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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 1,153 records · Page 64
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

NRG Oncology Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0822: A Phase 2 Study of Preoperative Chemoradiation Therapy Using Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Combination With Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin for Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the rate of gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity of neoadjuvant chemoradiation with capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in cT3-4 rectal cancer. Methods and Materials: Patients with localized, nonmetastatic T3 or T4 rectal cancer <12 cm from the anal verge were enrolled in a prospective, multi-institutional, single-arm study of preoperative chemoradiation. Patients received 45 Gy with IMRT in 25 fractions, followed by a 3-dimensional conformal boost of 5.4 Gy in 3 fractions with concurrent capecitabine/oxaliplatin (CAPOX). Surgery was performed 4 to 8 weeks after the completion of therapy. Patients were recommended to receive FOLFOX chemotherapy after surgery. The primary endpoint of the study was acute grade 2 to 5 GI toxicity. Seventy-one patients provided 80% probability to detect at least a 12% reduction in the specified GI toxicity with the treatment of CAPOX and IMRT, at a significance level of .10 (1-sided). Results: Seventy-nine patients were accrued, of whom 68 were evaluable. Sixty-one patients (89.7%) had cT3 disease, and 37 (54.4%) had cN (+) disease. Postoperative chemotherapy was given to 42 of 68 patients. Fifty-eight patients had target contours drawn per protocol, 5 patients with acceptable variation, and 5 patients with unacceptable variations. Thirty-five patients (51.5%) experienced grade ≥2 GI toxicity, 12 patients (17.6%) experienced grade 3 or 4 diarrhea, and pCR was achieved in 10 patients (14.7%). With a median follow-up time of 3.98 years, the 4-year rate of locoregional failure was 7.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0%-13.7%). The 4-year rates of OS and DFS were 82.9% (95% CI: 70.1%-90.6%) and 60.6% (95% CI: 47.5%-71.4%), respectively. Conclusion: The use of IMRT in neoadjuvant chemoradiation for rectal cancer did not reduce the rate of GI toxicity.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Summary of ongoing clinical protocols for proton and heavier-ion therapy

Since 1954 when the very first patient was treated at LBNL with heavy-charged particles, some 84,000 patients in total have now been treated with protons, and another 13,000 patients have been treated with carbon and other heavier ions. During the first several decades of this endeavor, particle therapy was accessible only at a small number of programs. More recently, however, this therapy has become available at a rapidly increasing number of facilities worldwide. This expansion of the discipline has led to the development of many more clinical trials, designed to optimize particle-beam therapy and to compare the results achieved with those resulting from other treatment methods. Presently, more than 50 clinical protocols worldwide are actively involved in the effort to improve our understanding of these clinical guidelines. The purpose of this brief review is to offer a broad overview of these protocols, highlighting the specific disease categories that are now being studied using proton and/or heavier-ion therapy, and how the parameters of dose-escalation, beam conformity, and RBE modeling are being evaluated for various disease sites and stages.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reinforcement expectation in the honeybee ( Apis mellifera ): Can downshifts in reinforcement show conditioned inhibition?

When animals learn the association of a conditioned stimulus (CS) with an unconditioned stimulus (US), later presentation of the CS invokes a representation of the US. When the expected US fails to occur, theoretical accounts predict that conditioned inhibition can accrue to any other stimuli that are associated with this change in the US. Empirical work with mammals has confirmed the existence of conditioned inhibition. But the way it is manifested, the conditions that produce it, and determining whether it is the opposite of excitatory conditioning are important considerations. Invertebrates can make valuable contributions to this literature because of the well-established conditioning protocols and access to the central nervous system (CNS) for studying neural underpinnings of behavior. Nevertheless, although conditioned inhibition has been reported, it has yet to be thoroughly investigated in invertebrates. Here, we evaluate the role of the US in producing conditioned inhibition by using proboscis extension response conditioning of the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Specifically, using variations of a “feature-negative” experimental design, we use downshifts in US intensity relative to US intensity used during initial excitatory conditioning to show that an odorant in an odor–odor mixture can become a conditioned inhibitor. We argue that some alternative interpretations to conditioned inhibition are unlikely. However, we show variation across individuals in how strongly they show conditioned inhibition, with some individuals possibly revealing a different means of learning about changes in reinforcement. We discuss how the resolution of these differences is needed to fully understand whether and how conditioned inhibition is manifested in the honeybee, and whether it can be extended to investigate how it is encoded in the CNS. It is also important for extension to other insect models. In particular, work like this will be important as more is revealed of the complexity of the insect brain from connectome projects.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2010

