CD4+ cells act primarily by secreting soluble factors (cytokines)

CD4+ cells act primarily by secreting soluble factors (cytokines) that are FG-4592 chemical structure able to exert direct antimicrobial properties and affect the behaviour of other immune cells. In most cases, CD4+ cells help other immune cells perform their task and are, therefore, referred to as helper T cells (Th). Based on the types of cytokines they secrete and differing abilities to help other subsets of immune cells, several sub-populations of Th cells have been identified (Appendices, Supplementary Table 3). One subset of Th cells, the Th1 cells, appear to secrete mainly interferon-gamma (IFNγ),

a cytokine known to limit pathogen survival and spreading. It is also known to promote the differentiation of cytolytic cells that are able to destroy cells infected

with intracellular pathogens (see CD8+ T cells). Th1 cells are, therefore, considered important for inducing immune responses involved in the clearance of pathogens. Another subset of T helper cells, the Th2 cells, produce cytokines (interleukins [IL] IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) that appear particularly apt at activating innate cells (eosinophils, mast cells) which are often involved in the immune response to large extracellular parasites. Another subset, termed follicular T helper cells (Tfh) based on their tissue localisation in follicular structures, have been defined by secretion of IL-21, a cytokine thought to favour the secretion of antibodies by antigen-specific B cells. Identified around 2005, Tfh cells were thought to be part of the Th2 subset based on the profile of cytokines they produced, but have subsequently been identified as a distinct subset of T cells that Talazoparib concentration fulfil some of the roles originally attributed to Th2 cells. Activation of CD4+

cells represents a key step in setting in motion an adaptive immune response. Through their ability G protein-coupled receptor kinase to secrete cytokines, these helper cells will augment the capacity of other immune cells to perform their tasks. The adaptive immune response is frequently characterised by two effector cell populations, the CD8-expressing cytolytic T cells and the antibody-secreting B cells. CD8+ T cells exploit the TCR/MHC interaction around pathogen-derived peptides to detect and fight intracellular pathogens. To achieve this, CD8+ T cells rely on the fact that virtually all nucleated cells (with a few notable exceptions) present fragments of intracellular proteins at their surface as part of the body’s normal surveillance processes. In contrast to classically defined APCs, which display antigenic fragments in association with MHC class II molecules, non-immune cells use a closely related set of molecules to display peptides derived from the cytoplasm – the MHC class I molecules. This complex mechanism of antigen presentation allows CD8+ T cells to scan proteins from within the cell, while preserving the integrity of the cell membrane.

The concentrations were established as follows: (1) 1 g of crude

The concentrations were established as follows: (1) 1 g of crude oil was weighted using analytical balance with a precision of ±0.001 g, (2) The crude oil was homogenized with water using Branson ultrasonic sonifier and (3)

finally the required concentration was achieved by adding water. Fulvestrant In order to minimize the stress to D. magna, we used the same water in the experiments where the culture was derived. Control flasks with no crude oil were also ran in four replicates. When preparing the crude oil treatments in Ehlenmayer’s flasks one half (25 ml) of the water was placed into flask with 10 specimens and another half (25 ml) was added a double concentration of the crude oil respective to the treatments. In addition, we measured experiment medium with Scasy Scärfe system particle counter to guarantee the sufficient food density for the cladocerans according to the literature (McMahon and Rigler, 1965 and Schindler, 1968). We covered the test-flasks with aluminum foil to sterilize the test-medium and minimize the evaporation. The prepared Ehlenmeyer’s flasks were placed on platform shaker

Heidolph Unimax 2010 and run on the speed of 100 rmp. Although the oil emulsions were kept in suspension there was some accumulation in the surface layer. All the replicates were hold in test-conditions for 24 h at 20°C with a photoperiod of 16 h light and 8 h darkness. After 24 h all incubated D. magna specimens were measured using binocular with ocular micrometer and their conditions were assessed. The cladocerans were counted as dead when they exhibited no movement ABT-737 after being touched with a needle. During measurements all individuals were treated gently to minimize the disturbance of incubated D. magna outside the experiment. After tallying the cladocerans, live specimens were placed back to the same conditions they were kept before the crude oil treatments. Every replicate sample was kept separately and measured after 48, 72, and 96 h from commencement of the tests. The analysis of variance

