Thesis (M.A.)--Northern Kentucky University, 2006. / Made available through ProQuest. Publication number: AAT 1437572. ProQuest document ID: 1203575471. Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-45)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar a dosimetria de filtros dinâmicos aprimorados (“Enhanced Dynamic Wedge” – EDW). Isso foi feito com dois intuitos: 1) a avaliação da implementação clínica do filtro dinâmico aprimorado considerando-se suas vantagens e desvantagens; e 2) a comparação entre a eficiência e a melhor aplicabilidade de três sistemas dosimétricos diferentes em conjunto com o filtro dinâmico aprimorado. Os sistemas dosimétricos utilizados foram: o Sistema de Imagem de Feixe (“Beam Image System” – BIS2G), da Scanditronix-Wellhöfer, uma câmara de ionização cilíndrica de 0,6 cm3 do tipo Farmer, e um arranjo linear de câmaras de ionização múltiplas (“Ionization Chamber Linear Detector Array”) com 23 câmaras de ionização cilíndricas de 0,14 cm3, tipo Farmer. Com o Sistema de Imagem de Feixe – BIS2G foi possível obter curvas de fluência que permitiram analisar a simetria dos perfis de fluência, linearidade da dose, efeito da taxa de dose e efeito da gravidade, características diretamente ligadas à qualidade do funcionamento do filtro dinâmico aprimorado, além de ter sido possível também calcular o fator filtro para campos simétricos. Com a câmara de ionização mediu-se a porcentagem de dose em profundidade - PDP e calculou-se o fator filtro para campos simétricos e campos assimétricos (uma das vantagens do EDW). Com o arranjo linear de câmaras de ionização múltiplas foi possível obter curvas de isodose que permitiram a verificação da simetria e a comparação com os resultados obtidos com o BIS2G, além do cálculo do fator filtro para campos simétricos. O fator filtro calculado através de medidas tomadas com os três sistemas foi também comparado com resultados obtidos por dois formalismos, de Gibbons1 e de Klein et al 2, bem conhecidos da literatura e que serviram para a validação dos resultados e deste trabalho. Destas comparações verificou-se que os ângulos do filtro dinâmico aprimorado que apresentam maior diferença entre resultados obtidos e os formalismos foram os ângulos de 45º e de 60º em relação ao método de Klein et al que apresentaram diferenças de 2,1% em relação ao BIS2G, 1,9% em relação à câmara de ionização e 1,1% em relação ao arranjo linear de câmaras de ionização. / The purpose of this work was to accomplish the dosimetry of Enhanced Dynamic Wedge (EDW). It was carried out with two intents: 1) the evaluation of the clinical implementation of the EDW considering its advantages and disadvantages, and 2) the comparison among the efficiency and the better applicability of three different dosimetric systems in a set with the EDW. The dosimetric systems used were: the Beam Image System (BIS2G), from Scanditronix-Wellhöfer, a cylindrical ionization chamber of 0.6 cm3, type Farmer, and an ionization chamber linear detector array, composed by 23 cylindrical ionization chamber of 0.14 cm3, type Farmer. With the BIS2G was possible to plot graphs of fluence that allowed to analyze the symmetry of the graphs of fluence, linearity of the dose, dose rate effect, and gravity effect, features directly connected to the quality of the working of the EDW, further on having been possible to calculate the wedge factor for symmetric fields. With the ionization chamber it was measured the PDP and it was calculated the wedge factor for symmetric and asymmetric fields (one advantage of EDW). With the array it was possible to plot graphs of isodosis that allowed the checking of the symmetry and the comparison with the results obtained with the BIS2G, besides the calculation of the wedge factor for symmetric fields. The wedge factors obtained from the measurements of the three systems were also compared with the results of the formalisms, of Gibbons1 and of Klein et al 2, both well known if the literature, and that were used to validate the results and the work. From these comparisons was verified that the angles of the EDW that show more difference between the results and the formalisms were the 46º and 60º angles related to the method of Klein et al, which show differences of 2.12% related to BIS2G, 1.92% related to the ionization chamber, and 1.10% related to ionization chamber linear detector array.

Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.) / Sepsis is a serious medical condition in which a person becomes infected with bacteria in his or her bloodstream. The symptoms of sepsis are a result of the immune system’s interaction with the infecting agent. Currently, to diagnose a patient with sepsis, a blood sample must be collected and cultured for 24-48 hours before the infection can be confirmed. In the meantime, a broad-scope antibiotic is administered which may or may not be effective in treating the patient. If the antibiotic is ineffective, a different antibiotic must be chosen. When the results of the blood culture are available, a narrow scope antibiotic, appropriate to treat the infection is administered. However, sepsis has a mortality rate of 18-30% depending on the infecting agent and the treatment is highly time sensitive. Within 24 hours, the syndrome may progress to septic shock and mortality rates reach 50%. Therefore, it is important to quickly and correctly identify the infecting agent and provide immediate targeted treatment. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) can be used to quickly identify and distinguish between different bacterial strains; however it requires higher bacterial concentrations than are present in the blood during the early stages of sepsis. A microfluidic evaporator chip has been developed to concentrate bacteria samples from 4μl to 100nl; the chip has been evaluated for concentration efficiency on Escherichia coli and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Various blocking methods using bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been tested to reduce bacterial adhesion to the chip and have improved bacterial recovery to around 70% for both strains tested. Ongoing tests are being performed to improve bacterial recovery and sample purity for identification. / 2031-01-01

Adequate placental function is essential for the growth and development of a healthy fetus. A major cause of abnormal placental function is thought to occur from inadequate maternal spiral artery remodelling, leading to maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) of the placenta and ultimately fetal growth restriction (FGR) and stillbirth due to uteroplacental hypoxia. Current methods of investigating a pregnancy at risk of FGR rely on ultrasound estimations of fetal size and Doppler studies. A more informative measure may be to quantify placental function in-vivo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the ability to assess placental oxygen saturation (sO2), using Blood Oxygen-Level Dependent (BOLD), and the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) using Oxygen-Enhanced MRI (OE MRI). These MRI techniques have been shown to correlate with gestation and poor pregnancy outcomes in cross sectional studies. MRI measures of placental oxygenation are hypothesised to be a potential antenatal tool for the identification and stratification of high risk pregnancies at risk of FGR related to uteroplacental hypoxia. To address this hypothesis changes in placental oxygenation, following maternal hyperoxia, were calculated in normal and FGR pregnancies in a cross sectional study. The change in placental oxygenation was reproduced longitudinally to determine if the rate of change differed between normal and FGR pregnancies. Baseline placental MRI parameters (R1 and R2*) and measures of the change in oxygenation were incorporated into a diagnostic model to identify FGR related to uteroplacental hypoxia, which was provisionally tested in a group of high risk pregnancies to demonstrate its potential clinical utility. Placental measures of baseline R1 and R2* were significantly increased in FGR pregnancies. The change in placental pO2 following hyperoxia was found to be significantly lower in FGR pregnancies. The change in pO2 declined similarly with gestation in both cross sectional and longitudinal studies, in normal and FGR pregnancies. There were no significant correlations in the change in placental sO2 with gestation or pregnancy outcome. The use of a diagnostic model combining baseline R1 and R2* and pO2 measures identified FGR with a high specificity, and provided additional information to aid in disease stratification and decision making in a significant proportion of the high risk pregnancies tested. In conclusion, MRI parameters of placental pO2 following hyperoxia are significantly lower in FGR pregnancies, in keeping with the concept of uteroplacental hypoxia. MRI techniques show promise in the identification of FGR pregnancies related to MVM through measures of placental function, irrespective of fetal size, and may aid in the disease stratification of high risk pregnancies.

