The effect of variations in CT scan protocol on femoral finite element failure load assessment using phantomless calibration.

Recently, it was shown that fracture risk assessment in patients with femoral bone metastases using Finite Element (FE) modeling can be performed using a calibration phantom or air-fat-muscle calibration and that non-patient-specific calibration was less favorable. The purpose of this study was to investigate if phantomless calibration can be used instead of phantom calibration when different CT protocols are used. Differences in effect of CT protocols on Hounsfield units (HU), calculated bone mineral density (BMD) and FE failure loads between phantom and two methods of phantomless calibrations were studied.

Early clinical experience with a total body irradiation technique using field-in-field beams and on-line image guidance.

Background And Purpose: Total body irradiation (TBI) is a treatment used in the conditioning of patients prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We developed an extended-distance TBI technique using a conventional linac with multi-leaf collimator to deliver a homogeneous dose, and spare critical organs.

Materials And Methods: Patients were treated either in lateral recumbent or in supine position depending on the dose level.

Image Guided Brachytherapy for Cancer of the Nasal Vestibule: Local Control and Cosmesis.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of modern image guided brachytherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule, to explore tumor volume as a prognostic factor for local and regional recurrence, and to assess patient satisfaction with nasal function and appearance after treatment.

Methods And Materials: In a retrospective analysis, we reviewed the medical records of 102 patients with Wang T1-T2 nasal vestibule cancer treated at a single institution with brachytherapy as the sole treatment. Median follow-up time was 42 months (range, 3-210 months).

Implementation of state-of-the-art (chemo)radiation for advanced cervix cancer in the Netherlands: A quality improvement program.

Purpose: To report on the "Dutch Quality Improvement Project" regarding external beam (EBRT) and brachytherapy (BT) contouring and treatment planning for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).

Material And Methods: Two rounds of three workshops were organized. Data from two patients with LACC were made available for homework exercises.

Direct observation of chaperone-induced changes in a protein folding pathway.

How chaperone interactions affect protein folding pathways is a central problem in biology. With the use of optical tweezers and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we studied the effect of chaperone SecB on the folding and unfolding pathways of maltose binding protein (MBP) at the single-molecule level. In the absence of SecB, we find that the MBP polypeptide first collapses into a molten globulelike compacted state and then folds into a stable core structure onto which several alpha helices are finally wrapped.