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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 631 records · Page 35

A servo controlled gradient loading triaxial model test system for deep-buried cavern

A servo controlled gradient loading model test system is developed to simulate the gradient geostress in deep-buried cavern. This system consists of the gradient loading apparatus, the digital servo control device, and the measurement system. Among them, the gradient loading apparatus is the main component which is used for exerting load onto the model. This loading apparatus is placed inside the counterforce wall/beam and is divided to several different loading zones, with each loading zone independently controlled. This design enables the gradient loading. Hence, the “real” geostress field surrounding the deep-buried cavern can be simulated. The loading or unloading process can be controlled by the human-computer interaction machines, i.e., the digital servo control system. It realizes the automation and visualization of model loading/unloading. In addition, this digital servo could control and regulate hydraulic loading instantaneously, which stabilizes the geostress onto the model over a long term. During the loading procedure, the collision between two adjacent loading platens is also eliminated by developing a guide frame. This collision phenomenon is induced by the volume shrinkage of the model when compressed in true 3D state. In addition, several accurate measurements, including the optical and grating-based method, are adopted to monitor the small deformation of the model. Hence, the distortion of the model could be accurately measured. In order to validate the performance of this innovative model test system, a 3D geomechanical test was conducted on a simulated deep-buried underground reservoir. The result shows that the radial convergence increases rapidly with the release of the stress in the reservoir. Moreover, the deformation increases with the increase of the gas production rate. This observation is consistence with field observation in petroleum engineering. The system is therefore capable of testing deep-buried engineering structures.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Introduction of heat map to fidelity assessment of compressed CT images

Purpose: This study aimed to introduce heat map, a graphical data presentation method widely used in gene expression experiments, to the presentation and interpretation of image fidelity assessment data of compressed computed tomography (CT) images. Methods: The authors used actual assessment data that consisted of five radiologists' responses to 720 computed tomography images compressed using both Joint Photographic Experts Group 2000 (JPEG2000) 2D and JPEG2000 3D compressions. They additionally created data of two artificial radiologists, which were generated by partly modifying the data from two human radiologists. Results: For each compression, the entire data set, including the variations among radiologists and among images, could be compacted into a small color-coded grid matrix of the heat map. A difference heat map depicted the advantage of 3D compression over 2D compression. Dendrograms showing hierarchical agglomerative clustering results were added to the heat maps to illustrate the similarities in the data patterns among radiologists and among images. The dendrograms were used to identify two artificial radiologists as outliers, whose data were created by partly modifying the responses of two human radiologists. Conclusions: The heat map can illustrate a quick visual extract of the overall data as well as the entirety of large complex data in a compact space while visualizing the variations among observers and among images. The heat map with the dendrograms can be used to identify outliers or to classify observers and images based on the degree of similarity in the response patterns.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Morphometric Comparison of Clavicle Outlines from 3D Bone Scans and 2D Chest Radiographs: A Short-listing Tool to Assist Radiographic Identification of Human Skeletons

This paper describes a computerized clavicle identification system, primarily designed to resolve the identities of unaccounted for US soldiers who fought in the Korean War. Elliptical Fourier analysis is used to quantify the clavicle outline shape from skeletons and postero-anterior antemortem chest radiographs to rank individuals in terms of metric distance. Similar to leading fingerprint identification systems, shortlists of the top matching candidates are extracted for subsequent human visual assessment. Two independent tests of the computerized system using 17 field-recovered skeletons and 409 chest radiographs demonstrate that true positive matches are captured within the top 5% of the sample 75% of the time. These results are outstanding given the eroded state of some field-recovered skeletons and the faintness of the 1950’s photoflurographs. These methods enhance the capability to resolve several hundred cold cases for which little circumstantial information exists and current DNA and dental record technologies cannot be applied.

computer assisted↗

On the Origin of Sinter‐Resistance and Catalyst Accessibility in Raspberry‐Colloid‐Templated Catalyst Design

