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The aim of this work is to describe our Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) protocol for lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) together with the evaluation of the results from applying this protocol over a sample of 47 patients analyzed retrospectively. Simulation time-resolved four-dimensional CT (4DCT) images are acquired taking into account the respiratory cycle of the patient. During the treatment, using VMAT technique, pre- and post- treatment Cone Beam Computer Tomography (CBCT), as well as intrafraction fluoroscopy whenever possible due to lesion position visualization, are performed to verify tumor amplitude motion and position. Fluoroscopy image was acquired in 72% of patients analyzed, from which 71% verified the right position against 29% who needed to be reposition by using intrafraction CBCT at least in one fraction. Post-treatment CBCT systematic and random errors are below 1 mm, thereby protocol validation is accepted. Fluoroscopy manages to verify tumor position accuracy depending on high contrast visualization. However, in comparison to intrafraction CBCT, it involves reducing treatment duration and minimizing dose to patient. Fluoroscopy, in conjunction with CBCT, allows monitoring motion during the treatment.

In this chapter, cell disruption techniques are reviewed as a function of the (future) industrial algae biorefinery. A variety of techniques and recent developments are discussed based on their effectiveness, product quality, and cost efficiency. Effectiveness (i.e, disruption efficiency in function of energy and time) unfortunately is often countered by poor product quality, and currently used industrial methods are generally energy intensive. Recent developments might tackle these issues and enhance the economics. Chemical techniques are often effective but can lead to impurities in the final product, which can be avoided by immobilizing chemical agents. Alternatively, several pressurized methods are promising because of high product quality and relatively low energy consumption. The latter can even be decreased significantly based on recent advances, which also counts for well-established techniques undergoing process optimization. The field, however, remains challenging to increase effectiveness and product quality to decrease downstream process steps and overall costs.

Bioalcohols (mainly bioethanol) are considered as one of the most promising substitutes for fossil fuels. Several feedstocks have been evaluated as substrates for bioethanol production and among them, microalgae have particularly emerged during the past years. This is due to their rapid growth, lack of competition with crops, the integration of production with wastewater treatment, and the fact that carbohydrates can be accumulated by manipulating cultivation conditions. Carbohydrates occur in microalgae as reserve products and as part of the cell wall. They can be converted into fermentable sugars through hydrolysis. For this reason, this chapter is focused on the study of the carbohydrates in microalgae biomass and methods to improve their accumulation as well as diverse pretreatments to break the cell wall, their release as monomeric sugars, and a comparison of the fermentation processes.

El objetivo de este artículo es estimar el costo per cápita anual por género en primer nivel de atención. MÉTODOS: estudio de costo realizado en Unidades de Medicina Familiar en México. La información correspondió al año 2004 y el estudio se dividió en perfil de uso y costo de la atención. PERFIL DE USO DE LO SERVICIOS: se estudiaron los registros clínicos de 1,585 pacientes adscritos a unidades de medicina familiar. El perfil de uso se definió mediante el promedio y los motivos de atención por departamento, género y grupo de edad. COSTO DE LA ATENCIÓN: estimado en dólares estadounidenses incluyó costo unitario fijo (departamentalización ajustada por productividad), el costo unitario variable (técnica de microcosteo), costo unitario por departamento y motivo de atención, y costo unitario por departamento, quinquenio y género. La esperanza de vida fue de 73 años para los hombres y 78 para las mujeres. Se identificaron tres escenarios. RESULTADOS: el costo anual per capita es superior en la mujer US $73.24 (IC 95% $11.38 - $197.49) que en el hombre $ 53.11 (IC 95% 2.51 - 207.71). CONCLUSIÓN: en primer nivel de atención el costo per cápita en las mujeres es mayor que en los hombres, información valiosa en el proceso de planeación de los servicios de salud. The objective of this study is to identify the annual cost per capita by gender in first level of attention. It is a cost study in Family Physician Units in Mexico. The information corresponded to the year of 2004 and the study divided in the use profile and cost attention. USE PROFILE OF SERVICES: it was studied 1,585 clinical registries of patients, use profile defined by average and attention reasons by department, gender and age group. COST ATTENTION: considered in American dollars it included fixed unit cost (departmentalization adjusted by productivity), variable unit cost (micro cost technical), department unite cost by type attention, and department unit cost by age and gender. The life expectancy was of 73 years for men and 78 for women. Three scenes were identified. The annual cost per capita is superior among woman [US$73.24 (IC 95% $11.38 - $197.49)] than in man [$ 53.11 (IC 95% 2.51 - 207.71)]. The conclusion found that in the first level of attention the cost per capita is greater in woman than in man.