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PHOTOS/VIDEO 2011 Naples Wine Festival totals $12 million for kids' charities
By 6:30 p.m., the total hit about $12 million with the lots all sold. There was a special fundraiser targeted toward the hungry children of Collier County. That amount raised was $625,000.
5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Supporting a Wine Festival trustee initiative to end childhood hunger, Lot 65 brought in a little more than $625,000. Festival-goers pledged donations in amounts, ranging from $1,000 to $25,000, on apple-shaped cards, which were dropped into tin lunchboxes that read "Lunch Boxes of Love."
As the pledges were collected, a parade of kids who benefit from the money raised at the festival passed out chocolate chip cookies in brown paper bags, with heart stickers on them.
Even before the auctioneer finished announcing what Lot 67 had to offer, Robert Maier, from San Francisco, was standing in the aisle, paddle in hand, ready to bid.
The celebrity-style get-away included a trip to Los Angeles, tickets to the Emmy's and walk-on roles on "Californication."
Bids rose quickly, from $50,000 to $160,000. Auctioneer Humphrey Butler paused. "Now then. What's happening here?" he asked as he looked for more bids.
Maier got into a bidding war with Anne Welsh McNulty, a festival trustee, who in the end came out as the winner. Her bid was $240,000.
"I'm disappointed I didn't get it," Maier said. "But I'm happy I bid it up."
His wife, Mary Louise, said her heart raced with excitement when she thought her husband might win the trip.
"Next year, I'll have him drink more wine," she joked.
At the end, Butler announced a little more than $11.9 million had been raised under the tent.
But after getting a whisper in his ear from another auctioneer, he told the crowd this year's co-chairs, Bruce and Cynthia Sherman, were donating $100,000 to make the total an even $12 million.
■Kids in need: What the wine festival auction lots were sold for
By 6 p.m., the total has hit $11 million with three lots to go.
5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Lot 55 — a collection of 29 bottles of Sine Qua Non, donated by this year's festival chairs Bruce and Cynthia Sherman — raised $160,000. Gary Garrabrant, from Chicago, won it. He and his wife, first-time festival goers, love Sine wine.
"This is such a wonderful wine," he said. "Now, we're going to have more capacity to entertain friends. We're just happy to support the cause."
A few minutes later, Ralph Miesel's decision to bid on Lot 56 — a 22-day trip around the world on a luxury jet — came at the last minute, after the auctioneer described it as a "second honeymoon."
"Bidding on the trip was inspired by the fact that my wife and I are going to have our 40th anniversary and going around the world is something we never even dreamed of," he said. "It benefits the kids and we get to think of them as we go around the world."
Miesel, a Naples retiree, was attending the auction for the first time. "I stayed long enough to do some damage," he quipped to a friend, who congratulated him.
By the time auctioneers got to Lot 58, the festival had raised more than $10 million. The crowd roared when the milestone was announced.
Bruce Sherman put together the lots this year as the 2011 festival co-chairman. He just couldn't let Lot 59 — a sports experience for four that included tickets to the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four — go to someone else. He was the high bidder at $240,000.
He was egged on to bid higher.
"I love sports — to play and to watch it," Sherman said after winning the lot.
Soon, there were just five lots to go in the auction.
By 5:30 p.m., the total has surpassed $10 million.
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
By 4 p.m., people are starting to slow down.
Water bottles nearly outnumber wine glasses on the tables.
But there is work to be done.
Within a half hour, thanks to a rally and a $1 million bid on a one-of-a-kind bronze sculpture, the auction broke the $8 million mark, surpassing last year's net total with more than 20 lots to go. By the end of the hour, it hit the $9 million mark, reinfused with an enthusiasm that won't quit.
Auctioneer Lydia Fenet helped nurture along the bid that has proved to be the biggest so far, encouraging a bidding war that inched along after the $800,000 mark.
"A very savvy art collector," she said, buttering the bidders up with compliments.
When she saw that same bidder being surrounded by women, whispering in his ear, she jumped on the opportunity to goad him, slipping into some good-natured ribbing.
"He's surrounded by blondes now -- it's clouding his judgment," she joked.
As they pushed him to bid $850,000, and later $950,000, he was ultimately outbid at a round $1 million by Patty and Jay Baker. The Bakers, of Naples, did not hesitate in offering that final bid.
Patty Baker, who has attended the festival for seven years, said she was heartened by the show of charity at this year's auction. She has been here for the good years — the $15 million mark — and the not-so-good years: the $5 million raised in 2009 when the economy was in the doldrums.
"I can always judge how the economy is based on how the auction goes," she said.
And this year, things have come roaring back at the Naples Winter Wine Festival.
It would be easy to slow down after reaching last year's total, but veteran auctioneer Ann Colgin refuses to let the attendees relax.
■Kids in need: What the wine festival auction lots were sold for
At lot 52, a collection of wines and a private tour with vintner Jean-Guillaume Prats in Bordeaux, France, she demands attention as she feels the audience's attention slipping away.
"Everybody! Pay attention!" she shouts at her crowd, before pushing the bidding upward to $80,000.
As she moves on to the next lot, a 14-day cruise with luxury accommodations, she challenges her audience: "Last year this went for $160,000."
And not to be outdone, a winning bidder matched that amount. And so, the auction marches along with another 27 lots to go, and more than $9 million raised by the end of the hour.
4 p.m.
This one just went for $1 million at around 4 p.m.
Auction Lot No. 42: She Is One Beautiful, Bronzed Babe: $1,000,000
A bronze sculpture by Spanish artist Manolo Valdés titled, Reina Mariana, and more. The Wine Festival's featured artist this year created the piece.
3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Bidding for a one-of-a-kind Bvlgari necklace — Lot 25 — started at $50,000. It quickly doubled, then hit $120,000, the top bid.
After the winning bid, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" blasted, with the chorus, "if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it."
But the winner wasn't a single lady. It was Jeff Gibbons, from New Jersey, who bought it for his wife, Meredith.
"My parents are friends with the Bvlgaris," he said. "We love their jewelry and I love my wife."
Of course, he said, it's all for a good cause.
Last year, they won a lot of Scarecrow wine.
"It's great," Gibbons said of the auction. "It's an amazing spirit of enthusiasm to help the local kids."
Lot 28 — a 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia Sports Coupe — pit friends and fellow trustees, Bob Scott and Monte Ahuja, against each other. Trustees and volunteers chanted to drive bids higher.
■Kids in need: What the wine festival auction lots were sold for
"Go get 'em," Don Gunter, a trustee, told Scott.
The bid started at $100,000, but bids quickly went up from there.
When the bid hit $600,000, auctioneer Humphrey Butler said, "We haven't even started."
The noise in the tent escalated with the bids.
When Ahuja bid $950,000, Scott signaled that he was done, running his finger across his throat.
"Incredible," Cynthia Sherman said of the winning bid, throwing her hands up in the air with joy.
Scott, the losing bidder, came over to congratulate Ahuja.
"Hey Monte, can I have a ride?" he asked, before shaking his hand.
"It was fun," Scott said.
A representative for Ferrari said the car's sticker price was about $270,000, but there's a waiting list of a year to get one.
Ahuja said he had a 360 Ferrari and wanted to get a new one.
"Obviously, this is a good place to do it," he said. "It was a little bit higher than I thought. My buddy, he jacked me up."
A few years ago, Ahuja was the unsuccessful bidder on a 2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop convertible. The high bid was a record $2 million by Raymond Lutgert, founder of Naples-based developer Lutgert Cos., who died last year at age 90.
It took a team effort to win Lot 35 - a 10-day trip to Alaska on a private yacht for six couples. Bids started at $100,000 and shot up from there. The final bid came in at $480,000. The trip will be shared by five friends, who live in the gated community Mediterra, straddling the Lee-Collier line. One of the residents, Dave Gibbons, is a festival trustee, and he has another couple in mind to invite on the trip.
"We were in it to win it, whatever it took," Gibbons said.
"We really love giving back to the community," said Mark Graham, his friend and co-bidder.
Their other friends are Jeff Wessel, Brian Brady and Tom Everist.
"We are going to have a lot of fun and do a lot of good together," Gibbons said.
The Scheindlins — "Judge Judy" Scheindlin — found themselves in the winner's circle again with Lot 38 - a safari trip to Kenya. They had the highest bid of $120,000.
"We're ready to go," Judy Scheindlin said.
2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m.
It will pit friend against friend, and sometimes even drive husbands and wives to the brink.
The bidding wars at the Naples Winter Wine Festival Auction keep heating up, bouncing back and forth across the room between tables, occasionally causing spouses to raise a few eyebrows at each other over what amounts they are willing to lay on the line for a rare collection of vintage wines or a luxurious overseas trip.
But with every win, and sometimes with a loss, they remind themselves of one thing.
