Smoothape's Evolution

Blog has moved

2009-06-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

I've moved my blog from here to http://blog.smoothape.com. Makes more sense, more control, more SEO Authority.

I've moved some of the better blogs to this new home also.

The 10th Annual William's Walk & Run, Presented by Elekta

2008-10-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday, November 1, 2008
Mansell Crossing Shopping Center – Alpharetta, GA

Join Elekta and the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children Saturday, November 1 at the 10th Annual William's Walk & Run as we support research efforts to find a cure for pediatric brain tumors! This year's event will take place at the Mansell Crossing Shopping Center in Alpharetta, and the first 15 people to register for the 1 mile walk (7:45 a.m.) or 5K or 10K runs (8:15 a.m.) will receive a complimentary registration. To register, click here - Active.com

This is a great event for Elekta presence in Atlanta, and we hope everyone will be up to the challenge! For those of you who do not wish to walk or run, but would like to attend, please let Raven Turberville (770.670.2524) know if you would like to volunteer for any of the below opportunities.

Race-day registration -These volunteers take the registration for runners onsite. They will take the completed and signed registration form, entry fee and issue a race number.

Pre-registration - These volunteers will issue a race packet to the participants who have pre-registered.

Mile-split announcers -These volunteers will assemble at the starting line in one vehicle. With the starting gun, they will start watches and will be taken to the 1 and 2 mile marks to call out times as the runners pass by. These people will be standing for about thirty minutes and need a voice that projects well.

Water-stop volunteers - These people will fill enough cups of water to cover the tables prior to the runners' arrival, hand out the water as the runners pass by and clean up the cups from the ground. They will be positioned at the start/finish and at the 1½ mile mark on the course. These volunteers may get a little wet and may need to do some heavy lifting.

Refreshments - These volunteers will organize the refreshment tables available to the participants after the race.

Thanks,

and I look forward to seeing you there.

ASTRO Tradeshow - 3 Days to Go

2008-09-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Taking a tour of ASTRO Tradeshow, boxes, crates, cables, etc. all over the place.

Some pictures coming up real soon.

2008 Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting

2008-09-15T10:12:00.001-07:00

• Booth: #247 30 X 40 (1,200 sq. ft)
• Location: Orange County Convention Center, Hall WB2 & WB3
• Meeting Dates: September 20 – 25, 2008
• Exhibit Dates: September 22– 24, 2008

ASTRO Tradeshow - 6 Days to Go

2008-09-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

If you're flying Delta or American into Boston, from the 17th - 24th, we encourage you to print your boarding pass in advance. Why??? We're not going to ruin the surprise...Give it a try and find out.

Snapshot - 9:33pm Thursday night

2008-09-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

My son has plastered my MacBook Pro with stickers of Lightening McQueen, My Sam Adams is super cool and I am watching CNN explain that 50% of Americans don't like the other half, but only 12% care. Statistics are made up 34% of the time. Am I getting a cold?

ASTRO Tradeshow - 10 Days to Go!

2008-09-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

So I missed the ASTRO Tradeshow - 11 Days to Go!, but do I have to blog it everyday? This is my second blog today, so that makes us even.

Thanks to Alex and Keith from Three Squared the 16 panel video wall is all but finished. The storyboard was written, the rough drafts were created, the video was approved and the animations are top notch. If you ever need the best animators in Atlanta, check out their site. I'll make a visit to their location on Tuesday to pick up the final version.

My After Effects project is finished, the stills are done and approved, so I am done. Next week is just a breeze (I think). Looking forward to the ROUM meeting at the Wang theater. Now, can I say Wang without laughing.

Effects of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation on Parkinsonian Resting Tremor : An MEG Study

2008-09-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

So I have been reading about deep brain stimulation, it is utterly fascinating.

Some of the articles I just finished reading are below:

Effects of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation on Parkinsonian Resting Tremor : An MEG Study

Intracerebral Microvascular Measurements during Deep Brain Stimulation Implantation using Laser Doppler Perfusion Monitoring

The Origins of Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus as Adjunct Treatment for Refractory Epilepsy

Deep brain stimulation for Holmes’ tremor related to a thalamic abscess

How Deep-Brain Stimulation Works

In neurotechnology, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain. DBS in select brain regions has provided remarkable therapeutic benefits for otherwise treatment-resistant movement and affective disorders such as chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, tremor and dystonia.[1] Despite the long history of DBS,[2] its underlying principles and mechanisms are still not clear. DBS directly changes brain activity in a controlled manner, its effects are reversible (unlike those of lesioning techniques) and is one of only a few neurosurgical methods that allows blinded studies.

Video of MEG

Blackberry's Little Helpers

2008-09-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

both OTA's so view this on your Blackberry browser...

auto lock

soft reset

And for pearl only - colorpearl

color pearl

ASTRO Tradeshow - 12 Days to Go!