Fundamental quantitative security in quantum key generation

We analyze the fundamental security significance of the quantitative criteria on the final generated key K in quantum key generation including the quantum criterion d, the attacker's mutual information on K, and the statistical distance between her distribution on K and the uniform distribution. For operational significance a criterion has to produce a guarantee on the attacker's probability of correctly estimating some portions of K from her measurement, in particular her maximum probability of identifying the whole K. We distinguish between the raw security of K when the attacker just gets at K before it is used in a cryptographic context and its composition security when the attacker may gain further information during its actual use to help get at K. We compare both of these securities of K to those obtainable from conventional key expansion with a symmetric key cipher. It is pointed out that a common belief in the superior security of a quantum generated K is based on an incorrect interpretation of d which cannot be true, and the security significance of d is uncertain. Generally, the quantum key distribution key K has no composition security guarantee and its raw security guarantee from concrete protocols is worse than that of conventional ciphers. Furthermore, for both raw and composition security there is an exponential catch-up problem that would make it difficult to quantitatively improve the security of K in a realistic protocol. Some possible ways to deal with the situation are suggested.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Momentum-resolved analysis of condensate dynamic and Higgs oscillations in quenched superconductors with time-resolved ARPES

Higgs oscillations in nonequilibrium superconductors provide a unique tool to obtain information about the underlying order parameter. Several properties like the absolute value, existence of multiple gaps, and the symmetry of the order parameter can be encoded in the Higgs oscillation spectrum. Studying Higgs oscillations with time-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has the advantage over optical measurements that a momentum-resolved analysis of the condensate dynamic is possible. In this paper, we investigate the time-resolved spectral function measured in ARPES for different quench protocols. We find that analyzing amplitude oscillations of the ARPES intensity in the whole Brillouin zone allows to understand how the condensate dynamic contributes to the emerging of collective Higgs oscillations. Furthermore, by evaluating the phase of these oscillations, the symmetry deformation dynamic of the condensate can be revealed, which gives insight about the ground state symmetry of the system. With such an analysis, time-resolved ARPES experiments might be used in the future as a powerful tool in the field of Higgs spectroscopy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-E-I-19: CTDI Values for All Protocols: Using the Ratio of the DLP Measured in CTDI Phantoms to the Measured Air Exposure

Purpose: To propose a method other than CTDI phantom measurements for routine CT dosimetry QA. This consists of taking a series of air exposure measurements and calculating a factor for converting from this exposure measurement to the protocol's associated head or body CTDI value using DLP. The data presented are the ratios of phantom DLP to air exposure ratios for different scanners, as well as error in the displayed CTDI. Methods: For each scanner, the CTDI is measured at all available tube voltages using both the head and body phantoms. Then, the exposure is measured using a pencil chamber in air at isocenter. A ratio of phantom DLP to exposure in air for a given protocol may be calculated and used for converting a simple air dose measurement to a head or body CTDI value. For our routine QA, the exposure in air for different collimations, mAs, and kVp is measured, and displayed CTDI is recorded. Therefore, the ratio calculated may convert these exposures to CTDI values that may then be compared to the displayed CTDI for a large range of acquisition parameter combinations. Results: It was found that all scanners tend to have a ratio factor that slightly increases with kVp. Also, Philips scanners appear to have less of a dependence on kVp; whereas, GE scanners have a lower ratio at lower kVp. The use of air exposure times the DLP conversion yielded CTDI values that were less than 10% different from the displayed CTDI on several scanners. Conclusion: This method may be used as a primary method for CT dosimetry QA. As a result of the ease of measurement, a dosimetry metric specific to that scanner may be calculated for a wide variety of CT protocols, which could also be used to monitor display CTDI value accuracy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