"It's a great cause," said Nancy Zirkin, a Washington, D.C., resident.
Throughout the 2 p.m. hour, Zirkin kept finding herself at the losing end of bidding wars, but she remained undeterred.
"I'm going to get one," she said. "It's all for the kids."
She found herself battling over Lot 19, a trip to Vermont and upstate New York, with a private tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame with Cal Ripken Jr. When the bidding hit $140,000, her husband, Harold, looked at her and shook his head. She set her jaw, taking on the hard air of a businesswoman trying to seal a deal.
■Kids in need: What the wine festival auction lots were sold for
Just as it seemed the bidding was over, Harold Zirkin looked away, and Nancy thrust her bidding paddle into the air. Her husband looked at her in alarm, and she shrugged her shoulders. He was reluctant.
"He was," she said, even after she was out-bid at $160,000. "But we bought something here in 2008, and he loved it, so he'll love whatever we get."
Fast forward 20 minutes, and Bob and Joan Clifford have just won a trip for four couples to Geneva, Switzerland, followed by a private golf trip for 16 people with PGA stars Anthony Kim and Vijay Singh.
"My wife was giving me some interesting looks along the way up the bidding," he joked after the lot was won.
"I was determined to get this lot because the actual trip and components of it appeal to me and my family," said Clifford, a trustee of the festival. "Every nickel of it will go to benefit the underprivileged and disadvantaged children of Collier County."
One couple that claimed to be in perfect sync over whether to bid was Dave and Cheryl Copham, of Fort Myers.
They put down $300,000 for a perfectly restored 1956 red Corvette.
The win had special significance for them.
"We actually had one when we met in 1965," Dave Copham said. "It was not that pretty though."
The couple has spent eight years at the festival, taking home an auction lot every year. This year's win beat them all, they said.
They said they have their eye on at least one or two more items, with the auction scarcely one-quarter of the way through. But, they'll never tell which ones.
"Our friends would bid against us," Dave Copham said with a laugh.
Just shy of 3 p.m., after scarcely two hours of bidding, auctioneer Humphrey Butler makes an announcement: the auction has surpassed a total of $3 million.
1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Just before bidding started, Bruce and Cynthia Sherman, this year's festival co-chairs, in unison told the crowd: "Bid high. Bid often. It's all for the kids."
The tent was filled with the sound of shaking maracas, held by dozens of volunteers.
Lot 1, offering five bottles of Taittinger Brut La Francaise, four of them from the renowned Artist Collection Series, fetched $40,000. Bids started at $5,000.
"It's only money, honey," Ann Colgin, one of the auctioneers said during the bid.
"I think it's a wonderful start," said Tom Lund, a festival trustee.
He predicted the action would lumber along at first, kind of like an airplane, and then take off.
Lot 2, offering Magnums from all of the festival's participating vintners, sparked a bidding war between cousins, "Judge Judy" Sheindlin and Bruce Sherman, the co-chairman for this year's festival.
Sheindlin was the winning bidder, going up to $100,000.
"I have to go over and give him a kick in the behind," she said jokingly about her cousin, who forced up her bid.
"As soon as I see her lift a paddle, I know I'm in trouble," quipped Sheindlin's husband, Jerry.
After his wife won the lot, Jerry jokingly told Bruce, "I'll sell you half for $60,000."
On Lot 4, bidding was intense again. It offered seven nights for three couples exploring Sedona, Ariz., and Sante Fe, N.M. It included air.
"It's a great trip to a wonderful part of the world," said Bob Scott, the winning bidder and a festival trustee.
Lot 6, a four-day Tuscan trip, went to two couples: Kirsten Ferrara and Al Rupp and Shirlene and Bob Elkins, wine festival trustees.
With the winning bid of $110,000, Ferrara went wild, throwing her hands in the air and dancing in the aisle next to her table.
"I can't wait for the food and wine," said Shirlene Elkins.
"It's all for a good cause. It's good," Ferrara said.
On Lot 8, a new auctioneer, Humphrey Butler, was taunting the crowd, trying to get festival-goers to bid higher.
"Words like cheapskate come to mind," he said.
The lot, offering an extra long weekend at the Ritz-Carlton on Nob Hill and three nights at Meadowood Napa Valley, fetched $90,000. The winners? Festival trustees, Ann and Bill Bain. The couple's first grandchild, who is six months old, lives in California, so that made the trip especially attractive.
"We have a few reasons to go there," Ann Bain said.
Lot 10, "London Calling, a trip for two couples to the 2012 Olympic Games, was calling trustees John and Barbara Jordan, the highest bidders at $400,000. The couple got into a bidding war with Anne McNulty, a fellow trustee.
When the Jordans won the lot, it brought other trustees to their feet. Some ran over to hug and kiss the Jordans, who at that point had bid higher than anyone for any lot.
"For us always, it's about the children and making sure we participate in a way that can change children's lives," Barbara Jordan said.
John Jordan said he didn't set a ceiling for his bid.
"We never know," he said. "We just kind of go with it. At the end of the day, it's more money for the charities we're here for."
They plan to take the Shermans on the trip with them.
"It's a good bucket-list item," John Jordan said about Olympics.
_ Leslie Williams Hale and Laura Layden
Noon to 1:15 p.m.
The auction started at about 1:05 pm. Bidding started at $5,000 on lot 1, for a wine collection.
Before the bidding, festival-goers tasted foods from eight restaurants at the two Ritz-Carlton resorts in North Naples.
In years past, chefs from other Ritz-Carltons flew in for the event, serving up specialties from their out-of-town restaurants.
But this year the focus was on the local chefs.
"This year, it's fun. It's more about us," said David Codney, executive sous chef for the two Ritz-Carlton resorts.
Guests sampled marinated olives and lentil salad from Bites; nibbled on escargot from The Grill, and tried slow-cooked veal from The Terrace. The Sushi Bar served up surf and turf, spicy tuna and tofu.
Gumbo Limbo offered some of its favorites: lobster quesadillas and grouper tacos.
The newly reopened H2O restaurant at the beach resort served up a "CLT," cucumber, lobster and tomato sandwich. Lemonia offered a Moroccan lamb kabob and crispy calamari.
Global, the newest restaurant at the golf resort, had a sampling of bar foods from around the world, including mini bratwurst from Germany and udon noodles from Asia.
The dessert and cheese station was spectacular. The offerings included a passion fruit lollipop, a key lime test tube and coffee milkshakes. Dessert chefs worked late into the night and then reported to work at 6 a.m. Saturday. They prepared 2,000 desserts for the crowd.
"This is our biggest event," said Jorian Weiner, a public relations manager for the Ritz-Carlton. "It's important. We have to make the food and wine good."
Dick Westfall, a retired investment banker from Naples, attended the festival for the first time this year, along with his girlfriend, Barbara Johnson, a General Motors retiree who has volunteered at the event for years.
"My highlight has been the children," said Johnson, who attended a "Meet the Kids Day" early Friday. "It's been very moving."
Westfall liked that the food offered outside the tent was all local. Asked what his favorite food was, he said, "everything I've eaten."
At 12:30, the Naples High School band started playing outside the tent. A singer was practicing "God Bless America."
Bidders began trickling into the brightly-colored tent at 12:40 p.m., with the band playing.
"The fun is about to begin," a voice boomed over the microphone. Kids from the charities the festival supports gathered on the stage, waving home-made American flags.
The tent grew quiet, as Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley belted out "God Bless America."
_ Leslie Williams Hale and Laura Layden
One room. One purpose. Millions of dollars worth of potential.
The Naples Winter Wine Festival auction is less than an hour from kicking off, and wine festival trustees this year decided to start the day off right. Festival attendees are being directed to register in a room cooled to a brisk 52 degrees.
For a group of roughly 500 people who are being asked to bid hundreds of thousands -- maybe millions -- of dollars, cooling them down might be counter-intuitive. Indeed, when the wine starts flowing and the bidding starts, the whole point is to warm them up.
But this year, festival-goers have no choice but to start the day with a tour through the lot room, a banquet hall containing the 70 auction lots on which attendees will be bidding today.
Volunteers don gloves as they thumb through alphabetized packets, looking for registrations as people trickle in.
And curiosity gets the best of even the most stoic attendee, as gleaming photos of African safaris and bottles of 100-point wines beckon them to take a closer look. The temperature of the room is an effort to preserve these wines, many of which are old and sensitive to changes in temperature.
In a far corner of the room, Terry and Karen Murphy stood to marvel in front of lot 31. A specially constructed case of 100 bottles of 100-point wines, the "perfection" lot, stands gleaming and, well, perfect.
Terry Murphy, of Elmhurst, Ill., asks what the lot might go for: $50,000, $60,000?
It's anybody's guess, but the refrigerator-sized case of virtually perfect wines is gaining plenty of buzz this year, and might be one of the most sought-after lots. And in an auction where lots have been known to go for $500,000, even $1 million, the potential for this lot is boundless.
