Physics Commons^™

Proof-Of-Concept For Converging Beam Small Animal Irradiator, Benjamin Insley

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The Monte Carlo particle simulator TOPAS, the multiphysics solver COMSOL., and

several analytical radiation transport methods were employed to perform an in-depth proof-ofconcept

for a high dose rate, high precision converging beam small animal irradiation platform.

In the first aim of this work, a novel carbon nanotube-based compact X-ray tube optimized for

high output and high directionality was designed and characterized. In the second aim, an

optimization algorithm was developed to customize a collimator geometry for this unique Xray

source to simultaneously maximize the irradiator’s intensity and precision. Then, a full

converging beam irradiator apparatus was fit with a multitude …

Evaluation Of An End-To-End Radiotherapy Treatment Planning Pipeline For Prostate Cancer, Mohammad Daniel El Basha, Court Laurence, Carlos Eduardo Cardenas, Julianne Pollard-Larkin, Steven Frank, David T. Fuentes, Falk Poenisch, Zhiqian H. Yu

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Radiation treatment planning is a crucial and time-intensive process in radiation therapy. This planning involves carefully designing a treatment regimen tailored to a patient’s specific condition, including the type, location, and size of the tumor with reference to surrounding healthy tissues. For prostate cancer, this tumor may be either local, locally advanced with extracapsular involvement, or extend into the pelvic lymph node chain. Automating essential parts of this process would allow for the rapid development of effective treatment plans and better plan optimization to enhance tumor control for better outcomes.

The first objective of this work, to automate the treatment …

Post-Modeling Adjustments And Delivered Dose Verification Of The 6fff Beam Model Commissioned For The Monaco Treatment Planning System, Grant C. Debevec

LSU Master's Theses

External beam radiation therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment method for tumors and abnormalities of the spine and vertebral region. Treating the spine using a stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) technique can reduce toxicity to the spinal cord. The 6 MV flattening filter free (6FFF) beam model is currently used to plan and calculate dose for SBRT treatment plans, and the treatment plans are delivered using a linear accelerator (LINAC).

The commissioned beam model represents an invariant component of a LINAC. For volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plans, the multileaf collimator (MLC) positions are changing throughout …

Analyzing The Influence Of Design And Operating Conditions On Combustion And Emissions In Premixed Turbulent Flames: A Comprehensive Review, Medhat Elkelawy Prof. Dr. Eng., E. A. El Shenawy Prof. Dr., Hagar Alm-Eldin Bastawissi, Ibrahim Ali Mousa Eng., Mohamed M. Abdel-Raouf Ibrahim Dr. Eng.

Journal of Engineering Research

Recently, premixed combustion has dominated the field of combustion research worldwide. The current work is a review that addresses the effects of design and operating regimes on the combustion and emission characteristics of premixed turbulent flames. The study accounts for recent developments aimed at overcoming combustor operability issues that influence emissions and flame stability. Various experimental setups have been utilized in investigations, with results pertaining to performance and emissions concerning premixed turbulent flames. Thus, the objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the effects of swirl vane angles and equivalence fuel-air ratios for tests conducted both …

Mechanistic Investigation Of C—C Bond Activation Of Phosphaalkynes With Pt(0) Complexes, Roberto M. Escobar, Abdurrahman C. Ateşin, Christian Müller, William D. Jones, Tülay Ateşin

Research Symposium

Carbon–carbon (C–C) bond activation has gained increased attention as a direct method for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Due to the thermodynamic stability and kinetic inaccessibility of the C–C bonds, however, activation of C–C bonds by homogeneous transition-metal catalysts under mild homogeneous conditions is still a challenge. Most of the systems in which the activation occurs either have aromatization or relief of ring strain as the primary driving force. The activation of unstrained C–C bonds of phosphaalkynes does not have this advantage. This study employs Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate Pt(0)-mediated C–CP bond activation mechanisms in phosphaalkynes. Investigating the …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Combined Risk Based Inspection And Fault Tree Analysis For Repetitive 3-Phase Line Piping Leakage At West Java Offshore Topside Facility, Dona Yuliati, Akhmad Herman Yuwono, Datu Rizal Asral, Donanta Dhaneswara