2008-09-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Today we had a very productive meeting with the guys from Video Resources. Looks like the ROUM event is in safe hands.

ASTRO Tradeshow - 13 Days to Go!

2008-09-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

13 days to go. The new branding is on the website, all three infact. Check out Elekta, CMS & IMPAC for the new logos and colors.

or see the image below:

The Image is very similar to the old Elekta logo, but as all the Elekta family sites now share a similar logo everything is more consistent and fluid. This is only the first step. Soon there will be many exciting new changes on the site.

Key cancer enzyme gives up its secret

2008-09-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

At the heart of almost all human cancers is a rogue enzyme, telomerase. Now the structure of a key catalytic component of the enzyme has been discovered, paving the way to more effective anti-cancer and, perhaps, anti-ageing drugs.

Telomerase is responsible for adding unique repetitive sequences of DNA, called telomeres, at one end of chromosomes. These telomere caps ensure the chromosomes don't fall apart, but because telomerase is dormant in most adult cells each time a cell divides, its telomere loses a chunk of DNA. Eventually, when cells can no longer divide, they die – this protects against cancer.

When telomerase is more active than it should be, telomeres don't get shorter. Instead, cells continue dividing beyond their normal limits, and become cancerous.

This has made telomerase a prime target for anti-cancer and anti-ageing therapies, but a lack of information on the structure of its catalytic subunit, TERT, has hindered progress.

Full Story

Cancer Animations

2008-09-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

So what is cancer? How does it spread?

Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread from its primary site (the part of the body in which it developed) to other parts of the body (see animation). If cells break away from a cancerous tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body. There, they may settle and form "colony" tumors. In their new location, the cancer cells continue growing. The spread of a tumor to a new part of the body is called metastasis.

Metastasis involves the spread of cancer cells through the bloodstream or the lymph system. The lymph system consists of lymph vessels (similar to veins except that they contain tissue waste products and immune system cells instead of blood). These lymph vessels lead to lymph nodes, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are important in fighting infections.

Cancer cells that break off from tumors and enter the lymph vessels can be carried to lymph nodes where they may continue to grow and form metastases. Doctors sometimes call metastasis to lymph nodes near the place a cancer developed "regional spread." This is to distinguish it from "distant spread" or distant metastasis. Distant spread generally occurs when cancer cells break off from tumors and enter the bloodstream, travel to other organs, and continue to grow into new tumors.

When cancer spreads, it is still named after the part of the body where it started. For example, if prostate cancer spreads to the brain, it is still called prostate cancer, and if breast cancer spreads to the lungs, it is still breast cancer. Breast cancer is a completely different disease than lung cancer, even though both diseases are cancer.

Visit: Living With Brain Mets for more information on Brain Mets & Various Cancers, Treatment Options, Patient Questions & Web Resources.

I found these terrific videos from an Australian site my friend works on. Have a look:

Breast Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Colon Cancer

Liver Cancer

Skin Cancer

Prostate Cancer

There are a lot of other videos in there, and yes, a video of the TomoTherapy HiARC, but as we all know, the Elekta VMAT is much superior in treating cancer. You can view the VMAT site here -Elekta VMAT
Elekta volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a new intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment technique that combines the market’s only fully digital linear accelerator, 3D volumetric imaging, and advanced treatment planning expertise. This powerful trio delivers a treatment that improves the sparing of critical structures and healthy tissue—in dramatically shorter treatment times—all without comprising target coverage and patient safety.

Conformance. One or multiple arcs for precise dose control resulting in better avoidance of critical structures.

Speed. Dramatically shorter treatment times than current IMRT techniques.

Ultra-low Dose. Allows daily 3D volumetric imaging and fewer MUs.

Stand Up to Cancer

2008-09-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Just spreading the word: Stand Up To Cancer
Here we stand, on the verge of unlocking the answers that will finally conquer the devastation that is cancer.

We now understand the very biology that drives cancer. With knowledge gained from the mapping of the human genome, we can now target the genes and pathways that are involved in turning normal cells into cancerous ones. We are on the brink of possessing a toolbox full of new, advanced technologies just waiting to be adapted to benefit patients. Right before us, so close we can almost touch them, are scientific breakthroughs in the prevention, detection, treatment and even reversal of this disease.

For the first time we can envision the possibility of stopping cancer in its tracks. But just when science is on the verge of giving us the breakthroughs that can end cancer, the will and the funding to do so are disappearing from the national agenda and from our collective consciousness.

Cancer takes one person every minute. One life in a moment. They are our brothers, our sisters, our fathers and mothers, our husbands and wives, our best friends, our children, ourselves. Every day in America 1500 people die and yet the means to save them are literally within our reach. To wait any longer for someone else to save our lives and the lives of those we love is unforgivable.

