Weakly-tunable transmon qubits in a multi-qubit architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertzberg, Jared; Bronn, Nicholas; Corcoles, Antonio; Brink, Markus; Keefe, George; Takita, Maika; Hutchings, M.; Plourde, B. L. T.; Gambetta, Jay; Chow, Jerry

Quantum error-correction employing a 2D lattice of qubits requires a strong coupling between adjacent qubits and consistently high gate fidelity among them. In such a system, all-microwave cross-resonance gates offer simplicity of setup and operation. However, the relative frequencies of adjacent qubits must be carefully arranged in order to optimize gate rates and eliminate unwanted couplings. We discuss the incorporation of weakly-flux-tunable transmon qubits into such an architecture. Using DC tuning through filtered flux-bias lines, we adjust qubit frequencies while minimizing the effects of flux noise on decoherence.

A novel method to correct for pitch and yaw patient setup errors in helical tomotherapy.

PubMed

Boswell, Sarah A; Jeraj, Robert; Ruchala, Kenneth J; Olivera, Gustavo H; Jaradat, Hazim A; James, Joshua A; Gutierrez, Alonso; Pearson, Dave; Frank, Gary; Mackie, T Rock

2005-06-01

An accurate means of determining and correcting for daily patient setup errors is important to the cancer outcome in radiotherapy. While many tools have been developed to detect setup errors, difficulty may arise in accurately adjusting the patient to account for the rotational error components. A novel, automated method to correct for rotational patient setup errors in helical tomotherapy is proposed for a treatment couch that is restricted to motion along translational axes. In tomotherapy, only a narrow superior/inferior section of the target receives a dose at any instant, thus rotations in the sagittal and coronal planes may be approximately corrected for by very slow continuous couch motion in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. Results from proof-of-principle tests indicate that the method improves the accuracy of treatment delivery, especially for long and narrow targets. Rotational corrections about an axis perpendicular to the transverse plane continue to be implemented easily in tomotherapy by adjustment of the initial gantry angle.

Weak e+e- lines from internal pair conversion observed in collisions of 238U with heavy nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinz, S.; Berdermann, E.; Heine, F.; Joeres, O.; Kienle, P.; Koenig, I.; Koenig, W.; Kozhuharov, C.; Leinberger, U.; Rhein, M.; Schröter, A.; Tsertos, H.

1998-01-01

We present the results of a Doppler-shift correction to the measured e+e- sum-energy spectra obtained from e+e- coincidence measurements in 238U +206Pb and 238U +181Ta collisions at beam energies close to the Coulomb barrier, using an improved experimental setup at the double-Orange spectrometer of GSI. Internal-Pair-Conversion (IPC) e+e- pairs from discrete nuclear transitions of a moving emitter have been observed following Coulomb excitation of the 1.844 MeV (E1) transition in 206Pb and neutron transfer to the 1.770 MeV (M1) transition in 207Pb. In the collision system 238U +181Ta, IPC transitions were observed from the Ta-like as well as from the U-like nuclei. In all systems the Doppler-shift corrected e+e- sum-energy spectra show weak lines at the energies expected from the corresponding γ ray spectra with cross sections being consistent with the measured excitation cross sections of the γ lines and the theoretically predicted IPC coefficients. No other than IPC e+e- sum-energy lines were found in the measured spectra. The transfer cross sections show a strong dependence on the distance of closest approach (Rmin), thus signaling also a strong dependence on the bombarding energy close to the Coulomb barrier.

Helical tomotherapy setup variations in canine nasal tumor patients immobilized with a bite block.

PubMed

Kubicek, Lyndsay N; Seo, Songwon; Chappell, Richard J; Jeraj, Robert; Forrest, Lisa J

2012-01-01

The purpose of our study was to compare setup variation in four degrees of freedom (vertical, longitudinal, lateral, and roll) between canine nasal tumor patients immobilized with a mattress and bite block, versus a mattress alone. Our secondary aim was to define a clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) expansion margin based on our mean systematic error values associated with nasal tumor patients immobilized by a mattress and bite block. We evaluated six parameters for setup corrections: systematic error, random error, patient-patient variation in systematic errors, the magnitude of patient-specific random errors (root mean square [RMS]), distance error, and the variation of setup corrections from zero shift. The variations in all parameters were statistically smaller in the group immobilized by a mattress and bite block. The mean setup corrections in the mattress and bite block group ranged from 0.91 mm to 1.59 mm for the translational errors and 0.5°. Although most veterinary radiation facilities do not have access to Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), we identified a need for more rigid fixation, established the value of adding IGRT to veterinary radiation therapy, and define the CTV-PTV setup error margin for canine nasal tumor patients immobilized in a mattress and bite block. © 2012 Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound.

Proportional Counter Calibration and Analysis for 12C + p Resonance Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Austin; Rogachev, Grigory; Uberseder, Ethan; Hooker, Josh; Koshchiy, Yevgen

2014-09-01

Light exotic nuclei provide a unique opportunity to test the predictions of modern ab initio theoretical calculations near the drip line. In ab initio approaches, nuclear structure is described starting from bare nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions. Calculations are very heavy and can only be performed for the lightest nuclei (A < 16). Experimental information on the structure of light exotic nuclei is crucial to determine the validity of these calculations and to fix the parameters for the three-nucleon forces. Resonance scattering with rare isotope beams is a very effective tool to study spectroscopy of nuclei near the drip line. A new setup was developed at the Cyclotron Institute for effective resonance scattering measurements. The setup includes ionization chamber, silicon array, and an array of proportional counters. The proportional counter array, consisting of 8 anode wires arranged in a parallel cellular grid, is used for particle identification and to track the positioning of light recoils. The main objective of this project was to test the performance and perform position calibration of this proportional counter array. The test was done using 12C beam. The excitation function for 12C + p elastic scattering was measured and calibration of the proportional counter was performed using known resonances in 13N. The method of calibration, including solid angle calculations, normalization corrections, and position calibration will be presented. Light exotic nuclei provide a unique opportunity to test the predictions of modern ab initio theoretical calculations near the drip line. In ab initio approaches, nuclear structure is described starting from bare nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions. Calculations are very heavy and can only be performed for the lightest nuclei (A < 16). Experimental information on the structure of light exotic nuclei is crucial to determine the validity of these calculations and to fix the parameters for the three-nucleon forces. Resonance scattering with rare isotope beams is a very effective tool to study spectroscopy of nuclei near the drip line. A new setup was developed at the Cyclotron Institute for effective resonance scattering measurements. The setup includes ionization chamber, silicon array, and an array of proportional counters. The proportional counter array, consisting of 8 anode wires arranged in a parallel cellular grid, is used for particle identification and to track the positioning of light recoils. The main objective of this project was to test the performance and perform position calibration of this proportional counter array. The test was done using 12C beam. The excitation function for 12C + p elastic scattering was measured and calibration of the proportional counter was performed using known resonances in 13N. The method of calibration, including solid angle calculations, normalization corrections, and position calibration will be presented. Funded by DOE and NSF-REU Program; Grant No. PHY-1263281.

Accuracy of off-line bioluminescence imaging to localize targets in preclinical radiation research.

PubMed

Tuli, Richard; Armour, Michael; Surmak, Andrew; Reyes, Juvenal; Iordachita, Iulian; Patterson, Michael; Wong, John

2013-04-01

In this study, we investigated the accuracy of using off-line bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and tomography (BLT) to guide irradiation of small soft tissue targets on a small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) with on-board cone beam CT (CBCT) capability. A small glass bulb containing BL cells was implanted as a BL source in the abdomen of 11 mouse carcasses. Bioluminescence imaging and tomography were acquired for each carcass. Six carcasses were setup visually without immobilization and 5 were restrained in position with tape. All carcasses were setup in treatment position on the SARRP where the centroid position of the bulb on CBCT was taken as "truth". In the 2D visual setup, the carcass was setup by aligning the point of brightest luminescence with the vertical beam axis. In the CBCT assisted setup, the pose of the carcass on CBCT was aligned with that on the 2D BL image for setup. For both 2D setup methods, the offset of the bulb centroid on CBCT from the vertical beam axis was measured. In the BLT-CBCT fusion method, the 3D torso on BLT and CBCT was registered and the 3D offset of the respective source centroids was calculated. The setup results were independent of the carcass being immobilized or not due to the onset of rigor mortis. The 2D offset of the perceived BL source position from the CBCT bulb position was 2.3 mm ± 1.3 mm. The 3D offset between BLT and CBCT was 1.5 mm ± 0.9 mm. Given the rigidity of the carcasses, the setup results represent the best that can be achieved with off-line 2D BLI and 3D BLT. The setup uncertainty would require the use of undesirably large margin of 4-5 mm. The results compel the implementation of on-board BLT capability on the SARRP to eliminate setup error and to improve BLT accuracy.

Accuracy of Off-Line Bioluminescence Imaging to Localize Targets in Preclinical Radiation Research

PubMed Central

Tuli, Richard; Armour, Michael; Surmak, Andrew; Reyes, Juvenal; Iordachita, Iulian; Patterson, Michael; Wong, John

2013-01-01

In this study, we investigated the accuracy of using off-line bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and tomography (BLT) to guide irradiation of small soft tissue targets on a small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) with on-board cone beam CT (CBCT) capability. A small glass bulb containing BL cells was implanted as a BL source in the abdomen of 11 mouse carcasses. Bioluminescence imaging and tomography were acquired for each carcass. Six carcasses were setup visually without immobilization and 5 were restrained in position with tape. All carcasses were setup in treatment position on the SARRP where the centroid position of the bulb on CBCT was taken as “truth”. In the 2D visual setup, the carcass was setup by aligning the point of brightest luminescence with the vertical beam axis. In the CBCT assisted setup, the pose of the carcass on CBCT was aligned with that on the 2D BL image for setup. For both 2D setup methods, the offset of the bulb centroid on CBCT from the vertical beam axis was measured. In the BLT-CBCT fusion method, the 3D torso on BLT and CBCT was registered and the 3D offset of the respective source centroids was calculated. The setup results were independent of the carcass being immobilized or not due to the onset of rigor mortis. The 2D offset of the perceived BL source position from the CBCT bulb position was 2.3 mm ± 1.3 mm. The 3D offset between BLT and CBCT was 1.5 mm ± 0.9 mm. Given the rigidity of the carcasses, the setup results represent the best that can be achieved with off-line 2D BLI and 3D BLT. The setup uncertainty would require the use of undesirably large margin of 4–5 mm. The results compel the implementation of on-board BLT capability on the SARRP to eliminate setup error and to improve BLT accuracy. PMID:23578189

Determination of plutonium in nitric acid solutions using energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence with a low power X-ray generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Py, J.; Groetz, J.-E.; Hubinois, J.-C.; Cardona, D.

2015-04-01

This work presents the development of an in-line energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence spectrometer set-up, with a low power X-ray generator and a secondary target, for the determination of plutonium concentration in nitric acid solutions. The intensity of the L X-rays from the internal conversion and gamma rays emitted by the daughter nuclei from plutonium is minimized and corrected, in order to eliminate the interferences with the L X-ray fluorescence spectrum. The matrix effects are then corrected by the Compton peak method. A calibration plot for plutonium solutions within the range 0.1-20 g L-1 is given.

Positioning accuracy for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy patients determined by on-treatment cone-beam CT imaging

PubMed Central

Richmond, N D; Pilling, K E; Peedell, C; Shakespeare, D; Walker, C P

2012-01-01

Stereotactic body radiotherapy for early stage non-small cell lung cancer is an emerging treatment option in the UK. Since relatively few high-dose ablative fractions are delivered to a small target volume, the consequences of a geometric miss are potentially severe. This paper presents the results of treatment delivery set-up data collected using Elekta Synergy (Elekta, Crawley, UK) cone-beam CT imaging for 17 patients immobilised using the Bodyfix system (Medical Intelligence, Schwabmuenchen, Germany). Images were acquired on the linear accelerator at initial patient treatment set-up, following any position correction adjustments, and post-treatment. These were matched to the localisation CT scan using the Elekta XVI software. In total, 71 fractions were analysed for patient set-up errors. The mean vector error at initial set-up was calculated as 5.3±2.7 mm, which was significantly reduced to 1.4±0.7 mm following image guided correction. Post-treatment the corresponding value was 2.1±1.2 mm. The use of the Bodyfix abdominal compression plate on 5 patients to reduce the range of tumour excursion during respiration produced mean longitudinal set-up corrections of −4.4±4.5 mm compared with −0.7±2.6 mm without compression for the remaining 12 patients. The use of abdominal compression led to a greater variation in set-up errors and a shift in the mean value. PMID:22665927

[Statistical Process Control (SPC) can help prevent treatment errors without increasing costs in radiotherapy].

PubMed

Govindarajan, R; Llueguera, E; Melero, A; Molero, J; Soler, N; Rueda, C; Paradinas, C

2010-01-01

Statistical Process Control (SPC) was applied to monitor patient set-up in radiotherapy and, when the measured set-up error values indicated a loss of process stability, its root cause was identified and eliminated to prevent set-up errors. Set up errors were measured for medial-lateral (ml), cranial-caudal (cc) and anterior-posterior (ap) dimensions and then the upper control limits were calculated. Once the control limits were known and the range variability was acceptable, treatment set-up errors were monitored using sub-groups of 3 patients, three times each shift. These values were plotted on a control chart in real time. Control limit values showed that the existing variation was acceptable. Set-up errors, measured and plotted on a X chart, helped monitor the set-up process stability and, if and when the stability was lost, treatment was interrupted, the particular cause responsible for the non-random pattern was identified and corrective action was taken before proceeding with the treatment. SPC protocol focuses on controlling the variability due to assignable cause instead of focusing on patient-to-patient variability which normally does not exist. Compared to weekly sampling of set-up error in each and every patient, which may only ensure that just those sampled sessions were set-up correctly, the SPC method enables set-up error prevention in all treatment sessions for all patients and, at the same time, reduces the control costs. Copyright © 2009 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tanabe, S; Utsunomiya, S; Abe, E

Purpose: To assess an accuracy of fiducial maker-based setup using ExacTrac (ExT-based setup) as compared with soft tissue-based setup using Cone-beam CT (CBCT-based setup) for patients with prostate cancer receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for the purpose of investigating whether ExT-based setup can be an alternative to CBCT-based setup. Methods: The setup accuracy was analyzed prospectively for 7 prostate cancer patients with implanted three fiducial markers received IMRT. All patients were treated after CBCT-based setup was performed and corresponding shifts were recorded. ExacTrac images were obtained before and after CBCT-based setup. The fiducial marker-based shifts were calculated based on thosemore » two images and recorded on the assumption that the setup correction was carried out by fiducial marker-based auto correction. Mean and standard deviation of absolute differences and the correlation between CBCT and ExT shifts were estimated. Results: A total of 178 image dataset were analyzed. On the differences between CBCT and ExT shifts, 133 (75%) of 178 image dataset resulted in smaller differences than 3 mm in all dimensions. Mean differences in the anterior-posterior (AP), superior-inferior (SI), and left-right (LR) dimensions were 1.8 ± 1.9 mm, 0.7 ± 1.9 mm, and 0.6 ± 0.8 mm, respectively. The percentages of shift agreements within ±3 mm were 76% for AP, 90% for SI, and 100% for LR. The Pearson coefficient of correlation for CBCT and ExT shifts were 0.80 for AP, 0.80 for SI, and 0.65 for LR. Conclusion: This work showed that the accuracy of ExT-based setup was correlated with that of CBCT-based setup, implying that ExT-based setup has a potential ability to be an alternative to CBCT-based setup. The further work is to specify the conditions that ExT-based setup can provide the accuracy comparable to CBCT-based setup.« less

Frameless fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy of intracranial lesions: impact of cone beam CT based setup correction on dose distribution

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of Cone Beam CT (CBCT) based setup correction on total dose distributions in fractionated frameless stereotactic radiation therapy of intracranial lesions. Methods Ten patients with intracranial lesions treated with 30 Gy in 6 fractions were included in this study. Treatment planning was performed with Oncentra® for a SynergyS® (Elekta Ltd, Crawley, UK) linear accelerator with XVI® Cone Beam CT, and HexaPOD™ couch top. Patients were immobilized by thermoplastic masks (BrainLab, Reuther). After initial patient setup with respect to lasers, a CBCT study was acquired and registered to the planning CT (PL-CT) study. Patient positioning was corrected according to the correction values (translational, rotational) calculated by the XVI® system. Afterwards a second CBCT study was acquired and registered to the PL-CT to confirm the accuracy of the corrections. An in-house developed software was used for rigid transformation of the PL-CT to the CBCT geometry, and dose calculations for each fraction were performed on the transformed CT. The total dose distribution was achieved by back-transformation and summation of the dose distributions of each fraction. Dose distributions based on PL-CT, CBCT (laser set-up), and final CBCT were compared to assess the influence of setup inaccuracies. Results The mean displacement vector, calculated over all treatments, was reduced from (4.3 ± 1.3) mm for laser based setup to (0.5 ± 0.2) mm if CBCT corrections were applied. The mean rotational errors around the medial-lateral, superior-inferior, anterior-posterior axis were reduced from (−0.1 ± 1.4)°, (0.1 ± 1.2)° and (−0.2 ± 1.0)°, to (0.04 ± 0.4)°, (0.01 ± 0.4)° and (0.02 ± 0.3)°. As a consequence the mean deviation between planned and delivered dose in the planning target volume (PTV) could be reduced from 12.3% to 0.4% for D95 and from 5.9% to 0.1% for Dav. Maximum deviation was reduced from 31.8% to 0.8% for D95, and from 20.4% to 0.1% for Dav. Conclusion Real dose distributions differ substantially from planned dose distributions, if setup is performed according to lasers only. Thermoplasic masks combined with a daily CBCT enabled a sufficient accuracy in dose distribution. PMID:23800172

Sea-ice evaluation of NEMO-Nordic 1.0: a NEMO-LIM3.6-based ocean-sea-ice model setup for the North Sea and Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pemberton, Per; Löptien, Ulrike; Hordoir, Robinson; Höglund, Anders; Schimanke, Semjon; Axell, Lars; Haapala, Jari

2017-08-01

The Baltic Sea is a seasonally ice-covered marginal sea in northern Europe with intense wintertime ship traffic and a sensitive ecosystem. Understanding and modeling the evolution of the sea-ice pack is important for climate effect studies and forecasting purposes. Here we present and evaluate the sea-ice component of a new NEMO-LIM3.6-based ocean-sea-ice setup for the North Sea and Baltic Sea region (NEMO-Nordic). The setup includes a new depth-based fast-ice parametrization for the Baltic Sea. The evaluation focuses on long-term statistics, from a 45-year long hindcast, although short-term daily performance is also briefly evaluated. We show that NEMO-Nordic is well suited for simulating the mean sea-ice extent, concentration, and thickness as compared to the best available observational data set. The variability of the annual maximum Baltic Sea ice extent is well in line with the observations, but the 1961-2006 trend is underestimated. Capturing the correct ice thickness distribution is more challenging. Based on the simulated ice thickness distribution we estimate the undeformed and deformed ice thickness and concentration in the Baltic Sea, which compares reasonably well with observations.

Analysis of image sharpness reproducibility on a novel engineered micro-CT scanner with variable geometry and embedded recalibration software.

PubMed

Panetta, D; Belcari, N; Del Guerra, A; Bartolomei, A; Salvadori, P A

2012-04-01

This study investigates the reproducibility of the reconstructed image sharpness, after modifications of the geometry setup, for a variable magnification micro-CT (μCT) scanner. All the measurements were performed on a novel engineered μCT scanner for in vivo imaging of small animals (Xalt), which has been recently built at the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the National Research Council (IFC-CNR, Pisa, Italy), in partnership with the University of Pisa. The Xalt scanner is equipped with an integrated software for on-line geometric recalibration, which will be used throughout the experiments. In order to evaluate the losses of image quality due to modifications of the geometry setup, we have made 22 consecutive acquisitions by changing alternatively the system geometry between two different setups (Large FoV - LF, and High Resolution - HR). For each acquisition, the tomographic images have been reconstructed before and after the on-line geometric recalibration. For each reconstruction, the image sharpness was evaluated using two different figures of merit: (i) the percentage contrast on a small bar pattern of fixed frequency (f = 5.5 lp/mm for the LF setup and f = 10 lp/mm for the HR setup) and (ii) the image entropy. We have found that, due to the small-scale mechanical uncertainty (in the order of the voxel size), a recalibration is necessary for each geometric setup after repositioning of the system's components; the resolution losses due to the lack of recalibration are worse for the HR setup (voxel size = 18.4 μm). The integrated on-line recalibration algorithm of the Xalt scanner allowed to perform the recalibration quickly, by restoring the spatial resolution of the system to the reference resolution obtained after the initial (off-line) calibration. Copyright © 2011 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography–Guided Positioning of Laryngeal Cancer Patients with Large Interfraction Time Trends in Setup and Nonrigid Anatomy Variations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gangsaas, Anne, E-mail: a.gangsaas@erasmusmc.nl; Astreinidou, Eleftheria; Quint, Sandra

2013-10-01

Purpose: To investigate interfraction setup variations of the primary tumor, elective nodes, and vertebrae in laryngeal cancer patients and to validate protocols for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-guided correction. Methods and Materials: For 30 patients, CBCT-measured displacements in fractionated treatments were used to investigate population setup errors and to simulate residual setup errors for the no action level (NAL) offline protocol, the extended NAL (eNAL) protocol, and daily CBCT acquisition with online analysis and repositioning. Results: Without corrections, 12 of 26 patients treated with radical radiation therapy would have experienced a gradual change (time trend) in primary tumor setup ≥4more » mm in the craniocaudal (CC) direction during the fractionated treatment (11/12 in caudal direction, maximum 11 mm). Due to these trends, correction of primary tumor displacements with NAL resulted in large residual CC errors (required margin 6.7 mm). With the weekly correction vector adjustments in eNAL, the trends could be largely compensated (CC margin 3.5 mm). Correlation between movements of the primary and nodal clinical target volumes (CTVs) in the CC direction was poor (r{sup 2}=0.15). Therefore, even with online setup corrections of the primary CTV, the required CC margin for the nodal CTV was as large as 6.8 mm. Also for the vertebrae, large time trends were observed for some patients. Because of poor CC correlation (r{sup 2}=0.19) between displacements of the primary CTV and the vertebrae, even with daily online repositioning of the vertebrae, the required CC margin around the primary CTV was 6.9 mm. Conclusions: Laryngeal cancer patients showed substantial interfraction setup variations, including large time trends, and poor CC correlation between primary tumor displacements and motion of the nodes and vertebrae (internal tumor motion). These trends and nonrigid anatomy variations have to be considered in the choice of setup verification protocol and planning target volume margins. eNAL could largely compensate time trends with minor prolongation of fraction time.« less

On-line carbon balance of yeast fermentations using miniaturized optical sensors.

PubMed

Beuermann, Thomas; Egly, Dominik; Geoerg, Daniel; Klug, Kerris Isolde; Storhas, Winfried; Methner, Frank-Juergen

2012-03-01

Monitoring of microbiological processes using optical sensors and spectrometers has gained in importance over the past few years due to its advantage in enabling non-invasive on-line analysis. Near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometer set-ups in combination with multivariate calibrations have already been successfully employed for the simultaneous determination of different metabolites in microbiological processes. Photometric sensors, in addition to their low price compared to spectrometer set-ups, have the advantage of being compact and are easy to calibrate and operate. In this work, the detection of ethanol and CO(2) in the exhaust gas during aerobic yeast fermentation was performed by two photometric gas analyzers, and dry yeast biomass was monitored using a fiber optic backscatter set-up. The optical sensors could be easily fitted to the bioreactor and exhibited high robustness during measuring. The ethanol content of the fermentation broth was monitored on-line by measuring the ethanol concentration in the fermentation exhaust and applying a conversion factor. The vapor/liquid equilibrium and the associated conversion factor strongly depend on the process parameter temperature but not on aeration and stirring rate. Dry yeast biomass was determined in-line by a backscattering signal applying a linear calibration. An on-line balance with a recovery rate of 95-97% for carbon was achieved with the use of three optical sensors (two infrared gas analyzers and one fiber optic backscatter set-up). Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Linear positioning laser calibration setup of CNC machine tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Xiulin; Yang, Congjing

2002-10-01

The linear positioning laser calibration setup of CNC machine tools is capable of executing machine tool laser calibraiotn and backlash compensation. Using this setup, hole locations on CNC machien tools will be correct and machien tool geometry will be evaluated and adjusted. Machien tool laser calibration and backlash compensation is a simple and straightforward process. First the setup is to 'find' the stroke limits of the axis. Then the laser head is then brought into correct alignment. Second is to move the machine axis to the other extreme, the laser head is now aligned, using rotation and elevation adjustments. Finally the machine is moved to the start position and final alignment is verified. The stroke of the machine, and the machine compensation interval dictate the amount of data required for each axis. These factors determine the amount of time required for a through compensation of the linear positioning accuracy. The Laser Calibrator System monitors the material temperature and the air density; this takes into consideration machine thermal growth and laser beam frequency. This linear positioning laser calibration setup can be used on CNC machine tools, CNC lathes, horizontal centers and vertical machining centers.

SU-F-J-21: Clinical Evaluation of Surface Scanning Systems in Different Treatment Locations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, T; Karger, C; Stefanowicz, S

Purpose: To reduce imaging dose in fractionated IGRT, the ability of optical surface imaging systems (OSIS) to detect setup errors was tested. Therefore, clinical studies to evaluate for different treatment locations setup corrections derived by OSIS in comparison with x-ray image guidance in fractionated radiation therapy was performed. Methods: The setup correction accuracy of an OSIS system (AlignRT, VisionRT, London, UK) will be analysed for the 4 tumour locations Pelvis, Upper Abdomen, Thorax and Breast, 20 patients for each location in comparison to a different system (Sentinel, C-RAD, SE). For each patient, the setup corrections of the cone-beam computed tomographymore » (CBCT) of an Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator (Elekta, Crawley, UK) is considered as gold-standard and then compared with those of the OSIS for the first ten fractions retrospectively. There were no clinical decisions made based on the surrogate system. For the OSIS, the reference surface is highly important as it represents the actual ground truth. It can be obtained either with the system itself or the surface structure delineated in the planning CT can be imported via DICOM interface. In this paper, the first results for the treatment region thorax are presented. The reference image modalities were compared. Results: Table 1 displays the difference between the setup corrections obtained with OSIS and CBCT in lateral (LAT), longitudinal (LNG) and vertical (VRT) direction for the DICOM reference image. While the median deviations are within a few millimeters, some outliers showed large deviations. Generally, the mean deviation as well as the spread was smallest in lateral and largest in vertical direction. Conclusion: Although the system allows fast, simple and non-invasive determination of setup corrections, it should be evaluated treatment region dependant. Therefore, the study is ongoing. The application of OSIS may help to reduce the imaging dose for the patient. We gratefully acknowledge the support by our colleagues from the Radiological University Clinic Heidelberg, where the study was performed. This work was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Germany, grant number 01IB13001B.« less

Refractive Index Compensation in Over-Determined Interferometric Systems

PubMed Central

Lazar, Josef; Holá, Miroslava; Číp, Ondřej; Čížek, Martin; Hrabina, Jan; Buchta, Zdeněk

2012-01-01

We present an interferometric technique based on a differential interferometry setup for measurement under atmospheric conditions. The key limiting factor in any interferometric dimensional measurement are fluctuations of the refractive index of air representing a dominating source of uncertainty when evaluated indirectly from the physical parameters of the atmosphere. Our proposal is based on the concept of an over-determined interferometric setup where a reference length is derived from a mechanical frame made from a material with a very low thermal coefficient. The technique allows one to track the variations of the refractive index of air on-line directly in the line of the measuring beam and to compensate for the fluctuations. The optical setup consists of three interferometers sharing the same beam path where two measure differentially the displacement while the third evaluates the changes in the measuring range, acting as a tracking refractometer. The principle is demonstrated in an experimental setup. PMID:23202037

Refractive index compensation in over-determined interferometric systems.

PubMed

Lazar, Josef; Holá, Miroslava; Číp, Ondřej; Čížek, Martin; Hrabina, Jan; Buchta, Zdeněk

2012-10-19

We present an interferometric technique based on a differential interferometry setup for measurement under atmospheric conditions. The key limiting factor in any interferometric dimensional measurement are fluctuations of the refractive index of air representing a dominating source of uncertainty when evaluated indirectly from the physical parameters of the atmosphere. Our proposal is based on the concept of an over-determined interferometric setup where a reference length is derived from a mechanical frame made from a material with a very low thermal coefficient. The technique allows one to track the variations of the refractive index of air on-line directly in the line of the measuring beam and to compensate for the fluctuations. The optical setup consists of three interferometers sharing the same beam path where two measure differentially the displacement while the third evaluates the changes in the measuring range, acting as a tracking refractometer. The principle is demonstrated in an experimental setup.

OptiCentric lathe centering machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buß, C.; Heinisch, J.

2013-09-01

High precision optics depend on precisely aligned lenses. The shift and tilt of individual lenses as well as the air gap between elements require accuracies in the single micron regime. These accuracies are hard to meet with traditional assembly methods. Instead, lathe centering can be used to machine the mount with respect to the optical axis. Using a diamond turning process, all relevant errors of single mounted lenses can be corrected in one post-machining step. Building on the OptiCentric® and OptiSurf® measurement systems, Trioptics has developed their first lathe centering machines. The machine and specific design elements of the setup will be shown. For example, the machine can be used to turn optics for i-line steppers with highest precision.

Practical Use of the Extended No Action Level (eNAL) Correction Protocol for Breast Cancer Patients With Implanted Surgical Clips

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Penninkhof, Joan, E-mail: j.penninkhof@erasmusmc.nl; Quint, Sandra; Baaijens, Margreet

Purpose: To describe the practical use of the extended No Action Level (eNAL) setup correction protocol for breast cancer patients with surgical clips and evaluate its impact on the setup accuracy of both tumor bed and whole breast during simultaneously integrated boost treatments. Methods and Materials: For 80 patients, two orthogonal planar kilovoltage images and one megavoltage image (for the mediolateral beam) were acquired per fraction throughout the radiotherapy course. For setup correction, the eNAL protocol was applied, based on registration of surgical clips in the lumpectomy cavity. Differences with respect to application of a No Action Level (NAL) protocolmore » or no protocol were quantified for tumor bed and whole breast. The correlation between clip migration during the fractionated treatment and either the method of surgery or the time elapsed from last surgery was investigated. Results: The distance of the clips to their center of mass (COM), averaged over all clips and patients, was reduced by 0.9 {+-} 1.2 mm (mean {+-} 1 SD). Clip migration was similar between the group of patients starting treatment within 100 days after surgery (median, 53 days) and the group starting afterward (median, 163 days) (p = 0.20). Clip migration after conventional breast surgery (closing the breast superficially) or after lumpectomy with partial breast reconstructive techniques (sutured cavity). was not significantly different either (p = 0.22). Application of eNAL on clips resulted in residual systematic errors for the clips' COM of less than 1 mm in each direction, whereas the setup of the breast was within about 2 mm of accuracy. Conclusions: Surgical clips can be safely used for high-accuracy position verification and correction. Given compensation for time trends in the clips' COM throughout the treatment course, eNAL resulted in better setup accuracies for both tumor bed and whole breast than NAL.« less

The effect of monitor raster latency on VEPs, ERPs and Brain-Computer Interface performance.

PubMed

Nagel, Sebastian; Dreher, Werner; Rosenstiel, Wolfgang; Spüler, Martin

2018-02-01

Visual neuroscience experiments and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) control often require strict timings in a millisecond scale. As most experiments are performed using a personal computer (PC), the latencies that are introduced by the setup should be taken into account and be corrected. As a standard computer monitor uses a rastering to update each line of the image sequentially, this causes a monitor raster latency which depends on the position, on the monitor and the refresh rate. We technically measured the raster latencies of different monitors and present the effects on visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and event-related potentials (ERPs). Additionally we present a method for correcting the monitor raster latency and analyzed the performance difference of a code-modulated VEP BCI speller by correcting the latency. There are currently no other methods validating the effects of monitor raster latency on VEPs and ERPs. The timings of VEPs and ERPs are directly affected by the raster latency. Furthermore, correcting the raster latency resulted in a significant reduction of the target prediction error from 7.98% to 4.61% and also in a more reliable classification of targets by significantly increasing the distance between the most probable and the second most probable target by 18.23%. The monitor raster latency affects the timings of VEPs and ERPs, and correcting resulted in a significant error reduction of 42.23%. It is recommend to correct the raster latency for an increased BCI performance and methodical correctness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teaching Cancer Patients the Value of Correct Positioning During Radiotherapy Using Visual Aids and Practical Exercises.

PubMed

Hansen, Helle; Nielsen, Berit Kjærside; Boejen, Annette; Vestergaard, Anne

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate if teaching patients about positioning before radiotherapy treatment would (a) reduce the residual rotational set-up errors, (b) reduce the number of repositionings and (c) improve patients' sense of control by increasing self-efficacy and reducing distress. Patients were randomized to either standard care (control group) or standard care and a teaching session combining visual aids and practical exercises (intervention group). Daily images from the treatment sessions were evaluated off-line. Both groups filled in a questionnaire before and at the end of the treatment course on various aspects of cooperation with the staff regarding positioning. Comparisons of residual rotational set-up errors showed an improvement in the intervention group compared to the control group. No significant differences were found in number of repositionings, self-efficacy or distress. Results show that it is possible to teach patients about positioning and thereby improve precision in positioning. Teaching patients about positioning did not seem to affect self-efficacy or distress scores at baseline and at the end of the treatment course.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loehle, Stefan; Lein, Sebastian

A revised scientific instrument to measure simultaneously kinetic temperatures of different atoms from their optical emission profile is reported. Emission lines are simultaneously detected using one single scanning Fabry-Perot-interferometer (FPI) for a combined spectroscopic setup to acquire different emission lines simultaneously. The setup consists in a commercial Czerny-Turner spectrometer configuration which is combined with a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer. The fast image acquisition mode of an intensified charge coupled device camera allows the detection of a wavelength interval of interest continuously while acquiring the highly resolved line during the scan of the FPI ramp. Results using this new setup are presentedmore » for the simultaneous detection of atomic nitrogen and oxygen in a high enthalpy air plasma flow as used for atmospheric re-entry research and their respective kinetic temperatures derived from the measured line profiles. The paper presents the experimental setup, the calibration procedure, and an exemplary result. The determined temperatures are different, a finding that has been published so far as due to a drawback of the experimental setup of sequential measurements, and which has now to be investigated in more detail.« less

Improved setup and positioning accuracy using a three‐point customized cushion/mask/bite‐block immobilization system for stereotactic reirradiation of head and neck cancer

PubMed Central

Wang, He; Wang, Congjun; Tung, Samuel; Dimmitt, Andrew Wilson; Wong, Pei Fong; Edson, Mark A.; Garden, Adam S.; Rosenthal, David I.; Fuller, Clifton D.; Gunn, Gary B.; Takiar, Vinita; Wang, Xin A.; Luo, Dershan; Yang, James N.; Wong, Jennifer

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the setup and positioning uncertainty of a custom cushion/mask/bite‐block (CMB) immobilization system and determine PTV margin for image‐guided head and neck stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (HN‐SABR). We analyzed 105 treatment sessions among 21 patients treated with HN‐SABR for recurrent head and neck cancers using a custom CMB immobilization system. Initial patient setup was performed using the ExacTrac infrared (IR) tracking system and initial setup errors were based on comparison of ExacTrac IR tracking system to corrected online ExacTrac X‐rays images registered to treatment plans. Residual setup errors were determined using repeat verification X‐ray. The online ExacTrac corrections were compared to cone‐beam CT (CBCT) before treatment to assess agreement. Intrafractional positioning errors were determined using prebeam X‐rays. The systematic and random errors were analyzed. The initial translational setup errors were −0.8±1.3 mm, −0.8±1.6 mm, and 0.3±1.9 mm in AP, CC, and LR directions, respectively, with a three‐dimensional (3D) vector of 2.7±1.4 mm. The initial rotational errors were up to 2.4° if 6D couch is not available. CBCT agreed with ExacTrac X‐ray images to within 2 mm and 2.5°. The intrafractional uncertainties were 0.1±0.6 mm, 0.1±0.6 mm, and 0.2±0.5 mm in AP, CC, and LR directions, respectively, and 0.0∘±0.5°, 0.0∘±0.6°, and −0.1∘±0.4∘ in yaw, roll, and pitch direction, respectively. The translational vector was 0.9±0.6 mm. The calculated PTV margins mPTV(90,95) were within 1.6 mm when using image guidance for online setup correction. The use of image guidance for online setup correction, in combination with our customized CMB device, highly restricted target motion during treatments and provided robust immobilization to ensure minimum dose of 95% to target volume with 2.0 mm PTV margin for HN‐SABR. PACS number(s): 87.55.ne PMID:27167275

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Spectra of 7 Hα emission line stars in MBM 18 (Brand+ 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, J.; Wouterloot, J. G. A.; Magnani, L.

2012-10-01

Data in tabular form (wavelength and flux) are presented of the spectra of seven candidate Hα emission line stars in the direction of translucent cloud MBM 18. The data were obtained on 5 different nights in 2009 and 2010 with the 3.58-m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG; La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain). The spectra are shown in the appendix of the paper, only visible in the on line version. The spectra were taken with the low-resolution spectrograph DOLORES on the TNG, using long-slit spectroscopy. We used grism VHR-R, which covers a wavelength range of 6240-7720 Angstrom with a dispersion of 0.80Å/pix. The scale of the CCD detector is 0.252 arcsec/pixel. The observations were carried out with a slit width of 1 or 1.5 arcsec, depending on the seeing, resulting in a spectral resolution of 3.2Å and 4.8Å, respectively. To avoid problems with cosmic rays, 2 to 4 separate spectra per star were obtained. Two of the stars (Ha4 and Ha6) were observed simultaneously with another target (Ha1 and Ha5, respectively) by positioning the slit at an appropriate angle. The integration time was based on the brighter star in the slit, thus the signal-to-noise ratio for the other target is smaller than for the primary one. To allow absolute flux calibration the standard star Feige24 or Feige34 (for Ha5-Ha6) was observed immediately before or after the target observations, using the same instrumental setup as for the target observations. Flat-fielding was performed using 10 (5 for Ha5-Ha6) frames, which were uniformly illuminated by a halogen lamp. Wavelength calibration was performed using an arc-spectrum of an Ar, Ne+Hg, and Kr lamp, or a Ne+Hg (for Ha7) comparison lamp. A bias frame, to be subtracted from the other frames before analysis, was constructed from ten individual bias frames. Flat-, arc-, and bias-frames were obtained on the same day as the science observations and with the same instrumental setup. Data were reduced with the IRAF package. From all science frames a bias was subtracted, after which they were divided by the normalised flat field. From each of the science frames the trace(s) of the star(s) were extracted and these were wavelength-calibrated using one of the frames with the arc-spectrum. Each target was wavelength-calibrated with the arc-spectrum extracted at the same location on the detector, to compensate for small deviations that might occur in the alignment of the reference emission lines across the detector. The spectra were then corrected for extinction, and flux-calibrated using the standard star observations. The individual one-dimensional wavelength- and flux-calibrated spectra of each target were then averaged into a final spectrum. To further correct the wavelength calibration, we used the sky lines that were subtracted from the stellar spectra. For each spectrum, Gaussian fits were made to tens of sky lines, and their wavelengths were compared to those listed in Osterbrock et al. (1996PASP..108..277O, Cat. III/211. Three stars were found to need a small correction: Ha2 (-1.5Å) and Ha5 and 6 (both -2.2Å); these corrections have been applied in the tables. For the other four stars the difference was negligible, although for the sky lines in Ha1 and Ha4 (which were observed in the same slit) the deviation between measured and literature wavelengths varied slightly, but systematically, with wavelengths between 6250Å and 7600Å, while at longer wavelengths the deviations became rapidly larger (up to several Angstroms). (8 data files).

Initial experience in treating lung cancer with helical tomotherapy

PubMed Central

Yartsev, S; Dar, AR; Woodford, C; Wong, E; Bauman, G; Van Dyk, J

2007-01-01

Helical tomotherapy is a new form of image-guided radiation therapy that combines features of a linear accelerator and a helical computed tomography (CT) scanner. Megavoltage CT (MVCT) data allow the verification and correction of patient setup on the couch by comparison and image registration with the kilovoltage CT multi-slice images used for treatment planning. An 84-year-old male patient with Stage III bulky non-small cell lung cancer was treated on a Hi-ART II tomotherapy unit. Daily MVCT imaging was useful for setup corrections and signaled the need to adapt the delivery plan when the patient’s anatomy changed significantly. PMID:21614260

TH-A-9A-03: Dosimetric Effect of Rotational Errors for Lung Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, J; Kim, H; Park, J

2014-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric effects on target volume and organs at risk (OARs) due to roll rotational errors in treatment setup of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer. Methods: There were a total of 23 volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for lung SBRT examined in this retrospective study. Each CT image of VMAT plans was intentionally rotated by ±1°, ±2°, and ±3° to simulate roll rotational setup errors. The axis of rotation was set at the center of T-spine. The target volume and OARs in the rotated CT images were re-defined by deformable registration of originalmore » contours. The dose distributions on each set of rotated images were re-calculated to cover the planning target volume (PTV) with the prescription dose before and after the couch translational correction. The dose-volumetric changes of PTVs and spinal cords were analyzed. Results: The differences in D95% of PTVs by −3°, −2°, −1°, 1°, 2°, and 3° roll rotations before the couch translational correction were on average −11.3±11.4%, −5.46±7.24%, −1.11±1.38% −3.34±3.97%, −9.64±10.3%, and −16.3±14.7%, respectively. After the couch translational correction, those values were −0.195±0.544%, −0.159±0.391%, −0.188±0.262%, −0.310±0.270%, −0.407±0.331%, and −0.433±0.401%, respectively. The maximum dose difference of spinal cord among the 23 plans even after the couch translational correction was 25.9% at −3° rotation. Conclusions: Roll rotational setup errors in lung SBRT significantly influenced the coverage of target volume using VMAT technique. This could be in part compensated by the translational couch correction. However, in spite of the translational correction, the delivered doses to the spinal cord could be more than the calculated doses. Therefore if rotational setup errors exist during lung SBRT using VMAT technique, the rotational correction would rather be considered to prevent over-irradiation of normal tissues than the translational correction.« less

De-MA: a web Database for electron Microprobe Analyses to assist EMP lab manager and users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allaz, J. M.

2012-12-01

Lab managers and users of electron microprobe (EMP) facilities require comprehensive, yet flexible documentation structures, as well as an efficient scheduling mechanism. A single on-line database system for managing reservations, and providing information on standards, quantitative and qualitative setups (element mapping, etc.), and X-ray data has been developed for this purpose. This system is particularly useful in multi-user facilities where experience ranges from beginners to the highly experienced. New users and occasional facility users will find these tools extremely useful in developing and maintaining high quality, reproducible, and efficient analyses. This user-friendly database is available through the web, and uses MySQL as a database and PHP/HTML as script language (dynamic website). The database includes several tables for standards information, X-ray lines, X-ray element mapping, PHA, element setups, and agenda. It is configurable for up to five different EMPs in a single lab, each of them having up to five spectrometers and as many diffraction crystals as required. The installation should be done on a web server supporting PHP/MySQL, although installation on a personal computer is possible using third-party freeware to create a local Apache server, and to enable PHP/MySQL. Since it is web-based, any user outside the EMP lab can access this database anytime through any web browser and on any operating system. The access can be secured using a general password protection (e.g. htaccess). The web interface consists of 6 main menus. (1) "Standards" lists standards defined in the database, and displays detailed information on each (e.g. material type, name, reference, comments, and analyses). Images such as EDS spectra or BSE can be associated with a standard. (2) "Analyses" lists typical setups to use for quantitative analyses, allows calculation of mineral composition based on a mineral formula, or calculation of mineral formula based on a fixed amount of oxygen, or of cation (using an analysis in element or oxide weight-%); this latter includes re-calculation of H2O/CO2 based on stoichiometry, and oxygen correction for F and Cl. Another option offers a list of any available standards and possible peak or background interferences for a series of elements. (3) "X-ray maps" lists the different setups recommended for element mapping using WDS, and a map calculator to facilitate maps setups and to estimate the total mapping time. (4) "X-ray data" lists all x-ray lines for a specific element (K, L, M, absorption edges, and satellite peaks) in term of energy, wavelength and peak position. A check for possible interferences on peak or background is also possible. Theoretical x-ray peak positions for each crystal are calculated based on the 2d spacing of each crystal and the wavelength of each line. (5) "Agenda" menu displays the reservation dates for each month and for each EMP lab defined. It also offers a reservation request option, this request being sent by email to the EMP manager for approval. (6) Finally, "Admin" is password restricted, and contains all necessary options to manage the database through user-friendly forms. The installation of this database is made easy and knowledge of HTML, PHP, or MySQL is unnecessary to install, configure, manage, or use it. A working database is accessible at http://cub.geoloweb.ch.

Feasibility of line-ratio spectroscopy on helium and neon as edge diagnostic tool for Wendelstein 7-X

DOE PAGES

Barbui, T.; Krychowiak, M.; König, R.; ...

2016-09-27

A beam emission spectroscopy system on thermal helium (He) and neon (Ne) has been set up at Wendelstein 7-X to measure edge electron temperature and density profiles utilizing the line-ratio technique or its extension by the analysis of absolutely calibrated line emissions. The setup for a first systematic test of these techniques of quantitative atomic spectroscopy in the limiter startup phase (OP1.1) is reported together with first measured profiles. Lastly, this setup and the first results are an important test for developing the technique for the upcoming high density, low temperature island divertor regime.

Constructing a clinical decision-making framework for image-guided radiotherapy using a Bayesian Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargrave, C.; Moores, M.; Deegan, T.; Gibbs, A.; Poulsen, M.; Harden, F.; Mengersen, K.

2014-03-01

A decision-making framework for image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is being developed using a Bayesian Network (BN) to graphically describe, and probabilistically quantify, the many interacting factors that are involved in this complex clinical process. Outputs of the BN will provide decision-support for radiation therapists to assist them to make correct inferences relating to the likelihood of treatment delivery accuracy for a given image-guided set-up correction. The framework is being developed as a dynamic object-oriented BN, allowing for complex modelling with specific subregions, as well as representation of the sequential decision-making and belief updating associated with IGRT. A prototype graphic structure for the BN was developed by analysing IGRT practices at a local radiotherapy department and incorporating results obtained from a literature review. Clinical stakeholders reviewed the BN to validate its structure. The BN consists of a sub-network for evaluating the accuracy of IGRT practices and technology. The directed acyclic graph (DAG) contains nodes and directional arcs representing the causal relationship between the many interacting factors such as tumour site and its associated critical organs, technology and technique, and inter-user variability. The BN was extended to support on-line and off-line decision-making with respect to treatment plan compliance. Following conceptualisation of the framework, the BN will be quantified. It is anticipated that the finalised decision-making framework will provide a foundation to develop better decision-support strategies and automated correction algorithms for IGRT.

[Individual indirect bonding technique (IIBT) using set-up model].

PubMed

Kyung, H M

1989-01-01

There has been much progress in Edgewise Appliance since E.H. Angle. One of the most important procedures in edgewise appliance is correct bracket position. Not only conventional edgewise appliance but also straight wire appliance & lingual appliance cannot be used more effectively unless the bracket position is accurate. Improper bracket positioning may reveal much problems during treatment, especially in finishing state. It may require either rebonding after the removal of the malpositioned bracket or the greater number of arch wire and the more complex wire bending, causing much difficulty in performing effective treatments. This made me invent Individual Indirect Bonding Technique with the use of multi-purpose set-up model in order to determine a correct and objective bracket position according to individual patients. This technique is more accurate than former indirect bonding techniques in bracket positioning, because it decides the bracket position on a set-up model which has produced to have the occlusal relationship the clinician desired. This technique is especially effective in straight wire appliance and lingual appliance in which the correct bracket positioning is indispensible.

TH-A-9A-05: Initial Setup Accuracy Comparison Between Frame-Based and Frameless Stereotactic Radiosurgery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tseng, T; Sheu, R; Todorov, B

2014-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate initial setup accuracy for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) between Brainlab frame-based and frameless immobilization system, also to discern the magnitude frameless system has on setup parameters. Methods: The correction shifts from the original setup were compared for total 157 SRS cranial treatments (69 frame-based vs. 88 frameless). All treatments were performed on a Novalis linac with ExacTrac positioning system. Localization box with isocenter overlay was used for initial setup and correction shift was determined by ExacTrac 6D auto-fusion to achieve submillimeter accuracy for treatment. For frameless treatments, mean time interval between simulation and treatment was 5.7 days (rangemore » 0–13). Pearson Chi-Square was used for univariate analysis. Results: The correctional radial shifts (mean±STD, median) for the frame and frameless system measured by ExacTrac were 1.2±1.2mm, 1.1mm and 3.1±3.3mm, 2.0mm, respectively. Treatments with frameless system had a radial shift >2mm more often than those with frames (51.1% vs. 2.9%; p<.0001). To achieve submillimeter accuracy, 85.5% frame-based treatments did not require shift and only 23.9% frameless treatment could succeed with initial setup. There was no statistical significant system offset observed in any direction for either system. For frameless treatments, those treated ≥ 3 days from simulation had statistically higher rates of radial shifts between 1–2mm and >2mm compared to patients treated in a shorter amount of time from simulation (34.3% and 56.7% vs. 28.6% and 33.3%, respectively; p=0.006). Conclusion: Although image-guided positioning system can also achieve submillimeter accuracy for frameless system, users should be cautious regarding the inherent uncertainty of its capability of immobilization. A proper quality assurance procedure for frameless mask manufacturing and a protocol for intra-fraction imaging verification will be crucial for frameless system. Time interval between simulation and treatment was influential to initial setup accuracy. A shorter time frame for frameless SRS treatment could be helpful in minimizing uncertainties in localization.« less

Construction of an unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing system for crop monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Seungtaek; Ko, Jonghan; Kim, Mijeong; Kim, Jongkwon

2016-04-01

We constructed a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing system and determined the ideal method for equipment setup, image acquisition, and image processing. Fields of rice paddy (Oryza sativa cv. Unkwang) grown under three different nitrogen (N) treatments of 0, 50, or 115 kg/ha were monitored at Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea, in 2013. A multispectral camera was used to acquire UAV images from the study site. Atmospheric correction of these images was completed using the empirical line method, and three-point (black, gray, and white) calibration boards were used as pseudo references. Evaluation of our corrected UAV-based remote sensing data revealed that correction efficiency and root mean square errors ranged from 0.77 to 0.95 and 0.01 to 0.05, respectively. The time series maps of simulated normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) produced using the UAV images reproduced field variations of NDVI reasonably well, both within and between the different N treatments. We concluded that the UAV-based remote sensing technology utilized in this study is potentially an easy and simple way to quantitatively obtain reliable two-dimensional remote sensing information on crop growth.

Digital computer technique for setup and checkout of an analog computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ambaruch, R.

1968-01-01

Computer program technique, called Analog Computer Check-Out Routine Digitally /ACCORD/, generates complete setup and checkout data for an analog computer. In addition, the correctness of the analog program implementation is validated.

Image guidance during head-and-neck cancer radiation therapy: analysis of alignment trends with in-room cone-beam computed tomography scans.

PubMed

Zumsteg, Zachary; DeMarco, John; Lee, Steve P; Steinberg, Michael L; Lin, Chun Shu; McBride, William; Lin, Kevin; Wang, Pin-Chieh; Kupelian, Patrick; Lee, Percy

2012-06-01

On-board cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is currently available for alignment of patients with head-and-neck cancer before radiotherapy. However, daily CBCT is time intensive and increases the overall radiation dose. We assessed the feasibility of using the average couch shifts from the first several CBCTs to estimate and correct for the presumed systematic setup error. 56 patients with head-and-neck cancer who received daily CBCT before intensity-modulated radiation therapy had recorded shift values in the medial-lateral, superior-inferior, and anterior-posterior dimensions. The average displacements in each direction were calculated for each patient based on the first five or 10 CBCT shifts and were presumed to represent the systematic setup error. The residual error after this correction was determined by subtracting the calculated shifts from the shifts obtained using daily CBCT. The magnitude of the average daily residual three-dimensional (3D) error was 4.8 ± 1.4 mm, 3.9 ± 1.3 mm, and 3.7 ± 1.1 mm for uncorrected, five CBCT corrected, and 10 CBCT corrected protocols, respectively. With no image guidance, 40.8% of fractions would have been >5 mm off target. Using the first five CBCT shifts to correct subsequent fractions, this percentage decreased to 19.0% of all fractions delivered and decreased the percentage of patients with average daily 3D errors >5 mm from 35.7% to 14.3% vs. no image guidance. Using an average of the first 10 CBCT shifts did not significantly improve this outcome. Using the first five CBCT shift measurements as an estimation of the systematic setup error improves daily setup accuracy for a subset of patients with head-and-neck cancer receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy and primarily benefited those with large 3D correction vectors (>5 mm). Daily CBCT is still necessary until methods are developed that more accurately determine which patients may benefit from alternative imaging strategies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Optimized Online Verification Imaging Procedure for External Beam Partial Breast Irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Willis, David J., E-mail: David.Willis@petermac.or; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Melbourne, Victoria; Kron, Tomas

2011-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the capabilities of a kilovoltage (kV) on-board imager (OBI)-equipped linear accelerator in the setting of on-line verification imaging for external-beam partial breast irradiation. Available imaging techniques were optimized and assessed for image quality using a modified anthropomorphic phantom. Imaging dose was also assessed. Imaging techniques were assessed for physical clearance between patient and treatment machine using a volunteer. Nonorthogonal kV image pairs were identified as optimal in terms of image quality, clearance, and dose. After institutional review board approval, this approach was used for 17 patients receiving accelerated partial breast irradiation. Imagingmore » was performed before every fraction verification with online correction of setup deviations >5 mm (total image sessions = 170). Treatment staff rated risk of collision and visibility of tumor bed surgical clips where present. Image session duration and detected setup deviations were recorded. For all cases, both image projections (n = 34) had low collision risk. Surgical clips were rated as well as visualized in all cases where they were present (n = 5). The average imaging session time was 6 min, 16 sec, and a reduction in duration was observed as staff became familiar with the technique. Setup deviations of up to 1.3 cm were detected before treatment and subsequently confirmed offline. Nonorthogonal kV image pairs allowed effective and efficient online verification for partial breast irradiation. It has yet to be tested in a multicenter study to determine whether it is dependent on skilled treatment staff.« less

Elimination of Potential Electrical Stress During EMC (CS01) Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, Kenneth P.; Whittlesey, Albert C.; Vorperian, Vatche

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews possible ways to eliminate electrical stress during Electromagneticic Compatibility (EMC) testing. The presentation reviews tests that have had problems due to electrical stress. On December 5, 1995 Cassini Radar instrument failed a functional test in preparation for EMC conducted susceptibility (CSO 1 ) testing. The instrument power supply did not turn on as required, and failure occurred prior to injection of CS test stimulus. A investigation of the failure was conducted. A PSPICE simulation of Cassini Radar 30V line using the EMC test setup was performed; the result of the simulation was an oscillation on the 30V input of the power supply. In another case: on December 28, 1999 an oscillation occurred on the input power line of the SlRTF Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) while preparing to perform CSOI testing, Resulted in damage to flight hardware. Subsequent to failure, JPL provided GSFC history and corrective action from Cassini Radar CSOI test failure GSFC implemented the same corrective action as JPL, except that the value of the resistor connected across the isolation transformer primary winding is 2.5 ohms instead of 50 ohms. Three recommendations are made: (1) Make EMC test community aware of the problem and potential solutions by presenting papers at major environmental test conferences (2) Include warnings and safeguards in EMC test requirements and procedures (3) Try to convince EMC test equipment suppliers to design a CSOl test fixture similar to fixture shown in the diagram

Calibration transfer of a Raman spectroscopic quantification method from at-line to in-line assessment of liquid detergent compositions.

PubMed

Brouckaert, D; Uyttersprot, J-S; Broeckx, W; De Beer, T

2017-06-08

The industrial production of liquid detergent compositions entails delicate balance of ingredients and process steps. In order to assure high quality and productivity in the manufacturing line, process analytical technology tools such as Raman spectroscopy are to be implemented. Marked chemical specificity, negligible water interference and high robustness are ascribed to this process analytical technique. Previously, at-line calibration models have been developed for determining the concentration levels of the being studied liquid detergents main ingredients from Raman spectra. A strategy is now proposed to transfer such at-line developed regression models to an in-line set-up, allowing real-time dosing control of the liquid detergent composition under production. To mimic in-line manufacturing conditions, liquid detergent compositions are created in a five-liter vessel with an overhead mixer. Raman spectra are continuously acquired by pumping the detergent under production via plastic tubing towards a Raman superhead probe, which is incorporated into a metal frame with a sapphire window facing the detergent fluid. Two at-line developed partial least squares (PLS) models are aimed at transferring, predicting the concentration of surfactant 1 and polymer 2 in the examined liquid detergent composition. A univariate slope/bias correction (SBC) is investigated, next to three well-acknowledged multivariate transformation methods: direct, piecewise and double-window piecewise direct standardization. Transfer is considered successful when the magnitude of the validation sets root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) is similar to or smaller than the corresponding at-line prediction error. The transferred model offering the most promising outcome is further subjected to an exhaustive statistical evaluation, in order to appraise the applicability of the suggested calibration transfer method. Interval hypothesis tests are thereby performed for method comparison. It is illustrated that the investigated transfer approach yields satisfactory results, provided that the original at-line calibration model is thoroughly validated. Both SBC transfer models return lower RMSEP values than their corresponding original models. The surfactant 1 assay met all relevant evaluation criteria, demonstrating successful transfer to the in-line set-up. The in-line quantification of polymer 2 levels in the liquid detergent composition could not be statistically validated, due to the poorer performance of the at-line model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical coherence tomography as a novel tool for in-line monitoring of a pharmaceutical film-coating process.

PubMed

Markl, Daniel; Hannesschläger, Günther; Sacher, Stephan; Leitner, Michael; Khinast, Johannes G

2014-05-13

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a contact-free non-destructive high-resolution imaging technique based on low-coherence interferometry. This study investigates the application of spectral-domain OCT as an in-line quality control tool for monitoring pharmaceutical film-coated tablets. OCT images of several commercially-available film-coated tablets of different shapes, formulations and coating thicknesses were captured off-line using two OCT systems with centre wavelengths of 830nm and 1325nm. Based on the off-line image evaluation, another OCT system operating at a shorter wavelength was selected to study the feasibility of OCT as an in-line monitoring method. Since in spectral-domain OCT motion artefacts can occur as a result of the tablet or sensor head movement, a basic understanding of the relationship between the tablet speed and the motion effects is essential for correct quantifying and qualifying of the tablet coating. Experimental data was acquired by moving the sensor head of the OCT system across a static tablet bed. Although examining the homogeneity of the coating turned more difficult with increasing transverse speed of the tablets, the determination of the coating thickness was still highly accurate at a speed up to 0.7m/s. The presented OCT setup enables the investigation of the intra- and inter-tablet coating uniformity in-line during the coating process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of paint polishing defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebeggiani, S.; Wagner, M.; Mazal, J.; Rosén, B.-G.; Dahlén, M.

2018-06-01

Surface finish plays a major role on perceived product quality, and is the first thing a potential buyer sees. Today end-of-line repairs of the body of cars and trucks are inevitably to secure required surface quality. Defects that occur in the paint shop, like dust particles, are eliminated by manual sanding/polishing which lead to other types of defects when the last polishing step is not performed correctly or not fully completed. One of those defects is known as ‘polishing roses’ or holograms, which are incredibly hard to detect in artificial light but are clearly visible in sunlight. This paper will present the first tests with a measurement set-up newly developed to measure and analyse polishing roses. The results showed good correlations to human visual evaluations where repaired panels were estimated based on the defects’ intensity, severity and viewing angle.

A review of the design and clinical evaluation of the ShefStim array-based functional electrical stimulation system.

PubMed

Kenney, Laurence P; Heller, Ben W; Barker, Anthony T; Reeves, Mark L; Healey, Jamie; Good, Timothy R; Cooper, Glen; Sha, Ning; Prenton, Sarah; Liu, Anmin; Howard, David

2016-11-01

Functional electrical stimulation has been shown to be a safe and effective means of correcting foot drop of central neurological origin. Current surface-based devices typically consist of a single channel stimulator, a sensor for determining gait phase and a cuff, within which is housed the anode and cathode. The cuff-mounted electrode design reduces the likelihood of large errors in electrode placement, but the user is still fully responsible for selecting the correct stimulation level each time the system is donned. Researchers have investigated different approaches to automating aspects of setup and/or use, including recent promising work based on iterative learning techniques. This paper reports on the design and clinical evaluation of an electrode array-based FES system for the correction of drop foot, ShefStim. The paper reviews the design process from proof of concept lab-based study, through modelling of the array geometry and interface layer to array search algorithm development. Finally, the paper summarises two clinical studies involving patients with drop foot. The results suggest that the ShefStim system with automated setup produces results which are comparable with clinician setup of conventional systems. Further, the final study demonstrated that patients can use the system without clinical supervision. When used unsupervised, setup time was 14min (9min for automated search plus 5min for donning the equipment), although this figure could be reduced significantly with relatively minor changes to the design. Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of the User Interface for AIR-Spec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cervantes Alcala, E.; Guth, G.; Fedeler, S.; Samra, J.; Cheimets, P.; DeLuca, E.; Golub, L.

2016-12-01

The airborne infrared spectrometer (AIR-Spec) is an imaging spectrometer that will observe the solar corona during the 2017 total solar eclipse. This eclipse will provide a unique opportunity to observe infrared emission lines in the corona. Five spectral lines are of particular interest because they may eventually be used to measure the coronal magnetic field. To avoid infrared absorption from atmospheric water vapor, AIR-Spec will be placed on an NSF Gulfstream aircraft flying above 14.9 km. AIR-Spec must be capable of taking stable images while the plane moves. The instrument includes an image stabilization system, which uses fiber-optic gyroscopes to determine platform rotation, GPS to calculate the ephemeris of the sun, and a voltage-driven mirror to correct the line of sight. An operator monitors a white light image of the eclipse and manually corrects for residual drift. The image stabilization calculation is performed by a programmable automatic controller (PAC), which interfaces with the gyroscopes and mirror controller. The operator interfaces with a separate computer, which acquires images and computes the solar ephemeris. To ensure image stabilization is successful, a human machine interface (HMI) was developed to allow connection between the client and PAC. In order to make control of the instruments user friendly during the short eclipse observation, a graphical user interface (GUI) was also created. The GUI's functionality includes turning image stabilization on and off, allowing the user to input information about the geometric setup, calculating the solar ephemeris, refining estimates of the initial aircraft attitude, and storing data from the PAC on the operator's computer. It also displays time, location, attitude, ephemeris, gyro rates and mirror angles.

Local setup errors in image-guided radiotherapy for head and neck cancer patients immobilized with a custom-made device.

PubMed

Giske, Kristina; Stoiber, Eva M; Schwarz, Michael; Stoll, Armin; Muenter, Marc W; Timke, Carmen; Roeder, Falk; Debus, Juergen; Huber, Peter E; Thieke, Christian; Bendl, Rolf

2011-06-01

To evaluate the local positioning uncertainties during fractionated radiotherapy of head-and-neck cancer patients immobilized using a custom-made fixation device and discuss the effect of possible patient correction strategies for these uncertainties. A total of 45 head-and-neck patients underwent regular control computed tomography scanning using an in-room computed tomography scanner. The local and global positioning variations of all patients were evaluated by applying a rigid registration algorithm. One bounding box around the complete target volume and nine local registration boxes containing relevant anatomic structures were introduced. The resulting uncertainties for a stereotactic setup and the deformations referenced to one anatomic local registration box were determined. Local deformations of the patients immobilized using our custom-made device were compared with previously published results. Several patient positioning correction strategies were simulated, and the residual local uncertainties were calculated. The patient anatomy in the stereotactic setup showed local systematic positioning deviations of 1-4 mm. The deformations referenced to a particular anatomic local registration box were similar to the reported deformations assessed from patients immobilized with commercially available Aquaplast masks. A global correction, including the rotational error compensation, decreased the remaining local translational errors. Depending on the chosen patient positioning strategy, the remaining local uncertainties varied considerably. Local deformations in head-and-neck patients occur even if an elaborate, custom-made patient fixation method is used. A rotational error correction decreased the required margins considerably. None of the considered correction strategies achieved perfect alignment. Therefore, weighting of anatomic subregions to obtain the optimal correction vector should be investigated in the future. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-scale strategies for dealing with moving contact lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Edward R.; Theodorakis, Panagiotis; Craster, Richard V.; Matar, Omar K.

2017-11-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) has great potential to elucidate the dynamics of the moving contact line. As a more fundamental model, it can provide a priori results for fluid-liquid interfaces, surface tension, viscosity, phase change, and near wall stick-slip behaviour which typically show very good agreement to experimental results. However, modelling contact line motion combines all this complexity in a single problem. In this talk, MD simulations of the contact line are compared to the experimental results obtained from studying the dynamics of a sheared liquid bridge. The static contact angles are correctly matched to the experimental data for a range of different electro-wetting results. The moving contact line results are then compared for each of these electro-wetting values. Despite qualitative agreement, there are notable differences between the simulation and experiments. Many MD simulation have studied contact lines, and the sheared liquid bridge, so it is of interest to review the limitations of this setup in light of this discrepancy. A number of factors are discussed, including the inter-molecular interaction model, molecular-scale surface roughness, model of electro-wetting and, perhaps most importantly, the limited system sizes possible using MD simulation. EPSRC, UK, MEMPHIS program Grant (EP/K003976/1), RAEng Research Chair (OKM).

A comparative study between the imaging system and the optical tracking system in proton therapy at CNAO

PubMed Central

Desplanques, Maxime; Tagaste, Barbara; Fontana, Giulia; Pella, Andrea; Riboldi, Marco; Fattori, Giovanni; Donno, Andrea; Baroni, Guido; Orecchia, Roberto

2013-01-01

The synergy between in-room imaging and optical tracking, in co-operation with highly accurate robotic patient handling represents a concept for patient-set-up which has been implemented at CNAO (Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica). In-room imaging is based on a double oblique X-ray projection system; optical tracking consists of the detection of the position of spherical markers placed directly on the patient's skin or on the immobilization devices. These markers are used as external fiducials during patient positioning and dose delivery. This study reports the results of a comparative analysis between in-room imaging and optical tracking data for patient positioning within the framework of high-precision particle therapy. Differences between the optical tracking system (OTS) and the imaging system (IS) were on average within the expected localization accuracy. On the first 633 fractions for head and neck (H&N) set-up procedures, the corrections applied by the IS, after patient positioning using the OTS only, were for the mostly sub-millimetric regarding the translations (0.4±1.1 mm) and sub-gradual regarding the rotations (0.0°±0.8°). On the first 236 fractions for pelvis localizations the amplitude of the corrections applied by the IS after preliminary optical set-up correction were moderately higher and more dispersed (translations: 1.3±2.9 mm, rotations 0.1±0.9°). Although the indication of the OTS cannot replace information provided by in-room imaging devices and 2D-3D image registration, the reported data show that OTS preliminary correction might greatly support image-based patient set-up refinement and also provide a secondary, independent verification system for patient positioning. PMID:23824116

Corona performance of a compact 230-kV line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chartier, V.L.; Blair, D.E.; Easley, M.D.

Permitting requirements and the acquisition of new rights-of-way for transmission facilities has in recent years become increasingly difficult for most utilities, including Puget Sound Power and Light Company. In order to maintain a high degree of reliability of service while being responsive to public concerns regarding the siting of high voltage (HV) transmission facilities, Puget Power has found it necessary to more heavily rely upon the use of compact lines in franchise corridors. Compaction does, however, precipitate increased levels of audible noise (AN) and radio and TV interference (RI and TVI) due to corona on the conductors and insulator assemblies.more » Puget Power relies upon the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Corona and Field Effects computer program to calculate AN and RI for new lines. Since there was some question of the program`s ability to accurately represent quiet 230-kV compact designs, a joint project was undertaken with BPA to verify the program`s algorithms. Long-term measurements made on an operating Puget Power 230-kV compact line confirmed the accuracy of BPA`s AN model; however, the RI measurements were much lower than predicted by the BPA and other programs. This paper also describes how the BPA computer program can be used to calculate the voltage needed to expose insulator assemblies to the correct electric field in single test setups in HV laboratories.« less

Corona performance of a compact 230-kV line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chartier, V.L.; Blair, D.E.; Easley, M.D.

Permitting requirements and the acquisition of new rights-of-way for transmission facilities has in recent years become increasingly difficult for most utilities, including Puget Sound Power and Light Company. In order to maintain a high degree of reliability of service while being responsive to public concerns regarding the siting of high voltage (HV) transmission facilities, Puget Power has found it necessary to more heavily rely upon the use of compact lines in franchise corridors. Compaction does, however, precipitant increased levels of audible noise (AN) and radio and TV interference (RI and TVI) due to corona on the conductors and insulator assemblies.more » Puget Power relies upon the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Corona and Field Effects computer program to calculate AN and RI for new lines. Since there was some question of the program`s ability to accurately represent quiet 230-kV compact designs, a joint project was undertaken with BPA to verify the program`s algorithms. Long-term measurements made on an operating Puget Power 230-kV compact line confirmed the accuracy of BPA`s AN model; however, the RI measurements were much lower than predicted by the BPA computer and other programs. This paper also describes how the BPA computer program can be used to calculate the voltage needed to expose insulator assemblies to the correct electric field in single test setups in HV laboratories.« less

Automated patient identification and localization error detection using 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional registration of kilovoltage x-ray setup images.