Major activity and interest has focused upon High and Enhanced Definition Television systems, for at least the past few decades. From the initial analogue approaches, which concentrated on purely television enhancements, the focus continues to fade more towards fully digital multi-program distribution and ultimately to multimedia solutions. The actual activities throughout Europe and America in launching the Digital Video Broadcasting, DVB and the Advanced Television System Committee, ATSC system, clearly identify that television enhancements are still alive. In parallel, discussions upon data broadcasting, predominantly within the current analogue television systems also have taken place. The underlying premise of the work presented, is based upon the objective to transmit a compatible enhanced definition television signal within the PALplus standard. A conceptual system is proposed as the framework for this research, containing both a pre-processing and data modulation block, which are coupled via suitable data compression methods. The preprocessing and the additional digital modulation technique has been identified as providing the potential of innovation from which the modulation provides generic digital sub-channels either for multimedia or enhanced resolution extensions. The originality of the pre-processing techniques is based upon the design of a dual channel sub-band system, which employs two dimensional diagonal filtering together with a Quadrature Mirror Filter bank. From a high definition input, this processing block produces only two sub-bands, rather than the usual four, from which the low pass element represents the compatible component. The high pass element conveys the residual in such a way that full horizontal and vertical resolution can be reconstructed during decoding. The proposed embedded data modulation strategy is based upon a double occupation of the colour subcarrier. This exploitation is possible due to the inherent phase alternation of the PAL systems so that an additional quadrature modulation of the two colour sub-carriers is feasible. Both, the pre-processing and modulation blocks introduce crosstalk distortions which compromise the overall efficiency and further encroach on the sensitive issue of compatibility. The thesis provides a complete analysis both theoretical and practical of the implications of these distortions and subsequently proposes solutions which either eliminate or suppress them to a level below a perceptual threshold.

The aim of this study is to propose an alternative approach in prognostics for airborne avionics system in order to enhance maintenance process and aircraft availability. The objectives are to analyse the dependency of avionic systems for fault propagation behaviour degradation, research and develop methods to predict the remaining useful life of avionics Line Replaceable Units (LRU), research and develop methods to evaluate and predict the degradation performances of avionic systems, and lastly to develop software simulation systems to evaluate methods developed. One of the many stakeholders in the aircraft lifecycle includes the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry. The predictable logistics process to some degree as an outcome of IVHM gives benefit to the MRO industry. In this thesis, a new integrated numerical methodology called ‘System Level Airborne Avionic Prognostics’ or SLAAP is developed; looking at a top level solution in prognostics. Overall, this research consists of two main elements. One is to thoroughly understand and analyse data that could be utilised. Secondly, is to apply the developed methodology using the enhanced prognostic methodology. Readily available fault tree data is used to analyse the dependencies of each component within the LRUs, and performance were simulated using the linear Markov Model to estimate the time to failure. A hybrid approach prognostics model is then integrated with the prognostics measures that include environmental factors that contribute to the failure of a system, such as temperature. This research attempts to use data that is closest to the data available in the maintenance repair and overhaul industry. Based on a case study on Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), the prognostics methodology developed showed a sufficiently close approximation to the Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF) data supplied by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). This validation gives confidence that the proposed methodology will achieve its objectives and it should be further developed for use in the systems design process.