TH-C-12A-07: Implementation of a Pulsed Low Dose Date Radiotherapy (PLRT) Protocol for Recurrent Cancers Using Advanced Beam Delivery

Purpose: Recent in vitro and in vivo experimental findings provided strong evidence that pulsed low-dose-rate radiotherapy (PLDR) produced equivalent tumor control as conventional radiotherapy with significantly reduced normal tissue toxicities. This work aimed to implement a PLDR clinical protocol for the management of recurrent cancers utilizing IMRT and VMAT. Methods: Our PLDR protocol requires that the daily 2Gy dose be delivered in 0.2Gy×10 pulses with a 3min interval between the pulses. To take advantage of low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity the mean dose to the target is set at 0.2Gy and the maximum dose is limited to 0.4Gy per pulse. Practical planning strategies were developed for IMRT and VMAT: (1) set 10 ports for IMRT and 10 arcs for VMAT with each angle/arc as a pulse; (2) set the mean dose (0.2Gy) and maximum dose (0.4Gy) to the target per pulse as hard constraints (no constraints to OARs); (3) select optimal port/arc angles to avoid OARs; and (4) use reference structures in or around target/OARs to reduce maximum dose to the target/OARs. IMRT, VMAT and 3DCRT plans were generated for 60 H and N, breast, lung, pancreas and prostate patients and compared. Results: All PLDR treatment plans using IMRT and VMAT met the dosimetry requirements of the PLDR protocol (mean target dose: 0.20Gy±0.01Gy; maximum target dose < 0.4Gy). In comparison with 3DCRT, IMRT and VMAT exhibited improved target dose conformity and OAR dose sparing. A single arc can minimize the difference in the target dose due to multi-angle incidence although the delivery time is longer than 3DCRT and IMRT. Conclusion: IMRT and VMAT are better modalities for PLDR treatment of recurrent cancers with superior target dose conformity and critical structure sparing. The planning strategies/guidelines developed in this work are practical for IMRT/VMAT treatment planning to meet the dosimetry requirements of the PLDR protocol.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multilayer Electrodes with Metalized Polymer Current Collector for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries with Extreme-Fast-Charging Capability

The pursuit of batteries capable of extreme fast charging (XFC), that also satisfy high energy and safety criteria, poses a significant challenge to current lithium-ion battery technologies. Additionally, the increasing demand for aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) in electrification, and vehicle light weighting is driving these metals towards near-critical status in the medium term. This study introduced metalized polymer films by depositing an Al or Cu thin layer onto two sides of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film – named mPET/Al and mPET/Cu, as lightweight, cost-effective alternatives to traditional metal current collectors in LIBs. We have utilized current collectors that significantly reduce weight (by 73%), thickness (by 33%), and cost (by 85%) compared to traditional metal foil counterparts. We conducted an extensive evaluation of their mechanical and electrical properties, including in-plane and through-plane resistivities, affirming their suitability for the roll-to-roll battery manufacturing process. Additionally, a novel XFC testing protocol was employed to thoroughly assess the cells' (both half and full-cell) performance across various C-rates and under long-term tests. These advancements have the potential to enhance energy density to 280 Wh/kg at the electrode level under 10-minute charging at 6C. Through testing, including a novel XFC protocol across various C-rates and long-term cycling (up to 1000 cycles) in different cell configurations, we have demonstrated the superior performance of these metalized polymer films. Notably, mPET/Cu and mPET/Al foils exhibited comparable capacities to conventional cells under XFC, with the mPET cells showing a 27% improvement in energy density at 6C and maintaining significant energy density after 1000 cycles. This study underscored the potential of mPET foils to revolutionize the roll-to-roll battery manufacturing process and significantly advance the performance metrics of LIBs in EV applications. Moreover, our results suggest that there is potential to enhance the performance of mPET foils, especially mPET/Al, by optimizing the manufacturing process to achieve higher conductivity.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
NASA NTRS1984

Data management

The following tasks were prioritized: software acquisition management plan; space station flight data system architectural study; space station user data system interface; automation of software development process; automation of software testing; distributed data base management; ADA (automated data acquisition) evaluation and transition and planning; network operating system software; fault tolerant computer validation methodology for onboard data management system; systems integration; artificial intelligence/expert systems; space station data network concept; space station standard interface protocols; space station data networks systems; integrated software development facility; and language trade studies.