PubMed

Lamb, James M; Agazaryan, Nzhde; Low, Daniel A

2013-10-01

To determine whether kilovoltage x-ray projection radiation therapy setup images could be used to perform patient identification and detect gross errors in patient setup using a computer algorithm. Three patient cohorts treated using a commercially available image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) system that uses 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional (2D-3D) image registration were retrospectively analyzed: a group of 100 cranial radiation therapy patients, a group of 100 prostate cancer patients, and a group of 83 patients treated for spinal lesions. The setup images were acquired using fixed in-room kilovoltage imaging systems. In the prostate and cranial patient groups, localizations using image registration were performed between computed tomography (CT) simulation images from radiation therapy planning and setup x-ray images corresponding both to the same patient and to different patients. For the spinal patients, localizations were performed to the correct vertebral body, and to an adjacent vertebral body, using planning CTs and setup x-ray images from the same patient. An image similarity measure used by the IGRT system image registration algorithm was extracted from the IGRT system log files and evaluated as a discriminant for error detection. A threshold value of the similarity measure could be chosen to separate correct and incorrect patient matches and correct and incorrect vertebral body localizations with excellent accuracy for these patient cohorts. A 10-fold cross-validation using linear discriminant analysis yielded misclassification probabilities of 0.000, 0.0045, and 0.014 for the cranial, prostate, and spinal cases, respectively. An automated measure of the image similarity between x-ray setup images and corresponding planning CT images could be used to perform automated patient identification and detection of localization errors in radiation therapy treatments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-F-J-192: A Quick and Effective Method to Validate Patient’s Daily Setup and Geometry Changes Prior to Proton Treatment Delivery Based On Water Equivalent Thickness Projection Imaging (WETPI) for Head Neck Cancer (HNC) Patient

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, G; Qin, A; Zhang, J

Purpose: With the implementation of Cone-beam Computed-Tomography (CBCT) in proton treatment, we introduces a quick and effective tool to verify the patient’s daily setup and geometry changes based on the Water-Equivalent-Thickness Projection-Image(WETPI) from individual beam angle. Methods: A bilateral head neck cancer(HNC) patient previously treated via VMAT was used in this study. The patient received 35 daily CBCT during the whole treatment and there is no significant weight change. The CT numbers of daily CBCTs were corrected by mapping the CT numbers from simulation CT via Deformable Image Registration(DIR). IMPT plan was generated using 4-field IMPT robust optimization (3.5% rangemore » and 3mm setup uncertainties) with beam angle 60, 135, 300, 225 degree. WETPI within CTV through all beam directions were calculated. 3%/3mm gamma index(GI) were used to provide a quantitative comparison between initial sim-CT and mapped daily CBCT. To simulate an extreme case where human error is involved, a couch bar was manually inserted in front of beam angle 225 degree of one CBCT. WETPI was compared in this scenario. Results: The average of GI passing rate of this patient from different beam angles throughout the treatment course is 91.5 ± 8.6. In the cases with low passing rate, it was found that the difference between shoulder and neck angle as well as the head rest often causes major deviation. This indicates that the most challenge in treating HNC is the setup around neck area. In the extreme case where a couch bar is accidently inserted in the beam line, GI passing rate drops to 52 from 95. Conclusion: WETPI and quantitative gamma analysis give clinicians, therapists and physicists a quick feedback of the patient’s setup accuracy or geometry changes. The tool could effectively avoid some human errors. Furthermore, this tool could be used potentially as an initial signal to trigger plan adaptation.« less

SU-E-J-44: A Novel Approach to Quantify Patient Setup and Target Motion for Real-Time Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, S; Charpentier, P; Sayler, E

2015-06-15

Purpose Isocenter shifts and rotations to correct patient setup errors and organ motion cannot remedy some shape changes of large targets. We are investigating new methods in quantification of target deformation for realtime IGRT of breast and chest wall cancer. Methods Ninety-five patients of breast or chest wall cancer were accrued in an IRB-approved clinical trial of IGRT using 3D surface images acquired at daily setup and beam-on time via an in-room camera. Shifts and rotations relating to the planned reference surface were determined using iterative-closest-point alignment. Local surface displacements and target deformation are measured via a ray-surface intersection andmore » principal component analysis (PCA) of external surface, respectively. Isocenter shift, upper-abdominal displacement, and vectors of the surface projected onto the two principal components, PC1 and PC2, were evaluated for sensitivity and accuracy in detection of target deformation. Setup errors for some deformed targets were estimated by superlatively registering target volume, inner surface, or external surface in weekly CBCT or these outlines on weekly EPI. Results Setup difference according to the inner-surface, external surface, or target volume could be 1.5 cm. Video surface-guided setup agreed with EPI results to within < 0.5 cm while CBCT results were sometimes (∼20%) different from that of EPI (>0.5 cm) due to target deformation for some large breasts and some chest walls undergoing deep-breath-hold irradiation. Square root of PC1 and PC2 is very sensitive to external surface deformation and irregular breathing. Conclusion PCA of external surfaces is quick and simple way to detect target deformation in IGRT of breast and chest wall cancer. Setup corrections based on the target volume, inner surface, and external surface could be significant different. Thus, checking of target shape changes is essential for accurate image-guided patient setup and motion tracking of large deformable targets. NIH grant for the first author as cionsultant and the last author as the PI.« less

Comparison of Fiber Optic and Conduit Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Setup for In-Line Fermentation Monitoring.

PubMed

Koch, Cosima; Posch, Andreas E; Herwig, Christoph; Lendl, Bernhard

2016-12-01

The performance of a fiber optic and an optical conduit in-line attenuated total reflection mid-infrared (IR) probe during in situ monitoring of Penicillium chrysogenum fermentation were compared. The fiber optic probe was connected to a sealed, portable, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) process spectrometer via a plug-and-play interface. The optical conduit, on the other hand, was connected to a FT-IR process spectrometer via a knuckled probe with mirrors that had to be adjusted prior to each fermentation, which were purged with dry air. Penicillin V (PenV) and its precursor phenoxyacetic acid (POX) concentrations were determined by online high-performance liquid chromatography and the obtained concentrations were used as reference to build partial least squares regression models. Cross-validated root-mean-square errors of prediction were found to be 0.2 g L -1 (POX) and 0.19 g L -1 (PenV) for the fiber optic setup and 0.17 g L -1 (both POX and PenV) for the conduit setup. Higher noise-levels and spectrum-to-spectrum variations of the fiber optic setup lead to higher noise of estimated (i.e., unknown) POX and PenV concentrations than was found for the conduit setup. It seems that trade-off has to be made between ease of handling (fiber optic setup) and measurement accuracy (optical conduit setup) when choosing one of these systems for bioprocess monitoring. © The Author(s) 2016.

Image-Guided Radiotherapy for Left-Sided Breast Cancer Patients: Geometrical Uncertainty of the Heart

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Topolnjak, Rajko; Borst, Gerben R.; Nijkamp, Jasper

Purpose: To quantify the geometrical uncertainties for the heart during radiotherapy treatment of left-sided breast cancer patients and to determine and validate planning organ at risk volume (PRV) margins. Methods and Materials: Twenty-two patients treated in supine position in 28 fractions with regularly acquired cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans for offline setup correction were included. Retrospectively, the CBCT scans were reconstructed into 10-phase respiration correlated four-dimensional scans. The heart was registered in each breathing phase to the planning CT scan to establish the respiratory heart motion during the CBCT scan ({sigma}{sub resp}). The average of the respiratory motion was calculatedmore » as the heart displacement error for a fraction. Subsequently, the systematic ({Sigma}), random ({sigma}), and total random ({sigma}{sub tot}={radical}({sigma}{sup 2}+{sigma}{sub resp}{sup 2})) errors of the heart position were calculated. Based on the errors a PRV margin for the heart was calculated to ensure that the maximum heart dose (D{sub max}) is not underestimated in at least 90% of the cases (M{sub heart} = 1.3{Sigma}-0.5{sigma}{sub tot}). All analysis were performed in left-right (LR), craniocaudal (CC), and anteroposterior (AP) directions with respect to both online and offline bony anatomy setup corrections. The PRV margin was validated by accumulating the dose to the heart based on the heart registrations and comparing the planned PRV D{sub max} to the accumulated heart D{sub max}. Results: For online setup correction, the cardiac geometrical uncertainties and PRV margins were N-Ary-Summation = 2.2/3.2/2.1 mm, {sigma} = 2.1/2.9/1.4 mm, and M{sub heart} = 1.6/2.3/1.3 mm for LR/CC/AP, respectively. For offline setup correction these were N-Ary-Summation = 2.4/3.7/2.2 mm, {sigma} = 2.9/4.1/2.7 mm, and M{sub heart} = 1.6/2.1/1.4 mm. Cardiac motion induced by breathing was {sigma}{sub resp} = 1.4/2.9/1.4 mm for LR/CC/AP. The PRV D{sub max} underestimated the accumulated heart D{sub max} for 9.1% patients using online and 13.6% patients using offline bony anatomy setup correction, which validated that PRV margin size was adequate. Conclusion: Considerable cardiac position variability relative to the bony anatomy was observed in breast cancer patients. A PRV margin can be used during treatment planning to take these uncertainties into account.« less

The new Heavy-ion MCP-based Ancillary Detector DANTE for the CLARA-PRISMA Setup

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valiente-Dobon, J. J.; Gadea, A.; Corradi, L.

2006-08-14

The CLARA-PRISMA setup is a powerful tool for spectroscopic studies of neutron-rich nuclei produced in multi-nucleon transfer and deep-inelastic reactions. It combines the large acceptance spectrometer PRISMA with the {gamma}-ray array CLARA. At present, the ancillary heavy-ion detector DANTE, based on Micro-Channel Plates to be installed at the CLARA-PRISMA setup, is being constructed at LNL. DANTE will open the possibility of measuring {gamma}-{gamma} Doppler-corrected coincidences for the events outside the acceptance of PRISMA. In this presentation, it is described the heavy-ion detector DANTE, as well as the performances of the first prototype.

Lithographically fabricated silicon microreactor for in situ characterization of heterogeneous catalysts—Enabling correlative characterization techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baier, S.; Rochet, A.; Hofmann, G.; Kraut, M.; Grunwaldt, J.-D.

2015-06-01

We report on a new modular setup on a silicon-based microreactor designed for correlative spectroscopic, scattering, and analytic on-line gas investigations for in situ studies of heterogeneous catalysts. The silicon microreactor allows a combination of synchrotron radiation based techniques (e.g., X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy) as well as infrared thermography and Raman spectroscopy. Catalytic performance can be determined simultaneously by on-line product analysis using mass spectrometry. We present the design of the reactor, the experimental setup, and as a first example for an in situ study, the catalytic partial oxidation of methane showing the applicability of this reactor for in situ studies.

Lithographically fabricated silicon microreactor for in situ characterization of heterogeneous catalysts—Enabling correlative characterization techniques.

PubMed

Baier, S; Rochet, A; Hofmann, G; Kraut, M; Grunwaldt, J-D

2015-06-01

We report on a new modular setup on a silicon-based microreactor designed for correlative spectroscopic, scattering, and analytic on-line gas investigations for in situ studies of heterogeneous catalysts. The silicon microreactor allows a combination of synchrotron radiation based techniques (e.g., X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy) as well as infrared thermography and Raman spectroscopy. Catalytic performance can be determined simultaneously by on-line product analysis using mass spectrometry. We present the design of the reactor, the experimental setup, and as a first example for an in situ study, the catalytic partial oxidation of methane showing the applicability of this reactor for in situ studies.

Progress Towards Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Plasma Parameters and Neutral Dynamics in Helicon Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Jonathan; Schmitz, Oliver; Severn, Greg; van Ruremonde, Lars; Winters, Victoria

2017-10-01

The MARIA device at the UW-Madison is used primarily to investigate the dynamics and fueling of neutral particles in helicon discharges. A new systematic method is in development to measure key plasma and neutral particle parameters by spectroscopic methods. The setup relies on spectroscopic line ratios for investigating basic plasma parameters and extrapolation to other states using a collisional radiative model. Active pumping using a Nd:YAG pumped dye laser is used to benchmark and correct the underlying atomic data for the collisional radiative model. First results show a matching linear dependence between electron density and laser induced fluorescence on the magnetic field above 500G. This linear dependence agrees with the helicon dispersion relation and implies MARIA can reliably support the helicon mode and support future measurements. This work was funded by the NSF CAREER award PHY-1455210.

Is ExacTrac x-ray system an alternative to CBCT for positioning patients with head and neck cancers?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clemente, Stefania; Chiumento, Costanza; Fiorentino, Alba

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of a six-degrees-of freedom (6D) correction using ExacTrac robotics system in patients with head-and-neck (HN) cancer receiving radiation therapy.Methods: Local setup accuracy was analyzed for 12 patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Patient position was imaged daily upon two different protocols, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and ExacTrac (ET) images correction. Setup data from either approach were compared in terms of both residual errors after correction and punctual displacement of selected regions of interest (Mandible, C2, and C6 vertebral bodies).Results: On average, both protocols achieved reasonably low residual errors after initial correction. The observed differences inmore » shift vectors between the two protocols showed that CBCT tends to weight more C2 and C6 at the expense of the mandible, while ET tends to average more differences among the different ROIs.Conclusions: CBCT, even without 6D correction capabilities, seems preferable to ET for better consistent alignment and the capability to see soft tissues. Therefore, in our experience, CBCT represents a benchmark for positioning head and neck cancer patients.« less

Broadband optical frequency comb generator based on driving N-cascaded modulators by Gaussian-shaped waveform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hmood, Jassim K.; Harun, Sulaiman W.

2018-05-01

A new approach for realizing a wideband optical frequency comb (OFC) generator based on driving cascaded modulators by a Gaussian-shaped waveform, is proposed and numerically demonstrated. The setup includes N-cascaded MZMs, a single Gaussian-shaped waveform generator, and N-1 electrical time delayer. The first MZM is driven directly by a Gaussian-shaped waveform, while delayed replicas of the Gaussian-shaped waveform drive the other MZMs. An analytical model that describes the proposed OFC generator is provided to study the effect of number and chirp factor of cascaded MZM as well as pulse width on output spectrum. Optical frequency combs at frequency spacing of 1 GHz are generated by applying Gaussian-shaped waveform at pulse widths ranging from 200 to 400 ps. Our results reveal that, the number of comb lines is inversely proportional to the pulse width and directly proportional to both number and chirp factor of cascaded MZMs. At pulse width of 200 ps and chirp factor of 4, 67 frequency lines can be measured at output spectrum of two-cascaded MZMs setup. Whereas, increasing the number of cascaded stages to 3, 4, and 5, the optical spectra counts 89, 109 and 123 frequency lines; respectively. When the delay time is optimized, 61 comb lines can be achieved with power fluctuations of less than 1 dB for five-cascaded MZMs setup.

Set-up uncertainties: online correction with X-ray volume imaging.

PubMed

Kataria, Tejinder; Abhishek, Ashu; Chadha, Pranav; Nandigam, Janardhan

2011-01-01

To determine interfractional three-dimensional set-up errors using X-ray volumetric imaging (XVI). Between December 2007 and August 2009, 125 patients were taken up for image-guided radiotherapy using online XVI. After matching of reference and acquired volume view images, set-up errors in three translation directions were recorded and corrected online before treatment each day. Mean displacements, population systematic (Σ), and random (σ) errors were calculated and analyzed using SPSS (v16) software. Optimum clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margin was calculated using Van Herk's (2.5Σ + 0.7 σ) and Stroom's (2Σ + 0.7 σ) formula. Patients were grouped in 4 cohorts, namely brain, head and neck, thorax, and abdomen-pelvis. The mean vector displacement recorded were 0.18 cm, 0.15 cm, 0.36 cm, and 0.35 cm for brain, head and neck, thorax, and abdomen-pelvis, respectively. Analysis of individual mean set-up errors revealed good agreement with the proposed 0.3 cm isotropic margins for brain and 0.5 cm isotropic margins for head-neck. Similarly, 0.5 cm circumferential and 1 cm craniocaudal proposed margins were in agreement with thorax and abdomen-pelvic cases. The calculated mean displacements were well within CTV-PTV margin estimates of Van Herk (90% population coverage to minimum 95% prescribed dose) and Stroom (99% target volume coverage by 95% prescribed dose). Employing these individualized margins in a particular cohort ensure comparable target coverage as described in literature, which is further improved if XVI-aided set-up error detection and correction is used before treatment.

Radiative corrections to elastic proton-electron scattering measured in coincidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gakh, G. I.; Konchatnij, M. I.; Merenkov, N. P.; Tomasi-Gustafsson, E.

2017-05-01

The differential cross section for elastic scattering of protons on electrons at rest is calculated, taking into account the QED radiative corrections to the leptonic part of interaction. These model-independent radiative corrections arise due to emission of the virtual and real soft and hard photons as well as to vacuum polarization. We analyze an experimental setup when both the final particles are recorded in coincidence and their energies are determined within some uncertainties. The kinematics, the cross section, and the radiative corrections are calculated and numerical results are presented.

Microfluidic setup for on-line SERS monitoring using laser induced nanoparticle spots as SERS active substrate.

PubMed

Buja, Oana-M; Gordan, Ovidiu D; Leopold, Nicolae; Morschhauser, Andreas; Nestler, Jörg; Zahn, Dietrich R T

2017-01-01

A microfluidic setup which enables on-line monitoring of residues of malachite green (MG) using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is reported. The SERS active substrate was prepared via laser induced synthesis of silver or gold nanoparticles spot on the bottom of a 200 μm inner dimension glass capillary, by focusing the laser beam during a continuous flow of a mixture of silver nitrate or gold chloride and sodium citrate. The described microfluidic setup enables within a few minutes the monitoring of several processes: the synthesis of the SERS active spot, MG adsorption to the metal surface, detection of the analyte when saturation of the SERS signal is reached, and finally, the desorption of MG from the spot. Moreover, after MG complete desorption, the regeneration of the SERS active spot was achieved. The detection of MG was possible down to 10 -7 M concentration with a good reproducibility when using silver or gold spots as SERS substrate.

Improved field free line magnetic particle imaging using saddle coils.

PubMed

Erbe, Marlitt; Sattel, Timo F; Buzug, Thorsten M

2013-12-01

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a novel tracer-based imaging method detecting the distribution of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles in vivo in three dimensions and in real time. Conventionally, MPI uses the signal emitted by SPIO tracer material located at a field free point (FFP). To increase the sensitivity of MPI, however, an alternative encoding scheme collecting the particle signal along a field free line (FFL) was proposed. To provide the magnetic fields needed for line imaging in MPI, a very efficient scanner setup regarding electrical power consumption is needed. At the same time, the scanner needs to provide a high magnetic field homogeneity along the FFL as well as parallel to its alignment to prevent the appearance of artifacts, using efficient radon-based reconstruction methods arising for a line encoding scheme. This work presents a dynamic FFL scanner setup for MPI that outperforms all previously presented setups in electrical power consumption as well as magnetic field quality.

Combining contour detection algorithms for the automatic extraction of the preparation line from a dental 3D measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahlers, Volker; Weigl, Paul; Schachtzabel, Hartmut

2005-04-01

Due to the increasing demand for high-quality ceramic crowns and bridges, the CAD/CAM-based production of dental restorations has been a subject of intensive research during the last fifteen years. A prerequisite for the efficient processing of the 3D measurement of prepared teeth with a minimal amount of user interaction is the automatic determination of the preparation line, which defines the sealing margin between the restoration and the prepared tooth. Current dental CAD/CAM systems mostly require the interactive definition of the preparation line by the user, at least by means of giving a number of start points. Previous approaches to the automatic extraction of the preparation line rely on single contour detection algorithms. In contrast, we use a combination of different contour detection algorithms to find several independent potential preparation lines from a height profile of the measured data. The different algorithms (gradient-based, contour-based, and region-based) show their strengths and weaknesses in different clinical situations. A classifier consisting of three stages (range check, decision tree, support vector machine), which is trained by human experts with real-world data, finally decides which is the correct preparation line. In a test with 101 clinical preparations, a success rate of 92.0% has been achieved. Thus the combination of different contour detection algorithms yields a reliable method for the automatic extraction of the preparation line, which enables the setup of a turn-key dental CAD/CAM process chain with a minimal amount of interactive screen work.

Feasibility of using a dose-area product ratio as beam quality specifier for photon beams with small field sizes.

PubMed

Pimpinella, Maria; Caporali, Claudio; Guerra, Antonio Stefano; Silvi, Luca; De Coste, Vanessa; Petrucci, Assunta; Delaunay, Frank; Dufreneix, Stéphane; Gouriou, Jean; Ostrowsky, Aimé; Rapp, Benjamin; Bordy, Jean-Marc; Daures, Josiane; Le Roy, Maïwenn; Sommier, Line; Vermesse, Didier

2018-01-01

To investigate the feasibility of using the ratio of dose-area product at 20 cm and 10 cm water depths (DAPR 20,10 ) as a beam quality specifier for radiotherapy photon beams with field diameter below 2 cm. Dose-area product was determined as the integral of absorbed dose to water (D w ) over a surface larger than the beam size. 6 MV and 10 MV photon beams with field diameters from 0.75 cm to 2 cm were considered. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed to calculate energy-dependent dosimetric parameters and to study the DAPR 20,10 properties. Aspects relevant to DAPR 20,10 measurement were explored using large-area plane-parallel ionization chambers with different diameters. DAPR 20,10 was nearly independent of field size in line with the small differences among the corresponding mean beam energies. Both MC and experimental results showed a dependence of DAPR 20,10 on the measurement setup and the surface over which D w is integrated. For a given setup, DAPR 20,10 values obtained using ionization chambers with different air-cavity diameters agreed with one another within 0.4%, after the application of MC correction factors accounting for effects due to the chamber size. DAPR 20,10 differences among the small field sizes were within 1% and sensitivity to the beam energy resulted similar to that of established beam quality specifiers based on the point measurement of D w . For a specific measurement setup and integration area, DAPR 20,10 proved suitable to specify the beam quality of small photon beams for the selection of energy-dependent dosimetric parameters. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CRLH-TL Sensors for Flow Inhomogeneties Detection of Pneumatic Conveyed Pulverized Solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelovski, Aleksandar; Penirschke, Andreas; Jakoby, Rolf

2011-08-01

This paper presents an application of a Composite Right/Left-Handed (CRLH) Transmission Line resonator for a compact mass flow detector which is able to detect inhomogeneous flows. In this concept, series capacitors and shunt inductors are used to synthesize a medium with simultaneously negative permeability and permittivity - the so called metamaterial. The helix shape of the cylindrical CRLH-TL sensor offers the possibility to detect flow inhomogeneities within the pipeline which can be used to correct the detected massflow rate. A combination of two CRLH-TL structures within the same cross-section of the pipeline can improve the angular sensitivity of the sensor. A prototype was realized and tested in a dedicated measurement setup to prove the concept.

Status and Prospects of Hirfl Experiments on Nuclear Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, H. S.; Zheng, C.; Xiao, G. Q.; Zhan, W. L.; Zhou, X. H.; Zhang, Y. H.; Sun, Z. Y.; Wang, J. S.; Gan, Z. G.; Huang, W. X.; Ma, X. W.

HIRFL is an accelerator complex consisting of 3 accelerators, 2 radioactive beams lines, 1 storage rings and a number of experimental setups. The research activities at HIRFL cover the fields of radio-biology, material science, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. This report mainly concentrates on the experiments of nuclear physics with the existing and planned experimental setups such as SHANS, RIBLL1, ETF, CSRe, PISA and HPLUS at HIRFL.

Comparison of 2c- and 3cLIF droplet temperature imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, Johannes; Reddemann, Manuel A.; Kirsch, Valeri; Kneer, Reinhold

2018-06-01

This work presents "pulsed 2D-3cLIF-EET" as a measurement setup for micro-droplet internal temperature imaging. The setup relies on a third color channel that allows correcting spatially changing energy transfer rates between the two applied fluorescent dyes. First measurement results are compared with results of two slightly different versions of the recent "pulsed 2D-2cLIF-EET" method. Results reveal a higher temperature measurement accuracy of the recent 2cLIF setup. Average droplet temperature is determined by the 2cLIF setup with an uncertainty of less than 1 K and a spatial deviation of about 3.7 K. The new 3cLIF approach would become competitive, if the existing droplet size dependency is anticipated by an additional calibration and if the processing algorithm includes spatial measurement errors more appropriately.

Molecfit: A general tool for telluric absorption correction. II. Quantitative evaluation on ESO-VLT/X-Shooterspectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kausch, W.; Noll, S.; Smette, A.; Kimeswenger, S.; Barden, M.; Szyszka, C.; Jones, A. M.; Sana, H.; Horst, H.; Kerber, F.

2015-04-01

Context. Absorption by molecules in the Earth's atmosphere strongly affects ground-based astronomical observations. The resulting absorption line strength and shape depend on the highly variable physical state of the atmosphere, i.e. pressure, temperature, and mixing ratio of the different molecules involved. Usually, supplementary observations of so-called telluric standard stars (TSS) are needed to correct for this effect, which is expensive in terms of telescope time. We have developed the software package molecfit to provide synthetic transmission spectra based on parameters obtained by fitting narrow ranges of the observed spectra of scientific objects. These spectra are calculated by means of the radiative transfer code LBLRTM and an atmospheric model. In this way, the telluric absorption correction for suitable objects can be performed without any additional calibration observations of TSS. Aims: We evaluate the quality of the telluric absorption correction using molecfit with a set of archival ESO-VLT/X-Shooter visible and near-infrared spectra. Methods: Thanks to the wavelength coverage from the U to the K band, X-Shooter is well suited to investigate the quality of the telluric absorption correction with respect to the observing conditions, the instrumental set-up, input parameters of the code, the signal-to-noise of the input spectrum, and the atmospheric profiles. These investigations are based on two figures of merit, Ioff and Ires, that describe the systematic offsets and the remaining small-scale residuals of the corrections. We also compare the quality of the telluric absorption correction achieved with molecfit to the classical method based on a telluric standard star. Results: The evaluation of the telluric correction with molecfit shows a convincing removal of atmospheric absorption features. The comparison with the classical method reveals that molecfit performs better because it is not prone to the bad continuum reconstruction, noise, and intrinsic spectral features introduced by the telluric standard star. Conclusions: Fitted synthetic transmission spectra are an excellent alternative to the correction based on telluric standard stars. Moreover, molecfit offers wide flexibility for adaption to various instruments and observing sites. http://www.eso.org/sci/software/pipelines/skytools/

Global embedding of fibre inflation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicoli, Michele; Muia, Francesco; Shukla, Pramod

2016-11-01

We present concrete embeddings of fibre inflation models in globally consistent type IIB Calabi-Yau orientifolds with closed string moduli stabilisation. After performing a systematic search through the existing list of toric Calabi-Yau manifolds, we find several examples that reproduce the minimal setup to embed fibre inflation models. This involves Calabi-Yau manifolds with h 1,1 = 3 which are K3 fibrations over a ℙ1 base with an additional shrinkable rigid divisor. We then provide different consistent choices of the underlying brane set-up which generate a non-perturbative superpotential suitable for moduli stabilisation and string loop corrections with the correct form to drive inflation. For each Calabi-Yau orientifold setting, we also compute the effect of higher derivative contributions and study their influence on the inflationary dynamics.

Lithographically fabricated silicon microreactor for in situ characterization of heterogeneous catalysts—Enabling correlative characterization techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baier, S.; Rochet, A.; Hofmann, G.

2015-06-15

We report on a new modular setup on a silicon-based microreactor designed for correlative spectroscopic, scattering, and analytic on-line gas investigations for in situ studies of heterogeneous catalysts. The silicon microreactor allows a combination of synchrotron radiation based techniques (e.g., X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy) as well as infrared thermography and Raman spectroscopy. Catalytic performance can be determined simultaneously by on-line product analysis using mass spectrometry. We present the design of the reactor, the experimental setup, and as a first example for an in situ study, the catalytic partial oxidation of methane showing the applicability of this reactor formore » in situ studies.« less

Evaluation of setup uncertainties for single-fraction SRS by comparing two different mask-creation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Jong Geun; Jang, Hyun Soo; Oh, Young Kee; Lee, Hyun Jeong; Kim, Eng Chan

2015-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the setup uncertainties for single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (SF-SRS) based on clinical data with two different mask-creation methods using pretreatment con-beam computed tomography imaging guidance. Dedicated frameless fixation Brain- LAB masks for 23 patients were created as a routine mask (R-mask) making method, as explained in the BrainLAB's user manual. Alternative masks (A-masks), which were created by modifying the cover range of the R-masks for the patient's head, were used for 23 patients. The systematic errors including these for each mask and stereotactic target localizer were analyzed, and the errors were calculated as the means ± standard deviations (SD) from the left-right (LR), superior-inferior (SI), anterior-posterior (AP), and yaw setup corrections. In addition, the frequencies of the threedimensional (3D) vector length were analyzed. The values of the mean setup corrections for the R-mask in all directions were < 0.7 mm and < 0.1°, whereas the magnitudes of the SDs were relatively large compared to the mean values. In contrast, the means and SDs of the A-mask were smaller than those for the R-mask with the exception of the SD in the AP direction. The means and SDs in the yaw rotational direction for the R-mask and the A-mask system were comparable. 3D vector shifts of larger magnitude occurred more frequently for the R-mask than the A-mask. The setup uncertainties for each mask with the stereotactic localizing system had an asymmetric offset towards the positive AP direction. The A-mask-creation method, which is capable of covering the top of the patient's head, is superior to that for the R-mask, so the use of the A-mask is encouraged for SF-SRS to reduce the setup uncertainties. Moreover, careful mask-making is required to prevent possible setup uncertainties.

Detector response artefacts in spectral reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, Ulrik L.; Christensen, Erik D.; Khalil, Mohamad; Gu, Yun; Kehres, Jan

2017-09-01

Energy resolved detectors are gaining traction as a tool to achieve better material contrast. K-edge imaging and tomography is an example of a method with high potential that has evolved on the capabilities of photon counting energy dispersive detectors. Border security is also beginning to see instruments taking advantage of energy resolved detectors. The progress of the field is halted by the limitations of the detectors. The limitations include nonlinear response for both x-ray intensity and x-ray spectrum. In this work we investigate how the physical interactions in the energy dispersive detectors affect the quality of the reconstruction and how corrections restore the quality. We have modeled detector responses for the primary detrimental effects occurring in the detector; escape peaks, charge sharing/loss and pileup. The effect of the change in the measured spectra is evaluated based on the artefacts occurring in the reconstructed images. We also evaluate the effect of a correction algorithm for reducing these artefacts on experimental data acquired with a setup using Multix ME-100 V-2 line detector modules. The artefacts were seen to introduce 20% deviation in the reconstructed attenuation coefficient for the uncorrected detector. We performed tomography experiments on samples with various materials interesting for security applications and found the SSIM to increase > 5% below 60keV. Our work shows that effective corrections schemes are necessary for the accurate material classification in security application promised by the advent of high flux detectors for spectral tomography

Interaction quench dynamics in the Kondo model in the presence of a local magnetic field.

PubMed

Heyl, M; Kehrein, S

2010-09-01

In this work we investigate the quench dynamics in the Kondo model on the Toulouse line in the presence of a local magnetic field. It is shown that this setup can be realized by either applying the local magnetic field directly or by preparing the system in a macroscopically spin-polarized initial state. In the latter case, the magnetic field results from a subtlety in applying the bosonization technique where terms that are usually referred to as finite-size corrections become important in the present non-equilibrium setting. The transient dynamics are studied by analyzing exact analytical results for the local spin dynamics. The timescale for the relaxation of the local dynamical quantities turns out to be exclusively determined by the Kondo scale. In the transient regime, one observes damped oscillations in the local correlation functions with a frequency set by the magnetic field.

Setup for irradiation and characterization of materials and Si particle detectors at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Väyrynen, S.; Pusa, P.; Sane, P.; Tikkanen, P.; Räisänen, J.; Kuitunen, K.; Tuomisto, F.; Härkönen, J.; Kassamakov, I.; Tuominen, E.; Tuovinen, E.

2007-03-01

A novel facility for proton irradiation with sample cryocooling has been developed at the Accelerator Laboratory of Helsinki University (equipped with a 5 MV tandem accelerator). The setup enables unique experiments to be carried out within the temperature range of 10-300 K. The setup has been constructed for "on-line" studies of vacancies with positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) including the option for optical ionization of the vacancies, and for current-voltage ( IV) measurements of irradiated silicon particle detectors. The setup is described in detail and typical performance characteristics are provided. The facility functionality was tested by performing PAS experiments with high-resistivity silicon and by IV measurements for two types of irradiated silicon particle detectors.

SU-E-J-15: A Patient-Centered Scheme to Mitigate Impacts of Treatment Setup Error

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, L; Southern Medical University, Guangzhou; Tian, Z

2014-06-01

Purpose: Current Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is plan-centered. At each treatment fraction, we position the patient to match the setup in treatment plan. Inaccurate setup can compromise delivered dose distribution, and hence leading to suboptimal treatments. Moreover, current setup approach via couch shift under image guidance can correct translational errors, while rotational and deformation errors are hard to address. To overcome these problems, we propose in this abstract a patient-centered scheme to mitigate impacts of treatment setup errors. Methods: In the patient-centered scheme, we first position the patient on the couch approximately matching the planned-setup. Our Supercomputing Online Replanningmore » Environment (SCORE) is then employed to design an optimal treatment plan based on the daily patient geometry. It hence mitigates the impacts of treatment setup error and reduces the requirements on setup accuracy. We have conducted simulations studies in 10 head-and-neck (HN) patients to investigate the feasibility of this scheme. Rotational and deformation setup errors were simulated. Specifically, 1, 3, 5, 7 degrees of rotations were put on pitch, roll, and yaw directions; deformation errors were simulated by splitting neck movements into four basic types: rotation, lateral bending, flexion and extension. Setup variation ranges are based on observed numbers in previous studies. Dosimetric impacts of our scheme were evaluated on PTVs and OARs in comparison with original plan dose with original geometry and original plan recalculated dose with new setup geometries. Results: With conventional plan-centered approach, setup error could lead to significant PTV D99 decrease (−0.25∼+32.42%) and contralateral-parotid Dmean increase (−35.09∼+42.90%). The patientcentered approach is effective in mitigating such impacts to 0∼+0.20% and −0.03∼+5.01%, respectively. Computation time is <128 s. Conclusion: Patient-centered scheme is proposed to mitigate setup error impacts using replanning. Its superiority in terms of dosimetric impacts and feasibility has been shown through simulation studies on HN cases.« less

19 CFR 142.50 - Line Release data base corrections or changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Line Release data base corrections or changes. 142...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) ENTRY PROCESS Line Release § 142.50 Line Release data base corrections... numbers or bond information on a Line Release Data Loading Sheet as soon as possible. Notification shall...

19 CFR 142.50 - Line Release data base corrections or changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Line Release data base corrections or changes. 142...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) ENTRY PROCESS Line Release § 142.50 Line Release data base corrections... numbers or bond information on a Line Release Data Loading Sheet as soon as possible. Notification shall...

19 CFR 142.50 - Line Release data base corrections or changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Line Release data base corrections or changes. 142...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) ENTRY PROCESS Line Release § 142.50 Line Release data base corrections... numbers or bond information on a Line Release Data Loading Sheet as soon as possible. Notification shall...

19 CFR 142.50 - Line Release data base corrections or changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Line Release data base corrections or changes. 142...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) ENTRY PROCESS Line Release § 142.50 Line Release data base corrections... numbers or bond information on a Line Release Data Loading Sheet as soon as possible. Notification shall...

19 CFR 142.50 - Line Release data base corrections or changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Line Release data base corrections or changes. 142...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) ENTRY PROCESS Line Release § 142.50 Line Release data base corrections... numbers or bond information on a Line Release Data Loading Sheet as soon as possible. Notification shall...

Geometry and solid angle corrections for accurate measurement of multipole and parity mixing ratios using nuclear orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roccia, S.; Gaulard, C.; Étilé, A.; Chakma, R.

2017-07-01

In the context of nuclear orientation, we propose a new method to correct the multipole mixing ratios for asymmetries in the geometry of the setup but also in the detection system. This method is also robust against temperature fluctuations, beam intensity fluctuations and uncertainties in the nuclear structure of the nuclei. Additionally, this method provides a natural way to combine data from different detectors and make good use of all available statistics. We could use this method to demonstrate the accuracy that can be reached with the PolarEx setup now installed at the ALTO facility.

Length matters: Improved high field EEG-fMRI recordings using shorter EEG cables.

PubMed

Assecondi, Sara; Lavallee, Christina; Ferrari, Paolo; Jovicich, Jorge

2016-08-30

The use of concurrent EEG-fMRI recordings has increased in recent years, allowing new avenues of medical and cognitive neuroscience research; however, currently used setups present problems with data quality and reproducibility. We propose a compact experimental setup for concurrent EEG-fMRI at 4T and compare it to a more standard reference setup. The compact setup uses short EEG cables connecting to the amplifiers, which are placed right at the back of the head RF coil on a form-fitting extension force-locked to the patient MR bed. We compare the two setups in terms of sensitivity to MR-room environmental noise, interferences between measuring devices (EEG or fMRI), and sensitivity to functional responses in a visual stimulation paradigm. The compact setup reduces the system sensitivity to both external noise and MR-induced artefacts by at least 60%, with negligible EEG noise induced from the mechanical vibrations of the cryogenic cooling compression pump. The compact setup improved EEG data quality and the overall performance of MR-artifact correction techniques. Both setups were similar in terms of the fMRI data, with higher reproducibility for cable placement within the scanner in the compact setup. This improved compact setup may be relevant to MR laboratories interested in reducing the sensitivity of their EEG-fMRI experimental setup to external noise sources, setting up an EEG-fMRI workplace for the first time, or for creating a more reproducible configuration of equipment and cables. Implications for safety and ergonomics are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a New Optical Measuring Set-Up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miroshnichenko, I. P.; Parinov, I. A.

2018-06-01

The paper proposes a description of the developed optical measuring set-up for the contactless recording and processing of measurement results for small spatial (linear and angular) displacements of control surfaces based on the use of laser technologies and optical interference methods. The proposed set-up is designed to solve all the arising measurement tasks in the study of the physical and mechanical properties of new materials and in the process of diagnosing the state of structural materials by acoustic active methods of nondestructive testing. The structure of the set-up, its constituent parts are described, and the features of construction and functioning during measurements are discussed. New technical solutions for the implementation of the components of the set-up under consideration are obtained. The purpose and description of the original specialized software, used to perform a priori analysis of measurement results, are present, while performing measurements, for a posteriori analysis of measurement results. Moreover, the influences of internal and external disturbance effects on the measurement results and correcting measurement results directly in their implementation are determined. The technical solutions, used in the set-up, are protected by the patents of the Russian Federation for inventions, and software is protected by the certificates of state registration of computer programs. The proposed set-up is intended for use in instrumentation, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, aviation, energy sector, etc.

SU-F-J-65: Prediction of Patient Setup Errors and Errors in the Calibration Curve from Prompt Gamma Proton Range Measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Albert, J; Labarbe, R; Sterpin, E

2016-06-15

Purpose: To understand the extent to which the prompt gamma camera measurements can be used to predict the residual proton range due to setup errors and errors in the calibration curve. Methods: We generated ten variations on a default calibration curve (CC) and ten corresponding range maps (RM). Starting with the default RM, we chose a square array of N beamlets, which were then rotated by a random angle θ and shifted by a random vector s. We added a 5% distal Gaussian noise to each beamlet in order to introduce discrepancies that exist between the ranges predicted from themore » prompt gamma measurements and those simulated with Monte Carlo algorithms. For each RM, s, θ, along with an offset u in the CC, were optimized using a simple Euclidian distance between the default ranges and the ranges produced by the given RM. Results: The application of our method lead to the maximal overrange of 2.0mm and underrange of 0.6mm on average. Compared to the situations where s, θ, and u were ignored, these values were larger: 2.1mm and 4.3mm. In order to quantify the need for setup error corrections, we also performed computations in which u was corrected for, but s and θ were not. This yielded: 3.2mm and 3.2mm. The average computation time for 170 beamlets was 65 seconds. Conclusion: These results emphasize the necessity to correct for setup errors and the errors in the calibration curve. The simplicity and speed of our method makes it a good candidate for being implemented as a tool for in-room adaptive therapy. This work also demonstrates that the Prompt gamma range measurements can indeed be useful in the effort to reduce range errors. Given these results, and barring further refinements, this approach is a promising step towards an adaptive proton radiotherapy.« less

Synthetic reconstruction of recycling on the limiter during startup phase of W7-X based on EMC3-EIRENE simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frerichs, Heinke; Effenberg, Florian; Schmitz, Oliver; Stephey, Laurie; W7-X Team

2016-10-01

Interpretation of spectroscopic measurements in the edge region of high-temperature plasmas can be a challenge due to line of sight integration effects. The EMC3-EIRENE code - a 3D fluid edge plasma and kinetic neutral gas transport code - is a suitable tool for full 3D reconstruction of such signals. A versatile synthetic diagnostic module has been developed recently which allows the realistic three dimensional setup of various plasma edge diagnostics to be captured. We present an analysis of recycling on the inboard limiter of W7-X during its startup phase in terms of a synthetic camera for Hα light observations and reconstruct the particle flux from these synthetic images based on ionization per photon coefficients (S/XB). We find that line of sight integration effects can lead to misinterpretation of data (redistribution of particle flux due to neutral gas diffusion), and that local plasma effects are important for the correct treatment of photon emissions. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Grant DE-SC0014210, by startup funds of the Department of Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and by the EUROfusion Consortium under Euratom Grant No 633053.

Multi-MHz FDML OCT: snapshot retinal imaging at 6.7 million axial-scans per second

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Thomas; Wieser, Wolfgang; André, Raphael; Pfeiffer, Tom; Eigenwillig, Christoph M.; Huber, Robert

2012-01-01

We demonstrate the acquisition of densely sampled wide-field 3D OCT datasets of the human retina in 0.3s. This performance is achieved with a multi-MHz Fourier domain mode-locked (FDML) laser source operating at 1050nm. A two-beam setup doubles the 3.35MHz laser sweep rate to 6.7MHz, which is 16x faster than results achieved with any non-FDML source used for retinal OCT. We discuss two main benefits of these high line rates: First, large datasets over an ultra-wide field of view can be acquired with a low probability of distortions. Second, even if eye movements occur, now the scan rate is high enough to directly correct even the fastest saccades without loss of information.

Coherence and diffraction limited resolution in microscopic OCT by a unified approach for the correction of dispersion and aberrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz-Hildebrandt, H.; Münter, Michael; Ahrens, M.; Spahr, H.; Hillmann, D.; König, P.; Hüttmann, G.

2018-03-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images scattering tissues with 5 to 15 μm resolution. This is usually not sufficient for a distinction of cellular and subcellular structures. Increasing axial and lateral resolution and compensation of artifacts caused by dispersion and aberrations is required to achieve cellular and subcellular resolution. This includes defocus which limit the usable depth of field at high lateral resolution. OCT gives access the phase of the scattered light and hence correction of dispersion and aberrations is possible by numerical algorithms. Here we present a unified dispersion/aberration correction which is based on a polynomial parameterization of the phase error and an optimization of the image quality using Shannon's entropy. For validation, a supercontinuum light sources and a costume-made spectrometer with 400 nm bandwidth were combined with a high NA microscope objective in a setup for tissue and small animal imaging. Using this setup and computation corrections, volumetric imaging at 1.5 μm resolution is possible. Cellular and near cellular resolution is demonstrated in porcine cornea and the drosophila larva, when computational correction of dispersion and aberrations is used. Due to the excellent correction of the used microscope objective, defocus was the main contribution to the aberrations. In addition, higher aberrations caused by the sample itself were successfully corrected. Dispersion and aberrations are closely related artifacts in microscopic OCT imaging. Hence they can be corrected in the same way by optimization of the image quality. This way microscopic resolution is easily achieved in OCT imaging of static biological tissues.

The lick-index calibration of the Gemini multi-object spectrographs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puzia, Thomas H.; Miller, Bryan W.; Trancho, Gelys

2013-06-01

We present the calibration of the spectroscopic Lick/IDS standard line-index system for measurements obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs known as GMOS-North and GMOS-South. We provide linear correction functions for each of the 25 standard Lick line indices for the B600 grism and two instrumental setups, one with 0.''5 slit width and 1 × 1 CCD pixel binning (corresponding to ∼2.5 Å spectral resolution) and the other with 0.''75 slit width and 2 × 2 binning (∼4 Å). We find small and well-defined correction terms for the set of Balmer indices Hβ, Hγ {sub A}, and Hδ {sub A} alongmore » with the metallicity sensitive indices Fe5015, Fe5270, Fe5335, Fe5406, Mg{sub 2}, and Mgb that are widely used for stellar population diagnostics of distant stellar systems. We find other indices that sample molecular absorption bands, such as TiO{sub 1} and TiO{sub 2}, with very wide wavelength coverage or indices that sample very weak molecular and atomic absorption features, such as Mg{sub 1}, as well as indices with particularly narrow passband definitions, such as Fe4384, Ca4455, Fe4531, Ca4227, and Fe5782, which are less robustly calibrated. These indices should be used with caution.« less

Easy Observation of Infrared Spectral Lines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortel, Adolf

2012-01-01

The spectra of some chemical elements display intense infrared (IR) lines that can be used more effectively than the ones in the visible region for identification purposes. A simple setup, based on the IR sensitivity of a handycam in nightshot mode, is described to record the visible as well as the IR spectra from decorative bulbs or salts on the…

Development of a microwave photoconductance measurement technique for the study of carrier dynamics in highly-excited 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subačius, L.; Jarašiūnas, K.; Ščajev, P.; Kato, M.

2015-12-01

The microwave conductance decay (MCD) technique combining an initially matched transmission line setup and picosecond optical excitation was developed and applied for the monitoring of transmitted and reflected microwave power transients in a 4H-SiC epilayer in a wide excitation range, from 2  ×  1014 to 1018 cm-3. The excitation-dependent decrease in measurement sensitivity in the power-law relations of the transients was observed at excess carrier densities above 1016 cm-3 due to the line mismatches and decrease in the internal microwave field in the illuminated sample. The calibration procedure of MCD data on excess carrier density was applied for the correction of the MCD transients and resulted in nearly identical MCD kinetics in the reflection and transmission. In a 35 μm-thick n-type 4H-SiC epilayer, the tendencies of the gradual decrease of the initial decay time with an excitation increase and the excitation-enhanced carrier recombination rate in MCD tails were analyzed numerically. These tendencies were attributed to the excitation dependent surface recombination rate and the enhanced trap-related bulk recombination, correspondingly.

MO-F-CAMPUS-T-05: Correct Or Not to Correct for Rotational Patient Set-Up Errors in Stereotactic Radiosurgery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Briscoe, M; Ploquin, N; Voroney, JP

2015-06-15

Purpose: To quantify the effect of patient rotation in stereotactic radiation therapy and establish a threshold where rotational patient set-up errors have a significant impact on target coverage. Methods: To simulate rotational patient set-up errors, a Matlab code was created to rotate the patient dose distribution around the treatment isocentre, located centrally in the lesion, while keeping the structure contours in the original locations on the CT and MRI. Rotations of 1°, 3°, and 5° for each of the pitch, roll, and yaw, as well as simultaneous rotations of 1°, 3°, and 5° around all three axes were applied tomore » two types of brain lesions: brain metastasis and acoustic neuroma. In order to analyze multiple tumour shapes, these plans included small spherical (metastasis), elliptical (acoustic neuroma), and large irregular (metastasis) tumour structures. Dose-volume histograms and planning target volumes were compared between the planned patient positions and those with simulated rotational set-up errors. The RTOG conformity index for patient rotation was also investigated. Results: Examining the tumour volumes that received 80% of the prescription dose in the planned and rotated patient positions showed decreases in prescription dose coverage of up to 2.3%. Conformity indices for treatments with simulated rotational errors showed decreases of up to 3% compared to the original plan. For irregular lesions, degradation of 1% of the target coverage can be seen for rotations as low as 3°. Conclusions: This data shows that for elliptical or spherical targets, rotational patient set-up errors less than 3° around any or all axes do not have a significant impact on the dose delivered to the target volume or the conformity index of the plan. However the same rotational errors would have an impact on plans for irregular tumours.« less

On Multiple AER Handshaking Channels Over High-Speed Bit-Serial Bidirectional LVDS Links With Flow-Control and Clock-Correction on Commercial FPGAs for Scalable Neuromorphic Systems.

PubMed

Yousefzadeh, Amirreza; Jablonski, Miroslaw; Iakymchuk, Taras; Linares-Barranco, Alejandro; Rosado, Alfredo; Plana, Luis A; Temple, Steve; Serrano-Gotarredona, Teresa; Furber, Steve B; Linares-Barranco, Bernabe

2017-10-01

Address event representation (AER) is a widely employed asynchronous technique for interchanging "neural spikes" between different hardware elements in neuromorphic systems. Each neuron or cell in a chip or a system is assigned an address (or ID), which is typically communicated through a high-speed digital bus, thus time-multiplexing a high number of neural connections. Conventional AER links use parallel physical wires together with a pair of handshaking signals (request and acknowledge). In this paper, we present a fully serial implementation using bidirectional SATA connectors with a pair of low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) wires for each direction. The proposed implementation can multiplex a number of conventional parallel AER links for each physical LVDS connection. It uses flow control, clock correction, and byte alignment techniques to transmit 32-bit address events reliably over multiplexed serial connections. The setup has been tested using commercial Spartan6 FPGAs attaining a maximum event transmission speed of 75 Meps (Mega events per second) for 32-bit events at a line rate of 3.0 Gbps. Full HDL codes (vhdl/verilog) and example demonstration codes for the SpiNNaker platform will be made available.

New education system for construction of optical holography setup - Tangible learning with Augmented Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Takeshi; Yoshikawa, Hiroshi

2013-02-01

In case of teaching optical system construction, it is difficult to prepare the optical components for the attendance student. However the tangible learning is very important to master the optical system construction. It helps learners understand easily to use an inexpensive learning system that provides optical experiments experiences. Therefore, we propose the new education system for construction of optical setup with the augmented reality. To use the augmented reality, the proposed system can simulate the optical system construction by the direct hand control. Also, this system only requires an inexpensive web camera, printed makers and a personal computer. Since this system does not require the darkroom and the expensive optical equipments, the learners can study anytime, anywhere when they want to do. In this paper, we developed the system that can teach the optical system construction of the Denisyuk hologram and 2-step transmission type hologram. For the tangible learning and the easy understanding, the proposed system displays the CG objects of the optical components on the markers which are controlled by the learner's hands. The proposed system does not only display the CG object, but also display the light beam which is controlled by the optical components. To display the light beam that is hard to be seen directly, the learners can confirm about what is happening by the own manipulation. For the construction of optical holography setup, we arrange a laser, mirrors, a PBS (polarizing beam splitter), lenses, a polarizer, half-wave plates, spatial filters, an optical power meter and a recording plate. After the construction, proposed system can check optical setup correctly. In comparison with the learners who only read a book, the learners who use the system can construct the optical holography setup more quickly and correctly.

STUDY OF K- -> π 0e-/line{ν }eγ and K- -> π 0μ -/line{ν }μ γ DECAY WITH ISTRA + SETUP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolotov, V. N.; Guschin, E. N.; Duk, V. A.; Laptev, S. V.; Lebedev, V. A.; Mazurov, A. E.; Polyarush, A. Yu.; Postoev, V. E.; Akimenko, S. A.; Britvich, G. I.; Datsko, K. V.; Filin, A. P.; Inyakin, A. V.; Konstantinov, V. F.; Konstantinov, A. S.; Korolkov, I. Y.; Khmelnikov, V. A.; Leontiev, V. M.; Novikov, V. P.; Obraztsov, V. F.; Polyakov, V. A.; Romanovsky, V. I.; Shelikhov, V. I.; Tchikilev, O. G.; Uvarov, V. A.; Yushchenko, O. P.

2006-10-01

This file contains the instructions for the proceedings of the 12th Lomonosov Conference on Elementary Particle Physics. In this place the abstract of the contribution should be placed. Results of study of the K- -> π 0e-/line{ν }eγ decay at ISTRA+ setup are presented. 3852 events of this decay have been observed. The ratio Br(K- -> π 0e-/line{ν }eγ )/Br(K- -> π 0e-/line{ν }e)=(0.63 ± 0.02(stat) ± 0.03(syst)) \\cdot 10-2 for E*γ > 30MeV, θ *eγ > 20o. Br(K- -> π 0e-/line{ν }eγ ) is found to be (3.05 ±0.02) · 10-4 (assuming PDG value for Ke3 branching ratio). Theoretical predictions give Br = 2.8 · 10-4 (tree level) and Br = 3.0 · 10-4(O(p4) level). The obtained value for the asymmetry Aζ (with the same cuts for E*γ and θ *eγ ) is Aζ = -0.015 ± 0.021. At present it is the best estimate of this asymmetry.

Pure moment testing for spinal biomechanics applications: Fixed versus sliding ring cable-driven test designs.

PubMed

Eguizabal, Johnny; Tufaga, Michael; Scheer, Justin K; Ames, Christopher; Lotz, Jeffrey C; Buckley, Jenni M

2010-05-07

In vitro multi-axial bending testing using pure moment loading conditions has become the standard in evaluating the effects of different types of surgical intervention on spinal kinematics. Simple, cable-driven experimental set-ups have been widely adopted because they require little infrastructure. Traditionally, "fixed ring" cable-driven experimental designs have been used; however, there have been concerns with the validity of this set-up in applying pure moment loading. This study involved directly comparing the loading state induced by a traditional "fixed ring" apparatus versus a novel "sliding ring" approach. Flexion-extension bending was performed on an artificial spine model and a single cadaveric test specimen, and the applied loading conditions to the specimen were measured with an in-line multiaxial load cell. The results showed that the fixed ring system applies flexion-extension moments that are 50-60% less than the intended values. This design also imposes non-trivial anterior-posterior shear forces, and non-uniform loading conditions were induced along the length of the specimen. The results of this study indicate that fixed ring systems have the potential to deviate from a pure moment loading state and that our novel sliding ring modification corrects this error in the original test design. This suggests that the proposed sliding ring design should be used for future in vitro spine biomechanics studies involving a cable-driven pure moment apparatus. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CONCH: A Visual Basic program for interactive processing of ion-microprobe analytical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, David R.

2006-11-01

A Visual Basic program for flexible, interactive processing of ion-microprobe data acquired for quantitative trace element, 26Al- 26Mg, 53Mn- 53Cr, 60Fe- 60Ni and U-Th-Pb geochronology applications is described. Default but editable run-tables enable software identification of secondary ion species analyzed and for characterization of the standard used. Counts obtained for each species may be displayed in plots against analysis time and edited interactively. Count outliers can be automatically identified via a set of editable count-rejection criteria and displayed for assessment. Standard analyses are distinguished from Unknowns by matching of the analysis label with a string specified in the Set-up dialog, and processed separately. A generalized routine writes background-corrected count rates, ratios and uncertainties, plus weighted means and uncertainties for Standards and Unknowns, to a spreadsheet that may be saved as a text-delimited file. Specialized routines process trace-element concentration, 26Al- 26Mg, 53Mn- 53Cr, 60Fe- 60Ni, and Th-U disequilibrium analysis types, and U-Th-Pb isotopic data obtained for zircon, titanite, perovskite, monazite, xenotime and baddeleyite. Correction to measured Pb-isotopic, Pb/U and Pb/Th ratios for the presence of common Pb may be made using measured 204Pb counts, or the 207Pb or 208Pb counts following subtraction from these of the radiogenic component. Common-Pb corrections may be made automatically, using a (user-specified) common-Pb isotopic composition appropriate for that on the sample surface, or for that incorporated within the mineral at the time of its crystallization, depending on whether the 204Pb count rate determined for the Unknown is substantially higher than the average 204Pb count rate for all session standards. Pb/U inter-element fractionation corrections are determined using an interactive log e-log e plot of common-Pb corrected 206Pb/ 238U ratios against any nominated fractionation-sensitive species pair (commonly 238U 16O +/ 238U +) for session standards. Also displayed with this plot are calculated Pb/U and Pb/Th calibration line regression slopes, y-intercepts, calibration uncertainties, standard 204Pb- and 208Pb-corrected 207Pb/ 206Pb dates and other parameters useful for assessment of the calibration-line data. Calibrated data for Unknowns may be automatically grouped according to calculated date and displayed in color on interactive Wetherill Concordia, Tera-Wasserburg Concordia, Linearized Gaussian ("Probability Paper") and Gaussian-summation probability density diagrams.

Clinical comparison of positional accuracy and stability between dedicated versus conventional masks for immobilization in cranial stereotactic radiotherapy using 6-degree-of-freedom image guidance system-integrated platform.

PubMed

Ohtakara, Kazuhiro; Hayashi, Shinya; Tanaka, Hidekazu; Hoshi, Hiroaki; Kitahara, Masashi; Matsuyama, Katsuya; Okada, Hitoshi

2012-02-01

To compare the positioning accuracy and stability of two distinct noninvasive immobilization devices, a dedicated (D-) and conventional (C-) mask, and to evaluate the applicability of a 6-degrees-of-freedom (6D) correction, especially to the C-mask, based on our initial experience with cranial stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) using ExacTrac (ET)/Robotics integrated into the Novalis Tx platform. The D- and C-masks were the BrainLAB frameless mask system and a general thermoplastic mask used for conventional radiotherapy such as whole brain irradiation, respectively. A total of 148 fractions in 71 patients and 125 fractions in 20 patients were analyzed for the D- and C-masks, respectively. For the C-mask, 3D correction was applied to the initial 10 patients, and thereafter, 6D correction was adopted. The 6D residual errors (REs) in the initial setup, after correction (pre-treatment), and during post-treatment were measured and compared. The D-mask provided no significant benefit for initial setup. The post-treatment median 3D vector displacements (interquatile range) were 0.38 mm (0.22, 0.60) and 0.74 mm (0.49, 1.04) for the D- and C-masks, respectively (p<0.001). The post-treatment maximal translational REs were within 1 mm and 2 mm for the D- and C-masks, respectively, and notably within 1.5 mm for the C-mask with 6D correction. The pre-treatment 3D vector displacements were significantly correlated with those for post-treatment in both masks. The D-mask confers positional stability acceptable for SRT. For the C-mask, 6D correction is also recommended, and an additional setup margin of 0.5 mm to that for the D-mask would be sufficient. The tolerance levels for the pre-treatment REs should similarly be set as small as possible for both systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexible data registration and automation in semiconductor production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudde, Ralf; Staudt-Fischbach, Peter; Kraemer, Benedict

1997-08-01

The need for cost reduction and flexibility in semiconductor production will result in a wider application of computer based automation systems. With the setup of a new and advanced CMOS semiconductor line in the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology [ISIT, Itzehoe (D)] a new line information system (LIS) was introduced based on an advanced model for the underlying data structure. This data model was implemented into an ORACLE-RDBMS. A cellworks based system (JOSIS) was used for the integration of the production equipment, communication and automated database bookings and information retrievals. During the ramp up of the production line this new system is used for the fab control. The data model and the cellworks based system integration is explained. This system enables an on-line overview of the work in progress in the fab, lot order history and equipment status and history. Based on this figures improved production and cost monitoring and optimization is possible. First examples of the information gained by this system are presented. The modular set-up of the LIS system will allow easy data exchange with additional software tools like scheduler, different fab control systems like PROMIS and accounting systems like SAP. Modifications necessary for the integration of PROMIS are described.

Row-crop planter requirements to support variable-rate seeding of maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Current planting technology possesses the ability to increase crop productivity and improve field efficiency by precisely metering and placing crop seeds. Planter performance depends on using the correct planter and technology setup which consists of determining optimal settings for different planti...

Multispot single-molecule FRET: High-throughput analysis of freely diffusing molecules

PubMed Central

Panzeri, Francesco

2017-01-01

We describe an 8-spot confocal setup for high-throughput smFRET assays and illustrate its performance with two characteristic experiments. First, measurements on a series of freely diffusing doubly-labeled dsDNA samples allow us to demonstrate that data acquired in multiple spots in parallel can be properly corrected and result in measured sample characteristics consistent with those obtained with a standard single-spot setup. We then take advantage of the higher throughput provided by parallel acquisition to address an outstanding question about the kinetics of the initial steps of bacterial RNA transcription. Our real-time kinetic analysis of promoter escape by bacterial RNA polymerase confirms results obtained by a more indirect route, shedding additional light on the initial steps of transcription. Finally, we discuss the advantages of our multispot setup, while pointing potential limitations of the current single laser excitation design, as well as analysis challenges and their solutions. PMID:28419142

Maxillary molar derotation and distalization by using a nickel-titanium wire fabricated on a setup model

PubMed Central

Jung, Jong Moon; Wi, Young Joo; Koo, Hyun Mo; Kim, Min Ji

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to introduce a simple appliance that uses a setup model and a nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) wire for correcting the mesial rotation and drift of the permanent maxillary first molar. The technique involves bonding a Ni-Ti wire to the proper position of the target tooth on a setup model, followed by the fabrication of the transfer cap for indirect bonding and its transfer to the patient's teeth. This appliance causes less discomfort and provides better oral hygiene for the patients than do conventional appliances such as the bracket, pendulum, and distal jet. The treatment time is also shorter with the new appliance than with full-fixed appliances. Moreover, the applicability of the new appliance can be expanded to many cases by using screws or splinting with adjacent teeth to improve anchorage. PMID:28670568

Maxillary molar derotation and distalization by using a nickel-titanium wire fabricated on a setup model.

PubMed

Jung, Jong Moon; Wi, Young Joo; Koo, Hyun Mo; Kim, Min Ji; Chun, Youn Sic

2017-07-01

The purpose of this article is to introduce a simple appliance that uses a setup model and a nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) wire for correcting the mesial rotation and drift of the permanent maxillary first molar. The technique involves bonding a Ni-Ti wire to the proper position of the target tooth on a setup model, followed by the fabrication of the transfer cap for indirect bonding and its transfer to the patient's teeth. This appliance causes less discomfort and provides better oral hygiene for the patients than do conventional appliances such as the bracket, pendulum, and distal jet. The treatment time is also shorter with the new appliance than with full-fixed appliances. Moreover, the applicability of the new appliance can be expanded to many cases by using screws or splinting with adjacent teeth to improve anchorage.

Determination of the magnetocaloric entropy change by field sweep using a heat flux setup

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteiro, J. C. B., E-mail: jolmiui@gmail.com; Reis, R. D. dos; Mansanares, A. M.

2014-08-18

We report on a simple setup using a heat flux sensor adapted to a Quantum Design Physical Property Measurement System to determine the magnetocaloric entropy change (ΔS). The major differences for the existing setups are the simplicity of this assembly and the ease to obtain the isothermal entropy change either by a field sweep or a temperature sweep process. We discuss the use of these two processes applied to Gd and Gd{sub 5}Ge{sub 2}Si{sub 2} samples. The results are compared to the temperature sweep measurements and they show the advantages of this setup and of the field sweep procedure. Wemore » found a significant reduction of ΔS and on the refrigerating cooling power (RCP) at low field changes in a field sweep process when the sample is not driven to the same initial state for each temperature. We show that the field sweep process without any measuring protocol is the only correct way to experimentally determine ΔS and RCP for a practical regenerative refrigerator.« less

Evaluation of wet-line depth-correction methods for cable-suspended current meters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coon, W.F.; Futrell, James C.

1986-01-01

Wet-line depth corrections for cable-suspended current meter and weight not perpendicular to the water surface have been evaluated using cable-suspended weights towed by a boat in still water. A fathometer was used to track a Columbus sounding weight and to record its actual depth for several apparent depths, weight sizes, and towed velocities. Cable strumming, tension, and weight veer are noted. Results of this study suggest possible differences between observed depth corrections and corrections obtained from the wet-line correction table currently in use. These differences may have resulted from test conditions which deviated from the inherent assumptions of the wet-line table: (1) drag on the weight in the sounding position at the bottom of a stream can be neglected; and (2) the distribution of horizontal drag on the sounding line is in accordance with the variation of velocity with depth. Observed depth corrections were compared to wet-line table values used for determining the 0.8-depth position of the sounding weight under these conditions; the results indicate that questionable differences exist. (Lantz-PTT)

The dosimetric impact of daily setup error on target volumes and surrounding normal tissue in the treatment of prostate cancer with intensity-modulated radiation therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Algan, Ozer, E-mail: oalgan@ouhsc.edu; Jamgade, Ambarish; Ali, Imad

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of daily setup error and interfraction organ motion on the overall dosimetric radiation treatment plans. Twelve patients undergoing definitive intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatments for prostate cancer were evaluated in this institutional review board-approved study. Each patient had fiducial markers placed into the prostate gland before treatment planning computed tomography scan. IMRT plans were generated using the Eclipse treatment planning system. Each patient was treated to a dose of 8100 cGy given in 45 fractions. In this study, we retrospectively created a plan for each treatment day that had amore » shift available. To calculate the dose, the patient would have received under this plan, we mathematically 'negated' the shift by moving the isocenter in the exact opposite direction of the shift. The individualized daily plans were combined to generate an overall plan sum. The dose distributions from these plans were compared with the treatment plans that were used to treat the patients. Three-hundred ninety daily shifts were negated and their corresponding plans evaluated. The mean isocenter shift based on the location of the fiducial markers was 3.3 {+-} 6.5 mm to the right, 1.6 {+-} 5.1 mm posteriorly, and 1.0 {+-} 5.0 mm along the caudal direction. The mean D95 doses for the prostate gland when setup error was corrected and uncorrected were 8228 and 7844 cGy (p < 0.002), respectively, and for the planning target volume (PTV8100) was 8089 and 7303 cGy (p < 0.001), respectively. The mean V95 values when patient setup was corrected and uncorrected were 99.9% and 87.3%, respectively, for the PTV8100 volume (p < 0.0001). At an individual patient level, the difference in the D95 value for the prostate volume could be >1200 cGy and for the PTV8100 could approach almost 2000 cGy when comparing corrected against uncorrected plans. There was no statistically significant difference in the D35 parameter for the surrounding normal tissue except for the dose received by the penile bulb and the right hip. Our dosimetric evaluation suggests significant underdosing with inaccurate target localization and emphasizes the importance of accurate patient setup and target localization. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of intrafraction organ motion, rotation, and deformation on doses delivered to target volumes.« less

Absorption spectroscopy setup for determination of whole human blood and blood-derived materials spectral characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wróbel, M. S.; Gnyba, M.; Milewska, D.; Mitura, K.; Karpienko, K.

2015-09-01

A dedicated absorption spectroscopy system was set up using tungsten-halogen broadband source, optical fibers, sample holder, and a commercial spectrometer with CCD array. Analysis of noise present in the setup was carried out. Data processing was applied to the absorption spectra to reduce spectral noise, and improve the quality of the spectra and to remove the baseline level. The absorption spectra were measured for whole blood samples, separated components: plasma, saline, washed erythrocytes in saline and human whole blood with biomarkers - biocompatible nanodiamonds (ND). Blood samples had been derived from a number of healthy donors. The results prove a correct setup arrangement, with adequate preprocessing of the data. The results of blood-ND mixtures measurements show no toxic effect on blood cells, which proves the NDs as a potential biocompatible biomarkers.

Image guidance in prostate cancer - can offline corrections be an effective substitute for daily online imaging?

PubMed

Prasad, Devleena; Das, Pinaki; Saha, Niladri S; Chatterjee, Sanjoy; Achari, Rimpa; Mallick, Indranil

2014-01-01

This aim of this study was to determine if a less resource-intensive and established offline correction protocol - the No Action Level (NAL) protocol was as effective as daily online corrections of setup deviations in curative high-dose radiotherapy of prostate cancer. A total of 683 daily megavoltage CT (MVCT) or kilovoltage CT (kvCBCT) images of 30 patients with localized prostate cancer treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy were evaluated. Daily image-guidance was performed and setup errors in three translational axes recorded. The NAL protocol was simulated by using the mean shift calculated from the first five fractions and implemented on all subsequent treatments. Using the imaging data from the remaining fractions, the daily residual error (RE) was determined. The proportion of fractions where the RE was greater than 3,5 and 7 mm was calculated, and also the actual PTV margin that would be required if the offline protocol was followed. Using the NAL protocol reduced the systematic but not the random errors. Corrections made using the NAL protocol resulted in small and acceptable RE in the mediolateral (ML) and superoinferior (SI) directions with 46/533 (8.1%) and 48/533 (5%) residual shifts above 5 mm. However; residual errors greater than 5mm in the anteroposterior (AP) direction remained in 181/533 (34%) of fractions. The PTV margins calculated based on residual errors were 5mm, 5mm and 13 mm in the ML, SI and AP directions respectively. Offline correction using the NAL protocol resulted in unacceptably high residual errors in the AP direction, due to random uncertainties of rectal and bladder filling. Daily online imaging and corrections remain the standard image guidance policy for highly conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Improving the Energy Market: Algorithms, Market Implications, and Transmission Switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipka, Paula Ann

This dissertation aims to improve ISO operations through a better real-time market solution algorithm that directly considers both real and reactive power, finds a feasible Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow solution, and allows for solving transmission switching problems in an AC setting. Most of the IEEE systems do not contain any thermal limits on lines, and the ones that do are often not binding. Chapter 3 modifies the thermal limits for the IEEE systems to create new, interesting test cases. Algorithms created to better solve the power flow problem often solve the IEEE cases without line limits. However, one of the factors that makes the power flow problem hard is thermal limits on the lines. The transmission networks in practice often have transmission lines that become congested, and it is unrealistic to ignore line limits. Modifying the IEEE test cases makes it possible for other researchers to be able to test their algorithms on a setup that is closer to the actual ISO setup. This thesis also examines how to convert limits given on apparent power---as is in the case in the Polish test systems---to limits on current. The main consideration in setting line limits is temperature, which linearly relates to current. Setting limits on real or apparent power is actually a proxy for using the limits on current. Therefore, Chapter 3 shows how to convert back to the best physical representation of line limits. A sequential linearization of the current-voltage formulation of the Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow (ACOPF) problem is used to find an AC-feasible generator dispatch. In this sequential linearization, there are parameters that are set to the previous optimal solution. Additionally, to improve accuracy of the Taylor series approximations that are used, the movement of the voltage is restricted. The movement of the voltage is allowed to be very large at the first iteration and is restricted further on each subsequent iteration, with the restriction corresponding to the accuracy and AC-feasiblity of the solution. This linearization was tested on the IEEE and Polish systems, which range from 14 to 3375 buses and 20 to 4161 transmission lines. It had an accuracy of 0.5% or less for all but the 30-bus system. It also solved in linear time with CPLEX, while the non-linear version solved in O(n1.11) to O(n1.39). The sequential linearization is slower than the nonlinear formulation for smaller problems, but faster for larger problems, and its linear computational time means it would continue solving faster for larger problems. A major consideration to implementing algorithms to solve the optimal generator dispatch is ensuring that the resulting prices from the algorithm will support the market. Since the sequential linearization is linear, it is convex, its marginal values are well-defined, and there is no duality gap. The prices and settlements obtained from the sequential linearization therefore can be used to run a market. This market will include extra prices and settlements for reactive power and voltage, compared to the present-day market, which is based on real power. An advantage of this is that there is a very clear pool that can be used for reactive power/voltage support payments, while presently there is not a clear pool to take them out of. This method also reveals how valuable reactive power and voltage are at different locations, which can enable better planning of reactive resource construction. Transmission switching increases the feasible region of the generator dispatch, which means there may be a better solution than without transmission switching. Power flows on transmission lines are not directly controllable; rather, the power flows according to how it is injected and the physical characteristics of the lines. Changing the network topology changes the physical characteristics, which changes the flows. This means that sets of generator dispatch that may have previously been infeasible due to the flow exceeding line constraints may be feasible, since the flows will be different and may meet line constraints. However, transmission switching is a mixed integer problem, which may have a very slow solution time. For economic switching, we examine a series of heuristics. We examine the congestion rent heuristic in detail and then examine many other heuristics at a higher level. Post-contingency corrective switching aims to fix issues in the power network after a line or generator outage. In Chapter 7, we show that using the sequential linear program with corrective switching helps solve voltage and excessive flow issues. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

FTIR spectrometer with 30 m optical cell and its applications to the sensitive measurements of selective and nonselective absorption spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponomarev, Yu. N.; Solodov, A. A.; Solodov, A. M.; Petrova, T. M.; Naumenko, O. V.