Muitas áreas da indústria utilizam substanciais somas de energia térmica, geralmente obtida pela combustão de óleo, gás ou carvão. Na queima destes combustíveis geralmente é utilizado ar como oxidante, que é constituído aproximadamente por 21% de O2 e 79% de N2, em volume. Em muitos casos, os processos de combustão podem ser enriquecidos com o uso de oxidantes que possuem concentrações de oxigênio maior que a existente no ar. Isto é conhecido como combustão enriquecida com oxigênio (OEC) que pode trazer vários benefícios como a redução do consumo de combustíveis, aumento da energia térmica disponível, redução no volume dos gases de combustão, baixo custo de adaptação dos equipamentos existentes, entre outros. Com este cenário, o presente trabalho investiga o uso da combustão enriquecida com oxigênio em uma turbina a gás industriais de um eixo. O equipamento foi modelado termodinamicamente e com a consideração que os gases de combustão formados se encontram em equilíbrio químico. Dessa forma, são estudadas três formas de operação da turbina a gás com o uso do processo de enriquecimento da combustão, que são: 1) vazão de ar de admissão constante, 2) potência líquida constante com rotação fixa e 3) potência líquida constante com rotação variável. Os resultados mostram que pode ser obtido um aumento de até 143% na potência líquida e de 24% no rendimento térmico do ciclo para o caso 1. Entretanto, é necessária uma substancial soma de oxigênio para sustentar o processo. / Many industry areas use large amounts of thermal energy, usually obtained by burning oil, gas or coal. The combustion of these fuels generally used air as an oxidant, which consists of approximately 21% O2 and 79% N2, in volume. In many cases, combustion processes can be enriched with the use of oxidants with higher concentration of oxygen than present in the air. This is known as oxygen-enhanced combustion (OEC), which can provide several benefits such as reduced fuel consumption, increased thermal energy availability, reduction in flue gas volume, low retrofitting cost and others. With this background, this work investigates the use of oxygen-enhanced combustion in heavy duty single-shaft gas turbine. The equipment was thermodynamically modeled and the consideration that the combustion gases are in chemical equilibrium. Thus, three possible ways of implementation of the enrichment process of combustion were studied, which are: 1) constant intake air flow, 2) constant net power with fixed rotation and 3) constant net power with variable speed. The results showed that one can be obtained up to 143% increase in net power and 24% in thermal efficiency of the cycle in case 1. However, it’s necessary a substantial amount of oxygen to sustain the OEC process.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 maronezi_mc_me_jabo.pdf: 1008361 bytes, checksum: 61c06a0623c77a91cd63571d5a013b0d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-12 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O baço é um órgão que desenvolve inúmeras funções importantes no organismo e é um dos principais locais para o desenvolvimento de tumores primários, metastáticos e afecções do sistema hematopoiético, por isso realizar uma avaliação apurada neste órgão é de suma importância, em Medicina veterinária, particularmente em cães devido à importância econômica, afetiva e de similaridade cientifica para o homem. Todavia, a maioria dos métodos utilizados para o diagnóstico conclusivo de enfermidades esplênicas são métodos invasivos, sendo que os nãos invasivos perdem em sensibilidade e especificidade, dificultando que se proceda a um correto diagnóstico. Sendo assim, este estudo prospectivo visou avaliar a aplicabilidade das novas técnicas ultrassonográficas para avaliação esplênica de caninos, utilizando a elastografia ARFI (qualitativa e quantitativa), Doppler e ultrassonografia por contraste com microbolhas, com o intuito de determinar valores ainda não descritos na veterinária, as quais forneçam subsídios suficientes para se obter um diagnóstico conclusivo sobre a condição esplênica, nesta espécie. Os resultados obtidos nos cães saudáveis, por meio da ultrassonografia modo B apresentaram-se normais, sendo que na elastografia qualitativa, as porções esplênicas avaliadas apresentaram-se não deformáveis, com parênquima homogêneo de cor cinza escuro (hard). Na elastografia quantitativa os valores médios da velocidade de cisalhamento foram de 2,32 m/s para a cabeça, 