"A collection like this has never been assembled -- until now," reads the description of the lot. "This wonder of world wine is a legendary cellar unto itself."
The Murphys are attending the festival for the first time this year, guests of festival trustees Bob and Joan Clifford.
"It's unlike anything we've ever experienced, and the cause is so wonderful," Terry Murphy said. "I've never seen anything like this, and I've been to a lot of auctions."
"Never seen anything like this" is exactly what the event's organizers go for.
In its 11th year, the festival keeps getting bigger. Set under a towering tent on the lawn of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, the decor positively sparkles with splashes of lime green and royal purple. And the profusion of stemware on the tables -- cabernet glasses, chardonnay glasses, champagne glasses -- help.
Cynthia Sherman, who is chairing the event this year with her husband, Bruce Sherman, dons a purple hat and clutches a green shawl that perfectly mirror the decor she was responsible for selecting.
The two grin, heady with the knowledge that the biggest portion of the festival -- and one of the biggest charity events in the nation -- is about to get under way.
Last year's auction raised $8 million after a sluggish 2009 event raised just $5 million.
Asked if they have any predictions for this year's event, Bruce Sherman demurs.
"We have a tradition of 10 years of never predicting any dollar amounts because every dollar raised under this tent goes to the kids," Bruce Sherman said. "And every dollar raised is a dollar more than they had yesterday."
The theme for this year's auction is "Uncorking a New Decade," and Cynthia Sherman said Friday's "Meet the Kids" day helped bring that home for attendees.
"You're uncorking potential," she said of the children helped by the wine festival.
Bidding on the lots begins at 1 p.m.
■VIDEO/PHOTOS: A red 'Vette, a safari and Regis among wine auction lots
■PHOTOS Kids in need: Wine Festival enriches YMCA programs by $2.3 million
■Kids in need: Foster care numbers rise in Collier, but some singing success - AUDIO: MONIQUE SINGS
■Kids in need: Tutor Corps uses student tutors to help get other kids ready for college
■Kids in need: Half of food bank meals in Collier go to kids, enter Lunch Boxes of Love
■Kids in need: Child sexual abuse increasing in Collier, agencies step in to help
■Kids in need: Naples wine festival a sign economy is recovering?
■Kids in need: Bruce and Cynthia Sherman chair 2011 Naples charity wine festival
■VIDEO/PHOTOS Study: Collier population of kids booming, their lives improving
■From cozy to haute cuisine: The Lutgert home kitchen was built to satisfy family and vintner dinners
■ No longer locked inside: Dylan Chatham gets critical help from Naples Children and Education Foundation
■Kids in need: Bay Colony home hosts Wine Festival dinner in 'tropical splendor'
■Kids in need: Taste of Oregon comes to Port Royal for lavish Wine Festival dinner
■Kids in need: Wine Festival sponsors win Edison college community service award
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text:
Volume 33, Issue 6, June 2006
Index of content:
Volume 42 (2015)
Volume 41 (2014)
Volume 40 (2013)
Volume 39 (2012)
Volume 38 (2011)
Volume 37 (2010)
Volume 36 (2009)
Volume 35 (2008)
Volume 34 (2007)
Volume 33 (2006)
Volume 32 (2005)
Volume 31 (2004)
Volume 30 (2003)
Volume 29 (2002)
Volume 28 (2001)
Volume 27 (2000)
Volume 26 (1999)
Volume 25 (1998)
Volume 24 (1997)
Volume 23 (1996)
Volume 22 (1995)
Volume 21 (1994)
Volume 20 (1993)
Volume 19 (1992)
Volume 18 (1991)
Volume 17 (1990)
Volume 16 (1989)
Volume 15 (1988)
Volume 14 (1987)
Volume 13 (1986)
Volume 12 (1985)
Volume 11 (1984)
Volume 10 (1983)
Volume 9 (1982)
Volume 8 (1981)
Volume 7 (1980)
Volume 6 (1979)
Volume 5 (1978)
Volume 4 (1977)
Volume 3 (1976)
Volume 2 (1975)
Volume 1 (1974)
- Therapy Scientific Session: Room 224 C
- Teletherapy Planning and Delivery I
MO‐E‐224C‐01: Quantitative Evaluation of Conformal Treatment Plans: A New Methodology33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241467View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To establish a quantitative method for evaluation of 3D conformal and IMRT plans based on organ specific tolerances and target coverage assessment. Method and Materials: We propose a novel evaluation criterion, which reflects both target coverage and overdoses in organs at risk (OARs). Critical Organ Scoring Index (COSI) is defined as: , where V >tol is the volume of OAR receiving more than tolerance dose and TC is the partial volume of target receiving at least prescription dose. To assess overall plan conformity we propose a 2D graphical representation of COSI vs. Conformity Index (CI). This method enables quantitative evaluation of competing plans in terms of multiple organs at risk. The COSI‐CI plots were tested for evaluation of the following treatment sites: maxillary sinus and pancreatic tumors, to compare non‐coplanar 3D and IMRT plans, and cavernous sinus meningiomas for stereotactic radiation with either dynamic arcs or IMRT.Results: For all three sites COSI‐CI plots assisted the physician in choosing the optimal plan, in terms of both target coverage and critical organ sparing. We verified each choice by analyzing individual DVHs and isodose distributions. Comparing our index to the widely used Conformation Number, we found that in all cases where there were discrepancies between CN and COSI in the choice of optimal treatment plan, the COSI‐CI graphs led to the better plan. Conclusion: We introduced a novel scoring index, COSI, which is a measure of both target coverage and critical organ overdose. Using the COSI index, we propose a two‐dimensional representation of plan quality for comparison purposes. The method was found it to be a quick and reliable tool in aiding physicians in the choice of correct plans. The main advantage of the proposed methodology is its ability to simultaneously compare multiple plans as well as multiple critical structures.
MO‐E‐224C‐02: Quantification of Respiration‐Induced Dosimetric Impact On Liver for Abdominal Radiotherapy33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241468View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To quantify the dosimetric impact of respiratory motion on liverdose for IMRT abdominal radiotherapy based on 4D CTimagingMethod and Materials: 4D‐CT images of a patient with klatskin tumor were acquired on a GECT scanner during free‐breathing. Respiratory information was recorded using the Varian RPM system. The images were sorted retrospectively into ten respiratory phases. For each phase‐binned 4D data set, manual contours for liver were delineated. The Corvus inverse planning system (NOMOS Inc.) was used to generate optimized treatment plans. Two kinds of image registration methods, feature‐based iterative closest point (ICP) rigid image registration and normalized mutual information (NMI) non‐rigid image registration method, were implemented to transform each of the ten phases to a reference phase. The reference phase was the end of expiration (50%phase). A composite 4D‐DVH, which accounts for respiratory induced voxel motion, was subsequently calculated using equal weighting for each respiratory phase. A dose of 45Gy to the target was prescribed. The treatment plan was optimized to provide a minimum of 95% isodose coverage for PTV. Results: Variation of liverdose throughout each of the 10 calculated phases was within 5%. 4D effective DVH showed reduced volume coverage up to 18% for the same dose. In the high dose region of the liver DVH, the dose was less for the NMI algorithm as compared to the ICP algorithm. Conclusions: Two kinds of image registration methods have been implemented to derive 4D effective DVHs for an abdominal patient. In this study we found that respiratory‐induced motion does not produce a significant alteration of the liver DVH between the 10 phases. However, the 4D effective DVH method shows that the liver received less dose.
MO‐E‐224C‐03: A 3D Collision Avoidance Tool for External Beam Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241469View Description Hide Description
Purpose: We are presenting the design and implementation of a 3D‐graphical tool for the detection of potential collisions of various linac components for patient‐specific external treatment planningMethod and Materials: The graphical tool uses the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) to model the exact geometry of any treatment machine by reading its manufacturer's CAD design files. The robust system is based on VRML and Java programming that allows for accurate simulation of any linac hardware module based on the manufacturer's CAD drawings. Results: The tool predicted eminent collisions between different linac components graphically for a simulated Varian 2100EX for certain gantry and table angles. The collision angles were verified manually on the linac and found to agree with the predicted angles from the tool. Conclusions: We have developed a 3D graphical simulation tool that can be used as a stand alone application to assist in external treatment planning by visually simulating collisions between various linac hardware components. Unlike other anti‐collision methods developed so far in the literature, our tool would be able to model the details of the treatment linac and add‐on devices for patient‐specific setups. Hence, the tool will create patient‐specific realistic collision maps for any external treatment scenario. The tool can be used as a stand‐alone program and it is platform independent.