Love, G.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Effects of the 8 psia / 32% O2 Atmosphere on the Human in the Spaceflight Environment

Extravehicular activity (EVA) is at the core of a manned space exploration program. There are elements of exploration that may be safely and effectively performed by robots, but there are critical elements of exploration that will require the trained, assertive, and reasoning mind of a human crewmember. To effectively use these skills, NASA needs a safe, effective, and efficient EVA component integrated into the human exploration program. The EVA preparation time should be minimized and the suit pressure should be low to accommodate EVA tasks without undue fatigue, physical discomfort, or suit-related trauma. Commissioned in 2005, the Exploration Atmospheres Working Group (EAWG) had the primary goal of recommending to NASA an internal environment that allowed efficient and repetitive EVAs for missions that were to be enabled by the former Constellation Program. At the conclusion of the EAWG meeting, the 8.0 psia and 32% oxygen (O2) environment were recommended for EVA intensive phases of missions. As a result of selecting this internal environment, NASA gains the capability for efficient EVA with low risk of decompression sickness (DCS), but not without incurring additional negative stimulus of hypobaric hypoxia to the already physiologically challenging spaceflight environment. This paper provides a literature review of the human health and performance risks associated with the 8 psia/32% O2 environment. Of most concern are the potential effects on the central nervous system including increased intracranial pressure, visual impairment, sensorimotor dysfunction, and oxidative damage. Other areas of focus include validation of the DCS mitigation strategy, incidence and treatment of acute mountain sickness (AMS), development of new exercise countermeasures protocols, effective food preparation at 8 psia, assurance of quality sleep, and prevention of suit-induced injury. As a first effort, the trade space originally considered in the EAWG was re-evaluated looking for ways to decrease the hypoxic dose by further enriching the O2% or increasing the pressure. After discussion with the NASA engineering and materials community, it was determined that the O2 could be enriched from 32% to 34% and the pressure increased from 8.0 to 8.2 psia without significant penalty. These two small changes increase alveolar O2 pressure by 11 mmHg, which is expected to significantly benefit crewmembers. The 8.2/34 environment (inspired O2 pressure = 128 mmHg) is also physiologically equivalent to the staged decompression atmosphere of 10.2 psia / 26.5% O2 (inspired O2 pressure = 127 mmHg) used on 34 different shuttle missions for approximately a week each flight. Once decided, the proposed internal environment, if different than current experience, should be evaluated through appropriately simulated research studies. In many cases, the human physiologic concerns can be investigated effectively through integrated multi-discipline ground-based studies. Although missions proposing to use an 8.2/34 environment are still years away, it is recommended that these studies begin early enough to ensure that the correct decisions pertaining to vehicle design, mission operational concepts, and human health countermeasures are appropriately informed.

Environmental control↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Countermeasures for Mitigation of Sensorimotor Decrements Following Head-Down Bed Rest

