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De Angelis D, Longetti L, Bonano G, Pelli Cresi JS, Foglia L, Pancaldi M, Capotondi F, Pedersoli E, Bencivenga F, Krstulovic M, Menk RH, D'Addato S, Orlando S, de Simone M, Ingle RA, Bleiner D, Coreno M, Principi E, Chergui M, Masciovecchio C, Mincigrucci R. A sub-100 nm thickness flat jet for extreme ultraviolet to soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy. J Synchrotron Radiat 2024; 31:S1600577524001875. [PMID: 38592969 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577524001875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Experimental characterization of the structural, electronic and dynamic properties of dilute systems in aqueous solvents, such as nanoparticles, molecules and proteins, are nowadays an open challenge. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is probably one of the most established approaches to this aim as it is element-specific. However, typical dilute systems of interest are often composed of light elements that require extreme-ultraviolet to soft X-ray photons. In this spectral regime, water and other solvents are rather opaque, thus demanding radical reduction of the solvent volume and removal of the liquid to minimize background absorption. Here, we present an experimental endstation designed to operate a liquid flat jet of sub-micrometre thickness in a vacuum environment compatible with extreme ultraviolet/soft XAS measurements in transmission geometry. The apparatus developed can be easily connected to synchrotron and free-electron-laser user-facility beamlines dedicated to XAS experiments. The conditions for stable generation and control of the liquid flat jet are analyzed and discussed. Preliminary soft XAS measurements on some test solutions are shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario De Angelis
- CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Basovizza, Area Science Park, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Longetti
- Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Bonano
- Dipartimento FIM, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/a, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | | | - Laura Foglia
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Matteo Pancaldi
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Flavio Capotondi
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Emanuele Pedersoli
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Filippo Bencivenga
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Marija Krstulovic
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Ralf Hendrik Menk
- Sezione di Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via Valerio 2, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio D'Addato
- Dipartimento FIM, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/a, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Stefano Orlando
- ISM-CNR, Trieste Branch, in Basovizza Area Science Park, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Monica de Simone
- CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Basovizza, Area Science Park, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Rebecca A Ingle
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Bleiner
- Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, EMPA, Uberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Marcello Coreno
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Emiliano Principi
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Majed Chergui
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Claudio Masciovecchio
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Riccardo Mincigrucci
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14-km 163.5, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy
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Brombal L, Arfelli F, Menk RH, Rigon L, Brun F. PEPI Lab: a flexible compact multi-modal setup for X-ray phase-contrast and spectral imaging. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4206. [PMID: 36918574 PMCID: PMC10014955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30316-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper presents a new flexible compact multi-modal imaging setup referred to as PEPI (Photon-counting Edge-illumination Phase-contrast imaging) Lab, which is based on the edge-illumination (EI) technique and a chromatic detector. The system enables both X-ray phase-contrast (XPCI) and spectral (XSI) imaging of samples on the centimeter scale. This work conceptually follows all the stages in its realization, from the design to the first imaging results. The setup can be operated in four different modes, i.e. photon-counting/conventional, spectral, double-mask EI, and single-mask EI, whereby the switch to any modality is fast, software controlled, and does not require any hardware modification or lengthy re-alignment procedures. The system specifications, ranging from the X-ray tube features to the mask material and aspect ratio, have been quantitatively studied and optimized through a dedicated Geant4 simulation platform, guiding the choice of the instrumentation. The realization of the imaging setup, both in terms of hardware and control software, is detailed and discussed with a focus on practical/experimental aspects. Flexibility and compactness (66 cm source-to-detector distance in EI) are ensured by dedicated motion stages, whereas spectral capabilities are enabled by the Pixirad-1/Pixie-III detector in combination with a tungsten anode X-ray source operating in the range 40-100 kVp. The stability of the system, when operated in EI, has been verified, and drifts leading to mask misalignment of less than 1 [Formula: see text]m have been measured over a period of 54 h. The first imaging results, one for each modality, demonstrate that the system fulfills its design requirements. Specifically, XSI tomographic images of an iodine-based phantom demonstrate the system's quantitativeness and sensibility to concentrations in the order of a few mg/ml. Planar XPCI images of a carpenter bee specimen, both in single and double-mask modes, demonstrate that refraction sensitivity (below 0.6 [Formula: see text]rad in double-mask mode) is comparable with other XPCI systems based on microfocus sources. Phase CT capabilities have also been tested on a dedicated plastic phantom, where the phase channel yielded a 15-fold higher signal-to-noise ratio with respect to attenuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Brombal
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fulvia Arfelli
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Ralf Hendrik Menk
- Division of Trieste, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), 34127, Trieste, Italy. .,Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., 34149, Basovizza, TS, Italy.