MO‐E‐224C‐04: Motorized Multi‐Leaf Collimator for Electrons: Measurements with a Prototype and Monte Carlo Simulations33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241470View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To develop a motorized multi‐leaf collimator for electrons (eMLC) and to compare preliminary measurements to Monte Carlo simulations.Method and Materials: An eMLC has been developed. It is the first prototype with fully motorized capabilities. The eMLC is remotely controlled by the operator using home brewed and fully graphical software running on a Windows workstation. The control workstation is connected to the eMLC's custom‐built electronic controller which keeps track of the component states and executes various low‐level commands, including leaf displacement orders. There are 36 independent brass leaves on each side of the eMLC and the maximum size of the generated field is 25.2 × 19.5 cm2. The interleaf distance is less than 0.03 mm. The eMLC prototype is an add‐on device for the Elekta Precise linac (Elekta Ltd., England). The actual distance from the source to the bottom of the leaves is 95.3 cm. The eMLC has been modeled using the BEAMnrc Monte Carlo toolkit and every possible leaf positions is reproducible with our Monte Carlo model. Results: Various preliminary measurements were performed: open field, closed field, one leaf profile, interleaf leakage, leaf transmission, and comparison with conventional custom cutouts. For all measurements, comparison to Monte Carlo simulations are carried out. The transmission through the leaves is 2.4% for a 12 MeV field at the surface of a water phantom with SSD=100 cm. The interleaf leakage is negligible as no interleaf pattern is detected on a closed field profile for all the investigated energies (up to 12 MeV). Conclusion: The motorized eMLC prototype is versatile and easy to operate with a computer control from outside the treatment room. Possible applications of the eMLC go from simply replacing the conventional custom cutouts to complex usages like MERT or electron arc therapy.
Research sponsored by Elekta Ltd.
MO‐E‐224C‐05: Comparison of TomoTherapy with Conventional Electron/X‐Ray Treatment Plans for Chest Wall33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241471View Description Hide Description
Purpose: Post‐mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) of the chest wall (CW) often will involve use of electron beams due to their rapid fall‐off of dose near the practical range of the electron energy. The TomoTherapy helical, fan‐beam delivery system, along with the inverse‐planning optimizer, has the potential to provide planning and delivery of 6 MV x‐rays to superficial target volumes conventionally treated with electrons. In the present study, five chest wall patients were planned for TomoTherapy and compared to their conventional plan that utilized electron beams. Analysis of breathing motion were not included. Methods and Materials: Five PMRT patients treated with electron beams and planned on the Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS) were selected. A planning target volume (PTV) was generated to follow the isodose contour defined by 90% of the prescribed dose on the Pinnacle plan. Target dose homogeneity in the Tomotherapy TPS dose optimizer was relaxed to better achieve critical structure dose objectives when necessary. Normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCP) were calculated for the lung and the heart. A questionnaire form was provided for the radiation oncologist to evaluate each plan. Results: For all cases, the TomoTherapy plan was rated superior to the Pinnacle plan by the radiation oncologists. The TomoTherapy TPS produced a significantly more uniform dose distribution in the PTV. The average volume of ipsilateral lung receiving dose above 20 Gy was reduced from 21.5% to 17.7%. The average volume of heart receiving dose above 30 Gy was reduced from 2.2% to 1.3%. NTCP for the lung and heart were also reduced in the TomoTherapy plan. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that TomoTherapy is able to deliver clinically‐acceptable dose distributions to a "static" model of PMRT patients conventionally treated with electron beams.
Supported in part by a research agreement with TomoTherapy, Inc.
MO‐E‐224C‐06: Improving Homogeneity of Abutment Dosimetry in Segmented‐Field Electron Conformal Therapy Using Variable Insert Positioning33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241472View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To improve dose homogeneity in segmented‐field electron conformal therapy by matching penumbra of abutted fields. Method and Materials: A Varian 21EX electron applicator was modified to allow for energy‐dependent positioning of Cerrobend inserts resulting in energy‐dependent air gaps. Air gaps were chosen based on theoretical calculations to approximately match penumbra for 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV beams at 1.5‐cm depth in a water phantom at 100‐cm SSD. Treatment plans developed for four simulated target volumes using the modified applicator were compared to identical plans using the standard applicator. Improvement in dose homogeneity was assessed by comparing maximum and minimum dose, mean dose, and sigma of the dose distribution in the target volume for the two plans. Subsequently, electron blocks were cut with diverging edges using the Compu•cutter® system, and dose plans using the modified applicator were delivered to Kodak XV film in a polystyrene phantom to demonstrate feasibility. Results:Treatment planning results using the modified applicator showed improved dose homogeneity in all four simulated target volumes as compared to plans using the standard applicator. Averaged for all four PTVs; dose spread (Dmax − Dmin) decreased by 35%, σ of the dose distribution decreased by 29%, and D90–10 decreased by 31%. Dose delivered to a film phantom using the modified applicator was found to agree well with predictions (within approximately 5%) of the Pinnacle treatment planning system in the abutment region of the PTV (±2 cm from the abutment edge at depths ⩾1.5 cm). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest segmented‐field electron conformal therapy can be delivered with significant improvement in dose homogeneity as compared to the current method by using energy‐dependent positioning of electron inserts to match beam penumbra.
MO‐E‐224C‐07: Time‐Resolved 4D Dynamic Arc Therapy33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241473View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To develop a 4D dynamic arc therapy with the capability of MLC‐shaped irradiation field tracking for moving tumor targets. Method and Materials: 4D CTimages at 10 different breathing phases were acquired and transferred to a treatment planning system. The tumor target was contoured and a 3D conformal arc therapy (3DCAT) plan was generated for each phase. For each 3DCAT plan, the selected control points (gantry angles) and the MLC‐defined conformal apertures were correlated to the patient's respiration phases. A program was developed to obtain a 4D DMLC leaf sequence with the capability of tracking the target motion based on the ten 3DCAT DMLC leaf sequence files. To evaluate the 4D plan, a deformable registration was adopted to combine dose distributions and DVHs and the results were compared with those obtained using the conventional 3D and gating plans. Five lungcancer cases and film measurements embedded in a moving phantom were used to investigate the feasibility of the proposed technique. Results: An efficient 4D dynamic arc therapy was implemented. Experimental measurements indicated that the dose distribution in the moving target delivered using the proposed technique is equivalent to that in a static target delivered using a conventional 3D arc therapy. Compared with the 3D plans, the target received more conformal doses and the sensitive structures, especially the lung, were better spared in the 4D plans for all the test cases. The treatment time for the 4D plan is comparable to the 3DCAT plan, much more efficient than the gating treatment. Conclusion: It is feasible to incorporate the intra‐fraction organ motion into a 4D dynamic arc treatment planning to track the moving targets. Compared with conventional treatment strategies, this technique has great potentials to provide more conformal dose distribution and better sensitive structure sparing with extremely high efficiency.
- Clinical Measurements I
TU‐C‐224C‐01: Investigation of Properties of a New Liquid Ionization Chamber33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241536View Description Hide Description
Purpose: Liquid ionization chambers (LICs) have characteristics that can remedy some of the drawbacks of air‐filled ionization chamberdosimetry: large sensitive volumes (i.e. low spatial resolution), fluence perturbations, and energy dependence over the clinical range of beam qualities. However, there are significant problems in liquid chambers. High ionization density and low ion mobility lead to high ion recombination rates. In this work, extensive experimental work has been performed to investigate properties of a new liquid chamber. This includes chamber stability over time, chamber reproducibility, and establishing recombination corrections. Methods and Materials: The new chamber is called the GLIC‐03 (Guarded Liquid Ionization Chamber). The diameter of the collecting electrode is 1.5 mm and the plate separation is 0.4 mm, giving a sensitive volume of 0.7 mm3. The dielectric liquid used is isooctane. We used the 18 MV beam of a Varian Clinac 21EX linear accelerator. The lowest pulse rate setting, 100 MU/min, was used in order to avoid incomplete collection of charge from one pulse before the arrival of the next. Measurements were taken in solid water at 15 cm depth, with various field sizes and SSDs. Boag's theory for general collection efficiency for parallel‐plate gas ionization chambers, applied to isooctane in pulsed radiation, was used for recombination corrections. Results: The GLIC‐03 response varied by less than 1% over 10 hours, and was reproducible within 1.5% of the mean over different liquid fills. The collection efficiency decreased with increasing dose per pulse due to general recombination of ions from a larger number of ionizing particle tracks. Recombination corrections were within 1% for low dose rates and high electric field strengths. Conclusion: The establishment of these characteristics in the present work allows us to perform accurate relative measurements in high gradient non‐equilibrium fields as well as energy dependence investigations.
