Medicine and Health Sciences | Open Access Articles

Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

Alonso Gutierrez

No abstract provided.

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Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

Jaafar Bennouna

No abstract provided.

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Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

Suresh Rana

No abstract provided.

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Hyperpolarization Of Silicon Nanoparticles With Tempo Radicals, Jingzhe Hu, Nicholas Whiting, Pratip Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Silicon-based particles can be hyperpolarized via dynamic nuclear polarization to enhance 29Si magnetic resonance signals. Application of this technique to nanoscale silicon particles has been limited because of the low signal enhancements achieved; it is hypothesized that this is due to the low number of endogenous electronic defects inherent to the particles. We introduce a method of incorporating exogenous radicals into silicon nanoparticle suspensions in order to improve the hyperpolarization of 29Si nuclear spins to levels sufficient for in vivo MR imaging. Calibration of radical concentrations and polarization times are reported for a variety of silicon particle sizes (30−200 nm …

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Hyperpolarized Porous Silicon Nanoparticles: Potential Theragnostic Material For 29si Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Hyeonglim Seo, Ikjang Choi, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Quy S. Luu, Shivanand Pudakalakatti, Caitlin Mccowan, Yaewon Kim, Niki Zacharias Millward, Seunghyun Lee, Pratip Bhattacharya, Youngbok Lee

Nicholas Whiting

Porous silicon nanoparticles have recently garnered attention as potentially-promising biomedical platforms for drug delivery and medical diagnostics. Here, we demonstrate porous silicon nanoparticles as contrast agents for 29Si magnetic resonance imaging. Size-controlled porous silicon nanoparticles were synthesized by magnesiothermic reduction of silica nanoparticles and were surface activated for further functionalization. Particles were hyperpolarized via dynamic nuclear polarization to enhance their 29Si MR signals; the particles demonstrated long 29Si spin-lattice relaxation (T1) times (~25 mins), which suggests potential applicability for medical imaging. Furthermore, 29Si hyperpolarization levels were sufficient to allow 29Si MRI in phantoms. These results underscore the potential of porous …

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Using Raman Spectroscopy To Improve Hyperpolarized Noble Gas Production For Clinical Lung Imaging Techniques, Jonathan R. Birchall, Nicholas Whiting, Jason G. Skinner, Michael J. Barlow, Boyd M. Goodson

Nicholas Whiting

Spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) can be used to “hyperpolarize” 129Xe for human lung MRI. SEOP involves transfer of angular momentum from light to an alkali metal (Rb) vapor, and then onto 129Xe nuclear spins during collisions; collisions between excited Rb and N2 ensure that incident optical energy is nonradiatively converted into heat. However, because variables that govern SEOP are temperature-dependent, the excess heat can complicate efforts to maximize spin polarization—particularly at high laser fluxes and xenon densities. Ultra-low frequency Raman spectroscopy may be used to perform in situ gas temperature measurements to investigate the interplay of energy thermalization and SEOP …

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Alamethicin In Lipid Bilayers: Combined Use Of X-Ray Scattering And Md Simulations, Jianjun Pan, D. Peter Tieleman, John F. Nagle, Norbert Kučerka, Prof. Stephanie Tristram-Nagle Ph.D.

John Copeland Nagle

We study fully hydrated bilayers of two di-monounsaturated phospholipids diC18:1PC (DOPC) and diC22:1PC with varying amounts of alamethicin (Alm). We combine the use of X-ray diffuse scattering and molecular dynamics simulations to determine the orientation of alamethicin in model lipids. Comparison of the experimental and simulated form factors shows that Alm helices are inserted transmembrane at high humidity and high concentrations, in agreement with earlier results. The X-ray scattering data and the MD simulations agree that membrane thickness changes very little up to 1/10 Alm/ DOPC. In contrast, the X-ray data indicate that the thicker diC22:1PC membrane thins with added …