BACKGROUND Astronauts experience postflight disturbances in postural and locomotor control due to sensorimotor adaptations during spaceflight. These alterations may have adverse consequences if a rapid egress is required after landing. Although exercise is partially effective for mitigating cardiovascular and muscular deconditioning, additional countermeasures are needed to further preserve sensorimotor function for exploration missions. We have identified proprioceptive training and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) as promising in-flight countermeasures. Since prolonged head down bed rest (HDBR) is a spaceflight analog for body unloading and causes postural and locomotor control decrements that parallel those observed after spaceflight, it can be used to facilitate the development of these countermeasures. METHODS This study will determine the effects of proprioceptive training and EMS on functional task performance and sensorimotor function following 60 days of 6° HDBR. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1)an EMS arm, 2) a proprioceptive training arm, 3) an exercise plus proprioceptive training arm, and 4) a control arm. The EMS countermeasure will include daily bilateral stimulation of selected bilateral lower extremity muscles (30 minutes per session). Proprioceptive training will be performed three days per week (20 minutes per session) consisting of body-loaded postural tasks in the horizontal position on an air bearing sled. Exercise training will mimic current protocols used on the International Space Station, but treadmill aerobic exercise will be replaced with additional cycling aerobic exercise. Primary outcome measures will include pre and post HDBR functional tests that are representative of high priority exploration mission tasks and require high demand for dynamic control of postural stability. Additional measures will be used to identify the key physiological factors contributing to countermeasure benefits. Given the constrained samples size, a Bayesian modelling approach will be used to quantify the probability that there is an effect of a given magnitude. HARDWARE AND PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT Proprioceptive countermeasure design enhancements continued as part of the Mars Campaign Office (MCO) Crew Health and Performance (CHP) Crew Health Countermeasures (CHC). The primary goals of this work were to assemble a portable version of the countermeasure system that can be used at the :envihab facility, expand the software feedback system’s capabilities, and develop an actuator loading system that mimics what could be used on the International Space Station. In addition, one major piece of exercise hardware used in previous HDBR studies, the Horizontal Squat Device, was reassembled and restored to full functionality. Human-in-the-loop pilot testing is ongoing, prior to shipping both devices to the :envihab HDBR facility. Evaluations are also underway for the best EMS device technologies and specific methods. Finally, assessment techniques are being translated for administration in the horizontal position (e.g., leg dexterity and foot sole skin sensitivity). Our current goals are to refine the countermeasure training and assessment techniques and integrate protocols across multiple modalities. RELEVANCE The deliverable from this project will be proof-of-concept sensorimotor countermeasure designs for functional task performance with full assessment of efficacy in a spaceflight analog. If one or more countermeasures are effective, they will be translated for validation with the suite of operationally implemented in-flight countermeasures. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work is supported by NASA’s Human Research Program Human Health Countermeasures Element and by the Canadian Space Agency (L. Bent).

T R Macaulay↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-J-222: Using PET Imaging to Evaluate Proliferation and Blood Flow in Irradiated and Non-Irradiated Bone Marrow 1 Year After Chemoradiation Therapy

Purpose: To compare proliferation and blood flow in pelvic and thoracic bone marrow 1 year after pelvic chemoradiation. Methods: Sixteen pelvic cancer patients were enrolled in an IRB-approved protocol to acquire FLT PET images during radiation therapy simulation (baseline) and 1 year after chemoradiation therapy. Three subjects also had optional O-15 water PET images acquired 1 year after chemoradiation therapy. Baseline FLT PET images were used to create IMRT plans to spare pelvic bone marrow identified as regions with FLT SUV ≥ 2 without compromising PTV coverage or OAR sparing. Marrow VOIs were defined using a 50% maximum pixel value threshold on baseline FLT PET images (VIEW, PMOD version 3.5) in the sacrum and thoracic spine representing irradiated and non-irradiated regions, respectively. FLT PET and O-15 water PET images acquired 1 year after therapy were co-registered to baseline images (FUSION PMOD) and the same VOIs were used to measure proliferation (FLT SUV) and blood flow (O-15 water uptake). Separate image-based input functions were used for blood flow quantitation in each VOI. Results: Mean 1 year FLT SUV in sacral and thoracic VOIs for were 1.1 ± 0.4 and 6.5 ± 1.7, respectively for N = 16 subjects and were 1.2 ± 0.2 and 5.6 ± 1.6, respectively for N = 3 subjects who also underwent O-15 water imaging. Blood flow measures in equivalent sacral and thoracic marrow regions (N = 3) were 21.3 ± 8.7 and 18.3 ± 4.9 mL/min/100mL respectively. Conclusion: Decreased bone marrow proliferation measured by FLT SUV does not appear to correspond to decreased blood flow as measured by O-15 water PET imaging. Based on this small sample at a single time point, reduced blood supply does not explain reductions in bone marrow proliferative activity 1 year after chemoradiation therapy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2010

