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Addressing the challenge of biomass feedstock variability that affects the optimization of processing and conversion processes, the project's goal is to maximize biorefinery economics by improving the process quality control of feedstock, which will lead to greater plant availability and predictable yields of high value biofuels and co-products.
Recent use of HDR has increased while planning has become more complex often necessitating 3D image-based planning. While many guidelines for the use of HDR exist, they have not kept pace with the increased complexity of 3D image-based planning. Furthermore, no comprehensive document exists to describe the wide variety of current HDR clinical indications. This educational session aims to summarize existing national and international guidelines for the safe implementation of an HDR program. A summary of HDR afterloaders available on the market and their existing applicators will be provided, with guidance on how to select the best fit for each institution’s needs. Finally, the use of checklists will be discussed as a means to implement a safe and efficient HDR program and as a method by which to verify the quality of an existing HDR program. This session will provide the perspective of expert HDR physicists as well as the perspective of a new HDR user. Learning Objectives: Summarize national and international safety and staffing guidelines for HDR implementation Discuss the process of afterloader and applicator selection for gynecologic, prostate, breast, interstitial, surface treatments Learn about the use of an audit checklist tool to measure of quality control of a new or existing HDR program Describe the evolving use of checklists within an HDR program.
Recent use of HDR has increased while planning has become more complex often necessitating 3D image-based planning. While many guidelines for the use of HDR exist, they have not kept pace with the increased complexity of 3D image-based planning. Furthermore, no comprehensive document exists to describe the wide variety of current HDR clinical indications. This educational session aims to summarize existing national and international guidelines for the safe implementation of an HDR program. A summary of HDR afterloaders available on the market and their existing applicators will be provided, with guidance on how to select the best fit for each institution’s needs. Finally, the use of checklists will be discussed as a means to implement a safe and efficient HDR program and as a method by which to verify the quality of an existing HDR program. This session will provide the perspective of expert HDR physicists as well as the perspective of a new HDR user. Learning Objectives: Summarize national and international safety and staffing guidelines for HDR implementation Discuss the process of afterloader and applicator selection for gynecologic, prostate, breast, interstitial, surface treatments Learn about the use of an audit checklist tool to measure of quality control of a new or existing HDR program Describe the evolving use of checklists within an HDR program.
Recent use of HDR has increased while planning has become more complex often necessitating 3D image-based planning. While many guidelines for the use of HDR exist, they have not kept pace with the increased complexity of 3D image-based planning. Furthermore, no comprehensive document exists to describe the wide variety of current HDR clinical indications. This educational session aims to summarize existing national and international guidelines for the safe implementation of an HDR program. A summary of HDR afterloaders available on the market and their existing applicators will be provided, with guidance on how to select the best fit for each institution’s needs. Finally, the use of checklists will be discussed as a means to implement a safe and efficient HDR program and as a method by which to verify the quality of an existing HDR program. This session will provide the perspective of expert HDR physicists as well as the perspective of a new HDR user. Learning Objectives: Summarize national and international safety and staffing guidelines for HDR implementation Discuss the process of afterloader and applicator selection for gynecologic, prostate, breast, interstitial, surface treatments Learn about the use of an audit checklist tool to measure of quality control of a new or existing HDR program Describe the evolving use of checklists within an HDR program.
The STAP measures aerosol absorption and organic carbon concentration. The b1 level adds standard quality control flags, and merges in flight navigation data.
Material extrusion printing of reactive resins and inks present a unique challenge due to the time-dependent nature of the rheological and chemical properties they possess. As a result, careful print optimization or process control is important to obtain consistent, high quality prints via additive manufacturing. Here, we present the design and use of a near-infrared (NIR) flow through cell for in situ chemical monitoring of reactive resins during printing. Differences between in situ and off-line benchtop measurements are presented and highlight the need for in-line monitoring capability. Additionally, in-line extrusion force monitoring and off-line post inspection using machine vision is demonstrated. By combining NIR and extrusion force monitoring, it is possible to follow cure reaction kinetics and viscosity changes during printing. When combined with machine vision, the ability to automatically identify and quantify print artifacts can be incorporated on the printing line to enable real-time, artificial intelligence-assisted quality control of both process and product. Together, these techniques form the building blocks of an optimized closed-loop process control strategy when complex reactive inks must be used to produce printed hardware.