| | - Luigi Rigon
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Brun
- Division of Trieste, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), 34127, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
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Alloo SJ, Paganin DM, Morgan KS, Gureyev TE, Mayo SC, Mohammadi S, Lockie D, Menk RH, Arfelli F, Zanconati F, Tromba G, Pavlov KM. Tomographic phase and attenuation extraction for a sample composed of unknown materials using x-ray propagation-based phase-contrast imaging. Opt Lett 2022; 47:1945-1948. [PMID: 35427307 DOI: 10.1364/ol.445802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Propagation-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (PB-PCXI) generates image contrast by utilizing sample-imposed phase-shifts. This has proven useful when imaging weakly attenuating samples, as conventional attenuation-based imaging does not always provide adequate contrast. We present a PB-PCXI algorithm capable of extracting the x-ray attenuation β and refraction δ, components of the complex refractive index of distinct materials within an unknown sample. The method involves curve fitting an error-function-based model to a phase-retrieved interface in a PB-PCXI tomographic reconstruction, which is obtained when Paganin-type phase retrieval is applied with incorrect values of δ and β. The fit parameters can then be used to calculate true δ and β values for composite materials. This approach requires no a priori sample information, making it broadly applicable. Our PB-PCXI reconstruction is single-distance, requiring only one exposure per tomographic angle, which is important for radiosensitive samples. We apply this approach to a breast-tissue sample, recovering the refraction component δ, with 0.6-2.4% accuracy compared with theoretical values.
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Brombal L, Arana Peña LM, Arfelli F, Longo R, Brun F, Contillo A, Di Lillo F, Tromba G, Di Trapani V, Donato S, Menk RH, Rigon L. Motion artifacts assessment and correction using optical tracking in synchrotron radiation breast CT. Med Phys 2021; 48:5343-5355. [PMID: 34252212 PMCID: PMC9291820 DOI: 10.1002/mp.15084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The SYRMA‐3D collaboration is setting up a breast computed tomography (bCT) clinical program at the Elettra synchrotron radiation facility in Trieste, Italy. Unlike the few dedicated scanners available at hospitals, synchrotron radiation bCT requires the patient's rotation, which in turn implies a long scan duration (from tens of seconds to few minutes). At the same time, it allows the achievement of high spatial resolution. These features make synchrotron radiation bCT prone to motion artifacts. This article aims at assessing and compensating for motion artifacts through an optical tracking approach. Methods In this study, patients’ movements due to breathing have been first assessed on seven volunteers and then simulated during the CT scans of a breast phantom and a surgical specimen, by adding a periodic oscillatory motion (constant speed, 1 mm amplitude, 12 cycles/minute). CT scans were carried out at 28 keV with a mean glandular dose of 5 mGy. Motion artifacts were evaluated and a correction algorithm based on the optical tracking of fiducial marks was introduced. A quantitative analysis based on the structural similarity (SSIM) index and the normalized mean square error (nMSE) was performed on the reconstructed CT images. Results CT images reconstructed through the optical tracking procedure were found to be as good as the motionless reference image. Moreover, the analysis of SSIM and nMSE demonstrated that an uncorrected motion of the order of the system's point spread function (around 0.1 mm in the present case) can be tolerated. Conclusions Results suggest that a motion correction procedure based on an optical tracking system would be beneficial in synchrotron radiation bCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Brombal
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lucia Mariel Arana Peña
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fulvia Arfelli
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy
| | - Renata Longo
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Brun
- Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Vittorio Di Trapani
- Department of Physical sciences, Earth and environment, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Division of Pisa, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandro Donato
- Department of Physics, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy.,Division of Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisca Nucleare, Frascati, Rome, Italy
| | - Ralf Hendrik Menk
- Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy.,Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Luigi Rigon
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Division of Trieste, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trieste, Italy
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Schültke E, Fiedler S, Menk RH, Jaekel F, Dreossi D, Casarin K, Tromba G, Bartzsch S, Kriesen S, Hildebrandt G, Arfelli F. Perspectives for microbeam irradiation at the SYRMEP beamline. J Synchrotron Radiat 2021; 28:410-418. [PMID: 33650552 PMCID: PMC7941286 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577521000400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
