OXIRIS project: Development of a new XRF device for the simultaneous detection and treatment of cancer

A novel and suitable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescent (EDXRF) device, currently at the prototype stage, the Project OXIRIS (Orthovoltage X-Ray–Induced Radiation System), is presented for the simultaneous detection and treatment of cancer diseases. Monte Carlo simulation and experimental results of EDXRF signals from a small deep artificial tumor consisting of a solution of gold nanoparticles bio-targeted and immersed in a tissue-bioequivalent matrix are presented and compared. Briefly, the device consists of a dynamic orthovoltage X-ray fluence concentration coupled to confocal with an EDXRF system along with a sample holder for 3D scanning; all integrated and controlled by a dedicated software capable of controlling the whole operation functionalities: the X-ray source, the rotating arm, the sample holder, and the detection system. The software also includes dedicated subroutines for X-ray fluorescent spectra processing to correlate K-lines signal at each acquisition position with the corresponding high atomic number elements' concentration to produce a 3D distribution according to the user-defined grid. The confocal configuration ensures that the detected signal comes exclusively from the excited volume as defined by the bulk of the focal spot. Hence, the 3D image is achieved by scanning the sample holder through the movement of the sample-carrier stretcher moved by step motors in the 3 coordinated axes. The feasibility of the proposed methodology and the design of the prototype have been successfully demonstrated experimentally, targeting gold nanoparticles in water-equivalent phantoms.     

Diffusion in three-dimensional random systems at their percolation thresholds

Extensive Monte Carlo simulations of theant-in-the-labyrinth problem on randomL* L* L simple cubic lattices are performed, forL up to 960 on a CRAY-YMP supercomputer. The exponentk for the rms displacementr witht inrt ^k is found to bek=0.190±0.003. As a second approach, large percolation clusters with chemical shells up to 300 are generated on a simple cubic lattice at criticality. The diffusion equation is then solved by using the exact enumeration technique. The corresponding critical exponentd ^w is found to be 1/d ^w =0.250±0.003.On leave from I. Institut für Theoretische für Physik, Universität Hamburg, D-2000 Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany.     

Absorption and thermal study of dental enamel when irradiated with Nd:YAG laser with the aim of caries prevention

It is widely recognized that Nd:YAG can increase enamel resistance to demineralization; however, the safe parameters and conditions that enable the application of Nd:YAG laser irradiation in vivo are still unknown. The aim of this study was to determine a dye as a photoabsorber for Nd:YAG laser and to verify in vitro a safe condition of Nd:YAG irradiation for caries prevention. Fifty-eight human teeth were selected. In a first morphological study, four dyes (waterproof India ink., iron oxide, caries indicator and coal paste) were tested before Nd:YAG laser irradiation, under two different irradiation conditions: 60 mJ/pulse and 10 Hz (84.9 J/cm²); 80 mJ/pulse and 10 Hz (113.1 J/cm²). In a second study, the enamel surface and pulp chamber temperatures were evaluated during laser irradiations. All dyes produced enamel surface melting, with the exception of the caries indicator, and coal paste was the only dye that could be completely removed. All irradiation conditions produced temperature increases of up to 615.08°C on the enamel surface. Nd:YAG laser irradiation at 60 mJ/pulse, 10 Hz and 84.9 J/cm² promoted no harmful temperature increase in the pulp chamber (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Among all dyes tested, the coal paste was an efficient photoabsorber for Nd:YAG irradiation, considered feasible for clinical practice. Nd:YAG laser at 84.9 J/cm² can be indicated as a safe parameter for use in caries prevention.     

Biased bilayer graphene: semiconductor with a gap tunable by the electric field effect

We demonstrate that the electronic gap of a graphene bilayer can be controlled externally by applying a gate bias. From the magnetotransport data (Shubnikov-de Haas measurements of the cyclotron mass), and using a tight-binding model, we extract the value of the gap as a function of the electronic density. We show that the gap can be changed from zero to midinfrared energies by using fields of less, approximately < 1 V/nm, below the electric breakdown of SiO2. The opening of a gap is clearly seen in the quantum Hall regime.     

Resilient quantum computation in correlated environments: a quantum phase transition perspective

We analyze the problem of a quantum computer in a correlated environment protected from decoherence by quantum error correction using a perturbative renormalization group approach. The scaling equation obtained reflects the competition between the dimension of the computer and the scaling dimension of the correlations. For an irrelevant flow, the error probability is reduced to a stochastic form for a long time and/or a large number of qubits; thus, the traditional derivation of the threshold theorem holds for these error models. In this way, the "threshold theorem" of quantum computing is rephrased as a dimensional criterion.     

Frobenius Modules and Hodge Asymptotics

We exhibit a direct correspondence between the potential defining the H^1,1 small quantum module structure on the cohomology of a Calabi-Yau manifold and the asymptotic data of the A-model variation of Hodge structure. This is done in the abstract context of polarized variations of Hodge structure and Frobenius modules. E. Cattani was partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-0099707     

Correlation of optical properties with the fractal microstructure of black molybdenum coatings

Coating is commonly used for improving the optical properties of surfaces for solar collector applications. The coating morphology depends on the deposition conditions, and this determines the final optical characteristics. Coating morphologies are irregular and of fractal nature, so a suitable approach for its characterization should use methods borrowed from fractal analysis. The aim of this work is to study the fractal characteristics of black molybdenum coatings on copper and to relate the fractal parameters to the optical properties. To this end, coating surfaces were prepared via immersion in a solution of ammonium paramolybdate for different deposition periods. The fractal analysis was carried out for SEM and AFM images of the coating surface and the fractal properties were obtained with a recently developed high-dimensional extension of the well-known detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). The most salient parameter drawn from the application of the DFA is the Hurst index, a parameter related to the roughness of the coating surface, and the multifractality index, which is related to the non-linearity features of the coating morphology. The results showed that optical properties, including absorptance and emittance, are decreasing functions of the Hurst and multifractality indices. This suggests that coating surfaces with high absorptance and emittance values are related to complex coating morphologies conformed within a non-linear structure.