Here, unique hazards are presented in the analysis of radiologically contaminated samples. Strenuous safety and security precautions must be in place to protect the analyst, laboratory, and instrumentation used to perform analyses. A validated method has been optimized for the analysis of select nitroaromatic explosives and degradative products using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry via sonication extraction of radiologically contaminated soils, for samples requiring ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory conformance. Target analytes included 2-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, as well as the degradative product 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene. Analytes were extracted from soil in methylene chloride by sonication. Administrative and engineering controls, as well as instrument automation and quality control measures, were utilized to minimize potential human exposure to radiation at all times and at all stages of analysis, from receiving through disposition. Though thermal instability increased uncertainties of these selected compounds, a mean lower quantitative limit of 2.37 µg/mL and mean accuracy of 2.3% relative error and 3.1% relative standard deviation were achieved. Quadratic regression was found to be optimal for calibration of all analytes, with compounds of lower hydrophobicity displaying greater parabolic curve. Blind proficiency testing (PT) of spiked soil samples demonstrated a mean relative error of 9.8%. Matrix spiked analyses of PT samples demonstrated that 99% recovery of target analytes was achieved. To the knowledge of the authors, this represents the first safe, accurate, and reproducible quantitative method for nitroaromatic explosives in soil for specific use on radiologically contaminated samples within the constraints of a nuclear analytical lab.
The Arroyo Seco Improvement Program is being carried out at Sandia National Laboratories, California in order to address erosion and other streambed instability issues in the Arroyo Seco as it crosses the Sandia National Laboratories, California. The work involves both repair of existing eroded areas, and habitat enhancement. This work is being carried out under the requirements of Army Corps of Engineers permit 2006-400195S and California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region Water Quality Certification Site No. 02-01-00987.
The Arroyo Seco Improvement Program is being carried out at Sandia National Laboratories, California in order to address erosion and other streambed instability issues in the Arroyo Seco as it crosses the Sandia National Laboratories, California. The work involves both repair of existing eroded areas, and habitat enhancement. This work is being carried out under the requirements of Army Corps of Engineers permit 2006-400195S and California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region Water Quality Certification Site No. 02-01-C0987.
Manufacturing quality controls for line certification of thin film and thick film hybrid microcircuits for NASA use
The state-of-the-art in ride quality control techniques for all the primary modes of transportation and the needs for the future are summarized.
A method for co-curing NR150B2 and LaRC 160 prepregs into hybrid composites was developed. The processing characteristics and the properties of the hybrid composites were compared with those of laminates fabricated from the individual component prepregs. Resin forms were selected and optimized and a new NR150 formulation was investigated. The new formulation greatly facilitated the processing and the performance of this system. Quality control techniques were evaluated and developed, high quality laminates were fabricated from both individual resin systems, and hybrid laminates were successfully co-cured. Optimum hybrid forms were investigated and several novel approaches were explored. An optimum hybrid system was developed that utilizes a LaRC curing schedule but shows no degradation of mechanical properties after aging 500 hr in air at 260 C.
The Defense Logistics Agency is successfully incorporating Intelligent Processing Equipment (IPE) into each of its Manufacturing Technology thrust areas. Several IPE applications are addressed in the manufacturing of two 'soldier support' items: combat rations and military apparel. In combat rations, in-line sensors for food processing are being developed or modified from other industries. In addition, many process controls are being automated to achieve better quality and to gain higher use (soldier) acceptance. IPE applications in military apparel include: in-process quality controls for identification of sewing defects, use of robots in the manufacture of shirt collars, and automated handling of garments for pressing.
X-ray laminography is a powerful technique for quality control of semiconductor components. Despite the advantages of nondestructive 3D imaging over 2D techniques based on sectioning, the acquisition time is still a major obstacle for practical use of the technique. In this paper, we consider the application of Discrete Tomography to laminography data, which can potentially reduce the scanning time while still maintaining a high reconstruction quality. By incorporating prior knowledge in the reconstruction algorithm about the materials present in the scanned object, far more accurate reconstructions can be obtained from the same measured data compared to classical reconstruction methods. We present a series of simulation experiments that illustrate the potential of the approach.
In this work, we propose a solid-state-detector for use in radiation microdosimetry. This device improves the performance of existing dosimeters using customized 3D-cylindrical microstructures etched inside silicon. The microdosimeter consists of an array of micro-sensors that have 3D-cylindrical electrodes of 15 μm diameter and a depth of 5 μm within a silicon membrane, resulting in a well-defined micrometric radiation sensitive volume. These microdetectors have been characterized using an {sup 241}Am source to assess their performance as radiation detectors in a high-LET environment. This letter demonstrates the capability of this microdetector to be used to measure dose and LET in hadrontherapy centers for treatment plan verification as part of their patient-specific quality control program.