Quantifying non-Gaussianity for quantum information

We address the quantification of non-Gaussianity (nG) of states and operations in continuous-variable systems and its use in quantum information. We start by illustrating in detail the properties and the relationships of two recently proposed measures of nG based on the Hilbert-Schmidt distance and the quantum relative entropy (QRE) between the state under examination and a reference Gaussian state. We then evaluate the non-Gaussianities of several families of non-Gaussian quantum states and show that the two measures have the same basic properties and also share the same qualitative behavior in most of the examples taken into account. However, we also show that they introduce a different relation of order; that is, they are not strictly monotone to each other. We exploit the nG measures for states in order to introduce a measure of nG for quantum operations, to assess Gaussification and de-Gaussification protocols, and to investigate in detail the role played by nG in entanglement-distillation protocols. Besides, we exploit the QRE-based nG measure to provide different insight on the extremality of Gaussian states for some entropic quantities such as conditional entropy, mutual information, and the Holevo bound. We also deal with parameter estimation and present a theorem connecting the QRE nG to the quantum Fisher information. Finally, since evaluation of the QRE nG measure requires the knowledge of the full density matrix, we derive some experimentally friendly lower bounds to nG for some classes of states and by considering the possibility of performing on the states only certain efficient or inefficient measurements.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Water Adsorption and Dissociation on Polycrystalline Copper Oxides: Effects of Environmental Contamination and Experimental Protocol

We use ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS) to study chemical changes, including hydroxylation and water adsorption, at copper oxide surfaces from ultrahigh vacuum to ambient relative humidities of ~5%. Polycrystalline CuO and Cu 2 O surfaces were prepared by selective oxidation of metallic copper foils. For both oxides, hydroxylation occurs readily, even at high-vacuum conditions. Hydroxylation on both oxides plateaus near ~0.01% relative humidity (RH) at a coverage of ~1 monolayer. In contrast to previous studies, neither oxide shows significant accumulation of molecular water; rather, both surfaces show a high affinity for adventitious carbon contaminants. Results of isobaric and isothermic experiments are compared, and the strengths and potential drawbacks of each method are discussed. We also provide critical evaluations of the effects of the hot filament of the ion pressure gauge on the reactivity of gas-phase species, the peak fitting procedure on the quantitative analysis of spectra, and rigorous accounting of carbon contamination on data analysis and interpretation. Lastly, this work underscores the importance of considering experimental design and data analysis protocols during APXPS experiments with water vapor in order to minimize misinterpretations arising from these factors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Influence of cleaning process on the laser-induced damage threshold of substrates

The cleaning process of optical substrates plays an important role during the manufacture of high-power laser coatings. Two kinds of substrates, fused silica and BK7 glass, and two cleaning processes, called process 1 and process 2 having different surfactant solutions and different ultrasonic cleaning parameters, are adopted to compare the influence of the ultrasonic cleaning technique on the substrates. The evaluation standards of the cleaning results include contaminant-removal efficiency, weak absorption, and laser-induced damage threshold of the substrates. For both fused silica and BK7, process 2 is more efficient than process 1. Because acid and alkaline solutions can increase the roughness of BK7, process 2 is unsuitable for BK7 glass cleaning. The parameters of the cleaning protocol should be changed depending on the material of the optical components and the type of contamination.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-J-38: Dose Rates and Preliminary Evaluation of Contouring Similarity Metrics Using 4D Cone Beam CT