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings (JMEF)

Hydrocarbon releases might result in serious consequences in various aspects. In addition to the contribution to environmental pollution, repetitive leakages need high repair costs. This study aim is to minimize potential repetitive leakage for other typical 3-phase piping systems. We conducted the risk assessment by adopting Risk Based Inspection (RBI) API 581 to identify risk level, calculating piping lifetime, recommended inspection plan and mitigations. The most relevant root causes can be obtained through quantitative Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). Observation and investigation was taken from eight 3-phase piping systems that experienced repetitive leakages. It has been found that the risk level …

Nitrogen Gas Quenching Pressure Effect On Bs S155 Alloy Steel In Vacuum Furnace, Agus Mulyadi Hasanudin, Eddy Sumarno Siradj

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings (JMEF)

The production of metal and alloy products requires the use of heat treatment, when during the heat treatment process, quenching is a crucial step. The quenching medium can be anything from water, a salt bath, oil, air and gas. In a vacuum furnace, pressurized gas, most frequently nitrogen (N₂) gas, serves as one of the quenching mediums. One of the drawbacks of the quenching process is the distortion and dimensional change of the parts. This paper aims to investigate the influence of nitrogen gas quenching pressure on the distortion and dimensional change of aerospace actuator gear planet parts …

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Human Serum Samples Of Convalescing Covid-19 Positive Patients, Hugh Byrne, Naomi Jackson, Jaythoon Hassan

Articles

Rapid screening, detection and monitoring of viral infection is of critical importance, as exemplified by the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, leading to the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. This is equally the case for the stages of patient convalescence as for the initial stages of infection, to understand the medium and long terms effects, as well as the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Optical spectroscopic techniques potentially offer an alternative to currently employed techniques of screening for the presence, or the response to infection. In this study, the ability of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish between samples of the serum of convalescent COVID-19 …

Development Of Antibacterial Neural Stimulation Electrodes Via Hierarchical Surface Restructuring And Atomic Layer Deposition., Henna Khosla, Wesley Seche, Daniel Ammerman, Sahar Elyahoodayan, Gregory A. Caputo, Jeffrey Hettinger, Shahram Amini, Gang Feng

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Miniaturization and electrochemical performance enhancement of electrodes and microelectrode arrays in emerging long-term implantable neural stimulation devices improves specificity, functionality, and performance of these devices. However, surgical site and post-implantation infections are amongst the most devastating complications after surgical procedures and implantations. Additionally, with the increased use of antibiotics, the threat of antibiotic resistance is significant and is increasingly being recognized as a global problem. Therefore, the need for alternative strategies to eliminate post-implantation infections and reduce antibiotic use has led to the development of medical devices with antibacterial properties. In this work, we report on the development of electrochemically …

Using Dna Flow-Stretching Assay As A Tool To Validate The Tagging Of Dna-Binding Proteins For Single-Molecule Experiments, Miranda Molina, Lindsey E. Way, Zhongqing Ren, Qin Liao, Bianca Guerra, Brandon Shields, Xindan Wang, Hyeongjun Kim

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highlights

• KCK tag can alter protein properties both quantitatively and qualitatively

• Electrostatic interactions between the KCK tag and DNA contribute to the artifacts

• Adding a short peptide tag to ParB protein does not lead to its in vivo changes

• Single-molecule DNA flow-stretching assay can detect protein property changes

Motivation

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy has been extensively used in modern biology to define the molecular action of proteins. Appending short peptide tags is a common strategy to enhance fluorescence labeling. Here, we evaluate the impact of a commonly used tag, the lysine-cysteine-lysine (KCK) tag, on protein behavior in single-molecule DNA flow-stretching assay, …

