Comparative analysis of 2D spatio-temporal visualisation techniques for the pulsed THz-radiation field using an electro-optic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushakov, A. A.; Chizhov, P. A.; Bukin, V. V.; Garnov, S. V.; Savel'ev, A. B.

2018-05-01

Two 2D techniques for visualising the field of pulsed THz radiation ('shadow' and 'interferometric'), which are based on the linear electro-optical effect with application of a ZnTe detector crystal 1 × 1 cm in size, are compared. The noise level and dynamic range for the aforementioned techniques are analysed and their applicability limits are discussed.

Beam by design: Laser manipulation of electrons in modern accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemsing, Erik; Stupakov, Gennady; Xiang, Dao; Zholents, Alexander

2014-07-01

Accelerator-based light sources such as storage rings and free-electron lasers use relativistic electron beams to produce intense radiation over a wide spectral range for fundamental research in physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and medicine. More than a dozen such sources operate worldwide, and new sources are being built to deliver radiation that meets with the ever-increasing sophistication and depth of new research. Even so, conventional accelerator techniques often cannot keep pace with new demands and, thus, new approaches continue to emerge. In this article, a variety of recently developed and promising techniques that rely on lasers to manipulate and rearrange the electron distribution in order to tailor the properties of the radiation are reviewed. Basic theories of electron-laser interactions, techniques to create microstructures and nanostructures in electron beams, and techniques to produce radiation with customizable waveforms are reviewed. An overview of laser-based techniques for the generation of fully coherent x rays, mode-locked x-ray pulse trains, light with orbital angular momentum, and attosecond or even zeptosecond long coherent pulses in free-electron lasers is presented. Several methods to generate femtosecond pulses in storage rings are also discussed. Additionally, various schemes designed to enhance the performance of light sources through precision beam preparation including beam conditioning, laser heating, emittance exchange, and various laser-based diagnostics are described. Together these techniques represent a new emerging concept of "beam by design" in modern accelerators, which is the primary focus of this article.

A new storage-ring light source

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

Chao, Alex

2015-06-01

A recently proposed technique in storage ring accelerators is applied to provide potential high-power sources of photon radiation. The technique is based on the steady-state microbunching (SSMB) mechanism. As examples of this application, one may consider a high-power DUV photon source for research in atomic and molecular physics or a high-power EUV radiation source for industrial lithography. A less challenging proof-of-principle test to produce IR radiation using an existing storage ring is also considered.

SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, FREE ELECTRON LASER, APPLICATION OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY, ETC.: Measurement of radiation dose at the north interaction point of BEPC II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Xiao-Hu; Zhang, Jian-Yong; Zhang, Tian-Bao; Zhang, Qing-Jiang; Achasov, Mikhail; Fu, Cheng-Dong; Muchnoi, Nikolay; Qin, Qing; Qu, Hua-Min; Wang, Yi-Fang; Wu, Jing-Min; Xu, Jin-Qiang; Yu, Bo-Xiang

2009-10-01

The technique details for measuring radiation dose are expounded. The results of gamma and neutron radiation levels are presented and the corresponding radiation shielding is discussed based on the simplified estimation. In addition, the photon radiation level move as background for future experiments is measured by a NaI(Tl) detector.

Low-dose CT image reconstruction using gain intervention-based dictionary learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Yadunath; Arya, K. V.; Tiwari, Shailendra

2018-05-01

Computed tomography (CT) approach is extensively utilized in clinical diagnoses. However, X-ray residue in human body may introduce somatic damage such as cancer. Owing to radiation risk, research has focused on the radiation exposure distributed to patients through CT investigations. Therefore, low-dose CT has become a significant research area. Many researchers have proposed different low-dose CT reconstruction techniques. But, these techniques suffer from various issues such as over smoothing, artifacts, noise, etc. Therefore, in this paper, we have proposed a novel integrated low-dose CT reconstruction technique. The proposed technique utilizes global dictionary-based statistical iterative reconstruction (GDSIR) and adaptive dictionary-based statistical iterative reconstruction (ADSIR)-based reconstruction techniques. In case the dictionary (D) is predetermined, then GDSIR can be used and if D is adaptively defined then ADSIR is appropriate choice. The gain intervention-based filter is also used as a post-processing technique for removing the artifacts from low-dose CT reconstructed images. Experiments have been done by considering the proposed and other low-dose CT reconstruction techniques on well-known benchmark CT images. Extensive experiments have shown that the proposed technique outperforms the available approaches.

New radiological material detection technologies for nuclear forensics: Remote optical imaging and graphene-based sensors.

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

Harrison, Richard Karl; Martin, Jeffrey B.; Wiemann, Dora K.

We developed new detector technologies to identify the presence of radioactive materials for nuclear forensics applications. First, we investigated an optical radiation detection technique based on imaging nitrogen fluorescence excited by ionizing radiation. We demonstrated optical detection in air under indoor and outdoor conditions for alpha particles and gamma radiation at distances up to 75 meters. We also contributed to the development of next generation systems and concepts that could enable remote detection at distances greater than 1 km, and originated a concept that could enable daytime operation of the technique. A second area of research was the development ofmore » room-temperature graphene-based sensors for radiation detection and measurement. In this project, we observed tunable optical and charged particle detection, and developed improved devices. With further development, the advancements described in this report could enable new capabilities for nuclear forensics applications.« less

Impact of pixel-based machine-learning techniques on automated frameworks for delineation of gross tumor volume regions for stereotactic body radiation therapy.

PubMed

Kawata, Yasuo; Arimura, Hidetaka; Ikushima, Koujirou; Jin, Ze; Morita, Kento; Tokunaga, Chiaki; Yabu-Uchi, Hidetake; Shioyama, Yoshiyuki; Sasaki, Tomonari; Honda, Hiroshi; Sasaki, Masayuki

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pixel-based machine learning (ML) techniques, i.e., fuzzy-c-means clustering method (FCM), and the artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM), on an automated framework for delineation of gross tumor volume (GTV) regions of lung cancer for stereotactic body radiation therapy. The morphological and metabolic features for GTV regions, which were determined based on the knowledge of radiation oncologists, were fed on a pixel-by-pixel basis into the respective FCM, ANN, and SVM ML techniques. Then, the ML techniques were incorporated into the automated delineation framework of GTVs followed by an optimum contour selection (OCS) method, which we proposed in a previous study. The three-ML-based frameworks were evaluated for 16 lung cancer cases (six solid, four ground glass opacity (GGO), six part-solid GGO) with the datasets of planning computed tomography (CT) and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT images using the three-dimensional Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). DSC denotes the degree of region similarity between the GTVs contoured by radiation oncologists and those estimated using the automated framework. The FCM-based framework achieved the highest DSCs of 0.79±0.06, whereas DSCs of the ANN-based and SVM-based frameworks were 0.76±0.14 and 0.73±0.14, respectively. The FCM-based framework provided the highest segmentation accuracy and precision without a learning process (lowest calculation cost). Therefore, the FCM-based framework can be useful for delineation of tumor regions in practical treatment planning. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Develop real-time dosimetry concepts and instrumentation for long term missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braby, L. A.

1981-01-01

The development of a rugged portable dosimetry system, based on microdosimetry techniques, which will measure dose and evaluate dose equivalent in a mixed radiation field is described. Progress in the desired dosimetry system can be divided into three distinct areas: development of the radiation detector, and electron system are presented. The mathematical techniques required are investigated.

The application analysis of the multi-angle polarization technique for ocean color remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongchao; Zhu, Jun; Yin, Huan; Zhang, Keli

2017-02-01

The multi-angle polarization technique, which uses the intensity of polarized radiation as the observed quantity, is a new remote sensing means for earth observation. With this method, not only can the multi-angle light intensity data be provided, but also the multi-angle information of polarized radiation can be obtained. So, the technique may solve the problems, those could not be solved with the traditional remote sensing methods. Nowadays, the multi-angle polarization technique has become one of the hot topics in the field of the international quantitative research on remote sensing. In this paper, we firstly introduce the principles of the multi-angle polarization technique, then the situations of basic research and engineering applications are particularly summarized and analysed in 1) the peeled-off method of sun glitter based on polarization, 2) the ocean color remote sensing based on polarization, 3) oil spill detection using polarization technique, 4) the ocean aerosol monitoring based on polarization. Finally, based on the previous work, we briefly present the problems and prospects of the multi-angle polarization technique used in China's ocean color remote sensing.

Validation techniques for fault emulation of SRAM-based FPGAs

DOE PAGES

Quinn, Heather; Wirthlin, Michael

2015-08-07

A variety of fault emulation systems have been created to study the effect of single-event effects (SEEs) in static random access memory (SRAM) based field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). These systems are useful for augmenting radiation-hardness assurance (RHA) methodologies for verifying the effectiveness for mitigation techniques; understanding error signatures and failure modes in FPGAs; and failure rate estimation. For radiation effects researchers, it is important that these systems properly emulate how SEEs manifest in FPGAs. If the fault emulation systems does not mimic the radiation environment, the system will generate erroneous data and incorrect predictions of behavior of the FPGA inmore » a radiation environment. Validation determines whether the emulated faults are reasonable analogs to the radiation-induced faults. In this study we present methods for validating fault emulation systems and provide several examples of validated FPGA fault emulation systems.« less

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF STATIC AND DYNAMIC EXPOSURE USING CCD IMAGING TECHNIQUE FOR Caso4:Dy TL DOSEMETERS.

PubMed

Srivastava, Kshama; Soin, Seepika; Sapra, B K; Ratna, P; Datta, D

2017-11-01

The occupational exposure incurred by the radiation workers due to the external radiation is estimated using personal dosemeter placed on the human body during the monitoring period. In certain situations, it is required to determine whether the dosemeter alone was exposed accidentally/intentionally in radiation field (static exposure) or was exposed while being worn by a worker moving in his workplace (dynamic exposure). The present thermoluminscent (TL) based personnel monitoring systems are not capable of distinguishing between the above stated (static and dynamic) exposure conditions. The feasibility of a new methodology developed using the charge coupled device based imaging technique for identification of the static/dynamic exposure of CaSO4:Dy based TL detectors for low energy photons has been investigated. The techniques for the qualitative and the quantitative assessments of the exposure conditions are presented in this paper. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Exploring actinide materials through synchrotron radiation techniques.

PubMed

Shi, Wei-Qun; Yuan, Li-Yong; Wang, Cong-Zhi; Wang, Lin; Mei, Lei; Xiao, Cheng-Liang; Zhang, Li; Li, Zi-Jie; Zhao, Yu-Liang; Chai, Zhi-Fang

2014-12-10

Synchrotron radiation (SR) based techniques have been utilized with increasing frequency in the past decade to explore the brilliant and challenging sciences of actinide-based materials. This trend is partially driven by the basic needs for multi-scale actinide speciation and bonding information and also the realistic needs for nuclear energy research. In this review, recent research progresses on actinide related materials by means of various SR techniques were selectively highlighted and summarized, with the emphasis on X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scattering spectroscopy, which are powerful tools to characterize actinide materials. In addition, advanced SR techniques for exploring future advanced nuclear fuel cycles dealing with actinides are illustrated as well. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling for detecting millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation

PubMed Central

Ibrahim, Akram; Férachou, Denis; Sharma, Gargi; Singh, Kanwarpal; Kirouac-Turmel, Marie; Ozaki, Tsuneyuki

2016-01-01

Time-domain spectroscopy using coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation (also known as terahertz radiation) is rapidly expanding its application, owing greatly to the remarkable advances in generating and detecting such radiation. However, many current techniques for coherent terahertz detection have limited dynamic range, thus making it difficult to perform some basic experiments that need to directly compare strong and weak terahertz signals. Here, we propose and demonstrate a novel technique based on cross-polarized spectral-domain interferometry to achieve ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling measurement of coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation. In our scheme, we exploit the birefringence in a single-mode polarization maintaining fiber in order to measure the phase change induced by the electric field of terahertz radiation in the detection crystal. With our new technique, we have achieved a dynamic range of 7 × 106, which is 4 orders of magnitude higher than conventional electro-optic sampling techniques, while maintaining comparable signal-to-noise ratio. The present technique is foreseen to have great impact on experiments such as linear terahertz spectroscopy of optically thick materials (such as aqueous samples) and nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy, where the higher dynamic range is crucial for proper interpretation of experimentally obtained results. PMID:26976363

Ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling for detecting millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Akram; Férachou, Denis; Sharma, Gargi; Singh, Kanwarpal; Kirouac-Turmel, Marie; Ozaki, Tsuneyuki

2016-03-15

Time-domain spectroscopy using coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation (also known as terahertz radiation) is rapidly expanding its application, owing greatly to the remarkable advances in generating and detecting such radiation. However, many current techniques for coherent terahertz detection have limited dynamic range, thus making it difficult to perform some basic experiments that need to directly compare strong and weak terahertz signals. Here, we propose and demonstrate a novel technique based on cross-polarized spectral-domain interferometry to achieve ultra-high dynamic range electro-optic sampling measurement of coherent millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation. In our scheme, we exploit the birefringence in a single-mode polarization maintaining fiber in order to measure the phase change induced by the electric field of terahertz radiation in the detection crystal. With our new technique, we have achieved a dynamic range of 7 × 10(6), which is 4 orders of magnitude higher than conventional electro-optic sampling techniques, while maintaining comparable signal-to-noise ratio. The present technique is foreseen to have great impact on experiments such as linear terahertz spectroscopy of optically thick materials (such as aqueous samples) and nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy, where the higher dynamic range is crucial for proper interpretation of experimentally obtained results.

Radioresistance of GGG Sequences to Prompt Strand Break Formation from Direct-Type Radiation Damage

PubMed Central

Black, Paul J.; Miller, Adam S.; Hayes, Jeffrey J.

2016-01-01

Purpose As humans, we are constantly exposed to ionizing radiation from natural, man-made and cosmic sources which can damage DNA, leading to deleterious effects including cancer incidence. In this work we introduce a method to monitor strand breaks resulting from damage due to the direct effect of ionizing radiation and provide evidence for sequence-dependent effects leading to strand breaks. Materials and methods To analyze only DNA strand breaks caused by radiation damage due to the direct effect of ionizing radiation, we combined an established technique to generate dehydrated DNA samples with a technique to analyze single strand breaks on short oligonucleotide sequences via denaturing gel electrophoresis. Results We find that direct damage primarily results in a reduced number of strand breaks in guanine triplet regions (GGG) when compared to isolated guanine (G) bases with identical flanking base context. In addition, we observe strand break behavior possibly indicative of protection of guanine bases when flanked by pyrimidines, and sensitization of guanine to strand break when flanked by adenine (A) bases in both isolated G and GGG cases. Conclusions These observations provide insight into the strand break behavior in GGG regions damaged via the direct effect of ionizing radiation. In addition, this could be indicative of DNA sequences that are naturally more susceptible to strand break due to the direct effect of ionizing radiation. PMID:27349757

Observation of coherently enhanced tunable narrow-band terahertz transition radiation from a relativistic sub-picosecond electron bunch train

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

Piot, P.; Maxwell, T. J.; Accelerator Physics Center, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois 60510

2011-06-27

We experimentally demonstrate the production of narrow-band ({delta}f/f{approx_equal}20% at f{approx_equal}0.5THz) transition radiation with tunable frequency over [0.37, 0.86] THz. The radiation is produced as a train of sub-picosecond relativistic electron bunches transits at the vacuum-aluminum interface of an aluminum converter screen. The bunch train is generated via a transverse-to-longitudinal phase space exchange technique. We also show a possible application of modulated beams to extend the dynamical range of a popular bunch length diagnostic technique based on the spectral analysis of coherent radiation.

Spacecraft Maneuvering at the Sun/Earth-Moon L2 Libration Point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahid, Kamran

Spacecraft formation flying in the vicinity of the Sun/Earth-Moon libration points offers many promising possibilities for space exploration. The concept of formation flying involves the distribution of the functionality of a single spacecraft among several smaller, cooperative spacecraft. The libration points are locations relative to two large orbiting bodies where a third body with relatively small mass can remain stationary relative to the two larger bodies. The most significant perturbation experienced by a spacecraft at the libration point is effect of solar radiation pressure. This thesis presents the development of nonlinear control techniques for maneuvering control at the Sun-Earth/Moon L2 libration point. A new thruster based formation control technique is presented. We also consider a leader/follower formation architecture, and examine the station keeping control of the leader spacecraft and the formation control of the follower spacecraft using solar radiation pressure. Reference trajectories of the leader spacecraft, halo and Lissajous orbits, are determined using a numerical technique in order to take into account all major gravitational perturbations. The nonlinear controllers are developed based on Lyapunov analysis, including non-adaptive and adaptive designs. Thruster based and solar radiation pressure based control laws for spacecraft maneuvering at the Sun-Earth/Moon libration point are developed. Higher order sliding mode control is utilized to address the non-affine structure of the solar sail control inputs. The reduced input solar radiation pressure problem is properly addressed as an underactuated control problem. The development of adaptive control for solar sail equipped spacecraft is an innovation and represents and advancement in solar sailing control technology. Controller performance is evaluated in a high fidelity ephemeris model to reflect a realistic simulated space environment. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control techniques for spacecraft maneuvering using solar radiation pressure at the L2 libration point. Stationkeeping accuracies of 50m and formation maintenance accuracies of less than 1m are possible using solar radiation pressure at a sub-L2 libration point. The benefits of these control techniques include increasing libration point mission lifetimes and doubling payload mass fractions as compared to conventional propulsion methods.

Optimisation of radiation dose and image quality in mobile neonatal chest radiography.

PubMed

Hinojos-Armendáriz, V I; Mejía-Rosales, S J; Franco-Cabrera, M C

2018-05-01

To optimise the radiation dose and image quality for chest radiography in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) by increasing the mean beam energy. Two techniques for the acquisition of NICU AP chest X-ray images were compared for image quality and radiation dose. 73 images were acquired using a standard technique (56 kV, 3.2 mAs and no additional filtration) and 90 images with a new technique (62 kV, 2 mAs and 2 mm Al filtration). The entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) was measured using a phantom and compared between the techniques and against established diagnostic reference levels (DRL). Images were evaluated using seven image quality criteria independently by three radiologists. Images quality and radiation dose were compared statistically between the standard and new techniques. The maximum ESAK for the new technique was 40.20 μGy, 43.7% of the ESAK of the standard technique. Statistical evaluation demonstrated no significant differences in image quality between the two acquisition techniques. Based on the techniques and acquisition factors investigated within this study, it is possible to lower the radiation dose without any significant effects on image quality by adding filtration (2 mm Al) and increasing the tube potential. Such steps are relatively simple to undertake and as such, other departments should consider testing and implementing this dose reduction strategy within clinical practice where appropriate. Copyright © 2017 The College of Radiographers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applications of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques in studying nucleic acids and nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Wu, Peiwen; Yu, Yang; McGhee, Claire E.; Tan, Li Huey

2014-01-01

In this review, we summarize recent progresses in the application of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques for nucleic acid research that takes advantage of high-flux and high-brilliance electromagnetic radiation from synchrotron sources. The first section of the review focuses on the characterization of the structure and folding processes of nucleic acids using different types of synchrotron-based spectroscopies, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, X-ray footprinting and small-angle X-ray scattering. In the second section, the characterization of nucleic acid-based nanostructures, nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials and nucleic acid-lipid interactions using these spectroscopic techniques is summarized. Insights gained from these studies are described and future directions of this field are also discussed. PMID:25205057

Applications of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques in studying nucleic acids and nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials

DOE PAGES

Wu, Peiwen; Yu, Yang; McGhee, Claire E.; ...

2014-09-10

In this paper, we summarize recent progress in the application of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques for nucleic acid research that takes advantage of high-flux and high-brilliance electromagnetic radiation from synchrotron sources. The first section of the review focuses on the characterization of the structure and folding processes of nucleic acids using different types of synchrotron-based spectroscopies, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, X-ray footprinting and small-angle X-ray scattering. In the second section, the characterization of nucleic acid-based nanostructures, nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials and nucleic acid-lipid interactions using these spectroscopic techniques is summarized. Insightsmore » gained from these studies are described and future directions of this field are also discussed.« less

Acoustic Radiation Force Elasticity Imaging in Diagnostic Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Doherty, Joshua R.; Trahey, Gregg E.; Nightingale, Kathryn R.; Palmeri, Mark L.

2013-01-01

The development of ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods has been the focus of intense research activity since the mid-1990s. In characterizing the mechanical properties of soft tissues, these techniques image an entirely new subset of tissue properties that cannot be derived with conventional ultrasound techniques. Clinically, tissue elasticity is known to be associated with pathological condition and with the ability to image these features in vivo, elasticity imaging methods may prove to be invaluable tools for the diagnosis and/or monitoring of disease. This review focuses on ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods that generate an acoustic radiation force to induce tissue displacements. These methods can be performed non-invasively during routine exams to provide either qualitative or quantitative metrics of tissue elasticity. A brief overview of soft tissue mechanics relevant to elasticity imaging is provided, including a derivation of acoustic radiation force, and an overview of the various acoustic radiation force elasticity imaging methods. PMID:23549529

Acoustic radiation force elasticity imaging in diagnostic ultrasound.

PubMed

Doherty, Joshua R; Trahey, Gregg E; Nightingale, Kathryn R; Palmeri, Mark L

2013-04-01

The development of ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods has been the focus of intense research activity since the mid-1990s. In characterizing the mechanical properties of soft tissues, these techniques image an entirely new subset of tissue properties that cannot be derived with conventional ultrasound techniques. Clinically, tissue elasticity is known to be associated with pathological condition and with the ability to image these features in vivo; elasticity imaging methods may prove to be invaluable tools for the diagnosis and/or monitoring of disease. This review focuses on ultrasound-based elasticity imaging methods that generate an acoustic radiation force to induce tissue displacements. These methods can be performed noninvasively during routine exams to provide either qualitative or quantitative metrics of tissue elasticity. A brief overview of soft tissue mechanics relevant to elasticity imaging is provided, including a derivation of acoustic radiation force, and an overview of the various acoustic radiation force elasticity imaging methods.

A high-resolution photon-counting breast CT system with tensor-framelet based iterative image reconstruction for radiation dose reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Huanjun; Gao, Hao; Zhao, Bo; Cho, Hyo-Min; Molloi, Sabee

2014-10-01

Both computer simulations and experimental phantom studies were carried out to investigate the radiation dose reduction with tensor framelet based iterative image reconstruction (TFIR) for a dedicated high-resolution spectral breast computed tomography (CT) based on a silicon strip photon-counting detector. The simulation was performed with a 10 cm-diameter water phantom including three contrast materials (polyethylene, 8 mg ml-1 iodine and B-100 bone-equivalent plastic). In the experimental study, the data were acquired with a 1.3 cm-diameter polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) phantom containing iodine in three concentrations (8, 16 and 32 mg ml-1) at various radiation doses (1.2, 2.4 and 3.6 mGy) and then CT images were reconstructed using the filtered-back-projection (FBP) technique and the TFIR technique, respectively. The image quality between these two techniques was evaluated by the quantitative analysis on contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and spatial resolution that was evaluated using the task-based modulation transfer function (MTF). Both the simulation and experimental results indicated that the task-based MTF obtained from TFIR reconstruction with one-third of the radiation dose was comparable to that from the FBP reconstruction for low contrast target. For high contrast target, the TFIR was substantially superior to the FBP reconstruction in terms of spatial resolution. In addition, TFIR was able to achieve a factor of 1.6-1.8 increase in CNR, depending on the target contrast level. This study demonstrates that the TFIR can reduce the required radiation dose by a factor of two-thirds for a CT image reconstruction compared to the FBP technique. It achieves much better CNR and spatial resolution for high contrast target in addition to retaining similar spatial resolution for low contrast target. This TFIR technique has been implemented with a graphic processing unit system and it takes approximately 10 s to reconstruct a single-slice CT image, which can potentially be used in a future multi-slit multi-slice spiral CT system.

Optical Imaging of Ionizing Radiation from Clinical Sources

PubMed Central

Shaffer, Travis M.; Drain, Charles Michael

2016-01-01

Nuclear medicine uses ionizing radiation for both in vivo diagnosis and therapy. Ionizing radiation comes from a variety of sources, including x-rays, beam therapy, brachytherapy, and various injected radionuclides. Although PET and SPECT remain clinical mainstays, optical readouts of ionizing radiation offer numerous benefits and complement these standard techniques. Furthermore, for ionizing radiation sources that cannot be imaged using these standard techniques, optical imaging offers a unique imaging alternative. This article reviews optical imaging of both radionuclide- and beam-based ionizing radiation from high-energy photons and charged particles through mechanisms including radioluminescence, Cerenkov luminescence, and scintillation. Therapeutically, these visible photons have been combined with photodynamic therapeutic agents preclinically for increasing therapeutic response at depths difficult to reach with external light sources. Last, new microscopy methods that allow single-cell optical imaging of radionuclides are reviewed. PMID:27688469

Direct Aerosol Radiative Forcing Based on Combined A-Train Observations: Towards All-sky Estimates and Attribution to Aerosol Type

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redemann, Jens; Shinozuka, Y.; Kacenelenbogen, M.; Russell, P.; Vaughan, M.; Ferrare, R.; Hostetler, C.; Rogers, R.; Burton, S.; Livingston, J.;

A novel pulse height analysis technique for nuclear spectroscopic and imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, H. H.; Wang, C. Y.; Chou, H. P.

2005-08-01

The proposed pulse height analysis technique is based on the constant and linear relationship between pulse width and pulse height generated from front-end electronics of nuclear spectroscopic and imaging systems. The present technique has successfully implemented into the sump water radiation monitoring system in a nuclear power plant. The radiation monitoring system uses a NaI(Tl) scintillator to detect radioactive nuclides of Radon daughters brought down by rain. The technique is also used for a nuclear medical imaging system. The system uses a position sensitive photomultiplier tube coupled with a scintillator. The proposed techniques has greatly simplified the electronic design and made the system a feasible one for potable applications.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Quantification of Lymphedema Risk Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

dimensional internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy: implications for radiation therapy treatment planning for breast carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys...techniques based on conventional photon beams, intensity modulated photon beams and proton beams for therapy of intact breast. Radiother Oncol. Feb...Harris JR. Three-dimensional internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy: implications for radiation therapy treatment planning for breast carcinoma. Int J

Computed tomography and patient risk: Facts, perceptions and uncertainties

PubMed Central

Power, Stephen P; Moloney, Fiachra; Twomey, Maria; James, Karl; O’Connor, Owen J; Maher, Michael M

2016-01-01

Since its introduction in the 1970s, computed tomography (CT) has revolutionized diagnostic decision-making. One of the major concerns associated with the widespread use of CT is the associated increased radiation exposure incurred by patients. The link between ionizing radiation and the subsequent development of neoplasia has been largely based on extrapolating data from studies of survivors of the atomic bombs dropped in Japan in 1945 and on assessments of the increased relative risk of neoplasia in those occupationally exposed to radiation within the nuclear industry. However, the association between exposure to low-dose radiation from diagnostic imaging examinations and oncogenesis remains unclear. With improved technology, significant advances have already been achieved with regards to radiation dose reduction. There are several dose optimization strategies available that may be readily employed including omitting unnecessary images at the ends of acquired series, minimizing the number of phases acquired, and the use of automated exposure control as opposed to fixed tube current techniques. In addition, new image reconstruction techniques that reduce radiation dose have been developed in recent years with promising results. These techniques use iterative reconstruction algorithms to attain diagnostic quality images with reduced image noise at lower radiation doses. PMID:28070242

The signature-based radiation-scanning approach to standoff detection of improvised explosive devices.

PubMed

Brewer, R L; Dunn, W L; Heider, S; Matthew, C; Yang, X

2012-07-01

The signature-based radiation-scanning technique for detection of improvised explosive devices is described. The technique seeks to detect nitrogen-rich chemical explosives present in a target. The technology compares a set of "signatures" obtained from a test target to a collection of "templates", sets of signatures for a target that contain an explosive in a specific configuration. Interrogation of nitrogen-rich fertilizer samples, which serve as surrogates for explosives, is shown experimentally to be able to discriminate samples of 3.8L and larger. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A coherent detection technique via optically biased field for broadband terahertz radiation.

PubMed

Du, Hai-Wei; Dong, Jia-Meng; Liu, Yi; Shi, Chang-Cheng; Wu, Jing-Wei; Peng, Xiao-Yu

2017-09-01

We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally a coherent terahertz detection technique based on an optically biased field functioning as a local oscillator and a second harmonic induced by the terahertz electric field in the air sensor working in free space. After optimizing the polarization angle and the energy of the probe pulse, and filling the system with dry nitrogen, the terahertz radiation generated from a two-color-femtosecond-laser-pulses induced plasma filament is measured by this technique with a bandwidth of 0.1-10 THz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 48 dB. Our technique provides an alternative simple method for coherent broadband terahertz detection.

Nuclear imaging and radiation therapy in canine and feline thyroid disease.

PubMed

Feeney, Daniel A; Anderson, Kari L

2007-07-01

The indications, techniques, and expectations for radionuclide diagnostic studies on canine and feline thyroid glands are presented. In addition, the considerations surrounding radioiodine or external beam radiotherapy for benign and malignant thyroid disease are reviewed. The intent of this article is to familiarize primary care veterinarians with the utility of and outcome of the ionizing radiation-based diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for assessing and treating canine and feline thyroid disease.

Noncontact sheet resistance measurement technique for wafer inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempa, Krzysztof; Rommel, J. Martin; Litovsky, Roman; Becla, Peter; Lojek, Bohumil; Bryson, Frank; Blake, Julian

1995-12-01

A new technique, MICROTHERM, has been developed for noncontact sheet resistance measurements of semiconductor wafers. It is based on the application of microwave energy to the wafer, and simultaneous detection of the infrared radiation resulting from ohmic heating. The pattern of the emitted radiation corresponds to the sheet resistance distribution across the wafer. This method is nondestructive, noncontact, and allows for measurements of very small areas (several square microns) of the wafer.

Comparison of raised-microdisk whispering-gallery-mode characterization techniques.

PubMed

Redding, Brandon; Marchena, Elton; Creazzo, Tim; Shi, Shouyuan; Prather, Dennis W

2010-04-01

We compare the two prevailing raised-microdisk whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) characterization techniques, one based on coupling emission to a tapered fiber and the other based on collecting emission in the far field. We applied both techniques to study WGMs in Si nanocrystal raised microdisks and observed dramatically different behavior. We explain this difference in terms of the radiative bending loss on which the far-field collection technique relies and discuss the regimes of operation in which each technique is appropriate.

Optical Imaging of Ionizing Radiation from Clinical Sources.

PubMed

Shaffer, Travis M; Drain, Charles Michael; Grimm, Jan

2016-11-01

Nuclear medicine uses ionizing radiation for both in vivo diagnosis and therapy. Ionizing radiation comes from a variety of sources, including x-rays, beam therapy, brachytherapy, and various injected radionuclides. Although PET and SPECT remain clinical mainstays, optical readouts of ionizing radiation offer numerous benefits and complement these standard techniques. Furthermore, for ionizing radiation sources that cannot be imaged using these standard techniques, optical imaging offers a unique imaging alternative. This article reviews optical imaging of both radionuclide- and beam-based ionizing radiation from high-energy photons and charged particles through mechanisms including radioluminescence, Cerenkov luminescence, and scintillation. Therapeutically, these visible photons have been combined with photodynamic therapeutic agents preclinically for increasing therapeutic response at depths difficult to reach with external light sources. Last, new microscopy methods that allow single-cell optical imaging of radionuclides are reviewed. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Improved dosimetry techniques for intravascular brachytherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sehgal, Varun

Coronary artery disease leads to the accumulation of atheromatous plaque leading to coronary stenosis. Coronary intervention techniques such as balloon angioplasty and atherectomy are used to address coronary stenosis and establish a stable lumen thus enhancing blood flow to the myocardium. Restenosis or re-blockage of the arteries is a major limitation of the above mentioned interventional techniques. Neointimal hyperplasia or proliferation of cells in response to the vascular injury as a result of coronary intervention is considered to be one of the major causes of restenosis. Recent studies indicated that irradiation of the coronary lesion site, with radiation doses ranging from 15 to 30 Gy, leads to diminishing neointimal hyperplasia with subsequent reduction in restenosis. The radiation dose is given by catheter-based radiation delivery systems using beta-emitters 90Sr/90Y, 32P and gamma-emitting 192Ir among others. However the dose schema used for dose prescription for these sources are relatively simplistic, and are based on calculations using uniform homogenous water or tissue media and simple cylinder geometry. Stenotic coronary vessels are invariably lined with atheromatous plaque of heterogeneous composition, the radiation dose distribution obtained from such dosimetry data can cause significant variations in the actual dose received by a given patient. Such discrepancies in dose calculation can introduce relatively large uncertainties in the limits of dose window for effective and safe application of intravascular brachytherapy, and consequently in the clinical evaluation of the efficacy of this modality. In this research study we investigated the effect of different geometrical and material heterogeneities, including residual plaque, catheter non-centering, lesion eccentricity and cardiac motion on the radiation dose delivered at the lesion site. Correction factors including dose perturbation factors and dose variation factors have been calculated using Monte Carlo-based radiation transport code MCNP and tabulated for a range of different coronary geometries and different radionuclides. A new technique using imaging techniques such as intravascular ultrasound and angiography to assess dosimetry for realistic coronary arteries is also introduced. The results indicate the need for accurate assessment of post-intervention clinical measurements such as minimal lumen diameter and residual plaque burden and incorporating them into dose calculations.

ROENTGEN: case-based reasoning and radiation therapy planning.

PubMed Central

Berger, J.

1992-01-01

ROENTGEN is a design assistant for radiation therapy planning which uses case-based reasoning, an artificial intelligence technique. It learns both from specific problem-solving experiences and from direct instruction from the user. The first sort of learning is the normal case-based method of storing problem solutions so that they can be reused. The second sort is necessary because ROENTGEN does not, initially, have an internal model of the physics of its problem domain. This dependence on explicit user instruction brings to the forefront representational questions regarding indexing, failure definition, failure explanation and repair. This paper presents the techniques used by ROENTGEN in its knowledge acquisition and design activities. PMID:1482869

Requirements for radiation emergency urine bioassay techniques for the public and first responders.

PubMed

Li, Chunsheng; Vlahovich, Slavica; Dai, Xiongxin; Richardson, Richard B; Daka, Joseph N; Kramer, Gary H

2010-11-01

Following a radiation emergency, the affected public and the first responders may need to be quickly assessed for internal contamination by the radionuclides involved. Urine bioassay is one of the most commonly used methods for assessing radionuclide intake and radiation dose. This paper attempts to derive the sensitivity requirements (from inhalation exposure) for the urine bioassay techniques for the top 10 high-risk radionuclides that might be used in a terrorist attack. The requirements are based on a proposed reference dose to adults of 0.1 Sv (CED, committed effective dose). In addition, requirements related to sample turnaround time and field deployability of the assay techniques are also discussed. A review of currently available assay techniques summarized in this paper reveals that method development for ²⁴¹Am, ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁸Pu, and ⁹⁰Sr urine bioassay is needed.

The concept and evolution of involved site radiation therapy for lymphoma.

PubMed

Specht, Lena; Yahalom, Joachim

2015-10-01

We describe the development of radiation therapy for lymphoma from extended field radiotherapy of the past to modern conformal treatment with involved site radiation therapy based on advanced imaging, three-dimensional treatment planning and advanced treatment delivery techniques. Today, radiation therapy is part of the multimodality treatment of lymphoma, and the irradiated tissue volume is much smaller than before, leading to highly significant reductions in the risks of long-term complications.

Non-invasive, quantitative, and remote detection of early radiation cataracts for applications in bio-astronautics and bio-informatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Rafat R.; Giblin, Frank J.; King, James F.

2001-02-01

Human exploration of Mars may be a possibility in the next twenty years. Maintaining good vision is an essential aspect of achieving a successful mission. Continuous radiation exposure is a risk factor for radiation-induced cataracts in astronauts. A compact device based on the technique of dynamic light scattering (DLS) is designed for monitoring an astronaut's ocular health during long-duration space travel. Preliminary data on the simulated effects of ionizing radiation exposure to the ocular tissues of non-human animals and results on the sensitivity of DLS over established clinical procedures in investigating cataracts are presented. This capability of early diagnosis, unmatched by any other clinical technique in use today, may enable prompt initiation of preventive/curative therapy. An inter-net web based system integrating photon correlation data and controlling the hardware to monitor cataract development in vivo at a remote site in real time (tele-ophthalmology) is currently being developed. Cataract studies on-board the International Space Station (ISS) will be helpful in designing better protective radiation shields for future space vehicles and space suits. .

Non-Invasive, Quantitative, and Remote Detection of Early Radiation Cataracts for Applications in Bio-Astronautics and Bio-Informatics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansari, Rafat R.; Giblin, Frank J.; King, James F.; Singh, B. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Human exploration of Mars may be a possibility in the next twenty years. Maintaining good vision is an essential aspect of achieving a successful mission. Continuous radiation exposure is a risk factor for radiation-induced cataracts in astronauts. A compact device based on the technique of dynamic light scattering (DLS) is designed for monitoring an astronaut's ocular health during long-duration space travel. Preliminary data on the simulated effects of ionizing radiation exposure to the ocular tissues of nonhuman animals and results on the sensitivity of DLS over established clinical procedures in investigating cataracts are presented. This capability of early diagnosis, unmatched by any other clinical technique in use today, may enable prompt initiation of preventive/curative therapy. An internet web based system integrating photon correlation data and controlling the hardware to monitor cataract development in vivo at a remote site in real time (teleophthalmology) is currently being developed. Cataract studies on-board the International Space Station (ISS) will be helpful in designing better protective radiation shields for future space vehicles and space suits.

The non-radiating component of the field generated by a finite monochromatic scalar source distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoenders, Bernhard J.; Ferwerda, Hedzer A.

1998-09-01

We separate the field generated by a spherically symmetric bounded scalar monochromatic source into a radiative and non-radiative part. The non-radiative part is obtained by projecting the total field on the space spanned by the non-radiating inhomogeneous modes, i.e. the modes which satisfy the inhomogeneous wave equation. Using residue techniques, introduced by Cauchy, we obtain an explicit analytical expression for the non-radiating component. We also identify the part of the source distribution which corresponds to this non-radiating part. The analysis is based on the scalar wave equation.

Modelling of a holographic interferometry based calorimeter for radiation dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beigzadeh, A. M.; Vaziri, M. R. Rashidian; Ziaie, F.

2017-08-01

In this research work, a model for predicting the behaviour of holographic interferometry based calorimeters for radiation dosimetry is introduced. Using this technique for radiation dosimetry via measuring the variations of refractive index due to energy deposition of radiation has several considerable advantages such as extreme sensitivity and ability of working without normally used temperature sensors that disturb the radiation field. We have shown that the results of our model are in good agreement with the experiments performed by other researchers under the same conditions. This model also reveals that these types of calorimeters have the additional and considerable merits of transforming the dose distribution to a set of discernible interference fringes.

Collisional-radiative switching - A powerful technique for converging non-LTE calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hummer, D. G.; Voels, S. A.

1988-01-01

A very simple technique has been developed to converge statistical equilibrium and model atmospheric calculations in extreme non-LTE conditions when the usual iterative methods fail to converge from an LTE starting model. The proposed technique is based on a smooth transition from a collision-dominated LTE situation to the desired non-LTE conditions in which radiation dominates, at least in the most important transitions. The proposed approach was used to successfully compute stellar models with He abundances of 0.20, 0.30, and 0.50; Teff = 30,000 K, and log g = 2.9.

Radiation- and reference base-free navigation procedure for placement of instruments and implants: application to retrograde drilling of osteochondral lesions of the knee joint.

PubMed

Müller, Matthias; Gras, Florian; Marintschev, Ivan; Mückley, Thomas; Hofmann, Gunter O

2009-01-01

A novel, radiation- and reference base-free procedure for placement of navigated instruments and implants was developed and its practicability and precision in retrograde drillings evaluated in an experimental setting. Two different guidance techniques were used: One experimental group was operated on using the radiation- and reference base-free navigation technique (Fluoro Free), and the control group was operated on using standard fluoroscopy for guidance. For each group, 12 core decompressions were simulated by retrograde drillings in different artificial femurs following arthroscopic determination of the osteochondral lesions. The final guide-wire position was evaluated by postoperative CT analysis using vector calculation. High precision was achieved in both groups, but operating time was significantly reduced in the navigated group as compared to the control group. This was due to a 100% first-pass accuracy of drilling in the navigated group; in the control group a mean of 2.5 correction maneuvers per drilling were necessary. Additionally, the procedure was free of radiation in the navigated group, whereas 17.2 seconds of radiation exposure time were measured in the fluoroscopy-guided group. The developed Fluoro Free procedure is a promising and simplified approach to navigating different instruments as well as implants in relation to visually or tactilely placed pointers or objects without the need for radiation exposure or invasive fixation of a dynamic reference base in the bone.

Evaluating evaporation from field crops using airborne radiometry and ground-based meteorological data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, R. D.; Moran, M.S.; Gay, L.W.; Raymond, L.H.

1987-01-01

Airborne measurements of reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation were combined with ground-based measurements of incoming solar radiation, air temperature, windspeed, and vapor pressure to calculate instantaneous evaporation (LE) rates using a form of the Penman equation. Estimates of evaporation over cotton, wheat, and alfalfa fields were obtained on 5 days during a one-year period. A Bowen ratio apparatus, employed simultaneously, provided ground-based measurements of evaporation. Comparison of the airborne and ground techniques showed good agreement, with the greatest difference being about 12% for the instantaneous values. Estimates of daily (24 h) evaporation were made from the instantaneous data. On three of the five days, the difference between the two techniques was less than 8%, with the greatest difference being 25%. The results demonstrate that airborne remote sensing techniques can be used to obtain spatially distributed values of evaporation over agricultural fields. ?? 1987 Springer-Verlag.

Terahertz wave electro-optic measurements with optical spectral filtering

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

Ilyakov, I. E., E-mail: igor-ilyakov@mail.ru; Shishkin, B. V.; Kitaeva, G. Kh.

We propose electro-optic detection techniques based on variations of the laser pulse spectrum induced during pulse co-propagation with terahertz wave radiation in a nonlinear crystal. Quantitative comparison with two other detection methods is made. Substantial improvement of the sensitivity compared to the standard electro-optic detection technique (at high frequencies) and to the previously shown technique based on laser pulse energy changes is demonstrated in experiment.

Vulnerability of OFDR-based distributed sensors to radiations

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

Rizzolo, S.; Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Universita di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Parco d'Orleans II, Ed. 17, 90128 Palermo; Areva Centre Technique, Boulevard de l'Industrie, 71200, Le Creusot

2015-07-01

Silica-based optical fibers have recently attracted much interest for their use in harsh environments such as the ones encountered in space, military or high energy physics applications. Small size, fast response, light weight and immunity to electromagnetic fields are favorable advantages that often become decisive for fiber sensing to be chosen over other conventional sensing technologies. As an important and representative example, Fukushima's accident highlighted weaknesses in the safety of nuclear power plants. Since, one of the strategic research axis of the nuclear industry is devoted to the development of novel technologies and sensors to enhance and reinforce the safetymore » in nuclear power plants, especially in the case of accidental conditions associated with a strong increase of the constraints applied to the fiber-based system. The objective of this research field is to develop classes of distributed fiber-based sensors using scattering-based techniques, powerful solutions for various measurands measurement. Optical fiber properties, indeed, depend on several external parameters such as temperature, strain and therefore the fiber itself can be used as the sensitive element. Different classes of fiber-based sensing techniques have been recently investigated such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) for discrete measurements and Brillouin, Raman and Rayleigh [8,9] scattering based techniques for distributed measurements of various environmental parameters. Whereas Brillouin and Raman sensor resolutions remain in the range of one meter, the advantage of Rayleigh scattering based technique is that it offers very high spatial resolution from 1 cm down to few μm over several hundred meters of fiber length down to few meters respectively. For nuclear industry, integrating fibers-based sensors has to improve the performances (resolution, operating range,...) of security systems in current nuclear power plants (NPPs) and offers new alternative technologies that may overcome the issues identified for next generation of NPPs. Such integration will only be possible if the OFDR based systems are able to resist to the constraints associated with industrial environments, one of the most constraining being the presence of high level of radiations. In this work, we carry out a systematic study to highlight the OFDR interest and sensitivity to probe the optical samples at high irradiation dose levels. The responses of five optical fibers types, from radiation hardened to radiation sensitive ones, are investigated to explore the influence of both the material compositions and the γ-irradiation on the ODFR sensors. Using these samples, we should highlight the influence of the core dopant concentration on the observed radiation-induced changes as well as the difference observed when the cladding is either radiation resistant or radiation sensitive. Our samples were irradiated using a {sup 60}Co source facility reaching total doses varying from 1 MGy up to a maximum of 10 MGy. All the measurements are performed after diverse months from irradiation to study permanents effects induced from these high γ-rays doses. We'll present at the conference all the experimental results acquired and use them to estimate the potential of OFDR-based systems for operation in radiation environments. (authors)« less

Investigation on corrosion behavior of Ni-based alloys in molten fluoride salt using synchrotron radiation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Min; Zheng, Junyi; Lu, Yanling; Li, Zhijun; Zou, Yang; Yu, Xiaohan; Zhou, Xingtai

2013-09-01

Ni-based alloys have been selected as the structural materials in molten-salt reactors due to their high corrosion resistance and excellent mechanical properties. In this paper, the corrosion behavior of some Ni-based superalloys including Inconel 600, Hastelloy X and Hastelloy C-276 were investigated in molten fluoride salts at 750 °C. Morphology and microstructure of corroded samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM), synchrotron radiation X-ray microbeam fluorescence (μ-XRF) and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD) techniques. Results from μ-XRF and SR-XRD show that the main depleted alloying element of Ni-based alloys in molten fluoride salt is Cr. In addition, the results indicate that Mo can enhance the corrosion resistance in molten FLiNaK salts. Among the above three Ni-based alloys, Hastelloy C-276 exhibits the best corrosion resistance in molten fluoride salts 750 °C. Higher-content Mo and lower-content Cr in Hastelloy C-276 alloy were responsible for the better anti-corrosive performance, compared to the other two alloys.

Neoadjuvant radiotherapeutic strategies in pancreatic cancer

PubMed Central

Roeder, Falk

2016-01-01

This review summarizes the current status of neoadjuvant radiation approaches in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, including a description of modern radiation techniques, and an overview on the literature regarding neoadjuvant radio- or radiochemotherapeutic strategies both for resectable and irresectable pancreatic cancer. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally-advanced, primarily non- or borderline resectable pancreas cancer results in secondary resectability in a substantial proportion of patients with consecutively markedly improved overall prognosis and should be considered as possible alternative in pretreatment multidisciplinary evaluations. In resectable pancreatic cancer, outstanding results in terms of response, local control and overall survival have been observed with neoadjuvant radio- or radiochemotherapy in several phase I/II trials, which justify further evaluation of this strategy. Further investigation of neoadjuvant chemoradiation strategies should be performed preferentially in randomized trials in order to improve comparability of the current results with other treatment modalities. This should include the evaluation of optimal sequencing with newer and more potent systemic induction therapy approaches. Advances in patient selection based on new molecular markers might be of crucial interest in this context. Finally modern external beam radiation techniques (intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy), new radiation qualities (protons, heavy ions) or combinations with alternative boosting techniques widen the therapeutic window and contribute to the reduction of toxicity. PMID:26909133

Identification of active sources inside cavities using the equivalent source method-based free-field recovery technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Chuan-Xing; Hu, Ding-Yu; Zhang, Yong-Bin; Jing, Wen-Qian

2015-06-01

In previous studies, an equivalent source method (ESM)-based technique for recovering the free sound field in a noisy environment has been successfully applied to exterior problems. In order to evaluate its performance when applied to a more general noisy environment, that technique is used to identify active sources inside cavities where the sound field is composed of the field radiated by active sources and that reflected by walls. A patch approach with two semi-closed surfaces covering the target active sources is presented to perform the measurements, and the field that would be radiated by these target active sources into free space is extracted from the mixed field by using the proposed technique, which will be further used as the input of nearfield acoustic holography for source identification. Simulation and experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed technique for source identification in cavities, and show the feasibility of performing the measurements with a double layer planar array.

Electro-Optical Sensing Apparatus and Method for Characterizing Free-Space Electromagnetic Radiation

DOEpatents

Zhang, Xi-Cheng; Libelo, Louis Francis; Wu, Qi

1999-09-14

Apparatus and methods for characterizing free-space electromagnetic energy, and in particular, apparatus/method suitable for real-time two-dimensional far-infrared imaging applications are presented. The sensing technique is based on a non-linear coupling between a low-frequency electric field and a laser beam in an electro-optic crystal. In addition to a practical counter-propagating sensing technique, a co-linear approach is described which provides longer radiated field--optical beam interaction length, thereby making imaging applications practical.

Leakage radiation interference microscopy.

PubMed

Descrovi, Emiliano; Barakat, Elsie; Angelini, Angelo; Munzert, Peter; De Leo, Natascia; Boarino, Luca; Giorgis, Fabrizio; Herzig, Hans Peter

2013-09-01

We present a proof of principle for a new imaging technique combining leakage radiation microscopy with high-resolution interference microscopy. By using oil immersion optics it is demonstrated that amplitude and phase can be retrieved from optical fields, which are evanescent in air. This technique is illustratively applied for mapping a surface mode propagating onto a planar dielectric multilayer on a thin glass substrate. The surface mode propagation constant estimated after Fourier transformation of the measured complex field is well matched with an independent measurement based on back focal plane imaging.

Extending radiative transfer models by use of Bayes rule. [in atmospheric science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitney, C.

1977-01-01

This paper presents a procedure that extends some existing radiative transfer modeling techniques to problems in atmospheric science where curvature and layering of the medium and dynamic range and angular resolution of the signal are important. Example problems include twilight and limb scan simulations. Techniques that are extended include successive orders of scattering, matrix operator, doubling, Gauss-Seidel iteration, discrete ordinates and spherical harmonics. The procedure for extending them is based on Bayes' rule from probability theory.

Response of Silicon-Based Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometers: Implication for Radiation Risk Assessment in Space Flights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Badhwar, G. D.; O'Neill, P. M.

2001-01-01

There is considerable interest in developing silicon-based telescopes because of their compactness and low power requirements. Three such telescopes have been flown on board the Space Shuttle to measure the linear energy transfer spectra of trapped, galactic cosmic ray, and solar energetic particles. Dosimeters based on single silicon detectors have also been flown on the Mir orbital station. A comparison of the absorbed dose and radiation quality factors calculated from these telescopes with that estimated from measurements made with a tissue equivalent proportional counter show differences which need to be fully understood if these telescopes are to be used for astronaut radiation risk assessments. Instrument performance is complicated by a variety of factors. A Monte Carlo-based technique was developed to model the behavior of both single element detectors in a proton beam, and the performance of a two-element, wide-angle telescope, in the trapped belt proton field inside the Space Shuttle. The technique is based on: (1) radiation transport intranuclear-evaporation model that takes into account the charge and angular distribution of target fragments, (2) Landau-Vavilov distribution of energy deposition allowing for electron escape, (3) true detector geometry of the telescope, (4) coincidence and discriminator settings, (5) spacecraft shielding geometry, and (6) the external space radiation environment, including albedo protons. The value of such detailed modeling and its implications in astronaut risk assessment is addressed. c2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of silicon-based linear energy transfer spectrometers: implication for radiation risk assessment in space flights.

PubMed

Badhwar, G D; O'Neill, P M

2001-07-11

There is considerable interest in developing silicon-based telescopes because of their compactness and low power requirements. Three such telescopes have been flown on board the Space Shuttle to measure the linear energy transfer spectra of trapped, galactic cosmic ray, and solar energetic particles. Dosimeters based on single silicon detectors have also been flown on the Mir orbital station. A comparison of the absorbed dose and radiation quality factors calculated from these telescopes with that estimated from measurements made with a tissue equivalent proportional counter show differences which need to be fully understood if these telescopes are to be used for astronaut radiation risk assessments. Instrument performance is complicated by a variety of factors. A Monte Carlo-based technique was developed to model the behavior of both single element detectors in a proton beam, and the performance of a two-element, wide-angle telescope, in the trapped belt proton field inside the Space Shuttle. The technique is based on: (1) radiation transport intranuclear-evaporation model that takes into account the charge and angular distribution of target fragments, (2) Landau-Vavilov distribution of energy deposition allowing for electron escape, (3) true detector geometry of the telescope, (4) coincidence and discriminator settings, (5) spacecraft shielding geometry, and (6) the external space radiation environment, including albedo protons. The value of such detailed modeling and its implications in astronaut risk assessment is addressed. c2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A time domain based method for the accurate measurement of Q-factor and resonance frequency of microwave resonators

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

Gyüre, B.; Márkus, B. G.; Bernáth, B.

2015-09-15

We present a novel method to determine the resonant frequency and quality factor of microwave resonators which is faster, more stable, and conceptually simpler than the yet existing techniques. The microwave resonator is pumped with the microwave radiation at a frequency away from its resonance. It then emits an exponentially decaying radiation at its eigen-frequency when the excitation is rapidly switched off. The emitted microwave signal is down-converted with a microwave mixer, digitized, and its Fourier transformation (FT) directly yields the resonance curve in a single shot. Being a FT based method, this technique possesses the Fellgett (multiplex) and Connesmore » (accuracy) advantages and it conceptually mimics that of pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. We also establish a novel benchmark to compare accuracy of the different approaches of microwave resonator measurements. This shows that the present method has similar accuracy to the existing ones, which are based on sweeping or modulating the frequency of the microwave radiation.« less

On the Development of a Deterministic Three-Dimensional Radiation Transport Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rockell, Candice; Tweed, John

2011-01-01

Since astronauts on future deep space missions will be exposed to dangerous radiations, there is a need to accurately model the transport of radiation through shielding materials and to estimate the received radiation dose. In response to this need a three dimensional deterministic code for space radiation transport is now under development. The new code GRNTRN is based on a Green's function solution of the Boltzmann transport equation that is constructed in the form of a Neumann series. Analytical approximations will be obtained for the first three terms of the Neumann series and the remainder will be estimated by a non-perturbative technique . This work discusses progress made to date and exhibits some computations based on the first two Neumann series terms.

Radiation-tolerant microprocessors in Japanese scientific space vehicles: how to maximize the benefits of commercial SOI technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Daisuke; Hirose, Kazuyuki; Saito, Hirobumi

2013-05-01

Development of semiconductor devices not only for harsh radiation environments such as space but also for ground-based applications now faces a major hurdle of radiation problems. Necessary is protecting chips from malfunctions due to sub-nanosecond transient noises induced by radiation. As a protection technique using the silicon-on-insulator structure is often suggested, but the use in fact requires devices and circuits carefully optimized for maximizing its benefits. Mainly describing theoretical and experimental characterization of the transient effects, this paper presents a comprehensive study on radiation responses of commercial silicon-on- insulator technologies, which study results in a space-use low-power system-on-chip with a 100-MIPS RISC-based core.

Evaluation of Clipping Based Iterative PAPR Reduction Techniques for FBMC Systems

PubMed Central

Kollár, Zsolt

2014-01-01

This paper investigates filter bankmulticarrier (FBMC), a multicarrier modulation technique exhibiting an extremely low adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) compared to conventional orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technique. The low ACLR of the transmitted FBMC signal makes it especially favorable in cognitive radio applications, where strict requirements are posed on out-of-band radiation. Large dynamic range resulting in high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) is characteristic of all sorts of multicarrier signals. The advantageous spectral properties of the high-PAPR FBMC signal are significantly degraded if nonlinearities are present in the transceiver chain. Spectral regrowth may appear, causing harmful interference in the neighboring frequency bands. This paper presents novel clipping based PAPR reduction techniques, evaluated and compared by simulations and measurements, with an emphasis on spectral aspects. The paper gives an overall comparison of PAPR reduction techniques, focusing on the reduction of the dynamic range of FBMC signals without increasing out-of-band radiation. An overview is presented on transmitter oriented techniques employing baseband clipping, which can maintain the system performance with a desired bit error rate (BER). PMID:24558338

MEASUREMENT OF NATURAL RADIONUCLIDES AND EXTERNAL RADIATION EXPOSURE DUE TO FLY ASH FROM A COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT (SPAIN) DEPOSITED ON SOILS. COMPARISON USING TWO DIFFERENT MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES.

PubMed

Corbacho, J A; Baeza, A

2018-05-17

The evaluation of the radiological impact in soils due to the fly-ash ponds using both in situ techniques and laboratory based measurements is presented. In order to check the in situ techniques capabilities for monitoring this type of industries, a comparison between both techniques was performed. A characterization of external radiation exposure in the fly-ash pond and in its surrounding soils was made. The associated external radiological hazard due to the fly-ash pond has been evaluated. In situ techniques could be used to determine the radiological impact on soils due to fly-ash deposition, but its use could be limited due to the associated uncertainties.

A Monte Carlo-based radiation safety assessment for astronauts in an environment with confined magnetic field shielding.

PubMed

Geng, Changran; Tang, Xiaobin; Gong, Chunhui; Guan, Fada; Johns, Jesse; Shu, Diyun; Chen, Da

2015-12-01

The active shielding technique has great potential for radiation protection in space exploration because it has the advantage of a significant mass saving compared with the passive shielding technique. This paper demonstrates a Monte Carlo-based approach to evaluating the shielding effectiveness of the active shielding technique using confined magnetic fields (CMFs). The International Commission on Radiological Protection reference anthropomorphic phantom, as well as the toroidal CMF, was modeled using the Monte Carlo toolkit Geant4. The penetrating primary particle fluence, organ-specific dose equivalent, and male effective dose were calculated for particles in galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and solar particle events (SPEs). Results show that the SPE protons can be easily shielded against, even almost completely deflected, by the toroidal magnetic field. GCR particles can also be more effectively shielded against by increasing the magnetic field strength. Our results also show that the introduction of a structural Al wall in the CMF did not provide additional shielding for GCR; in fact it can weaken the total shielding effect of the CMF. This study demonstrated the feasibility of accurately determining the radiation field inside the environment and evaluating the organ dose equivalents for astronauts under active shielding using the CMF.

Radiation and Electromagnetic Induction Data Fusion for Detection of Buried Radioactive Metal Waste - 12282

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

Long, Zhiling; Wei, Wei; Turlapaty, Anish

2012-07-01

At the United States Army's test sites, fired penetrators made of Depleted Uranium (DU) have been buried under ground and become hazardous waste. Previously, we developed techniques for detecting buried radioactive targets. We also developed approaches for locating buried paramagnetic metal objects by utilizing the electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor data. In this paper, we apply data fusion techniques to combine results from both the radiation detection and the EMI detection, so that we can further distinguish among DU penetrators, DU oxide, and non- DU metal debris. We develop a two-step fusion approach for the task, and test it with surveymore » data collected on simulation targets. In this work, we explored radiation and EMI data fusion for detecting DU, oxides, and non-DU metals. We developed a two-step fusion approach based on majority voting and a set of decision rules. With this approach, we fuse results from radiation detection based on the RX algorithm and EMI detection based on a 3-step analysis. Our fusion approach has been tested successfully with data collected on simulation targets. In the future, we will need to further verify the effectiveness of this fusion approach with field data. (authors)« less

How well do we know the incoming solar infrared radiation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsey, Jonathan; Coleman, Marc; Gardiner, Tom; Shine, Keith

2017-04-01

The solar spectral irradiance (SSI) has been identified as a key climate variable by the Global Climate Observing System (Bojinski et al. 2014, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.). It is of importance in the modelling of atmospheric radiative transfer, and the quantification of the global energy budget. However, in the near-infrared spectral region (between 2000-10000 cm-1) there exists a discrepancy of 7% between spectra measured from the space-based SOLSPEC instrument (Thuillier et al. 2015, Solar Physics) and those from a ground-based Langley technique (Bolseé et al. 2014, Solar Physics). This same difference is also present between different analyses of the SOLSPEC data. This work aims to reconcile some of these differences by presenting an estimate of the near-infrared SSI obtained from ground-based measurements taken using an absolutely calibrated Fourier transform spectrometer. Spectra are obtained both using the Langley technique and by direct comparison with a radiative transfer model, with appropriate handling of both aerosol scattering and molecular continuum absorption. Particular focus is dedicated to the quantification of uncertainty in these spectra, from both the inherent uncertainty in the measurement setup and that from the use of the radiative transfer code and its inputs.

Palliative radiation therapy for bone metastases: Update of an ASTRO Evidence-Based Guideline.

PubMed

Lutz, Stephen; Balboni, Tracy; Jones, Joshua; Lo, Simon; Petit, Joshua; Rich, Shayna E; Wong, Rebecca; Hahn, Carol

The purpose is to provide an update the Bone Metastases Guideline published in 2011 based on evidence complemented by expert opinion. The update will discuss new high-quality literature for the 8 key questions from the original guideline and implications for practice. A systematic PubMed search from the last date included in the original Guideline yielded 414 relevant articles. Ultimately, 20 randomized controlled trials, 32 prospective nonrandomized studies, and 4 meta-analyses/pooled analyses were selected and abstracted into evidence tables. The authors synthesized the evidence and reached consensus on the included recommendations. Available literature continues to support pain relief equivalency between single and multiple fraction regimens for bone metastases. High-quality data confirm single fraction radiation therapy may be delivered to spine lesions with acceptable late toxicity. One prospective, randomized trial confirms both peripheral and spine-based painful metastases can be successfully and safely palliated with retreatment for recurrence pain with adherence to published dosing constraints. Advanced radiation therapy techniques such as stereotactic body radiation therapy lack high-quality data, leading the panel to favor its use on a clinical trial or when results will be collected in a registry. The panel's conclusion remains that surgery, radionuclides, bisphosphonates, and kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty do not obviate the need for external beam radiation therapy. Updated data analysis confirms that radiation therapy provides excellent palliation for painful bone metastases and that retreatment is safe and effective. Although adherence to evidence-based medicine is critical, thorough expert radiation oncology physician judgment and discretion regarding number of fractions and advanced techniques are also essential to optimize outcomes when considering the patient's overall health, life expectancy, comorbidities, tumor biology, anatomy, previous treatment including prior radiation at or near current site of treatment, tumor and normal tissue response history to local and systemic therapies, and other factors related to the patient, tumor characteristics, or treatment. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pseudo CT estimation from MRI using patch-based random forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaofeng; Lei, Yang; Shu, Hui-Kuo; Rossi, Peter; Mao, Hui; Shim, Hyunsuk; Curran, Walter J.; Liu, Tian

2017-02-01

Recently, MR simulators gain popularity because of unnecessary radiation exposure of CT simulators being used in radiation therapy planning. We propose a method for pseudo CT estimation from MR images based on a patch-based random forest. Patient-specific anatomical features are extracted from the aligned training images and adopted as signatures for each voxel. The most robust and informative features are identified using feature selection to train the random forest. The well-trained random forest is used to predict the pseudo CT of a new patient. This prediction technique was tested with human brain images and the prediction accuracy was assessed using the original CT images. Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and feature similarity (FSIM) indexes were used to quantify the differences between the pseudo and original CT images. The experimental results showed the proposed method could accurately generate pseudo CT images from MR images. In summary, we have developed a new pseudo CT prediction method based on patch-based random forest, demonstrated its clinical feasibility, and validated its prediction accuracy. This pseudo CT prediction technique could be a useful tool for MRI-based radiation treatment planning and attenuation correction in a PET/MRI scanner.

PET evaluation of late cerebral effect in advanced radiation therapy techniques for cranial base tumors.

PubMed

Alongi, Pierpaolo; Iaccarino, Leonardo; Losa, Marco; Del Vecchio, Antonella; Gerevini, Simonetta; Plebani, Valentina; Di Muzio, Nadia; Mortini, Pietro; Gianolli, Luigi; Perani, Daniela

2018-05-25

Even though the benefits of radiation therapy are well established, it is important to recognize the broad spectrum of radiation-induced changes, particularly in the central nervous system. The possible damage to the brain parenchyma may have clinical consequences and in particular cognitive impairment might be one of the major complication of radiotherapy. To date, no studies have investigated the effects of focal radiation therapy on brain structure and function together with the assessment of their clinical outcomes at a long follow-up. In this prospective study, we evaluated in six patients the possible brain late effects after radiation therapy, using a standardized neuropsychological battery, MRI and 18F-FDG PET using SPM and semi-quantitative methods, in patients affected by cranial base tumors who underwent gamma knife or tomotherapy. Neuropsychological examinations showed no cognitive impairment after the treatment. In all patients, both MRI assessment and 18F-FDG-PET did not reveal any local or distant anatomical and metabolic late effects. The present study support the safety of advanced radiation therapy techniques. 18F-FDG-PET, using SPM and semi-quantitative methods, might be a valuable tool to evaluate the cerebral radiotoxicity in patients treated for brain neoplasms. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

The Integrated Radiation Mapper Assistant

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

Carlton, R.E.; Tripp, L.R.