The African Affairs Subcommittee (AA-SC) of the AAPM will present a multi-institutional approach to medical physics support in Africa. Current work to increase the quality of care and level of safety for the medical physics practice in Senegal, Ghana, and Zimbabwe will be presented, along with preliminary projects in Nigeria and Botswana. Because the task of addressing the needs of medical physics in countries across Africa is larger than one entity can accomplish on its own, the AA-SC has taken the approach of joining forces with multiple organizations such as Radiating Hope and TreatSafely (NGO’s), the IAEA, companies like BrainLab, Varian and Elekta, medical volunteers and academic institutions such as NYU and Washington University. Elements of current projects include: 1) Distance training and evaluation of the quality of contouring and treatment planning, teaching treatment planning and other subjects, and troubleshooting using modern telecommunications technology in Senegal, Ghana, and Zimbabwe; 2) Assistance in the transition from 2D to 3D in Senegal and Zimbabwe; 3) Assistance in the transition from 3D to IMRT using in-house compensators in Senegal; 4) Modernizing the cancer center in Senegal and increasing safety and; 5) Training on on 3D techniques in Ghana; 6) Assisting a teaching and training radiation oncology center to be built in Zimbabwe; 7) Working with the ISEP Program in Sub-Saharan Africa; 8) Creating instructional videos on linac commissioning; 9) Working on a possible collaboration to train physicists in Nigeria. Building on past achievements, the subcommittee seeks to make a larger impact on the continent, as the number and size of projects increases and more human resources become available. The State of Medical Physics Collaborations and Projects in Latin America Sandra Guzman (Peru) The lack of Medical Physicists (MP) in many Latin American (LA) countries leads to recruitment of professionals with incomplete education. In most LA countries only one MP responsible for each Center is currently mandated. Currently there is a large disparity among MP training programs and there is significant debate about the standards of MP graduate education in many LA countries. There are no commonly recognized academic programs, not enough clinical training sites and clinical training is not typically considered as part of the MP work. Economic pressures and high workloads also impede the creation of more training centers. The increasing need of qualified MPs require establishing a coordinated system of national Education & Training Centers (ETC), to meet the international standards of education and training in Medical Physics. This shortfall calls for support of organizations such as the IOMP, AAPM, ALFIM, IAEA, etc. Examples from various LA countries, as well as some proposed solutions, will be presented. In particular, we will discuss the resources that the AAPM and its members can offer to support regional programs. The ‘Medical Imaging’ physicist in the emerging world: Challenges and opportunities - Caridad Borrás (WGNIMP Chair) While the role of radiation therapy physicists in the emerging world is reasonably well established, the role of medical imaging physicists is not. The only perceived needs in radiology departments are equipment quality control and radiation protection, tasks that can be done by a technologist or a service engineer. To change the situation, the International Basic Safety Standard, which is adopted/adapted world-wide as national radiation protection regulations, states: “For diagnostic radiological procedures and image guided interventional procedures, the requirements of these Standards for medical imaging, calibration, dosimetry and quality assurance, including the acceptance and commissioning of medical radiological equipment, are fulfilled by or under the oversight of, or with the documented advice of a medical physicist, whose degree of involvement is determined by the complexity of the radiological procedures and the associated radiation risks”. Details on how these requirements can be carried out in resource-limited settings will be described. IAEA support to medical physics in Africa and Latin America: achievements and challenges Ahmed Meghzifene (IAEA) Shortage of clinically qualified medical physicists in radiotherapy and imaging, insufficient and inadequate education and training programs, as well as a lack of professional recognition were identified as the main issues to be addressed by the IAEA. The IAEA developed a series of integrated projects aiming specifically at promoting the essential role of medical physicists in health care, developing harmonized guidelines on dosimetry and quality assurance, and supporting education and clinical training programs. The unique feature of the IAEA approach is support it provides for implementation of guidelines and education programs in Member States through its technical cooperation project. The presentation will summarize IAEA support to Latin America and Africa in the field of medical physics and will highlight how the new International Basic Safety Standards are expected to impact the medical physics practice in low and middle income countries. Learning Objectives: Learn about the shortage of qualified Medical Physicists in Africa and Latin America. Understand the reasons of this shortage. Learn about the ways to improve the situation and AAPM role in this process.