Entanglements Of Teenage Food Security Within High School Pantries In Pinellas County, Florida, Karen T. Díaz Serrano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity has the ability to shape an individual’s or a family’s everyday life and take emotional, psychological, and physical tolls. Among adolescents, not having access to nutritious food could lead to physical effects during growth and development. Moreover, the stress and anxiety of not knowing where their next meal is coming from and the social stigma associated with being food insecure can have negative effects on mental health. A recent solution to these issues is locating food pantries in high schools. Purpose: This exploratory study examined how high school students in Pinellas County, Florida perceive the use of a …

Thermal Dose Inactivation Of Escherichia Coli By Magnetic Induced Hyperthermia, Silverio A. Lopez, Carlos Trevino De Leo, Ivan Davila, Karen S. Martirosyan

Research Symposium

Background: Apoptosis of mutated cells via magnetic hyperthermia has gained advocacy as technology capable of being used in lieu of chemotherapy for targeting cancer tumors. Progress of nanotechnology offers effective remote heating of magnetic fluid via hyperthermia. The heating and specific power absorption of these nanoparticles use in the magnetic fluid are dependent on particle properties and treatment locations.

Methods: Nanoparticles were fabricated using microfluidic system by interaction of two solutions containing 2Fe(NO3)3+FeSO4 and NaOH+2%Dextran to create nanostructured media with a biocompatible dextran coating and a Fe3O4 core. The nanoparticles, of a concentration of 5mg/ml, were placed in a vile …

An Ngqd Based Diagnostic Tool For Pancreatic Cancer, Ryan Ketan Ajgaonkar, Bong Lee, Alina Valimukhametova, Anton Naumov, Giridhar Akkaraju

Research Symposium

Background: Pancreatic cancer remains difficult to detect at early stages which contributes to a poor five-yearsurvival rate. Therefore, early detection approaches based on novel technologies should be explored to address this critical health issue. Nanomaterials have recently emerged as frontrunners for diagnostic applications due to their small size in the 1-100 nm range, which facilitates one-on-one interactions with a variety of biomolecules like oligonucleotides and makes them suitable for a plethora of detection and delivery applications. In this work, the presence of specific pancreatic cancer miRNA (pre-miR-132) is detected utilizing the fluorescence properties of highly biocompatible nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots …

Trumpet Directivity From A Rotating Semicircular Array, Samuel D. Bellows, Joseph E. Avila, Timothy W. Leishman

Directivity

The directivity function of a played musical instrument describes the angular dependence of its acoustic radiation and diffraction about the instrument, musician, and musician’s chair. Directivity influences sound in rehearsal, performance, and recording environments and signals in audio systems. Because high-resolution, spherically comprehensive measurements of played musical instruments have been unavailable in the past, the authors have undertaken research to produce and share such data for studies of musical instruments, simulations of acoustical environments, optimizations of microphone placements, and other applications. The authors acquired the data from repeated chromatic scales produced by a trumpet played at mezzo-forte in an anechoic …

Microplastics In Water, Their Effects On The Aquatic Ecosystem And Human Public Health, And The Proposed Solutions, Mohanad Abouserie

The Undergraduate Research Journal

We could be swallowing a credit card's weight in plastic every week. Microplastic water pollution is becoming a threat to both humans and aquatic creatures. In this research, microplastic water contamination is discussed, and divergent solutions are proposed. This paper attempts to investigate the causes and effects of such pollution and analyze the current solutions for this issue. The adopted research method is secondary research, where several studies are explored and analyzed. This study explains numerous causes for this issue like cosmetics, cleaning products, factories, and sewage. Consequently, this contamination can negatively impact the organs and metabolisms of the living …

The Importance Of Contrast Sensitivity, Color Vision, And Electrophysiological Testing In Clinical And Occupational Settings, Frances Silva

Theses & Dissertations

Visual acuity (VA) is universally accepted as the gold standard metric for ocular vision and function. Contrast sensitivity (CS), color vision, and electrophysiological testing for clinical and occupational settings are warranted despite being deemed ancillary and minimally utilized by clinicians. These assessments provide essential information to subjectively and objectively quantify and obtain optimal functional vision. They are useful for baseline data and monitoring hereditary and progressive ocular conditions and cognitive function. The studies in this dissertation highlight the value of contrast sensitivity, color vision, and cone specific electrophysiological testing, as well as the novel metrics obtained with potential practical clinical …

