Optical Ray-Tracing Performance Modeling of Quartz Half-Shell Tubes Aperture Cover for Falling Particle Receiver.
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The CCAT-prime project's first light array will be deployed in Mod-Cam, a single-module testbed and first light cryostat, on the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) in Chile's high Atacama desert in late 2022. FYST is a six-meter aperture telescope being built on Cerro Chajnantor at an elevation of 5600 meters to observe at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. 1 Mod-Cam will pave the way for Prime-Cam, the primary first generation instrument, which will house up to seven instrument modules to simultaneously observe the sky and study a diverse set of science goals from monitoring protostars to probing distant galaxy clusters and characterizing the cosmic microwave background (CMB). At least one feedhorn-coupled array of microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) centered on 280 GHz will be included in Mod-Cam at first light, with additional instrument modules to be deployed along with Prime-Cam in stages. The first 280 GHz detector array was fabricated by the Quantum Sensors Group at NIST in Boulder, CO and includes 3,456 polarization- sensitive MKIDs. Current mechanical designs allow for up to three hexagonal arrays to be placed in each single instrument module. We present details on this first light detector array, including mechanical designs and cold readout plans, as well as introducing Mod-Cam as both a testbed and predecessor to Prime-Cam.
Purpose: It has been realized that inter-patient radiation sensitivity variability is a multifactorial process involving dosimetric, clinical, and genetic factors. Therefore, we explore a new framework to integrate physical, clinical, and biological data denoted as radiogenomic modeling. In demonstrating the feasibility of this work, we investigate the association of genetic variants (copy number variations [CNVs] and single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) with radiation induced rectal bleeding (RB) and erectile dysfunction (ED) while taking into account dosimetric and clinical variables in prostate cancer patients treated with curative irradiation. Methods: A cohort of 62 prostate cancer patients who underwent hypofractionated radiotherapy (66 Gy in 22 fractions) was retrospectively genotyped for CNV and SNP rs25489 in the xrcc1 DNA repair gene. Dosevolume metrics were extracted from treatment plans of 54 patients who had complete dosimetric profiles. Treatment outcomes were considered to be a Result of functional mapping of radiogenomic input variables according to a logit transformation. Model orders were estimated using resampling by leave-one out cross-validation (LOO-CV). Radiogenomic model performance was evaluated using area under the ROC curve (AUC) and LOO-CV. For continuous univariate dosimetric and clinical variables, Spearmans rank coefficients were calculated and p-values reported accordingly. In the case of binary variables, Chi-squared statistics and contingency table calculations were used. Results: Ten patients were found to have three copies of xrcc1 CNV (RB: χ2=14.6 [p<0.001] and ED: χ2=4.88[p=0.0272]) and twelve had heterozygous rs25489 SNP (RB: χ2=0.278[p=0.599] and ED: χ2=0.112[p=0.732]). LOO-CV identified penile bulb D60 as the only significant QUANTEC predictor (rs=0.312 [p=0.0145]) for ED. Radiogenomic modeling yielded statistically significant, cross-validated NTCP models for RB (rs=0.243[p=0.0443], AUC=0.665) and ED (rs=0.276[p=0.0217], AUC=0.754). Conclusion: The radiogenomic modeling approach presented herein has been shown to identify NTCP models which have increased predictive power. Furthermore, CNVs appears to be useful genetic variants when added to dosimetric NTCP models. This work was partially supported by CIHR grant MOP-114910.
Purpose: To quantitatively assess the effects of inter-fraction changes in organ shape and location on the delivered dose distribution to the organs at risk (OAR) in lung cancer patients. Methods: This study analyzes treatment data of 10 patients, who were treated to 60Gy in 30 fractions. In each fraction a cone beam CT (CBCT) was acquired. Each CBCT was registered with the planning CT using deformable registration tools within MIM Software. The daily setup shifts were used to translate the planned dose distribution on the deformed planning CT. The structures of lungs, esophagus and heart were re-delineated by a physician on each CBCT. The doses delivered to each OAR, reflecting changes in the position and shape variations, were recomputed. Resultant daily dose volume histograms (DVHs) for OARs were computed and compared to those from the planning CT. Results: Based on the findings of two patients and 24 CBCTs analyzed so far, higher doses are delivered to the lungs and esophagus compared to the treatment plan. The dose differences per fraction between the delivered doses and those in the treatment plan are: for patient 1, lung mean dose = 5.3±1.3cGy and esophagus mean dose = 3.4±3.5cGy. For patient 2, lung mean dose = 12.0±3.9cGy and esophagus mean dose = 34.2±7.5cGy. Regarding the maximum dose to heart, the results varied (−18.9±22.0cGy for patient1 and 53.0±62.2cGy for patient2). Conclusion: The dosimetric effects of inter-fractional anatomical variations could be estimated using deformable image registration and manual organ segmentation for each CBCT. A considerable dose distribution variation between fractions was observed for the OARs. These changes are currently not taken into account while treating the patients and these may explain cases with severe side effects even when the treatment plan looks satisfactory. These results suggest the need for automated daily dose tracking and accumulation.
The possibility of wireless distance measurement using ultrawideband chaotic radio pulses on the basis of the statistical signal analysis is discussed. The results of experimental verification of the proposed approach are reported.
