Dose management in CT is an increasingly important issue as the number of CT scans per capita continues to rise. One proposed approach for enhanced dose management is to allow the spatial pattern of x-ray fluence delivered to the patient to change dynamically as the x-ray tube rotates about the patient. The changes in incident fluence could be guided using a patient model and optimization method in order to deliver user-defined image quality criteria while minimizing dose. This approach is referred to as fluence field modulated CT (FFMCT). In this work, a framework and optimization method was developed for evaluating the dose and image quality benefits of FFMCT, both in simulated and experimental data. Modulated fluence profiles were optimized for different objects and image quality criteria using a simulated annealing algorithm. Analysis involved comparing predicted image quality maps and dose outcomes to those using conventional methods. Results indicated that image quality distributions using FFMCT agreed better with prescribed image qualities than conventional techniques allow. Dose reductions ranged depending on the task and object of interest. Simulation studies using a simulated anthropomorphic phantom of the chest suggest an average dose reduction of at least 20% compared to conventional techniques is possible, where local dose reductions may be greater than 60%. Across different imaging tasks and objects, integral dose reductions ranged from 20-50% when compared to a conventional bowtie filter. The results of this study suggest that given a suitable collimator approach, FFMCT could reap significant benefits in terms of reducing dose and optimizing image quality. Though the tradeoff between image quality and imaging dose may not be eliminated, it may be better managed using an FFMCT approach.

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Yes / The application of photoelectrochemical methods presents the researcher with a powerful set of versatile tools by which photoactive materials, such as semiconductor quantum dots, at conductive interfaces may be interrogated. While the range of photoelectrochemical techniques available is quite large, it is surprising that very few have found their way into common usage within the nanoparticle community. Here a number of photoelectrochemical techniques and the principles upon which they are based are introduced. A short discussion on the criticality of ensuring the nanoparticles are reliably anchored to the substrate is followed by an introduction to the basic set of equipment required in order to enable the investigator to undertake such experiments. Subsequently the four techniques of transient photocurrent response to square wave illumination, photocurrent spectroscopy, intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) and intensity modulated photovoltage spectroscopy (IMVS) are introduced. Finally, the information that can be acquired using such techniques is provided with emphasis being placed on a number of case studies exemplifying the application of photoelectrochemical techniques to nanoparticles at interfaces, in particular optically transparent electrodes.

PURPOSE:To assess if intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can possibly lead to improved local control and lower incidence of vision impairment/blindness in comparison to non-IMRT techniques when treating sinonasal malignancies / what is the most optimal dose constraints for the optic pathway / and the impact of different IMRT strategies on optic pathway sparing in this setting.METHODS AND MATERIALS:A literature search in the PubMed databases was conducted in July, 2012.RESULTS:Clinical studies on IMRT and 2D/3D (2 dimensional/3 dimensional) RT for sinonasal malignancies suggest improved local control and lower incidence of severe vision impairment with IMRT in comparison to non-IMRT techniques. As observed in the non-IMRT studies, blindness due to disease progression may occur despite a lack of severe toxicity possibly due to the difficulty of controlling locally very advanced disease with a dose less than or equal to] 70Gy. Concurrent chemotherapy's influence on the the risk of severe optic toxicity after radiotherapy is unclear. A maximum dose of less than or equal to] 54Gy with conventional fractionation to the optic pathway may decrease the risk of blindness. Increased magnitude of intensity modulation through increasing the number of segments, beams, and using a combination of coplanar and non-coplanar arrangements may help increase dose conformality and optic pathway sparing when IMRT is used.CONCLUSION:IMRT optimized with appropriate strategies may be the treatment of choice for the most optimal local control and optic pathway sparing when treating sinonasal malignancy.

ITC/USA 2011 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Seventh Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 24-27, 2011 / Bally's Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada / This paper describes the development and test results of a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) L-Band radar testbed designed to detect obstacles in the proximity of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). From laboratory loopback tests, it was calculated that with pulse compression and a transmit power of 150 mW (22 dBm), the radar is capable of detecting an object with a 0.014-m2 radar cross-sectional area at ranges between 500 ft to 1 mi. Analysis shows that post processing of the collected data would reveal information about the obstacle such as its range and location relative to the aircraft. Design and testing procedures are discussed.