It has been shown previously both in vitro and in vivo that microbeam irradiation (MBI) can control malignant tumour cells more effectively than the clinically established concepts of broad beam irradiation. With the aim to extend the international capacity for microbeam research, the first MBI experiment at the biomedical beamline SYRMEP of the Italian synchrotron facility ELETTRA has been conducted. Using a multislit collimator produced by the company TECOMET, arrays of quasi-parallel microbeams were successfully generated with a beam width of 50 µm and a centre-to-centre distance of 400 µm. Murine melanoma cell cultures were irradiated with a target dose of approximately 65 Gy at a mean photon energy of ∼30 keV with a dose rate of 70 Gy s-1 and a peak-to-valley dose of ∼123. This work demonstrated a melanoma cell reduction of approximately 80% after MBI. It is suggested that, while a high energy is essential to achieve high dose rates in order to deposit high treatment doses in a short time in a deep-seated target, for in vitro studies and for the treatment of superficial tumours a spectrum in the lower energy range might be equally suitable or even advantageous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Schültke
- Department of Radiooncology, Rostock University Medical Center, Südring 75, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Stefan Fiedler
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Hendrik Menk
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14, Trieste 34149, Italy
- University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Trieste Section, Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Trieste, Italy
| | - Felix Jaekel
- Department of Radiooncology, Rostock University Medical Center, Südring 75, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Diego Dreossi
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14, Trieste 34149, Italy
| | - Katia Casarin
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14, Trieste 34149, Italy
| | - Giuliana Tromba
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14, Trieste 34149, Italy
| | - Stefan Bartzsch
- Department of Radiooncology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Innovative Radiotherapy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Munich (HMGU), Munich, Germany
| | - Stephan Kriesen
- Department of Radiooncology, Rostock University Medical Center, Südring 75, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Guido Hildebrandt
- Department of Radiooncology, Rostock University Medical Center, Südring 75, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Fulvia Arfelli
- Trieste Section, Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Trieste, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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Karydas AG, Czyzycki M, Leani JJ, Migliori A, Osan J, Bogovac M, Wrobel P, Vakula N, Padilla-Alvarez R, Menk RH, Gol MG, Antonelli M, Tiwari MK, Caliri C, Vogel-Mikuš K, Darby I, Kaiser RB. An IAEA multi-technique X-ray spectrometry endstation at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste: benchmarking results and interdisciplinary applications. J Synchrotron Radiat 2018; 25:189-203. [PMID: 29271768 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577517016332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) jointly with the Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste (EST) operates a multipurpose X-ray spectrometry endstation at the X-ray Fluorescence beamline (10.1L). The facility has been available to external users since the beginning of 2015 through the peer-review process of EST. Using this collaboration framework, the IAEA supports and promotes synchrotron-radiation-based research and training activities for various research groups from the IAEA Member States, especially those who have limited previous experience and resources to access a synchrotron radiation facility. This paper aims to provide a broad overview about various analytical capabilities, intrinsic features and performance figures of the IAEA X-ray spectrometry endstation through the measured results. The IAEA-EST endstation works with monochromatic X-rays in the energy range 3.7-14 keV for the Elettra storage ring operating at 2.0 or 2.4 GeV electron energy. It offers a combination of different advanced analytical probes, e.g. X-ray reflectivity, X-ray absorption fine-structure measurements, grazing-incidence X-ray fluorescence measurements, using different excitation and detection geometries, and thereby supports a comprehensive characterization for different kinds of nanostructured and bulk materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Germanos Karydas
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Mateusz Czyzycki
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Juan José Leani
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Alessandro Migliori
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Janos Osan
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Mladen Bogovac
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Pawel Wrobel
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
| | - Nikita Vakula
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Roman Padilla-Alvarez
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Ralf Hendrik Menk
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA di Interesse Nazionale, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maryam Ghahremani Gol
- Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Iranian Light Source Facility (ILSF), Larak Building (Garden), PO Box 19568-36484, Tehran, Iran
| | - Matias Antonelli
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA di Interesse Nazionale, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Manoj K Tiwari
- Synchrotrons Utilization Section, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452013, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Claudia Caliri
- Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, INFN, Via Santa Sofia 62, Catania 95123, Italy
| | - Katarina Vogel-Mikuš
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Iain Darby
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Ralf Bernd Kaiser
- Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Laboratories, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