Optical Characterisation Of Holographic Diffusers And Bangerter Foils For Treatment Of Amblyopia, Matthew Hellis, Suzanne Martin, Matthew Sheehan, Kevin Murphy

Articles

Amblyopia is a significant issue for children worldwide, and current treatment methods have drawbacks that can hinder treatment effectiveness and/or patient experience. This study proposes a new treatment method using holographic diffusers while also comparing their optical characteristics to a current treatment method (Bangerter foils). Holographic diffusers were developed by optically patterning thin polymer layers on a micron scale. Two compositions of photopolymer (acrylamide and diacetone acrylamide based) are analysed herein. Characterisation shows that holographic diffusers of either composition can achieve a wide range of on-axis intensity reductions, allowing for precise and customisable treatment levels by altering recording exposure time …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sexual Dimorphism Of Glomerular Capillary Morphology In Rats, Zackarias Coker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses faster in males than females; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Sex differences in glomerular capillary morphology has been hypothesized to contribute, in part, to the increased susceptibility to hypertension-induced renal injury and CKD progression in males, but this has not been investigated. The goal of the present study was to assess glomerular capillary morphology in male vs. female rats with intact kidneys and after uninephrectomy (UNX). We hypothesized that glomerular capillary radii (R_CAP) and length (L_CAP) would be greater in male rats.

Male (n=4) and female (n=4) with intact …

The Safe And Effective Clinical Deployment Of Artificial Intelligence Tools, Kelly Nealon

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

18 million new cancer cases are diagnosed each year. Roughly half of these patients will be treated with radiation therapy, a complex technique that requires an interdisciplinary team of clinical staff and expensive equipment to be delivered safely. Cancer centers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) have an especially difficult time meeting the demands of radiation therapy as the complexity of treatment techniques increase, with only 37% of patients in these regions having access to the care they need. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools are being developed to simplify the treatment planning and quality assurance processes to increase the number …

Treatment Planning Automation For Rectal Cancer Radiotherapy, Kai Huang

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Background

Rectal cancer is a common type of cancer. There is an acute health disparity across the globe where a significant population of the world lack adequate access to radiotherapy treatments which is a part of the standard of care for rectal cancers. Safe radiotherapy treatments require specialized planning expertise and are time-consuming and labor-intensive to produce.

Purpose:

To alleviate the health disparity and promote the safe and quality use of radiotherapy in treating rectal cancers, the entire treatment planning process needs to be automated. The purpose of this project is to develop automated solutions for the treatment planning process …

An Investigation On The Effect Of Conserved Hinge Histidine On Influenza Hemagglutinin(Ha2) Protein Conformation Using Md Simulations, Nada Tolba

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hemagglutinin is a protein on the surface of Human Influenza Viruses.¹ It is composed of two glycopolypeptide domains, the HA1 and HA2 domains. Previous studies have found that across different strains of Influenza viruses, HIS435 residues remain conserved.⁴ In studies where mutations occurred in hinge-site histadine residues, the Influenza virus was inactive.⁴ These investigations indicated a significant role of HIS435 (hinge-site histadines) in virulence. Four systems were created using Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Each system was composed of an Isolated HA2 trimer solvated in a 150 mM NaCl rectangular water box at 310 K under isobaric and …

Volume 14, Ireland Seagle, Dalton C. Whitby, Cassandra Poole, Rachel Cannon, Heidi Parker-Combes, Devon G. Shifflett, Antonio Harvey

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Dr. Amorette Barber
• From the Editor: Dr. Larissa "Kat" Tracy
• From the Designers: Rachel English, Rachel Hanson
• Hungry Like the Wolf: The Wolf as Metaphor in Paramount Network’s Yellowstone: Ireland Seagle
• “Floating Cities”: Illustrating the Commercial and Conservation Conflict of Alaskan Cruise Ship Tourism: Dalton C. Whitby
• What Can You Do When Your Genes are the Enemy? Current Applications of Gene Manipulation and the Associated Ethical Considerations: Cassandra Poole
• La doble cara: un tema romántico en las obras de Larra y Hawthorne: Rachel Cannon
• Resolving a Conflict: How to …

Optimizing Course Offerings In A Science Department, Yu Kay Law

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

We will discuss how enrollment data and faculty/advisor input can be used to maximize schedule efficiency in course offerings and providing for student success. We will also discuss how best to monitor and rearrange course schedules in light of actual enrollment.