1995-03-01

The Integrated Radiation Mapper Assistant (IRMA) system combines state-of-the-art radiation sensors and microprocessor based analysis techniques to perform radiation surveys. Control of the survey function is from a control station located outside the radiation thus reducing time spent in radiation areas performing radiation surveys. The system consists of a directional radiation sensor, a laser range finder, two area radiation sensors, and a video camera mounted on a pan and tilt platform. THis sensor package is deployable on a remotely operated vehicle. The outputs of the system are radiation intensity maps identifying both radiation source intensities and radiation levels throughout themore » room being surveyed. After completion of the survey, the data can be removed from the control station computer for further analysis or archiving.« less

Image-based modeling of tumor shrinkage in head and neck radiation therapy1

PubMed Central

Chao, Ming; Xie, Yaoqin; Moros, Eduardo G.; Le, Quynh-Thu; Xing, Lei

2010-01-01

Purpose: Understanding the kinetics of tumor growth∕shrinkage represents a critical step in quantitative assessment of therapeutics and realization of adaptive radiation therapy. This article presents a novel framework for image-based modeling of tumor change and demonstrates its performance with synthetic images and clinical cases. Methods: Due to significant tumor tissue content changes, similarity-based models are not suitable for describing the process of tumor volume changes. Under the hypothesis that tissue features in a tumor volume or at the boundary region are partially preserved, the kinetic change was modeled in two steps: (1) Autodetection of homologous tissue features shared by two input images using the scale invariance feature transformation (SIFT) method; and (2) establishment of a voxel-to-voxel correspondence between the images for the remaining spatial points by interpolation. The correctness of the tissue feature correspondence was assured by a bidirectional association procedure, where SIFT features were mapped from template to target images and reversely. A series of digital phantom experiments and five head and neck clinical cases were used to assess the performance of the proposed technique. Results: The proposed technique can faithfully identify the known changes introduced when constructing the digital phantoms. The subsequent feature-guided thin plate spline calculation reproduced the “ground truth” with accuracy better than 1.5 mm. For the clinical cases, the new algorithm worked reliably for a volume change as large as 30%. Conclusions: An image-based tumor kinetic algorithm was developed to model the tumor response to radiation therapy. The technique provides a practical framework for future application in adaptive radiation therapy. PMID:20527569

WE-A-BRC-00: The Quality Gap

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

NONE

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

Investigation of radiation hardened SOI wafer fabricated by ion-cut technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yongwei; Wei, Xing; Zhu, Lei; Su, Xin; Gao, Nan; Dong, Yemin

2018-07-01

Total ionizing dose (TID) effect on Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) wafers due to inherent buried oxide (BOX) is a significant concern as it leads to the degradation of electrical properties of SOI-based devices and circuits, even failures of the systems associated with them. This paper reports the radiation hardening implementation of SOI wafer fabricated by ion-cut technique integrated with low-energy Si+ implantation. The electrical properties and radiation response of pseudo-MOS transistors are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the hardening process can significantly improve the TID tolerance of SOI wafers by generating Si nanocrystals (Si-NCs) within the BOX. The presence of Si-NCs created through Si+ implantation is evidenced by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Under the pass gate (PG) irradiation bias, the anti-radiation properties of H-gate SOI nMOSFETs suggest that the radiation hardened SOI wafers with optimized Si implantation dose can perform effectively in a radiation environment. The radiation hardening process provides an excellent way to reinforce the TID tolerance of SOI wafers.

Application of STEM characterization for investigating radiation effects in BCC Fe-based alloys

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

Parish, Chad M.; Field, Kevin G.; Certain, Alicia G.

2015-04-20

This paper provides a general overview of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques used for characterization of irradiated BCC Fe-based alloys. Advanced STEM methods provide the high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis necessary to understand the irradiation response of BCC Fe-based alloys. The use of STEM with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for measurement of radiation-induced segregation (RIS) is described, with an illustrated example of RIS in proton- and self-ion irradiated T91. Aberration-corrected STEM-EDX for nanocluster/nanoparticle imaging and chemical analysis is also discussed, and examples are provided from ion-irradiated oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys. In conclusion, STEM techniques for void,more » cavity, and dislocation loop imaging are described, with examples from various BCC Fe-based alloys.« less

Hardness assurance testing and radiation hardening by design techniques for silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors and digital logic circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, Akil K.

Hydrocarbon exploration, global navigation satellite systems, computed tomography, and aircraft avionics are just a few examples of applications that require system operation at an ambient temperature, pressure, or radiation level outside the range covered by military specifications. The electronics employed in these applications are known as "extreme environment electronics." On account of the increased cost resulting from both process modifications and the use of exotic substrate materials, only a handful of semiconductor foundries have specialized in the production of extreme environment electronics. Protection of these electronic systems in an extreme environment may be attained by encapsulating sensitive circuits in a controlled environment, which provides isolation from the hostile ambient, often at a significant cost and performance penalty. In a significant departure from this traditional approach, system designers have begun to use commercial off-the-shelf technology platforms with built in mitigation techniques for extreme environment applications. Such an approach simultaneously leverages the state of the art in technology performance with significant savings in project cost. Silicon-germanium is one such commercial technology platform that demonstrates potential for deployment into extreme environment applications as a result of its excellent performance at cryogenic temperatures, remarkable tolerance to radiation-induced degradation, and monolithic integration with silicon-based manufacturing. In this dissertation the radiation response of silicon-germanium technology is investigated, and novel transistor-level layout-based techniques are implemented to improve the radiation tolerance of HBT digital logic.

Effect of atmospheric scattering and surface reflection on upwelling solar radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suttles, J. T.; Barkstrom, B. R.; Tiwari, S. N.

1981-01-01

A study is presented of the solar radiation transfer in the complete earth-atmosphere system, and numerical results are compared with satellite data obtained during the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment on Nimbus 6, in August, 1975. Emphasis is placed on the upwelling radiance distribution at the top of the atmosphere, assumed to be at 50 km. The numerical technique is based on the finite difference method, which includes azimuth and spectral variations for the entire solar wavelength range. Detailed solar properties, atmospheric physical properties, and optical properties are used. However, since the property descriptions are based on a trade-off between accuracy and computational realities, aerosol and cloud optical properties are treated with simple approximations. The radiative transfer model is in good agreement with the satellite radiance observations. The method provides a valuable tool in analyzing satellite- and ground-based radiation budget measurements and in designing instrumentation.

Implications of recent research on microstructure modifications, through heat-related processing and trait alteration to bio-functions, molecular thermal stability and mobility, metabolic characteristics and nutrition in cool-climate cereal grains and other types of seeds with advanced molecular techniques.

PubMed

Ying, Yuguang; Zhang, Huihua; Yu, Peiqiang

2018-02-16

The cutting-edge synchrotron radiation based and globar-sourced vibrational infrared microspectroscopy have recently been developed. These novel techniques are able to reveal structure features at cellular and molecular levels with the tested tissues being intact. However, to date, the advanced techniques are unfamiliar or unknown to food and feed scientists and have not been used to study the molecular structure changes in cool-climate cereal grain seeds and other types of bio-oil and bioenergy seeds. This article aims to provide some recent research in cool-climate cereal grains and other types of seeds on molecular structures and metabolic characteristics of carbohydrate and protein, and implication of microstructure modification through heat-related processing and trait alteration to bio-functions, molecular thermal stability and mobility, and nutrition with advanced molecular techniques- synchrotron radiation based and globar-sourced vibrational infrared microspectroscopy in the areas of (1) Inherent microstructure of cereal grain seeds; (2) The nutritional values of cereal grains; (3) Impact and modification of heat-related processing to cereal grain; (4) Conventional nutrition evaluation methodology; (5) Synchrotron radiation-based and globar-sourced vibrational (micro)-spectroscopy for molecular structure study and molecular thermal stability and mobility, and (6) Recent molecular spectroscopic technique applications in research on raw, traits altered and processed cool-climate cereal grains and other types of seeds. The information described in this article gives better insights of research progress and update in cool-climate cereal grains and other seeds with advanced molecular techniques.

The solution of radiative transfer problems in molecular bands without the LTE assumption by accelerated lambda iteration methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kutepov, A. A.; Kunze, D.; Hummer, D. G.; Rybicki, G. B.

1991-01-01

An iterative method based on the use of approximate transfer operators, which was designed initially to solve multilevel NLTE line formation problems in stellar atmospheres, is adapted and applied to the solution of the NLTE molecular band radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres. The matrices to be constructed and inverted are much smaller than those used in the traditional Curtis matrix technique, which makes possible the treatment of more realistic problems using relatively small computers. This technique converges much more rapidly than straightforward iteration between the transfer equation and the equations of statistical equilibrium. A test application of this new technique to the solution of NLTE radiative transfer problems for optically thick and thin bands (the 4.3 micron CO2 band in the Venusian atmosphere and the 4.7 and 2.3 micron CO bands in the earth's atmosphere) is described.

Professor Glyn O. Phillip's legacy within the IAEA programme on radiation and tissue banking.

PubMed

Morales Pedraza, Jorge

2017-08-19

Professor Phillips began his involvement in the implementation of this important IAEA programme, insisting that there were advantages to be gained by using the ionizing radiation technique to sterilize human and animal tissues, based on the IAEA experience gained in the sterilization of medical products. The outcome of the implementation of the IAEA programme on radiation and tissue banking demonstrated that Professor Phillips was right in his opinion.

The investigation of advanced remote sensing, radiative transfer and inversion techniques for the measurement of atmospheric constituents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deepak, Adarsh; Wang, Pi-Huan

1985-01-01

The research program is documented for developing space and ground-based remote sensing techniques performed during the period from December 15, 1977 to March 15, 1985. The program involved the application of sophisticated radiative transfer codes and inversion methods to various advanced remote sensing concepts for determining atmospheric constituents, particularly aerosols. It covers detailed discussions of the solar aureole technique for monitoring columnar aerosol size distribution, and the multispectral limb scattered radiance and limb attenuated radiance (solar occultation) techniques, as well as the upwelling scattered solar radiance method for determining the aerosol and gaseous characteristics. In addition, analytical models of aerosol size distribution and simulation studies of the limb solar aureole radiance technique and the variability of ozone at high altitudes during satellite sunrise/sunset events are also described in detail.

Electro-optical and Magneto-optical Sensing Apparatus and Method for Characterizing Free-space Electromagnetic Radiation

DOEpatents

Zhang, Xi-Cheng; Riordan, Jenifer Ann; Sun, Feng-Guo

2000-08-29

Apparatus and methods for characterizing free-space electromagnetic energy, and in particular, apparatus/method suitable for real-time two-dimensional far-infrared imaging applications are presented. The sensing technique is based on a non-linear coupling between a low-frequency electric (or magnetic) field and a laser beam in an electro-optic (or magnetic-optic) crystal. In addition to a practical counter-propagating sensing technique, a co-linear approach is described which provides longer radiated field-optical beam interaction length, thereby making imaging applications practical.

Fluence-based and microdosimetric event-based methods for radiation protection in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, Stanley B.; Meinhold, C. B. (Principal Investigator)

2002-01-01

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) has recently published a report (Report #137) that discusses various aspects of the concepts used in radiation protection and the difficulties in measuring the radiation environment in spacecraft for the estimation of radiation risk to space travelers. Two novel dosimetric methodologies, fluence-based and microdosimetric event-based methods, are discussed and evaluated, along with the more conventional quality factor/LET method. It was concluded that for the present, any reason to switch to a new methodology is not compelling. It is suggested that because of certain drawbacks in the presently-used conventional method, these alternative methodologies should be kept in mind. As new data become available and dosimetric techniques become more refined, the question should be revisited and that in the future, significant improvement might be realized. In addition, such concepts as equivalent dose and organ dose equivalent are discussed and various problems regarding the measurement/estimation of these quantities are presented.

Satellite and Ground-based Radiometers Reveal Much Lower Dust Absorption of Sunlight than Used in Climate Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Tanre, D.; Dubovik, O.; Karnieli, A.; Remer, L. A.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The ability of dust to absorb solar radiation and heat the atmosphere is one of the main uncertainties in climate modeling and the prediction of climate change. Dust absorption is not well known due to limitations of in situ measurements. New techniques to measure dust absorption are needed in order to assess the impact of dust on climate. Here we report two new independent remote sensing techniques that provide sensitive measurements of dust absorption. Both are based on remote sensing. One uses satellite spectral measurements, the second uses ground based sky measurements from the AERONET network. Both techniques demonstrate that Saharan dust absorption of solar radiation is several times smaller than the current international standards. Dust cooling of the earth system in the solar spectrum is therefore significantly stronger than recent calculations indicate. We shall also address the issue of the effects of dust non-sphericity on the aerosol optical properties.

A technique for estimating the probability of radiation-stimulated failures of integrated microcircuits in low-intensity radiation fields: Application to the Spektr-R spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, V. D.; Khamidullina, N. M.

2006-10-01

In developing radio-electronic devices (RED) of spacecraft operating in the fields of ionizing radiation in space, one of the most important problems is the correct estimation of their radiation tolerance. The “weakest link” in the element base of onboard microelectronic devices under radiation effect is the integrated microcircuits (IMC), especially of large scale (LSI) and very large scale (VLSI) degree of integration. The main characteristic of IMC, which is taken into account when making decisions on using some particular type of IMC in the onboard RED, is the probability of non-failure operation (NFO) at the end of the spacecraft’s lifetime. It should be noted that, until now, the NFO has been calculated only from the reliability characteristics, disregarding the radiation effect. This paper presents the so-called “reliability” approach to determination of radiation tolerance of IMC, which allows one to estimate the probability of non-failure operation of various types of IMC with due account of radiation-stimulated dose failures. The described technique is applied to RED onboard the Spektr-R spacecraft to be launched in 2007.

Observation of coherently enhanced tunable narrow-band terahertz transition radiation from a relativistic sub-picosecond electron bunch train

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

Piot, P.; Sun, Y. -E; Maxwell, T. J.

2011-06-27

We experimentally demonstrate the production of narrow-band (δf/f ~ =20% at f ~ = 0.5 THz) THz transition radiation with tunable frequency over [0.37, 0.86] THz. The radiation is produced as a train of sub-picosecond relativistic electron bunches transits at the vacuum-aluminum interface of an aluminum converter screen. In addition, we show a possible application of modulated beams to extend the dynamical range of a popular bunch length diagnostic technique based on the spectral analysis of coherent radiation.

Bio-diesel production directly from the microalgae biomass of Nannochloropsis by microwave and ultrasound radiation.

PubMed

Koberg, Miri; Cohen, Moshe; Ben-Amotz, Ami; Gedanken, Aharon

2011-03-01

This work offers an optimized method for the direct conversion of harvested Nannochloropsis algae into bio-diesel using two novel techniques. The first is a unique bio-technology-based environmental system utilizing flue gas from coal burning power stations for microalgae cultivation. This method reduces considerably the cost of algae production. The second technique is the direct transesterification (a one-stage method) of the Nannochloropsis biomass to bio-diesel production using microwave and ultrasound radiation with the aid of a SrO catalyst. These two techniques were tested and compared to identify the most effective bio-diesel production method. Based on our results, it is concluded that the microwave oven method appears to be the most simple and efficient method for the one-stage direct transesterification of the as-harvested Nannochloropsis algae. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DETECTION OF DNA DAMAGE USING MELTING ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES

EPA Science Inventory

A rapid and simple fluorescence screening assay for UV radiation-, chemical-, and enzyme-induced DNA damage is reported. This assay is based on a melting/annealing analysis technique and has been used with both calf thymus DNA and plasmid DNA (puc 19 plasmid from E. coli). DN...

Three-dimensional monochromatic x-ray computed tomography using synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Tsuneo; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Takeda, Tohoru; Itai, Yuji; Tokumori, Kenji; Toyofuku, Fukai; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Ando, Masami; Nishimura, Katsuyuki; Uyama, Chikao

1998-08-01

We describe a technique of 3D computed tomography (3D CT) using monochromatic x rays generated by synchrotron radiation, which performs a direct reconstruction of a 3D volume image of an object from its cone-beam projections. For the development, we propose a practical scanning orbit of the x-ray source to obtain complete 3D information on an object, and its corresponding 3D image reconstruction algorithm. The validity and usefulness of the proposed scanning orbit and reconstruction algorithm were confirmed by computer simulation studies. Based on these investigations, we have developed a prototype 3D monochromatic x-ray CT using synchrotron radiation, which provides exact 3D reconstruction and material-selective imaging by using the K-edge energy subtraction technique.

A radionuclide counting technique for measuring wind velocity. [drag force anemometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, J. J.; Khandelwal, G. S.; Mall, G. H.

1981-01-01

A technique for measuring wind velocities of meteorological interest is described. It is based on inverse-square-law variation of the counting rates as the radioactive source-to-counter distance is changed by wind drag on the source ball. Results of a feasibility study using a weak bismuth 207 radiation source and three Geiger-Muller radiation counters are reported. The use of the technique is not restricted to Martian or Mars-like environments. A description of the apparatus, typical results, and frequency response characteristics are included. A discussion of a double-pendulum arrangement is presented. Measurements reported herein indicate that the proposed technique may be suitable for measuring wind speeds up to 100 m/sec, which are either steady or whose rates of fluctuation are less than 1 kHz.

Evidence-based medicine in metastatic spine disease.

PubMed

Dea, Nicolas; Fisher, Charles G

2014-06-01

Treatment modalities for metastatic spine disease have significantly expanded over the last two decades. This expansion occurred in many different fields. Improvement in surgical techniques and instrumentation now allow the oncologic spine surgeons to effectively circumferentially decompress the neural elements without compromising stability. Percutaneous techniques, both vertebral augmentation and pre-operative endovascular embolization procedures, also greatly benefit patients suffering from spinal column metastasis. Imaging technology advances has contributed to better pre-operative planning and the development of highly conformational radiation techniques, thus permitting the delivery of high-dose radiation to tumors, while avoiding radiotoxicity to the spinal cord and other vital structures. These new developments, combined with evidence-based stability and disease-specific quality of life scores now allow not only better treatment, but also a solid foundation for high-quality research. Spine oncology literature currently suffers from a lack of high-quality evidence due to low prevalence of the disease and complex methodological issues. However, when following evidence-based medicine principles, which incorporate best available evidence, clinical expertise and patient preference, sound, evidence-based recommendations can be made regarding the abovementioned treatment modalities.

Half-Fan-Based Intensity-Weighted Region-of-Interest Imaging for Low-Dose Cone-Beam CT in Image-Guided Radiation Therapy.

PubMed

Yoo, Boyeol; Son, Kihong; Pua, Rizza; Kim, Jinsung; Solodov, Alexander; Cho, Seungryong

2016-10-01

With the increased use of computed tomography (CT) in clinics, dose reduction is the most important feature people seek when considering new CT techniques or applications. We developed an intensity-weighted region-of-interest (IWROI) imaging method in an exact half-fan geometry to reduce the imaging radiation dose to patients in cone-beam CT (CBCT) for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). While dose reduction is highly desirable, preserving the high-quality images of the ROI is also important for target localization in IGRT. An intensity-weighting (IW) filter made of copper was mounted in place of a bowtie filter on the X-ray tube unit of an on-board imager (OBI) system such that the filter can substantially reduce radiation exposure to the outer ROI. In addition to mounting the IW filter, the lead-blade collimation of the OBI was adjusted to produce an exact half-fan scanning geometry for a further reduction of the radiation dose. The chord-based rebinned backprojection-filtration (BPF) algorithm in circular CBCT was implemented for image reconstruction, and a humanoid pelvis phantom was used for the IWROI imaging experiment. The IWROI image of the phantom was successfully reconstructed after beam-quality correction, and it was registered to the reference image within an acceptable level of tolerance. Dosimetric measurements revealed that the dose is reduced by approximately 61% in the inner ROI and by 73% in the outer ROI compared to the conventional bowtie filter-based half-fan scan. The IWROI method substantially reduces the imaging radiation dose and provides reconstructed images with an acceptable level of quality for patient setup and target localization. The proposed half-fan-based IWROI imaging technique can add a valuable option to CBCT in IGRT applications.

Radiation Effects and Hardening Techniques for Spacecraft Microelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambles, J. W.; Maki, G. K.

2002-01-01

The natural radiation from the Van Allen belts, solar flares, and cosmic rays found outside of the protection of the earth's atmosphere can produce deleterious effects on microelectronics used in space systems. Historically civil space agencies and the commercial satellite industry have been able to utilize components produced in special radiation hardened fabrication process foundries that were developed during the 1970s and 1980s under sponsorship of the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Energy (DoE). In the post--cold war world the DoD and DoE push to advance the rad--hard processes has waned. Today the available rad--hard components lag two-plus technology node generations behind state- of-the-art commercial technologies. As a result space craft designers face a large performance gap when trying to utilize available rad--hard components. Compounding the performance gap problems, rad--hard components are becoming increasingly harder to get. Faced with the economic pitfalls associated with low demand versus the ever increasing investment required for integrated circuit manufacturing equipment most sources of rad--hard parts have simply exited this market in recent years, leaving only two domestic US suppliers of digital rad--hard components. This paper summarizes the radiation induced mechanisms that can cause digital microelectronics to fail in space, techniques that can be applied to mitigate these failure mechanisms, and ground based testing used to validate radiation hardness/tolerance. The radiation hardening techniques can be broken down into two classes, Hardness By Process (HBP) and Hardness By Design (HBD). Fortunately many HBD techniques can be applied to commercial fabrication processes providing space craft designer with radiation tolerant Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) that can bridge the performance gap between the special HBP foundries and the commercial state-of-the-art performance.

Industrial Use of Synchrotron Radiation:. Love at Second Sight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hormes, Josef; Warner, Jeffrey

2012-06-01

Synchrotron radiation (SR) has become one of the most valuable tools for many areas of basic and applied research. In some cases, techniques have been developed that rely completely on the specific properties of synchrotron radiation; in many other cases, using synchrotron radiation has opened completely new and exciting opportunities for conventional techniques. In this chapter, the challenges, problems, and advantages of the industrial use of synchrotron radiation will be highlighted, in an admittedly subjective way, based on the experience of the authors at various synchrotron radiation facilities. "Typical" examples of industrial use of SR will be discussed for all areas of industrial activities, i.e., production, quality control and control of regulatory requirements, and research and development. Emphasis will be put on examples from R&D as this is the most intensively used area. Because this field is much too broad for a complete review here, examples will focus on applications from just three major sectors: biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and automotive and mining. Environmental research is a fourth area that will be partly covered in the section on regulatory requirements.

Validating Ultrasound-based HIFU Lesion-size Monitoring Technique with MR Thermometry and Histology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Shiwei; Petruzzello, John; Anand, Ajay; Sethuraman, Shriram; Azevedo, Jose

2010-03-01

In order to control and monitor HIFU lesions accurately and cost-effectively in real-time, we have developed an ultrasound-based therapy monitoring technique using acoustic radiation force to track the change in tissue mechanical properties. We validate our method with concurrent MR thermometry and histology. Comparison studies have been completed on in-vitro bovine liver samples. A single-element 1.1 MHz focused transducer was used to deliver HIFU and produce acoustic radiation force (ARF). A 5 MHz single-element transducer was placed co-axially with the HIFU transducer to acquire the RF data, and track the tissue displacement induced by ARF. During therapy, the monitoring procedure was interleaved with HIFU. MR thermometry (Philips Panorama 1T system) and ultrasound monitoring were performed simultaneously. The tissue temperature and thermal dose (CEM43 = 240 mins) were computed from the MR thermometry data. The tissue displacement induced by the acoustic radiation force was calculated from the ultrasound RF data in real-time using a cross-correlation based method. A normalized displacement difference (NDD) parameter was developed and calibrated to estimate the lesion size. The lesion size estimated by the NDD was compared with both MR thermometry prediction and the histology analysis. For lesions smaller than 8mm, the NDD-based lesion monitoring technique showed very similar performance as MR thermometry. The standard deviation of lesion size error is 0.66 mm, which is comparable to MR thermal dose contour prediction (0.42 mm). A phased array is needed for tracking displacement in 2D and monitoring lesion larger than 8 mm. The study demonstrates the potential of our ultrasound based technique to achieve precise HIFU lesion control through real-time monitoring. The results compare well with histology and an established technique like MR Thermometry. This approach provides feedback control in real-time to terminate therapy when a pre-determined lesion size is achieved, and can be extended to 2D and implemented on commercial ultrasound scanner systems.

Refractive index sensor based on the leaky radiation of a microfiber.

PubMed

Gao, F; Liu, H; Sheng, C; Zhu, C; Zhu, S N

2014-05-19

In this work we present a refractive index sensor based on the leaky radiation of a microfiber. The 5.3um diameter microfiber is fabricated by drawing a commercial optical fiber. When the microfiber is immersed into a liquid with larger refractive index than the effective index of fiber mode, the light will leak out through the leaky radiation process. The variation of refractive index of liquid can be monitored by measuring radiation angle of light. The refractive index sensitivity can be over 400 degree/RIU in theory. In the experiment, the variation value 0.001 of refractive index of liquid around this microfiber can be detected through this technique. This work provides a simple and sensitive method for refractive index sensing application.

WE-A-BRC-01: Introduction to the Certificate Course

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

Palta, J.

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

WE-A-BRC-03: Lessons Learned: IROC Audits

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

Followill, D.

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

WE-A-BRC-02: Lessons Learned: Clinical Trials and Operations

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

Evans, S.

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

Convergence of the Bouguer-Beer law for radiation extinction in particulate media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frankel, A.; Iaccarino, G.; Mani, A.

2016-10-01

Radiation transport in particulate media is a common physical phenomenon in natural and industrial processes. Developing predictive models of these processes requires a detailed model of the interaction between the radiation and the particles. Resolving the interaction between the radiation and the individual particles in a very large system is impractical, whereas continuum-based representations of the particle field lend themselves to efficient numerical techniques based on the solution of the radiative transfer equation. We investigate radiation transport through discrete and continuum-based representations of a particle field. Exact solutions for radiation extinction are developed using a Monte Carlo model in different particle distributions. The particle distributions are then projected onto a concentration field with varying grid sizes, and the Bouguer-Beer law is applied by marching across the grid. We show that the continuum-based solution approaches the Monte Carlo solution under grid refinement, but quickly diverges as the grid size approaches the particle diameter. This divergence is attributed to the homogenization error of an individual particle across a whole grid cell. We remark that the concentration energy spectrum of a point-particle field does not approach zero, and thus the concentration variance must also diverge under infinite grid refinement, meaning that no grid-converged solution of the radiation transport is possible.

Infrared imaging - A validation technique for computational fluid dynamics codes used in STOVL applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardman, R. R.; Mahan, J. R.; Smith, M. H.; Gelhausen, P. A.; Van Dalsem, W. R.

1991-01-01

The need for a validation technique for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes in STOVL applications has led to research efforts to apply infrared thermal imaging techniques to visualize gaseous flow fields. Specifically, a heated, free-jet test facility was constructed. The gaseous flow field of the jet exhaust was characterized using an infrared imaging technique in the 2 to 5.6 micron wavelength band as well as conventional pitot tube and thermocouple methods. These infrared images are compared to computer-generated images using the equations of radiative exchange based on the temperature distribution in the jet exhaust measured with the thermocouple traverses. Temperature and velocity measurement techniques, infrared imaging, and the computer model of the infrared imaging technique are presented and discussed. From the study, it is concluded that infrared imaging techniques coupled with the radiative exchange equations applied to CFD models are a valid method to qualitatively verify CFD codes used in STOVL applications.

TECHNIQUES FOR DETERMINING UV EXPOSURE IN COASTAL WATERS: CASE STUDY IN SOUTH FLORIDA

EPA Science Inventory

The photosynthesis of coral reefs is inhibited by solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and UV in combination with unusually high sea surface temperatures is believed to play an important role in coral bleaching. In this presentation we use a new technique based on remotely sensed oce...

Development of Advanced Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings Using a High-Heat-Flux Testing Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

The development of low conductivity, robust thermal and environmental barrier coatings requires advanced testing techniques that can accurately and effectively evaluate coating thermal conductivity and cyclic resistance at very high surface temperatures (up to 1700 C) under large thermal gradients. In this study, a laser high-heat-flux test approach is established for evaluating advanced low conductivity, high temperature capability thermal and environmental barrier coatings under the NASA Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) program. The test approach emphasizes the real-time monitoring and assessment of the coating thermal conductivity, which initially rises under the steady-state high temperature thermal gradient test due to coating sintering, and later drops under the cyclic thermal gradient test due to coating cracking/delamination. The coating system is then evaluated based on damage accumulation and failure after the combined steady-state and cyclic thermal gradient tests. The lattice and radiation thermal conductivity of advanced ceramic coatings can also be evaluated using laser heat-flux techniques. The external radiation resistance of the coating is assessed based on the measured specimen temperature response under a laser- heated intense radiation-flux source. The coating internal radiation contribution is investigated based on the measured apparent coating conductivity increases with the coating surface test temperature under large thermal gradient test conditions. Since an increased radiation contribution is observed at these very high surface test temperatures, by varying the laser heat-flux and coating average test temperature, the complex relation between the lattice and radiation conductivity as a function of surface and interface test temperature may be derived.

The effect of hypofractionated radiation and magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia on tumor immunogenicity and overall treatment response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoopes, P. Jack; Wagner, Robert J.; Song, Ailin; Osterberg, Bjorn; Gladstone, David J.; Bursey, Alicea A.; Fiering, Steven N.; Giustini, Andrew J.

2017-02-01

It is now known that many tumors develop molecular signals (immune checkpoint modulators) that inhibit an effective tumor immune response. New information also suggest that even well-known cancer treatment modalities such as radiation and hyperthermia generate potentially beneficial immune responses that have been blocked or mitigated by such immune checkpoints, or similar molecules. The cancer therapy challenge is to; a) identify these treatment-based immune signals (proteins, antigens, etc.); b) the treatment doses or regimens that produce them; and c) the mechanisms that block or have the potential to promote them. The goal of this preliminary study, using the B6 mouse - B16 tumor model, clinically relevant radiation doses and fractionation schemes (including those used clinically in hypofractionated radiation therapy), magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia (mNPH) and sophisticated protein, immune and tumor growth analysis techniques and modulators, is to determine the effect of specific radiation or hyperthermia alone and combined on overall treatment efficacy and immunologic response mechanisms. Preliminary analysis suggests that radiation dose (10 Gy vs. 2 Gy) significantly alters the mechanism of cell death (apoptosis vs. mitosis vs. necrosis) and the resulting immunogenicity. Our hypothesis and data suggest this difference is protein/antigen and immune recognition-based. Similarly, our evidence suggest that radiation doses larger than the conventional 2 Gy dose and specific hyperthermia doses and techniques (including mNP hyperthermia treatment) can be immunologically different, and potentially superior to, the radiation and heat therapy regimens that are typically used in research and clinical practice.

A Novel Flame Thermometer Based on the Doppler Width of Ro-Vibrational Transitions

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

flame thermometric technique based on the infrared spectroscopy of flame species is reported. It involves the use of a narrow linewidth (ɘ.001 cm-1...study. Output radiation from the laser diode is incident onto a parabolic aluminum mirror which collimates the beam and directs it into a monochromator...infrared beam. 5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS A novel flame thermometric technique has been developed which is based on the infrared spectroscopy of flame

11th International Conference of Radiation Research

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

NONE

1999-07-18

Topics discussed in the conference included the following: Radiation Physics, Radiation Chemistry and modelling--Radiation physics and dosimetry; Electron transfer in biological media; Radiation chemistry; Biophysical and biochemical modelling; Mechanisms of DNA damage; Assays of DNA damage; Energy deposition in micro volumes; Photo-effects; Special techniques and technologies; Oxidative damage. Molecular and cellular effects-- Photobiology; Cell cycle effects; DNA damage: Strand breaks; DNA damage: Bases; DNA damage Non-targeted; DNA damage: other; Chromosome aberrations: clonal; Chromosomal aberrations: non-clonal; Interactions: Heat/Radiation/Drugs; Biochemical effects; Protein expression; Gene induction; Co-operative effects; ``Bystander'' effects; Oxidative stress effects; Recovery from radiation damage. DNA damage and repair -- DNAmore » repair genes; DNA repair deficient diseases; DNA repair enzymology; Epigenetic effects on repair; and Ataxia and ATM.« less

Modern Radiation Therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma: Field and Dose Guidelines From the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group (ILROG)

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

Specht, Lena, E-mail: lena.specht@regionh.dk; Yahalom, Joachim; Illidge, Tim

2014-07-15

Radiation therapy (RT) is the most effective single modality for local control of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and an important component of therapy for many patients. These guidelines have been developed to address the use of RT in HL in the modern era of combined modality treatment. The role of reduced volumes and doses is addressed, integrating modern imaging with 3-dimensional (3D) planning and advanced techniques of treatment delivery. The previously applied extended field (EF) and original involved field (IF) techniques, which treated larger volumes based on nodal stations, have now been replaced by the use of limited volumes, based solelymore » on detectable nodal (and extranodal extension) involvement at presentation, using contrast-enhanced computed tomography, positron emission tomography/computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or a combination of these techniques. The International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements concepts of gross tumor volume, clinical target volume, internal target volume, and planning target volume are used for defining the targeted volumes. Newer treatment techniques, including intensity modulated radiation therapy, breath-hold, image guided radiation therapy, and 4-dimensional imaging, should be implemented when their use is expected to decrease significantly the risk for normal tissue damage while still achieving the primary goal of local tumor control. The highly conformal involved node radiation therapy (INRT), recently introduced for patients for whom optimal imaging is available, is explained. A new concept, involved site radiation therapy (ISRT), is introduced as the standard conformal therapy for the scenario, commonly encountered, wherein optimal imaging is not available. There is increasing evidence that RT doses used in the past are higher than necessary for disease control in this era of combined modality therapy. The use of INRT and of lower doses in early-stage HL is supported by available data. Although the use of ISRT has not yet been validated in a formal study, it is more conservative than INRT, accounting for suboptimal information and appropriately designed for safe local disease control. The goal of modern smaller field radiation therapy is to reduce both treatment volume and treatment dose while maintaining efficacy and minimizing acute and late sequelae. This review is a consensus of the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group (ILROG) Steering Committee regarding the modern approach to RT in the treatment of HL, outlining a new concept of ISRT in which reduced treatment volumes are planned for the effective control of involved sites of HL. Nodal and extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are covered separately by ILROG guidelines.« less

Modern radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma: field and dose guidelines from the international lymphoma radiation oncology group (ILROG).

PubMed

Specht, Lena; Yahalom, Joachim; Illidge, Tim; Berthelsen, Anne Kiil; Constine, Louis S; Eich, Hans Theodor; Girinsky, Theodore; Hoppe, Richard T; Mauch, Peter; Mikhaeel, N George; Ng, Andrea

2014-07-15

Radiation therapy (RT) is the most effective single modality for local control of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and an important component of therapy for many patients. These guidelines have been developed to address the use of RT in HL in the modern era of combined modality treatment. The role of reduced volumes and doses is addressed, integrating modern imaging with 3-dimensional (3D) planning and advanced techniques of treatment delivery. The previously applied extended field (EF) and original involved field (IF) techniques, which treated larger volumes based on nodal stations, have now been replaced by the use of limited volumes, based solely on detectable nodal (and extranodal extension) involvement at presentation, using contrast-enhanced computed tomography, positron emission tomography/computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or a combination of these techniques. The International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements concepts of gross tumor volume, clinical target volume, internal target volume, and planning target volume are used for defining the targeted volumes. Newer treatment techniques, including intensity modulated radiation therapy, breath-hold, image guided radiation therapy, and 4-dimensional imaging, should be implemented when their use is expected to decrease significantly the risk for normal tissue damage while still achieving the primary goal of local tumor control. The highly conformal involved node radiation therapy (INRT), recently introduced for patients for whom optimal imaging is available, is explained. A new concept, involved site radiation therapy (ISRT), is introduced as the standard conformal therapy for the scenario, commonly encountered, wherein optimal imaging is not available. There is increasing evidence that RT doses used in the past are higher than necessary for disease control in this era of combined modality therapy. The use of INRT and of lower doses in early-stage HL is supported by available data. Although the use of ISRT has not yet been validated in a formal study, it is more conservative than INRT, accounting for suboptimal information and appropriately designed for safe local disease control. The goal of modern smaller field radiation therapy is to reduce both treatment volume and treatment dose while maintaining efficacy and minimizing acute and late sequelae. This review is a consensus of the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group (ILROG) Steering Committee regarding the modern approach to RT in the treatment of HL, outlining a new concept of ISRT in which reduced treatment volumes are planned for the effective control of involved sites of HL. Nodal and extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are covered separately by ILROG guidelines. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electron Beam Instrumentation Techniques Using Coherent Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D. X.

1997-05-01

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in short electron bunches for different applications such as short wavelength FELs, linear colliders, advanced accelerators such as laser or plasma wakefield accelerators, and Compton backscattering X-ray sources. A short bunch length is needed to meet various requirements such as high peak current, low momentum spread, high luminosity, small ratio of bunch length to plasma wavelength, or accurate timing. Meanwhile, much progress has been made on photoinjectors and different magnetic and RF bunching schemes to produce very short bunches. Measurement of those short bunches becomes essential to develop, characterize, and operate such demanding machines. Conventionally, bunch duration of short electron bunches is measured by transverse RF deflecting cavities or streak camera. With such devices it becomes very challenging to measure bunch length down to a few hundred femtoseconds. Many frequency domain techniques have been recently developed, based on a relation between bunch profile and coherent radiation spectrum. These techniques provide excellent performance for short bunches. In this paper, coherent radiation and its applications to bunch length measurement will be discussed. A strategy for bunch length control at Jefferson Lab will be presented, which includes a noninvasive coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) monitor, a zero-phasing technique used to calibrate the CSR detector, and phase transfer measurement used to correct RF phase drifts.

A novel hybrid scattering order-dependent variance reduction method for Monte Carlo simulations of radiative transfer in cloudy atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhen; Cui, Shengcheng; Yang, Jun; Gao, Haiyang; Liu, Chao; Zhang, Zhibo

2017-03-01

We present a novel hybrid scattering order-dependent variance reduction method to accelerate the convergence rate in both forward and backward Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations involving highly forward-peaked scattering phase function. This method is built upon a newly developed theoretical framework that not only unifies both forward and backward radiative transfer in scattering-order-dependent integral equation, but also generalizes the variance reduction formalism in a wide range of simulation scenarios. In previous studies, variance reduction is achieved either by using the scattering phase function forward truncation technique or the target directional importance sampling technique. Our method combines both of them. A novel feature of our method is that all the tuning parameters used for phase function truncation and importance sampling techniques at each order of scattering are automatically optimized by the scattering order-dependent numerical evaluation experiments. To make such experiments feasible, we present a new scattering order sampling algorithm by remodeling integral radiative transfer kernel for the phase function truncation method. The presented method has been implemented in our Multiple-Scaling-based Cloudy Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (MSCART) model for validation and evaluation. The main advantage of the method is that it greatly improves the trade-off between numerical efficiency and accuracy order by order.

Techniques Analysis of the Interference Suppression Algorithm in Broadband Aeronautical Multi-carrier Communication System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dong-xia; Ye, Qian-wen

Out-of-band radiation suppression algorithm must be used efficiently for broadband aeronautical communication system in order not to interfere the operation of the existing systems in aviation L-Band. Based on the simple introduction of the broadband aeronautical multi-carrier communication (B-AMC) system model, several sidelobe suppression techniques in orthogonal frequency multiplexing (OFDM) system are presented and analyzed so as to find a suitable algorithm for B-AMC system in this paper. Simulation results show that raise-cosine function windowing can suppress the out-of-band radiation of B-AMC system effectively.

A Binary-Encounter-Bethe Approach to Simulate DNA Damage by the Direct Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plante, Ianik; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2013-01-01

The DNA damage is of crucial importance in the understanding of the effects of ionizing radiation. The main mechanisms of DNA damage are by the direct effect of radiation (e.g. direct ionization) and by indirect effect (e.g. damage by.OH radicals created by the radiolysis of water). Despite years of research in this area, many questions on the formation of DNA damage remains. To refine existing DNA damage models, an approach based on the Binary-Encounter-Bethe (BEB) model was developed[1]. This model calculates differential cross sections for ionization of the molecular orbitals of the DNA bases, sugars and phosphates using the electron binding energy, the mean kinetic energy and the occupancy number of the orbital. This cross section has an analytic form which is quite convenient to use and allows the sampling of the energy loss occurring during an ionization event. To simulate the radiation track structure, the code RITRACKS developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center is used[2]. This code calculates all the energy deposition events and the formation of the radiolytic species by the ion and the secondary electrons as well. We have also developed a technique to use the integrated BEB cross section for the bases, sugar and phosphates in the radiation transport code RITRACKS. These techniques should allow the simulation of DNA damage by ionizing radiation, and understanding of the formation of double-strand breaks caused by clustered damage in different conditions.

Chronic radiation-induced dermatitis: challenges and solutions.

PubMed

Spałek, Mateusz

2016-01-01

Chronic radiation dermatitis is a late side effect of skin irradiation, which may deteriorate patients' quality of life. There is a lack of precise data about its incidence; however, several risk factors may predispose to the development of this condition. It includes radiotherapy dose, fractionation, technique, concurrent systemic therapy, comorbidities, and personal and genetic factors. Chronic radiation dermatitis is mostly caused by the imbalance of proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines. Clinical manifestation includes changes in skin appearance, wounds, ulcerations, necrosis, fibrosis, and secondary cancers. The most severe complication of irradiation is extensive radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF). RIF can manifest in many ways, such as skin induration and retraction, lymphedema or restriction of joint motion. Diagnosis of chronic radiation dermatitis is usually made by clinical examination. In case of unclear clinical manifestation, a biopsy and histopathological examination are recommended to exclude secondary malignancy. The most effective prophylaxis of chronic radiation dermatitis is the use of proper radiation therapy techniques to avoid unnecessary irradiation of healthy skin. Treatment of chronic radiation dermatitis is demanding. The majority of the interventions are based only on clinical practice. Telangiectasia may be treated with pulse dye laser therapy. Chronic postirradiation wounds need special dressings. In case of necrosis or severe ulceration, surgical intervention may be considered. Management of RIF should be complex. Available methods are rehabilitative care, pharmacotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and laser therapy. Future challenges include the assessment of late skin toxicity in modern irradiation techniques. Special attention should be paid on genomics and radiomics that allow scientists and clinicians to select patients who are at risk of the development of chronic radiation dermatitis. Novel treatment methods and clinical trials are strongly needed to provide more efficacious therapies.

Similarities and differences in ablative and non-ablative iron oxide nanoparticle hyperthermia cancer treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petryk, Alicia A.; Misra, Adwiteeya; Kastner, Elliot J.; Mazur, Courtney M.; Petryk, James D.; Hoopes, P. Jack

2015-03-01

The use of hyperthermia to treat cancer is well studied and has utilized numerous delivery techniques, including microwaves, radio frequency, focused ultrasound, induction heating, infrared radiation, warmed perfusion liquids (combined with chemotherapy), and recently, metallic nanoparticles (NP) activated by near infrared radiation (NIR) and alternating magnetic field (AMF) based platforms. It has been demonstrated by many research groups that ablative temperatures and cytotoxicity can be produced with locally NP-based hyperthermia. Such ablative NP techniques have demonstrated the potential for success. Much attention has also been given to the fact that NP may be administered systemically, resulting in a broader cancer therapy approach, a lower level of tumor NP content and a different type of NP cancer therapy (most likely in the adjuvant setting). To use NP based hyperthermia successfully as a cancer treatment, the technique and its goal must be understood and utilized in the appropriate clinical context. The parameters include, but are not limited to, NP access to the tumor (large vs. small quantity), cancer cell-specific targeting, drug carrying capacity, potential as an ionizing radiation sensitizer, and the material properties (magnetic characteristics, size and charge). In addition to their potential for cytotoxicity, the material properties of the NP must also be optimized for imaging, detection and direction. In this paper we will discuss the differences between, and potential applications for, ablative and non-ablative magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia.

Synchrotron Radiation Sheds Fresh Light on Plant Research: The Use of Powerful Techniques to Probe Structure and Composition of Plants.

PubMed

Vijayan, Permual; Willick, Ian R; Lahlali, Rachid; Karunakaran, Chithra; Tanino, Karen K

2015-07-01

While synchrotron radiation is a powerful tool in material and biomedical sciences, it is still underutilized in plant research. This mini review attempts to introduce the potential of synchrotron-based spectroscopic and imaging methods and their applications to plant sciences. Synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray absorption and fluorescence techniques, and two- and three-dimensional imaging techniques are examined. We also discuss the limitations of synchrotron-based research in plant sciences, specifically the types of plant samples that can be used. Despite limitations, the unique features of synchrotron radiation such as high brightness, polarization and pulse properties offer great advantages over conventional spectroscopic and imaging tools and enable the correlation of the structure and chemical composition of plants with biochemical function. Modern detector technologies and experimental methodologies are thus enabling plant scientists to investigate aspects of plant sciences such as ultrafast kinetics of biochemical reactions, mineral uptake, transport and accumulation, and dynamics of cell wall structure and composition during environmental stress in unprecedented ways using synchrotron beamlines. The potential for the automation of some of these synchrotron technologies and their application to plant phenotyping is also discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Detecting ionizing radiation with optical fibers down to biomedical doses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avino, S.; D'Avino, V.; Giorgini, A.; Pacelli, R.; Liuzzi, R.; Cella, L.; De Natale, P.; Gagliardi, G.

2013-10-01

We report on a passive ionizing radiation sensor based on a fiber-optic resonant cavity interrogated by a high resolution interferometric technique. After irradiation in clinical linear accelerators, we observe significant variations of the fiber thermo-optic coefficient. Exploiting this effect, we demonstrate an ultimate detection limit of 160 mGy with an interaction volume of only 6 × 10-4 mm3. Thanks to its reliability, compactness, and sensitivity at biomedical dose levels, our system lends itself to real applications in radiation therapy procedures as well as in radiation monitoring and protection in medicine, aerospace, and nuclear power plants.

Measuring the activity of a {sup 51}Cr neutrino source based on the gamma-radiation spectrum

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

Gorbachev, V. V., E-mail: vvgor-gfb1@mail.ru; Gavrin, V. N.; Ibragimova, T. V.

A technique for the measurement of activities of intense β sources by measuring the continuous gamma-radiation (internal bremsstrahlung) spectra is developed. A method for reconstructing the spectrum recorded by a germanium semiconductor detector is described. A method for the absolute measurement of the internal bremsstrahlung spectrum of {sup 51}Cr is presented.

Measurement of gadolinium retention: current status and review from an applied radiation physics perspective.

PubMed

Gräfe, James L; McNeill, Fiona E

2018-06-28

This article briefly reviews the main measurement techniques for the non-invasive detection of residual gadolinium (Gd) in those exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). Approach and Main results: The current status of in vivo Gd measurement is discussed and is put into the context of concerns within the radiology community. The main techniques are based on applied atomic/nuclear medicine utilizing the characteristic atomic and nuclear spectroscopic signature of Gd. The main emission energies are in the 40-200 keV region and require spectroscopic detectors with good energy resolution. The two main techniques, prompt gamma neutron activation analysis and x-ray fluorescence, provide adequate detection limits for in vivo measurement, whilst delivering a low effective radiation dose on the order of a few µSv. Gadolinium is being detected in measureable quantities in people with healthy renal function who have received FDA approved GBCAs. The applied atomic/nuclear medicine techniques discussed in this review will be useful in determining the significance of this retention, and will help on advising future administration protocols.

[Radiation therapy and redox imaging].

PubMed

Matsumoto, Ken-ichiro

2015-01-01

Radiation therapy kills cancer cells in part by flood of free radicals. Radiation ionizes and/or excites water molecules to create highly reactive species, i.e. free radicals and/or reactive oxygen species. Free radical chain reactions oxidize biologically important molecules and thereby disrupt their function. Tissue oxygen and/or redox status, which can influence the course of the free radical chain reaction, can affect the efficacy of radiation therapy. Prior observation of tissue oxygen and/or redox status is helpful for planning a safe and efficient course of radiation therapy. Magnetic resonance-based redox imaging techniques, which can estimate tissue redox status non-invasively, have been developed not only for diagnostic information but also for estimating the efficacy of treatment. Redox imaging is now spotlighted to achieve radiation theranostics.

SU-F-T-508: A Collimator-Based 3-Dimensional Grid Therapy Technique in a Small Animal Radiation Research Platform

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

Jin, J; Kong, V; Zhang, H

Purpose: Three dimensional (3D) Grid Therapy using MLC-based inverse-planning has been proposed to achieve the features of both conformal radiotherapy and spatially fractionated radiotherapy, which may deliver very high dose in a single fraction to portions of a large tumor with relatively low normal tissue dose. However, the technique requires relatively long delivery time. This study aims to develop a collimator-based 3D grid therapy technique. Here we report the development of the technique in a small animal radiation research platform. Methods: Similar as in the MLC-based technique, 9 non-coplanar beams in special channeling directions were used for the 3D gridmore » therapy technique. Two specially designed grid collimators were fabricated, and one of them was selectively used to match the corresponding gantry/couch angles so that the grid opening of all 9 beams are met in the 3D space in the target. A stack of EBT3 films were used as 3D dosimetry to demonstrate the 3D grid-like dose distribution in the target. Three 1-mm beams were delivered to the stack of films in the area outside the target for alignment when all the films were scanned to reconstruct the 3D dosimtric image. Results: 3D film dosimetry showed a lattice-like dose distribution in the 3D target as well as in the axial, sagittal and coronal planes. The dose outside the target also showed a grid like dose distribution, and the average dose gradually decreased with the distance to the target. The peak to valley ratio was approximately 5:1. The delivery time was 7 minutes for 18 Gy peak dose, comparing to 6 minutes to deliver a 18-Gy 3D conformal plan. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the feasibility of the collimator-based 3D grid therapy technique which can significantly reduce delivery time comparing to MLC-based inverse planning technique.« less

Computer aided radiation analysis for manned spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, Matthew H.; Griffin, Brand N.; Tanner, Ernest R., II; Pogue, William R.; Golightly, Michael J.

1991-01-01

In order to assist in the design of radiation shielding an analytical tool is presented that can be employed in combination with CAD facilities and NASA transport codes. The nature of radiation in space is described, and the operational requirements for protection are listed as background information for the use of the technique. The method is based on the Boeing radiation exposure model (BREM) for combining NASA radiation transport codes and CAD facilities, and the output is given as contour maps of the radiation-shield distribution so that dangerous areas can be identified. Computational models are used to solve the 1D Boltzmann transport equation and determine the shielding needs for the worst-case scenario. BREM can be employed directly with the radiation computations to assess radiation protection during all phases of design which saves time and ultimately spacecraft weight.

Reverberation Chamber Uniformity Validation and Radiated Susceptibility Test Procedures for the NASA High Intensity Radiated Fields Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koppen, Sandra V.; Nguyen, Truong X.; Mielnik, John J.

2010-01-01

The NASA Langley Research Center's High Intensity Radiated Fields Laboratory has developed a capability based on the RTCA/DO-160F Section 20 guidelines for radiated electromagnetic susceptibility testing in reverberation chambers. Phase 1 of the test procedure utilizes mode-tuned stirrer techniques and E-field probe measurements to validate chamber uniformity, determines chamber loading effects, and defines a radiated susceptibility test process. The test procedure is segmented into numbered operations that are largely software controlled. This document is intended as a laboratory test reference and includes diagrams of test setups, equipment lists, as well as test results and analysis. Phase 2 of development is discussed.

Nondestructive testing techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bray, Don E.; McBride, Don

A comprehensive reference covering a broad range of techniques in nondestructive testing is presented. Based on years of extensive research and application at NASA and other government research facilities, the book provides practical guidelines for selecting the appropriate testing methods and equipment. Topics discussed include visual inspection, penetrant and chemical testing, nuclear radiation, sonic and ultrasonic, thermal and microwave, magnetic and electromagnetic techniques, and training and human factors. (No individual items are abstracted in this volume)

MO-FG-BRD-01: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: Introduction and KV Tracking

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

Fahimian, B.

2015-06-15

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniquesmore » for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.« less

MO-FG-BRD-04: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: MR Tracking

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

Low, D.

2015-06-15

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniquesmore » for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.« less

MO-FG-BRD-02: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: MV Tracking

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

Berbeco, R.

2015-06-15

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniquesmore » for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.« less

MO-FG-BRD-03: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: EM Tracking

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

Keall, P.

2015-06-15

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniquesmore » for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.« less

MO-FG-BRD-00: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management

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

NONE

2015-06-15

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniquesmore » for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.« less

Optical Diagnostics for Plasma-based Particle Accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muggli, Patric

2009-05-01

One of the challenges for plasma-based particle accelerators is to measure the spatio-temporal characteristics of the accelerated particle bunch. ``Optical'' diagnostics are particularly interesting and useful because of the large number of techniques that exits to determine the properties of photon pulses. The accelerated bunch can produce photons pulses that carry information about its characteristics for example through synchrotron radiation in a magnet, Cherenkov radiation in a gas, and transition radiation (TR) at the boundary between two media with different dielectric constants. Depending on the wavelength of the emission when compared to the particle bunch length, the radiation can be incoherent or coherent. Incoherent TR in the optical range (or OTR) is useful to measure the transverse spatial characteristics of the beam, such as charge distribution and size. Coherent TR (or CTR) carries information about the bunch length that can in principle be retrieved by standard auto-correlation or interferometric techniques, as well as by spectral measurements. A measurement of the total CTR energy emitted by bunches with constant charge can also be used as a shot-to-shot measurement for the relative bunch length as the CTR energy is proportional to the square of the bunch population and inversely proportional to its length (for a fixed distribution). Spectral interferometry can also yield the spacing between bunches in the case where multiple bunches are trapped in subsequent buckets of the plasma wave. Cherenkov radiation can be used as an energy threshold diagnostic for low energy particles. Cherenkov, synchrotron and transition radiation can be used in a dispersive section of the beam line to measure the bunch energy spectrum. The application of these diagnostics to plasma-based particle accelerators, with emphasis on the beam-driven, plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory will be discussed.

Radiation Hardening by Software Techniques on FPGAs: Flight Experiment Evaluation and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, Andrew G.; Flatley, Thomas

2017-01-01

We present our work on implementing Radiation Hardening by Software (RHBSW) techniques on the Xilinx Virtex5 FPGAs PowerPC 440 processors on the SpaceCube 2.0 platform. The techniques have been matured and tested through simulation modeling, fault emulation, laser fault injection and now in a flight experiment, as part of the Space Test Program- Houston 4-ISS SpaceCube Experiment 2.0 (STP-H4-ISE 2.0). This work leverages concepts such as heartbeat monitoring, control flow assertions, and checkpointing, commonly used in the High Performance Computing industry, and adapts them for use in remote sensing embedded systems. These techniques are extremely low overhead (typically <1.3%), enabling a 3.3x gain in processing performance as compared to the equivalent traditionally radiation hardened processor. The recently concluded STP-H4 flight experiment was an opportunity to upgrade the RHBSW techniques for the Virtex5 FPGA and demonstrate them on-board the ISS to achieve TRL 7. This work details the implementation of the RHBSW techniques, that were previously developed for the Virtex4-based SpaceCube 1.0 platform, on the Virtex5-based SpaceCube 2.0 flight platform. The evaluation spans the development and integration with flight software, remotely uploading the new experiment to the ISS SpaceCube 2.0 platform, and conducting the experiment continuously for 16 days before the platform was decommissioned. The experiment was conducted on two PowerPCs embedded within the Virtex5 FPGA devices and the experiment collected 19,400 checkpoints, processed 253,482 status messages, and incurred 0 faults. These results are highly encouraging and future work is looking into longer duration testing as part of the STP-H5 flight experiment.

Development of optical monitor of alpha radiations based on CR-39.

PubMed

Joshirao, Pranav M; Shin, Jae Won; Vyas, Chirag K; Kulkarni, Atul D; Kim, Hojoong; Kim, Taesung; Hong, Seung-Woo; Manchanda, Vijay K

2013-11-01

Fukushima accident has highlighted the need to intensify efforts to develop sensitive detectors to monitor the release of alpha emitting radionuclides in the environment caused by the meltdown of the discharged spent fuel. Conventionally, proportional counting, scintillation counting and alpha spectrometry are employed to assay the alpha emitting radionuclides but these techniques are difficult to be configured for online operations. Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs) offer an alternative off line sensitive technique to measure alpha emitters as well as fissile radionuclides at ultra-trace level in the environment. Recently, our group has reported the first ever attempt to use reflectance based fiber optic sensor (FOS) to quantify the alpha radiations emitted from (232)Th. In the present work, an effort has been made to develop an online FOS to monitor alpha radiations emitted from (241)Am source employing CR-39 as detector. Here, we report the optical response of CR-39 (on exposure to alpha radiations) employing techniques such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Reflectance Spectroscopy. In the present work GEANT4 simulation of transport of alpha particles in the detector has also been carried out. Simulation includes validation test wherein the projected ranges of alpha particles in the air, polystyrene and CR-39 were calculated and were found to agree with the literature values. An attempt has been further made to compute the fluence as a function of the incidence angle and incidence energy of alphas. There was an excellent correlation in experimentally observed track density with the simulated fluence. The present work offers a novel approach to design an online CR-39 based fiber optic sensor (CRFOS) to measure the release of nanogram quantity of (241)Am in the environment. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temperature-based estimation of global solar radiation using soft computing methodologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, Kasra; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Danesh, Amir Seyed; Abdullah, Mohd Shahidan; Zamani, Mazdak

2016-07-01

Precise knowledge of solar radiation is indeed essential in different technological and scientific applications of solar energy. Temperature-based estimation of global solar radiation would be appealing owing to broad availability of measured air temperatures. In this study, the potentials of soft computing techniques are evaluated to estimate daily horizontal global solar radiation (DHGSR) from measured maximum, minimum, and average air temperatures ( T max, T min, and T avg) in an Iranian city. For this purpose, a comparative evaluation between three methodologies of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), radial basis function support vector regression (SVR-rbf), and polynomial basis function support vector regression (SVR-poly) is performed. Five combinations of T max, T min, and T avg are served as inputs to develop ANFIS, SVR-rbf, and SVR-poly models. The attained results show that all ANFIS, SVR-rbf, and SVR-poly models provide favorable accuracy. Based upon all techniques, the higher accuracies are achieved by models (5) using T max- T min and T max as inputs. According to the statistical results, SVR-rbf outperforms SVR-poly and ANFIS. For SVR-rbf (5), the mean absolute bias error, root mean square error, and correlation coefficient are 1.1931 MJ/m2, 2.0716 MJ/m2, and 0.9380, respectively. The survey results approve that SVR-rbf can be used efficiently to estimate DHGSR from air temperatures.

Operation of commercially-based microcomputer technology in a space radiation environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yelverton, J. N.

This paper focuses on detection and recovery techniques that should enable the reliable operation of commercially-based microprocessor technology in the harsh radiation environment of space and at high altitudes. This approach is especially significant in light of the current shift in emphasis (due to cost) from space hardened Class-S parts qualification to a more direct use of commercial parts. The method should offset some of the concern that the newer high density state-of-the-art RISC and CISC microprocessors can be used in future space applications. Also, commercial aviation, should benefit, since radiation induced transients are a new issue arising from the increased quantities of microcomputers used in aircraft avionics.

Determining the neutrino mass with cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy—Project 8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashtari Esfahani, Ali; Asner, David M.; Böser, Sebastian; Cervantes, Raphael; Claessens, Christine; de Viveiros, Luiz; Doe, Peter J.; Doeleman, Shepard; Fernandes, Justin L.; Fertl, Martin; Finn, Erin C.; Formaggio, Joseph A.; Furse, Daniel; Guigue, Mathieu; Heeger, Karsten M.; Jones, A. Mark; Kazkaz, Kareem; Kofron, Jared A.; Lamb, Callum; LaRoque, Benjamin H.; Machado, Eric; McBride, Elizabeth L.; Miller, Michael L.; Monreal, Benjamin; Mohanmurthy, Prajwal; Nikkel, James A.; Oblath, Noah S.; Pettus, Walter C.; Hamish Robertson, R. G.; Rosenberg, Leslie J.; Rybka, Gray; Rysewyk, Devyn; Saldaña, Luis; Slocum, Penny L.; Sternberg, Matthew G.; Tedeschi, Jonathan R.; Thümmler, Thomas; VanDevender, Brent A.; E Vertatschitsch, Laura; Wachtendonk, Megan; Weintroub, Jonathan; Woods, Natasha L.; Young, André; Zayas, Evan M.

2017-05-01

The most sensitive direct method to establish the absolute neutrino mass is observation of the endpoint of the tritium beta-decay spectrum. Cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES) is a precision spectrographic technique that can probe much of the unexplored neutrino mass range with { O }({eV}) resolution. A lower bound of m({ν }e)≳ 9(0.1) {meV} is set by observations of neutrino oscillations, while the KATRIN experiment—the current-generation tritium beta-decay experiment that is based on magnetic adiabatic collimation with an electrostatic (MAC-E) filter—will achieve a sensitivity of m({ν }e)≲ 0.2 {eV}. The CRES technique aims to avoid the difficulties in scaling up a MAC-E filter-based experiment to achieve a lower mass sensitivity. In this paper we review the current status of the CRES technique and describe Project 8, a phased absolute neutrino mass experiment that has the potential to reach sensitivities down to m({ν }e)≲ 40 {meV} using an atomic tritium source.

Comparative evaluation of polarimetric and bi-spectral cloud microphysics retrievals: Retrieval closure experiments and comparisons based on idealized and LES case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, D. J.; Zhang, Z.; Ackerman, A. S.; Platnick, S. E.; Cornet, C.

2016-12-01

A remote sensing cloud retrieval simulator, created by coupling an LES cloud model with vector radiative transfer (RT) models is the ideal framework for assessing cloud remote sensing techniques. This simulator serves as a tool for understanding bi-spectral and polarimetric retrievals by comparing them directly to LES cloud properties (retrieval closure comparison) and for comparing the retrieval techniques to one another. Our simulator utilizes the DHARMA LES [Ackerman et al., 2004] with cloud properties based on marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds observed during the DYCOMS-II and ATEX field campaigns. The cloud reflectances are produced by the vectorized RT models based on polarized doubling adding and monte carlo techniques (PDA, MCPOL). Retrievals are performed utilizing techniques as similar as possible to those implemented on their corresponding well known instruments; polarimetric retrievals are based on techniques implemented for polarimeters (POLDER, AirMSPI, and RSP) and bi-spectral retrievals are performed using the Nakajima-King LUT method utilized on a number of spectral instruments (MODIS and VIIRS). Retrieval comparisons focus on cloud droplet effective radius (re), effective variance (ve), and cloud optical thickness (τ). This work explores the sensitivities of these two retrieval techniques to various observation limitations, such as spatial resolution/cloud inhomogeneity, impact of 3D radiative effects, and angular resolution requirements. With future remote sensing missions like NASA's Aerosols/Clouds/Ecosystems (ACE) planning to feature advanced polarimetric instruments it is important to understand how these retrieval techniques compare to one another. The cloud retrieval simulator we've developed allows us to probe these important questions in a realistically relevant test bed.

Current methods of monitoring radiation exposure from CT.

PubMed

Talati, Ronak K; Dunkin, Jared; Parikh, Shrujal; Moore, William H

2013-09-01

Increased public and regulatory scrutiny of imaging-related radiation exposure requires familiarity with current dose-monitoring techniques and best practices. CT-related ionizing radiation exposure has been cited as the largest and fastest growing source of population-wide iatrogenic ionizing radiation exposure. Upcoming federal regulations require imaging centers to familiarize themselves with available dose-monitoring techniques and implement comprehensive strategies to track patient dose, with particular emphasis on CT. Because of institution-specific and vendor-specific technologies, there are significant barriers to adoption and implementation. In this article, the authors outline the core components of a universal dose-monitoring strategy and detail a few of the many available commercial platforms. In addition, the authors introduce a cloud-based hybrid model dose-tracking system with the goal of rapid implementation, multicenter scalability, real-time dose feedback for technologists, cumulative dose monitoring, and optional dose communication to patients and into the record; doing so results in improved patient loyalty, referring physician satisfaction, and opportunity for repeat business. Copyright © 2013 American College of Radiology. All rights reserved.

GENERALISATION OF RADIATOR DESIGN TECHNIQUES FOR PERSONAL NEUTRON DOSEMETERS BY UNFOLDING METHOD.

PubMed

Oda, K; Nakayama, T; Umetani, K; Kajihara, M; Yamauchi, T

2016-09-01

A novel technique for designing a radiator suitable for personal neutron dosemeter based on plastic track detector was discussed. A multi-layer structure has been proposed in the previous report, where the thicknesses of plural polyethylene (PE) layers and insensitive ones were determined by iterative calculations of double integral. In order to arrange this procedure and make it more systematic, unfolding calculation has been employed to estimate an ideal radiator containing an arbitrary hydrogen concentration. In the second step, realistic materials replaced it with consideration of minimisation of the layer number and commercial availability. A radiator consisting of three layers of PE, Upilex and Kapton sheets was finally designed, for which a deviation in the energy dependence between 0.1 and 20 MeV could be controlled within 18 %. An applicability of fluorescent nuclear track detector element has also been discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Imaging of optically diffusive media by use of opto-elastography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossy, Emmanuel; Funke, Arik R.; Daoudi, Khalid; Tanter, Mickael; Fink, Mathias; Boccara, Claude

2007-02-01

We present a camera-based optical detection scheme designed to detect the transient motion created by the acoustic radiation force in elastic media. An optically diffusive tissue mimicking phantom was illuminated with coherent laser light, and a high speed camera (2 kHz frame rate) was used to acquire and cross-correlate consecutive speckle patterns. Time-resolved transient decorrelations of the optical speckle were measured as the results of localised motion induced in the medium by the radiation force and subsequent propagating shear waves. As opposed to classical acousto-optic techniques which are sensitive to vibrations induced by compressional waves at ultrasonic frequencies, the proposed technique is sensitive only to the low frequency transient motion induced in the medium by the radiation force. It therefore provides a way to assess both optical and shear mechanical properties.

Magnetic Imaging: a New Tool for UK National Nuclear Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darrer, Brendan J.; Watson, Joe C.; Bartlett, Paul; Renzoni, Ferruccio

2015-01-01

Combating illicit trafficking of Special Nuclear Material may require the ability to image through electromagnetic shields. This is the case when the trafficking involves cargo containers. Thus, suitable detection techniques are required to penetrate a ferromagnetic enclosure. The present study considers techniques that employ an electromagnetic based principle of detection. It is generally assumed that a ferromagnetic metallic enclosure will effectively act as a Faraday cage to electromagnetic radiation and therefore screen any form of interrogating electromagnetic radiation from penetrating, thus denying the detection of any eventual hidden material. In contrast, we demonstrate that it is actually possible to capture magnetic images of a conductive object through a set of metallic ferromagnetic enclosures. This validates electromagnetic interrogation techniques as a potential detection tool for National Nuclear Security applications.

Magnetic Imaging: a New Tool for UK National Nuclear Security

PubMed Central

Darrer, Brendan J.; Watson, Joe C.; Bartlett, Paul; Renzoni, Ferruccio

2015-01-01

Combating illicit trafficking of Special Nuclear Material may require the ability to image through electromagnetic shields. This is the case when the trafficking involves cargo containers. Thus, suitable detection techniques are required to penetrate a ferromagnetic enclosure. The present study considers techniques that employ an electromagnetic based principle of detection. It is generally assumed that a ferromagnetic metallic enclosure will effectively act as a Faraday cage to electromagnetic radiation and therefore screen any form of interrogating electromagnetic radiation from penetrating, thus denying the detection of any eventual hidden material. In contrast, we demonstrate that it is actually possible to capture magnetic images of a conductive object through a set of metallic ferromagnetic enclosures. This validates electromagnetic interrogation techniques as a potential detection tool for National Nuclear Security applications. PMID:25608957

Magnetic imaging: a new tool for UK national nuclear security.