2016-07-01

A description of the spectroscopic complex at V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, SB RAS, operating in a wide spectral range with high threshold sensitivity to the absorption coefficient is presented. Measurements of weak lines and nonselective spectra of CO2 and H2O were performed based on the built setup. As new application of this setup, positions and intensities of 152 weak lines of H2O were measured between 2400 and 2560 cm-1 with threshold sensitivity of 8.6×10-10 cm-1, and compared with available calculated and experimental data. Essential deviations between the new intensity measurements and calculated data accepted in HITRAN 2012 and GEISA 2015 forthcoming release are found.

Correction factors for on-line microprobe analysis of multielement alloy systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unnam, J.; Tenney, D. R.; Brewer, W. D.

1977-01-01

An on-line correction technique was developed for the conversion of electron probe X-ray intensities into concentrations of emitting elements. This technique consisted of off-line calculation and representation of binary interaction data which were read into an on-line minicomputer to calculate variable correction coefficients. These coefficients were used to correct the X-ray data without significantly increasing computer core requirements. The binary interaction data were obtained by running Colby's MAGIC 4 program in the reverse mode. The data for each binary interaction were represented by polynomial coefficients obtained by least-squares fitting a third-order polynomial. Polynomial coefficients were generated for most of the common binary interactions at different accelerating potentials and are included. Results are presented for the analyses of several alloy standards to demonstrate the applicability of this correction procedure.

On Being in the Wrong Place: The Role of Children’s Conceptual Understanding and Ballgame Experience when Judging a Football Player’s Offside Position

PubMed Central

Lange-Küttner, Christiane; Bosco, Giorgia

2016-01-01

We investigated the role of children’s conceptual understanding and ballgame experience when judging whether a football player is in an offside position, or not. In the offside position, a player takes advantage of being behind the defence line of the opposing team and just waits for the ball to arrive in order to score a goal. We explained the offside rule to 7- and 9-year-old children with a Subbuteo setup. They produced drawings of an offside position until it was correct (drawing to criterion). Thereafter, children judged whether a designated player was in an offside position in a computerized task. Like adults, also children found it easier to judge when a player was in a wrong rather than a right place. Only when including frequency of ballgame practice in the analysis it was revealed that boys were better independently of age as they judged the offside position more systematically. PMID:27713857

Analogue Hawking radiation in a dc-SQUID array transmission line.

PubMed

Nation, P D; Blencowe, M P; Rimberg, A J; Buks, E

2009-08-21

We propose the use of a superconducting transmission line formed from an array of direct-current superconducting quantum interference devices for investigating analogue Hawking radiation. Biasing the array with a space-time varying flux modifies the propagation velocity of the transmission line, leading to an effective metric with a horizon. Being a fundamentally quantum mechanical device, this setup allows for investigations of quantum effects such as backreaction and analogue space-time fluctuations on the Hawking process.

Compact and low-cost THz QTDS system.

PubMed

Probst, Thorsten; Rehn, Arno; Koch, Martin

2015-08-24

We present a terahertz quasi time domain spectroscopy (QTDS) system setup which is improved regarding cost and compactness. The diode laser is mounted directly onto the optical delay line, making the optical setup more compact. The system is operated using a Raspberry Pi and an additional sound card. This combination replaces the desktop/laptop computer, the lock-in-amplifier, the stage controller and the signal generator. We examined not only a commercially available stepper motor driven delay line, but also the repurposed internal mechanics from a DVD drive. We characterize the performance of the new system concept.

Development of a sensitive setup for laser spectroscopy studies of very exotic calcium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Ruiz, R. F.; Gorges, C.; Bissell, M.; Blaum, K.; Gins, W.; Heylen, H.; Koenig, K.; Kaufmann, S.; Kowalska, M.; Krämer, J.; Lievens, P.; Malbrunot-Ettenauer, S.; Neugart, R.; Neyens, G.; Nörtershäuser, W.; Yordanov, D. T.; Yang, X. F.

2017-04-01

An experimental setup for sensitive high-resolution measurements of hyperfine structure spectra of exotic calcium isotopes has been developed and commissioned at the COLLAPS beam line at ISOLDE, CERN. The technique is based on the radioactive detection of decaying isotopes after optical pumping and state selective neutralization (ROC) (Vermeeren et al 1992 Phys. Rev. Lett. 68 1679). The improvements and developments necessary to extend the applicability of the experimental technique to calcium isotopes produced at rates as low as few ions s-1 are discussed. Numerical calculations of laser-ion interaction and ion-beam simulations were explored to obtain the optimum performance of the experimental setup. Among the implemented features are a multi-step optical pumping region for sensitive measurements of isotopes with hyperfine splitting, a high-voltage platform for adequate control of low-energy ion beams and simultaneous β-detection of neutralized and remaining ions. The commissioning of the experimental setup, and the first online results on neutron-rich calcium isotopes are presented.

The current status of the MASHA setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vedeneev, V. Yu.; Rodin, A. M.; Krupa, L.; Belozerov, A. V.; Chernysheva, E. V.; Dmitriev, S. N.; Gulyaev, A. V.; Gulyaeva, A. V.; Kamas, D.; Kliman, J.; Komarov, A. B.; Motycak, S.; Novoselov, A. S.; Salamatin, V. S.; Stepantsov, S. V.; Podshibyakin, A. V.; Yukhimchuk, S. A.; Granja, C.; Pospisil, S.

2017-11-01

The MASHA setup designed as the mass-separator with the resolving power of about 1700, which allows mass identification of superheavy nuclides is described. The setup uses solid ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) method. In the present article the upgrade of some parts of MASHA are described: target box (rotating target + hot catcher), ion source based on electron cyclotron resonance, data acquisition, beam diagnostics and control systems. The upgrade is undertaken in order to increase the total separation efficiency, reduce the separation time, of the installation and working stability and make possible continuous measurements at high beam currents. Ion source efficiency was measured in autonomous regime with using calibrated gas leaks of Kr and Xe injected directly to ion source. Some results of the first experiments for production of radon isotopes using the multi-nucleon transfer reaction 48Ca+242Pu are described in the present article. The using of TIMEPIX detector with MASHA setup for neutron-rich Rn isotopes identification is also described.

Isospin Breaking Corrections to the HVP with Domain Wall Fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyle, Peter; Guelpers, Vera; Harrison, James; Juettner, Andreas; Lehner, Christoph; Portelli, Antonin; Sachrajda, Christopher

2018-03-01

We present results for the QED and strong isospin breaking corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarization using Nf = 2 + 1 Domain Wall fermions. QED is included in an electro-quenched setup using two different methods, a stochastic and a perturbative approach. Results and statistical errors from both methods are directly compared with each other.

SU-E-T-132: Dosimetric Impact of Positioning Errors in Hypo-Fractionated Cranial Radiation Therapy Using Frameless Stereotactic BrainLAB System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keeling, V; Jin, H; Ali, I

2014-06-01

Purpose: To determine dosimetric impact of positioning errors in the stereotactic hypo-fractionated treatment of intracranial lesions using 3Dtransaltional and 3D-rotational corrections (6D) frameless BrainLAB ExacTrac X-Ray system. Methods: 20 cranial lesions, treated in 3 or 5 fractions, were selected. An infrared (IR) optical positioning system was employed for initial patient setup followed by stereoscopic kV X-ray radiographs for position verification. 6D-translational and rotational shifts were determined to correct patient position. If these shifts were above tolerance (0.7 mm translational and 1° rotational), corrections were applied and another set of X-rays was taken to verify patient position. Dosimetric impact (D95, Dmin,more » Dmax, and Dmean of planning target volume (PTV) compared to original plans) of positioning errors for initial IR setup (XC: Xray Correction) and post-correction (XV: X-ray Verification) was determined in a treatment planning system using a method proposed by Yue et al. (Med. Phys. 33, 21-31 (2006)) with 3D-translational errors only and 6D-translational and rotational errors. Results: Absolute mean translational errors (±standard deviation) for total 92 fractions (XC/XV) were 0.79±0.88/0.19±0.15 mm (lateral), 1.66±1.71/0.18 ±0.16 mm (longitudinal), 1.95±1.18/0.15±0.14 mm (vertical) and rotational errors were 0.61±0.47/0.17±0.15° (pitch), 0.55±0.49/0.16±0.24° (roll), and 0.68±0.73/0.16±0.15° (yaw). The average changes (loss of coverage) in D95, Dmin, Dmax, and Dmean were 4.5±7.3/0.1±0.2%, 17.8±22.5/1.1±2.5%, 0.4±1.4/0.1±0.3%, and 0.9±1.7/0.0±0.1% using 6Dshifts and 3.1±5.5/0.0±0.1%, 14.2±20.3/0.8±1.7%, 0.0±1.2/0.1±0.3%, and 0.7±1.4/0.0±0.1% using 3D-translational shifts only. The setup corrections (XC-XV) improved the PTV coverage by 4.4±7.3% (D95) and 16.7±23.5% (Dmin) using 6D adjustment. Strong correlations were observed between translation errors and deviations in dose coverage for XC. Conclusion: The initial BrainLAB IR system based on rigidity of the mask-frame setup is not sufficient for accurate stereotactic positioning; however, with X-ray imageguidance sub-millimeter accuracy is achieved with negligible deviations in dose coverage. The angular corrections (mean angle summation=1.84°) are important and cause considerable deviations in dose coverage.« less

Model-based sensor-less wavefront aberration correction in optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Verstraete, Hans R G W; Wahls, Sander; Kalkman, Jeroen; Verhaegen, Michel

2015-12-15

Several sensor-less wavefront aberration correction methods that correct nonlinear wavefront aberrations by maximizing the optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal are tested on an OCT setup. A conventional coordinate search method is compared to two model-based optimization methods. The first model-based method takes advantage of the well-known optimization algorithm (NEWUOA) and utilizes a quadratic model. The second model-based method (DONE) is new and utilizes a random multidimensional Fourier-basis expansion. The model-based algorithms achieve lower wavefront errors with up to ten times fewer measurements. Furthermore, the newly proposed DONE method outperforms the NEWUOA method significantly. The DONE algorithm is tested on OCT images and shows a significantly improved image quality.

MEMS deformable mirror for wavefront correction of large telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manhart, Sigmund; Vdovin, Gleb; Collings, Neil; Sodnik, Zoran; Nikolov, Susanne; Hupfer, Werner

2017-11-01

A 50 mm diameter membrane mirror was designed and manufactured at TU Delft. It is made from bulk silicon by micromachining - a technology primarily used for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). The mirror unit is equipped with 39 actuator electrodes and can be electrostatically deformed to correct wavefront errors in optical imaging systems. Performance tests on the deformable mirror were carried out at Astrium GmbH using a breadboard setup with a wavefront sensor and a closed-loop control system. It was found that the deformable membrane mirror is well suited for correction of low order wavefront errors as they must be expected in lightweighted space telescopes.

Measurement of high-energy prompt gamma-rays from neutron induced fission of U-235

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makii, Hiroyuki; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Hirose, Kentaro; Orlandi, Riccardo; Léguillon, Romain; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Soldner, Torsten; Hambsch, Franz-Josef; Astier, Alain; Pollitt, Andrew; Petrache, Costel; Tsekhanovich, Igor; Mathieu, Ludovic; Aïche, Mourad; Frost, Robert; Czajkowski, Serge; Guo, Song; Köster, Ulli

2017-09-01

We have developed a new setup to measure prompt γ-rays from the 235U(nth,f) reaction. The setup consists of two multi-wire proportional counters (MWPCs) to detect the fission fragments, two LaBr3(Ce) scintillators to measure the γ-rays. The highly efficient setup was installed at the PF1B beam line of the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL). We have successfully measured the γ-ray spectrum up to about 20 MeV for the fist time in neutron-induced fission.

Evaluation of overall setup accuracy and adequate setup margins in pelvic image-guided radiotherapy: Comparison of the male and female patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laaksomaa, Marko, E-mail: marko.laaksomaa@pshp.fi; Kapanen, Mika; Department of Medical Physics, Tampere University Hospital

We evaluated adequate setup margins for the radiotherapy (RT) of pelvic tumors based on overall position errors of bony landmarks. We also estimated the difference in setup accuracy between the male and female patients. Finally, we compared the patient rotation for 2 immobilization devices. The study cohort included consecutive 64 male and 64 female patients. Altogether, 1794 orthogonal setup images were analyzed. Observer-related deviation in image matching and the effect of patient rotation were explicitly determined. Overall systematic and random errors were calculated in 3 orthogonal directions. Anisotropic setup margins were evaluated based on residual errors after weekly image guidance.more » The van Herk formula was used to calculate the margins. Overall, 100 patients were immobilized with a house-made device. The patient rotation was compared against 28 patients immobilized with CIVCO's Kneefix and Feetfix. We found that the usually applied isotropic setup margin of 8 mm covered all the uncertainties related to patient setup for most RT treatments of the pelvis. However, margins of even 10.3 mm were needed for the female patients with very large pelvic target volumes centered either in the symphysis or in the sacrum containing both of these structures. This was because the effect of rotation (p ≤ 0.02) and the observer variation in image matching (p ≤ 0.04) were significantly larger for the female patients than for the male patients. Even with daily image guidance, the required margins remained larger for the women. Patient rotations were largest about the lateral axes. The difference between the required margins was only 1 mm for the 2 immobilization devices. The largest component of overall systematic position error came from patient rotation. This emphasizes the need for rotation correction. Overall, larger position errors and setup margins were observed for the female patients with pelvic cancer than for the male patients.« less

Thermal transmission of camouflage nets revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jersblad, Johan; Jacobs, Pieter

2016-10-01

In this article we derive, from first principles, the correct formula for thermal transmission of a camouflage net, based on the setup described in the US standard for lightweight camouflage nets. Furthermore, we compare the results and implications with the use of an incorrect formula that have been seen in several recent tenders. It is shown that the incorrect formulation not only gives rise to large errors, but the result also depends on the surrounding room temperature, which in the correct derivation cancels out. The theoretical results are compared with laboratory measurements. The theoretical results agree with the laboratory results for the correct derivation. To summarize we discuss the consequences for soldiers on the battlefield if incorrect standards and test methods are used in procurement processes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Chu-Lin; Perfect, Edmund; Kang, Misun

Water retention curves are essential for understanding the hydrologic behavior of partially-saturated porous media and modeling flow transport processes within the vadose zone. In this paper we report direct measurements of the main drying and wetting branches of the average water retention function obtained using 2-dimensional neutron radiography. Flint sand columns were saturated with water and then drained under quasi-equilibrium conditions using a hanging water column setup. Digital images (2048 x 2048 pixels) of the transmitted flux of neutrons were acquired at each imposed matric potential (~10-15 matric potential values per experiment) at the NCNR BT-2 neutron imaging beam line.more » Volumetric water contents were calculated on a pixel by pixel basis using Beer-Lambert s law after taking into account beam hardening and geometric corrections. To remove scattering effects at high water contents the volumetric water contents were normalized (to give relative saturations) by dividing the drying and wetting sequences of images by the images obtained at saturation and satiation, respectively. The resulting pixel values were then averaged and combined with information on the imposed basal matric potentials to give average water retention curves. The average relative saturations obtained by neutron radiography showed an approximate one-to-one relationship with the average values measured volumetrically using the hanging water column setup. There were no significant differences (at p < 0.05) between the parameters of the van Genuchten equation fitted to the average neutron radiography data and those estimated from replicated hanging water column data. Our results indicate that neutron imaging is a very effective tool for quantifying the average water retention curve.« less

Timing in a FLASH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoek, M.; Cardinali, M.; Corell, O.; Dickescheid, M.; Ferretti B., M. I.; Lauth, W.; Schlimme, B. S.; Sfienti, C.; Thiel, M.

2017-12-01

A prototype detector, called FLASH (Fast Light Acquiring Start Hodoscope), was built to provide precise Time-of-Flight (TOF) measurements and reference timestamps for detector setups at external beam lines. Radiator bars, made of synthetic fused silica, were coupled to a fast MCP-PMT with 64 channels and read out with custom electronics using Time-over-Threshold (TOT) for signal characterization. The TRB3 system, a high-precision TDC implemented in an FPGA, was used as data acquisition system. The performance of a system consisting of two FLASH units was investigated at a dedicated test experiment at the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) accelerator using its 855 MeV electron beam. The TOT measurement enabled time walk corrections and an overall TOF resolution of ∼70 ps could be achieved which translates into a resolution of ∼50 ps per FLASH unit. The intrinsic resolution of the frontend electronics including the TDC was measured to be less than 25 ps.

Target coverage in image-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy of liver tumors.

PubMed

Wunderink, Wouter; Méndez Romero, Alejandra; Vásquez Osorio, Eliana M; de Boer, Hans C J; Brandwijk, René P; Levendag, Peter C; Heijmen, Ben J M

2007-05-01

To determine the effect of image-guided procedures (with computed tomography [CT] and electronic portal images before each treatment fraction) on target coverage in stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver patients using a stereotactic body frame (SBF) and abdominal compression. CT guidance was used to correct for day-to-day variations in the tumor's mean position in the SBF. By retrospectively evaluating 57 treatment sessions, tumor coverage, as obtained with the clinically applied CT-guided protocol, was compared with that of alternative procedures. The internal target volume-plus (ITV(+)) was introduced to explicitly include uncertainties in tumor delineations resulting from CT-imaging artifacts caused by residual respiratory motion. Tumor coverage was defined as the volume overlap of the ITV(+), derived from a tumor delineated in a treatment CT scan, and the planning target volume. Patient stability in the SBF, after acquisition of the treatment CT scan, was evaluated by measuring the displacement of the bony anatomy in the electronic portal images relative to CT. Application of our clinical protocol (with setup corrections following from manual measurements of the distances between the contours of the planning target volume and the daily clinical target volume in three orthogonal planes, multiple two-dimensional) increased the frequency of nearly full (> or = 99%) ITV(+) coverage to 77% compared with 63% without setup correction. An automated three-dimensional method further improved the frequency to 96%. Patient displacements in the SBF were generally small (< or = 2 mm, 1 standard deviation), but large craniocaudal displacements (maximal 7.2 mm) were occasionally observed. Daily, CT-assisted patient setup may substantially improve tumor coverage, especially with the automated three-dimensional procedure. In the present treatment design, patient stability in the SBF should be verified with portal imaging.

Effect of water chemistry upsets on the dynamics of corrective reagent dosing systems at thermal power stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronov, V. N.; Yegoshina, O. V.; Bolshakova, N. A.; Yarovoi, V. O.; Latt, Aie Min

2016-12-01

Typical disturbances in the dynamics of a corrective reagent dosing system under unsteady-state conditions during the unsatisfactory operation of a chemical control system with some water chemistry upsets at thermal and nuclear power stations are considered. An experimental setup representing a physical model for the water chemistry control system is described. The two disturbances, which are most frequently encountered in water chemistry control practice, such as a breakdown or shutdown of temperature compensation during pH measurement and an increase in the heat-transfer fluid flow rate, have been modeled in the process of study. The study of the effect produced by the response characteristics of chemical control analyzers on the operation of a reagent dosing system under unsteady-state conditions is important for the operative control of a water chemistry regime state. The effect of temperature compensation during pH measurement on the dynamics of an ammonia-dosing system in the manual and automatic cycle chemistry control modes has been studied. It has been demonstrated that the reading settling time of a pH meter in the manual ammonia- dosing mode grows with a breakdown in temperature compensation and a simultaneous increase in the temperature of a heat-transfer fluid sample. To improve the efficiency of water chemistry control, some systems for the quality control of a heat-transfer fluid by a chemical parameter with the obligatory compensation of a disturbance in its flow rate have been proposed for use. Experimental results will possibly differ from industrial data due to a great length of sampling lines. For this reason, corrective reagent dosing systems must be adapted to the conditions of a certain power-generating unit in the process of their implementation.

True non-contact atomic force microscopy imaging of heterogeneous biological samples in liquids: topography and material contrast.

PubMed

Almonte, Lisa; Colchero, Jaime

2017-02-23

The present work analyses how the tip-sample interaction signals critically determine the operation of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) set-up immersed in liquid. On heterogeneous samples, the conservative tip-sample interaction may vary significantly from point to point - in particular from attractive to repulsive - rendering correct feedback very challenging. Lipid membranes prepared on a mica substrate are analyzed as reference samples which are locally heterogeneous (material contrast). The AFM set-up is operated dynamically at low oscillation amplitude and all available experimental data signals - the normal force, as well as the amplitude and frequency - are recorded simultaneously. From the analysis of how the dissipation (oscillation amplitude) and the conservative interaction (normal force and resonance frequency) vary with the tip-sample distance we conclude that dissipation is the only appropriate feedback source for stable and correct topographic imaging. The normal force and phase then carry information about the sample composition ("chemical contrast"). Dynamic AFM allows imaging in a non-contact regime where essentially no forces are applied, rendering dynamic AFM a truly non-invasive technique.

One-dimensional scanning of moisture in heated porous building materials with NMR.

PubMed

van der Heijden, G H A; Huinink, H P; Pel, L; Kopinga, K

2011-02-01

In this paper we present a new dedicated NMR setup which is capable of measuring one-dimensional moisture profiles in heated porous materials. The setup, which is placed in the bore of a 1.5 T whole-body scanner, is capable of reaching temperatures up to 500 °C. Moisture and temperature profiles can be measured quasi simultaneously with a typical time resolution of 2-5 min. A methodology is introduced for correcting temperature effects on NMR measurements at these elevated temperatures. The corrections are based on the Curie law for paramagnetism and the observed temperature dependence of the relaxation mechanisms occurring in porous materials. Both these corrections are used to obtain a moisture content profile from the raw NMR signal profile. To illustrate the methodology, a one-sided heating experiment of concrete with a moisture content in equilibrium with 97% RH is presented. This kind of heating experiment is of particular interest in the research on fire spalling of concrete, since it directly reveals the moisture and heat transport occurring inside the concrete. The obtained moisture profiles reveal a moisture peak building up behind the boiling front, resulting in a saturated layer. To our knowledge the direct proof of the formation of a moisture peak and subsequent moisture clogging has not been reported before. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resolution of a Rank-Deficient Adjustment Model Via an Isomorphic Geometrical Setup with Tensor Structure.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-01

would be transcribed as L =AX - V where L, X, and V are the vectors of constant terms, parametric corrections , and b_o bresiduals, respectively. The...tensor. a Just as du’ represents the parametric corrections in tensor notations, the necessary associated metric tensor a’ corresponds to the variance...observations, n residuals, and 0 n- parametric corrections to X (an initial set of parameters), respectively. b 0 b The vctor L is formed as 1. L where

A new mechatronic set-up and technique for investigation of firearms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesenciuc, Ioan; Suciu, Cornel

2016-12-01

Since ancient times, mankind has manifested interest in the development and improvement of weapons, either for military or hunting purposes. Today, in competition with these legal practices, the number of those who commit crimes by non-compliance with the regime of weapons and ammunition has increased exponentially. This is why the technology and methods employed in the area of judicial ballistics, requires constant research and continuous learning. The present paper advances a new experimental set-up and its corresponding methodology, meant to measure the force deployed by the firing pin. The new experimental set-up and procedure consists of a mechatronic structure, based on a piezoelectric force transducer, which allows to measure, in-situ, the force produced by the firing pin when it is deployed. The obtained information can further be used to establish a correspondence between this force and the imprint left on the firing cap. This correspondence furthers the possibility of elaborating a model that would permit ballistic experts to correctly identify a smoothbore weapon.

Simple wavefront correction framework for two-photon microscopy of in-vivo brain

PubMed Central

Galwaduge, P. T.; Kim, S. H.; Grosberg, L. E.; Hillman, E. M. C.

2015-01-01

We present an easily implemented wavefront correction scheme that has been specifically designed for in-vivo brain imaging. The system can be implemented with a single liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LCSLM), which makes it compatible with existing patterned illumination setups, and provides measurable signal improvements even after a few seconds of optimization. The optimization scheme is signal-based and does not require exogenous guide-stars, repeated image acquisition or beam constraint. The unconstrained beam approach allows the use of Zernike functions for aberration correction and Hadamard functions for scattering correction. Low order corrections performed in mouse brain were found to be valid up to hundreds of microns away from the correction location. PMID:26309763

Software Tools for Emittance Measurement and Matching for 12 GeV CEBAF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turner, Dennis L.

2016-05-01

This paper discusses model-driven setup of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) for the 12GeV era, focusing on qsUtility. qsUtility is a set of software tools created to perform emittance measurements, analyze those measurements, and compute optics corrections based upon the measurements.qsUtility was developed as a toolset to facilitate reducing machine configuration time and reproducibility by way of an accurate accelerator model, and to provide Operations staff with tools to measure and correct machine optics with little or no assistance from optics experts.

Bulk silica transmission grating made by reactive ion etching for NIR space instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caillat, Amandine; Pascal, Sandrine; Tisserand, Stéphane; Dohlen, Kjetil; Grange, Robert; Sauget, Vincent; Gautier, Sophie

2014-07-01

A GRISM, made of a grating on a prism, allow combining image and spectroscopy of the same field of view with the same optical system and detector, thus simplify instrument concept. New GRISM designs impose technical specifications difficult to reach with classical grating manufacturing processes: large useful aperture (>100mm), low groove frequency (<30g/mm), small blaze angle (<3°) and, last but not least, line curvature allowing wavefront corrections. In addition, gratings are commonly made of resin which may not be suitable to withstand the extreme space environment. Therefore, in the frame of a R&D project financed by the CNES, SILIOS Technologies developed a new resin-free grating manufacturing process and realized a first 80mm diameter prototype optically tested at LAM. We present detailed specifications of this resin-free grating, the manufacturing process, optical setups and models for optical performance verification and very encouraging results obtained on the first 80mm diameter grating prototype: >80% transmitted efficiency, <30nm RMS wavefront error, groove shape and roughness very close to theory and uniform over the useful aperture.

Videoconferencing On-Line: Enhancing Communication over the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fetterman, David M.

1996-01-01

Discusses the development and use of Internet videoconferencing to aid collaboration among college faculty on campus and throughout the world, to facilitate consultation, and to improve teaching. The author examines the hardware and software needed, the setup process, and the difficulties and problem areas. (GR)

How a European network may help with estimating methane emissions on the French national scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pison, Isabelle; Berchet, Antoine; Saunois, Marielle; Bousquet, Philippe; Broquet, Grégoire; Conil, Sébastien; Delmotte, Marc; Ganesan, Anita; Laurent, Olivier; Martin, Damien; O'Doherty, Simon; Ramonet, Michel; Spain, T. Gerard; Vermeulen, Alex; Yver Kwok, Camille

2018-03-01

Methane emissions on the national scale in France in 2012 are inferred by assimilating continuous atmospheric mixing ratio measurements from nine stations of the European network ICOS located in France and surrounding countries. To assess the robustness of the fluxes deduced by our inversion system based on an objectified quantification of uncertainties, two complementary inversion set-ups are computed and analysed: (i) a regional run correcting for the spatial distribution of fluxes in France and (ii) a sectorial run correcting fluxes for activity sectors on the national scale. In addition, our results for the two set-ups are compared with fluxes produced in the framework of the inversion inter-comparison exercise of the InGOS project. The seasonal variability in fluxes is consistent between different set-ups, with maximum emissions in summer, likely due to agricultural activity. However, very high monthly posterior uncertainties (up to ≈ 65 to 74 % in the sectorial run in May and June) make it difficult to attribute maximum emissions to a specific sector. On the yearly and national scales, the two inversions range from 3835 to 4050 Gg CH4 and from 3570 to 4190 Gg CH4 for the regional and sectorial runs, respectively, consistently with the InGOS products. These estimates are 25 to 55 % higher than the total national emissions from bottom-up approaches (biogeochemical models from natural emissions, plus inventories for anthropogenic ones), consistently pointing at missing or underestimated sources in the inventories and/or in natural sources. More specifically, in the sectorial set-up, agricultural emissions are inferred as 66% larger than estimates reported to the UNFCCC. Uncertainties in the total annual national budget are 108 and 312 Gg CH4, i.e, 3 to 8 %, for the regional and sectorial runs respectively, smaller than uncertainties in available bottom-up products, proving the added value of top-down atmospheric inversions. Therefore, even though the surface network used in 2012 does not allow us to fully constrain all regions in France accurately, a regional inversion set-up makes it possible to provide estimates of French methane fluxes with an uncertainty in the total budget of less than 10 % on the yearly timescale. Additional sites deployed since 2012 would help to constrain French emissions on finer spatial and temporal scales and attributing missing emissions to specific sectors.

JANUS - A setup for low-energy Coulomb excitation at ReA3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lunderberg, E.; Belarge, J.; Bender, P. C.; Bucher, B.; Cline, D.; Elman, B.; Gade, A.; Liddick, S. N.; Longfellow, B.; Prokop, C.; Weisshaar, D.; Wu, C. Y.

2018-03-01

A new experimental setup for low-energy Coulomb excitation experiments was constructed in a collaboration between the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and the University of Rochester and was commissioned at the general purpose beam line of NSCL's ReA3 reaccelerator facility. The so-called JANUS setup combines γ-ray detection with the Segmented Ge Array (SeGA) and scattered particle detection using a pair of segmented double-sided Si detectors (Bambino 2). The low-energy Coulomb excitation program that JANUS enables will complement intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation studies that have long been performed at NSCL by providing access to observables that quantify collectivity beyond the first excited state, including the sign and magnitude of excited-state quadrupole moments. In this work, the setup and its performance will be described based on the commissioning run that used stable 78Kr impinging onto a 1.09 mg/cm2208Pb target at a beam energy of 3.9 MeV/u.

Preliminary Studies for a CBCT Imaging Protocol for Offline Organ Motion Analysis: Registration Software Validation and CTDI Measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Falco, Maria Daniela, E-mail: mdanielafalco@hotmail.co; Fontanarosa, Davide; Miceli, Roberto

2011-04-01

Cone-beam X-ray volumetric imaging in the treatment room, allows online correction of set-up errors and offline assessment of residual set-up errors and organ motion. In this study the registration algorithm of the X-ray volume imaging software (XVI, Elekta, Crawley, United Kingdom), which manages a commercial cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based positioning system, has been tested using a homemade and an anthropomorphic phantom to: (1) assess its performance in detecting known translational and rotational set-up errors and (2) transfer the transformation matrix of its registrations into a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) for offline organ motion analysis. Furthermore, CBCT dose index hasmore » been measured for a particular site (prostate: 120 kV, 1028.8 mAs, approximately 640 frames) using a standard Perspex cylindrical body phantom (diameter 32 cm, length 15 cm) and a 10-cm-long pencil ionization chamber. We have found that known displacements were correctly calculated by the registration software to within 1.3 mm and 0.4{sup o}. For the anthropomorphic phantom, only translational displacements have been considered. Both studies have shown errors within the intrinsic uncertainty of our system for translational displacements (estimated as 0.87 mm) and rotational displacements (estimated as 0.22{sup o}). The resulting table translations proposed by the system to correct the displacements were also checked with portal images and found to place the isocenter of the plan on the linac isocenter within an error of 1 mm, which is the dimension of the spherical lead marker inserted at the center of the homemade phantom. The registration matrix translated into the TPS image fusion module correctly reproduced the alignment between planning CT scans and CBCT scans. Finally, measurements on the CBCT dose index indicate that CBCT acquisition delivers less dose than conventional CT scans and electronic portal imaging device portals. The registration software was found to be accurate, and its registration matrix can be easily translated into the TPS and a low dose is delivered to the patient during image acquisition. These results can help in designing imaging protocols for offline evaluations.« less

A Bidirectional Brain-Machine Interface Featuring a Neuromorphic Hardware Decoder.

PubMed

Boi, Fabio; Moraitis, Timoleon; De Feo, Vito; Diotalevi, Francesco; Bartolozzi, Chiara; Indiveri, Giacomo; Vato, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Bidirectional brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) establish a two-way direct communication link between the brain and the external world. A decoder translates recorded neural activity into motor commands and an encoder delivers sensory information collected from the environment directly to the brain creating a closed-loop system. These two modules are typically integrated in bulky external devices. However, the clinical support of patients with severe motor and sensory deficits requires compact, low-power, and fully implantable systems that can decode neural signals to control external devices. As a first step toward this goal, we developed a modular bidirectional BMI setup that uses a compact neuromorphic processor as a decoder. On this chip we implemented a network of spiking neurons built using its ultra-low-power mixed-signal analog/digital circuits. On-chip on-line spike-timing-dependent plasticity synapse circuits enabled the network to learn to decode neural signals recorded from the brain into motor outputs controlling the movements of an external device. The modularity of the BMI allowed us to tune the individual components of the setup without modifying the whole system. In this paper, we present the features of this modular BMI and describe how we configured the network of spiking neuron circuits to implement the decoder and to coordinate it with the encoder in an experimental BMI paradigm that connects bidirectionally the brain of an anesthetized rat with an external object. We show that the chip learned the decoding task correctly, allowing the interfaced brain to control the object's trajectories robustly. Based on our demonstration, we propose that neuromorphic technology is mature enough for the development of BMI modules that are sufficiently low-power and compact, while being highly computationally powerful and adaptive.

A Bidirectional Brain-Machine Interface Featuring a Neuromorphic Hardware Decoder

PubMed Central

Boi, Fabio; Moraitis, Timoleon; De Feo, Vito; Diotalevi, Francesco; Bartolozzi, Chiara; Indiveri, Giacomo; Vato, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Bidirectional brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) establish a two-way direct communication link between the brain and the external world. A decoder translates recorded neural activity into motor commands and an encoder delivers sensory information collected from the environment directly to the brain creating a closed-loop system. These two modules are typically integrated in bulky external devices. However, the clinical support of patients with severe motor and sensory deficits requires compact, low-power, and fully implantable systems that can decode neural signals to control external devices. As a first step toward this goal, we developed a modular bidirectional BMI setup that uses a compact neuromorphic processor as a decoder. On this chip we implemented a network of spiking neurons built using its ultra-low-power mixed-signal analog/digital circuits. On-chip on-line spike-timing-dependent plasticity synapse circuits enabled the network to learn to decode neural signals recorded from the brain into motor outputs controlling the movements of an external device. The modularity of the BMI allowed us to tune the individual components of the setup without modifying the whole system. In this paper, we present the features of this modular BMI and describe how we configured the network of spiking neuron circuits to implement the decoder and to coordinate it with the encoder in an experimental BMI paradigm that connects bidirectionally the brain of an anesthetized rat with an external object. We show that the chip learned the decoding task correctly, allowing the interfaced brain to control the object's trajectories robustly. Based on our demonstration, we propose that neuromorphic technology is mature enough for the development of BMI modules that are sufficiently low-power and compact, while being highly computationally powerful and adaptive. PMID:28018162

SU-E-J-55: End-To-End Effectiveness Analysis of 3D Surface Image Guided Voluntary Breath-Holding Radiotherapy for Left Breast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, M; Feigenberg, S

Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of using 3D-surface-image to guide breath-holding (BH) left-side breast treatment. Methods Two 3D surface image guided BH procedures were implemented and evaluated: normal-BH, taking BH at a comfortable level, and deep-inspiration-breath-holding (DIBH). A total of 20 patients (10 Normal-BH and 10 DIBH) were recruited. Patients received a BH evaluation using a commercialized 3D-surface- tracking-system (VisionRT, London, UK) to quantify the reproducibility of BH positions prior to CT scan. Tangential 3D/IMRT plans were conducted. Patients were initially setup under free-breathing (FB) condition using the FB surface obtained from the untaged CT to ensure a correct patientmore » position. Patients were then guided to reach the planned BH position using the BH surface obtained from the BH CT. Action-levels were set at each phase of treatment process based on the information provided by the 3D-surface-tracking-system for proper interventions (eliminate/re-setup/ re-coaching). We reviewed the frequency of interventions to evaluate its effectiveness. The FB-CBCT and port-film were utilized to evaluate the accuracy of 3D-surface-guided setups. Results 25% of BH candidates with BH positioning uncertainty > 2mm are eliminated prior to CT scan. For >90% of fractions, based on the setup deltas from3D-surface-trackingsystem, adjustments of patient setup are needed after the initial-setup using laser. 3D-surface-guided-setup accuracy is comparable as CBCT. For the BH guidance, frequency of interventions (a re-coaching/re-setup) is 40%(Normal-BH)/91%(DIBH) of treatments for the first 5-fractions and then drops to 16%(Normal-BH)/46%(DIBH). The necessity of re-setup is highly patient-specific for Normal-BH but highly random among patients for DIBH. Overall, a −0.8±2.4 mm accuracy of the anterior pericardial shadow position was achieved. Conclusion 3D-surface-image technology provides effective intervention to the treatment process and ensures favorable day-to-day setup accuracy. DIBH setup appears to be more uncertain and this would be the patient group who will definitely benefit from the extra information of 3D surface setup.« less

Spine stereotactic body radiotherapy utilizing cone-beam CT image-guidance with a robotic couch: intrafraction motion analysis accounting for all six degrees of freedom.

PubMed

Hyde, Derek; Lochray, Fiona; Korol, Renee; Davidson, Melanie; Wong, C Shun; Ma, Lijun; Sahgal, Arjun

2012-03-01

To evaluate the residual setup error and intrafraction motion following kilovoltage cone-beam CT (CBCT) image guidance, for immobilized spine stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) patients, with positioning corrected for in all six degrees of freedom. Analysis is based on 42 consecutive patients (48 thoracic and/or lumbar metastases) treated with a total of 106 fractions and 307 image registrations. Following initial setup, a CBCT was acquired for patient alignment and a pretreatment CBCT taken to verify shifts and determine the residual setup error, followed by a midtreatment and posttreatment CBCT image. For 13 single-fraction SBRT patients, two midtreatment CBCT images were obtained. Initially, a 1.5-mm and 1° tolerance was used to reposition the patient following couch shifts which was subsequently reduced to 1 mm and 1° degree after the first 10 patients. Small positioning errors after the initial CBCT setup were observed, with 90% occurring within 1 mm and 97% within 1°. In analyzing the impact of the time interval for verification imaging (10 ± 3 min) and subsequent image acquisitions (17 ± 4 min), the residual setup error was not significantly different (p > 0.05). A significant difference (p = 0.04) in the average three-dimensional intrafraction positional deviations favoring a more strict tolerance in translation (1 mm vs. 1.5 mm) was observed. The absolute intrafraction motion averaged over all patients and all directions along x, y, and z axis (± SD) were 0.7 ± 0.5 mm and 0.5 ± 0.4 mm for the 1.5 mm and 1 mm tolerance, respectively. Based on a 1-mm and 1° correction threshold, the target was localized to within 1.2 mm and 0.9° with 95% confidence. Near-rigid body immobilization, intrafraction CBCT imaging approximately every 15-20 min, and strict repositioning thresholds in six degrees of freedom yields minimal intrafraction motion allowing for safe spine SBRT delivery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR Exhibit J to Subpart A of... - Manufactured Home Sites, Rental Projects and Subdivisions: Development, Installation and Set-Up

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... established frost line without exceeding the safe bearing capacity of the supporting soil. Set-Up. The work... architectural practices and shall provide for all utilities in a manner which allows adequate, economic, safe... residential environment which is an asset to the community in which it is located. 4. Lot Size. The size of...

Parotid Glands Dose–Effect Relationships Based on Their Actually Delivered Doses: Implications for Adaptive Replanning in Radiation Therapy of Head-and-Neck Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunter, Klaudia U.; Fernandes, Laura L.; Vineberg, Karen A.

2013-11-15

Purpose: Doses actually delivered to the parotid glands during radiation therapy often exceed planned doses. We hypothesized that the delivered doses correlate better with parotid salivary output than the planned doses, used in all previous studies, and that determining these correlations will help make decisions regarding adaptive radiation therapy (ART) aimed at reducing the delivered doses. Methods and Materials: In this prospective study, oropharyngeal cancer patients treated definitively with chemoirradiation underwent daily cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with clinical setup alignment based on the C2 posterior edge. Parotid glands in the CBCTs were aligned by deformable registration to calculate cumulative deliveredmore » doses. Stimulated salivary flow rates were measured separately from each parotid gland pretherapy and periodically posttherapy. Results: Thirty-six parotid glands of 18 patients were analyzed. Average mean planned doses was 32 Gy, and differences from planned to delivered mean gland doses were −4.9 to +8.4 Gy, median difference +2.2 Gy in glands in which delivered doses increased relative to planned. Both planned and delivered mean doses were significantly correlated with posttreatment salivary outputs at almost all posttherapy time points, without statistically significant differences in the correlations. Large dispersions (on average, SD 3.6 Gy) characterized the dose–effect relationships for both. The differences between the cumulative delivered doses and planned doses were evident at first fraction (r=.92, P<.0001) because of complex setup deviations (eg, rotations and neck articulations), uncorrected by the translational clinical alignments. Conclusions: After daily translational setup corrections, differences between planned and delivered doses in most glands were small relative to the SDs of the dose–saliva data, suggesting that ART is not likely to gain measurable salivary output improvement in most cases. These differences were observed at first treatment, indicating potential benefit for more complex setup corrections or adaptive interventions in the minority of patients with large deviations detected early by CBCT.« less

RF magnetized ring-shaped plasma for target utilization obtained with circular magnet monopole arrangement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amzad Hossain, Md.; Ohtsu, Yasunori

2018-01-01

We proposed a new setup for generating outer ring-shaped radio frequency (RF) magnetized plasma near the chamber wall using monopole magnet setups. Three monopole magnet setups with (a) R = 5 mm, (b) R = 20 mm, and (c) R = 35 mm were investigated, where R is the gap between the magnets in consecutive circles. The distributions of the two dimensional magnetic flux lines, the absolute value of the horizontal magnetic flux density, and the discharge voltage were investigated for the proposed setups to produce outer ring-shaped plasma. A highly luminous ring-shaped plasma was observed for the setup (a), whereas multi-ring discharges were observed for the setups (b) and (c). It was found that the electron temperature decreases with increasing gas pressure for all cases. The electron temperatures were 2.42, 1.71, and 1.15 eV at an Ar gas pressure of 4 Pa for setups (a), (b), and (c), respectively. The plasma density was approximately the same for setups (b) and (c) at all gas pressures. The highest plasma densities were 6.26 × 1015, 1.06 × 1016, and 1.11 × 1016 m-3 at 5 Pa for setups (a), (b), and (c), respectively. It was found that the electron mean free path was 41.4, 63.17, and 84.66 mm at an Ar gas pressure of 5 Pa for setups (a), (b), and (c), respectively. The electron neutral collision frequency for setup (a) was higher than those for setups (b) and (c) at a constant RF power of 40 W and an axial distance of z = 13 mm from the target surface. The radial profile of the ion saturation current for setup (b) was more uniform than those for setups (a) and (c).

Elemental mapping of large samples by external ion beam analysis with sub-millimeter resolution and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, T. F.; Rodrigues, C. L.; Added, N.; Rizzutto, M. A.; Tabacniks, M. H.; Mangiarotti, A.; Curado, J. F.; Aguirre, F. R.; Aguero, N. F.; Allegro, P. R. P.; Campos, P. H. O. V.; Restrepo, J. M.; Trindade, G. F.; Antonio, M. R.; Assis, R. F.; Leite, A. R.

2018-05-01

The elemental mapping of large areas using ion beam techniques is a desired capability for several scientific communities, involved on topics ranging from geoscience to cultural heritage. Usually, the constraints for large-area mapping are not met in setups employing micro- and nano-probes implemented all over the world. A novel setup for mapping large sized samples in an external beam was recently built at the University of São Paulo employing a broad MeV-proton probe with sub-millimeter dimension, coupled to a high-precision large range XYZ robotic stage (60 cm range in all axis and precision of 5 μ m ensured by optical sensors). An important issue on large area mapping is how to deal with the irregularities of the sample's surface, that may introduce artifacts in the images due to the variation of the measuring conditions. In our setup, we implemented an automatic system based on machine vision to correct the position of the sample to compensate for its surface irregularities. As an additional benefit, a 3D digital reconstruction of the scanned surface can also be obtained. Using this new and unique setup, we have produced large-area elemental maps of ceramics, stones, fossils, and other sort of samples.

Calibration of echocardiographic tissue doppler velocity, using simple universally applicable methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhutia, Niti M.; Zolgharni, Massoud; Willson, Keith; Cole, Graham; Nowbar, Alexandra N.; Manisty, Charlotte H.; Francis, Darrel P.

2014-03-01

Some of the challenges with tissue Doppler measurement include: apparent inconsistency between manufacturers, uncertainty over which part of the trace to make measurements and a lack of calibration of measurements. We develop and test tools to solve these problems in echocardiography laboratories. We designed and constructed an actuator and phantom setup to produce automatic reproducible motion, and used it to compare velocities measured using 3 echocardiographic modalities: M-mode, speckle tracking, and tissue Doppler, against a non-ultrasound, optical gold standard. In the clinical phase, 25 patients underwent M-mode, speckle tracking and tissue Doppler measurements of tissue velocities. In-vitro, the M-mode and speckle tracking velocities were concordant with optical assessment. Of the three possible tissue Doppler measurement conventions (outer, middle and inner line) only the middle line agreed with the optical assessment (discrepancy -0.20 (95% confidence interval -0.44 to 0.03)cm/s, p=0.11, outer +5.19(4.65 to 5.73)cm/s, p<0.0001, inner -6.26(-6.87 to -5.65)cm/s, p<0.0001). All 4 studied manufacturers showed a similar pattern. M-mode was therefore chosen as the in-vivo gold standard. Clinical measurements of tissue velocities by speckle tracking and the middle line of the tissue Doppler were concordant with M-mode, while the outer line significantly overestimated (+1.27(0.96 to 1.59)cm/s, p<0.0001) and the inner line underestimated (-1.81(-2.11 to -1.52)cm/s, p<0.0001). Echocardiographic velocity measurements can be calibrated by simple, inexpensive tools. We found that the middle of the tissue Doppler trace represents velocity correctly. Echocardiographers requiring velocities to match between different equipment, settings or modalities should use the middle line as the "guideline".

Virtual k -Space Modulation Optical Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuang, Cuifang; Ma, Ye; Zhou, Renjie; Zheng, Guoan; Fang, Yue; Xu, Yingke; Liu, Xu; So, Peter T. C.

2016-07-01

We report a novel superresolution microscopy approach for imaging fluorescence samples. The reported approach, termed virtual k -space modulation optical microscopy (VIKMOM), is able to improve the lateral resolution by a factor of 2, reduce the background level, improve the optical sectioning effect and correct for unknown optical aberrations. In the acquisition process of VIKMOM, we used a scanning confocal microscope setup with a 2D detector array to capture sample information at each scanned x -y position. In the recovery process of VIKMOM, we first modulated the captured data by virtual k -space coding and then employed a ptychography-inspired procedure to recover the sample information and correct for unknown optical aberrations. We demonstrated the performance of the reported approach by imaging fluorescent beads, fixed bovine pulmonary artery endothelial (BPAE) cells, and living human astrocytes (HA). As the VIKMOM approach is fully compatible with conventional confocal microscope setups, it may provide a turn-key solution for imaging biological samples with ˜100 nm lateral resolution, in two or three dimensions, with improved optical sectioning capabilities and aberration correcting.

A toolset of aequorin expression vectors for in planta studies of subcellular calcium concentrations in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Mehlmer, Norbert; Parvin, Nargis; Hurst, Charlotte H.; Knight, Marc R.; Teige, Markus; Vothknecht, Ute C.

2014-01-01

Calcium has long been acknowledged as one of the most important signalling components in plants. Many abiotic and biotic stimuli are transduced into a cellular response by temporal and spatial changes in cellular calcium concentration and the calcium-sensitive protein aequorin has been exploited as a genetically encoded calcium indicator for the measurement of calcium in planta. The objective of this work was to generate a compatible set of aequorin expression plasmids for the generation of transgenic plant lines to measure changes in calcium levels in different cellular subcompartments. Aequorin was fused to different targeting peptides or organellar proteins as a means to localize it to the cytosol, the nucleus, the plasma membrane, and the mitochondria. Furthermore, constructs were designed to localize aequorin in the stroma as well as the inner and outer surface of the chloroplast envelope membranes. The modular set-up of the plasmids also allows the easy replacement of targeting sequences to include other compartments. An additional YFP-fusion was included to verify the correct subcellular localization of all constructs by laser scanning confocal microscopy. For each construct, pBin19-based binary expression vectors driven by the 35S or UBI10 promoter were made for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Stable Arabidopsis lines were generated and initial tests of several lines confirmed their feasibility to measure calcium signals in vivo. PMID:22213817

Threshold corrections to dimension-six proton decay operators in SUSY SU(5)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwahara, Takumi

2017-11-01

Proton decay is a significant phenomenon to verify supersymmetric grand unified theories (SUSY GUTs). To predict the proton lifetime precisely, it is important to include the next-leading order (NLO) corrections to the proton decay operators. In this talk, we have shown threshold corrections to the dimension-six proton decay operators in the minimal SUSY SU(5) GUT, its extended models with extra matters, and the missing partner SUSY SU(5) GUT. As a result, we have found that the threshold effects give rise to corrections a few percent in the minimal setup and below 5% in its extension with extra matters in spite of a large unified coupling at the GUT scale. On the other hand, in the missing partner model the correction to the proton decay rate is suppression about 60% due to a number of component fields of 75 and their mass splitting.

Precision IORT - Image guided intraoperative radiation therapy (igIORT) using online treatment planning including tissue heterogeneity correction.

PubMed

Schneider, Frank; Bludau, Frederic; Clausen, Sven; Fleckenstein, Jens; Obertacke, Udo; Wenz, Frederik

2017-05-01

To the present date, IORT has been eye and hand guided without treatment planning and tissue heterogeneity correction. This limits the precision of the application and the precise documentation of the location and the deposited dose in the tissue. Here we present a set-up where we use image guidance by intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for precise online Monte Carlo treatment planning including tissue heterogeneity correction. An IORT was performed during balloon kyphoplasty using a dedicated Needle Applicator. An intraoperative CBCT was registered with a pre-op CT. Treatment planning was performed in Radiance using a hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm simulating dose in homogeneous (MCwater) and heterogeneous medium (MChet). Dose distributions on CBCT and pre-op CT were compared with each other. Spinal cord and the metastasis doses were evaluated. The MCwater calculations showed a spherical dose distribution as expected. The minimum target dose for the MChet simulations on pre-op CT was increased by 40% while the maximum spinal cord dose was decreased by 35%. Due to the artefacts on the CBCT the comparison between MChet simulations on CBCT and pre-op CT showed differences up to 50% in dose. igIORT and online treatment planning improves the accuracy of IORT. However, the current set-up is limited by CT artefacts. Fusing an intraoperative CBCT with a pre-op CT allows the combination of an accurate dose calculation with the knowledge of the correct source/applicator position. This method can be also used for pre-operative treatment planning followed by image guided surgery. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Earth System Chemistry integrated Modelling (ESCiMo) with the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) version 2.51

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jöckel, Patrick; Tost, Holger; Pozzer, Andrea; Kunze, Markus; Kirner, Oliver; Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M.; Brinkop, Sabine; Cai, Duy S.; Dyroff, Christoph; Eckstein, Johannes; Frank, Franziska; Garny, Hella; Gottschaldt, Klaus-Dirk; Graf, Phoebe; Grewe, Volker; Kerkweg, Astrid; Kern, Bastian; Matthes, Sigrun; Mertens, Mariano; Meul, Stefanie; Neumaier, Marco; Nützel, Matthias; Oberländer-Hayn, Sophie; Ruhnke, Roland; Runde, Theresa; Sander, Rolf; Scharffe, Dieter; Zahn, Andreas

2016-03-01

Three types of reference simulations, as recommended by the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI), have been performed with version 2.51 of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts - Hamburg (ECHAM)/Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model: hindcast simulations (1950-2011), hindcast simulations with specified dynamics (1979-2013), i.e. nudged towards ERA-Interim reanalysis data, and combined hindcast and projection simulations (1950-2100). The manuscript summarizes the updates of the model system and details the different model set-ups used, including the on-line calculated diagnostics. Simulations have been performed with two different nudging set-ups, with and without interactive tropospheric aerosol, and with and without a coupled ocean model. Two different vertical resolutions have been applied. The on-line calculated sources and sinks of reactive species are quantified and a first evaluation of the simulation results from a global perspective is provided as a quality check of the data. The focus is on the intercomparison of the different model set-ups. The simulation data will become publicly available via CCMI and the Climate and Environmental Retrieval and Archive (CERA) database of the German Climate Computing Centre (DKRZ). This manuscript is intended to serve as an extensive reference for further analyses of the Earth System Chemistry integrated Modelling (ESCiMo) simulations.

Measuring a Fiber-Optic Delay Line Using a Mode-Locked Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tu, Meirong; McKee, Michael R.; Pak, Kyung S.; Yu, Nan

2010-01-01

The figure schematically depicts a laboratory setup for determining the optical length of a fiber-optic delay line at a precision greater than that obtainable by use of optical time-domain reflectometry or of mechanical measurement of length during the delay-line-winding process. In this setup, the delay line becomes part of the resonant optical cavity that governs the frequency of oscillation of a mode-locked laser. The length can then be determined from frequency-domain measurements, as described below. The laboratory setup is basically an all-fiber ring laser in which the delay line constitutes part of the ring. Another part of the ring - the laser gain medium - is an erbium-doped fiber amplifier pumped by a diode laser at a wavelength of 980 nm. The loop also includes an optical isolator, two polarization controllers, and a polarizing beam splitter. The optical isolator enforces unidirectional lasing. The polarization beam splitter allows light in only one polarization mode to pass through the ring; light in the orthogonal polarization mode is rejected from the ring and utilized as a diagnostic output, which is fed to an optical spectrum analyzer and a photodetector. The photodetector output is fed to a radio-frequency spectrum analyzer and an oscilloscope. The fiber ring laser can generate continuous-wave radiation in non-mode-locked operation or ultrashort optical pulses in mode-locked operation. The mode-locked operation exhibited by this ring is said to be passive in the sense that no electro-optical modulator or other active optical component is used to achieve it. Passive mode locking is achieved by exploiting optical nonlinearity of passive components in such a manner as to obtain ultra-short optical pulses. In this setup, the particular nonlinear optical property exploited to achieve passive mode locking is nonlinear polarization rotation. This or any ring laser can support oscillation in multiple modes as long as sufficient gain is present to overcome losses in the ring. When mode locking is achieved, oscillation occurs in all the modes having the same phase and same polarization. The frequency interval between modes, often denoted the free spectral range (FSR), is given by c/nL, where c is the speed of light in vacuum, n is the effective index of refraction of the fiber, and L is the total length of optical path around the ring. Therefore, the length of the fiber-optic delay line, as part of the length around the ring, can be calculated from the FSRs measured with and without the delay line incorporated into the ring. For this purpose, the FSR measurements are made by use of the optical and radio-frequency spectrum analyzers. In experimentation on a 10-km-long fiber-optic delay line, it was found that this setup made it possible to measure the length to within a fractional error of about 3 10(exp -6), corresponding to a length error of 3 cm. In contrast, measurements by optical time-domain reflectometry and mechanical measurement were found to be much less precise: For optical time-domain reflectometry, the fractional error was found no less than 10(exp -4) (corresponding to a length error of 1 m) and for mechanical measurement, the fractional error was found to be about 10(exp -2) (corresponding to a length error of 100 m).

Wide band continuous all-fiber comb generator at 1.5 micron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaître, François; Mondin, Linda; Orlik, X.

2017-11-01

We present an all-fiber continuous optical frequency comb-generator (OFCG) able to generate over 6 nm (750 GHz) at 1560 nm using a combination of electro-optic and acousto-optic modulations. As opposed to numerous experimental setups that use the longitudinal modes of an optical cavity to generate continuous optical frequency combs, our setup doesn't need any active stabilization of the cavity length since we use the intrinsically high stability of radiofrequency sources to generate the multiple lines of the comb laser. Moreover, compared to the work of ref [1], the hybrid optical modulation we use allows to suppress the problem of instability due interferences between the generated lines. We notice that these lines benefit from the spectral quality of the seed laser because the spectral width of the synthesized hyperfrequency and radiofrequency signals are generally narrower than laser sources.

Integral image rendering procedure for aberration correction and size measurement.

PubMed

Sommer, Holger; Ihrig, Andreas; Ebenau, Melanie; Flühs, Dirk; Spaan, Bernhard; Eichmann, Marion

2014-05-20

The challenge in rendering integral images is to use as much information preserved by the light field as possible to reconstruct a captured scene in a three-dimensional way. We propose a rendering algorithm based on the projection of rays through a detailed simulation of the optical path, considering all the physical properties and locations of the optical elements. The rendered images contain information about the correct size of imaged objects without the need to calibrate the imaging device. Additionally, aberrations of the optical system may be corrected, depending on the setup of the integral imaging device. We show simulation data that illustrates the aberration correction ability and experimental data from our plenoptic camera, which illustrates the capability of our proposed algorithm to measure size and distance. We believe this rendering procedure will be useful in the future for three-dimensional ophthalmic imaging of the human retina.

On the role of correctional officers in prison mental health.

PubMed

Dvoskin, Joel A; Spiers, Erin M

2004-01-01

This article discusses the role of correctional line staff in treatment of prison inmates with serious mental illness. The authors assert that many roles and duties traditionally attributed to clinicians can and often should be performed not only by mental health professionals, but by line staff such as correctional officers and nurses. Moreover, the optimal climate for effective treatment is one in which mental health professionals and line staff work collaboratively, especially since line staff alone are in contact with inmates 24 hours per day. The specific activities which comprise mental health treatment in prison are described as: 1) counseling and psychotherapy-talking with inmates, 2) consultation-talking about inmates, 3) special housing, activities, and behavioral programs, and 4) medication. Case examples demonstrate how correctional officers, nurses, and other line staff perform each of these activities. Recognition and nurturance of these activities will improve the quality of services and reduce stress on staff and inmates alike. Consultation with line staff, joint training, and use of multi-disciplinary treatment teams are advocated as methods of reaching these goals.

Experimental setup for the determination of the correction factors of the neutron doseratemeters in fast neutron fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iliescu, Elena; Bercea, Sorin; Dudu, Dorin

2013-12-16

The use of the U-120 Cyclotron of the IFIN-HH allowed to perform a testing bench with fast neutrons in order to determine the correction factors of the doseratemeters dedicated to neutron measurement. This paper deals with researchers performed in order to develop the irradiation facility testing the fast neutrons flux generated at the Cyclotron. This facility is presented, together with the results obtain in determining the correction factor for a doseratemeter dedicated to the neutron dose equivalent rate measurement.

High-resolution setup for measuring wavelength sensitivity of photoyellowing of translucent materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaskuri, Anna, E-mail: anna.vaskuri@aalto.fi; Kärhä, Petri; Heikkilä, Anu

2015-10-15

Polystyrene and many other materials turn yellow when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. All photodegradation mechanisms including photoyellowing are functions of the exposure wavelength, which can be described with an action spectrum. In this work, a new high-resolution transmittance measurement setup based on lasers has been developed for measuring color changes, such as the photoyellowing of translucent materials aged with a spectrograph. The measurement setup includes 14 power-stabilized laser lines between 325 nm and 933 nm wavelengths, of which one at a time is directed on to the aged sample. The power transmitted through the sample is measured with amore » silicon detector utilizing an integrating sphere. The sample is mounted on a high-resolution XY translation stage. Measurement at various locations aged with different wavelengths of exposure radiation gives the transmittance data required for acquiring the action spectrum. The combination of a UV spectrograph and the new high-resolution transmittance measurement setup enables a novel method for studying the UV-induced ageing of translucent materials with a spectral resolution of 3–8 nm, limited by the adjustable spectral bandwidth range of the spectrograph. These achievements form a significant improvement over earlier methods.« less

Inexpensive Eddy-Current Standard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Robert F., Jr.

1985-01-01

Radial crack replicas serve as evaluation standards. Technique entails intimately joining two pieces of appropriate aluminum alloy stock and centering drilled hole through and along interface. Bore surface of hole presents two vertical stock interface lines 180 degrees apart. These lines serve as radial crack defect replicas during eddy-current technique setup and verification.

Polymer gel water equivalence and relative energy response with emphasis on low photon energy dosimetry in brachytherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantelis, E.; Karlis, A. K.; Kozicki, M.; Papagiannis, P.; Sakelliou, L.; Rosiak, J. M.

2004-08-01

The water equivalence and stable relative energy response of polymer gel dosimeters are usually taken for granted in the relatively high x-ray energy range of external beam radiotherapy based on qualitative indices such as mass and electron density and effective atomic number. However, these favourable dosimetric characteristics are questionable in the energy range of interest to brachytherapy especially in the case of lower energy photon sources such as 103Pd and 125I that are currently utilized. In this work, six representative polymer gel formulations as well as the most commonly used experimental set-up of a LiF TLD detector-solid water phantom are discussed on the basis of mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients calculated in the energy range of 10 keV-10 MeV with regard to their water equivalence as a phantom and detector material. The discussion is also supported by Monte Carlo simulation results. It is found that water equivalence of polymer gel dosimeters is sustained for photon energies down to about 60 keV and no corrections are needed for polymer gel dosimetry of 169Yb or 192Ir sources. For 125I and 103Pd sources, however, a correction that is source-distance dependent is required. Appropriate Monte Carlo results show that at the dosimetric reference distance of 1 cm from a source, these corrections are of the order of 3% for 125I and 2% for 103Pd. These have to be compared with corresponding corrections of up to 35% for 125I and 103Pd and up to 15% even for the 169Yb energies for the experimental set-up of the LiF TLD detector-solid water phantom.

Polymer gel water equivalence and relative energy response with emphasis on low photon energy dosimetry in brachytherapy.

PubMed

Pantelis, E; Karlis, A K; Kozicki, M; Papagiannis, P; Sakelliou, L; Rosiak, J M

2004-08-07

The water equivalence and stable relative energy response of polymer gel dosimeters are usually taken for granted in the relatively high x-ray energy range of external beam radiotherapy based on qualitative indices such as mass and electron density and effective atomic number. However, these favourable dosimetric characteristics are questionable in the energy range of interest to brachytherapy especially in the case of lower energy photon sources such as 103Pd and 125I that are currently utilized. In this work, six representative polymer gel formulations as well as the most commonly used experimental set-up of a LiF TLD detector-solid water phantom are discussed on the basis of mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients calculated in the energy range of 10 keV-10 MeV with regard to their water equivalence as a phantom and detector material. The discussion is also supported by Monte Carlo simulation results. It is found that water equivalence of polymer gel dosimeters is sustained for photon energies down to about 60 keV and no corrections are needed for polymer gel dosimetry of 169Yb or 192Ir sources. For 125I and 103Pd sources, however, a correction that is source-distance dependent is required. Appropriate Monte Carlo results show that at the dosimetric reference distance of 1 cm from a source, these corrections are of the order of 3% for 125I and 2% for 103Pd. These have to be compared with corresponding corrections of up to 35% for 125I and 103Pd and up to 15% even for the 169Yb energies for the experimental set-up of the LiF TLD detector-solid water phantom.

Accurate setup of paraspinal patients using a noninvasive patient immobilization cradle and portal imaging.

PubMed

Lovelock, D Michael; Hua, Chiaho; Wang, Ping; Hunt, Margie; Fournier-Bidoz, Nathalie; Yenice, Kamil; Toner, Sean; Lutz, Wendell; Amols, Howard; Bilsky, Mark; Fuks, Zvi; Yamada, Yoshiya

2005-08-01

Because of the proximity of the spinal cord, effective radiotherapy of paraspinal tumors to high doses requires highly conformal dose distributions, accurate patient setup, setup verification, and patient immobilization. An immobilization cradle has been designed to facilitate the rapid setup and radiation treatment of patients with paraspinal disease. For all treatments, patients were set up to within 2.5 mm of the design using an amorphous silicon portal imager. Setup reproducibility of the target using the cradle and associated clinical procedures was assessed by measuring the setup error prior to any correction. From 350 anterior/posterior images, and 303 lateral images, the standard deviations, as determined by the imaging procedure, were 1.3 m, 1.6 m, and 2.1 in the ant/post, right/left, and superior/inferior directions. Immobilization was assessed by measuring patient shifts between localization images taken before and after treatment. From 67 ant/post image pairs and 49 lateral image pairs, the standard deviations were found to be less than 1 mm in all directions. Careful patient positioning and immobilization has enabled us to develop a successful clinical program of high dose, conformal radiotherapy of paraspinal disease using a conventional Linac equipped with dynamic multileaf collimation and an amorphous silicon portal imager.

The detection error of thermal test low-frequency cable based on M sequence correlation algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Dongliang; Ge, Zheyang; Tong, Xin; Du, Chunlin

2018-04-01

The problem of low accuracy and low efficiency of off-line detecting on thermal test low-frequency cable faults could be solved by designing a cable fault detection system, based on FPGA export M sequence code(Linear feedback shift register sequence) as pulse signal source. The design principle of SSTDR (Spread spectrum time-domain reflectometry) reflection method and hardware on-line monitoring setup figure is discussed in this paper. Testing data show that, this detection error increases with fault location of thermal test low-frequency cable.

New baseline correction algorithm for text-line recognition with bidirectional recurrent neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morillot, Olivier; Likforman-Sulem, Laurence; Grosicki, Emmanuèle

2013-04-01

Many preprocessing techniques have been proposed for isolated word recognition. However, recently, recognition systems have dealt with text blocks and their compound text lines. In this paper, we propose a new preprocessing approach to efficiently correct baseline skew and fluctuations. Our approach is based on a sliding window within which the vertical position of the baseline is estimated. Segmentation of text lines into subparts is, thus, avoided. Experiments conducted on a large publicly available database (Rimes), with a BLSTM (bidirectional long short-term memory) recurrent neural network recognition system, show that our baseline correction approach highly improves performance.

FY 2016 Status Report: CIRFT Testing Data Analyses and Updated Curvature Measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Jy-An John; Wang, Hong

This report provides a detailed description of FY15 test result corrections/analysis based on the FY16 Cyclic Integrated Reversible-Bending Fatigue Tester (CIRFT) test program methodology update used to evaluate the vibration integrity of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under normal transportation conditions. The CIRFT consists of a U-frame testing setup and a real-time curvature measurement method. The three-component U-frame setup of the CIRFT has two rigid arms and linkages to a universal testing machine. The curvature of rod bending is obtained through a three-point deflection measurement method. Three linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) are used and clamped to the side connecting platesmore » of the U-frame to capture the deformation of the rod. The contact-based measurement, or three-LVDT-based curvature measurement system, on SNF rods has been proven to be quite reliable in CIRFT testing. However, how the LVDT head contacts the SNF rod may have a significant effect on the curvature measurement, depending on the magnitude and direction of rod curvature. It has been demonstrated that the contact/curvature issues can be corrected by using a correction on the sensor spacing. The sensor spacing defines the separation of the three LVDT probes and is a critical quantity in calculating the rod curvature once the deflections are obtained. The sensor spacing correction can be determined by using chisel-type probes. The method has been critically examined this year and has been shown to be difficult to implement in a hot cell environment, and thus cannot be implemented effectively. A correction based on the proposed equivalent gauge-length has the required flexibility and accuracy and can be appropriately used as a correction factor. The correction method based on the equivalent gauge length has been successfully demonstrated in CIRFT data analysis for the dynamic tests conducted on Limerick (LMK) (17 tests), North Anna (NA) (6 tests), and Catawba mixed oxide (MOX) (10 tests) SNF samples. These CIRFT tests were completed in FY14 and FY15. Specifically, the data sets obtained from measurement and monitoring were processed and analyzed. The fatigue life of rods has been characterized in terms of moment, curvature, and equivalent stress and strain..« less

ANIMAL COGNITION. Comment on "Number-space mapping in the newborn chick resembles humans' mental number line".

PubMed

Mangalam, Madhur; Karve, Shraddha Madhav

2015-06-26

Rugani et al. (Reports, 30 January 3015, p. 534) tested 3-day-old domestic chicks using an innovative experimental setup and demonstrate the presence of the mental number line. We raise concerns regarding this conclusion by highlighting the possible loopholes in the experimental design and the data analysis procedures. We further suggest auxiliary experiments that can substantiate the authors' claim. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The external scanning proton microprobe of Firenze: A comprehensive description

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuntini, L.; Massi, M.; Calusi, S.

2007-06-01

An external proton scanning microbeam setup is installed on the -30° line of the new 3 MV tandem accelerator in Firenze; the most relevant features of the line, such as detection setup for IBA measurements, target viewing system, beam diagnostic and transport are described here. With our facility we can work with a beam spot on sample better than 10 μm full-width half-maximum (FWHM) and an intensity of some nanoamperes. Standard beam exit windows are silicon nitride (Si 3N 4) TEM membranes, 100 nm thick and 0.5×0.5 mm 2 wide; we also successfully performed measurements using membranes 1×1 mm 2 wide, 100 nm thick, and 2×2 mm 2 wide, 200 and 500 nm thick. Exploiting the yield of Si X-rays produced by the beam in the exit window as an indirect measurement of the charge, a beam charge monitor system was implemented. The analytical capabilities of the microbeam have been extended by integrating a two-detector PIXE setup with BS and PIGE detectors; the external scanning proton microprobe in Firenze is thus a powerful instrument to fully characterize samples by ion beam analysis, through the simultaneous collection of PIXE, PIGE and BS elemental maps. Its characteristics can make it often competitive with traditional in vacuum microbeam for measurements of thick targets.

