| 1. |
- Rescigno, R., et al.
(författare)
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Performance of the reconstruction algorithms of the FIRST experiment pixel sensors vertex detector
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 767, s. 34-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hadrontherapy treatments use charged particles (e.g. protons and carbon ions) to treat tumors. During a therapeutic treatment with carbon ions, the beam undergoes nuclear fragmentation processes giving rise to significant yields of secondary charged particles. An accurate prediction of these production rates is necessary to estimate precisely the dose deposited into the tumours and the surrounding healthy tissues. Nowadays, a limited set of double differential carbon fragmentation cross-section is available. Experimental data are necessary to benchmark Monte Carlo simulations for their use in hadrontherapy. The purpose of the FIRST experiment is to study nuclear fragmentation processes of ions with kinetic energy in the range from 100 to 1000 MeV/u. Tracks are reconstructed using information from a pixel silicon detector based on the CMOS technology. The performances achieved using this device for hadrontherapy purpose are discussed. For each reconstruction step (clustering, tracking and vertexing), different methods are implemented. The algorithm performances and the accuracy on reconstructed observables are evaluated on the basis of simulated and experimental data.
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| 2. |
- Pleskac, R., et al.
(författare)
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The FIRST experiment at GSI
- 2012
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Ingår i: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 678, s. 130-138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The FIRST (Fragmentation of Ions Relevant for Space and Therapy) experiment at the SIS accelerator of GSl laboratory in Darmstadt has been designed for the measurement of ion fragmentation crosssections at different angles and energies between 100 and 1000 MeV/nucleon. Nuclear fragmentation processes are relevant in several fields of basic research and applied physics and are of particular interest for tumor therapy and for space radiation protection applications. The start of the scientific program of the FIRST experiment was on summer 2011 and was focused on the measurement of 400 MeV/nucleon C-12 beam fragmentation on thin (8 mm) graphite target. The detector is partly based on an already existing setup made of a dipole magnet (ALADiN). a time projection chamber (TP-MUSIC IV), a neutron detector (LAND) and a time of flight scintillator system (TOFWALL). This pre-existing setup has been integrated with newly designed detectors in the Interaction Region, around the carbon target placed in a sample changer. The new detectors are a scintillator Start Counter, a Beam Monitor drift chamber, a silicon Vertex Detector and a Proton Tagger scintillator system optimized for the detection of light fragments emitted at large angles. In this paper we review the experimental setup, then we present the simulation software, the data acquisition system and finally the trigger strategy of the experiment.
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| 3. |
- Golosio, B., et al.
(författare)
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The FIRST experiment for nuclear fragmentation measurements at GSI
- 2011
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Ingår i: Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC), 2011 IEEE. ; , s. 2277-2280
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nuclear fragmentation processes are relevant in different fields of physics concerning both basic research and applications. FIRST (Fragmentation of Ions Relevant for Space and Therapy) is an experiment aimed at the measurement of double differential cross sections (DDCS), with respect to kinetic energy and scattering polar angle, of nuclear fragmentation processes relevant for hadron therapy and for space radiation protection applications, in the energy range between 100 and 1000 MeV/u. The experiment was mounted at the GSI laboratories of Darmstadt, in Germany. A first data taking was performed in August 2011, using 400 MeV/u 12C on carbon and gold targets. In this work we present a description of the experimental apparatus and some figures from the data acquisition and from the preliminary work on data analysis
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Albani, D, et al.
(författare)
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Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor polymorphism rs2229765 and circulating interleukin-6 level affect male longevity in a population-based prospective study (Treviso Longeva--TRELONG).
- 2011
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Ingår i: The Aging Male. - 1368-5538. ; 14:4, s. 257-264
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling modulation has been associated with increased lifespan in model organisms, while high levels of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) are a marker of disability and mortality. In the prospective, population-based "Treviso Longeva"--TRELONG Study from Italy (n = 668, age range 70-105.5 years at baseline, followed for seven years) we investigated the effects of survival on the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) gene polymorphism rs2229765, the IL-6 gene promoter polymorphism rs1800795, and plasma concentrations of IGF-1 and IL-6, alone or in combination. We found a sex-dependent effect for the IGF-1R rs2229765 polymorphism, as male carriers of the homozygous A/A genotype survived longer, while the IL-6 rs1800795 genotype did not influence overall or sex-specific longevity. Higher IL-6 levels were more detrimental for survival among males than females, while IGF-1 had no dose-response effect. These findings sustain the hypothesis that sex-specific longevity relies on detectable differences in genetic and biochemical parameters between males and females.
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| 6. |
- Athan, Eugene, et al.