(ANOVA) was performed to separate the effects of size classes and crude oil concentration on the survival rate of D. magna. Bartlett’s test was carried out prior to the analyses Mannose-binding protein-associated serine protease and the results confirmed the assumption of homoscedasticity. Post hoc Bonferroni tests were used to analyze which treatment levels were statistically different from each other ( Sokal and Rohlf, 1981). All analyzed factors and interactions had a statistically significant effect on the survival of D. magna ( Table 1 and Table 2). Specifically, crude oil had no significantly effect on D. magna below 100 mg L−1. Above this level, however, the increasing crude oil concentration almost linearly decreased the cladocerans’ survival ( Fig. 1). In addition, the experiment also demonstrated that the tolerance of D.

1A; Hetz, 2007, Käfer et al , 2012 and Moerbitz and Hetz, 2010)

1A; Hetz, 2007, Käfer et al., 2012 and Moerbitz and Hetz, 2010). Nevertheless, spiracle control functioned well at this lowest experimental ambient temperature. Honeybees, in comparison, fall into chill coma at Ta ∼ 10 °C and, losing control over their spiracles, emit CO2 continuously ( Kovac et al., 2007 and Lighton Linsitinib mouse and Lovegrove,

1990; compare Free and Spencer-Booth, 1960). With rising Ta, wasp DGC had closed phases and distinct flutter phases as found in many other resting insects (e.g. Chown and Davis, 2003, Hadley, 1994, Hetz and Bradley, 2005, Lighton, 1996, Lighton and Lovegrove, 1990, Sláma, 1999, Vogt and Appel, 1999 and Vogt and Appel, 2000). Open phases consisted of consecutive merging and in amplitude diminishing peaks at Tas of about 6–16 °C (Figs. 1B and 2A). The typical DGC pattern with closed, flutter and open phase appeared more and more distinctly ( Fig. 2B). With rising Ta, the DGC patterns changed Metformin in a way that the closed and flutter phases diminished in duration and then successively vanished entirely ( Fig 3). This result was in accordance to the findings of Contreras and Bradley (2010) in Rhodnius prolixus and Gromphadorhina portentosa, which showed that metabolic rate affects spiracle activity, which may be an explanation for the different patterns of gas exchange in one

species at different temperatures. At Ta ∼ 27.5 °C, 50% of the cycles showed flutter and closed phases (see Supplementary material, Table & Fig. S5). Closed phases ceased between 26.2 and 31.1 °C (i.e. at Ta = 31.1 °C no closed phases were detectable; see Fig. 3; Supplementary material, Table & Fig. S5). In R. prolixus, Contreras and Bradley (2010) still observed closed phases Amrubicin at Ta = 35 °C. It has to be kept in mind that they determined this relationship in a different experimental procedure, exposing insects to a temperature ramp while our insects were exposed to constant temperatures. A rough estimation of the cease temperature of closed phases can be done by determining the quotient of cycle to open phase duration (QC/O). We calculated a best fit curve of the QC/O from

the quotients of the original cycle and open-phase duration values. At a QC/O of 1, the open phase was as long as the respiration cycle, and the closed phase had vanished. This occurred at a temperature of 36.8 °C. This value corresponded almost exactly with the one determined from the best-fit curves for cycle and open phase duration in Fig. 3, which was 36.7 °C. Flutter phases ceased between 35.8 and 39.7 °C (see Fig. 3, Supplementary material S6). The fusion frequency of cycles should depend to a considerable degree on the relation between (basal) metabolic rate and CO2 buffer capacity of an insect. A prediction of Hetz (2007) suggests that DGCs should mainly occur in insects with large differences in metabolic rate due to changing temperatures or in insect species with huge spiracular conductance due to short-time high metabolic demands (e.g.