Background: Although the false-negative rate of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients is 5–7%, reported regional recurrence (RR) rates after negative SLNB are much lower. Adjuvant treatment modalities probably contribute to this discrepancy. This study assessed the 5-year RR risk after a negative SLNB in the subset of patients who underwent breast amputation without radiotherapy or any adjuvant treatment. Methods: All patients operated for primary unilateral invasive breast cancer between 2005 and 2008 were identified in the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients with a negative SLNB who underwent breast amputation and who were not treated with axillary lymph node dissection, radiotherapy, or any adjuvant systemic treatment were selected. The cumulative 5-year RR rate was estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: A total of 13,452 patients were surgically treated for primary breast cancer and had a negative SLNB, and 2012 patients fulfilled the selection criteria. Thirty-eight RRs occurred during follow-up. Multifocal disease was associated with a higher risk of developing RR (P = 0.04). The median time to RR was 27 months and was significantly shorter in patients with estrogen receptor-negative (ER−) breast cancer (9.5 months; P = 0.003). The 5-year RR rate was 2.4% in the study population compared with 1.1% in the remainder of 11,440 SLNB-negative patients (P = 0.0002). Conclusions: Excluding the effect of radiotherapy and systemic treatment resulted in a twofold 5-year RR risk in breast cancer patients with a tumor-free SLNB. This 5-year RR rate was still much lower than the reported false-negative rate of the SLNB procedure.
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Introduction Viral load (VL) assessment is the preferred method for diagnosing and confirming virologic failure for patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to evaluate the virologic suppression rate among patients on ART for 6 months in five hospitals around Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Methods Plasma VL was measured and patients with VL <1,000 copies/mL were defined as virologically suppressed. A second VL test was performed within at least six months of the first test. Factors associated with virologic suppression were analyzed using logistic regression models accounting for site-level clustering using complex survey procedures. Results Data were analyzed for 2,313 patients on ART for six months or longer between July 2013 and February 2015. Among them, 1,563 (67.6%) achieved virologic suppression at the first VL test. A second VL test was performed within at least six months for 718 (31.0%) of the patients. Of the 459 patients with an initial HIV-1 RNA <1,000 copies/mL who had a second VL performed, 394 (85.8%) maintained virologic suppression. Virologic suppression was negatively associated with male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.74– 0.0.86), 23 to 35 months on ART (aOR:0.72[0.54–0.96]), baseline CD4 counts of 201–500 cells/mm 3 and 200 cells/mm 3 or lower (aORs: 0.77 [0.62–0.95] and 0.80 [0.66–0.98], respectively), poor adherence (aOR: 0.69 [0.59–0.81]), and TB co-infection (aOR: 0.73 [0.55–0.97]). Conclusions This study showed that over two-thirds of the patients in this evaluation achieved virologic suppression after six months on ART and the majority of them remained suppressed. These results reinforce the importance of expanding access to HIV-1 viral load testing in Haiti for monitoring ART outcomes.
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To address the critical site characterization and monitoring needs for CCS programs, US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Paulsson, Inc. in 2010 a contract to design, build and test a fiber optic based ultra-large bandwidth clamped borehole seismic vector array capable of deploying up to one thousand 3C sensor pods suitable for deployment into high temperature and high pressure boreholes. Paulsson, Inc. has completed a design or a unique borehole seismic system consisting of a novel drill pipe based deployment system that includes a hydraulic clamping mechanism for the sensor pods, a new sensor pod design and most important – a unique fiber optic seismic vector sensor with technical specifications and capabilities that far exceed the state of the art seismic sensor technologies. These novel technologies were all applied to the new borehole seismic system. In combination these technologies will allow for the deployment of up to 1,000 3C sensor pods in vertical, deviated or horizontal wells. Laboratory tests of the fiber optic seismic vector sensors developed during this project have shown that the new borehole seismic sensor technology is capable of generating outstanding high vector fidelity data with extremely large bandwidth: 0.01 – 6,000 Hz. Field tests have shown that the system can record events at magnitudes much smaller than M-2.3 at frequencies up to 2,000 Hz. The sensors have also proved to be about 100 times more sensitive than the regular coil geophones that are used in borehole seismic systems today. The fiber optic seismic sensors have furthermore been qualified to operate at temperatures over 300°C (572°F). The fibers used for the seismic sensors in the system are used to record Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS) data allowing additional value added data to be recorded simultaneously with the seismic vector sensor data.
The present report summarizes and discusses the recent results on developing a modern, nuclear grade FeCrAl alloy designed to have enhanced radiation tolerance and weldability. The alloys used for these investigations are modern FeCrAl alloys based on a Fe-13Cr-5Al-2Mo-0.2Si-0.05Y alloy (in wt.%, designated C35M). Development efforts have focused on assessing the influence of chemistry and microstructure on the fabricability and performance of these newly developed alloys. Specific focus was made to assess the weldability, thermal stability, and radiation tolerance.
SNL and Abengoa were to cooperatively engage in work to determine an optimal solar selective coating to meet the SunShot initiative performance demands at temperature and longevity and to reduce the Levelized Cost of Coating (LCOC) of these materials. Materials were to be identified, tested for durability and optical properties, optimized, and if successful, were to be tested on-sun for a period of up to a year at Abengoa’s test facilities in Spain.