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Developing Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles For In Vivo Mri Targeting Of Ovarian Cancer, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Niki M. Zacharias, Ganesh L. R. Lokesh, David E. Volk, David G. Menter, Rajesha Rupaimoole, Rebecca Previs, Anil K. Sood, Pratip Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Silicon-based nanoparticles are ideally suited for use as biomedical imaging agents due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and simple surface chemistry that facilitates drug loading and targeting. A method of hyperpolarizing silicon particles using dynamic nuclear polarization, which increases magnetic resonance imaging signals by several orders-of-magnitude through enhanced nuclear spin alignment, has recently been developed to allow silicon particles to function as contrast agents for in vivo magnetic resonance imaging. The enhanced spin polarization of silicon lasts significantly longer than other hyperpolarized agents (tens of minutes, whereas <1 min for other species at room temperature), allowing a wide range of potential …

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Interrogating Metabolism In Brain Cancer, Travis Salzillo, Jingzhe Hu, Linda Nguyen, Nicholas Whiting, Jaehyuk Lee, Joseph Weygand, Prasanta Dutta, Shivanand Pudakalakatti, Niki Zacharias Millward, Seth Gammon, Frederick F. Lang, Amy B. Heimberger, Pratip Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Many existing and emerging techniques of interrogating metabolism in brain cancer are at an early stage of development. A few clinical trials that employ these techniques are in progress in patients with brain cancer to establish the clinical efficacy of these techniques. It is likely that in vivo metabolomics and metabolic imaging is the next frontier in brain cancer diagnosis and assessing therapeutic efficacy.

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A New Computationally Efficient Cad System For Nodule Detection In Ct Imagery, Temesguen Messay, Russell Hardie, Steven Rogers

Russell C. Hardie

Early detection of lung nodules is extremely important for the diagnosis and clinical management of lung cancer. In this paper, a novel computer aided detection (CAD) system for the detection of pulmonary nodules in thoracic computed tomography (CT) imagery is presented. The paper describes the architecture of the CAD system and assesses its performance on a publicly available database to serve as a benchmark for future research efforts. Training and tuning of all modules in our CAD system is done using a separate and independent dataset provided courtesy of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). The publicly available testing …

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Video Feature — Banned Books And The Stuart Rose Collection, Robert Brecha, Una Cadegan, John Inglis, Paul Morman

Robert J. Brecha

A faculty panel discussion in two sessions:

Session 1:
The Index: Una Cadegan (history) looks at the current scholarship on the Index of Forbidden Books.
Galileo: Robert Brecha (physics) highlights the banning of Galileo and observational science.

Session 2:
Thomas Aquinas: John Inglis (philosophy) speaks on the banning of Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica, the most important book in Catholic intellectual tradition.
Descartes and the Index of Forbidden Books: Paul Morman (history, Distinguished Service Professor) highlights the book by Descartes that he was not allowed to study while a student at UD in the 1960s.

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Real-Time Mri-Guided Catheter Tracking Using Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Jay V. Shah, Maja C. Cassidy, Erik Cressman, Niki Zacharias Millward, David G. Menter, Charles M. Marcus, Pratip K. Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Visualizing the movement of angiocatheters during endovascular interventions is typically accomplished using x-ray fluoroscopy. There are many potential advantages to developing magnetic resonance imaging-based approaches that will allow three-dimensional imaging of the tissue/vasculature interface while monitoring other physiologically-relevant criteria, without exposing the patient or clinician team to ionizing radiation. Here we introduce a proof-of-concept development of a magnetic resonance imaging-guided catheter tracking method that utilizes hyperpolarized silicon particles. The increased signal of the silicon particles is generated via low-temperature, solid-state dynamic nuclear polarization, and the particles retain their enhanced signal for ≥40 minutes—allowing imaging experiments over extended time durations. The …

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Flow Of Dna Solutions In A Microfluidic Gradual Contraction, Shelly Gulati, Susan J. Muller, Dorian Liepmann

Shelly Gulati

The flow of λ-DNA solutions in a gradual micro-contraction was investigated using direct measurement techniques. The effects on DNA transport in microscale flows are significant because the flow behavior is influenced by macromolecular conformations, both viscous and elastic forces dominate inertial forces at this length scale, and the fully extended length of the molecule approaches the characteristic channel length wc (L/wc ∼ 0.13). This study examines the flow of semi-dilute and entangled DNA solutions in a gradual planar micro-contraction for low Reynolds numbers (3.7 × 10−6 < Re < 3.1 × 10−1) and high Weissenberg numbers (0.4 < Wi < …