In this work, image processing algorithms are presented for an advanced sensor classification known collectively as imaging modulated polarimetry. The image processing algorithms presented are novel in that they use frequency domain based approaches, in comparison to the data domain based approaches that all previous algorithms have employed. Under the conditions on the data and imaging device derived in this work, the frequency domain based demodulation algorithms will optimally reduced reconstruction artifacts in a least squared sense. This work provides a framework for objectively comparing polarimeters that modulate in different domains (i.e. time vs. space), referred to as the spectral density response function. The spectral density response function is created as an analog to the modulation transfer function (or the more general transfer function for temporal devices) employed in the design of conventional imaging devices. The framework considers the total bandwidth of the object to be measured, and then can consider estimation artifacts that arise in both time and space due to the measurement modality that has been chosen. Using the framework for objectively comparing different modulated polarimeters (known as the spectral density response function), a method of developing a Wiener filter for multi-signal demodulation is developed, referred to as the polarimetric Wiener filter. This filter is then shown to be optimal for one extensive test case. This document provides one extensive example of implementing the algorithms and spectral density response calculations on a real system, known as the MSPI polarimeter. The MSPI polarimeter has been published extensively elsewhere, so only a basic system description here is used as necessary to describe how the methods presented here can be implemented on this system.

Directly modulated lasers (DMLs) are a low cost solution for moderate reach systems due to their small footprint, low power dissipation and high output optical power. However, commercial 10-Gb/s on-off keying DMLs have been limited by an inherent modulation of the optical phase that accompanies the desired modulation of the optical intensity, which reduces their transmission distance to below 20 km. Furthermore, the ability to generate bit rates beyond 10-Gb/s with advanced modulation formats has been limited by the strict requirements on the laser drive current. The primary objective of this research is to dramatically enhance the capability of DML based systems through precise control over the drive current. This is achieved by digital signal processing (DSP) combined with a single digital-to-analog converter (DAC). In this research, a novel method to pre-compensate dispersion for metro and regional networks is demonstrated at 10.709-Gb/s. A look-up table (LUT) for the driving current is optimized for dispersion mitigation. Experimental results show a 25 fold increase in the transmission reach of a DML from 10 km to 252 km. A similar approach applied to a directly modulated chirp managed laser reveals a remarkable increase in the achievable transmission reach from 200 km to 608 km. In the context of access networks the DSP and DAC configuration is utilized for directly modulating a passive feedback laser (PFL) to generate differential phase shift keying (DPSK) signals at bit rates of 10.709-Gb/s, 14-Gb/s and 16-Gb/s. The quality of the DPSK signals is assessed using both noncoherent detection for a bit rate of 10.709-Gb/s and coherent detection with DSP involving a LUT pattern-dependent distortion compensator. For very short reach optical links, a 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation signal is generated using subcarrier modulation with a subcarrier frequency of half the symbol rate, Nyquist pulse shaping, and a directly modulated PFL at bit rates up to 56-Gb/s. Using polarization multiplexing emulation, a pre-amplified direct detection receiver and DSP, loss margins of 12.6 dB and 8 dB are achieved for a 112-Gb/s dual polarization signal within a 33 GHz optical bandwidth at back-to-back and after 4 km transmission, respectively. / Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-31 13:58:56.327

This thesis follows the design process of a back end. The purpose of this back end is to interface a radar front end, developed by Acreo Swedish ICT, and stream it’s digitalized output to a PC using Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0. The front end, which acts as a basis for this project, is a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar which is connected to the back end by a header. The header connects the digitalized radar signals, together with two SPI-buses and a few GPIO pins. Thus, enabling configuration and set up of the front end board via a PC. The result of the thesis is a data acquisition board that can be used to interface with the front end. The implemented back end features an FPGA to handle the ADC data from the front end, so the board has DSP capabilities, but can also stream the raw radar data. The FPGA is connected to a USB 3.0 controller through a 32-bit parallel interface. The configuration of the front end, via the produced board, is verified in it’s functionality and can be controlled by a PC using a simple GUI. Commands are sent through the USB 3.0 controller to a front end controller which handles the communication. Since getting the hardware functional has been the main objective of the thesis, the project has been deemed to be successful. The final result is a back end radar prototype, which has the requested core hardware functionalities. In addition to this, the prototype has the capacity to act as a platform for further expanding its functionality after a hand over of the project to Acreo Swedish ICT.