Inspired to act by our own personal experiences with cancer, we recognize that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need. So, we are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientist and clinicians work to understand and treat these diseases. Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry. It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.

This is where the end of cancer begins: when we unite in one unstoppable movement and Stand Up To Cancer.

How?

Working with the top experts in cancer research, Stand Up To Cancer is forging a new way to develop breakthroughs that will end cancer. We’re putting together the best and the brightest minds in cancer research – those on the edge of accomplishment – investing in their projects and taking the bureaucratic obstacles out of their way. We are building interdisciplinary “Dream Teams” of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts, who will focus on a specific cancer problem. We’ll track their progress in real time, so that everyone who invests can see how their participation is creating real change.

Funds will be administered by the American Association for Cancer Research, the largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research. Together with their scientific Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee, comprised of world-class scientists across several disciplines and patient advocates, the most promising projects will be identified.

ASTRO - 16 days to go

2008-09-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Who's going to the ROUM Meeting at the Wang Theather in Boston? Here's what's going on:

Elekta / ROUM Meeting Registration Link

Learn about latest advancements in RTP, VMAT Planning & Delivery and Image-Integrated EMR during The 17th Annual Radiation Oncology Users Meeting, on Saturday September 20, 2008. Taking place at the elaborate Wang Theater, Boston, MA, the meeting focuses on optimizing personal efficiency within the clinic through advanced and dynamic innovations from IMPAC, Elekta and CMS.

The day begins with a General Session for all attendees followed by a selection of nine concurrent breakout sessions to allow each attendee to focus their meeting experience to specific areas of interest – Oncology Information Systems, Delivery, Treatment Planning and/or Business.

Agenda-at-a-Glance

8:00 - 8:50 AM Breakfast and Registration

9:00 - 10:15 AM General Session

10:30 - 12:20 PM Breakout Sessions

12:20 - 1:30 PM Lunch

1:30 - 4:00 PM Breakout Sessions

The day’s activities culminate at the Users Party at the The Roxy, 7:30 – 11:00 PM where we anticipate more than 2,000 revelers.

Additional Information

This year's meeting will offer both MDCB (Medical Dosimetry Certification Board) and ASRT (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) CE credits, with an opportunity to earn up to seven credit hours from both organizations.

Shuttle transportation will be provided from main ASTRO, ASRT and SROA hotels throughout the day on Saturday.

Don't miss Pre-ASTRO MOSAIQ fee-based training courses.

Don't miss a site visit to see the Elekta Axesse at Tufts University Cancer Center will be guided by Elekta & Hospital staff.

Details

Where:

Wang Theater -
270 Tremont Street -
Boston, Massachusetts

ASTRO Tradeshow - 17 Days to Go!

2008-09-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

Meetings, meetings, meetings. Everything is well on track. Printed material out, video drafts complete. The ROUM video is excellent. You have to be at the Wang theater to see it. I'll post it after ASTRO.

The main video wall is going to look amazing. Josh from CMS created one of the best intro animations I have ever seen, totally blew us all away when we saw it today.

Included in the Video will be more in-depth views of the Elekta Virtual Clinic. Take a 3D tour of the most sophisticated hospital ever, including MRI, CT, Leksell Gamma Knife, Elekta Axesse, Elekta Synergy, Infinity and of course Elekta VMAT

Got the word from our German friends, the Medical Intelligence Hexapod will be there. Check out MI's site and equipment, quite the compliment to Elekta's family of equipment.

More Later
A.

ASTRO Tradeshow - 18 Days to Go!

2008-09-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on. ASTRO (http://www.astro.org) is in 18 days and I am almost ready. Have my flight to Boston booked and the Hotel too.

The Elekta booth is going to be amazing this year. It is the first time that Medical Intelligence, IMPAC, CMS and Elekta are all on the same booth, Booth 601.

It is such a crazy time as ESTRO starts on the 14th September and CNS is in Orlando on the 20th-25th September. All the artwork has been created and is off to the printers

Of course the most fun has got to be the ROUM Meeting - you can still register here - at the Wang Theater in Boston. I will actually get to see the Elekta Axesse™ up close and personal. It is the only machine I am missing, plus there will be an awesome training session of MOSAIQ
The Presentations are the things to see. A lot of new software and devices are going to be talked about and the animations are top notch! You have to be there!!

Elekta Virtual Clinic

2008-08-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Elekta Virtual Clinic

Great site for patients trying to figure out new technologies to treat cancer.

Technorati

2008-05-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Technorati Profile

Brain Mets

2008-05-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

So here it is, the new site: http://www.livingwithbrainmets.org . Still working on the Board of Contributors. More details later.