2,16 m/s para o corpo e 2,25 m/s para a cauda do baço, não apresentando diferença estatística (P > 0,05). Ao exame contrastado, foram avaliados animais com erliquiose na fase subclínica, e estes apresentaram ao exame modo-B, esplenomegalia com presença de bordas arredondadas, ecotextura heterogênea e ecogenicidade mista do baço. Ao Doppler, verificou-se valores para os índices vasculares da artéria esplênica: velocidade sistólica: 22,59 ± 8,07 cm/s; velocidade diastólica: 5,25 ± 4,66 cm/s; e índice de resistência: 0,71 ± 0,14. Pela ultrassonografia com contraste observaram-se valores para wash-in de 5,31 ± 0,7s, pico de realce de 18,56 ± 2,90s e wash-out: 94,56 ± 35,21s. A elastografia ARFI é um método recente que pode fornecer dados de base para o baço e permitir a utilização futura desta técnica, na avaliação de cães com doença esplênica. A ultrassonografia convencional do baço de cães com erliquiose associado com a utilização do método Doppler e ultrassonografia contrastada são importantes ferramentas na triagem diagnóstica e podem auxiliar a monitoração e evolução de animais na fase subclínica. / The spleen is an organ develops much important functions in the body and the spleen is one of the main organs prone to the development of primary tumors, metastasis and a broad range of diseases of the hematopoietic system perform assessment of spleen is important. In veterinary medicine, principally in dogs because of economic importance, affective and scientific similarity to humans. However, the most of the methods used for conclusive diagnosis of splenic diseases are invasive methods, noninvasive lose in sensitivity and specificity difficulting proceed to a correct diagnosis. Thus, this study aimed to perform the ultrasound scan of dogs spleen using the elastographic (qualitative and quantitative) Doppler and contrast enhanced ultrasonography. Determining values not described in veterinary, which provide sufficient subsidies to get a conclusive diagnosis of the splenic condition in this species. The results in healthy dogs showed, all splenic segments visualized with the B-mode ultrasonography appeared normal. Different splenic segments examined with qualitative elastography were free of any detectable malformations and the images appeared as homogeneous dark areas. The mean shear velocity values were 2.32 m/s for head, 2.16 m/s for body and 2.25 m/s for tail of the spleen, and they did not vary between the different age groups (P>0.05). In dogs with ehrlichiosis in subclinical phase showed, by B-mode examination, observed splenomegaly with presence of rounded borders and heterogeneous echotexture and mixed echogenicity in spleen. For Doppler found values for vascular indices of the splenic artery: systolic velocity: 22.59 ± 8.07 cm/s; diastolic velocity: 5.25 ± 4.66 cm/s; and resistance index: 0.71 ± 0.14. For contrast enhanced ultrasonography observed values for wash-in: 5.31 ± 0.7s, peak enhancement: 18.56 ± 2.90s and wash-out: 94.56 ± 35.21s. The ARFI elastography is a new method and it may aid in the diagnosis and evaluation of splenic abnormalities routinely assessed in veterinary practice. The conventional ultrasonography of the spleen in dogs with ehrlichiosis associated with hemodynamic evaluation by Doppler and contrast enhanced ultrasonography are important tools for diagnosis trial and could help the monitoring clinical evolution in subclinical phase. / FAPESP: 2013/26197-5

Muitas áreas da indústria utilizam substanciais somas de energia térmica, geralmente obtida pela combustão de óleo, gás ou carvão. Na queima destes combustíveis geralmente é utilizado ar como oxidante, que é constituído aproximadamente por 21% de O2 e 79% de N2, em volume. Em muitos casos, os processos de combustão podem ser enriquecidos com o uso de oxidantes que possuem concentrações de oxigênio maior que a existente no ar. Isto é conhecido como combustão enriquecida com oxigênio (OEC) que pode trazer vários benefícios como a redução do consumo de combustíveis, aumento da energia térmica disponível, redução no volume dos gases de combustão, baixo custo de adaptação dos equipamentos existentes, entre outros. Com este cenário, o presente trabalho investiga o uso da combustão enriquecida com oxigênio em uma turbina a gás industriais de um eixo. O equipamento foi modelado termodinamicamente e com a consideração que os gases de combustão formados se encontram em equilíbrio químico. Dessa forma, são estudadas três formas de operação