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Capotondi F, Pedersoli E, Mahne N, Menk RH, Passos G, Raimondi L, Svetina C, Sandrin G, Zangrando M, Kiskinova M, Bajt S, Barthelmess M, Fleckenstein H, Chapman HN, Schulz J, Bach J, Frömter R, Schleitzer S, Müller L, Gutt C, Grübel G. Invited article: Coherent imaging using seeded free-electron laser pulses with variable polarization: first results and research opportunities. Rev Sci Instrum 2013; 84:051301. [PMID: 23742525 DOI: 10.1063/1.4807157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
FERMI@Elettra, the first vacuum ultraviolet and soft X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) using by default a "seeded" scheme, became operational in 2011 and has been opened to users since December 2012. The parameters of the seeded FERMI FEL pulses and, in particular, the superior control of emitted radiation in terms of spectral purity and stability meet the stringent requirements for single-shot and resonant coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) experiments. The advantages of the intense seeded FERMI pulses with variable polarization have been demonstrated with the first experiments performed using the multipurpose experimental station operated at the diffraction and projection imaging (DiProI) beamline. The results reported here were obtained with fixed non-periodic targets during the commissioning period in 2012 using 20-32 nm wavelength range. They demonstrate that the performance of the FERMI FEL source and the experimental station meets the requirements of CDI, holography, and resonant magnetic scattering in both multi- and single-shot modes. Moreover, we present the first magnetic scattering experiments employing the fully circularly polarized FERMI pulses. The ongoing developments aim at pushing the lateral resolution by using shorter wavelengths provided by double-stage cascaded FERMI FEL-2 and probing ultrafast dynamic processes using different pump-probe schemes, including jitter-free seed laser pump or FEL-pump∕FEL-probe with two color FEL pulses generated by the same electron bunch.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Capotondi
- FERMI, Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, SS 14 - km 163.5, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
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Delfino R, Altissimo M, Menk RH, Alberti R, Klatka T, Frizzi T, Longoni A, Salomè M, Tromba G, Arfelli F, Clai M, Vaccari L, Lorusso V, Tiribelli C, Pascolo L. X-ray fluorescence elemental mapping and microscopy to follow hepatic disposition of a Gd-based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2011; 38:834-45. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2011.05618.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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9
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Menk RH, Schültke E, Hall C, Arfelli F, Astolfo A, Rigon L, Round A, Ataelmannan K, MacDonald SR, Juurlink BH. Gold nanoparticle labeling of cells is a sensitive method to investigate cell distribution and migration in animal models of human disease. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine 2011; 7:647-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2011.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2010] [Revised: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 01/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Castelli E, Tonutti M, Arfelli F, Longo R, Quaia E, Rigon L, Sanabor D, Zanconati F, Dreossi D, Abrami A, Quai E, Bregant P, Casarin K, Chenda V, Menk RH, Rokvic T, Vascotto A, Tromba G, Cova MA. Mammography with Synchrotron Radiation: First Clinical Experience with Phase-Detection Technique. Radiology 2011; 259:684-94. [DOI: 10.1148/radiol.11100745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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11
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Sousa F, Mandal S, Garrovo C, Astolfo A, Bonifacio A, Latawiec D, Menk RH, Arfelli F, Huewel S, Legname G, Galla HJ, Krol S. Functionalized gold nanoparticles: a detailed in vivo multimodal microscopic brain distribution study. Nanoscale 2010; 2:2826-2834. [PMID: 20949211 DOI: 10.1039/c0nr00345j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the in vivo distribution of polyelectrolyte multilayer coated gold nanoparticles is shown, starting from the living animal down to cellular level. The coating was designed with functional moieties to serve as a potential nano drug for prion disease. With near infrared time-domain imaging we followed the biodistribution in mice up to 7 days after intravenous injection of the nanoparticles. The peak concentration in the head of mice was detected between 19 and 24 h. The precise particle distribution in the brain was studied ex vivo by X-ray microtomography, confocal laser and fluorescence microscopy. We found that the particles mainly accumulate in the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Sousa
- NanoBioMed Lab @ LANADA (Laboratory for Nanodiagnostics, Drug Delivery and Analysis), CBM-Cluster in Biomedicine S.c.r.l., Basovizza, AREA Science Park, Trieste, Italy
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13
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De Caro L, Jark W, Menk RH, Matteucci M. Diffraction of partially coherent X-rays in clessidra prism arrays. J Synchrotron Radiat 2008; 15:606-611. [PMID: 18955767 DOI: 10.1107/s0909049508029762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2008] [Accepted: 09/16/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