PubMed

Darrer, Brendan J; Watson, Joe C; Bartlett, Paul; Renzoni, Ferruccio

2015-01-22

Combating illicit trafficking of Special Nuclear Material may require the ability to image through electromagnetic shields. This is the case when the trafficking involves cargo containers. Thus, suitable detection techniques are required to penetrate a ferromagnetic enclosure. The present study considers techniques that employ an electromagnetic based principle of detection. It is generally assumed that a ferromagnetic metallic enclosure will effectively act as a Faraday cage to electromagnetic radiation and therefore screen any form of interrogating electromagnetic radiation from penetrating, thus denying the detection of any eventual hidden material. In contrast, we demonstrate that it is actually possible to capture magnetic images of a conductive object through a set of metallic ferromagnetic enclosures. This validates electromagnetic interrogation techniques as a potential detection tool for National Nuclear Security applications.

Fire detection behind a wall by using microwave techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkurt, Fatih Özkan; Baǧmancı, Mehmet; Karaaslan, Muharrem; Bakır, Mehmet; Altıntaş, Olcay; Karadaǧ, Faruk; Akgöl, Oǧuzhan; Ünal, Emin

2018-02-01

In this work, detection of the fire location behind a wall by using microwave techniques is illustrated. According to Planck's Law, Blackbody emits electromagnetic radiation in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This emitted waves penetrates all materials except that metals. These radiated waves can be detected by using directional and high gain antennas. The proposed antenna consists of a simple microstrip patch antenna and a 2×2 microstrip patch antenna array. FIT based simulation results show that 2×2 array antenna can absorb emitted power from a fire source which is located behind a wall. This contribution can be inspirational for further works.

Noise characterization of broadband fiber Cherenkov radiation as a visible-wavelength source for optical coherence tomography and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Tu, Haohua; Zhao, Youbo; Liu, Yuan; Liu, Yuan-Zhi; Boppart, Stephen

2014-08-25

Optical sources in the visible region immediately adjacent to the near-infrared biological optical window are preferred in imaging techniques such as spectroscopic optical coherence tomography of endogenous absorptive molecules and two-photon fluorescence microscopy of intrinsic fluorophores. However, existing sources based on fiber supercontinuum generation are known to have high relative intensity noise and low spectral coherence, which may degrade imaging performance. Here we compare the optical noise and pulse compressibility of three high-power fiber Cherenkov radiation sources developed recently, and evaluate their potential to replace the existing supercontinuum sources in these imaging techniques.

Actinide bioimaging in tissues: Comparison of emulsion and solid track autoradiography techniques with the iQID camera

PubMed Central

Miller, Brian W.; Van der Meeren, Anne; Tazrart, Anissa; Angulo, Jaime F.; Griffiths, Nina M.

2017-01-01

This work presents a comparison of three autoradiography techniques for imaging biological samples contaminated with actinides: emulsion-based, plastic-based autoradiography and a quantitative digital technique, the iQID camera, based on the numerical analysis of light from a scintillator screen. In radiation toxicology it has been important to develop means of imaging actinide distribution in tissues as these radionuclides may be heterogeneously distributed within and between tissues after internal contamination. Actinide distribution determines which cells are exposed to alpha radiation and is thus potentially critical for assessing absorbed dose. The comparison was carried out by generating autoradiographs of the same biological samples contaminated with actinides with the three autoradiography techniques. These samples were cell preparations or tissue sections collected from animals contaminated with different physico-chemical forms of actinides. The autoradiograph characteristics and the performances of the techniques were evaluated and discussed mainly in terms of acquisition process, activity distribution patterns, spatial resolution and feasibility of activity quantification. The obtained autoradiographs presented similar actinide distribution at low magnification. Out of the three techniques, emulsion autoradiography is the only one to provide a highly-resolved image of the actinide distribution inherently superimposed on the biological sample. Emulsion autoradiography is hence best interpreted at higher magnifications. However, this technique is destructive for the biological sample. Both emulsion- and plastic-based autoradiography record alpha tracks and thus enabled the differentiation between ionized forms of actinides and oxide particles. This feature can help in the evaluation of decorporation therapy efficacy. The most recent technique, the iQID camera, presents several additional features: real-time imaging, separate imaging of alpha particles and gamma rays, and alpha activity quantification. The comparison of these three autoradiography techniques showed that they are complementary and the choice of the technique depends on the purpose of the imaging experiment. PMID:29023595

Using Proton Radiation from the Moon to Probe Regolith Hydrogenation in the Upper 1-10 cm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwadron, N.; Wilson, J. K.; Jordan, A.; Looper, M. D.; Zeitlin, C. J.; Townsend, L.; Spence, H. E.; Farrell, W. M.; Petro, N. E.; Stubbs, T. J.; Pieters, C. M.

2017-12-01

Detection of proton radiation from the Moon offers a new observational method for mapping compositional variations over the lunar surface. Recently, it was discovered that the yield of high energy "albedo" proton radiation coming from the lunar regolith due to bombardment by galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) depends on latitude: the yield increases toward higher latitudes. This dependence was attributed to a surface layer of hydrogenated regolith near the poles. Here, an improved technique is developed to use the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to detect proton radiation from the lunar horizon and from lunar nadir and to use this to investigate diurnal variation in near-surface hydrogenation. Based on measurements taken in 2015, CRaTER observes an average proton albedo rate with a higher yield of protons from the lunar horizon than from the nadir. Both the average proton radiation albedo rate and the excess of proton radiation from the lunar horizon agree well with simulations. The measurements provide further evidence for the existence of the lunar hydrogenation layer. Lastly, CRaTER finds a yield (defined by the proton albedo divided by the GCR input) that is higher on the morning terminator compared to the evening terminator. Based on the observational statistics, there is a significant likelihood that the AM terminator produces a higher yield in the proton radiation albedo than the PM terminator during the period studied. While this presents some possible evidence of an AM enhancement, the excess could also potentially be explained by variation in GCR heavy species (He and heavier species). While initial results of an improved technique for measuring the proton radiation albedo are promising, the observational dataset utilized by CRaTER must be expanded significantly to reduce uncertainties in the search for temporal evolution and the excess of proton radiation from the lunar horizon as we probe hydrogenation excess in the upper 1 - 10 cm lunar regolith.

First measurement of proton's charge form factor at very low Q2 with initial state radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihovilovič, M.; Weber, A. B.; Achenbach, P.; Beranek, T.; Beričič, J.; Bernauer, J. C.; Böhm, R.; Bosnar, D.; Cardinali, M.; Correa, L.; Debenjak, L.; Denig, A.; Distler, M. O.; Esser, A.; Ferretti Bondy, M. I.; Fonvieille, H.; Friedrich, J. M.; Friščić, I.; Griffioen, K.; Hoek, M.; Kegel, S.; Kohl, Y.; Merkel, H.; Middleton, D. G.; Müller, U.; Nungesser, L.; Pochodzalla, J.; Rohrbeck, M.; Sánchez Majos, S.; Schlimme, B. S.; Schoth, M.; Schulz, F.; Sfienti, C.; Širca, S.; Štajner, S.; Thiel, M.; Tyukin, A.; Vanderhaeghen, M.; Weinriefer, M.

2017-08-01

We report on a new experimental method based on initial-state radiation (ISR) in e-p scattering, which exploits the radiative tail of the elastic peak to study the properties of electromagnetic processes and to extract the proton charge form factor (GEp) at extremely small Q2. The ISR technique was implemented in an experiment at the three-spectrometer facility of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI). This led to a precise validation of radiative corrections far away from elastic line and provided first measurements of GEp for 0.001 ≤Q2 ≤ 0.004(GeV / c)2.

A radiative transfer model for remote sensing of laser induced fluorescence of phytoplankton in non-homogeneous turbid water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venable, D. D.

1980-01-01

A radiative transfer computer model was developed to characterize the total flux of chlorophyll a fluoresced or backscattered photons when laser radiation is incident on turbid water that contains a non-homogeneous suspension of inorganic sediments and phytoplankton. The radiative transfer model is based on the Monte Carlo technique and assumes that: (1) the aquatic medium can be represented by a stratified concentration profile; and (2) that appropriate optical parameters can be defined for each layer. The model was designed to minimize the required computer resources and run time. Results are presented for an anacystis marinus culture.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Versus 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy for Preoperative Treatment of Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas

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

Richard, Patrick, E-mail: patrjr@uw.edu; Phillips, Mark; Smith, Wade

Purpose: Create a cost-effectiveness model comparing preoperative intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) versus 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) for extremity soft tissue sarcomas. Methods and Materials: Input parameters included 5-year local recurrence rates, rates of acute wound adverse events, and chronic toxicities (edema, fracture, joint stiffness, and fibrosis). Health-state utilities were used to calculate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Overall treatment costs per QALY or incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated. Roll-back analysis was performed using average costs and utilities to determine the baseline preferred radiation technique. One-way, 2-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed for input parameters with themore » largest impact on the ICER. Results: Overall treatment costs were $17,515.58 for 3DCRT compared with $22,920.51 for IMRT. The effectiveness was higher for IMRT (3.68 QALYs) than for 3DCRT (3.35 QALYs). The baseline ICER for IMRT was $16,842.75/QALY, making it the preferable treatment. The ICER was most sensitive to the probability of local recurrence, upfront radiation costs, local recurrence costs, certain utilities (no toxicity/no recurrence, grade 1 toxicity/no local recurrence, grade 4 toxicity/no local recurrence), and life expectancy. Dominance patterns emerged when the cost of 3DCRT exceeded $15,532.05 (IMRT dominates) or the life expectancy was under 1.68 years (3DCRT dominates). Furthermore, preference patterns changed based on the rate of local recurrence (threshold: 13%). The PSA results demonstrated that IMRT was the preferred cost-effective technique for 64% of trials compared with 36% for 3DCRT. Conclusions: Based on our model, IMRT is the preferred technique by lowering rates of local recurrence, severe toxicities, and improving QALYs. From a third-party payer perspective, IMRT should be a supported approach for extremity soft tissue sarcomas.« less

Working group written presentation: Solar radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slemp, Wayne S.

1989-01-01

The members of the Solar Radiation Working Group arrived at two major solar radiation technology needs: (1) generation of a long term flight data base; and (2) development of a standardized UV testing methodology. The flight data base should include 1 to 5 year exposure of optical filters, windows, thermal control coatings, hardened coatings, polymeric films, and structural composites. The UV flux and wavelength distribution, as well as particulate radiation flux and energy, should be measured during this flight exposure. A standard testing methodology is needed to establish techniques for highly accelerated UV exposure which will correlate well with flight test data. Currently, UV can only be accelerated to about 3 solar constants and can correlate well with flight exposure data. With space missions to 30 years, acceleration rates of 30 to 100X are needed for efficient laboratory testing.

On piecewise interpolation techniques for estimating solar radiation missing values in Kedah

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

Saaban, Azizan; Zainudin, Lutfi; Bakar, Mohd Nazari Abu

2014-12-04

This paper discusses the use of piecewise interpolation method based on cubic Ball and Bézier curves representation to estimate the missing value of solar radiation in Kedah. An hourly solar radiation dataset is collected at Alor Setar Meteorology Station that is taken from Malaysian Meteorology Deparment. The piecewise cubic Ball and Bézier functions that interpolate the data points are defined on each hourly intervals of solar radiation measurement and is obtained by prescribing first order derivatives at the starts and ends of the intervals. We compare the performance of our proposed method with existing methods using Root Mean Squared Errormore » (RMSE) and Coefficient of Detemination (CoD) which is based on missing values simulation datasets. The results show that our method is outperformed the other previous methods.« less

Lung Cancer: Posttreatment Imaging: Radiation Therapy and Imaging Findings.

PubMed

Benveniste, Marcelo F; Welsh, James; Viswanathan, Chitra; Shroff, Girish S; Betancourt Cuellar, Sonia L; Carter, Brett W; Marom, Edith M

2018-05-01

In this review, we discuss the different radiation delivery techniques available to treat non-small cell lung cancer, typical radiologic manifestations of conventional radiotherapy, and different patterns of lung injury and temporal evolution of the newer radiotherapy techniques. More sophisticated techniques include intensity-modulated radiotherapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy, proton therapy, and respiration-correlated computed tomography or 4-dimensional computed tomography for radiotherapy planning. Knowledge of the radiation treatment plan and technique, the completion date of radiotherapy, and the temporal evolution of radiation-induced lung injury is important to identify expected manifestations of radiation-induced lung injury and differentiate them from tumor recurrence or infection. Published by Elsevier Inc.

SKIRT: The design of a suite of input models for Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baes, M.; Camps, P.

2015-09-01

The Monte Carlo method is the most popular technique to perform radiative transfer simulations in a general 3D geometry. The algorithms behind and acceleration techniques for Monte Carlo radiative transfer are discussed extensively in the literature, and many different Monte Carlo codes are publicly available. On the contrary, the design of a suite of components that can be used for the distribution of sources and sinks in radiative transfer codes has received very little attention. The availability of such models, with different degrees of complexity, has many benefits. For example, they can serve as toy models to test new physical ingredients, or as parameterised models for inverse radiative transfer fitting. For 3D Monte Carlo codes, this requires algorithms to efficiently generate random positions from 3D density distributions. We describe the design of a flexible suite of components for the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code SKIRT. The design is based on a combination of basic building blocks (which can be either analytical toy models or numerical models defined on grids or a set of particles) and the extensive use of decorators that combine and alter these building blocks to more complex structures. For a number of decorators, e.g. those that add spiral structure or clumpiness, we provide a detailed description of the algorithms that can be used to generate random positions. Advantages of this decorator-based design include code transparency, the avoidance of code duplication, and an increase in code maintainability. Moreover, since decorators can be chained without problems, very complex models can easily be constructed out of simple building blocks. Finally, based on a number of test simulations, we demonstrate that our design using customised random position generators is superior to a simpler design based on a generic black-box random position generator.

A THz Spectroscopy System Based on Coherent Radiation from Ultrashort Electron Bunches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saisut, J.; Rimjaem, S.; Thongbai, C.

2018-05-01

A spectroscopy system will be discussed for coherent THz transition radiation emitted from short electron bunches, which are generated from a system consisting of an RF gun with a thermionic cathode, an alpha-magnet as a magnetic bunch compressor, and a linear accelerator for post-acceleration. The THz radiation is generated as backward transition radiation when electron bunches pass through an aluminum foil. The emitted THz transition radiation, which is coherent at wavelengths equal to and longer than the electron bunch length, is coupled to a Michelson interferometer. The performance of the spectroscopy system employing a Michelson interferometer is discussed. The radiation power spectra under different conditions are presented. As an example, the optical constant of a silicon wafer can be obtained using the dispersive Fourier transform spectroscopy (DFTS) technique.

Phase contrast portal imaging using synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umetani, K.; Kondoh, T.

2014-07-01

Microbeam radiation therapy is an experimental form of radiation treatment with great potential to improve the treatment of many types of cancer. We applied a synchrotron radiation phase contrast technique to portal imaging to improve targeting accuracy for microbeam radiation therapy in experiments using small animals. An X-ray imaging detector was installed 6.0 m downstream from an object to produce a high-contrast edge enhancement effect in propagation-based phase contrast imaging. Images of a mouse head sample were obtained using therapeutic white synchrotron radiation with a mean beam energy of 130 keV. Compared to conventional portal images, remarkably clear images of bones surrounding the cerebrum were acquired in an air environment for positioning brain lesions with respect to the skull structure without confusion with overlapping surface structures.

Mossbauer spectrometer radiation detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, J. J. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

A Mossbauer spectrometer with high efficiencies in both transmission and backscattering techniques is described. The device contains a sodium iodide crystal for detecting radiation caused by the Mossbauer effect, and two photomultipliers to collect the radiation detected by the crystal. When used in the transmission technique, the sample or scatterer is placed between the incident radiation source and the detector. When used in a backscattering technique, the detector is placed between the incident radiation source and the sample of scatterer such that the incident radiation will pass through a hole in the crystal and strike the sample. Diagrams of the instrument are provided.

Comparison of conventional and synchrotron-radiation-based microtomography of bone around dental implants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cattaneo, Paolo M.; Dalstra, Michel; Beckmann, Felix; Donath, Tilman; Melsen, Birte

2004-10-01

This study explores the application of conventional micro tomography (μCT) and synchrotron radiation (SR) based μCT to evaluate the bone around titanium dental implants. The SR experiment was performed at beamline W2 of HASYLAB at DESY using a monochromatic X-ray beam of 50 keV. The testing material consisted of undecalcified bone segments harvested from the upper jaw of a macaca fascicularis monkey each containing a titanium dental implant. The results from the two different techniques were qualitatively compared with conventional histological sections examined under light microscopy. The SR-based μCT produced images that, especially at the bone-implant interface, are less noisy and sharper than the ones obtained with conventional μCT. For the proper evaluation of the implant-bone interface, only the SR-based μCT technique is able to display the areas of bony contact and visualize the true 3D structure of bone around dental implants correctly. This investigation shows that both conventional and SR-based μCT scanning techniques are non-destructive methods, which provide detailed images of bone. However with SR-based μCT it is possible to obtain an improved image quality of the bone surrounding dental implants, which display a level of detail comparable to histological sections. Therefore, SR-based μCT scanning could represent a valid, unbiased three-dimensional alternative to evaluate osseointegration of dental implants

Reinforcing the role of the conventional C-arm--a novel method for simplified distal interlocking.

PubMed

Windolf, Markus; Schroeder, Josh; Fliri, Ladina; Dicht, Benno; Liebergall, Meir; Richards, R Geoff

2012-01-25

The common practice for insertion of distal locking screws of intramedullary nails is a freehand technique under fluoroscopic control. The process is technically demanding, time-consuming and afflicted to considerable radiation exposure of the patient and the surgical personnel. A new concept is introduced utilizing information from within conventional radiographic images to help accurately guide the surgeon to place the interlocking bolt into the interlocking hole. The newly developed technique was compared to conventional freehand in an operating room (OR) like setting on human cadaveric lower legs in terms of operating time and radiation exposure. The proposed concept (guided freehand), generally based on the freehand gold standard, additionally guides the surgeon by means of visible landmarks projected into the C-arm image. A computer program plans the correct drilling trajectory by processing the lens-shaped hole projections of the interlocking holes from a single image. Holes can be drilled by visually aligning the drill to the planned trajectory. Besides a conventional C-arm, no additional tracking or navigation equipment is required.Ten fresh frozen human below-knee specimens were instrumented with an Expert Tibial Nail (Synthes GmbH, Switzerland). The implants were distally locked by performing the newly proposed technique as well as the conventional freehand technique on each specimen. An orthopedic resident surgeon inserted four distal screws per procedure. Operating time, number of images and radiation time were recorded and statistically compared between interlocking techniques using non-parametric tests. A 58% reduction in number of taken images per screw was found for the guided freehand technique (7.4 ± 3.4) (mean ± SD) compared to the freehand technique (17.6 ± 10.3) (p < 0.001). Total radiation time (all 4 screws) was 55% lower for the guided freehand technique compared to conventional freehand (p = 0.001). Operating time per screw (from first shot to screw tightened) was on average 22% reduced by guided freehand (p = 0.018). In an experimental setting, the newly developed guided freehand technique for distal interlocking has proven to markedly reduce radiation exposure when compared to the conventional freehand technique. The method utilizes established clinical workflows and does not require cost intensive add-on devices or extensive training. The underlying principle carries potential to assist implant positioning in numerous other applications within orthopedics and trauma from screw insertions to placement of plates, nails or prostheses.

Development of the re-emit technique for ICF foot symmetry tuning for indirect drive ignition on NIF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewald, Eduard; Milovich, Jose; Edwards, John; Thomas, Cliff; Kalantar, Dan; Meeker, Don; Jones, Ogden

2007-11-01

Tuning of the the symmetry of the hohlraum radiation drive for the first 2 ns of the ICF pulse on NIF will be assessed by the re-emit technique [1] which measures the instantaneous x-ray drive asymmetry based on soft x-ray imaging of the re-emission of a high-Z sphere surrogate capsule. We will discuss the design of re-emit foot symmetry tuning measurements planned on NIF and their surrogacy for ignition experiments, including assessing the residual radiation asymmetry of the patches required for soft x-ray imaging. We will present the tuning strategy and expected accuracies based on calculations, analytical estimates and first results from scaled experiments performed at the Omega laser facility. [1] N. Delamater, G. Magelssen, A. Hauer, Phys. Rev. E 53, 5241 (1996.)

A measurement technique to determine the calibration accuracy of an electromagnetic tracking system to radiation isocenter.

PubMed

Litzenberg, Dale W; Gallagher, Ian; Masi, Kathryn J; Lee, Choonik; Prisciandaro, Joann I; Hamstra, Daniel A; Ritter, Timothy; Lam, Kwok L

2013-08-01

To present and characterize a measurement technique to quantify the calibration accuracy of an electromagnetic tracking system to radiation isocenter. This technique was developed as a quality assurance method for electromagnetic tracking systems used in a multi-institutional clinical hypofractionated prostate study. In this technique, the electromagnetic tracking system is calibrated to isocenter with the manufacturers recommended technique, using laser-based alignment. A test patient is created with a transponder at isocenter whose position is measured electromagnetically. Four portal images of the transponder are taken with collimator rotations of 45° 135°, 225°, and 315°, at each of four gantry angles (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) using a 3×6 cm2 radiation field. In each image, the center of the copper-wrapped iron core of the transponder is determined. All measurements are made relative to this transponder position to remove gantry and imager sag effects. For each of the 16 images, the 50% collimation edges are identified and used to find a ray representing the rotational axis of each collimation edge. The 16 collimator rotation rays from four gantry angles pass through and bound the radiation isocenter volume. The center of the bounded region, relative to the transponder, is calculated and then transformed to tracking system coordinates using the transponder position, allowing the tracking system's calibration offset from radiation isocenter to be found. All image analysis and calculations are automated with inhouse software for user-independent accuracy. Three different tracking systems at two different sites were evaluated for this study. The magnitude of the calibration offset was always less than the manufacturer's stated accuracy of 0.2 cm using their standard clinical calibration procedure, and ranged from 0.014 to 0.175 cm. On three systems in clinical use, the magnitude of the offset was found to be 0.053±0.036, 0.121±0.023, and 0.093±0.013 cm. The method presented here provides an independent technique to verify the calibration of an electromagnetic tracking system to radiation isocenter. The calibration accuracy of the system was better than the 0.2 cm accuracy stated by the manufacturer. However, it should not be assumed to be zero, especially for stereotactic radiation therapy treatments where planning target volume margins are very small.

Radiation-hardened MRAM-based LUT for non-volatile FPGA soft error mitigation with multi-node upset tolerance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zand, Ramtin; DeMara, Ronald F.

2017-12-01

In this paper, we have developed a radiation-hardened non-volatile lookup table (LUT) circuit utilizing spin Hall effect (SHE)-magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices. The design is motivated by modeling the effect of radiation particles striking hybrid complementary metal oxide semiconductor/spin based circuits, and the resistive behavior of SHE-MRAM devices via established and precise physics equations. The models developed are leveraged in the SPICE circuit simulator to verify the functionality of the proposed design. The proposed hardening technique is based on using feedback transistors, as well as increasing the radiation capacity of the sensitive nodes. Simulation results show that our proposed LUT circuit can achieve multiple node upset (MNU) tolerance with more than 38% and 60% power-delay product improvement as well as 26% and 50% reduction in device count compared to the previous energy-efficient radiation-hardened LUT designs. Finally, we have performed a process variation analysis showing that the MNU immunity of our proposed circuit is realized at the cost of increased susceptibility to transistor and MRAM variations compared to an unprotected LUT design.

Non-random distribution of DNA double-strand breaks induced by particle irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lobrich, M.; Cooper, P. K.; Rydberg, B.; Chatterjee, A. (Principal Investigator)

1996-01-01

Induction of DNA double-strand breaks (dsbs) in mammalian cells is dependent on the spatial distribution of energy deposition from the ionizing radiation. For high LET particle radiations the primary ionization sites occur in a correlated manner along the track of the particles, while for X-rays these sites are much more randomly distributed throughout the volume of the cell. It can therefore be expected that the distribution of dsbs linearly along the DNA molecule also varies with the type of radiation and the ionization density. Using pulsed-field gel and conventional gel techniques, we measured the size distribution of DNA molecules from irradiated human fibroblasts in the total range of 0.1 kbp-10 Mbp for X-rays and high LET particles (N ions, 97 keV/microns and Fe ions, 150 keV/microns). On a mega base pair scale we applied conventional pulsed-field gel electrophoresis techniques such as measurement of the fraction of DNA released from the well (FAR) and measurement of breakage within a specific NotI restriction fragment (hybridization assay). The induction rate for widely spaced breaks was found to decrease with LET. However, when the entire distribution of radiation-induced fragments was analysed, we detected an excess of fragments with sizes below about 200 kbp for the particles compared with X-irradiation. X-rays are thus more effective than high LET radiations in producing large DNA fragments but less effective in the production of smaller fragments. We determined the total induction rate of dsbs for the three radiations based on a quantitative analysis of all the measured radiation-induced fragments and found that the high LET particles were more efficient than X-rays at inducing dsbs, indicating an increasing total efficiency with LET. Conventional assays that are based only on the measurement of large fragments are therefore misleading when determining total dsb induction rates of high LET particles. The possible biological significance of this non-randomness for dsb induction is discussed.

Energy distributions and radiation transport in uranium plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miley, G. H.; Bathke, C.; Maceda, E.; Choi, C.

1976-01-01

An approximate analytic model, based on continuous electron slowing, has been used for survey calculations. Where more accuracy is required, a Monte Carlo technique is used which combines an analytic representation of Coulombic collisions with a random walk treatment of inelastic collisions. The calculated electron distributions have been incorporated into another code that evaluates both the excited atomic state densities within the plasma and the radiative flux emitted from the plasma.

Temperature based daily incoming solar radiation modeling based on gene expression programming, neuro-fuzzy and neural network computing techniques.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landeras, G.; López, J. J.; Kisi, O.; Shiri, J.

2012-04-01

The correct observation/estimation of surface incoming solar radiation (RS) is very important for many agricultural, meteorological and hydrological related applications. While most weather stations are provided with sensors for air temperature detection, the presence of sensors necessary for the detection of solar radiation is not so habitual and the data quality provided by them is sometimes poor. In these cases it is necessary to estimate this variable. Temperature based modeling procedures are reported in this study for estimating daily incoming solar radiation by using Gene Expression Programming (GEP) for the first time, and other artificial intelligence models such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). Traditional temperature based solar radiation equations were also included in this study and compared with artificial intelligence based approaches. Root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) RMSE-based skill score (SSRMSE), MAE-based skill score (SSMAE) and r2 criterion of Nash and Sutcliffe criteria were used to assess the models' performances. An ANN (a four-input multilayer perceptron with ten neurons in the hidden layer) presented the best performance among the studied models (2.93 MJ m-2 d-1 of RMSE). A four-input ANFIS model revealed as an interesting alternative to ANNs (3.14 MJ m-2 d-1 of RMSE). Very limited number of studies has been done on estimation of solar radiation based on ANFIS, and the present one demonstrated the ability of ANFIS to model solar radiation based on temperatures and extraterrestrial radiation. By the way this study demonstrated, for the first time, the ability of GEP models to model solar radiation based on daily atmospheric variables. Despite the accuracy of GEP models was slightly lower than the ANFIS and ANN models the genetic programming models (i.e., GEP) are superior to other artificial intelligence models in giving a simple explicit equation for the phenomenon which shows the relationship between the input and output parameters. This study provided new alternatives for solar radiation estimation based on temperatures.

Advanced crystal growth techniques for thallium bromide semiconductor radiation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Amlan; Becla, Piotr; Guguschev, Christo; Motakef, Shariar

2018-02-01

Thallium Bromide (TlBr) is a promising room-temperature radiation detector candidate with excellent charge transport properties. Currently, Travelling Molten Zone (TMZ) technique is widely used for growth of semiconductor-grade TlBr crystals. However, there are several challenges associated with this type of crystal growth process including lower yield, high thermal stress, and low crystal uniformity. To overcome these shortcomings of the current technique, several different crystal growth techniques have been implemented in this study. These include: Vertical Bridgman (VB), Physical Vapor Transport (PVT), Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG), and Czochralski Growth (Cz). Techniques based on melt pulling (EFG and Cz) were demonstrated for the first time for semiconductor grade TlBr material. The viability of each process along with the associated challenges for TlBr growth has been discussed. The purity of the TlBr crystals along with its crystalline and electronic properties were analyzed and correlated with the growth techniques. Uncorrected 662 keV energy resolutions around 2% were obtained from 5 mm x 5 mm x 10 mm TlBr devices with virtual Frisch-grid configuration.

Bacterial cellulose based hydrogel (BC-g-AA) and preliminary result of swelling behavior

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

Hakam, Adil; Lazim, Azwan Mat; Abdul Rahman, I. Irman

2013-11-27

In this study, hydrogel based on Bacterial cellulose (BC) or local known as Nata de Coco, which grafted with monomer: Acrylic acid (AA) is synthesis by using gamma radiation technique. These hydrogel (BC-g-AA) has unique characteristic whereby responsive to pH buffer solution.

Adaptive Radiation for Lung Cancer

PubMed Central

Gomez, Daniel R.; Chang, Joe Y.

2011-01-01

The challenges of lung cancer radiotherapy are intra/inter-fraction tumor/organ anatomy/motion changes and the need to spare surrounding critical structures. Evolving radiotherapy technologies, such as four-dimensional (4D) image-based motion management, daily on-board imaging and adaptive radiotherapy based on volumetric images over the course of radiotherapy, have enabled us to deliver higher dose to target while minimizing normal tissue toxicities. The image-guided radiotherapy adapted to changes of motion and anatomy has made the radiotherapy more precise and allowed ablative dose delivered to the target using novel treatment approaches such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy, and proton therapy in lung cancer, techniques used to be considered very sensitive to motion change. Future clinical trials using real time tracking and biological adaptive radiotherapy based on functional images are proposed. PMID:20814539

Microwave resonance lamp absorption technique for measuring temperature and OH number density in combustion environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lempert, Walter R.

1988-01-01

A simple technique for simultaneous determination of temperature and OH number density is described, along with characteristic results obtained from measurements using a premixed, hydrogen air flat flame burner. The instrumentation is based upon absorption of resonant radiation from a flowing microwave discharge lamp, and is rugged, relatively inexpensive, and very simple to operate.

Distribution of Chromosome Breakpoints in Human Epithelial Cells Exposed to Low- and High-LET Radiations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hada, Megumi; Cucinotta, Francis; Wu, Honglu

2009-01-01

The advantage of the multicolor banding in situ hybridization (mBAND) technique is not only its ability to identify simultaneously both inter- and intrachromosome exchanges, but also the ability to measure the breakpoint location along the length of the chromosome in a precision that is unmatched with other traditional banding techniques. Breakpoints on specific regions of a chromosome have been known to associate with specific cancers. The breakpoint distribution in cells after low- and high-LET radiation exposures will also provide the data for biophysical modeling of the chromatin structure, as well as the data for the modeling the formation of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations. In a series of experiments, we studied low- and high-LET radiation-induced chromosome aberrations using the mBAND technique with chromosome 3 painted in 23 different colored bands. Human epithelial cells (CH1 84B5F5/M10) were exposed in vitro to Cs- 137 rays at both low and high dose rates, secondary neutrons with a broad energy spectrum at a low dose rate and 600 MeV/u Fe ions at a high dose rate. The data of both inter- and intrachromosome aberrations involving the painted chromosome have been reported previously. Here we present data of the location of the chromosome breaks along the length of chromosome 3 in the cells after exposures to each of the four radiation scenarios. In comparison to the expected breakpoint distribution based on the length of the bands, the observed distribution appeared to be non-random for both the low- and high-LET radiations. In particular, hot spots towards both ends of the chromosome were found after low-LET irradiations of either low or high dose rates. For both high-LET radiation types (Fe ions and neutrons), the breakpoint distributions were similar, and were much smoother than that for low-LET radiation. The dependence of the breakpoint distribution on the radiation quality requires further investigations.

Automated Identification and Shape Analysis of Chorus Elements in the Van Allen Radiation Belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sen Gupta, Ananya; Kletzing, Craig; Howk, Robin; Kurth, William; Matheny, Morgan

2017-12-01

An important goal of the Van Allen Probes mission is to understand wave-particle interaction by chorus emissions in terrestrial Van Allen radiation belts. To test models, statistical characterization of chorus properties, such as amplitude variation and sweep rates, is an important scientific goal. The Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) instrumentation suite provides measurements of wave electric and magnetic fields as well as DC magnetic fields for the Van Allen Probes mission. However, manual inspection across terabytes of EMFISIS data is not feasible and as such introduces human confirmation bias. We present signal processing techniques for automated identification, shape analysis, and sweep rate characterization of high-amplitude whistler-mode chorus elements in the Van Allen radiation belts. Specifically, we develop signal processing techniques based on the radon transform that disambiguate chorus elements with a dominant sweep rate against hiss-like chorus. We present representative results validating our techniques and also provide statistical characterization of detected chorus elements across a case study of a 6 s epoch.

Polarization-based material classification technique using passive millimeter-wave polarimetric imagery.

PubMed

Hu, Fei; Cheng, Yayun; Gui, Liangqi; Wu, Liang; Zhang, Xinyi; Peng, Xiaohui; Su, Jinlong

2016-11-01

The polarization properties of thermal millimeter-wave emission capture inherent information of objects, e.g., material composition, shape, and surface features. In this paper, a polarization-based material-classification technique using passive millimeter-wave polarimetric imagery is presented. Linear polarization ratio (LPR) is created to be a new feature discriminator that is sensitive to material type and to remove the reflected ambient radiation effect. The LPR characteristics of several common natural and artificial materials are investigated by theoretical and experimental analysis. Based on a priori information about LPR characteristics, the optimal range of incident angle and the classification criterion are discussed. Simulation and measurement results indicate that the presented classification technique is effective for distinguishing between metals and dielectrics. This technique suggests possible applications for outdoor metal target detection in open scenes.

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Earthquake Dynamics: Case Study of the Mw 8.3 Illapel Earthquake, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Jiuxun; Denolle, Marine A.; Yao, Huajian

2018-01-01

We develop a methodology that combines compressive sensing backprojection (CS-BP) and source spectral analysis of teleseismic P waves to provide metrics relevant to earthquake dynamics of large events. We improve the CS-BP method by an autoadaptive source grid refinement as well as a reference source adjustment technique to gain better spatial and temporal resolution of the locations of the radiated bursts. We also use a two-step source spectral analysis based on (i) simple theoretical Green's functions that include depth phases and water reverberations and on (ii) empirical P wave Green's functions. Furthermore, we propose a source spectrogram methodology that provides the temporal evolution of dynamic parameters such as radiated energy and falloff rates. Bridging backprojection and spectrogram analysis provides a spatial and temporal evolution of these dynamic source parameters. We apply our technique to the recent 2015 Mw 8.3 megathrust Illapel earthquake (Chile). The results from both techniques are consistent and reveal a depth-varying seismic radiation that is also found in other megathrust earthquakes. The low-frequency content of the seismic radiation is located in the shallow part of the megathrust, propagating unilaterally from the hypocenter toward the trench while most of the high-frequency content comes from the downdip part of the fault. Interpretation of multiple rupture stages in the radiation is also supported by the temporal variations of radiated energy and falloff rates. Finally, we discuss the possible mechanisms, either from prestress, fault geometry, and/or frictional properties to explain our observables. Our methodology is an attempt to bridge kinematic observations with earthquake dynamics.

Fabrication of Lightweight Radiation Shielding Composite Materials by Field Assisted Sintering Technique (FAST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha; Trivedi, Sudhir; Chen, Henry; Kutcher, Susan; Zhang, Dajie; Singh, Jogender

2017-01-01

Advances in radiation shielding technologies are needed to protect humans and electronic components from all threats of space radiation over long durations. In this paper, we report on the use of the innovative and novel fabrication technology known as Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST) to fabricate lightweight material with enhanced radiation shielding strength to safeguard humans and electronics suitable for next generation space exploration missions. The base materials we investigated were aluminum (Al), the current standard material for space hardware, and Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), which has high hydrogen content and resistance to nuclear reaction from neutrons, making it a good shielding material for both gamma radiation and particles. UHMWPE also has high resistance to corrosive chemicals, extremely low moisture sensitivity, very low coefficient of friction, and high resistance to abrasion. We reinforced the base materials by adding high density (ie, high atomic weight) metallic material into the composite. These filler materials included: boron carbide (B4C), tungsten (W), tungsten carbide (WC) and gadolinium (Gd).

Low-dose CT in clinical diagnostics.

PubMed

Fuentes-Orrego, Jorge M; Sahani, Dushyant V

2013-09-01

Computed tomography (CT) has become key for patient management due to its outstanding capabilities for detecting disease processes and assessing treatment response, which has led to expansion in CT imaging for diagnostic and image-guided therapeutic interventions. Despite these benefits, the growing use of CT has raised concerns as radiation risks associated with radiation exposure. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with fundamental concepts of dose metrics for assessing radiation exposure and weighting radiation-associated risks. The article also discusses general approaches for reducing radiation dose while preserving diagnostic quality. The authors provide additional insight for undertaking protocol optimization, customizing scanning techniques based on the patients' clinical scenario and demographics. Supplemental strategies are postulated using more advanced post-processing techniques for achieving further dose improvements. The technologic offerings of CT are integral to modern medicine and its role will continue to evolve. Although, the estimated risks from low levels of radiation of a single CT exam are uncertain, it is prudent to minimize the dose from CT by applying common sense solutions and using other simple strategies as well as exploiting technologic innovations. These efforts will enable us to take advantage of all the clinical benefits of CT while minimizing the likelihood of harm to patients.

Generative technique for dynamic infrared image sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qian; Cao, Zhiguo; Zhang, Tianxu

2001-09-01

The generative technique of the dynamic infrared image was discussed in this paper. Because infrared sensor differs from CCD camera in imaging mechanism, it generates the infrared image by incepting the infrared radiation of scene (including target and background). The infrared imaging sensor is affected deeply by the atmospheric radiation, the environmental radiation and the attenuation of atmospheric radiation transfers. Therefore at first in this paper the imaging influence of all kinds of the radiations was analyzed and the calculation formula of radiation was provided, in addition, the passive scene and the active scene were analyzed separately. Then the methods of calculation in the passive scene were provided, and the functions of the scene model, the atmospheric transmission model and the material physical attribute databases were explained. Secondly based on the infrared imaging model, the design idea, the achievable way and the software frame for the simulation software of the infrared image sequence were introduced in SGI workstation. Under the guidance of the idea above, in the third segment of the paper an example of simulative infrared image sequences was presented, which used the sea and sky as background and used the warship as target and used the aircraft as eye point. At last the simulation synthetically was evaluated and the betterment scheme was presented.

TU-F-9A-01: Balancing Image Quality and Dose in Radiography

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

Peck, D; Pasciak, A

2014-06-15

Emphasis is often placed on minimizing radiation dose in diagnostic imaging without a complete consideration of the effect on image quality, especially those that affect diagnostic accuracy. This session will include a patient image-based review of diagnostic quantities important to radiologists in conventional radiography, including the effects of body habitus, age, positioning, and the clinical indication of the exam. The relationships between image quality, radiation dose, and radiation risk will be discussed, specifically addressing how these factors are affected by image protocols and acquisition parameters and techniques. This session will also discuss some of the actual and perceived radiation riskmore » associated with diagnostic imaging. Regardless if the probability for radiation-induced cancer is small, the fear associated with radiation persists. Also when a risk has a benefit to an individual or to society, the risk may be justified with respect to the benefit. But how do you convey the risks and the benefits to people? This requires knowledge of how people perceive risk and how to communicate the risk and the benefit to different populations. In this presentation the sources of errors in estimating risk from radiation and some methods used to convey risks are reviewed. Learning Objectives: Understand the image quality metrics that are clinically relevant to radiologists. Understand how acquisition parameters and techniques affect image quality and radiation dose in conventional radiology. Understand the uncertainties in estimates of radiation risk from imaging exams. Learn some methods for effectively communicating radiation risk to the public.« less

An Update on Modern Approaches to Localized Esophageal Cancer

PubMed Central

Welsh, James; Amini, Arya; Likhacheva, Anna; Erasmus, Jeremy; Gomez, Daniel; Davila, Marta; Mehran, Reza J; Komaki, Ritsuko; Liao, Zhongxing; Hofstetter, Wayne L; Bhutani, Manoop; Ajani, Jaffer A

2014-01-01

Esophageal cancer treatment continues to be a topic of wide debate. Based on improvements in chemotherapy drugs, surgical techniques, and radiotherapy advances, esophageal cancer treatment approaches are becoming more specific to the stage of the tumor and the overall performance status of the patient. While surgery continues to be the standard treatment option for localized disease, the current direction favors multimodality treatment including both radiation and chemotherapy with surgery. In the next few years, we will continue to see improvements in radiation techniques and proton treatment, with more minimally invasive surgical approaches minimizing postoperative side effects, and the discovery of molecular biomarkers to help deliver more specifically targeted medication to treat esophageal cancers. PMID:21365188

Present challenges in hadrontherapy techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amaldi, U.; Braccini, S.

2011-07-01

Hadrontherapy is a high-precision technique in cancer radiation therapy, which allows obtaining a superior conformal treatment with respect to photons used in conventional radiation therapy. To reach this ambitious goal without reducing the patient throughput needed in a hospital-based environment, the physical and radiobiological properties of charged hadrons, protons and carbon ions in particular, have to be exploited at best, making use of the most modern technologies issued from research in nuclear and particle physics. In the present days, we are assisting to a continuous technological challenge, leading to the conception and to the development of innovative methods and instruments. In this paper, the most relevant challenges in dose delivery systems, gantries, imaging, quality assurance and particle accelerators are reviewed.

Neutron and positron techniques for fluid transfer system analysis and remote temperature and stress measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, P. A. E.

1987-05-01

Present and projected applications of penetrating radiation techniques to gas turbine research and development are considered. Approaches discussed include the visualization and measurement of metal component movement using high energy X-rays, the measurement of metal temperatures using epithermal neutrons, the measurement of metal stresses using thermal neutron diffraction, and the visualization and measurement of oil and fuel systems using either cold neutron radiography or emitting isotope tomography. By selecting the radiation appropriate to the problem, the desired data can be probed for and obtained through imaging or signal acquisition, and the necessary information can then be extracted with digital image processing or knowledge based image manipulation and pattern recognition.

First measurement of proton's charge form factor at very low Q 2 with initial state radiation

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

Mihovilovič, M.; Weber, A. B.; Achenbach, P.

Here we report on a new experimental method based on initial-state radiation (ISR) in e–pscattering, which exploits the radiative tail of the elastic peak to study the properties of electromagnetic processes and to extract the proton charge form factor (Gmore » $$p\\atop{E}$$) at extremely small Q 2. The ISR technique was implemented in an experiment at the three-spectrometer facility of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI). This led to a precise validation of radiative corrections far away from elastic line and provided first measurements of G$$p\\atop{E}$$ for 0.001 ≤Q 2≤0.004 (GeV/c) 2.« less

First measurement of proton's charge form factor at very low Q 2 with initial state radiation

DOE PAGES

Mihovilovič, M.; Weber, A. B.; Achenbach, P.; ...

2017-05-15

Here we report on a new experimental method based on initial-state radiation (ISR) in e–pscattering, which exploits the radiative tail of the elastic peak to study the properties of electromagnetic processes and to extract the proton charge form factor (Gmore » $$p\\atop{E}$$) at extremely small Q 2. The ISR technique was implemented in an experiment at the three-spectrometer facility of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI). This led to a precise validation of radiative corrections far away from elastic line and provided first measurements of G$$p\\atop{E}$$ for 0.001 ≤Q 2≤0.004 (GeV/c) 2.« less

Fluctuating volume-current formulation of electromagnetic fluctuations in inhomogeneous media: Incandescence and luminescence in arbitrary geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polimeridis, Athanasios G.; Reid, M. T. H.; Jin, Weiliang; Johnson, Steven G.; White, Jacob K.; Rodriguez, Alejandro W.

2015-10-01

We describe a fluctuating volume-current formulation of electromagnetic fluctuations that extends our recent work on heat exchange and Casimir interactions between arbitrarily shaped homogeneous bodies [A. W. Rodriguez, M. T. H. Reid, and S. G. Johnson, Phys. Rev. B 88, 054305 (2013), 10.1103/PhysRevB.88.054305] to situations involving incandescence and luminescence problems, including thermal radiation, heat transfer, Casimir forces, spontaneous emission, fluorescence, and Raman scattering, in inhomogeneous media. Unlike previous scattering formulations based on field and/or surface unknowns, our work exploits powerful techniques from the volume-integral equation (VIE) method, in which electromagnetic scattering is described in terms of volumetric, current unknowns throughout the bodies. The resulting trace formulas (boxed equations) involve products of well-studied VIE matrices and describe power and momentum transfer between objects with spatially varying material properties and fluctuation characteristics. We demonstrate that thanks to the low-rank properties of the associated matrices, these formulas are susceptible to fast-trace computations based on iterative methods, making practical calculations tractable. We apply our techniques to study thermal radiation, heat transfer, and fluorescence in complicated geometries, checking our method against established techniques best suited for homogeneous bodies as well as applying it to obtain predictions of radiation from complex bodies with spatially varying permittivities and/or temperature profiles.

Region-of-interest image reconstruction with intensity weighting in circular cone-beam CT for image-guided radiation therapy

PubMed Central

Cho, Seungryong; Pearson, Erik; Pelizzari, Charles A.; Pan, Xiaochuan

2009-01-01

Imaging plays a vital role in radiation therapy and with recent advances in technology considerable emphasis has been placed on cone-beam CT (CBCT). Attaching a kV x-ray source and a flat panel detector directly to the linear accelerator gantry has enabled progress in target localization techniques, which can include daily CBCT setup scans for some treatments. However, with an increasing number of CT scans there is also an increasing concern for patient exposure. An intensity-weighted region-of-interest (IWROI) technique, which has the potential to greatly reduce CBCT dose, in conjunction with the chord-based backprojection-filtration (BPF) reconstruction algorithm, has been developed and its feasibility in clinical use is demonstrated in this article. A nonuniform filter is placed in the x-ray beam to create regions of two different beam intensities. In this manner, regions outside the target area can be given a reduced dose but still visualized with a lower contrast to noise ratio. Image artifacts due to transverse data truncation, which would have occurred in conventional reconstruction algorithms, are avoided and image noise levels of the low- and high-intensity regions are well controlled by use of the chord-based BPF reconstruction algorithm. The proposed IWROI technique can play an important role in image-guided radiation therapy. PMID:19472624

Feasibility of a ring FEL at low emittance storage rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agapov, I.

2015-09-01

A scheme for generating coherent radiation at latest generation low emittance storage rings such as PETRA III at DESY (Balewski et al., 2004 [1]) is proposed. The scheme is based on focusing and subsequent defocusing of the electron beam in the longitudinal phase space at the undulator location. The expected performance characteristics are estimated for radiation in the wavelength range of 500-1500 eV. It is shown that the average brightness is increased by several orders of magnitude compared to spontaneous undulator radiation, which can open new perspectives for photon-hungry soft X-ray spectroscopy techniques.

Prediction and measurement of radiation damage to CMOS devices on board spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cliff, R. A.; Danchenko, V.; Stassinopoulos, E. G.; Sing, M.; Brucker, G. J.; Ohanian, R. S.

1976-01-01

The initial results obtained from the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors Radiation Effects Measurement experiment are presented. Predictions of radiation damage to C-MOS devices are based on standard environment models and computational techniques. A comparison of the shifts in CMOS threshold potentials, that is, those measured in space to those obtained from the on the ground simulation experiment with Co 60, indicated that the measured space damage is greater than predicted by a factor of two for shields thicker than 100 mils (2.54 mm), but agrees well with predictions for the thinner shields.

Operator based integration of information in multimodal radiological search mission with applications to anomaly detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedetto, J.; Cloninger, A.; Czaja, W.; Doster, T.; Kochersberger, K.; Manning, B.; McCullough, T.; McLane, M.

2014-05-01

Successful performance of radiological search mission is dependent on effective utilization of mixture of signals. Examples of modalities include, e.g., EO imagery and gamma radiation data, or radiation data collected during multiple events. In addition, elevation data or spatial proximity can be used to enhance the performance of acquisition systems. State of the art techniques in processing and exploitation of complex information manifolds rely on diffusion operators. Our approach involves machine learning techniques based on analysis of joint data- dependent graphs and their associated diffusion kernels. Then, the significant eigenvectors of the derived fused graph Laplace and Schroedinger operators form the new representation, which provides integrated features from the heterogeneous input data. The families of data-dependent Laplace and Schroedinger operators on joint data graphs, shall be integrated by means of appropriately designed fusion metrics. These fused representations are used for target and anomaly detection.

A comprehensive study of radon levels and associated radiation doses in Himalayan groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Mukesh; Kumar, G. Anil; Sahoo, B. K.; Ramola, R. C.

2018-03-01

The concentration of radon in groundwater is mainly governed by the radium content in the rocks of the aquifer. The internal exposure to high levels of radon in water is directly associated with the radiological risk to members of public. In this work, radon concentrations were measured in groundwater of Garhwal Himalaya, India, using scintillation detector-based RnDuo and silicon detector-based RAD7 monitors. An inter-comparison exercise was carried out between RnDuo and RAD7 techniques for a few samples to validate the results. The radiation doses associated with the exposure to radon in water were estimated from measured values of activity concentrations. An attempt has been made to see the effect of geology, geohydrology and different types of sources on radon levels in Himalayan groundwater. The experimental techniques and results obtained are discussed in detail.

Diffraction of three-colour radiation on an acoustic wave

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

Kotov, V M

We study acousto-optic Bragg diffraction of three-colour radiation having wavelengths of 488, 514 and 633 nm on a single acoustic wave propagating in a TeO{sub 2} crystal. A technique is developed that allows one to find diffraction regimes with a proportional change in the intensity of all radiations by varying the acoustic power. According to the technique, radiation with a maximum wavelength has to be in strict Bragg synchronism with the acoustic wave, while other radiations diffract during the synchronism detuning. The results obtained using this technique are experimentally confirmed. (diffraction of light)

Characterization and Fabrication of High k dielectric-High Mobility Channel Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiao

As the conventional scaling of Si-based MOSFETs would bring negligible or even negative merits for IC's beyond the 7-nm CMOS technology node, many perceive the use of high-mobility channels to be one of the most likely principle changes, in order to achieve higher performance and lower power. However, interface and oxide traps have become a major obstacle for high-mobility semiconductors (such as Ge, InGaAs, GaSb, GaN...) to replace Si CMOS technology. In this thesis, the distinct properties of the traps in the high-k dielectric/high-mobility substrate system is discussed, as well as the challenges to characterize and passivate them. By modifying certain conventional gate admittance methods, both the fast and slow traps in Ge MOS gate stacks is investigated. In addition, a novel ac-transconductance method originated at Yale is introduced and demonstrated with several advanced transistors provided by collaborating groups, such as ultra-thin-body & box SO1 MOSFETs (CEA-LETI), InGaAs MOSFETs (IMEC, UT Austin, Purdue), and GaN MOS-HEMT (MIT). By use of the aforementioned characterization techniques, several effective passivation techniques on high mobility substrates (Ge, InGaAs, GaSb, GeSn, etc.) are evaluated, including a novel Ba sub-monolayer passivation of Ge surface. The key factors that need to be considered in passivating high mobility substrates are revealed. The techniques that we have established for characterizing traps in advanced field-effect transistors, as well as the knowledge gained about these traps by the use of these techniques, have been applied to the study of ionizing radiation effects in high-mobility-channel transistors, because it is very important to understand such effects as these devices are likely to be exposed to radiation-harsh environments, such as in outer space, nuclear plants, and during X-ray or UHV lithography. In this thesis, the total ionizing dose (TD) radiation effects of InGaAs-based MOSFETs and GaN-based MOS-HEMT are studied, and the results help to reveal the underlying mechanisms and inspire ideas for minimizing the TID radiation effects.

Feasibility of using the radiation-based sterile insect technique (SIT) to control the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae Gmelin (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Iran.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Mehrdad; Salehi, Bahareh; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; Babaie, Mohammad

2018-05-30

Bactrocera oleae is one of the most hazardous pests threatening olive orchards in Iran. SIT is an environment-friendly system of pest control based on releasing sterile males able to compete with wild males to mate with wild females. To determine sterile doses of radiation, pupae were irradiated to the doses of 0-160 Gy. Doses of 90-100 Gy were found optimal providing the necessary sterilization without severely impairing the competitiveness of the irradiated males in mating. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of varying lidar measurement and data processing techniques in evaluating cirrus cloud and aerosol direct radiative effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lolli, Simone; Madonna, Fabio; Rosoldi, Marco; Campbell, James R.; Welton, Ellsworth J.; Lewis, Jasper R.; Gu, Yu; Pappalardo, Gelsomina

2018-03-01

In the past 2 decades, ground-based lidar networks have drastically increased in scope and relevance, thanks primarily to the advent of lidar observations from space and their need for validation. Lidar observations of aerosol and cloud geometrical, optical and microphysical atmospheric properties are subsequently used to evaluate their direct radiative effects on climate. However, the retrievals are strongly dependent on the lidar instrument measurement technique and subsequent data processing methodologies. In this paper, we evaluate the discrepancies between the use of Raman and elastic lidar measurement techniques and corresponding data processing methods for two aerosol layers in the free troposphere and for two cirrus clouds with different optical depths. Results show that the different lidar techniques are responsible for discrepancies in the model-derived direct radiative effects for biomass burning (0.05 W m-2 at surface and 0.007 W m-2 at top of the atmosphere) and dust aerosol layers (0.7 W m-2 at surface and 0.85 W m-2 at top of the atmosphere). Data processing is further responsible for discrepancies in both thin (0.55 W m-2 at surface and 2.7 W m-2 at top of the atmosphere) and opaque (7.7 W m-2 at surface and 11.8 W m-2 at top of the atmosphere) cirrus clouds. Direct radiative effect discrepancies can be attributed to the larger variability of the lidar ratio for aerosols (20-150 sr) than for clouds (20-35 sr). For this reason, the influence of the applied lidar technique plays a more fundamental role in aerosol monitoring because the lidar ratio must be retrieved with relatively high accuracy. In contrast, for cirrus clouds, with the lidar ratio being much less variable, the data processing is critical because smoothing it modifies the aerosol and cloud vertically resolved extinction profile that is used as input to compute direct radiative effect calculations.

A survey of light-scattering techniques used in the remote monitoring of atmospheric aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deirmendjian, D.

1980-01-01

A critical survey of the literature on the use of light-scattering mechanisms in the remote monitoring of atmospheric aerosols, their geographical and spatial distribution, and temporal variations was undertaken to aid in the choice of future operational systems, both ground based and air or space borne. An evaluation, mainly qualitative and subjective, of various techniques and systems is carried out. No single system is found to be adequate for operational purposes. A combination of earth surface and space-borne systems based mainly on passive techniques involving solar radiation with active (lidar) systems to provide auxiliary or backup information is tentatively recommended.

Neutron-based nonintrusive inspection techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gozani, Tsahi

1997-02-01

Non-intrusive inspection of large objects such as trucks, sea-going shipping containers, air cargo containers and pallets is gaining attention as a vital tool in combating terrorism, drug smuggling and other violation of international and national transportation and Customs laws. Neutrons are the preferred probing radiation when material specificity is required, which is most often the case. Great strides have been made in neutron based inspection techniques. Fast and thermal neutrons, whether in steady state or in microsecond, or even nanosecond pulses are being employed to interrogate, at high speeds, for explosives, drugs, chemical agents, and nuclear and many other smuggled materials. Existing neutron techniques will be compared and their current status reported.

Interferometer-Based Calorimetric Measurements of Absorbed Dose to Water in External Beam Radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-Martinez, Everardo

Calorimetry is often used to establish high-energy photon absorbed dose to water (ADW) primary standards as calorimetry is a direct measurement of the energy imparted to the water by ionizing radiation. Current calorimeters use thermistors to establish national standards but there is the possibility of systematic errors in these instruments because thermistors overheat due to their low heat capacity. For this reason, there has been renewed interest in using alternative temperature measurement techniques, especially those that do not require a mechanical probe. Interferometer-based thermometry is a technique that exploits the temperature dependence of the refractive index of water and can be used as an alternative method for temperature measurement in radiation calorimetry. A distinctive advantage of the use of interferometry for radiation calorimetry is the capability of obtaining 2D or 3D temperature/dose distributions. Compared to thermistor-based measurements, the use of interferometer-based ADW measurements has been limited by the low measurement resolution. Optimized setups with higher accuracy and precision are necessary to perform measurements at clinically relevant dose rates. A calorimeter for thermistor-based ADW measurements was developed. The instrument was used to measure thermal drifts and noise were measured using the instrument in a water phantom. Residual thermal drifts were accounted for by using a three-step measurement protocol. Additionally, the instrument was used to measure ADW from a 6MV photon beam from a medical linear accelerator. A Michelson-type interferometer was built, characterized, and placed inside the calorimeter with the water phantom at the reference arm. Interferometer and phantom temperature fluctuations were minimized by means of the passive thermal control provide by the calorimeter enclosure, leading to increased fringe pattern stability. The interferometer characterization included phase shift measurements induced by displacing a piezoelectric transducer. Measurements were compared with calculations to estimate the accuracy of the technique. The interferometer-based system was used to measure ADW in a water-filled glass phantom, irradiated with a 6MV photon beam. The estimated Type-A, (k = 1) uncertainty in the associated doses was about 0.3Gy, which is an order of magnitude lower than previously published interferometer-based ADW measurements. Additionally a comparative analysis was performed with the thermistor-based measurements, results for both techniques agreed within the uncertainty. This work presents the first absolute ADW measurements performed using interferometry in the dose range of linac-based radiotherapy and represents a significant step towards standards-level measurements using this technique.

Integrated skin flash planning technique for intensity-modulated radiation therapy for vulvar cancer prevents marginal misses and improves superficial dose coverage.

PubMed

Dyer, Brandon A; Jenshus, Abriel; Mayadev, Jyoti S

2018-02-28

Radiation therapy (RT) plays a definitive role in locally advanced vulvar cancer, and in the adjuvant setting with high risk postoperative features after wide local excision. There is significant morbidity associated with traditional, large RT fields using 2D or 3D techniques, and the use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in vulvar cancer is increasing. However, there remains a paucity of technical information regarding the prevention of a marginal miss during the treatment planning process. The use of an integrated skin flash (ISF) during RT planning can be used to account for anatomic variation, and intra- and interfraction motion seen during treatment. Herein we present the case of a patient with a T1aN0M0, Stage IA vulva cancer to illustrate the progressive vulvar swelling and lymph edema seen during treatment and retrospectively evaluate the dosimetric effects of using an ISF RT plan vs standard RT planning techniques. Standard planning techniques to treat vulvar cancer patients with IMRT do not sufficiently account for the change in patient anatomy and can lead to a marginal miss. ISF is an RT planning technique that can decrease the risk of a marginal miss and the technique is easily implemented during the planning stages of RT treatment. Furthermore, use of an ISF technique can improve vulvar clinical target volume coverage and plan homogeneity. Based on our experience, and this study, a 2-cm ISF is suggested to account for variations in daily clinical setup and changes in patient anatomy during treatment. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A method for ultra-short pulse-shape measurements using far infrared coherent radiation from an undulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geloni, G.; Saldin, E. L.; Schneidmiller, E. A.; Yurkov, M. V.

2004-08-01

In this paper, we discuss a method for non-destructive measurements of the longitudinal profile of sub-picosecond electron bunches for X-ray free electron lasers. The method is based on the detection of the coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) produced by a bunch passing through an undulator. Coherent radiation energy within a central cone turns out to be proportional, per pulse, to the square modulus of the bunch form-factor at the resonant frequency of the fundamental harmonic. An attractive feature of the proposed technique is the absence of any apparent limitation which would distort measurements. Indeed, the radiation process takes place in vacuum and is described by analytical formulae. CSR propagates to the detector placed in vacuum. Since CSR energy is in the range up to a fraction of mJ, a simple bolometer is used to measure the energy with a high accuracy. The proposed technique is very sensitive and it is capable of probing the electron bunches with a resolution down to a few microns.

Numerical evaluation of the radiation from unbaffled, finite plates using the FFT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, E. G.

1983-01-01

An iteration technique is described which numerically evaluates the acoustic pressure and velocity on and near unbaffled, finite, thin plates vibrating in air. The technique is based on Rayleigh's integral formula and its inverse. These formulas are written in their angular spectrum form so that the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm may be used to evaluate them. As an example of the technique the pressure on the surface of a vibrating, unbaffled disk is computed and shown to be in excellent agreement with the exact solution using oblate spheroidal functions. Furthermore, the computed velocity field outside the disk shows the well-known singularity at the rim of the disk. The radiated fields from unbaffled flat sources of any geometry with prescribed surface velocity may be evaluated using this technique. The use of the FFT to perform the integrations in Rayleigh's formulas provides a great savings in computation time compared with standard integration algorithms, especially when an array processor can be used to implement the FFT.

SU-E-I-97: Smart Auto-Planning Framework in An EMR Environment (SAFEE)

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

Zhang, B; Chen, S; Mutaf, Y

2014-06-01

Purpose: Our Radiation Oncology Department uses clinical practice guidelines for patient treatment, including normal tissue sparing and other dosimetric constraints. These practice guidelines were adapted from national guidelines, clinical trials, literature reviews, and practitioner's own experience. Modern treatment planning systems (TPS) have the capability of incorporating these practice guidelines to automatically create radiation therapy treatment plans with little human intervention. We are developing a software infrastructure to integrate clinical practice guidelines and radiation oncology electronic medical record (EMR) system into radiation therapy treatment planning system (TPS) for auto planning. Methods: Our Smart Auto-Planning Framework in an EMR environment (SAFEE) usesmore » a software pipeline framework to integrate practice guidelines,EMR, and TPS together. The SAFEE system starts with retrieving diagnosis information and physician's prescription from the EMR system. After approval of contouring, SAFEE will automatically create plans according to our guidelines. Based on clinical objectives, SAFEE will automatically select treatment delivery techniques (such as, 3DRT/IMRT/VMAT) and optimize plans. When necessary, SAFEE will create multiple treatment plans with different combinations of parameters. SAFEE's pipeline structure makes it very flexible to integrate various techniques, such as, Model-Base Segmentation (MBS) and plan optimization algorithms, e.g., Multi-Criteria Optimization (MCO). In addition, SAFEE uses machine learning, data mining techniques, and an integrated database to create clinical knowledgebase and then answer clinical questions, such as, how to score plan quality or how volume overlap affects physicians' decision in beam and treatment technique selection. Results: In our institution, we use Varian Aria EMR system and RayStation TPS from RaySearch, whose ScriptService API allows control by external programs. These applications are the building blocks of our SAFEE system. Conclusion: SAFEE is a feasible method of integrating clinical information to develop an auto-planning paradigm to improve clinical workflow in cancer patient care.« less

Plant-based Food and Feed Protein Structure Changes Induced by Gene-transformation heating and bio-ethanol processing: A Synchrotron-based Molecular Structure and Nutrition Research Program

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

P Yu

Unlike traditional 'wet' analytical methods which during processing for analysis often result in destruction or alteration of the intrinsic protein structures, advanced synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy has been developed as a rapid and nondestructive and bioanalytical technique. This cutting-edge synchrotron-based bioanalytical technology, taking advantages of synchrotron light brightness (million times brighter than sun), is capable of exploring the molecular chemistry or structure of a biological tissue without destruction inherent structures at ultra-spatial resolutions. In this article, a novel approach is introduced to show the potential of the advanced synchrotron-based analytical technology, which can be used to study plant-basedmore » food or feed protein molecular structure in relation to nutrient utilization and availability. Recent progress was reported on using synchrotron-based bioanalytical technique synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy and diffused reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy to detect the effects of gene-transformation (Application 1), autoclaving (Application 2), and bio-ethanol processing (Application 3) on plant-based food and feed protein structure changes on a molecular basis. The synchrotron-based technology provides a new approach for plant-based protein structure research at ultra-spatial resolutions at cellular and molecular levels.« less

Fully automatic bone age estimation from left hand MR images.

PubMed

Stern, Darko; Ebner, Thomas; Bischof, Horst; Grassegger, Sabine; Ehammer, Thomas; Urschler, Martin

2014-01-01

There has recently been an increased demand in bone age estimation (BAE) of living individuals and human remains in legal medicine applications. A severe drawback of established BAE techniques based on X-ray images is radiation exposure, since many countries prohibit scanning involving ionizing radiation without diagnostic reasons. We propose a completely automated method for BAE based on volumetric hand MRI images. On our database of 56 male caucasian subjects between 13 and 19 years, we are able to estimate the subjects age with a mean difference of 0.85 ± 0.58 years compared to the chronological age, which is in line with radiologist results using established radiographic methods. We see this work as a promising first step towards a novel MRI based bone age estimation system, with the key benefits of lacking exposure to ionizing radiation and higher accuracy due to exploitation of volumetric data.

Heart-sparing radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer: What are the techniques used in the clinical routine?: A pattern of practice survey in the German-speaking countries.