Intercomparison of three microwave/infrared high resolution line-by-line radiative transfer codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreier, F.; Garcia, S. Gimeno; Milz, M.; Kottayil, A.; Höpfner, M.; von Clarmann, T.; Stiller, G.

2013-05-01

An intercomparison of three line-by-line (lbl) codes developed independently for atmospheric sounding - ARTS, GARLIC, and KOPRA - has been performed for a thermal infrared nadir sounding application assuming a HIRS-like (High resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder) setup. Radiances for the HIRS infrared channels and a set of 42 atmospheric profiles from the "Garand dataset" have been computed. Results of this intercomparison and a discussion of reasons of the observed differences are presented.

Removing ring artefacts from synchrotron radiation-based hard x-ray tomography data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thalmann, Peter; Bikis, Christos; Schulz, Georg; Paleo, Pierre; Mirone, Alessandro; Rack, Alexander; Siegrist, Stefan; Cörek, Emre; Huwyler, Jörg; Müller, Bert

2017-09-01

In hard X-ray microtomography, ring artefacts regularly originate from incorrectly functioning pixel elements on the detector or from particles and scratches on the scintillator. We show that due to the high sensitivity of contemporary beamline setups further causes inducing inhomogeneities in the impinging wavefronts have to be considered. We propose in this study a method to correct the thereby induced failure of simple flatfield approaches. The main steps of the pipeline are (i) registration of the reference images with the radiographs (projections), (ii) integration of the flat-field corrected projection over the acquisition angle, (iii) high-pass filtering of the integrated projection, (iv) subtraction of filtered data from the flat-field corrected projections. The performance of the protocol is tested on data sets acquired at the beamline ID19 at ESRF using single distance phase tomography.

Design of MOEMS adjustable optical delay line to reduce link set-up time in a tera-bit/s optical interconnection network.

PubMed

Jing, Wencai; Zhang, Yimo; Zhou, Ge

2002-07-15

A new structure for bit synchronization in a tera-bit/s optical interconnection network has been designed using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technique. Link multiplexing has been adopted to reduce data packet communication latency. To eliminate link set-up time, adjustable optical delay lines (AODLs) have been adopted to shift the phases of the distributed optical clock signals for bit synchronization. By changing the optical path distance of the optical clock signal, the phase of the clock signal can be shifted at a very high resolution. A phase-shift resolution of 0.1 ps can be easily achieved with 30-microm alternation of the optical path length in vacuum.

Measuring uncertainty in dose delivered to the cochlea due to setup error during external beam treatment of patients with cancer of the head and neck.

PubMed

Yan, M; Lovelock, D; Hunt, M; Mechalakos, J; Hu, Y; Pham, H; Jackson, A

2013-12-01

To use Cone Beam CT scans obtained just prior to treatments of head and neck cancer patients to measure the setup error and cumulative dose uncertainty of the cochlea. Data from 10 head and neck patients with 10 planning CTs and 52 Cone Beam CTs taken at time of treatment were used in this study. Patients were treated with conventional fractionation using an IMRT dose painting technique, most with 33 fractions. Weekly radiographic imaging was used to correct the patient setup. The authors used rigid registration of the planning CT and Cone Beam CT scans to find the translational and rotational setup errors, and the spatial setup errors of the cochlea. The planning CT was rotated and translated such that the cochlea positions match those seen in the cone beam scans, cochlea doses were recalculated and fractional doses accumulated. Uncertainties in the positions and cumulative doses of the cochlea were calculated with and without setup adjustments from radiographic imaging. The mean setup error of the cochlea was 0.04 ± 0.33 or 0.06 ± 0.43 cm for RL, 0.09 ± 0.27 or 0.07 ± 0.48 cm for AP, and 0.00 ± 0.21 or -0.24 ± 0.45 cm for SI with and without radiographic imaging, respectively. Setup with radiographic imaging reduced the standard deviation of the setup error by roughly 1-2 mm. The uncertainty of the cochlea dose depends on the treatment plan and the relative positions of the cochlea and target volumes. Combining results for the left and right cochlea, the authors found the accumulated uncertainty of the cochlea dose per fraction was 4.82 (0.39-16.8) cGy, or 10.1 (0.8-32.4) cGy, with and without radiographic imaging, respectively; the percentage uncertainties relative to the planned doses were 4.32% (0.28%-9.06%) and 10.2% (0.7%-63.6%), respectively. Patient setup error introduces uncertainty in the position of the cochlea during radiation treatment. With the assistance of radiographic imaging during setup, the standard deviation of setup error reduced by 31%, 42%, and 54% in RL, AP, and SI direction, respectively, and consequently, the uncertainty of the mean dose to cochlea reduced more than 50%. The authors estimate that the effects of these uncertainties on the probability of hearing loss for an individual patient could be as large as 10%.

Measuring uncertainty in dose delivered to the cochlea due to setup error during external beam treatment of patients with cancer of the head and neck

PubMed Central

Yan, M.; Lovelock, D.; Hunt, M.; Mechalakos, J.; Hu, Y.; Pham, H.; Jackson, A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To use Cone Beam CT scans obtained just prior to treatments of head and neck cancer patients to measure the setup error and cumulative dose uncertainty of the cochlea. Methods: Data from 10 head and neck patients with 10 planning CTs and 52 Cone Beam CTs taken at time of treatment were used in this study. Patients were treated with conventional fractionation using an IMRT dose painting technique, most with 33 fractions. Weekly radiographic imaging was used to correct the patient setup. The authors used rigid registration of the planning CT and Cone Beam CT scans to find the translational and rotational setup errors, and the spatial setup errors of the cochlea. The planning CT was rotated and translated such that the cochlea positions match those seen in the cone beam scans, cochlea doses were recalculated and fractional doses accumulated. Uncertainties in the positions and cumulative doses of the cochlea were calculated with and without setup adjustments from radiographic imaging. Results: The mean setup error of the cochlea was 0.04 ± 0.33 or 0.06 ± 0.43 cm for RL, 0.09 ± 0.27 or 0.07 ± 0.48 cm for AP, and 0.00 ± 0.21 or −0.24 ± 0.45 cm for SI with and without radiographic imaging, respectively. Setup with radiographic imaging reduced the standard deviation of the setup error by roughly 1–2 mm. The uncertainty of the cochlea dose depends on the treatment plan and the relative positions of the cochlea and target volumes. Combining results for the left and right cochlea, the authors found the accumulated uncertainty of the cochlea dose per fraction was 4.82 (0.39–16.8) cGy, or 10.1 (0.8–32.4) cGy, with and without radiographic imaging, respectively; the percentage uncertainties relative to the planned doses were 4.32% (0.28%–9.06%) and 10.2% (0.7%–63.6%), respectively. Conclusions: Patient setup error introduces uncertainty in the position of the cochlea during radiation treatment. With the assistance of radiographic imaging during setup, the standard deviation of setup error reduced by 31%, 42%, and 54% in RL, AP, and SI direction, respectively, and consequently, the uncertainty of the mean dose to cochlea reduced more than 50%. The authors estimate that the effects of these uncertainties on the probability of hearing loss for an individual patient could be as large as 10%. PMID:24320510

JANUS — A setup for low-energy Coulomb excitation at ReA3

DOE PAGES

Lunderberg, E.; Belarge, J.; Bender, P. C.; ...

2017-12-21

We report that a new experimental setup for low-energy Coulomb excitation experiments was constructed in a collaboration between the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and the University of Rochester and was commissioned at the general purpose beam line of NSCL's ReA3 reaccelerator facility. The so-called JANUS setup combines γ-ray detection with the Segmented Ge Array (SeGA) and scattered particle detection using a pair of segmented double-sided Si detectors (Bambino 2). The low-energy Coulomb excitation program that JANUS enables will complement intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation studies that have long been performed at NSCL by providing access tomore » observables that quantify collectivity beyond the first excited state, including the sign and magnitude of excited-state quadrupole moments. Here, in this work, the setup and its performance will be described based on the commissioning run that used stable 78Kr impinging onto a 1.09 mg/cm 2 208Pb target at a beam energy of 3.9 MeV/u.« less

Comparison of line shortening assessed by aerial image and wafer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, Wolfram; Pforr, Rainer; Thiele, Joerg; Maurer, Wilhelm

1997-02-01

Increasing number of patterns per area and decreasing linewidth demand enhancement technologies for optical lithography. OPC, the correction of systematic non-linearity in the pattern transfer process by correction of design data is one possibility to tighten process control and to increase the lifetime of existing lithographic equipment. The two most prominent proximity effects to be corrected by OPC are CD variation and line shortening. Line shortening measured on a wafer is up to 2 times larger than full resist simulation results. Therefore, the influence of mask geometry to line shortening is a key item to parameterize lithography. The following paper discusses the effect of adding small serifs to line ends with 0.25 micrometer ground-rule design. For reticles produced on an ALTA 3000 with standard wet etch process, the corner rounding on them mask can be reduced by adding serifs of a certain size. The corner rounding was measured and the effect on line shortening on the wafer is determined. This was investigated by resist measurements on wafer, aerial image plus resist simulation and aerial image measurements on the AIMS microscope.

Air-coupled ultrasound: a novel technique for monitoring the curing of thermosetting matrices.

PubMed

Lionetto, Francesca; Tarzia, Antonella; Maffezzoli, Alfonso

2007-07-01

A custom-made, air-coupled ultrasonic device was applied to cure monitoring of thick samples (7-10 mm) of unsaturated polyester resin at room temperature. A key point was the optimization of the experimental setup in order to propagate compression waves during the overall curing reaction by suitable placement of the noncontact transducers, placed on the same side of the test material, in the so-called pitch-catch configuration. The progress of polymerization was monitored through the variation of the time of flight of the propagating longitudinal waves. The exothermic character of the polymerization was taken into account by correcting the measured value of time of flight with that one in air, obtained by sampling the air velocity during the experiment. The air-coupled ultrasonic results were compared with those obtained from conventional contact ultrasonic measurements. The good agreement between the air-coupled ultrasonic results and those obtained by the rheological analysis demonstrated the reliability of air-coupled ultrasound in monitoring the changes of viscoelastic properties at gelation and vitrification. The position of the transducers on the same side of the sample makes this technique suitable for on-line cure monitoring during several composite manufacturing technologies.

A Versatile Ion Injector at KACST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Ghazaly, M. O. A.; Behery, S. A.; Almuqhim, A. A.; Papash, A. I.; Welsch, C. P.

2011-10-01

A versatile ion-beam injector is presently being constructed at the National Centre for Mathematics and Physics (NCMP) at the King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Saudi Arabia. This versatile injector will provide an electrostatic storage ring with high-quality ion beams of energies up to 30 keV per charge q. It will also allow for crossed-beams experiments in single-pass setups. The injector has been designed to include beams from two different ion sources, switched by a 90° deflection setup, and to allow for matching of the beam parameters to the Twiss parameters of the ring. The injector is equipped with two crossed beam-lines (inlets), with duplicated beam extraction and acceleration systems. As part of the initial setup, a simple electric discharge ion source has been developed for commissioning of the whole injector. In this paper, we report on the ion optics layout and the design parameters of the injector.

[Influence of C-Fe Lines Interference Correction on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Measurement of Unburned Carbon in Fly Ash].

PubMed

Yao, Shun-chun; Chen, Jian-chao; Lu, Ji-dong; Shen, Yue-liang; Pan, Gang

2015-06-01

In coal-fired plants, Unburned carbon (UC) in fly ash is the major determinant of combustion efficiency in coal-fired boiler. The balance between unburned carbon and NO(x) emissions stresses the need for rapid and accurate methods for the measurement of unburned carbon. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is employed to measure the unburned carbon content in fly ash. In this case, it is found that the C line interference with Fe line at about 248 nm. The interference leads to C could not be quantified independently from Fe. A correction approach for extracting C integrated intensity from the overlapping peak is proposed. The Fe 248.33 nm, Fe 254.60 nm and Fe 272.36 nm lines are used to correct the Fe 247.98 nm line which interference with C 247.86 nm, respectively. Then, the corrected C integrated intensity is compared with the uncorrected C integrated intensity for constructing calibration curves of unburned carbon, and also for the precision and accuracy of repeat measurements. The analysis results show that the regression coefficients of the calibration curves and the precision and accuracy of repeat measurements are improved by correcting C-Fe interference, especially for the fly ash samples with low level unburned carbon content. However, the choice of the Fe line need to avoid a over-correction for C line. Obviously, Fe 254.60 nm is the best

Flexibility and utility of pre-processing methods in converting STXM setups for ptychography - Final Paper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fromm, Catherine

2015-08-20

Ptychography is an advanced diffraction based imaging technique that can achieve resolution of 5nm and below. It is done by scanning a sample through a beam of focused x-rays using discrete yet overlapping scan steps. Scattering data is collected on a CCD camera, and the phase of the scattered light is reconstructed with sophisticated iterative algorithms. Because the experimental setup is similar, ptychography setups can be created by retrofitting existing STXM beam lines with new hardware. The other challenge comes in the reconstruction of the collected scattering images. Scattering data must be adjusted and packaged with experimental parameters to calibratemore » the reconstruction software. The necessary pre-processing of data prior to reconstruction is unique to each beamline setup, and even the optical alignments used on that particular day. Pre-processing software must be developed to be flexible and efficient in order to allow experiments appropriate control and freedom in the analysis of their hard-won data. This paper will describe the implementation of pre-processing software which successfully connects data collection steps to reconstruction steps, letting the user accomplish accurate and reliable ptychography.« less

Optimized linear motor and digital PID controller setup used in Mössbauer spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohout, Pavel; Kouřil, Lukáš; Navařík, Jakub; Novák, Petr; Pechoušek, Jiří

2014-10-01

Optimization of a linear motor and digital PID controller setup used in a Mössbauer spectrometer is presented. Velocity driving system with a digital PID feedback subsystem was developed in the LabVIEW graphical environment and deployed on the sbRIO real-time hardware device (National Instruments). The most important data acquisition processes are performed as real-time deterministic tasks on an FPGA chip. Velocity transducer of a double loudspeaker type with a power amplifier circuit is driven by the system. Series of calibration measurements were proceeded to find the optimal setup of the P, I, D parameters together with velocity error signal analysis. The shape and given signal characteristics of the velocity error signal are analyzed in details. Remote applications for controlling and monitoring the PID system from computer or smart phone, respectively, were also developed. The best setup and P, I, D parameters were set and calibration spectrum of α-Fe sample with an average nonlinearity of the velocity scale below 0.08% was collected. Furthermore, the width of the spectral line below 0.30 mm/s was observed. Powerful and complex velocity driving system was designed.

A beam hardening and dispersion correction for x-ray dark-field radiography.

PubMed

Pelzer, Georg; Anton, Gisela; Horn, Florian; Rieger, Jens; Ritter, André; Wandner, Johannes; Weber, Thomas; Michel, Thilo

2016-06-01

X-ray dark-field imaging promises information on the small angle scattering properties even of large samples. However, the dark-field image is correlated with the object's attenuation and phase-shift if a polychromatic x-ray spectrum is used. A method to remove part of these correlations is proposed. The experimental setup for image acquisition was modeled in a wave-field simulation to quantify the dark-field signals originating solely from a material's attenuation and phase-shift. A calibration matrix was simulated for ICRU46 breast tissue. Using the simulated data, a dark-field image of a human mastectomy sample was corrected for the finger print of attenuation- and phase-image. Comparing the simulated, attenuation-based dark-field values to a phantom measurement, a good agreement was found. Applying the proposed method to mammographic dark-field data, a reduction of the dark-field background and anatomical noise was achieved. The contrast between microcalcifications and their surrounding background was increased. The authors show that the influence of and dispersion can be quantified by simulation and, thus, measured image data can be corrected. The simulation allows to determine the corresponding dark-field artifacts for a wide range of setup parameters, like tube-voltage and filtration. The application of the proposed method to mammographic dark-field data shows an increase in contrast compared to the original image, which might simplify a further image-based diagnosis.

3D non-LTE corrections for the 6Li/7Li isotopic ratio in solar-type stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harutyunyan, G.; Steffen, M.; Mott, A.; Caffau, E.; Israelian, G.; González Hernández, J. I.; Strassmeier, K. G.

Doppler shifts induced by convective motions in stellar atmospheres affect the shape of spectral absorption lines and create slightly asymmetric line profiles. It is important to take this effect into account in modeling the subtle depression created by the 6Li isotope which lies on the red wing of the Li I 670.8 nm resonance doublet line, since convective motions in stellar atmospheres can mimic a presence of 6Li when intrinsically symmetric theoretical line profiles are presumed for the analysis of the 7Li doublet \\citep{cayrel2007}. Based on CO5BOLD hydrodynamical model atmospheres, we compute 3D non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) corrections for the 6Li/7Li isotopic ratio by using a grid of 3D NLTE and 1D LTE synthetic spectra. These corrections must be added to the results of the 1D LTE analysis to correct them for the combined 3D non-LTE effects. As one would expect, the resulting corrections are always negative and they range between 0 and -5 %, depending on effective temperature, surface gravity, and metallicity. For each metallicity we derive an analytic expression approximating the 3D NLTE corrections as a function of effective temperature, surface gravity and projected rotational velocity.

Development of a frameless stereotactic radiosurgery system based on real-time 6D position monitoring and adaptive head motion compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiersma, Rodney D.; Wen, Zhifei; Sadinski, Meredith; Farrey, Karl; Yenice, Kamil M.

2010-01-01

Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers radiation with great spatial accuracy. To achieve sub-millimeter accuracy for intracranial SRS, a head ring is rigidly fixated to the skull to create a fixed reference. For some patients, the invasiveness of the ring can be highly uncomfortable and not well tolerated. In addition, placing and removing the ring requires special expertise from a neurosurgeon, and patient setup time for SRS can often be long. To reduce the invasiveness, hardware limitations and setup time, we are developing a system for performing accurate head positioning without the use of a head ring. The proposed method uses real-time 6D optical position feedback for turning on and off the treatment beam (gating) and guiding a motor-controlled 3D head motion compensation stage. The setup consists of a central control computer, an optical patient motion tracking system and a 3D motion compensation stage attached to the front of the LINAC couch. A styrofoam head cast was custom-built for patient support and was mounted on the compensation stage. The motion feedback of the markers was processed by the control computer, and the resulting motion of the target was calculated using a rigid body model. If the target deviated beyond a preset position of 0.2 mm, an automatic position correction was performed with stepper motors to adjust the head position via the couch mount motion platform. In the event the target deviated more than 1 mm, a safety relay switch was activated and the treatment beam was turned off. The feasibility of the concept was tested using five healthy volunteers. Head motion data were acquired with and without the use of motion compensation over treatment times of 15 min. On average, test subjects exceeded the 0.5 mm tolerance 86% of the time and the 1.0 mm tolerance 45% of the time without motion correction. With correction, this percentage was reduced to 5% and 2% for the 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm tolerances, respectively.

The AFRL Line-Imaging ORVIS

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

1 3. Safety Considerations...Reduction Techniques,” Sandia Report, SAND82-2918, February 1983. 3. Safety Considerations Since the AFRL Line-Imaging ORVIS is an imaging interferometer...Standard for Safe Use of Lasers. • A thorough review of the optical setup by the facility/site laser safety program. • Continued use of the laser enclosure

Analog cosmological particle generation in a superconducting circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Zehua; Jing, Jiliang; Dragan, Andrzej

2017-06-01

We propose the use of a waveguidelike transmission line based on direct-current superconducting quantum interference devices (dc-SQUID) and demonstrate that the node flux in this transmission line behaves in the same way as quantum fields in an expanding (or contracting) universe. We show how to detect the analog cosmological particle generation and analyze its feasibility with current circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) technology. Our setup in principle paves a new way for the exploration of analog quantum gravitational effects.

The influence of suspension components friction on race car vertical dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benini, Claudio; Gadola, Marco; Chindamo, Daniel; Uberti, Stefano; Marchesin, Felipe P.; Barbosa, Roberto S.

2017-03-01

This work analyses the effect of friction in suspension components on a race car vertical dynamics. It is a matter of fact that race cars aim at maximising their performance, focusing the attention mostly on aerodynamics and suspension tuning: suspension vertical and rolling stiffness and damping are parameters to be taken into account for an optimal setup. Furthermore, friction in suspension components must not be ignored. After a test session carried out with a F4 on a Four Poster rig, friction was detected on the front suspension. The real data gathered allow the validation of an analytical model with friction, confirming that its influence is relevant for low frequency values closed to the car pitch natural frequency. Finally, some setup proposals are presented to describe what should be done on actual race cars in order to correct vehicle behaviour when friction occurs.

Model-based aberration correction in a closed-loop wavefront-sensor-less adaptive optics system.

PubMed

Song, H; Fraanje, R; Schitter, G; Kroese, H; Vdovin, G; Verhaegen, M

2010-11-08

In many scientific and medical applications, such as laser systems and microscopes, wavefront-sensor-less (WFSless) adaptive optics (AO) systems are used to improve the laser beam quality or the image resolution by correcting the wavefront aberration in the optical path. The lack of direct wavefront measurement in WFSless AO systems imposes a challenge to achieve efficient aberration correction. This paper presents an aberration correction approach for WFSlss AO systems based on the model of the WFSless AO system and a small number of intensity measurements, where the model is identified from the input-output data of the WFSless AO system by black-box identification. This approach is validated in an experimental setup with 20 static aberrations having Kolmogorov spatial distributions. By correcting N=9 Zernike modes (N is the number of aberration modes), an intensity improvement from 49% of the maximum value to 89% has been achieved in average based on N+5=14 intensity measurements. With the worst initial intensity, an improvement from 17% of the maximum value to 86% has been achieved based on N+4=13 intensity measurements.

Flight Tests of a 0.13-Scale Model of the Convair XFY-1 Vertically Rising Airplane in a Setup Simulating that Proposed for Captive-Flight Tests in a Hangar, TED No. NACA DE 368

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovell, Powell M., Jr.

1953-01-01

An experimental investigation has been conducted to determine the dynamic stability and control characteristics of a 0.13-scale free-flight model of the Convair XFY-1 airplane in test setups representing the setup proposed for use in the first flight tests of the full-scale airplane in the Moffett Field airship hangar. The investigation was conducted in two parts: first, tests with the model flying freely in an enclosure simulating the hangar, and second, tests with the model partially restrained by an overhead line attached to the propeller spinner and ground lines attached to the wing and tail tips. The results of the tests indicated that the airplane can be flown without difficulty in the Moffett Field airship hangar if it does not approach too close to the hangar walls. If it does approach too close to the walls, the recirculation of the propeller slipstream might cause sudden trim changes which would make smooth flight difficult for the pilot to accomplish. It appeared that the tethering system proposed by Convair could provide generally satisfactory restraint of large-amplitude motions caused by control failure or pilot error without interfering with normal flying or causing any serious instability or violent jerking motions as the tethering lines restrained the model.

Residual position errors of lymph node surrogates in breast cancer adjuvant radiotherapy: Comparison of two arm fixation devices and the effect of arm position correction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapanen, Mika; Department of Medical Physics, Tampere University Hospital; Laaksomaa, Marko, E-mail: Marko.Laaksomaa@pshp.fi

2016-04-01

Residual position errors of the lymph node (LN) surrogates and humeral head (HH) were determined for 2 different arm fixation devices in radiotherapy (RT) of breast cancer: a standard wrist-hold (WH) and a house-made rod-hold (RH). The effect of arm position correction (APC) based on setup images was also investigated. A total of 113 consecutive patients with early-stage breast cancer with LN irradiation were retrospectively analyzed (53 and 60 using the WH and RH, respectively). Residual position errors of the LN surrogates (Th1-2 and clavicle) and the HH were investigated to compare the 2 fixation devices. The position errors andmore » setup margins were determined before and after the APC to investigate the efficacy of the APC in the treatment situation. A threshold of 5 mm was used for the residual errors of the clavicle and Th1-2 to perform the APC, and a threshold of 7 mm was used for the HH. The setup margins were calculated with the van Herk formula. Irradiated volumes of the HH were determined from RT treatment plans. With the WH and the RH, setup margins up to 8.1 and 6.7 mm should be used for the LN surrogates, and margins up to 4.6 and 3.6 mm should be used to spare the HH, respectively, without the APC. After the APC, the margins of the LN surrogates were equal to or less than 7.5/6.0 mm with the WH/RH, but margins up to 4.2/2.9 mm were required for the HH. The APC was needed at least once with both the devices for approximately 60% of the patients. With the RH, irradiated volume of the HH was approximately 2 times more than with the WH, without any dose constraints. Use of the RH together with the APC resulted in minimal residual position errors and setup margins for all the investigated bony landmarks. Based on the obtained results, we prefer the house-made RH. However, more attention should be given to minimize the irradiation of the HH with the RH than with the WH.« less

SU-E-CAMPUS-J-05: Quantitative Investigation of Random and Systematic Uncertainties From Hardware and Software Components in the Frameless 6DBrainLAB ExacTrac System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keeling, V; Jin, H; Hossain, S

2014-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate setup accuracy and quantify individual systematic and random errors for the various hardware and software components of the frameless 6D-BrainLAB ExacTrac system. Methods: 35 patients with cranial lesions, some with multiple isocenters (50 total lesions treated in 1, 3, 5 fractions), were investigated. All patients were simulated with a rigid head-and-neck mask and the BrainLAB localizer. CT images were transferred to the IPLAN treatment planning system where optimized plans were generated using stereotactic reference frame based on the localizer. The patients were setup initially with infrared (IR) positioning ExacTrac system. Stereoscopic X-ray images (XC: X-ray Correction) weremore » registered to their corresponding digitally-reconstructed-radiographs, based on bony anatomy matching, to calculate 6D-translational and rotational (Lateral, Longitudinal, Vertical, Pitch, Roll, Yaw) shifts. XC combines systematic errors of the mask, localizer, image registration, frame, and IR. If shifts were below tolerance (0.7 mm translational and 1 degree rotational), treatment was initiated; otherwise corrections were applied and additional X-rays were acquired to verify patient position (XV: X-ray Verification). Statistical analysis was used to extract systematic and random errors of the different components of the 6D-ExacTrac system and evaluate the cumulative setup accuracy. Results: Mask systematic errors (translational; rotational) were the largest and varied from one patient to another in the range (−15 to 4mm; −2.5 to 2.5degree) obtained from mean of XC for each patient. Setup uncertainty in IR positioning (0.97,2.47,1.62mm;0.65,0.84,0.96degree) was extracted from standard-deviation of XC. Combined systematic errors of the frame and localizer (0.32,−0.42,−1.21mm; −0.27,0.34,0.26degree) was extracted from mean of means of XC distributions. Final patient setup uncertainty was obtained from the standard deviations of XV (0.57,0.77,0.67mm,0.39,0.35,0.30degree). Conclusion: Statistical analysis was used to calculate cumulative and individual systematic errors from the different hardware and software components of the 6D-ExacTrac-system. Patients were treated with cumulative errors (<1mm,<1degree) with XV image guidance.« less

Re-evaluation of the correction factors for the GROVEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ketelhut, Steffen; Meier, Markus

2018-04-01

The GROVEX (GROssVolumige EXtrapolationskammer, large-volume extrapolation chamber) is the primary standard for the dosimetry of low-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). In the course of setup modifications and re-measuring of several dimensions, the correction factors have been re-evaluated in this work. The correction factors for scatter and attenuation have been recalculated using the Monte Carlo software package EGSnrc, and a new expression has been found for the divergence correction. The obtained results decrease the measured reference air kerma rate by approximately 0.9% for the representative example of a seed of type Bebig I25.S16C. This lies within the expanded uncertainty (k  =  2).

Adaptive Nulling for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, Robert D.; Lay, Oliver P.; Jeganathan, Muthu; Hirai, Akiko

2006-01-01

A description of adaptive nulling for Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer (TPFI) is presented. The topics include: 1) Nulling in TPF-I; 2) Why Do Adaptive Nulling; 3) Parallel High-Order Compensator Design; 4) Phase and Amplitude Control; 5) Development Activates; 6) Requirements; 7) Simplified Experimental Setup; 8) Intensity Correction; and 9) Intensity Dispersion Stability. A short summary is also given on adaptive nulling for the TPFI.

Measuring the Tilt of the Earth's Axis with the Help of a Plastic Pipe and a Piece of Wood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isildak, R. Suat

2016-01-01

In this project, a method that had been developed using a single setup was employed to correctly measure the tilt of the Earth's axis on 21 June 2015. The method is an easily comprehensible and applicable technique that can be used in elementary science and astronomy courses and understood by students of every age group.

SU-E-J-15: Automatically Detect Patient Treatment Position and Orientation in KV Portal Images

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qiu, J; Yang, D

2015-06-15

Purpose: In the course of radiation therapy, the complex information processing workflow will Result in potential errors, such as incorrect or inaccurate patient setups. With automatic image check and patient identification, such errors could be effectively reduced. For this purpose, we developed a simple and rapid image processing method, to automatically detect the patient position and orientation in 2D portal images, so to allow automatic check of positions and orientations for patient daily RT treatments. Methods: Based on the principle of portal image formation, a set of whole body DRR images were reconstructed from multiple whole body CT volume datasets,more » and fused together to be used as the matching template. To identify the patient setup position and orientation shown in a 2D portal image, the 2D portal image was preprocessed (contrast enhancement, down-sampling and couch table detection), then matched to the template image so to identify the laterality (left or right), position, orientation and treatment site. Results: Five day’s clinical qualified portal images were gathered randomly, then were processed by the automatic detection and matching method without any additional information. The detection results were visually checked by physicists. 182 images were correct detection in a total of 200kV portal images. The correct rate was 91%. Conclusion: The proposed method can detect patient setup and orientation quickly and automatically. It only requires the image intensity information in KV portal images. This method can be useful in the framework of Electronic Chart Check (ECCK) to reduce the potential errors in workflow of radiation therapy and so to improve patient safety. In addition, the auto-detection results, as the patient treatment site position and patient orientation, could be useful to guide the sequential image processing procedures, e.g. verification of patient daily setup accuracy. This work was partially supported by research grant from Varian Medical System.« less

Atmospheric corrections for TIMS estimated emittance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warner, T. A.; Levandowski, D. W.

1992-01-01

The estimated temperature of the average of 500 lines of Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data of the Pacific Ocean, from flight line 94, collected on 30 Sep. 1988, at 1931 GMT is shown. With no atmospheric corrections, estimated temperature decreases away from nadir (the center of the scan line). A LOWTRAN modeled correction, using local radiosonde data and instrument scan angle information, results in reversed limb darkening effects for most bands, and does not adequately correct all bands to the same temperature. The atmosphere tends to re-radiate energy at the wavelengths at which it most absorbs, and thus the overall difference between corrected and uncorrected temperatures is approximately 40 C, despite the average LOWTRAN calculated transmittance of only 60 percent between 8.1 and 11.6 microns. An alternative approach to atmospheric correction is a black body normalization. This is done by calculating a normalization factor for each pixel position and wavelength, which when applied results in a single calculated temperature, as would be expected for a gray body with near uniform emittance. The black body adjustment is based on the atmospheric conditions over the sea. The ground elevation profile along the remaining 3520 scan lines (approximately 10 km) of flight line 94, up the slopes of Kilauea, determined from aircraft pressure and laser altimeter data is shown. This flight line includes a large amount of vegetation that is clearly discernible on the radiance image, being much cooler than the surrounding rocks. For each of the 3520 scan lines, pixels were classified as vegetation or 'other'. A moving average of 51 lines was applied to the composite vegetation emittance for each scan line, to reduce noise. Assuming vegetation to be like water, and to act as gray body with an emittance of 0.986 across the spectrum, it is shown that that the LOWTRAN induced artifacts are severe, and other than for the 0.9.9 micron channel, not significantly different from applying no corrections at all. As expected, with increasing elevation atmospheric effects are slightly reduced, because moisture tends to be concentrated in the lowermost part of the atmosphere. The black body adjustment is highly robust, and even at elevations nearly 600 meters above the sea, remains an alternative procedure for use in calculating emittance.

Vertical divergence of fogwater fluxes above a spruce forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkard, R.; Eugster, W.; Wrzesinsky, T.; Klemm, O.

Two almost identical eddy covariance measurement setups were used to measure the fogwater fluxes to a forest ecosystem in the "Fichtelgebirge" mountains (Waldstein research site, 786 m a.s.l.) in Germany. During the first experiment, an intercomparison was carried out with both setups running simultaneously at the same measuring height on a meteorological tower, 12.5 m above the forest canopy. The results confirmed a close agreement of the turbulent fluxes between the two setups, and allowed to intercalibrate liquid water content (LWC) and gravitational fluxes. During the second experiment, the setups were mounted at a height of 12.5 and 3 m above the canopy, respectively. For the 22 fog events, a persistent negative flux divergence was observed with a greater downward flux at the upper level. To extrapolate the turbulent liquid water fluxes measured at height z to the canopy of height hc, a conversion factor 1/[1+0.116( z- hc)] was determined. For the fluxes of nonvolatile ions, no such correction is necessary since the net evaporation of the fog droplets appears to be the primary cause of the vertical flux divergence. Although the net evaporation reduces the liquid water flux reaching the canopy, it is not expected to change the absolute amount of ions dissolved in fogwater.

Implementation of a noise reduction circuit for spaceflight IR spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramirez, L.; Hickok, R.; Pain, B.; Staller, C.

1992-01-01

The paper discusses the implementation and analysis of a correlated triple sampling circuit using analog subtractor/integrators. The software and test setup for noise measurements are also described. The correlation circuitry is part of the signal chain for a 256-element InSb line array used in the Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer. Using a focal-plane array (FPA) simulator, system noise measurements of 0.7 DN are obtained. A test setup for FPA/SPE (signal processing electronics) characterization along with noise measurements is demonstrated.

Control of the coherence behavior in a SFG interferometer through the multipump phases command.

PubMed

Darré, P; Lehmann, L; Grossard, L; Delage, L; Reynaud, F

2018-03-19

In this paper, we report on a novel method to control the coherence behavior in a sum frequency generation interferometer powered by two independent pump lines. At the output of the interferometer, the two incoherent fringe patterns must be superimposed to maximize the contrast. The first step consists in canceling the differential group delay. The second one uses the phase control on one pump to synchronize the fringe patterns. This innovative method is experimentally demonstrated with a setup involving a 1544 nm signal and two pump lines around 1064 nm leading to a converted signal around 630 nm. It can be easily extended to a greater number of pump lines.

The effect of on-line position correction on the dose distribution in focal radiotherapy for bladder cancer

PubMed Central

van Rooijen, Dominique C; van de Kamer, Jeroen B; Pool, René; Hulshof, Maarten CCM; Koning, Caro CE; Bel, Arjan

2009-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the dosimetric effect of on-line position correction for bladder tumor irradiation and to find methods to predict and handle this effect. Methods For 25 patients with unifocal bladder cancer intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with 5 beams was planned. The requirement for each plan was that 99% of the target volume received 95% of the prescribed dose. Tumor displacements from -2.0 cm to 2.0 cm in each dimension were simulated, using 0.5 cm increments, resulting in 729 simulations per patient. We assumed that on-line correction for the tumor was applied perfectly. We determined the correlation between the change in D99% and the change in path length, which is defined here as the distance from the skin to the isocenter for each beam. In addition the margin needed to avoid underdosage was determined and the probability that an underdosage occurs in a real treatment was calculated. Results Adjustments for tumor displacement with perfect on-line position correction resulted in an altered dose distribution. The altered fraction dose to the target varied from 91.9% to 100.4% of the prescribed dose. The mean D99% (± SD) was 95.8% ± 1.0%. There was a modest linear correlation between the difference in D99% and the change in path length of the beams after correction (R2 = 0.590). The median probability that a systematic underdosage occurs in a real treatment was 0.23% (range: 0 - 24.5%). A margin of 2 mm reduced that probability to < 0.001% in all patients. Conclusion On-line position correction does result in an altered target coverage, due to changes in average path length after position correction. An extra margin can be added to prevent underdosage. PMID:19775479

Wave and setup dynamics on steeply-sloping reefs with large bottom roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckley, M. L.; Hansen, J.; Lowe, R.

2016-12-01

High-resolution observations from a wave flume were used to investigate the dynamics of wave setup over a steeply-sloping fringing reef profile with the effect of bottom roughness modeled using roughness elements scaled to mimic a coral reef. Results with roughness were compared with smooth bottom runs across sixteen offshore wave and still water level conditions. The time-averaged and depth-integrated force balance was evaluated from observations collected at seventeen locations across the flume, which was found to consist of cross-shore pressure and radiation stress gradients whose sum was balanced by mean quadratic bottom stresses. We found that when radiation stress gradients were calculated from observations of the radiation stress derived from linear wave theory, both wave setdown and setup were under predicted for the majority of wave and water level conditions tested. Inaccuracies in the predicted setdown and setup were improved by including a wave roller model, which provides a correction to the kinetic energy predicted by linear wave theory for breaking waves and produces a spatial delay in the wave forcing that was consistent with the observations. The introduction of roughness had two primary effects. First, the amount of wave energy dissipated during wave breaking was reduced due to frictional wave dissipation that occurred on the reef slope offshore of the breakpoint. Second, offshore directed mean bottom stresses were generated by the interaction of the combined wave-current velocity field with the roughness elements. These two mechanisms acted counter to one another. As a result, setup on the reef flat was comparable (7% mean difference) between corresponding rough and smooth runs. These findings are used to assess prior results from numerical modelling studies of reefs, and also to discuss the broader implications for how steep slopes and large roughness influences setup dynamics for general nearshore systems.

The $19.95 Solution to Large Group Telephone Interviews with Special Speakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, George H.

1998-01-01

Describes an inexpensive solution for holding large-group telephone interviews, listing the equipment needed (record control, telephone, phone line with modular jack, portable amplifier with microphone-level input jack, audio cable with jack and plug compatible with the microphone input jack on the amplifier) and providing directions for setup.…

An optimized adaptive optics experimental setup for in vivo retinal imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balderas-Mata, S. E.; Valdivieso González, L. G.; Ramírez Zavaleta, G.; López Olazagasti, E.; Tepichin Rodriguez, E.

2012-10-01

The use of Adaptive Optics (AO) in ophthalmologic instruments to image human retinas has been probed to improve the imaging lateral resolution, by correcting both static and dynamic aberrations inherent in human eyes. Typically, the configuration of the AO arm uses an infrared beam from a superluminescent diode (SLD), which is focused on the retina, acting as a point source. The back reflected light emerges through the eye optical system bringing with it the aberrations of the cornea. The aberrated wavefront is measured with a Shack - Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS). However, the aberrations in the optical imaging system can reduced the performance of the wave front correction. The aim of this work is to present an optimized first stage AO experimental setup for in vivo retinal imaging. In our proposal, the imaging optical system has been designed in order to reduce spherical aberrations due to the lenses. The ANSI Standard is followed assuring the safety power levels. The performance of the system will be compared with a commercial aberrometer. This system will be used as the AO arm of a flood-illuminated fundus camera system for retinal imaging. We present preliminary experimental results showing the enhancement.

Temporal focusing-based multiphoton excitation microscopy via digital micromirror device.

PubMed

Yih, Jenq-Nan; Hu, Yvonne Yuling; Sie, Yong Da; Cheng, Li-Chung; Lien, Chi-Hsiang; Chen, Shean-Jen

2014-06-01

This Letter presents an enhanced temporal focusing-based multiphoton excitation (MPE) microscope in which the conventional diffraction grating is replaced by a digital micromirror device (DMD). Experimental results from imaging a thin fluorescence film show that the 4.0 μm axial resolution of the microscope is comparable with that of a setup incorporating a 600  lines/mm grating; hence, the optical sectioning ability of the proposed setup is demonstrated. Similar to a grating, the DMD diffracts illuminating light frequencies for temporal focusing; additionally, it generates arbitrary patterns. Since the DMD is placed on the image-conjugate plane of the objective lens' focal plane, the MPE pattern can be projected on the focal plane precisely.

Experimental setup for Single Event Effects at the São Paulo 8UD Pelletron Accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguiar, V. A. P.; Added, N.; Medina, N. H.; Macchione, E. L. A.; Tabacniks, M. H.; Aguirre, F. R.; Silveira, M. A. G.; Santos, R. B. B.; Seixas, L. E.

2014-08-01

In this work we present an experimental setup mounted in one of the beam lines at the São Paulo 8UD Pelletron Accelerator in order to study Single Event Effects in electronic devices. The basic idea is to use elastic scattering collisions to achieve a low-flux with a high-uniformity ion beam to irradiate several devices. 12C, 16O, 28Si, 35Cl and 63Cu beams were used to test the experimental setup. In this system it is possible to use efficiently LET values of 17 MeV/mg/cm2 for an external beam arrangement and up to 32 MeV/mg/cm2 for in-vacuum irradiation.

SU-G-BRA-17: Tracking Multiple Targets with Independent Motion in Real-Time Using a Multi-Leaf Collimator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ge, Y; Keall, P; Poulsen, P

Purpose: Multiple targets with large intrafraction independent motion are often involved in advanced prostate, lung, abdominal, and head and neck cancer radiotherapy. Current standard of care treats these with the originally planned fields, jeopardizing the treatment outcomes. A real-time multi-leaf collimator (MLC) tracking method has been developed to address this problem for the first time. This study evaluates the geometric uncertainty of the multi-target tracking method. Methods: Four treatment scenarios are simulated based on a prostate IMAT plan to treat a moving prostate target and static pelvic node target: 1) real-time multi-target MLC tracking; 2) real-time prostate-only MLC tracking; 3)more » correcting for prostate interfraction motion at setup only; and 4) no motion correction. The geometric uncertainty of the treatment is assessed by the sum of the erroneously underexposed target area and overexposed healthy tissue areas for each individual target. Two patient-measured prostate trajectories of average 2 and 5 mm motion magnitude are used for simulations. Results: Real-time multi-target tracking accumulates the least uncertainty overall. As expected, it covers the static nodes similarly well as no motion correction treatment and covers the moving prostate similarly well as the real-time prostate-only tracking. Multi-target tracking reduces >90% of uncertainty for the static nodal target compared to the real-time prostate-only tracking or interfraction motion correction. For prostate target, depending on the motion trajectory which affects the uncertainty due to leaf-fitting, multi-target tracking may or may not perform better than correcting for interfraction prostate motion by shifting patient at setup, but it reduces ∼50% of uncertainty compared to no motion correction. Conclusion: The developed real-time multi-target MLC tracking can adapt for the independently moving targets better than other available treatment adaptations. This will enable PTV margin reduction to minimize health tissue toxicity while remain tumor coverage when treating advanced disease with independently moving targets involved. The authors acknowledge funding support from the Australian NHMRC Australia Fellowship and NHMRC Project Grant No. APP1042375.« less

Convenient determination of luminescence quantum yield using a combined electronic absorption and emission spectrometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prakash, John; Mishra, Ashok Kumar

2016-01-15

It is possible to measure luminescence quantum yield in a facile way, by designing an optical spectrometer capable of obtaining electronic absorption as well as luminescence spectra, with a setup that uses the same light source and detector for both the spectral measurements. Employment of a single light source and single detector enables use of the same correction factor profile for spectral corrections. A suitable instrumental scaling factor is used for adjusting spectral losses.

Application of AXUV diode detectors at ASDEX Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernert, M.; Eich, T.; Burckhart, A.; Fuchs, J. C.; Giannone, L.; Kallenbach, A.; McDermott, R. M.; Sieglin, B.

2014-03-01

In the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak, a radiation measurement for a wide spectral range, based on semiconductor detectors, with 256 lines of sight and a time resolution of 5μs was recently installed. In combination with the foil based bolometry, it is now possible to estimate the absolutely calibrated radiated power of the plasma on fast timescales. This work introduces this diagnostic based on AXUV (Absolute eXtended UltraViolet) n-on-p diodes made by International Radiation Detectors, Inc. The measurement and the degradation of the diodes in a tokamak environment is shown. Even though the AXUV diodes are developed to have a constant sensitivity for all photon energies (1 eV-8 keV), degradation leads to a photon energy dependence of the sensitivity. The foil bolometry, which is restricted to a time resolution of less than 1 kHz, offers a basis for a time dependent calibration of the diodes. The measurements of the quasi-calibrated diodes are compared with the foil bolometry and found to be accurate on the kHz time scale. Therefore, it is assumed, that the corrected values are also valid for the highest time resolution (200 kHz). With this improved diagnostic setup, the radiation induced by edge localized modes is analyzed on fast timescales.

MRI simulation: end-to-end testing for prostate radiation therapy using geometric pelvic MRI phantoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jidi; Dowling, Jason; Pichler, Peter; Menk, Fred; Rivest-Henault, David; Lambert, Jonathan; Parker, Joel; Arm, Jameen; Best, Leah; Martin, Jarad; Denham, James W.; Greer, Peter B.

2015-04-01

To clinically implement MRI simulation or MRI-alone treatment planning requires comprehensive end-to-end testing to ensure an accurate process. The purpose of this study was to design and build a geometric phantom simulating a human male pelvis that is suitable for both CT and MRI scanning and use it to test geometric and dosimetric aspects of MRI simulation including treatment planning and digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) generation. A liquid filled pelvic shaped phantom with simulated pelvic organs was scanned in a 3T MRI simulator with dedicated radiotherapy couch-top, laser bridge and pelvic coil mounts. A second phantom with the same external shape but with an internal distortion grid was used to quantify the distortion of the MR image. Both phantoms were also CT scanned as the gold-standard for both geometry and dosimetry. Deformable image registration was used to quantify the MR distortion. Dose comparison was made using a seven-field IMRT plan developed on the CT scan with the fluences copied to the MR image and recalculated using bulk electron densities. Without correction the maximum distortion of the MR compared with the CT scan was 7.5 mm across the pelvis, while this was reduced to 2.6 and 1.7 mm by the vendor’s 2D and 3D correction algorithms, respectively. Within the locations of the internal organs of interest, the distortion was <1.5 and <1 mm with 2D and 3D correction algorithms, respectively. The dose at the prostate isocentre calculated on CT and MRI images differed by 0.01% (1.1 cGy). Positioning shifts were within 1 mm when setup was performed using MRI generated DRRs compared to setup using CT DRRs. The MRI pelvic phantom allows end-to-end testing of the MRI simulation workflow with comparison to the gold-standard CT based process. MRI simulation was found to be geometrically accurate with organ dimensions, dose distributions and DRR based setup within acceptable limits compared to CT.

Comparison of different wavefront measurement setups to judge the position tolerance of intraocular lenses in a model eye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traxler, Lukas; Reutterer, Bernd; Bayer, Natascha; Drauschke, Andreas

2017-04-01

To treat cataract intraocular lenses (IOLs) are used to replace the clouded human eye lens. Due to postoperative healing processes the IOL can displace within the eye, which can lead to deteriorated quality of vision. To test and characterize these effect an IOL can be embedded into a model of the humane eye. One informative measure are wavefront aberrations. In this paper three different setups, the typical double-pass configuration (DP), a single-pass (SP1) where the measured light travels in the same direction as in DP and a single-pass (SP2) with reversed direction, are investigated. All three setups correctly measure the aberrations of the eye, where SP1 is found to be the simplest to set up and align. Because of the lowest complexity it is the proposed method for wavefront measurement in model eyes.

High-repetition-rate setup for pump-probe time-resolved XUV-IR experiments employing ion and electron momentum imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Shashank; Robatjazi, Seyyed Javad; Wright Lee, Pearson; Raju Pandiri, Kanaka; Rolles, Daniel; Rudenko, Artem

2017-04-01

J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA We report on the development of a versatile experimental setup for XUV-IR pump-probe experiments using a 10 kHz high-harmonic generation (HHG) source and two different charged-particle momentum imaging spectrometers. The HHG source, based on a commercial KM Labs eXtreme Ultraviolet Ultrafast Source, is capable of delivering XUV radiation of less than 30 fs pulse duration in the photon energy range of 17 eV to 100 eV. It can be coupled either to a conventional velocity map imaging (VMI) setup with an atomic, molecular, or nanoparticle target; or to a novel double-sided VMI spectrometer equipped with two delay-line detectors for coincidence studies. An overview of the setup and results of first pump-probe experiments including studies of two-color double ionization of Xe and time-resolved dynamics of photoionized CO2 molecule will be presented. This project is supported in part by National Science Foundation (NSF-EPSCOR) Award No. IIA-1430493 and in part by the Chemical science, Geosciences, and Bio-Science division, Office of Basic Energy Science, Office of science, U.S. Department of Energy. K.

Effects of myopic spectacle correction and radial refractive gradient spectacles on peripheral refraction.

PubMed

Tabernero, Juan; Vazquez, Daniel; Seidemann, Anne; Uttenweiler, Dietmar; Schaeffel, Frank

2009-08-01

The recent observation that central refractive development might be controlled by the refractive errors in the periphery, also in primates, revived the interest in the peripheral optics of the eye. We optimized an eccentric photorefractor to measure the peripheral refractive error in the vertical pupil meridian over the horizontal visual field (from -45 degrees to 45 degrees ), with and without myopic spectacle correction. Furthermore, a newly designed radial refractive gradient lens (RRG lens) that induces increasing myopia in all radial directions from the center was tested. We found that for the geometry of our measurement setup conventional spectacles induced significant relative hyperopia in the periphery, although its magnitude varied greatly among different spectacle designs and subjects. In contrast, the newly designed RRG lens induced relative peripheral myopia. These results are of interest to analyze the effect that different optical corrections might have on the emmetropization process.

Numerical analysis of wavefront aberration correction using multielectrode electrowetting-based devices.

PubMed

Zohrabi, Mo; Cormack, Robert H; Mccullough, Connor; Supekar, Omkar D; Gibson, Emily A; Bright, Victor M; Gopinath, Juliet T

2017-12-11

We present numerical simulations of multielectrode electrowetting devices used in a novel optical design to correct wavefront aberration. Our optical system consists of two multielectrode devices, preceded by a single fixed lens. The multielectrode elements function as adaptive optical devices that can be used to correct aberrations inherent in many imaging setups, biological samples, and the atmosphere. We are able to accurately simulate the liquid-liquid interface shape using computational fluid dynamics. Ray tracing analysis of these surfaces shows clear evidence of aberration correction. To demonstrate the strength of our design, we studied three different input aberrations mixtures that include astigmatism, coma, trefoil, and additional higher order aberration terms, with amplitudes as large as one wave at 633 nm.

SU-E-T-169: Initial Investigation into the Use of Optically Stimulated Luminescent Dosimeters (OSLDs) for In-Vivo Dosimetry of TBI Patients.

PubMed

Paloor, S; Aland, T; Mathew, J; Al-Hammadi, N; Hammoud, R

2012-06-01

To report on an initial investigation into the use of optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) for in-vivo dosimetry for total body irradiation (TBI) treatments. Specifically, we report on the determination of angular dependence, sensitivity correction factors and the dose calibration factors. The OSLD investigated in our work was InLight/OSL nanoDot dosimeters (Landauer Inc.). Nanodots are 5 mm diameter, 0.2 mm thick disk-shaped Carbon-doped Al2O3, and were read using a Landauer InLight microstar reader and associated software.OSLDs were irradiated under two setup conditions: a) typical clinical reference conditions (95cm SSD, 5cm depth in solid water, 10×10 cm field size), and b) TBI conditions (520cm SSD, 5cm depth in solid water, 40×40 cm field size,). The angular dependence was checked for angles ranging ±60 degree from normal incidence. In order to directly compare the sensitivity correction factors, a common dose was delivered to the OSLDs for the two setups. Pre- and post-irradiation readings were acquired. OSLDs were optically annealed under various techniques (1) by keeping over a film view box, (2) Using multiple scan on a flat bed optical scanner and (3) Using natural room light. Under reference conditions, the calculated sensitivity correction factors of the OSLDs had a SD of 2.2% and a range of 5%. Under TBI conditions, the SD increased to 3.4% and the range to 6.0%. The variation in sensitivity correction factors between individual OSLDs across the two measurement conditions was up to 10.3%. Angular dependence of less than 1% is observed. The best bleaching method we found is to keep OSLDs for more than 3 hours on a film viewer which will reduce normalized response to less than 1%. In order to obtain the most accurate results when using OSLDs for in-vivo dosimetry for TBI treatments, sensitivity correction factors and dose calibration factors should all be determined under clinical TBI conditions. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

SU-E-J-150: Impact of Intrafractional Prostate Motion On the Accuracy and Efficiency of Prostate SBRT Delivery: A Retrospective Analysis of Prostate Tracking Log Files

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiang, H; Hirsch, A; Willins, J

2014-06-01

Purpose: To measure intrafractional prostate motion by time-based stereotactic x-ray imaging and investigate the impact on the accuracy and efficiency of prostate SBRT delivery. Methods: Prostate tracking log files with 1,892 x-ray image registrations from 18 SBRT fractions for 6 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Patient setup and beam delivery sessions were reviewed to identify extended periods of large prostate motion that caused delays in setup or interruptions in beam delivery. The 6D prostate motions were compared to the clinically used PTV margin of 3–5 mm (3 mm posterior, 5 mm all other directions), a hypothetical PTV margin of 2–3 mmmore » (2 mm posterior, 3 mm all other directions), and the rotation correction limits (roll ±2°, pitch ±5° and yaw ±3°) of CyberKnife to quantify beam delivery accuracy. Results: Significant incidents of treatment start delay and beam delivery interruption were observed, mostly related to large pitch rotations of ≥±5°. Optimal setup time of 5–15 minutes was recorded in 61% of the fractions, and optimal beam delivery time of 30–40 minutes in 67% of the fractions. At a default imaging interval of 15 seconds, the percentage of prostate motion beyond PTV margin of 3–5 mm varied among patients, with a mean at 12.8% (range 0.0%–31.1%); and the percentage beyond PTV margin of 2–3 mm was at a mean of 36.0% (range 3.3%–83.1%). These timely detected offsets were all corrected real-time by the robotic manipulator or by operator intervention at the time of treatment interruptions. Conclusion: The durations of patient setup and beam delivery were directly affected by the occurrence of large prostate motion. Frequent imaging of down to 15 second interval is necessary for certain patients. Techniques for reducing prostate motion, such as using endorectal balloon, can be considered to assure consistently higher accuracy and efficiency of prostate SBRT delivery.« less

Generation of Isogenic Human iPS Cell Line Precisely Corrected by Genome Editing Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System.

PubMed

Grobarczyk, Benjamin; Franco, Bénédicte; Hanon, Kevin; Malgrange, Brigitte

2015-10-01

Genome engineering and human iPS cells are two powerful technologies, which can be combined to highlight phenotypic differences and identify pathological mechanisms of complex diseases by providing isogenic cellular material. However, very few data are available regarding precise gene correction in human iPS cells. Here, we describe an optimized stepwise protocol to deliver CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids in human iPS cells. We highlight technical issues especially those associated to human stem cell culture and to the correction of a point mutation to obtain isogenic iPS cell line, without inserting any resistance cassette. Based on a two-steps clonal isolation protocol (mechanical picking followed by enzymatic dissociation), we succeed to select and expand corrected human iPS cell line with a great efficiency (more than 2% of the sequenced colonies). This protocol can also be used to obtain knock-out cell line from healthy iPS cell line by the NHEJ pathway (with about 15% efficiency) and reproduce disease phenotype. In addition, we also provide protocols for functional validation tests after every critical step.

A computational analysis of lower bounds for the economic lot sizing problem in remanufacturing with separate setups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aishah Syed Ali, Sharifah

2017-09-01

This paper considers economic lot sizing problem in remanufacturing with separate setup (ELSRs), where remanufactured and new products are produced on dedicated production lines. Since this problem is NP-hard in general, which leads to computationally inefficient and low-quality of solutions, we present (a) a multicommodity formulation and (b) a strengthened formulation based on a priori addition of valid inequalities in the space of original variables, which are then compared with the Wagner-Whitin based formulation available in the literature. Computational experiments on a large number of test data sets are performed to evaluate the different approaches. The numerical results show that our strengthened formulation outperforms all the other tested approaches in terms of linear relaxation bounds. Finally, we conclude with future research directions.

Qualified measurement setup of polarization extinction ratio for Panda PMF with LC/UPC connector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thongdaeng, Rutsuda; Worasucheep, Duang-rudee; Ngiwprom, Adisak

2018-03-01

Polarization Extinction Ratio (PER) is one of the key parameters for Polarization Maintaining Fiber (PMF) connector. Based on our previous studies, the bending radius of fiber greater than 1.5 cm will not affect the insertion loss of PMF [1]. Moreover, the measured PER of Panda PMF with LC/UPC connectors is more stable when that PMF is coiled around a hot rod with a minimum of 3-cm in diameter at 75°C temperature [2]. Hence, the hot rod with less constrained 6-cm in diameter at constant 75°C was selected for this PER measurement. Two PER setups were verified and compared for measuring LC/UPC PMF connectors. The Polarized Laser Source (PLS) at 1550 nm wavelength and PER meter from OZ Optics were used in both setups, in which the measured connector was connected to PLS at 0° angle while the other end was connected to PER meter. In order to qualify our setups, the percentage of Repeatability and Reproducibility (%R&R) were tested and calculated. In each setup, the PER measurement was repeated 3 trials by 3 appraisers using 10 LC/UPC PMF connectors (5 LC/UPC PMF patchcords with 3.5+/-0.5 meters in length) in random order. The 1st setup, PMF was coiled at a larger 20-cm diameter for 3 to 5 loops and left in room temperature during the test. The 2nd setup, PMF was coiled around a hot rod at constant 75°C with 6-cm diameter for 8 to 10 loops for at least 5 minutes before testing. There are 3 ranges of %R&R acceptation guide line: <10% is acceptable, between 10% - 30% is marginal, and <30% is unacceptable. According to our results, the %R&R of the 1st PER test setup was 16.2% as marginality, and the 2nd PER test setup was 8.9% as acceptance. Thus, providing the better repeatability and reproducibility, this 2nd PER test setup having PMF coiled around a hot rod at constant 75°C with 6-cm diameter was selected for our next study of the impact of hot temperature on PER in LC/UPC PMF connector.

Multi-view line-scan inspection system using planar mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holländer, Bransilav; Štolc, Svorad; Huber-Mörk, Reinhold

2013-04-01

We demonstrate the design, setup, and results for a line-scan stereo image acquisition system using a single area- scan sensor, single lens and two planar mirrors attached to the acquisition device. The acquired object is moving relatively to the acquisition device and is observed under three different angles at the same time. Depending on the specific configuration it is possible to observe the object under a straight view (i.e., looking along the optical axis) and two skewed views. The relative motion between an object and the acquisition device automatically fulfills the epipolar constraint in stereo vision. The choice of lines to be extracted from the CMOS sensor depends on various factors such as the number, position and size of the mirrors, the optical and sensor configuration, or other application-specific parameters like desired depth resolution. The acquisition setup presented in this paper is suitable for the inspection of a printed matter, small parts or security features such as optical variable devices and holograms. The image processing pipeline applied to the extracted sensor lines is explained in detail. The effective depth resolution achieved by the presented system, assembled from only off-the-shelf components, is approximately equal to the spatial resolution and can be smoothly controlled by changing positions and angles of the mirrors. Actual performance of the device is demonstrated on a 3D-printed ground-truth object as well as two real-world examples: (i) the EUR-100 banknote - a high-quality printed matter and (ii) the hologram at the EUR-50 banknote { an optical variable device.

Interactive full channel teletext system for cable television nets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandenboom, H. P. A.

1984-08-01

A demonstration set-up of an interactive full channel teletext (FCT) system for cable TV networks with two-way data communication possibilities was designed and realized. In FCT all image lines are used for teletext data lines. The FCT decoder was placed in the mini-star, and the FCT encoder which provides the FCT signal was placed in the local center. From the FCT signal a number of data lines are selected using an extra FCT decoder. They are placed on the image lines reserved for teletext so that a normal TV receiver equipped with a teletext decoder, can process the selected data lines. For texts not on hand in the FCT signal, a command can be sent to the local center via the data communication path. A cheap and simple system is offered in which the number of commanded pages or books is in principle unlimited, while the used waiting time and channel capacity is limited.

Optical sectioning microscopes with no moving parts using a micro-stripe array light emitting diode.

PubMed

Poher, V; Zhang, H X; Kennedy, G T; Griffin, C; Oddos, S; Gu, E; Elson, D S; Girkin, M; French, P M W; Dawson, M D; Neil, M A

2007-09-03

We describe an optical sectioning microscopy system with no moving parts based on a micro-structured stripe-array light emitting diode (LED). By projecting arbitrary line or grid patterns onto the object, we are able to implement a variety of optical sectioning microscopy techniques such as grid-projection structured illumination and line scanning confocal microscopy, switching from one imaging technique to another without modifying the microscope setup. The micro-structured LED and driver are detailed and depth discrimination capabilities are measured and calculated.

Improving the seismic small-scale modelling by comparison with numerical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pageot, Damien; Leparoux, Donatienne; Le Feuvre, Mathieu; Durand, Olivier; Côte, Philippe; Capdeville, Yann

2017-10-01

The potential of experimental seismic modelling at reduced scale provides an intermediate step between numerical tests and geophysical campaigns on field sites. Recent technologies such as laser interferometers offer the opportunity to get data without any coupling effects. This kind of device is used in the Mesures Ultrasonores Sans Contact (MUSC) measurement bench for which an automated support system makes possible to generate multisource and multireceivers seismic data at laboratory scale. Experimental seismic modelling would become a great tool providing a value-added stage in the imaging process validation if (1) the experimental measurement chain is perfectly mastered, and thus if the experimental data are perfectly reproducible with a numerical tool, as well as if (2) the effective source is reproducible along the measurement setup. These aspects for a quantitative validation concerning devices with piezoelectrical sources and a laser interferometer have not been yet quantitatively studied in published studies. Thus, as a new stage for the experimental modelling approach, these two key issues are tackled in the proposed paper in order to precisely define the quality of the experimental small-scale data provided by the bench MUSC, which are available in the scientific community. These two steps of quantitative validation are dealt apart any imaging techniques in order to offer the opportunity to geophysicists who want to use such data (delivered as free data) of precisely knowing their quality before testing any imaging technique. First, in order to overcome the 2-D-3-D correction usually done in seismic processing when comparing 2-D numerical data with 3-D experimental measurement, we quantitatively refined the comparison between numerical and experimental data by generating accurate experimental line sources, avoiding the necessity of geometrical spreading correction for 3-D point-source data. The comparison with 2-D and 3-D numerical modelling is based on the Spectral Element Method. The approach shows the relevance of building a line source by sampling several source points, except the boundaries effects on later arrival times. Indeed, the experimental results highlight the amplitude feature and the delay equal to π/4 provided by a line source in the same manner than numerical data. In opposite, the 2-D corrections applied on 3-D data showed discrepancies which are higher on experimental data than on numerical ones due to the source wavelet shape and interferences between different arrivals. The experimental results from the approach proposed here show that discrepancies are avoided, especially for the reflected echoes. Concerning the second point aiming to assess the experimental reproducibility of the source, correlation coefficients of recording from a repeated source impact on a homogeneous model are calculated. The quality of the results, that is, higher than 0.98, allow to calculate a mean source wavelet by inversion of a mean data set. Results obtained on a more realistic model simulating clays on limestones, confirmed the reproducibility of the source impact.

Modification of Schrödinger-Newton equation due to braneworld models with minimal length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhat, Anha; Dey, Sanjib; Faizal, Mir; Hou, Chenguang; Zhao, Qin

2017-07-01

We study the correction of the energy spectrum of a gravitational quantum well due to the combined effect of the braneworld model with infinite extra dimensions and generalized uncertainty principle. The correction terms arise from a natural deformation of a semiclassical theory of quantum gravity governed by the Schrödinger-Newton equation based on a minimal length framework. The two fold correction in the energy yields new values of the spectrum, which are closer to the values obtained in the GRANIT experiment. This raises the possibility that the combined theory of the semiclassical quantum gravity and the generalized uncertainty principle may provide an intermediate theory between the semiclassical and the full theory of quantum gravity. We also prepare a schematic experimental set-up which may guide to the understanding of the phenomena in the laboratory.

Frequency Correction for MIRO Chirp Transformation Spectroscopy Spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Seungwon

2012-01-01

This software processes the flyby spectra of the Chirp Transform Spectrometer (CTS) of the Microwave Instrument for Rosetta Orbiter (MIRO). The tool corrects the effect of Doppler shift and local-oscillator (LO) frequency shift during the flyby mode of MIRO operations. The frequency correction for CTS flyby spectra is performed and is integrated with multiple spectra into a high signal-to-noise averaged spectrum at the rest-frame RF frequency. This innovation also generates the 8 molecular line spectra by dividing continuous 4,096-channel CTS spectra. The 8 line spectra can then be readily used for scientific investigations. A spectral line that is at its rest frequency in the frame of the Earth or an asteroid will be observed with a time-varying Doppler shift as seen by MIRO. The frequency shift is toward the higher RF frequencies on approach, and toward lower RF frequencies on departure. The magnitude of the shift depends on the flyby velocity. The result of time-varying Doppler shift is that of an observed spectral line will be seen to move from channel to channel in the CTS spectrometer. The direction (higher or lower frequency) in the spectrometer depends on the spectral line frequency under consideration. In order to analyze the flyby spectra, two steps are required. First, individual spectra must be corrected for the Doppler shift so that individual spectra can be superimposed at the same rest frequency for integration purposes. Second, a correction needs to be applied to the CTS spectra to account for the LO frequency shifts that are applied to asteroid mode.

A technique for phase correction in Fourier transform spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artsang, P.; Pongchalee, P.; Palawong, K.; Buisset, C.; Meemon, P.

2018-03-01

Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) is a type of spectroscopy that can be used to analyze components in the sample. The basic setup that is commonly used in this technique is "Michelson interferometer". The interference signal obtained from interferometer can be Fourier transformed into the spectral pattern of the illuminating light source. To experimentally study the concept of the Fourier transform spectroscopy, the project started by setup the Michelson interferometer in the laboratory. The implemented system used a broadband light source in near infrared region (0.81-0.89 μm) and controlled the movable mirror by using computer controlled motorized translation stage. In the early study, there is no sample the interference path. Therefore, the theoretical spectral results after the Fourier transformation of the captured interferogram must be the spectral shape of the light source. One main challenge of the FTS is to retrieve the correct phase information of the inferferogram that relates with the correct spectral shape of the light source. One main source of the phase distortion in FTS that we observed from our system is the non-linear movement of the movable reference mirror of the Michelson interferometer. Therefore, to improve the result, we coupled a monochromatic light source to the implemented interferometer. We simultaneously measured the interferograms of the monochromatic and broadband light sources. The interferogram of the monochromatic light source was used to correct the phase of the interferogram of the broadband light source. The result shows significant improvement in the computed spectral shape.

A hybrid strategy of offline adaptive planning and online image guidance for prostate cancer radiotherapy.

PubMed

Lei, Yu; Wu, Qiuwen

2010-04-21

Offline adaptive radiotherapy (ART) has been used to effectively correct and compensate for prostate motion and reduce the required margin. The efficacy depends on the characteristics of the patient setup error and interfraction motion through the whole treatment; specifically, systematic errors are corrected and random errors are compensated for through the margins. In online image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) of prostate cancer, the translational setup error and inter-fractional prostate motion are corrected through pre-treatment imaging and couch correction at each fraction. However, the rotation and deformation of the target are not corrected and only accounted for with margins in treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the offline ART strategy is necessary for an online IGRT protocol and to evaluate the benefit of the hybrid strategy. First, to investigate the rationale of the hybrid strategy, 592 cone-beam-computed tomography (CBCT) images taken before and after each fraction for an online IGRT protocol from 16 patients were analyzed. Specifically, the characteristics of prostate rotation were analyzed. It was found that there exist systematic inter-fractional prostate rotations, and they are patient specific. These rotations, if not corrected, are persistent through the treatment fraction, and rotations detected in early fractions are representative of those in later fractions. These findings suggest that the offline adaptive replanning strategy is beneficial to the online IGRT protocol with further margin reductions. Second, to quantitatively evaluate the benefit of the hybrid strategy, 412 repeated helical CT scans from 25 patients during the course of treatment were included in the replanning study. Both low-risk patients (LRP, clinical target volume, CTV = prostate) and intermediate-risk patients (IRP, CTV = prostate + seminal vesicles) were included in the simulation. The contours of prostate and seminal vesicles were delineated on each CT. The benefit of margin reduction to compensate for both rotation and deformation in the hybrid strategy was evaluated geometrically. With the hybrid strategy, the planning margins can be reduced by 1.4 mm for LRP, and 2.0 mm for IRP, compared with the standard online IGRT only, to maintain the same 99% target volume coverage. The average relative reduction in planning target volume (PTV) based on the internal target volume (ITV) from PTV based on CTV is 19% for LRP, and 27% for IRP.

WTO — a deterministic approach to 4-fermion physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passarino, Giampiero

1996-09-01

The program WTO, which is designed for computing cross sections and other relevant observables in the e+e- annihilation into four fermions, is described. The various quantities are computed over both a completely inclusive experimental set-up and a realistic one, i.e. with cuts on the final state energies, final state angles, scattering angles and final state invariant masses. Initial state QED corrections are included by means of the structure function approach while final state QCD corrections are applicable in their naive formulation. A gauge restoring mechanism is included according to the Fermion-Loop scheme. The program structure is highly modular and particular care has been devoted to computing efficiency and speed.

Rosetta Navigation at its Mars Swing-By

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Budnik, Frank; Morley, Trevor

2007-01-01

This paper reports on the navigation activities during Rosetta s Mars swing-by. It covers the Mars approach phase starting after a deterministic deep-space maneuver in September 2006, the swing-by proper on 25 February 2007, and ends with another deterministic deep-space maneuver in April 2007 which was also foreseen to compensate any navigation error. Emphasis is put on the orbit determination and prediction set-up and the evolution of the targeting estimates in the B-plane and their adjustments by trajectory correction maneuvers.