Abstract Nanoparticle (NP) sintering is a major cause of the deactivation of supported catalysts. Raspberry‐colloid‐templated (RCT) catalysts are an emerging class of materials that show an unprecedented level of sinter‐resistance and exhibit high catalytic activity. Here a comprehensive study of the origin of NP stability and accessibility in RCT catalysts using theoretical modeling, 3D electron microscopy, and epitaxial overgrowth is reported. The approach is showcased for silica‐based RCT catalysts containing dilute Pd‐in‐Au NPs previously used in hydrogenation and oxidation catalysis. Modeling of the contact line of the silica precursor infiltrating into the assembled raspberry colloids suggests that a large part of the particles must be embedded into silica, which is confirmed by quantitative visualization of >200 individual NPs by dual‐axis electron tomography. The RCT catalysts have a unique structure in which all NPs reside at the pore wall but have >50% of their surface embedded in the matrix, giving rise to the strongly enhanced thermal and mechanical stability. Importantly, epitaxial overgrowth of Ag on the supported NPs reveals that not only the NP surface exposed to the pore but the embedded interface as well remained chemically accessible. This mechanistic understanding provides valuable guidance in the design of stable catalytic materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A measure of active interfaces in supported catalysts for high-temperature reactions

Formulating knowledge of structure-function relationships in heterogeneous catalysis is central to the design of efficient catalysts; yet, the elucidation of dominant reaction sites has remained as a challenge. Here, in this paper, we present a methodology that can be used to visualize metal-gas and metal-oxide-gas interfaces in three dimensions and to quantify their catalytic activity levels. As a case study, CH 4 oxidation occurring in a Pt/CeO 2 system is chosen. By employing thermally robust Pt@CeO 2 model catalysts with size-tunable and monodisperse cores, and gas-permeable shells, we reconstruct a series of structures in 3D via electron tomography and match the information to activity data and theoretical calculations. This strategy reveals that two different interfaces catalyze the CH 4 oxidation and that their contribution to the overall rate changes with the Pt size, temperature, and gas atmosphere. Our results provide an analytic platform on which to explore reaction pathways and mechanisms applicable to multiple reactions and materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Real-time visualization of particle evolution during reactive flux-assisted processing of aluminum melts

Here, a multi-modal, multi-scale correlative tomography investigation of Al-TiC metal matrix composites processed via flux-assisted reaction synthesis is reported. Synchrotron X-ray microradiography is utilized to visualize the reaction and particle evolution in real-time. Changes in particle diameter and areal number density suggest that the process is nucleation- rather than growth-dominated. At 950 °C, the bulk of the reaction takes place in a relatively short time span of less than 600 s. The microstructure is imaged at higher resolution in 2D (scanning electron microscopy) and 3D (synchrotron X-ray nanotomography), revealing the formation of carbide particles with a hexagonal platelet morphology. We propose that the morphology arises due to the incorporation of Si impurities during the experiment. It is expected that the correlative tomography workflow and analysis may guide future metal matrix composite (MMC) processing strategies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Three-dimensional X-ray diffraction imaging of dislocations in polycrystalline metals under tensile loading

Abstract The nucleation and propagation of dislocations is an ubiquitous process that accompanies the plastic deformation of materials. Consequently, following the first visualization of dislocations over 50 years ago with the advent of the first transmission electron microscopes, significant effort has been invested in tailoring material response through defect engineering and control. To accomplish this more effectively, the ability to identify and characterize defect structure and strain following external stimulus is vital. Here, using X-ray Bragg coherent diffraction imaging, we describe the first direct 3D X-ray imaging of the strain field surrounding a line defect within a grain of free-standing nanocrystalline material following tensile loading. By integrating the observed 3D structure into an atomistic model, we show that the measured strain field corresponds to a screw dislocation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Semi-Automated Neuron Boundary Detection and Nonbranching Process Segmentation in Electron Microscopy Images

Neuroscientists are developing new imaging techniques and generating large volumes of data in an effort to understand the complex structure of the nervous system. The complexity and size of this data makes human interpretation a labor-intensive task. To aid in the analysis, new segmentation techniques for identifying neurons in these feature rich datasets are required. This paper presents a method for neuron boundary detection and nonbranching process segmentation in electron microscopy images and visualizing them in three dimensions. It combines both automated segmentation techniques with a graphical user interface for correction of mistakes in the automated process. The automated process first uses machine learning and image processing techniques to identify neuron membranes that deliniate the cells in each two-dimensional section. To segment nonbranching processes, the cell regions in each two-dimensional section are connected in 3D using correlation of regions between sections. The combination of this method with a graphical user interface specially designed for this purpose, enables users to quickly segment cellular processes in large volumes.