TU‐C‐224C‐02: A Practical and Accurate 3D Dosimetry System for Radiation Therapy33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241537View Description Hide Description
Purpose: At present, clinical dosimeters are limited to point or planar measurement, and hence do not provide the comprehensive 3D information ideal for verification of advanced delivery techniques. In this work we present a clinically viable 3D dosimetry system comprising a PRESAGE™ dosimeter with read out by an optical‐CT scanner.Method and Materials: A novel solid dosimeter called PRESAGE™ has been developed which is composed of polyurethane polymer and radiochromic leuco dyes. PRESAGE™ exhibits a stable color change and hence optical density (OD) change when exposed to ionizing radiation. A PRESAGE™ cylinder of 16cm diameter × 11cm height was taken through the treatment planning process and a 5‐field 6MV conformal radiation treatment was delivered by a Varian® linear accelerator. The radiation induced OD change was imaged in 3D by an optical‐CT scanner and this measured distribution was then compared with the corresponding dose distribution calculated by the treatment planning system, as well as to independent measurement by GAFCHROMIC® film. Intercomparisons between the three dose distributions were made by superimposing isodose lines and calculating gamma maps (with criteria 4% dose difference and 4mm distance to agreement). Results: Given stable temperature and protection from exposure to incandescent light, the dose response of PRESAGE™ was observed to be robust to all aspects of the lab. The 3D dose distribution measured in PRESAGE™ showed good agreement with the calculated treatment plan (Eclipse) as well as the independent film measurement at all percent doses >30% (i.e. in regions further than 1cm from the wall). Gamma comparison shows that the PRESAGE™ measurement agrees with both the calculation in treatment plan and the film measurement within 4% dose difference and 4mm distance to agreement. Conclusion: This work presents the PRESAGE™/optical‐CT combination as a practical 3D dosimetry system which can provide comprehensive quality assurance of advanced treatment techniques.
TU‐C‐224C‐03: Dose Dependence of MOSFET Calibration Factor Between 30kV and Cobalt‐60 Irradiation33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241538View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To characterize the behavior of MOSFETs under radiation of various clinically relevant energies used in radiotherapy and radiology by evaluating its sensitivity or threshold voltage shift (CF) with regard to total integrated dose.Method and Materials: Seven p‐type, duals bias MOSFETs from Thomson & Nielsen were investigated. They were exposed to four radiationssources: (1) 60Co unit (〈E〉γ: 1.25 MeV), (2) 192Ir HDR unit (〈E〉γ;: 0.38 MeV), 30 kV beam (〈E〉γ: 14.8 keV) and (4) 150 kV beam (〈E〉γ: 70.1 keV). The MOSFET's sensitivity (CFw) was evaluated at various moments in time and was calculated as the ratio of the measurement Mw (mV) over the estimated dose value Dw (cGy) both in water. Results: The sensitivity of MOSFET is express by their calibration factor (CFw), and allows the user to associate the reading displayed by the device (mV) to a dose value (cGy). The CFw value diminishes with increasing threshold voltage, especially for low energy radiation. It is stable for 60Co irradiations, while it decreases of 6%, 5% and 15% for beam energies of 192Ir, 150 kV and 30 kV respectively. This behavior is explained by an alteration of the effective field applied on the MOSFET (bias), caused by the accumulation of holes at the SiO2 interface. It is strongly dependent on the radiation nature (LET) and particularly affects low x‐ray energies. Conclusions: Those results are of major interest since, following the company recommendations to calibrate the device every 7 000 mV, it could lead to a significantly underestimated dose. A calibration of the device before every use and performing more than one measurement (thus using a mean dose value) should compensate the observed behavior.
TU‐C‐224C‐04: Computed Radiography for Helical Tomotherapy Quality Assurance33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241539View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To determine if a CR system that had been used for radiation therapy digital imaging since 2001 could also be used for IMRTquality assurance, and if the system could be used in helical tomotherapy quality assurance.Methods and Materials: The CR system used consisted of a desktop CR reader that utilizes storage phosphor plates, a 650 nm laser diode scanning beam source, and a high luminance light box for plate erasure. The CR plates are made of phosphor, coated with a photostimulable storage phosphor (BaFBR:Eu2+). Three types of dose‐to‐responsecalibrations were performed 1.) Static square fields; 2.) An IMRT step‐wedge; and 3.) A rotational helical tomotherapy delivery with concentric rings of known dose. All readings were taken with 6 MV beams. Like TLDs, some of the trapped charge carriers in the storage phosphor gradually decay with time. Because of the decay effect, it was important to determine the best time to wait between exposure and scanning. Five helical tomotherapy patients were selected as test cases for the CRdosimetry. Measurements were made in a cylindrical phantom with the CR plate and again with radiographic film. Calibration techniques #1, #2, and #3 were applied to the CRimages to determine which was the most appropriate. Dose differences and gamma comparisons were made between the calculated and measured doses.Results: A time and field size dependence was observed. After comparing readings from different time intervals, ranging from one to twenty minutes, it was decided that four minutes was an optimal time to wait between exposure and scanning. Also, gamma for the CRimages was significantly worse than the film images taken for the same patient. Conclusions: The field‐size dependences, inconsistencies between calibration techniques, and plate decay make the CR system used in this study non‐usable for IMRTdosimetry.
TU‐C‐224C‐05: Energy Response of LiF:Mg,Ti Thermoluminescent Dosimeters to Moderately Filtered X‐Ray Spectra in the Range of 20 to 250 KV Relative to 60Co33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241540View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To use experimental methods to determine the response of LiF:Mg,Ti thermoluminescent dosimeters(TLDs) irradiated using moderately filtered (M‐series) x‐ray spectra in the energy range of 20 to 250 kV relative to the response to 60Co photons. Also, to determine if LiF:Mg,Ti TLDs are intrinsically linear detectors (i.e. the response is proportional to energy imparted). Method and Materials:TLDs were irradiated to a known air kerma using the NIST traceable M‐series x‐ray beams, which were located at an Accredited DosimetryCalibration Laboratory (ADCL), in the range of 20 to 250 kV. Using each x‐ray beam, several sets of TLDs were irradiated to different air kerma levels to take into account any dose non‐linearity. TLD response was then compared to that from several sets of TLDs irradiated at corresponding air kerma levels using 60Co. The Monte Carlo code MCNP5 was used to correct for scatter from the holder and to determine the predicted/expected TLD response to the experimentally used x‐ray beams. Results: The measured TLD energy response compared to the response to 60Co shows a rapid decrease toward very low photon energies. This response dropped to approximately 0.90 at the lowest effective energy of 11.5 keV. The highest response was found to be 1.37 at an effective energy of 28.5 keV. The results showed poor agreement between measured energy response and calculations using the mass‐energy absorption coefficients of pure LiF. A significant increase in measured response compared to calculated response was seen at effective energies higher then 25 keV. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the measured energy response differs by up to 14% from Monte Carlo calculations and is highly dependent on the energy of the source. The results also suggest that LiF:Mg,Ti TLDs are not intrinsically linear with energy imparted.
TU‐C‐224C‐06: Determination of TG‐43U1 Recommended Parameters for Elongated RadioCoil™ Brachytherapy Sources 1.0 to 6.0 Cm in Length Using Experimental and Monte Carlo Simulation Techniques33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241541View Description Hide Description
Purpose: In this project TG‐43U1 recommended dosimetriccharacteristics of newly designed elongated RadioCoil™ brachytherapy sources(1 to 6)cm in length have been determined following experimental and Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Monte Carlo simulated dose profiles have also been calculated for sources 1 to 6cm in length. Materials and Methods: TG‐43U1 recommended dosimetriccharacteristics (Λ, g(r), F(r,θ), φan) of RadioCoil™ sources have been determined using experimental(TLD) and Monte Carlo(MCNP5) simulation techniques. MCNP5 simulations were performed in spherical Solid Water™ and water phantoms 20cm in diameter for 108 histories. F(r,θ) of RadioCoil™ were determined for angles 0° to 90° for r⩾L/2(where L=active length), and angles 5°⩽θ⩽90° for r⩾L/2, with 5° increment. TLD measurements were performed in solid Water™ using same geometric arrangement as that of Monte Carlo simulations. Measured and calculated dose profiles along the longitudinal axis of these sources were utilized to validate the dose calculation with commercially available treatment planning systems. Results: Results of these investigations indicate good agreement between MCNP5 simulated and TLD determined values for RadioCoil™ sources. Upon the good agreement between these two methodologies, confirming the accuracy of our simulation geometry, dosimetric parameters of these sources have been determined in liquid water for their clinical applications. It has been found that in order to achieve a good agreement between the treatment planningdose distribution, the F(r,θ) of these sources have to be determined at radial distances ranging from 0.5 to 5.0cm with 0.5cm increment and L/2 ±0.2cm. Conclusion:Dosimetriccharacteristics of newly designed RadioCoil™ have been determined following TG‐43U1 recommendations using experimental and Monte Carlo simulation technique. In these determinations it has been found that the dose profile can be closely reproduced if the 2D anisotropy function is determined at 0.5 cm increments for radial distance ranging from 0.5 cm to 5cm, and L/2 ± 0.2cm.