Elongation measurement using 1-dimensional image correlation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phongwisit, Phachara; Kamoldilok, Surachart; Buranasiri, Prathan

2016-11-01

Aim of this paper was to study, setup, and calibrate an elongation measurement by using 1- Dimensional Image Correlation method (1-DIC). To confirm our method and setup correctness, we need calibration with other methods. In this paper, we used a small spring as a sample to find a result in terms of spring constant. With a fundamental of Image Correlation method, images of formed and deformed samples were compared to understand the difference between deformed process. By comparing the location of reference point on both image's pixel, the spring's elongation were calculated. Then, the results have been compared with the spring constants, which were found from Hooke's law. The percentage of 5 percent error has been found. This DIC method, then, would be applied to measure the elongation of some different kinds of small fiber samples.

2D Measurements of the Balmer Series in Proto-MPEX using a Fast Visible Camera Setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindquist, Elizabeth G.; Biewer, Theodore M.; Ray, Holly B.

2017-10-01

The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is a linear plasma device with densities up to 1020 m-3 and temperatures up to 20 eV. Broadband spectral measurements show the visible emission spectra are solely due to the Balmer lines of deuterium. Monochromatic and RGB color Sanstreak SC1 Edgertronic fast visible cameras capture high speed video of plasmas in Proto-MPEX. The color camera is equipped with a long pass 450 nm filter and an internal Bayer filter to view the Dα line at 656 nm on the red channel and the Dβ line at 486 nm on the blue channel. The monochromatic camera has a 434 nm narrow bandpass filter to view the Dγ intensity. In the setup, a 50/50 beam splitter is used so both cameras image the same region of the plasma discharge. Camera images were aligned to each other by viewing a grid ensuring 1 pixel registration between the two cameras. A uniform intensity calibrated white light source was used to perform a pixel-to-pixel relative and an absolute intensity calibration for both cameras. Python scripts that combined the dual camera data, rendering the Dα, Dβ, and Dγ intensity ratios. Observations from Proto-MPEX discharges will be presented. This work was supported by the US. D.O.E. contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Motion correction in periodically-rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) and turboprop MRI.

PubMed

Tamhane, Ashish A; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2009-07-01

Periodically-rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) and Turboprop MRI are characterized by greatly reduced sensitivity to motion, compared to their predecessors, fast spin-echo (FSE) and gradient and spin-echo (GRASE), respectively. This is due to the inherent self-navigation and motion correction of PROPELLER-based techniques. However, it is unknown how various acquisition parameters that determine k-space sampling affect the accuracy of motion correction in PROPELLER and Turboprop MRI. The goal of this work was to evaluate the accuracy of motion correction in both techniques, to identify an optimal rotation correction approach, and determine acquisition strategies for optimal motion correction. It was demonstrated that blades with multiple lines allow more accurate estimation of motion than blades with fewer lines. Also, it was shown that Turboprop MRI is less sensitive to motion than PROPELLER. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the number of blades does not significantly affect motion correction. Finally, clinically appropriate acquisition strategies that optimize motion correction are discussed for PROPELLER and Turboprop MRI. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Beamlet diagnostics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Theys, M.

1994-05-06

Beamlet is a high power laser currently being built at Lawrence Livermore National Lab as a proof of concept for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Beamlet is testing several areas of laser advancements, such as a 37cm Pockels cell, square amplifier, and propagation of a square beam. The diagnostics on beamlet tell the operators how much energy the beam has in different locations, the pulse shape, the energy distribution, and other important information regarding the beam. This information is being used to evaluate new amplifier designs, and extrapolate performance to the NIF laser. In my term at Lawrence Livermore Nationalmore » Laboratory I have designed and built a diagnostic, calibrated instruments used on diagnostics, setup instruments, hooked up communication lines to the instruments, and setup computers to control specific diagnostics.« less

Uncertainties of fluxes and 13C / 12C ratios of atmospheric reactive-gas emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gromov, Sergey; Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M.; Jöckel, Patrick

2017-07-01

We provide a comprehensive review of the proxy data on the 13C / 12C ratios and uncertainties of emissions of reactive carbonaceous compounds into the atmosphere, with a focus on CO sources. Based on an evaluated set-up of the EMAC model, we derive the isotope-resolved data set of its emission inventory for the 1997-2005 period. Additionally, we revisit the calculus required for the correct derivation of uncertainties associated with isotope ratios of emission fluxes. The resulting δ13C of overall surface CO emission in 2000 of -(25. 2 ± 0. 7) ‰ is in line with previous bottom-up estimates and is less uncertain by a factor of 2. In contrast to this, we find that uncertainties of the respective inverse modelling estimates may be substantially larger due to the correlated nature of their derivation. We reckon the δ13C values of surface emissions of higher hydrocarbons to be within -24 to -27 ‰ (uncertainty typically below ±1 ‰), with an exception of isoprene and methanol emissions being close to -30 and -60 ‰, respectively. The isotope signature of ethane surface emission coincides with earlier estimates, but integrates very different source inputs. δ13C values are reported relative to V-PDB.

Optimal marker placement in hadrontherapy: intelligent optimization strategies with augmented Lagrangian pattern search.

PubMed

Altomare, Cristina; Guglielmann, Raffaella; Riboldi, Marco; Bellazzi, Riccardo; Baroni, Guido

2015-02-01

In high precision photon radiotherapy and in hadrontherapy, it is crucial to minimize the occurrence of geometrical deviations with respect to the treatment plan in each treatment session. To this end, point-based infrared (IR) optical tracking for patient set-up quality assessment is performed. Such tracking depends on external fiducial points placement. The main purpose of our work is to propose a new algorithm based on simulated annealing and augmented Lagrangian pattern search (SAPS), which is able to take into account prior knowledge, such as spatial constraints, during the optimization process. The SAPS algorithm was tested on data related to head and neck and pelvic cancer patients, and that were fitted with external surface markers for IR optical tracking applied for patient set-up preliminary correction. The integrated algorithm was tested considering optimality measures obtained with Computed Tomography (CT) images (i.e. the ratio between the so-called target registration error and fiducial registration error, TRE/FRE) and assessing the marker spatial distribution. Comparison has been performed with randomly selected marker configuration and with the GETS algorithm (Genetic Evolutionary Taboo Search), also taking into account the presence of organs at risk. The results obtained with SAPS highlight improvements with respect to the other approaches: (i) TRE/FRE ratio decreases; (ii) marker distribution satisfies both marker visibility and spatial constraints. We have also investigated how the TRE/FRE ratio is influenced by the number of markers, obtaining significant TRE/FRE reduction with respect to the random configurations, when a high number of markers is used. The SAPS algorithm is a valuable strategy for fiducial configuration optimization in IR optical tracking applied for patient set-up error detection and correction in radiation therapy, showing that taking into account prior knowledge is valuable in this optimization process. Further work will be focused on the computational optimization of the SAPS algorithm toward fast point-of-care applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prediction-Correction Algorithms for Time-Varying Constrained Optimization

DOE PAGES

Simonetto, Andrea; Dall'Anese, Emiliano

2017-07-26

This article develops online algorithms to track solutions of time-varying constrained optimization problems. Particularly, resembling workhorse Kalman filtering-based approaches for dynamical systems, the proposed methods involve prediction-correction steps to provably track the trajectory of the optimal solutions of time-varying convex problems. The merits of existing prediction-correction methods have been shown for unconstrained problems and for setups where computing the inverse of the Hessian of the cost function is computationally affordable. This paper addresses the limitations of existing methods by tackling constrained problems and by designing first-order prediction steps that rely on the Hessian of the cost function (and do notmore » require the computation of its inverse). In addition, the proposed methods are shown to improve the convergence speed of existing prediction-correction methods when applied to unconstrained problems. Numerical simulations corroborate the analytical results and showcase performance and benefits of the proposed algorithms. A realistic application of the proposed method to real-time control of energy resources is presented.« less

Inter- and Intrafraction Uncertainty in Prostate Bed Image-Guided Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Kitty; Palma, David A.; Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London

2012-10-01

Purpose: The goals of this study were to measure inter- and intrafraction setup error and prostate bed motion (PBM) in patients undergoing post-prostatectomy image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) and to propose appropriate population-based three-dimensional clinical target volume to planning target volume (CTV-PTV) margins in both non-IGRT and IGRT scenarios. Methods and Materials: In this prospective study, 14 patients underwent adjuvant or salvage radiotherapy to the prostate bed under image guidance using linac-based kilovoltage cone-beam CT (kV-CBCT). Inter- and intrafraction uncertainty/motion was assessed by offline analysis of three consecutive daily kV-CBCT images of each patient: (1) after initial setup to skin marks, (2)more » after correction for positional error/immediately before radiation treatment, and (3) immediately after treatment. Results: The magnitude of interfraction PBM was 2.1 mm, and intrafraction PBM was 0.4 mm. The maximum inter- and intrafraction prostate bed motion was primarily in the anterior-posterior direction. Margins of at least 3-5 mm with IGRT and 4-7 mm without IGRT (aligning to skin marks) will ensure 95% of the prescribed dose to the clinical target volume in 90% of patients. Conclusions: PBM is a predominant source of intrafraction error compared with setup error and has implications for appropriate PTV margins. Based on inter- and estimated intrafraction motion of the prostate bed using pre- and post-kV-CBCT images, CBCT IGRT to correct for day-to-day variances can potentially reduce CTV-PTV margins by 1-2 mm. CTV-PTV margins for prostate bed treatment in the IGRT and non-IGRT scenarios are proposed; however, in cases with more uncertainty of target delineation and image guidance accuracy, larger margins are recommended.« less

Transport channel of secondary ion beam of experimental setup for selective laser ionization with gas cell GALS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulbekyan, G. G.; Zemlyanoy, S. G.; Bashevoy, V. V.; Ivanenko, I. A.; Kazarinov, N. Yu; Kazacha, V. I.; Osipov, N. F.

2017-07-01

GALS is the experimental setup intended for production and research of isobaric and isotopically pure heavy neutron-rich nuclei. The beam line consists of two parts. The initial part is used for transport of the primary 136Xe ion beam with the energy of 4.5-9.0 MeV/amu from the FLNR cyclotron U-400M to the Pb target for production of the studying ion beams. These beams have the following design parameters: the charge Z = +1, the mass A = 180-270 and the kinetic energy W = 40 keV. The second part placed after the target consists of the SPIG (QPIG) system, the accelerating gap, the electrostatic Einzel lens, 90-degree spectrometric magnet (calculated value of the mass-resolution is equal to 1400) and the beam line for the transportation of the ions from the magnet focal plane to a particle detector. The results of simulation of the particle dynamics and the basic parameters of all elements of the beam line are presented.

Cytostatic response of NB69 cells to weak pulse-modulated 2.2 GHz radar-like signals.

PubMed

Trillo, María A; Cid, María Antonia; Martínez, Maria Antonia; Page, Juan E; Esteban, Jaime; Úbeda, Alejandro

2011-07-01

The present study investigates the response of two human cancer cell lines to a 24-h treatment with a 2.2-GHz, pulse-modulated (5 µs pulse duration, 100 Hz repetition rate) radar-like signal at an average SAR = 0.023 W/kg, using a newly designed setup for in vitro exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields. A complete discretized model of the setup was created for numerical dosimetry using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) software, SEMCAD X. The average dose of RF radiation absorbed by the cultures was calculated to be subthermal (ΔT < 0.1 °C). The RF exposure induced a consistent, statistically significant reduction in the cell number (13.5% below controls, P < 0.001) in the neuroblastoma NB69 line. This effect was accompanied with slight but statistically significant increases in the proportions of cells in phases G0/G1 and G2/M of the cell cycle (6% and 9%, respectively; P < 0.05 over controls). By contrast, the hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 did not respond to the same RF treatment. These results indicate that a pulse-modulated RF radiation with high instantaneous amplitude and low average power can induce cytostatic responses on specific, sensitive cancer cell lines. The effect would be mediated, at least in part, by alterations in the kinetics of the cell cycle. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Fully digital programmable optical frequency comb generation and application.

PubMed

Yan, Xianglei; Zou, Xihua; Pan, Wei; Yan, Lianshan; Azaña, José

2018-01-15

We propose a fully digital programmable optical frequency comb (OFC) generation scheme based on binary phase-sampling modulation, wherein an optimized bit sequence is applied to phase modulate a narrow-linewidth light wave. Programming the bit sequence enables us to tune both the comb spacing and comb-line number (i.e., number of comb lines). The programmable OFCs are also characterized by ultra-flat spectral envelope, uniform temporal envelope, and stable bias-free setup. Target OFCs are digitally programmed to have 19, 39, 61, 81, 101, or 201 comb lines and to have a 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, or 1 MHz comb spacing. As a demonstration, a scanning-free temperature sensing system using a proposed OFC with 1001 comb lines was also implemented with a sensitivity of 0.89°C/MHz.

Two-channel spin-chain communication line and simple quantum gates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolze, J.; Zenchuk, A. I.

2017-08-01

We consider the remote creation of a mixed state in a one-qubit receiver connected to two two-qubit senders via different channels. Channels are assumed to be chains of spins (qubits) with nearest-neighbor interactions, no external fields are being applied. The problem of sharing the creatable region of the receiver's state-space between two senders is considered for a communication line with the receiver located asymmetrically with respect to these senders (asymmetric communication line). An example of a quantum register realizing simple functions is constructed on the basis of a symmetric communication line. In that setup, the initial states of the two senders serve as input and control signals, respectively, while the state of the receiver at a proper time instant is considered as the output signal.

Economical Sponge Phantom for Teaching, Understanding, and Researching A- and B-Line Reverberation Artifacts in Lung Ultrasound.

PubMed

Blüthgen, Christian; Sanabria, Sergio; Frauenfelder, Thomas; Klingmüller, Volker; Rominger, Marga

2017-10-01

This project evaluated a low-cost sponge phantom setup for its capability to teach and study A- and B-line reverberation artifacts known from lung ultrasound and to numerically simulate sound wave interaction with the phantom using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model. Both A- and B-line artifacts were reproducible on B-mode ultrasound imaging as well as in the FDTD-based simulation. The phantom was found to be an easy-to-set up and economical tool for understanding, teaching, and researching A- and B-line artifacts occurring in lung ultrasound. The FDTD method-based simulation was able to reproduce the artifacts and provides intuitive insight into the underlying physics. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Accurate potential drop sheet resistance measurements of laser-doped areas in semiconductors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heinrich, Martin, E-mail: mh.seris@gmail.com; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456; Kluska, Sven

2014-10-07

It is investigated how potential drop sheet resistance measurements of areas formed by laser-assisted doping in crystalline Si wafers are affected by typically occurring experimental factors like sample size, inhomogeneities, surface roughness, or coatings. Measurements are obtained with a collinear four point probe setup and a modified transfer length measurement setup to measure sheet resistances of laser-doped lines. Inhomogeneities in doping depth are observed from scanning electron microscope images and electron beam induced current measurements. It is observed that influences from sample size, inhomogeneities, surface roughness, and coatings can be neglected if certain preconditions are met. Guidelines are given onmore » how to obtain accurate potential drop sheet resistance measurements on laser-doped regions.« less

Fine lattice lines on the corneal surface after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).

PubMed

Carpel, E F; Carlson, K H; Shannon, S

2000-03-01

To present an example of a pattern of lines resembling fine lattice on the corneal surface subsequent to laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). This subtle phenomenon may be relatively common and may affect visual outcome. Case report. A 41-year-old year old man with high myopia and best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 +2 in each eye underwent laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). No operative or postoperative complications occurred. No striae were evident on slit-lamp examination with direct illumination and retroillumination at the time of surgery or in the postoperative period. Postoperative uncorrected visual acuity was 20/25 with a best-corrected spectacle correction of 20/25 in both eyes. Fine lines in a lattice pattern were seen only with fluorescein dye in the precorneal tear film as areas of "negative stain" within the LASIK flap. With tear film supplementation, the lines were less evident and visual acuity improved. One year postoperatively, his uncorrected visual acuity was 20/25 in both eyes. The best-corrected spectacle visual acuity was RE: 20/20 -2, LE: 20/25. The fine lines were still present within the flap. A soft contact lens improved visual acuity to 20/20 in both eyes. Although all four puncta were occluded, he had no epiphora. Fine lines in a lattice pattern that may represent folds in the epithelium or Bowman layer may be present within the flap after LASIK and may adversely affect visual acuity. They may be visible as areas of negative stain with fluorescein dye in the precorneal tear film in the absence of any striae visible in the flap. These superficial lines have been seen more in patients with high degrees of correction and in patients with dry eye. If visual acuity is affected, it may be improved with punctal occlusion, tear supplements, or a contact lens.

Performance of a Line Loss Correction Method for Gas Turbine Emission Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagen, D. E.; Whitefield, P. D.; Lobo, P.

2015-12-01

International concern for the environmental impact of jet engine exhaust emissions in the atmosphere has led to increased attention on gas turbine engine emission testing. The Society of Automotive Engineers Aircraft Exhaust Emissions Measurement Committee (E-31) has published an Aerospace Information Report (AIR) 6241 detailing the sampling system for the measurement of non-volatile particulate matter from aircraft engines, and is developing an Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) for methodology and system specification. The Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST) Center for Excellence for Aerospace Particulate Emissions Reduction Research has led numerous jet engine exhaust sampling campaigns to characterize emissions at different locations in the expanding exhaust plume. Particle loss, due to various mechanisms, occurs in the sampling train that transports the exhaust sample from the engine exit plane to the measurement instruments. To account for the losses, both the size dependent penetration functions and the size distribution of the emitted particles need to be known. However in the proposed ARP, particle number and mass are measured, but size is not. Here we present a methodology to generate number and mass correction factors for line loss, without using direct size measurement. A lognormal size distribution is used to represent the exhaust aerosol at the engine exit plane and is defined by the measured number and mass at the downstream end of the sample train. The performance of this line loss correction is compared to corrections based on direct size measurements using data taken by MST during numerous engine test campaigns. The experimental uncertainty in these correction factors is estimated. Average differences between the line loss correction method and size based corrections are found to be on the order of 10% for number and 2.5% for mass.

MO-FG-CAMPUS-JeP1-05: Water Equivalent Path Length Calculations Using Scatter-Corrected Head and Neck CBCT Images to Evaluate Patients for Adaptive Proton Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, J; Park, Y; Sharp, G

Purpose: To establish a method to evaluate the dosimetric impact of anatomic changes in head and neck patients during proton therapy by using scatter-corrected cone-beam CT (CBCT) images. Methods: The water equivalent path length (WEPL) was calculated to the distal edge of PTV contours by using tomographic images available for six head and neck patients received photon therapy. The proton range variation was measured by calculating the difference between the distal WEPLs calculated with the planning CT and weekly treatment CBCT images. By performing an automatic rigid registration, six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) correction was made to the CBCT images to accountmore » for the patient setup uncertainty. For accurate WEPL calculations, an existing CBCT scatter correction algorithm, whose performance was already proven for phantom images, was calibrated for head and neck patient images. Specifically, two different image similarity measures, mutual information (MI) and mean square error (MSE), were tested for the deformable image registration (DIR) in the CBCT scatter correction algorithm. Results: The impact of weight loss was reflected in the distal WEPL differences with the aid of the automatic rigid registration reducing the influence of patient setup uncertainty on the WEPL calculation results. The WEPL difference averaged over distal area was 2.9 ± 2.9 (mm) across all fractions of six patients and its maximum, mostly found at the last available fraction, was 6.2 ± 3.4 (mm). The MSE-based DIR successfully registered each treatment CBCT image to the planning CT image. On the other hand, the MI-based DIR deformed the skin voxels in the planning CT image to the immobilization mask in the treatment CBCT image, most of which was cropped out of the planning CT image. Conclusion: The dosimetric impact of anatomic changes was evaluated by calculating the distal WEPL difference with the existing scatter-correction algorithm appropriately calibrated. Jihun Kim, Yang-Kyun Park, Gregory Sharp, and Brian Winey have received grant support from the NCI Federal Share of program income earned by Massachusetts General Hospital on C06 CA059267, Proton Therapy Research and Treatment Center.« less

Observing electron spin resonance between 0.1 and 67 GHz at temperatures between 50 mK and 300 K using broadband metallic coplanar waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiemann, Yvonne; Simmendinger, Julian; Clauss, Conrad; Bogani, Lapo; Bothner, Daniel; Koelle, Dieter; Kleiner, Reinhold; Dressel, Martin; Scheffler, Marc

2015-05-01

We describe a fully broadband approach for electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments, where it is possible to tune not only the magnetic field but also the frequency continuously over wide ranges. Here, a metallic coplanar transmission line acts as compact and versatile microwave probe that can easily be implemented in different cryogenic setups. We perform ESR measurements at frequencies between 0.1 and 67 GHz and at temperatures between 50 mK and room temperature. Three different types of samples (Cr3+ ions in ruby, organic radicals of the nitronyl-nitroxide family, and the doped semiconductor Si:P) represent different possible fields of application for the technique. We demonstrate that an extremely large phase space in temperature, magnetic field, and frequency for ESR measurements, substantially exceeding the range of conventional ESR setups, is accessible with metallic coplanar lines.

Impact force identification for composite helicopter blades using minimal sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budde, Carson N.

In this research a method for online impact identification using minimal sensors is developed for rotor hubs with composite blades. Modal impact data and the corresponding responses are recorded at several locations to develop a frequency response function model for each composite blade on the rotor hub. The frequency response model for each blade is used to develop an impact identification algorithm which can be used to identify the location and magnitude of impacts. Impacts are applied in two experimental setups, including a four-blade spin test rig and a cantilevered full-sized composite blade. The impacts are estimated to have been applied at the correct location 92.3% of the time for static fiberglass blades, 97.4% of the time for static carbon fiber blades and 99.2% of the time for a full sized-static blade. The estimated location is assessed further and determined to have been estimated in the correct chord position 96.1% of the time for static fiberglass, 100% of the time for carbon fiber blades and 99.2% of the time for the full-sized blades. Projectile impacts are also applied statically and during rotation to the carbon fiber blades on the spin test rig at 57 and 83 RPM. The applied impacts can be located to the correct position 63.9%, 41.7% and 33.3% for the 0, 57 and 83 RPM speeds, respectively, while the correct chord location is estimated 100% of the time. The impact identification algorithm also estimates the force of an impact with an average percent difference of 4.64, 2.61 and 1.00 for static fiberglass, full sized, and carbon fiber blades, respectively. Using a load cell and work equations, the force of impact for a projectile fired from a dynamic firing setup is estimated at about 400 N. The average force measured for applied projectile impacts to the carbon fiber blades, rotating at 0, 57 and 83 RPM, is 368.8, 373.7 and 432.4 N, respectively.

Swell-generated Set-up and Infragravity Wave Propagation Over a Fringing Coral Reef: Implications for Wave-driven Inundation of Atoll Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheriton, O. M.; Storlazzi, C. D.; Rosenberger, K. J.; Quataert, E.; van Dongeren, A.

2014-12-01

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is comprised of 1156 islands on 29 low-lying atolls with a mean elevation of 2 m that are susceptible to sea-level rise and often subjected to overwash during large wave events. A 6-month deployment of wave and tide gauges across two shore-normal sections of north-facing coral reef on the Roi-Namur Island on Kwajalein Atoll was conducted during 2013-2014 to quantify wave dynamics and wave-driven water levels on the fringing coral reef. Wave heights and periods on the reef flat were strongly correlated to the water levels. On the fore reef, the majority of wave energy was concentrated in the incident band (5-25 s); due to breaking at the reef crest, however, the wave energy over the reef flat was dominated by infragravity-band (25-250 s) motions. Two large wave events with heights of 6-8 m at 15 s over the fore reef were observed. During these events, infragravity-band wave heights exceeded the incident band wave heights and approximately 1.0 m of set-up was established over the innermost reef flat. This set-up enabled the propagation of large waves across the reef flat, reaching maximum heights of nearly 2 m on the innermost reef flat adjacent to the toe of the beach. XBEACH models of the instrument transects were able to replicate the incident waves, infragravity waves, and wave-driven set-up across the reef when the hydrodynamic roughness of the reef was correctly parameterized. These events led to more than 3 m of wave-driven run-up and inundation of the island that drove substantial morphological change to the beach face.

Text-image alignment for historical handwritten documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinger, S.; Nerbonne, J.; Schomaker, L.

2009-01-01

We describe our work on text-image alignment in context of building a historical document retrieval system. We aim at aligning images of words in handwritten lines with their text transcriptions. The images of handwritten lines are automatically segmented from the scanned pages of historical documents and then manually transcribed. To train automatic routines to detect words in an image of handwritten text, we need a training set - images of words with their transcriptions. We present our results on aligning words from the images of handwritten lines and their corresponding text transcriptions. Alignment based on the longest spaces between portions of handwriting is a baseline. We then show that relative lengths, i.e. proportions of words in their lines, can be used to improve the alignment results considerably. To take into account the relative word length, we define the expressions for the cost function that has to be minimized for aligning text words with their images. We apply right to left alignment as well as alignment based on exhaustive search. The quality assessment of these alignments shows correct results for 69% of words from 100 lines, or 90% of partially correct and correct alignments combined.

78 FR 79362 - Request for Comment on Petition Filed by AT&T Services, Inc., Regarding the Provision of Muting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-30

...In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) corrects a document published at 78 FR 76096, December 16, 2013. This document seeks comment on an AT&T Services, Inc., petition requesting clarification. The ACTION line incorrectly reflected the caption of the document; therefore, this document corrects the ACTION line to read ``Petition for clarification; request for comments''.

Joint de-blurring and nonuniformity correction method for infrared microscopy imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jara, Anselmo; Torres, Sergio; Machuca, Guillermo; Ramírez, Wagner; Gutiérrez, Pablo A.; Viafora, Laura A.; Godoy, Sebastián E.; Vera, Esteban

2018-05-01

In this work, we present a new technique to simultaneously reduce two major degradation artifacts found in mid-wavelength infrared microscopy imagery, namely the inherent focal-plane array nonuniformity noise and the scene defocus presented due to the point spread function of the infrared microscope. We correct both nuisances using a novel, recursive method that combines the constant range nonuniformity correction algorithm with a frame-by-frame deconvolution approach. The ability of the method to jointly compensate for both nonuniformity noise and blur is demonstrated using two different real mid-wavelength infrared microscopic video sequences, which were captured from two microscopic living organisms using a Janos-Sofradir mid-wavelength infrared microscopy setup. The performance of the proposed method is assessed on real and simulated infrared data by computing the root mean-square error and the roughness-laplacian pattern index, which was specifically developed for the present work.

A Model of Batch Scheduling for a Single Batch Processor with Additional Setups to Minimize Total Inventory Holding Cost of Parts of a Single Item Requested at Multi-due-date

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim Halim, Abdul; Ernawati; Hidayat, Nita P. A.

2018-03-01

This paper deals with a model of batch scheduling for a single batch processor on which a number of parts of a single items are to be processed. The process needs two kinds of setups, i. e., main setups required before processing any batches, and additional setups required repeatedly after the batch processor completes a certain number of batches. The parts to be processed arrive at the shop floor at the times coinciding with their respective starting times of processing, and the completed parts are to be delivered at multiple due dates. The objective adopted for the model is that of minimizing total inventory holding cost consisting of holding cost per unit time for a part in completed batches, and that in in-process batches. The formulation of total inventory holding cost is derived from the so-called actual flow time defined as the interval between arrival times of parts at the production line and delivery times of the completed parts. The actual flow time satisfies not only minimum inventory but also arrival and delivery just in times. An algorithm to solve the model is proposed and a numerical example is shown.

SU-F-J-16: Planar KV Imaging Dose Reduction Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gershkevitsh, E; Zolotuhhin, D

Purpose: IGRT has become an indispensable tool in modern radiotherapy with kV imaging used in many departments due to superior image quality and lower dose when compared to MV imaging. Many departments use manufacturer supplied protocols for imaging which are not always optimised between image quality and radiation dose (ALARA). Methods: Whole body phantom PBU-50 (Kyoto Kagaku ltd., Japan) for imaging in radiology has been imaged on Varian iX accelerator (Varian Medical Systems, USA) with OBI 1.5 system. Manufacturer’s default protocols were adapted by modifying kV and mAs values when imaging different anatomical regions of the phantom (head, thorax, abdomen,more » pelvis, extremities). Images with different settings were independently reviewed by two persons and their suitability for IGRT set-up correction protocols were evaluated. The suitable images with the lowest mAs were then selected. The entrance surface dose (ESD) for manufacturer’s default protocols and modified protocols were measured with RTI Black Piranha (RTI Group, Sweden) and compared. Image quality was also measured with kVQC phantom (Standard Imaging, USA) for different protocols. The modified protocols have been applied for clinical work. Results: For most cases optimized protocols reduced the ESD on average by a factor of 3(range 0.9–8.5). Further reduction in ESD has been observed by applying bow-tie filter designed for CBCT. The largest reduction in dose (12.2 times) was observed for Thorax lateral protocol. The dose was slightly increased (by 10%) for large pelvis AP protocol. Conclusion: Manufacturer’s default IGRT protocols could be optimised to reduce the ESD to the patient without losing the necessary image quality for patient set-up correction. For patient set-up with planar kV imaging the bony anatomy is mostly used and optimization should focus on this aspect. Therefore, the current approach with anthropomorphic phantom is more advantageous in optimization over standard kV quality control phantoms and SNR metrics.« less

SU-F-T-519: Is Geometry Based Setup Sufficient for All of the Head and Neck Treatment Cases?: A Feasibility Study Towards the Dose Based Setup

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S; Chen, S; Zhang, B

Purpose: This study compares the geometric-based setup (GBS) which is currently used in the clinic to a novel concept of dose-based setup (DBS) of head and neck (H&N) patients using cone beam CT (CBCT) of the day; and evaluates the clinical advantages. Methods: Ten H&N patients who underwent re-simulation and re-plan due to noticeable anatomic changes during the course of the treatments were retrospectively reviewed on dosimetric changes in the assumption of no plan modification was performed. RayStation planning system (RaySearch Laboratories AB, Sweden) was used to match (ROI fusion module) between prescribed isodoseline (IDL) in the CBCT imported alongmore » with ROIs from re-planned CT and the IDL of original plan (Dose-based setup: DBS). Then, the CBCT plan based on daily setup using the GBS (previously used for a patient) and the DBS CBCT plan recalculated in RayStation compared against the original CT-sim plan. Results: Most of patients’ tumor coverage and OAR doses got generally worsen when the CBCT plans were compared with original CT-sim plan with GBS. However, when DBS intervened, the OAR dose and tumor coverage was better than the GBS. For example, one of patients’ daily average doses of right parotid and oral cavity increased to 26% and 36%, respectively from the original plan to the GBS planning. However, it only increased by 13% and 24%, respectively with DBS. GTV D95 coverage also decreased by 16% with GBS, but only 2% decreased with DBS. Conclusion: DBS method is superior to GBS to prevent any abrupt dose changes to OARs as well as PTV/CTV or GTV at least for some H&N cases. Since it is not known when the DBS is beneficial to the GBS, a system which enables the on-line DBS may be helpful for better treatment of H&N.« less

Baseline correction combined partial least squares algorithm and its application in on-line Fourier transform infrared quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Peng, Jiangtao; Peng, Silong; Xie, Qiong; Wei, Jiping

2011-04-01

In order to eliminate the lower order polynomial interferences, a new quantitative calibration algorithm "Baseline Correction Combined Partial Least Squares (BCC-PLS)", which combines baseline correction and conventional PLS, is proposed. By embedding baseline correction constraints into PLS weights selection, the proposed calibration algorithm overcomes the uncertainty in baseline correction and can meet the requirement of on-line attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) quantitative analysis. The effectiveness of the algorithm is evaluated by the analysis of glucose and marzipan ATR-FTIR spectra. BCC-PLS algorithm shows improved prediction performance over PLS. The root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) on marzipan spectra for the prediction of the moisture is found to be 0.53%, w/w (range 7-19%). The sugar content is predicted with a RMSECV of 2.04%, w/w (range 33-68%). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Immobilization and Performance Status on Intrafraction Motion for Stereotactic Lung Radiotherapy: Analysis of 133 Patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Winnie, E-mail: winnie.li@rmp.uhn.on.ca; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario; Purdie, Thomas G.

2011-12-01

Purpose: To assess intrafractional geometric accuracy of lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) patients treated with volumetric image guidance. Methods and Materials: Treatment setup accuracy was analyzed in 133 SBRT patients treated via research ethics board-approved protocols. For each fraction, a localization cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was acquired for soft-tissue registration to the internal target volume, followed by a couch adjustment for positional discrepancies greater than 3 mm, verified with a second CBCT scan. CBCT scans were also performed at intrafraction and end fraction. Patient positioning data from 2047 CBCT scans were recorded to determine systematic ({Sigma}) and randommore » ({sigma}) uncertainties, as well as planning target volume margins. Data were further stratified and analyzed by immobilization method (evacuated cushion [n = 75], evacuated cushion plus abdominal compression [n = 33], or chest board [n = 25]) and by patients' Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS): 0 (n = 31), 1 (n = 70), or 2 (n = 32). Results: Using CBCT internal target volume was matched within {+-}3 mm in 16% of all fractions at localization, 89% at verification, 72% during treatment, and 69% after treatment. Planning target volume margins required to encompass residual setup errors after couch corrections (verification CBCT scans) were 4 mm, and they increased to 5 mm with target intrafraction motion (post-treatment CBCT scans). Small differences (<1 mm) in the cranial-caudal direction of target position were observed between the immobilization cohorts in the localization, verification, intrafraction, and post-treatment CBCT scans (p < 0.01). Positional drift varied according to patient PS, with the PS 1 and 2 cohorts drifting out of position by mid treatment more than the PS 0 cohort in the cranial-caudal direction (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Image guidance ensures high geometric accuracy for lung SBRT irrespective of immobilization method or PS. A 5-mm setup margin suffices to address intrafraction motion. This setup margin may be further reduced by strategies such as frequent image guidance or volumetric arc therapy to correct or limit intrafraction motion.« less

Effect of immobilization and performance status on intrafraction motion for stereotactic lung radiotherapy: analysis of 133 patients.

PubMed

Li, Winnie; Purdie, Thomas G; Taremi, Mojgan; Fung, Sharon; Brade, Anthony; Cho, B C John; Hope, Andrew; Sun, Alexander; Jaffray, David A; Bezjak, Andrea; Bissonnette, Jean-Pierre

2011-12-01

To assess intrafractional geometric accuracy of lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) patients treated with volumetric image guidance. Treatment setup accuracy was analyzed in 133 SBRT patients treated via research ethics board-approved protocols. For each fraction, a localization cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was acquired for soft-tissue registration to the internal target volume, followed by a couch adjustment for positional discrepancies greater than 3 mm, verified with a second CBCT scan. CBCT scans were also performed at intrafraction and end fraction. Patient positioning data from 2047 CBCT scans were recorded to determine systematic (Σ) and random (σ) uncertainties, as well as planning target volume margins. Data were further stratified and analyzed by immobilization method (evacuated cushion [n=75], evacuated cushion plus abdominal compression [n=33], or chest board [n=25]) and by patients' Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS): 0 (n=31), 1 (n=70), or 2 (n=32). Using CBCT internal target volume was matched within ±3 mm in 16% of all fractions at localization, 89% at verification, 72% during treatment, and 69% after treatment. Planning target volume margins required to encompass residual setup errors after couch corrections (verification CBCT scans) were 4 mm, and they increased to 5 mm with target intrafraction motion (post-treatment CBCT scans). Small differences (<1 mm) in the cranial-caudal direction of target position were observed between the immobilization cohorts in the localization, verification, intrafraction, and post-treatment CBCT scans (p<0.01). Positional drift varied according to patient PS, with the PS 1 and 2 cohorts drifting out of position by mid treatment more than the PS 0 cohort in the cranial-caudal direction (p=0.04). Image guidance ensures high geometric accuracy for lung SBRT irrespective of immobilization method or PS. A 5-mm setup margin suffices to address intrafraction motion. This setup margin may be further reduced by strategies such as frequent image guidance or volumetric arc therapy to correct or limit intrafraction motion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wind-tunnel interference with particular reference to off-center positions of the wing and to the downwash at the tail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverstein, Abe; White, James A

1937-01-01

The theory of wind tunnel boundary influence on the downwash from a wing has been extended to provide more complete corrections for application to airplane test data. The first section of the report gives the corrections of the lifting line for wing positions above or below the tunnel center line; the second section shows the manner in which the induced boundary influence changes with distance aft of the lifting line. Values of the boundary corrections are given for off-center positions of the wing in circular, square, 2:1 rectangular, and 2:1 elliptical tunnels. Aft of the wing the corrections are presented for only the square and the 2:1 rectangular tunnels, but it is believed that these may be applied to jets of circular and 2:1 elliptical cross sections. In all cases results are included for both open and closed tunnels.

Quantitative estimation of magnetic nanoparticle distributions in one dimension using low-frequency continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coene, A.; Crevecoeur, G.; Dupré, L.; Vaes, P.

2013-06-01

In recent years, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have gained increased attention due to their superparamagnetic properties. These properties allow the development of innovative biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery and tumour heating. However, these modalities lack effective operation arising from the inaccurate quantification of the spatial MNP distribution. This paper proposes an approach for assessing the one-dimensional (1D) MNP distribution using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). EPR is able to accurately determine the MNP concentration in a single volume but not the MNP distribution throughout this volume. A new approach that exploits the solution of inverse problems for the correct interpretation of the measured EPR signals, is investigated. We achieve reconstruction of the 1D distribution of MNPs using EPR. Furthermore, the impact of temperature control on the reconstructed distributions is analysed by comparing two EPR setups where the latter setup is temperature controlled. Reconstruction quality for the temperature-controlled setup increases with an average of 5% and with a maximum increase of 13% for distributions with relatively lower iron concentrations and higher resolutions. However, these measurements are only a validation of our new method and form no hard limits.

Effect of heat dissipation of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in alternating magnetic field on three human cancer cell lines in magnetic fluid hyperthermia.

PubMed

Attar, Mohammad Mahdi; Haghpanahi, Mohammad

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to propose a method for constructing the software setup required for investigating thermal effect of superparamagnetic nanoparticles on three human cell lines. This article aimed to examine the required nanoparticle dose, frequency, field intensity and the exposure time. In the present study, first some general details were given about design and construction of the setup required for generating a safe magnetic field in order to examine the thermal effect of superparamagnetic nanoparticles on three human cancer cell lines, cultured under laboratory conditions. Next, a series of experimental tests were conducted to study the effect of magnetic field, on the cells. Finally, by applying three types of iron-based nanoparticles with mean diameters of 8, 15 and 20 nm, for 30 min, the temperature rise and specific absorption rate (SAR) were calculated. By conducting experimental tests, the maximum temperature rise at the resonance frequency of the coil was reported to be 80 kHz, and it was observed that all the cells died when temperature of the cells reached 42°C/30 min. Based on the experiments, it was observed that magnetic field with intensity of 8 kA/m within the frequency range of 80-180 kHz did not have any effect on the cells. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the nanoparticle dose of 80 µg/ml with diameter of 8 nm at the resonance frequency of coil for 30 min was sufficient to destroy all the cancerous cells in the flask.

WE-H-BRA-06: Experimental Investigation of RBE for Lung Cancer Cell Lines as a Function of Dose and LET in Proton, Helium and Carbon Beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, D; Titt, U; Bronk, L

2016-06-15

Purpose: Investigate and quantify the effect of dose and LET on the RBE of protons, helium and carbon ions. Methods: High throughput, high accuracy experimental setups were custom designed to investigate the Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) dependence on the dose and Linear Energy Transfer (LET) values for proton, helium and carbon ion beams. The experiment was conducted at the HIT facility in collaboration with the DKFZ in Heidelberg/Germany. Clonogenic assays of two human lung cancer cell lines, H460 and H1437, were investigated in this study. γH2AX foci staining on the H460 cell line was also undertaken to facilitate the studymore » of differential DNA double-strand break induction and repair between low-design available at the HIT facility. Specific points along the Bragg curve corresponding to well-defined doses and LET values were chosen by appropriate selection of the pre-absorber thicknesses. With a setup design for horizontal beam lines we were able to minimize ion scattering in the cell plate, resulting in narrower energy spectra and hence LET distributions in the Bragg peak and in the distal falloff regions, compared to the earlier experiments. Results: Approximately 16,000 samples of cancer cells were irradiated during 23 hours of beam time. The preliminary results of the survival curves for both cell lines show a distinct dependence on LET for a given dose with decreased survival fractions at increasing LET values, encountered at the Bragg peak and in the distal falloff. Conclusion: Our preliminary findings are indicative of the importance of novel variable-RBE models for proton therapy and provide insight into the RBE of heavy ions for possible future heavy ion therapy facilities in the US. Funding support: SINF 2015/16.« less

Marker-based quantification of interfractional tumor position variation and the use of markers for setup verification in radiation therapy for esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Jin, Peng; van der Horst, Astrid; de Jong, Rianne; van Hooft, Jeanin E; Kamphuis, Martijn; van Wieringen, Niek; Machiels, Melanie; Bel, Arjan; Hulshof, Maarten C C M; Alderliesten, Tanja

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to quantify interfractional esophageal tumor position variation using markers and investigate the use of markers for setup verification. Sixty-five markers placed in the tumor volumes of 24 esophageal cancer patients were identified in computed tomography (CT) and follow-up cone-beam CT. For each patient we calculated pairwise distances between markers over time to evaluate geometric tumor volume variation. We then quantified marker displacements relative to bony anatomy and estimated the variation of systematic (Σ) and random errors (σ). During bony anatomy-based setup verification, we visually inspected whether the markers were inside the planning target volume (PTV) and attempted marker-based registration. Minor time trends with substantial fluctuations in pairwise distances implied tissue deformation. Overall, Σ(σ) in the left-right/cranial-caudal/anterior-posterior direction was 2.9(2.4)/4.1(2.4)/2.2(1.8) mm; for the proximal stomach, it was 5.4(4.3)/4.9(3.2)/1.9(2.4) mm. After bony anatomy-based setup correction, all markers were inside the PTV. However, due to large tissue deformation, marker-based registration was not feasible. Generally, the interfractional position variation of esophageal tumors is more pronounced in the cranial-caudal direction and in the proximal stomach. Currently, marker-based setup verification is not feasible for clinical routine use, but markers can facilitate the setup verification by inspecting whether the PTV covers the tumor volume adequately. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduction of across-wafer CDU via constrained optimization of a multichannel PEB plate controller based on in-situ measurements of thermal time constants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiffany, Jason E.; Cohen, Barney M.

2004-05-01

As line widths approach 90nm node in volume production, post exposure bake (PEB) uniformity becomes a much larger component of the across wafer critical dimension uniformity (CDU). In production, the need for PEB plate matching has led to novel solutions such as plate specific dose offsets. This type of correction does not help across wafer CDU. Due to unequal activation energies of the critical PEB processes, any thermal history difference can result in a corresponding CD variation. The rise time of the resist to the target temperature has been shown to affect CD, with the most critical time being the first 5-7 seconds. A typical PEB plate has multi-zone thermal control with one thermal sensor per zone. The current practice is to setup each plate to match the steady-state target temperature, ignoring any dynamic performance. Using an in-situ wireless RTD wafer, it is possible to characterize the dynamic performance, or time constant, of each RTD location on the sensing wafer. Constrained by the zone structure of the PEB plate, the proportional, integral and derivative (PID) settings of each controller channel could be optimized to reduce the variations in rise time across the RTD wafer, thereby reducing the PEB component of across wafer CDU.

Characterization of a customized calibration unit for continuous measurements of the isotopic composition of water vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moro, Giovanni; Zannoni, Daniele; Dreossi, Giuliano; Stenni, Barbara

2017-04-01

The objective of this work is the development, standardization and creation of a method to carry out continuous measurement of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of the atmospheric water vapor using a wavelength-scanned cavity ring down spectroscopy (WS-CRDS) instrument produced by Picarro, L1102-i model. Some technical improvements of the standard instrument configuration have been made to create three different inlet gas lines: a "standard" line, a calibration line and a line connected with the external sampler. The calibration line is composed of a syringe-pump that continuously injects standard water into a steel tee heated at the temperature of 170°C and flushed with dry nitrogen gas. In this way, instantaneous and complete vaporization of the standard water takes place. The resulting steam is characterized by a well-defined composition in δD e δ18O values. To allow comparison with other international data, we have characterized the individual instrumental response to variation of the isotopic composition of the water vapor. Several humidity-isotope response functions (6000-26000 ppmv) have been estimated with three different internal standards (0.35‰ -8.75‰ -29.11‰ and -40.28‰ for δ18O; 2.31‰ -58.91‰ -222.19‰ and -317.78‰ for δD). Moreover, we have measured the instrumental drift at regular time intervals to apply the opportune corrections to instrument data. The setup has been tested using a 3.5 day continuous measurements carried out with the Picarro sampling the water vapor outside our campus in Venice and parallel sampling using the classical cryogenic trapping procedure, obtaining excellent results. Furthermore, our analysis technique has given good results for the standards with values which are similar to those obtained with the isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) technique.

Positioning accuracy during VMAT of gynecologic malignancies and the resulting dosimetric impact by a 6-degree-of-freedom couch in combination with daily kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography.

PubMed

Yao, Lihong; Zhu, Lihong; Wang, Junjie; Liu, Lu; Zhou, Shun; Jiang, ShuKun; Cao, Qianqian; Qu, Ang; Tian, Suqing

2015-04-26

To improve the delivery of radiotherapy in gynecologic malignancies and to minimize the irradiation of unaffected tissues by using daily kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography (kV-CBCT) to reduce setup errors. Thirteen patients with gynecologic cancers were treated with postoperative volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT). All patients had a planning CT scan and daily CBCT during treatment. Automatic bone anatomy matching was used to determine initial inter-fraction positioning error. Positional correction on a six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) couch was followed by a second scan to calculate the residual inter-fraction error, and a post-treatment scan assessed intra-fraction motion. The margins of the planning target volume (MPTV) were calculated from these setup variations and the effect of margin size on normal tissue sparing was evaluated. In total, 573 CBCT scans were acquired. Mean absolute pre-/post-correction errors were obtained in all six planes. With 6DoF couch correction, the MPTV accounting for intra-fraction errors was reduced by 3.8-5.6 mm. This permitted a reduction in the maximum dose to the small intestine, bladder and femoral head (P=0.001, 0.035 and 0.032, respectively), the average dose to the rectum, small intestine, bladder and pelvic marrow (P=0.003, 0.000, 0.001 and 0.000, respectively) and markedly reduced irradiated normal tissue volumes. A 6DoF couch in combination with daily kV-CBCT can considerably improve positioning accuracy during VMAT treatment in gynecologic malignancies, reducing the MPTV. The reduced margin size permits improved normal tissue sparing and a smaller total irradiated volume.

Setup for in situ deep level transient spectroscopy of semiconductors during swift heavy ion irradiation.

PubMed

Kumar, Sandeep; Kumar, Sugam; Katharria, Y S; Safvan, C P; Kanjilal, D

2008-05-01

A computerized system for in situ deep level characterization during irradiation in semiconductors has been set up and tested in the beam line for materials science studies of the 15 MV Pelletron accelerator at the Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi. This is a new facility for in situ irradiation-induced deep level studies, available in the beam line of an accelerator laboratory. It is based on the well-known deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) technique. High versatility for data manipulation is achieved through multifunction data acquisition card and LABVIEW. In situ DLTS studies of deep levels produced by impact of 100 MeV Si ions on Aun-Si(100) Schottky barrier diode are presented to illustrate performance of the automated DLTS facility in the beam line.

Using GPU parallelization to perform realistic simulations of the LPCTrap experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabian, X.; Mauger, F.; Quéméner, G.; Velten, Ph.; Ban, G.; Couratin, C.; Delahaye, P.; Durand, D.; Fabre, B.; Finlay, P.; Fléchard, X.; Liénard, E.; Méry, A.; Naviliat-Cuncic, O.; Pons, B.; Porobic, T.; Severijns, N.; Thomas, J. C.

2015-11-01

The LPCTrap setup is a sensitive tool to measure the β - ν angular correlation coefficient, a β ν , which can yield the mixing ratio ρ of a β decay transition. The latter enables the extraction of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element V u d . In such a measurement, the most relevant observable is the energy distribution of the recoiling daughter nuclei following the nuclear β decay, which is obtained using a time-of-flight technique. In order to maximize the precision, one can reduce the systematic errors through a thorough simulation of the whole set-up, especially with a correct model of the trapped ion cloud. This paper presents such a simulation package and focuses on the ion cloud features; particular attention is therefore paid to realistic descriptions of trapping field dynamics, buffer gas cooling and the N-body space charge effects.

Infinite order quantum-gravitational correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knorr, Benjamin

2018-06-01

A new approximation scheme for nonperturbative renormalisation group equations for quantum gravity is introduced. Correlation functions of arbitrarily high order can be studied by resolving the full dependence of the renormalisation group equations on the fluctuation field (graviton). This is reminiscent of a local potential approximation in O(N)-symmetric field theories. As a first proof of principle, we derive the flow equation for the ‘graviton potential’ induced by a conformal fluctuation and corrections induced by a gravitational wave fluctuation. Indications are found that quantum gravity might be in a non-metric phase in the deep ultraviolet. The present setup significantly improves the quality of previous fluctuation vertex studies by including infinitely many couplings, thereby testing the reliability of schemes to identify different couplings to close the equations, and represents an important step towards the resolution of the Nielsen identity. The setup further allows one, in principle, to address the question of putative gravitational condensates.

Development of a Simple Positron Age-Momentum Setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheffield, Thomas; Quarles, C. A.

2009-04-01

A positron age-momentum setup that uses NIM Bin electronic modules and a conventional multichannel analyzer (MCA) is described. The essential idea is to accumulate a Doppler broadened spectrum (sensitive to the annihilation electron momentum) using a high purity Germanium detector in coincidence with a BaF2 scintillation counter, which also serves as the stop signal in a conventional positron lifetime setup. The MCA that collects the Doppler spectrum is gated by a selected region of the lifetime spectrum. Thus we can obtain Doppler broadening spectra as a function of positron lifetime: an age-momentum spectrum. The apparatus has been used so far to investigate a ZnO sample where the size of different vacancy trapping sites may affect the positron lifetime and the Doppler broadening spectrum. We are also looking at polymer and rubber carbon-black composite samples where differences in the Doppler spectrum may arise from positron trapping or positronium formation in the samples. Correction for background and contribution from the positron source itself to the Doppler spectrum will be discussed.

Broadband sensitive pump-probe setup for ultrafast optical switching of photonic nanostructures and semiconductors.

PubMed

Euser, Tijmen G; Harding, Philip J; Vos, Willem L

2009-07-01

We describe an ultrafast time resolved pump-probe spectroscopy setup aimed at studying the switching of nanophotonic structures. Both femtosecond pump and probe pulses can be independently tuned over broad frequency range between 3850 and 21,050 cm(-1). A broad pump scan range allows a large optical penetration depth, while a broad probe scan range is crucial to study strongly photonic crystals. A new data acquisition method allows for sensitive pump-probe measurements, and corrects for fluctuations in probe intensity and pump stray light. We observe a tenfold improvement of the precision of the setup compared to laser fluctuations, allowing a measurement accuracy of better than DeltaR=0.07% in a 1 s measurement time. Demonstrations of the improved technique are presented for a bulk Si wafer, a three-dimensional Si inverse opal photonic bandgap crystal, and z-scan measurements of the two-photon absorption coefficient of Si, GaAs, and the three-photon absorption coefficient of GaP in the infrared wavelength range.

Inspection Robot Based Mobile Sensing and Power Line Tracking for Smart Grid

PubMed Central

Byambasuren, Bat-erdene; Kim, Donghan; Oyun-Erdene, Mandakh; Bold, Chinguun; Yura, Jargalbaatar

2016-01-01

Smart sensing and power line tracking is very important in a smart grid system. Illegal electricity usage can be detected by remote current measurement on overhead power lines using an inspection robot. There is a need for accurate detection methods of illegal electricity usage. Stable and correct power line tracking is a very prominent issue. In order to correctly track and make accurate measurements, the swing path of a power line should be previously fitted and predicted by a mathematical function using an inspection robot. After this, the remote inspection robot can follow the power line and measure the current. This paper presents a new power line tracking method using parabolic and circle fitting algorithms for illegal electricity detection. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed tracking method by simulation and experimental results. PMID:26907274

Inspection Robot Based Mobile Sensing and Power Line Tracking for Smart Grid.

PubMed

Byambasuren, Bat-Erdene; Kim, Donghan; Oyun-Erdene, Mandakh; Bold, Chinguun; Yura, Jargalbaatar

2016-02-19

Smart sensing and power line tracking is very important in a smart grid system. Illegal electricity usage can be detected by remote current measurement on overhead power lines using an inspection robot. There is a need for accurate detection methods of illegal electricity usage. Stable and correct power line tracking is a very prominent issue. In order to correctly track and make accurate measurements, the swing path of a power line should be previously fitted and predicted by a mathematical function using an inspection robot. After this, the remote inspection robot can follow the power line and measure the current. This paper presents a new power line tracking method using parabolic and circle fitting algorithms for illegal electricity detection. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed tracking method by simulation and experimental results.

High speed wavefront sensorless aberration correction in digital micromirror based confocal microscopy.

PubMed

Pozzi, P; Wilding, D; Soloviev, O; Verstraete, H; Bliek, L; Vdovin, G; Verhaegen, M

2017-01-23

The quality of fluorescence microscopy images is often impaired by the presence of sample induced optical aberrations. Adaptive optical elements such as deformable mirrors or spatial light modulators can be used to correct aberrations. However, previously reported techniques either require special sample preparation, or time consuming optimization procedures for the correction of static aberrations. This paper reports a technique for optical sectioning fluorescence microscopy capable of correcting dynamic aberrations in any fluorescent sample during the acquisition. This is achieved by implementing adaptive optics in a non conventional confocal microscopy setup, with multiple programmable confocal apertures, in which out of focus light can be separately detected, and used to optimize the correction performance with a sampling frequency an order of magnitude faster than the imaging rate of the system. The paper reports results comparing the correction performances to traditional image optimization algorithms, and demonstrates how the system can compensate for dynamic changes in the aberrations, such as those introduced during a focal stack acquisition though a thick sample.

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of single DNA hairpins in a dual-trap optical tweezers setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crivellari, M. Ribezzi; Huguet, J. M.; Ritort, F.

2011-03-01

We use two counter propagating laser beams to create a dual trap optical tweezers setup which is free from cross interference between the beams and provides great instrumental stability. This setup works by direct measurement of light momentum, separately for each trap, and is based on the Minitweezers design [1]. The dual trap setup has many applications: it can be used to study the force-dependent unfolding kinetics of single molecules and to address fundamental problems in nonequilibrium thermodynamics of small systems [2]. Recent progress in statistical physics has shown the importance of considering large energy deviations in the beahvior of systems that are driven out-of-equilibrium by time-dependent forces. Prominent examples are nonequilibrium work relations (e.g. the Jarzynski equality [3]) and fluctuation theorems. By repeated measurement of the irreversible work the Jarzynski equality allows us to recover the free energy difference between two thermodynamic states, AF, by taking exponential averages of the work W done by the external agent on the system, e-βΔF =

Setup Variations in Radiotherapy of Anal Cancer: Advantages of Target Volume Reduction Using Image-Guided Radiation Treatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen Yijen, E-mail: yichen@coh.org; Suh, Steve; Nelson, Rebecca A.

2012-09-01

Purpose: To define setup variations in the radiation treatment (RT) of anal cancer and to report the advantages of image-guided RT (IGRT) in terms of reduction of target volume and treatment-related side effects. Methods and Materials: Twelve consecutive patients with anal cancer treated by combined chemoradiation by use of helical tomotherapy from March 2007 to November 2008 were selected. With patients immobilized and positioned in place, megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) scans were performed before each treatment and were automatically registered to planning CT scans. Patients were shifted per the registration data and treated. A total of 365 MVCT scans weremore » analyzed. The primary site received a median dose of 55 Gy. To evaluate the potential dosimetric advantage(s) of IGRT, cases were replanned according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0529, with and without adding recommended setup variations from the current study. Results: Significant setup variations were observed throughout the course of RT. The standard deviations for systematic setup correction in the anterior-posterior (AP), lateral, and superior-inferior (SI) directions and roll rotation were 1.1, 3.6, and 3.2 mm, and 0.3 Degree-Sign , respectively. The average random setup variations were 3.8, 5.5, and 2.9 mm, and 0.5 Degree-Sign , respectively. Without daily IGRT, margins of 4.9, 11.1, and 8.5 mm in the AP, lateral, and SI directions would have been needed to ensure that the planning target volume (PTV) received {>=}95% of the prescribed dose. Conversely, daily IGRT required no extra margins on PTV and resulted in a significant reduction of V15 and V45 of intestine and V10 of pelvic bone marrow. Favorable toxicities were observed, except for acute hematologic toxicity. Conclusions: Daily MVCT scans before each treatment can effectively detect setup variations and thereby reduce PTV margins in the treatment of anal cancer. The use of concurrent chemotherapy and IGRT provided favorable toxicities, except for acute hematologic toxicity.« less

High performance interconnection between high data rate networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foudriat, E. C.; Maly, K.; Overstreet, C. M.; Zhang, L.; Sun, W.

1992-01-01

The bridge/gateway system needed to interconnect a wide range of computer networks to support a wide range of user quality-of-service requirements is discussed. The bridge/gateway must handle a wide range of message types including synchronous and asynchronous traffic, large, bursty messages, short, self-contained messages, time critical messages, etc. It is shown that messages can be classified into three basic classes, synchronous and large and small asynchronous messages. The first two require call setup so that packet identification, buffer handling, etc. can be supported in the bridge/gateway. Identification enables resequences in packet size. The third class is for messages which do not require call setup. Resequencing hardware based to handle two types of resequencing problems is presented. The first is for a virtual parallel circuit which can scramble channel bytes. The second system is effective in handling both synchronous and asynchronous traffic between networks with highly differing packet sizes and data rates. The two other major needs for the bridge/gateway are congestion and error control. A dynamic, lossless congestion control scheme which can easily support effective error correction is presented. Results indicate that the congestion control scheme provides close to optimal capacity under congested conditions. Under conditions where error may develop due to intervening networks which are not lossless, intermediate error recovery and correction takes 1/3 less time than equivalent end-to-end error correction under similar conditions.

Active Correction of Aperture Discontinuities-Optimized Stroke Minimization. II. Optimization for Future Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazoyer, J.; Pueyo, L.; N'Diaye, M.; Fogarty, K.; Zimmerman, N.; Soummer, R.; Shaklan, S.; Norman, C.

2018-01-01

High-contrast imaging and spectroscopy provide unique constraints for exoplanet formation models as well as for planetary atmosphere models. Instrumentation techniques in this field have greatly improved over the last two decades, with the development of stellar coronagraphy, in parallel with specific methods of wavefront sensing and control. Next generation space- and ground-based telescopes will enable the characterization of cold solar-system-like planets for the first time and maybe even in situ detection of bio-markers. However, the growth of primary mirror diameters, necessary for these detections, comes with an increase of their complexity (segmentation, secondary mirror features). These discontinuities in the aperture can greatly limit the performance of coronagraphic instruments. In this context, we introduced a new technique, Active Correction of Aperture Discontinuities-Optimized Stroke Minimization (ACAD-OSM), to correct for the diffractive effects of aperture discontinuities in the final image plane of a coronagraph, using deformable mirrors. In this paper, we present several tools that can be used to optimize the performance of this technique for its application to future large missions. In particular, we analyzed the influence of the deformable setup (size and separating distance) and found that there is an optimal point for this setup, optimizing the performance of the instrument in contrast and throughput while minimizing the strokes applied to the deformable mirrors. These results will help us design future coronagraphic instruments to obtain the best performance.

46 CFR 45.58 - Correction: Short superstructure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Correction: Short superstructure. 45.58 Section 45.58 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Freeboards § 45.58 Correction: Short superstructure. The minimum freeboard in summer for a type B vessel that...

46 CFR 45.58 - Correction: Short superstructure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Correction: Short superstructure. 45.58 Section 45.58 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Freeboards § 45.58 Correction: Short superstructure. The minimum freeboard in summer for a type B vessel that...

Fully 3D refraction correction dosimetry system.

PubMed

Manjappa, Rakesh; Makki, S Sharath; Kumar, Rajesh; Vasu, Ram Mohan; Kanhirodan, Rajan

2016-02-21

The irradiation of selective regions in a polymer gel dosimeter results in an increase in optical density and refractive index (RI) at those regions. An optical tomography-based dosimeter depends on rayline path through the dosimeter to estimate and reconstruct the dose distribution. The refraction of light passing through a dose region results in artefacts in the reconstructed images. These refraction errors are dependant on the scanning geometry and collection optics. We developed a fully 3D image reconstruction algorithm, algebraic reconstruction technique-refraction correction (ART-rc) that corrects for the refractive index mismatches present in a gel dosimeter scanner not only at the boundary, but also for any rayline refraction due to multiple dose regions inside the dosimeter. In this study, simulation and experimental studies have been carried out to reconstruct a 3D dose volume using 2D CCD measurements taken for various views. The study also focuses on the effectiveness of using different refractive-index matching media surrounding the gel dosimeter. Since the optical density is assumed to be low for a dosimeter, the filtered backprojection is routinely used for reconstruction. We carry out the reconstructions using conventional algebraic reconstruction (ART) and refractive index corrected ART (ART-rc) algorithms. The reconstructions based on FDK algorithm for cone-beam tomography has also been carried out for comparison. Line scanners and point detectors, are used to obtain reconstructions plane by plane. The rays passing through dose region with a RI mismatch does not reach the detector in the same plane depending on the angle of incidence and RI. In the fully 3D scanning setup using 2D array detectors, light rays that undergo refraction are still collected and hence can still be accounted for in the reconstruction algorithm. It is found that, for the central region of the dosimeter, the usable radius using ART-rc algorithm with water as RI matched medium is 71.8%, an increase of 6.4% compared to that achieved using conventional ART algorithm. Smaller diameter dosimeters are scanned with dry air scanning by using a wide-angle lens that collects refracted light. The images reconstructed using cone beam geometry is seen to deteriorate in some planes as those regions are not scanned. Refraction correction is important and needs to be taken in to consideration to achieve quantitatively accurate dose reconstructions. Refraction modeling is crucial in array based scanners as it is not possible to identify refracted rays in the sinogram space.

Correcting nonlinear drift distortion of scanning probe and scanning transmission electron microscopies from image pairs with orthogonal scan directions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ophus, Colin; Ciston, Jim; Nelson, Chris T.

Unwanted motion of the probe with respect to the sample is a ubiquitous problem in scanning probe and scanning transmission electron microscopies, causing both linear and nonlinear artifacts in experimental images. We have designed a procedure to correct these artifacts by using orthogonal scan pairs to align each measurement line-by-line along the slow scan direction, by fitting contrast variation along the lines. We demonstrate the accuracy of our algorithm on both synthetic and experimental data and provide an implementation of our method.

Correcting nonlinear drift distortion of scanning probe and scanning transmission electron microscopies from image pairs with orthogonal scan directions

DOE PAGES

Ophus, Colin; Ciston, Jim; Nelson, Chris T.

2015-12-10

Unwanted motion of the probe with respect to the sample is a ubiquitous problem in scanning probe and scanning transmission electron microscopies, causing both linear and nonlinear artifacts in experimental images. We have designed a procedure to correct these artifacts by using orthogonal scan pairs to align each measurement line-by-line along the slow scan direction, by fitting contrast variation along the lines. We demonstrate the accuracy of our algorithm on both synthetic and experimental data and provide an implementation of our method.

Galactic evolution of oxygen. OH lines in 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González Hernández, J. I.; Bonifacio, P.; Ludwig, H.-G.; Caffau, E.; Behara, N. T.; Freytag, B.

2010-09-01

Context. Oxygen is the third most common element in the Universe. The measurement of oxygen lines in metal-poor unevolved stars, in particular near-UV OH lines, can provide invaluable information about the properties of the Early Galaxy. Aims: Near-UV OH lines constitute an important tool to derive oxygen abundances in metal-poor dwarf stars. Therefore, it is important to correctly model the line formation of OH lines, especially in metal-poor stars, where 3D hydrodynamical models commonly predict cooler temperatures than plane-parallel hydrostatic models in the upper photosphere. Methods: We have made use of a grid of 52 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres for dwarf stars computed with the code CO5BOLD, extracted from the more extended CIFIST grid. The 52 models cover the effective temperature range 5000-6500 K, the surface gravity range 3.5-4.5 and the metallicity range -3 < [Fe/H] < 0. Results: We determine 3D-LTE abundance corrections in all 52 3D models for several OH lines and ion{Fe}{i} lines of different excitation potentials. These 3D-LTE corrections are generally negative and reach values of roughly -1 dex (for the OH 3167 with excitation potential of approximately 1 eV) for the higher temperatures and surface gravities. Conclusions: We apply these 3D-LTE corrections to the individual O abundances derived from OH lines of a sample the metal-poor dwarf stars reported in Israelian et al. (1998, ApJ, 507, 805), Israelian et al. (2001, ApJ, 551, 833) and Boesgaard et al. (1999, AJ, 117, 492) by interpolating the stellar parameters of the dwarfs in the grid of 3D-LTE corrections. The new 3D-LTE [O/Fe] ratio still keeps a similar trend as the 1D-LTE, i.e., increasing towards lower [Fe/H] values. We applied 1D-NLTE corrections to 3D ion{Fe}{i} abundances and still see an increasing [O/Fe] ratio towards lower metallicites. However, the Galactic [O/Fe] ratio must be revisited once 3D-NLTE corrections become available for OH and Fe lines for a grid of 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres.

Geometrical pose and structural estimation from a single image for automatic inspection of filter components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yonghuai; Rodrigues, Marcos A.

2000-03-01

This paper describes research on the application of machine vision techniques to a real time automatic inspection task of air filter components in a manufacturing line. A novel calibration algorithm is proposed based on a special camera setup where defective items would show a large calibration error. The algorithm makes full use of rigid constraints derived from the analysis of geometrical properties of reflected correspondence vectors which have been synthesized into a single coordinate frame and provides a closed form solution to the estimation of all parameters. For a comparative study of performance, we also developed another algorithm based on this special camera setup using epipolar geometry. A number of experiments using synthetic data have shown that the proposed algorithm is generally more accurate and robust than the epipolar geometry based algorithm and that the geometric properties of reflected correspondence vectors provide effective constraints to the calibration of rigid body transformations.

Adaptive optics full-field OCT: a resolution almost insensitive to aberrations (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Peng; Fink, Mathias; Boccara, A. Claude

2016-03-01

A Full-Field OCT (FFOCT) setup coupled to a compact transmissive liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LCSLM) is used to induce or correct aberrations and simulate eye examinations. To reduce the system complexity, strict pupil conjugation was abandoned. During our work on quantifying the effect of geometrical aberrations on FFOCT images, we found that the image resolution is almost insensitive to aberrations. Indeed if the object channel PSF is distorted, its interference with the reference channel conserves the main feature of an unperturbed PSF with only a reduction of the signal level. This unique behavior is specific to the use of a spatially incoherent illumination. Based on this, the FFOCT image intensity was used as the metric for our wavefront sensorless correction. Aberration correction was first conducted on an USAF resolution target with the LSCLM as both aberration generator and corrector. A random aberration mask was induced, and the low-order Zernike Modes were corrected sequentially according to the intensity metric function optimization. A Ficus leaf and a fixed mouse brain tissue slice were also imaged to demonstrate the correction of sample self-induced wavefront distortions. After optimization, more structured information appears for the leaf imaging. And the high-signal fiber-like myelin fiber structures were resolved much more clearly after the whole correction process for mouse brain imaging. Our experiment shows the potential of this compact AO-FFOCT system for aberration correction imaging. This preliminary approach that simulates eyes aberrations correction also opens the path to a simple implementation of FFOCT adaptive optics for retinal examinations.

Calibrating page sized Gafchromic EBT3 films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crijns, W.; Maes, F.; Heide, U. A. van der

2013-01-15

Purpose: The purpose is the development of a novel calibration method for dosimetry with Gafchromic EBT3 films. The method should be applicable for pretreatment verification of volumetric modulated arc, and intensity modulated radiotherapy. Because the exposed area on film can be large for such treatments, lateral scan errors must be taken into account. The correction for the lateral scan effect is obtained from the calibration data itself. Methods: In this work, the film measurements were modeled using their relative scan values (Transmittance, T). Inside the transmittance domain a linear combination and a parabolic lateral scan correction described the observed transmittancemore » values. The linear combination model, combined a monomer transmittance state (T{sub 0}) and a polymer transmittance state (T{sub {infinity}}) of the film. The dose domain was associated with the observed effects in the transmittance domain through a rational calibration function. On the calibration film only simple static fields were applied and page sized films were used for calibration and measurements (treatment verification). Four different calibration setups were considered and compared with respect to dose estimation accuracy. The first (I) used a calibration table from 32 regions of interest (ROIs) spread on 4 calibration films, the second (II) used 16 ROIs spread on 2 calibration films, the third (III), and fourth (IV) used 8 ROIs spread on a single calibration film. The calibration tables of the setups I, II, and IV contained eight dose levels delivered to different positions on the films, while for setup III only four dose levels were applied. Validation was performed by irradiating film strips with known doses at two different time points over the course of a week. Accuracy of the dose response and the lateral effect correction was estimated using the dose difference and the root mean squared error (RMSE), respectively. Results: A calibration based on two films was the optimal balance between cost effectiveness and dosimetric accuracy. The validation resulted in dose errors of 1%-2% for the two different time points, with a maximal absolute dose error around 0.05 Gy. The lateral correction reduced the RMSE values on the sides of the film to the RMSE values at the center of the film. Conclusions: EBT3 Gafchromic films were calibrated for large field dosimetry with a limited number of page sized films and simple static calibration fields. The transmittance was modeled as a linear combination of two transmittance states, and associated with dose using a rational calibration function. Additionally, the lateral scan effect was resolved in the calibration function itself. This allows the use of page sized films. Only two calibration films were required to estimate both the dose and the lateral response. The calibration films were used over the course of a week, with residual dose errors Less-Than-Or-Slanted-Equal-To 2% or Less-Than-Or-Slanted-Equal-To 0.05 Gy.« less

Development of liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry strategies for the screening of complex organic matter: Application to astrophysical simulated materials.