da turbina a gás com o uso do processo de enriquecimento da combustão, que são: 1) vazão de ar de admissão constante, 2) potência líquida constante com rotação fixa e 3) potência líquida constante com rotação variável. Os resultados mostram que pode ser obtido um aumento de até 143% na potência líquida e de 24% no rendimento térmico do ciclo para o caso 1. Entretanto, é necessária uma substancial soma de oxigênio para sustentar o processo. / Many industry areas use large amounts of thermal energy, usually obtained by burning oil, gas or coal. The combustion of these fuels generally used air as an oxidant, which consists of approximately 21% O2 and 79% N2, in volume. In many cases, combustion processes can be enriched with the use of oxidants with higher concentration of oxygen than present in the air. This is known as oxygen-enhanced combustion (OEC), which can provide several benefits such as reduced fuel consumption, increased thermal energy availability, reduction in flue gas volume, low retrofitting cost and others. With this background, this work investigates the use of oxygen-enhanced combustion in heavy duty single-shaft gas turbine. The equipment was thermodynamically modeled and the consideration that the combustion gases are in chemical equilibrium. Thus, three possible ways of implementation of the enrichment process of combustion were studied, which are: 1) constant intake air flow, 2) constant net power with fixed rotation and 3) constant net power with variable speed. The results showed that one can be obtained up to 143% increase in net power and 24% in thermal efficiency of the cycle in case 1. However, it’s necessary a substantial amount of oxygen to sustain the OEC process.

Muitas áreas da indústria utilizam substanciais somas de energia térmica, geralmente obtida pela combustão de óleo, gás ou carvão. Na queima destes combustíveis geralmente é utilizado ar como oxidante, que é constituído aproximadamente por 21% de O2 e 79% de N2, em volume. Em muitos casos, os processos de combustão podem ser enriquecidos com o uso de oxidantes que possuem concentrações de oxigênio maior que a existente no ar. Isto é conhecido como combustão enriquecida com oxigênio (OEC) que pode trazer vários benefícios como a redução do consumo de combustíveis, aumento da energia térmica disponível, redução no volume dos gases de combustão, baixo custo de adaptação dos equipamentos existentes, entre outros. Com este cenário, o presente trabalho investiga o uso da combustão enriquecida com oxigênio em uma turbina a gás industriais de um eixo. O equipamento foi modelado termodinamicamente e com a consideração que os gases de combustão formados se encontram em equilíbrio químico. Dessa forma, são estudadas três formas de operação da turbina a gás com o uso do processo de enriquecimento da combustão, que são: 1) vazão de ar de admissão constante, 2) potência líquida constante com rotação fixa e 3) potência líquida constante com rotação variável. Os resultados mostram que pode ser obtido um aumento de até 143% na potência líquida e de 24% no rendimento térmico do ciclo para o caso 1. Entretanto, é necessária uma substancial soma de oxigênio para sustentar o processo. / Many industry areas use large amounts of thermal energy, usually obtained by burning oil, gas or coal. The combustion of these fuels generally used air as an oxidant, which consists of approximately 21% O2 and 79% N2, in volume. In many cases, combustion processes can be enriched with the use of oxidants with higher concentration of oxygen than present in the air. This is known as oxygen-enhanced combustion (OEC), which can provide several benefits such as reduced fuel consumption, increased thermal energy availability, reduction in flue gas volume, low retrofitting cost and others. With this background, this work investigates the use of oxygen-enhanced combustion in heavy duty single-shaft gas turbine. The equipment was thermodynamically modeled and the consideration that the combustion gases are in chemical equilibrium. Thus, three possible ways of implementation of the enrichment process of combustion were studied, which are: 1) constant intake air flow, 2) constant net power with fixed rotation and 3) constant net power with variable speed. The results showed that one can be obtained up to 143% increase in net power and 24% in thermal efficiency of the cycle in case 1. However, it’s necessary a substantial amount of oxygen to sustain the OEC process.