Design of a new tracking device for on-line beam range monitor in carbon therapy.

Charged particle therapy is a technique for cancer treatment that exploits hadron beams, mostly protons and carbon ions. A critical issue is the monitoring of the beam range so to check the correct dose deposition to the tumor and surrounding tissues. The design of a new tracking device for beam range real-time monitoring in pencil beam carbon ion therapy is presented. The proposed device tracks secondary charged particles produced by beam interactions in the patient tissue and exploits the correlation of the charged particle emission profile with the spatial dose deposition and the Bragg peak position. The detector, currently under construction, uses the information provided by 12 layers of scintillating fibers followed by a plastic scintillator and a pixelated Lutetium Fine Silicate (LFS) crystal calorimeter. An algorithm to account and correct for emission profile distortion due to charged secondaries absorption inside the patient tissue is also proposed. Finally detector reconstruction efficiency for charged particle emission profile is evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation considering a quasi-realistic case of a non-homogenous phantom.

Conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas de Cirurgiões-Dentistas de Anápolis-GO sobre a fitoterapia em odontologia / Knowledge, attitudes and practices of dentists from Anápolis-GO on phytotherapy in dentistry

Introdução: Em um cenário de expansão das práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde no Brasil, são escassos os estudos relacionados ao uso da fitoterapia em Odontologia. Objetivo: Investigar os conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas do Cirurgião-Dentista sobre a fitoterapia na prática clínica. Material e Método: Foi realizado um estudo transversal com um grupo de 105 Cirurgiões-Dentistas, no exercício clínico da Odontologia dos serviços público e privado, do município de Anápolis-GO (taxa de resposta de 52,5% dos 200 profissionais convidados), que responderam um questionário. Resultado: Cerca de 16% dos respondentes afirmaram que tiveram embasamento teórico acerca da fitoterapia e, destes, metade relatou ter tido este embasamento na Graduação. Embora mais da metade dos Cirurgiões-Dentistas (61,9%) tenha considerado viável a inserção dos fitoterápicos na prática clínica, poucos relataram prescrevê-los (12,4%) ou questionarem, durante a consulta, se os pacientes faziam uso de fitoterápicos (36,2%). Quanto à opinião sobre os fatores que dificultam a inserção dos fitoterápicos no âmbito da Odontologia, os mais citados foram o desconhecimento, a ausência de pesquisas e a falta de divulgação. Embora a maioria desconhecesse a legislação a respeito do tema, este conhecimento foi associado ao uso de fitoterapia na prática clínica (p<0,05). Conclusão: Os Cirurgiões-Dentistas do município pesquisado apresentaram deficiências no conhecimento, pouca utilização e atitudes favoráveis acerca do uso da fitoterapia na prática clínica, sendo necessária uma reorientação na formação acadêmica e profissional, para que haja suporte apropriado ...

Introduction: Despite the expansion of complementary and integrative health practices in Brazil, there are few studies related to the use of phytotherapy in dentistry. Objective: To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of dentists on phytotherapy in clinical practice. Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a group of 105 dentists working as clinicians in the public and private service in the city of Anápolis-GO (response rate = 52.5% of the 200 professionals invited) who answered a questionnaire. Result: About 16% of respondents said they had theoretical background about phytotherapy and half of them reported having had this subject during the undergraduate programe. Although more than half of dentists (61.9%) have considered that the insertion of phytotherapy in clinical practice is feasible, only a few reported prescribing them (12.4%), or questioning, during the consultation, if their patients were having phytotherapy (36.2%). Regarding the dentists' opinions regarding the factors that hinder the inclusion of phytotherapy in the dental practice, the most frequent were lack of knowledge, lack of research and lack of information. Most of them had no knowledge on the legislation regarding phytotherapy and this was associated with its use in clinical practice (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dental surgeons investigated in this study showed deficiencies in knowledge, little application and favorable attitudes towards the use of phytotherapy in clinical practice, but a shift in the academic and professional training is required for an appropriate support for its use. .