Objectives: Small field of view gamma detection and imaging technologies for monitoring in vivo tracer uptake are rapidly expanding and being introduced for bed-side imaging and image guided surgical procedures. The Hybrid Gamma Camera (HGC) has been developed to enhance the localization of targeted radiopharmaceuticals during surgical procedures; for example in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies and for bed-side imaging in procedures such as lacrimal drainage imaging and thyroid scanning. In this study, a prototype anthropomorphic head and neck phantom has been designed, constructed, and evaluated using representative modelled medical scenarios to study the capability of the HGC to detect SLNs and image small organs. Methods: An anthropomorphic head and neck phantom has been designed to mimic the adult head and neck including some internal organs and tissues of interest, such as the thyroid gland and sentinel lymph nodes. The design of the head and neck phantom included an adjustable inner jig holding the simulated SLNs and thyroid gland. The simulated thyroid gland was designed and 3D printed taking into consideration the size and the shape of a healthy adult thyroid gland. The inner sealed space of the thyroid was filled with 15MBq of 99mTc through two upper filling valves. Sealed micro-tubes (0.2ml) have been employed to simulate SLNs containing various 99mTc activity concentrations ranging between 0.1MBq and 1MBq, and can be positioned at any desired place in the head and neck region. An active background was simulated through mixing 10MBq of 99mTc solution with the water used to fill the outer shell of the head and neck phantom. Results: The head and neck phantom was employed to simulate a situation where there are four SLNs distributed at two different vertical levels and at two depths within the neck. Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) calculations were performed for the detected SLNs at an 80mm distance between both pinhole collimators (i.e. 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameters) and the surface of the head and neck phantom with a 100s acquisition time. The recorded CNR values for the simulated SLNs are higher when the HGC was fitted with the 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimator. For instance, the recorded CNR values for the superficially simulated SLN containing 0.1MBq of 99mTc using 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimators are 6.48 and 16.42, respectively (~87% difference). The anatomical context provided by the hybrid imaging aided the localization process of radioactivity accumulation in simulated SLNs. Gamma and hybrid optical images were acquired using the HGC with both available pinhole collimators for the simulated thyroid gland. The thyroid images produced varied in terms of spatial resolution and detectability. The count profiles through the middle of the simulated thyroid gland images provided by both pinhole collimators were obtained. The HGC could clearly differentiate the individual peaks of both thyroid lobes in the gamma image produced by the 0.5mm pinhole collimator. In contrast, the recorded count profile for the acquired image using the 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimator showed broader peaks for both lobes, reflecting the degradation of the spatial resolution with increasing the diameter of the pinhole collimator. Conclusion: The capability of the HGC has been evaluated utilizing a prototype anthropomorphic head and neck phantom, and the gamma and hybrid images obtained demonstrate that it is ideally suited for intraoperative SLNs detection and small organ imaging. The standardization of test phantoms and protocols for SFOV portable gamma systems will provide an opportunity to collect data across various medical centers and research groups. Moreover, it will provide a technical baseline for researchers and clinical practitioners to consider when assessing their SFOV gamma imaging systems. The anthropomorphic head and neck phantom described is cost effective, reproducible, flexible and anatomically representative.
In this research the behavior of reinforced concrete columns with large side openings under impact loads was studied. The overall cross sectional dimensions of the column specimens used in this research were (500*1400) mm with total height of (14000) mm. The dimensions of side openings were (600*2000) mm. The column was reinforced with (20) mm diameter in longitudinal direction, while (12) mm ties were used in the transverse direction. The effect of eccentric impact loads on the horizontal and vertical displacement for this column was studied. &
... Show MoreThis study sought to give a general picture of the organizations and formations of the ground forces of the Abbasid army in its first era, in preparation and armament and continuous development of the mechanisms to help maintain the moral and spiritual morale in the fighting.