238 Future studies of nutritional interventions need to measure

238 Future studies of nutritional interventions need to measure

functional outcomes. Protein supplementation may serve as an important preventive and therapeutic intervention against functional decline, especially when implemented in frail older people with malnutrition.73, 227 and 238 When older people experience functional decline selleck antibody and lose their independence, health care costs significantly rise.239 For these reasons, it is important that studies investigating functional outcomes are undertaken when assessing efficacy and cost-effectiveness of specific interventions. To ensure appropriate care, it is likewise important to quantify functional capacity in relationship to needs for supportive social services. Vulnerable populations, such as those living in residential care or with dementia, should also not be excluded a priori from studies on the topic. For this article on protein nutrition for older people, members of the PROT-AGE Study Group reviewed an extensive medical literature and compiled evidence

to show that getting adequate dietary protein is important to maintaining functionality. We found that optimal protein intake for an older adult is higher than the level currently recommended for adults of all ages.1, 2 and 3 New evidence shows that higher dietary protein ingestion is beneficial to support good health, promote recovery from illness, and maintain functionality in older adults.5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 Based on our findings, we made updated Ion Channel Ligand Library solubility dmso recommendations for protein intake. Key PROT-AGE recommendations for dietary protein intake in older adults • To maintain physical function, older people need more dietary protein than do younger people; older people should consume an average daily intake at least in the range of 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg BW/d. Interleukin-3 receptor The PROT-AGE team thanks Cecilia Hofmann, PhD, for her valuable assistance with efficient compilation of the medical literature and with editing this systematic review. “
“Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are separate but related aspects of the disease process of venous thromboembolism (VTE).1 DVT of the lower extremities

is the most-frequent manifestation,2 whereas PE, the most urgent and serious, typically results from sudden occlusion of pulmonary arteries by a thrombus originating in the pelvis or calf.1 VTE has been described as a “silent killer”; most DVT cases are asymptomatic, and PE is often undetected until an autopsy is performed.3 Postevent mortality rates of 7% and 13% have been reported at 1 month4 and 11% and 15% at 6 months for DVT and PE, respectively.5 Acquired risk factors for VTE include previous VTE, frailty, cancer, hospitalization, surgery, advanced age, venous trauma, immobilization, estrogen therapy, inherited/acquired hypercoagulable state, acute medical illness, pregnancy, antiphospholipid antibodies, and several other implicated factors.

As an example, Figure 11 shows the baroclinic current υ_^g and th

As an example, Figure 11 shows the baroclinic current υ_^g and the difference υ_^−υ_^g of the total flow υ_ and the baroclinic flow part (both monthly means) for August 1991. It is seen that the baroclinic part generally forms a basin-wide anticyclonic circulation, which is opposite to the known cyclonic gyre. The speed increases towards the continental coast (Figure 11a). The difference plot (Figure 11b) shows that the baroclinic component amounts to 10% of the total flow weakening the cyclonic circulation. The Ekman regime is characterized by the balance of the Coriolis force and the vertical exchange of momentum:

−fυe(x,y,z,t)=∂∂z(Aυ(z)∂ue(x,y,z,t)∂z), fυe(x,y,z,t)=∂∂z(Aυ(z)∂ue(x,y,z,t)∂z). Bortezomib clinical trial In the work of Pohlmann (2003) the terms on the right-hand side are again calculated by means of the complete circulation model HAMSOM. From this forcing the Ekman flow (ue, υe) is deduced. Gefitinib supplier Aυ(z) is the vertical eddy coefficient

and depends on depth. Stronger currents (not Ekman balanced) are now appearing along the Norwegian coast. Figure 12a shows by way of example for August 1991 the monthly mean of the Ekman currents at 5 m depth. It has maximum values along the British coast with an onshore direction. Owing to stronger winds it is higher in winter. The difference plot (total current minus Ekman current) in Figure 12b exhibits a residual flow of equal magnitude, but directed offshore (which means a compensation of the Ekman current). The JEBAR term is a component of the oceanic vorticity balance; it describes how baroclinic pressure gradients force the flow in the case of a non-uniform bottom topography. Pohlmann (2003) analysed the vorticity balance of the North Sea for a certain time period, calculating separately the β-term, the vortex stretching and the JEBAR term.

From this study, Figure 13 shows the spatial structure of JEBAR for August 1991: J(χ,1H)=−fH(υ_g∇_H),withχ≡gρ0∫−H0zρdz. Maximum values are seen in the regions where density and topography gradients intersect. Examples are the outer estuaries of the Rivers Rhine and Elbe, the Norwegian Trench and the Fair Isle Passage. During summer the JEBAR gradients, which are directed towards the centre GPX6 of the North Sea, are enlarged as a result of the joint action of temperature and salinity gradients. Of the remaining terms of the vorticity balance, the temporal derivative and the β-term are smaller than JEBAR by one to two orders of magnitude, whereas the vortex stretching is equally important. Here we present some results of research work done at the Institute of Oceanography, University of Hamburg, within the last two decades. They concern storm surges and the budgets of heat and fresh water in the North Sea.