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Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping At High Xenon Densities And Laser Fluxes: Principles And Practice, Boyd M. Goodson, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Jason G. Skinner, Kaili Ranta, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Nicholas Whiting

Once limited to the realm of fundamental physics experiments, hyperpolarized (HP) noble gases have been exploited for a wide range of applications across NMR and MRI. In most cases, hyperpolarized noble gases are prepared by spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP)...

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Hyperpolarization Methods For Mrs, Boyd M. Goodson, Nicholas Whiting, Aaron M. Coffey, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Fan Shi, Brogan M. Gust, Maxwell E. Gemeinhardt, Roman Shchepin, Jason G. Skinner, Jonathan R. Birchall, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Nicholas Whiting

This article covers the fundamental principles and practice of NMR hyperpolarization techniques, which are proving useful for in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies of metabolism in animal models, and clinical trials with hyper-enhanced sensitivity. Fundamentally, hyperpolarization methods enhance nuclear spin polarization by orders-of-magnitude, resulting in concomitant improvement in NMR detection sensitivity. The hyperpolarization methods described here – dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), para-hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP), signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE), and spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) – are capable of achieving nuclear spin polarization approaching the theoretical maximum of unity on nuclear spin sites of molecular or atomic agents …

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Accessibility Of Home Blood Pressure Monitors For Blind And Visually Impaired People, Mark M. Uslan, Darren M. Burton, Thomas E. Wilson, Steven Taylor, Bruce S. Chertow, Jack E. Terry

Thomas E. Wilson

Background: The prevalence of hypertension comorbid with diabetes is a significant health care issue. Use of the home blood pressure monitor (HBPM) for aiding in the control of hypertension is noteworthy because of benefits that accrue from following a home measurement regimen. To be usable by blind and visually impaired patients, HBPMs must have speech output to convey all screen information, an easily readable visual display, identifiable controls that are easy to use, and an accessible user manual. Methods: Data on the physical aspects and the features and functions of nine Food and Drug Administration-approved HBPMs (eight of which were …

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Xena: An Automated 'Open-Source' 129xe Hyperpolarizer For Clinical Use, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Aaron M. Coffey, Laura L. Walkup, Brogan M. Gust, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Iga Muradyan, Mikayel Dabaghyan, Kaili Ranta, Gregory D. Moroz, Matthew S. Rosen, Samuel Patz, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev, Boyd M. Goodson

Nicholas Whiting

Here we provide a full report on the construction, components, and capabilities of our consortium’s “opensource”

large-scale (~1 L/h) 129Xe hyperpolarizer for clinical, pre-clinical, and materials NMR/MRI (Nikolaou et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110, 14150 (2013)). The ‘hyperpolarizer’ is automated and built mostly of off-the-shelf components; moreover, it is designed to be cost-effective and installed in both research laboratories and clinical settings with materials costing less than $125,000. The device runs in the xenon-rich regime (up to 1800 Torr Xe in 0.5 L) in either stopped-flow or single-batch mode—making cryo-collection of the hyperpolarized gas unnecessary for many applications. …

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Near-Unity Nuclear Polarization With An Open-Source 129xe Hyperpolarizer For Nmr And Mri, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Aaron M. Coffey, Laura L. Walkup, Brogan M. Gust, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Scott Barcus, Iga Muradyan, Mikayel Dabaghyan, Gregory D. Moroz, Matthew S. Rosen, Samuel Patz, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev, Boyd M. Goodson