Purpose: 4D imaging modalities require detailed characterization for clinical optimization. The On-Board Imager mounted on the linear accelerator was used to investigate dose rates in a tissue mimicking phantom using 4D-CBCT and assess variability of contouring similarity metrics between 4D-CT and 4D-CBCT retrospective reconstructions. Methods: A 125 kVp thoracic protocol was used. A phantom placed on a motion platform simulated a patient’s breathing cycle. An ion chamber was affixed inside the phantom’s tissue mimicking cavities (i.e. bone, lung, and soft tissue). A sinusoidal motion waveform was executed with a five second period and superior-inferior motion. Dose rates were measured at six ion chamber positions. A preliminary workflow for contouring similarity between 4D-CT and 4D-CBCT was established using a single lung SBRT patient’s historical data. Average intensity projection (Ave-IP) and maximum intensity projection (MIP) reconstructions generated offline were compared between the 4D modalities. Similarity metrics included Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Hausdorff distance, and center of mass (COM) deviation. Two isolated lesions were evaluated in the patient’s scans: one located in the right lower lobe (ITVRLL) and one located in the left lower lobe (ITVLLL). Results: Dose rates ranged from 2.30 (lung) to 5.18 (bone) E-3 cGy/mAs. For fixed acquisition parameters, cumulative dose is inversely proportional to gantry speed. For ITVRLL, DSC were 0.70 and 0.68, Hausdorff distances were 6.11 and 5.69 mm, and COM deviations were 1.24 and 4.77 mm, for Ave-IP and MIP respectively. For ITVLLL, DSC were 0.64 and 0.75, Hausdorff distances were 10.74 and 8.00 mm, and COM deviations were 7.55 and 4.3 mm, for Ave-IP and MIP respectively. Conclusion: While the dosimetric output of 4D-CBCT is low, characterization is necessary to assure clinical optimization. A basic workflow for comparison of simulation and treatment 4D image-based contours was established. This work was partially supported by a Research Scholar Grant (RSG-15-137-01-CCE) from the American Cancer Society.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Biological toxicity and environmental hazards associated with PLGA nanoparticles

There have been tremendous advances in nanotechnology. More recently, the use of nanoparticles has expanded to applications including materials, packaging, energy, and medical uses such as drug delivery, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) define nanoparticles as particles with at least one dimension measuring between 1 and 100 nm (2), but this view is generally too limited, and recommendations have been made to consider all materials with a dimension measuring under 1,000 nm as nanoparticles. The biomedical uses of nanoparticles are particularly promising because of their ability to reach and target various sites and organs. However, some nanoparticles can be composed of toxic materials or are limited by issues of biodistribution and bioaccumulation, which have hampered their use in biomedicine. The copolymer poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) has gained use in biomedical applications as a delivery system because it is considered biocompatible and can be formulated with controlled degradation in physiological environments. PLGA has a history in biomedicine that dates to the 1970s when biodegradable sutures were developed using PLGA. In addition, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicine Agency (EMA) have approved various PLGA particle formulations as therapeutic delivery vehicles. Interest in biocompatible materials to deliver a range of therapeutic drugs, proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecules has risen recently. In addition to drug delivery, sustained drug release can be achieved by tuning the physical properties of PLGA, such as the molecular weight, ratio of lactic to glycolic acid, drug concentration, stabilizing molecules, and particle size. Given the rise of nanoparticles, human and environmental exposure to them is inevitable as more applications use free, unbound, and highly mobile particles. Although PLGA is generally considered safe, a detailed understanding of how PLGA and the other components used to help formulate this copolymer into a nanoparticle delivery vehicle is useful for assessing potential harmful effects. Despite recent advances in PLGA nanoparticle formulations, residual stabilizing molecules, inconsistent preparations, and batch-to-batch variations can lead to toxicity. Poor preparations of PLGA can lead to common mechanisms of toxicity observed with nanoparticles, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Consistency in PLGA formulations and accurate methods to evaluate nanoparticle toxicity are needed to ensure safety. In order to better assess PLGA nanoparticles as non-toxic delivery systems, it is critical to understand their physical and chemical properties and the formulation protocols that may introduce toxic components into particles.

Biology, nanoparticle, toxicity↗
DOE OSTI2020

Scalable method for micro-CT analysis enables large scale quantitative characterization of brain lesions and implants

Anatomic evaluation is an important aspect of many studies in neuroscience; however, it often lacks information about the three-dimensional structure of the brain. Micro-CT imaging provides an excellent, nondestructive, method for the evaluation of brain structure, but current applications to neurophysiological or lesion studies require removal of the skull as well as hazardous chemicals, dehydration, or embedding, limiting their scalability and utility. Here we present a protocol using eosin in combination with bone decalcification to enhance contrast in the tissue and then employ monochromatic and propagation phase-contrast micro-CT imaging to enable the imaging of brain structure with the preservation of the surrounding skull. Instead of relying on descriptive, time-consuming, or subjective methods, we develop simple quantitative analyses to map the locations of recording electrodes and to characterize the presence and extent of hippocampal brain lesions.

3-D reconstruction↗