Therefore, the caliphs' interest in building the army, organizing it, arming it, choosing competent leaders, and providing them with various weapons in terms of production and storage, as well as taking care of fortifying the cities and gaps in determination and determination, and embarked on construction and restoration, where amazing speed and acted according to the circumstances. During the first Abbasid era, there were significant developments in the military
The influence and hazard of fire flame are one of the most important parameters that affecting the durability and strength of structural members. This research studied the influence of fire flame on the behavior of reinforced concrete beams affected by repeated load. Nine self- compacted reinforced concrete beams were castellated, all have the same geometric layout (0.15x0.15x1.00) m, reinforcement details and compressive strength (50 Mpa). To estimate the effect of fire flame disaster, four temperatures were adopted (200, 300, 400 and 500) oC and two method of cooling were used (graduated and sudden). In the first cooling method, graduated, the tested beams were leaved to cool in air while in the second method, sudden, water splash was use
... Show MoreThe effect of irradiation and exposure time of laser light on the fluorescence emission of DCM dye in PMMA polymer contained in the composition mold using different metals have been investigated. It was found that the fluorescence intensity decreases as the exposure time increases and then reaches stabilization at long times. The effect of the incident laser power on fluorescence intensity of DCM dye in PMMA polymer at 10-3 M and 20% mixing ratio, using copper disks of composition molds, has been studied too. It was observed that there is an upward knick in the curve at laser intensity of 19.2 W/cm2, which may be associated with the threshold for amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) or laser action. And at intensity higher than about 88.
... Show MoreConstruction projects need methods and techniques to ensure the level of quality and commensurate with the level required and documented in the project contract. The quality of the project is affected by the quality of the inputs and accompanying procedures in the construction of the project.
Al-Rumaitha residential project found that the quality of the concrete for the ceilings in the research sample (the roof of the third floor of buildings A25 and A26) and (roof of the second floor of buildings A27, A28, A29, A30, A31, A32 and A33) and roof of buildings A15 and A16 A19)) is not the required quality level.
The idea of the research came after the need to improve the performance o
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In an attempt to disposal from nuclear waste which threats our health and environments. Therefore we have to find appropriate method to immobilize nuclear waste. So, in this research the nuclear waste (Strontium hydroxide) was immobilized by Carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The Nd-YAG laser with wave length 1064 nm, energy 750 mJ and 100 pulses used to prepare CNTs. After that adding Sr(HO)2 powder to the CNTs colloidal in calculated rate to get homogenous mixing of CNTs-Sr(OH)2. The Sr(HO)2 absorbs carbon dioxide from the air to form strontium carbonate so, the new solution is CNTs-SrCO3. To dry solution putting three drops from the new solution on the glass slides. To investigate the radi
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the impact of the Knowledge Management Processes on organizational creativity in the Airlines Companies working in Sudan. The hypotheses formulated as:, there is a positive relationship statistically significant differences between knowledge management processes (diagnosis, the acquisition, storage, distribution and application) and organizational creativity. the measurement of the variables had been adopted from previous studies. The study used a Descriptive approach and and the analytical statistical method to construct the model and SPSS Program for data analysis .Purposive sample procedure had been chosen and structured questionnaire had been developed. Out of 215 q
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The effect of heat treatment using different annealing temperatures on optical properties of bulk heterojunction blend (BHJ) Alq3: C60 thin films which are fabricated by the spin coating technique were investigated in this study. The films have been coated on a glass substrate with speed of 2000 rpm for one min and treated with different annealing temperature (373, 423 and 473) K under vacuum. The optical properties and the chemical bonds structure of blends as-deposited and heat treated have been studied by UV-Vis spectroscopic and Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FTIR) measurements respectively. The results of UV visible show that the optical energy gap decreasing with increasing the annealing temperature for the ratio (100:1) while decrea
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In this research, the water quality of the potable water network in
Al-Shuala Baghdad city were evaluated and compare them with the
Iraqi standards (IQS) for drinking water and World Health
Organization standards (WHO), then water quality index (WQI) were
calculator: pH, heavy metals (lead, cadmium and iron), chlorides,
total hardness, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid and
electrical conductivity. Water samples are collected weekly during
the period from February 2015 to April 2015 from ten sites. Results
show that the chlorides, total dissolved solid and electrical
conductivity less than acceptable limit of standards, but total
hardness and heavy metals in some samples higher than acceptabl
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Dumping policy considered as one of the policies occurs severe damages to the developing countries apparently this is happens due to the potential weakness in (productive, technical, legislative, legal institutions) comparing with other developed countries who are members in WTO.
Iraq consider as one of the developing countries that has been effected by the dumping policy, the events in Iraq since downfall of the formal regime, and the allied forces domination of Iraq have all together accelerated in the apace of deterioration , particularly , after the temporary coalition authority has forced Iraq to adopt a free foreign trade policy& exclusion of the state from the market mechanism & to consolidate import and deac
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