Research on SI is at an early stage, and to the authors’ knowledg

Research on SI is at an early stage, and to the authors’ knowledge no previous studies have systematically explored what resolution is required to resolve it in ocean models. As computational power increases, models are able to simultaneously Rucaparib resolve a richer set of dynamics by running at higher spatial resolution and incorporating more complex physical and biogeochemical parameterizations. However, higher spatial resolution introduces a new set of challenges as well, the first among

these being the issue of double-counting (Delworth et al., 2012). It is commonly thought that as models enter an “eddy-permitting” regime, where some (but not all) of the mesoscale eddies are explicitly resolved, parameterizations

should either be turned off or minimized in order to prevent both resolving and parameterizing the same eddies. One reason for this is that parameterizations can out-compete the resolved eddies for the energy sources required to grow, leaving the resolved eddies weak and ineffectual (Henning and Vallis, 2004). Therefore, one of the first steps to developing a skillful parameterization is to know when its use is appropriate, and when it should be turned off to avoid double-counting. The Venetoclax supplier issue of double-counting is not confined to just mesoscale eddies, however. Submesoscales develop at scales less than 10 km,

and these in turn will become partially resolved as GCM resolution becomes even finer in upcoming model generations. SI is one such submesoscale process, and ocean models will increasingly pass into a regime that could be described as “SI-permitting”. As is the case with mesoscale eddies, explicitly resolving only some of the SI modes can be expected to present a challenge in preventing double-counting by a parameterization. As of the writing of this paper no parameterization exists for SI in the oceanic mixed layer, and any forthcoming attempt at one will require knowledge of how SI OSBPL9 behaves when it is partially resolved. Symmetric instability in a stably stratified flow occurs when the Ertel PV takes on the opposite sign of f ( Hoskins, 1974). Fronts in the surface mixed layer of the ocean feature strong lateral density gradients, which in conjunction with wind forcing and/or buoyancy fluxes create conditions favorable to the development of SI ( Thomas and Taylor, 2010). SI is capable of restratifying the mixed layer on timescales shorter than that of baroclinic instability ( Haine and Marshall, 1998, Boccaletti et al., 2007 and Li et al., 2012), and both types of instability are central to setting the stratification of the surface ocean at strong fronts.

This point is illustrated by means of a generic reaction – the hy

This point is illustrated by means of a generic reaction – the hydrolysis of adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) and phosphate (all reactions discussed in this chapter pertain to aqueous media), equation(1)

ATP+H2O=ADP+phosphate.ATP+H2O=ADP+phosphate. The apparent equilibrium constant K′ for this reaction is equation(2) K′=[ADP][phosphate]/[ATP].K′=[ADP][phosphate]/[ATP]. By convention the concentration of water has been omitted in the expression for K′. The concentrations used in Eq. (2) are total concentrations of the various ionic and metal bound forms of the reactants and products. For example equation(3) [ATP]=[ATP4−]+[HATP3−]+[H2ATP2−]+[H3−ATP]+[MgATP2−]+−[MgHATP]+[MgH2ATP]+[Mg2ATP],[ATP]=[ATP4−]+[HATP3−]+[H2ATP2−]+[H3ATP−]+[MgATP2−]+[MgHATP−]+[MgH2ATP]+[Mg2ATP], mTOR inhibitor equation(4) [ADP]=[ADP3−]+[HADP2−]+[H2−ADP]+[−MgADP]+[MgHADP],[ADP]=[ADP3−]+[HADP2−]+[H2ADP−]+[MgADP−]+[MgHADP],

equation(5) [phosphate]=[PO43−]+[HPO42−]+[H2PO4−]+[H3PO4] If calcium or other metal ions are present, one must also consider additional, analogous species such as CaATP2−. The essential point is that, because biochemical reactants such as ATP, ADP, BIBF 1120 chemical structure and phosphate exist in several different ionic and metal bound forms, there is a multiplicity of species that make up each of these reactants. This, in turn, leads to the aforementioned dependencies of thermodynamic quantities on pH and pX. Illustrations of these dependencies are shown in Figure 1. These surface plots were calculated by using the equilibrium constant for the chemical reference reaction equation(6) ATP4−+H2O=ADP3−+HPO42−+H+,and Linifanib (ABT-869) equilibrium constants for the pertinent H+ and Mg2+ binding constants: equation(7) ATP4−++H=HATP3−,ATP4−+H+=HATP3−,