PubMed

Duma, Marciana-Nona; Münch, Stefan; Oechsner, Markus; Combs, Stephanie E

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to understand the practice of care in German-speaking countries with regard to heart-sparing radiotherapy techniques. Between August 2015 and September 2015, an e-mail/fax-based survey was sent to radiation oncology departments in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking Switzerland. The questionnaire was divided into 3 chapters: a general chapter on the department, a chapter specific for heart-sparing techniques in patients with breast cancer, and a third chapter on personal beliefs on the topic of heart sparing in patients with breast cancer. A total of 82 radiation oncology departments answered the questionnaire: 16 university clinics and 66 other departments. In general, heart-sparing techniques are being offered by 90.2% of departments for radiation oncology in the German-speaking countries. However, in the clinical routine, 87.7% of institutions use heart-sparing techniques in less than 50% of patients with breast cancer. Heart-sparing techniques are especially provided for patients with left-sided breast cancer (80%), patients after mastectomy (52.5%), and when the mammaria interna lymph drainage vessels are irradiated (41.3%). In 46.3% of departments, there are written internal guidelines for heart sparing in patients with breast cancer. Breathing-adapted radiotherapy is used as the most frequent heart-sparing technique in 64.7% of the institutions, followed by intensity-modulated radiation therapy, which is most frequently used by 22.1%. The only significant difference between university hospitals and other departments was seen for the offering of partial breast irradiation. The most commonly used heart-sparing technique is breathing-adapted radiotherapy, but there is no coherent approach for heart sparing in patients with breast cancer in the German-speaking countries. Overall, all options for cardiac protection/cardiac avoidance have their advantages and disadvantages, with deep inspiration breath-hold radiotherapyhaving the most clear data, which should be the preferred choice when using heart-sparing techniques. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CAD-based stand-alone spacecraft radiation exposure analysis system: An application of the early man-tended Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, M. H.; Golightly, M. J.; Hardy, A. C.

1993-01-01

Major improvements have been completed in the approach to analyses and simulation of spacecraft radiation shielding and exposure. A computer-aided design (CAD)-based system has been developed for determining the amount of shielding provided by a spacecraft and simulating transmission of an incident radiation environment to any point within or external to the vehicle. Shielding analysis is performed using a customized ray-tracing subroutine contained within a standard engineering modeling software package. This improved shielding analysis technique has been used in several vehicle design programs such as a Mars transfer habitat, pressurized lunar rover, and the redesigned international Space Station. Results of analysis performed for the Space Station astronaut exposure assessment are provided to demonastrate the applicability and versatility of the system.

A technique for measuring oxygen saturation in biological tissues based on diffuse optical spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleshnin, Mikhail; Orlova, Anna; Kirillin, Mikhail; Golubiatnikov, German; Turchin, Ilya

2017-07-01

A new approach to optical measuring blood oxygen saturation was developed and implemented. This technique is based on an original three-stage algorithm for reconstructing the relative concentration of biological chromophores (hemoglobin, water, lipids) from the measured spectra of diffusely scattered light at different distances from the probing radiation source. The numerical experiments and approbation of the proposed technique on a biological phantom have shown the high reconstruction accuracy and the possibility of correct calculation of hemoglobin oxygenation in the presence of additive noise and calibration errors. The obtained results of animal studies have agreed with the previously published results of other research groups and demonstrated the possibility to apply the developed technique to monitor oxygen saturation in tumor tissue.

A technique for measuring vertically and horizontally polarized microwave brightness temperatures using electronic polarization-basis rotation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gasiewski, Albin J.

1992-01-01

This technique for electronically rotating the polarization basis of an orthogonal-linear polarization radiometer is based on the measurement of the first three feedhorn Stokes parameters, along with the subsequent transformation of this measured Stokes vector into a rotated coordinate frame. The technique requires an accurate measurement of the cross-correlation between the two orthogonal feedhorn modes, for which an innovative polarized calibration load was developed. The experimental portion of this investigation consisted of a proof of concept demonstration of the technique of electronic polarization basis rotation (EPBR) using a ground based 90-GHz dual orthogonal-linear polarization radiometer. Practical calibration algorithms for ground-, aircraft-, and space-based instruments were identified and tested. The theoretical effort consisted of radiative transfer modeling using the planar-stratified numerical model described in Gasiewski and Staelin (1990).

Assessment of normal tissue complications following prostate cancer irradiation: Comparison of radiation treatment modalities using NTCP models

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

Takam, Rungdham; Bezak, Eva; Yeoh, Eric E.

2010-09-15

Purpose: Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) of the rectum, bladder, urethra, and femoral heads following several techniques for radiation treatment of prostate cancer were evaluated applying the relative seriality and Lyman models. Methods: Model parameters from literature were used in this evaluation. The treatment techniques included external (standard fractionated, hypofractionated, and dose-escalated) three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy (I-125 seeds), and high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy (Ir-192 source). Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) of the rectum, bladder, and urethra retrieved from corresponding treatment planning systems were converted to biological effective dose-based and equivalent dose-based DVHs, respectively, in order to account for differences inmore » radiation treatment modality and fractionation schedule. Results: Results indicated that with hypofractionated 3D-CRT (20 fractions of 2.75 Gy/fraction delivered five times/week to total dose of 55 Gy), NTCP of the rectum, bladder, and urethra were less than those for standard fractionated 3D-CRT using a four-field technique (32 fractions of 2 Gy/fraction delivered five times/week to total dose of 64 Gy) and dose-escalated 3D-CRT. Rectal and bladder NTCPs (5.2% and 6.6%, respectively) following the dose-escalated four-field 3D-CRT (2 Gy/fraction to total dose of 74 Gy) were the highest among analyzed treatment techniques. The average NTCP for the rectum and urethra were 0.6% and 24.7% for LDR-BT and 0.5% and 11.2% for HDR-BT. Conclusions: Although brachytherapy techniques resulted in delivering larger equivalent doses to normal tissues, the corresponding NTCPs were lower than those of external beam techniques other than the urethra because of much smaller volumes irradiated to higher doses. Among analyzed normal tissues, the femoral heads were found to have the lowest probability of complications as most of their volume was irradiated to lower equivalent doses compared to other tissues.« less

Reinforcing the role of the conventional C-arm - a novel method for simplified distal interlocking

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The common practice for insertion of distal locking screws of intramedullary nails is a freehand technique under fluoroscopic control. The process is technically demanding, time-consuming and afflicted to considerable radiation exposure of the patient and the surgical personnel. A new concept is introduced utilizing information from within conventional radiographic images to help accurately guide the surgeon to place the interlocking bolt into the interlocking hole. The newly developed technique was compared to conventional freehand in an operating room (OR) like setting on human cadaveric lower legs in terms of operating time and radiation exposure. Methods The proposed concept (guided freehand), generally based on the freehand gold standard, additionally guides the surgeon by means of visible landmarks projected into the C-arm image. A computer program plans the correct drilling trajectory by processing the lens-shaped hole projections of the interlocking holes from a single image. Holes can be drilled by visually aligning the drill to the planned trajectory. Besides a conventional C-arm, no additional tracking or navigation equipment is required. Ten fresh frozen human below-knee specimens were instrumented with an Expert Tibial Nail (Synthes GmbH, Switzerland). The implants were distally locked by performing the newly proposed technique as well as the conventional freehand technique on each specimen. An orthopedic resident surgeon inserted four distal screws per procedure. Operating time, number of images and radiation time were recorded and statistically compared between interlocking techniques using non-parametric tests. Results A 58% reduction in number of taken images per screw was found for the guided freehand technique (7.4 ± 3.4) (mean ± SD) compared to the freehand technique (17.6 ± 10.3) (p < 0.001). Total radiation time (all 4 screws) was 55% lower for the guided freehand technique compared to conventional freehand (p = 0.001). Operating time per screw (from first shot to screw tightened) was on average 22% reduced by guided freehand (p = 0.018). Conclusions In an experimental setting, the newly developed guided freehand technique for distal interlocking has proven to markedly reduce radiation exposure when compared to the conventional freehand technique. The method utilizes established clinical workflows and does not require cost intensive add-on devices or extensive training. The underlying principle carries potential to assist implant positioning in numerous other applications within orthopedics and trauma from screw insertions to placement of plates, nails or prostheses. PMID:22276698

The report of Task Group 100 of the AAPM: Application of risk analysis methods to radiation therapy quality management

PubMed Central

Huq, M. Saiful; Fraass, Benedick A.; Dunscombe, Peter B.; Gibbons, John P.; Mundt, Arno J.; Mutic, Sasa; Palta, Jatinder R.; Rath, Frank; Thomadsen, Bruce R.; Williamson, Jeffrey F.; Yorke, Ellen D.

2016-01-01

The increasing complexity of modern radiation therapy planning and delivery challenges traditional prescriptive quality management (QM) methods, such as many of those included in guidelines published by organizations such as the AAPM, ASTRO, ACR, ESTRO, and IAEA. These prescriptive guidelines have traditionally focused on monitoring all aspects of the functional performance of radiotherapy (RT) equipment by comparing parameters against tolerances set at strict but achievable values. Many errors that occur in radiation oncology are not due to failures in devices and software; rather they are failures in workflow and process. A systematic understanding of the likelihood and clinical impact of possible failures throughout a course of radiotherapy is needed to direct limit QM resources efficiently to produce maximum safety and quality of patient care. Task Group 100 of the AAPM has taken a broad view of these issues and has developed a framework for designing QM activities, based on estimates of the probability of identified failures and their clinical outcome through the RT planning and delivery process. The Task Group has chosen a specific radiotherapy process required for “intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)” as a case study. The goal of this work is to apply modern risk-based analysis techniques to this complex RT process in order to demonstrate to the RT community that such techniques may help identify more effective and efficient ways to enhance the safety and quality of our treatment processes. The task group generated by consensus an example quality management program strategy for the IMRT process performed at the institution of one of the authors. This report describes the methodology and nomenclature developed, presents the process maps, FMEAs, fault trees, and QM programs developed, and makes suggestions on how this information could be used in the clinic. The development and implementation of risk-assessment techniques will make radiation therapy safer and more efficient. PMID:27370140

The report of Task Group 100 of the AAPM: Application of risk analysis methods to radiation therapy quality management

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

Huq, M. Saiful, E-mail: HUQS@UPMC.EDU

The increasing complexity of modern radiation therapy planning and delivery challenges traditional prescriptive quality management (QM) methods, such as many of those included in guidelines published by organizations such as the AAPM, ASTRO, ACR, ESTRO, and IAEA. These prescriptive guidelines have traditionally focused on monitoring all aspects of the functional performance of radiotherapy (RT) equipment by comparing parameters against tolerances set at strict but achievable values. Many errors that occur in radiation oncology are not due to failures in devices and software; rather they are failures in workflow and process. A systematic understanding of the likelihood and clinical impact ofmore » possible failures throughout a course of radiotherapy is needed to direct limit QM resources efficiently to produce maximum safety and quality of patient care. Task Group 100 of the AAPM has taken a broad view of these issues and has developed a framework for designing QM activities, based on estimates of the probability of identified failures and their clinical outcome through the RT planning and delivery process. The Task Group has chosen a specific radiotherapy process required for “intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)” as a case study. The goal of this work is to apply modern risk-based analysis techniques to this complex RT process in order to demonstrate to the RT community that such techniques may help identify more effective and efficient ways to enhance the safety and quality of our treatment processes. The task group generated by consensus an example quality management program strategy for the IMRT process performed at the institution of one of the authors. This report describes the methodology and nomenclature developed, presents the process maps, FMEAs, fault trees, and QM programs developed, and makes suggestions on how this information could be used in the clinic. The development and implementation of risk-assessment techniques will make radiation therapy safer and more efficient.« less

The report of Task Group 100 of the AAPM: Application of risk analysis methods to radiation therapy quality management.

PubMed

Huq, M Saiful; Fraass, Benedick A; Dunscombe, Peter B; Gibbons, John P; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Mundt, Arno J; Mutic, Sasa; Palta, Jatinder R; Rath, Frank; Thomadsen, Bruce R; Williamson, Jeffrey F; Yorke, Ellen D

2016-07-01

The increasing complexity of modern radiation therapy planning and delivery challenges traditional prescriptive quality management (QM) methods, such as many of those included in guidelines published by organizations such as the AAPM, ASTRO, ACR, ESTRO, and IAEA. These prescriptive guidelines have traditionally focused on monitoring all aspects of the functional performance of radiotherapy (RT) equipment by comparing parameters against tolerances set at strict but achievable values. Many errors that occur in radiation oncology are not due to failures in devices and software; rather they are failures in workflow and process. A systematic understanding of the likelihood and clinical impact of possible failures throughout a course of radiotherapy is needed to direct limit QM resources efficiently to produce maximum safety and quality of patient care. Task Group 100 of the AAPM has taken a broad view of these issues and has developed a framework for designing QM activities, based on estimates of the probability of identified failures and their clinical outcome through the RT planning and delivery process. The Task Group has chosen a specific radiotherapy process required for "intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)" as a case study. The goal of this work is to apply modern risk-based analysis techniques to this complex RT process in order to demonstrate to the RT community that such techniques may help identify more effective and efficient ways to enhance the safety and quality of our treatment processes. The task group generated by consensus an example quality management program strategy for the IMRT process performed at the institution of one of the authors. This report describes the methodology and nomenclature developed, presents the process maps, FMEAs, fault trees, and QM programs developed, and makes suggestions on how this information could be used in the clinic. The development and implementation of risk-assessment techniques will make radiation therapy safer and more efficient.

Space Station UCS antenna pattern computation and measurement. [UHF Communication Subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwu, Shian U.; Lu, Ba P.; Johnson, Larry A.; Fournet, Jon S.; Panneton, Robert J.; Ngo, John D.; Eggers, Donald S.; Arndt, G. D.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the interference to the Space Station Ultrahigh Frequency (UHF) Communication Subsystem (UCS) antenna radiation pattern due to its environment - Space Station. A hybrid Computational Electromagnetics (CEM) technique was applied in this study. The antenna was modeled using the Method of Moments (MOM) and the radiation patterns were computed using the Uniform Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD) in which the effects of the reflected and diffracted fields from surfaces, edges, and vertices of the Space Station structures were included. In order to validate the CEM techniques, and to provide confidence in the computer-generated results, a comparison with experimental measurements was made for a 1/15 scale Space Station mockup. Based on the results accomplished, good agreement on experimental and computed results was obtained. The computed results using the CEM techniques for the Space Station UCS antenna pattern predictions have been validated.

Automated X-Ray Diffraction of Irradiated Materials

DOE PAGES

Rodman, John; Lin, Yuewei; Sprouster, David; ...

2017-10-26

Synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction (XRD) and small-angle Xray scattering (SAXS) characterization techniques used on unirradiated and irradiated reactor pressure vessel steels yield large amounts of data. Machine learning techniques, including PCA, offer a novel method of analyzing and visualizing these large data sets in order to determine the effects of chemistry and irradiation conditions on the formation of radiation induced precipitates. In order to run analysis on these data sets, preprocessing must be carried out to convert the data to a usable format and mask the 2-D detector images to account for experimental variations. Once the data has been preprocessed, itmore » can be organized and visualized using principal component analysis (PCA), multi-dimensional scaling, and k-means clustering. In conclusion, from these techniques, it is shown that sample chemistry has a notable effect on the formation of the radiation induced precipitates in reactor pressure vessel steels.« less

Non-Darcy flow of water-based carbon nanotubes with nonlinear radiation and heat generation/absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, T.; Ullah, Siraj; Khan, M. Ijaz; Alsaedi, A.; Zaigham Zia, Q. M.

2018-03-01

Here modeling and computations are presented to introduce the novel concept of Darcy-Forchheimer three-dimensional flow of water-based carbon nanotubes with nonlinear thermal radiation and heat generation/absorption. Bidirectional stretching surface induces the flow. Darcy's law is commonly replace by Forchheimer relation. Xue model is implemented for nonliquid transport mechanism. Nonlinear formulation based upon conservation laws of mass, momentum and energy is first modeled and then solved by optimal homotopy analysis technique. Optimal estimations of auxiliary variables are obtained. Importance of influential variables on the velocity and thermal fields is interpreted graphically. Moreover velocity and temperature gradients are discussed and analyzed. Physical interpretation of influential variables is examined.

Application of the sequential quadratic programming algorithm for reconstructing the distribution of optical parameters based on the time-domain radiative transfer equation.

PubMed

Qi, Hong; Qiao, Yao-Bin; Ren, Ya-Tao; Shi, Jing-Wen; Zhang, Ze-Yu; Ruan, Li-Ming

2016-10-17

Sequential quadratic programming (SQP) is used as an optimization algorithm to reconstruct the optical parameters based on the time-domain radiative transfer equation (TD-RTE). Numerous time-resolved measurement signals are obtained using the TD-RTE as forward model. For a high computational efficiency, the gradient of objective function is calculated using an adjoint equation technique. SQP algorithm is employed to solve the inverse problem and the regularization term based on the generalized Gaussian Markov random field (GGMRF) model is used to overcome the ill-posed problem. Simulated results show that the proposed reconstruction scheme performs efficiently and accurately.

First Estimates of the Radiative Forcing of Aerosols Generated from Biomass Burning using Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chistopher, Sundar A.; Kliche, Donna V.; Chou, Joyce; Welch, Ronald M.

1996-01-01

Collocated measurements from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner are used to examine the radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols generated from biomass burning for 13 images in South America. Using the AVHRR, Local Area Coverage (LAC) data, a new technique based on a combination of spectral and textural measures is developed for detecting these aerosols. Then, the instantaneous shortwave, longwave, and net radiative forcing values are computed from the ERBE instantaneous scanner data. Results for the selected samples from 13 images show that the mean instantaneous net radiative forcing for areas with heavy aerosol loading is about -36 W/sq m and that for the optically thin aerosols are about -16 W/sq m. These results, although preliminary, provide the first estimates of radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols from biomass burning using satellite data.

First Estimates of the Radiative Forcing of Aerosols Generated from Biomass Burning Using Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christopher, Sundar A.; Kliche, Donna A.; Chou, Joyce; Welch, Ronald M.

1996-01-01

Collocated measurements from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner are used to examine the radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols generated from biomass burning for 13 images in South America. Using the AVHRR, Local Area Coverage (LAC) data, a new technique based on a combination of spectral and textural measures is developed for detecting these aerosols. Then, the instantaneous shortwave, longwave, and net radiative forcing values are computed from the ERBE instantaneous scanner data. Results for the selected samples from 13 images show that the mean instantaneous net radiative forcing for areas with heavy aerosol loading is about -36 W/sq m and that for the optically thin aerosols are about -16 W/sq m. These results, although preliminary, provide the first estimates of radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols from biomass burning using satellite data.

Soot and Radiation Measurements in Microgravity Jet Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jerry C.

1996-01-01

The subject of soot formation and radiation heat transfer in microgravity jet diffusion flames is important not only for the understanding of fundamental transport processes involved but also for providing findings relevant to spacecraft fire safety and soot emissions and radiant heat loads of combustors used in air-breathing propulsion systems. Our objectives are to measure and model soot volume fraction, temperature, and radiative heat fluxes in microgravity jet diffusion flames. For this four-year project, we have successfully completed three tasks, which have resulted in new research methodologies and original results. First is the implementation of a thermophoretic soot sampling technique for measuring particle size and aggregate morphology in drop-tower and other reduced gravity experiments. In those laminar flames studied, we found that microgravity soot aggregates typically consist of more primary particles and primary particles are larger in size than those under normal gravity. Comparisons based on data obtained from limited samples show that the soot aggregate's fractal dimension varies within +/- 20% of its typical value of 1.75, with no clear trends between normal and reduced gravity conditions. Second is the development and implementation of a new imaging absorption technique. By properly expanding and spatially-filtering the laser beam to image the flame absorption on a CCD camera and applying numerical smoothing procedures, this technique is capable of measuring instantaneous full-field soot volume fractions. Results from this technique have shown the significant differences in local soot volume fraction, smoking point, and flame shape between normal and reduced gravity flames. We observed that some laminar flames become open-tipped and smoking under microgravity. The third task we completed is the development of a computer program which integrates and couples flame structure, soot formation, and flame radiation analyses together. We found good agreements between model predictions and experimental data for laminar and turbulent flames under both normal and reduced gravity. We have also tested in the laboratory the techniques of rapid-insertion fine-wire thermocouples and emission pyrometry for temperature measurements. These techniques as well as laser Doppler velocimetry and spectral radiative intensity measurement have been proposed to provide valuable data and improve the modeling analyses.

The Radiative Heat Transfer Properties of Molten Salts and Their Relevance to the Design of Advanced Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaleff, Ethan Solomon

Molten salts, such as the fluoride salt eutectic LiF-NaF-KF (FLiNaK) or the transition metal fluoride salt KF-ZrF4, have been proposed as coolants for numerous advanced reactor concepts. These reactors are designed to operate at high temperatures where radiative heat transfer may play a significant role. If this is the case, the radiative heat transfer properties of the salt coolants are required to be known for heat transfer calculations to be performed accurately. Chapter 1 describes the existing literature and experimental efforts pertaining to radiative heat transfer in molten salts. The physics governing photon absorption by halide salts is discussed first, followed by a more specific description of experimental results pertaining to salts of interest. The phonon absorption edge in LiF-based salts such as FLiNaK is estimated and the technique described for potential use in other salts. A description is given of various spectral measurement techniques which might plausibly be employed in the present effort, as well as an argument for the use of integral techniques. Chapter 2 discusses the mathematical treatments required to approximate and solve for the radiative flux in participating materials. The differential approximation and the exact solutions to the radiative flux are examined, and methods are given to solve radiative and energy equations simultaneously. A coupled solution is used to examine radiative heat transfer to molten salt coolants. A map is generated of pipe diameters, wall temperatures, and average absorption coefficients where radiative heat transfer will increase expected heat transfer by more than 10% compared to convective methods alone. Chapter 3 presents the design and analysis of the Integral Radiative Absorption Chamber (IRAC). The IRAC employs an integral technique for the measurement of the entire electromagnetic spectrum, negating some of the challenges associated with the methods discussed in Chapter 1 at the loss of spectral information. The IRAC design is validated by modeling the experiment in Fluent which shows that the IRAC should be capable of measuring absorption coefficients within 10%. Chapter 4 contains a parallel effort to experimental techniques, whereby information on absorption in salts is pursued using the Density Functional Theory code VASP. Photon-electron interactions are studied in pure salts such as LiF and are shown to be broadly transparent. Transition metal Fluoride salts such as KF-ZrF4 are shown to be broadly opaque. The addition of small amounts of transition metal impurities is studied by insertion of Chromium into the salt mixtures, which causes otherwise transparent salts to exhibit absorption coefficients significant to heat transfer. The spectral absorption coefficient for FLiNaK with Chromium is presented as is the average absorption coefficient as a function of impurity concentration. Chapter 5 discusses experimental efforts undertaken at The Ohio State University. Challenges with the constructed experimental apparatus are discussed and suggestions for future improvement on the technique are included. Finally, Chapter 6 contains broad conclusions pertaining to radiative transfer in advanced reactors.

Review of neutron-based technologies for the inspection of cargo containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Siraj M.

1994-10-01

Three techniques (API, PFNA and PFTNA) are described and compared in this brief review of neutron based technologies for the detection of contraband in cargo containers. It appears that the role that these techniques can play in the detection of contraband in Customs, airline security and physical security applications remains to be demonstrated. However, their utilization in the fields of non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament, radwaste remediation and pollution control seems more straight forward since the issues of thruput and radiation safety are not so critical.

Some Radiation Techniques Used in the GU-3 Gamma Irradiator

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

Dodbiba, Andon; Ylli, Ariana; Stamo, Iliriana

2007-04-23

Different radiation techniques, measurement of dose and its distibution throughout the irradiated materials are the main problems treated in this paper. The oscillometry method combined with the ionization chamber, as an absolute dosimeter, is used for calibration of routine ECB dosimeters. The dose uniformity, for the used radiation techniques in our GU-3 Gamma Irradiator with Cs-137, is from 93% up to 99%.

Applications in Bioastronautics and Bioinformatics: Early Radiation Cataracts Detected by Noninvasive, Quantitative, and Remote Means

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansari, Rafat R.; King, James F.; Giblin, Frank J.

2000-01-01

Human exploration of Mars is a key goal in NASA's exploration planning in the next 20 years. Maintaining crew health and good vision is certainly an important aspect of achieving a successful mission. Continuous radiation exposure is a risk factor for radiation-induced cataracts in astronauts because radiation exposure in space travel has the potential of accelerating the aging process (ref. 1). A patented compact device (ref. 2) based on the technique of dynamic light scattering (DLS) was designed for monitoring an astronaut's ocular health during long-duration space travel. This capability of early diagnosis, unmatched by any other clinical technique in use today, may enable prompt initiation of preventive/curative therapy. An Internet web-based system integrating photon correlation data and controlling the hardware to monitor cataract development in vivo at a remote site in real time (teleophthalmology) is currently being developed. The new technology detects cataracts very early (at the molecular level). Cataract studies onboard the International Space Station will be helpful in quantifying any adverse effect of radiation to ocular health. The normal lens in a human eye, situated behind the cornea, is a transparent tissue. It contains 35 wt % protein and 65 wt % water. Aging, disease (e.g., diabetes), smoking, dehydration, malnutrition, and exposure to ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation can cause agglomeration of the lens proteins. Protein aggregation can take place anywhere in the lens, causing lens opacity. The aggregation and opacification could produce nuclear (central portion of the lens) or cortical (peripheral) cataracts. Nuclear and posterior subcapsular (the membrane's capsule surrounds the whole lens) cataracts, being on the visual optical axis of the eye, cause visual impairment that can finally lead to blindness. The lens proteins, in their native state, are small in size. As a cataract develops, this size grows from a few nanometers (transparent) to several micrometers (cloudy). Ansari and Datiles have shown that DLS can detect cataracts at least two to three orders of magnitude earlier noninvasively and quantitatively than the best imaging (Scheimpflug) techniques in clinical use today (ref. 3).

Investigation of direct solar-to-microwave energy conversion techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatterton, N. E.; Mookherji, T. K.; Wunsch, P. K.

1978-01-01

Identification of alternative methods of producing microwave energy from solar radiation for purposes of directing power to the Earth from space is investigated. Specifically, methods of conversion of optical radiation into microwave radiation by the most direct means are investigated. Approaches based on demonstrated device functioning and basic phenomenologies are developed. There is no system concept developed, that is competitive with current baseline concepts. The most direct methods of conversion appear to require an initial step of production of coherent laser radiation. Other methods generally require production of electron streams for use in solid-state or cavity-oscillator systems. Further development is suggested to be worthwhile for suggested devices and on concepts utilizing a free-electron stream for the intraspace station power transport mechanism.

Performance and heat transfer characteristics of the laser-heated rocket - A future space transportation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shoji, J. M.; Larson, V. R.

1976-01-01

The application of advanced liquid-bipropellant rocket engine analysis techniques has been utilized for prediction of the potential delivered performance and the design of thruster wall cooling schemes for laser-heated rocket thrusters. Delivered specific impulse values greater than 1000 lbf-sec/lbm are potentially achievable based on calculations for thrusters designed for 10-kW and 5000-kW laser beam power levels. A thruster wall-cooling technique utilizing a combination of regenerative cooling and a carbon-seeded hydrogen boundary layer is presented. The flowing carbon-seeded hydrogen boundary layer provides radiation absorption of the heat radiated from the high-temperature plasma. Also described is a forced convection thruster wall cooling design for an experimental test thruster.

TH-A-BRD-01: Radiation Biology for Radiation Therapy Physicists

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

Orton, C; Borras, C; Carlson, D

Mechanisms by which radiation kills cells and ways cell damage can be repaired will be reviewed. The radiobiological parameters of dose, fractionation, delivery time, dose rate, and LET will be discussed. The linear-quadratic model for cell survival for high and low dose rate treatments and the effect of repopulation will be presented and discussed. The rationale for various radiotherapy techniques such as conventional fractionation, hyperfractionation, hypofractionation, and low and high dose rate brachytherapy, including permanent implants, will be presented. The radiobiological principles underlying radiation protection guidelines and the different radiation dosimetry terms used in radiation biology and in radiation protectionmore » will be reviewed. Human data on radiation induced cancer, including increases in the risk of second cancers following radiation therapy, as well as data on radiation induced tissue reactions, such as cardiovascular effects, for follow up times up to 20–40 years, published by ICRP, NCRP and BEIR Committees, will be examined. The latest risk estimates per unit dose will be presented. Their adoption in recent radiation protection standards and guidelines and their impact on patient and workers safety in radiotherapy will be discussed. Biologically-guided radiotherapy (BGRT) provides a systematic method to derive prescription doses that integrate patient-specific information about tumor and normal tissue biology. Treatment individualization based on patient-specific biology requires the identification of biological objective functions to facilitate the design and comparison of competing treatment modalities. Biological objectives provide a more direct approach to plan optimization instead of relying solely on dose-based surrogates and can incorporate factors that alter radiation response, such as DNA repair, tumor hypoxia, and relative biological effectiveness. We review concepts motivating biological objectives and provide examples of how they might be used to address clinically relevant problems. Underlying assumptions and limitations of existing models and their proper application will be discussed. This multidisciplinary educational session combines the fundamentals of radiobiology for radiation therapy and radiation protection with the practical application of biophysical models for treatment planning and evaluation. Learning Objectives: To understand fractionation in teletherapy and dose rate techniques in brachytherapy. To understand how the linear-quadratic models the effect of radiobiological parameters for radiotherapy. To understand the radiobiological basis of radiation protection standards applied to radiotherapy. To distinguish between stochastic effects and tissue reactions. To learn how to apply concepts of biological effective dose and RBE-weighted dose and to incorporate biological factors that alter radiation response. To discuss clinical strategies to increase therapeutic ratio, i.e., maximize local control while minimizing the risk of acute and late normal tissue effects.« less

Synchroton and Simulations Techniques Applied to Problems in Materials Science: Catalysts and Azul Maya Pigments

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

Chianelli, R.

2005-01-12

Development of synchrotron techniques for the determination of the structure of disordered, amorphous and surface materials has exploded over the past twenty years due to the increasing availability of high flux synchrotron radiation and the continuing development of increasingly powerful synchrotron techniques. These techniques are available to materials scientists who are not necessarily synchrotron scientists through interaction with effective user communities that exist at synchrotrons such as the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). In this article we review the application of multiple synchrotron characterization techniques to two classes of materials defined as ''surface compounds.'' One class of surface compounds aremore » materials like MoS{sub 2-x}C{sub x} that are widely used petroleum catalysts used to improve the environmental properties of transportation fuels. These compounds may be viewed as ''sulfide supported carbides'' in their catalytically active states. The second class of ''surface compounds'' is the ''Maya Blue'' pigments that are based on technology created by the ancient Maya. These compounds are organic/inorganic ''surface complexes'' consisting of the dye indigo and palygorskite, a common clay. The identification of both surface compounds relies on the application of synchrotron techniques as described in this report.« less

Insights from Synthetic Star-forming Regions. I. Reliable Mock Observations from SPH Simulations

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

Koepferl, Christine M.; Robitaille, Thomas P.; Biscani, Francesco

Through synthetic observations of a hydrodynamical simulation of an evolving star-forming region, we assess how the choice of observational techniques affects the measurements of properties that trace star formation. Testing and calibrating observational measurements requires synthetic observations that are as realistic as possible. In this part of the series (Paper I), we explore different techniques for mapping the distributions of densities and temperatures from the particle-based simulations onto a Voronoi mesh suitable for radiative transfer and consequently explore their accuracy. We further test different ways to set up the radiative transfer in order to produce realistic synthetic observations. We give amore » detailed description of all methods and ultimately recommend techniques. We have found that the flux around 20 μ m is strongly overestimated when blindly coupling the dust radiative transfer temperature with the hydrodynamical gas temperature. We find that when instead assuming a constant background dust temperature in addition to the radiative transfer heating, the recovered flux is consistent with actual observations. We present around 5800 realistic synthetic observations for Spitzer and Herschel bands, at different evolutionary time-steps, distances, and orientations. In the upcoming papers of this series (Papers II, III, and IV), we will test and calibrate measurements of the star formation rate, gas mass, and the star formation efficiency using our realistic synthetic observations.« less

Film Dosimetry for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benites-Rengifo, J.; Martínez-Dávalos, A.; Celis, M.; Lárraga, J.

2004-09-01

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is an oncology treatment technique that employs non-uniform beam intensities to deliver highly conformal radiation to the targets while minimizing doses to normal tissues and critical organs. A key element for a successful clinical implementation of IMRT is establishing a dosimetric verification process that can ensure that delivered doses are consistent with calculated ones for each patient. To this end we are developing a fast quality control procedure, based on film dosimetry techniques, to be applied to the 6 MV Novalis linear accelerator for IMRT of the Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN) in Mexico City. The procedure includes measurements of individual fluence maps for a limited number of fields and dose distributions in 3D using extended dose-range radiographic film. However, the film response to radiation might depend on depth, energy and field size, and therefore compromise the accuracy of measurements. In this work we present a study of the dependence of Kodak EDR2 film's response on the depth, field size and energy, compared with those of Kodak XV2 film. The first aim is to devise a fast and accurate method to determine the calibration curve of film (optical density vs. doses) commonly called a sensitometric curve. This was accomplished by using three types of irradiation techniques: Step-and-shoot, dynamic and static fields.

Minimizing radiation exposure during percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

PubMed

Chen, T T; Preminger, G M; Lipkin, M E

2015-12-01

Given the recent trends in growing per capita radiation dose from medical sources, there have been increasing concerns over patient radiation exposure. Patients with kidney stones undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) are at particular risk for high radiation exposure. There exist several risk factors for increased radiation exposure during PNL which include high Body Mass Index, multiple access tracts, and increased stone burden. We herein review recent trends in radiation exposure, radiation exposure during PNL to both patients and urologists, and various approaches to reduce radiation exposure. We discuss incorporating the principles of As Low As reasonably Achievable (ALARA) into clinical practice and review imaging techniques such as ultrasound and air contrast to guide PNL access. Alternative surgical techniques and approaches to reducing radiation exposure, including retrograde intra-renal surgery, retrograde nephrostomy, endoscopic-guided PNL, and minimally invasive PNL, are also highlighted. It is important for urologists to be aware of these concepts and techniques when treating stone patients with PNL. The discussions outlined will assist urologists in providing patient counseling and high quality of care.

Mass Spectrometric and Synchrotron Radiation based techniques for the identification and distribution of painting materials in samples from paints of Josep Maria Sert

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Establishing the distribution of materials in paintings and that of their degradation products by imaging techniques is fundamental to understand the painting technique and can improve our knowledge on the conservation status of the painting. The combined use of chromatographic-mass spectrometric techniques, such as GC/MS or Py/GC/MS, and the chemical mapping of functional groups by imaging SR FTIR in transmission mode on thin sections and SR XRD line scans will be presented as a suitable approach to have a detailed characterisation of the materials in a paint sample, assuring their localisation in the sample build-up. This analytical approach has been used to study samples from Catalan paintings by Josep Maria Sert y Badía (20th century), a muralist achieving international recognition whose canvases adorned international buildings. Results The pigments used by the painter as well as the organic materials used as binders and varnishes could be identified by means of conventional techniques. The distribution of these materials by means of Synchrotron Radiation based techniques allowed to establish the mixtures used by the painter depending on the purpose. Conclusions Results show the suitability of the combined use of SR μFTIR and SR μXRD mapping and conventional techniques to unequivocally identify all the materials present in the sample and their localization in the sample build-up. This kind of approach becomes indispensable to solve the challenge of micro heterogeneous samples. The complementary interpretation of the data obtained with all the different techniques allowed the characterization of both organic and inorganic materials in the samples layer by layer as well as to establish the painting techniques used by Sert in the works-of-art under study. PMID:22616949

Electromagnetic navigation reduces surgical time and radiation exposure for proximal interlocking in retrograde femoral nailing.

PubMed

Somerson, Jeremy S; Rowley, David; Kennedy, Chad; Buttacavoli, Frank; Agarwal, Animesh

2014-07-01

To compare the time required for proximal locking screw placement between a standard freehand technique and the navigated technique, and to quantify the reduction in ionizing radiation exposure. A fresh frozen cadaver model was used for 48 proximal interlocking screw procedures. Each procedure consisted of insertion of 2 anteroposterior locking screws. Standard fluoroscopic technique was used for 24 procedures, and an electromagnetic navigation system was used for the remaining 24 procedures. Procedure duration was recorded using an electronic timer and radiation doses were documented. Mean total insertion time for both proximal interlocking screws was 405 ± 165.7 seconds with the freehand technique and 311 ± 78.3 seconds in the navigation group (P = 0.002). All procedures resulted in successful locking screw placement. Mean ionizing radiation exposure time for proximal locking was 29.5 ± 12.8 seconds. Proximal locking screw insertion using the navigation technique evaluated in this work was significantly faster than the standard fluoroscopic method. The navigated technique is effective and has the potential to prevent ionizing radiation exposure.

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

Hettiarachchi, Ganga M.; Donner, Erica; Doelsch, Emmanuel

To understand the biogeochemistry of nutrients and contaminants in environmental media, their speciation and behavior under different conditions and at multiple scales must be determined. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray techniques allow scientists to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for nutrient and contaminant mobility, bioavailability, and behavior. The continuous improvement of synchrotron light sources and X-ray beamlines around the world has led to a profound transformation in the field of environmental biogeochemistry and, subsequently, to significant scientific breakthroughs. Following this introductory paper, this special collection includes 10 papers that either present targeted reviews of recent advancements in spectroscopic methods that are applicablemore » to environmental biogeochemistry or describe original research studies conducted on complex environmental samples that have been significantly enhanced by incorporating synchrotron radiation-based X-ray technique(s). We believe that the current focus on improving the speciation of ultra-dilute elements in environmental media through the ongoing optimization of synchrotron technologies (e.g., brighter light sources, improved monochromators, more efficient detectors) will help to significantly push back the frontiers of environmental biogeochemistry research. As many of the relevant techniques produce extremely large datasets, we also identify ongoing improvements in data processing and analysis (e.g., software improvements and harmonization of analytical methods) as a significant requirement for environmental biogeochemists to maximize the information that can be gained using these powerful tools.« less

Development of a digital method for neutron/gamma-ray discrimination based on matched filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korolczuk, S.; Linczuk, M.; Romaniuk, R.; Zychor, I.

2016-09-01

Neutron/gamma-ray discrimination is crucial for measurements with detectors sensitive to both neutron and gamma-ray radiation. Different techniques to discriminate between neutrons and gamma-rays based on pulse shape analysis are widely used in many applications, e.g., homeland security, radiation dosimetry, environmental monitoring, fusion experiments, nuclear spectroscopy. A common requirement is to improve a radiation detection level with a high detection reliability. Modern electronic components, such as high speed analog to digital converters and powerful programmable digital circuits for signal processing, allow us to develop a fully digital measurement system. With this solution it is possible to optimize digital signal processing algorithms without changing any electronic components in an acquisition signal path. We report on results obtained with a digital acquisition system DNG@NCBJ designed at the National Centre for Nuclear Research. A 2'' × 2'' EJ309 liquid scintillator was used to register mixed neutron and gamma-ray radiation from PuBe sources. A dedicated algorithm for pulse shape discrimination, based on real-time filtering, was developed and implemented in hardware.

Development of a radiation-hard CMOS process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Power, W. L.

1983-01-01

It is recommended that various techniques be investigated which appear to have the potential for improving the radiation hardness of CMOS devices for prolonged space flight mission. The three key recommended processing techniques are: (1) making the gate oxide thin. It has been shown that radiation degradation is proportional to the cube of oxide thickness so that a relatively small reduction in thickness can greatly improve radiation resistance; (2) cleanliness and contamination control; and (3) to investigate different oxide growth (low temperature dry, TCE and HCL). All three produce high quality clean oxides, which are more radiation tolerant. Technique 2 addresses the reduction of metallic contamination. Technique 3 will produce a higher quality oxide by using slow growth rate conditions, and will minimize the effects of any residual sodium contamination through the introduction of hydrogen and chlorine into the oxide during growth.

Potential techniques for non-destructive evaluation of cable materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillen, Kenneth T.; Clough, Roger L.; Mattson, Bengt; Stenberg, Bengt; Oestman, Erik

This paper describes the connection between mechanical degradation of common cable materials, in radiation and elevated temperature environments, and density increases caused by the oxidation which leads to this degradation. Two techniques based on density changes are suggested as potential non-destructive evaluation (NDE) procedures which may be applicable to monitoring the mechanical condition of cable materials in power plant environments. The first technique is direct measurement of density changes, via a density gradient column, using small shavings removed from the surface of cable jackets at selected locations. The second technique is computed X-ray tomography, utilizing a portable scanning device.

Radiative characterization of random fibrous media with long cylindrical fibers: Comparison of single- and multi-RTE approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randrianalisoa, Jaona; Haussener, Sophia; Baillis, Dominique; Lipiński, Wojciech

2017-11-01

Radiative heat transfer is analyzed in participating media consisting of long cylindrical fibers with a diameter in the limit of geometrical optics. The absorption and scattering coefficients and the scattering phase function of the medium are determined based on the discrete-level medium geometry and optical properties of individual fibers. The fibers are assumed to be randomly oriented and positioned inside the medium. Two approaches are employed: a volume-averaged two-intensity approach referred to as multi-RTE approach and a homogenized single-intensity approach referred to as the single-RTE approach. Both approaches require effective properties, determined using direct Monte Carlo ray tracing techniques. The macroscopic radiative transfer equations (for single intensity or two volume-averaged intensities) with the corresponding effective properties are solved using Monte Carlo techniques and allow for the determination of the radiative flux distribution as well as overall transmittance and reflectance of the medium. The results are compared against predictions by the direct Monte Carlo simulation on the exact morphology. The effects of fiber volume fraction and optical properties on the effective radiative properties and the overall slab radiative characteristics are investigated. The single-RTE approach gives accurate predictions for high porosity fibrous media (porosity about 95%). The multi-RTE approach is recommended for isotropic fibrous media with porosity in the range of 79-95%.

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

Quinn, Heather; Wirthlin, Michael

A variety of fault emulation systems have been created to study the effect of single-event effects (SEEs) in static random access memory (SRAM) based field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). These systems are useful for augmenting radiation-hardness assurance (RHA) methodologies for verifying the effectiveness for mitigation techniques; understanding error signatures and failure modes in FPGAs; and failure rate estimation. For radiation effects researchers, it is important that these systems properly emulate how SEEs manifest in FPGAs. If the fault emulation systems does not mimic the radiation environment, the system will generate erroneous data and incorrect predictions of behavior of the FPGA inmore » a radiation environment. Validation determines whether the emulated faults are reasonable analogs to the radiation-induced faults. In this study we present methods for validating fault emulation systems and provide several examples of validated FPGA fault emulation systems.« less

Nonlinear acoustics in cicada mating calls enhance sound propagation.

PubMed

Hughes, Derke R; Nuttall, Albert H; Katz, Richard A; Carter, G Clifford

2009-02-01

An analysis of cicada mating calls, measured in field experiments, indicates that the very high levels of acoustic energy radiated by this relatively small insect are mainly attributed to the nonlinear characteristics of the signal. The cicada emits one of the loudest sounds in all of the insect population with a sound production system occupying a physical space typically less than 3 cc. The sounds made by tymbals are amplified by the hollow abdomen, functioning as a tuned resonator, but models of the signal based solely on linear techniques do not fully account for a sound radiation capability that is so disproportionate to the insect's size. The nonlinear behavior of the cicada signal is demonstrated by combining the mutual information and surrogate data techniques; the results obtained indicate decorrelation when the phase-randomized and non-phase-randomized data separate. The Volterra expansion technique is used to fit the nonlinearity in the insect's call. The second-order Volterra estimate provides further evidence that the cicada mating calls are dominated by nonlinear characteristics and also suggests that the medium contributes to the cicada's efficient sound propagation. Application of the same principles has the potential to improve radiated sound levels for sonar applications.

Novel method to control antenna currents based on theory of characteristic modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elghannai, Ezdeen Ahmed

Characteristic Mode Theory is one of the very few numerical methods that provide a great deal of physical insight because it allows us to determine the natural modes of the radiating structure. The key feature of these modes is that the total induced antenna current, input impedance/admittance and radiation pattern can be expressed as a linear weighted combination of individual modes. Using this decomposition method, it is possible to study the behavior of the individual modes, understand them and therefore control the antennas behavior; in other words, control the currents induced on the antenna structure. This dissertation advances the topic of antenna design by carefully controlling the antenna currents over the desired frequency band to achieve the desired performance specifications for a set of constraints. Here, a systematic method based on the Theory of Characteristic Modes (CM) and lumped reactive loading to achieve the goal of current control is developed. The lumped reactive loads are determined based on the desired behavior of the antenna currents. This technique can also be used to impedance match the antenna to the source/generator connected to it. The technique is much more general than the traditional impedance matching. Generally, the reactive loads that properly control the currents exhibit a combination of Foster and non-Foster behavior. The former can be implemented with lumped passive reactive components, while the latter can be implemented with lumped non-Foster circuits (NFC). The concept of current control is applied to design antennas with a wide band (impedance/pattern) behavior using reactive loads. We successfully applied this novel technique to design multi band and wide band antennas for wireless applications. The technique was developed to match the antenna to resistive and/or complex source impedance and control the radiation pattern at these frequency bands, considering size and volume constraints. A wide band patch antenna was achieved using the developed technique. In addition, the technique was applied to multi band wire less Universal Serial Bus (USB) dongle antenna that serves for WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n band applications and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag antenna for 915MHz band applications with superior performance compared to previous published results. This dissertation also discusses the total Q of an antenna from the CM standpoint. A new expression as well as additional physical information about each mode's individual contribution to the total antenna Q are provided. Finally, the theory is used to an analyze the antenna in both radiation and/or scattering modes. In the antenna scattering mode, the field scattered by an antenna contains a component that is the short circuit scattered field, and a second component that is proportional to the radiation field. In this dissertation, an analytical study of this phenomena from the CM standpoint is performed aiming to shed some light on antenna scattering phenomenon where additional physical insight is obtained and thus used to reach desire results.

Radiation exposure and risk assessment for critical female body organs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwell, William; Weyland, Mark D.; Hardy, Alva C.

1991-01-01

Space radiation exposure limits for astronauts are based on recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. These limits now include the age at exposure and sex of the astronaut. A recently-developed computerized anatomical female (CAF) model is discussed in detail. Computer-generated, cross-sectional data are presented to illustrate the completeness of the CAF model. By applying ray-tracing techniques, shield distribution functions have been computed to calculate absorbed dose and dose equivalent values for a variety of critical body organs (e.g., breasts, lungs, thyroid gland, etc.) and mission scenarios. Specific risk assessments, i.e., cancer induction and mortality, are reviewed.

Radiation damage in a micron-sized protein crystal studied via reciprocal space mapping and Bragg coherent diffractive imaging.

PubMed

Coughlan, H D; Darmanin, C; Phillips, N W; Hofmann, F; Clark, J N; Harder, R J; Vine, D J; Abbey, B

2015-07-01

For laboratory and synchrotron based X-ray sources, radiation damage has posed a significant barrier to obtaining high-resolution structural data from biological macromolecules. The problem is particularly acute for micron-sized crystals where the weaker signal often necessitates the use of higher intensity beams to obtain the relevant data. Here, we employ a combination of techniques, including Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to characterise the radiation induced damage in a micron-sized protein crystal over time. The approach we adopt here could help screen for potential protein crystal candidates for measurement at X-ray free election laser sources.

Radiation damage in a micron-sized protein crystal studied via reciprocal space mapping and Bragg coherent diffractive imaging

PubMed Central

Coughlan, H. D.; Darmanin, C.; Phillips, N. W.; Hofmann, F.; Clark, J. N.; Harder, R. J.; Vine, D. J.; Abbey, B.

2015-01-01

For laboratory and synchrotron based X-ray sources, radiation damage has posed a significant barrier to obtaining high-resolution structural data from biological macromolecules. The problem is particularly acute for micron-sized crystals where the weaker signal often necessitates the use of higher intensity beams to obtain the relevant data. Here, we employ a combination of techniques, including Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to characterise the radiation induced damage in a micron-sized protein crystal over time. The approach we adopt here could help screen for potential protein crystal candidates for measurement at X-ray free election laser sources. PMID:26798804

Radiation damage in a micron-sized protein crystal studied via reciprocal space mapping and Bragg coherent diffractive imaging

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

Coughlan, H. D.; Darmanin, C.; Phillips, N. W.

For laboratory and synchrotron based X-ray sources, radiation damage has posed a significant barrier to obtaining high-resolution structural data from biological macromolecules. The problem is particularly acute for micron-sized crystals where the weaker signal often necessitates the use of higher intensity beams to obtain the relevant data. Here, we employ a combination of techniques, including Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to characterise the radiation induced damage in a micron-sized protein crystal over time. The approach we adopt here could help screen for potential protein crystal candidates for measurement at X-ray free election laser sources.

Radiation damage in a micron-sized protein crystal studied via reciprocal space mapping and Bragg coherent diffractive imaging

DOE PAGES

Coughlan, H. D.; Darmanin, C.; Phillips, N. W.; ...

2015-04-29

For laboratory and synchrotron based X-ray sources, radiation damage has posed a significant barrier to obtaining high-resolution structural data from biological macromolecules. The problem is particularly acute for micron-sized crystals where the weaker signal often necessitates the use of higher intensity beams to obtain the relevant data. Here, we employ a combination of techniques, including Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to characterise the radiation induced damage in a micron-sized protein crystal over time. The approach we adopt here could help screen for potential protein crystal candidates for measurement at X-ray free election laser sources.

Treatment planning systems for external whole brain radiation therapy: With and without MLC (multi leaf collimator) optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budiyono, T.; Budi, W. S.; Hidayanto, E.

2016-03-01

Radiation therapy for brain malignancy is done by giving a dose of radiation to a whole volume of the brain (WBRT) followed by a booster at the primary tumor with more advanced techniques. Two external radiation fields given from the right and left side. Because the shape of the head, there will be an unavoidable hotspot radiation dose of greater than 107%. This study aims to optimize planning of radiation therapy using field in field multi-leaf collimator technique. A study of 15 WBRT samples with CT slices is done by adding some segments of radiation in each field of radiation and delivering appropriate dose weighting using a TPS precise plan Elekta R 2.15. Results showed that this optimization a more homogeneous radiation on CTV target volume, lower dose in healthy tissue, and reduced hotspots in CTV target volume. Comparison results of field in field multi segmented MLC technique with standard conventional technique for WBRT are: higher average minimum dose (77.25% ± 0:47%) vs (60% ± 3:35%); lower average maximum dose (110.27% ± 0.26%) vs (114.53% ± 1.56%); lower hotspot volume (5.71% vs 27.43%); and lower dose on eye lenses (right eye: 9.52% vs 18.20%); (left eye: 8.60% vs 16.53%).

Break Point Distribution on Chromosome 3 of Human Epithelial Cells exposed to Gamma Rays, Neutrons and Fe Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hada, M.; Saganti, P. B.; Gersey, B.; Wilkins, R.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Wu, H.

2007-01-01

Most of the reported studies of break point distribution on the damaged chromosomes from radiation exposure were carried out with the G-banding technique or determined based on the relative length of the broken chromosomal fragments. However, these techniques lack the accuracy in comparison with the later developed multicolor banding in situ hybridization (mBAND) technique that is generally used for analysis of intrachromosomal aberrations such as inversions. Using mBAND, we studied chromosome aberrations in human epithelial cells exposed in vitro to both low or high dose rate gamma rays in Houston, low dose rate secondary neutrons at Los Alamos National Laboratory and high dose rate 600 MeV/u Fe ions at NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. Detailed analysis of the inversion type revealed that all of the three radiation types induced a low incidence of simple inversions. Half of the inversions observed after neutron or Fe ion exposure, and the majority of inversions in gamma-irradiated samples were accompanied by other types of intrachromosomal aberrations. In addition, neutrons and Fe ions induced a significant fraction of inversions that involved complex rearrangements of both inter- and intrachromosome exchanges. We further compared the distribution of break point on chromosome 3 for the three radiation types. The break points were found to be randomly distributed on chromosome 3 after neutrons or Fe ions exposure, whereas non-random distribution with clustering break points was observed for gamma-rays. The break point distribution may serve as a potential fingerprint of high-LET radiation exposure.

Detection scheme for acoustic quantum radiation in Bose-Einstein condensates.

PubMed

Schützhold, Ralf

2006-11-10

Based on doubly detuned Raman transitions between (meta)stable atomic or molecular states and recently developed atom counting techniques, a detection scheme for sound waves in dilute Bose-Einstein condensates is proposed whose accuracy might reach down to the level of a few or even single phonons. This scheme could open up a new range of applications including the experimental observation of quantum radiation phenomena such as the Hawking effect in sonic black-hole analogues or the acoustic analogue of cosmological particle creation.

Radiative lifetimes in B I using ultraviolet and vacuum-ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Brian, T. R.; Lawler, J. E.

1992-01-01

Radiative lifetimes of the eight lowest even parity levels in the doublet system of B I are measured using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence in the UV and VUV on an atomic beam of boron. The accurate lifetimes provide a base for improved determination of absolute transition probabilities in B I. The techniques described are broadly applicable to measurement of lifetimes of levels with transitions in the visible, UV, and VUV in almost any element.

Comparison of data inversion techniques for remotely sensed wide-angle observations of Earth emitted radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, R. N.

1981-01-01

The shape factor, parameter estimation, and deconvolution data analysis techniques were applied to the same set of Earth emitted radiation measurements to determine the effects of different techniques on the estimated radiation field. All three techniques are defined and their assumptions, advantages, and disadvantages are discussed. Their results are compared globally, zonally, regionally, and on a spatial spectrum basis. The standard deviations of the regional differences in the derived radiant exitance varied from 7.4 W-m/2 to 13.5 W-m/2.

Application of mass spectrometry based electronic nose and chemometrics for fingerprinting radiation treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Sumit; Variyar, Prasad S.; Sharma, Arun

2015-01-01

Volatile compounds were isolated from apples and grapes employing solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and subsequently analyzed by GC/MS equipped with a transfer line without stationary phase. Single peak obtained was integrated to obtain total mass spectrum of the volatile fraction of samples. A data matrix having relative abundance of all mass-to-charge ratios was subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to identify radiation treatment. PCA results suggested that there is sufficient variability between control and irradiated samples to build classification models based on supervised techniques. LDA successfully aided in segregating control from irradiated samples at all doses (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 kGy). SPME-MS with chemometrics was successfully demonstrated as simple screening method for radiation treatment.

[Interest of positioning control in onboard imaging and its delegation to the therapists].

PubMed

de Crevoisier, R; Duvergé, L; Hulot, C; Chauvet, B; Henry, O; Bouvet, C; Castelli, J

2016-10-01

The delegation of the on board imaging position control, from the radiation oncologist to the therapist, is justified by the generalization of the image-guided radiotherapy techniques which are particularly time consuming. This delegation is however partial. Indeed, the validation of the position by the therapist can be clearly performed when the registration is based on bony landmark or fiducial. The radiation oncologist needs however to make the validation in case of large target displacement, in more complex soft tissue-based registration, and in case of stereotactic body radiation therapy. Moreover, this delegation implies at least three conditions which are first the training of the staff, then the formalization of the procedures, responsibilities and delegations and finally, the evaluation of the practices of IGRT. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Principles and Techniques of Radiation Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorfman, Leon M.

1981-01-01

Discusses the physical processes involved in the deposition of energy from ionizing radiation in the absorber system. Identifies principles relevant to these processes which are responsible for ionization and excitation of the components of the absorber system. Briefly describes some experimental techniques in use in radiation chemical studies.…

A boundary element approach to optimization of active noise control sources on three-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunefare, K. A.; Koopmann, G. H.

1991-01-01

This paper presents the theoretical development of an approach to active noise control (ANC) applicable to three-dimensional radiators. The active noise control technique, termed ANC Optimization Analysis, is based on minimizing the total radiated power by adding secondary acoustic sources on the primary noise source. ANC Optimization Analysis determines the optimum magnitude and phase at which to drive the secondary control sources in order to achieve the best possible reduction in the total radiated power from the noise source/control source combination. For example, ANC Optimization Analysis predicts a 20 dB reduction in the total power radiated from a sphere of radius at a dimensionless wavenumber ka of 0.125, for a single control source representing 2.5 percent of the total area of the sphere. ANC Optimization Analysis is based on a boundary element formulation of the Helmholtz Integral Equation, and thus, the optimization analysis applies to a single frequency, while multiple frequencies can be treated through repeated analyses.

Advanced Avionics and Processor Systems for a Flexible Space Exploration Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keys, Andrew S.; Adams, James H.; Smith, Leigh M.; Johnson, Michael A.; Cressler, John D.

2010-01-01

The Advanced Avionics and Processor Systems (AAPS) project, formerly known as the Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Environments (RHESE) project, endeavors to develop advanced avionic and processor technologies anticipated to be used by NASA s currently evolving space exploration architectures. The AAPS project is a part of the Exploration Technology Development Program, which funds an entire suite of technologies that are aimed at enabling NASA s ability to explore beyond low earth orbit. NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) manages the AAPS project. AAPS uses a broad-scoped approach to developing avionic and processor systems. Investment areas include advanced electronic designs and technologies capable of providing environmental hardness, reconfigurable computing techniques, software tools for radiation effects assessment, and radiation environment modeling tools. Near-term emphasis within the multiple AAPS tasks focuses on developing prototype components using semiconductor processes and materials (such as Silicon-Germanium (SiGe)) to enhance a device s tolerance to radiation events and low temperature environments. As the SiGe technology will culminate in a delivered prototype this fiscal year, the project emphasis shifts its focus to developing low-power, high efficiency total processor hardening techniques. In addition to processor development, the project endeavors to demonstrate techniques applicable to reconfigurable computing and partially reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). This capability enables avionic architectures the ability to develop FPGA-based, radiation tolerant processor boards that can serve in multiple physical locations throughout the spacecraft and perform multiple functions during the course of the mission. The individual tasks that comprise AAPS are diverse, yet united in the common endeavor to develop electronics capable of operating within the harsh environment of space. Specifically, the AAPS tasks for the Federal fiscal year of 2010 are: Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) Integrated Electronics for Extreme Environments, Modeling of Radiation Effects on Electronics, Radiation Hardened High Performance Processors (HPP), and and Reconfigurable Computing.

Use of synchrotron radiation to characterize metals in plants: the case of Cd in the hyperacumulator Arabidopsis halleri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaure, M.; Sarret, G.; Verbruggen, N.

2010-12-01

Phytoremediation uses plants to extract (phytoextraction) or stabilize (phytostabilization) metals accumulated in soils, and can be an alternative to invasive physico-chemical remediation techniques. Its development requires the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in metal tolerance and accumulation in plants, and particularly the way that plants transfer and store metals. In that context, synchrotron radiation based techniques such as micro-focused X-Ray Fluorescence (µXRF), and micro-focused X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, including Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure, are particularly suited to determine the localization and the chemical forms of metals in the different tissues, cells and sub-cellular compartments. Arabidopsis halleri is a Zn, Cd hyperaccumulating plant, naturally growing on contaminated sites, and is a model plant to investigate metal hyperaccumulation. This work presents the application of µXRF and Cd µXANES to determine the distribution and speciation of Cd in this species. Results showed that Cd was mainly located in the mesophyll and veins of leaves. It is bound to S ligands in some leaves and to O/N ligands in other ones, and the observed variations may be related to the age of the leaves. Cd speciation seems to differ from other metals, and particularly Zn, generally encountered in hyperaccumulators. High local Cd concentrations were also detected at the base of trichomes, epidermal hairs of leaves, associated to O/N ligands, probably to the cell wall. This phenomenon was also observed on non-hyperaccumulators and is clearly not the major sink for Cd, but trichomes might play a role in the detoxification process. This study illustrates the suitability of synchrotron radiation based techniques to investigate metal distribution and speciation in plants.

SU-E-J-02: 4D Digital Tomosynthesis Based On Algebraic Image Reconstruction and Total-Variation Minimization for the Improvement of Image Quality

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

Kim, D; Kang, S; Kim, T

2014-06-01

Purpose: In this paper, we implemented the four-dimensional (4D) digital tomosynthesis (DTS) imaging based on algebraic image reconstruction technique and total-variation minimization method in order to compensate the undersampled projection data and improve the image quality. Methods: The projection data were acquired as supposed the cone-beam computed tomography system in linear accelerator by the Monte Carlo simulation and the in-house 4D digital phantom generation program. We performed 4D DTS based upon simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART) among the iterative image reconstruction technique and total-variation minimization method (TVMM). To verify the effectiveness of this reconstruction algorithm, we performed systematic simulation studiesmore » to investigate the imaging performance. Results: The 4D DTS algorithm based upon the SART and TVMM seems to give better results than that based upon the existing method, or filtered-backprojection. Conclusion: The advanced image reconstruction algorithm for the 4D DTS would be useful to validate each intra-fraction motion during radiation therapy. In addition, it will be possible to give advantage to real-time imaging for the adaptive radiation therapy. This research was supported by Leading Foreign Research Institute Recruitment Program (Grant No.2009-00420) and Basic Atomic Energy Research Institute (BAERI); (Grant No. 2009-0078390) through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP)« less

1992 IEEE Annual Conference on Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects, 29th, New Orleans, LA, July 13-17, 1992, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Vonno, Nick W. (Editor)

1992-01-01

The papers presented in this volume provide an overview of recent theoretical and experimental research related to nuclear and space radiation effects. Topics dicussed include single event phenomena, radiation effects in particle detectors and associated electronics for accelerators, spacecraft charging, and space environments and effects. The discussion also covers hardness assurance and testing techniques, electromagnetic effects, radiation effects in devices and integrated circuits, dosimetry and radiation facilities, isolation techniques, and basic mechanisms.

Radiative Transfer Model for Operational Retrieval of Cloud Parameters from DSCOVR-EPIC Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Y.; Molina Garcia, V.; Doicu, A.; Loyola, D. G.

2016-12-01

The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) measures the radiance in the backscattering region. To make sure that all details in the backward glory are covered, a large number of streams is required by a standard radiative transfer model based on the discrete ordinates method. Even the use of the delta-M scaling and the TMS correction do not substantially reduce the number of streams. The aim of this work is to analyze the capability of a fast radiative transfer model to retrieve operationally cloud parameters from EPIC measurements. The radiative transfer model combines the discrete ordinates method with matrix exponential for the computation of radiances and the matrix operator method for the calculation of the reflection and transmission matrices. Standard acceleration techniques as, for instance, the use of the normalized right and left eigenvectors, telescoping technique, Pade approximation and successive-order-of-scattering approximation are implemented. In addition, the model may compute the reflection matrix of the cloud by means of the asymptotic theory, and may use the equivalent Lambertian cloud model. The various approximations are analyzed from the point of view of efficiency and accuracy.

Radio frequency switching network: a technique for infrared sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mechtel, Deborah M.; Jenkins, R. Brian; Joyce, Peter J.; Nelson, Charles L.

2016-10-01

This paper describes a unique technique that implements photoconductive sensors in a radio frequency (RF) switching network designed to locate in real-time the position and intensity of IR radiation incident on a composite structure. In the implementation described here, photoconductive sensors act as rapid response switches in a two-layer RF network embedded in an FR-4 laminate. To detect radiation, phosphorous-doped silicon photoconductive sensors are inserted in GHz range RF transmission lines. By permitting signal propagation only when a sensor is illuminated, the RF signals are selectively routed from lower layer transmission lines to upper layer lines, thereby pinpointing the location and strength of incident radiation. Simulations based on a high frequency three-dimensional planar electromagnetics model are presented and compared to the experimental results. The experimental results are described for GHz range RF signal control for 300- and 180-mW incident energy from 975- to 1060-nm wavelength lasers, respectively, where upon illumination, RF transmission line signal output power doubled when compared to nonilluminated results. The experimental results are also reported for 100-W incident energy from a 1060-nm laser. Test results illustrate real-time signal processing would permit a structure to be controlled in response to incident radiation.

Respiratory motion resolved, self-gated 4D-MRI using Rotating Cartesian K-space (ROCK)

PubMed Central

Han, Fei; Zhou, Ziwu; Cao, Minsong; Yang, Yingli; Sheng, Ke; Hu, Peng

2017-01-01

Purpose To propose and validate a respiratory motion resolved, self-gated (SG) 4D-MRI technique to assess patient-specific breathing motion of abdominal organs for radiation treatment planning. Methods The proposed 4D-MRI technique was based on the balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) technique and 3D k-space encoding. A novel ROtating Cartesian K-space (ROCK) reordering method was designed that incorporates repeatedly sampled k-space centerline as the SG motion surrogate and allows for retrospective k-space data binning into different respiratory positions based on the amplitude of the surrogate. The multiple respiratory-resolved 3D k-space data were subsequently reconstructed using a joint parallel imaging and compressed sensing method with spatial and temporal regularization. The proposed 4D-MRI technique was validated using a custom-made dynamic motion phantom and was tested in 6 healthy volunteers, in whom quantitative diaphragm and kidney motion measurements based on 4D-MRI images were compared with those based on 2D-CINE images. Results The 5-minute 4D-MRI scan offers high-quality volumetric images in 1.2×1.2×1.6mm3 and 8 respiratory positions, with good soft-tissue contrast. In phantom experiments with triangular motion waveform, the motion amplitude measurements based on 4D-MRI were 11.89% smaller than the ground truth, whereas a −12.5% difference was expected due to data binning effects. In healthy volunteers, the difference between the measurements based on 4D-MRI and the ones based on 2D-CINE were 6.2±4.5% for the diaphragm, 8.2±4.9% and 8.9±5.1% for the right and left kidney. Conclusion The proposed 4D-MRI technique could provide high resolution, high quality, respiratory motion resolved 4D images with good soft-tissue contrast and are free of the “stitching” artifacts usually seen on 4D-CT and 4D-MRI based on resorting 2D-CINE. It could be used to visualize and quantify abdominal organ motion for MRI-based radiation treatment planning. PMID:28133752

Respiratory motion-resolved, self-gated 4D-MRI using rotating cartesian k-space (ROCK).

