are reported. These data can be used for treatment planning. Leakage around the applicator was also scored. The dose distributions, PDD, and absolute dose rate calculated agree within experimental uncertainties with the doses measured: differences of MC data with chamber measurements are up to 0.8% and with radiochromic films are up to 3.5%. Conclusions: The new applicator and the dosimetric data provided here will be a valuable tool in clinical practice, making treatment of large skin lesions simpler, faster, and safer. Also the dose to surrounding healthy tissues is minimal.
Keywords: skin applicator; Valencia applicator; HDR brachytherapy; dosimetry; Monte Carlo
|
|
Geng, L. S., & Oset, E. (2016). Novel nonperturbative approach for radiative (B)over-bar(0)((B)over-bar(s)(0)) -> J/psi gamma decays. Phys. Rev. D, 94(1), 014018–11pp.
Abstract: Radiative (B) over bar (0)((B) over bar (0)(s)) -> J/psi gamma decays provide an interesting case to test our understanding of ( non) perturbative QCD and eventually to probe physics beyond the standard model. Recently, the LHCb Collaboration reported an upper bound, updating the results of the BABAR Collaboration. Previous theoretical predictions based on QCD factorization or perturbative QCD have shown large variations due to different treatment of nonfactorizable contributions and meson-photon transitions. In this paper, we report on a novel approach to estimate the decay rates, which is based on a recently proposed model for B decays and the vector meson dominance hypothesis, widely tested in the relevant energy regions. The predicted branching ratios are Br[(B) over bar (0) -> J/psi gamma] = (3.50 +/- 0.34(-0.63)(+1.12)) x 10(-8) and Br[(B) over bar (0)(s) -> J/psi gamma] = (7.20 +/- 0.68(-1.30)(+2.31)) x 10(-7). The first uncertainty is systematic and the second is statistical, originating from the experimental (B) over bar (0)(s) -> J/psi gamma branching ratio.
|
|
Oliver, J. F., & Rafecas, M. (2016). Modelling Random Coincidences in Positron Emission Tomography by Using Singles and Prompts: A Comparison Study. PLoS ONE, 11(9), e0162096–22pp.
Abstract: Random coincidences degrade the image in Positron Emission Tomography, PET. To compensate for their degradation effects, the rate of random coincidences should be estimated. Under certain circumstances, current estimation methods fail to provide accurate results. We propose a novel method, “Singles-Prompts” (SP), that includes the information conveyed by prompt coincidences and models the pile-up. The SP method has the same structure than the well-known “Singles Rate” (SR) approach. Hence, SP can straightforwardly replace SR. In this work, the SP method has been extensively assessed and compared to two conventional methods, SR and the delayed window (DW) method, in a preclinical PET scenario using Monte-Carlo simulations. SP offers accurate estimates for the randoms rates, while SR and DW tend to overestimate the rates (similar to 10%, and 5%, respectively). With pile-up, the SP method is more robust than SR (but less than DW). At the image level, the contrast is overestimated in SR-corrected images, + 16%, while SP produces the correct value. Spill-over is slightly reduced using SP instead of SR. The DW images values are similar to those of SP except for low-statistic scenarios, where DW behaves as if randoms were not compensated for. In particular, the contrast is reduced, -16%. In general, the better estimations of SP translate into better image quality.
|
|
Di Valentino, E., Giusarma, E., Mena, O., Melchiorri, A., & Silk, J. (2016). Cosmological limits on neutrino unknowns versus low redshift priors. Phys. Rev. D, 93(8), 083527–11pp.
Abstract: Recent cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization anisotropy measurements from the Planck mission have significantly improved previous constraints on the neutrino masses as well as the bounds on extended models with massless or massive sterile neutrino states. However, due to parameter degeneracies, additional low redshift priors are mandatory in order to sharpen the CMB neutrino bounds. We explore here the role of different priors on low redshift quantities, such as the Hubble constant, the cluster mass bias, and the reionization optical depth tau. Concerning current priors on the Hubble constant and the cluster mass bias, the bounds on the neutrino parameters may differ appreciably depending on the choices adopted in the analyses. With regard to future improvements in the priors on the reionization optical depth, a value of tau = 0.05 +/- 0.01, motivated by astrophysical estimates of the reionization redshift, would lead to Sigma m(nu) < 0.0926 eV at 90% C.L., when combining the full Planck measurements, baryon acoustic oscillation, and Planck clusters data, thereby opening the window to unravel the neutrino mass hierarchy with existing cosmological probes.
|
|
Lu, J. X., Chen, H. X., Guo, Z. H., Nieves, J., Xie, J. J., & Geng, L. S. (2016). Lambda(c)(2595) resonance as a dynamically generated state: The compositeness condition and the large N-c evolution. Phys. Rev. D, 93(11), 114028–16pp.
Abstract: Recent studies have shown that the well-established Lambda(c) (2595) resonance contains a large meson-baryon component, which can vary depending on the specific formalism. In this work, we examine such a picture by utilizing the compositeness condition and the large number of colors (N-c) expansion. We examine three different models fulfilling two body unitarily in coupled-channels, and adopting renormalization schemes where the mass of the Lambda(c)(2595) resonance is well described, but not necessarily its width, since we do not consider three body channels and work at the isospin symmetric limit. Both approximations might have an effect larger on the width than on the mass. In this context, our studies show that the compositeness of the Lambda(c)(2595) depends on the number of considered coupled channels, and on the particular regularization scheme adopted in the unitary approaches and, therefore, is model dependent. In addition, we perform an exploratory study of the Lambda(c)(2595) in the large N-c expansion, within a scheme involving only the pi Sigma(c) and K Xi(c)', channels, whose dynamics is mostly fixed by chiral symmetry. In this context and formulating the leading-order interaction as a function of N-c, we show that for moderate N-c > 3 values, the mass and width of the Lambda(c)(2595) deviate from those of a genuine qqq baryon, implying the relevance of meson-baryon components in its wave function. Furthermore, we study the properties of the Lambda(c)(2595), in the strict N-c -> infinity limit, using an extension of the chiral Weinberg-Tomozawa interaction to an arbitrary number of flavors and colors. This latter study hints at the possible existence of a (perhaps) subdominant qqq component in the Lambda(c)(2595) resonance wave function, which would become dominant when the number of colors gets sufficiently large.
|