Nicholas Whiting

The exquisite NMR spectral sensitivity and negligible reactivity of hyperpolarized xenon-129 (HP129Xe) make it attractive for a number of magnetic resonance applications; moreover, HP129Xe embodies an alternative to rare and nonrenewable 3He. However, the ability to reliably and inexpensively produce large quantities of HP129Xe with sufficiently high 129Xe nuclear spin polarization (PXe) remains a significant challenge—particularly at high Xe densities. We present results from our “open-source” large-scale (∼1 L/h) 129Xe polarizer for clinical, preclinical, and materials NMR and MRI research. Automated and composed mostly of off-the-shelf components, this “hyperpolarizer” is designed to be readily implementable in other laboratories. The device …

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The Collaboration Particle; Applying The Formalism Of Quantum Theory To Cognition., Kelsey E. Landis, Hontas F. Farmer

Hontas F Farmer

We propose that collaboration between two people can be thought of as a quantum cognitive process wherein the relevant reality to be comprehended is an idea being communicated from one person to the other. Through a combination of writing center pedagogy and quantum theory, supported by mathematical evidence, we assert that collaboration can be effectively and equally established in both face-to-face and online writing tutoring sessions through conscious, active meditation to harness what can be thought of as a particle. Included is an analysis of writing center scholarship to show how collaboration is traditionally considered in a writing center context, …

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Radiation Dose Distributions In Three Dimensions From Tomographic Optical Density Scanning Of Polymer Gels: Ii. Optical Properties Of The Bang Polymer Gel, Yevgeniya Zastavker, Marek Maryanski, John Gore

Yevgeniya V. Zastavker

A newly developed method of radiation dosimetry makes use of the optical properties of polymer gels. The dose-response mechanism relies on the production of light-scattering polymer micro-particles in the gel at each site of radiation absorption. The scattering produces an attenuation of transmitted light intensity that is directly related to the dose and independent of dose rate. For the BANG polymer gel (bis, acrylamide, nitrogen, and gelatin) the shape of the dose-response curve depends on the fraction of the cross-linking monomer in the initial mixture and on the wavelength of light. At 500 nm the attenuation coefficient (μ) increases by …

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Alamethicin In Lipid Bilayers: Combined Use Of X-Ray Scattering And Md Simulations, Jianjun Pan, D. Peter Tieleman, John F. Nagle, Norbert Kučerka, Prof. Stephanie Tristram-Nagle Ph.D.

Prof. Stephanie Tristram-Nagle Ph.D.

We study fully hydrated bilayers of two di-monounsaturated phospholipids diC18:1PC (DOPC) and diC22:1PC with varying amounts of alamethicin (Alm). We combine the use of X-ray diffuse scattering and molecular dynamics simulations to determine the orientation of alamethicin in model lipids. Comparison of the experimental and simulated form factors shows that Alm helices are inserted transmembrane at high humidity and high concentrations, in agreement with earlier results. The X-ray scattering data and the MD simulations agree that membrane thickness changes very little up to 1/10 Alm/ DOPC. In contrast, the X-ray data indicate that the thicker diC22:1PC membrane thins with added …

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Cascading Infrastructure Failures: Avoidance And Response, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

No critical infrastructure is self-sufficient. The complexity inherent in the interdependent nature of infrastructure systems complicates planning and preparedness for system failures. Recent wide-scale disruption of infrastructure on the Gulf Coast due to weather, and in the Northeast due to electric power network failures, dramatically illustrate the problems associated with mitigating cascading effects and responding to cascading infrastructure failures once they have occurred.

The major challenge associated with preparedness for cascading failures is that they transcend system, corporate, and political boundaries and necessitate coordination among multiple, disparate experts and authorities. This symposium brought together concerned communities including government and industry …

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Solving Ill-Posed Problems With Artificial Neural Networks, Arun D. Kulkarni

Arun Kulkarni

With many physical problems, measurement of spectral distribution, cosmic radiation, aerial and satellite imaging indirect sensing/recording devices are used. In many of these cases, the recording systems can be modeled by a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. An inversion of the kernel representing a system, in the presence of noise, is an ill-posed problem. The direct inversion often yields an unacceptable solution. In this paper, we suggest an artificial neural network (ANN) architecture to solve certain kinds of ill-posed problems. The weights in the model are initialized using eigen-vectors and eigen-values of the kernel matrix that characterize the …

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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