TU‐C‐224C‐07: A Comprehensive Dosimetric Protocol for the Cyberknife Radiosurgery System33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241542View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To propose dosimetric guidelines specifically designed for the Cyberknife radiosurgery system. Non‐availability of 10×10cm2 field and use of small circular collimators (5mm to 60mm) pose serious problems, that have been faced in this study by means of 8 different detectors and Monte Carlo simulation. This work is oriented to measurement of total scatter factors (Sc,p) and to reference dosimetry, though indications will also be given in view of a comprehensive guideline. Method and Materials: PTW PinPoint 31014, Exradin A16 and T14P microchambers, TN 502RDM micromosfet, PTW 30008 diode and TM60003 diamond, MD55 and EBT radiochromic films were used to measure Sc,p. Monte Carlo simulations (BEAMnrc) were used to produce phase space descriptions at the exit plane of each collimator, to calculate: 1) theoretical Sc,p values in water, and 2) correction factors to be applied to Sc,p as measured by 5 detectors (PinPoint, A16, T14P, diode, diamond), obtained by simulating shape and chemical composition of each detector. BEAMnrc was also used to calculate stopping power ratios and chamber correction factors for the Cyberknife linac, to decide whether values of kQ from the IAEA398 protocol could be applied without using a 10×10cm2 field. Results: Sc,p of the 5mm collimator as measured by simulated detectors averaged 0.653 − 9%+14%. Variation for larger collimators was smaller. After Monte Carlo correction, Sc,p of the 5mm collimator became 0.686 −2%+1%. Pure Monte Carlo calculation gave Sc,p=0.715 +/−1%. Calculation of correction factors showed that kQ values for the investigated chambers could be chosen when using IAEA398, introducing +/−0.2% uncertainty. Conclusion: Pure Monte Carlo calculation gave higher values of Sc,p compared to Monte Carlo‐corrected measurement. The latter is to be preferred because correction factors are less sensitive to beam parameters than pure calculation of Sc,p. For determination of Sc,p use of microchambers and Monte Carlo correction is recommended.
TU‐C‐224C‐08: Design of a Small Radiation Facility for Radiobiology Studies33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241543View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To design a small radiation facility for the partial‐ and fully ‐ body irradiation of zebrafish embryos, cell cultures or any other small specimen used for radiobiology studies. Method and Materials: Zebrafish embryos larger than 1mm are the main animal to be irradiated in this micro‐irradiator. Radiation is provided by a 50 kV photon beam from a miniature x‐ray source, Xoft Inc., CA. Radiation field is delimited by a pinhole collimator. Diameter of the pinhole ranges from 0.5mm. A movable table and a video camera connected to a computer are used to position the specimen under the beam. Radiochromic film has been irradiated to test positional accuracy and dose distribution. Results: Coordinates of the position of the zebrafish with respect to the collimator are calculated from the image provided by the video camera and sent to the computer‐controlled movable table to position the specimen under the beam. The micro‐irradiator is totally portable and it can fit on the desktop. Positioning can be acquired with uncertainties of 50 μm in X and Y axis. Collimator design and portable shielding reduce both primary beam and scattering at safe radiation levels. Dose distribution is good enough for zebrafish irradiation and penumbra is in the order of 150μm ± 50μm. Conclusion: The designed micro‐irradiator has attractive characteristics to facilitate zebrafish irradiation. Its portability and shielding simplicity make it adequate for any radiobiology laboratory. Its uncertainty in positioning is significantly smaller than zebrafish embryo size and radiation penumbra is acceptable for specimen larger than 1mm. This novel micro‐irradiator design is appropriate for irradiation of partial‐and fully‐ body zebrafish, cell cultures and any other small specimen used in radiobiology.
TU‐C‐224C‐09: Radiation Characteristics of a Gated Fiber‐Optic‐Coupled Detector33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241544View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To study the dosimetric characteristics of a gated fiber‐optic‐coupled detector for measuring absorbed dose from a linear accelerator. The favorable properties of these dosimeters are their superior spatial resolution, real‐time readout and potential as in‐vivo dosimeters. In an application that takes advantage of its spatial resolution, small field tissue‐phantom‐ratio (TPRs) measurements from 0.6×0.6 to 2.0×2.0 cm2 are obtained and compared to those measured with a diamond and diode detector.Method and Materials: The detector is a short length of Cu1+ fused doped quartz fiber coupled to a fiber‐optic cable. It has an atomic number of about 10.8 with a density of 2.2 g/cm3 and is 1 mm long with a diameter of 0.4 mm. The background signal generated by Cerenkov radiation and native fluorescence within the optical fiber during irradiation is separated from the detector luminescence via gating the signal with the radiation pulses from the accelerator. A linear accelerator provides mega‐voltage photon and electron beams to investigate its energy response, dose rate dependence, dose linearity and reproducibility. Results: There is no measurable difference in the detector response between 6 and 18 MV photons. However, for electrons the dose response increases gradually by 7% from 6 to 20 MeV. Its dose rate response relative to a Farmer chamber exhibits a behavior similar to a diamonddetector decreasing by about 4.5% from 0.8 to 10.7 Gy/min for both 6 and 18 MV photons. The measured response is linear from 0.2 to 10 Gy and its reproducibility is better than 2%. The small field TPR measurements are in good agreement with the diamond and diode detector.Conclusion: The dosimetric properties of this detector compare favorably with other radiation detectors, and its small size and optical interface make it potentially very useful for small field and in‐vivo radiation dosimetry.
TU‐C‐224C‐10: Transfer‐Function Characterization of Heat Conduction in Water Calorimetry33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241545View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To elaborate a transfer‐function approach to characterizing the response of watercalorimeters to abbreviated exposures in radiation beams. Method and Materials: Typical watercalorimeters in use today derive from the original design of Domen, inferring absorbed dose from temperature measurements at a single point in a partially irradiated, extended volume. The success of the approach in deducing locally absorbed dose depends on heat transfer being "sufficiently" slow temporally and broad spatially compared to time‐ and space‐scales of the measurement. In order to address these issues of "sufficiency" more quantitatively, we have undertaken an approach to the problem that assesses the impulse‐response of the calorimeter to spatially and temporally localized radiation. The approach involves simple analytical models of heat conduction and finite‐element methods that yield predictions of single‐point temperature waveforms obtained from thermistors in a calorimeter. Output from the models is compared with experiment over wide variations in shutter period (30s–10,800s) and duty cycle (5%–50%). Results: Our findings show that heat conduction due to typical dose inhomogeneities within watercalorimeters induces systematic variations in estimated dose that traditional data‐analysis techniques ignore. Moreover, these variations do not diminish at smaller duty cycle, suggesting that they are intrinsic to the exposure time of the experiment, and not to the use of periodic exposure techniques. Essential features of the measurements are reproduced by both finite‐element simulations and a simple analytical model. An RC‐circuit analogue derived from the latter suggests that conduction phenomena with a spatially masked beam proceed by a multiplicity of times scales, ranging from seconds to hours, which contribute significantly to systematic variations in estimated dose. Conclusions: The variations of estimated absorbed dose described here suggest that a small systematic error (<1%) may affect existing standards measurements based on watercalorimetry.
- Monte Carlo Methods
TU‐D‐224C‐01: Effects of Choice of the MLC Material On Neutron Dose Equivalent Outside of the Treatment Field in Proton Therapy33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241559View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To determine the effects of choice of MLC material on neutron dose equivalent outside of the treatment field in proton therapy.Method and Materials: A four‐dimensional GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation of a commercially available proton therapy nozzle has been used to calculate the ratio of neutron dose equivalent to therapeuticproton absorbed dose (HN/DP). HN/DP varies significantly with proton beam energy, materials used in the nozzle, treatment technique, and range modulation. Technical specifications of the nozzle have been provided by the vendor. Lateral beam spreading is achieved primarily by binary pre‐scatterer foils and a double contoured scatterer. Modulation is generated by a stepped propeller positioned at nozzle entrance, and pre‐collimation is done by nickel inserts. A preliminary design of a multi‐leaf collimator has been added to the simulation, providing final collimation. Four different data sets have been generated, each one corresponding to a different MLC composition: tungsten, brass, iron and stainless steel. Results: A 200 MeV proton beam is used in order to produce a large circular treatment field with a 10 cm radius, a depth of penetration of approximately 22 cm, and an SOBP width of 10 cm. Neutron dose equivalents are calculated outside the treatment field at three distances from isocenter: 15 cm, 25 cm, and 47 cm (along beam direction). The highest HN/DP ratios are calculated for tungsten, and vary from 10 mSv/Gy at a distance of 15 cm off axis, to 0.7 mSv/Gy at 47.5cm off axis. Corresponding HN/DP ratios for stainless steel are 6.93 mSv/Gy and 0.46 mSv/Gy, representing the lowest calculated values. Conclusion: A steel MLC produces, on average, 45% less secondary neutron dose deposit compared to a tungstenMLC. The result indicates potential for dose reduction in proton therapy when a steel collimator is used instead of a tungstencollimator.