PubMed

Han, Fei; Zhou, Ziwu; Cao, Minsong; Yang, Yingli; Sheng, Ke; Hu, Peng

2017-04-01

To propose and validate a respiratory motion resolved, self-gated (SG) 4D-MRI technique to assess patient-specific breathing motion of abdominal organs for radiation treatment planning. The proposed 4D-MRI technique was based on the balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) technique and 3D k-space encoding. A novel rotating cartesian k-space (ROCK) reordering method was designed which incorporates repeatedly sampled k-space centerline as the SG motion surrogate and allows for retrospective k-space data binning into different respiratory positions based on the amplitude of the surrogate. The multiple respiratory-resolved 3D k-space data were subsequently reconstructed using a joint parallel imaging and compressed sensing method with spatial and temporal regularization. The proposed 4D-MRI technique was validated using a custom-made dynamic motion phantom and was tested in six healthy volunteers, in whom quantitative diaphragm and kidney motion measurements based on 4D-MRI images were compared with those based on 2D-CINE images. The 5-minute 4D-MRI scan offers high-quality volumetric images in 1.2 × 1.2 × 1.6 mm 3 and eight respiratory positions, with good soft-tissue contrast. In phantom experiments with triangular motion waveform, the motion amplitude measurements based on 4D-MRI were 11.89% smaller than the ground truth, whereas a -12.5% difference was expected due to data binning effects. In healthy volunteers, the difference between the measurements based on 4D-MRI and the ones based on 2D-CINE were 6.2 ± 4.5% for the diaphragm, 8.2 ± 4.9% and 8.9 ± 5.1% for the right and left kidney. The proposed 4D-MRI technique could provide high-resolution, high-quality, respiratory motion-resolved 4D images with good soft-tissue contrast and are free of the "stitching" artifacts usually seen on 4D-CT and 4D-MRI based on resorting 2D-CINE. It could be used to visualize and quantify abdominal organ motion for MRI-based radiation treatment planning. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Computer prediction of dual reflector antenna radiation properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christodoulou, C.

1981-01-01

A program for calculating radiation patterns for reflector antennas with either smooth analytic surfaces or with surfaces composed of a number of panels. Techniques based on the geometrical optics (GO) approach were used in tracing rays over the following regions: from a feed antenna to the first reflector surface (subreflector); from this reflector to a larger reflector surface (main reflector); and from the main reflector to a mathematical plane (aperture plane) in front of the main reflector. The equations of GO were also used to calculate the reflected field components for each ray making use of the feed radiation pattern and the parameters defining the surfaces of the two reflectors. These resulting fields form an aperture distribution which is integrated numerically to compute the radiation pattern for a specified set of angles.

Simulations of Coherent Synchrotron Radiation Effects in Electron Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migliorati, M.; Schiavi, A.; Dattoli, G.

2007-09-01

Coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) generated by high intensity electron beams can be a source of undesirable effects limiting the performance of storage rings. The complexity of the physical mechanisms underlying the interplay between the electron beam and the CSR demands for reliable simulation codes. In the past, codes based on Lie algebraic techniques have been very efficient to treat transport problems in accelerators. The extension of these methods to the non linear case is ideally suited to treat wakefields - beam interaction. In this paper we report on the development of a numerical code, based on the solution of the Vlasov equation, which includes the non linear contribution due to wakefields. The proposed solution method exploits an algebraic technique that uses the exponential operators. We show that, in the case of CSR wakefields, the integration procedure is capable of reproducing the onset of an instability which leads to microbunching of the beam thus increasing the CSR at short wavelengths. In addition, considerations on the threshold of the instability for Gaussian bunches is also reported.

Simulations of Coherent Synchrotron Radiation Effects in Electron Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migliorati, M.; Schiavi, A.; Dattoli, G.

Coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) generated by high intensity electron beams can be a source of undesirable effects limiting the performance of storage rings. The complexity of the physical mechanisms underlying the interplay between the electron beam and the CSR demands for reliable simulation codes. In the past, codes based on Lie algebraic techniques have been very efficient to treat transport problems in accelerators. The extension of these methods to the non linear case is ideally suited to treat wakefields - beam interaction. In this paper we report on the development of a numerical code, based on the solution of the Vlasov equation, which includes the non linear contribution due to wakefields. The proposed solution method exploits an algebraic technique that uses the exponential operators. We show that, in the case of CSR wakefields, the integration procedure is capable of reproducing the onset of an instability which leads to microbunching of the beam thus increasing the CSR at short wavelengths. In addition, considerations on the threshold of the instability for Gaussian bunches is also reported.

[Interaction between clinical and research towards venture business].

PubMed

Sumida, Iori

2014-01-01

The author as a medical physicist has supported multiple institutions where the advanced radiation therapies as well as the conventional radiation therapy have been performed. Since the advanced radiation treatment techniques have spread rapidly, the quality assurance (QA) has been more important and complex that results in the increase of QA items. In order to maintain the quality of radiation therapy as accurate as possible, the efficient and objective approach for performing QA should be important. Author has developed some QA software which has solved those approaches based on the experiment. In this paper the background in multiple institutions as a view point of radiation treatment situation is presented and what author contributes to those institutions by a medical physics support is shown, finally it is considered that how the developed software has spread in Japan and used for many institutions via venture business.

Diagnostic medical imaging radiation exposure and risk of development of solid and hematologic malignancy.

PubMed

Fabricant, Peter D; Berkes, Marschall B; Dy, Christopher J; Bogner, Eric A

2012-05-01

Limiting patients' exposure to ionizing radiation during diagnostic imaging is of concern to patients and clinicians. Large single-dose exposures and cumulative exposures to ionizing radiation have been associated with solid tumors and hematologic malignancy. Although these associations have been a driving force in minimizing patients' exposure, significant risks are found when diagnoses are missed and subsequent treatment is withheld. Therefore, based on epidemiologic data obtained after nuclear and occupational exposures, dose exposure limits have been estimated. A recent collaborative effort between the US Food and Drug Administration and the American College of Radiology has provided information and tools that patients and imaging professionals can use to avoid unnecessary ionizing radiation scans and ensure use of the lowest feasible radiation dose necessary for studies. Further collaboration, research, and development should focus on producing technological advances that minimize individual study exposures and duplicate studies. This article outlines the research used to govern safe radiation doses, defines recent initiatives in decreasing radiation exposure, and provides orthopedic surgeons with techniques that may help decrease radiation exposure in their daily practice. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Simulation study of amplitude-modulated (AM) harmonic motion imaging (HMI) for stiffness contrast quantification with experimental validation.

PubMed

Maleke, Caroline; Luo, Jianwen; Gamarnik, Viktor; Lu, Xin L; Konofagou, Elisa E

2010-07-01

The objective of this study is to show that Harmonic Motion Imaging (HMI) can be used as a reliable tumor-mapping technique based on the tumor's distinct stiffness at the early onset of disease. HMI is a radiation-force-based imaging method that generates a localized vibration deep inside the tissue to estimate the relative tissue stiffness based on the resulting displacement amplitude. In this paper, a finite-element model (FEM) study is presented, followed by an experimental validation in tissue-mimicking polyacrylamide gels and excised human breast tumors ex vivo. This study compares the resulting tissue motion in simulations and experiments at four different gel stiffnesses and three distinct spherical inclusion diameters. The elastic moduli of the gels were separately measured using mechanical testing. Identical transducer parameters were used in both the FEM and experimental studies, i.e., a 4.5-MHz single-element focused ultrasound (FUS) and a 7.5-MHz diagnostic (pulse-echo) transducer. In the simulation, an acoustic pressure field was used as the input stimulus to generate a localized vibration inside the target. Radiofrequency (rf) signals were then simulated using a 2D convolution model. A one-dimensional cross-correlation technique was performed on the simulated and experimental rf signals to estimate the axial displacement resulting from the harmonic radiation force. In order to measure the reliability of the displacement profiles in estimating the tissue stiffness distribution, the contrast-transfer efficiency (CTE) was calculated. For tumor mapping ex vivo, a harmonic radiation force was applied using a 2D raster-scan technique. The 2D HMI images of the breast tumor ex vivo could detect a malignant tumor (20 x 10 mm2) surrounded by glandular and fat tissues. The FEM and experimental results from both gels and breast tumors ex vivo demonstrated that HMI was capable of detecting and mapping the tumor or stiff inclusion with various diameters or stiffnesses. HMI may thus constitute a promising technique in tumor detection (>3 mm in diameter) and mapping based on its distinct stiffness.

Bayesian Techniques for Plasma Theory to Bridge the Gap Between Space and Lab Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crabtree, Chris; Ganguli, Gurudas; Tejero, Erik

2017-10-01

We will show how Bayesian techniques provide a general data analysis methodology that is better suited to investigate phenomena that require a nonlinear theory for an explanation. We will provide short examples of how Bayesian techniques have been successfully used in the radiation belts to provide precise nonlinear spectral estimates of whistler mode chorus and how these techniques have been verified in laboratory plasmas. We will demonstrate how Bayesian techniques allow for the direct competition of different physical theories with data acting as the necessary arbitrator. This work is supported by the Naval Research Laboratory base program and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNH15AZ90I.

Variability in Global Top-of-Atmosphere Shortwave Radiation Between 2000 and 2005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loebe, Norman G.; Wielicki, Bruce A.; Rose, Fred G.; Doelling, David R.

2007-01-01

Measurements from various instruments and analysis techniques are used to directly compare changes in Earth-atmosphere shortwave (SW) top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation between 2000 and 2005. Included in the comparison are estimates of TOA reflectance variability from published ground-based Earthshine observations and from new satellite-based CERES, MODIS and ISCCP results. The ground-based Earthshine data show an order-of-magnitude more variability in annual mean SW TOA flux than either CERES or ISCCP, while ISCCP and CERES SW TOA flux variability is consistent to 40%. Most of the variability in CERES TOA flux is shown to be dominated by variations global cloud fraction, as observed using coincident CERES and MODIS data. Idealized Earthshine simulations of TOA SW radiation variability for a lunar-based observer show far less variability than the ground-based Earthshine observations, but are still a factor of 4-5 times more variable than global CERES SW TOA flux results. Furthermore, while CERES global albedos exhibit a well-defined seasonal cycle each year, the seasonal cycle in the lunar Earthshine reflectance simulations is highly variable and out-of-phase from one year to the next. Radiative transfer model (RTM) approaches that use imager cloud and aerosol retrievals reproduce most of the change in SW TOA radiation observed in broadband CERES data. However, assumptions used to represent the spectral properties of the atmosphere, clouds, aerosols and surface in the RTM calculations can introduce significant uncertainties in annual mean changes in regional and global SW TOA flux.

Variability in global top-of-atmosphere shortwave radiation between 2000 and 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loeb, Norman G.; Wielicki, Bruce A.; Rose, Fred G.; Doelling, David R.

2007-02-01

Measurements from various instruments and analysis techniques are used to directly compare changes in Earth-atmosphere shortwave (SW) top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation between 2000 and 2005. Included in the comparison are estimates of TOA reflectance variability from published ground-based Earthshine observations and from new satellite-based CERES, MODIS and ISCCP results. The ground-based Earthshine data show an order-of-magnitude more variability in annual mean SW TOA flux than either CERES or ISCCP, while ISCCP and CERES SW TOA flux variability is consistent to 40%. Most of the variability in CERES TOA flux is shown to be dominated by variations global cloud fraction, as observed using coincident CERES and MODIS data. Idealized Earthshine simulations of TOA SW radiation variability for a lunar-based observer show far less variability than the ground-based Earthshine observations, but are still a factor of 4-5 times more variable than global CERES SW TOA flux results. Furthermore, while CERES global albedos exhibit a well-defined seasonal cycle each year, the seasonal cycle in the lunar Earthshine reflectance simulations is highly variable and out-of-phase from one year to the next. Radiative transfer model (RTM) approaches that use imager cloud and aerosol retrievals reproduce most of the change in SW TOA radiation observed in broadband CERES data. However, assumptions used to represent the spectral properties of the atmosphere, clouds, aerosols and surface in the RTM calculations can introduce significant uncertainties in annual mean changes in regional and global SW TOA flux.

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

Szlufarska, Izabela; Voyles, Paul; Sridharan, Kumar

Silicon carbide is a promising cladding material because of its high strength and relatively good corrosion resistance. However, SiC is brittle and therefore SiC-based components need to be carefully designed to avoid cracking and failure by fracture. In design of SiC-based composites for nuclear reactor applications it is essential to take into account how mechanical properties are affected by radiation and temperature, or in other words, what strains and stresses develop in this material due to environmental conditions. While thermal strains in SiC can be predicted using classical theories, radiation-induced strains are much less understood. In particular, it is criticalmore » to correctly account for radiation swelling and radiation creep, which contribute significantly to dimensional instability of SiC under radiation. Swelling typically increases logarithmically with radiation dose and saturates at relatively low doses (damage levels of a few dpa). Consequently, swelling-induced stresses are likely to develop within a few months of operation of a reactor. Radiation-induced volume swelling in SiC can be as high as 2%, which is significantly higher than the cracking strain of 0.1% in SiC. Swelling-induced strains will lead to enormous stresses and fracture, unless these stresses can be relaxed via some other mechanism. An effective way to achieve stress relaxation is via radiation creep. Although it has been hypothesized that both radiation swelling and radiation creep are driven by formation of defect clusters, existing models for swelling and creep in SiC are limited by the lack of understanding of specific defects that form due to radiation in the range of temperatures relevant to fuel cladding in light water reactors (LWRs) (<1000°C). For example, defects that can be detected with traditional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques account only for 10-45% of the swelling measured in irradiated SiC. Here, we have undertaken an integrated experimental and modeling effort to discover the previously invisible defects in irradiated SiC and to determine the contributions of these defects to radiation swelling. Knowledge of the most stable defect structures and the rate controlling processes during defect evolution is essential for development of predictive models for swelling and creep as a function of temperature and radiation dose. This research has been enabled by state-of-the-art imaging techniques, such as the aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) (FEI TITAN) closely coupled with multi-scale models of stable defect clusters and their evolution.« less

Identifying and managing the risks of medical ionizing radiation in endourology.

PubMed

Yecies, Todd; Averch, Timothy D; Semins, Michelle J

2018-02-01

The risks of exposure to medical ionizing radiation is of increasing concern both among medical professionals and the general public. Patients with nephrolithiasis are exposed to high levels of ionizing radiation through both diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Endourologists who perform a high-volume of fluoroscopy guided procedures are also exposed to significant quantities of ionizing radiation. The combination of judicious use of radiation-based imaging modalities, application of new imaging techniques such as ultra-low dose computed tomography (CT) scan, and modifying use of current technology such as increasing ultrasound and pulsed fluoroscopy utilization offers the possibility of significantly reducing radiation exposure. We present a review of the literature regarding the risks of medical ionizing radiation to patients and surgeons as it pertains to the field of endourology and interventions that can be performed to limit this exposure. A review of the current state of the literature was performed using MEDLINE and PubMed. Interventions designed to limit patient and surgeon radiation exposure were identified and analyzed. Summaries of the data were compiled and synthesized in the body of the text. While no level 1 evidence exists demonstrating the risk of secondary malignancy with radiation exposure, the preponderance of evidence suggests a dose and age dependent increase in malignancy risk from ionizing radiation. Patients with nephrolithiasis were exposed to an average effective dose of 37mSv over a 2 year period. Multiple evidence-based interventions to limit patient and surgeon radiation exposure and associated risk were identified. Current evidence suggest an age and dose dependent risk of secondary malignancy from ionizing radiation. Urologists must act in accordance with ALARA principles to safely manage nephrolithiasis while minimizing radiation exposure.

Modern Radiation Therapy for Nodal Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma—Target Definition and Dose Guidelines From the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group

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

Illidge, Tim, E-mail: Tim.Illidge@ics.manchester.ac.uk; Specht, Lena; Yahalom, Joachim

2014-05-01

Radiation therapy (RT) is the most effective single modality for local control of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and is an important component of therapy for many patients. Many of the historic concepts of dose and volume have recently been challenged by the advent of modern imaging and RT planning tools. The International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group (ILROG) has developed these guidelines after multinational meetings and analysis of available evidence. The guidelines represent an agreed consensus view of the ILROG steering committee on the use of RT in NHL in the modern era. The roles of reduced volume and reduced doses aremore » addressed, integrating modern imaging with 3-dimensional planning and advanced techniques of RT delivery. In the modern era, in which combined-modality treatment with systemic therapy is appropriate, the previously applied extended-field and involved-field RT techniques that targeted nodal regions have now been replaced by limiting the RT to smaller volumes based solely on detectable nodal involvement at presentation. A new concept, involved-site RT, defines the clinical target volume. For indolent NHL, often treated with RT alone, larger fields should be considered. Newer treatment techniques, including intensity modulated RT, breath holding, image guided RT, and 4-dimensional imaging, should be implemented, and their use is expected to decrease significantly the risk for normal tissue damage while still achieving the primary goal of local tumor control.« less

Characterization of ion-induced radiation effects in nuclear materials using synchrotron x-ray techniques

DOE PAGES

Lang, Maik; Tracy, Cameron L.; Palomares, Raul I.; ...

2015-05-01

Recent efforts to characterize the nanoscale structural and chemical modifications induced by energetic ion irradiation in nuclear materials have greatly benefited from the application of synchrotron-based x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques. Key to the study of actinide-bearing materials has been the use of small sample volumes, which are particularly advantageous, as the small quantities minimize the level of radiation exposure at the ion-beam and synchrotron user facility. This approach utilizes energetic heavy ions (energy range: 100 MeV–3 GeV) that pass completely through the sample thickness and deposit an almost constant energy per unit length along theirmore » trajectory. High energy x-rays (25–65 keV) from intense synchrotron light sources are then used in transmission geometry to analyze ion-induced structural and chemical modifications throughout the ion tracks. We describe in detail the experimental approach for utilizing synchrotron radiation (SR) to study the radiation response of a range of nuclear materials (e.g., ThO 2 and Gd 2Ti xZr 2–xO 7). Also addressed is the use of high-pressure techniques, such as the heatable diamond anvil cell, as a new means to expose irradiated materials to well-controlled high-temperature (up to 1000 °C) and/or high-pressure (up to 50 GPa) conditions. Furthermore, this is particularly useful for characterizing the annealing kinetics of irradiation-induced material modifications.« less

Investigation of Passive Atmospheric Sounding Using Millimeter- and Submillimeter- Wavelength Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gasiewski, Albin J.

1996-01-01

This report summarizes progress made during the period from July 1, 1994 through June 30, 1996 on the development of satellite-based observational techniques for high resolution imaging of precipitation and sounding of atmospheric ice and water vapor using passive microwave radiometers in the millimeter (MMW)- and submillimeter (SMMW)-wavelength. This is being achieved by radiative transfer modeling a millimeter and submillimeter wave frequencies and by the development and operation of an airborne millimeter wave imaging radiometer (MIR). The MIR has been used in both airborne and ground-based experiments. Its primary application is to provide calibrated radiometric imagery to verify MMW and SMMW radiative transfer models in clear air, cloud, and precipitation and to develop retrieval techniques using MMW and SMMW channels. The MIR imagery over convective storm cells has been used to illustrate the potentially useful cloud and water vapor sensing and storm-cell mapping capabilities of SMMW channels. The radiometric data has also been used to analyze radiative transfer model discrepancies caused by water vapor errors in radiosondes. The MMW and SMMW channels can be used to extend the altitude that water vapor sounding can be performed up into the lower stratosphere. Together, the use of both SMMW and MMW channels are expected to provide additional observational degrees of freedom related to cloud ice particle size.

Quality Assurance Assessment of Diagnostic and Radiation Therapy–Simulation CT Image Registration for Head and Neck Radiation Therapy: Anatomic Region of Interest–based Comparison of Rigid and Deformable Algorithms

PubMed Central

Mohamed, Abdallah S. R.; Ruangskul, Manee-Naad; Awan, Musaddiq J.; Baron, Charles A.; Kalpathy-Cramer, Jayashree; Castillo, Richard; Castillo, Edward; Guerrero, Thomas M.; Kocak-Uzel, Esengul; Yang, Jinzhong; Court, Laurence E.; Kantor, Michael E.; Gunn, G. Brandon; Colen, Rivka R.; Frank, Steven J.; Garden, Adam S.; Rosenthal, David I.

2015-01-01

Purpose To develop a quality assurance (QA) workflow by using a robust, curated, manually segmented anatomic region-of-interest (ROI) library as a benchmark for quantitative assessment of different image registration techniques used for head and neck radiation therapy–simulation computed tomography (CT) with diagnostic CT coregistration. Materials and Methods Radiation therapy–simulation CT images and diagnostic CT images in 20 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with curative-intent intensity-modulated radiation therapy between August 2011 and May 2012 were retrospectively retrieved with institutional review board approval. Sixty-eight reference anatomic ROIs with gross tumor and nodal targets were then manually contoured on images from each examination. Diagnostic CT images were registered with simulation CT images rigidly and by using four deformable image registration (DIR) algorithms: atlas based, B-spline, demons, and optical flow. The resultant deformed ROIs were compared with manually contoured reference ROIs by using similarity coefficient metrics (ie, Dice similarity coefficient) and surface distance metrics (ie, 95% maximum Hausdorff distance). The nonparametric Steel test with control was used to compare different DIR algorithms with rigid image registration (RIR) by using the post hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank test for stratified metric comparison. Results A total of 2720 anatomic and 50 tumor and nodal ROIs were delineated. All DIR algorithms showed improved performance over RIR for anatomic and target ROI conformance, as shown for most comparison metrics (Steel test, P < .008 after Bonferroni correction). The performance of different algorithms varied substantially with stratification by specific anatomic structures or category and simulation CT section thickness. Conclusion Development of a formal ROI-based QA workflow for registration assessment demonstrated improved performance with DIR techniques over RIR. After QA, DIR implementation should be the standard for head and neck diagnostic CT and simulation CT allineation, especially for target delineation. © RSNA, 2014 Online supplemental material is available for this article. PMID:25380454

A Population-Based Comparative Effectiveness Study of Radiation Therapy Techniques in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

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

Harris, Jeremy P.; Murphy, James D.; Hanlon, Alexandra L.

2014-03-15

Purpose: Concerns have been raised about the potential for worse treatment outcomes because of dosimetric inaccuracies related to tumor motion and increased toxicity caused by the spread of low-dose radiation to normal tissues in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). We therefore performed a population-based comparative effectiveness analysis of IMRT, conventional 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), and 2-dimensional radiation therapy (2D-RT) in stage III NSCLC. Methods and Materials: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database to identify a cohort of patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC frommore » 2002 to 2009 treated with IMRT, 3D-CRT, or 2D-RT. Using Cox regression and propensity score matching, we compared survival and toxicities of these treatments. Results: The proportion of patients treated with IMRT increased from 2% in 2002 to 25% in 2009, and the use of 2D-RT decreased from 32% to 3%. In univariate analysis, IMRT was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.90, P=.02) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 0.89, P=.02). After controlling for confounders, IMRT was associated with similar OS (HR 0.94, P=.23) and CSS (HR 0.94, P=.28) compared with 3D-CRT. Both techniques had superior OS compared with 2D-RT. IMRT was associated with similar toxicity risks on multivariate analysis compared with 3D-CRT. Propensity score matched model results were similar to those from adjusted models. Conclusions: In this population-based analysis, IMRT for stage III NSCLC was associated with similar OS and CSS and maintained similar toxicity risks compared with 3D-CRT.« less

Development of methods for inferring cloud thickness and cloud-base height from satellite radiance data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, William L., Jr.; Minnis, Patrick; Alvarez, Joseph M.; Uttal, Taneil; Intrieri, Janet M.; Ackerman, Thomas P.; Clothiaux, Eugene

1993-01-01

Cloud-top height is a major factor determining the outgoing longwave flux at the top of the atmosphere. The downwelling radiation from the cloud strongly affects the cooling rate within the atmosphere and the longwave radiation incident at the surface. Thus, determination of cloud-base temperature is important for proper calculation of fluxes below the cloud. Cloud-base altitude is also an important factor in aircraft operations. Cloud-top height or temperature can be derived in a straightforward manner using satellite-based infrared data. Cloud-base temperature, however, is not observable from the satellite, but is related to the height, phase, and optical depth of the cloud in addition to other variables. This study uses surface and satellite data taken during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Phase-2 Intensive Field Observation (IFO) period (13 Nov. - 7 Dec. 1991, to improve techniques for deriving cloud-base height from conventional satellite data.

Enhanced coupling of terahertz radiation to cylindrical wire waveguides.

PubMed

Deibel, Jason A; Wang, Kanglin; Escarra, Matthew D; Mittleman, Daniel

2006-01-09

Wire waveguides have recently been shown to be valuable for transporting pulsed terahertz radiation. This technique relies on the use of a scattering mechanism for input coupling. A radially polarized surface wave is excited when a linearly polarized terahertz pulse is focused on the gap between the wire waveguide and another metal structure. We calculate the input coupling efficiency using a simulation based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). Additional FEM results indicate that enhanced coupling efficiency can be achieved through the use of a radially symmetric photoconductive antenna. Experimental results confirm that such an antenna can generate terahertz radiation which couples to the radial waveguide mode with greatly improved efficiency.

Influence of ionizing radiation on the mechanical properties of BisGMA/TEGDMA based experimental resin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LMP, Campos; Boaro, LC; LKG, Santos; Parra, DF; Lugão, AB

2015-10-01

Dental restorative composites are activated by visible light and the polymerization process, known as direct technique, is initiated by absorbing light in a specific wavelength range (450-500 nm). However this technique presented some disadvantages. If light is not inserted correctly, layers uncured can cause countless damage to restoration, especially with regard to mechanical properties. A clinical alternative used to reduce the shortcomings of direct application is the use of composite resins for indirect application. These composites are adaptations of resins prepared for direct use, with differences mainly in the healing process. Besides the traditional photoactivation, indirect application composites may be submitted to particular curing conditions, such as a slow curing rate, heating, vacuum, and inert-gas pressure leading to an oxygen-free environment. However few studies have been conducted on the process of post-curing by ionizing radiation at low doses. On this sense the purpose of this study was to evaluate possible interactions of ionizing radiation in the post-curing process of the experimental composites based on BisGMA/TEGDMA filled with silica Aerosil OX-50 silanized. Characterization of the experimental composites was performed by thermogravimetry analysis, infrared spectroscopy, elastic modulus and flexural strength. Statistical analysis of results was calculated by one-way ANOVA/Tukey's test. Cross-linking of the polymeric matrix caused by ionizing radiation, influenced the thermal stability of irradiated specimens. FTIR analysis showed that the ionizing radiation induced a post-cure reaction in the specimens. The irradiation dose influenced directly the mechanical properties that showed a strong positive correlation between flexural strength and irradiation and between modulus strength and irradiation.

Optimized radiation-hardened erbium doped fiber amplifiers for long space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladaci, A.; Girard, S.; Mescia, L.; Robin, T.; Laurent, A.; Cadier, B.; Boutillier, M.; Ouerdane, Y.; Boukenter, A.

2017-04-01

In this work, we developed and exploited simulation tools to optimize the performances of rare earth doped fiber amplifiers (REDFAs) for space missions. To describe these systems, a state-of-the-art model based on the rate equations and the particle swarm optimization technique is developed in which we also consider the main radiation effect on REDFA: the radiation induced attenuation (RIA). After the validation of this tool set by confrontation between theoretical and experimental results, we investigate how the deleterious radiation effects on the amplifier performance can be mitigated following adequate strategies to conceive the REDFA architecture. The tool set was validated by comparing the calculated Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) gain degradation under X-rays at ˜300 krad(SiO2) with the corresponding experimental results. Two versions of the same fibers were used in this work, a standard optical fiber and a radiation hardened fiber, obtained by loading the previous fiber with hydrogen gas. Based on these fibers, standard and radiation hardened EDFAs were manufactured and tested in different operating configurations, and the obtained data were compared with simulation data done considering the same EDFA structure and fiber properties. This comparison reveals a good agreement between simulated gain and experimental data (<10% as the maximum error for the highest doses). Compared to our previous results obtained on Er/Yb-amplifiers, these results reveal the importance of the photo-bleaching mechanism competing with the RIA that cannot be neglected for the modeling of the radiation-induced gain degradation of EDFAs. This implies to measure in representative conditions the RIA at the pump and signal wavelengths that are used as input parameters for the simulation. The validated numerical codes have then been used to evaluate the potential of some EDFA architecture evolutions in the amplifier performance during the space mission. Optimization of both the fiber length and the EDFA pumping scheme allows us to strongly reduce its radiation vulnerability in terms of gain. The presented approach is a complementary and effective tool for hardening by device techniques and opens new perspectives for the applications of REDFAs and lasers in harsh environments.

Modern Radiation Therapy and Cardiac Outcomes in Breast Cancer

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

Boero, Isabel J.; Paravati, Anthony J.; Triplett, Daniel P.

Purpose: Adjuvant radiation therapy, which has proven benefit against breast cancer, has historically been associated with an increased incidence of ischemic heart disease. Modern techniques have reduced this risk, but a detailed evaluation has not recently been conducted. The present study evaluated the effect of current radiation practices on ischemia-related cardiac events and procedures in a population-based study of older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 29,102 patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare database. Medicare claims were used to identify the radiation therapy and cardiac outcomes.more » Competing risk models were used to assess the effect of radiation on these outcomes. Results: Patients with left-sided breast cancer had a small increase in their risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after radiation therapy—the 10-year cumulative incidence for these patients was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.9%-6.2%) and 4.5% (95% CI 4.0%-5.0%) for right-sided patients. This risk was limited to women with previous cardiac disease. For patients who underwent PCI, those with left-sided breast cancer had a significantly increased risk of cardiac mortality with a subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.02 (95% CI 1.23-3.34). No other outcome, including cardiac mortality for the entire cohort, showed a significant relationship with tumor laterality. Conclusions: For women with a history of cardiac disease, those with left-sided breast cancer who underwent radiation therapy had increased rates of PCI and a survival decrement if treated with PCI. The results of the present study could help cardiologists and radiation oncologists better stratify patients who need more aggressive cardioprotective techniques.« less

Radiation absorbed by a vertical cylinder in complex outdoor environments under clear sky conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krys, S. A.; Brown, R. D.

1990-06-01

Research was conducted into the estimation of radiation absorbed by a vertical cylinder in complex outdoor environments under clear sky conditions. Two methods of estimation were employed: a cylindrical radiation thermometer (CRT) and model developed by Brown and Gillespie (1986), and the weather station model. The CRT produced an integrated temperature reading from which the radiant environment could be estimated successfully given simultaneous measurements of air temperature and wind speed. The CRT estimates compared to the measured radiation gave a correlation coefficient of 0.9499, SE=19.8 W/m2, α=99.9%. The physically-based equations (weather station model)require the inputs of data from a near by weather station and site characteristics to estimate radiation absorbed by a vertical cylinder. The correlation coefficient for the weather station model is 0.9529, SE=16.8 W/m2, α=99.9%. This model estimates short wave and long wave radiation separately; hence, this allowed further comparison to measured values. The short wave radiation was very successfully estimated: R=0.9865, SE=10.0 W/m2, α=99.9%. The long wave radiation estimates were also successful: R=0.8654, SE=15.7 W/m2, and α=99.9%. Though the correlation coefficient and standard error may suggest inaccuracy to the micrometeorologist, these estimation techniques would be extremely useful as predictors of human thermal comfort which is not a precise measure buut defined by a range. The reported methods require little specialized knowledge of micrometeorology and are vehicles for the designers of outdoor spaces to measure accurately the inherent radiant environment of outdoor spaces and provide a measurement technique to simulate or model the effect of various landscape elements on planned environments.

Mechanical and thermal properties of irradiated films based on Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus) proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabato, S. F.; Nakamurakare, N.; Sobral, P. J. A.

2007-11-01

Proteins are considered potential material in natural films as alternative to traditional packaging. When gamma radiation is applied to protein film forming solution it resulted in an improvement in mechanical properties of whey protein films. The objective of this work was the characterization of mechanical and thermal properties of irradiated films based on muscle proteins from Nile Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus). The films were prepared according to a casting technique with two levels of plasticizer: 25% and 45% glycerol and irradiated in electron accelerator type Radiation Dynamics, 0.550 MeV at dose range from 0 to 200 kGy. Thermal properties and mechanical properties were determined using a differential scanning calorimeter and a texture analyzer, respectively. Radiation from electron beam caused a slightly increase on its tensile strength characteristic at 100 kGy, while elongation value at this dose had no reduction.

Understanding self ion damage in FCC Ni-Cr-Fe based alloy using X-ray diffraction techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halder Banerjee, R.; Sengupta, P.; Chatterjee, A.; Mishra, S. C.; Bhukta, A.; Satyam, P. V.; Samajdar, I.; Dey, G. K.

2018-04-01

Using X-ray diffraction line profile analysis (XRDLPA) approach the radiation response of FCC Ni-Cr-Fe based alloy 690 to 1.5 and 3 MeV Ni2+ ion damage was quantified in terms of its microstructural parameters. These microstructural parameters viz. average domain size, microstrain and dislocation density were found to vary anisotropically with fluence. The anisotropic behaviour is mainly attributable to presence of twins in pre-irradiated microstructure. After irradiation, surface roughness increases as a function of fluence attributable to change in surface and sub-surface morphology caused by displacement cascade, defects and sputtered atoms created by incident energetic ion. The radiation hardening in case of 1.5 MeV Ni2+ irradiated specimens too is a consequence of the increase in dislocation density formed by interaction of radiation induced defects with pre-existing dislocations. At highest fluence there is an initiation of saturation.

High-speed X-ray microscopy by use of high-resolution zone plates and synchrotron radiation.

PubMed

Hou, Qiyue; Wang, Zhili; Gao, Kun; Pan, Zhiyun; Wang, Dajiang; Ge, Xin; Zhang, Kai; Hong, Youli; Zhu, Peiping; Wu, Ziyu

2012-09-01

X-ray microscopy based on synchrotron radiation has become a fundamental tool in biology and life sciences to visualize the morphology of a specimen. These studies have particular requirements in terms of radiation damage and the image exposure time, which directly determines the total acquisition speed. To monitor and improve these key parameters, we present a novel X-ray microscopy method using a high-resolution zone plate as the objective and the matching condenser. Numerical simulations based on the scalar wave field theory validate the feasibility of the method and also indicate the performance of X-ray microscopy is optimized most with sub-10-nm-resolution zone plates. The proposed method is compatible with conventional X-ray microscopy techniques, such as computed tomography, and will find wide applications in time-resolved and/or dose-sensitive studies such as living cell imaging.

Sound radiation from randomly vibrating beams of finite circular cross section

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutterlin, M. W.; Pierce, A. D.

1976-01-01

The radiation of sound from vibrating cylindrical beams is analyzed based on the frequency of the beam vibrations and the physical characteristics of the beam and its surroundings. A statistical analysis of random beam vibrations allows this result to be independent of the boundary conditions at the ends of the beam. The acoustic power radiated by the beam can be determined from a knowledge of the frequency band vibration data without a knowledge of the individual modal vibration amplitudes. A practical example of the usefulness of this technique is provided by the application of the theoretical calculations to the prediction of the octave band acoustic power output of the picking sticks of an automatic textile loom. Calculations are made of the expected octave band sound pressure levels based on measured acceleration data. These theoretical levels are subsequently compared with actual sound pressure level measurements of loom noise.

Using complementary tools to characterize the effects of radiation in electro-optic polymeric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Moreno, Javier

2015-09-01

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms behind the radiation resistance of polymers and molecules would allow us to tailor new materials with enhanced performance in space and adverse environments. Previous studies of the radiation effects on polymer-based photonic materials indicate that they are very dependent on the choice of polymer-host and guest-chromophores. The best results have been reported from the combination of CLD1 as a guest-chromophore doped in APC as host polymer, where improvement of the performance was observed upon gamma-irradiation at moderate doses. In this paper, we report on the different complementary tools that have been tried to characterize the origin of such enhancement: characterization of the linear and nonlinear response, characterization of chemical properties, and application of an all-optical protocol. We derive some general conclusions by contrasting the results of each characterization, and propose complementary experiments based on microscopy techniques.

NCTM of liquids at high temperatures using polarization techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krishnan, Shankar; Weber, J. K. Richard; Nordine, Paul C.; Schiffman, Robert A.

1990-01-01

Temperature measurement and control is extremely important in any materials processing application. However, conventional techniques for non-contact temperature measurement (mainly optical pyrometry) are very uncertain because of unknown or varying surface emittance. Optical properties like other properties change during processing. A dynamic, in-situ measurement of optical properties including the emittance is required. Intersonics is developing new technologies using polarized laser light scattering to determine surface emittance of freely radiating bodies concurrent with conventional optical pyrometry. These are sufficient to determine the true surface temperature of the target. Intersonics is currently developing a system called DAPP, the Division of Amplitude Polarimetric Pyrometer, that uses polarization information to measure the true thermodynamic temperature of freely radiating objects. This instrument has potential use in materials processing applications in ground and space based equipment. Results of thermophysical and thermodynamic measurements using laser reflection as a temperature measuring tool are presented. The impact of these techniques on thermophysical property measurements at high temperature is discussed.

In-Space Radiator Shape Optimization using Genetic Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hull, Patrick V.; Kittredge, Ken; Tinker, Michael; SanSoucie, Michael

2006-01-01

Future space exploration missions will require the development of more advanced in-space radiators. These radiators should be highly efficient and lightweight, deployable heat rejection systems. Typical radiators for in-space heat mitigation commonly comprise a substantial portion of the total vehicle mass. A small mass savings of even 5-10% can greatly improve vehicle performance. The objective of this paper is to present the development of detailed tools for the analysis and design of in-space radiators using evolutionary computation techniques. The optimality criterion is defined as a two-dimensional radiator with a shape demonstrating the smallest mass for the greatest overall heat transfer, thus the end result is a set of highly functional radiator designs. This cross-disciplinary work combines topology optimization and thermal analysis design by means of a genetic algorithm The proposed design tool consists of the following steps; design parameterization based on the exterior boundary of the radiator, objective function definition (mass minimization and heat loss maximization), objective function evaluation via finite element analysis (thermal radiation analysis) and optimization based on evolutionary algorithms. The radiator design problem is defined as follows: the input force is a driving temperature and the output reaction is heat loss. Appropriate modeling of the space environment is added to capture its effect on the radiator. The design parameters chosen for this radiator shape optimization problem fall into two classes, variable height along the width of the radiator and a spline curve defining the -material boundary of the radiator. The implementation of multiple design parameter schemes allows the user to have more confidence in the radiator optimization tool upon demonstration of convergence between the two design parameter schemes. This tool easily allows the user to manipulate the driving temperature regions thus permitting detailed design of in-space radiators for unique situations. Preliminary results indicate an optimized shape following that of the temperature distribution regions in the "cooler" portions of the radiator. The results closely follow the expected radiator shape.

Information system building of the urban electromagnetic environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiechen; Rui, Yikang; Shen, Dingtao; Yu, Qing

2007-06-01

The pollution of urban electromagnetic radiation has become more serious, however, there is still lack of a perfect and interactive User System to manage, analyze and issue the information. In this study, taking the electromagnetic environment of Nanjing as an example, an information system based on WebGIS with the techniques of ArcIMS and JSP has been developed, in order to provide the services and technique supports for information query of public and decision making of relevant departments.

Assessment of surface solar irradiance derived from real-time modelling techniques and verification with ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmopoulos, Panagiotis G.; Kazadzis, Stelios; Taylor, Michael; Raptis, Panagiotis I.; Keramitsoglou, Iphigenia; Kiranoudis, Chris; Bais, Alkiviadis F.

2018-02-01

This study focuses on the assessment of surface solar radiation (SSR) based on operational neural network (NN) and multi-regression function (MRF) modelling techniques that produce instantaneous (in less than 1 min) outputs. Using real-time cloud and aerosol optical properties inputs from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), respectively, these models are capable of calculating SSR in high resolution (1 nm, 0.05°, 15 min) that can be used for spectrally integrated irradiance maps, databases and various applications related to energy exploitation. The real-time models are validated against ground-based measurements of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) in a temporal range varying from 15 min to monthly means, while a sensitivity analysis of the cloud and aerosol effects on SSR is performed to ensure reliability under different sky and climatological conditions. The simulated outputs, compared to their common training dataset created by the radiative transfer model (RTM) libRadtran, showed median error values in the range -15 to 15 % for the NN that produces spectral irradiances (NNS), 5-6 % underestimation for the integrated NN and close to zero errors for the MRF technique. The verification against BSRN revealed that the real-time calculation uncertainty ranges from -100 to 40 and -20 to 20 W m-2, for the 15 min and monthly mean global horizontal irradiance (GHI) averages, respectively, while the accuracy of the input parameters, in terms of aerosol and cloud optical thickness (AOD and COT), and their impact on GHI, was of the order of 10 % as compared to the ground-based measurements. The proposed system aims to be utilized through studies and real-time applications which are related to solar energy production planning and use.

The use of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) technique in evaluation of patients with cervical spine trauma: impact on radiation dose reduction and image quality

PubMed Central

Sheikh, Adnan

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) technique on the image quality and radiation dose reduction. The comparison was made with the traditional filtered back projection (FBP) technique. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 78 patients, who underwent cervical spine CT for blunt cervical trauma between 1 June 2010 and 30 November 2010. 48 patients were imaged using traditional FBP technique and the remaining 30 patients were imaged using the ASiR technique. The patient demographics, radiation dose, objective image signal and noise were recorded; while subjective noise, sharpness, diagnostic acceptability and artefacts were graded by two radiologists blinded to the techniques. Results: We found that the ASiR technique was able to reduce the volume CT dose index, dose–length product and effective dose by 36%, 36.5% and 36.5%, respectively, compared with the FBP technique. There was no significant difference in the image noise (p = 0.39), signal (p = 0.82) and signal-to-noise ratio (p = 0.56) between the groups. The subjective image quality was minimally better in the ASiR group but not statistically significant. There was excellent interobserver agreement on the subjective image quality and diagnostic acceptability for both groups. Conclusion: The use of ASiR technique allowed approximately 36% radiation dose reduction in the evaluation of cervical spine without degrading the image quality. Advances in knowledge: The present study highlights that the ASiR technique is extremely helpful in reducing the patient radiation exposure while maintaining the image quality. It is highly recommended to utilize this novel technique in CT imaging of different body regions. PMID:26882825

The use of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) technique in evaluation of patients with cervical spine trauma: impact on radiation dose reduction and image quality.

PubMed

Patro, Satya N; Chakraborty, Santanu; Sheikh, Adnan

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) technique on the image quality and radiation dose reduction. The comparison was made with the traditional filtered back projection (FBP) technique. We retrospectively reviewed 78 patients, who underwent cervical spine CT for blunt cervical trauma between 1 June 2010 and 30 November 2010. 48 patients were imaged using traditional FBP technique and the remaining 30 patients were imaged using the ASiR technique. The patient demographics, radiation dose, objective image signal and noise were recorded; while subjective noise, sharpness, diagnostic acceptability and artefacts were graded by two radiologists blinded to the techniques. We found that the ASiR technique was able to reduce the volume CT dose index, dose-length product and effective dose by 36%, 36.5% and 36.5%, respectively, compared with the FBP technique. There was no significant difference in the image noise (p = 0.39), signal (p = 0.82) and signal-to-noise ratio (p = 0.56) between the groups. The subjective image quality was minimally better in the ASiR group but not statistically significant. There was excellent interobserver agreement on the subjective image quality and diagnostic acceptability for both groups. The use of ASiR technique allowed approximately 36% radiation dose reduction in the evaluation of cervical spine without degrading the image quality. The present study highlights that the ASiR technique is extremely helpful in reducing the patient radiation exposure while maintaining the image quality. It is highly recommended to utilize this novel technique in CT imaging of different body regions.

Use of near infrared femtosecond lasers as sub-micron radiation microbeam for cell DNA damage and repair studies.

PubMed

Botchway, S W; Reynolds, P; Parker, A W; O'Neill, P

2010-01-01

Laser induced radiation microbeam technology for radiobiology research is undergoing rapid growth because of the increased availability and ease of use of femtosecond laser sources. The main processes involved are multiphoton absorption and/or plasma formation. The high peak powers these lasers generate make them ideal tools for depositing sub-micrometer size radiant energy within a region of a living cell nucleus to activate ionising and/or photochemically driven processes. The technique allows questions relating to the effects of low doses of radiation, the propagation and treatment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and repair in individual live cells as well as non-targeted cell to cell effects to be addressed. This mini-review focuses on the use of near infrared (NIR) ca. 800nm radiation to induce damage that is radically different from the early and subsequent ultraviolet microbeam techniques. Ultrafast pulsed NIR instrumentation has many benefits including the ability to eliminate issues of unspecific UV absorption by the many materials prevalent within cells. The multiphoton interaction volume also permits energy deposition beyond the diffraction limit. Work has established that the fundamental process of the damage induced by the ultrashort laser pulses is different to those induced from continuous wave light sources. Pioneering work has demonstrated that NIR laser microbeam radiation can mimic ionising radiation via multiphoton absorption within the 3D femtolitre volume of the highly focused Gaussian beam. This light-matter interaction phenomenon provides a novel optical microbeam probe for mimicking both complex ionising and UV radiation-type cell damage including double strand breaks (DSBs) and base damage. A further advantage of the pulsed laser technique is that it provides further scope for time-resolved experiments. Recently the NIR laser microbeam technique has been used to investigate the recruitment of repair proteins to the sub-micrometre size area of damage in viable cells using both immuno-fluorescent staining of gamma-H2AX (a marker for DSBs) and real-time imaging of GFP-labelled repair proteins including ATM, p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1), RAD51 and Ku 70/80 to elucidate the interaction of the two DNA DSB repair pathways, homologous recombination and the non-homologous end joining pathway. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

TH-EF-204-00: AAPM-AMPR (Russia)-SEFM (Spain) Joint Course On Challenges and Advantages of Small Field Radiation Treatment Techniques

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

NONE

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

In vivo dosimetry with optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters for conformal and intensity-modulated radiation therapy: A 2-year multicenter cohort study.

PubMed

Riegel, Adam C; Chen, Yu; Kapur, Ajay; Apicello, Laura; Kuruvilla, Abraham; Rea, Anthony J; Jamshidi, Abolghassem; Potters, Louis

Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) are utilized for in vivo dosimetry (IVD) of modern radiation therapy techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Dosimetric precision achieved with conventional techniques may not be attainable. In this work, we measured accuracy and precision for a large sample of clinical OSLD-based IVD measurements. Weekly IVD measurements were collected from 4 linear accelerators for 2 years and were expressed as percent differences from planned doses. After outlier analysis, 10,224 measurements were grouped in the following way: overall, modality (photons, electrons), treatment technique (3-dimensional [3D] conformal, field-in-field intensity modulation, inverse-planned IMRT, and VMAT), placement location (gantry angle, cardinality, and central axis positioning), and anatomical site (prostate, breast, head and neck, pelvis, lung, rectum and anus, brain, abdomen, esophagus, and bladder). Distributions were modeled via a Gaussian function. Fitting was performed with least squares, and goodness-of-fit was assessed with the coefficient of determination. Model means (μ) and standard deviations (σ) were calculated. Sample means and variances were compared for statistical significance by analysis of variance and the Levene tests (α = 0.05). Overall, μ ± σ was 0.3 ± 10.3%. Precision for electron measurements (6.9%) was significantly better than for photons (10.5%). Precision varied significantly among treatment techniques (P < .0001) with field-in-field lowest (σ = 7.2%) and IMRT and VMAT highest (σ = 11.9% and 13.4%, respectively). Treatment site models with goodness-of-fit greater than 0.90 (6 of 10) yielded accuracy within ±3%, except for head and neck (μ = -3.7%). Precision varied with treatment site (range, 7.3%-13.0%), with breast and head and neck yielding the best and worst precision, respectively. Placement on the central axis of cardinal gantry angles yielded more precise results (σ = 8.5%) compared with other locations (range, 10.5%-11.4%). Accuracy of ±3% was achievable. Precision ranged from 6.9% to 13.4% depending on modality, technique, and treatment site. Simple, standardized locations may improve IVD precision. These findings may aid development of patient-specific tolerances for OSLD-based IVD. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Account of an optical beam spreading caused by turbulence for the problem of partially coherent wavefield propagation through inhomogeneous absorbing media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudorov, Vadim V.; Kolosov, Valerii V.

2003-04-01

The propagation problem for partially coherent wave fields in inhomogeneous media is considered in this work. The influence of refraction, inhomogeneity of gain medium properties and refraction parameter fluctuations on target characteristics of radiation are taken into consideration. Such problems arise in the study of laser propagation on atmosphere paths, under investigation of directional radiation pattern forming for lasers which gain media is characterized by strong fluctuation of dielectric constant and for lasers which resonator have an atmosphere area. The ray-tracing technique allows us to make effective algorithms for modeling of a partially coherent wave field propagation through inhomogeneous random media is presented for case when the influecne of an optical wave refraction, the influence of the inhomogeiety of radiaitn amplification or absorption, and also the influence of fluctuations of a refraction parameter on target radiation parameters are basic. Novelty of the technique consists in the account of the additional refraction caused by inhomogeneity of gain, and also in the method of an account of turbulent distortions of a beam with any initial coherence allowing to execute construction of effective numerical algorithms. The technique based on the solution of the equation for coherence function of the second order.

Novel Fourier-based iterative reconstruction for sparse fan projection using alternating direction total variation minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jin; Han-Ming, Zhang; Bin, Yan; Lei, Li; Lin-Yuan, Wang; Ai-Long, Cai

2016-03-01

Sparse-view x-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging is an interesting topic in CT field and can efficiently decrease radiation dose. Compared with spatial reconstruction, a Fourier-based algorithm has advantages in reconstruction speed and memory usage. A novel Fourier-based iterative reconstruction technique that utilizes non-uniform fast Fourier transform (NUFFT) is presented in this work along with advanced total variation (TV) regularization for a fan sparse-view CT. The proposition of a selective matrix contributes to improve reconstruction quality. The new method employs the NUFFT and its adjoin to iterate back and forth between the Fourier and image space. The performance of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated through a series of digital simulations and experimental phantom studies. Results of the proposed algorithm are compared with those of existing TV-regularized techniques based on compressed sensing method, as well as basic algebraic reconstruction technique. Compared with the existing TV-regularized techniques, the proposed Fourier-based technique significantly improves convergence rate and reduces memory allocation, respectively. Projected supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2012AA011603) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61372172).

The dosimetry of brachytherapy-induced erectile dysfunction

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

Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M

2003-12-31

There is emerging evidence that brachytherapy-induced erectile dysfunction (ED) is technique-related and may be minimized by careful attention to source placement. Herein, we review the relationship between radiation doses to the prostate gland/surrounding structures and the development of brachytherapy-induced ED. The permanent prostate brachytherapy literature was reviewed using MEDLINE searches to ensure completeness. Although the site-specific structure associated with brachytherapy-induced ED remains unknown, there is an increasing body of data implicating the proximal penis. With day 0 CT-based dosimetry, the dose to 50% (D{sub 50}) and 25% (D{sub 25}) of the bulb of the penis should be maintained below 40%more » and 60% mPD, respectively, while the crura D{sub 50} should be maintained below 28% mPD to maximize post-brachytherapy potency. To date, there is no data to suggest that either radiation doses to the neurovascular bundles or choice of isotope is associated with brachytherapy-induced ED, while conflicting data has been reported regarding radiation dose to the prostate and the use of supplemental external beam radiation therapy. Although the etiology of brachytherapy-induced ED is likely multifactorial, the available data supports the proximal penis as an important site-specific structure. Refinements in implant technique, including preplanning and intraoperative seed placement, will result in lower radiation doses to the proximal penis with potential improvement in potency preservation.« less

Radiation dose constraints for organs at risk in neuro-oncology; the European Particle Therapy Network consensus.

PubMed

Lambrecht, Maarten; Eekers, Daniëlle B P; Alapetite, Claire; Burnet, Neil G; Calugaru, Valentin; Coremans, Ida E M; Fossati, Piero; Høyer, Morten; Langendijk, Johannes A; Romero, Alejandra Méndez; Paulsen, Frank; Perpar, Ana; Renard, Laurette; de Ruysscher, Dirk; Timmermann, Beate; Vitek, Pavel; Weber, Damien C; van der Weide, Hiske L; Whitfield, Gillian A; Wiggenraad, Ruud; Roelofs, Erik; Nyström, Petra Witt; Troost, Esther G C

2018-05-17

For unbiased comparison of different radiation modalities and techniques, consensus on delineation of radiation sensitive organs at risk (OARs) and on their dose constraints is warranted. Following the publication of a digital, online atlas for OAR delineation in neuro-oncology by the same group, we assessed the brain OAR-dose constraints in a follow-up study. We performed a comprehensive search to identify the current papers on OAR dose constraints for normofractionated photon and particle therapy in PubMed, Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science. Moreover, the included articles' reference lists were cross-checked for potential studies that met the inclusion criteria. Consensus was reached among 20 radiation oncology experts in the field of neuro-oncology. For the OARs published in the neuro-oncology literature, we summarized the available literature and recommended dose constraints associated with certain levels of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) according to the recent ICRU recommendations. For those OARs with lacking or insufficient NTCP data, a proposal for effective and efficient data collection is given. The use of the European Particle Therapy Network-consensus OAR dose constraints summarized in this article is recommended for the model-based approach comparing photon and proton beam irradiation as well as for prospective clinical trials including novel radiation techniques and/or modalities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Potential Benefit of Radiotherapy with Protons in Head and Neck Cancer with Respect to Normal Tissue Sparing: A Systematic Review of Literature

PubMed Central

Bijl, Hendrik P.; Schilstra, Cornelis; Pijls-Johannesma, Madelon; Langendijk, Johannes A.

2011-01-01

Purpose. Clinical studies concerning head and neck cancer patients treated with protons reporting on radiation-induced side effects are scarce. Therefore, we reviewed the literature regarding the potential benefits of protons compared with the currently used photons in terms of lower doses to normal tissue and the potential for fewer subsequent radiation-induced side effects, with the main focus on in silico planning comparative (ISPC) studies. Materials and Methods. A literature search was performed by two independent researchers on ISPC studies that included proton-based and photon-based irradiation techniques. Results. Initially, 877 papers were retrieved and 14 relevant and eligible ISPC studies were identified and included in this review. Four studies included paranasal sinus cancer cases, three included nasopharyngeal cancer cases, and seven included oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and/or laryngeal cancer cases. Seven studies compared the most sophisticated photon and proton techniques: intensity-modulated photon therapy versus intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT). Four studies compared different proton techniques. All studies showed that protons had a lower normal tissue dose, while keeping similar or better target coverage. Two studies found that these lower doses theoretically translated into a significantly lower incidence of salivary dysfunction. Conclusion. The results of ISPC studies indicate that protons have the potential for a significantly lower normal tissue dose, while keeping similar or better target coverage. Scanned IMPT probably offers the most advantage and will allow for a substantially lower probability of radiation-induced side effects. The results of these ISPC studies should be confirmed in properly designed clinical trials. PMID:21349950

Toward an Improved Understanding of the Tropical Energy Budget Using TRMM-based Atmospheric Radiative Heating Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

L'Ecuyer, T.; McGarragh, G.; Ellis, T.; Stephens, G.; Olson, W.; Grecu, M.; Shie, C.; Jiang, X.; Waliser, D.; Li, J.; Tian, B.

2008-05-01

It is widely recognized that clouds and precipitation exert a profound influence on the propagation of radiation through the Earth's atmosphere. In fact, feedbacks between clouds, radiation, and precipitation represent one of the most important unresolved factors inhibiting our ability to predict the consequences of global climate change. Since its launch in late 1997, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) has collected more than a decade of rainfall measurements that now form the gold standard of satellite-based precipitation estimates. Although not as widely advertised, the instruments aboard TRMM are also well-suited to the problem of characterizing the distribution of atmospheric heating in the tropics and a series of algorithms have recently been developed for estimating profiles of radiative and latent heating from these measurements. This presentation will describe a new multi-sensor tropical radiative heating product derived primarily from TRMM observations. Extensive evaluation of the products using a combination of ground and satellite-based observations is used to place the dataset in the context of existing techniques for quantifying atmospheric radiative heating. Highlights of several recent applications of the dataset will be presented that illustrate its utility for observation-based analysis of energy and water cycle variability on seasonal to inter-annual timescales and evaluating the representation of these processes in numerical models. Emphasis will be placed on the problem of understanding the impacts of clouds and precipitation on atmospheric heating on large spatial scales, one of the primary benefits of satellite observations like those provided by TRMM.

Investigation of the microstructure and mineralogical composition of urinary calculi fragments by synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Kaiser, Jozef; Holá, Markéta; Galiová, Michaela; Novotný, Karel; Kanický, Viktor; Martinec, Petr; Sčučka, Jiří; Brun, Francesco; Sodini, Nicola; Tromba, Giuliana; Mancini, Lucia; Kořistková, Tamara

2011-08-01

The outcomes from the feasibility study on utilization of synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography (SR-μCT) to investigate the texture and the quantitative mineralogical composition of selected calcium oxalate-based urinary calculi fragments are presented. The comparison of the results obtained by SR-μCT analysis with those derived from current standard analytical approaches is provided. SR-μCT is proved as a potential effective technique for determination of texture, 3D microstructure, and composition of kidney stones.

Space Radiation: The Number One Risk to Astronaut Health beyond Low Earth Orbit.

PubMed

Chancellor, Jeffery C; Scott, Graham B I; Sutton, Jeffrey P

2014-09-11

Projecting a vision for space radiobiological research necessitates understanding the nature of the space radiation environment and how radiation risks influence mission planning, timelines and operational decisions. Exposure to space radiation increases the risks of astronauts developing cancer, experiencing central nervous system (CNS) decrements, exhibiting degenerative tissue effects or developing acute radiation syndrome. One or more of these deleterious health effects could develop during future multi-year space exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Shielding is an effective countermeasure against solar particle events (SPEs), but is ineffective in protecting crew members from the biological impacts of fast moving, highly-charged galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) nuclei. Astronauts traveling on a protracted voyage to Mars may be exposed to SPE radiation events, overlaid on a more predictable flux of GCR. Therefore, ground-based research studies employing model organisms seeking to accurately mimic the biological effects of the space radiation environment must concatenate exposures to both proton and heavy ion sources. New techniques in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other "omics" areas should also be intelligently employed and correlated with phenotypic observations. This approach will more precisely elucidate the effects of space radiation on human physiology and aid in developing personalized radiological countermeasures for astronauts.

Supercritical carbon dioxide-based sterilization of decellularized heart valves.

PubMed

Hennessy, Ryan S; Jana, Soumen; Tefft, Brandon J; Helder, Meghana R; Young, Melissa D; Hennessy, Rebecca R; Stoyles, Nicholas J; Lerman, Amir

2017-02-01

The goal of this research project encompasses finding the most efficient and effective method of decellularized tissue sterilization. Aortic tissue grafts have been utilized to repair damaged or diseased valves. Although, the tissues for grafting are collected aseptically, it does not eradicate the risk of contamination nor disease transfer. Thus, sterilization of grafts is mandatory. Several techniques have been applied to sterilize grafts; however, each technique shows drawbacks. In this study, we compared several sterilization techniques: supercritical carbon dioxide, electrolyzed water, gamma radiation, ethanol-peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide for impact on the sterility and mechanical integrity of porcine decellularized aortic valves. Valve sterility was characterized by histology, microbe culture, and electron microscopy. Uniaxial tensile testing was conducted on the valve cusps along their circumferential orientation to study these sterilization techniques on their integrity. Ethanol-peracetic acid and supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves were found to be sterile. The tensile strength of supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves (4.28 ± 0.22 MPa) was higher to those valves treated with electrolyzed water, gamma radiation, ethanol-peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (1.02 ± 0.15, 1.25 ± 0.25, 3.53 ± 0.41 and 0.37 ± 0.04 MPa, respectively). Superior sterility and integrity were found in the decellularized porcine aortic valves with supercritical carbon dioxide sterilization. This sterilization technique may hold promise for other decellularized soft tissues. Sterilization of grafts is essential. Supercritical carbon dioxide, electrolyzed water, gamma radiation, ethanol-peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide techniques were compared for impact on sterility and mechanical integrity of porcine decellularized aortic valves. Ethanol-peracetic acid and supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves were found to be sterile using histology, microbe culture and electron microscopy assays. The cusp tensile properties of supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves were higher compared to valves treated with other techniques. Superior sterility and integrity was found in the decellularized valves treated with supercritical carbon dioxide sterilization. This sterilization technique may hold promise for other decellularized soft tissues.

Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Loss and Energization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daglis, I. A.; Bourdarie, S.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; Santolik, O.; Horne, R.; Mann, I.; Turner, D.; Anastasiadis, A.; Angelopoulos, V.; Balasis, G.; Chatzichristou, E.; Cully, C.; Georgiou, M.; Glauert, S.; Grison, B.; Kolmasova, I.; Lazaro, D.; Macusova, E.; Maget, V.; Papadimitriou, C.; Ropokis, G.; Sandberg, I.; Usanova, M.

2012-09-01

We present the concept, objectives and expected impact of the MAARBLE (Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Loss and Energization) project, which is being implemented by a consortium of seven institutions (five European, one Canadian and one US) with support from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme. The MAARBLE project employs multi-spacecraft monitoring of the geospace environment, complemented by ground-based monitoring, in order to analyze and assess the physical mechanisms leading to radiation belt particle energization and loss. Particular attention is paid to the role of ULF/VLF waves. A database containing properties of the waves is being created and will be made available to the scientific community. Based on the wave database, a statistical model of the wave activity dependent on the level of geomagnetic activity, solar wind forcing, and magnetospheric region will be developed. Furthermore, we will incorporate multi-spacecraft particle measurements into data assimilation tools, aiming at a new understanding of the causal relationships between ULF/VLF waves and radiation belt dynamics. Data assimilation techniques have been proven to be a valuable tool in the field of radiation belts, able to guide 'the best' estimate of the state of a complex system.

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

Wang, Bu; Yu, Yingtian; Bauchy, Mathieu, E-mail: bauchy@ucla.edu

Although quartz (α-form) is a mineral used in numerous applications wherein radiation exposure is an issue, the nature of the atomistic defects formed during radiation-induced damage has not been fully clarified. Especially, the extent of oxygen vacancy formation is still debated, which is an issue of primary importance as optical techniques based on charged oxygen vacancies have been utilized to assess the level of radiation damage in quartz. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations are applied to study the effects of ballistic impacts on the atomic network of quartz. We show that the defects that are formed mainly consist ofmore » over-coordinated Si and O, as well as Si–O connectivity defects, e.g., small Si–O rings and edge-sharing Si tetrahedra. Oxygen vacancies, on the contrary, are found in relatively low abundance, suggesting that characterizations based on E′ centers do not adequately capture radiation-induced structural damage in quartz. Finally, we evaluate the dependence on the incident energy, of the amount of each type of the point defects formed, and quantify unambiguously the threshold displacement energies for both O and Si atoms. These results provide a comprehensive basis to assess the nature and extent of radiation damage in quartz.« less

Radiation techniques for esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Zhang, Minsi; Wu, Abraham J

2017-10-01

Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in the curative management of localized esophageal cancer, both as definitive and preoperative therapy. For definitive therapy, the standard radiation dose is 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions and should be delivered with concurrent chemotherapy. Chemoradiotherapy also has a wellestablished benefit in the preoperative setting, as established in the CROSS randomized trial. Radiation fields are typically generous, to account for subclinical extension of disease along the esophagus and to regional nodes. Three-dimensional conformal radiation is the current standard technique for esophageal cancer, though intensity-modulated radiation therapy is increasingly utilized and may improve the outcomes of esophageal radiotherapy by reducing radiation dose to critical normal tissues.

Including internal mammary lymph nodes in radiation therapy for synchronous bilateral breast cancer: an international survey of treatment technique and clinical priorities.

PubMed

Roumeliotis, M; Long, K; Phan, T; Graham, D; Quirk, S

2018-06-05

The aim of this study was to understand the international standard practice for radiation therapy treatment techniques and clinical priorities for institutions including the internal mammary lymph nodes (IMLNs) in the target volume for patients with synchronous bilateral breast cancer. An international survey was developed to include questions that would provide awareness of favored treatment techniques, treatment planning and delivery resource requirements, and the clinical priorities that may lead to the utilization of preferred treatment techniques. Of the 135 respondents, 82 indicated that IMLNs are regularly included in the target volume for radiation therapy (IMLN-inclusion) when the patient is otherwise generally indicated for regional nodal irradiation. Of the 82 respondents that regularly include IMLNs, five were removed as those respondents do not treat this population synchronously. Of the 77 respondents, institutional standard of care varied significantly, though VMAT (34%) and combined static photon and electron fields (21%) were the most commonly utilized techniques. Respondents did preferentially select target volume coverage (70%) as the most important clinical priority, followed by normal tissue sparing (25%). The results of the survey indicate that the IMLN-inclusion for radiation therapy has not yet been comprehensively adopted. As well, no consensus on best practice for radiation therapy treatment techniques has been reached.

A long-term study of aerosol–cloud interactions and their radiative effect at the Southern Great Plains using ground-based measurements

DOE PAGES

Sena, Elisa T.; McComiskey, Allison; Feingold, Graham

2016-09-13

Empirical estimates of the microphysical response of cloud droplet size distribution to aerosol perturbations are commonly used to constrain aerosol–cloud interactions in climate models. Instead of empirical microphysical estimates, here macroscopic variables are analyzed to address the influence of aerosol particles and meteorological descriptors on instantaneous cloud albedo and the radiative effect of shallow liquid water clouds. Long-term ground-based measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program over the Southern Great Plains are used. A broad statistical analysis was performed on 14 years of coincident measurements of low clouds, aerosol, and meteorological properties. Here two cases representing conflicting results regardingmore » the relationship between the aerosol and the cloud radiative effect were selected and studied in greater detail. Microphysical estimates are shown to be very uncertain and to depend strongly on the methodology, retrieval technique and averaging scale. For this continental site, the results indicate that the influence of the aerosol on the shallow cloud radiative effect and albedo is weak and that macroscopic cloud properties and dynamics play a much larger role in determining the instantaneous cloud radiative effect compared to microphysical effects. On a daily basis, aerosol shows no correlation with cloud radiative properties (correlation = -0.01 ± 0.03), whereas the liquid water path shows a clear signal (correlation = 0.56 ± 0.02).« less

Simulation studies of wide and medium field of view earth radiation data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, R. N.

1978-01-01

A parameter estimation technique is presented to estimate the radiative flux distribution over the earth from radiometer measurements at satellite altitude. The technique analyzes measurements from a wide field of view (WFOV), horizon to horizon, nadir pointing sensor with a mathematical technique to derive the radiative flux estimates at the top of the atmosphere for resolution elements smaller than the sensor field of view. A computer simulation of the data analysis technique is presented for both earth-emitted and reflected radiation. Zonal resolutions are considered as well as the global integration of plane flux. An estimate of the equator-to-pole gradient is obtained from the zonal estimates. Sensitivity studies of the derived flux distribution to directional model errors are also presented. In addition to the WFOV results, medium field of view results are presented.