equation(8) ATP4−+Mg2+=MgATP2−,ATP4−+Mg2+=MgATP2−, equation(9) HATP3−++H=H2ATP2−,HATP3−+H+=H2ATP2−, equation(10) HATP3−+Mg2+=MgHATP−,etc. It is important to recognize that the equilibrium constants K for reactions (6), (7), (8), (9) and (10) pertain to specific chemical species. Clearly, these chemical reactions must balance both the number of atoms and the charges. While equilibrium constants K depend on temperature and ionic strength they do not depend on pH or pX as do apparent equilibrium constants K′. Thus, it is important to maintain a clear distinction between K and K′ ( Alberty et al., 2011). The book Thermodynamics of Biochemical Reactions ( Alberty, 2003) contains a definitive treatment of transformed thermodynamic properties and many examples involving biochemical reactions. In 2002 IUPAC established a project to create standardized mechanisms for thermodynamic data communications using XML (Extensible Markup Language) technology. The aim is to enhance efficient information transfer all the way from measurement to publication to data-management systems and to scientific and engineering applications.

The cDNA was then synthesized, cloned, and packed using the ZAP-c

The cDNA was then synthesized, cloned, and packed using the ZAP-cDNA synthesis kit and the ZAP-cDNA

Gigapack III Gold Packaging Extract (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA, USA) following the manufacture’s instructions. After packaging, the obtained P. nordestina skin cDNA library was plated and the isolated phage clones were randomly collected in SM buffer (10 mM NaCl; 8 mM MgSO4; 50 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.5; 0.01% gelatin) containing 0.3% chloroform, before the recovery of the phagemid Apoptosis inhibitor containing the recombinant cDNA by in vivo excision. Alternatively, some of the clones were isolated after mass excision of the library. After in vivo excision the plasmid cDNA clones were then amplified and purified by alkaline lysis using Wizard Minipreps DNA Purification kit (Promega, Madison, WI, USA). The nucleotide

sequence was determined by the dideoxy chain-termination method using the BigDye™ Terminator Cycle Sequence Kit and the ABI 310 automatic system (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). The analysis of sequences was conducted using a set of web based analysis programs. Sequence quality was first analyzed Selleckchem Enzalutamide with the Phred and Crossmatch software packages to remove low quality ends (Green, 1996). After this preliminary analysis, only good quality sequences (phred > 20) with a length longer than 150 bp were considered for definitive annotation. The collection of good quality sequences was organized into clusters by using CAP3 software. We took into account overlaps of 50 bp that had at least 98% identity (Huang

and Madan, 1999). The obtained sequences were compared to protein GenBank NR (http://www.ncbi.nih.gov) and Swissprot release 44 (ftp.ebi.ac.uk/pub/databases/swissprot/release/) PRKD3 databases using the BLASTx program (Altschul et al., 1990). Gene descriptions and EC numbers from Swissprot best hits and their associated product names were automatically assigned using 10−10 as the e-value cutoff. Thereafter, the ESTs were manually inspected by comparing the BLAST results with the automatically annotated EC numbers for functional classification. After this, an additional annotation allowing the alignment was conducted comparing the predicted protein sequences of clusters with Uniprot database and Swiss-Prot, SP-TrEMBL and stable Ensembl proteomes databases using the SMART software (Schultz et al., 1998). The average readable sequence length was of 390 bp, and only those considered having good quality were used to proceed with annotation. In this work, a total of 212ESTs or clusters were analyzed.

, 2009) In this section, we look at several sources of plastic l

, 2009). In this section, we look at several sources of plastic litter and discuss both direct and indirect routes by which plastic can enter the marine environment. Whilst the emphasis of this review is on microplastics, in this section we also consider the indiscriminate disposal of macroplastics, as, with time, they have the potential to degrade into secondary microplastics. Plastic litter with a terrestrial source contributes ∼80% of the plastics found in marine litter (Andrady, 2011). Such plastics include primary microplastics used in cosmetics and air-blasting,

improperly disposed “user” plastics and plastic leachates from refuse sites. With approximately Roxadustat order half the world’s population residing within fifty miles of the coast, these kinds of plastic have a high potential to enter the marine environment via rivers and wastewater-systems, or by being blown off-shore (Moore, 2008 and Thompson, 2006). Microplastics used both in cosmetics and as air-blasting media can enter waterways via domestic or industrial drainage systems (Derraik, 2002); whilst waste-water treatment plants will trap macroplastics and some small plastic debris within oxidation ponds or sewage sludge, a large proportion of microplastics will signaling pathway pass through such filtration systems