Connectomics↗

SU-E-T-141: Automated Dose Point Placement for Cervical Cancer Brachytherapy Using Tandem and Ovoid Applicators

Purpose: To develop a standalone application, which automatically and consistently calculates the coordinates of points A and H based solely on the implanted applicator geometry for cervical cancer HDR brachytherapy. Methods: Manchester point A and ABS point H are both located 2cm lateral from the central tandem plane. While both points are located 2cm above the cervical os, surrogates for the os differ. Point A is defined relative to the anatomical cervical os. Point H is defined relative to the intersection of the tandem with the superior aspects of the ovoids. The application takes an input text file generated by the treatment planning system (TPS, BrachyVision, Varian) that specifies the source geometries. It then outputs the 3D coordinates of points A and H in both the left and right directions. The algorithm was implemented and tested on 34 CT scans of 7 patients treated with HDR brachytherapy delivered using tandem and ovoids. A single experienced user retrospectively and manually placed points A and H on the CT scans, whose coordinates were used as the gold standard for the comparison to the automatically calculated points. Results: The automatically calculated coordinates of points A and H agree within 0.7mm with the gold standard. The averages and standard deviations of the 3D coordinate difference between points placed by the two methods are 0.3±0.1 and 0.4±0.1mm for points A and H, respectively. The maximum difference in 3D magnitude is 0.7mm. Conclusion: The algorithm consistently calculates dose point coordinates independently of the planner for cervical cancer brachytherapy treated with tandem and ovoids. Automated point placement based on the geometry of the implanted applicators agrees in sub-millimeter with careful manual placements by an experienced user. This algorithm expedites the planning process and eliminates dependencies on either user input or TPS visualization tools.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

WE-AB-207A-12: HLCC Based Quantitative Evaluation Method of Image Artifact in Dental CBCT

Purpose: Image artifacts are usually evaluated qualitatively via visual observation of the reconstructed images, which is susceptible to subjective factors due to the lack of an objective evaluation criterion. In this work, we propose a Helgason-Ludwig consistency condition (HLCC) based evaluation method to quantify the severity level of different image artifacts in dental CBCT. Methods: Our evaluation method consists of four step: 1) Acquire Cone beam CT(CBCT) projection; 2) Convert 3D CBCT projection to fan-beam projection by extracting its central plane projection; 3) Convert fan-beam projection to parallel-beam projection utilizing sinogram-based rebinning algorithm or detail-based rebinning algorithm; 4) Obtain HLCC profile by integrating parallel-beam projection per view and calculate wave percentage and variance of the HLCC profile, which can be used to describe the severity level of image artifacts. Results: Several sets of dental CBCT projections containing only one type of artifact (i.e. geometry, scatter, beam hardening, lag and noise artifact), were simulated using gDRR, a GPU tool developed for efficient, accurate, and realistic simulation of CBCT Projections. These simulated CBCT projections were used to test our proposed method. HLCC profile wave percentage and variance induced by geometry distortion are about 3∼21 times and 16∼393 times as large as that of the artifact-free projection, respectively. The increase factor of wave percentage and variance are 6 and133 times for beam hardening, 19 and 1184 times for scatter, and 4 and16 times for lag artifacts, respectively. In contrast, for noisy projection the wave percentage, variance and inconsistency level are almost the same with those of the noise-free one. Conclusion: We have proposed a quantitative evaluation method of image artifact based on HLCC theory. According to our simulation results, the severity of different artifact types is found to be in a following order: Scatter>Geometry>Beam hardening>Lag>Noise>Artifact-free in dental CBCT.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

On the evolution of vortex rings with swirl

A laminar vortex ring with swirl, which has the meridional velocity component inside the vortex core, was experimentally generated by the brief fluid ejection from a rotating outlet. The evolution of the vortex ring was investigated with flow visualizations and particle image velocimetry measurements in order to find the influence of swirling flow in particular upon the transition to turbulence. Immediately after the formation of a vortex ring with swirl, a columnar strong vortex along the symmetric axis is observed in all cases of the present experiment. Then the characteristic fluid discharging from a vortex ring with swirl referred to as “peeling off” appears. The amount of discharging fluid due to the “peeling off” increases with the angular velocity of the rotating outlet. We conjectured that the mechanism generating the “peeling off” is related to the columnar strong vortex by close observations of the spatio-temporal development of the vorticity distribution and the cutting 3D images constructed from the successive cross sections of a vortex ring. While a laminar vortex ring without swirl may develop azimuthal waves around its circumference at some later time and the ring structure subsequently breaks, the swirling flow in a vortex ring core reduces the amplification rate of the azimuthal wavy deformation and preserved its ring structure. Then the traveling distance of a vortex ring can be extended using the swirl flow under certain conditions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Metrology and Failure Analysis for 3D IC Integration