When small triangular prisms are arranged in arrays which have an overall appearance like an hourglass (in Italian: clessidra) they can focus X-rays owing to a combined action of diffraction and refraction. From the optical point of view these objects can be regarded as a Fresnel variant of concave transmission lenses. Consequently they can provide larger apertures than purely refractive lenses. However, one has to recognize that clessidra lenses will strongly diffract as the lens structure is periodic in the direction perpendicular to the incident beam. In experiments the diffraction is reduced because it is difficult to illuminate the large apertures with a full spatially coherent wavefront. So the illumination is at best partially coherent. In order to interpret available experimental data for this condition, diffraction theory has been applied appropriately to the clessidra structure, taking into account the limited spatial coherence. The agreement between the theoretical simulations and experimental data is very good, keeping the lens properties at their projected values and allowing for only two free model parameters. The first is the lateral spatial coherence; the second is a lens defect, a rounding of all edges and tips in the structure. Both values obtained from the simulations have been found to be in agreement with expectations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liberato De Caro
- Istituto di Cristallografia - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IC-CNR), via Amendola 122/O, I-70125 Bari, Italy
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14
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Jark W, Matteucci M, Menk RH. On the use of clessidra prism arrays in long-focal-length X-ray focusing. J Synchrotron Radiat 2008; 15:411-413. [PMID: 18552435 DOI: 10.1107/s0909049508013010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2008] [Accepted: 05/02/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Clessidra (hour-glass) X-ray lenses have an overall shape of an old hour glass, in which two opposing larger triangular prisms are formed of smaller identical prisms or prism-like objects. In these lenses, absorbing and otherwise optically inactive material was removed with a material-removal strategy similar to that used by Fresnel in the lighthouse lens construction. It is verified that when the single prism rows are incoherently illuminated they can be operated as independent micro-lenses with coinciding image positions for efficient X-ray beam concentration. Experimental data for the line width and the refraction efficiency in one-dimensional focusing are consistent with the expectations. Imperfections in the structures produced by state-of-the-art deep X-ray lithography directed only 35% of the incident intensity away from the image and widened it by just 10% to 125 microm. An array of micro-lenses with easily feasible prism sizes is proposed as an efficient retrofit for the refocusing optics in an existing beamline, where it would provide seven-fold flux enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Jark
- Sincrotrone Trieste ScpA, SS 14 km 163.5, 34012 Basovizza (TS), Italy.
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15
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Abstract
Analyser-based phase contrast imaging can provide radiographs of exceptional contrast at high resolution (<100 microm), whilst quantitative phase and attenuation information can be extracted using just two images when the approximations of geometrical optics are satisfied. Analytical phase retrieval can be performed by fitting the analyser rocking curve with a symmetric Pearson type VII function. The Pearson VII function provided at least a 10% better fit to experimentally measured rocking curves than linear or Gaussian functions. A test phantom, a hollow nylon cylinder, was imaged at 20 keV using a Si(1 1 1) analyser at the ELETTRA synchrotron radiation facility. Our phase retrieval method yielded a more accurate object reconstruction than methods based on a linear fit to the rocking curve. Where reconstructions failed to map expected values, calculations of the Takagi number permitted distinction between the violation of the geometrical optics conditions and the failure of curve fitting procedures. The need for synchronized object/detector translation stages was removed by using a large, divergent beam and imaging the object in segments. Our image acquisition and reconstruction procedure enables quantitative phase retrieval for systems with a divergent source and accounts for imperfections in the analyser.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Kitchen
- School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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16
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Orthen A, Wagner H, Martoiu S, Amenitsch H, Bernstorff S, Besch HJ, Menk RH, Nurdan K, Rappolt M, Walenta AH, Werthenbach U. Development of a two-dimensional virtual-pixel X-ray imaging detector for time-resolved structure research. J Synchrotron Radiat 2004; 11:177-186. [PMID: 14960783 DOI: 10.1107/s0909049503028863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2003] [Accepted: 12/15/2003] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
An interpolating two-dimensional X-ray imaging detector based on a single-photon counter with gas amplification by GEM (gas electron multiplier) structures is presented. The detector system can be used for time-resolved structure research down to the micro s time domain. The prototype detector has been tested at the SAXS (small-angle X-ray scattering) beamline at ELETTRA synchrotron light source with a beam energy of 8 keV. The imaging performance is examined with apertures and standard diffraction targets. Finally, the application in a time-resolved lipid temperature-jump experiment is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Orthen
- Universität Siegen, Fachbereich Physik, Emmy-Noether-Campus, Walter-Flex-Strasse 3, D-57072 Siegen, Germany.