TU‐D‐224C‐02: Monte Carlo Direct Aperture Optimization (MC‐DAO) for IMRT33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241560View Description Hide Description
Purpose: To improve the accuracy/efficiency of IMRT planning by combining Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation with direct aperture optimization (DAO). Method and Materials: A 6 MV beam arrangement is applied to an IMRT phantom and patient examples. A phase space is calculated below the secondary jaws of a virtual Varian 21EX linac by MC simulation (BEAMnrc code (NRC, Canada)). The phase space is subdivided into 2.5×5.0 mm2 beamlets and the dose distribution from each beamlet is calculated to organs‐of‐interest within the patient/phantom using DOSXYZnrc. This information is input into DAO inverse planning software. The DAO includes multileaf collimator transmission and leaf motion limitations as it modifies the shape/weight of the treatment apertures. The optimized leaf sequence requires no additional leaf motion calculation step. A final forward MC dose calculation is performed. The MC doses are verified with ion chamber and film measurement. MC‐DAO is applied to a difficult phantom geometry, namely a c‐shaped target with embedded organ‐at‐risk located directly adjacent to a 5.0cm‐thick air slab. Clinical sites include nasopharynx and lung.Results: The MC optimization allows for accurate modeling of the electronic disequilibrium introduced by the air cavities. For the phantom example, MC reveals that the plan optimized with a pencil beam (PB) algorithm fails to provide adequate coverage to the PTV close to the air cavity, whereas the MC‐DAO plan demonstrates adequate coverage. For the nasopharynx, the PB plan showed errors during ion chamber/film verification, probably due to the small (∼5×4 cm2) fields whereas the MC‐DAO plan showed good agreement. The reduction in monitor units for MC‐DAO plans is 20 – 40% compared to a commercial fluence‐based (PB) treatment planning system. Conclusion:MC simulation generates accurate input data for IMRT inverse treatment planning in difficult‐to‐calculate regions. The addition of DAO results in a more efficient treatment plan delivery.
TU‐D‐224C‐03: TG‐43U1 Brachytherapy Dosimetry Parameters for Virtual, Unfiltered Sources33(2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.2241561View Description Hide Description
Purpose: Underlying brachytherapydosimetry characteristics for 137Cs, 125I, 192Ir, 103Pd, and 169Yb were examined using Monte Carlo methods.Sources were modeled as unencapsulated point or line sources in liquid water to negate source‐specific effects of materials and construction. Importance of phantom size (R), radiation transport mode, phantom material, and volume averaging were studied. Method and Materials:Radiation transport simulations were performed with MCNP5 using the most recent photon cross‐section libraries. The AAPM TG‐43U1 brachytherapydosimetry formalism was employed and extended to radionuclides with EAVG > 50 keV. Radiation spectra were taken from the National Nuclear Data Center and compared to those commonly referenced. Enough photon histories were simulated to maintain statistical uncertainties < 1%. Results and Discussion: For non‐infinite media, g(r) was found to degrade as r approached R, the phantom radius, and MCNP5 results were in agreement with those published using GEANT4. Dosimetry parameters calculated using coupled photon‐electron radiation transport simulations did not differ significantly from those using photon transport only. Low‐energy radionuclides 125I and 103Pd were sensitive to phantom material with up to a factor of 1.4 and 2, respectively, between tissue‐equivalent materials and water at r = 9 cm. In comparison, high‐energy photons from 137Cs, 192Ir, and 169Yb demonstrated ± 5% differences between water and tissue‐substitutes at r = 20 cm. Similarly, volume‐averaging effects were found to be more significant for low‐energy radionuclides. When modeling line sources with L ⩽ 0.5 cm, the 2‐D anisotropy function was largely within ± 0.5% of unity for 137Cs, 125I, and 192Ir. However, an energy and geometry effect was noted for 103Pd and 169Yb, with F(0.5,0°) = 1.05 and 0.98, respectively, for L = 0.5 cm. Additional radiation transport calculations using mono‐energetic photons showed energy‐dependent variations in F(r,θ) as a function of effective length and θ.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I have the one touch ultra mini ..and for a month it was excellent with giving me excellent readings, now all of a sudden it was giving me higher numbers and i thought i needed insulin, I tried the contorl solution and the number for the control solution came up to be 185 which i knew that it was the meter and not my blood sugar. Control solutions numbers cannot be over 130, if it is , then the meter is not functioning properly...Anyone have this problem?
What meter are you using for your blood sugars?
Comments (10)
I love my FreeStyle! I've used both the Flash and the Lite versions and they've always been accurate with a very low error rate.
Renee ~Xane 11y ~Kai 7y ~Ace 5y ~Declan 3y ~ Phoebe 8/27/13
I have the ultra mini too that's what was given to me at the Dr I would call them and ask to see what you should be doing. I use the control solution after each new box of strips. Did you shake the control solution? Sometimes you need to just remix it. I would try to get a new one but it could also be your strips.
Jana�SAHM to Grace 8/05�EH in a Nautilus�Daniel�2/5/09 ERF in a Triumph advance�&�Wife to Jason since 3/2001!!�
I just got a new one, now i have two..the ultra mini and one touch..i will use the one touch now..ultra mini was giivng me some problems, once i tested, with my own blood after two hours and my result came up to be 62, i was shocked, that it was soo low, i ate a good carb meal and my sugar level is usually up in the 100-120 range..so i retested and the number came to be 102 ..i couldn't believe it, once it was 62 and then with when i retested that same time, the number was 102..
I have a one touch ultra (not the mini).
Natalie, mom to
Mary Margaret {1.8.9; 37w from Eclampsia} & Moseby {2.26.12; open adoption}
We're so surprised! Lawson {it's a boy!} is due 8.29!
I use the Ascencia Contour. I had a similar problem. It wasn't the meter, it was the batch of test strips. I called the pharmacy and they told me to call the manufacturer. I did and they FedEx'ed new strips.
Nathan Bryce: 1/28/09
thanks alisond74 i will look into that..
I have the one touch ultra mini too. I'll have to keep an eye on that. I haven't been using the control solution like I should - I'll have to check that more often! Thanks for posting!
A Thousand Stars Etsy shop - for crochet and knitting organizers and accessories
i use the BD meter.... it corresponds with my insulin pump.
Mom to Justin-Head (5) 7/4/09 and Conner-Face (3) 6/3/11
Angel baby 2/17/15 not sure what to do now.
ok this morning my fasting numbers was 105 which I think is ok since I ate pasta at about 11:30. I had oatmeal and coffee with splenda. I tested an hour later and my numbers was 282. I usually test 2 hours later but I felt weak and hungry after my shower. I thought i would be too low. I was amazed at 282 the highest number I have ever had, after oatmeal and coffee! So I open the extra meter I have. When I tested my sugar it was 126 the usual after oatmeal and coffee. Whew!!!!!!!!!! I was about to call the doctor because something had to wrong with me. oh I use Accu check, compact plus
I use the One Touch, not the mini.


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BRAINTREE, Mass., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --Haemonetics announced today that Dr. Jonathan White will join the Company as head of Research and Development, Vice President of Haemonetics, effective December 8, 2008. In this role, Dr. White will have global responsibility for leading development of the next generation of products to complement Haemonetics' blood management solutions portfolio.
Brad Nutter, Haemonetics' Chairman and CEO, said, "As the global leader in blood management solutions for our customers, we are continually strengthening our product suite with medical devices, information management platforms, and services for blood collectors and hospitals to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. Dr. White has an extraordinary portfolio of skills and a diverse background which will strengthen our blood management R&D initiatives. We are pleased to welcome him to Haemonetics."
Prior to joining Haemonetics, Dr. White worked for Pfizer Inc. and spent 10 years in a variety of progressive roles encompassing: strategy and business development, leadership of the information technology function, and building R&D platforms for innovation. He led the integration of the R&D organizations of Pfizer and Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Company following Pfizer's acquisition of Warner-Lambert. He also served as Chief Innovation Officer for Pfizer. Prior to this, Dr. White worked for McKinsey & Company as a management consultant, where he worked for 6 years in its global healthcare practice serving a variety of clients (including Pfizer) in Europe, China, Africa and the U.S.