Brain dose-sparing radiotherapy techniques for localized intracranial germinoma: Case report and literature review of modern irradiation.

PubMed

Leung, H W C; Chan, A L F; Chang, M B

2016-05-01

We examined the effects of intensity-modulated radiation therapy with dose-sparing and avoidance technique on a pediatric patient with localized intracranial germinoma. We also reviewed the literature regarding modern irradiation techniques in relation to late neurocognitive sequelae. A patient with a localized intracranial germinoma in the third ventricle anterior to the pineal gland received a dose-sparing intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The planning was compared to the radiation oncologist's guide of organs at risk and dose constraints for dosimetric analyses. The patient received radiation therapy alone. The total dose was 54Gy delivered in 2.0Gy fractions to the primary tumour and 37Gy in 1.4Gy fractions to whole ventricles using a dose-sculpting plan. Dosimetry analyses showed that dose-sparing intensity-modulated radiation therapy delivered reduced doses to the whole brain, temporal lobes, hippocampi, cochleae, and optic nerves. With a follow-up of 22 months, failure-free survival was 100% for the patient and no adverse events during radiation treatment process. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy with dose sparing and avoidance technique can spare the limbic circuit, central nervous system, and hippocampus for pineal germ cell tumours. This technique reduces the integral dose delivered to the uninvolved normal brain tissues and may reduce late neurocognitive sequelae caused by cranial radiotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Comparison of lung tumor motion measured using a model-based 4DCT technique and a commercial protocol.

PubMed

O'Connell, Dylan; Shaverdian, Narek; Kishan, Amar U; Thomas, David H; Dou, Tai H; Lewis, John H; Lamb, James M; Cao, Minsong; Tenn, Stephen; Percy, Lee P; Low, Daniel A

To compare lung tumor motion measured with a model-based technique to commercial 4-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scans and describe a workflow for using model-based 4DCT as a clinical simulation protocol. Twenty patients were imaged using a model-based technique and commercial 4DCT. Tumor motion was measured on each commercial 4DCT dataset and was calculated on model-based datasets for 3 breathing amplitude percentile intervals: 5th to 85th, 5th to 95th, and 0th to 100th. Internal target volumes (ITVs) were defined on the 4DCT and 5th to 85th interval datasets and compared using Dice similarity. Images were evaluated for noise and rated by 2 radiation oncologists for artifacts. Mean differences in tumor motion magnitude between commercial and model-based images were 0.47 ± 3.0, 1.63 ± 3.17, and 5.16 ± 4.90 mm for the 5th to 85th, 5th to 95th, and 0th to 100th amplitude intervals, respectively. Dice coefficients between ITVs defined on commercial and 5th to 85th model-based images had a mean value of 0.77 ± 0.09. Single standard deviation image noise was 11.6 ± 9.6 HU in the liver and 6.8 ± 4.7 HU in the aorta for the model-based images compared with 57.7 ± 30 and 33.7 ± 15.4 for commercial 4DCT. Mean model error within the ITV regions was 1.71 ± 0.81 mm. Model-based images exhibited reduced presence of artifacts at the tumor compared with commercial images. Tumor motion measured with the model-based technique using the 5th to 85th percentile breathing amplitude interval corresponded more closely to commercial 4DCT than the 5th to 95th or 0th to 100th intervals, which showed greater motion on average. The model-based technique tended to display increased tumor motion when breathing amplitude intervals wider than 5th to 85th were used because of the influence of unusually deep inhalations. These results suggest that care must be taken in selecting the appropriate interval during image generation when using model-based 4DCT methods. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive analysis of heat transfer of gold-blood nanofluid (Sisko-model) with thermal radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eid, Mohamed R.; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Muhammad, Taseer; Hayat, Tasawar

Characteristics of heat transfer of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) in flow past a power-law stretching surface are discussed. Sisko bio-nanofluid flow (with blood as a base fluid) in existence of non-linear thermal radiation is studied. The resulting equations system is abbreviated to model the suggested problem in non-linear PDEs. Along with initial and boundary-conditions, the equations are made non-dimensional and then resolved numerically utilizing 4th-5th order Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF45) technique with shooting integration procedure. Various flow quantities behaviors are examined for parametric consideration such as the Au-NPs volume fraction, the exponentially stretching and thermal radiation parameters. It is observed that radiation drives to shortage the thermal boundary-layer thickness and therefore resulted in better heat transfer at surface.

Radiation shielding design of a new tomotherapy facility.

PubMed

Zacarias, Albert; Balog, John; Mills, Michael

2006-10-01

It is expected that intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) will replace a large portion of radiation therapy treatments currently performed with conventional MLC-based 3D conformal techniques. IGRT may become the standard of treatment in the future for prostate and head and neck cancer. Many established facilities may convert existing vaults to perform this treatment method using new or upgraded equipment. In the future, more facilities undoubtedly will be considering de novo designs for their treatment vaults. A reevaluation of the design principles used in conventional vault design is of benefit to those considering this approach with a new tomotherapy facility. This is made more imperative as the design of the TomoTherapy system is unique in several aspects and does not fit well into the formalism of NCRP 49 for a conventional linear accelerator.

Machine learning based cloud mask algorithm driven by radiative transfer modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, N.; Li, W.; Tanikawa, T.; Hori, M.; Shimada, R.; Stamnes, K. H.

2017-12-01

Cloud detection is a critically important first step required to derive many satellite data products. Traditional threshold based cloud mask algorithms require a complicated design process and fine tuning for each sensor, and have difficulty over snow/ice covered areas. With the advance of computational power and machine learning techniques, we have developed a new algorithm based on a neural network classifier driven by extensive radiative transfer modeling. Statistical validation results obtained by using collocated CALIOP and MODIS data show that its performance is consistent over different ecosystems and significantly better than the MODIS Cloud Mask (MOD35 C6) during the winter seasons over mid-latitude snow covered areas. Simulations using a reduced number of satellite channels also show satisfactory results, indicating its flexibility to be configured for different sensors.

Overview of Alternative Bunching and Current-shaping Techniques for Low-Energy Electron Beams

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

Piot, Philippe

2015-12-01

Techniques to bunch or shape an electron beam at low energies (E <15 MeV) have important implications toward the realization of table-top radiation sources [1] or to the design of compact multi-user free-electron lasers[2]. This paper provides an overview of alternative methods recently developed including techniques such as wakefield-based bunching, space-charge-driven microbunching via wave-breaking [3], ab-initio shaping of the electron-emission process [4], and phase space exchangers. Practical applications of some of these methods to foreseen free-electron-laser configurations are also briefly discussed [5].

Estimating radiation dose to organs of patients undergoing conventional and novel multidetector CT exams using Monte Carlo simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angel, Erin

Advances in Computed Tomography (CT) technology have led to an increase in the modality's diagnostic capabilities and therefore its utilization, which has in turn led to an increase in radiation exposure to the patient population. As a result, CT imaging currently constitutes approximately half of the collective exposure to ionizing radiation from medical procedures. In order to understand the radiation risk, it is necessary to estimate the radiation doses absorbed by patients undergoing CT imaging. The most widely accepted risk models are based on radiosensitive organ dose as opposed to whole body dose. In this research, radiosensitive organ dose was estimated using Monte Carlo based simulations incorporating detailed multidetector CT (MDCT) scanner models, specific scan protocols, and using patient models based on accurate patient anatomy and representing a range of patient sizes. Organ dose estimates were estimated for clinical MDCT exam protocols which pose a specific concern for radiosensitive organs or regions. These dose estimates include estimation of fetal dose for pregnant patients undergoing abdomen pelvis CT exams or undergoing exams to diagnose pulmonary embolism and venous thromboembolism. Breast and lung dose were estimated for patients undergoing coronary CTA imaging, conventional fixed tube current chest CT, and conventional tube current modulated (TCM) chest CT exams. The correlation of organ dose with patient size was quantified for pregnant patients undergoing abdomen/pelvis exams and for all breast and lung dose estimates presented. Novel dose reduction techniques were developed that incorporate organ location and are specifically designed to reduce close to radiosensitive organs during CT acquisition. A generalizable model was created for simulating conventional and novel attenuation-based TCM algorithms which can be used in simulations estimating organ dose for any patient model. The generalizable model is a significant contribution of this work as it lays the foundation for the future of simulating TCM using Monte Carlo methods. As a result of this research organ dose can be estimated for individual patients undergoing specific conventional MDCT exams. This research also brings understanding to conventional and novel close reduction techniques in CT and their effect on organ dose.

A Simple Laser Microphone for Classroom Demonstration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, James M.; Trout, K. P.

2006-01-01

Communication through the modulation of electromagnetic radiation has become a foundational technique in modern technology. In this paper we discuss a modern day method of eavesdropping based upon the modulation of laser light reflected from a window pane. A simple and affordable classroom demonstration of a "laser microphone" is…

Proceedings of the seventh international conference on high voltage electron microscopy

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

Fisher, R.M.; Gronsky, R.; Westmacott, K.H.

1983-01-01

Eight-four papers are arranged under the following headings: high resolution, techniques and instrumentation, radiation effects, in-situ and phase transformations, minerals and ceramics, and semiconductors and thin films. Twenty-three papers were abstracted separately for the data base; three of the remainder had previously been abstracted. (DLC)

SU-E-QI-12: Morphometry Based Measurements of the Structural Response to Whole Brain Radiation

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

Fuentes, D; Castillo, R; Castillo, E

2014-06-15

Purpose: Although state of the art radiation therapy techniques for treating intracranial malignancies have eliminated acute brain injury, cognitive impairment occurs in 50–90% of patients who survive >6mo post irradiation. Quantitative characterization of therapy response is needed to facilitate therapeutic strategies to minimize radiation induced cognitive impairment [1]. Deformation based morphometry techniques [2, 3] are presented as a quantitative imaging biomarker of therapy response in patients receiving whole brain radiation for treating medulloblastoma. Methods: Post-irradiation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data sets were retrospectively analyzed in N=15 patients, >60 MR image datasets. As seen in Fig 1(a), volume changes at multiplemore » time points post-irradiation were quantitatively measured in the cerebrum and ventricles with respect to pre-irradiation MRI. A high resolution image Template, was registered to the pre-irradiation MRI of each patient to create a brain atlas for the cerebrum, cerebellum, and ventricles. Skull stripped images for each patient were registered to the initial pre-treatment scan. Average volume changes in the labeled regions were measured using the determinant of the displacement field Jacobian. Results: Longitudinal measurements, Fig 1(b-c), show a negative correlation p=.06, of the cerebral volume change with the time interval from irradiation. A corresponding positive correlation, p=.01, between ventricular volume change and time interval from irradiation is seen. One sample t-test for correlations were computed using a Spearman method. An average decrease in cerebral volume, p=.08, and increase in ventricular volume, p<.001, was observed. The radiation dose was seen directly proportional to the induced volume changes in the cerebrum, r=−.44, p<.001, Fig 1(d). Conclusion: Results indicate that morphometric monitoring of brain tissue volume changes may potentially be used to quantitatively assess toxicity and response to radiation and may provide insight in developing new therapeutic approaches and monitoring efficacy.« less

A technique for global monitoring of net solar irradiance at the ocean surface. II - Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chertock, Beth; Frouin, Robert; Gautier, Catherine

1992-01-01

The generation and validation of the first satellite-based long-term record of surface solar irradiance over the global oceans are addressed. The record is generated using Nimbus-7 earth radiation budget (ERB) wide-field-of-view plentary-albedo data as input to a numerical algorithm designed and implemented based on radiative transfer theory. The mean monthly values of net surface solar irradiance are computed on a 9-deg latitude-longitude spatial grid for November 1978-October 1985. The new data set is validated in comparisons with short-term, regional, high-resolution, satellite-based records. The ERB-based values of net surface solar irradiance are compared with corresponding values based on radiance measurements taken by the Visible-Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer aboard GOES series satellites. Errors in the new data set are estimated to lie between 10 and 20 W/sq m on monthly time scales.

Predicting film dose to aid in cassette placement for radiation therapy portal verification film images.

PubMed

Keys, Richard A; Marks, James E; Haus, Arthur G

2002-12-01

EC film has improved portal localization images with better contrast and improved distinction of bony structures and air-tissue interfaces. A cassette with slower speed screens was used with EC film to image the treatment portal during the entire course of treatment (verification) instead of taking separate films after treatment. Measurements of film density vs source to film distance (SFD) were made using 15 and 25 cm thick water phantoms with both 6 and 18 MV photons from I to 40 cm past the phantom. A characteristic (H & D) curve was measured in air to compare dose to film density. Results show the reduction in radiation between patient and cassette more closely follows an "inverse cube law" rather than an inverse square law. Formulas to calculate radiation exposure to the film, and the desired SFD were based on patient tumor dose, calculation of the exit dose, and the inverse cube relationship. A table of exposure techniques based on the SFD for a given tumor dose was evaluated and compared to conventional techniques. Although the film has a high contrast, there is enough latitude that excellent films can be achieved using a fixed SFD based simply on the tumor dose and beam energy. Patient diameter has a smaller effect. The benefits of imaging portal films during the entire treatment are more reliability in the accuracy of the portal image, ability to detect patient motion, and reduction in the time it takes to take portal images.

An automated voxelized dosimetry tool for radionuclide therapy based on serial quantitative SPECT/CT imaging

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

Jackson, Price A.; Kron, Tomas; Beauregard, Jean-Mathieu

2013-11-15

Purpose: To create an accurate map of the distribution of radiation dose deposition in healthy and target tissues during radionuclide therapy.Methods: Serial quantitative SPECT/CT images were acquired at 4, 24, and 72 h for 28 {sup 177}Lu-octreotate peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) administrations in 17 patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors. Deformable image registration was combined with an in-house programming algorithm to interpolate pharmacokinetic uptake and clearance at a voxel level. The resultant cumulated activity image series are comprised of values representing the total number of decays within each voxel's volume. For PRRT, cumulated activity was translated to absorbed dose basedmore » on Monte Carlo-determined voxel S-values at a combination of long and short ranges. These dosimetric image sets were compared for mean radiation absorbed dose to at-risk organs using a conventional MIRD protocol (OLINDA 1.1).Results: Absorbed dose values to solid organs (liver, kidneys, and spleen) were within 10% using both techniques. Dose estimates to marrow were greater using the voxelized protocol, attributed to the software incorporating crossfire effect from nearby tumor volumes.Conclusions: The technique presented offers an efficient, automated tool for PRRT dosimetry based on serial post-therapy imaging. Following retrospective analysis, this method of high-resolution dosimetry may allow physicians to prescribe activity based on required dose to tumor volume or radiation limits to healthy tissue in individual patients.« less

A sparsity-based iterative algorithm for reconstruction of micro-CT images from highly undersampled projection datasets obtained with a synchrotron X-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melli, S. Ali; Wahid, Khan A.; Babyn, Paul; Cooper, David M. L.; Gopi, Varun P.

2016-12-01

Synchrotron X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (Micro-CT) is an imaging technique which is increasingly used for non-invasive in vivo preclinical imaging. However, it often requires a large number of projections from many different angles to reconstruct high-quality images leading to significantly high radiation doses and long scan times. To utilize this imaging technique further for in vivo imaging, we need to design reconstruction algorithms that reduce the radiation dose and scan time without reduction of reconstructed image quality. This research is focused on using a combination of gradient-based Douglas-Rachford splitting and discrete wavelet packet shrinkage image denoising methods to design an algorithm for reconstruction of large-scale reduced-view synchrotron Micro-CT images with acceptable quality metrics. These quality metrics are computed by comparing the reconstructed images with a high-dose reference image reconstructed from 1800 equally spaced projections spanning 180°. Visual and quantitative-based performance assessment of a synthetic head phantom and a femoral cortical bone sample imaged in the biomedical imaging and therapy bending magnet beamline at the Canadian Light Source demonstrates that the proposed algorithm is superior to the existing reconstruction algorithms. Using the proposed reconstruction algorithm to reduce the number of projections in synchrotron Micro-CT is an effective way to reduce the overall radiation dose and scan time which improves in vivo imaging protocols.

Monte-Carlo simulations of neutron-induced activation in a Fast-Neutron and Gamma-Based Cargo Inspection System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bromberger, B.; Bar, D.; Brandis, M.; Dangendorf, V.; Goldberg, M. B.; Kaufmann, F.; Mor, I.; Nolte, R.; Schmiedel, M.; Tittelmeier, K.; Vartsky, D.; Wershofen, H.

2012-03-01

An air cargo inspection system combining two nuclear reaction based techniques, namely Fast-Neutron Resonance Radiography and Dual-Discrete-Energy Gamma Radiography is currently being developed. This system is expected to allow detection of standard and improvised explosives as well as special nuclear materials. An important aspect for the applicability of nuclear techniques in an airport inspection facility is the inventory and lifetimes of radioactive isotopes produced by the neutron radiation inside the cargo, as well as the dose delivered by these isotopes to people in contact with the cargo during and following the interrogation procedure. Using MCNPX and CINDER90 we have calculated the activation levels for several typical inspection scenarios. One example is the activation of various metal samples embedded in a cotton-filled container. To validate the simulation results, a benchmark experiment was performed, in which metal samples were activated by fast-neutrons in a water-filled glass jar. The induced activity was determined by analyzing the gamma spectra. Based on the calculated radioactive inventory in the container, the dose levels due to the induced gamma radiation were calculated at several distances from the container and in relevant time windows after the irradiation, in order to evaluate the radiation exposure of the cargo handling staff, air crew and passengers during flight. The possibility of remanent long-lived radioactive inventory after cargo is delivered to the client is also of concern and was evaluated.

Direct Aerosol Radiative Forcing from Combined A-Train Observations - Preliminary Comparisons with AeroCom Models and Pathways to Observationally Based All-sky Estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redemann, J.; Livingston, J. M.; Shinozuka, Y.; Kacenelenbogen, M. S.; Russell, P. B.; LeBlanc, S. E.; Vaughan, M.; Ferrare, R. A.; Hostetler, C. A.; Rogers, R. R.; Burton, S. P.; Torres, O.; Remer, L. A.; Stier, P.; Schutgens, N.

2014-12-01

We describe a technique for combining CALIOP aerosol backscatter, MODIS spectral AOD (aerosol optical depth), and OMI AAOD (absorption aerosol optical depth) retrievals for the purpose of estimating full spectral sets of aerosol radiative properties, and ultimately for calculating the 3-D distribution of direct aerosol radiative forcing. We present results using one year of data collected in 2007 and show comparisons of the aerosol radiative property estimates to collocated AERONET retrievals. Use of the recently released MODIS Collection 6 data for aerosol optical depths derived with the dark target and deep blue algorithms has extended the coverage of the multi-sensor estimates towards higher latitudes. Initial calculations of seasonal clear-sky aerosol radiative forcing based on our multi-sensor aerosol retrievals compare well with over-ocean and top of the atmosphere IPCC-2007 model-based results, and with more recent assessments in the "Climate Change Science Program Report: Atmospheric Aerosol Properties and Climate Impacts" (2009). For the first time, we present comparisons of our multi-sensor aerosol direct radiative forcing estimates to values derived from a subset of models that participated in the latest AeroCom initiative. We discuss the major challenges that exist in extending our clear-sky results to all-sky conditions. On the basis of comparisons to suborbital measurements, we present some of the limitations of the MODIS and CALIOP retrievals in the presence of adjacent or underlying clouds. Strategies for meeting these challenges are discussed.

Clinical utility of RapidArc™ radiotherapy technology

PubMed Central

Infusino, Erminia

2015-01-01

RapidArc™ is a radiation technique that delivers highly conformal dose distributions through the complete rotation (360°) and speed variation of the linear accelerator gantry. This technique, called volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), compared with conventional radiotherapy techniques, can achieve high-target volume coverage and sparing damage to normal tissues. RapidArc delivers precise dose distribution and conformity similar to or greater than intensity-modulated radiation therapy in a short time, generally a few minutes, to which image-guided radiation therapy is added. RapidArc has become a currently used technology in many centers, which use RapidArc technology to treat a large number of patients. Large and small hospitals use it to treat the most challenging cases, but more and more frequently for the most common cancers. The clinical use of RapidArc and VMAT technology is constantly growing. At present, a limited number of clinical data are published, mostly concerning planning and feasibility studies. Clinical outcome data are increasing for a few tumor sites, even if only a little. The purpose of this work is to discuss the current status of VMAT techniques in clinical use through a review of the published data of planning systems and clinical outcomes in several tumor sites. The study consisted of a systematic review based on analysis of manuscripts retrieved from the PubMed, BioMed Central, and Scopus databases by searching for the keywords “RapidArc”, “Volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy”, and “Intensity-modulated radiotherapy”. PMID:26648755

Three-dimensional aspects of radiative transfer in remote sensing of precipitation: Application to the 1986 COHMEX storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haferman, J. L.; Krajewski, W. F.; Smith, T. F.

1994-01-01

Several multifrequency techniques for passive microwave estimation of precipitation based on the absorption and scattering properties of hydrometers have been proposed in the literature. In the present study, plane-parallel limitations are overcome by using a model based on the discrete-ordinates method to solve the radiative transfer equation in three-dimensional rectangular domains. This effectively accounts for the complexity and variety of radiation problems encountered in the atmosphere. This investigation presents result for plane-parallel and three-dimensional radiative transfer for a precipitating system, discusses differences between these results, and suggests possible explanations for these differences. Microphysical properties were obtained from the Colorado State University Regional Atmospehric Modeling System and represent a hailstorm observed during the 1986 Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment. These properties are used as input to a three-dimensional radiative transfer model in order to simulate satellite observation of the storm. The model output consists of upwelling brightness temperatures at several of the frequencies on the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager. The radiative transfer model accounts for scattering and emission of atmospheric gases and hydrometers in liquid and ice phases. Brightness temperatures obtained from the three-dimensional model of this investigation indicate that horizontal inhomogeneities give rise to brightness temperature fields that can be quite different from fields obtained using plane-parallel radiative transfer theory. These differences are examined for various resolutions of the satellite sensor field of view. In adddition, the issue of boundary conditions for three-dimensional atmospheric radiative transfer is addressed.

Optical feedback effects on terahertz quantum cascade lasers: modelling and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakić, Aleksandar D.; Lim, Yah Leng; Taimre, Thomas; Agnew, Gary; Qi, Xiaoqiong; Bertling, Karl; Han, She; Wilson, Stephen J.; Kundu, Iman; Grier, Andrew; Ikonić, Zoran; Valavanis, Alexander; Demić, Aleksandar; Keeley, James; Li, Lianhe H.; Linfield, Edmund H.; Davies, A. Giles; Harrison, Paul; Ferguson, Blake; Walker, Graeme; Prow, Tarl; Indjin, Dragan; Soyer, H. Peter

2016-11-01

Terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are compact sources of radiation in the 1-5 THz range with significant potential for applications in sensing and imaging. Laser feedback interferometry (LFI) with THz QCLs is a technique utilizing the sensitivity of the QCL to the radiation reflected back into the laser cavity from an external target. We will discuss modelling techniques and explore the applications of LFI in biological tissue imaging and will show that the confocal nature of the QCL in LFI systems, with their innate capacity for depth sectioning, makes them suitable for skin diagnostics with the well-known advantages of more conventional confocal microscopes. A demonstration of discrimination of neoplasia from healthy tissue using a THz, LFI-based system in the context of melanoma is presented using a transgenic mouse model.

Dual-Polarization Ku-Band Compact Spaceborne Antenna Based on Dual-Reflectarray Optics.

PubMed

Tienda, Carolina; Encinar, Jose A; Barba, Mariano; Arrebola, Manuel

2018-04-05

This article demonstrated an accurate analysis technique for dual-reflectarray antennas that take into account the angle of incidence of the impinging electric field on the main reflectarray cells. The reflected field on the sub and the main reflectarray surfaces is computed using Method of Moments in the spectral domain and assuming local periodicity. The sub-reflectarray is divided into groups of elements and the field radiated by each group is used to compute the incident and reflected field on the main reflectarray cells. A 50-cm demonstrator in Ku-band that provides European coverage has been designed, manufactured and tested to validate the analysis technique. The measured radiation patterns match the simulations and they fulfill the coverage requirements, achieving a cross-polar discrimination better than 25 dB in the frequency range: 12.975-14.25 GHz.

'Boomerang' technique: an improved method for conformal treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer.

PubMed

Corry, June; Hornby, Colin; Fisher, Richard; D'Costa, Ieta; Porceddu, Sandro; Rischin, Danny; Peters, Lester J

2004-06-01

The primary aim of the present study was to assess radiation dosimetry and subsequent clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer using a novel radiation technique termed the 'Boomerang'. Dosimetric comparisons were made with both conventional and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques. This is a study of 22 patients treated with this technique from June 1995 to October 1998. The technique used entailed delivery of 36 Gy in 18 fractions via parallel opposed fields, then 24 Gy in 12 fractions via asymmetric rotating arc fields for a total of 60 Gy in 30 fractions. Patients also received induction and concurrent chemotherapy. The radiation dosimetry was excellent. Dose-volume histograms showed that with the arc fields, 90% of the planning target volume received 94% of the prescribed dose. Relative to other conventional radiation therapy off-cord techniques, the Boomerang technique results in a 27% greater proportion of the prescribed dose being received by 90% of the planning target volume. This translates into an overall 10% greater dose received for the same prescribed dose. At 3 years, the actuarial loco-regional control rate, the failure-free survival rate and the overall survival rate were 91, 75 and 91%, respectively. At 5 years, the actuarial loco-regional control rate, the failure-free survival rate and the overall survival rate were 74, 62 and 71%, respectively. The Boomerang technique provided excellent radiation dosimetry with correspondingly good loco-regional control rates (in conjunction with chemotherapy) and very acceptable acute and late toxicity profiles. Because treatment can be delivered with conventional standard treatment planning and delivery systems, it is a validated treatment option for centres that do not have the capability or capacity for IMRT. A derivative of the Boomerang technique, excluding the parallel opposed component, is now our standard for patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer when IMRT is not available.

Modeling Gravitational Radiation Waveforms from Black Hole Mergers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, J. G.; Centrelia, J. M.; Choi, D.; Koppitz, M.; VanMeter, J.

2006-01-01

Gravitational radiation from merging binary black hole systems is anticipated as a key source for gravitational wave observations. Ground-based instruments, such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) may observe mergers of stellar-scale black holes, while the space-based Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) observatory will be sensitive to mergers of massive galactic-center black holes over a broad range of mass scales. These cataclysmic events may emit an enormous amount of energy in a brief time. Gravitational waves from comparable mass mergers carry away a few percent of the system's mass-energy in just a few wave cycles, with peak gravitational wave luminosities on the order of 10^23 L_Sun. Optimal analysis and interpretation of merger observation data will depend on developing a detailed understanding, based on general relativistic modeling, of the radiation waveforms. We discuss recent progress in modeling radiation from equal mass mergers using numerical simulations of Einstein's gravitational field equations, known as numerical relativity. Our simulations utilize Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) to allow high-resolution near the black holes while simultaneously keeping the outer boundary of the computational domain far from the black holes, and making it possible to read out gravitational radiation waveforms in the weak-field wave zone. We discuss the results from simulations beginning with the black holes orbiting near the system's innermost stable orbit, comparing the recent simulations with earlier "Lazarus" waveform estimates based on an approximate hybrid numerical/perturbative technique.

Stereology techniques in radiation biology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kubinova, Lucie; Mao, XiaoWen; Janacek, Jiri; Archambeau, John O.; Nelson, G. A. (Principal Investigator)

2003-01-01

Clinicians involved in conventional radiation therapy are very concerned about the dose-response relationships of normal tissues. Before proceeding to new clinical protocols, radiation biologists involved with conformal proton therapy believe it is necessary to quantify the dose response and tolerance of the organs and tissues that will be irradiated. An important focus is on the vasculature. This presentation reviews the methodology and format of using confocal microscopy and stereological methods to quantify tissue parameters, cell number, tissue volume and surface area, and vessel length using the microvasculature as a model tissue. Stereological methods and their concepts are illustrated using an ongoing study of the dose response of the microvessels in proton-irradiated hemibrain. Methods for estimating the volume of the brain and the brain cortex, the total number of endothelial cells in cortical microvessels, the length of cortical microvessels, and the total surface area of cortical microvessel walls are presented step by step in a way understandable for readers with little mathematical background. It is shown that stereological techniques, based on a sound theoretical basis, are powerful and reliable and have been used successfully.

Upgrades of DARWIN, a dose and spectrum monitoring system applicable to various types of radiation over wide energy ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Tatsuhiko; Satoh, Daiki; Endo, Akira; Shigyo, Nobuhiro; Watanabe, Fusao; Sakurai, Hiroki; Arai, Yoichi

2011-05-01

A dose and spectrum monitoring system applicable to neutrons, photons and muons over wide ranges of energy, designated as DARWIN, has been developed for radiological protection in high-energy accelerator facilities. DARWIN consists of a phoswitch-type scintillation detector, a data-acquisition (DAQ) module for digital waveform analysis, and a personal computer equipped with a graphical-user-interface (GUI) program for controlling the system. The system was recently upgraded by introducing an original DAQ module based on a field programmable gate array, FPGA, and also by adding a function for estimating neutron and photon spectra based on an unfolding technique without requiring any specific scientific background of the user. The performance of the upgraded DARWIN was examined in various radiation fields, including an operational field in J-PARC. The experiments revealed that the dose rates and spectra measured by the upgraded DARWIN are quite reasonable, even in radiation fields with peak structures in terms of both spectrum and time variation. These results clearly demonstrate the usefulness of DARWIN for improving radiation safety in high-energy accelerator facilities.

Ultrasound elastography: principles, techniques, and clinical applications.

PubMed

Dewall, Ryan J

2013-01-01

Ultrasound elastography is an emerging set of imaging modalities used to image tissue elasticity and are often referred to as virtual palpation. These techniques have proven effective in detecting and assessing many different pathologies, because tissue mechanical changes often correlate with tissue pathological changes. This article reviews the principles of ultrasound elastography, many of the ultrasound-based techniques, and popular clinical applications. Originally, elastography was a technique that imaged tissue strain by comparing pre- and postcompression ultrasound images. However, new techniques have been developed that use different excitation methods such as external vibration or acoustic radiation force. Some techniques track transient phenomena such as shear waves to quantitatively measure tissue elasticity. Clinical use of elastography is increasing, with applications including lesion detection and classification, fibrosis staging, treatment monitoring, vascular imaging, and musculoskeletal applications.

Advances in radiotherapy techniques and delivery for non-small cell lung cancer: benefits of intensity-modulated radiation therapy, proton therapy, and stereotactic body radiation therapy

PubMed Central

Diwanji, Tejan P.; Mohindra, Pranshu; Vyfhuis, Melissa; Snider, James W.; Kalavagunta, Chaitanya; Mossahebi, Sina; Yu, Jen; Feigenberg, Steven

2017-01-01

The 21st century has seen several paradigm shifts in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in early-stage inoperable disease, definitive locally advanced disease, and the postoperative setting. A key driver in improvement of local disease control has been the significant evolution of radiation therapy techniques in the last three decades, allowing for delivery of definitive radiation doses while limiting exposure of normal tissues. For patients with locally-advanced NSCLC, the advent of volumetric imaging techniques has allowed a shift from 2-dimensional approaches to 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT). The next generation of 3DCRT, intensity-modulated radiation therapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), have enabled even more conformal radiation delivery. Clinical evidence has shown that this can improve the quality of life for patients undergoing definitive management of lung cancer. In the early-stage setting, conventional fractionation led to poor outcomes. Evaluation of altered dose fractionation with the previously noted technology advances led to advent of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This technique has dramatically improved local control and expanded treatment options for inoperable, early-stage patients. The recent development of proton therapy has opened new avenues for improving conformity and the therapeutic ratio. Evolution of newer proton therapy techniques, such as pencil-beam scanning (PBS), could improve tolerability and possibly allow reexamination of dose escalation. These new progresses, along with significant advances in systemic therapies, have improved survival for lung cancer patients across the spectrum of non-metastatic disease. They have also brought to light new challenges and avenues for further research and improvement. PMID:28529896

X ray based displacement measurement for hostile environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canistraro, Howard A.; Jordon, Eric H.; Pease, Douglas M.; Fralick, Gustave C.

1992-01-01

A new method on noncontacting, high temperature extensometry based on the focus and scanning of x rays is currently under development and shows great promise of overcoming limitations associated with available techniques. The chief advantage is the ability to make undisturbed measurements through stratified or flowing gases, smoke, and flame. The system is based on the ability to focus and scan low energy, hard x rays such as those emanating from copper or molybdenum sources. The x rays are focused into a narrow and intense line image which can be scanned onto targets that fluoresce secondary x ray radiation. The final goal of the system is the ability to conduct macroscopic strain measurements in hostile environments by utilizing two or more fluorescing targets. Current work is limited to displacement measurement of a single target with a resolution of 1.25 micro-m and a target temperature of 1200 C, directly through an open flame. The main advantage of the technique lies in the penetrating nature of x rays which are not affected by the presence of refracting gas layers, smoke, flame, or intense thermal radiation, all of which could render conventional extensometry methods inoperative or greatly compromise their performance.

An application framework for computer-aided patient positioning in radiation therapy.

PubMed

Liebler, T; Hub, M; Sanner, C; Schlegel, W

2003-09-01

The importance of exact patient positioning in radiation therapy increases with the ongoing improvements in irradiation planning and treatment. Therefore, new ways to overcome precision limitations of current positioning methods in fractionated treatment have to be found. The Department of Medical Physics at the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) follows different video-based approaches to increase repositioning precision. In this context, the modular software framework FIVE (Fast Integrated Video-based Environment) has been designed and implemented. It is both hardware- and platform-independent and supports merging position data by integrating various computer-aided patient positioning methods. A highly precise optical tracking system and several subtraction imaging techniques have been realized as modules to supply basic video-based repositioning techniques. This paper describes the common framework architecture, the main software modules and their interfaces. An object-oriented software engineering process has been applied using the UML, C + + and the Qt library. The significance of the current framework prototype for the application in patient positioning as well as the extension to further application areas will be discussed. Particularly in experimental research, where special system adjustments are often necessary, the open design of the software allows problem-oriented extensions and adaptations.

New Researches and Application Progress of Commonly Used Optical Molecular Imaging Technology

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhi-Yi; Yang, Feng; Lin, Yan; Zhou, Qiu-Lan; Liao, Yang-Ying

2014-01-01

Optical molecular imaging, a new medical imaging technique, is developed based on genomics, proteomics and modern optical imaging technique, characterized by non-invasiveness, non-radiativity, high cost-effectiveness, high resolution, high sensitivity and simple operation in comparison with conventional imaging modalities. Currently, it has become one of the most widely used molecular imaging techniques and has been applied in gene expression regulation and activity detection, biological development and cytological detection, drug research and development, pathogenesis research, pharmaceutical effect evaluation and therapeutic effect evaluation, and so forth, This paper will review the latest researches and application progresses of commonly used optical molecular imaging techniques such as bioluminescence imaging and fluorescence molecular imaging. PMID:24696850

Application of stepwise multiple regression techniques to inversion of Nimbus 'IRIS' observations.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohring, G.

1972-01-01

Exploratory studies with Nimbus-3 infrared interferometer-spectrometer (IRIS) data indicate that, in addition to temperature, such meteorological parameters as geopotential heights of pressure surfaces, tropopause pressure, and tropopause temperature can be inferred from the observed spectra with the use of simple regression equations. The technique of screening the IRIS spectral data by means of stepwise regression to obtain the best radiation predictors of meteorological parameters is validated. The simplicity of application of the technique and the simplicity of the derived linear regression equations - which contain only a few terms - suggest usefulness for this approach. Based upon the results obtained, suggestions are made for further development and exploitation of the stepwise regression analysis technique.

Monitoring of pipelines in nuclear power plants by measuring laser-based mechanical impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyeonseok; Sohn, Hoon; Yang, Suyoung; Yang, Jinyeol

2014-06-01

Using laser-based mechanical impedance (LMI) measurement, this study proposes a damage detection technique that enables structural health monitoring of pipelines under the high temperature and radioactive environments of nuclear power plants (NPPs). The applications of conventional electromechanical impedance (EMI) based techniques to NPPs have been limited, mainly due to the contact nature of piezoelectric transducers, which cannot survive under the high temperature and high radiation environments of NPPs. The proposed LMI measurement technique aims to tackle the limitations of the EMI techniques by utilizing noncontact laser beams for both ultrasound generation and sensing. An Nd:Yag pulse laser is used for ultrasound generation, and a laser Doppler vibrometer is employed for the measurement of the corresponding ultrasound responses. For the monitoring of pipes covered by insulation layers, this study utilizes optical fibers to guide the laser beams to specific target locations. Then, an outlier analysis is adopted for autonomous damage diagnosis. Validation of the proposed LMI technique is carried out on a carbon steel pipe elbow under varying temperatures. A corrosion defect chemically engraved in the specimen is successfully detected.

Femtosecond laser polishing of optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Lauren L.; Qiao, Jun; Qiao, Jie

2015-10-01

Technologies including magnetorheological finishing and CNC polishing are commonly used to finish optical elements, but these methods are often expensive, generate waste through the use of fluids or abrasives, and may not be suited for specific freeform substrates due to the size and shape of finishing tools. Pulsed laser polishing has been demonstrated as a technique capable of achieving nanoscale roughness while offering waste-free fabrication, material-specific processing through direct tuning of laser radiation, and access to freeform shapes using refined beam delivery and focusing techniques. Nanosecond and microsecond pulse duration radiation has been used to perform successful melting-based polishing of a variety of different materials, but this approach leads to extensive heat accumulation resulting in subsurface damage. We have experimentally investigated the ability of femtosecond laser radiation to ablate silicon carbide and silicon. By substituting ultrafast laser radiation, polishing can be performed by direct evaporation of unwanted surface asperities with minimal heating and melting, potentially offering damage-free finishing of materials. Under unoptimized laser processing conditions, thermal effects can occur leading to material oxidation. To investigate these thermal effects, simulation of the heat accumulation mechanism in ultrafast laser ablation was performed. Simulations have been extended to investigate the optimum scanning speed and pulse energy required for processing various substrates. Modeling methodologies and simulation results will be presented.

Numerical analysis of radiation propagation in innovative volumetric receivers based on selective laser melting techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alberti, Fabrizio; Santiago, Sergio; Roccabruna, Mattia; Luque, Salvador; Gonzalez-Aguilar, Jose; Crema, Luigi; Romero, Manuel

2016-05-01

Volumetric absorbers constitute one of the key elements in order to achieve high thermal conversion efficiencies in concentrating solar power plants. Regardless of the working fluid or thermodynamic cycle employed, design trends towards higher absorber output temperatures are widespread, which lead to the general need of components of high solar absorptance, high conduction within the receiver material, high internal convection, low radiative and convective heat losses and high mechanical durability. In this context, the use of advanced manufacturing techniques, such as selective laser melting, has allowed for the fabrication of intricate geometries that are capable of fulfilling the previous requirements. This paper presents a parametric design and analysis of the optical performance of volumetric absorbers of variable porosity conducted by means of detailed numerical ray tracing simulations. Sections of variable macroscopic porosity along the absorber depth were constructed by the fractal growth of single-cell structures. Measures of performance analyzed include optical reflection losses from the absorber front and rear faces, penetration of radiation inside the absorber volume, and radiation absorption as a function of absorber depth. The effects of engineering design parameters such as absorber length and wall thickness, material reflectance and porosity distribution on the optical performance of absorbers are discussed, and general design guidelines are given.

Upcycling of polypropylene waste by surface modification using radiation-induced grafting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Muhammad Inaam ul; Taimur, Shaista; Yasin, Tariq

2017-11-01

In this work, upcycling of polypropylene waste into amidoxime functionalized polypropylene adsorbent was studied using radiation-induced grafting technique. Polypropylene waste (PPw) was resulted from accelerated thermal ageing of polypropylene (PP). Bulk grafting of acrylonitrile (AN) onto PPw was achieved by simultaneous radiation grafting method using gamma rays. Degree of grafting of AN on PPw is affected by absorbed dose and dose rate. The acrylonitrile groups of grafted PPw were chemically converted into amidoxime functionality. Both the acrylonitrile-grafted PP waste and its amidoxime product were investigated by FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDX and TGA techniques. The prepared amidoxime adsorbent with amidoxime group density of 8.06 mmol/g was used for removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions. The effects of various physicochemical conditions such as: solution pH, adsorbent content, initial metal ion concentration and time on adsorption were studied to maximize adsorption of metal ion. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models were applied to study the kinetics of adsorption. Maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 208.3 mg/g at pH 5.0 with optimum contact time of 120 min was observed. Utilization of PP waste and its comparable adsorption capacity with existing radiation grafted polymer-based adsorbents provide a new, cheap and cost effective system.

Terahertz analysis of stratified wall plaster at buildings of cultural importance across Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Gillian C.; Jackson, J. Bianca; Giovannacci, David; Bowen, John W.; Delandes, Bruno; Labaune, Julien; Mourou, Gerard; Menu, Michel; Detalle, Vincent

2013-05-01

Terahertz (THz) radiation is being developed as a tool for the analysis of cultural heritage, and due to recent advances in technology is now available commercially in systems which can be deployed for field analysis. The radiation is capable of penetrating up to one centimetre of wall plaster and is delivered in ultrafast pulses which are reflected from layers within this region. The technique is non-contact, non-invasive and non-destructive. While sub-surface radar is able to penetrate over a metre of wall plaster, producing details of internal structures, infrared and ultraviolet techniques produce information about the surface layers of wall plaster. THz radiation is able to provide information about the interim region of up to approximately one centimetre into the wall surface. Data from Chartres Cathedral, France, Riga Dome Cathedral, Latvia, and Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, France is presented each with different research questions. The presence of sub-surface paint layers was expected from documentary evidence, dating to the 13th Century, at Chartres Cathedral. In contrast, at the Riga Dome Cathedral surface painting had been obscured as recently as 1941 during the Russian occupation of Latvia using white lead-based paint. In the 13th Century, wall paintings at the Chapel of the Frescos, Chartreuse du Val de Benediction in Villeneuve les Avignon were constructed using sinopia under-painting on plaster covering uneven stonework.. This paper compares and contrasts the ability of THz radiation to provide information about sub-surface features in churches and Cathedrals across Europe by analysing depth based profiles gained from the reflected signal.

A Multidisciplinary Evaluation of a Web-based eLearning Training Programme for SAFRON II (TROG 13.01): a Multicentre Randomised Study of Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Lung Metastases.

PubMed

Pham, D; Hardcastle, N; Foroudi, F; Kron, T; Bressel, M; Hilder, B; Chesson, B; Oates, R; Montgomery, R; Ball, D; Siva, S

2016-09-01

In technically advanced multicentre clinical trials, participating centres can benefit from a credentialing programme before participating in the trial. Education of staff in participating centres is an important aspect of a successful clinical trial. In the multicentre study of fractionated versus single fraction stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy in lung oligometastases (TROG 13.01), knowledge transfer of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy techniques to the local multidisciplinary team is intended as part of the credentialing process. In this study, a web-based learning platform was developed to provide education and training for the multidisciplinary trial teams at geographically distinct sites. A web-based platform using eLearning software consisting of seven training modules was developed. These modules were based on extracranial stereotactic theory covering the following discrete modules: Clinical background; Planning technique and evaluation; Planning optimisation; Four-dimensional computed tomography simulation; Patient-specific quality assurance; Cone beam computed tomography and image guidance; Contouring organs at risk. Radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation therapists from hospitals in Australia and New Zealand were invited to participate in this study. Each discipline was enrolled into a subset of modules (core modules) and was evaluated before and after completing each module. The effectiveness of the eLearning training will be evaluated based on (i) knowledge retention after participation in the web-based training and (ii) confidence evaluation after participation in the training. Evaluation consisted of a knowledge test and confidence evaluation using a Likert scale. In total, 130 participants were enrolled into the eLearning programme: 81 radiation therapists (62.3%), 27 medical physicists (20.8%) and 22 radiation oncologists (16.9%). There was an average absolute improvement of 14% in test score (P < 0.001) after learning. This score improvement compared with initial testing was also observed in the long-term testing (>4 weeks) after completing the modules (P < 0.001). For most there was significant increase in confidence (P < 0.001) after completing all the modules. Copyright © 2016 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tapered Optical Fiber Functionalized with Palladium Nanoparticles by Drop Casting and Laser Radiation for H2 and Volatile Organic Compounds Sensing Purposes

PubMed Central

González-Sierra, Nancy Elizabeth; Gómez-Pavón, Luz del Carmen; Pérez-Sánchez, Gerardo Francisco; Luis-Ramos, Arnulfo; Zaca-Morán, Plácido; Chávez-Ramírez, Fernando

2017-01-01

A comparative study on the sensing properties of a tapered optical fiber pristine and functionalized with the palladium nanoparticles to hydrogen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is presented. The sensor response and, response/recovery times were extracted from the measurements of the transient response of the device. The tapered optical fiber sensor was fabricated using a single-mode optical fiber by the flame-brushing technique. Functionalization of the optical fiber was performed using an aqueous solution of palladium chloride by drop-casting technique assisted for laser radiation. The detection principle of the sensor is based on the changes in the optical properties of palladium nanoparticles when exposed to reducing gases, which causes a variation in the absorption of evanescent waves. A continuous wave laser diode operating at 1550 nm is used for the sensor characterization. The sensor functionalized with palladium nanoparticles by this technique is viable for the sensing of hydrogen and VOCs, since it shows an enhancement in sensor response and response time compared to the sensor based on the pristine optical microfiber. The results show that the fabricated sensor is competitive with other fiber optic sensors functionalized with palladium nanoparticles to the hydrogen. PMID:28878161

The emerging potential of magnetic resonance imaging in personalizing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: an oncologist's perspective.

PubMed

Wong, Kee H; Panek, Rafal; Bhide, Shreerang A; Nutting, Christopher M; Harrington, Kevin J; Newbold, Katie L

2017-03-01

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a challenging tumour site for radiotherapy delivery owing to its complex anatomy and proximity to organs at risk (OARs) such as the spinal cord and optic apparatus. Despite significant advances in radiotherapy planning techniques, radiation-induced morbidities remain substantial. Further improvement would require high-quality imaging and tailored radiotherapy based on intratreatment response. For these reasons, the use of MRI in radiotherapy planning for HNC is rapidly gaining popularity. MRI provides superior soft-tissue contrast in comparison with CT, allowing better definition of the tumour and OARs. The lack of additional radiation exposure is another attractive feature for intratreatment monitoring. In addition, advanced MRI techniques such as diffusion-weighted, dynamic contrast-enhanced and intrinsic susceptibility-weighted MRI techniques are capable of characterizing tumour biology further by providing quantitative functional parameters such as tissue cellularity, vascular permeability/perfusion and hypoxia. These functional parameters are known to have radiobiological relevance, which potentially could guide treatment adaptation based on their changes prior to or during radiotherapy. In this article, we first present an overview of the applications of anatomical MRI sequences in head and neck radiotherapy, followed by the potentials and limitations of functional MRI sequences in personalizing therapy.

The emerging potential of magnetic resonance imaging in personalizing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: an oncologist's perspective

PubMed Central

Panek, Rafal; Bhide, Shreerang A; Nutting, Christopher M; Harrington, Kevin J; Newbold, Katie L

2017-01-01

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a challenging tumour site for radiotherapy delivery owing to its complex anatomy and proximity to organs at risk (OARs) such as the spinal cord and optic apparatus. Despite significant advances in radiotherapy planning techniques, radiation-induced morbidities remain substantial. Further improvement would require high-quality imaging and tailored radiotherapy based on intratreatment response. For these reasons, the use of MRI in radiotherapy planning for HNC is rapidly gaining popularity. MRI provides superior soft-tissue contrast in comparison with CT, allowing better definition of the tumour and OARs. The lack of additional radiation exposure is another attractive feature for intratreatment monitoring. In addition, advanced MRI techniques such as diffusion-weighted, dynamic contrast-enhanced and intrinsic susceptibility-weighted MRI techniques are capable of characterizing tumour biology further by providing quantitative functional parameters such as tissue cellularity, vascular permeability/perfusion and hypoxia. These functional parameters are known to have radiobiological relevance, which potentially could guide treatment adaptation based on their changes prior to or during radiotherapy. In this article, we first present an overview of the applications of anatomical MRI sequences in head and neck radiotherapy, followed by the potentials and limitations of functional MRI sequences in personalizing therapy. PMID:28256151

Tapered Optical Fiber Functionalized with Palladium Nanoparticles by Drop Casting and Laser Radiation for H₂ and Volatile Organic Compounds Sensing Purposes.

PubMed

González-Sierra, Nancy Elizabeth; Gómez-Pavón, Luz Del Carmen; Pérez-Sánchez, Gerardo Francisco; Luis-Ramos, Arnulfo; Zaca-Morán, Plácido; Muñoz-Pacheco, Jesús Manuel; Chávez-Ramírez, Francisco

2017-09-06

A comparative study on the sensing properties of a tapered optical fiber pristine and functionalized with the palladium nanoparticles to hydrogen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is presented. The sensor response and, response/recovery times were extracted from the measurements of the transient response of the device. The tapered optical fiber sensor was fabricated using a single-mode optical fiber by the flame-brushing technique. Functionalization of the optical fiber was performed using an aqueous solution of palladium chloride by drop-casting technique assisted for laser radiation. The detection principle of the sensor is based on the changes in the optical properties of palladium nanoparticles when exposed to reducing gases, which causes a variation in the absorption of evanescent waves. A continuous wave laser diode operating at 1550 nm is used for the sensor characterization. The sensor functionalized with palladium nanoparticles by this technique is viable for the sensing of hydrogen and VOCs, since it shows an enhancement in sensor response and response time compared to the sensor based on the pristine optical microfiber. The results show that the fabricated sensor is competitive with other fiber optic sensors functionalized with palladium nanoparticles to the hydrogen.

Spectral radiation analyses of the GOES solar illuminated hexagonal cell scan mirror back

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fantano, Louis G.

1993-01-01

A ray tracing analytical tool has been developed for the simulation of spectral radiation exchange in complex systems. Algorithms are used to account for heat source spectral energy, surface directional radiation properties, and surface spectral absorptivity properties. This tool has been used to calculate the effective solar absorptivity of the geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) scan mirror in the calibration position. The development and design of Sounder and Imager instruments on board GOES is reviewed and the problem of calculating the effective solar absorptivity associated with the GOES hexagonal cell configuration is presented. The analytical methodology based on the Monte Carlo ray tracing technique is described and results are presented and verified by experimental measurements for selected solar incidence angles.

Poly(aryl ethers) and related polysiloxane copolymer molecular coatings: Preparation and radiation degradation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgrath, J. E.

1982-01-01

The radiation degradation of poly(arylene ether sulfones) and related materials is studied. These basic studies are important both as a means to developing stronger, more stable matrix resins for composite materials, as well as to improve the data base in regard to chemical structure-physical property relationships. Thirty homo and copolymers were synthesized, at least partially characterized and, in several cases suitable film casting techniques were developed. Four samples were chosen for initial radiation degradation. Poly(dimethyl siloxane) soft bocks/segments can preferentially migrate to the surface of copolymer films. Since siloxanes are utilized as thermal control coatings, this form of 'molecular' coating is of interest. The chemistry for preparing such copolymers with any of the polymers described was demonstrated.

Accelerators for Cancer Therapy

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Lennox, Arlene J.

2000-05-30

The vast majority of radiation treatments for cancerous tumors are given using electron linacs that provide both electrons and photons at several energies. Design and construction of these linacs are based on mature technology that is rapidly becoming more and more standardized and sophisticated. The use of hadrons such as neutrons, protons, alphas, or carbon, oxygen and neon ions is relatively new. Accelerators for hadron therapy are far from standardized, but the use of hadron therapy as an alternative to conventional radiation has led to significant improvements and refinements in conventional treatment techniques. This paper presents the rationale for radiation therapy, describes the accelerators used in conventional and hadron therapy, and outlines the issues that must still be resolved in the emerging field of hadron therapy.

The radiation chemistry of ionic liquids: A review

DOE PAGES

Mincher, Bruce J.; Wishart, James F.

2014-07-03

Ionic liquids have received increasing attention as media for radiochemical separations. Recent literature includes examinations of the efficiencies and mechanisms of the solvent extraction of lanthanides, actinides and fission products into ionic liquid solutions. For radiochemical applications, including as replacement solvents for nuclear fuel reprocessing, a thorough understanding of the radiation chemistry of ionic liquids will be required. Such an understanding can be achieved based on a combination of steady-state radiolysis experiments coupled with post-irradiation product identification and pulse-radiolysis experiments to acquire kinetic information. These techniques allow for the elucidation of radiolytic mechanisms. This contribution reviews the current ionic liquidmore » radiation chemistry literature as it affects separations, with these considerations in mind.« less

Estimation of missing values in solar radiation data using piecewise interpolation methods: Case study at Penang city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainudin, Mohd Lutfi; Saaban, Azizan; Bakar, Mohd Nazari Abu

2015-12-01

The solar radiation values have been composed by automatic weather station using the device that namely pyranometer. The device is functions to records all the radiation values that have been dispersed, and these data are very useful for it experimental works and solar device's development. In addition, for modeling and designing on solar radiation system application is needed for complete data observation. Unfortunately, lack for obtained the complete solar radiation data frequently occur due to several technical problems, which mainly contributed by monitoring device. Into encountering this matter, estimation missing values in an effort to substitute absent values with imputed data. This paper aimed to evaluate several piecewise interpolation techniques likes linear, splines, cubic, and nearest neighbor into dealing missing values in hourly solar radiation data. Then, proposed an extendable work into investigating the potential used of cubic Bezier technique and cubic Said-ball method as estimator tools. As result, methods for cubic Bezier and Said-ball perform the best compare to another piecewise imputation technique.

Science objectives and performance of a radiometer and window design for atmospheric entry experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craig, Roger A.; Davy, William C.; Whiting, Ellis E.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the techniques developed for measuring stagnation-point radiation in NASA's cancelled Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE). It specifies the need for such a measurement; the types and requirements for the needed instruments; the Radiative Heating Experiment (RHE) developed for the AFE; the requirements, design parameters, and performance of the window developed for the RHE; the procedures and summary of the technique; and results of the arc-jet wind tunnel experiment conducted to demonstrate the overall concept. Subjects emphasized are the commercial implications of the knowledge to be gained by this experiment in connection with the Aeroassisted Space Transfer Vehicle (ASTV), the nonequilibrium nature of the radiation, concerns over the contribution of vacuum-ultraviolet radiation to the overall radiation, and the limit on the flight environment of the vehicle imposed by the limitations on the window material. Results show that a technique exists with which the stagnation-point radiation can be measured in flight in an environment of interest to commercial ASTV applications.

Feasibility of OCT to detect radiation-induced esophageal damage in small animal models (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelvehgaran, Pouya; Alderliesten, Tanja; Salguero, Javier; Borst, Gerben; Song, Ji-Ying; van Leeuwen, Ton G.; de Boer, Johannes F.; de Bruin, Daniel M.; van Herk, Marcel B.

2016-03-01

Lung cancer survival is poor and radiotherapy patients often suffer serious treatment side effects. The esophagus is particularly sensitive leading to reduced food intake or even fistula formation. Only few direct techniques exist to measure radiation-induced esophageal damage, for which knowledge is needed to improve the balance between risk of tumor recurrence and complications. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a minimally-invasive imaging technique that obtains cross-sectional, high-resolution (1-10µm) images and is capable of scanning the esophageal wall up to 2-3mm depth. In this study we investigated the feasibility of OCT to detect esophageal radiation damage in mice. In total 30 mice were included in 4 study groups (1 main and 3 control groups). Mice underwent cone-beam CT imaging for initial setup assessment and dose planning followed by single-fraction dose delivery of 4, 10, 16, and 20Gy on 5mm spots, spaced 10mm apart. Mice were repeatedly imaged using OCT: pre-irradiation and up to 3 months post-irradiation. The control groups received either OCT only, irradiation only, or were sham-operated. We used histopathology as gold standard for radiation-induced damage diagnosis. The study showed edema in both the main and OCT-only groups. Furthermore, radiation-induced damage was primarily found in the highest dose region (distal esophagus). Based on the histopathology reports we were able to identify the radiation-induced damage in the OCT images as a change in tissue scattering related to the type of induced damage. This finding indicates the feasibility and thereby the potentially promising role of OCT in radiation-induced esophageal damage assessment.

Performance tuning Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Goddard longwave radiative transfer scheme on Intel Xeon Phi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mielikainen, Jarno; Huang, Bormin; Huang, Allen H.

2015-10-01

Next-generation mesoscale numerical weather prediction system, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, is a designed for dual use for forecasting and research. WRF offers multiple physics options that can be combined in any way. One of the physics options is radiance computation. The major source for energy for the earth's climate is solar radiation. Thus, it is imperative to accurately model horizontal and vertical distribution of the heating. Goddard solar radiative transfer model includes the absorption duo to water vapor,ozone, ozygen, carbon dioxide, clouds and aerosols. The model computes the interactions among the absorption and scattering by clouds, aerosols, molecules and surface. Finally, fluxes are integrated over the entire longwave spectrum.In this paper, we present our results of optimizing the Goddard longwave radiative transfer scheme on Intel Many Integrated Core Architecture (MIC) hardware. The Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor is the first product based on Intel MIC architecture, and it consists of up to 61 cores connected by a high performance on-die bidirectional interconnect. The coprocessor supports all important Intel development tools. Thus, the development environment is familiar one to a vast number of CPU developers. Although, getting a maximum performance out of MICs will require using some novel optimization techniques. Those optimization techniques are discusses in this paper. The optimizations improved the performance of the original Goddard longwave radiative transfer scheme on Xeon Phi 7120P by a factor of 2.2x. Furthermore, the same optimizations improved the performance of the Goddard longwave radiative transfer scheme on a dual socket configuration of eight core Intel Xeon E5-2670 CPUs by a factor of 2.1x compared to the original Goddard longwave radiative transfer scheme code.

Comparing simulations and test data of a radiation damaged CCD for the Euclid mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skottfelt, Jesper; Hall, David; Gow, Jason; Murray, Neil; Holland, Andrew; Prod'homme, Thibaut

2016-07-01

The radiation damage effects from the harsh radiative environment outside the Earth's atmosphere can be a cause for concern for most space missions. With the science goals becoming ever more demanding, the requirements on the precision of the instruments on board these missions also increases, and it is therefore important to investigate how the radiation induced damage affects the Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) that most of these instruments rely on. The primary goal of the Euclid mission is to study the nature of dark matter and dark energy using weak lensing and baryonic acoustic oscillation techniques. The weak lensing technique depends on very precise shape measurements of distant galaxies obtained by a large CCD array. It is anticipated that over the 6 year nominal lifetime of mission, the CCDs will be degraded to an extent that these measurements will not be possible unless the radiation damage effects are corrected. We have therefore created a Monte Carlo model that simulates the physical processes taking place when transferring signal through a radiation damaged CCD. The software is based on Shockley-Read-Hall theory, and is made to mimic the physical properties in the CCD as close as possible. The code runs on a single electrode level and takes charge cloud size and density, three dimensional trap position, and multi-level clocking into account. A key element of the model is that it takes device specific simulations of electron density as a direct input, thereby avoiding to make any analytical assumptions about the size and density of the charge cloud. This paper illustrates how test data and simulated data can be compared in order to further our understanding of the positions and properties of the individual radiation-induced traps.

Predicting solar radiation based on available weather indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauer, Frank Joseph

Solar radiation prediction models are complex and require software that is not available for the household investor. The processing power within a normal desktop or laptop computer is sufficient to calculate similar models. This barrier to entry for the average consumer can be fixed by a model simple enough to be calculated by hand if necessary. Solar radiation modeling has been historically difficult to predict and accurate models have significant assumptions and restrictions on their use. Previous methods have been limited to linear relationships, location restrictions, or input data limits to one atmospheric condition. This research takes a novel approach by combining two techniques within the computational limits of a household computer; Clustering and Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). Clustering helps limit the large observation space which restricts the use of HMMs. Instead of using continuous data, and requiring significantly increased computations, the cluster can be used as a qualitative descriptor of each observation. HMMs incorporate a level of uncertainty and take into account the indirect relationship between meteorological indicators and solar radiation. This reduces the complexity of the model enough to be simply understood and accessible to the average household investor. The solar radiation is considered to be an unobservable state that each household will be unable to measure. The high temperature and the sky coverage are already available through the local or preferred source of weather information. By using the next day's prediction for high temperature and sky coverage, the model groups the data and then predicts the most likely range of radiation. This model uses simple techniques and calculations to give a broad estimate for the solar radiation when no other universal model exists for the average household.

Technical Note: Synchrotron-based high-energy x-ray phase sensitive microtomography for biomedical research

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

Liu, Huiqiang; Wu, Xizeng, E-mail: xwu@uabmc.edu, E-mail: tqxiao@sinap.ac.cn; Xiao, Tiqiao, E-mail: xwu@uabmc.edu, E-mail: tqxiao@sinap.ac.cn

Purpose: Propagation-based phase-contrast CT (PPCT) utilizes highly sensitive phase-contrast technology applied to x-ray microtomography. Performing phase retrieval on the acquired angular projections can enhance image contrast and enable quantitative imaging. In this work, the authors demonstrate the validity and advantages of a novel technique for high-resolution PPCT by using the generalized phase-attenuation duality (PAD) method of phase retrieval. Methods: A high-resolution angular projection data set of a fish head specimen was acquired with a monochromatic 60-keV x-ray beam. In one approach, the projection data were directly used for tomographic reconstruction. In two other approaches, the projection data were preprocessed bymore » phase retrieval based on either the linearized PAD method or the generalized PAD method. The reconstructed images from all three approaches were then compared in terms of tissue contrast-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution. Results: The authors’ experimental results demonstrated the validity of the PPCT technique based on the generalized PAD-based method. In addition, the results show that the authors’ technique is superior to the direct PPCT technique as well as the linearized PAD-based PPCT technique in terms of their relative capabilities for tissue discrimination and characterization. Conclusions: This novel PPCT technique demonstrates great potential for biomedical imaging, especially for applications that require high spatial resolution and limited radiation exposure.« less

Technique for Radiometer and Antenna Array Calibration with a Radiated Noise Diode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, Karthik; Limaye, Ashutosh; Laymon, Charles; Meyer, Paul

2009-01-01

This paper presents a new technique to calibrate a microwave radiometer and antenna array system. This calibration technique uses a radiated noise source in addition to two calibration sources internal to the radiometer. The method accurately calibrates antenna arrays with embedded active devices (such as amplifiers) which are used extensively in active phased array antennas.

Comparison of encryption techniques between chaos theory and password for wireless power transfer system: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussin, N. H.; Azizan, M. M.; Ali, A.; Albreem, M. A. M.

2017-09-01

This paper reviews the techniques used in Wireless power transfer (WPT). WPT is one of the most useful ways to transfer power. Based on power transfer distances, the WPT system can be divided into three categories, namely, near, medium, and far fields. Inductive coupling and capacitive coupling contactless techniques are used in the near-field WPT. Magnetic resonant coupling technique is used in the medium-field WPT. Electromagnetic radiation is used in the far-field WPT. In addition, energy encryption plays a major role in ensuring that power is transferred to the true receiver. Therefore, this paper reviews the energy encryption techniques in WPT system. A comparison between different technique shows that the distance, efficiency, and number of receivers are the main factors in selecting the suitable energy encryption technique.

Retrieval of Dry Snow Parameters from Radiometric Data Using a Dense Medium Model and Genetic Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tedesco, Marco; Kim, Edward J.

2005-01-01

In this paper, GA-based techniques are used to invert the equations of an electromagnetic model based on Dense Medium Radiative Transfer Theory (DMRT) under the Quasi Crystalline Approximation with Coherent Potential to retrieve snow depth, mean grain size and fractional volume from microwave brightness temperatures. The technique is initially tested on both noisy and not-noisy simulated data. During this phase, different configurations of genetic algorithm parameters are considered to quantify how their change can affect the algorithm performance. A configuration of GA parameters is then selected and the algorithm is applied to experimental data acquired during the NASA Cold Land Process Experiment. Snow parameters retrieved with the GA-DMRT technique are then compared with snow parameters measured on field.

Evaluation of optimum room entry times for radiation therapists after high energy whole pelvic photon treatments.

PubMed

Ho, Lavine; White, Peter; Chan, Edward; Chan, Kim; Ng, Janet; Tam, Timothy

2012-01-01

Linear accelerators operating at or above 10 MV produce neutrons by photonuclear reactions and induce activation in machine components, which are a source of potential exposure for radiation therapists. This study estimated gamma dose contributions to radiation therapists during high energy, whole pelvic, photon beam treatments and determined the optimum room entry times, in terms of safety of radiation therapists. Two types of technique (anterior-posterior opposing and 3-field technique) were studied. An Elekta Precise treatment system, operating up to 18 MV, was investigated. Measurements with an area monitoring device (a Mini 900R radiation monitor) were performed, to calculate gamma dose rates around the radiotherapy facility. Measurements inside the treatment room were performed when the linear accelerator was in use. The doses received by radiation therapists were estimated, and optimum room entry times were determined. The highest gamma dose rates were approximately 7 μSv/h inside the treatment room, while the doses in the control room were close to background (~0 μSv/h) for all techniques. The highest personal dose received by radiation therapists was estimated at 5 mSv/yr. To optimize protection, radiation therapists should wait for up to11 min after beam-off prior to room entry. The potential risks to radiation therapists with standard safety procedures were well below internationally recommended values, but risks could be further decreased by delaying room entry times. Dependent on the technique used, optimum entry times ranged between 7 to 11 min. A balance between moderate treatment times versus reduction in measured equivalent doses should be considered.

Comparison of image quality and radiation dose between fixed tube current and combined automatic tube current modulation in craniocervical CT angiography.