At the same time as research in 3D TSV technology is advancing quickly, the analytical techniques used in the evaluation of 3D stacks must also advance in capability. Microscopy techniques for which silicon is opaque such as scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) and confocal infrared (IR) microscopy are capable of inspecting the interface between bonded wafer pairs, while high resolution X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is used to detect voids in TSVs. With nano-XCT, voids in copper TSVs with sub-100 nm size can be visualized. For more detailed failure characterization, a target Focused Ion Beam (FIB) cross-section through the localized region of interest (defect) and subsequent scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging is proposed. Currently, the most important requirement is to reduce the so-called time-to-data, e. g. for defect localization using nano-XCT and for cross-section characterization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Three-dimensional visualization and characterization of bone structure using reconstructed in-vitro μCT images: A pilot study for bone microarchitecture analysis

Micro Computed Tomography (μCT) has been largely used to perform micrometer scale imaging of specimens, bone biopsies and small animals for the study of porous or cavity-containing objects. One of its favored applications is for assessing structural properties of bone. In this research, we perform a pilot study to visualize and characterize bone structure of a chicken bone thigh, as well as to delineate its cortical and trabecular bone regions. We utilize an In-Vitro μCT scanner Skyscan 1173 to acquire a three dimensional image data of a chicken bone thigh. The thigh was scanned using X-ray voltage of 45 kV and current of 150 μA. The reconstructed images have spatial resolution of 142.50 μm/pixel. Using image processing and analysis e.i segmentation by thresholding the gray values (which represent the pseudo density) and binarizing the images, we were able to visualize each part of the bone, i.e., the cortical and trabecular regions. Total volume of the bone is 4663.63 mm{sup 3}, and the surface area of the bone is 7913.42 mm{sup 2}. The volume of the cortical is approximately 1988.62 mm{sup 3} which is nearly 42.64% of the total bone volume. This pilot study has confirmed that the μCT is capable of quantifying 3D bone structural properties and defining its regions separately. For further development, these results can be improved for understanding the pathophysiology of bone abnormality, testing the efficacy of pharmaceutical intervention, or estimating bone biomechanical properties.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Direct visualization of polaron formation in the thermoelectric SnSe

SnSe is a layered material that currently holds the record for bulk thermoelectric efficiency. The primary determinant of this high efficiency is thought to be the anomalously low thermal conductivity resulting from strong anharmonic coupling within the phonon system. Here we show that the nature of the carrier system in SnSe is also determined by strong coupling to phonons by directly visualizing polaron formation in the material. We employ ultrafast electron diffraction and diffuse scattering to track the response of phonons in both momentum and time to the photodoping of free carriers across the bandgap, observing the bimodal and anisotropic lattice distortions that drive carrier localization. Relatively large (18.7 Å), quasi-one-dimensional (1D) polarons are formed on the 300-fs timescale with smaller (4.2 Å) 3D polarons taking an order of magnitude longer (4 ps) to form. This difference appears to be a consequence of the profoundly anisotropic electron–phonon coupling in SnSe, with strong Fröhlich coupling only to zone-center polar optical phonons. These results demonstrate a high density of polarons in SnSe at optimal doping levels. Strong electron-phonon coupling is critical to the thermoelectric performance of this benchmark material and, potentially, high performance thermoelectrics more generally.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

WE-D-BRE-07: Variance-Based Sensitivity Analysis to Quantify the Impact of Biological Uncertainties in Particle Therapy