AAPM projects and collaborations in Africa Adam Shulman (AA-SC Chair) The African Affairs Subcommittee (AA-SC) of the AAPM will present a multi-institutional approach to medical physics support in Africa. Current work to increase the quality of care and level of safety for the medical physics practice in Senegal, Ghana, and Zimbabwe will be presented, along with preliminary projects in Nigeria and Botswana. Because the task of addressing the needs of medical physics in countries across Africa is larger than one entity can accomplish on its own, the AA-SC has taken the approach of joining forces with multiple organizations such as Radiating Hope and TreatSafely (NGO’s), the IAEA, companies like BrainLab, Varian and Elekta, medical volunteers and academic institutions such as NYU and Washington University. Elements of current projects include: 1) Distance training and evaluation of the quality of contouring and treatment planning, teaching treatment planning and other subjects, and troubleshooting using modern telecommunications technology in Senegal, Ghana, and Zimbabwe; 2) Assistance in the transition from 2D to 3D in Senegal and Zimbabwe; 3) Assistance in the transition from 3D to IMRT using in-house compensators in Senegal; 4) Modernizing the cancer center in Senegal and increasing safety and; 5) Training on on 3D techniques in Ghana; 6) Assisting a teaching and training radiation oncology center to be built in Zimbabwe; 7) Working with the ISEP Program in Sub-Saharan Africa; 8) Creating instructional videos on linac commissioning; 9) Working on a possible collaboration to train physicists in Nigeria. Building on past achievements, the subcommittee seeks to make a larger impact on the continent, as the number and size of projects increases and more human resources become available. The State of Medical Physics Collaborations and Projects in Latin America Sandra Guzman (Peru) The lack of Medical Physicists (MP) in many Latin American (LA) countries leads to recruitment of professionals with incomplete education. In most LA countries only one MP responsible for each Center is currently mandated. Currently there is a large disparity among MP training programs and there is significant debate about the standards of MP graduate education in many LA countries. There are no commonly recognized academic programs, not enough clinical training sites and clinical training is not typically considered as part of the MP work. Economic pressures and high workloads also impede the creation of more training centers. The increasing need of qualified MPs require establishing a coordinated system of national Education & Training Centers (ETC), to meet the international standards of education and training in Medical Physics. This shortfall calls for support of organizations such as the IOMP, AAPM, ALFIM, IAEA, etc. Examples from various LA countries, as well as some proposed solutions, will be presented. In particular, we will discuss the resources that the AAPM and its members can offer to support regional programs. The ‘Medical Imaging’ physicist in the emerging world: Challenges and opportunities - Caridad Borrás (WGNIMP Chair) While the role of radiation therapy physicists in the emerging world is reasonably well established, the role of medical imaging physicists is not. The only perceived needs in radiology departments are equipment quality control and radiation protection, tasks that can be done by a technologist or a service engineer. To change the situation, the International Basic Safety Standard, which is adopted/adapted world-wide as national radiation protection regulations, states: “For diagnostic radiological procedures and image guided interventional procedures, the requirements of these Standards for medical imaging, calibration, dosimetry and quality assurance, including the acceptance and commissioning of medical radiological equipment, are fulfilled by or under the oversight of, or with the documented advice of a medical physicist, whose degree of involvement is determined by the complexity of the radiological procedures and the associated radiation risks”. Details on how these requirements can be carried out in resource-limited settings will be described. IAEA support to medical physics in Africa and Latin America: achievements and challenges Ahmed Meghzifene (IAEA) Shortage of clinically qualified medical physicists in radiotherapy and imaging, insufficient and inadequate education and training programs, as well as a lack of professional recognition were identified as the main issues to be addressed by the IAEA. The IAEA developed a series of integrated projects aiming specifically at promoting the essential role of medical physicists in health care, developing harmonized guidelines on dosimetry and quality assurance, and supporting education and clinical training programs. The unique feature of the IAEA approach is support it provides for implementation of guidelines and education programs in Member States through its technical cooperation project. The presentation will summarize IAEA support to Latin America and Africa in the field of medical physics and will highlight how the new International Basic Safety Standards are expected to impact the medical physics practice in low and middle income countries. Learning Objectives: Learn about the shortage of qualified Medical Physicists in Africa and Latin America. Understand the reasons of this shortage. Learn about the ways to improve the situation and AAPM role in this process.
