Objectives: The presence of sinus septa may cause complications in maxillary sinus elevation surgery such as perforations. CBCT is important for planning the size, shape, and position of the sinus septa, and help separation of the sinus membrane from the bony septum. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence, location and morphology of maxillary sinus septa in patients of Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry.  Materials and Methods: Eight hundred and twenty one scans taken in Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry between 2009 to July 31, 2013 were evaluated by use of the iCAT software. Age, gender, ethnicity, and dentition status were also evaluated to determine potential relationship of the presence of sinus septa. Results: This study included 680 patients subdivided by gender into 360 female and 320 male, and subdivided by ethnicity into 408 Caucasian, 61 Asian, 51 Hispanic, and 160 African Americans. Septa were present in 303 of 680 patients (44.56%) and 485 of 1360 sinuses (35.7%) evaluated. 26.76% of patients with one or multiple sinus septa were present on both sides of the sinus, and 17.79% of patients with one or multiple septa were present on either right or left side only. Septa height has a mean of 5.26 mm (range of 1.2 to 22.30 mm). Septa were located in premolar, molar, and retromolar regions in 43.4%, 42.03% and 14.6 % respectively. The most common location of the septa is the second premolar region. Orientation of septa was vertical in 67.8 %, transverse 31.68 %, and horizontal 0.005% of cases. Complete septa were found in only 0.01 % of patients evaluated.  Conclusions: Incidence of septa was found in 44.56% of the scans. The age, gender, and ethnicity factors are not statistically significant. However, according to the Wald test, the prevalence of septa in Caucasian and Hispanic groups are statistically significant (p< 0.05) from African Americans. Prior to sinus augmentation surgery, CBCT scans should be carefully evaluated for the septa location and height to prevent surgical complication such as perforations. / Oral Biology

Scatter and random coincidences are of significant concern in Positron Tomography because they lead to the misrepresentation of the activity distribution in the final image. In this regard, interplane septa have long been used in ring positron tomographs to suppress the acquisition of photons oblique to the scan planes. The septa extend from the face of the detector array to the edge of the field of view. Not only do the septa block photons scattered oblique to the scan planes and singles originating in different planes, but they also result in a decreased count rate sensitivity of the tomograph to true coincidence photons. In this work, the Monte Carlo technique has been employed to study the effect of "septa shadowing" with respect to septa length in order to determine an optimal septa length. Sensitivity parameters have been derived by the use of Noise Equivalent Count (NEC) Rate Analysis, as well as count rate sensitivity analysis in order to balance the counting and imaging performance of the system. In addition, energy spectra, sinogram profiles and scatter fraction results are presented to quantify the effects of septa length on the trues, scatter and randoms contributions of the data collected by the scanner. It is concluded that the highest NEC rate is achieved with positron tomographs with no septa and operating in 3D mode. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

The Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) injection system plays a fundamental role to preserve the quality of injected high-brightness beams for the LHC physics program and to maintain the maximum storable intensity. The present set-up is the result of years of upgrades and patches of a system that was not conceived for such intensities and beam qualities. In this study, we propose the design of a completely new injection system based on multi-level numerical optimisation of the different constraints, including realistic hardware assumptions. We present the different algorithms and procedures applied in the optimisation process, and we also outline how this generic optimisation framework can be adapted to other situations for optimal accelerator system design.

O seio esfenoidal humano, embora sua morfologia seja mais regular quando comparada à dos demais seios paranasais, apresenta numerosas variações anatômicas que afetam sua relação com estruturas vizinhas. Diversos autores mostram a importância do conhecimento dessas variações anatômicas, baseadas tanto na forma quanto na sua presença, para uma correta e segura abordagem cirúrgica nos procedimentos via endoscópica transesfenoidais. Devido a isso, o frequente estudo deste segmento anatômico se torna preponderante e para isso a tomografia computadorizada helicoidal, mais recentemente com o desenvolvimento da aquisição multislice, é de grande importância para o conhecimento tridimensional dos seus aspectos anatômicos e suas estruturas vizinhas, sendo hoje o exame indicado. A tomografia computadorizada por feixe cônico, devido ao baixo custo dos equipamentos e principalmente a baixa dose de radiação, aliada à qualidade e fidelidade de suas imagens, têm ocupado um espaço importante no diagnóstico por imagem nas diferentes especialidades da Odontologia e mostra-se também relevante sua ampliação em outras áreas em função das vantagens já citadas. O objetivo desse estudo, a partir da análise das imagens de 300 pacientes, obtidas em equipamento de tomografia computadorizada por feixe cônico, é mostrar a viabilidade da obtenção das mesmas para a avaliação das variações anatômicas do seio esfenoidal humano, no que se refere à presença e o tipo de expansão basilar e de septos, em um tomógrafo que une qualidade e fidelidade de imagens com baixa dose de radiação. Os resultados mostraram ser viável a observação, por meio da tomografia computadorizada por feixe cônico, tanto da presença de expansão basilar quanto de septos no seio esfenoidal humano, onde 69% dos exames analisados apresentaram expansão basilar e 60% septos. A presença de expansões mostrou ser independente em relação ao gênero e a idade e 81% delas apresentaram-se como críticas. A presença de septos mostrou ser também independente em relação ao gênero, porém associada a pacientes acima de 40 anos, sendo que 36% apresentaram somente o septo principal, 6% septos acessórios e 18% ambos. / The human sinus, although their morphology is more regular when compared to the other paranasal sinuses, has numerous anatomical variations that affect their relationship with neighboring structures. Several authors show the importance of anatomical variations knowledge, based on its shape and occurrence, for a correct and safe surgical approach in the endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures. Due to this, the frequent anatomic study becomes important and the helical CT, most recently with the development of multislice acquisition, is of great importance to the knowledge of their three-dimensional anatomy and its neighboring structures, being nowadays the main indicated survey. The cone beam computed tomography due to the its low cost of equipment and especially the low dose of radiation, combined with quality and fidelity of images, have occupied an important position in diagnostic imaging in the different specialties of Dentistry and shows to be also relevant in others areas according to the advantages already mentioned. This study, based on the analysis of obtained images from 300 patients in cone beam computed tomography equipment, intents the viability of obtaining the evaluation of anatomic variations of sphenoid sinus, in regard to the presence and type of basilar expansion and internal septa, in a CT scanner that combines quality and fidelity of images with low radiation dose. By means of cone-beam computed tomography the results showed the observation to be viable. The presence of basilar sinus expansion and septa in human sphenoid sinus were found. 69% of the analyzed cases showed basilar expansion and 60% the presence of septa. The presence of expansion was independent when considered the gender and age and 81% presented themselves as critical. The presence of septa was independent of gender and associated with patients over 40 years, and 36% had only primary septum, 6% accessories septa and 18% both.