Purpose: In particle therapy, treatment planning and evaluation are frequently based on biological models to estimate the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) or the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2). In the context of the linear-quadratic model, these quantities depend on biological parameters (α, β) for ions as well as for the reference radiation and on the dose per fraction. The needed biological parameters as well as their dependency on ion species and ion energy typically are subject to large (relative) uncertainties of up to 20–40% or even more. Therefore it is necessary to estimate the resulting uncertainties in e.g. RBE or EQD2 caused by the uncertainties of the relevant input parameters. Methods: We use a variance-based sensitivity analysis (SA) approach, in which uncertainties in input parameters are modeled by random number distributions. The evaluated function is executed 10{sup 4} to 10{sup 6} times, each run with a different set of input parameters, randomly varied according to their assigned distribution. The sensitivity S is a variance-based ranking (from S = 0, no impact, to S = 1, only influential part) of the impact of input uncertainties. The SA approach is implemented for carbon ion treatment plans on 3D patient data, providing information about variations (and their origin) in RBE and EQD2. Results: The quantification enables 3D sensitivity maps, showing dependencies of RBE and EQD2 on different input uncertainties. The high number of runs allows displaying the interplay between different input uncertainties. The SA identifies input parameter combinations which result in extreme deviations of the result and the input parameter for which an uncertainty reduction is the most rewarding. Conclusion: The presented variance-based SA provides advantageous properties in terms of visualization and quantification of (biological) uncertainties and their impact. The method is very flexible, model independent, and enables a broad assessment of uncertainties. Supported by DFG grant WI 3745/1-1 and DFG cluster of excellence: Munich-Centre for Advanced Photonics.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Visual feedback and guided balance training in an immersive virtual reality environment for lower extremity rehabilitation

Balance training is essential for physical rehabilitation procedures, as it can improve functional mobility and enhance cognitive coordination. However, conventional balance training methods may have limitations in terms of motivation, real-time objective feedback, and personalization, which a virtual reality (VR) setup may provide a better alternative. In this work, we present an immersive VR training environment for lower extremity balance rehabilitation with real-time guidance and feedback. The VR training environment immerses the user in a 3D ice rink model where a virtual coach (agent) leads them through a series of balance poses, and the user controls a trainee avatar with their own movements. Here we developed two coaching styles: positive-reinforcement and autonomous-supportive, and two viewpoints of the trainee avatar: first-person and third-person. The proposed environment was evaluated in a user study with healthy, non-clinical participants (n = 16, 24.4 ± 5.7 years old, 9 females). Our results show that participants showed stronger performance in the positive-reinforcement style compared to the autonomous-supportive style. Additionally, in the third-person viewpoint, the participants exhibited more stability in the positive-reinforcement style compared to the autonomous-supportive style. For viewpoint, participants exhibited stronger performance in the first-person viewpoint compared to third-person in the autonomous-supportive style, while they were comparable in the positive-reinforcement style. We observed no significant effects on the foot height and number of mistakes. Furthermore, we report the analysis of user performance with balance training poses and subjective measures based on questionnaires to assess the user experience, usability, and task load. The proposed VR balance training could offer an interactive, adaptive, and engaging environment and open new potential research directions for lower extremity rehabilitation.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Machine-Learning-based Algorithms for Automated Image Segmentation Techniques of Transmission X-ray Microscopy (TXM)

Four state-of-the-art Deep Learning-based Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNN) were applied to automate the semantic segmentation of a 3D Transmission x-ray Microscopy (TXM) nanotomography image data. The standard U-Net architecture as baseline along with UNet++, PSPNet, and DeepLab v3+ networks were trained to segment the microstructural features of an AA7075 micropillar. A workflow was established to evaluate and compare the DCNN prediction dataset with the manually segmented features using the Intersection of Union (IoU) scores, time of training, confusion matrix, and visual assessment. Comparing all model segmentation accuracy metrics, it was found that using pre-trained models as a backbone along with appropriate training encoder-decoder architecture of the Unet++ can robustly handle large volumes of x-ray radiographic images in a reasonable amount of time. This opens a new window for handling accurate and efficient image segmentation of in situ time-dependent 4D x-ray microscopy experimental datasets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Experimental study of crystallization fouling by calcium carbonate: Effects of surface structure and material

We report mitigation of crystallization fouling on heat transfer surface is crucial for developing highly efficient desalination techniques, because the tenacious and porous crystal layer can drastically deteriorate system efficiency. Surface modification is a potential approach to decrease scale formation and promote crystal removal, but some of the mechanisms between crystallization and substrate properties are still not fully understood. In this study, we use dual-angle microscopic visualization and image processing to quantify three-dimensional crystallization behavior and analyze the impact of surface structure and material. The transition of crystal size and distance with roughness and wettability are identified from statistical analysis. The determination of crystal porosity and effective thermal conductivity is enabled by visualized geometry and measured deposition mass. This study shed lights on potential strategies of surface modification to mitigate scaling in desalination by enhancing scale removal and localizing crystal growth.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