AAPM projects and collaborations in Africa Adam Shulman (AA-SC Chair) The African Affairs Subcommittee (AA-SC) of the AAPM will present a multi-institutional approach to medical physics support in Africa. Current work to increase the quality of care and level of safety for the medical physics practice in Senegal, Ghana, and Zimbabwe will be presented, along with preliminary projects in Nigeria and Botswana. Because the task of addressing the needs of medical physics in countries across Africa is larger than one entity can accomplish on its own, the AA-SC has taken the approach of joining forces with multiple organizations such as Radiating Hope and TreatSafely (NGO’s), the IAEA, companies like BrainLab, Varian and Elekta, medical volunteers and academic institutions such as NYU and Washington University. Elements of current projects include: 1) Distance training and evaluation of the quality of contouring and treatment planning, teaching treatment planning and other subjects, and troubleshooting using modern telecommunications technology in Senegal, Ghana, and Zimbabwe; 2) Assistance in the transition from 2D to 3D in Senegal and Zimbabwe; 3) Assistance in the transition from 3D to IMRT using in-house compensators in Senegal; 4) Modernizing the cancer center in Senegal and increasing safety and; 5) Training on on 3D techniques in Ghana; 6) Assisting a teaching and training radiation oncology center to be built in Zimbabwe; 7) Working with the ISEP Program in Sub-Saharan Africa; 8) Creating instructional videos on linac commissioning; 9) Working on a possible collaboration to train physicists in Nigeria. Building on past achievements, the subcommittee seeks to make a larger impact on the continent, as the number and size of projects increases and more human resources become available. The State of Medical Physics Collaborations and Projects in Latin America Sandra Guzman (Peru) The lack of Medical Physicists (MP) in many Latin American (LA) countries leads to recruitment of professionals with incomplete education. In most LA countries only one MP responsible for each Center is currently mandated. Currently there is a large disparity among MP training programs and there is significant debate about the standards of MP graduate education in many LA countries. There are no commonly recognized academic programs, not enough clinical training sites and clinical training is not typically considered as part of the MP work. Economic pressures and high workloads also impede the creation of more training centers. The increasing need of qualified MPs require establishing a coordinated system of national Education & Training Centers (ETC), to meet the international standards of education and training in Medical Physics. This shortfall calls for support of organizations such as the IOMP, AAPM, ALFIM, IAEA, etc. Examples from various LA countries, as well as some proposed solutions, will be presented. In particular, we will discuss the resources that the AAPM and its members can offer to support regional programs. The ‘Medical Imaging’ physicist in the emerging world: Challenges and opportunities - Caridad Borrás (WGNIMP Chair) While the role of radiation therapy physicists in the emerging world is reasonably well established, the role of medical imaging physicists is not. The only perceived needs in radiology departments are equipment quality control and radiation protection, tasks that can be done by a technologist or a service engineer. To change the situation, the International Basic Safety Standard, which is adopted/adapted world-wide as national radiation protection regulations, states: “For diagnostic radiological procedures and image guided interventional procedures, the requirements of these Standards for medical imaging, calibration, dosimetry and quality assurance, including the acceptance and commissioning of medical radiological equipment, are fulfilled by or under the oversight of, or with the documented advice of a medical physicist, whose degree of involvement is determined by the complexity of the radiological procedures and the associated radiation risks”. Details on how these requirements can be carried out in resource-limited settings will be described. IAEA support to medical physics in Africa and Latin America: achievements and challenges Ahmed Meghzifene (IAEA) Shortage of clinically qualified medical physicists in radiotherapy and imaging, insufficient and inadequate education and training programs, as well as a lack of professional recognition were identified as the main issues to be addressed by the IAEA. The IAEA developed a series of integrated projects aiming specifically at promoting the essential role of medical physicists in health care, developing harmonized guidelines on dosimetry and quality assurance, and supporting education and clinical training programs. The unique feature of the IAEA approach is support it provides for implementation of guidelines and education programs in Member States through its technical cooperation project. The presentation will summarize IAEA support to Latin America and Africa in the field of medical physics and will highlight how the new International Basic Safety Standards are expected to impact the medical physics practice in low and middle income countries. Learning Objectives: Learn about the shortage of qualified Medical Physicists in Africa and Latin America. Understand the reasons of this shortage. Learn about the ways to improve the situation and AAPM role in this process.