O seio esfenoidal humano, embora sua morfologia seja mais regular quando comparada à dos demais seios paranasais, apresenta numerosas variações anatômicas que afetam sua relação com estruturas vizinhas. Diversos autores mostram a importância do conhecimento dessas variações anatômicas, baseadas tanto na forma quanto na sua presença, para uma correta e segura abordagem cirúrgica nos procedimentos via endoscópica transesfenoidais. Devido a isso, o frequente estudo deste segmento anatômico se torna preponderante e para isso a tomografia computadorizada helicoidal, mais recentemente com o desenvolvimento da aquisição multislice, é de grande importância para o conhecimento tridimensional dos seus aspectos anatômicos e suas estruturas vizinhas, sendo hoje o exame indicado. A tomografia computadorizada por feixe cônico, devido ao baixo custo dos equipamentos e principalmente a baixa dose de radiação, aliada à qualidade e fidelidade de suas imagens, têm ocupado um espaço importante no diagnóstico por imagem nas diferentes especialidades da Odontologia e mostra-se também relevante sua ampliação em outras áreas em função das vantagens já citadas. O objetivo desse estudo, a partir da análise das imagens de 300 pacientes, obtidas em equipamento de tomografia computadorizada por feixe cônico, é mostrar a viabilidade da obtenção das mesmas para a avaliação das variações anatômicas do seio esfenoidal humano, no que se refere à presença e o tipo de expansão basilar e de septos, em um tomógrafo que une qualidade e fidelidade de imagens com baixa dose de radiação. Os resultados mostraram ser viável a observação, por meio da tomografia computadorizada por feixe cônico, tanto da presença de expansão basilar quanto de septos no seio esfenoidal humano, onde 69% dos exames analisados apresentaram expansão basilar e 60% septos. A presença de expansões mostrou ser independente em relação ao gênero e a idade e 81% delas apresentaram-se como críticas. A presença de septos mostrou ser também independente em relação ao gênero, porém associada a pacientes acima de 40 anos, sendo que 36% apresentaram somente o septo principal, 6% septos acessórios e 18% ambos. / The human sinus, although their morphology is more regular when compared to the other paranasal sinuses, has numerous anatomical variations that affect their relationship with neighboring structures. Several authors show the importance of anatomical variations knowledge, based on its shape and occurrence, for a correct and safe surgical approach in the endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures. Due to this, the frequent anatomic study becomes important and the helical CT, most recently with the development of multislice acquisition, is of great importance to the knowledge of their three-dimensional anatomy and its neighboring structures, being nowadays the main indicated survey. The cone beam computed tomography due to the its low cost of equipment and especially the low dose of radiation, combined with quality and fidelity of images, have occupied an important position in diagnostic imaging in the different specialties of Dentistry and shows to be also relevant in others areas according to the advantages already mentioned. This study, based on the analysis of obtained images from 300 patients in cone beam computed tomography equipment, intents the viability of obtaining the evaluation of anatomic variations of sphenoid sinus, in regard to the presence and type of basilar expansion and internal septa, in a CT scanner that combines quality and fidelity of images with low radiation dose. By means of cone-beam computed tomography the results showed the observation to be viable. The presence of basilar sinus expansion and septa in human sphenoid sinus were found. 69% of the analyzed cases showed basilar expansion and 60% the presence of septa. The presence of expansion was independent when considered the gender and age and 81% presented themselves as critical. The presence of septa was independent of gender and associated with patients over 40 years, and 36% had only primary septum, 6% accessories septa and 18% both.