(Browne et al., 2007, Fendall and Sewell, 2009 and Gregory, 1996). Plastics that enter river systems – either directly or within waste-water effluent or in refuse site leachates – will then be transported out to sea. A number of studies have shown how the high unidirectional flow of freshwater systems drives the movement of plastic debris into the oceans (Browne et al., 2010 and Moore et al., 2002). Using water samples from two Los Angeles (California, USA) rivers collected in 2004–2005, Moore (2008) quantified

the amount of plastic fragments present that were <5 mm in diameter. Extrapolating the resultant data revealed that these two rivers alone oxyclozanide would release over 2 billion plastic particles into the marine environment over a 3-day period. Extreme weather, such as flash flooding or hurricanes, can exacerbate this transfer of terrestrial debris from land to sea (Barnes et al., 2009 and Thompson et al., 2005). Work conducted by Moore et al. (2002) showed neustonic litter (small, surface plastic debris) <4.75 mm in diameter in Californian waters near the mouth of a modified Los Angeles stormwater conveyance system increased from 10 plastic items/m3 to 60 plastic items/m3 following a storm. The work further showed how increased water volume in the river, due to the recent storm, resulted in litter being deposited at even greater distances from the river mouth. Similarly, in a study by Lattin et al. (2004), microplastic concentrations 0.8 km off the southern Californian coast jumped from an average <1 item/m3, to 18 items/m3 following a storm.

3) Ve

3). Ganetespib manufacturer These sectors were created by dividing the CTV (for volumetric analysis) or PTV (for dosimetric analysis) into superior, midgland, and inferior sections, respectively (0.3 cm, 0.4 cm, and 0.3 cm of the base–apex length of the CTV

or PTV), which were then partitioned into posterior, anterior, or lateral portions of the gland. The motivation behind such a division was to identify whether there was a region-specific variability in the results, given that there may be different consequences to treatment from segmentation errors in different regions of the implantation volume [20] and [21]. For example, overcontouring the posterior region of the gland may increase the risk of severe rectal complications. A similar sector-based study was performed by Bice et al. (22) for a more localized dose–volume histogram analysis of postimplant dose distributions. The four volumetric comparison measures, which we described in our earlier reports (17) are summarized in Table 1 and illustrated in Fig. 4. For evaluation of the dose distribution, the following parameters were computed. The volume of the PTV receiving 100% or more of

the prescribed dose, was computed for the nine sectors of the PTV and the whole PTV. These values were calculated by the VariSeed software. To characterize extraprostatic dose, the external index (EI) (24), defined in Eq. 5, measures AG-014699 mouse the amount of tissue external to the PTV that receives doses of 150% or more of the prescribed dose. equation(5) EI150=(isoV150−V150)/V isoV150 is the total volume of the 150% isodose surface, V150 is the

volume of the PTV receiving 150% or more of the prescribed dose (the volume of the intersection between the isoV150 and PTV surfaces) and V is the volume of the PTV. Ideally, EI150 is zero. A 3D extension of the conformity index (CI) defined by Otto and Clark (25) is used, which measures Branched chain aminotransferase both the undercoverage of the target as well as the overtreatment of the normal tissues. equation(6) CI100%=100×volume of region−(volume of region underdose+volume of healthy tissue dose)volume of region In Eq. 6, volume of region is the volume of the PTV (or one of its nine sectors), volume of region underdose is the volume of the PTV (or one of its nine sectors) that is receiving less than 100% of the prescribed dose, and volume of healthy tissue dose is the volume of the region outside the PTV (or one of its nine sectors) that is receiving 100% or more of the prescribed dose. A maximum conformity value of 1 shows perfect conformity of the 100% isodose to the region being observed. We would like to note that although the above-mentioned dose parameters are computed to evaluate the TES method, our planning process places quantitative constraints only on the whole prostate and whole PTV and CTV V100 and V150.