(författare)
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Clinical characteristics and outcome of infective endocarditis involving implantable cardiac devices
- 2012
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Ingår i: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 0098-7484 .- 1538-3598. ; 307, s. 1727-1735
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: Infection of implantable cardiac devices is an emerging disease with significant morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of cardiac device infective endocarditis (CDIE) with attention to its health care association and to evaluate the association between device removal during index hospitalization and outcome. Design, Setting, and Patients: Prospective cohort study using data from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-Prospective Cohort Study (ICE-PCS), conducted June 2000 through August 2006 in 61 centers in 28 countries. Patients were hospitalized adults with definite endocarditis as defined by modified Duke endocarditis criteria. Main Outcome Measures: In-hospital and 1-year mortality. Results: CDIE was diagnosed in 177 (6.4% [95% CI, 5.5%-7.4%]) of a total cohort of 2760 patients with definite infective endocarditis. The clinical profile of CDIE included advanced patient age (median, 71.2 years [interquartile range, 59.8-77.6]); causation by staphylococci (62 [35.0% {95% CI, 28.0%-42.5%}] Staphylococcus aureus and 56 [31.6% {95% CI, 24.9%-39.0%}] coagulase-negative staphylococci); and a high prevalence of health care-associated infection (81 [45.8% {95% CI, 38.3%- 53.4%}]). There was coexisting valve involvement in 66 (37.3% [95% CI, 30.2%- 44.9%]) patients, predominantly tricuspid valve infection (43/177 [24.3%]), with associated higher mortality. In-hospital and 1-year mortality rates were 14.7% (26/177 [95% CI, 9.8%-20.8%]) and 23.2% (41/177 [95% CI, 17.2%-30.1%]), respectively. Proportional hazards regression analysis showed a survival benefit at 1 year for device removal during the initial hospitalization (28/141 patients [19.9%] who underwent device removal during the index hospitalization had died at 1 year, vs 13/34 [38.2%] who did not undergo device removal; hazard ratio, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.22- 0.82]). Conclusions: Among patients with CDIE, the rate of concomitant valve infection is high, as is mortality, particularly if there is valve involvement. Early device removal is associated with improved survival at 1 year. ©2012 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
- Gallucci, M, et al.
(författare)
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Factors related to disability: Evidence from the "Treviso Longeva (TRELONG) Study"
- 2010
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Ingår i: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-6976 .- 0167-4943. ; 52:3, s. 309-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prolongation of life is an important public health goal as long as there is an emphasis on the quality of life (QoL) and independent living. Diminishing abilities to ambulate and participate in activities of daily living point to a serious decline in functional health, increasing the risk of institutionalization and death. In our work we found a pattern of factors associated with disability, especially cognitive impairment, as well as stroke, physical activity and performance, reading, and the nutritional biomarkers, blood albumin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The attention to this cluster of markers, suggesting multidimensional prevention, may have unexpected good effects against disability.
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| 8. |
- Gustafson, Deborah, 1966, et al.
(författare)
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Body Mass Index, Cognition, Disability, APOE Genotype, and Mortality: The "Treviso Longeva" Study
- 2012
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Ingår i: American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. - 1064-7481. ; 20:7, s. 594-602
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The concurrent contributions of dynamic, interrelated late-life parameters, such as bodymass index (BMI), cognition, and physical functioning on mortality in the elderly are unclear, as is the influence of APOE genotype. We explored these measures in relation to 7-year mortality in long-lived Italian elderly. Design: A representative, age-stratified, population sample. Setting: The Treviso Longeva (TRELONG) Study, in Treviso, Italy. Participants: Three hundred eleven men and 357 women, aged 70 years and older (mean age 84 +/- 8 years). Measurements: Seven-year mortality, BMI, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), APOE genotype, and a variety of clinical and survey data. Results: In separate age-and sex-adjusted analyses, BMI <18.5 kg/m(2), MMSE <= 24, and ADL <6, were associated with greater 7-year mortality among adults aged 70 years and older. In a multivariate model including all factors, MMSE <= 24, and ADL <6 were associated with greater mortality; BMI >= 30 kg/m(2) was protective. There were no interactions between BMI, MMSE, or ADL. When excluding those dying within 3 years of baseline, only an MMSE <= 24 was related to mortality. APOE epsilon 4 was not related to mortality. Conclusion: Higher MMSE score, higher ADL score, and higher BMI, independent of age, sex, and other factors, are markers for longer life among northern Italian adults aged 70 years or older. Global cognition, BMI, and physical functioning, assessed by short, simple tests are profound indicators of death within less than a decade. (Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2012; 20:594-602)
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- La Tessa, C., et al.
(författare)
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Out-of-field dose studies with an anthropomorphic phantom : Comparison of X-rays and particle therapy treatments
- 2012
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Ingår i: Radiotherapy and Oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-8140 .- 1879-0887. ; 105:1, s. 133-138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and purpose: Characterization of the out-of-field dose profile following irradiation of the target with a 3D treatment plan delivered with modern techniques. Methods: An anthropomorphic RANDO phantom was irradiated with a treatment plan designed for a simulated 5×2×5cm 3 tumor volume located in the center of the head. The experiment was repeated with all most common radiation treatment types (photons, protons and carbon ions) and delivery techniques (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, passive modulation and spot scanning). The measurements were performed with active diamond detector and passive thermoluminescence (TLD) detectors to investigate the out-of-field dose both inside and outside the phantom. Results: The highest out-of-field dose values both on the surface and inside the phantom were measured during the treatment with 25 MV photons. In the proximity of the Planned Target Volume (PTV), the lowest lateral dose profile was observed for passively modulated protons mainly because of the presence of the collimator in combination with the chosen volume shape. In the far out-of-field region (above 100 mm from the PTV), passively modulated ions were characterized by a less pronounced dose fall-off in comparison with scanned beams. Overall, the treatment with scanned carbon ions delivered the lowest dose outside the target volume. Conclusions: For the selected PTV, the use of the collimator in proton therapy drastically reduced the dose deposited by ions or photons nearby the tumor. Scanning modulation represents the optimal technique for achieving the highest dose reduction far-out-of-field.
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