PubMed

Eddhif, Balkis; Allavena, Audrey; Liu, Sylvie; Ribette, Thomas; Abou Mrad, Ninette; Chiavassa, Thierry; d'Hendecourt, Louis Le Sergeant; Sternberg, Robert; Danger, Gregoire; Geffroy-Rodier, Claude; Poinot, Pauline

2018-03-01

The present work aims at developing two LC-HRMS setups for the screening of organic matter in astrophysical samples. Their analytical development has been demonstrated on a 100-µg residue coming from the photo-thermo chemical processing of a cometary ice analog produced in laboratory. The first 1D-LC-HRMS setup combines a serially coupled columns configuration with HRMS detection. It has allowed to discriminate among different chemical families (amino acids, sugars, nucleobases and oligopeptides) in only one chromatographic run without neither a priori acid hydrolysis nor chemical derivatisation. The second setup is a dual-LC configuration which connects a series of trapping columns with analytical reverse-phase columns. By coupling on-line these two distinct LC units with a HRMS detection, high mass compounds (350

PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration

PubMed Central

Wei, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Yuan; Yao, Wenqing; Zhang, Lei

2017-01-01

Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on. PMID:28973996

PSpice Modeling of a Sandwich Piezoelectric Ceramic Ultrasonic Transducer in Longitudinal Vibration.

PubMed

Wei, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Yuan; Yao, Wenqing; Zhang, Lei

2017-09-30

Sandwiched piezoelectric transducers are widely used, especially in high power applications. For more convenient analysis and design, a PSpice lossy model of sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers in longitudinal vibration is proposed by means of the one-dimensional wave and transmission line theories. With the proposed model, the resonance and antiresonance frequencies are obtained, and it is shown that the simulations and measurements have good consistency. For the purpose of further verification the accuracy and application of the PSpice model, a pitch-catch setup and an experimental platform are built. They include two sandwiched piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers and two aluminum cylinders whose lengths are 20 mm and 100 mm respectively. Based on this pitch-catch setup, the impedance and transient analysis are performed. Compared with the measured results, it is shown that the simulated results have good consistency. In addition, the conclusion can be drawn that the optimal excitation frequency for the pitch-catch setup is not necessarily the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers, because the resonance frequency is obtained under no load. The proposed PSpice model of the sandwiched piezoelectric transducer is more conveniently applied to combine with other circuits such as driving circuits, filters, amplifiers, and so on.

46 CFR 45.63 - Correction for sheer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Correction for sheer. 45.63 Section 45.63 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Freeboards § 45.63 Correction for sheer. (a) The minimum summer freeboard must be increased by the deficiency, or may be...

46 CFR 45.63 - Correction for sheer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Correction for sheer. 45.63 Section 45.63 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) LOAD LINES GREAT LAKES LOAD LINES Freeboards § 45.63 Correction for sheer. (a) The minimum summer freeboard must be increased by the deficiency, or may be...

a Novel Technique for Precision Geometric Correction of Jitter Distortion for the Europa Imaging System and Other Rolling-Shutter Cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirk, R. L.; Shepherd, M.; Sides, S. C.

2018-04-01

We use simulated images to demonstrate a novel technique for mitigating geometric distortions caused by platform motion ("jitter") as two-dimensional image sensors are exposed and read out line by line ("rolling shutter"). The results indicate that the Europa Imaging System (EIS) on NASA's Europa Clipper can likely meet its scientific goals requiring 0.1-pixel precision. We are therefore adapting the software used to demonstrate and test rolling shutter jitter correction to become part of the standard processing pipeline for EIS. The correction method will also apply to other rolling-shutter cameras, provided they have the operational flexibility to read out selected "check lines" at chosen times during the systematic readout of the frame area.

Concept and development of a computerized positioning of prosthetic teeth for complete dentures.

PubMed

Busch, M; Kordass, B

2006-04-01

To date, CAD/CAM technology has made no noteworthy inroads into removable dentures. We want to present a new area of application for this in our study. Models of the maxilla and edentulous mandible were 3D scanned. The software detects and automatically reconstructs the reference structures that are anatomically important for the set-up of artificial teeth, such as the alveolar ridge centerlines and the interalveolar relations between the alveolar ridges. In a further step, the occlusal plane is semiautomatically defined and the front dental arch is designed. After these design features have been determined, artificial teeth are selected from a database and set up automatically. The dental technician can assess the esthetics and function of the suggested dental set-up on the computer screen and make slight corrections if necessary. Summarizing: The interplay of hardware and software components within on integrated solution including conversion of the "virtual" into a real positioning of prosthetic teeth is presented.

A fast signal subspace approach for the determination of absolute levels from phased microphone array measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarradj, Ennes

2010-04-01

Phased microphone arrays are used in a variety of applications for the estimation of acoustic source location and spectra. The popular conventional delay-and-sum beamforming methods used with such arrays suffer from inaccurate estimations of absolute source levels and in some cases also from low resolution. Deconvolution approaches such as DAMAS have better performance, but require high computational effort. A fast beamforming method is proposed that can be used in conjunction with a phased microphone array in applications with focus on the correct quantitative estimation of acoustic source spectra. This method bases on an eigenvalue decomposition of the cross spectral matrix of microphone signals and uses the eigenvalues from the signal subspace to estimate absolute source levels. The theoretical basis of the method is discussed together with an assessment of the quality of the estimation. Experimental tests using a loudspeaker setup and an airfoil trailing edge noise setup in an aeroacoustic wind tunnel show that the proposed method is robust and leads to reliable quantitative results.

Apparatus for Teaching Physics: Optical Fiber Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Throckmorton, Carl; Dey, Joe

1988-01-01

Describes a demonstration of the transmission of data signals from one microcomputer to another using an optical fiber line. Discusses the set-up method and demonstration steps for sending program and graphics. Provides a block diagram of the system and two circuit diagrams. (YP)

Mask patterning process using the negative tone chemically amplified resist TOK OEBR-CAN024

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irmscher, Mathias; Beyer, Dirk; Butschke, Joerg; Hudek, Peter; Koepernik, Corinna; Plumhoff, Jason; Rausa, Emmanuel; Sato, Mitsuru; Voehringer, Peter

2004-08-01

Optimized process parameters using the TOK OEBR-CAN024 resist for high chrome load patterning have been determined. A tight linearity tolerance for opaque and clear features, independent on the local pattern density, was the goal of our process integration work. For this purpose we evaluated a new correction method taking into account electron scattering and process influences. The method is based on matching of measured pattern geometry by iterative back-simulation using multiple Gauss and/or exponential functions. The obtained control function acts as input for the proximity correction software PROXECCO. Approaches with different pattern oversize and two Cr thicknesses were accomplished and the results have been reported. Isolated opaque and clear lines could be realized in a very tight linearity range. The increasing line width of small dense lines, induced by the etching process, could be corrected only partially.

Laser line illumination scheme allowing the reduction of background signal and the correction of absorption heterogeneities effects for fluorescence reflectance imaging.

PubMed

Fantoni, Frédéric; Hervé, Lionel; Poher, Vincent; Gioux, Sylvain; Mars, Jérôme I; Dinten, Jean-Marc

2015-10-01

Intraoperative fluorescence imaging in reflectance geometry is an attractive imaging modality as it allows to noninvasively monitor the fluorescence targeted tumors located below the tissue surface. Some drawbacks of this technique are the background fluorescence decreasing the contrast and absorption heterogeneities leading to misinterpretations concerning fluorescence concentrations. We propose a correction technique based on a laser line scanning illumination scheme. We scan the medium with the laser line and acquire, at each position of the line, both fluorescence and excitation images. We then use the finding that there is a relationship between the excitation intensity profile and the background fluorescence one to predict the amount of signal to subtract from the fluorescence images to get a better contrast. As the light absorption information is contained both in fluorescence and excitation images, this method also permits us to correct the effects of absorption heterogeneities. This technique has been validated on simulations and experimentally. Fluorescent inclusions are observed in several configurations at depths ranging from 1 mm to 1 cm. Results obtained with this technique are compared with those obtained with a classical wide-field detection scheme for contrast enhancement and with the fluorescence by an excitation ratio approach for absorption correction.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bahena, A.; Villasenor, L.

We describe a simple experimental setup to measure the rate of arrival of muons at the surface of the Earth by using a single water Cerenkov detector and home-made electronics. We find a strong anti-correlation between the muon rates averaged over one-hour periods and the atmospheric pressure, with a measured correlation coefficient of -0.67% per hPa. After applying this correction we achieve sufficient sensitivity to observe long term (hours) variations in the averaged muon rates which are greater than 2%. Forbush decreases as big as 4% have been observed with muon detectors located at similar magnetic rigidities compared to Morelia,more » therefore our experimental setup will detect Forbush decreases as soon as the Sun enters into a more active phase.« less

Airway humidification during high-frequency percussive ventilation.

PubMed

Allan, Patrick F; Hollingsworth, Michael J; Maniere, Gordon C; Rakofsky, Anthony K; Chung, Kevin K; Naworol, Gregory A; Ward, John A; Perello, Michelle; Morris, Michael J

2009-03-01

We were concerned about the risk of inadequate humidification during high-frequency percussive ventilation (HFPV). We studied 5 humidifiers during HFPV with a lung model, at bias gas flows of 10 L/min, 30 L/min, and 50 L/min, and compared the results to those from a comparator ventilator/humidifier setup and to the minimum temperature (30 degrees C) and humidity (30 mg/L) [corrected] recommended by the American Association for Respiratory Care, at both regular room temperature and a high ambient temperature. Temperature was measured at the humidifier outflow point and at the artificial carina. Humidity was measured at the artificial carina. Of the 7 HFPV/humidifier combinations, 2 (the MR850 at a bias flow of 50 L/min, and the ConchaTherm Hi-Flow with VDR nebulizer) provided a carinal temperature equivalent to the comparator setup at room temperature, whereas one HFPV/humidifier combination (the ConchaTherm Hi-Flow with modified programming, at bias flows of 30 L/min and 50 L/min) provided a higher carinal temperature. At high ambient temperature, all of the setups delivered lower carinal temperature than the comparator setup. Only 2 setups (the ConchaTherm with modified programming at a bias flow of 50 L/min, and the ConchaTherm Hi-Flow with VDR nebulizer) provided carinal humidification equivalent to the comparator setup, without regard to ambient temperature; the other humidifiers were less effective. The ConchaTherm with modified programming, and the ConchaTherm with the VDR nebulizer provided the most consistent humidification. HFPV's distinctive gas-flow mechanism may impair gas heating and humidification, so all humidification systems should be tested with HFPV prior to clinical use.

Accelerometer-based automatic voice onset detection in speech mapping with navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

PubMed

Vitikainen, Anne-Mari; Mäkelä, Elina; Lioumis, Pantelis; Jousmäki, Veikko; Mäkelä, Jyrki P

2015-09-30

The use of navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in mapping of speech-related brain areas has recently shown to be useful in preoperative workflow of epilepsy and tumor patients. However, substantial inter- and intraobserver variability and non-optimal replicability of the rTMS results have been reported, and a need for additional development of the methodology is recognized. In TMS motor cortex mappings the evoked responses can be quantitatively monitored by electromyographic recordings; however, no such easily available setup exists for speech mappings. We present an accelerometer-based setup for detection of vocalization-related larynx vibrations combined with an automatic routine for voice onset detection for rTMS speech mapping applying naming. The results produced by the automatic routine were compared with the manually reviewed video-recordings. The new method was applied in the routine navigated rTMS speech mapping for 12 consecutive patients during preoperative workup for epilepsy or tumor surgery. The automatic routine correctly detected 96% of the voice onsets, resulting in 96% sensitivity and 71% specificity. Majority (63%) of the misdetections were related to visible throat movements, extra voices before the response, or delayed naming of the previous stimuli. The no-response errors were correctly detected in 88% of events. The proposed setup for automatic detection of voice onsets provides quantitative additional data for analysis of the rTMS-induced speech response modifications. The objectively defined speech response latencies increase the repeatability, reliability and stratification of the rTMS results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On-line soft sensing in upstream bioprocessing.

PubMed

Randek, Judit; Mandenius, Carl-Fredrik

2018-02-01

This review provides an overview and a critical discussion of novel possibilities of applying soft sensors for on-line monitoring and control of industrial bioprocesses. Focus is on bio-product formation in the upstream process but also the integration with other parts of the process is addressed. The term soft sensor is used for the combination of analytical hardware data (from sensors, analytical devices, instruments and actuators) with mathematical models that create new real-time information about the process. In particular, the review assesses these possibilities from an industrial perspective, including sensor performance, information value and production economy. The capabilities of existing analytical on-line techniques are scrutinized in view of their usefulness in soft sensor setups and in relation to typical needs in bioprocessing in general. The review concludes with specific recommendations for further development of soft sensors for the monitoring and control of upstream bioprocessing.

Actuator line simulations of a Joukowsky and Tjæreborg rotor using spectral element and finite volume methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleusberg, E.; Sarmast, S.; Schlatter, P.; Ivanell, S.; Henningson, D. S.

2016-09-01

The wake structure behind a wind turbine, generated by the spectral element code Nek5000, is compared with that from the finite volume code EllipSys3D. The wind turbine blades are modeled using the actuator line method. We conduct the comparison on two different setups. One is based on an idealized rotor approximation with constant circulation imposed along the blades corresponding to Glauert's optimal operating condition, and the other is the Tjffireborg wind turbine. The focus lies on analyzing the differences in the wake structures entailed by the different codes and corresponding setups. The comparisons show good agreement for the defining parameters of the wake such as the wake expansion, helix pitch and circulation of the helical vortices. Differences can be related to the lower numerical dissipation in Nek5000 and to the domain differences at the rotor center. At comparable resolution Nek5000 yields more accurate results. It is observed that in the spectral element method the helical vortices, both at the tip and root of the actuator lines, retain their initial swirl velocity distribution for a longer distance in the near wake. This results in a lower vortex core growth and larger maximum vorticity along the wake. Additionally, it is observed that the break down process of the spiral tip vortices is significantly different between the two methods, with vortex merging occurring immediately after the onset of instability in the finite volume code, while Nek5000 simulations exhibit a 2-3 radii period of vortex pairing before merging.

Singularities of interference of three waves with different polarization states.

PubMed

Kurzynowski, Piotr; Woźniak, Władysław A; Zdunek, Marzena; Borwińska, Monika

2012-11-19

We presented the interference setup which can produce interesting two-dimensional patterns in polarization state of the resulting light wave emerging from the setup. The main element of our setup is the Wollaston prism which gives two plane, linearly polarized waves (eigenwaves of both Wollaston's wedges) with linearly changed phase difference between them (along the x-axis). The third wave coming from the second arm of proposed polarization interferometer is linearly or circularly polarized with linearly changed phase difference along the y-axis. The interference of three plane waves with different polarization states (LLL - linear-linear-linear or LLC - linear-linear-circular) and variable change difference produce two-dimensional light polarization and phase distributions with some characteristic points and lines which can be claimed to constitute singularities of different types. The aim of this article is to find all kind of these phase and polarization singularities as well as their classification. We postulated in our theoretical simulations and verified in our experiments different kinds of polarization singularities, depending on which polarization parameter was considered (the azimuth and ellipticity angles or the diagonal and phase angles). We also observed the phase singularities as well as the isolated zero intensity points which resulted from the polarization singularities when the proper analyzer was used at the end of the setup. The classification of all these singularities as well as their relationships were analyzed and described.

Research in Wireless Networks and Communications

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

TESTBED SETUP AND INITIAL MULTI-HOP EXPERIENCE As a proof of concept, we assembled a testbed platform of nodes based on 400MHz AMD Geode single-board...experi- ments on a testbed network consisting of 400MHz AMD Geode single-board computers made by Thecus Inc. We equipped each of these nodes with two...ground nodes were placed on a line, with about 3 feet of separation between adjacent nodes. The nodes were powered by 400MHz AMD Geode single-board

[Correlation of medial compartmental joint line elevation with femorotibial angle correction and clinical function after unicompartmental arthroplasty].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhan-Feng; Wang, Dan; Min, Ji-Kang

2017-04-25

To study the correlation of postoperative femorotibial angle with medial compartmental joint line elevation after unicompartmental arthroplasty(UKA), as well as the correlation of joint line elevation with the clinical function by measuring radiological joint line. A retrospective study of 56 patients from July 2012 to August 2015 was performed. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 23.5 (ranged, 18.3 to 30.1). The standing anteroposterior radiographs of these patients were assessed both pre-and post-operatively, and the knee function was evaluated according to HSS grading. The correlation between postoperative femorotibial angle(FTA) and joint line elevation was analyzed as well as the correlation between joint line elevation and the clinical function. The mean medial joint line elevation was (2.2±2.0) mm(ranged, -3.3 to 7.0 mm), and the mean FTA correction was (2.3±3.0)°(ranged, -4.5° to 9.6°). The mean follow-up period was 12.2 months. There was a significant correlation between in joint line elevation and FTA correction( P <0.05), while there was no significant correlation between joint line elevation and the clinical function( P >0.05). There was a significant correlation between medial compartmental joint line elevation and FTA correction after UKA, and the proximal tibial osteotomy was critical during the procedure. There was no significant correlation between joint line elevation and the clinical function, which may be related to the design of UKA prosthesis.

Seeing the hand while reaching speeds up on-line responses to a sudden change in target position

PubMed Central

Reichenbach, Alexandra; Thielscher, Axel; Peer, Angelika; Bülthoff, Heinrich H; Bresciani, Jean-Pierre

2009-01-01

Goal-directed movements are executed under the permanent supervision of the central nervous system, which continuously processes sensory afferents and triggers on-line corrections if movement accuracy seems to be compromised. For arm reaching movements, visual information about the hand plays an important role in this supervision, notably improving reaching accuracy. Here, we tested whether visual feedback of the hand affects the latency of on-line responses to an external perturbation when reaching for a visual target. Two types of perturbation were used: visual perturbation consisted in changing the spatial location of the target and kinesthetic perturbation in applying a force step to the reaching arm. For both types of perturbation, the hand trajectory and the electromyographic (EMG) activity of shoulder muscles were analysed to assess whether visual feedback of the hand speeds up on-line corrections. Without visual feedback of the hand, on-line responses to visual perturbation exhibited the longest latency. This latency was reduced by about 10% when visual feedback of the hand was provided. On the other hand, the latency of on-line responses to kinesthetic perturbation was independent of the availability of visual feedback of the hand. In a control experiment, we tested the effect of visual feedback of the hand on visual and kinesthetic two-choice reaction times – for which coordinate transformation is not critical. Two-choice reaction times were never facilitated by visual feedback of the hand. Taken together, our results suggest that visual feedback of the hand speeds up on-line corrections when the position of the visual target with respect to the body must be re-computed during movement execution. This facilitation probably results from the possibility to map hand- and target-related information in a common visual reference frame. PMID:19675067

Assembly line performance and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rane, Arun B.; Sunnapwar, Vivek K.

2017-09-01

Automobile sector forms the backbone of manufacturing sector. Vehicle assembly line is important section in automobile plant where repetitive tasks are performed one after another at different workstations. In this thesis, a methodology is proposed to reduce cycle time and time loss due to important factors like equipment failure, shortage of inventory, absenteeism, set-up, material handling, rejection and fatigue to improve output within given cost constraints. Various relationships between these factors, corresponding cost and output are established by scientific approach. This methodology is validated in three different vehicle assembly plants. Proposed methodology may help practitioners to optimize the assembly line using lean techniques.

Inter- and Intrafraction Target Motion in Highly Focused Single Vocal Cord Irradiation of T1a Larynx Cancer Patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwa, Stefan L.S., E-mail: s.kwa@erasmusmc.nl; Al-Mamgani, Abrahim; Osman, Sarah O.S.

2015-09-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify clinical target volume–planning target volume (CTV-PTV) margins in single vocal cord irradiation (SVCI) of T1a larynx tumors and characterize inter- and intrafraction target motion. Methods and Materials: For 42 patients, a single vocal cord was irradiated using intensity modulated radiation therapy at a total dose of 58.1 Gy (16 fractions × 3.63 Gy). A daily cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was performed to online correct the setup of the thyroid cartilage after patient positioning with in-room lasers (interfraction motion correction). To monitor intrafraction motion, CBCT scans were also acquired just after patient repositioning and aftermore » dose delivery. A mixed online-offline setup correction protocol (“O2 protocol”) was designed to compensate for both inter- and intrafraction motion. Results: Observed interfraction, systematic (Σ), and random (σ) setup errors in left-right (LR), craniocaudal (CC), and anteroposterior (AP) directions were 0.9, 2.0, and 1.1 mm and 1.0, 1.6, and 1.0 mm, respectively. After correction of these errors, the following intrafraction movements derived from the CBCT acquired after dose delivery were: Σ = 0.4, 1.3, and 0.7 mm, and σ = 0.8, 1.4, and 0.8 mm. More than half of the patients showed a systematic non-zero intrafraction shift in target position, (ie, the mean intrafraction displacement over the treatment fractions was statistically significantly different from zero; P<.05). With the applied CTV-PTV margins (for most patients 3, 5, and 3 mm in LR, CC, and AP directions, respectively), the minimum CTV dose, estimated from the target displacements observed in the last CBCT, was at least 94% of the prescribed dose for all patients and more than 98% for most patients (37 of 42). The proposed O2 protocol could effectively reduce the systematic intrafraction errors observed after dose delivery to almost zero (Σ = 0.1, 0.2, 0.2 mm). Conclusions: With adequate image guidance and CTV-PTV margins in LR, CC, and AP directions of 3, 5, and 3 mm, respectively, excellent target coverage in SVCI could be ensured.« less

High dimensional linear regression models under long memory dependence and measurement error

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaul, Abhishek

This dissertation consists of three chapters. The first chapter introduces the models under consideration and motivates problems of interest. A brief literature review is also provided in this chapter. The second chapter investigates the properties of Lasso under long range dependent model errors. Lasso is a computationally efficient approach to model selection and estimation, and its properties are well studied when the regression errors are independent and identically distributed. We study the case, where the regression errors form a long memory moving average process. We establish a finite sample oracle inequality for the Lasso solution. We then show the asymptotic sign consistency in this setup. These results are established in the high dimensional setup (p> n) where p can be increasing exponentially with n. Finally, we show the consistency, n½ --d-consistency of Lasso, along with the oracle property of adaptive Lasso, in the case where p is fixed. Here d is the memory parameter of the stationary error sequence. The performance of Lasso is also analysed in the present setup with a simulation study. The third chapter proposes and investigates the properties of a penalized quantile based estimator for measurement error models. Standard formulations of prediction problems in high dimension regression models assume the availability of fully observed covariates and sub-Gaussian and homogeneous model errors. This makes these methods inapplicable to measurement errors models where covariates are unobservable and observations are possibly non sub-Gaussian and heterogeneous. We propose weighted penalized corrected quantile estimators for the regression parameter vector in linear regression models with additive measurement errors, where unobservable covariates are nonrandom. The proposed estimators forgo the need for the above mentioned model assumptions. We study these estimators in both the fixed dimension and high dimensional sparse setups, in the latter setup, the dimensionality can grow exponentially with the sample size. In the fixed dimensional setting we provide the oracle properties associated with the proposed estimators. In the high dimensional setting, we provide bounds for the statistical error associated with the estimation, that hold with asymptotic probability 1, thereby providing the ℓ1-consistency of the proposed estimator. We also establish the model selection consistency in terms of the correctly estimated zero components of the parameter vector. A simulation study that investigates the finite sample accuracy of the proposed estimator is also included in this chapter.

Observing electron spin resonance between 0.1 and 67 GHz at temperatures between 50 mK and 300 K using broadband metallic coplanar waveguides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiemann, Yvonne; Simmendinger, Julian; Clauss, Conrad

2015-05-11

We describe a fully broadband approach for electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments, where it is possible to tune not only the magnetic field but also the frequency continuously over wide ranges. Here, a metallic coplanar transmission line acts as compact and versatile microwave probe that can easily be implemented in different cryogenic setups. We perform ESR measurements at frequencies between 0.1 and 67 GHz and at temperatures between 50 mK and room temperature. Three different types of samples (Cr{sup 3+} ions in ruby, organic radicals of the nitronyl-nitroxide family, and the doped semiconductor Si:P) represent different possible fields of application formore » the technique. We demonstrate that an extremely large phase space in temperature, magnetic field, and frequency for ESR measurements, substantially exceeding the range of conventional ESR setups, is accessible with metallic coplanar lines.« less

Passing in Command Line Arguments and Parallel Cluster/Multicore Batching in R with batch.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Thomas J

2011-03-01

It is often useful to rerun a command line R script with some slight change in the parameters used to run it - a new set of parameters for a simulation, a different dataset to process, etc. The R package batch provides a means to pass in multiple command line options, including vectors of values in the usual R format, easily into R. The same script can be setup to run things in parallel via different command line arguments. The R package batch also provides a means to simplify this parallel batching by allowing one to use R and an R-like syntax for arguments to spread a script across a cluster or local multicore/multiprocessor computer, with automated syntax for several popular cluster types. Finally it provides a means to aggregate the results together of multiple processes run on a cluster.

Acoustic Environment Simulation Study; Acoustic Intrusion Sensor Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

PREPARED BY: LOREN ENOCHSON TIME SERIES ASSOCIATES 920 WEST 33RD AVENUE SPOKANE, WA 99203 PREPARED FOR : NAVAL...interface and 16 lines are provided which can be tested for on or off. This is probably the most reasonable approach and the least expensive. The ...straightforward. Possible uses for the link would seem to be restricted to downloading of test setups from the VAX to the PDP-1. Also final results

Object's optical geometry measurements based on Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szydłowski, Michał; Powałka, Bartosz; Chady, Tomasz; Waszczuk, Paweł

2017-02-01

The authors propose a method of using EDoF in macro inspections using bi-telecentric lenses and a specially designed experimental machine setup, allowing accurate focal distance changing. Also a software method is presented allowing EDoF image reconstruction using the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Exploited method results are additionally compared with measurements performed with Keyence's LJ-V Series in-line Profilometer for reference matters.

Hollow Fiber Bioreactors for In Vivo-like Mammalian Tissue Culture.

PubMed

Storm, Michael P; Sorrell, Ian; Shipley, Rebecca; Regan, Sophie; Luetchford, Kim A; Sathish, Jean; Webb, Steven; Ellis, Marianne J

2016-05-26

Tissue culture has been used for over 100 years to study cells and responses ex vivo. The convention of this technique is the growth of anchorage dependent cells on the 2-dimensional surface of tissue culture plastic. More recently, there is a growing body of data demonstrating more in vivo-like behaviors of cells grown in 3-dimensional culture systems. This manuscript describes in detail the set-up and operation of a hollow fiber bioreactor system for the in vivo-like culture of mammalian cells. The hollow fiber bioreactor system delivers media to the cells in a manner akin to the delivery of blood through the capillary networks in vivo. The system is designed to fit onto the shelf of a standard CO2 incubator and is simple enough to be set-up by any competent cell biologist with a good understanding of aseptic technique. The systems utility is demonstrated by culturing the hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2/C3A for 7 days. Further to this and in line with other published reports on the functionality of cells grown in 3-dimensional culture systems the cells are shown to possess increased albumin production (an important hepatic function) when compared to standard 2-dimensional tissue culture.

Resolution power in digital in-line holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Sucerquia, J.; Xu, W.; Jericho, S. K.; Jericho, M. H.; Klages, P.; Kreuzer, H. J.

2006-01-01

Digital in-line holographic microscopy (DIHM) can achieve wavelength resolution both laterally and in depth with the simple optical setup consisting of a laser illuminating a wavelength-sized pinhole and a CCD camera for recording the hologram. The reconstruction is done numerically on the basis of the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz transform which yields a three-dimensional image of the objects throughout the sample volume. Resolution in DIHM depends on several controllable factors or parameters: (1) pinhole size controlling spatial coherence, (2) numerical aperture given by the size and positioning of the recording CCD chip, (3) pixel density and dynamic range controlling fringe resolution and noise level in the hologram and (4) wavelength. We present a detailed study of the individual and combined effects of these factors by doing an analytical analysis coupled with numerical simulations of holograms and their reconstruction. The result of this analysis is a set of criteria, also in the form of graphs, which can be used for the optimum design of the DIHM setup. We will also present a series of experimental results that test and confirm our theoretical analysis. The ultimate resolution to date is the imaging of the motion of submicron spheres and bacteria, a few microns apart, with speeds of hundreds of microns per second.

Multiple structured light system for the 3D measurement of feet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaertner, Hansjoerg; Lavoie, Jean-Francois; Vermette, Eric; Houle, Pascal-Simon

1999-03-01

In the field of custom foot orthosis bio-mechanics specialists take negative casts of the patient's feet and produce a positive on which they apply corrective elements. The corrected positive cast is then used to thermoform an orthosis. Several production steps can be simplified or eliminated by a 3D-acquisition of the underside of the foot. Such a complete custom footwear system, developed by Neogenix Technologies Inc., has been reported last year in IS and T/SPIE's symposium. A major improvement aimed at maximizing the coverage of the underside of foot surface has been achieved since by using multiple structured light projection technique. A description of a patent pending hardware set-up and range data extraction by software will be given in this paper.

Design of a LaB 6 gun using EGN2 and INTMAG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, R.; Herrmannsfeldt, W. B.

1990-12-01

In order to launch a high-density electron beam to be focused in the 5 T superconducting solenoid of the Frankfurt EBIS [R. Becker et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B24 (1987) 838], an electron gun has been designed, with a 0.5 mm diameter LaB 6 cathode (FEI Comp., Beaverton, USA) in a 70 mm diameter electrode geometry. The emitting surface is placed in the axial fringing field of the solenoid, modified by an axial shielding disk and a bucking coil, to provide either immersed flow or Brillouin flow conditions for the focused beam. Since the cathode diameter is small as compared to the electrodes, a new feature of EGN2 [W.B. Herrmannsfeldt, SLAC-331 (1988)] had to be used in order to have a sufficient number of meshes along the emitting surface. By starting a field line in the large geometry, a curved Neumann boundary is found for a subdivided part of the gun, which represents the influence of the larger part. EGN2 writes the coordinates of this field line on a file, which can be used by POLYGON [R. Becker, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B42 (1989) 162] (a boundary setup program for EGN2) to define a curved Neumann boundary. By this procedure, it becomes possible to get a reliable simulation of the emission properties of a small cathode in large gun electrodes. The magnetostatic field calculations have been performed with INTMAG [R. Becker, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B42 (1989) 303], which is a new program of the boundary element method type. Due to the integration calculus, the results do not need smoothing or "Maxwellisation" for the use in EGN2, where the off-axis fields are evaluated by radial expansion. INTMAG provides an output file, which is suitably formatted to be read in by EGN2. The gun design is based on space-charge-limited emission, but no Pierce-type electrode has been provided in the vicinity of the cathode; instead a Wehnelt electrode on negative bias with respect to the cathode is used to create the correct Pierce-type equipotential in free space, ending on the cathode edge with the correct angle. This gives an additional adjustment tool, if the axial position of the gun is not perfect and it relaxes the radial tolerance requirements considerably.

Broadband microwave spectroscopy in Corbino geometry at 3He temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, Katrin; Scheffler, Marc; Dressel, Martin

2012-02-01

A broadband microwave spectrometer has been constructed to determine the complex conductivity of thin metal films at frequencies from 45 MHz to 20 GHz working in the temperature range from 0.45 K to 2 K (in a 3He cryostat). The setup follows the Corbino approach: a vector network analyzer measures the complex reflection coefficient of a microwave signal hitting the sample as termination of a coaxial transmission line. As the calibration of the setup limits the achievable resolution, we discuss the sources of error hampering different types of calibration. Test measurements of the complex conductivity of a heavy-fermion material demonstrate the applicability of the calibration procedures.

Topographic correction realization based on the CBERS-02B image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Hui-ping; Yi, Wei-ning; Fang, Yong-hua

2011-08-01

The special topography of mountain terrain will induce the retrieval distortion in same species and surface spectral lines. In order to improve the research accuracy of topographic surface characteristic, many researchers have focused on topographic correction. Topographic correction methods can be statistical-empirical model or physical model, in which the methods based on the digital elevation model data are most popular. Restricted by spatial resolution, previous model mostly corrected topographic effect based on Landsat TM image, whose spatial resolution is 30 meter that can be easily achieved from internet or calculated from digital map. Some researchers have also done topographic correction based on high spatial resolution images, such as Quickbird and Ikonos, but there is little correlative research on the topographic correction of CBERS-02B image. In this study, liao-ning mountain terrain was taken as the objective. The digital elevation model data was interpolated to 2.36 meter by 15 meter original digital elevation model one meter by one meter. The C correction, SCS+C correction, Minnaert correction and Ekstrand-r were executed to correct the topographic effect. Then the corrected results were achieved and compared. The images corrected with C correction, SCS+C correction, Minnaert correction and Ekstrand-r were compared, and the scatter diagrams between image digital number and cosine of solar incidence angel with respect to surface normal were shown. The mean value, standard variance, slope of scatter diagram, and separation factor were statistically calculated. The analysed result shows that the shadow is weakened in corrected images than the original images, and the three-dimensional affect is removed. The absolute slope of fitting lines in scatter diagram is minished. Minnaert correction method has the most effective result. These demonstrate that the former correction methods can be successfully adapted to CBERS-02B images. The DEM data can be interpolated step by step to get the corresponding spatial resolution approximately for the condition that high spatial resolution elevation data is hard to get.

PyCDT: A Python toolkit for modeling point defects in semiconductors and insulators

DOE PAGES

Broberg, Danny; Medasani, Bharat; Zimmermann, Nils E. R.; ...

2018-02-13

Point defects have a strong impact on the performance of semiconductor and insulator materials used in technological applications, spanning microelectronics to energy conversion and storage. The nature of the dominant defect types, how they vary with processing conditions, and their impact on materials properties are central aspects that determine the performance of a material in a certain application. This information is, however, difficult to access directly from experimental measurements. Consequently, computational methods, based on electronic density functional theory (DFT), have found widespread use in the calculation of point-defect properties. Here we have developed the Python Charged Defect Toolkit (PyCDT) tomore » expedite the setup and post-processing of defect calculations with widely used DFT software. PyCDT has a user-friendly command-line interface and provides a direct interface with the Materials Project database. This allows for setting up many charged defect calculations for any material of interest, as well as post-processing and applying state-of-the-art electrostatic correction terms. Our paper serves as a documentation for PyCDT, and demonstrates its use in an application to the well-studied GaAs compound semiconductor. As a result, we anticipate that the PyCDT code will be useful as a framework for undertaking readily reproducible calculations of charged point-defect properties, and that it will provide a foundation for automated, high-throughput calculations.« less

On the Use of Monopole Antennas for Determining the Effect of the Enclosure of a Power Transformer Tank in Partial Discharges Electromagnetic Propagation

PubMed Central

Albarracín, Ricardo; Ardila-Rey, Jorge Alfredo; Mas’ud, Abdullahi Abubakar

2016-01-01

A well-defined condition-monitoring for power transformers is key to implementing a correct condition-based maintenance (CBM). In this regard, partial discharges (PD) measurement and its analysis allows to carry out on-line maintenance following the standards IEC-60270 and IEC-60076. However, new PD measurements techniques, such as acoustics or electromagnetic (EM) acquisitions using ultra-high-frequency (UHF) sensors are being taken into account, IEC-62478. PD measurements with antennas and the effect of their EM propagation in power transformer tanks is an open research topic that is considered in this paper. In this sense, an empty tank model is studied as a rectangular cavity and their resonances are calculated and compared with their measurement with a network analyser. Besides, two low cost improved monopole antennas deployed inside and outside of the tank model capture background noise and PD pulses in three different test objects (Nomex, twisted pair and insulator). The average spectrum of them are compared and can be found that mainly, the antenna frequency response, the frequency content distribution depending on the PD source and the enclosure resonances modes are the main factors to be considered in PD acquisitions with these sensors. Finally, with this set-up, it is possible to measure PD activity inside the tank from outside. PMID:26821022

On the Use of Monopole Antennas for Determining the Effect of the Enclosure of a Power Transformer Tank in Partial Discharges Electromagnetic Propagation.

PubMed

Albarracín, Ricardo; Ardila-Rey, Jorge Alfredo; Mas'ud, Abdullahi Abubakar

2016-01-25

A well-defined condition-monitoring for power transformers is key to implementing a correct condition-based maintenance (CBM). In this regard, partial discharges (PD) measurement and its analysis allows to carry out on-line maintenance following the standards IEC-60270 and IEC-60076. However, new PD measurements techniques, such as acoustics or electromagnetic (EM) acquisitions using ultra-high-frequency (UHF) sensors are being taken into account, IEC-62478. PD measurements with antennas and the effect of their EM propagation in power transformer tanks is an open research topic that is considered in this paper. In this sense, an empty tank model is studied as a rectangular cavity and their resonances are calculated and compared with their measurement with a network analyser. Besides, two low cost improved monopole antennas deployed inside and outside of the tank model capture background noise and PD pulses in three different test objects (Nomex, twisted pair and insulator). The average spectrum of them are compared and can be found that mainly, the antenna frequency response, the frequency content distribution depending on the PD source and the enclosure resonances modes are the main factors to be considered in PD acquisitions with these sensors. Finally, with this set-up, it is possible to measure PD activity inside the tank from outside.

PyCDT: A Python toolkit for modeling point defects in semiconductors and insulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broberg, Danny; Medasani, Bharat; Zimmermann, Nils E. R.; Yu, Guodong; Canning, Andrew; Haranczyk, Maciej; Asta, Mark; Hautier, Geoffroy

2018-05-01

Point defects have a strong impact on the performance of semiconductor and insulator materials used in technological applications, spanning microelectronics to energy conversion and storage. The nature of the dominant defect types, how they vary with processing conditions, and their impact on materials properties are central aspects that determine the performance of a material in a certain application. This information is, however, difficult to access directly from experimental measurements. Consequently, computational methods, based on electronic density functional theory (DFT), have found widespread use in the calculation of point-defect properties. Here we have developed the Python Charged Defect Toolkit (PyCDT) to expedite the setup and post-processing of defect calculations with widely used DFT software. PyCDT has a user-friendly command-line interface and provides a direct interface with the Materials Project database. This allows for setting up many charged defect calculations for any material of interest, as well as post-processing and applying state-of-the-art electrostatic correction terms. Our paper serves as a documentation for PyCDT, and demonstrates its use in an application to the well-studied GaAs compound semiconductor. We anticipate that the PyCDT code will be useful as a framework for undertaking readily reproducible calculations of charged point-defect properties, and that it will provide a foundation for automated, high-throughput calculations.

PyCDT: A Python toolkit for modeling point defects in semiconductors and insulators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Broberg, Danny; Medasani, Bharat; Zimmermann, Nils E. R.

Point defects have a strong impact on the performance of semiconductor and insulator materials used in technological applications, spanning microelectronics to energy conversion and storage. The nature of the dominant defect types, how they vary with processing conditions, and their impact on materials properties are central aspects that determine the performance of a material in a certain application. This information is, however, difficult to access directly from experimental measurements. Consequently, computational methods, based on electronic density functional theory DFT), have found widespread use in the calculation of point defect properties. Here we have developed the Python Charged Defect Toolkit (PyCDT)more » to expedite the setup and post-processing of defect calculations with widely used DFT software. PyCDT has a user-friendly command-line interface and provides a direct interface with the Materials Project database. This allows for setting up many charged defect calculations for any material of interest, as well as post-processing and applying state-of-the-art electrostatic correction terms. Our paper serves as a documentation for PyCDT, and demonstrates its use in an application to the well-studied GaAs compound semiconductor. We anticipate that the PyCDT code will be useful as a framework for undertaking readily reproducible calculations of charged point-defect properties, and that it will provide a foundation for automated, high-throughput calculations.« less

PyCDT: A Python toolkit for modeling point defects in semiconductors and insulators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Broberg, Danny; Medasani, Bharat; Zimmermann, Nils E. R.

Point defects have a strong impact on the performance of semiconductor and insulator materials used in technological applications, spanning microelectronics to energy conversion and storage. The nature of the dominant defect types, how they vary with processing conditions, and their impact on materials properties are central aspects that determine the performance of a material in a certain application. This information is, however, difficult to access directly from experimental measurements. Consequently, computational methods, based on electronic density functional theory (DFT), have found widespread use in the calculation of point-defect properties. Here we have developed the Python Charged Defect Toolkit (PyCDT) tomore » expedite the setup and post-processing of defect calculations with widely used DFT software. PyCDT has a user-friendly command-line interface and provides a direct interface with the Materials Project database. This allows for setting up many charged defect calculations for any material of interest, as well as post-processing and applying state-of-the-art electrostatic correction terms. Our paper serves as a documentation for PyCDT, and demonstrates its use in an application to the well-studied GaAs compound semiconductor. As a result, we anticipate that the PyCDT code will be useful as a framework for undertaking readily reproducible calculations of charged point-defect properties, and that it will provide a foundation for automated, high-throughput calculations.« less

Effect of Body Mass Index on Magnitude of Setup Errors in Patients Treated With Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Endometrial Cancer With Daily Image Guidance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Lilie L., E-mail: lin@uphs.upenn.edu; Hertan, Lauren; Rengan, Ramesh

2012-06-01

Purpose: To determine the impact of body mass index (BMI) on daily setup variations and frequency of imaging necessary for patients with endometrial cancer treated with adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with daily image guidance. Methods and Materials: The daily shifts from a total of 782 orthogonal kilovoltage images from 30 patients who received pelvic IMRT between July 2008 and August 2010 were analyzed. The BMI, mean daily shifts, and random and systematic errors in each translational and rotational direction were calculated for each patient. Margin recipes were generated based on BMI. Linear regression and spearman rank correlation analysis were performed.more » To simulate a less-than-daily IGRT protocol, the average shift of the first five fractions was applied to subsequent setups without IGRT for assessing the impact on setup error and margin requirements. Results: Median BMI was 32.9 (range, 23-62). Of the 30 patients, 16.7% (n = 5) were normal weight (BMI <25); 23.3% (n = 7) were overweight (BMI {>=}25 to <30); 26.7% (n = 8) were mildly obese (BMI {>=}30 to <35); and 33.3% (n = 10) were moderately to severely obese (BMI {>=} 35). On linear regression, mean absolute vertical, longitudinal, and lateral shifts positively correlated with BMI (p = 0.0127, p = 0.0037, and p < 0.0001, respectively). Systematic errors in the longitudinal and vertical direction were found to be positively correlated with BMI category (p < 0.0001 for both). IGRT for the first five fractions, followed by correction of the mean error for all subsequent fractions, led to a substantial reduction in setup error and resultant margin requirement overall compared with no IGRT. Conclusions: Daily shifts, systematic errors, and margin requirements were greatest in obese patients. For women who are normal or overweight, a planning target margin margin of 7 to 10 mm may be sufficient without IGRT, but for patients who are moderately or severely obese, this is insufficient.« less

Removing Distortion of Periapical Radiographs in Dental Digital Radiography Using Embedded Markers in an External frame.

PubMed

Kafieh, Rahele; Shahamoradi, Mahdi; Hekmatian, Ehsan; Foroohandeh, Mehrdad; Emamidoost, Mostafa

2012-10-01

To carry out in vivo and in vitro comparative pilot study to evaluate the preciseness of a newly proposed digital dental radiography setup. This setup was based on markers placed on an external frame to eliminate the measurement errors due to incorrect geometry in relative positioning of cone, teeth and the sensor. Five patients with previous panoramic images were selected to undergo the proposed periapical digital imaging for in vivo phase. For in vitro phase, 40 extracted teeth were replanted in dry mandibular sockets and periapical digital images were prepared. The standard reference for real scales of the teeth were obtained through extracted teeth measurements for in vitro application and were calculated through panoramic imaging for in vivo phases. The proposed image processing thechnique was applied on periapical digital images to distinguish the incorrect geometry. The recognized error was inversely applied on the image and the modified images were compared to the correct values. The measurement findings after the distortion removal were compared to our gold standards (results of panoramic imaging or measurements from extracted teeth) and showed the accuracy of 96.45% through in vivo examinations and 96.0% through in vitro tests. The proposed distortion removal method is perfectly able to identify the possible inaccurate geometry during image acquisition and is capable of applying the inverse transform to the distorted radiograph to obtain the correctly modified image. This can be really helpful in applications like root canal therapy, implant surgical procedures and digital subtraction radiography, which are essentially dependent on precise measurements.

Removing Distortion of Periapical Radiographs in Dental Digital Radiography Using Embedded Markers in an External frame

PubMed Central

Kafieh, Rahele; Shahamoradi, Mahdi; Hekmatian, Ehsan; Foroohandeh, Mehrdad; Emamidoost, Mostafa

2012-01-01

To carry out in vivo and in vitro comparative pilot study to evaluate the preciseness of a newly proposed digital dental radiography setup. This setup was based on markers placed on an external frame to eliminate the measurement errors due to incorrect geometry in relative positioning of cone, teeth and the sensor. Five patients with previous panoramic images were selected to undergo the proposed periapical digital imaging for in vivo phase. For in vitro phase, 40 extracted teeth were replanted in dry mandibular sockets and periapical digital images were prepared. The standard reference for real scales of the teeth were obtained through extracted teeth measurements for in vitro application and were calculated through panoramic imaging for in vivo phases. The proposed image processing thechnique was applied on periapical digital images to distinguish the incorrect geometry. The recognized error was inversely applied on the image and the modified images were compared to the correct values. The measurement findings after the distortion removal were compared to our gold standards (results of panoramic imaging or measurements from extracted teeth) and showed the accuracy of 96.45% through in vivo examinations and 96.0% through in vitro tests. The proposed distortion removal method is perfectly able to identify the possible inaccurate geometry during image acquisition and is capable of applying the inverse transform to the distorted radiograph to obtain the correctly modified image. This can be really helpful in applications like root canal therapy, implant surgical procedures and digital subtraction radiography, which are essentially dependent on precise measurements. PMID:23724372

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chambers, W.F.; Doyle, J.H.

QUANT is a special schedule for electron microprobes which are automated with Tracor Northern electronics. QUANT is called from the SANDIA TASK-78 control program and provides simultaneous data acquisition and data reduction capabilities using either a first principles atomic number, absorption, fluorescence (ZAF) technique or a matrix correction (Bence--Albee) technique. During operation, QUANT controls the execution of three auxiliary programs - BA78, ZAF78, and SETUP.

Corneal topometry by fringe projection: limits and possibilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Windecker, Robert; Tiziani, Hans J.; Thiel, H.; Jean, Benedikt J.

1996-01-01

A fast and accurate measurement of corneal topography is an important task especially since laser induced corneal reshaping has been used for the correction of ametropia. The classical measuring system uses Placido rings for the measurement and calculation of the topography or local curvatures. Another approach is the projection of a known fringe map to be imaged onto the surface under a certain angle of incidence. We present a set-up using telecentric illumination and detection units. With a special grating we get a synthetic wavelength with a nearly sinusoidal profile. In combination with a very fast data acquisition the topography can be evaluated using as special selfnormalizing phase evaluation algorithm. It calculates local Fourier coefficients and corrects errors caused by imperfect illumination or inhomogeneous scattering by fringe normalization. The topography can be determined over 700 by 256 pixel. The set-up is suitable to measure optically rough silicon replica of the human cornea as well as the cornea in vivo over a field of 8 mm and more. The resolution is mainly limited by noise and is better than two micrometers. We discuss the principle benefits and the drawbacks compared with standard Placido technique.

A comparison of 15 Hz sine on-line and off-line magnetic stimulation affecting the voltage-gated sodium channel currents of prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yu; Dong, Lei; Gao, Yang; Dou, Jun-Rong; Li, Ze-yan

2016-10-01

Combined with the use of patch-clamp techniques, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has proven to be a noninvasive neuromodulation tool that can inhibit or facilitate excitability of neurons after extensive research. The studies generally focused on the method: the neurons are first stimulated in an external standard magnetic exposure device, and then moved to the patch-clamp to record electrophysiological characteristics (off-line magnetic exposure). Despite its universality, real-time observation of the effects of magnetic stimulation on the neurons is more effective (on-line magnetic stimulation). In this study, we selected a standard exposure device for magnetic fields acting on mouse prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons, and described a new method that a patch-clamp setup was modified to allow on-line magnetic stimulation. By comparing the off-line exposure and on-line stimulation of the same magnetic field intensity and frequency affecting the voltage-gated sodium channel currents, we succeeded in proving the feasibility of the new on-line stimulation device. We also demonstrated that the sodium channel currents of prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons increased significantly under the 15 Hz sine 1 mT, and 2 mT off-line magnetic field exposure and under the 1 mT and 2 mT on-line magnetic stimulation, and the rate of acceleration was most significant on 2 mT on-line magnetic stimulation. This study described the development of a new on-line magnetic stimulator and successfully demonstrated its practicability for scientific stimulation of neurons.

Dual frequency comb metrology with one fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xin; Takeshi, Yasui; Zheng, Zheng

2016-11-01

Optical metrology techniques based on dual optical frequency combs have emerged as a hotly studied area targeting a wide range of applications from optical spectroscopy to microwave and terahertz frequency measurement. Generating two sets of high-quality comb lines with slightly different comb-tooth spacings with high mutual coherence and stability is the key to most of the dual-comb schemes. The complexity and costs of such laser sources and the associated control systems to lock the two frequency combs hinder the wider adoption of such techniques. Here we demonstrate a very simple and rather different approach to tackle such a challenge. By employing novel laser cavity designs in a mode-locked fiber laser, a simple fiber laser setup could emit dual-comb pulse output with high stability and good coherence between the pulse trains. Based on such lasers, comb-tooth-resolved dual-comb optical spectroscopy is demonstrated. Picometer spectral resolving capability could be realized with a fiber-optic setup and a low-cost data acquisition system and standard algorithms. Besides, the frequency of microwave signals over a large range can be determined based on a simple setup. Our results show the capability of such single-fiber-laser-based dual-comb scheme to reduce the complexity and cost of dual-comb systems with excellent quality for different dual-comb applications.

Protocol for Determining Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diode (UV-LED) Fluence for Microbial Inactivation Studies.

PubMed

Kheyrandish, Ataollah; Mohseni, Madjid; Taghipour, Fariborz

2018-06-15

Determining fluence is essential to derive the inactivation kinetics of microorganisms and to design ultraviolet (UV) reactors for water disinfection. UV light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are emerging UV sources with various advantages compared to conventional UV lamps. Unlike conventional mercury lamps, no standard method is available to determine the average fluence of the UV-LEDs, and conventional methods used to determine the fluence for UV mercury lamps are not applicable to UV-LEDs due to the relatively low power output, polychromatic wavelength, and specific radiation profile of UV-LEDs. In this study, a method was developed to determine the average fluence inside a water suspension in a UV-LED experimental setup. In this method, the average fluence was estimated by measuring the irradiance at a few points for a collimated and uniform radiation on a Petri dish surface. New correction parameters were defined and proposed, and several of the existing parameters for determining the fluence of the UV mercury lamp apparatus were revised to measure and quantify the collimation and uniformity of the radiation. To study the effect of polychromatic output and radiation profile of the UV-LEDs, two UV-LEDs with peak wavelengths of 262 and 275 nm and different radiation profiles were selected as the representatives of typical UV-LEDs applied to microbial inactivation. The proper setup configuration for microorganism inactivation studies was also determined based on the defined correction factors.

Precise predictions of H2O line shapes over a wide pressure range using simulations corrected by a single measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngo, N. H.; Nguyen, H. T.; Tran, H.

2018-03-01

In this work, we show that precise predictions of the shapes of H2O rovibrational lines broadened by N2, over a wide pressure range, can be made using simulations corrected by a single measurement. For that, we use the partially-correlated speed-dependent Keilson-Storer (pcsdKS) model whose parameters are deduced from molecular dynamics simulations and semi-classical calculations. This model takes into account the collision-induced velocity-changes effects, the speed dependences of the collisional line width and shift as well as the correlation between velocity and internal-state changes. For each considered transition, the model is corrected by using a parameter deduced from its broadening coefficient measured for a single pressure. The corrected-pcsdKS model is then used to simulate spectra for a wide pressure range. Direct comparisons of the corrected-pcsdKS calculated and measured spectra of 5 rovibrational lines of H2O for various pressures, from 0.1 to 1.2 atm, show very good agreements. Their maximum differences are in most cases well below 1%, much smaller than residuals obtained when fitting the measurements with the Voigt line shape. This shows that the present procedure can be used to predict H2O line shapes for various pressure conditions and thus the simulated spectra can be used to deduce the refined line-shape parameters to complete spectroscopic databases, in the absence of relevant experimental values.

77 FR 2658 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-19

... high pressure fuel lines due to improper installation of an expandable pin on the lower cowl assembly... chafing of the high pressure fuel lines, which if not corrected, could cause fuel leakage in a fire zone... on a high pressure (HP) fuel line. The source of chafing was related to the improper installation of...

Revised radiometric calibration technique for LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, J.; Butlin, T.; Duff, P.; Fitzgerald, A.

1984-01-01

Depending on detector number, there are random fluctuations in the background level for spectral band 1 of magnitudes ranging from 2 to 3.5 digital numbers (DN). Similar variability is observed in all the other reflective bands, but with smaller magnitude in the range 0.5 to 2.5 DN. Observations of background reference levels show that line dependent variations in raw TM image data and in the associated calibration data can be measured and corrected within an operational environment by applying simple offset corrections on a line-by-line basis. The radiometric calibration procedure defined by the Canadian Center for Remote Sensing was revised accordingly in order to prevent striping in the output product.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simonetto, Andrea; Dall'Anese, Emiliano

This article develops online algorithms to track solutions of time-varying constrained optimization problems. Particularly, resembling workhorse Kalman filtering-based approaches for dynamical systems, the proposed methods involve prediction-correction steps to provably track the trajectory of the optimal solutions of time-varying convex problems. The merits of existing prediction-correction methods have been shown for unconstrained problems and for setups where computing the inverse of the Hessian of the cost function is computationally affordable. This paper addresses the limitations of existing methods by tackling constrained problems and by designing first-order prediction steps that rely on the Hessian of the cost function (and do notmore » require the computation of its inverse). In addition, the proposed methods are shown to improve the convergence speed of existing prediction-correction methods when applied to unconstrained problems. Numerical simulations corroborate the analytical results and showcase performance and benefits of the proposed algorithms. A realistic application of the proposed method to real-time control of energy resources is presented.« less

LANDSAT-4 MSS Geometric Correction: Methods and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, J.; Kimmer, E.; Su, J.

1984-01-01

An automated image registration system such as that developed for LANDSAT-4 can produce all of the information needed to verify and calibrate the software and to evaluate system performance. The on-line MSS archive generation process which upgrades systematic correction data to geodetic correction data is described as well as the control point library build subsystem which generates control point chips and support data for on-line upgrade of correction data. The system performance was evaluated for both temporal and geodetic registration. For temporal registration, 90% errors were computed to be .36 IFOV (instantaneous field of view) = 82.7 meters) cross track, and .29 IFOV along track. Also, for actual production runs monitored, the 90% errors were .29 IFOV cross track and .25 IFOV along track. The system specification is .3 IFOV, 90% of the time, both cross and along track. For geodetic registration performance, the model bias was measured by designating control points in the geodetically corrected imagery.

Extraction of memory colors for preferred color correction in digital TVs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Byong Tae; Yeom, Jee Young; Kim, Choon-Woo; Ahn, Ji-Young; Kang, Dong-Woo; Shin, Hyun-Ho

2009-01-01

Subjective image quality is one of the most important performance indicators for digital TVs. In order to improve subjective image quality, preferred color correction is often employed. More specifically, areas of memory colors such as skin, grass, and sky are modified to generate pleasing impression to viewers. Before applying the preferred color correction, tendency of preference for memory colors should be identified. It is often accomplished by off-line human visual tests. Areas containing the memory colors should be extracted then color correction is applied to the extracted areas. These processes should be performed on-line. This paper presents a new method for area extraction of three types of memory colors. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated by calculating the correct and false detection ratios. Experimental results indicate that proposed method outperform previous methods proposed for the memory color extraction.

Upper-limb biomechanical analysis of wheelchair transfer techniques in two toilet configurations.

PubMed

Tsai, Chung-Ying; Boninger, Michael L; Bass, Sarah R; Koontz, Alicia M

2018-06-01

Using proper technique is important for minimizing upper limb kinetics during wheelchair transfers. The objective of the study was to 1) evaluate the transfer techniques used during toilet transfers and 2) determine the impact of technique on upper limb joint loading for two different toilet configurations. Twenty-six manual wheelchair users (23 men and 3 women) performed transfers in a side and front wheelchair-toilet orientation while their habitual transfer techniques were evaluated using the Transfer Assessment Instrument. A motion analysis system and force sensors were used to record biomechanical data during the transfers. More than 20% of the participants failed to complete five transfer skills in the side setup compared to three skills in the front setup. Higher quality skills overall were associated with lower peak forces and moments in both toilet configurations (-0.68 < r < -0.40, p < 0.05). In the side setup, participants who properly placed their hands in a stable position and used proper leading handgrips had lower shoulder resultant joint forces and moments than participants who did not perform these skills correctly (p ≤ 0.04). In the front setup, positioning the wheelchair within three inches of the transfer target was associated with reduced peak trailing forces and moments across all three upper limb joints (p = 0.02). Transfer skills training, making toilet seats level with the wheelchair seat, positioning the wheelchair closer to the toilet and mounting grab bars in a more ideal location for persons who do sitting pivot transfers may facilitate better quality toilet transfers. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A system to geometrically rectify and map airborne scanner imagery and to estimate ground area. [by computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spencer, M. M.; Wolf, J. M.; Schall, M. A.

1974-01-01

A system of computer programs were developed which performs geometric rectification and line-by-line mapping of airborne multispectral scanner data to ground coordinates and estimates ground area. The system requires aircraft attitude and positional information furnished by ancillary aircraft equipment, as well as ground control points. The geometric correction and mapping procedure locates the scan lines, or the pixels on each line, in terms of map grid coordinates. The area estimation procedure gives ground area for each pixel or for a predesignated parcel specified in map grid coordinates. The results of exercising the system with simulated data showed the uncorrected video and corrected imagery and produced area estimates accurate to better than 99.7%.

Modular invariant inflation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kobayashi, Tatsuo; Nitta, Daisuke; Urakawa, Yuko

2016-08-08

Modular invariance is a striking symmetry in string theory, which may keep stringy corrections under control. In this paper, we investigate a phenomenological consequence of the modular invariance, assuming that this symmetry is preserved as well as in a four dimensional (4D) low energy effective field theory. As a concrete setup, we consider a modulus field T whose contribution in the 4D effective field theory remains invariant under the modular transformation and study inflation drived by T. The modular invariance restricts a possible form of the scalar potenntial. As a result, large field models of inflation are hardly realized. Meanwhile,more » a small field model of inflation can be still accomodated in this restricted setup. The scalar potential traced during the slow-roll inflation mimics the hilltop potential V{sub ht}, but it also has a non-negligible deviation from V{sub ht}. Detecting the primordial gravitational waves predicted in this model is rather challenging. Yet, we argue that it may be still possible to falsify this model by combining the information in the reheating process which can be determined self-completely in this setup.« less

Application of Pressure-Based Wall Correction Methods to Two NASA Langley Wind Tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iyer, V.; Everhart, J. L.

2001-01-01

This paper is a description and status report on the implementation and application of the WICS wall interference method to the National Transonic Facility (NTF) and the 14 x 22-ft subsonic wind tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center. The method calculates free-air corrections to the measured parameters and aerodynamic coefficients for full span and semispan models when the tunnels are in the solid-wall configuration. From a data quality point of view, these corrections remove predictable bias errors in the measurement due to the presence of the tunnel walls. At the NTF, the method is operational in the off-line and on-line modes, with three tests already computed for wall corrections. At the 14 x 22-ft tunnel, initial implementation has been done based on a test on a full span wing. This facility is currently scheduled for an upgrade to its wall pressure measurement system. With the addition of new wall orifices and other instrumentation upgrades, a significant improvement in the wall correction accuracy is expected.

Setup in a clinical workflow and impact on radiotherapy routine of an in vivo dosimetry procedure with an electronic portal imaging device

PubMed Central

Piermattei, Angelo; Kang, Shengwei; Xiao, Mingyong; Tang, Bin; Liao, Xiongfei; Xin, Xin; Grusio, Mattia

2018-01-01

High conformal techniques such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy are widely used in overloaded radiotherapy departments. In vivo dosimetric screening is essential in this environment to avoid important dosimetric errors. This work examines the feasibility of introducing in vivo dosimetry (IVD) checks in a radiotherapy routine. The causes of dosimetric disagreements between delivered and planned treatments were identified and corrected during the course of treatment. The efficiency of the corrections performed and the added workload needed for the entire procedure were evaluated. The IVD procedure was based on an electronic portal imaging device. A total of 3682 IVD tests were performed for 147 patients who underwent head and neck, abdomen, pelvis, breast, and thorax radiotherapy treatments. Two types of indices were evaluated and used to determine if the IVD tests were within tolerance levels: the ratio R between the reconstructed and planned isocentre doses and a transit dosimetry based on the γ-analysis of the electronic portal images. The causes of test outside tolerance level were investigated and corrected and IVD test was repeated during subsequent fraction. The time needed for each step of the IVD procedure was registered. Pelvis, abdomen, and head and neck treatments had 10% of tests out of tolerance whereas breast and thorax treatments accounted for up to 25%. The patient setup was the main cause of 90% of the IVD tests out of tolerance and the remaining 10% was due to patient morphological changes. An average time of 42 min per day was sufficient to monitor a daily workload of 60 patients in treatment. This work shows that IVD performed with an electronic portal imaging device is feasible in an overloaded department and enables the timely realignment of the treatment quality indices in order to achieve a patient’s final treatment compliant with the one prescribed. PMID:29432473

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, B; Maquilan, G; Anders, M

Purpose: Full face and neck thermoplastic masks provide standard-of-care immobilization for patients receiving H&N IMRT. However, these masks are uncomfortable and increase skin dose. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility and setup accuracy of open face and neck mask immobilization with OIG. Methods: Ten patients were consented and enrolled to this IRB-approved protocol. Patients were immobilized with open masks securing only forehead and chin. Standard IMRT to 60–70 Gy in 30 fractions were delivered in all cases. Patient simulation information, including isocenter location and CT skin contours, were imported to a commercial OIG system. Onmore » the first day of treatment, patients were initially set up to surface markings and then OIG referenced to face and neck skin regions of interest (ROI) localized on simulation CT images, followed by in-room CBCT. CBCTs were acquired at least weekly while planar OBI was acquired on the days without CBCT. Following 6D robotic couch correction with kV imaging, a new optical real-time surface image was acquired to track intrafraction motion and to serve as a reference surface for setup at the next treatment fraction. Therapists manually recorded total treatment time as well as couch shifts based on kV imaging. Intrafractional ROI motion tracking was automatically recorded. Results: Setup accuracy of OIG was compared with CBCT results. The setup error based on OIG was represented as a 6D shift (vertical/longitudinal/lateral/rotation/pitch/roll). Mean error values were −0.70±3.04mm, −0.69±2.77mm, 0.33±2.67 mm, −0.14±0.94 o, −0.15±1.10o and 0.12±0.82o, respectively for the cohort. Average treatment time was 24.1±9.2 minutes, comparable to standard immobilization. The amplitude of intrafractional ROI motion was 0.69±0.36 mm, driven primarily by respiratory neck motion. Conclusion: OGI can potentially provide accurate setup and treatment tracking for open face and neck immobilization. Study accrual and patient/provider satisfaction survey collection remain ongoing. This study is supported by VisionRT, Ltd.« less

The MITLL-AFRL IWSLT 2016 Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-08

Processing for MT We preprocessed the Arabic- English dataset from the QED corpus to correct sentence alignment errors and run-together words. These...are often split across lines, sometimes leaving the matching English and Arabic words on different lines. We used line-final punctua- tion as a guide...to assemble English lines into full sentences, while simultaneously concatenating their Arabic counterparts. Some Arabic files contain lines with just

Potential for Terahertz/Optical, Two Color Non-linear Sensing of Liquid Biochemical Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-18

through the geometry and phase matching dependencies in the setup using enantiomeric and racemic limonene as a me- dium. In completely identical...around the 532 nm 18 795.2 cm−1 YAG line generated in S- limonene by 0.61 THz 20.3 cm−1. The rotation angle was 27°. At each point, 500 mixing events...In the following, signals are extracted as the integral of the total sideband line. Sum frequency sidebands for both S- limonene and a ra- cemic

Endoscopic Shearography and Thermography Methods for Nondestructive Evaluation of Lined Pressure Vessels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, S. S.; Lansing, M. D.

1997-01-01

The goal of this research effort was the development of methods for shearographic and thermographic inspection of coatings, bonds, or laminates inside rocket fuel or oxidizer tanks, fuel lines, and other closed structures. The endoscopic methods allow imaging and inspection inside cavities that are traditionally inaccessible with shearography or thermography cameras. The techniques are demonstrated and suggestions for practical application are made in this report. Drawings of the experimental setups, detailed procedures, and experimental data are included.

Endoscopic Shearography and Thermography Methods for Nondestructive Evaluation of Lined Pressure Vessels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansing, Matthew D.; Bullock, Michael W.

1996-01-01

The goal of this research effort was the development of methods for shearography and thermography inspection of coatings, bonds, or laminates inside rocket fuel or oxidizer tanks, fuel lines, and other closed structures. The endoscopic methods allow imaging and inspection inside cavities which are traditionally inaccessible with shearography or thermography cameras. The techniques are demonstrated and suggestions for practical application are made in this report. Drawings of the experimental setups, detailed procedures, and experimental data are included.

Fracture Mechanics Analysis of Single and Double Rows of Fastener Holes Loaded in Bearing

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-04-01

the following subprograms for execution: 1. ASRL FEABL-2 subroutines ASMLTV, ASMSUB, BCON, FACT, ORK, QBACK, SETUP, SIMULQ, STACON, and XTRACT. 2. IBM ...based on program code generated by IBM FORTRAN-G1 and FORTRAN-H compilers, with demonstration runs made on an IBM 370/168 computer. Programs SROW and...DROW are supplied ready to execute on systems with IBM -standard FORTRAN unit members for the card reader (unit 5) and line printer (unit 6). The

A scan-angle correction for thermal infrared multispectral data using side lapping images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, K.

1996-01-01

Thermal infrared multispectral scanner (TIMS) images, acquired with side lapping flight lines, provide dual angle observations of the same area on the ground and can thus be used to estimate variations in the atmospheric transmission with scan angle. The method was tested using TIMS aircraft data for six flight lines with about 30% sidelap for an area within Joshua Tree National Park, California. Generally the results correspond to predictions for the transmission scan-angle coefficient based on a standard atmospheric model although some differences were observed at the longer wavelength channels. A change was detected for the last pair of lines that may indicate either spatial or temporal atmospheric variation. The results demonstrate that the method provides information for correcting regional survey data (requiring multiple adjacent flight lines) that can be important in detecting subtle changes in lithology.

Corrections to scaling for watersheds, optimal path cracks, and bridge lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehr, E.; Schrenk, K. J.; Araújo, N. A. M.; Kadau, D.; Grassberger, P.; Andrade, J. S., Jr.; Herrmann, H. J.

2012-07-01

We study the corrections to scaling for the mass of the watershed, the bridge line, and the optimal path crack in two and three dimensions (2D and 3D). We disclose that these models have numerically equivalent fractal dimensions and leading correction-to-scaling exponents. We conjecture all three models to possess the same fractal dimension, namely, df=1.2168±0.0005 in 2D and df=2.487±0.003 in 3D, and the same exponent of the leading correction, Ω=0.9±0.1 and Ω=1.0±0.1, respectively. The close relations between watersheds, optimal path cracks in the strong disorder limit, and bridge lines are further supported by either heuristic or exact arguments.

Remote clinical assessment of gastrointestinal endoscopy (tele-endoscopy): an initial experience.

PubMed Central

Kim, C. Y.; Etemad, B.; Glenn, T. F.; Mackey, H. A.; Viator, G. E.; Wallace, M. B.; Mokhashi, M. S.; Cotton, P. B.; Hawes, R. H.

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is an effective tool to screen for cancers of the digestive tract. However, access to endoscopy is limited in many parts of South Carolina. This trial is a part of a prospective multi-part study for remote cancer screening in coastal South Carolina. This pilot study was to evaluate the quality of tele-endoscopy for cancer screening. METHODS: 10 patients scheduled for endoscopic procedures were observed simultaneously by the endoscopist and a remote observer connected over a 512 kbps ISDN line. Findings by both were compared for concordance on malignant or premalignant lesions. RESULTS: The image quality was adequate to support remote diagnosis of GI cancer and abnormal lesions by an experienced observer. However, assessment of the esophagogastric junction for Barrett's esophagus was equivocal. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our tele-endoscopy setup shows great promise for remote supervision or observation of endoscopic procedures done by nurse endoscopists. Tele-endoscopy is both adequate and feasible for diagnosis of most gastrointestinal lesions. Subtle lesions still may be missed in our current setup. However, improvements are being made in our setup to address the problem with resolution prior to further evaluation. PMID:11079918

A hand and a field effect in on-line motor control in unilateral optic ataxia.