PubMed

Lee, E J; Lee, S K; Agid, R; Howard, P; Bae, J M; terBrugge, K

2009-10-01

The combined automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) technique adapts and modulates the x-ray tube current in the x-y-z axis according to the patient's individual anatomy. We compared image quality and radiation dose of the combined ATCM technique with those of a fixed tube current (FTC) technique in craniocervical CT angiography performed with a 64-section multidetector row CT (MDCT) system. A retrospective review of craniocervical CT angiograms (CTAs) by using combined ATCM (n = 25) and FTC techniques (n = 25) was performed. Other CTA parameters, such as kilovolt (peak), matrix size, FOV, section thickness, pitch, contrast agent, and contrast injection techniques, were held constant. We recorded objective image noise in the muscles at 2 anatomic levels: radiation exposure doses (CT dose index volume and dose-length product); and subjective image quality parameters, such as vascular delineation of various arterial vessels, visibility of small arterial detail, image artifacts, and certainty of diagnosis. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. No significant difference was detected in subjective image quality parameters between the FTC and combined ATCM techniques. Most subjects in both study groups (49/50, 98%) had acceptable subjective artifacts. The objective image noise values at shoulder level did not show a significant difference, but the noise value at the upper neck was higher with the combined ATCM (P < .05) technique. Significant reduction in radiation dose (18% reduction) was noted with the combined ATCM technique (P < .05). The combined ATCM technique for craniocervical CTA performed at 64-section MDCT substantially reduced radiation exposure dose but maintained diagnostic image quality.

Individual Human Cell Responses to Low Doses of Chemicals and Radiation Studied by Synchrotron Infrared Spectromicroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Michael C.; Holman, Hoi-Ying N.; Blakely, Eleanor A.; Goth-Goldstein, Regine; McKinney, Wayne R.

2000-03-01

Vibrational spectroscopy, when combined with synchrotron radiation-based (SR) microscopy, is a powerful new analytical tool with high spatial resolution for detecting biochemical changes in individual living cells. In contrast to other microscopy methods that require fixing, drying, staining or labeling, SR FTIR microscopy probes intact living cells providing a composite view of all of the molecular responses and the ability to monitor the responses over time in the same cell. Observed spectral changes include all types of lesions induced in that cell as well as cellular responses to external and internal stresses. These spectral changes combined with other analytical tools may provide a fundamental understanding of the key molecular mechanisms induced in response to stresses created by low-doses of radiation and chemicals. In this study we used high spatial-resolution SR FTIR vibrational spectromicroscopy at ALS Beamline 1.4.3 as a sensitive analytical tool to detect chemical- and radiation-induced changes in individual human cells. Our preliminary spectral measurements indicate that this technique is sensitive enough to detect changes in nucleic acids and proteins of cells treated with environmentally relevant concentrations of oxidative stresses: bleomycin, hydrogen peroxide, and X-rays. We observe spectral changes that are unique to each exogenous stressor. This technique has the potential to distinguish changes from exogenous or endogenous oxidative processes. Future development of this technique will allow rapid monitoring of cellular processes such as drug metabolism, early detection of disease, bio-compatibility of implant materials, cellular repair mechanisms, self assembly of cellular apparatus, cell differentiation and fetal development.

Real-Time Airborne Gamma-Ray Background Estimation Using NASVD with MLE and Radiation Transport for Calibration

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

Kulisek, Jonathan A.; Schweppe, John E.; Stave, Sean C.

2015-06-01

Helicopter-mounted gamma-ray detectors can provide law enforcement officials the means to quickly and accurately detect, identify, and locate radiological threats over a wide geographical area. The ability to accurately distinguish radiological threat-generated gamma-ray signatures from background gamma radiation in real time is essential in order to realize this potential. This problem is non-trivial, especially in urban environments for which the background may change very rapidly during flight. This exacerbates the challenge of estimating background due to the poor counting statistics inherent in real-time airborne gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements. To address this, we have developed a new technique for real-time estimation ofmore » background gamma radiation from aerial measurements. This method is built upon on the noise-adjusted singular value decomposition (NASVD) technique that was previously developed for estimating the potassium (K), uranium (U), and thorium (T) concentrations in soil post-flight. The method can be calibrated using K, U, and T spectra determined from radiation transport simulations along with basis functions, which may be determined empirically by applying maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to previously measured airborne gamma-ray spectra. The method was applied to both measured and simulated airborne gamma-ray spectra, with and without man-made radiological source injections. Compared to schemes based on simple averaging, this technique was less sensitive to background contamination from the injected man-made sources and may be particularly useful when the gamma-ray background frequently changes during the course of the flight.« less

Very high power THz radiation sources

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

Carr, G.L.; Martin, Michael C.; McKinney, Wayne R.

2002-10-31

We report the production of high power (20 watts average, {approx} 1 Megawatt peak) broadband THz light based on coherent emission from relativistic electrons. Such sources are ideal for imaging, for high power damage studies and for studies of non-linear phenomena in this spectral range. We describe the source, presenting theoretical calculations and their experimental verification. For clarity we compare this source to one based on ultrafast laser techniques.

An isolation-enhanced quad-element antenna using suspended solid wires for LTE small-cell base stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yen-Sheng; Zhou, Huang-Cheng

2017-05-01

This paper presents a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna that has four-unit elements enabled by an isolation technique for long-term evolution (LTE) small-cell base stations. While earlier studies on MIMO base-station antennas cope with either a lower LTE band (698-960 MHz) or an upper LTE band (1710-2690 MHz), the proposed antenna meets the full LTE specification, yet it uses the maximum number of unit elements to increase channel capacity. The antenna configuration is optimized for good impedance matching and high radiation efficiency. In particular, as the spacing between unit elements is so small that severe mutual coupling occurs, we propose a simple structure with extremely low costs to enhance the isolation. By using suspended solid wires interconnecting the position having strong coupled current of two adjacent elements, an isolation enhancement of 37 dB is achieved. Although solid wires inherently aim at direct-current applications, this work successfully employs such a low-cost technique to microwave antenna development. Experimental results have validated the design guidelines and the proposed configuration, showing that antenna performances including impedance matching, isolation, radiation features, signal correlation, and channel capacity gain are highly desired for LTE small-cell base stations.

Dependence of Achievable Plan Quality on Treatment Technique and Planning Goal Refinement: A Head-and-Neck Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Application

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

Qi, X. Sharon, E-mail: xqi@mednet.ucla.edu; Ruan, Dan; Lee, Steve P.

2015-03-15

Purpose: To develop a practical workflow for retrospectively analyzing target and normal tissue dose–volume endpoints for various intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivery techniques; to develop technique-specific planning goals to improve plan consistency and quality when feasible. Methods and Materials: A total of 165 consecutive head-and-neck patients from our patient registry were selected and retrospectively analyzed. All IMRT plans were generated using the same dose–volume guidelines for TomoTherapy (Tomo, Accuray), TrueBeam (TB, Varian) using fixed-field IMRT (TB-IMRT) or RAPIDARC (TB-RAPIDARC), or Siemens Oncor (Siemens-IMRT, Siemens). A MATLAB-based dose–volume extraction and analysis tool was developed to export dosimetric endpoints for eachmore » patient. With a fair stratification of patient cohort, the variation of achieved dosimetric endpoints was analyzed among different treatment techniques. Upon identification of statistically significant variations, technique-specific planning goals were derived from dynamically accumulated institutional data. Results: Retrospective analysis showed that although all techniques yielded comparable target coverage, the doses to the critical structures differed. The maximum cord doses were 34.1 ± 2.6, 42.7 ± 2.1, 43.3 ± 2.0, and 45.1 ± 1.6 Gy for Tomo, TB-IMRT, TB-RAPIDARC, and Siemens-IMRT plans, respectively. Analyses of variance showed significant differences for the maximum cord doses but no significant differences for other selected structures among the investigated IMRT delivery techniques. Subsequently, a refined technique-specific dose–volume guideline for maximum cord dose was derived at a confidence level of 95%. The dosimetric plans that failed the refined technique-specific planning goals were reoptimized according to the refined constraints. We observed better cord sparing with minimal variations for the target coverage and other organ at risk sparing for the Tomo cases, and higher parotid doses for C-arm linear accelerator–based IMRT and RAPIDARC plans. Conclusion: Patient registry–based processes allowed easy and systematic dosimetric assessment of treatment plan quality and consistency. Our analysis revealed the dependence of certain dosimetric endpoints on the treatment techniques. Technique-specific refinement of planning goals may lead to improvement in plan consistency and plan quality.« less

A Novel Iterative Scheme for the Very Fast and Accurate Solution of Non-LTE Radiative Transfer Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trujillo Bueno, J.; Fabiani Bendicho, P.

1995-12-01

Iterative schemes based on Gauss-Seidel (G-S) and optimal successive over-relaxation (SOR) iteration are shown to provide a dramatic increase in the speed with which non-LTE radiation transfer (RT) problems can be solved. The convergence rates of these new RT methods are identical to those of upper triangular nonlocal approximate operator splitting techniques, but the computing time per iteration and the memory requirements are similar to those of a local operator splitting method. In addition to these properties, both methods are particularly suitable for multidimensional geometry, since they neither require the actual construction of nonlocal approximate operators nor the application of any matrix inversion procedure. Compared with the currently used Jacobi technique, which is based on the optimal local approximate operator (see Olson, Auer, & Buchler 1986), the G-S method presented here is faster by a factor 2. It gives excellent smoothing of the high-frequency error components, which makes it the iterative scheme of choice for multigrid radiative transfer. This G-S method can also be suitably combined with standard acceleration techniques to achieve even higher performance. Although the convergence rate of the optimal SOR scheme developed here for solving non-LTE RT problems is much higher than G-S, the computing time per iteration is also minimal, i.e., virtually identical to that of a local operator splitting method. While the conventional optimal local operator scheme provides the converged solution after a total CPU time (measured in arbitrary units) approximately equal to the number n of points per decade of optical depth, the time needed by this new method based on the optimal SOR iterations is only √n/2√2. This method is competitive with those that result from combining the above-mentioned Jacobi and G-S schemes with the best acceleration techniques. Contrary to what happens with the local operator splitting strategy currently in use, these novel methods remain effective even under extreme non-LTE conditions in very fine grids.

42 CFR Appendix E to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Radiation Therapy Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... universities; (b) Hospitals, clinics, or autonomous radiation oncology centers meeting the criteria for major... structure and function; (f) Oncologic pathology; (g) Radiation oncology; (h) Radiobiology; (i) Mathematics; (j) Radiation physics; (k) Radiation protection; (l) Radiation oncology technique; (m) Radiographic...

42 CFR Appendix E to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Radiation Therapy Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... universities; (b) Hospitals, clinics, or autonomous radiation oncology centers meeting the criteria for major... structure and function; (f) Oncologic pathology; (g) Radiation oncology; (h) Radiobiology; (i) Mathematics; (j) Radiation physics; (k) Radiation protection; (l) Radiation oncology technique; (m) Radiographic...

42 CFR Appendix E to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Radiation Therapy Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... universities; (b) Hospitals, clinics, or autonomous radiation oncology centers meeting the criteria for major... structure and function; (f) Oncologic pathology; (g) Radiation oncology; (h) Radiobiology; (i) Mathematics; (j) Radiation physics; (k) Radiation protection; (l) Radiation oncology technique; (m) Radiographic...

42 CFR Appendix E to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Radiation Therapy Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... universities; (b) Hospitals, clinics, or autonomous radiation oncology centers meeting the criteria for major... structure and function; (f) Oncologic pathology; (g) Radiation oncology; (h) Radiobiology; (i) Mathematics; (j) Radiation physics; (k) Radiation protection; (l) Radiation oncology technique; (m) Radiographic...

Absorbed fractions in a voxel-based phantom calculated with the MCNP-4B code.

PubMed

Yoriyaz, H; dos Santos, A; Stabin, M G; Cabezas, R

2000-07-01

A new approach for calculating internal dose estimates was developed through the use of a more realistic computational model of the human body. The present technique shows the capability to build a patient-specific phantom with tomography data (a voxel-based phantom) for the simulation of radiation transport and energy deposition using Monte Carlo methods such as in the MCNP-4B code. MCNP-4B absorbed fractions for photons in the mathematical phantom of Snyder et al. agreed well with reference values. Results obtained through radiation transport simulation in the voxel-based phantom, in general, agreed well with reference values. Considerable discrepancies, however, were found in some cases due to two major causes: differences in the organ masses between the phantoms and the occurrence of organ overlap in the voxel-based phantom, which is not considered in the mathematical phantom.

The dynamic micro computed tomography at SSRF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, R.; Xu, L.; Du, G.; Deng, B.; Xie, H.; Xiao, T.

2018-05-01

Synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR-μCT) is a critical technique for quantitative characterizing the 3D internal structure of samples, recently the dynamic SR-μCT has been attracting vast attention since it can evaluate the three-dimensional structure evolution of a sample. A dynamic μCT method, which is based on monochromatic beam, was developed at the X-ray Imaging and Biomedical Application Beamline at Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, by combining the compressed sensing based CT reconstruction algorithm and hardware upgrade. The monochromatic beam based method can achieve quantitative information, and lower dose than the white beam base method in which the lower energy beam is absorbed by the sample rather than contribute to the final imaging signal. The developed method is successfully used to investigate the compression of the air sac during respiration in a bell cricket, providing new knowledge for further research on the insect respiratory system.

UNCERTAINTY ON RADIATION DOSES ESTIMATED BY BIOLOGICAL AND RETROSPECTIVE PHYSICAL METHODS.

PubMed

Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Samaga, Daniel; Della Monaca, Sara; Marrale, Maurizio; Bassinet, Celine; Burbidge, Christopher I; Correcher, Virgilio; Discher, Michael; Eakins, Jon; Fattibene, Paola; Güçlü, Inci; Higueras, Manuel; Lund, Eva; Maltar-Strmecki, Nadica; McKeever, Stephen; Rääf, Christopher L; Sholom, Sergey; Veronese, Ivan; Wieser, Albrecht; Woda, Clemens; Trompier, Francois

2018-03-01

Biological and physical retrospective dosimetry are recognised as key techniques to provide individual estimates of dose following unplanned exposures to ionising radiation. Whilst there has been a relatively large amount of recent development in the biological and physical procedures, development of statistical analysis techniques has failed to keep pace. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the art in uncertainty analysis techniques across the 'EURADOS Working Group 10-Retrospective dosimetry' members, to give concrete examples of implementation of the techniques recommended in the international standards, and to further promote the use of Monte Carlo techniques to support characterisation of uncertainties. It is concluded that sufficient techniques are available and in use by most laboratories for acute, whole body exposures to highly penetrating radiation, but further work will be required to ensure that statistical analysis is always wholly sufficient for the more complex exposure scenarios.

Analysis of stray radiation for infrared optical system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang; Zhang, Tingcheng; Liao, Zhibo; Mu, Shengbo; Du, Jianxiang; Wang, Xiangdong

2016-10-01

Based on the theory of radiation energy transfer in the infrared optical system, two methods for stray radiation analysis caused by interior thermal radiation in infrared optical system are proposed, one of which is important sampling method technique using forward ray trace, another of which is integral computation method using reverse ray trace. The two methods are discussed in detail. A concrete infrared optical system is provided. Light-tools is used to simulate the passage of radiation from the mirrors and mounts. Absolute values of internal irradiance on the detector are received. The results shows that the main part of the energy on the detector is due to the critical objects which were consistent with critical objects obtained by reverse ray trace, where mirror self-emission contribution is about 87.5% of the total energy. Corresponding to the results, the irradiance on the detector calculated by the two methods are in good agreement. So the validity and rationality of the two methods are proved.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of radiation and dynamics properties in laser-produced carbon plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Qi; Su, Maogen; Wang, Bo; Cao, Shiquan; Sun, Duixiong; Dong, Chenzhong

2018-05-01

The radiation and dynamics properties of laser-produced carbon plasma in vacuum were studied experimentally with aid of a spatio-temporally resolved emission spectroscopy technique. In addition, a radiation hydrodynamics model based on the fluid dynamic equations and the radiative transfer equation was presented, and calculation of the charge states was performed within the time-dependent collisional radiative model. Detailed temporal and spatial evolution behavior about plasma parameters have been analyzed, such as velocity, electron temperature, charge state distribution, energy level population, and various atomic processes. At the same time, the effects of different atomic processes on the charge state distribution were examined. Finally, the validity of assuming a local thermodynamic equilibrium in the carbon plasma expansion was checked, and the results clearly indicate that the assumption was valid only at the initial (<80 ns) stage of plasma expansion. At longer delay times, it was not applicable near the plasma boundary because of a sharp drop of plasma temperature and electron density.

Optimization of the temporal pattern of applied dose for a single fraction of radiation: Implications for radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altman, Michael B.

The increasing prevalence of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) as a treatment modality has led to a renewed interest in the potential for interaction between prolonged treatment time, as frequently associated with IMRT, and the underlying radiobiology of the irradiated tissue. A particularly relevant aspect of radiobiology is cell repair capacity, which influences cell survival, and thus directly relates to the ability to control tumors and spare normal tissues. For a single fraction of radiation, the linear quadratic (LQ) model is commonly used to relate the radiation dose to the fraction of cells surviving. The LQ model implies a dependence on two time-related factors which correlate to radiobiological effects: the duration of radiation application, and the functional form of how the dose is applied over that time (the "temporal pattern of applied dose"). Although the former has been well studied, the latter has not. Thus, the goal of this research is to investigate the impact of the temporal pattern of applied dose on the survival of human cells and to explore how the manipulation of this temporal dose pattern may be incorporated into an IMRT-based radiation therapy treatment planning scheme. The hypothesis is that the temporal pattern of applied dose in a single fraction of radiation can be optimized to maximize or minimize cell kill. Furthermore, techniques which utilize this effect could have clinical ramifications. In situations where increased cell kill is desirable, such as tumor control, or limiting the degree of cell kill is important, such as the sparing of normal tissue, temporal sequences of dose which maximize or minimize cell kill (temporally "optimized" sequences) may provide greater benefit than current clinically used radiation patterns. In the first part of this work, an LQ-based modeling analysis of effects of the temporal pattern of dose on cell kill is performed. Through this, patterns are identified for maximizing cell kill for a given radiation pattern by concentrating the highest doses in the middle of a fraction (a "Triangle" pattern), or minimizing cell kill by placing the highest doses near the beginning and end (a "V-shaped" pattern). The conditions under which temporal optimization effects are most acute are also identified: irradiation of low alpha/beta tissues, long fraction durations, and high doses/fx. An in vitro study is then performed which verifies that the temporal effects and trends predicted by the modeling study are clearly manifested in human cells. Following this a phantom which could allow similar in vitro radiobiological experiments in a 3-dimensional clinically-based environment is designed, created, and dosimetrically assessed using TLDs, film, and biological assay-based techniques. The phantom is found to be a useful and versatile tool for such experiments. A scheme for utilizing the phantom in a clinical treatment environment is then developed. This includes a demonstration of prototype methods for optimizing the temporal pattern of applied dose in clinical IMRT plans to manipulate tissue-dependent effects. Looking toward future experimental validation of such plans using the phantom, an analysis of the suitability of biological assays for use in phantom-based in vitro experiments is performed. Finally, a discussion is provided about the steps necessary to integrate temporal optimization into in vivo experiments and ultimately into a clinical radiation therapy environment. If temporal optimization is ultimately shown to have impact in vivo, the successful implementation of the methods developed in this study could enhance the efficacy and care of thousands of patients receiving radiotherapy.

On the use of photothermal techniques for the characterization of solar-selective coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramírez-Rincón, J. A.; Ares-Muzio, O.; Macias, J. D.; Estrella-Gutiérrez, M. A.; Lizama-Tzec, F. I.; Oskam, G.; Alvarado-Gil, J. J.

2018-03-01

The efficiency of the conversion of solar energy into thermal energy is determined by the optical and thermal properties of the selective coating, in particular, the solar absorptance and thermal emittance at the desired temperature of the specific application. Photothermal techniques are the most appropriate methods to explore these properties, however, a quantitative determination using photothermal radiometry, which is based on the measurement of emitted radiation caused by the heating generated by a modulated light source, has proven to be elusive. In this work, we present experimental results for selective coatings based on electrodeposited black nickel-nickel on both stainless steel and copper substrates, as well as for commercial TiNOX coatings on aluminum, illustrating that the radiation emitted by the surface depends on the optical absorption, thermal emissivity and on the light-into-heat energy conversion efficiency (quantum efficiency). We show that a combination of photothermal radiometry and photoacoustic spectroscopy can successfully account for these parameters, and provide values for the emissivity in agreement with values obtained by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

Clay pigment structure characterisation as a guide for provenance determination--a comparison between laboratory powder micro-XRD and synchrotron radiation XRD.

PubMed

Švarcová, Silvie; Bezdička, Petr; Hradil, David; Hradilová, Janka; Žižak, Ivo

2011-01-01

Application of X-ray diffraction (XRD)-based techniques in the analysis of painted artworks is not only beneficial for indisputable identification of crystal constituents in colour layers, but it can also bring insight in material crystal structure, which can be affected by their geological formation, manufacturing procedure or secondary changes. This knowledge might be helpful for art historic evaluation of an artwork as well as for its conservation. By way of example of kaolinite, we show that classification of its crystal structure order based on XRD data is useful for estimation of its provenance. We found kaolinite in the preparation layer of a Gothic wall painting in a Czech church situated near Karlovy Vary, where there are important kaolin deposits. Comparing reference kaolin materials from eight various Czech deposits, we found that these can be differentiated just according to the kaolinite crystallinity. Within this study, we compared laboratory powder X-ray micro-diffraction (micro-XRD) with synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction analysing the same real sample. We found that both techniques led to the same results.

Assessing D-Region Ionospheric Electron Densities with Transionospheric VLF Signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worthington, E. R.; Cohen, M.

2016-12-01

Very Low Frequency (VLF, 3-30 kHz) electromagnetic radiation emitted from ground-based sources, such as VLF transmitters or lightning strokes, is generally confined between the Earth's surface and the base of the ionosphere. These boundaries result in waveguide-like propagation modes that travel away from the source, often over great distances. In the vicinity of the source, a unique interference pattern exists that is largely determined by the D-region of the ionosphere which forms the upper boundary. A small portion of this VLF radiation escapes the ionosphere allowing the waveguide interference pattern to be observable to satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO). Techniques for estimating D-region electron densities using VLF satellite measurements are presented. These techniques are then validated using measurements taken by the satellite DEMETER. During its six-year mission, DEMETER completed hundreds of passes above well-characterized VLF transmitters while taking measurements of electric and magnetic field strengths. The waveguide interference pattern described above is clearly visible in these measurements, and features from the interference pattern are used to derive D-region electron density profiles.

A rapid radiative transfer model for reflection of solar radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiang, X.; Smith, E. A.; Justus, C. G.

1994-01-01

A rapid analytical radiative transfer model for reflection of solar radiation in plane-parallel atmospheres is developed based on the Sobolev approach and the delta function transformation technique. A distinct advantage of this model over alternative two-stream solutions is that in addition to yielding the irradiance components, which turn out to be mathematically equivalent to the delta-Eddington approximation, the radiance field can also be expanded in a mathematically consistent fashion. Tests with the model against a more precise multistream discrete ordinate model over a wide range of input parameters demonstrate that the new approximate method typically produces average radiance differences of less than 5%, with worst average differences of approximately 10%-15%. By the same token, the computational speed of the new model is some tens to thousands times faster than that of the more precise model when its stream resolution is set to generate precise calculations.

Linear stapler closure of the pharynx during total laryngectomy: a 15-year experience (from closed technique to semi-closed technique)

PubMed Central

Altissimi, G; Frenguelli, A

2007-01-01

Summary Personal experience in performing linear stapler closure of the pharynx during 70 total laryngectomies is reported. Laryngeal staplers (55 and 60 cm) with an angled handle were used, permitting vertical closure with 19 or 20 metal staples in a double row. A closed technique was initially used, but, over the years, this has gradually been replaced by the semi-closed technique to avoid trapping the suprahyoid part of the epiglottis between the jaws of the stapler. The stapler is inserted below the larynx after having separated it from all muscular and neurovascular connections, and after performing a mini-pharyngotomy at the vallecula epiglottica in order to extract the epiglottis, evert it ventrally and suture it to the hyothyroepiglottic space. The jaws of the stapler are closed and the staples are fired while the flaps of the mini-pharyngotomy are raised above the jaws. The scalpel is inserted above the stapler to remove the larynx. When the stapler is opened, the vertical linear suture of the pharynx is evident and can be examined. This procedure takes only a few minutes to perform. It guarantees a long-term stable watertight closure, dramatically reduces contamination of the operating field by pharyngeal secretions, and permits rapid healing time, greatly lowering patient management costs. In the cases presented here, there was a 1.8% rate of pharyngocutaneous fistulae in patients who were not radiated, whereas the rate was 13.1% in pre-radiated patients. In agreement with the international literature, this procedure does not increase the rate of fistulae and, in fact, it seems to reduce it. Moreover, it is particularly indicated for pre-radiated patients. Nevertheless, the Authors recommend reserving this type of procedure to cases in which, based on meticulous pre-operative assessment by means of endoscopy and imaging, the endolaryngeal site of the tumour has been assessed and there is no need for peri-operative exploration of the pharynx or tongue base. PMID:17883187

Development of a wavelength-separated type scintillator with optical fiber (SOF) dosimeter to compensate for the Cerenkov radiation effect.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Masayori; Nagase, Naomi; Matsuura, Taeko; Hiratsuka, Junichi; Suzuki, Ryusuke; Miyamoto, Naoki; Sutherland, Kenneth Lee; Fujita, Katsuhisa; Shirato, Hiroki

2015-03-01

The scintillator with optical fiber (SOF) dosimeter consists of a miniature scintillator mounted on the tip of an optical fiber. The scintillator of the current SOF dosimeter is a 1-mm diameter hemisphere. For a scintillation dosimeter coupled with an optical fiber, measurement accuracy is influenced by signals due to Cerenkov radiation in the optical fiber. We have implemented a spectral filtering technique for compensating for the Cerenkov radiation effect specifically for our plastic scintillator-based dosimeter, using a wavelength-separated counting method. A dichroic mirror was used for separating input light signals. Individual signal counting was performed for high- and low-wavelength light signals. To confirm the accuracy, measurements with various amounts of Cerenkov radiation were performed by changing the incident direction while keeping the Ir-192 source-to-dosimeter distance constant, resulting in a fluctuation of <5%. Optical fiber bending was also addressed; no bending effect was observed for our wavelength-separated SOF dosimeter. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Radioprotective Action of Low-Intensity Light into the Red Absorption Band of Endogenous Molecular Oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, A. V.; Mashalov, A. A.; Zakharov, S. D.

2016-08-01

Application of ionizing radiation in oncology (radiation therapy) is a widespread way to eliminate malignant tumors. Normal tissues are inevitable included in any radiation field, and their reliable protection is actual till now. All attempts to solve the problem are based on search of effective radioprotectors, i.e. chemical compounds of various classes, which should be entered into the patient. To date about 50,000 compounds with some radioprotection properties had been tested, but the most effective of them have been simultaneously the most toxic. Here the preliminary results of researches devoted to development of an optical technique on basis of the light-oxygen effect for the protection of women with breast cancer from side effects of the radiation therapy are presented. A low intensity emission of the semiconductor laser in a red spectral interval was used to excite a very small quantity of endogenous molecular oxygen in O2(1Δg) state. It is shown, that application of the method at occurrence of earliest signs of radiation injury allows notably reducing dangerous breaks in radiation therapy course.

Mortality among Canadian military personnel exposed to low-dose radiation.

PubMed

Raman, S; Dulberg, C S; Spasoff, R A; Scott, T

1987-05-15

We carried out a cohort study of mortality among 954 Canadian military personnel exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation during nuclear reactor clean-up operations at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ont., and during observation of atomic test blasts in the United States and Australia in the 1950s. Two controls matched for age, service, rank and trade were selected for each exposed subject. Mortality among the exposed and control groups was ascertained by means of record linkage with the Canadian Mortality Data Base. Survival analysis with life-table techniques did not reveal any difference in overall mortality between the exposed and control groups. Analysis of cause-specific mortality showed similar mortality patterns in the two groups; there was no elevation in the exposed group in the frequency of death from leukemia or thyroid cancer, the causes of death most often associated with radiation exposure. Analysis of survival by recorded gamma radiation dose also did not show any effect of radiation dose on mortality. The findings are in agreement with the current scientific literature on the risk of death from exposure to low-dose radiation.

Lap Shear Testing of Candidate Radiator Panel Adhesives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, David; Briggs, Maxwell; McGowan, Randy

2013-01-01

During testing of a subscale radiator section used to develop manufacturing techniques for a full-scale radiator panel, the adhesive bonds between the titanium heat pipes and the aluminum face sheets failed during installation and operation. Analysis revealed that the thermal expansion mismatch between the two metals resulted in relatively large shear stresses being developed even when operating the radiator at moderate temperatures. Lap shear testing of the adhesive used in the original joints demonstrated that the two-part epoxy adhesive fell far short of the strength required. A literature review resulted in several candidate adhesives being selected for lap shear joint testing at room temperature and 398 K, the nominal radiator operating temperature. The results showed that two-part epoxies cured at room and elevated temperatures generally did not perform well. Epoxy film adhesives cured at elevated temperatures, on the other hand, did very well with most being sufficiently strong to cause yielding in the titanium sheet used for the joints. The use of an epoxy primer generally improved the strength of the joint. Based upon these results, a new adhesive was selected for the second subscale radiator section.

Relativistic Transformations of Light Power.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinley, John M.

1979-01-01

Using a photon-counting technique, finds the angular distribution of emitted and detected power and the total radiated power of an arbitrary moving source, and uses the technique to verify the predicted effect of the earth's motion through the cosmic blackbody radiation. (Author/GA)

Time-resolved experiments in the frequency domain using synchrotron radiation (invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Stasio, Gelsomina; Giusti, A. M.; Parasassi, T.; Ravagnan, G.; Sapora, O.

1992-01-01

PLASTIQUE is the only synchrotron radiation beam line in the world that performs time-resolved fluorescence experiments in frequency domain. These experiments are extremely valuable sources of information on the structure and the dynamics of molecules. This technique measures fluorescence lifetimes with picosecond resolution in the near UV spectral range. Such accurate measurements are rendered possible by taking phase and modulation data, and by the advantages of the cross-correlation technique. A successful experiment demonstrated the radiation damage induced by low doses of radiation on rabbit blood cell membranes.

Monte Carlo Simulation of Nonlinear Radiation Induced Plasmas. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, B. S.

1972-01-01

A Monte Carlo simulation model for radiation induced plasmas with nonlinear properties due to recombination was, employing a piecewise linearized predict-correct iterative technique. Several important variance reduction techniques were developed and incorporated into the model, including an antithetic variates technique. This approach is especially efficient for plasma systems with inhomogeneous media, multidimensions, and irregular boundaries. The Monte Carlo code developed has been applied to the determination of the electron energy distribution function and related parameters for a noble gas plasma created by alpha-particle irradiation. The characteristics of the radiation induced plasma involved are given.

Chitosan-Based Matrices Prepared by Gamma Irradiation for Tissue Regeneration: Structural Properties vs. Preparation Method.

PubMed

Casimiro, Maria Helena; Lancastre, Joana J H; Rodrigues, Alexandra P; Gomes, Susana R; Rodrigues, Gabriela; Ferreira, Luís M

2017-02-01

In the last decade, new generations of biopolymer-based materials have attracted attention, aiming its application as scaffolds for tissue engineering. These engineered three-dimensional scaffolds are designed to improve or replace damaged, missing, or otherwise compromised tissues or organs. Despite the number of promising methods that can be used to generate 3D cell-instructive matrices, the innovative nature of the present work relies on the application of ionizing radiation technology to form and modify surfaces and matrices with advantage over more conventional technologies (room temperature reaction, absence of harmful initiators or solvents, high penetration through the bulk materials, etc.), and the possibility of preparation and sterilization in one single step. The current chapter summarizes the work done by the authors in the gamma radiation processing of biocompatible and biodegradable chitosan-based matrices for skin regeneration. Particular attention is given to the correlation between the different preparation conditions and the final polymeric matrices' properties. We therefore expect to demonstrate that instructive matrices produced and improved by radiation technology bring to the field of skin regenerative medicine a supplemental advantage over more conservative techniques.

Unidirectional Magneto-Electric Dipole Antenna for Base Station: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idayachandran, Govindanarayanan; Nakkeeran, Rangaswamy

2018-04-01

Unidirectional base station antenna design using Magneto-Electric Dipole (MED) has created enormous interest among the researchers due to its excellent radiation characteristics like low back radiation, symmetrical radiation at E-plane and H-plane compared to conventional patch antenna. Generally, dual polarized antennas are used to increase channel capacity and reliability of the communication systems. In order to serve the evolving mobile communication standards like long term evolution LTE and beyond, unidirectional dual polarized MED antenna are required to have broad impedance bandwidth, broad half power beamwidth, high port isolation, low cross polarization level, high front to back ratio and high gain. In this paper, the critical electrical requirements of the base station antenna and frequently used frequency bands for modern mobile communication have been presented. It is followed by brief review on broadband patch antenna and discussion on complementary antenna concepts. Finally, the performance of linearly polarized and dual polarized magneto-electric dipole antennas along with their feeding techniques are discussed and summarized. Also, design and modeling of developed MED antenna is presented.

Double side read-out technique for mitigation of radiation damage effects in PbWO 4 crystals

DOE PAGES

Lucchini, Marco Toliman; Auffray, E.; Benaglia, A.; ...

2016-04-18

Test beam results of a calorimetric module based on 3×3×22 cm 3 PbWO 4 crystals, identical to those used in the CMS ECAL Endcaps, read out by a pair of photodetectors coupled to the two opposite sides (front and rear) of each crystal are presented. Nine crystals with different level of induced absorption, from 0 to 20 m -1, have been tested using electrons in the 50–200 GeV energy range. Photomultiplier tubes have been chosen as photodetectors to allow for a precise measurement of highly damaged crystals. The information provided by this double side read-out configuration allows to correct formore » event-by-event fluctuations of the longitudinal development of electromagnetic showers. By strongly mitigating the effect of non-uniform light collection efficiency induced by radiation damage, the double side read-out technique significantly improves the energy resolution with respect to a single side read-out configuration. The non-linearity of the response arising in damaged crystals is also corrected by a double side read-out configuration and the response linearity of irradiated crystals is restored. In high radiation environments at future colliders, as it will be the case for detectors operating during the High Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider, defects can be created inside the scintillator volume leading to a non-uniform response of the calorimetric cell. As a result, the double side read-out technique presented in this study provides a valuable way to improve the performance of calorimeters based on scintillators whose active volumes are characterized by high aspect ratio cells similar to those used in this study.« less

Double side read-out technique for mitigation of radiation damage effects in PbWO 4 crystals

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

Lucchini, Marco Toliman; Auffray, E.; Benaglia, A.

Test beam results of a calorimetric module based on 3×3×22 cm 3 PbWO 4 crystals, identical to those used in the CMS ECAL Endcaps, read out by a pair of photodetectors coupled to the two opposite sides (front and rear) of each crystal are presented. Nine crystals with different level of induced absorption, from 0 to 20 m -1, have been tested using electrons in the 50–200 GeV energy range. Photomultiplier tubes have been chosen as photodetectors to allow for a precise measurement of highly damaged crystals. The information provided by this double side read-out configuration allows to correct formore » event-by-event fluctuations of the longitudinal development of electromagnetic showers. By strongly mitigating the effect of non-uniform light collection efficiency induced by radiation damage, the double side read-out technique significantly improves the energy resolution with respect to a single side read-out configuration. The non-linearity of the response arising in damaged crystals is also corrected by a double side read-out configuration and the response linearity of irradiated crystals is restored. In high radiation environments at future colliders, as it will be the case for detectors operating during the High Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider, defects can be created inside the scintillator volume leading to a non-uniform response of the calorimetric cell. As a result, the double side read-out technique presented in this study provides a valuable way to improve the performance of calorimeters based on scintillators whose active volumes are characterized by high aspect ratio cells similar to those used in this study.« less

Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Loss and Energization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daglis, I.; Balasis, G.; Bourdarie, S.; Horne, R.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; Mann, I.; Santolik, O.; Turner, D.; Anastasiadis, A.; Georgiou, M.; Giannakis, O.; Papadimitriou, C.; Ropokis, G.; Sandberg, I.; Angelopoulos, V.; Glauert, S.; Grison, B., Kersten T.; Kolmasova, I.; Lazaro, D.; Mella, M.; Ozeke, L.; Usanova, M.

2013-09-01

We present the concept, objectives and expected impact of the MAARBLE (Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Loss and Energization) project, which is being implemented by a consortium of seven institutions (five European, one Canadian and one US) with support from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme. The MAARBLE project employs multi-spacecraft monitoring of the geospace environment, complemented by ground-based monitoring, in order to analyze and assess the physical mechanisms leading to radiation belt particle energization and loss. Particular attention is paid to the role of ULF/VLF waves. A database containing properties of the waves is being created and will be made available to the scientific community. Based on the wave database, a statistical model of the wave activity dependent on the level of geomagnetic activity, solar wind forcing, and magnetospheric region will be developed. Multi-spacecraft particle measurements will be incorporated into data assimilation tools, leading to new understanding of the causal relationships between ULF/VLF waves and radiation belt dynamics. Data assimilation techniques have been proven as a valuable tool in the field of radiation belts, able to guide 'the best' estimate of the state of a complex system. The MAARBLE (Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Energization and Loss) collaborative research project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-SPACE-2011-1) under grant agreement no. 284520.

Manufacturing with the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, L. M.; Hauser, S. G.; Clyne, R. J.

1992-05-01

Concentrated solar radiation is now a viable alternative energy source for many advanced manufacturing processes. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have demonstrated the feasibility of processes such as solar-induced surface transformation of materials (SISTM), solar-based manufacturing, and solar-pumped lasers. Researchers are also using sunlight to decontaminate water and soils polluted with organic compounds; these techniques could provide manufacturers with innovative alternatives to traditional methods of waste management. The solar technology that is now being integrated into today's manufacturing processes offers even greater potential for tomorrow, especially as applied to the radiation-abundant environment available in space and on the lunar surface.

Manufacturing with the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Lawrence M.; Hauser, Steven G.; Clyne, Richard J.

1991-12-01

Concentrated solar radiation is now a viable alternative source for many advanced manufacturing processes. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have demonstrated the feasibility of processes such as solar induced surface transformation of materials (SISTM), solar based manufacturing, and solar pumped lasers. Researchers are also using sunlight to decontaminate water and soils polluted with organic compounds; these techniques could provide manufacturers with innovative alternatives to traditional methods of waste management. The solar technology that is now being integrated into today's manufacturing processes offer greater potential for tomorrow, especially as applied to the radiation abundant environment available in space and on the lunar surface.

Manufacturing with the Sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Lawrence M.; Hauser, Steven G.; Clyne, Richard J.

1991-01-01

Concentrated solar radiation is now a viable alternative source for many advanced manufacturing processes. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have demonstrated the feasibility of processes such as solar induced surface transformation of materials (SISTM), solar based manufacturing, and solar pumped lasers. Researchers are also using sunlight to decontaminate water and soils polluted with organic compounds; these techniques could provide manufacturers with innovative alternatives to traditional methods of waste management. The solar technology that is now being integrated into today's manufacturing processes offer greater potential for tomorrow, especially as applied to the radiation abundant environment available in space and on the lunar surface.

SU-F-J-220: Micro-CT Based Quantification of Mouse Brain Vasculature: The Effects of Acquisition Technique and Contrast Material

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

Tipton, C; Lamba, M; Qi, Z

Purpose: Cognitive impairment from radiation therapy to the brain may be linked to the loss of total blood volume in the brain. To account for brain injury, it is crucial to develop an understanding of blood volume loss as a result of radiation therapy. This study investigates µCT based quantification of mouse brain vasculature, focusing on the effect of acquisition technique and contrast material. Methods: Four mice were scanned on a µCT scanner (Siemens Inveon). The reconstructed voxel size was 18µm3 and all protocols were Hounsfield Unit (HU) calibrated. The mice were injected with 40mg of gold nanoparticles (MediLumine) ormore » 100µl of Exitron 12000 (Miltenyi Biotec). Two acquisition techniques were also performed. A single kVp technique scanned the mouse once using an x-ray beam of 80kVp and segmentation was completed based on a threshold of HU values. The dual kVp technique scanned the mouse twice using 50kVp and 80kVp, this segmentation was based on the ratio of the HU value of the two kVps. After image reconstruction and segmentation, the brain blood volume was determined as a percentage of the total brain volume. Results: For the single kVp acquisition at 80kVp, the brain blood volume had an average of 3.5% for gold and 4.0% for Exitron 12000. Also at 80kVp, the contrast-noise ratio was significantly better for images acquired with the gold nanoparticles (2.0) than for those acquired with the Exitron 12000 (1.4). The dual kVp acquisition shows improved separation of skull from vasculature, but increased image noise. Conclusion: In summary, the effects of acquisition technique and contrast material for quantification of mouse brain vasculature showed that gold nanoparticles produced more consistent segmentation of brain vasculature than Exitron 12000. Also, dual kVp acquisition may improve the accuracy of brain vasculature quantification, although the effect of noise amplification warrants further study.« less

Space Radiation: The Number One Risk to Astronaut Health beyond Low Earth Orbit

PubMed Central

Chancellor, Jeffery C.; Scott, Graham B. I.; Sutton, Jeffrey P.

2014-01-01

Projecting a vision for space radiobiological research necessitates understanding the nature of the space radiation environment and how radiation risks influence mission planning, timelines and operational decisions. Exposure to space radiation increases the risks of astronauts developing cancer, experiencing central nervous system (CNS) decrements, exhibiting degenerative tissue effects or developing acute radiation syndrome. One or more of these deleterious health effects could develop during future multi-year space exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Shielding is an effective countermeasure against solar particle events (SPEs), but is ineffective in protecting crew members from the biological impacts of fast moving, highly-charged galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) nuclei. Astronauts traveling on a protracted voyage to Mars may be exposed to SPE radiation events, overlaid on a more predictable flux of GCR. Therefore, ground-based research studies employing model organisms seeking to accurately mimic the biological effects of the space radiation environment must concatenate exposures to both proton and heavy ion sources. New techniques in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other “omics” areas should also be intelligently employed and correlated with phenotypic observations. This approach will more precisely elucidate the effects of space radiation on human physiology and aid in developing personalized radiological countermeasures for astronauts. PMID:25370382

A study of the radiobiological modeling of the conformal radiation therapy in cancer treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyakuryal, Anil Prasad

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortalities in the world. The precise diagnosis of the disease helps the patients to select the appropriate modality of the treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The physics of X-radiation and the advanced imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in the efficient diagnosis and therapeutic treatments in cancer. However, the accuracy of the measurements of the metabolic target volumes (MTVs) in the PET/CT dual-imaging modality is always limited. Similarly the external beam radiation therapy (XRT) such as 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is the most common modality in the radiotherapy treatment. These treatments are simulated and evaluated using the XRT plans and the standard methodologies in the commercial planning system. However, the normal organs are always susceptible to the radiation toxicity in these treatments due to lack of knowledge of the appropriate radiobiological models to estimate the clinical outcomes. We explored several methodologies to estimate MTVs by reviewing various techniques of the target volume delineation using the static phantoms in the PET scans. The review suggests that the more precise and practical method of delineating PET MTV should be an intermediate volume between the volume coverage for the standardized uptake value (SUV; 2.5) of glucose and the 50% (40%) threshold of the maximum SUV for the smaller (larger) volume delineations in the radiotherapy applications. Similarly various types of optimal XRT plans were designed using the CT and PET/CT scans for the treatment of various types of cancer patients. The qualities of these plans were assessed using the universal plan-indices. The dose-volume criteria were also examined in the targets and organs by analyzing the conventional dose-volume histograms (DVHs). The biological models such as tumor control probability based on Poisson statistics model, and normal tissue complication probabilities based on Lyman-Kutcher-Burman model, were efficient to estimate the radiobiological outcomes of the treatments by taking into account of the dose-volume effects in the organs. Furthermore, a novel technique of spatial DVH analysis was also found to be useful to determine the primary cause of the complications in the critical organs in the treatments. The study also showed that the 3DCRT and IMRT techniques offer the promising results in the XRT treatment of the left-breast and the prostate cancer patients respectively. Unfortunately, several organs such as salivary glands and larynx, and esophagus, were found to be significantly vulnerable to the radiation toxicity in the treatment of the head and neck (HN), and left-lung cancer patients respectively. The radiobiological outcomes were also found to be consistent with the clinical results of the IMRT based treatments of a significant number of the HN cancer patients.

The use of remotely-sensed wildland fire radiation to infer the fates of carbon during biomass combustion - the need to understand and quantify a fire's mass and energy budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, M. B.; Dietenberger, M.; Ellicott, E. A.; Hardy, C.; Hudak, A. T.; Kremens, R.; Mathews, W.; Schroeder, W.; Smith, A. M.; Strand, E. K.

2016-12-01

Few measurement techniques offer broad-scale insight on the extent and characteristics of biomass combustion during wildland fires. Remotely-sensed radiation is one of these techniques but its measurement suffers from several limitations and, when quantified, its use to derive variables of real interest depends on an understanding of the fire's mass and energy budget. In this talk, we will review certain assumptions of wildland fire radiation measurement and explore the use of those measurements to infer the fates of biomass and the dissipation of combustion energy. Recent measurements show that the perspective of the sensor (nadir vs oblique) matters relative to estimates of fire radiated power. Other considerations for producing accurate estimates of fire radiation from remote sensing include obscuration by an intervening forest canopy and to what extent measurements that are based on the assumption of graybody/blackbody behavior underestimate fire radiation. Fire radiation measurements are generally a means of quantifying other variables and are often not of interest in and of themselves. Use of fire radiation measurements as a means of inference currently relies on correlations with variables of interest such as biomass consumption and sensible and latent heat and emissions fluxes. Radiation is an imperfect basis for these correlations in that it accounts for a minority of combustion energy ( 15-30%) and is not a constant as is often assumed. Measurements suggest that fire convective energy accounts for the majority of combustion energy and (after radiation) is followed by latent energy, soil heating, and pyrolysis energy, more or less in that order. Combustion energy in and of itself is not its potential maximum, but is reduced to an effective heat of combustion by combustion inefficiency and by work done to pyrolyze fuel (important in char production) and in moisture vaporization. The effective heat of combustion is often on the order of 65% of its potential maximum. Through consideration of available data and modeling, we conclude that there is substantial scope to improve the science behind fire radiation measurements and the inferences derived from those measurements.

Study of Natural Radioactivity, Radon Exhalation Rate and Radiation Doses in Coal and Flyash Samples from Thermal Power Plants, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Lalit Mohan; Kumar, Mukesh; Sahoo, B. K.; Sapra, B. K.; Kumar, Rajesh

Coal is one of the most important source used for electrical power generation. Its combustion part known as fly ash is used in the manufacturing of bricks, sheets, cement, land filling etc. Coal and its by-products have significant amounts of radionuclide's including uranium, thorium which is the ultimate source of the radioactive gas radon and thoron respectively. Radiation hazard from airborne emissions of coal-fired power plants have been cited as possible causes of health in environmental. Assessment of the radiation exposure from coal burning is critically dependent on the concentration of radioactive elements in coal and in the fly ash. In the present study, samples of coal and flyash were collected from Rajghat Power Plant and Badarpur Thermal Power Plant, New Delhi, India. Radon exhalation is important parameter for the estimation of radiation risk from various materials. Solis State Nuclear Track Detector based sealed Can Technique (using LR-115 type II) has been used for measurement radon exhalation rate. Also accumulation chamber based Continuous Radon Monitor and Continuous Thoron Monitor have been used for radon masss exhalation and thoron surface exhalation rate respectively. Natural radioactivity has been measured using a low level NaI(Tl) detector based on gamma ray spectrometry.

Synthesis of (azelaic-co-dodecanedioic) polyanhydride by microwave technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutiérrez, M.; Sierra, C.; Acevedo Morantes, M.; Herrera, A. P.

2016-02-01

A polyanhydride was synthesized through microwave radiation using azelaic acid and dodecanedioic dicarboxylic acid at concentrations of 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75%w/w with acetic anhydride as crosslinking agent. Polymerization was carried out during 3 and 5 minutes. The copolymer with the highest molecular weight was selected using the intrinsic viscometry technique and by Huggin/Kraemer and Solomon/Ciuta methods. Based on these measurements, the 50:50 copolymer was selected with a polymerization time of 3 minutes in the microwave. This sample displayed the highest intrinsic viscosity (41.82cm3/g), demonstrating the relevance of the microwave technique for the synthesis of biopolymers.

SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, FREE ELECTRON LASER, APPLICATION OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY, ETC. Physical design of positronium time of flight spectroscopy apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xiao-Pan; Zhang, Zi-Liang; Qin, Xiu-Bo; Yu, Run-Sheng; Wang, Bao-Yi

2010-12-01

Positronium time of flight spectroscopy (Ps-TOF) is an effective technique for porous material research. It has advantages over other techniques for analyzing the porosity and pore tortuosity of materials. This paper describes a design for Ps-TOF apparatus based on the Beijing intense slow positron beam, supplying a new material characterization technique. In order to improve the time resolution and increase the count rate of the apparatus, the detector system is optimized. For 3 eV o-Ps, the time broadening is 7.66 ns and the count rate is 3 cps after correction.

Development and evaluation of a technique for in vivo monitoring of 60Co in human liver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, GH; Silva, MC; Mello, JQ; Dantas, ALA; Dantas, BM

2018-03-01

60Co is an artificial radioactive metal produced by activation of iron with neutrons. It decays by beta particles and gamma radiation and represents a risk of internal exposure of workers involved in the maintenance of nuclear power reactors. Intakes can be quantified through in vivo monitoring. This work describes the development of a technique for the quantification of 60Co in human liver. The sensitivity of the method is evaluated based on the minimum detectable effective doses. The results allow to state that the technique is suitable either for monitoring of occupational exposures or evaluation of accidental intakes.

TH-EF-204-04: Experience of IMRT and Other Conformal Techniques in Russia

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

Krylova, T.

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment deliverymore » systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields To learn about detectors suitable for small fields To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy. To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementation J. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.« less

Particle therapy for noncancer diseases

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

Bert, Christoph; Engenhart-Cabillic, Rita; Durante, Marco

2012-04-15

Radiation therapy using high-energy charged particles is generally acknowledged as a powerful new technique in cancer treatment. However, particle therapy in oncology is still controversial, specifically because it is unclear whether the putative clinical advantages justify the high additional costs. However, particle therapy can find important applications in the management of noncancer diseases, especially in radiosurgery. Extension to other diseases and targets (both cranial and extracranial) may widen the applications of the technique and decrease the cost/benefit ratio of the accelerator facilities. Future challenges in this field include the use of different particles and energies, motion management in particle bodymore » radiotherapy and extension to new targets currently treated by catheter ablation (atrial fibrillation and renal denervation) or stereotactic radiation therapy (trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, and macular degeneration). Particle body radiosurgery could be a future key application of accelerator-based particle therapy facilities in 10 years from today.« less

Dual-Polarization Ku-Band Compact Spaceborne Antenna Based on Dual-Reflectarray Optics †

PubMed Central

Tienda, Carolina; Encinar, Jose A.; Barba, Mariano

2018-01-01

This article demonstrated an accurate analysis technique for dual-reflectarray antennas that take into account the angle of incidence of the impinging electric field on the main reflectarray cells. The reflected field on the sub and the main reflectarray surfaces is computed using Method of Moments in the spectral domain and assuming local periodicity. The sub-reflectarray is divided into groups of elements and the field radiated by each group is used to compute the incident and reflected field on the main reflectarray cells. A 50-cm demonstrator in Ku-band that provides European coverage has been designed, manufactured and tested to validate the analysis technique. The measured radiation patterns match the simulations and they fulfill the coverage requirements, achieving a cross-polar discrimination better than 25 dB in the frequency range: 12.975–14.25 GHz. PMID:29621155

MONTE CARLO SIMULATION OF THE BREMSSTRAHLUNG RADIATION FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF AN INTERNAL CONTAMINATION WITH PURE-BETA EMITTERS IN VIVO.

PubMed

Fantínová, K; Fojtík, P; Malátová, I

2016-09-01

Rapid measurement techniques are required for a large-scale emergency monitoring of people. In vivo measurement of the bremsstrahlung radiation produced by incorporated pure-beta emitters can offer a rapid technique for the determination of such radionuclides in the human body. This work presents a method for the calibration of spectrometers, based on the use of UPh-02T (so-called IGOR) phantom and specific (90)Sr/(90)Y sources, which can account for recent as well as previous contaminations. The process of the whole- and partial-body counter calibration in combination with application of a Monte Carlo code offers readily extension also to other pure-beta emitters and various exposure scenarios. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Radiation Modeling with Direct Simulation Monte Carlo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Ann B.; Hassan, H. A.

1991-01-01

Improvements in the modeling of radiation in low density shock waves with direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) are the subject of this study. A new scheme to determine the relaxation collision numbers for excitation of electronic states is proposed. This scheme attempts to move the DSMC programs toward a more detailed modeling of the physics and more reliance on available rate data. The new method is compared with the current modeling technique and both techniques are compared with available experimental data. The differences in the results are evaluated. The test case is based on experimental measurements from the AVCO-Everett Research Laboratory electric arc-driven shock tube of a normal shock wave in air at 10 km/s and .1 Torr. The new method agrees with the available data as well as the results from the earlier scheme and is more easily extrapolated to di erent ow conditions.

Exact first order scattering correction for vector radiative transfer in coupled atmosphere and ocean systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Peng-Wang; Hu, Yongxiang; Josset, Damien B.; Trepte, Charles R.; Lucker, Patricia L.; Lin, Bing

2012-06-01

We have developed a Vector Radiative Transfer (VRT) code for coupled atmosphere and ocean systems based on the successive order of scattering (SOS) method. In order to achieve efficiency and maintain accuracy, the scattering matrix is expanded in terms of the Wigner d functions and the delta fit or delta-M technique is used to truncate the commonly-present large forward scattering peak. To further improve the accuracy of the SOS code, we have implemented the analytical first order scattering treatment using the exact scattering matrix of the medium in the SOS code. The expansion and truncation techniques are kept for higher order scattering. The exact first order scattering correction was originally published by Nakajima and Takana.1 A new contribution of this work is to account for the exact secondary light scattering caused by the light reflected by and transmitted through the rough air-sea interface.

THz near-field imaging of biological tissues employing synchrotron radiation (Invited Paper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schade, Ulrich; Holldack, Karsten; Martin, Michael C.; Fried, Daniel

2005-04-01

Terahertz scanning near-field infrared microscopy (SNIM) below 1 THz is demonstrated. The near-field technique benefits from the broadband and highly brilliant coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) from an electron storage ring and from a detection method based on locking on to the intrinsic time structure of the synchrotron radiation. The scanning microscope utilizes conical waveguides as near-field probes with apertures smaller than the wavelength. Different cone approaches have been investigated to obtain maximum transmittance. Together with a Martin-Puplett spectrometer the set-up enables spectroscopic mapping of the transmittance of samples well below the diffraction limit. Spatial resolution down to about λ/40 at 2 wavenumbers (0.06 THz) is derived from the transmittance spectra of the near-field probes. The potential of the technique is exemplified by imaging biological samples. Strongly absorbing living leaves have been imaged in transmittance with a spatial resolution of 130 μm at about 12 wavenumbers (0.36 THz). The THz near-field images reveal distinct structural differences of leaves from different plants investigated. The technique presented also allows spectral imaging of bulky organic tissues. Human teeth samples of various thicknesses have been imaged between 2 and 20 wavenumbers (between 0.06 and 0.6 THz). Regions of enamel and dentin within tooth samples are spatially and spectrally resolved, and buried caries lesions are imaged through both the outer enamel and into the underlying dentin.

Is Weight-Based Adjustment of Automatic Exposure Control Necessary for the Reduction of Chest CT Radiation Dose?

PubMed Central

Prakash, Priyanka; Gilman, Matthew D.; Shepard, Jo-Anne O.; Digumarthy, Subba R.

2010-01-01

Objective To assess the effects of radiation dose reduction in the chest CT using a weight-based adjustment of the automatic exposure control (AEC) technique. Materials and Methods With Institutional Review Board Approval, 60 patients (mean age, 59.1 years; M:F = 35:25) and 57 weight-matched patients (mean age, 52.3 years, M:F = 25:32) were scanned using a weight-adjusted AEC and non-weight-adjusted AEC, respectively on a 64-slice multidetector CT with a 0.984:1 pitch, 0.5 second rotation time, 40 mm table feed/rotation, and 2.5 mm section thickness. Patients were categorized into 3 weight categories; < 60 kg (n = 17), 60-90 kg (n = 52), and > 90 kg (n = 48). Patient weights, scanning parameters, CT dose index volumes (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) were recorded, while effective dose (ED) was estimated. Image noise was measured in the descending thoracic aorta. Data were analyzed using a standard statistical package (SAS/STAT) (Version 9.1, SAS institute Inc, Cary, NC). Results Compared to the non-weight-adjusted AEC, the weight-adjusted AEC technique resulted in an average decrease of 29% in CTDIvol and a 27% effective dose reduction (p < 0.0001). With weight-adjusted AEC, the CTDIvol decreased to 15.8, 15.9, and 27.3 mGy for the < 60, 60-90 and > 91 kg weight groups, respectively, compared to 20.3, 27.9 and 32.8 mGy, with non-weight-adjusted AEC. No significant difference was observed for objective image noise between the chest CT acquired with the non-weight-adjusted (15.0 ± 3.1) and weight-adjusted (16.1 ± 5.6) AEC techniques (p > 0.05). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that AEC should be tailored according to patient weight. Without weight-based adjustment of AEC, patients are exposed to a 17 - 43% higher radiation-dose from a chest CT. PMID:20046494

Is weight-based adjustment of automatic exposure control necessary for the reduction of chest CT radiation dose?

PubMed

Prakash, Priyanka; Kalra, Mannudeep K; Gilman, Matthew D; Shepard, Jo-Anne O; Digumarthy, Subba R

2010-01-01

To assess the effects of radiation dose reduction in the chest CT using a weight-based adjustment of the automatic exposure control (AEC) technique. With Institutional Review Board Approval, 60 patients (mean age, 59.1 years; M:F = 35:25) and 57 weight-matched patients (mean age, 52.3 years, M:F = 25:32) were scanned using a weight-adjusted AEC and non-weight-adjusted AEC, respectively on a 64-slice multidetector CT with a 0.984:1 pitch, 0.5 second rotation time, 40 mm table feed/rotation, and 2.5 mm section thickness. Patients were categorized into 3 weight categories; < 60 kg (n = 17), 60-90 kg (n = 52), and > 90 kg (n = 48). Patient weights, scanning parameters, CT dose index volumes (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) were recorded, while effective dose (ED) was estimated. Image noise was measured in the descending thoracic aorta. Data were analyzed using a standard statistical package (SAS/STAT) (Version 9.1, SAS institute Inc, Cary, NC). Compared to the non-weight-adjusted AEC, the weight-adjusted AEC technique resulted in an average decrease of 29% in CTDIvol and a 27% effective dose reduction (p < 0.0001). With weight-adjusted AEC, the CTDIvol decreased to 15.8, 15.9, and 27.3 mGy for the < 60, 60-90 and > 91 kg weight groups, respectively, compared to 20.3, 27.9 and 32.8 mGy, with non-weight-adjusted AEC. No significant difference was observed for objective image noise between the chest CT acquired with the non-weight-adjusted (15.0 +/- 3.1) and weight-adjusted (16.1 +/- 5.6) AEC techniques (p > 0.05). The results of this study suggest that AEC should be tailored according to patient weight. Without weight-based adjustment of AEC, patients are exposed to a 17 - 43% higher radiation-dose from a chest CT.

MO-AB-BRA-03: Calorimetry-Based Absorbed Dose to Water Measurements Using Interferometry

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

Flores-Martinez, E; Malin, M; DeWerd, L

2015-06-15

Purpose: Interferometry-based calorimetry is a novel technique to measure radiation-induced temperature changes allowing the measurement of absorbed dose to water (ADW). There are no mechanical components in the field. This technique also has the possibility of obtaining 2D dose distributions. The goal of this investigation is to calorimetrically-measure doses between 2.5 and 5 Gy over a single projection in a photon beam using interferometry and compare the results with doses calculated using the TG-51 linac calibration. Methods: ADW was determined by measuring radiation-induced phase shifts (PSs) of light passing through water irradiated with a 6 MV photon beam. A 9×9×9more » cm{sup 3} glass phantom filled with water and placed in an arm of a Michelson interferometer was irradiated with 300, 400, 500 and 600 monitor units. The whole system was thermally insulated to achieve sufficient passive temperature control. The depth of measurement was 4.5 cm with a field size of 7×7 cm{sup 2}. The intensity of the fringe pattern was monitored with a photodiode and used to calculate the time-dependent PS curve. Data was acquired 60 s before and after the irradiation. The radiation-induced PS was calculated by taking the difference in the pre- and post-irradiation drifts extrapolated to the midpoint of the irradiation. Results were compared to computed doses. Results: Average comparison of calculated ADW values with interferometry-measured values showed an agreement to within 9.5%. k=1 uncertainties were 4.3% for calculations and 14.7% for measurements. The dominant source of uncertainty for the measurements was a temperature drift of about 30 µK/s caused by heat conduction from the interferometer’s surroundings. Conclusion: This work presented the first absolute ADW measurements using interferometry in the dose range of linac-based radiotherapy. Future work to improve measurements’ reproducibility includes the implementation of active thermal control techniques.« less

Compatibility of different measurement techniques of global solar radiation and application for long-term observations at Izaña Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delia García, Rosa; Cuevas, Emilio; García, Omaira Elena; Ramos, Ramón; Romero-Campos, Pedro Miguel; de Ory, Fernado; Cachorro, Victoria Eugenia; de Frutos, Angel

2017-03-01

A 1-year inter-comparison of classical and modern radiation and sunshine duration (SD) instruments has been performed at Izaña Atmospheric Observatory (IZO) located in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) starting on 17 July 2014. We compare daily global solar radiation (GSRH) records measured with a Kipp & Zonen CM-21 pyranometer, taken in the framework of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network, with those measured with a multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer (MFRSR), a bimetallic pyranometer (PYR) and GSRH estimated from sunshine duration performed by a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder (CS) and a Kipp & Zonen sunshine duration sensor (CSD). Given that the BSRN GSRH records passed strict quality controls (based on principles of physical limits and comparison with the LibRadtran model), they have been used as reference in the inter-comparison study. We obtain an overall root mean square error (RMSE) of ˜ 0.9 MJm-2 (4 %) for PYR and MFRSR GSRH, 1.9 (7 %) and 1.2 MJm-2 (5 %) for CS and CSD GSRH, respectively. Factors such as temperature, relative humidity (RH) and the solar zenith angle (SZA) have been shown to moderately affect the GSRH observations. As an application of the methodology developed in this work, we have re-evaluated the GSRH data time series obtained at IZO with two PYRs between 1977 and 1991. Their high consistency and temporal stability have been proved by comparing with GSRH estimates obtained from SD observations. These results demonstrate that (1) the continuous-basis inter-comparison of different GSRH techniques offers important diagnostics for identifying inconsistencies between GSRH data records, and (2) the GSRH measurements performed with classical and more simple instruments are consistent with more modern techniques and, thus, valid to recover GSRH data time series and complete worldwide distributed GSRH data. The inter-comparison and quality assessment of these different techniques have allowed us to obtain a complete and consistent long-term global solar radiation series (1977-2015) at Izaña.

A model to forecast short-term snowmelt runoff using synoptic observations of streamflow, temperature, and precipitation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tangborn, Wendell V.

1980-01-01

Snowmelt runoff is forecast with a statistical model that utilizes daily values of stream discharge, gaged precipitation, and maximum and minimum observations of air temperature. Synoptic observations of these variables are made at existing low- and medium-altitude weather stations, thus eliminating the difficulties and expense of new, high-altitude installations. Four model development steps are used to demonstrate the influence on prediction accuracy of basin storage, a preforecast test season, air temperature (to estimate ablation), and a prediction based on storage. Daily ablation is determined by a technique that employs both mean temperature and a radiative index. Radiation (both long- and short-wave components) is approximated by using the range in daily temperature, which is shown to be closely related to mean cloud cover. A technique based on the relationship between prediction error and prediction season weather utilizes short-term forecasts of precipitation and temperature to improve the final prediction. Verification of the model is accomplished by a split sampling technique for the 1960–1977 period. Short- term (5–15 days) predictions of runoff throughout the main snowmelt season are demonstrated for mountain drainages in western Washington, south-central Arizona, western Montana, and central California. The coefficient of prediction (Cp) based on actual, short-term predictions for 18 years is for Thunder Creek (Washington), 0.69; for South Fork Flathead River (Montana), 0.45; for the Black River (Arizona), 0.80; and for the Kings River (California), 0.80.

SU-F-T-418: Evaluation of Organs at Risk (OAR) Sparing in Left Breast Irradiation Techniques

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

Saini, A; Hwang, C; Das, I

Purpose: To compare dose to organs at risk (OAR) for left sided breast radiation therapy with comparable planning target volume (PTV) coverage in three techniques; free breathing in supine position (FB), deep inspirational breath hold in supine (DIBH) and free breathing in prone position (PP). Methods: Ten left sided breast cancer patients suitable for this study underwent a CT scan in three techniques e.g. supine, FB and DIBH and prone position (PP). One radiation oncologist contoured the PTV and OAR (cardiac components) based on RTOG guidelines. Treatment plans were optimized using field-in-field technique with AAA algorithm. Each plan was optimizedmore » to provide identical coverage to PTV such that a reasonable comparison in OAR dosimetry can be evaluated. The prescribed dose to PTV were 42.56 Gy; 2.66 Gy in 16 fractions. Results: Average lung dose parameters; Dmean, V10, V20 and V30 were 0.5 Gy, 0.6%, 0.2%, and 0.1% respectively in PP which is significantly lower than FB (5.9 Gy, 14.2%, 10.7 %, and 8.4%) and DIBH (5.8 Gy, 14.3%, 10.2%, 7.8%). Similarly average heart Dmean, V2.5, V5, V10, and V20 were much lower in PP (1.2Gy, 9.1%, 2.1%, 0.8%, and 0.4%), and in DIBH (1.2 Gy, 10.6%, 1.7%, 0.5%, and 0.1%) compared to FB (2.6 Gy, 21%, 7.2%, 4.4% and 3.3%) respectively. Similar findings were also noted in the heart component left anterior descending artery (LAD) and Left ventricle (LV) which are correlated to radiation related toxicity. Conclusion: Based on the calculated dose, FB technique provides highest heart and lung dose. Prone has lowest lung dose, and DIBH has lowest LAD dose. It is found that PP is always superior for heart, LV, LAD and lung as compared to FB. This conclusion is in contrast to some published study concluding that prone position has no benefit for heart sparing.« less

Full-beam performances of a PET detector with synchrotron therapeutic proton beams.