Development Of Holographic Optical Elements For Use In Wound Monitoring, Pamela Stoeva, Tatsiana Mikulchyk, Brian Rogers, M. Oubaha, Suzanne Martin, Dervil Cody, M.A. Ferrara, G. Coppola, Izabela Naydenova

Conference Papers

Wounds that fail to heal impact the quality of life of 2.5 % of the total population. The costs of chronic wound care will reach $15–22 billion by 2024. These alarming statistics reveal the financial strain for both the medical industry and society. A solution can be found in compact and accessible sensors that offer real-time analysis of the wound site, facilitating continuous monitoring and immediate treatment, if required. Benefits of these sensors include reduction of cost and can extend the reach of healthcare to remote areas. The progression of a wound site can be closely monitored with holographic optical …

The Clinical Transferability Of Raman Micro-Spectroscopic Systems For Cervical Cytopathology, Rubina Shaikh Dr, Sarah Loughlin, Alison Malkin, John J. O'Leary, Cara M. Martin, Fiona Lyng

Conference papers

The clinical potential for Raman microscopic systems is well established for early diagnosis via cytology. Although Raman systems offer a complementary diagnostic tool providing molecular information, it is not yet utilised substantially in clinics. A few challenges for the clinical implementation of Raman spectroscopy are system and user variability. In this study, we asked how much variability occurs due to different Raman systems or users. To address these questions, we measured the same set of cells using two different Raman microscopes and by two different users. And classification models were generated using multivariate partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and …

Coulomb Blockade-Mediated Field Emission Sources Using Ultra-Nanocrystalline Diamond, Jevin Jensen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Coulomb Blockade effects in field emission provide interesting means of achieving brighter electron sources for numerous applications, ranging from vacuum electronics to the next generation of electron beam technology. Microelectronics cleanroom methods are presented in this thesis for production of field emission sources moderated by the Coulomb Blockade. The use of common processes is an essential step toward widespread experimentation with Coulomb Blockade-mediated field emission apparatuses. The main feature to be explored is the use of nano-diamond films for their potential applicability for this desired outcome. Ultra-Nanocrystalline Diamond is used in two different ways to achieve this, both as a …

Alignment And Range Verification In Proton Therapy Using Proton Radiography And Proton Ct, Joseph Piet

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Protons are used in radiation therapy to lower doses to healthy tissues by utilizing their Bragg peak. Protons can be used both in imaging and treatment. One of the uses of protons in imaging we tested is its use to align patients using a single beam's eye proton radiograph (pRad). By using a beam's eye pRad, and comparing the water equivalent thickness (WET) to proton digitally reconstructed radiographs (pDRRs), we show that we can measure the best alignment on six axes, three translational and three rotational. This is done by defining a cost function, chi squared, which quantifies the misalignment …

Analysis Of Biologically Effective Dose For Retroactive Yttrium-90 Trans-Arterial Radioembolization Treatment Optimization, Mj Lindsey

CMC Senior Theses

Trans-arterial radioembolization (TARE) is a protracted modality of radiation therapy where radionuclides labeled with Yttrium-90 (⁹⁰Y) are inserted inside a patient's hepatic artery to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While TARE has been shown to be a clinically effective and safe treatment, there is little understanding of the radiobiological relationship between absorbed dose and tissue response, and thus there is no dosimetric standard for treatment planning. The Biologically Effective Dose (BED) formalism, derived from the Linear-Quadratic model of radiobiology, is used to weigh the absorbed dose by the time pattern of delivery. BED is a virtual dose that can …