Mr. Nutter added, "Dr. White's global business acumen, medical background, strategic thinking, and innovation skills coupled with his knowledge and experience in information technology and consulting services ideally prepare him to play a key role in Haemonetics' leadership team as we build our vision f
|SOURCE Haemonetics Corporation
Copyright©2008 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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Altered Pasts: Counterfactuals in HistoryHardback
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- Paperback $21.81
- Publisher: Little, Brown
- Format: Hardback | 224 pages
- Dimensions: 155mm x 240mm x 25mm | 508g
- Publication date: 27 March 2014
- Publication City/Country: London
- Sales rank: 718,348
Product description
A bullet misses its target in Sarajevo, a would-be Austrian painter gets into the Viennese academy, Lord Halifax becomes British prime minister in 1940: seemingly minor twists of fate on which world-shaking events might have hinged. Alternative history has long been the stuff of parlour games, war-gaming and science fiction, but over the past few decades it has become a popular stomping ground for serious historians. Richard J. Evans now turns a critical, slightly jaundiced eye on the subject. Altered Pasts examines the intellectual fallout from historical counterfactuals. Most importantly, Evans takes counterfactual history seriously, looking at the insights, pitfalls and intellectual implications of changing one thread in the weave of history.
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Author information
Sir Richard J. Evans is Regius Professor of History at Cambridge University. His previous books include In Defence of History, Telling Lies about Hitler, The Coming of the Third Reich, The Third Reich at War and The Third Reich in Power.
Review quote
Unfailingly interesting -- Andrew Holgate Sunday Times A stimulating, thought-provoking and in places quite humorous book that will be of interest to professional and lay readers alike Times Higher Education Supplement His critique is eloquent and lively, without rancour or cruelty -- Felipe Fernandez-Armesto The Times Characteristically pugnacious -- Jonathan Derbyshire Prospect Evans is at his best when dissecting the motives of right-wing thinkers SFX Wide-ranging polemic ... Evans is at his best on questions of historical causation ... Altered Pasts brings an impressive historical intelligence to bear on what are too often dismissed as parlour games Sunday Telegraph Evans is ruthless, forensic and totally convincing in demolishing this pretext, finding instead an even greater determinism, where the autonomous actions of a handful of great men set in motion enormous, immutable forces Guardian The place of Richard Evans in modern historiography - a distinguished place - is assured Times Literary Supplement One of the most important and prolific historians of our time ... Altered Pasts provides much food for thought, not only for professional historians but also for general readers interested in how and why history is written in certain ways. Intelligent, lucid and engaging Irish Times A good read, which stimulates further reflection about the nature of history Financial Times Evans's book is an excellent contribution to thinking about this playful type of historical investigation Evening Standard


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The Biodynamic Association's Biodynamic Initiative for the Next Generation (BING) is currently seeking interns to support its work to connect young people inspired by biodynamics. Each intern will be primarily responsible for organizing and carrying out a gathering (such as a workshop, film screening, mixer or discussion group) in their region.
Interns will work directly with the BING coordinator, Thea Maria Carlson, who will provide guidance and assistance in planning and publicizing the event. There is also a small budget to cover event costs. While this intern position is unpaid, it offers a great opportunity to gain experience in event planning and organizing and become more connected with the wider biodynamic community.
BING interns will work remotely, and must have reliable access to phone and email. A minimum commitment of 3-5 hours per week for at least three months is requested. The internship is open to anyone interested in or practicing biodynamics who has a desire to work to bring like-minded people together.
To apply, please send a brief letter of interest addressing the following questions, along with your resume, to Thea Maria Carlson at email@example.com:
- How are you inspired by and/or practicing biodynamics?
- What sort of gathering do you imagine organizing?
- What skills, connections or resources do you have that may be helpful in organizing a BING gathering?
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.


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Alvin Earl Loucks
Position: G Weight: 170 lbs.
Born: June 15, 1895 in Grand Rapids, MI
Died: April 18, 1973 in Hopkins, MN
High School: Grand Rapids Union
College: Michigan (school history)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 0 (14760th overall since 1950)
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1987 Buick Regal T-Type, Turbo V-6, Excellent condition with 40k miles. One professional photo documented show quality repaint. GTA wheels with new tires (I... More
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Mfg.: Ascend
Model: Ascend JFD-23F
This item is BRAND NEW and ships directly from the manufacturer.
This Ascend Freezer is constructed of a 304 stainless steel interior and exterior. It includes fully recessed handles, door locks, exterior digital temperature control. Five-inch casters allow for mobility and epoxy coated wire shelves with a tray slide system make usage simple. Also includes a self-contained, bottom mount refrigeration system.
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Nritya Margam by Shyamala Balakrishnan & Dr.padma Subrahmanyam visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/bharatanatyam-songs-drpadma-subrahmanyam-2acds-p-921.html
Bharatanatyam songs by Dr.PadmaSubrahmanyam. Murugan & Nataraja) Sung by Shyamala Balakrishnan & Dr.Padma SubrahmanyamTraditionalRecitationAdi Varnam Swami nan undan adimai Sung by Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam & Dr.Gayathri KannanPapanasam SivanNattakkurunjiAdi Varugalamo Sung by Dr.Padma SubrahmanyamGopalakrishna BharathiManjiMisra Chapu Adikkondar Sung by Shyamala Balakrishnan & Dr.Padma SubrahmanyamMuthuthandavarMayamalavagowlaiAdi Bho Shambo Sung by Shyamala Balakrishnan & Dr.Padma SubrahmanyamSwami Dayananda SaraswatiDarbari KanadaAdi Sabhapathikku Sung by Shyamala Balakrishnan & Dr.Padma SubrahmanyamGopalakrishna BharathiAbhogiRupakam visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/bharatanatyam-songs-drpadma-subrahmanyam-2acds-p-921.html
Video Clippings of Kavadi Chindu - visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/bharatanatyam-kavadi-chindu-p-902.html
performance of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam visit us at http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/bhagavad-gita-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-925.html
- by Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/jaya-jaya-sankara-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-926.html
- One of the 7 live performances by Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam 'Krishnaya Tubhyam Namaha' of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam created history in mid seventies and continues to charm its audience to this day, all over the world. Normally, Bharatanatyam recitals contain isolated independent numbers. More than three decades ago Dr. Padma revived the concept of a thematic presentation through mono acting by a lady. This programme has Lord Krishna as the central theme, dealing with His personality in its varied dimensions. To this Ultimate Reality an apparently paradoxical personality we offer this programme not as a mere entertainment but as a Yagna, with humility and devotion. Lyrics have been culled out from Sanskrit and Tamil literature. visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/krishnaya-tubhyam-namaha-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-928.html
- Bharatanatyam Dance Drama. One of the 7 Live Performances of Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam. 'Meenakshi Kalyanam' by Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam is a riot of colours with participation of 45 dancers. This research product of her sister-in-law, Shyamala Balakrishnan, took a visual shape in the creative urge of Dr. Padma. It was presented for the first time in early 1960s and continues to grip the attention of the audience to this day. Mythology says that the Pandian King was blessed to have Parvati Devi herself as his daughter Meenakshi, who was born out of the sacrificial fire. This tom boy of a girl grew up as a warrior-princess with manly demeanour and egoistic nature. She was transformed into a personification of feminine grace at the very sight of Lord Siva in the battle field. The wedding of Siva-Sundareswara and Meenakshi is a popular theme all over Tamilnadu. visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/meenakshi-kalyanam-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-922.html
- One of the 7 Live Performances of Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam visit us at http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/paripadal-mudhal-bharati-varai-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-923.html
- One of the 7 Live Performances of Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam released in DVD format More than three decades ago Dr. Padma revived the concept of a thematic presentation through mono acting by a lady. 'Ramaya Tubhyam Namaha' is one such programme with Lord Rama as the central theme, dealing with certain aspects of His personality as a normal human being. Dr. Padma has compiled this programme from Ramayana classics of various Indian languages namely, Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu. We offer this programme with devotion at the lotus feet of Lord Rama. The lyrics have been compiled from the fragrant flowers of immortal poets such as Valmiki, Kamban, Tulsidas, Ezhuthacchan, Thyagaraja, Leela Sukar and folk poets. visit us at http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/ramaya-tubhyam-namaha-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-927.html
- One of the Live Performance of Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam. 'Sangamam', is the result of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam's pan-Indian view of the integrated culture in which unity of thought and expression has been immanent since time immemorial. She has tried to capture in a capsule, this unique oneness, through this performance which focuses on mutual influences of poets and composers from various linguistic regions, reflecting catholicity, admiration, as well as religious harmony. In this bouquet of poetic flowers, Dr. Padma has gathered those of Muthuswami Dikshithar, Rabindranath Tagore, Kamban, Kashmiri Queen Khaba Khatoon, Dharmapuri Subbarayar, Periazhvar, Tulsidas, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Subramanya Bharati and a composition of Dr. Padma herself. The languages included are Sanskrit, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Kashmiri and Telugu. Dr. Padma has used the respective traditional music for the poems apart from one composed by her and another by her nephew B. Kannan. visit us at : http://www.kalakendra.com/shopping/sangamam-bharatanatyam-live-padma-subrahmanyam-p-924.html