PubMed

Blangero, Annabelle; Gaveau, Valérie; Luauté, Jacques; Rode, Gilles; Salemme, Romeo; Guinard, Marine; Boisson, Dominique; Rossetti, Yves; Pisella, Laure

2008-05-01

Patients with bilateral optic ataxia fail to show rapid perturbation-induced corrections during manual aiming movements. Based on this, it has been proposed that this pathology results from a disruption of processes of on-line motor control in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Here, we show that on-line motor control performance in a patient with unilateral optic ataxia is similar to that of pointing towards stationary targets in peripheral vision, showing the same combination of hand and field effects. We also show that in the patient, manual correction towards his ataxic field was possible only when a preceding saccade (100msec earlier) rapidly provides foveal information about the new target location. In control subjects, manual correction was often, but not necessarily preceded by a saccade. These results allow us to put forward a model of visuo-manual transformation, which involves updating of the reach plan based on the target-eye error, and rely upon two dissociated spatial representations (of the hand and of the target, respectively) within the PPC.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCarroll, R; Rubinstein, A; Kingsley, C

Purpose: New small-animal irradiators include extremely precise IGRT capabilities. However, mouse immobilization and localization remains a challenge. In particular, unlike week-to-week translational displacements, rotational changes in positioning are not easily corrected for in subject setup. Using two methods of setup, we aim to quantify week-to-week rotational variation in mice for the purpose of IGRT planning in small animal studies. Methods: Ten mice were imaged weekly using breath-hold CBCT (X-RAD 225 Cx), with the mouse positioned in a half-pipe support, providing 40 scans. A second group of two mice were positioned in a 3D printed immobilization device, which was created usingmore » a CT from a similarly shaped mouse, providing 10 scans. For each mouse, the first image was taken to be the reference image. Subsequent CT images were then rigidly registered, based on bony anatomy. Rotations in the axial (roll), sagittal (pitch), and coronal (yaw) planes were recorded and used to quantify variation in angular setup. Results: For the mice imaged in the half pipe, average magnitude of roll was found to be 5.4±4.6° (range: −12.9:18.86°), of pitch 1.6±1.3° (range: −1.4:4.7°), and of yaw 1.9±1.5° (range −5.4:1.1°). For the mice imaged in the printed setup; average magnitude of roll was found to be 0.64±0.6° (range: −2.1:1.0°), of pitch 0.6±0.4° (range: 0.0:1.3°), and of yaw 0.2±0.1° (range: 0.0:0.4°). The printed setup provided reduction in roll, pitch, and yaw by 88, 62, and 90 percent, respectively. Conclusion: For the typical setup routine, roll in mouse position is the dominant source of rotational variation. However, when a printed device was used, drastic improvements in mouse immobilization were seen. This work provides a promising foundation for mouse immobilization, required for full scale small animal IGRT. Currently, we are making improvements to allo±w the use of a similar system for MR, PET, and bioluminescence.« less

SU-F-J-24: Setup Uncertainty and Margin of the ExacTrac 6D Image Guide System for Patients with Brain Tumors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, S; Oh, S; Yea, J

Purpose: This study evaluated the setup uncertainties for brain sites when using BrainLAB’s ExacTrac X-ray 6D system for daily pretreatment to determine the optimal planning target volume (PTV) margin. Methods: Between August 2012 and April 2015, 28 patients with brain tumors were treated by daily image-guided radiotherapy using the BrainLAB ExacTrac 6D image guidance system of the Novalis-Tx linear accelerator. DUONTM (Orfit Industries, Wijnegem, Belgium) masks were used to fix the head. The radiotherapy was fractionated into 27–33 treatments. In total, 844 image verifications were performed for 28 patients and used for the analysis. The setup corrections along with themore » systematic and random errors were analyzed for six degrees of freedom in the translational (lateral, longitudinal, and vertical) and rotational (pitch, roll, and yaw) dimensions. Results: Optimal PTV margins were calculated based on van Herk et al.’s [margin recipe = 2.5∑ + 0.7σ − 3 mm] and Stroom et al.’s [margin recipe = 2∑ + 0.7σ] formulas. The systematic errors (∑) were 0.72, 1.57, and 0.97 mm in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical translational dimensions, respectively, and 0.72°, 0.87°, and 0.83° in the pitch, roll, and yaw rotational dimensions, respectively. The random errors (σ) were 0.31, 0.46, and 0.54 mm in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical rotational dimensions, respectively, and 0.28°, 0.24°, and 0.31° in the pitch, roll, and yaw rotational dimensions, respectively. According to van Herk et al.’s and Stroom et al.’s recipes, the recommended lateral PTV margins were 0.97 and 1.66 mm, respectively; the longitudinal margins were 1.26 and 3.47 mm, respectively; and the vertical margins were 0.21 and 2.31 mm, respectively. Conclusion: Therefore, daily setup verifications using the BrainLAB ExacTrac 6D image guide system are very useful for evaluating the setup uncertainties and determining the setup margin.∑σ.« less

Continuous-Flow In-Line Solvent-Swap Crystallization of Vitamin D3

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A continuous tandem in-line evaporation–crystallization is presented. The process includes an in-line solvent-swap step, suitable to be coupled to a capillary based cooler. As a proof of concept, this setup is tested in a direct in-line acetonitrile mediated crystallization of Vitamin D3. This configuration is suitable to be coupled to a new end-to-end continuous microflow synthesis of Vitamin D3. By this procedure, vitamin particles can be crystallized in continuous flow and isolated using an in-line continuous filtration step. In one run in just 1 min of cooling time, ∼50% (w/w) crystals of Vitamin D3 are directly obtained. Furthermore, the polymorphic form as well as crystals shape and size properties are described in this paper.

Emission-line maps with OSIRIS-TF: The case of M101

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Méndez-Abreu, J.

2013-05-01

We investigate the suitability of GTC/OSIRIS Tunable Filters (TFs) for obtaining emission-line maps of extended objects. We developed a technique to reconstruct an emission-line image from a set of images taken at consecutive central wavelengths. We demonstrate the feasibility of the reconstruction method by generating a flux calibrated Hα image of the well-known spiral galaxy M101. We tested our emission-line fluxes and ratios by using data present in the literature. We found that the differences in both Hα fluxes and N II/Hα line ratios are ~15% and ~50%, respectively. These results are fully in agreement with the expected values for our observational setup. The proposed methodology will allow us to use OSIRIS/GTC to perform accurate spectrophotometric studies of extended galaxies in the local Universe.

X-ray penumbral imaging diagnostic developments at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachmann, B.; Abu-Shawareb, H.; Alexander, N.; Ayers, J.; Bailey, C. G.; Bell, P.; Benedetti, L. R.; Bradley, D.; Collins, G.; Divol, L.; Döppner, T.; Felker, S.; Field, J.; Forsman, A.; Galbraith, J. D.; Hardy, C. M.; Hilsabeck, T.; Izumi, N.; Jarrot, C.; Kilkenny, J.; Kramer, S.; Landen, O. L.; Ma, T.; MacPhee, A.; Masters, N.; Nagel, S. R.; Pak, A.; Patel, P.; Pickworth, L. A.; Ralph, J. E.; Reed, C.; Rygg, J. R.; Thorn, D. B.

2017-08-01

X-ray penumbral imaging has been successfully fielded on a variety of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule implosion experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). We have demonstrated sub-5 μm resolution imaging of stagnated plasma cores (hot spots) at x-ray energies from 6 to 30 keV. These measurements are crucial for improving our understanding of the hot deuterium-tritium fuel assembly, which can be affected by various mechanisms, including complex 3-D perturbations caused by the support tent, fill tube or capsule surface roughness. Here we present the progress on several approaches to improve x-ray penumbral imaging experiments on the NIF. We will discuss experimental setups that include penumbral imaging from multiple lines-of-sight, target mounted penumbral apertures and variably filtered penumbral images. Such setups will improve the signal-to-noise ratio and the spatial imaging resolution, with the goal of enabling spatially resolved measurements of the hot spot electron temperature and material mix in ICF implosions.

Outcome of posterior decompression with instrumented fusion surgery for K-line (-) cervical ossification of the longitudinal ligament.

PubMed

Saito, Junya; Maki, Satoshi; Kamiya, Koshiro; Furuya, Takeo; Inada, Taigo; Ota, Mitsutoshi; Iijima, Yasushi; Takahashi, Kazuhisa; Yamazaki, Masashi; Aramomi, Masaaki; Mannoji, Chikato; Koda, Masao

2016-10-01

We investigated the outcome of posterior decompression and instrumented fusion (PDF) surgery for patients with K-line (-) ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine, who may have a poor surgical prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of a series of 27 patients who underwent PDF without correction of cervical alignment for K-line (-) OPLL and were followed-up for at least 1 year after surgery. We had performed double-door laminoplasty followed by posterior instrumented fusion without excessive correction of cervical spine alignment. The preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score for cervical myelopathy was 8.0 points and postoperative JOA score was 11.9 points on average. The mean JOA score recovery rate was 43.6%. The average C2-C7 angle was 2.2° preoperatively and 3.1° postoperatively. The average maximum occupation ratio of OPLL was 56.7%. In conclusion, PDF without correcting cervical alignment for patients with K-line (-) OPLL showed moderate neurological recovery, which was acceptable considering K-line (-) predicts poor surgical outcomes. Thus, PDF is a surgical option for such patients with OPLL. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single-beam, dual-view digital holographic interferometry for biomechanical strain measurements of biological objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantelić, Dejan V.; Grujić, Dušan Ž.; Vasiljević, Darko M.

2014-12-01

We describe a method for dual-view biomechanical strain measurements of highly asymmetrical biological objects, like teeth or bones. By using a spherical mirror, we were able to simultaneously record a digital hologram of the object itself and the mirror image of its (otherwise invisible) rear side. A single laser beam was sufficient to illuminate both sides of the object, and to provide a reference beam. As a result, the system was mechanically very stable, enabling long exposure times (up to 2 min) without the need for vibration isolation. The setup is simple to construct and adjust, and can be used to interferometrically observe any object that is smaller than the mirror diameter. Parallel data processing on a CUDA-enabled (compute unified device architecture) graphics card was used to reconstruct digital holograms and to further correct image distortion. We used the setup to measure the deformation of a tooth due to mastication forces. The finite-element method was used to compare experimental results and theoretical predictions.

Single-beam, dual-view digital holographic interferometry for biomechanical strain measurements of biological objects.

PubMed

Pantelić, Dejan V; Grujić, Dušan Ž; Vasiljević, Darko M

2014-12-01

We describe a method for dual-view biomechanical strain measurements of highly asymmetrical biological objects, like teeth or bones. By using a spherical mirror, we were able to simultaneously record a digital hologram of the object itself and the mirror image of its (otherwise invisible) rear side. A single laser beam was sufficient to illuminate both sides of the object, and to provide a reference beam. As a result, the system was mechanically very stable, enabling long exposure times (up to 2 min) without the need for vibration isolation. The setup is simple to construct and adjust, and can be used to interferometrically observe any object that is smaller than the mirror diameter. Parallel data processing on a CUDA-enabled (compute unified device architecture) graphics card was used to reconstruct digital holograms and to further correct image distortion. We used the setup to measure the deformation of a tooth due to mastication forces. The finite-element method was used to compare experimental results and theoretical predictions.

Non-LTE aluminium abundances in late-type stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordlander, T.; Lind, K.

2017-11-01

Aims: Aluminium plays a key role in studies of the chemical enrichment of the Galaxy and of globular clusters. However, strong deviations from LTE (non-LTE) are known to significantly affect the inferred abundances in giant and metal-poor stars. Methods: We present non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) modeling of aluminium using recent and accurate atomic data, in particular utilizing new transition rates for collisions with hydrogen atoms, without the need for any astrophysically calibrated parameters. For the first time, we perform 3D NLTE modeling of aluminium lines in the solar spectrum. We also compute and make available extensive grids of abundance corrections for lines in the optical and near-infrared using one-dimensional model atmospheres, and apply grids of precomputed departure coefficients to direct line synthesis for a set of benchmark stars with accurately known stellar parameters. Results: Our 3D NLTE modeling of the solar spectrum reproduces observed center-to-limb variations in the solar spectrum of the 7835 Å line as well as the mid-infrared photospheric emission line at 12.33 μm. We infer a 3D NLTE solar photospheric abundance of A(Al) = 6.43 ± 0.03, in exact agreement with the meteoritic abundance. We find that abundance corrections vary rapidly with stellar parameters; for the 3961 Å resonance line, corrections are positive and may be as large as +1 dex, while corrections for subordinate lines generally have positive sign for warm stars but negative for cool stars. Our modeling reproduces the observed line profiles of benchmark K-giants, and we find abundance corrections as large as -0.3 dex for Arcturus. Our analyses of four metal-poor benchmark stars yield consistent abundances between the 3961 Å resonance line and lines in the UV, optical and near-infrared regions. Finally, we discuss implications for the galactic chemical evolution of aluminium.

Zγ production at NNLO including anomalous couplings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, John M.; Neumann, Tobias; Williams, Ciaran

2017-11-01

In this paper we present a next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD calculation of the processes pp → l + l -γ and pp\\to ν \\overline{ν}γ that we have implemented in MCFM. Our calculation includes QCD corrections at NNLO both for the Standard Model (SM) and additionally in the presence of Zγγ and ZZγ anomalous couplings. We compare our implementation, obtained using the jettiness slicing approach, with a previous SM calculation and find broad agreement. Focusing on the sensitivity of our results to the slicing parameter, we show that using our setup we are able to compute NNLO cross sections with numerical uncertainties of about 0.1%, which is small compared to residual scale uncertainties of a few percent. We study potential improvements using two different jettiness definitions and the inclusion of power corrections. At √{s}=13 TeV we present phenomenological results and consider Zγ as a background to H → Zγ production. We find that, with typical cuts, the inclusion of NNLO corrections represents a small effect and loosens the extraction of limits on anomalous couplings by about 10%.

Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide in humid air using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Karion, A.; Rella, C. W.; Winderlich, J.; Gerbig, C.; Filges, A.; Newberger, T.; Sweeney, C.; Tans, P. P.

2012-09-01

Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) in humid air have been made using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique. The measurements of CO mole fractions are determined from the strength of its spectral absorption in the near infrared region (∼1.57 μm) after removing interferences from adjacent carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O) absorption lines. Water correction functions that account for the dilution and pressure-broadening effects as well as absorption line interferences from adjacent CO2 and H2O lines have been derived for CO2 mole fractions between 360-390 ppm. The line interference corrections are independent of CO mole fractions. The dependence of the line interference correction on CO2 abundance is estimated to be approximately -0.3 ppb/100 ppm CO2 for dry mole fractions of CO. Comparisons of water correction functions from different analyzers of the same type show significant differences, making it necessary to perform instrument-specific water tests for each individual analyzer. The CRDS analyzer was flown on an aircraft in Alaska from April to November in 2011, and the accuracy of the CO measurements by the CRDS analyzer has been validated against discrete NOAA/ESRL flask sample measurements made on board the same aircraft, with a mean difference between integrated in situ and flask measurements of -0.6 ppb and a standard deviation of 2.8 ppb. Preliminary testing of CRDS instrumentation that employs new spectroscopic analysis (available since the beginning of 2012) indicates a smaller water vapor dependence than the models discussed here, but more work is necessary to fully validate the performance. The CRDS technique provides an accurate and low-maintenance method of monitoring the atmospheric dry mole fractions of CO in humid air streams.

Visualization of the contact line during the water exit of flat plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tassin, A.; Breton, T.; Forest, B.; Ohana, J.; Chalony, S.; Le Roux, D.; Tancray, A.

2017-08-01

We investigate experimentally the time evolution of the wetted surface during the lifting of a body initially floating at the water surface. This phenomenon is referred to as the water exit problem. The water exit experiments were conducted with transparent (PMMA) mock-ups of two different shapes: a circular disc and a square flat plate. Two different lighting systems were used to diffuse light in the mock-up material: a central high-power LED light normal to the surface and an edge-lighting system featuring an array of LED lights. These setups make it possible to illuminate the contact line, which delimits the surface of contact between the mock-up and the water. The characteristic size of the mock-ups is about 20 cm and the acceleration of the mock-up oscillates between 0 and 25 m/s^2. We show that the central light setup gives satisfactory results for the circular disc and that the edge lighting technique makes it possible to follow a contact line with a time-evolving complex shape (strong changes of convexity) up to 1000 fps. The observations presented in the paper support the possibility of extending this promising technique to more general three-dimensional bodies with arbitrary motion (e.g., including pitch motion).

Increasing the field of view of adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy.

PubMed

Laslandes, Marie; Salas, Matthias; Hitzenberger, Christoph K; Pircher, Michael

2017-11-01

An adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO) set-up with two deformable mirrors (DM) is presented. It allows high resolution imaging of the retina on a 4°×4° field of view (FoV), considering a 7 mm pupil diameter at the entrance of the eye. Imaging on such a FoV, which is larger compared to classical AO-SLO instruments, is allowed by the use of the two DMs. The first DM is located in a plane that is conjugated to the pupil of the eye and corrects for aberrations that are constant in the FoV. The second DM is conjugated to a plane that is located ∼0.7 mm anterior to the retina. This DM corrects for anisoplanatism effects within the FoV. The control of the DMs is performed by combining the classical AO technique, using a Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor, and sensorless AO, which uses a criterion characterizing the image quality. The retinas of four healthy volunteers were imaged in-vivo with the developed instrument. In order to assess the performance of the set-up and to demonstrate the benefits of the 2 DM configuration, the acquired images were compared with images taken in conventional conditions, on a smaller FoV and with only one DM. Moreover, an image of a larger patch of the retina was obtained by stitching of 9 images acquired with a 4°×4° FoV, resulting in a total FoV of 10°×10°. Finally, different retinal layers were imaged by shifting the focal plane.

Ionization chamber correction factors for MR-linacs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pojtinger, Stefan; Steffen Dohm, Oliver; Kapsch, Ralf-Peter; Thorwarth, Daniela

2018-06-01

Previously, readings of air-filled ionization chambers have been described as being influenced by magnetic fields. To use these chambers for dosimetry in magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy (MRgRT), this effect must be taken into account by introducing a correction factor k B. The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate k B for a typical reference setup for commercially available ionization chambers with different magnetic field strengths. The Monte Carlo simulation tool EGSnrc was used to simulate eight commercially available ionization chambers in magnetic fields whose magnetic flux density was in the range of 0–2.5 T. To validate the simulation, the influence of the magnetic field was experimentally determined for a PTW30013 Farmer-type chamber for magnetic flux densities between 0 and 1.425 T. Changes in the detector response of up to 8% depending on the magnetic flux density, on the chamber geometry and on the chamber orientation were obtained. In the experimental setup, a maximum deviation of less than 2% was observed when comparing measured values with simulated values. Dedicated values for two MR-linac systems (ViewRay MRIdian, ViewRay Inc, Cleveland, United States, 0.35 T/ 6 MV and Elekta Unity, Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 1.5 T/7 MV) were determined for future use in reference dosimetry. Simulated values for thimble-type chambers are in good agreement with experiments as well as with the results of previous publications. After further experimental validation, the results can be considered for definition of standard protocols for purposes of reference dosimetry in MRgRT.

Schedule for CT image guidance in treating prostate cancer with helical tomotherapy

PubMed Central

Beldjoudi, G; Yartsev, S; Bauman, G; Battista, J; Van Dyk, J

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of reducing the number of image guidance sessions and patient-specific target margins on the dose distribution in the treatment of prostate cancer with helical tomotherapy. 20 patients with prostate cancer who were treated with helical tomotherapy using daily megavoltage CT (MVCT) imaging before treatment served as the study population. The average geometric shifts applied for set-up corrections, as a result of co-registration of MVCT and planning kilovoltage CT studies over an increasing number of image guidance sessions, were determined. Simulation of the consequences of various imaging scenarios on the dose distribution was performed for two patients with different patterns of interfraction changes in anatomy. Our analysis of the daily set-up correction shifts for 20 prostate cancer patients suggests that the use of four fractions would result in a population average shift that was within 1 mm of the average obtained from the data accumulated over all daily MVCT sessions. Simulation of a scenario in which imaging sessions are performed at a reduced frequency and the planning target volume margin is adapted provided significantly better sparing of organs at risk, with acceptable reproducibility of dose delivery to the clinical target volume. Our results indicate that four MVCT sessions on helical tomotherapy are sufficient to provide information for the creation of personalised target margins and the establishment of the new reference position that accounts for the systematic error. This simplified approach reduces overall treatment session time and decreases the imaging dose to the patient. PMID:19505966

Ionization chamber correction factors for MR-linacs.

PubMed

Pojtinger, Stefan; Dohm, Oliver Steffen; Kapsch, Ralf-Peter; Thorwarth, Daniela

2018-06-07

Previously, readings of air-filled ionization chambers have been described as being influenced by magnetic fields. To use these chambers for dosimetry in magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy (MRgRT), this effect must be taken into account by introducing a correction factor k B . The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate k B for a typical reference setup for commercially available ionization chambers with different magnetic field strengths. The Monte Carlo simulation tool EGSnrc was used to simulate eight commercially available ionization chambers in magnetic fields whose magnetic flux density was in the range of 0-2.5 T. To validate the simulation, the influence of the magnetic field was experimentally determined for a PTW30013 Farmer-type chamber for magnetic flux densities between 0 and 1.425 T. Changes in the detector response of up to 8% depending on the magnetic flux density, on the chamber geometry and on the chamber orientation were obtained. In the experimental setup, a maximum deviation of less than 2% was observed when comparing measured values with simulated values. Dedicated values for two MR-linac systems (ViewRay MRIdian, ViewRay Inc, Cleveland, United States, 0.35 T/ 6 MV and Elekta Unity, Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 1.5 T/7 MV) were determined for future use in reference dosimetry. Simulated values for thimble-type chambers are in good agreement with experiments as well as with the results of previous publications. After further experimental validation, the results can be considered for definition of standard protocols for purposes of reference dosimetry in MRgRT.

Roll and pitch set-up errors during volumetric modulated arc delivery: can adapting gantry and collimator angles compensate?

PubMed

Hoffmans-Holtzer, Nienke A; Hoffmans, Daan; Dahele, Max; Slotman, Ben J; Verbakel, Wilko F A R

2015-03-01

The purpose of this work was to investigate whether adapting gantry and collimator angles can compensate for roll and pitch setup errors during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery. Previously delivered clinical plans for locally advanced head-and-neck (H&N) cancer (n = 5), localized prostate cancer (n = 2), and whole brain with simultaneous integrated boost to 5 metastases (WB + 5M, n = 1) were used for this study. Known rigid rotations were introduced in the planning CT scans. To compensate for these, in-house software was used to adapt gantry and collimator angles in the plan. Doses to planning target volumes (PTV) and critical organs at risk (OAR) were calculated with and without compensation and compared with the original clinical plan. Measurements in the sagittal plane in a polystyrene phantom using radiochromic film were compared by gamma (γ) evaluation for 2 H&N cancer patients. For H&N plans, the introduction of 2°-roll and 3°-pitch rotations reduced mean PTV coverage from 98.7 to 96.3%. This improved to 98.1% with gantry and collimator compensation. For prostate plans respective figures were 98.4, 97.5, and 98.4%. For WB + 5M, compensation worked less well, especially for smaller volumes and volumes farther from the isocenter. Mean comparative γ evaluation (3%, 1 mm) between original and pitched plans resulted in 86% γ < 1. The corrected plan restored the mean comparison to 96% γ < 1. Preliminary data suggest that adapting gantry and collimator angles is a promising way to correct roll and pitch set-up errors of < 3° during VMAT for H&N and prostate cancer.

Quality assurance for kilo- and megavoltage in-room imaging and localization for off- and online setup error correction.

PubMed

Balter, James M; Antonuk, Larry E

2008-01-01

In-room radiography is not a new concept for image-guided radiation therapy. Rapid advances in technology, however, have made this positioning method convenient, and thus radiograph-based positioning has propagated widely. The paradigms for quality assurance of radiograph-based positioning include imager performance, systems integration, infrastructure, procedure documentation and testing, and support for positioning strategy implementation.

Development of a model for on-line control of crystal growth by the AHP method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonik, M. A.; Lomokhova, A. V.; Gonik, M. M.; Kuliev, A. T.; Smirnov, A. D.

2007-05-01

The possibility to apply a simplified 2D model for heat transfer calculations in crystal growth by the axial heat close to phase interface (AHP) method is discussed in this paper. A comparison with global heat transfer calculations with the CGSim software was performed to confirm the accuracy of this model. The simplified model was shown to provide adequate results for the shape of the melt-crystal interface and temperature field in an opaque (Ge) and a transparent crystal (CsI:Tl). The model proposed is used for identification of the growth setup as a control object, for synthesis of a digital controller (PID controller at the present stage) and, finally, in on-line simulations of crystal growth control.

SU-E-J-34: Setup Accuracy in Spine SBRT Using CBCT 6D Image Guidance in Comparison with 6D ExacTrac

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han, Z; Yip, S; Lewis, J

2015-06-15

Purpose Volumetric information of the spine captured on CBCT can potentially improve the accuracy in spine SBRT setup that has been commonly performed through 2D radiographs. This work evaluates the setup accuracy in spine SBRT using 6D CBCT image guidance that recently became available on Varian systems. Methods ExacTrac radiographs have been commonly used for Spine SBRT setup. The setup process involves first positioning patients with lasers followed by localization imaging, registration, and repositioning. Verification images are then taken providing the residual errors (ExacTracRE) before beam on. CBCT verification is also acquired in our institute. The availability of both ExacTracmore » and CBCT verifications allows a comparison study. 41 verification CBCT of 16 patients were retrospectively registered with the planning CT enabling 6D corrections, giving CBCT residual errors (CBCTRE) which were compared with ExacTracRE. Results The RMS discrepancies between CBCTRE and ExacTracRE are 1.70mm, 1.66mm, 1.56mm in vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions and 0.27°, 0.49°, 0.35° in yaw, roll and pitch respectively. The corresponding mean discrepancies (and standard deviation) are 0.62mm (1.60mm), 0.00mm (1.68mm), −0.80mm (1.36mm) and 0.05° (0.58°), 0.11° (0.48°), −0.16° (0.32°). Of the 41 CBCT, 17 had high-Z surgical implants. No significant difference in ExacTrac-to-CBCT discrepancy was observed between patients with and without the implants. Conclusion Multiple factors can contribute to the discrepancies between CBCT and ExacTrac: 1) the imaging iso-centers of the two systems, while calibrated to coincide, can be different; 2) the ROI used for registration can be different especially if ribs were included in ExacTrac images; 3) small patient motion can occur between the two verification image acquisitions; 4) the algorithms can be different between CBCT (volumetric) and ExacTrac (radiographic) registrations.« less

Relative spectral response calibration using Ti plasma lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, FEI; Congyuan, PAN; Qiang, ZENG; Qiuping, WANG; Xuewei, DU

2018-04-01

This work introduces the branching ratio (BR) method for determining relative spectral responses, which are needed routinely in laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Neutral and singly ionized Ti lines in the 250–498 nm spectral range are investigated by measuring laser-induced micro plasma near a Ti plate and used to calculate the relative spectral response of an entire LIBS detection system. The results are compared with those of the conventional relative spectral response calibration method using a tungsten halogen lamp, and certain lines available for the BR method are selected. The study supports the common manner of using BRs to calibrate the detection system in LIBS setups.

Contact lines on silicone elastomers promote contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hourlier-Fargette, Aurelie; Antkowiak, Arnaud; Neukirch, Sebastien

2017-11-01

Silicone elastomers are used in contact with aqueous liquids in a large range of applications. Due to numerous advantages such as its flexibility, optical transparency, or gas permeability, polydimethylsiloxane is widely spread in rapid prototyping for microfluidics or elastocapillarity experiments. However, silicone elastomers are known to contain a small fraction of uncrosslinked low-molecular-weight oligomers, the effects of which are not completely understood. We show that in various setups involving an air-water-silicone elastomer contact line, a capillarity-induced extraction of uncrosslinked oligomers occurs, leading to a contamination of water-air interfaces. We investigate the case of a static air-water-PDMS contact line, before focusing on moving contact lines. A water droplet sliding down on a PDMS inclined plane or an air bubble rising on an immersed PDMS plane exhibits two successive speed regimes: the second regime is reached only when a monolayer of oligomers completely covers the water-air interface. These experiments involve processes occurring at the polymer network scale that have significant macroscopic consequences, and therefore provide a simple test to evaluate the presence of uncrosslinked oligomers in an elastomer sample.

Characterization of a human tooth with carious lesions using conventional and synchrotron radiation-based micro computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dziadowiec, Iwona; Beckmann, Felix; Schulz, Georg; Deyhle, Hans; Müller, Bert

2014-09-01

In a dental office, every day X rays of teeth within the oral cavity are obtained. Caries induces a mineral loss and, therefore, becomes visible by reduced X-ray absorption. The detailed spatial distribution of the mineral loss, however, is inaccessible in conventional dental radiology, since the dose for such studies is intolerable. As a consequence, such measurements can only be performed after tooth extraction. We have taken advantage of synchrotron radiation-based micro computed tomography to characterize a human tooth with a rather small, natural caries lesion and an artificially induced lesion provoked by acidic etching. Both halves of the tooth were separately visualized from 2400 radiographs recorded at the beam line P07 / PETRA III (HASYLAB at DESY, Hamburg, Germany) with an asymmetric rotation axis at photon energy of 45 keV. Because of the setup, one finds an energy shift in the horizontal plane, to be corrected. After the appropriate three-dimensional registration of the data with the ones of the same crown using the better accessible phoenix nanotom® m of General Electric, Wunstorf, Germany, one can determine the joint histogram, which enable to calibrate the system with the conventional X-ray source.

A compact frequency stabilized telecom laser diode for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philippe, C.; Holleville, D.; Le Targat, R.; Wolf, P.; Leveque, T.; Le Goff, R.; Martaud, E.; Acef, O.

2017-09-01

We report on a Telecom laser diode (LD) frequency stabilization to a narrow iodine hyperfine line in the green range, after frequency tripling process using fibered nonlinear waveguide PPLN crystals. We have generated up to 300 mW optical power in the green range ( 514 nm) from 800 mW of infrared power ( 1542 nm), corresponding to a nonlinear conversion efficiency h = P3?/P? 36%. Less than 10 mW of the generated green power are used for Doppler-free spectroscopy of 127I2 molecular iodine, and -therefore- for the frequency stabilization purpose. The frequency tripling optical setup is very compact (< 5 l), fully fibered, and could operate over the full C-band of the Telecom range (1530 nm - 1565 nm). Several thousands of hyperfine iodine lines may thus be interrogated in the 510 nm - 521 nm range. We build up an optical bench used at first in free space configuration, using the well-known modulation transfer spectroscopy technique (MTS), in order to test the potential of this new frequency standard based on the couple "1.5 ?m laser / iodine molecule". We have already demonstrated a preliminary frequency stability of 4.8 x 10-14 ? -1/2 with a minimum value of 6 x 10-15 reached after 50 s of integration time, conferred to a laser diode operating at 1542.1 nm. We focus now our efforts to expand the frequency stability to a longer integration time in order to meet requirements of many space experiments, such earth gravity missions, inters satellites links or space to ground communications. Furthermore, we investigate the potential of a new approach based on frequency modulation technique (FM), associated to a 3rd harmonic detection of iodine lines to increase the compactness of the optical setup.

On-line surveillance of lubricants in bearings by means of surface acoustic waves.

PubMed

Lindner, Gerhard; Schmitt, Martin; Schubert, Josephine; Krempel, Sandro; Faustmann, Hendrik

2010-01-01

The acoustic wave propagation in bearings filled with lubricants and driven by pulsed excitation of surface acoustic waves has been investigated with respect to the presence and the distribution of different lubricants. Experimental setups, which are based on the mode conversion between surface acoustic waves and compression waves at the interface between a solid substrate of the bearing and a lubricant are described. The results of preliminary measurements at linear friction bearings, rotation ball bearings and axial cylinder roller bearings are presented.

A computer program for the localization of small areas in roentgenological images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, R. A.; Baily, N. A.

1976-01-01

A method and associated algorithm are presented which allow a simple and accurate determination to be made of the location of small symmetric areas presented in roentgenological images. The method utilizes an operator to visually spot object positions but eliminates the need for critical positioning accuracy on the operator's part. The rapidity of measurement allows results to be evaluated on-line. Parameters associated with the algorithm have been analyzed, and methods to facilitate an optimum choice for any particular experimental setup are presented.

Micro-foundations for macroeconomics: New set-up based on statistical physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Hiroshi

2016-12-01

Modern macroeconomics is built on "micro foundations." Namely, optimization of micro agent such as consumer and firm is explicitly analyzed in model. Toward this goal, standard model presumes "the representative" consumer/firm, and analyzes its behavior in detail. However, the macroeconomy consists of 107 consumers and 106 firms. For the purpose of analyzing such macro system, it is meaningless to pursue the micro behavior in detail. In this respect, there is no essential difference between economics and physics. The method of statistical physics can be usefully applied to the macroeconomy, and provides Keynesian economics with correct micro-foundations.

Integrated quantitative phase and birefringence microscopy for imaging malaria-infected red blood cells.

PubMed

Li, Chengshuai; Chen, Shichao; Klemba, Michael; Zhu, Yizheng

2016-09-01

A dual-modality birefringence/phase imaging system is presented. The system features a crystal retarder that provides polarization mixing and generates two interferometric carrier waves in a single signal spectrum. The retardation and orientation of sample birefringence can then be measured simultaneously based on spectral multiplexing interferometry. Further, with the addition of a Nomarski prism, the same setup can be used for quantitative differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging. Sample phase can then be obtained with two-dimensional integration. In addition, birefringence-induced phase error can be corrected using the birefringence data. This dual-modality approach is analyzed theoretically with Jones calculus and validated experimentally with malaria-infected red blood cells. The system generates not only corrected DIC and phase images, but a birefringence map that highlights the distribution of hemozoin crystals.

Integrated quantitative phase and birefringence microscopy for imaging malaria-infected red blood cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chengshuai; Chen, Shichao; Klemba, Michael; Zhu, Yizheng

2016-09-01

A dual-modality birefringence/phase imaging system is presented. The system features a crystal retarder that provides polarization mixing and generates two interferometric carrier waves in a single signal spectrum. The retardation and orientation of sample birefringence can then be measured simultaneously based on spectral multiplexing interferometry. Further, with the addition of a Nomarski prism, the same setup can be used for quantitative differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging. Sample phase can then be obtained with two-dimensional integration. In addition, birefringence-induced phase error can be corrected using the birefringence data. This dual-modality approach is analyzed theoretically with Jones calculus and validated experimentally with malaria-infected red blood cells. The system generates not only corrected DIC and phase images, but a birefringence map that highlights the distribution of hemozoin crystals.

78 FR 15973 - Fee Rate

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-13

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Indian Gaming Commission Fee Rate Correction In notice document 2013-05334, appearing on page 14821 in the issue of Thursday, March 7, 2013, make the following correction: On page 14821, in the second column, in the eighth line from the bottom of the page, ``Dated...

Correcting C IV-based virial black hole masses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coatman, Liam; Hewett, Paul C.; Banerji, Manda; Richards, Gordon T.; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Prochaska, J. Xavier

2017-02-01

The C IVλλ1498,1501 broad emission line is visible in optical spectra to redshifts exceeding z ˜ 5. C IV has long been known to exhibit significant displacements to the blue and these `blueshifts' almost certainly signal the presence of strong outflows. As a consequence, single-epoch virial black hole (BH) mass estimates derived from C IV velocity widths are known to be systematically biased compared to masses from the hydrogen Balmer lines. Using a large sample of 230 high-luminosity (LBol = 1045.5-1048 erg s-1), redshift 1.5 < z < 4.0 quasars with both C IV and Balmer line spectra, we have quantified the bias in C IV BH masses as a function of the C IV blueshift. C IV BH masses are shown to be a factor of 5 larger than the corresponding Balmer-line masses at C IV blueshifts of 3000 km s-1and are overestimated by almost an order of magnitude at the most extreme blueshifts, ≳5000 km s-1. Using the monotonically increasing relationship between the C IV blueshift and the mass ratio BH(C IV)/BH(Hα), we derive an empirical correction to all C IV BH masses. The scatter between the corrected C IV masses and the Balmer masses is 0.24 dex at low C IV blueshifts (˜0 km s-1) and just 0.10 dex at high blueshifts (˜3000 km s-1), compared to 0.40 dex before the correction. The correction depends only on the C IV line properties - i.e. full width at half-maximum and blueshift - and can therefore be applied to all quasars where C IV emission line properties have been measured, enabling the derivation of unbiased virial BH-mass estimates for the majority of high-luminosity, high-redshift, spectroscopically confirmed quasars in the literature.

External cavity diode laser setup with two interference filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Alexander; Baus, Patrick; Birkl, Gerhard

2016-12-01

We present an external cavity diode laser setup using two identical, commercially available interference filters operated in the blue wavelength range around 450 nm. The combination of the two filters decreases the transmission width, while increasing the edge steepness without a significant reduction in peak transmittance. Due to the broad spectral transmission of these interference filters compared to the internal mode spacing of blue laser diodes, an additional locking scheme, based on Hänsch-Couillaud locking to a cavity, has been added to improve the stability. The laser is stabilized to a line in the tellurium spectrum via saturation spectroscopy, and single-frequency operation for a duration of two days is demonstrated by monitoring the error signal of the lock and the piezo drive compensating the length change of the external resonator due to air pressure variations. Additionally, transmission curves of the filters and the spectra of a sample of diodes are given.

Photoacoustic tomography using a fiber based Fabry-Perot interferometer as an integrating line detector and image reconstruction by model-based time reversal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grün, H.; Paltauf, G.; Haltmeier, M.; Burgholzer, P.

2007-07-01

Photoacoustic imaging is based on the generation of acoustic waves in a semitransparent sample (e.g. soft tissue) after illumination with short pulses of light or radio waves. The goal is to recover the spatial distribution of absorbed energy density inside the sample from acoustic pressure signals measured outside the sample (photoacoustic inverse problem). If the acoustic pressure outside the illuminated sample is measured with a large-aperture detector, the signal at a certain time is given by an integral of the generated acoustic pressure distribution over an area that is determined by the shape of the detector. For example a planar detector measures the projections of the initial pressure distribution over planes parallel to the detector plane, which is the Radon transform of the initial pressure distribution. Stable and exact three-dimensional imaging with planar integrating detector requires measurements in all directions of space and so the receiver plane has to be rotated to cover the entire detection surface. We have recently presented a simpler set-up for exact imaging which requires only a single rotation axis and therefor the fragmentation of the area detector into line detectors perpendicular to the rotation axis. Using a two-dimensional reconstruction method and applying the inverse two-dimensional Radon transform afterwards gives an exact reconstruction of the three-dimensional sample with this set-up. In order to achieve high resolution, a fiber based Fabry-Perot interferometer is used. It is a single mode fiber with two fiber bragg gratings on both ends of the line detector. Thermal shifts and vibrations are compensated by frequency locking of the laser. The high resolution and the good performance of this integrating line detector has been demonstrated by photoacoustic measurements with line grid samples and phantoms using a model-based time reversal method for image reconstruction. The time reversed pressure field can be calculated directly by retransmitting the measured pressure on the detector positions in a reversed temporal order.

The Real Time Correction of Stereoscopic Images: From the Serial to a Parallel Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irki, Zohir; Devy, Michel; Achour, Karim; Azzaz, Mohamed Salah

2008-06-01

The correction of the stereoscopic images is a task which consists in replacing acquired images by other images having the same properties but which are simpler to use in the other stages of stereovision. The use of the pre-calculated tables, built during an off line calibration step, made it possible to carry out the off line stereoscopic images rectification. An improvement of the built tables made it possible to carry out the real time rectification. In this paper, we describe an improvement of the real time correction approach so it can be exploited for a possible implementation on an FPGA component. This improvement holds in account the real time aspect of the correction and the available resources that can offer the FPGA Type Stratix 1S40F780C5.

Log corrections to entropy of three dimensional black holes with soft hair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grumiller, Daniel; Perez, Alfredo; Tempo, David; Troncoso, Ricardo

2017-08-01

We calculate log corrections to the entropy of three-dimensional black holes with "soft hairy" boundary conditions. Their thermodynamics possesses some special features that preclude a naive direct evaluation of these corrections, so we follow two different approaches. The first one exploits that the BTZ black hole belongs to the spectrum of Brown-Henneaux as well as soft hairy boundary conditions, so that the respective log corrections are related through a suitable change of the thermodynamic ensemble. In the second approach the analogue of modular invariance is considered for dual theories with anisotropic scaling of Lifshitz type with dynamical exponent z at the boundary. On the gravity side such scalings arise for KdV-type boundary conditions, which provide a specific 1-parameter family of multi-trace deformations of the usual AdS3/CFT2 setup, with Brown-Henneaux corresponding to z = 1 and soft hairy boundary conditions to the limiting case z → 0+. Both approaches agree in the case of BTZ black holes for any non-negative z. Finally, for soft hairy boundary conditions we show that not only the leading term, but also the log corrections to the entropy of black flowers endowed with affine û (1) soft hair charges exclusively depend on the zero modes and hence coincide with the ones for BTZ black holes.

Real-time fMRI processing with physiological noise correction - Comparison with off-line analysis.

PubMed

Misaki, Masaya; Barzigar, Nafise; Zotev, Vadim; Phillips, Raquel; Cheng, Samuel; Bodurka, Jerzy

2015-12-30

While applications of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) are growing rapidly, there are still limitations in real-time data processing compared to off-line analysis. We developed a proof-of-concept real-time fMRI processing (rtfMRIp) system utilizing a personal computer (PC) with a dedicated graphic processing unit (GPU) to demonstrate that it is now possible to perform intensive whole-brain fMRI data processing in real-time. The rtfMRIp performs slice-timing correction, motion correction, spatial smoothing, signal scaling, and general linear model (GLM) analysis with multiple noise regressors including physiological noise modeled with cardiac (RETROICOR) and respiration volume per time (RVT). The whole-brain data analysis with more than 100,000voxels and more than 250volumes is completed in less than 300ms, much faster than the time required to acquire the fMRI volume. Real-time processing implementation cannot be identical to off-line analysis when time-course information is used, such as in slice-timing correction, signal scaling, and GLM. We verified that reduced slice-timing correction for real-time analysis had comparable output with off-line analysis. The real-time GLM analysis, however, showed over-fitting when the number of sampled volumes was small. Our system implemented real-time RETROICOR and RVT physiological noise corrections for the first time and it is capable of processing these steps on all available data at a given time, without need for recursive algorithms. Comprehensive data processing in rtfMRI is possible with a PC, while the number of samples should be considered in real-time GLM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the radiated EMI current extraction of dc transmission line based on corona current statistical measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Yong; Chen, Zhengying; Wang, Liming

2018-05-01

Corona-originated discharge of DC transmission lines is the main reason for the radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) field in the vicinity of transmission lines. A joint time-frequency analysis technique was proposed to extract the radiated EMI current (excitation current) of DC corona based on corona current statistical measurements. A reduced-scale experimental platform was setup to measure the statistical distributions of current waveform parameters of aluminum conductor steel reinforced. Based on the measured results, the peak value, root-mean-square value and average value with 9 kHz and 200 Hz band-with of 0.5 MHz radiated EMI current were calculated by the technique proposed and validated with conventional excitation function method. Radio interference (RI) was calculated based on the radiated EMI current and a wire-to-plate platform was built for the validity of the RI computation results. The reason for the certain deviation between the computations and measurements was detailed analyzed.

Utilizing the ratio and the summation of two spectral lines for estimation of optical depth: Focus on thick plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezaei, Fatemeh; Tavassoli, Seyed Hassan

2016-11-01

In this paper, a study is performed on the spectral lines of plasma radiations created from focusing of the Nd:YAG laser on Al standard alloys at atmospheric air pressure. A new theoretical method is presented to investigate the evolution of the optical depth of the plasma based on the radiative transfer equation, in LTE condition. This work relies on the Boltzmann distribution, lines broadening equations, and as well as the self-absorption relation. Then, an experimental set-up is devised to extract some of plasma parameters such as temperature from modified line ratio analysis, electron density from Stark broadening mechanism, line intensities of two spectral lines in the same order of ionization from similar species, and the plasma length from the shadowgraphy section. In this method, the summation and the ratio of two spectral lines are considered for evaluation of the temporal variations of the plasma parameters in a LIBS homogeneous plasma. The main advantage of this method is that it comprises the both of thin and thick laser induced plasmas without straight calculation of self-absorption coefficient. Moreover, the presented model can also be utilized for evaluation the transition of plasma from the thin condition to the thick one. The results illustrated that by measuring the line intensities of two spectral lines at different evolution times, the plasma cooling and the growth of the optical depth can be followed.

NLTE ANALYSIS OF HIGH-RESOLUTION H -BAND SPECTRA. II. NEUTRAL MAGNESIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Junbo; Shi, Jianrong; Liu, Chao

Aiming at testing the validity of our magnesium atomic model and investigating the effects of non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) on the formation of the H -band neutral magnesium lines, we derive the differential Mg abundances from selected transitions for 13 stars either adopting or relaxing the assumption of local thermodynamical equilibrium (LTE). Our analysis is based on high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio H -band spectra from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) and optical spectra from several instruments. The absolute differences between the Mg abundances derived from the two wavelength bands are always less than 0.1 dex inmore » the NLTE analysis, while they are slightly larger for the LTE case. This suggests that our Mg atomic model is appropriate for investigating the NLTE formation of the H -band Mg lines. The NLTE corrections for the Mg i H -band lines are sensitive to the surface gravity, becoming larger for smaller log g values, and strong lines are more susceptible to departures from LTE. For cool giants, NLTE corrections tend to be negative, and for the strong line at 15765 Å they reach −0.14 dex in our sample, and up to −0.22 dex for other APOGEE stars. Our results suggest that it is important to include NLTE corrections in determining Mg abundances from the H -band Mg i transitions, especially when strong lines are used.« less

Non-LTE effects in Al I lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menzhevitski, V. S.; Shimansky, V. V.; Shimanskaya, N. N.

2012-07-01

We present the theoretical analysis of the Al I line formation in the spectra of late-type stars ignoring the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). The calculations were based on the 39-level aluminum atom model for one-dimensional hydrostatic stellar atmosphere models with the parameters: T eff from 4000 to 9000 K, log g = 0.0-4.5, and metallicity [ A] = 0.0;-1.0;-2.0;-3.0;-4.0. The aluminum atom model and the method of calculations were tested by the study of line profiles in the solar spectrum. We refined the oscillator strengths and Van-der-Vaals broadening constants C 6 of the investigated transitions. We conclude that the Al I atom is in the overionization state: the 3 p level is underpopulated in the line formation region. This leads to the line weakening, as compared with the LTE results. The overionization effect becomes more pronounced with increasing temperature and decreasing metallicity. We show that the use of various atomic data (ionization cross-sections) for the low levels of Al I does not change the behavior of non-LTE deviations, whereas the value of these deviations varies essentially. For nine selected Al I lines we calculated the grids of theoretical non-LTE corrections (Δ X NLTE = log ɛ NLTE - log ɛ LTE) to the Al abundances determinedwith the LTE assumption. The non-LTE corrections are positive and significant for the stars with temperatures T eff > 6000 K. These corrections weakly depend on log g, and increase with declining stellar metallicity.

Determination of serum aluminum by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry: A comparison between Zeeman and continuum background correction systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruger, Pamela C.; Parsons, Patrick J.

2007-03-01

Excessive exposure to aluminum (Al) can produce serious health consequences in people with impaired renal function, especially those undergoing hemodialysis. Al can accumulate in the brain and in bone, causing dialysis-related encephalopathy and renal osteodystrophy. Thus, dialysis patients are routinely monitored for Al overload, through measurement of their serum Al. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) is widely used for serum Al determination. Here, we assess the analytical performances of three ETAAS instruments, equipped with different background correction systems and heating arrangements, for the determination of serum Al. Specifically, we compare (1) a Perkin Elmer (PE) Model 3110 AAS, equipped with a longitudinally (end) heated graphite atomizer (HGA) and continuum-source (deuterium) background correction, with (2) a PE Model 4100ZL AAS equipped with a transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) and longitudinal Zeeman background correction, and (3) a PE Model Z5100 AAS equipped with a HGA and transverse Zeeman background correction. We were able to transfer the method for serum Al previously established for the Z5100 and 4100ZL instruments to the 3110, with only minor modifications. As with the Zeeman instruments, matrix-matched calibration was not required for the 3110 and, thus, aqueous calibration standards were used. However, the 309.3-nm line was chosen for analysis on the 3110 due to failure of the continuum background correction system at the 396.2-nm line. A small, seemingly insignificant overcorrection error was observed in the background channel on the 3110 instrument at the 309.3-nm line. On the 4100ZL, signal oscillation was observed in the atomization profile. The sensitivity, or characteristic mass ( m0), for Al at the 309.3-nm line on the 3110 AAS was found to be 12.1 ± 0.6 pg, compared to 16.1 ± 0.7 pg for the Z5100, and 23.3 ± 1.3 pg for the 4100ZL at the 396.2-nm line. However, the instrumental detection limits (3 SD) for Al were very similar: 3.0, 3.2, and 4.1 μg L - 1 for the Z5100, 4100ZL, and 3110, respectively. Serum Al method detection limits (3 SD) were 9.8, 6.9, and 7.3 μg L - 1 , respectively. Accuracy was assessed using archived serum (and plasma) reference materials from various external quality assessment schemes (EQAS). Values found with all three instruments were within the acceptable EQAS ranges. The data indicate that relatively modest ETAAS instrumentation equipped with continuum background correction is adequate for routine serum Al monitoring.

INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF THE GAM EX5ALN MINIATURE LINE-NARROWED KRF EXCIMER LASER

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

software included the disabled tabs and buttons that clutter the panels. Information on these panels was not updated correctly (e.g., shots per fill and...total shots are not stored correctly and appear to contain random data, the lock function on the fill page does not update correctly, the time to...fill level after 7 M shots . .............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 7: Shelf-life

PERSEE: a nulling interferometer with dynamic correction of external perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacquinod, S.; Houairi, K.; Le Duigou, J.-M.; Barillot, M.; Cassaing, F.; Réess, J.-M.; Hénault, F.; Sorrente, B.; Morinaud, G.; Amans, J.-P.; Coudé du Foresto, V.; Ollivier, M.

2017-11-01

Nulling interferometry is one of the direct detection methods assessed to find and characterize extrasolar planets and particularly telluric ones. Several projects such as Darwin [1;2], TPF-I [3;4], PEGASE [5;6] or FKSI [7], are currently considered. One of the main issues is the feasibility of a stable polychromatic null despite the presence of significant disturbances, induced by vibrations, atmospheric turbulence on the ground or satellite drift. Satisfying all these requirements is a great challenge and a key issue of these missions. In the context of the PEGASE mission, it was decided (in 2006), to build a laboratory demonstrator named PERSEE. It is the first laboratory setup which couples deep nulling interferometry with a free flying GNC simulator [8]. It is developed by a consortium composed of CNES, IAS, LESIA, OCA, ONERA, and TAS. In this paper, we detail the main objectives, the set-up and the function of the bench. We describe all the subsystems and we focus particularly on two key points of PERSEE: the beam combiner and the Fringe tracker.

Kalman filter based control for Adaptive Optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petit, Cyril; Quiros-Pacheco, Fernando; Conan, Jean-Marc; Kulcsár, Caroline; Raynaud, Henri-François; Fusco, Thierry

2004-12-01

Classical Adaptive Optics suffer from a limitation of the corrected Field Of View. This drawback has lead to the development of MultiConjugated Adaptive Optics. While the first MCAO experimental set-ups are presently under construction, little attention has been paid to the control loop. This is however a key element in the optimization process especially for MCAO systems. Different approaches have been proposed in recent articles for astronomical applications : simple integrator, Optimized Modal Gain Integrator and Kalman filtering. We study here Kalman filtering which seems a very promising solution. Following the work of Brice Leroux, we focus on a frequential characterization of kalman filters, computing a transfer matrix. The result brings much information about their behaviour and allows comparisons with classical controllers. It also appears that straightforward improvements of the system models can lead to static aberrations and vibrations filtering. Simulation results are proposed and analysed thanks to our frequential characterization. Related problems such as model errors, aliasing effect reduction or experimental implementation and testing of Kalman filter control loop on a simplified MCAO experimental set-up could be then discussed.

Application of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to classification of Miscanthus species

DOE PAGES

Jin, Xiaoli; Chen, Xiaoling; Xiao, Liang; ...

2017-04-03

Here, the feasibility of visible and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as tool to classify Miscanthus samples was explored in this study. Three types of Miscanthus plants, namely, M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, were analyzed using a NIR spectrophotometer. Several classification models based on the NIR spectra data were developed using line discriminated analysis (LDA), partial least squares (PLS), least squares support vector machine regression (LSSVR), radial basis function (RBF) and neural network (NN). The principal component analysis (PCA) presented rough classification with overlapping samples, while the models of Line_LSSVR, RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN presented almost same calibration and validationmore » results. Due to the higher speed of Line_LSSVR than RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN, we selected the line_LSSVR model as a representative. In our study, the model based on line_LSSVR showed higher accuracy than LDA and PLS models. The total correct classification rates of 87.79 and 96.51% were observed based on LDA and PLS model in the testing set, respectively, while the line_LSSVR showed 99.42% of total correct classification rate. Meanwhile, the lin_LSSVR model in the testing set showed correct classification rate of 100, 100 and 96.77% for M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, respectively. The lin_LSSVR model assigned 99.42% of samples to the right groups, except one M. fIoridulus sample. The results demonstrated that NIR spectra combined with a preliminary morphological classification could be an effective and reliable procedure for the classification of Miscanthus species.« less

Application of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to classification of Miscanthus species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Xiaoli; Chen, Xiaoling; Xiao, Liang

Here, the feasibility of visible and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as tool to classify Miscanthus samples was explored in this study. Three types of Miscanthus plants, namely, M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, were analyzed using a NIR spectrophotometer. Several classification models based on the NIR spectra data were developed using line discriminated analysis (LDA), partial least squares (PLS), least squares support vector machine regression (LSSVR), radial basis function (RBF) and neural network (NN). The principal component analysis (PCA) presented rough classification with overlapping samples, while the models of Line_LSSVR, RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN presented almost same calibration and validationmore » results. Due to the higher speed of Line_LSSVR than RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN, we selected the line_LSSVR model as a representative. In our study, the model based on line_LSSVR showed higher accuracy than LDA and PLS models. The total correct classification rates of 87.79 and 96.51% were observed based on LDA and PLS model in the testing set, respectively, while the line_LSSVR showed 99.42% of total correct classification rate. Meanwhile, the lin_LSSVR model in the testing set showed correct classification rate of 100, 100 and 96.77% for M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, respectively. The lin_LSSVR model assigned 99.42% of samples to the right groups, except one M. fIoridulus sample. The results demonstrated that NIR spectra combined with a preliminary morphological classification could be an effective and reliable procedure for the classification of Miscanthus species.« less

Application of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to classification of Miscanthus species.

PubMed

Jin, Xiaoli; Chen, Xiaoling; Xiao, Liang; Shi, Chunhai; Chen, Liang; Yu, Bin; Yi, Zili; Yoo, Ji Hye; Heo, Kweon; Yu, Chang Yeon; Yamada, Toshihiko; Sacks, Erik J; Peng, Junhua

2017-01-01

The feasibility of visible and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as tool to classify Miscanthus samples was explored in this study. Three types of Miscanthus plants, namely, M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, were analyzed using a NIR spectrophotometer. Several classification models based on the NIR spectra data were developed using line discriminated analysis (LDA), partial least squares (PLS), least squares support vector machine regression (LSSVR), radial basis function (RBF) and neural network (NN). The principal component analysis (PCA) presented rough classification with overlapping samples, while the models of Line_LSSVR, RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN presented almost same calibration and validation results. Due to the higher speed of Line_LSSVR than RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN, we selected the line_LSSVR model as a representative. In our study, the model based on line_LSSVR showed higher accuracy than LDA and PLS models. The total correct classification rates of 87.79 and 96.51% were observed based on LDA and PLS model in the testing set, respectively, while the line_LSSVR showed 99.42% of total correct classification rate. Meanwhile, the lin_LSSVR model in the testing set showed correct classification rate of 100, 100 and 96.77% for M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, respectively. The lin_LSSVR model assigned 99.42% of samples to the right groups, except one M. fIoridulus sample. The results demonstrated that NIR spectra combined with a preliminary morphological classification could be an effective and reliable procedure for the classification of Miscanthus species.

Application of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to classification of Miscanthus species

PubMed Central

Shi, Chunhai; Chen, Liang; Yu, Bin; Yi, Zili; Yoo, Ji Hye; Heo, Kweon; Yu, Chang Yeon; Yamada, Toshihiko; Sacks, Erik J.; Peng, Junhua

2017-01-01

The feasibility of visible and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as tool to classify Miscanthus samples was explored in this study. Three types of Miscanthus plants, namely, M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, were analyzed using a NIR spectrophotometer. Several classification models based on the NIR spectra data were developed using line discriminated analysis (LDA), partial least squares (PLS), least squares support vector machine regression (LSSVR), radial basis function (RBF) and neural network (NN). The principal component analysis (PCA) presented rough classification with overlapping samples, while the models of Line_LSSVR, RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN presented almost same calibration and validation results. Due to the higher speed of Line_LSSVR than RBF_LSSVR and RBF_NN, we selected the line_LSSVR model as a representative. In our study, the model based on line_LSSVR showed higher accuracy than LDA and PLS models. The total correct classification rates of 87.79 and 96.51% were observed based on LDA and PLS model in the testing set, respectively, while the line_LSSVR showed 99.42% of total correct classification rate. Meanwhile, the lin_LSSVR model in the testing set showed correct classification rate of 100, 100 and 96.77% for M. sinensis, M. sacchariflorus and M. fIoridulus, respectively. The lin_LSSVR model assigned 99.42% of samples to the right groups, except one M. fIoridulus sample. The results demonstrated that NIR spectra combined with a preliminary morphological classification could be an effective and reliable procedure for the classification of Miscanthus species. PMID:28369059

Image-guided radiotherapy using megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography for treatment of paraspinous tumors in the presence of orthopedic hardware

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Eric K.; Larson, David A.; Aubin, Michele

Purpose: This report describes a new image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) technique using megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography (MV-CBCT) to treat paraspinous tumors in the presence of orthopedic hardware. Methods and Materials: A patient with a resected paraspinous high-grade sarcoma was treated to 59.4 Gy with an IMRT plan. Daily MV-CBCT imaging was used to ensure accurate positioning. The displacement between MV-CBCT and planning CT images were determined daily and applied remotely to the treatment couch. The dose-volume histograms of the original and a hypothetical IMRT plan (shifted by the average daily setup errors) were compared to estimate the impact on dosimetry. Results:more » The mean setup corrections in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical directions were 3.6 mm (95% CI, 2.6-4.6 mm), 4.1 mm (95% CI, 3.2-5.0 mm), and 1.0 mm (95% CI, 0.6-1.3 mm), respectively. Without corrected positioning, the dose to 0.1 cc of the spinal cord increased by 9.4 Gy, and the doses to 95% of clinical target volumes 1 and 2 were reduced by 4 Gy and 4.8 Gy, respectively. Conclusions: Megavoltage-CBCT provides a new alternative image-guided radiotherapy approach for treatment of paraspinous tumors in the presence of orthopedic hardware by providing 3D anatomic information in the treatment position, with clear imaging of metallic objects and without compromising soft-tissue information.« less

Code for the calculation of the instrumental profile: preliminary results. (Spanish Title: Código para el cálculo del perfil instrumental: resultados preliminares)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pintado, O. I.; Santillán, L.; Marquetti, M. E.

All images obtained with a telescope are distorted by the instrument. This distorsion is known as instrumental profile or instrumental broadening. The deformations in the spectra could introduce large errors in the determination of different parameters, especially in those dependent on the spectral lines shapes, such as chemical abundances, winds, microturbulence, etc. To correct this distortion, in some cases, the spectral lines are convolved with a Gaussian function and in others the lines are widened with a fixed value. Some codes used to calculate synthetic spectra, as SYNTHE, include this corrections. We present results obtained for the spectrograph REOSC and EBASIM of CASLEO.

New scheduling rules for a dynamic flexible flow line problem with sequence-dependent setup times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kia, Hamidreza; Ghodsypour, Seyed Hassan; Davoudpour, Hamid

2017-09-01

In the literature, the application of multi-objective dynamic scheduling problem and simple priority rules are widely studied. Although these rules are not efficient enough due to simplicity and lack of general insight, composite dispatching rules have a very suitable performance because they result from experiments. In this paper, a dynamic flexible flow line problem with sequence-dependent setup times is studied. The objective of the problem is minimization of mean flow time and mean tardiness. A 0-1 mixed integer model of the problem is formulated. Since the problem is NP-hard, four new composite dispatching rules are proposed to solve it by applying genetic programming framework and choosing proper operators. Furthermore, a discrete-event simulation model is made to examine the performances of scheduling rules considering four new heuristic rules and the six adapted heuristic rules from the literature. It is clear from the experimental results that composite dispatching rules that are formed from genetic programming have a better performance in minimization of mean flow time and mean tardiness than others.

[Signal analysis and spectrum distortion correction for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy system].

PubMed

Bao, Wei-Yi; Zhu, Yong; Chen, Jun; Chen, Jun-Qing; Liang, Bo

2011-04-01

In the present paper, the signal of a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) trace gas sensing system, which has a wavelength modulation with a wide range of modulation amplitudes, is studied based on Fourier analysis method. Theory explanation of spectrum distortion induced by laser intensity amplitude modulation is given. In order to rectify the spectrum distortion, a method of synchronous amplitude modulation suppression by a variable optical attenuator is proposed. To validate the method, an experimental setup is designed. Absorption spectrum measurement experiments on CO2 gas were carried out. The results show that the residual laser intensity modulation amplitude of the experimental system is reduced to -0.1% of its original value and the spectrum distortion improvement is 92% with the synchronous amplitude modulation suppression. The modulation amplitude of laser intensity can be effectively reduced and the spectrum distortion can be well corrected by using the given correction method and system. By using a variable optical attenuator in the TDLAS (tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy) system, the dynamic range requirements of photoelectric detector, digital to analog converter, filters and other aspects of the TDLAS system are reduced. This spectrum distortion correction method can be used for online trace gas analyzing in process industry.

Surgery-first approach using a three-dimensional virtual setup and surgical simulation for skeletal Class III correction

PubMed Central

Im, Joon; Kang, Sang Hoon; Lee, Ji Yeon; Kim, Moon Key

2014-01-01

A 19-year-old woman presented to our dental clinic with anterior crossbite and mandibular prognathism. She had a concave profile, long face, and Angle Class III molar relationship. She showed disharmony in the crowding of the maxillomandibular dentition and midline deviation. The diagnosis and treatment plan were established by a three-dimensional (3D) virtual setup and 3D surgical simulation, and a surgical wafer was produced using the stereolithography technique. No presurgical orthodontic treatment was performed. Using the surgery-first approach, Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy and mandibular bilateral intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy setback were carried out. Treatment was completed with postorthodontic treatment. Thus, symmetrical and balanced facial soft tissue and facial form as well as stabilized and well-balanced occlusion were achieved. PMID:25473649

A Voluntary Breath-Hold Treatment Technique for the Left Breast With Unfavorable Cardiac Anatomy Using Surface Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gierga, David P., E-mail: dgierga@partners.org; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Turcotte, Julie C.

2012-12-01

Purpose: Breath-hold (BH) treatments can be used to reduce cardiac dose for patients with left-sided breast cancer and unfavorable cardiac anatomy. A surface imaging technique was developed for accurate patient setup and reproducible real-time BH positioning. Methods and Materials: Three-dimensional surface images were obtained for 20 patients. Surface imaging was used to correct the daily setup for each patient. Initial setup data were recorded for 443 fractions and were analyzed to assess random and systematic errors. Real time monitoring was used to verify surface placement during BH. The radiation beam was not turned on if the BH position difference wasmore » greater than 5 mm. Real-time surface data were analyzed for 2398 BHs and 363 treatment fractions. The mean and maximum differences were calculated. The percentage of BHs greater than tolerance was calculated. Results: The mean shifts for initial patient setup were 2.0 mm, 1.2 mm, and 0.3 mm in the vertical, longitudinal, and lateral directions, respectively. The mean 3-dimensional vector shift was 7.8 mm. Random and systematic errors were less than 4 mm. Real-time surface monitoring data indicated that 22% of the BHs were outside the 5-mm tolerance (range, 7%-41%), and there was a correlation with breast volume. The mean difference between the treated and reference BH positions was 2 mm in each direction. For out-of-tolerance BHs, the average difference in the BH position was 6.3 mm, and the average maximum difference was 8.8 mm. Conclusions: Daily real-time surface imaging ensures accurate and reproducible positioning for BH treatment of left-sided breast cancer patients with unfavorable cardiac anatomy.« less

Improved human observer performance in digital reconstructed radiograph verification in head and neck cancer radiotherapy.

PubMed

Sturgeon, Jared D; Cox, John A; Mayo, Lauren L; Gunn, G Brandon; Zhang, Lifei; Balter, Peter A; Dong, Lei; Awan, Musaddiq; Kocak-Uzel, Esengul; Mohamed, Abdallah Sherif Radwan; Rosenthal, David I; Fuller, Clifton David

2015-10-01

Digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) are routinely used as an a priori reference for setup correction in radiotherapy. The spatial resolution of DRRs may be improved to reduce setup error in fractionated radiotherapy treatment protocols. The influence of finer CT slice thickness reconstruction (STR) and resultant increased resolution DRRs on physician setup accuracy was prospectively evaluated. Four head and neck patient CT-simulation images were acquired and used to create DRR cohorts by varying STRs at 0.5, 1, 2, 2.5, and 3 mm. DRRs were displaced relative to a fixed isocenter using 0-5 mm random shifts in the three cardinal axes. Physician observers reviewed DRRs of varying STRs and displacements and then aligned reference and test DRRs replicating daily KV imaging workflow. A total of 1,064 images were reviewed by four blinded physicians. Observer errors were analyzed using nonparametric statistics (Friedman's test) to determine whether STR cohorts had detectably different displacement profiles. Post hoc bootstrap resampling was applied to evaluate potential generalizability. The observer-based trial revealed a statistically significant difference between cohort means for observer displacement vector error ([Formula: see text]) and for [Formula: see text]-axis [Formula: see text]. Bootstrap analysis suggests a 15% gain in isocenter translational setup error with reduction of STR from 3 mm to [Formula: see text]2 mm, though interobserver variance was a larger feature than STR-associated measurement variance. Higher resolution DRRs generated using finer CT scan STR resulted in improved observer performance at shift detection and could decrease operator-dependent geometric error. Ideally, CT STRs [Formula: see text]2 mm should be utilized for DRR generation in the head and neck.

fMRI brain mapping during motion capture and FES induced motor tasks: signal to noise ratio assessment.

PubMed

Gandolla, Marta; Ferrante, Simona; Casellato, Claudia; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Molteni, Franco; Martegani, Alberto; Frattini, Tiziano; Pedrocchi, Alessandra

2011-10-01

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is a well known clinical rehabilitation procedure, however the neural mechanisms that underlie this treatment at Central Nervous System (CNS) level are still not completely understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a suitable tool to investigate effects of rehabilitative treatments on brain plasticity. Moreover, monitoring the effective executed movement is needed to correctly interpret activation maps, most of all in neurological patients where required motor tasks could be only partially accomplished. The proposed experimental set-up includes a 1.5 T fMRI scanner, a motion capture system to acquire kinematic data, and an electro-stimulation device. The introduction of metallic devices and of stimulation current in the MRI room could affect fMRI acquisitions so as to prevent a reliable activation maps analysis. What we are interested in is that the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal, marker of neural activity, could be detected within a given experimental condition and set-up. In this paper we assess temporal Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) as image quality index. BOLD signal change is about 1-2% as revealed by a 1.5 T scanner. This work demonstrates that, with this innovative set-up, in the main cortical sensorimotor regions 1% BOLD signal change can be detected at least in the 93% of the sub-volumes, and almost 100% of the sub-volumes are suitable for 2% signal change detection. The integrated experimental set-up will therefore allows to detect FES induced movements fMRI maps simultaneously with kinematic acquisitions so as to investigate FES-based rehabilitation treatments contribution at CNS level. Copyright © 2011 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orthodontic correction of a transposed maxillary canine and first premolar in the permanent dentition.

PubMed

Nishimura, Kazuaki; Nakao, Kimihisa; Aoki, Taijyu; Fuyamada, Mariko; Saito, Keisuke; Goto, Shigemi

2012-10-01

The patient was a 16-year-old Japanese girl whose chief complaints were crowding and transposition of the maxillary canine and first premolar. A setup model was used to preoperatively align the teeth in their transposed positions. The amount of postoperative reshaping was estimated for the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. However, the patient did not wish to have her teeth reduced by reshaping or to have composite materials for restorative camouflage. Because she strongly expected alignment of her teeth in the correct intra-arch position, her transposed teeth were corrected without extraction of the transposed teeth. Cone-beam computed tomography was used to obtain more detailed information about the transposition, and the direction of tooth movement was examined. Although the duration of the treatment was long, both the crowns and the roots of the transposed teeth were aligned correctly. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated general temperature correction method for dielectric soil moisture sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapilaratne, R. G. C. Jeewantinie; Lu, Minjiao

2017-08-01

An effective temperature correction method for dielectric sensors is important to ensure the accuracy of soil water content (SWC) measurements of local to regional-scale soil moisture monitoring networks. These networks are extensively using highly temperature sensitive dielectric sensors due to their low cost, ease of use and less power consumption. Yet there is no general temperature correction method for dielectric sensors, instead sensor or site dependent correction algorithms are employed. Such methods become ineffective at soil moisture monitoring networks with different sensor setups and those that cover diverse climatic conditions and soil types. This study attempted to develop a general temperature correction method for dielectric sensors which can be commonly used regardless of the differences in sensor type, climatic conditions and soil type without rainfall data. In this work an automated general temperature correction method was developed by adopting previously developed temperature correction algorithms using time domain reflectometry (TDR) measurements to ThetaProbe ML2X, Stevens Hydra probe II and Decagon Devices EC-TM sensor measurements. The rainy day effects removal procedure from SWC data was automated by incorporating a statistical inference technique with temperature correction algorithms. The temperature correction method was evaluated using 34 stations from the International Soil Moisture Monitoring Network and another nine stations from a local soil moisture monitoring network in Mongolia. Soil moisture monitoring networks used in this study cover four major climates and six major soil types. Results indicated that the automated temperature correction algorithms developed in this study can eliminate temperature effects from dielectric sensor measurements successfully even without on-site rainfall data. Furthermore, it has been found that actual daily average of SWC has been changed due to temperature effects of dielectric sensors with a significant error factor comparable to ±1% manufacturer's accuracy.