A pulsed fuel injector system was used to study flame structure, flame length, and emissions of ethylene jet diffusion flames over a range of injection times and duty-cycles with a variable air co-flow. In all cases the jet was completely shut off between pulses (fully-modulated) for varying intervals, giving both widely-spaced, non-interacting puffs and interacting puffs. Imaging of the luminosity from the flame revealed distinct types of flame structure and length, depending on the duration of the fuel injection interval. Flame lengths for isolated puffs (small injection times) were up to 83% less than steady state flames with the same injection velocities. With the addition of co-flow flame lengths grew to a maximum of 30% longer than flames without any co-flow. A scaling argument is also developed to predict the amount of co-flow that gives a 15% increase in mean flame length. Interacting flames with a small co-flow and small injection times (injection time = 5.475 ms) experienced flame length increases of up to 212% for a change in injection duty-cycle from 0.1 to 0.5. For interacting flames with long injection times (on time = 119 ms), essentially no change in flame length was noticeable over the same range of duty-cycles. Emission measurements suggest partial quenching of the reaction in isolated puffs with low duty-cycles and injection times (injection times less than 5.475 ms) resulting in high CO and UHC concentrations and low NO and NOx concentrations. With an increase in duty-cycle, the puffs began to interact and CO and UHC concentrations decreased while NO and NOx concentrations increased. For flames with injection times greater than 5.475 ms emission concentrations seem to be reasonably constant, with a slight increase in NO and NOx concentrations as the duty-cycle increased. Also the duty-cycle experienced in the vicinity of the probe is estimated and used as a scaling factor for the emission measurements.

Orientador: Hércules de Araújo Feitosa / Banca: Edélcio Gonçalves de Souza / Banca: Mauri Cunha do Nascimento / Resumo: Dentre as diversas lógicas não-clássicas, que complementam o cálculo de predicados de primeira ordem, destacamos as lógicas moduladas. As lógicas moduladas são caracterizadas pela inclusão de um novo quantificador, chamado modulado, que tem a incumbência de interpretar aspectos indutivos de quantificadores das linguagens naturais. Como um caso particular de lógica modulada, a lógica do muito formaliza a noção intuitiva de "muitos". O quantificador do muito é representado por G. Assim, uma sentença do tipo Gxα(x) deve ser entendida como "muitos indivíduos satisfazem a propriedade α". Semanticamente, a noção de muitos está associada a uma estrutura matemática denominada família fechada superiormente e própria. Seja E um conjunto não vazio. Uma família própria fechada superiormente F em E é tal que: (i) F ⊆ P(E); (ii) E ∈ F; (iii) ∅ ∉ F; (iv) A ∈ F e A ⊆ B ⇒ B ∈ F. Intuitivamente, F caracteriza os conjuntos que possuem 'muitos' elementos. E, assim, o universo E possui muitos elementos; o ∅ não possui muitos elementos; e se A possui muitos elementos, então todo conjunto que contém A também possui muitos elementos. Com elementos sintáticos que caracterizam linguisticamente estas propriedades de F, pode-se verificar que a lógica do muito é correta e completa para uma estrutura de primeira ordem estendida por uma família própria fechada superiormente. A lógica do muito foi originalmente introduzida em um sistema dedutivo hilbertiano, baseado apenas em axiomas e regras de dedução. Neste trabalho, desenvolvemos um outro sistema dedutivo para a lógica do muito, porém num sistema de tablôs. Demonstramos, naturalmente, que esse novo sistema é equivalente ao sistema axiomático original. / Abstract: Among the several non classical logics that complement the classical first-order logic, we detach the Modulated Logics. This class of logics is characterized by extending the classical logic by the introduction of a new generalized quantifier, called modulated quantifier, that has the attribution of interpreting some inductive aspects of quantifiers in any natural language. As a particular case of Modulated Logic, the Logic of Many formalize the intuitive notion of "many". The quantifier of many is represented by G. Thus, a sentence of the type Gxα(x) must be understood like "many individuals satisfy the property α". Semantically, the notion of many is associated with a mathematical structure named proper superiorly closed family. Let E be a non empty set. A proper superiorly closed family F in E is such that: (i) F ⊆ P(E); (ii) E ∈ F; (iii) ∅ ∉ F; (iv) A ∈ F e A ⊆ B ⇒ B ∈ F. Intuitively, F characterizes the sets which have "many" elements. The empty set ∅ does not have many elements. And if A has many elements, then any set which contains A, also has many elements. The logic of many has syntactical elements that caracterize linguisticaly these properties of F. We can verify that the Logic of Many is correct and complete for a first order structure extended by a proper superiorly closed family. The Logic of Many was originally introduced in a Hilbertian deductive system, based only on axioms and rules. In this work, we developed another deductive system for the Logic of Many, but in a tableaux system. We proof that this new system is equivalent to the original one. / Mestre