Alonso Gutierrez

Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

Jaafar Bennouna

Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

Suresh Rana

Hyperpolarization Of Silicon Nanoparticles With Tempo Radicals, Jingzhe Hu, Nicholas Whiting, Pratip Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Nicholas Whiting

Using Raman Spectroscopy To Improve Hyperpolarized Noble Gas Production For Clinical Lung Imaging Techniques, Jonathan R. Birchall, Nicholas Whiting, Jason G. Skinner, Michael J. Barlow, Boyd M. Goodson

Nicholas Whiting

Alamethicin In Lipid Bilayers: Combined Use Of X-Ray Scattering And Md Simulations, Jianjun Pan, D. Peter Tieleman, John F. Nagle, Norbert Kučerka, Prof. Stephanie Tristram-Nagle Ph.D.

John Copeland Nagle

Developing Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles For In Vivo Mri Targeting Of Ovarian Cancer, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Niki M. Zacharias, Ganesh L. R. Lokesh, David E. Volk, David G. Menter, Rajesha Rupaimoole, Rebecca Previs, Anil K. Sood, Pratip Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Interrogating Metabolism In Brain Cancer, Travis Salzillo, Jingzhe Hu, Linda Nguyen, Nicholas Whiting, Jaehyuk Lee, Joseph Weygand, Prasanta Dutta, Shivanand Pudakalakatti, Niki Zacharias Millward, Seth Gammon, Frederick F. Lang, Amy B. Heimberger, Pratip Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

A New Computationally Efficient Cad System For Nodule Detection In Ct Imagery, Temesguen Messay, Russell Hardie, Steven Rogers

Russell C. Hardie

Video Feature — Banned Books And The Stuart Rose Collection, Robert Brecha, Una Cadegan, John Inglis, Paul Morman

Robert J. Brecha

Real-Time Mri-Guided Catheter Tracking Using Hyperpolarized Silicon Particles, Nicholas Whiting, Jingzhe Hu, Jay V. Shah, Maja C. Cassidy, Erik Cressman, Niki Zacharias Millward, David G. Menter, Charles M. Marcus, Pratip K. Bhattacharya

Nicholas Whiting

Flow Of Dna Solutions In A Microfluidic Gradual Contraction, Shelly Gulati, Susan J. Muller, Dorian Liepmann

Shelly Gulati

Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping At High Xenon Densities And Laser Fluxes: Principles And Practice, Boyd M. Goodson, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Jason G. Skinner, Kaili Ranta, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Nicholas Whiting

Hyperpolarization Methods For Mrs, Boyd M. Goodson, Nicholas Whiting, Aaron M. Coffey, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Fan Shi, Brogan M. Gust, Maxwell E. Gemeinhardt, Roman Shchepin, Jason G. Skinner, Jonathan R. Birchall, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev

Nicholas Whiting

Accessibility Of Home Blood Pressure Monitors For Blind And Visually Impaired People, Mark M. Uslan, Darren M. Burton, Thomas E. Wilson, Steven Taylor, Bruce S. Chertow, Jack E. Terry

Thomas E. Wilson

Nicholas Whiting

Nicholas Whiting

The Collaboration Particle; Applying The Formalism Of Quantum Theory To Cognition., Kelsey E. Landis, Hontas F. Farmer

Hontas F Farmer

Radiation Dose Distributions In Three Dimensions From Tomographic Optical Density Scanning Of Polymer Gels: Ii. Optical Properties Of The Bang Polymer Gel, Yevgeniya Zastavker, Marek Maryanski, John Gore

Yevgeniya V. Zastavker

Alamethicin In Lipid Bilayers: Combined Use Of X-Ray Scattering And Md Simulations, Jianjun Pan, D. Peter Tieleman, John F. Nagle, Norbert Kučerka, Prof. Stephanie Tristram-Nagle Ph.D.

Prof. Stephanie Tristram-Nagle Ph.D.

Cascading Infrastructure Failures: Avoidance And Response, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

Solving Ill-Posed Problems With Artificial Neural Networks, Arun D. Kulkarni

Arun Kulkarni