Towards a global network of gamma-ray detector calibration facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tijs, Marco; Koomans, Ronald; Limburg, Han

2016-09-01

Gamma-ray logging tools are applied worldwide. At various locations, calibration facilities are used to calibrate these gamma-ray logging systems. Several attempts have been made to cross-correlate well known calibration pits, but this cross-correlation does not include calibration facilities in Europe or private company calibration facilities. Our aim is to set-up a framework that gives the possibility to interlink all calibration facilities worldwide by using `tools of opportunity' - tools that have been calibrated in different calibration facilities, whether this usage was on a coordinated basis or by coincidence. To compare the measurement of different tools, it is important to understand the behaviour of the tools in the different calibration pits. Borehole properties, such as diameter, fluid, casing and probe diameter strongly influence the outcome of gamma-ray borehole logging. Logs need to be properly calibrated and compensated for these borehole properties in order to obtain in-situ grades or to do cross-hole correlation. Some tool providers provide tool-specific correction curves for this purpose. Others rely on reference measurements against sources of known radionuclide concentration and geometry. In this article, we present an attempt to set-up a framework for transferring `local' calibrations to be applied `globally'. This framework includes corrections for any geometry and detector size to give absolute concentrations of radionuclides from borehole measurements. This model is used to compare measurements in the calibration pits of Grand Junction, located in the USA; Adelaide (previously known as AMDEL), located in Adelaide Australia; and Stonehenge, located at Medusa Explorations BV in the Netherlands.

Design, Fabrication, and Validation of an Ultra-Lightweight Membrane Mirror (Conference Proceedings)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

Membrane Mirror Active boundary control is very promising and studies predict good control over astigmatism and coma aberrations. However, the primary...design analysis. The mount has a split lenticular setup, allowing one canopy and many membrane mirrors that can be interchanged. The mount has a...spherical aberration, which is as expected. Results from finite element modeling showed that astigmatism can be corrected with the normal actuators

Caracterización y automatización mecánica de los telescopios Cherenkov de CASLEO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leal, N.; Yelós, L. D.; Mancilla, A.; Maya, J.; Feres, L.; Lazarte, F.; García, B.

2017-10-01

A new automation system for the Cherenkov Telescopes at CASLEO is designed. Two rotation speeds are proposed: a fast speed for positioning and parking and a slow speed for tracking. The wind speed at El Leoncito site is used as a design parameter. In this work we present the first tests with the new setup which shows a correct performance at fast speeds.

Evaluation of the Quality of Action Cameras with Wide-Angle Lenses in Uav Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hastedt, H.; Ekkel, T.; Luhmann, T.

2016-06-01

The application of light-weight cameras in UAV photogrammetry is required due to restrictions in payload. In general, consumer cameras with normal lens type are applied to a UAV system. The availability of action cameras, like the GoPro Hero4 Black, including a wide-angle lens (fish-eye lens) offers new perspectives in UAV projects. With these investigations, different calibration procedures for fish-eye lenses are evaluated in order to quantify their accuracy potential in UAV photogrammetry. Herewith the GoPro Hero4 is evaluated using different acquisition modes. It is investigated to which extent the standard calibration approaches in OpenCV or Agisoft PhotoScan/Lens can be applied to the evaluation processes in UAV photogrammetry. Therefore different calibration setups and processing procedures are assessed and discussed. Additionally a pre-correction of the initial distortion by GoPro Studio and its application to the photogrammetric purposes will be evaluated. An experimental setup with a set of control points and a prospective flight scenario is chosen to evaluate the processing results using Agisoft PhotoScan. Herewith it is analysed to which extent a pre-calibration and pre-correction of a GoPro Hero4 will reinforce the reliability and accuracy of a flight scenario.

An innovative experimental setup for Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry measurements in riverine environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tauro, Flavia; Olivieri, Giorgio; Porfiri, Maurizio; Grimaldi, Salvatore

2014-05-01

Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) is a powerful methodology to nonintrusively monitor surface flows. Its use has been beneficial to the development of rating curves in riverine environments and to map geomorphic features in natural waterways. Typical LSPIV experimental setups rely on the use of mast-mounted cameras for the acquisition of natural stream reaches. Such cameras are installed on stream banks and are angled with respect to the water surface to capture large scale fields of view. Despite its promise and the simplicity of the setup, the practical implementation of LSPIV is affected by several challenges, including the acquisition of ground reference points for image calibration and time-consuming and highly user-assisted procedures to orthorectify images. In this work, we perform LSPIV studies on stream sections in the Aniene and Tiber basins, Italy. To alleviate the limitations of traditional LSPIV implementations, we propose an improved video acquisition setup comprising a telescopic, an inexpensive GoPro Hero 3 video camera, and a system of two lasers. The setup allows for maintaining the camera axis perpendicular to the water surface, thus mitigating uncertainties related to image orthorectification. Further, the mast encases a laser system for remote image calibration, thus allowing for nonintrusively calibrating videos without acquiring ground reference points. We conduct measurements on two different water bodies to outline the performance of the methodology in case of varying flow regimes, illumination conditions, and distribution of surface tracers. Specifically, the Aniene river is characterized by high surface flow velocity, the presence of abundant, homogeneously distributed ripples and water reflections, and a meagre number of buoyant tracers. On the other hand, the Tiber river presents lower surface flows, isolated reflections, and several floating objects. Videos are processed through image-based analyses to correct for lens distortions and analyzed with a commercially available PIV software. Surface flow velocity estimates are compared to supervised measurements performed by visually tracking objects floating on the stream surface and to rating curves developed by the Ufficio Idrografico e Mareografico (UIM) at Regione Lazio, Italy. Experimental findings demonstrate that the presence of tracers is crucial for surface flow velocity estimates. Further, considering surface ripples and patterns may lead to underestimations in LSPIV analyses.

MO-G-BRE-03: Automated Continuous Monitoring of Patient Setup with Second-Check Independent Image Registration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, X; Fox, T; Schreibmann, E

2014-06-15

Purpose: To create a non-supervised quality assurance program to monitor image-based patient setup. The system acts a secondary check by independently computing shifts and rotations and interfaces with Varian's database to verify therapist's work and warn against sub-optimal setups. Methods: Temporary digitally-reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) and OBI radiographic image files created by Varian's treatment console during patient setup are intercepted and used as input in an independent registration module customized for accuracy that determines the optimal rotations and shifts. To deal with the poor quality of OBI images, a histogram equalization of the live images to the DDR counterparts is performedmore » as a pre-processing step. A search for the most sensitive metric was performed by plotting search spaces subject to various translations and convergence analysis was applied to ensure the optimizer finds the global minima. Final system configuration uses the NCC metric with 150 histogram bins and a one plus one optimizer running for 2000 iterations with customized scales for translations and rotations in a multi-stage optimization setup that first corrects and translations and subsequently rotations. Results: The system was installed clinically to monitor and provide almost real-time feedback on patient positioning. On a 2 month-basis uncorrected pitch values were of a mean 0.016° with standard deviation of 1.692°, and couch rotations of − 0.090°± 1.547°. The couch shifts were −0.157°±0.466° cm for the vertical, 0.045°±0.286 laterally and 0.084°± 0.501° longitudinally. Uncorrected pitch angles were the most common source of discrepancies. Large variations in the pitch angles were correlated with patient motion inside the mask. Conclusion: A system for automated quality assurance of therapist's registration was designed and tested in clinical practice. The approach complements the clinical software's automated registration in terms of algorithm configuration and performance and constitutes a practical approach to implement safe and cost-effective radiotherapy.« less

Resampling to accelerate cross-correlation searches for continuous gravitational waves from binary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meadors, Grant David; Krishnan, Badri; Papa, Maria Alessandra; Whelan, John T.; Zhang, Yuanhao

2018-02-01

Continuous-wave (CW) gravitational waves (GWs) call for computationally-intensive methods. Low signal-to-noise ratio signals need templated searches with long coherent integration times and thus fine parameter-space resolution. Longer integration increases sensitivity. Low-mass x-ray binaries (LMXBs) such as Scorpius X-1 (Sco X-1) may emit accretion-driven CWs at strains reachable by current ground-based observatories. Binary orbital parameters induce phase modulation. This paper describes how resampling corrects binary and detector motion, yielding source-frame time series used for cross-correlation. Compared to the previous, detector-frame, templated cross-correlation method, used for Sco X-1 on data from the first Advanced LIGO observing run (O1), resampling is about 20 × faster in the costliest, most-sensitive frequency bands. Speed-up factors depend on integration time and search setup. The speed could be reinvested into longer integration with a forecast sensitivity gain, 20 to 125 Hz median, of approximately 51%, or from 20 to 250 Hz, 11%, given the same per-band cost and setup. This paper's timing model enables future setup optimization. Resampling scales well with longer integration, and at 10 × unoptimized cost could reach respectively 2.83 × and 2.75 × median sensitivities, limited by spin-wandering. Then an O1 search could yield a marginalized-polarization upper limit reaching torque-balance at 100 Hz. Frequencies from 40 to 140 Hz might be probed in equal observing time with 2 × improved detectors.

Proposal of one-shot-type spectroscopic-tomography for non-invasive medical-measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Shun; Fujiwara, Masaru; Abeygunawardhana, Pradeep K. W.; Suzuki, Satoru; Nishiyama, Akira; Ishimaru, Ichiro

2013-06-01

The one-shot-type spectroscopic-tomography is proposed to develop the medical-patient-condition monitoring systems. The optical-setup is configured with the relative-inclined phase-shifter for improving the time resolution and the phase-shift array for improving visibility. We obtained the line-spectroscopic imaging and could recognize the Hg bright-line-spectrum that is a component of the light-source. The realization of the optical stethoscope for early diagnosis of cancer can be expected by obtaining the 2-dimensional spectroscopic distribution with rotating interferometer.

On-line vs off-line electrical conductivity characterization. Polycarbonate composites developed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes by compounding technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llorens-Chiralt, R.; Weiss, P.; Mikonsaari, I.

2014-05-01

Material characterization is one of the key steps when conductive polymers are developed. The dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polymeric matrix using melt mixing influence final composite properties. The compounding becomes trial and error using a huge amount of materials, spending time and money to obtain competitive composites. Traditional methods to carry out electrical conductivity characterization include compression and injection molding. Both methods need extra equipments and moulds to obtain standard bars. This study aims to investigate the accuracy of the data obtained from absolute resistance recorded during the melt compounding, using an on-line setup developed by our group, and to correlate these values with off-line characterization and processing parameters (screw/barrel configuration, throughput, screw speed, temperature profile and CNTs percentage). Compounds developed with different percentages of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polycarbonate has been characterized during and after extrusion. Measurements, on-line resistance and off-line resistivity, showed parallel response and reproducibility, confirming method validity. The significance of the results obtained stems from the fact that we are able to measure on-line resistance and to change compounding parameters during production to achieve reference values reducing production/testing cost and ensuring material quality. Also, this method removes errors which can be found in test bars development, showing better correlation with compounding parameters.

78 FR 6781 - Net Investment Income Tax; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

... Net Investment Income Tax; Correction AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION....1411-4 Definition of net investment income., Sec. 1.1411-4(c)(2), line 3, the language ``described in... Controlled foreign corporations and passive foreign investment companies., Sec. 1.1411-10(d)(1)(i), line 5...

Transient imaging for real-time tracking around a corner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Jonathan; Laurenzis, Martin; Hullin, Matthias

2016-10-01

Non-line-of-sight imaging is a fascinating emerging area of research and expected to have an impact in numerous application fields including civilian and military sensing. Performance of human perception and situational awareness can be extended by the sensing of shapes and movement around a corner in future scenarios. Rather than seeing through obstacles directly, non-line-of-sight imaging relies on analyzing indirect reflections of light that traveled around the obstacle. In previous work, transient imaging was established as the key mechanic to enable the extraction of useful information from such reflections. So far, a number of different approaches based on transient imaging have been proposed, with back projection being the most prominent one. Different hardware setups were used for the acquisition of the required data, however all of them have severe drawbacks such as limited image quality, long capture time or very high prices. In this paper we propose the analysis of synthetic transient renderings to gain more insights into the transient light transport. With this simulated data, we are no longer bound to the imperfect data of real systems and gain more flexibility and control over the analysis. In a second part, we use the insights of our analysis to formulate a novel reconstruction algorithm. It uses an adapted light simulation to formulate an inverse problem which is solved in an analysis-by-synthesis fashion. Through rigorous optimization of the reconstruction, it then becomes possible to track known objects outside the line of side in real time. Due to the forward formulation of the light transport, the algorithm is easily expandable to more general scenarios or different hardware setups. We therefore expect it to become a viable alternative to the classic back projection approach in the future.

Optics measurement and correction during beam acceleration in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, C.; Marusic, A.; Minty, M.

2014-09-09

To minimize operational complexities, setup of collisions in high energy circular colliders typically involves acceleration with near constant β-functions followed by application of strong focusing quadrupoles at the interaction points (IPs) for the final beta-squeeze. At the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) beam acceleration and optics squeeze are performed simultaneously. In the past, beam optics correction at RHIC has taken place at injection and at final energy with some interpolation of corrections into the acceleration cycle. Recent measurements of the beam optics during acceleration and squeeze have evidenced significant beta-beats which if corrected could minimize undesirable emittance dilutions and maximizemore » the spin polarization of polarized proton beams by avoidance of higher-order multipole fields sampled by particles within the bunch. In this report the methodology now operational at RHIC for beam optics corrections during acceleration with simultaneous beta-squeeze will be presented together with measurements which conclusively demonstrate the superior beam control. As a valuable by-product, the corrections have minimized the beta-beat at the profile monitors so reducing the dominant error in and providing more precise measurements of the evolution of the beam emittances during acceleration.« less

Rotational distortion correction in endoscopic optical coherence tomography based on speckle decorrelation

PubMed Central

Uribe-Patarroyo, Néstor; Bouma, Brett E.

2015-01-01

We present a new technique for the correction of nonuniform rotation distortion in catheter-based optical coherence tomography (OCT), based on the statistics of speckle between A-lines using intensity-based dynamic light scattering. This technique does not rely on tissue features and can be performed on single frames of data, thereby enabling real-time image correction. We demonstrate its suitability in a gastrointestinal balloon-catheter OCT system, determining the actual rotational speed with high temporal resolution, and present corrected cross-sectional and en face views showing significant enhancement of image quality. PMID:26625040

Correction method for stripe nonuniformity.

PubMed

Qian, Weixian; Chen, Qian; Gu, Guohua; Guan, Zhiqiang

2010-04-01

Stripe nonuniformity is very typical in line infrared focal plane arrays (IR-FPA) and uncooled staring IR-FPA. In this paper, the mechanism of the stripe nonuniformity is analyzed, and the gray-scale co-occurrence matrix theory and optimization theory are studied. Through these efforts, the stripe nonuniformity correction problem is translated into the optimization problem. The goal of the optimization is to find the minimal energy of the image's line gradient. After solving the constrained nonlinear optimization equation, the parameters of the stripe nonuniformity correction are obtained and the stripe nonuniformity correction is achieved. The experiments indicate that this algorithm is effective and efficient.

On the He(plus) triplet line intensities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daltabuit, E.; Cox, D.

1971-01-01

The theoretical calculations of helium triplet line strengths, including collisional enhancement, are compared to astronomical observations. Both are plotted on an I(10830)/I(5876) vs I(5876)/I(4471) plane. It appears that the theory of helium triplet line strengths agrees with present observations, and that the question of an additional depopulation mechanism for the 2 3S population is probably predicted correctly within 30%.

Application of point-to-point matching algorithms for background correction in on-line liquid chromatography-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (LC-FTIR).

PubMed

Kuligowski, J; Quintás, G; Garrigues, S; de la Guardia, M

2010-03-15

A new background correction method for the on-line coupling of gradient liquid chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry has been developed. It is based on the use of a point-to-point matching algorithm that compares the absorption spectra of the sample data set with those of a previously recorded reference data set in order to select an appropriate reference spectrum. The spectral range used for the point-to-point comparison is selected with minimal user-interaction, thus facilitating considerably the application of the whole method. The background correction method has been successfully tested on a chromatographic separation of four nitrophenols running acetonitrile (0.08%, v/v TFA):water (0.08%, v/v TFA) gradients with compositions ranging from 35 to 85% (v/v) acetonitrile, giving accurate results for both, baseline resolved and overlapped peaks. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Correction of Fiber Throughput Variation due to Focal Ratio Degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianjun; Bai, Zhongrui; Li, Guangwei; Zhang, Haotong

2014-01-01

The focal ratio degradation (FRD) of optical fibers is a major source causing light loss to astronomical multi-fibre instruments like LAMOST (Oliveira, A. C, et al. 2005). The effects of stress and twist during mounting and rotation of the fibers could change the FRD for individual fibers (Clayton 1989), which means that the transmission efficiency of each individual fiber will vary. We investigate such throughput variation among LAMOST fibers and its relevance to the intensity of sky emission lines (Garstang 1989) over the full wavelength coverage. On the basis of the work, we present an approach to correct the varied fiber throughput by measuring the strength of the sky emission lines as the secondary throughput correction.

Improved Discretization of Grounding Lines and Calving Fronts using an Embedded-Boundary Approach in BISICLES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, D. F.; Cornford, S. L.; Schwartz, P.; Bhalla, A.; Johansen, H.; Ng, E.

2017-12-01

Correctly representing grounding line and calving-front dynamics is of fundamental importance in modeling marine ice sheets, since the configuration of these interfaces exerts a controlling influence on the dynamics of the ice sheet. Traditional ice sheet models have struggled to correctly represent these regions without very high spatial resolution. We have developed a front-tracking discretization for grounding lines and calving fronts based on the Chombo embedded-boundary cut-cell framework. This promises better representation of these interfaces vs. a traditional stair-step discretization on Cartesian meshes like those currently used in the block-structured AMR BISICLES code. The dynamic adaptivity of the BISICLES model complements the subgrid-scale discretizations of this scheme, producing a robust approach for tracking the evolution of these interfaces. Also, the fundamental discontinuous nature of flow across grounding lines is respected by mathematically treating it as a material phase change. We present examples of this approach to demonstrate its effectiveness.

Wavelet-Based Visible and Infrared Image Fusion: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Sappa, Angel D.; Carvajal, Juan A.; Aguilera, Cristhian A.; Oliveira, Miguel; Romero, Dennis; Vintimilla, Boris X.

2016-01-01

This paper evaluates different wavelet-based cross-spectral image fusion strategies adopted to merge visible and infrared images. The objective is to find the best setup independently of the evaluation metric used to measure the performance. Quantitative performance results are obtained with state of the art approaches together with adaptations proposed in the current work. The options evaluated in the current work result from the combination of different setups in the wavelet image decomposition stage together with different fusion strategies for the final merging stage that generates the resulting representation. Most of the approaches evaluate results according to the application for which they are intended for. Sometimes a human observer is selected to judge the quality of the obtained results. In the current work, quantitative values are considered in order to find correlations between setups and performance of obtained results; these correlations can be used to define a criteria for selecting the best fusion strategy for a given pair of cross-spectral images. The whole procedure is evaluated with a large set of correctly registered visible and infrared image pairs, including both Near InfraRed (NIR) and Long Wave InfraRed (LWIR). PMID:27294938

Development of a Pamphlet Targeting Computer Workstation Ergonomics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faraci, Jennifer S.

1997-01-01

With the increased use of computers throughout Goddard Space Flight Center, the Industrial Hygiene Office (IHO) has observed a growing trend in the number of health complaints attributed to poor computer workstation setup. A majority of the complaints has centered around musculoskeletal symptoms, including numbness, pain, and tingling in the upper extremities, shoulders, and neck. Eye strain and headaches have also been reported. In some cases, these symptoms can lead to chronic conditions such as repetitive strain injuries (RSI's). In an effort to prevent or minimize the frequency of these symptoms among the GSFC population, the IHO conducts individual ergonomic workstation evaluations and ergonomics training classes upon request. Because of the extensive number of computer workstations at GSFC, and the limited amount of manpower which the Industrial Hygiene staff could reasonably allocate to conduct workstation evaluations and employee training, a pamphlet was developed with a two-fold purpose: (1) to educate the GSFC population about the importance of ergonomically-correct computer workstation setup and the potential effects of a poorly configured workstation; and (2) to enable employees to perform a general assessment of their own workstations and make any necessary modifications for proper setup.

Wavelet-Based Visible and Infrared Image Fusion: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Sappa, Angel D; Carvajal, Juan A; Aguilera, Cristhian A; Oliveira, Miguel; Romero, Dennis; Vintimilla, Boris X

2016-06-10

This paper evaluates different wavelet-based cross-spectral image fusion strategies adopted to merge visible and infrared images. The objective is to find the best setup independently of the evaluation metric used to measure the performance. Quantitative performance results are obtained with state of the art approaches together with adaptations proposed in the current work. The options evaluated in the current work result from the combination of different setups in the wavelet image decomposition stage together with different fusion strategies for the final merging stage that generates the resulting representation. Most of the approaches evaluate results according to the application for which they are intended for. Sometimes a human observer is selected to judge the quality of the obtained results. In the current work, quantitative values are considered in order to find correlations between setups and performance of obtained results; these correlations can be used to define a criteria for selecting the best fusion strategy for a given pair of cross-spectral images. The whole procedure is evaluated with a large set of correctly registered visible and infrared image pairs, including both Near InfraRed (NIR) and Long Wave InfraRed (LWIR).

Improvement of the Database on the 1.13-microns Band of Water Vapor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giver, Lawrence P.; Schwenke, David W.; Chackerian, Charles, Jr.; Varanasi, Prasad; Freedman, Richard S.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Corrections have recently been reported (Giver et al.) on the short-wave (visible and near-infrared) line intensities of water vapor that were catalogued in the spectroscopic database known as HITRAN. These updates have been posted on www.hitran.com, and are being used to reanalyze the polar stratospheric absorption in the 0.94 microns band as observed in POAM. We are currently investigating additional improvement in the 1.13 microns band using data obtained by us with an absorption path length of 1.107 km and 4 torr of water vapor and the ab initio line list of Partridge and Schwenke (needs ref). We are proposing the following four types of improvement of the HITRAN database in this region: 1) HITRAN has nearly 200 lines in this region without proper assignments of rotational quantum levels. Nearly all of them can now be assigned. 2) We have measured positions of the observable H2O-17 and H2O-18 lines. These lines in HITRAN currently have approximate positions based upon rather aged computations. 3) Some additional lines are observed and assigned which should be included in the database. 4) Corrections are necessary for the lower state energies E" for the HITRAN lines of the 121-010 "hot" band.

Some comments on Anderson and Pospahala's correction of bias in line transect sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, D.R.; Burnham, K.P.; Chain, B.R.

1980-01-01

ANDERSON and POSPAHALA (1970) investigated the estimation of wildlife population size using the belt or line transect sampling method and devised a correction for bias, thus leading to an estimator with interesting characteristics. This work was given a uniform mathematical framework in BURNHAM and ANDERSON (1976). In this paper we show that the ANDERSON-POSPAHALA estimator is optimal in the sense of being the (unique) best linear unbiased estimator within the class of estimators which are linear combinations of cell frequencies, provided certain assumptions are met.

Development of a Laboratory Synchrophasor Network and an Application to Estimate Transmission Line Parameters in Real Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almiron Bonnin, Rubens Eduardo

The development of an experimental synchrophasors network and application of synchrophasors for real-time transmission line parameter monitoring are presented in this thesis. In the laboratory setup, a power system is simulated in a RTDS real-time digital simulator, and the simulated voltages and currents are input to hardware phasor measurement units (PMUs) through the analog outputs of the simulator. Time synchronizing signals for the PMU devices are supplied from a common GPS clock. The real time data collected from PMUs are sent to a phasor data concentrator (PDC) through Ethernet using the TCP/IP protocol. A real-time transmission line parameter monitoring application program that uses the synchrophasor data provided by the PDC is implemented and validated. The experimental synchrophasor network developed in this thesis is expected to be used in research on synchrophasor applications as well as in graduate and undergraduate teaching.

Advanced scatter search approach and its application in a sequencing problem of mixed-model assembly lines in a case company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiong; Wang, Wen-xi; Zhu, Ke-ren; Zhang, Chao-yong; Rao, Yun-qing

2014-11-01

Mixed-model assembly line sequencing is significant in reducing the production time and overall cost of production. To improve production efficiency, a mathematical model aiming simultaneously to minimize overtime, idle time and total set-up costs is developed. To obtain high-quality and stable solutions, an advanced scatter search approach is proposed. In the proposed algorithm, a new diversification generation method based on a genetic algorithm is presented to generate a set of potentially diverse and high-quality initial solutions. Many methods, including reference set update, subset generation, solution combination and improvement methods, are designed to maintain the diversification of populations and to obtain high-quality ideal solutions. The proposed model and algorithm are applied and validated in a case company. The results indicate that the proposed advanced scatter search approach is significant for mixed-model assembly line sequencing in this company.

Observation of Neutral Sodium Above Mercury During the Transit of November 8, 2006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, A. E.; Killen, R. M.; Reardon, Kevin P.; Bida, T. A.

2013-01-01

We mapped the absorption of sunlight by sodium vapor in the exosphere of Mercury during the transit of Mercury on November 8, 2006, using the IBIS Interferometric BIdimensional Spectrometer at the Dunn Solar Telescope operated by the National Solar Observatory at Sunspot, New Mexico. The measurements were reduced to line-of-sight equivalent widths for absorption at the sodium D2 line around the shadow of Mercury. The sodium absorption fell off exponentially with altitude up to about 600 km. However there were regions around north and south polar-regions where relatively uniform sodium absorptions extended above 1000 km. We corrected the 0-600 km altitude profiles for seeing blur using the measured point spread function. Analysis of the corrected altitude distributions yielded surface densities, zenith column densities, temperatures and scale heights for sodium all around the planet. Sodium absorption on the dawn side equatorial terminator was less than on the dusk side, different from previous observations of the relative absorption levels. We also determined Earthward velocities for sodium atoms, and line widths for the absorptions. Earthward velocities resulting from radiation pressure on sodium averaged 0.8 km/s, smaller than a prediction of 1.5 km/s. Most line widths were in the range of 20 mA after correction for instrumental broadening, corresponding to temperatures in the range of 1000 K.

77 FR 57990 - Interest Rate Risk Policy and Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-19

... NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION 12 CFR Part 741 RIN 3133-AD66 Interest Rate Risk Policy and Program Correction In rule document 2012-02091, appearing on pages 55155-5167 in the issue of Thursday, February 2, 2012, make the following corrections: 1. On page 5157, in the second column, in the first line...

Towards clinical translation of augmented orthopedic surgery: from pre-op CT to intra-op x-ray via RGBD sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Emerson; Fotouhi, Javad; Unberath, Mathias; Lee, Sing Chun; Fuerst, Bernhard; Johnson, Alex; Armand, Mehran; Osgood, Greg M.; Navab, Nassir

2018-03-01

Pre-operative CT data is available for several orthopedic and trauma interventions, and is mainly used to identify injuries and plan the surgical procedure. In this work we propose an intuitive augmented reality environment allowing visualization of pre-operative data during the intervention, with an overlay of the optical information from the surgical site. The pre-operative CT volume is first registered to the patient by acquiring a single C-arm X-ray image and using 3D/2D intensity-based registration. Next, we use an RGBD sensor on the C-arm to fuse the optical information of the surgical site with patient pre-operative medical data and provide an augmented reality environment. The 3D/2D registration of the pre- and intra-operative data allows us to maintain a correct visualization each time the C-arm is repositioned or the patient moves. An overall mean target registration error (mTRE) and standard deviation of 5.24 +/- 3.09 mm was measured averaged over 19 C-arm poses. The proposed solution enables the surgeon to visualize pre-operative data overlaid with information from the surgical site (e.g. surgeon's hands, surgical tools, etc.) for any C-arm pose, and negates issues of line-of-sight and long setup times, which are present in commercially available systems.

General-Purpose Software For Computer Graphics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Joseph E.

1992-01-01

NASA Device Independent Graphics Library (NASADIG) is general-purpose computer-graphics package for computer-based engineering and management applications which gives opportunity to translate data into effective graphical displays for presentation. Features include two- and three-dimensional plotting, spline and polynomial interpolation, control of blanking of areas, multiple log and/or linear axes, control of legends and text, control of thicknesses of curves, and multiple text fonts. Included are subroutines for definition of areas and axes of plots; setup and display of text; blanking of areas; setup of style, interpolation, and plotting of lines; control of patterns and of shading of colors; control of legends, blocks of text, and characters; initialization of devices; and setting of mixed alphabets. Written in FORTRAN 77.

LDV measurement of small nonlinearities in flat and curved membranes. A model for eardrum nonlinear acoustic behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilian, Gladiné; Pieter, Muyshondt; Joris, Dirckx

2016-06-01

Laser Doppler Vibrometry is an intrinsic highly linear measurement technique which makes it a great tool to measure extremely small nonlinearities in the vibration response of a system. Although the measurement technique is highly linear, other components in the experimental setup may introduce nonlinearities. An important source of artificially introduced nonlinearities is the speaker, which generates the stimulus. In this work, two correction methods to remove the effects of stimulus nonlinearity are investigated. Both correction methods were found to give similar results but have different pros and cons. The aim of this work is to investigate the importance of the conical shape of the eardrum as a source of nonlinearity in hearing. We present measurements on flat and indented membranes. The data shows that the curved membrane exhibit slightly higher levels of nonlinearity compared to the flat membrane.

Digital templating for THA: a simple computer-assisted application for complex hip arthritis cases.

PubMed

Hafez, Mahmoud A; Ragheb, Gad; Hamed, Adel; Ali, Amr; Karim, Said

2016-10-01

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the standard procedure for end-stage arthritis of the hip. Its technical success relies on preoperative planning of the surgical procedure and virtual setup of the operative performance. Digital hip templating is one methodology of preoperative planning for THA which requires a digital preoperative radiograph and a computer with special software. This is a prospective study involving 23 patients (25 hips) who were candidates for complex THA surgery (unilateral or bilateral). Digital templating is done by radiographic assessment using radiographic magnification correction, leg length discrepancy and correction measurements, acetabular component and femoral component templating as well as neck resection measurement. The overall accuracy for templating the stem implant's exact size is 81%. This percentage increased to 94% when considering sizing within 1 size. Digital templating has proven effective, reliable and essential technique for preoperative planning and accurate prediction of THA sizing and alignment.

Multiresonance modes in sine–Gordon brane models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cruz, W.T., E-mail: wilamicruz@gmail.com; Maluf, R.V., E-mail: r.v.maluf@fisica.ufc.br; Dantas, D.M., E-mail: davi@fisica.ufc.br

2016-12-15

In this work, we study the localization of the vector gauge field in two five-dimensional braneworlds generated by scalar fields coupled to gravity. The sine–Gordon like potentials are employed to produce different thick brane setups. A zero mode localized is obtained, and we show the existence of reverberations with the wave solutions indicating a quasi-localized massive mode. More interesting results are achieved when we propose a double sine–Gordon potential to the scalar field. The resulting thick brane shows a more detailed topology with the presence of an internal structure composed by two kinks. The massive spectrum of the gauge fieldmore » is revalued on this scenario revealing the existence of various resonant modes. Furthermore, we compute the corrections to Coulomb law coming from these massive KK vector modes in these thick scenarios, which is concluded that the dilaton parameter regulates these corrections.« less

Next-to-leading-order QCD corrections to Higgs boson production in association with a top quark pair and a jet.

PubMed

van Deurzen, H; Luisoni, G; Mastrolia, P; Mirabella, E; Ossola, G; Peraro, T

2013-10-25

We present the calculation of the cross section for Higgs boson production in association with a top quark pair plus one jet, at next-to-leading-order accuracy in QCD. All mass dependence is retained without recurring to any approximation. After including the complete next-to-leading-order QCD corrections, we observe a strong reduction in the scale dependence of the result. We also show distributions for the invariant mass of the top quark pair, with and without the additional jet, and for the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the Higgs boson. Results for the virtual contributions are obtained with a novel reduction approach based on integrand decomposition via the Laurent expansion, as implemented in the library, NINJA. Cross sections and differential distributions are obtained with an automated setup which combines the GOSAM and SHERPA frameworks.

Digital dental surface registration with laser scanner for orthodontics set-up planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcaniz-Raya, Mariano L.; Albalat, Salvador E.; Grau Colomer, Vincente; Monserrat, Carlos A.

1997-05-01

We present an optical measuring system based on laser structured light suitable for its diary use in orthodontics clinics that fit four main requirements: (1) to avoid use of stone models, (2) to automatically discriminate geometric points belonging to teeth and gum, (3) to automatically calculate diagnostic parameters used by orthodontists, (4) to make use of low cost and easy to use technology for future commercial use. Proposed technique is based in the use of hydrocolloids mould used by orthodontists for stone model obtention. These mould of the inside of patient's mouth are composed of very fluent materials like alginate or hydrocolloids that reveal fine details of dental anatomy. Alginate mould are both very easy to obtain and very low costly. Once captured, alginate moulds are digitized by mean of a newly developed and patented 3D dental scanner. Developed scanner is based in the optical triangulation method based in the projection of a laser line on the alginate mould surface. Line deformation gives uncalibrated shape information. Relative linear movements of the mould with respect to the sensor head gives more sections thus obtaining a full 3D uncalibrated dentition model. Developed device makes use of redundant CCD in the sensor head and servocontrolled linear axis for mould movement. Last step is calibration to get a real and precise X, Y, Z image. All the process is done automatically. The scanner has been specially adapted for 3D dental anatomy capturing in order to fulfill specific requirements such as: scanning time, accuracy, security and correct acquisition of 'hidden points' in alginate mould. Measurement realized on phantoms with known geometry quite similar to dental anatomy present errors less than 0,1 mm. Scanning of global dental anatomy is 2 minutes, and generation of 3D graphics of dental cast takes approximately 30 seconds in a Pentium-based PC.

The use of airborne imaging spectrometer data to determine experimentally induced variation in coniferous canopy chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanberg, Nancy A.; Matson, Pamela A.

1987-01-01

It was experimentally determined whether induced differences in forest canopy chemical composition can be detected using data from the Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS). Treatments were applied to an even-aged forest of Douglas fir trees. Work to date has stressed wet chemical analysis of foilage samples and correction of AIS data. Plot treatments were successful in providing a range of foliar N2 concentrations. Much time was spent investigating and correcting problems with the raw AIS data. Initial problems with groups of drop out lines in the AIS data were traced to the tape recorder and the tape drive. Custom adjustment of the tape drive led to recovery of most missing lines. Remaining individual drop out lines were replaced using average of adjacent lines. Application of a notch filter to the Fourier transform of the image in each band satisfactorily removed vertical striping. The aspect ratio was corrected by resampling the image in the line direction using nearest neighbor interpolation.

75 FR 60720 - National Estuarine Research Reserve System

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Estuarine Research Reserve System Correction In notice document 2010-24341 appearing on page 59696 in the issue of Tuesday, September 28, 2010 make the following corrections: 1. In the second column, in lines five and eight of the...

Reliability of telecommunications systems following a major disaster: survey of secondary and tertiary emergency institutions in Miyagi Prefecture during the acute phase of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

PubMed

Kudo, Daisuke; Furukawa, Hajime; Nakagawa, Atsuhiro; Abe, Yoshiko; Washio, Toshikatsu; Arafune, Tatsuhiko; Sato, Dai; Yamanouchi, Satoshi; Ochi, Sae; Tominaga, Teiji; Kushimoto, Shigeki

2014-04-01

Telecommunication systems are important for sharing information among health institutions to successfully provide medical response following disasters. The aim of this study was to clarify the problems associated with telecommunication systems in the acute phase of the Great East Japan Earthquake (March 11, 2011). All 72 of the secondary and tertiary emergency hospitals in Miyagi Prefecture were surveyed to evaluate the telecommunication systems in use during the 2011 Great Japan Earthquake, including satellite mobile phones, multi-channel access (MCA) wireless systems, mobile phones, Personal Handy-phone Systems (PHS), fixed-line phones, and the Internet. Hospitals were asked whether the telecommunication systems functioned correctly during the first four days after the earthquake, and, if not, to identify the cause of the malfunction. Each telecommunication system was considered to function correctly if the hospital staff could communicate at least once in every three calls. Valid responses were received from 53 hospitals (73.6%). Satellite mobile phones functioned correctly at the highest proportion of the equipped hospitals, 71.4%, even on Day 0. The MCA wireless system functioned correctly at the second highest proportion of the equipped hospitals. The systems functioned correctly at 72.0% on Day 0 and at 64.0% during Day 1 through Day 3. The main cause of malfunction of the MCA wireless systems was damage to the base station or communication lines (66.7%). Ordinary (personal or general communication systems) mobile phones did not function correctly at any hospital until Day 2, and PHS, fixed-line phones, and the Internet did not function correctly at any area hospitals that were severely damaged by the tsunami. Even in mildly damaged areas, these systems functioned correctly at <40% of the hospitals during the first three days. The main causes of malfunction were a lack of electricity (mobile phones, 25.6%; the Internet, 54.8%) and damage to the base stations or communication lines (the Internet, 38.1%; mobile phones, 56.4%). Results suggest that satellite mobile phones and MCA wireless systems are relatively reliable and ordinary systems are less reliable in the acute period of a major disaster. It is important to distribute reliable disaster communication equipment to hospitals and plan for situations in which hospital telecommunications systems do not function.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goto, Motoshi; Morita, Shigeru

Emission lines in the visible/UV wavelength ranges are observed with 80 lines of sight which cover an entire poloidal cross section of the plasma in the Large Helical Device. The emitted light is received with optical fibers having 100 {mu}m diameter and is guided into a 1.33 m Czerny-Turner-type spectrometer based on spherical mirrors for collimating and focusing. A charge-coupled device having 13.3x13.3 mm{sup 2} area size is used as the detector and the spectra from all the lines of sight are recorded perpendicularly to the wavelength dispersion. The spectrometer is equipped with optics located in front of the entrancemore » slit to correct the difference between the meridional and sagittal focal points, and thus the astigmatism, which otherwise causes severe cross talk between adjacent optical fiber images on the detector, is corrected. Consequently, simultaneous spectral measurement with 80 lines of sight is realized. The Zeeman splitting of a neutral helium line, {lambda}667.8 nm (2 {sup 1}P-3 {sup 1}D), which is caused by the magnetic field for plasma confinement, is measured with the spectrometer. Though the obtained line profile is in general a superposition of several components on the same line of sight, they can be separated according to their different splitting widths. The two-dimensional poloidal distribution of the helium line intensity is obtained with the help of a tomographic technique.« less

On sound transmission through double-walled cylindrical shells lined with poroelastic material: Comparison with Zhou's results and further effect of external mean flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yu; He, Chuanbo

2015-12-01

In this discussion, the corrections to the errors found in the derivations and the numerical code of a recent analytical study (Zhou et al. Journal of Sound and Vibration 333 (7) (2014) 1972-1990) on sound transmission through double-walled cylindrical shells lined with poroelastic material are presented and discussed, as well as the further effect of the external mean flow on the transmission loss. After applying the corrections, the locations of the characteristic frequencies of thin shells remain unchanged, as well as the TL results above the ring frequency where BU and UU remain the best configurations in sound insulation performance. In the low-frequency region below the ring frequency, however, the corrections attenuate the TL amplitude significantly for BU and UU, and hence the BB configuration exhibits the best performance which is consistent with previous observations for flat sandwich panels.

Optimization of on-line hydrogen stable isotope ratio measurements of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds using elemental analyzer-chromium/high-temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS).

PubMed

Gehre, Matthias; Renpenning, Julian; Geilmann, Heike; Qi, Haiping; Coplen, Tyler B; Kümmel, Steffen; Ivdra, Natalija; Brand, Willi A; Schimmelmann, Arndt

2017-03-30

Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organics has not been possible with traditional high-temperature conversion (HTC) because the formation of hydrogen-bearing reaction products other than molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) is responsible for non-quantitative H 2 yields and possible hydrogen isotopic fractionation. Our previously introduced, new chromium-based EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS (Elemental Analyzer-Chromium/High-Temperature Conversion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) technique focused primarily on nitrogen-bearing compounds. Several technical and analytical issues concerning halogen- and sulfur-bearing samples, however, remained unresolved and required further refinement of the reactor systems. The EA-Cr/HTC reactor was substantially modified for the conversion of halogen- and sulfur-bearing samples. The performance of the novel conversion setup for solid and liquid samples was monitored and optimized using a simultaneously operating dual-detection system of IRMS and ion trap MS. The method with several variants in the reactor, including the addition of manganese metal chips, was evaluated in three laboratories using EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS (on-line method) and compared with traditional uranium-reduction-based conversion combined with manual dual-inlet IRMS analysis (off-line method) in one laboratory. The modified EA-Cr/HTC reactor setup showed an overall H 2 -recovery of more than 96% for all halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds. All results were successfully normalized via two-point calibration with VSMOW-SLAP reference waters. Precise and accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis was achieved for a variety of organics containing F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, and S-bearing heteroelements. The robust nature of the on-line EA-Cr/HTC technique was demonstrated by a series of 196 consecutive measurements with a single reactor filling. The optimized EA-Cr/HTC reactor design can be implemented in existing analytical equipment using commercially available material and is universally applicable for both heteroelement-bearing and heteroelement-free organic-compound classes. The sensitivity and simplicity of the on-line EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS technique provide a much needed tool for routine hydrogen-isotope source tracing of organic contaminants in the environment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A line scanned light-sheet microscope with phase shaped self-reconstructing beams.

PubMed

Fahrbach, Florian O; Rohrbach, Alexander

2010-11-08

We recently demonstrated that Microscopy with Self-Reconstructing Beams (MISERB) increases both image quality and penetration depth of illumination beams in strongly scattering media. Based on the concept of line scanned light-sheet microscopy, we present an add-on module to a standard inverted microscope using a scanned beam that is shaped in phase and amplitude by a spatial light modulator. We explain technical details of the setup as well as of the holograms for the creation, positioning and scaling of static light-sheets, Gaussian beams and Bessel beams. The comparison of images from identical sample areas illuminated by different beams allows a precise assessment of the interconnection between beam shape and image quality. The superior propagation ability of Bessel beams through inhomogeneous media is demonstrated by measurements on various scattering media.

Colloquium on High Resolution Molecular Spectroscopy (16th) Held in Universite de Bourgogne, Dijon, France on 6-10 September 1999

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-28

part of the talk will be devoted to the high resolution ab- sorption spectroscopy of the vi = 2-6 acetylenic overtone bands of propyned (CH 3-C=C-H...period CATGAS (Calibration Apparatus for Trace GAs Spectra), a transportable laboratory set-up for ab- sorption spectroscopy, was connected to the...the NIR around 1.95- 2.04 nm and 2.26- 2.39 nm, where accurate line parameters of ozone ab- sorption are available by high-resolution Fourier transform

Adaptive optics plug-and-play setup for high-resolution microscopes with multi-actuator adaptive lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quintavalla, M.; Pozzi, P.; Verhaegen, Michelle; Bijlsma, Hielke; Verstraete, Hans; Bonora, S.

2018-02-01

Adaptive Optics (AO) has revealed as a very promising technique for high-resolution microscopy, where the presence of optical aberrations can easily compromise the image quality. Typical AO systems however, are almost impossible to implement on commercial microscopes. We propose a simple approach by using a Multi-actuator Adaptive Lens (MAL) that can be inserted right after the objective and works in conjunction with an image optimization software allowing for a wavefront sensorless correction. We presented the results obtained on several commercial microscopes among which a confocal microscope, a fluorescence microscope, a light sheet microscope and a multiphoton microscope.

Compact compressive arc and beam switchyard for energy recovery linac-driven ultraviolet free electron lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akkermans, J. A. G.; Di Mitri, S.; Douglas, D.; Setija, I. D.

2017-08-01

High gain free electron lasers (FELs) driven by high repetition rate recirculating accelerators have received considerable attention in the scientific and industrial communities in recent years. Cost-performance optimization of such facilities encourages limiting machine size and complexity, and a compact machine can be realized by combining bending and bunch length compression during the last stage of recirculation, just before lasing. The impact of coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) on electron beam quality during compression can, however, limit FEL output power. When methods to counteract CSR are implemented, appropriate beam diagnostics become critical to ensure that the target beam parameters are met before lasing, as well as to guarantee reliable, predictable performance and rapid machine setup and recovery. This article describes a beam line for bunch compression and recirculation, and beam switchyard accessing a diagnostic line for EUV lasing at 1 GeV beam energy. The footprint is modest, with 12 m compressive arc diameter and ˜20 m diagnostic line length. The design limits beam quality degradation due to CSR both in the compressor and in the switchyard. Advantages and drawbacks of two switchyard lines providing, respectively, off-line and on-line measurements are discussed. The entire design is scalable to different beam energies and charges.

Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide in humid air using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Karion, A.; Rella, C. W.; Winderlich, J.; Gerbig, C.; Filges, A.; Newberger, T.; Sweeney, C.; Tans, P. P.

2013-04-01

Accurate measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) in humid air have been made using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique. The measurements of CO mole fractions are determined from the strength of its spectral absorption in the near-infrared region (~1.57 μm) after removing interferences from adjacent carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O) absorption lines. Water correction functions that account for the dilution and pressure-broadening effects as well as absorption line interferences from adjacent CO2 and H2O lines have been derived for CO2 mole fractions between 360-390 ppm and for reported H2O mole fractions between 0-4%. The line interference corrections are independent of CO mole fractions. The dependence of the line interference correction on CO2 abundance is estimated to be approximately -0.3 ppb/100 ppm CO2 for dry mole fractions of CO. Comparisons of water correction functions from different analyzers of the same type show significant differences, making it necessary to perform instrument-specific water tests for each individual analyzer. The CRDS analyzer was flown on an aircraft in Alaska from April to November in 2011, and the accuracy of the CO measurements by the CRDS analyzer has been validated against discrete NOAA/ESRL flask sample measurements made on board the same aircraft, with a mean difference between integrated in situ and flask measurements of -0.6 ppb and a standard deviation of 2.8 ppb. Preliminary testing of CRDS instrumentation that employs improved spectroscopic model functions for CO2, H2O, and CO to fit the raw spectral data (available since the beginning of 2012) indicates a smaller water vapor dependence than the models discussed here, but more work is necessary to fully validate the performance. The CRDS technique provides an accurate and low-maintenance method of monitoring the atmospheric dry mole fractions of CO in humid air streams.

30 CFR 1227.501 - What are a State's responsibilities to ensure that reporters correct erroneous data?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.../agreement numbers, and missing data fields; (c) Submit accepted and corrected lines to ONRR to allow... that reporters correct erroneous data? 1227.501 Section 1227.501 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL... reporters correct erroneous data? To ensure the correction of erroneous data, you must: (a) Ensure...

30 CFR 1227.501 - What are a State's responsibilities to ensure that reporters correct erroneous data?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.../agreement numbers, and missing data fields; (c) Submit accepted and corrected lines to ONRR to allow... that reporters correct erroneous data? 1227.501 Section 1227.501 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL... reporters correct erroneous data? To ensure the correction of erroneous data, you must: (a) Ensure...

30 CFR 1227.501 - What are a State's responsibilities to ensure that reporters correct erroneous data?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., incorrect lease/agreement numbers, and missing data fields; (c) Submit accepted and corrected lines to ONRR... that reporters correct erroneous data? 1227.501 Section 1227.501 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE... responsibilities to ensure that reporters correct erroneous data? To ensure the correction of erroneous data, you...

30 CFR 1227.501 - What are a State's responsibilities to ensure that reporters correct erroneous data?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.../agreement numbers, and missing data fields; (c) Submit accepted and corrected lines to ONRR to allow... that reporters correct erroneous data? 1227.501 Section 1227.501 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL... reporters correct erroneous data? To ensure the correction of erroneous data, you must: (a) Ensure...

30 CFR 227.501 - What are a State's responsibilities to ensure that reporters correct erroneous data?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.../agreement numbers, and missing data fields; (c) Submit accepted and corrected lines to MMS to allow... that reporters correct erroneous data? 227.501 Section 227.501 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT... reporters correct erroneous data? To ensure the correction of erroneous data, you must: (a) Ensure...

Characterization of aluminum nitride based films with high resolution X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anagnostopoulos, D. F.; Siozios, A.; Patsalas, P.

2018-02-01

X-ray fluorescence spectra of Al based films are measured, using a lab-scale wavelength dispersive flat crystal spectrometer. Various structures of AlN films were studied, like single layered, capped, stratified, nanostructured, crystalline, or amorphous. By optimizing the set-up for enhanced energy resolution and detection efficiency, the measured line shapes of Κα, Kβ, and KLL radiative Auger transitions are shown to be adequately detailed to allow chemical characterization. The chemistry identification is based on the pattern comparison of the emitted line shape from the chemically unknown film and the reference line shapes from standard materials, recorded under identical experimental conditions. The ultimate strength of lab-scale high resolution X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy on film analysis is verified, in cases that ordinary applied techniques like X-ray photoelectron and X-ray diffraction fail, while the characterization refers to the non-destructive determination of the bulk properties of the film and not to its surface, as the probed depth is in the micrometer range.

EROS Data Center Landsat digital enhancement techniques and imagery availability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rohde, Wayne G.; Lo, Jinn Kai; Pohl, Russell A.

1978-01-01

The US Geological Survey's EROS Data Center (EDC) is experimenting with the production of digitally enhanced Landsat imagery. Advanced digital image processing techniques are used to perform geometric and radiometric corrections and to perform contrast and edge enhancements. The enhanced image product is produced from digitally preprocessed Landsat computer compatible tapes (CCTs) on a laser beam film recording system. Landsat CCT data have several geometric distortions which are corrected when NASA produces the standard film products. When producing film images from CCT's, geometric correction of the data is required. The EDC Digital Image Enhancement System (EDIES) compensates for geometric distortions introduced by Earth's rotation, variable line length, non-uniform mirror scan velocity, and detector misregistration. Radiometric anomalies such as bad data lines and striping are common to many Landsat film products and are also in the CCT data. Bad data lines or line segments with more than 150 contiguous bad pixels are corrected by inserting data from the previous line in place of the bad data. Striping, caused by variations in detector gain and offset, is removed with a destriping algorithm applied after digitally enhancing the data. Image enhancement is performed by applying a linear contrast stretch and an edge enhancement algorithm. The linear contrast enhancement algorithm is designed to expand digitally the full range of useful data recorded on the CCT over the range of 256 digital counts. This minimizes the effect of atmospheric scattering and saturates the relative brightness of highly reflecting features such as clouds or snow. It is the intent that no meaningful terrain data are eliminated by the digital processing. The edge enhancement algorithm is designed to enhance boundaries between terrain features that exhibit subtle differences in brightness values along edges of features. After the digital data have been processed, data for each Landsat band are recorded on black-and-white film with a laser beam film recorder (LBR). The LBR corrects for aspect ratio distortions as the digital data are recorded on the recording film over a preselected density range. Positive transparencies of MSS bands 4, 5, and 7 produced by the LBR are used to make color composite transparencies. Color film positives are made photographically from first generation black-and-white products generated on the LBR.

Data Processing Algorithm for Diagnostics of Combustion Using Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometry.

PubMed

Mironenko, Vladimir R; Kuritsyn, Yuril A; Liger, Vladimir V; Bolshov, Mikhail A

2018-02-01

A new algorithm for the evaluation of the integral line intensity for inferring the correct value for the temperature of a hot zone in the diagnostic of combustion by absorption spectroscopy with diode lasers is proposed. The algorithm is based not on the fitting of the baseline (BL) but on the expansion of the experimental and simulated spectra in a series of orthogonal polynomials, subtracting of the first three components of the expansion from both the experimental and simulated spectra, and fitting the spectra thus modified. The algorithm is tested in the numerical experiment by the simulation of the absorption spectra using a spectroscopic database, the addition of white noise, and the parabolic BL. Such constructed absorption spectra are treated as experimental in further calculations. The theoretical absorption spectra were simulated with the parameters (temperature, total pressure, concentration of water vapor) close to the parameters used for simulation of the experimental data. Then, spectra were expanded in the series of orthogonal polynomials and first components were subtracted from both spectra. The value of the correct integral line intensities and hence the correct temperature evaluation were obtained by fitting of the thus modified experimental and simulated spectra. The dependence of the mean and standard deviation of the evaluation of the integral line intensity on the linewidth and the number of subtracted components (first two or three) were examined. The proposed algorithm provides a correct estimation of temperature with standard deviation better than 60 K (for T = 1000 K) for the line half-width up to 0.6 cm -1 . The proposed algorithm allows for obtaining the parameters of a hot zone without the fitting of usually unknown BL.

Motion Correction in PROPELLER and Turboprop-MRI

PubMed Central

Tamhane, Ashish A.; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2009-01-01

PROPELLER and Turboprop-MRI are characterized by greatly reduced sensitivity to motion, compared to their predecessors, fast spin-echo and gradient and spin-echo, respectively. This is due to the inherent self-navigation and motion correction of PROPELLER-based techniques. However, it is unknown how various acquisition parameters that determine k-space sampling affect the accuracy of motion correction in PROPELLER and Turboprop-MRI. The goal of this work was to evaluate the accuracy of motion correction in both techniques, to identify an optimal rotation correction approach, and determine acquisition strategies for optimal motion correction. It was demonstrated that, blades with multiple lines allow more accurate estimation of motion than blades with fewer lines. Also, it was shown that Turboprop-MRI is less sensitive to motion than PROPELLER. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the number of blades does not significantly affect motion correction. Finally, clinically appropriate acquisition strategies that optimize motion correction were discussed for PROPELLER and Turboprop-MRI. PMID:19365858

Six-flow operations for catalyst development in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: Bridging the gap between high-throughput experimentation and extensive product evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sartipi, Sina; Jansma, Harrie; Bosma, Duco; Boshuizen, Bart; Makkee, Michiel; Gascon, Jorge; Kapteijn, Freek

2013-12-01

Design and operation of a "six-flow fixed-bed microreactor" setup for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is described. The unit consists of feed and mixing, flow division, reaction, separation, and analysis sections. The reactor system is made of five heating blocks with individual temperature controllers, assuring an identical isothermal zone of at least 10 cm along six fixed-bed microreactor inserts (4 mm inner diameter). Such a lab-scale setup allows running six experiments in parallel, under equal feed composition, reaction temperature, and conditions of separation and analysis equipment. It permits separate collection of wax and liquid samples (from each flow line), allowing operation with high productivities of C5+ hydrocarbons. The latter is crucial for a complete understanding of FTS product compositions and will represent an advantage over high-throughput setups with more than ten flows where such instrumental considerations lead to elevated equipment volume, cost, and operation complexity. The identical performance (of the six flows) under similar reaction conditions was assured by testing a same catalyst batch, loaded in all microreactors.

Proof-of-concept experiment for on-line laser induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of impurity layer deposited on optical window and other plasma facing components of Aditya tokamak

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maurya, Gulab Singh; Kumar, Rohit; Rai, Awadhesh Kumar, E-mail: awadheshkrai@rediffmail.com

2015-12-15

In the present manuscript, we demonstrate the design of an experimental setup for on-line laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis of impurity layers deposited on specimens of interest for fusion technology, namely, plasma-facing components (PFCs) of a tokamak. For investigation of impurities deposited on PFCs, LIBS spectra of a tokamak wall material like a stainless steel sample (SS304) have been recorded through contaminated and cleaned optical windows. To address the problem of identification of dust and gases present inside the tokamak, we have shown the capability of the apparatus to record LIBS spectra of gases. A new approach known asmore » “back collection method” to record LIBS spectra of impurities deposited on the inner surface of optical window is presented.« less

Applicability of UV laser-induced solid-state fluorescence spectroscopy for characterization of solid dosage forms.

PubMed

Woltmann, Eva; Meyer, Hans; Weigel, Diana; Pritzke, Heinz; Posch, Tjorben N; Kler, Pablo A; Schürmann, Klaus; Roscher, Jörg; Huhn, Carolin

2014-10-01

High production output of solid pharmaceutical formulations requires fast methods to ensure their quality. Likewise, fast analytical procedures are required in forensic sciences, for example at customs, to substantiate an initial suspicion. We here present the design and the optimization of an instrumental setup for rapid and non-invasive characterization of tablets by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (with a UV-laser (λ ex = 266 nm) as excitation source) in reflection geometry. The setup was first validated with regard to repeatability, bleaching phenomena, and sensitivity. The effect on the spectra by the physical and chemical properties of the samples, e.g. their hardness, homogeneity, chemical composition, and granule grain size of the uncompressed material, using a series of tablets, manufactured in accordance with design of experiments, was investigated. Investigation of tablets with regard to homogeneity, especially, is extremely important in pharmaceutical production processes. We demonstrate that multiplicative scatter correction is an appropriate tool for data preprocessing of fluorescence spectra. Tablets with different physical and chemical characteristics can be discriminated well from their fluorescence spectra by subjecting the results to principal component analysis.

77 FR 59577 - Receipt of Several Pesticide Petitions Filed for Residues of Pesticide Chemicals in or on Various...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... pyroxasulfone and its metabolites in or on wheat (grain, straw, forage, and hay). This document corrects a... follows: On page 43565, second column, first full paragraph, item ``13.,'' line 24, correct ``wheat, grain at 0.6 ppm'' to read ``wheat, straw at 0.6 ppm.'' List of Subjects Environmental protection...

Judgment of Line Orientation Depends on Gender, Education, and Type of Error

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caparelli-Daquer, Egas M.; Oliveira-Souza, Ricardo; Filho, Pedro F. Moreira

2009-01-01

Visuospatial tasks are particularly proficient at eliciting gender differences during neuropsychological performance. Here we tested the hypothesis that gender and education are related to different types of visuospatial errors on a task of line orientation that allowed the independent scoring of correct responses ("hits", or H) and one type of…

Quantitative phase imaging by wide field lensless digital holographic microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adinda-Ougba, A.; Koukourakis, N.; Essaidi, A.; Ger­hardt, N. C.; Hofmann, M. R.

2015-05-01

Wide field, lensless microscopes have been developed for telemedicine and for resource limited setting [1]. They are based on in-line digital holography which is capable to provide amplitude and phase information resulting from numerical reconstruction. The phase information enables achieving axial resolution in the nanometer range. Hence, such microscopes provide a powerful tool to determine three-dimensional topologies of microstructures. In this contribution, a compact, low-cost, wide field, lensless microscope is presented, which is capable of providing topological profiles of microstructures in transparent material. Our setup consist only of two main components: a CMOSsensor chip and a laser diode without any need of a pinhole. We use this very simple setup to record holograms of microobjects. A wide field of view of ~24 mm², and a lateral resolution of ~2 μm are achieved. Moreover, amplitude and phase information are obtained from the numerical reconstruction of the holograms using a phase retrieval algorithm together with the angular spectrum propagation method. Topographic information of highly transparent micro-objects is obtained from the phase data. We evaluate our system by recording holograms of lines with different depths written by a focused laser beam. A reliable characterization of laser written microstructures is crucial for their functionality. Our results show that this system is valuable for determination of topological profiles of microstructures in transparent material.

BLACK HOLE MASS AND EDDINGTON RATIO DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS OF X-RAY-SELECTED BROAD-LINE AGNs AT z {approx} 1.4 IN THE SUBARU XMM-NEWTON DEEP FIELD

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nobuta, K.; Akiyama, M.; Ueda, Y.

2012-12-20

In order to investigate the growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), we construct the black hole mass function (BHMF) and Eddington ratio distribution function (ERDF) of X-ray-selected broad-line active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at z {approx} 1.4 in the Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Survey (SXDS) field. A significant part of the accretion growth of SMBHs is thought to take place in this redshift range. Black hole masses of X-ray-selected broad-line AGNs are estimated using the width of the broad Mg II line and 3000 A monochromatic luminosity. We supplement the Mg II FWHM values with the H{alpha} FWHM obtained from our NIRmore » spectroscopic survey. Using the black hole masses of broad-line AGNs at redshifts between 1.18 and 1.68, the binned broad-line AGN BHMFs and ERDFs are calculated using the V{sub max} method. To properly account for selection effects that impact the binned estimates, we derive the corrected broad-line AGN BHMFs and ERDFs by applying the maximum likelihood method, assuming that the ERDF is constant regardless of the black hole mass. We do not correct for the non-negligible uncertainties in virial BH mass estimates. If we compare the corrected broad-line AGN BHMF with that in the local universe, then the corrected BHMF at z = 1.4 has a higher number density above 10{sup 8} M{sub Sun} but a lower number density below that mass range. The evolution may be indicative of a downsizing trend of accretion activity among the SMBH population. The evolution of broad-line AGN ERDFs from z = 1.4 to 0 indicates that the fraction of broad-line AGNs with accretion rates close to the Eddington limit is higher at higher redshifts.« less

Semi-empirical calculations of line-shape parameters and their temperature dependences for the ν6 band of CH3D perturbed by N2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudaryonok, A. S.; Lavrentieva, N. N.; Buldyreva, J.

2018-06-01

(J, K)-line broadening and shift coefficients with their temperature-dependence characteristics are computed for the perpendicular (ΔK = ±1) ν6 band of the 12CH3D-N2 system. The computations are based on a semi-empirical approach which consists in the use of analytical Anderson-type expressions multiplied by a few-parameter correction factor to account for various deviations from Anderson's theory approximations. A mathematically convenient form of the correction factor is chosen on the basis of experimental rotational dependencies of line widths, and its parameters are fitted on some experimental line widths at 296 K. To get the unknown CH3D polarizability in the excited vibrational state v6 for line-shift calculations, a parametric vibration-state-dependent expression is suggested, with two parameters adjusted on some room-temperature experimental values of line shifts. Having been validated by comparison with available in the literature experimental values for various sub-branches of the band, this approach is used to generate massive data of line-shape parameters for extended ranges of rotational quantum numbers (J up to 70 and K up to 20) typically requested for spectroscopic databases. To obtain the temperature-dependence characteristics of line widths and line shifts, computations are done for various temperatures in the range 200-400 K recommended for HITRAN and least-squares fit procedures are applied. For the case of line widths strong sub-branch dependence with increasing K is observed in the R- and P-branches; for the line shifts such dependence is stated for the Q-branch.

Quantitative framework for prospective motion correction evaluation.

PubMed

Pannetier, Nicolas A; Stavrinos, Theano; Ng, Peter; Herbst, Michael; Zaitsev, Maxim; Young, Karl; Matson, Gerald; Schuff, Norbert

2016-02-01

Establishing a framework to evaluate performances of prospective motion correction (PMC) MRI considering motion variability between MRI scans. A framework was developed to obtain quantitative comparisons between different motion correction setups, considering that varying intrinsic motion patterns between acquisitions can induce bias. Intrinsic motion was considered by replaying in a phantom experiment the recorded motion trajectories from subjects. T1-weighted MRI on five volunteers and two different marker fixations (mouth guard and nose bridge fixations) were used to test the framework. Two metrics were investigated to quantify the improvement of the image quality with PMC. Motion patterns vary between subjects as well as between repeated scans within a subject. This variability can be approximated by replaying the motion in a distinct phantom experiment and used as a covariate in models comparing motion corrections. We show that considering the intrinsic motion alters the statistical significance in comparing marker fixations. As an example, two marker fixations, a mouth guard and a nose bridge, were evaluated in terms of their effectiveness for PMC. A mouth guard achieved better PMC performance. Intrinsic motion patterns can bias comparisons between PMC configurations and must be considered for robust evaluations. A framework for evaluating intrinsic motion patterns in PMC is presented. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

WE-AB-207A-07: A Planning CT-Guided Scatter Artifact Correction Method for CBCT Images

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, X; Liu, T; Dong, X

Purpose: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging is on increasing demand for high-performance image-guided radiotherapy such as online tumor delineation and dose calculation. However, the current CBCT imaging has severe scatter artifacts and its current clinical application is therefore limited to patient setup based mainly on the bony structures. This study’s purpose is to develop a CBCT artifact correction method. Methods: The proposed scatter correction method utilizes the planning CT to improve CBCT image quality. First, an image registration is used to match the planning CT with the CBCT to reduce the geometry difference between the two images. Then, themore » planning CT-based prior information is entered into the Bayesian deconvolution framework to iteratively perform a scatter artifact correction for the CBCT mages. This technique was evaluated using Catphan phantoms with multiple inserts. Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), and the image spatial nonuniformity (ISN) in selected volume of interests (VOIs) were calculated to assess the proposed correction method. Results: Post scatter correction, the CNR increased by a factor of 1.96, 3.22, 3.20, 3.46, 3.44, 1.97 and 1.65, and the SNR increased by a factor 1.05, 2.09, 1.71, 3.95, 2.52, 1.54 and 1.84 for the Air, PMP, LDPE, Polystryrene, Acrylic, Delrin and Teflon inserts, respectively. The ISN decreased from 21.1% to 4.7% in the corrected images. All values of CNR, SNR and ISN in the corrected CBCT image were much closer to those in the planning CT images. The results demonstrated that the proposed method reduces the relevant artifacts and recovers CT numbers. Conclusion: We have developed a novel CBCT artifact correction method based on CT image, and demonstrated that the proposed CT-guided correction method could significantly reduce scatter artifacts and improve the image quality. This method has great potential to correct CBCT images allowing its use in adaptive radiotherapy.« less

Effect of soft tissue laxity of the knee joint on limb alignment correction in open-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

PubMed

Lee, Dae-Hee; Park, Sung-Chul; Park, Hyung-Joon; Han, Seung-Beom

2016-12-01

Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) cannot always accurately correct limb alignment, resulting in under- or over-correction. This study assessed the relationship between soft tissue laxity of the knee joint and alignment correction in open-wedge HTO. This prospective study involved 85 patients (86 knees) undergoing open-wedge HTO for primary medial osteoarthritis. The mechanical axis (MA), weight-bearing line (WBL) ratio, and joint line convergence angle (JLCA) were measured on radiographs preoperatively and after 6 months, and the differences between the pre- and post-surgery values were calculated. Post-operative WBL ratios of 57-67 % were classified as acceptable correction. WBL ratios <57 and >67 % were classified as under- and over-corrections, respectively. Preoperative JLCA correlated positively with differences in MA (r = 0.358, P = 0.001) and WBL ratio (P = 0.003). Difference in JLCA showed a stronger correlation than preoperative JLCA with differences in MA (P < 0.001) and WBL ratio (P < 0.001). Difference in JLCA was the only predictor of both difference in MA (P < 0.001) and difference in WBL ratio (P < 0.001). The difference between pre- and post-operative JLCA differed significantly between the under-correction, acceptable-correction, and over-correction groups (P = 0.033). Preoperative JLCA, however, did not differ significantly between the three groups. Neither preoperative JLCA nor difference in JLCA correlated with change in posterior slope. Preoperative degree of soft tissue laxity in the knee joint was related to the degree of alignment correction, but not to alignment correction error, in open-wedge HTO. Change in soft tissue laxity around the knee from before to after open-wedge HTO correlated with both correction amount and correction error. Therefore, a too large change in JLCA from before to after open-wedge osteotomy may be due to an overly large reduction in JLCA following osteotomy, suggesting alignment over-correction during surgery. II.

Nonlinear femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy using a power-encoded soliton delay line.

PubMed

Saint-Jalm, Sarah; Andresen, Esben Ravn; Bendahmane, Abdelkrim; Kudlinski, Alexandre; Rigneault, Hervé

2016-01-01

We show femtosecond time-resolved nonlinear pump-probe spectroscopy using a fiber soliton as the probe pulse. Furthermore, we exploit soliton dynamics to record an entire transient trace with a power-encoded delay sweep. The power-encoded delay line takes advantage of the dependency of the soliton trajectory in the (λ,z) space upon input power; the difference in accumulated group delay between trajectories converts a fast power sweep into a fast delay sweep. We demonstrate the concept by performing transient absorption spectroscopy in a test sample and validate it against a conventional pump-probe setup.

The Impact of Job Characteristics on Burnout Among Chinese Correctional Workers.

PubMed

Jin, Xiaohong; Sun, Ivan Y; Jiang, Shanhe; Wang, Yongchun; Wen, Shufang

2018-02-01

Job burnout has long been recognized as a common occupational hazard among correctional workers. Although past studies have investigated the effects of job-related characteristics on correctional staff burnout in Western societies, this line of research has largely been absent from the literature on community corrections in China. Using data collected from 225 community correction workers in a Chinese province, this study assessed the effects of positive and negative job characteristics on occupational burnout. Positive job characteristics included job autonomy, procedural justice, and role clarity. Negative characteristics included role conflict, job stress, and job dangerousness. As expected, role clarity tended to reduce burnout, whereas role conflict, job stress, and job dangerousness were likely to produce greater burnout among Chinese community correction workers. Male correctional officers were also subjected to a higher level of burnout than their female coworkers. Implications for future research and policy were discussed.

Sensor set-up for wireless measurement of automotive rim and wheel parameters in laboratory conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borecki, M.; Prus, P.; Korwin-Pawlowski, M. L.; Rychlik, A.; Kozubel, W.

2017-08-01

Modern rims and wheels are tested at the design and production stages. Tests can be performed in laboratory conditions and on the ride. In the laboratory, complex and costly equipment is used, as for example wheel balancers and impact testers. Modern wheel balancers are equipped with electronic and electro-mechanical units that enable touch-less measurement of dimensions, including precision measurement of radial and lateral wheel run-out, automatic positioning and application of the counterweights, and vehicle wheel set monitoring - tread wear, drift angles and run-out unbalance. Those tests are performed by on-wheel axis measurements with laser distance meters. The impact tester enables dropping of weights from a defined height onto a wheel. Test criteria are the loss of pressure of the tire and generation of cracks in the wheel without direct impact of the falling weights. In the present paper, a set up composed of three accelerometers, a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor is examined as the base of a wheel tester. The sensor set-up configuration, on-line diagnostic and signal transmission are discussed.

Quantitative mass spectrometry methods for pharmaceutical analysis

PubMed Central

Loos, Glenn; Van Schepdael, Ann

2016-01-01

Quantitative pharmaceutical analysis is nowadays frequently executed using mass spectrometry. Electrospray ionization coupled to a (hybrid) triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is generally used in combination with solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography. Furthermore, isotopically labelled standards are often used to correct for ion suppression. The challenges in producing sensitive but reliable quantitative data depend on the instrumentation, sample preparation and hyphenated techniques. In this contribution, different approaches to enhance the ionization efficiencies using modified source geometries and improved ion guidance are provided. Furthermore, possibilities to minimize, assess and correct for matrix interferences caused by co-eluting substances are described. With the focus on pharmaceuticals in the environment and bioanalysis, different separation techniques, trends in liquid chromatography and sample preparation methods to minimize matrix effects and increase sensitivity are discussed. Although highly sensitive methods are generally aimed for to provide automated multi-residue analysis, (less sensitive) miniaturized set-ups have a great potential due to their ability for in-field usage. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Quantitative mass spectrometry’. PMID:27644982