PubMed

Piliero, M A; Pennazio, F; Bisogni, M G; Camarlinghi, N; Cerello, P G; Del Guerra, A; Ferrero, V; Fiorina, E; Giraudo, G; Morrocchi, M; Peroni, C; Pirrone, G; Sportelli, G; Wheadon, R

2016-12-07

Treatment quality assessment is a crucial feature for both present and next-generation ion therapy facilities. Several approaches are being explored, based on prompt radiation emission or on PET signals by [Formula: see text]-decaying isotopes generated by beam interactions with the body. In-beam PET monitoring at synchrotron-based ion therapy facilities has already been performed, either based on inter-spill data only, to avoid the influence of the prompt radiation, or including both in-spill and inter-spill data. However, the PET images either suffer of poor statistics (inter-spill) or are more influenced by the background induced by prompt radiation (in-spill). Both those problems are expected to worsen for accelerators with improved duty cycle where the inter-spill interval is reduced to shorten the treatment time. With the aim of assessing the detector performance and developing techniques for background reduction, a test of an in-beam PET detector prototype was performed at the CNAO synchrotron-based ion therapy facility in full-beam acquisition modality. Data taken with proton beams impinging on PMMA phantoms showed the system acquisition capability and the resulting activity distribution, separately reconstructed for the in-spill and the inter-spill data. The coincidence time resolution for in-spill and inter-spill data shows a good agreement, with a slight deterioration during the spill. The data selection technique allows the identification and rejection of most of the background originated during the beam delivery. The activity range difference between two different proton beam energies (68 and 72 MeV) was measured and found to be in sub-millimeter agreement with the expected result. However, a slightly longer (2 mm) absolute profile length is obtained for in-spill data when compared to inter-spill data.

Technique for Predicting the RF Field Strength Inside an Enclosure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallett, M.; Reddell, J.

1998-01-01

This Memorandum presents a simple analytical technique for predicting the RF electric field strength inside an enclosed volume in which radio frequency radiation occurs. The technique was developed to predict the radio frequency (RF) field strength within a launch vehicle's fairing from payloads launched with their telemetry transmitters radiating and to the impact of the radiation on the vehicle and payload. The RF field strength is shown to be a function of the surface materials and surface areas. The method accounts for RF energy losses within exposed surfaces, through RF windows, and within multiple layers of dielectric materials which may cover the surfaces. This Memorandum includes the rigorous derivation of all equations and presents examples and data to support the validity of the technique.

Fan noise prediction assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bent, Paul H.

1995-01-01

This report is an evaluation of two techniques for predicting the fan noise radiation from engine nacelles. The first is a relatively computational intensive finite element technique. The code is named ARC, an abbreviation of Acoustic Radiation Code, and was developed by Eversman. This is actually a suite of software that first generates a grid around the nacelle, then solves for the potential flowfield, and finally solves the acoustic radiation problem. The second approach is an analytical technique requiring minimal computational effort. This is termed the cutoff ratio technique and was developed by Rice. Details of the duct geometry, such as the hub-to-tip ratio and Mach number of the flow in the duct, and modal content of the duct noise are required for proper prediction.

Deep Inspiration Breath Hold: Techniques and Advantages for Cardiac Sparing During Breast Cancer Irradiation.

PubMed

Bergom, Carmen; Currey, Adam; Desai, Nina; Tai, An; Strauss, Jonathan B

2018-01-01

Historically, heart dose from left-sided breast radiotherapy has been associated with a risk of cardiac injury. Data suggests that there is not a threshold for the deleterious effects from radiation on the heart. Over the past several years, advances in radiation delivery techniques have reduced cardiac morbidity due to treatment. Deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) is a technique that takes advantage of a more favorable position of the heart during inspiration to minimize heart doses over a course of radiation therapy. In the accompanying review article, we outline several methods used to deliver treatment with DIBH, quantify the benefits of DIBH treatment, discuss considerations for patient selection, and identify challenges associated with DIBH techniques.

Electromagnetic crystal based terahertz thermal radiators and components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ziran

This dissertation presents the investigation of thermal radiation from three-dimensional electromagnetic crystals (EMXT), as well as the development of a THz rapid prototyping fabrication technique and its application in THz EMXT components and micro-system fabrication and integration. First, it is proposed that thermal radiation from a 3-D EMXT would be greatly enhanced at the band gap edge frequency due to the redistribution of photon density of states (DOS) within the crystal. A THz thermal radiator could thus be built upon a THz EMXT by utilizing the exceptional emission peak(s) around its band gap frequency. The thermal radiation enhancement effects of various THz EMXT including both silicon and tungsten woodpile structures (WPS) and cubic photonic cavity (CPC) array are explored. The DOS of all three structures are calculated, and their thermal radiation intensities are predicted using Planck's Equation. These calculations show that the DOS of the silicon and tungsten WPS can be enhanced by a factor of 11.8 around 364 GHz and 2.6 around 406 GHz respectively, in comparison to the normal blackbody radiation at same frequencies. An enhancement factor of more than 100 is obtained in calculation from the CPC array. A silicon WPS with a band gap around 200 GHz has been designed and fabricated. Thermal emissivity of the silicon WPS sample is measured with a control blackbody as reference. And enhancements of the emission from the WPS over the control blackbody are observed at several frequencies quite consistent with the theoretical predictions. Second, the practical challenge of THz EMXT component and system fabrication is met by a THz rapid prototyping technique developed by us. Using this technique, the fabrications of several EMXTs with 3D electromagnetic band gaps in the 100-400 GHz range are demonstrated. Characterization of the samples via THz Time-domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) shows very good agreement with simulation, confirming the build accuracy of this prototyping approach. Third, an all-dielectric THz waveguide is designed, fabricated and characterized. The design is based on hollow-core EMXT waveguide, and the fabrication is implemented with the THz prototyping method. Characterization results of the waveguide power loss factor show good consistency with the simulation, and waveguide propagation loss as low as 0.03 dB/mm at 105 GHz is demonstrated. Several design parameters are also varied and their impacts on the waveguide performance investigated theoretically. Finally, a THz EMXT antenna based on expanding the defect radius of the EMXT waveguide to a horn shape is proposed and studied. The boresight directivity and main beam angular width of the optimized EMXT horn antenna is comparable with a copper horn antenna of the same dimensions at low frequencies, and much better than the copper horn at high frequencies. The EMXT antenna has been successfully fabricated via the same THz prototyping, and we believe this is the first time an EMXT antenna of this architecture is fabricated. Far-field measurement of the EMXT antenna radiation pattern is undergoing. Also, in order to integrate planar THz solid-state devices (especially source and detector) and THz samples under test with the potential THz micro-system fabricate-able by the prototyping approach, an EMXT waveguide-to-microstrip line transition structure is designed. The structure uses tapered solid dielectric waveguides on both ends to transit THz energy from the EMXT waveguide defect onto the microstrip line. Simulation of the transition structure in a back-to-back configuration yields about -15 dB insertion loss mainly due to the dielectric material loss. The coupling and radiation loss of the transition structure is estimated to be -2.115 dB. The fabrication and characterization of the transition system is currently underway. With all the above THz components realized in the future, integrated THz micro-systems manufactured by the same prototyping technique will be achieved, with low cost, high quality, self-sufficiency, and great customizability.

An interative solution of an integral equation for radiative transfer by using variational technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoshikawa, K. K.

1973-01-01

An effective iterative technique is introduced to solve a nonlinear integral equation frequently associated with radiative transfer problems. The problem is formulated in such a way that each step of an iterative sequence requires the solution of a linear integral equation. The advantage of a previously introduced variational technique which utilizes a stepwise constant trial function is exploited to cope with the nonlinear problem. The method is simple and straightforward. Rapid convergence is obtained by employing a linear interpolation of the iterative solutions. Using absorption coefficients of the Milne-Eddington type, which are applicable to some planetary atmospheric radiation problems. Solutions are found in terms of temperature and radiative flux. These solutions are presented numerically and show excellent agreement with other numerical solutions.

Production of photoionized plasmas in the laboratory with x-ray line radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, S.; Irwin, R.; Warwick, J. R.; Gribakin, G. F.; Sarri, G.; Keenan, F. P.; Riley, D.; Rose, S. J.; Hill, E. G.; Ferland, G. J.; Han, B.; Wang, F.; Zhao, G.

2018-06-01

In this paper we report the experimental implementation of a theoretically proposed technique for creating a photoionized plasma in the laboratory using x-ray line radiation. Using a Sn laser plasma to irradiate an Ar gas target, the photoionization parameter, ξ =4 π F /Ne , reached values of order 50 ergcm s-1 , where F is the radiation flux in ergc m-2s-1 . The significance of this is that this technique allows us to mimic effective spectral radiation temperatures in excess of 1 keV. We show that our plasma starts to be collisionally dominated before the peak of the x-ray drive. However, the technique is extendable to higher-energy laser systems to create plasmas with parameters relevant to benchmarking codes used to model astrophysical objects.

Robot-assisted and conventional freehand pedicle screw placement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Gao, Shutao; Lv, Zhengtao; Fang, Huang

2018-04-01

Several studies have revealed that robot-assisted technique might improve the pedicle screw insertion accuracy, but owing to the limited sample sizes in the individual study reported up to now, whether or not robot-assisted technique is superior to conventional freehand technique is indefinite. Thus, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials to assess which approach is better. Electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, ISI Web of Science, CNKI and WanFang were systematically searched to identify potentially eligible articles. Main endpoints containing the accuracy of pedicle screw implantation and proximal facet joint violation were evaluated as risk ratio (RR) and the associated 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), while radiation exposure and surgical duration were presented as mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD). Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Six studies involving 158 patients (688 pedicle screws) in robot-assisted group and 148 patients (672 pedicle screws) in freehand group were identified matching our study. The Grade A accuracy rate in robot-assisted group was superior to freehand group (RR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00, 1.06; P = 0.04), but the Grade A + B accuracy rate did not differ between the two groups (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99, 1.02; P = 0.29). With regard to proximal facet joint violation, the combined results suggested that robot-assisted group was associated with significantly fewer proximal facet joint violation than freehand group (RR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01, 0.55; P = 0.01). As was the radiation exposure, our findings suggested that robot-assisted technique could significantly reduce the intraoperative radiation time (MD - 12.38, 95% CI - 17.95, - 6.80; P < 0.0001) and radiation dosage (SMD - 0.64, 95% CI - 0.85, - 0.43; P < 0.00001). But the overall surgical duration was longer in robot-assisted group than conventional freehand group (MD 20.53, 95% CI 5.17, 35.90; P = 0.009). The robot-assisted technique was associated with equivalent accuracy rate of pedicle screw implantation, fewer proximal facet joint violation, less intraoperative radiation exposure but longer surgical duration than freehand technique. Powerful evidence relies on more randomized controlled trials with high quality and larger sample size in the future.

Tailoring of optical properties of fluorescein using green synthesized gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

John, Jisha; Thomas, Lincy; George, Nibu A; Kurian, Achamma; George, Sajan D

2015-06-28

Dye-nanoparticle mixtures hold great promise in biological as well as photonics applications due to their capability to tailor the emission behavior of dye by tuning the nanoparticles parameters. However, as compared to the well-defined dye-nanoparticle distance, studies lack the understanding of homogenous mixtures of dye and nanoparticles. In this work, we investigate the influence of shape and concentration of gold nanoparticles prepared via green synthesis on the optical properties of fluorescein dye in a dye-nanoparticle mixture. We have investigated the radiative path of deexcitation using steady state fluorescence and the non-radiative path is probed using a laser based dual-beam thermal lens technique. The energy transfer efficiency as well as dye-nanoparticle distance is studied using both techniques. Furthermore, we have explored the influence of nanoparticles parameters on the fluorescence quantum yield of fluorescein using the thermal lens technique. The studies indicate that spherical nanoparticles are efficient quenchers while star shaped nanoparticles can probe larger dye-NP distances. The tailoring of dye properties by tuning nanoparticle parameters can be utilized in diverse areas including bioimaging, solar cells, and sensors.

High-efficiency scintillation detector for combined detection of thermal and fast neutrons and gamma radiation

DOEpatents

Chiles, M.M.; Mihalczo, J.T.; Blakeman, E.D.

1987-02-27

A scintillation based radiation detector for the combined detection of thermal neutrons, high-energy neutrons and gamma rays in a single detecting unit. The detector consists of a pair of scintillators sandwiched together and optically coupled to the light sensitive face of a photomultiplier tube. A light tight radiation pervious housing is disposed about the scintillators and a portion of the photomultiplier tube to hold the arrangement in assembly and provides a radiation window adjacent the outer scintillator through which the radiation to be detected enters the detector. The outer scintillator is formed of a material in which scintillations are produced by thermal-neutrons and the inner scintillator is formed of a material in which scintillations are produced by high-energy neutrons and gamma rays. The light pulses produced by events detected in both scintillators are coupled to the photomultiplier tube which produces a current pulse in response to each detected event. These current pulses may be processed in a conventional manner to produce a count rate output indicative of the total detected radiation event count rate. Pulse discrimination techniques may be used to distinguish the different radiations and their energy distribution.

High-efficiency scintillation detector for combined of thermal and fast neutrons and gamma radiation

DOEpatents

Chiles, Marion M.; Mihalczo, John T.; Blakeman, Edward D.

1989-02-07

A scintillation based radiation detector for the combined detection of thermal neutrons, high-energy neutrons and gamma rays in a single detecting unit. The detector consists of a pair of scintillators sandwiched together and optically coupled to the light sensitive face of a photomultiplier tube. A light tight radiation pervious housing is disposed about the scintillators and a portion of the photomultiplier tube to hold the arrangement in assembly and provides a radiation window adjacent the outer scintillator through which the radiation to be detected enters the detector. The outer scintillator is formed of a material in which scintillations are produced by thermal-neutrons and the inner scintillator is formed of a material in which scintillations are produced by high-energy neutrons and gamma rays. The light pulses produced by events detected in both scintillators are coupled to the photomultiplier tube which produces a current pulse in response to each detected event. These current pulses may be processed in a conventional manner to produce a count rate output indicative of the total detected radiation even count rate. Pulse discrimination techniques may be used to distinguish the different radiations and their energy distribution.

High-efficiency scintillation detector for combined of thermal and fast neutrons and gamma radiation

DOEpatents

Chiles, Marion M.; Mihalczo, John T.; Blakeman, Edward D.

1989-01-01

A scintillation based radiation detector for the combined detection of thermal neutrons, high-energy neutrons and gamma rays in a single detecting unit. The detector consists of a pair of scintillators sandwiched together and optically coupled to the light sensitive face of a photomultiplier tube. A light tight radiation pervious housing is disposed about the scintillators and a portion of the photomultiplier tube to hold the arrangement in assembly and provides a radiation window adjacent the outer scintillator through which the radiation to be detected enters the detector. The outer scintillator is formed of a material in which scintillations are produced by thermal-neutrons and the inner scintillator is formed of a material in which scintillations are produced by high-energy neutrons and gamma rays. The light pulses produced by events detected in both scintillators are coupled to the photomultiplier tube which produces a current pulse in response to each detected event. These current pulses may be processed in a conventional manner to produce a count rate output indicative of the total detected radiation even count rate. Pulse discrimination techniques may be used to distinguish the different radiations and their energy distribution.

Foundation, excavation and radiation shielding concepts for a 16-m large lunar telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chua, Koon M.; Johnson, Stewart W.

1991-01-01

NASA is considering a 16-m diameter optical telescope on the moon as a part of the Space Exploration Initiative. Fundamental concepts of engineering activities on the moon and how they can be applied to the establishment of a 16-m large lunar telescope (LLT) are discussed. These fundamental concepts include the engineering response of lunar soils and how they affect construction activities, namely, drilling, blasting, ripping, digging and compaction. A mirror support structure and foundation design concept is proposed. The foundation considered is a multiple contact points spud-can type footing. It does not appear that a deep foundation or the presence of bedrock is required to achieve the telescope foundation stiffness. The LLT system will include a regolith covered housing, the size of a small room, which will contain sensitive electronic equipment including charge coupled devices which need protection from cosmic radiation effects. A brief discussion is made on radiation, radiation transport and radiation effects on electronics and on humans. Radiation protection techniques and the different emplacement schemes for the LLT instrument housing for radiation protection are suggested. A structural concept of an early lunar based telescope is also presented.

X-ray irradiation-induced structural changes on Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardi, N.; Jurewicz, I.; King, A. K.; Alkhorayef, M. A.; Bradley, D.; Dalton, A. B.

2017-11-01

Dosimetry devices based on Carbon Nanotubes are a promising new technology. In particular using devices based on single wall Carbon Nanotubes may offer a tissue equivalent response with the possibility for device miniaturisation, high scale manufacturing and low cost. An important precursor to device fabrication requires a quantitative study of the effects of X-ray radiation on the physical and chemical properties of the individual nanotubes. In this study, we concentrate on the effects of relatively low doses, 20 cGy and 45 cGy , respectively. We use a range of characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to quantify the effects of the radiation dose on inherent properties of the nanotubes. Specifically we find that the radiation exposure results in a reduction in the sp2 nature of the nanotube bond structure. Moreover, our analysis indicates that the exposure results in nanotubes that have an increased defect density which ultimately effects the electrical properties of the nanotubes.

X-ray based displacement and strain measurements for hostile environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canistraro, Howard A.; Jordan, Eric H.; Pease, Douglas M.

1993-01-01

A completely new method of non-contacting, hostile environment displacement and strain measurement based on the focus and scanning of x-rays, has been developed and demonstrated. The new technique has the ability to overcome many of the limitations associated with available methods. The system is based on the focus and scanning of low energy, hard x-rays such as those emanating from table top copper or molybdenum sources. The x-rays are focused into a narrow and intense line image which can be swept onto targets that fluoresce secondary x-ray radiation. By monitoring the secondary radiation intensity and comparing it with the focused x-ray image's position as it is swept over the target edge, the position of the target edge relative to the focused image can be determined. The present system has a resolution of 0.5 micron, which has been shown to be limited by bearing backlash (or 'yaw' error) in the linear translation table. Its use has been demonstrated in the presence of an open flame with a resultant target temperature in excess of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit (1000 degrees Celsius). Strain measurements have been conducted in a laboratory environment at both room temperature and at a specimen temperature of 1300 degrees Fahrenheit, with an accuracy of within 20 microstrain (primarily a function of the 0.5 micron resolution limit). The main advantage of the technique lies in the penetrating, non-refractive nature of x-rays, which are virtually immune to the presence of refracting gas layers, smoke, flame or intense thermal radiation.

Physics and medicine: a historical perspective.

PubMed

Keevil, Stephen F

2012-04-21

Nowadays, the term medical physics usually refers to the work of physicists employed in hospitals, who are concerned mainly with medical applications of radiation, diagnostic imaging, and clinical measurement. This involvement in clinical work began barely 100 years ago, but the relation between physics and medicine has a much longer history. In this report, I have traced this history from the earliest recorded period, when physical agents such as heat and light began to be used to diagnose and treat disease. Later, great polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci and Alhazen used physical principles to begin the quest to understand the function of the body. After the scientific revolution in the 17th century, early medical physicists developed a purely mechanistic approach to physiology, whereas others applied ideas derived from physics in an effort to comprehend the nature of life itself. These early investigations led directly to the development of specialties such as electrophysiology, biomechanics, and ophthalmology. Physics-based medical technology developed rapidly during the 19th century, but it was the revolutionary discoveries about radiation and radioactivity at the end of the century that ushered in a new era of radiation-based medical diagnosis and treatment, thereby giving rise to the modern medical physics profession. Subsequent developments in imaging in particular have revolutionised the practice of medicine. We now stand on the brink of a new revolution in post-genomic personalised medicine, with physics-based techniques again at the forefront. As before, these techniques are often the unpredictable fruits of earlier investment in basic physics research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonparametric estimation of the heterogeneity of a random medium using compound Poisson process modeling of wave multiple scattering.

PubMed

Le Bihan, Nicolas; Margerin, Ludovic

2009-07-01

In this paper, we present a nonparametric method to estimate the heterogeneity of a random medium from the angular distribution of intensity of waves transmitted through a slab of random material. Our approach is based on the modeling of forward multiple scattering using compound Poisson processes on compact Lie groups. The estimation technique is validated through numerical simulations based on radiative transfer theory.

Breast Cancer Laterality Does Not Influence Survival in a Large Modern Cohort: Implications for Radiation-Related Cardiac Mortality

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

Rutter, Charles E., E-mail: charles.rutter@yale.edu; Chagpar, Anees B.; Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy and Effectiveness Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

2014-10-01

Objectives: Radiation therapy for left-sided breast cancer has been associated with an elevated risk of cardiac mortality, based on studies predating treatment planning based on computed tomography. This study assessed the impact of tumor laterality on overall survival (OS) in a large cohort treated with modern techniques, to indirectly determine whether left-sided treatment remains associated with increased cardiac mortality. Methods and Materials: Patients treated for breast cancer with breast conserving surgery and adjuvant external beam radiation therapy were identified in the National Cancer Database, and OS was compared based on tumor laterality using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Separate analyses were performed formore » noninvasive and invasive carcinoma and for breast-only and breast plus regional nodal radiation therapy. Multivariate regression analysis of OS was performed with demographic, pathologic, and treatment variables as covariates to adjust for factors associated with breast cancer–specific survival. Results: We identified 344,831 patients whose cancer was diagnosed from 1998 to 2006 with a median follow-up time of 6.04 years (range, 0-14.17 years). Clinical, tumor, and treatment characteristics were similar between laterality groups. Regional nodal radiation was used in 14.2% of invasive cancers. No OS difference was noted based on tumor laterality for patients treated with breast-only (hazard ratio [HR] 0.984, P=.132) and breast plus regional nodal radiation therapy (HR 1.001, P=.957). In multivariate analysis including potential confounders, OS was identical between left and right sided cancers (HR 1.002, P=.874). No significant OS difference by laterality was observed when analyses were restricted to patients with at least 10 years of follow-up (n=27,725), both in patients treated with breast-only (HR 0.955, P=.368) and breast plus regional nodal radiation therapy (HR 0.859, P=.155). Conclusions: Radiation therapy for left-sided breast cancer does not appear to increase the risk of death in this national database relative to right-sided tumors. Consequently, radiation therapy–induced cardiac disease may be less prominent than previously demonstrated.« less

High-energy synchrotron x-ray techniques for studying irradiated materials

DOE PAGES

Park, Jun-Sang; Zhang, Xuan; Sharma, Hemant; ...

2015-03-20

High performance materials that can withstand radiation, heat, multiaxial stresses, and corrosive environment are necessary for the deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems. Nondestructive in situ experimental techniques utilizing high energy x-rays from synchrotron sources can be an attractive set of tools for engineers and scientists to investigate the structure–processing–property relationship systematically at smaller length scales and help build better material models. In this paper, two unique and interconnected experimental techniques, namely, simultaneous small-angle/wide-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy (FF-HEDM) are presented. Finally, the changes in material state as Fe-based alloys are heated to high temperatures ormore » subject to irradiation are examined using these techniques.« less

Chemistry of MOS-LSI radiation hardening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grunthaner, P.

1985-01-01

The objective of this task was to obtain chemical information on MOS test samples. Toward this end, high resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) has been the primary techniques used to characterize the chemistry and structure of the SiO2/Si interface for a variety of MOS structures with differing degrees of susceptibility to damage by ionizing radiation. The major accomplishments of this program are: (1) the identification of a structurally distinct region of SiO2 in the near-interfacial region of thermal SiO2 on Si; (2) the identification in the near-interfacial region of SiO2 structural differences between radiation hard and soft gate oxides; (3) the direct observation of radiation-induced damage sites in thermal SiO2 with XPS using in situ electron stress; (4) the correlation of suboxide state distributions at the SiO2/Si interface with processing parameters and radiation susceptibility; (5) the development of a chemical mechanism for radiation-induced interface state generation in SiO2/Si structures; and (6) the development benign chemical profiling techniques which permit the investigation of oxide/semiconductor structures using surface sensitive electron spectroscopic techniques.

The Detection of Radiated Modes from Ducted Fan Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farassat, F.; Nark, Douglas M.; Thomas, Russell H.

2001-01-01

The bypass duct of an aircraft engine is a low-pass filter allowing some spinning modes to radiate outside the duct. The knowledge of the radiated modes can help in noise reduction, as well as the diagnosis of noise generation mechanisms inside the duct. We propose a nonintrusive technique using a circular microphone array outside the engine measuring the complex noise spectrum on an arc of a circle. The array is placed at various axial distances from the inlet or the exhaust of the engine. Using a model of noise radiation from the duct, an overdetermined system of linear equations is constructed for the complex amplitudes of the radial modes for a fixed circumferential mode. This system of linear equations is generally singular, indicating that the problem is illposed. Tikhonov regularization is employed to solve this system of equations for the unknown amplitudes of the radiated modes. An application of our mode detection technique using measured acoustic data from a circular microphone array is presented. We show that this technique can reliably detect radiated modes with the possible exception of modes very close to cut-off.

Skin Temperature Recording with Phosphors

PubMed Central

Lawson, Ray N.; Alt, Leslie L.

1965-01-01

New knowledge of temperature irregularities associated with various disease states has resulted in increasing interest in the recording of heat radiation from the human body. Infrared radiation from the skin is a surface phenomenon and the amount of such radiation increases with temperature. Previous recording techniques have been not only crude but difficult and expensive. An unconventional thermal imaging system is described which gives superior temperature patterns and is also simpler and cheaper than any of the other available procedures. This system is based on the employment of thermally sensitive phosphors which glow when exposed to ultraviolet illumination, in inverse proportion to the underlying temperature. The thermal image can be directly observed or more critically analyzed and photographed on a simple closed-circuit television monitor. ImagesFig. 3Fig. 3Fig. 4Fig. 5Fig. 6 PMID:14270208

Simulation of Radiation Damage to Neural Cells with the Geant4-DNA Toolkit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayarchimeg, Lkhagvaa; Batmunkh, Munkhbaatar; Belov, Oleg; Lkhagva, Oidov

2018-02-01

To help in understanding the physical and biological mechanisms underlying effects of cosmic and therapeutic types of radiation on the central nervous system (CNS), we have developed an original neuron application based on the Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit, in particular on its biophysical extension Geant4-DNA. The applied simulation technique provides a tool for the simulation of physical, physico-chemical and chemical processes (e.g. production of water radiolysis species in the vicinity of neurons) in realistic geometrical model of neural cells exposed to ionizing radiation. The present study evaluates the microscopic energy depositions and water radiolysis species yields within a detailed structure of a selected neuron taking into account its soma, dendrites, axon and spines following irradiation with carbon and iron ions.

Composite seals for liquid hydrogen and nuclear radiation environments.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Auken, R. L.; Chase, V. A.

1971-01-01

Description of plastic composite seals for service in a liquid-hydrogen and nuclear-radiation environment. The radiation-resistant aromatic heterocyclic class of polymers, including polyimide, polybenzimidazole, and polyquinoxaline, were evaluated for this application. The seal developed is based on a design involving a resin-starved laminate consisting of alternating layers of woven glass fabric and polymer film. This design imparts a mechanical spring characteristic to the seal, resulting in essentially complete elastic recovery when unloaded, and eliminates cold flow. Encapsulating techniques employing the polyquinoxaline polymer were developed which rendered the seal impervious to liquid hydrogen. The seals were tested before and after gamma irradiation up to 10 to the 10th ergs/g. Load/deflection and leakage tests were performed over a temperature range from -423 through +500 F.

A new hybrid transfinite element computational methodology for applicability to conduction/convection/radiation heat transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tamma, Kumar K.; Railkar, Sudhir B.

1988-01-01

This paper describes new and recent advances in the development of a hybrid transfinite element computational methodology for applicability to conduction/convection/radiation heat transfer problems. The transfinite element methodology, while retaining the modeling versatility of contemporary finite element formulations, is based on application of transform techniques in conjunction with classical Galerkin schemes and is a hybrid approach. The purpose of this paper is to provide a viable hybrid computational methodology for applicability to general transient thermal analysis. Highlights and features of the methodology are described and developed via generalized formulations and applications to several test problems. The proposed transfinite element methodology successfully provides a viable computational approach and numerical test problems validate the proposed developments for conduction/convection/radiation thermal analysis.

Remote Sensing and Monitoring of Earthen Flood-Control Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

The source of energy in passive techniques is derived from incident solar radiation or sunlight that reacts with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and...the energy reflected or emitted from the earth’s surface. The source of energy in passive techniques involves incident solar radiation or sunlight... solar radiation is reflected back into the atmosphere, or where heat energy is emitted from the earth’s surface. As shown by Figure 2-3, certain regions

Intrafraction Motion in Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Versus Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

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

Rossi, Maddalena M.G.; Peulen, Heike M.U.; Belderbos, Josè S.A.

Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early-stage inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients delivers high doses that require high-precision treatment. Typically, image guidance is used to minimize day-to-day target displacement, but intrafraction position variability is often not corrected. Currently, volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is replacing intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in many departments because of its shorter delivery time. This study aimed to evaluate whether intrafraction variation in VMAT patients is reduced in comparison with patients treated with IMRT. Methods and Materials: NSCLC patients (197 IMRT and 112 VMAT) treated with a frameless SBRT technique to amore » prescribed dose of 3 × 18 Gy were evaluated. Image guidance for both techniques was identical: pretreatment cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (CBCT{sub precorr}) for setup correction followed immediately before treatment by postcorrection CBCT (CBCT{sub postcorr}) for verification. Then, after either a noncoplanar IMRT technique or a VMAT technique, a posttreatment (CBCT{sub postRT}) scan was acquired. The CBCT{sub postRT} and CBCT{sub postcorr} scans were then used to evaluate intrafraction motion. Treatment delivery times, systematic (Σ) and random (σ) intrafraction variations, and associated planning target volume (PTV) margins were calculated. Results: The median treatment delivery time was significantly reduced by 20 minutes (range, 32-12 minutes) using VMAT compared with noncoplanar IMRT. Intrafraction tumor motion was significantly larger for IMRT in all directions up to 0.5 mm systematic (Σ) and 0.7 mm random (σ). The required PTV margins for IMRT and VMAT differed by less than 0.3 mm. Conclusion: VMAT-based SBRT for NSCLC was associated with significantly shorter delivery times and correspondingly smaller intrafraction motion compared with noncoplanar IMRT. However, the impact on the required PTV margin was small.« less

Use of commercial VDMOSFETs in electronic systems subjected to radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, C.; Brisset, C.; Quittard, O.; Marceau, M.; Hoffmann, A.; Joffre, F.; Charles, J.-P.

2000-06-01

This study explores the effectiveness of pre-irradiation as a hardening technique for COTS components used in electronic power systems. This technique greatly improves the radiation tolerance of VDMOSFETs in such systems, whereby a small change in R/sub dson/ is observed.

Moon manned missions radiation safety analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, R. K.; Wilson, J. W.; de Anlelis, G.; Badavi, F. F.

An analysis is performed on the radiation environment found on the surface of the Moon, and applied to different possible lunar base mission scenarios. An optimization technique has been used to obtain mission scenarios minimizing the astronaut radiation exposure and at the same time controlling the effect of shielding, in terms of mass addition and material choice, as a mission cost driver. The optimization process has been realized through minimization of mass along all phases of a mission scenario, in terms of time frame (dates, transfer time length and trajectory, radiation environment), equipment (vehicles, in terms of shape, volume, onboard material choice, size and structure), location (if in space, on the surface, inside or outside a certain habitats), crew characteristics (number, gender, age, tasks) and performance required (spacecraft and habitat volumes), radiation exposure annual and career limit constraint (from NCRP 132), and implementation of the ALARA principle (shelter from the occurrence of Solar Particle Events). On the lunar surface the most important contribution to radiation exposure is given by background Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) particles, mostly protons, alpha particles, and some heavy ions, and by locally induced particles, mostly neutrons, created by the interaction between GCR and surface material and emerging from below the surface due to backscattering processes. In this environment manned habitats are to host future crews involved in the construction and/or in the utilization of moon based infrastructure. Three different kinds of lunar missions are considered in the analysis, Moon Base Construction Phase, during which astronauts are on the surface just to build an outpost for future resident crews, Moon Base Outpost Phase, during which astronaut crews are resident but continuing exploration and installation activities, and Moon Base Routine Phase, with long-term shifting resident crews. In each scenario various kinds of habitats, from very simple shelters to more complex bases, are considered in full detail (e.g., shape, thickness, materials, etc) with considerations of various shielding strategies. In this first analysis all the shape considered are cylindrical or composed of combination of cylinders. Moreover, a radiation safety analysis of more future possible habitats like lava tubes has been also performed.

Radiation characteristics of Leaky Surface Plasmon polaritons of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohadesi, V.; Asgari, A.; Siahpoush, V.

2018-07-01

High efficient coupling of graphene surface plasmons to far field radiation is possible by some techniques and can be used in the radiating applications. Besides of the coupling efficiency, the angular distribution of the radiated power is an important parameter in the radiating devices performance. In this paper we investigate the gain of the far field radiation related to the coupling of graphene surface plasmons via a high permittivity medium located close to the graphene. Our results show that high directive radiation and high coupling efficiency can be obtained by this technique and gain and directivity of radiation can be modified by graphene characteristics such as chemical potential and also quality of the graphene. Raising the chemical potential of graphene leads to increase the gain of the radiation as the result of amplifying the directivity of the radiation. Furthermore, high values of relaxation time lead to high directive and strong coupling which raises the maximum value of gain in efficient coupling angle. Tunable characteristics of gain and directivity in this structure can be important designing reconfigurable THz radiating devices.

Application of real-time digitization techniques in beam measurement for accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Lei; Zhan, Lin-Song; Gao, Xing-Shun; Liu, Shu-Bin; An, Qi

2016-04-01

Beam measurement is very important for accelerators. In this paper, modern digital beam measurement techniques based on IQ (In-phase & Quadrature-phase) analysis are discussed. Based on this method and high-speed high-resolution analog-to-digital conversion, we have completed three beam measurement electronics systems designed for the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF), and Accelerator Driven Sub-critical system (ADS). Core techniques of hardware design and real-time system calibration are discussed, and performance test results of these three instruments are also presented. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11205153, 10875119), Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX2-YW-N27), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WK2030040029),and the CAS Center for Excellence in Particle Physics (CCEPP).

Ultra-spatial synchrotron radiation for imaging molecular chemical structure: Applications in plant and animal studies

DOE PAGES

Yu, Peiqiang

2007-01-01

Synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (S-FTIR) has been developed as a rapid, direct, non-destructive, bioanalytical technique. This technique takes advantage of synchrotron light brightness and small effective source size and is capable of exploring the molecular chemical features and make-up within microstructures of a biological tissue without destruction of inherent structures at ultra-spatial resolutions within cellular dimension. To date there has been very little application of this advanced synchrotron technique to the study of plant and animal tissues' inherent structure at a cellular or subcellular level. In this article, a novel approach was introduced to show the potential of themore » newly developed, advanced synchrotron-based analytical technology, which can be used to reveal molecular structural-chemical features of various plant and animal tissues.« less

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.

Determination of the single scattering albedo and direct radiative forcing of biomass burning aerosol with data from the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Li

Biomass burning aerosols absorb and scatter solar radiation and therefore affect the energy balance of the Earth-atmosphere system. The single scattering albedo (SSA), the ratio of the scattering coefficient to the extinction coefficient, is an important parameter to describe the optical properties of aerosols and to determine the effect of aerosols on the energy balance of the planet and climate. Aerosol effects on radiation also depend strongly on surface albedo. Large uncertainties remain in current estimates of radiative impacts of biomass burning aerosols, due largely to the lack of reliable measurements of aerosol and surface properties. In this work we investigate how satellite measurements can be used to estimate the direct radiative forcing of biomass burning aerosols. We developed a method using the critical reflectance technique to retrieve SSA from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observed reflectance at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). We evaluated MODIS retrieved SSAs with AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) retrievals and found good agreements within the published uncertainty of the AERONET retrievals. We then developed an algorithm, the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Albedo (MEVA), to improve the representations of spectral variations of vegetation surface albedo based on MODIS observations at the discrete 0.67, 0.86, 0.47, 0.55, 1.24, 1.64, and 2.12 mu-m channels. This algorithm is validated using laboratory measurements of the different vegetation types from the Amazon region, data from the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) spectral library, and data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) digital spectral library. We show that the MEVA method can improve the accuracy of flux and aerosol forcing calculations at the TOA compared to more traditional interpolated approaches. Lastly, we combine the MODIS retrieved biomass burning aerosol SSA and the surface albedo spectrum determined from the MEVA technique to calculate TOA flux and aerosol direct radiative forcing over the Amazon region and compare it with Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) satellite results. The results show that MODIS based forcing calculations present similar averaged results compared to CERES, but MODIS shows greater spatial variation of aerosol forcing than CERES. Possible reasons for these differences are explored and discussed in this work. Potential future research based on these results is discussed as well.

Radiation dose reduction using a neck detection algorithm for single spiral brain and cervical spine CT acquisition in the trauma setting.

PubMed

Ardley, Nicholas D; Lau, Ken K; Buchan, Kevin

2013-12-01

Cervical spine injuries occur in 4-8 % of adults with head trauma. Dual acquisition technique has been traditionally used for the CT scanning of brain and cervical spine. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of radiation dose reduction by using a single acquisition technique that incorporated both anatomical regions with a dedicated neck detection algorithm. Thirty trauma patients for brain and cervical spine CT were included and were scanned with the single acquisition technique. The radiation doses from the single CT acquisition technique with the neck detection algorithm, which allowed appropriate independent dose administration relevant to brain and cervical spine regions, were recorded. Comparison was made both to the doses calculated from the simulation of the traditional dual acquisitions with matching parameters, and to the doses of retrospective dual acquisition legacy technique with the same sample size. The mean simulated dose for the traditional dual acquisition technique was 3.99 mSv, comparable to the average dose of 4.2 mSv from 30 previous patients who had CT of brain and cervical spine as dual acquisitions. The mean dose from the single acquisition technique was 3.35 mSv, resulting in a 16 % overall dose reduction. The images from the single acquisition technique were of excellent diagnostic quality. The new single acquisition CT technique incorporating the neck detection algorithm for brain and cervical spine significantly reduces the overall radiation dose by eliminating the unavoidable overlapping range between 2 anatomical regions which occurs with the traditional dual acquisition technique.

Magnetic resonance angiography of the pediatric abdomen and pelvis: techniques and imaging findings.

PubMed

Sada, David M; Vellody, Ranjith; Liu, Peter S

2013-11-01

Although traditional catheter-based angiography has been the gold standard for pediatric abdominal and pelvic vascular imaging for the past several decades, advances in magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) have made it a viable alternative. MRA offers several advantages in that it is noninvasive, can be performed without ionizing radiation, and does not necessarily rely on contrast administration. The ability of modern MRA techniques to define variant vascular anatomy and detect vascular disease may obviate traditional angiography in some patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plume Image Profiling of UV Laser Desorbed Biomolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merrigan, T. L.; Hunniford, C. A.; Timson, D. J.; Catney, M.; McCullough, R. W.

2008-12-01

An experimental system, based upon the techniques of UV and IR laser desorption with time of flight mass spectrometry, has been constructed to enable the production and characterization of neutral biomolecular targets. The feasibility of the laser desorption technique for the purpose of radiation interaction experiments is investigated here. Fluorescent dye tagging and laser induced fluorescence imaging has been used to help characterize the laser produced plumes of biomolecules revealing their spatial density profiles and temporal evolution. Peak target thicknesses of 2×1012 molecules cm-2 were obtained 30 μs after laser desorption.

Containerless high temperature property measurements by atomic fluorescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiffman, R. A.; Walker, C. A.

1984-01-01

Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques for containerless study of high temperature processes and material properties was studied. Gas jet and electromagnetic levitation and electromagnetic and laser heating techniques are used with LIF in earth-based containerless high temperature experiments. Included are the development of an apparatus and its use in the studies of (1) chemical reactions on Al2O3, molybdenum, tungsten and LaB6 specimens, (2) methods for noncontact specimen temperature measurement, (3) levitation jet properties and (4) radiative lifetime and collisional energy transfer rates for electronically excited atoms.

Airborne Lidar Measurements of Atmospheric Pressure Made Using the Oxygen A-Band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riris, Haris; Rodriquez, Michael; Allan, Graham R.; Hasselbrack, William E.; Stephen, Mark A.; Abshire, James B.

2011-01-01

We report on airborne measurements of atmospheric pressure using a fiber-laser based lidar operating in the oxygen A-band near 765 nm and the integrated path differential absorption measurement technique. Our lidar uses fiber optic technology and non-linear optics to generate tunable laser radiation at 765 nm, which overlaps an absorption line pair in the Oxygen A-band. We use a pulsed time resolved technique, which rapidly steps the laser wavelength across the absorption line pair, a 20 cm telescope and photon counting detector to measure Oxygen concentrations.

TeV radiation from the Crab nebula and other matters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamb, R. C.

1990-01-01

The detection of the Crab Nebula via the Cherenkov imaging technique places TeV astronomy on a secure observational footing. The motivation for TeV observations, a discussion of the atmospheric Cherenkov technique, the experimental details of the Crab Nebula detection, and its scientific implications are presented. The present dilemma of VHE/UHE astronomy is that the Crab appears to be the only source whose showers match theoretical expectations. The situation will be clarified as improved ground-based detectors come on-line with sensitivities matching those of the GRO (Gamma Ray Observatory) instruments.

3D polymer gel dosimetry using a 3D (DESS) and a 2D MultiEcho SE (MESE) sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maris, Thomas G.; Pappas, Evangelos; Karolemeas, Kostantinos; Papadakis, Antonios E.; Zacharopoulou, Fotini; Papanikolaou, Nickolas; Gourtsoyiannis, Nicholas

2006-12-01

The utilization of 3D techniques in Magnetic Resonance Imaging data aquisition and post-processing analysis is a prerequisite especially when modern radiotherapy techniques (conformal RT, IMRT, Stereotactic RT) are to be used. The aim of this work is to compare a 3D Double Echo Steady State (DESS) and a 2D Multiple Echo Spin Echo (MESE) sequence in 3D MRI radiation dosimetry using two different MRI scanners and utilising N-VInylPyrrolidone (VIPAR) based polymer gels.

Measurements of hydrogen gas stopping efficiency for tin ions from laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramenko, D. B.; Spiridonov, M. V.; Krainov, P. V.; Krivtsun, V. M.; Astakhov, D. I.; Medvedev, V. V.; van Kampen, M.; Smeets, D.; Koshelev, K. N.

2018-04-01

Experimental studies of stopping of ion fluxes from laser-produced plasma by a low-pressure gas atmosphere are presented. A modification of the time-of-flight spectroscopy technique is proposed for the stopping cross-sectional measurements in the ion energy range of 0.1-10 keV. The application of the proposed technique is demonstrated for Sn ion stopping by H2 gas. This combination of elements is of particular importance for the development of plasma-based sources of extreme ultraviolet radiation for lithographic applications.

High-order solution methods for grey discrete ordinates thermal radiative transfer

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

Maginot, Peter G., E-mail: maginot1@llnl.gov; Ragusa, Jean C., E-mail: jean.ragusa@tamu.edu; Morel, Jim E., E-mail: morel@tamu.edu

This work presents a solution methodology for solving the grey radiative transfer equations that is both spatially and temporally more accurate than the canonical radiative transfer solution technique of linear discontinuous finite element discretization in space with implicit Euler integration in time. We solve the grey radiative transfer equations by fully converging the nonlinear temperature dependence of the material specific heat, material opacities, and Planck function. The grey radiative transfer equations are discretized in space using arbitrary-order self-lumping discontinuous finite elements and integrated in time with arbitrary-order diagonally implicit Runge–Kutta time integration techniques. Iterative convergence of the radiation equation ismore » accelerated using a modified interior penalty diffusion operator to precondition the full discrete ordinates transport operator.« less

High-order solution methods for grey discrete ordinates thermal radiative transfer

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

Maginot, Peter G.; Ragusa, Jean C.; Morel, Jim E.

This paper presents a solution methodology for solving the grey radiative transfer equations that is both spatially and temporally more accurate than the canonical radiative transfer solution technique of linear discontinuous finite element discretization in space with implicit Euler integration in time. We solve the grey radiative transfer equations by fully converging the nonlinear temperature dependence of the material specific heat, material opacities, and Planck function. The grey radiative transfer equations are discretized in space using arbitrary-order self-lumping discontinuous finite elements and integrated in time with arbitrary-order diagonally implicit Runge–Kutta time integration techniques. Iterative convergence of the radiation equation ismore » accelerated using a modified interior penalty diffusion operator to precondition the full discrete ordinates transport operator.« less

High-order solution methods for grey discrete ordinates thermal radiative transfer

DOE PAGES

Maginot, Peter G.; Ragusa, Jean C.; Morel, Jim E.

2016-09-29

This paper presents a solution methodology for solving the grey radiative transfer equations that is both spatially and temporally more accurate than the canonical radiative transfer solution technique of linear discontinuous finite element discretization in space with implicit Euler integration in time. We solve the grey radiative transfer equations by fully converging the nonlinear temperature dependence of the material specific heat, material opacities, and Planck function. The grey radiative transfer equations are discretized in space using arbitrary-order self-lumping discontinuous finite elements and integrated in time with arbitrary-order diagonally implicit Runge–Kutta time integration techniques. Iterative convergence of the radiation equation ismore » accelerated using a modified interior penalty diffusion operator to precondition the full discrete ordinates transport operator.« less

Environmental Survey Plans, Fort Sheridan, Sampling and Analysis Plan, Fort Sheridan, Illinois

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

technique. The flameless AA procedure is based on the absorption of radiation at 253.7 nm by Hg vapor. The Hg is reduced to the elemental state and aerated...desiccator, cupric oxide is added, and the sample is combusted in an induction furnace. The organic carbon content is determined through a calculation in

Iterative Reconstruction Techniques in Abdominopelvic CT: Technical Concepts and Clinical Implementation.

PubMed

Patino, Manuel; Fuentes, Jorge M; Singh, Sarabjeet; Hahn, Peter F; Sahani, Dushyant V

2015-07-01

This article discusses the clinical challenge of low-radiation-dose examinations, the commonly used approaches for dose optimization, and their effect on image quality. We emphasize practical aspects of the different iterative reconstruction techniques, along with their benefits, pitfalls, and clinical implementation. The widespread use of CT has raised concerns about potential radiation risks, motivating diverse strategies to reduce the radiation dose associated with CT. CT manufacturers have developed alternative reconstruction algorithms intended to improve image quality on dose-optimized CT studies, mainly through noise and artifact reduction. Iterative reconstruction techniques take unique approaches to noise reduction and provide distinct strength levels or settings.

WE-A-BRD-01: MR Imaging for Treatment Planning: What Every Physicist Should Know

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

McGee, K.

2015-06-15

Ever since its introduction as a diagnostic imaging modality over 30 years ago, the radiation therapy community has acknowledged the utility of MR imaging as a tool for not only improved visualization of the target volume but also for demarcation of adjacent organs at risk. However, the adaptation of MR imaging in radiation oncology has, until recently been slow due in large part to the inability to image radiation therapy patients in their treatment position. With the introduction of so-called wide bore high field MR scanners, multi element flexible receive only RF coils, high performance imaging gradients and a rangemore » of volumetric imaging sequences it is now possible to obtain both high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio images of in-treatment radiation therapy patients within clinically feasible imaging times. As a Result, there is renewed interest in the use of MR imaging for radiation oncology treatment planning that is being translated into physical siting and integration of these systems into radiation oncology departments. As MR imaging expands into the radiation oncology domain there is a significant and unmet need for radiation therapy physicists to become educated regarding the strengths, limitations and technical challenges associated with MR imaging. The purpose of this presentation is to address this need by providing an educational overview of the techniques and challenges associated with MR imaging of patients for radiation therapy treatment planning. As such this presentation will: 1) describe the fundamental differences between imaging of patients for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes (i.e. radiation therapy planning), 2) describe most commonly used imaging sequences and contrasts for identification of disease for radiation planning, 3) identify the most common sources of image distortion and techniques to reduce their effect on spatial fidelity of the MR data, 4) describe the effects of motion and methods to quantify/correct it, and 5) identify emergent techniques for performing MR only treatment simulation. Upon completion attendees will have a working understanding of the basic methodologies associated with MR imaging in radiation oncology, the unique technical challenges imposed by MR imaging in the treatment position and techniques to address these. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the differences between MR imaging for diagnostic imaging and for radiation therapy planning. 2. Identify the most common sources of distortion and artifacts and simple methods to correct them. 3. Understand the challenges with MR imaging in the therapy treatment position and appropriate techniques to address them.« less

Comparison of global cloud liquid water path derived from microwave measurements with CERES-MODIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Y.; Minnis, P.; Huang, J.; Lin, B.; Ayers, K.; Sun-Mack, S.; Fan, A.

Cloud liquid water path LWP is a crucial parameter for climate studies due to the link that it provides between the atmospheric hydrological and radiative budgets Satellite-based visible infrared techniques such as the Visible Infrared Solar Split-Window Technique VISST can retrieve LWP for water clouds assumes single-layer over a variety of surfaces If the water clouds are overlapped by ice clouds the LWP of the underlying clouds can not be retrieved by such techniques However microwave techniques may be used to retrieve the LWP underneath ice clouds due to the microwave s insensitivity to cloud ice particles LWP is typically retrieved from satellite-observed microwave radiances only over ocean due to variations of land surface temperature and emissivity Recently Deeter and Vivekanandan 2006 developed a new technique for retrieving LWP over land In order to overcome the sensitivity to land surface temperature and emissivity their technique is based on a parameterization of microwave polarization-difference signals In this study a similar regression-based technique for retrieving LWP over land and ocean using Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - EOS AMSR-E measurements is developed Furthermore the microwave surface emissivities are also derived using clear-sky fields of view based on the Clouds and Earth s Radiant Energy System Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer CERES-MODIS cloud mask These emissivities are used in an alternate form of the technique The results are evaluated using independent measurements such

MO-B-201-00: Motion Management in Current Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Practice

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

NONE

The motion management in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a key to success for a SBRT program, and still an on-going challenging task. A major factor is that moving structures behave differently than standing structures when examined by imaging modalities, and thus require special considerations and employments. Understanding the motion effects to these different imaging processes is a prerequisite for a decent motion management program. The commonly used motion control techniques to physically restrict tumor motion, if adopted correctly, effectively increase the conformity and accuracy of hypofractionated treatment. The effective application of such requires one to understand the mechanicsmore » of the application and the related physiology especially related to respiration. The image-guided radiation beam control, or tumor tracking, further realized the endeavor for precision-targeting. During tumor tracking, the respiratory motion is often constantly monitored by non-ionizing beam sources using the body surface as its surrogate. This then has to synchronize with the actual internal tumor motion. The latter is often accomplished by stereo X-ray imaging or similar techniques. With these advanced technologies, one may drastically reduce the treated volume and increase the clinicians’ confidence for a high fractional ablative radiation dose. However, the challenges in implementing the motion management may not be trivial and is dependent on each clinic case. This session of presentations is intended to provide an overview of the current techniques used in managing the tumor motion in SBRT, specifically for routine lung SBRT, proton based treatments, and newly-developed MR guided RT. Learning Objectives: Through this presentation, the audience will understand basic roles of commonly used imaging modalities for lung cancer studies; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed motion control methods; familiarize the major advantages and limitations of each discussed radiation beam control methodology and tumor tacking method; understand the key points in motion management for a high quality SBRT program.« less

Reconfigurable water-substrate based antennas with temperature control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobashsher, Ahmed Toaha; Abbosh, Amin

2017-06-01

We report an unexplored reconfigurable antenna development technique utilizing the concept of temperature variable electromagnetic properties of water. By applying this physical phenomena, we present highly efficient water-substrate based antennas whose operating frequencies can be continuously tuned. While taking the advantage of cost-effectiveness of liquid water, this dynamic tuning technique also alleviates the roadblocks to widespread use of reconfigurable liquid-based antennas for VHF and UHF bands. The dynamic reconfigurability is controlled merely via external thermal stimulus and does not require any physical change of the resonating structure. We demonstrate dynamic control of omnidirectional and directional antennas covering more than 14 and 12% fractional bandwidths accordingly, with more than 85% radiation efficiency. Our temperature control approach paves the intriguing way of exploring dynamic reconfigurability of water-based compact electromagnetic devices for non-static, in-motion and low-cost real-world applications.

Supercritical carbon dioxide-based sterilization of decellularized heart valves

PubMed Central

Hennessy, Ryan S.; Jana, Soumen; Tefft, Brandon J.; Helder, Meghana R.; Young, Melissa D.; Hennessy, Rebecca R.; Stoyles, Nicholas J.; Lerman, Amir

2017-01-01

Objective The goal of this research project encompasses finding the most efficient and effective method of decellularized tissue sterilization. Background Aortic tissue grafts have been utilized to repair damaged or diseased valves. Although, the tissues for grafting are collected aseptically, it does not eradicate the risk of contamination nor disease transfer. Thus, sterilization of grafts is mandatory. Several techniques have been applied to sterilize grafts; however, each technique shows drawbacks. In this study, we compared several sterilization techniques: supercritical carbon dioxide, electrolyzed water, gamma radiation, ethanol-peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide for impact on the sterility and mechanical integrity of porcine decellularized aortic valves. Methods Valve sterility was characterized by histology, microbe culture, and electron microscopy. Uniaxial tensile testing was conducted on the valve cusps along their circumferential orientation to study these sterilization techniques on their integrity. Results Ethanol-peracetic acid and supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves were found to be sterile. The tensile strength of supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves (4.28 ± 0.22 MPa) was higher to those valves treated with electrolyzed water, gamma radiation, ethanol-peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (1.02 ± 0.15, 1.25 ± 0.25, 3.53 ± 0.41 and 0.37 ± 0.04 MPa, respectively). Conclusions Superior sterility and integrity were found in the decellularized porcine aortic valves with supercritical carbon dioxide sterilization. This sterilization technique may hold promise for other decellularized soft tissues. Summary Sterilization of grafts is essential. Supercritical carbon dioxide, electrolyzed water, gamma radiation, ethanol-peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide techniques were compared for impact on sterility and mechanical integrity of porcine decellularized aortic valves. Ethanol-peracetic acid and supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves were found to be sterile using histology, microbe culture and electron microscopy assays. The cusp tensile properties of supercritical carbon dioxide treated valves were higher compared to valves treated with other techniques. Superior sterility and integrity was found in the decellularized valves treated with supercritical carbon dioxide sterilization. This sterilization technique may hold promise for other decellularized soft tissues. PMID:28337488

Development of a Space Radiation Monte Carlo Computer Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinsky, Lawrence S.

1997-01-01

The ultimate purpose of this effort is to undertake the development of a computer simulation of the radiation environment encountered in spacecraft which is based upon the Monte Carlo technique. The current plan is to adapt and modify a Monte Carlo calculation code known as FLUKA, which is presently used in high energy and heavy ion physics, to simulate the radiation environment present in spacecraft during missions. The initial effort would be directed towards modeling the MIR and Space Shuttle environments, but the long range goal is to develop a program for the accurate prediction of the radiation environment likely to be encountered on future planned endeavors such as the Space Station, a Lunar Return Mission, or a Mars Mission. The longer the mission, especially those which will not have the shielding protection of the earth's magnetic field, the more critical the radiation threat will be. The ultimate goal of this research is to produce a code that will be useful to mission planners and engineers who need to have detailed projections of radiation exposures at specified locations within the spacecraft and for either specific times during the mission or integrated over the entire mission. In concert with the development of the simulation, it is desired to integrate it with a state-of-the-art interactive 3-D graphics-capable analysis package known as ROOT, to allow easy investigation and visualization of the results. The efforts reported on here include the initial development of the program and the demonstration of the efficacy of the technique through a model simulation of the MIR environment. This information was used to write a proposal to obtain follow-on permanent funding for this project.

TH-CD-201-12: Preliminary Evaluation of Organic Field Effect Transistors as Radiation Detectors

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

Syme, A; Lin, H; Rubio-Sanchez, J

Purpose: To fabricate organic field effect transistors (OFETs) and evaluate their performance before and after exposure to ionizing radiation. To determine if OFETs have potential to function as radiation dosimeters. Methods: OFETs were fabricated on both Si/SiO{sub 2} wafers and flexible polymer substrates using standard processing techniques. Pentacene was used as the organic semiconductor material and the devices were fabricated in a bottom gate configuration. Devices were irradiated using an orthovoltage treatment unit (120 kVp x-rays). Threshold voltage values were measured with the devices in saturation mode and quantified as a function of cumulative dose. Current-voltage characteristics of the devicesmore » were measured using a Keithley 2614 SourceMeter SMU Instrument. The devices were connected to the reader but unpowered during irradiations. Results: Devices fabricated on Si/SiO2 wafers demonstrated excellent linearity (R{sup 2} > 0.997) with threshold voltages that ranged between 15 and 36 V. Devices fabricated on a flexible polymer substrate had substantially smaller threshold voltages (∼ 4 – 8 V) and slightly worse linearity (R{sup 2} > 0.98). The devices demonstrated excellent stability in I–V characteristics over a large number (>2000) cycles. Conclusion: OFETs have demonstrated excellent potential in radiation dosimetry applications. A key advantage of these devices is their composition, which can be substantially more tissue-equivalent at low photon energies relative to many other types of radiation detector. In addition, fabrication of organic electronics can employ techniques that are faster, simpler and cheaper than conventional silicon-based devices. These results support further development of organic electronic devices for radiation detection purposes. Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: This work was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.« less

Linking Doses with Clinical Scores of Hematopoietic Acute Radiation Syndrome.

PubMed

Hu, Shaowen

2016-10-01

In radiation accidents, determining the radiation dose the victim received is a key step for medical decision making and patient prognosis. To reconstruct and evaluate the absorbed dose, researchers have developed many physical devices and biological techniques during the last decades. However, using the physical parameter "absorbed dose" alone is not sufficient to predict the clinical development of the various organs injured in an individual patient. In operational situations for radiation accidents, medical responders need more urgently to classify the severity of the radiation injury based on the signs and symptoms of the patient. In this work, the author uses a unified hematopoietic model to describe dose-dependent dynamics of granulocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets, and the corresponding clinical grading of hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome. This approach not only visualizes the time course of the patient's probable outcome in the form of graphs but also indirectly gives information of the remaining stem and progenitor cells, which are responsible for the autologous recovery of the hematopoietic system. Because critical information on the patient's clinical evolution can be provided within a short time after exposure and only peripheral cell counts are required for the simulation, these modeling tools will be useful to assess radiation exposure and injury in human-involved radiation accident/incident scenarios.

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

Engelmeier, R.L.

A technique has been described for fabrication of a radiation therapy stent that can help to stabilize the head when adjustable alignment devices are used to position a patient during radiation therapy. The technique can save time for the radiotherapist, enhance accuracy in treatment, increase patient comfort, and save the dentist time in stent fabrication.

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

Zainudin, Mohd Lutfi, E-mail: mdlutfi07@gmail.com; Institut Matematik Kejuruteraan; Saaban, Azizan, E-mail: azizan.s@uum.edu.my

The solar radiation values have been composed by automatic weather station using the device that namely pyranometer. The device is functions to records all the radiation values that have been dispersed, and these data are very useful for it experimental works and solar device’s development. In addition, for modeling and designing on solar radiation system application is needed for complete data observation. Unfortunately, lack for obtained the complete solar radiation data frequently occur due to several technical problems, which mainly contributed by monitoring device. Into encountering this matter, estimation missing values in an effort to substitute absent values with imputedmore » data. This paper aimed to evaluate several piecewise interpolation techniques likes linear, splines, cubic, and nearest neighbor into dealing missing values in hourly solar radiation data. Then, proposed an extendable work into investigating the potential used of cubic Bezier technique and cubic Said-ball method as estimator tools. As result, methods for cubic Bezier and Said-ball perform the best compare to another piecewise imputation technique.« less

Real-time radiative divertor feedback control development for the NSTX-U tokamak using a vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer

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

Soukhanovskii, V. A., E-mail: vlad@llnl.gov; Kaita, R.; Stratton, B.

2016-11-15

A radiative divertor technique is planned for the NSTX-U tokamak to prevent excessive erosion and thermal damage of divertor plasma-facing components in H-mode plasma discharges with auxiliary heating up to 12 MW. In the radiative (partially detached) divertor, extrinsically seeded deuterium or impurity gases are used to increase plasma volumetric power and momentum losses. A real-time feedback control of the gas seeding rate is planned for discharges of up to 5 s duration. The outer divertor leg plasma electron temperature T{sub e} estimated spectroscopically in real time will be used as a control parameter. A vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer McPherson Modelmore » 251 with a fast charged-coupled device detector is developed for temperature monitoring between 5 and 30 eV, based on the Δn = 0, 1 line intensity ratios of carbon, nitrogen, or neon ion lines in the spectral range 300–1600 Å. A collisional-radiative model-based line intensity ratio will be used for relative calibration. A real-time T{sub e}-dependent signal within a characteristic divertor detachment equilibration time of ∼10–15 ms is expected.« less

Real-time radiative divertor feedback control development for the NSTX-U tokamak using a vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer

DOE PAGES

Soukhanovskii, V. A.; Kaita, R.; Stratton, B.

2016-08-04

Here, a radiative divertor technique is planned for the NSTX-U tokamak to prevent excessive erosion and thermal damage of divertor plasma-facing components in H-mode plasma discharges with auxiliary heating up to 12 MW. In the radiative (partially detached) divertor, extrinsically seeded deuterium or impurity gases are used to increase plasma volumetric power and momentum losses. A real-time feedback control of the gas seeding rate is planned for discharges of up to 5 s duration. The outer divertor leg plasma electron temperature T e estimated spectroscopically in real time will be used as a control parameter. A vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer McPhersonmore » Model 251 with a fast charged-coupled device detector is developed for temperature monitoring between 5 and 30 eV, based on the Δn = 0, 1 line intensity ratios of carbon, nitrogen, or neon ion lines in the spectral range 300–1600 Å. A collisional-radiative model-based line intensity ratio will be used for relative calibration. A real-time T e-dependent signal within a characteristic divertor detachment equilibration time of ~10–15 ms is expected.« less

A radiotherapy technique to limit dose to neural progenitor cell niches without compromising tumor coverage

PubMed Central

Redmond, Kristin J.; Achanta, Pragathi; Grossman, Stuart A.; Armour, Michael; Reyes, Juvenal; Kleinberg, Lawrence; Tryggestad, Erik; Quinones-Hinojosa, Alfredo

2015-01-01

Radiation therapy (RT) for brain tumors is associated with neurocognitive toxicity which may be a result of damage to neural progenitor cells (NPCs). We present a novel technique to limit the radiation dose to NPC without compromising tumor coverage. A study was performed in mice to examine the rationale and another was conducted in humans to determine its feasibility. C57BL/6 mice received localized radiation using a dedicated animal irradiation system with on-board CT imaging with either: (1) Radiation which spared NPC containing regions; (2) Radiation which did not spare these niches; or (3) Sham irradiation. Mice were sacrificed 24 h later and the brains were processed for immunohistochemical Ki-67 staining. For the human component of the study, 33 patients with primary brain tumors were evaluated. Two intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans were retrospectively compared: a standard clinical plan and a plan which spares NPC regions while maintaining the same dose coverage of the tumor. The change in radiation dose to the contralateral NPC-containing regions was recorded. In the mouse model, non-NPC-sparing radiation treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the number of Ki67+ cells in dentate gyrus (DG) (P = 0.008) and subventricular zone (SVZ) (P = 0.005) compared to NPC-sparing radiation treatment. In NPC-sparing clinical plans, NPC regions received significantly lower radiation dose with no clinically relevant changes in tumor coverage. This novel radiation technique should significantly reduce radiation doses to NPC containing regions of the brain which may reduce neurocognitive deficits following RT for brain tumors. PMID:21327710

X-ray angiography systems.

PubMed

1993-11-01

Despite the emergence of several alternative angiographic imaging techniques (i.e., magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ultrasound angiography), x-ray angiography remains the predominant vascular imaging modality, generating over $4 billion in revenue a year in U.S. hospitals. In this issue, we provide a brief overview of the various angiographic imaging techniques, comparing them with x-ray angiography, and discuss the clinical aspects of x-ray vascular imaging, including catheterization and clinical applications. Clinical, cost, usage, and legal issues related to contrast media are discussed in "Contrast Media: Ionic versus Nonionic and Low-osmolality Agents." We also provide a technical overview and selection guidance for a basic x-ray angiography imaging system, including the gantry and table system, x-ray generator, x-ray tube, image intensifier, video camera and display monitors, image-recording devices, and digital acquisition and processing systems. This issue also contains our Evaluation of the GE Advantx L/C cardiac angiography system and the GE Advantx AFM general-purpose angiography system; the AFM can be used for peripheral, pulmonary, and cerebral vascular studied, among others, and can also be configured for cardiac angiography. Many features of the Advantx L/C system, including generator characteristics and ease of use, also apply to the Advantx AFM as configured for cardiac angiography. Our ratings are based on the systems' ability to provide the best possible image quality for diagnosis and therapy while minimizing patient and personnel exposure to radiation, as well as its ability to minimize operator effort and inconvenience. Both units are rated Acceptable. In the Guidance Section, "Radiation Safety and Protection," we discuss the importance of keeping patient and personnel exposures to radiation as low as reasonably possible, especially in procedures such as cardiac catheterization, angiographic imaging for special procedures, and interventional radiology, which produce among the highest radiation exposure of all x-ray imaging techniques. We also provide recommendations for minimizing personnel and patient exposures to radiation. For more information about x-ray angiography systems and similar devices, as well as for additional perspectives on which we based this study, see the following Health Devices Evaluations: "Mobile C-arm Units" (19[8], August 1990) and "Noninvasive Electronic Quality Control Devices for X-ray Generator Testing" (21[6-7], June-July 1992).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)