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17
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Muehleman C, Majumdar S, Issever AS, Arfelli F, Menk RH, Rigon L, Heitner G, Reime B, Metge J, Wagner A, Kuettner KE, Mollenhauer J. X-ray detection of structural orientation in human articular cartilage. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2004; 12:97-105. [PMID: 14723869 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2003.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility of detecting the structural orientation in cartilage with Diffraction Enhanced X-Ray Imaging. DESIGN Human tali and femoral head specimens were Diffraction Enhanced X-Ray Imaged (DEI) at the SYRMEP beamline at Elettra at various energy levels to detect the architectural arrangement of collagen within cartilage. DEI utilizes a monochromatic and highly collimated beam, with an analyzer crystal that selectively weights out photons according to the angle they have been deviated with respect to the original direction. This provides images of very high contrast, and with the rejection of X-ray scatter. RESULTS DEI allowed the visualization of articular cartilage and a structural orientation, resembling arcades, within. CONCLUSION Our diffraction enhanced images represent the first radiographic detection of the structural orientation in cartilage. Our data are in line with previous studies on the structural organization of joint cartilage. They confirm the model of a vaulting system of collagen fiber bundles interrupted by proteoglycan aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Muehleman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rush Medical College, IL 60612, Chicago, USA.
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18
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Lewis RA, Hall CJ, Hufton AP, Evans S, Menk RH, Arfelli F, Rigon L, Tromba G, Dance DR, Ellis IO, Evans A, Jacobs E, Pinder SE, Rogers KD. X-ray refraction effects: application to the imaging of biological tissues. Br J Radiol 2003; 76:301-8. [PMID: 12763945 DOI: 10.1259/bjr/32889803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of refraction contrast X-ray imaging of biological tissues. Images of dissected mouse lungs, heart, liver and legs were produced using the medical beamline at the Elettra Synchrotron at Trieste, Italy. The technique used was diffraction enhanced imaging. This utilizes a silicon crystal positioned between the tissue sample and the detector to separate refracted X-rays from transmitted and scattered radiation by Bragg diffraction. The contrast in the images produced is related to changes in the X-ray refractive index of the tissues, resulting in remarkable clarity compared with conventional X-ray images based on absorption effects. These changes were greatest at the boundaries between different tissues, giving a marked edge enhancement effect and three-dimensional appearance to the images. The technique provides a way of imaging a property of biological tissues not yet exploited, and further studies are planned to identify specific applications in medical imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Lewis
- Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD, UK
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19
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Olivo A, Arfelli F, Dreossi D, Longo R, Menk RH, Pani S, Poropat P, Rigon L, Zanconati F, Castelli E. Preliminary study on extremely small angle x-ray scatter imaging with synchrotron radiation. Phys Med Biol 2002; 47:469-80. [PMID: 11848123 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/47/3/308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Among the medical physics community, there is nowadays a great interest in the possible implementation of scatter imaging techniques, especially in the field of breast imaging. It is well known that malignant lesions and normal tissue differ in their scattering signatures, and thus scattered radiation can provide a powerful tool to distinguish between the two cases. Up to now, most of the proposed techniques rely on the detection of radiation scattered at angles of the order of a few degrees, which in most cases results in very high contrast values. On the other hand, at those relatively large angles the scattered flux is relatively low with respect to the primary, which often implies the necessity of increasing the dose delivered to the sample in order to achieve sufficient statistics. Furthermore, most of these techniques are based on pencil beam set-ups, which results in an increase of the overall duration of the examination. We propose here an alternative approach based on the detection of radiation scattered at extremely small angles, of the order of approximately 100-200 microrad. This results in a relatively high scattered flux (5-10% of the primary) and in the possibility of utilizing a fan beam geometry, which reduces the acquisition times with respect to pencil beam set-ups. Images of several samples have been acquired, demonstrating that the proposed technique results in an increased contrast with respect to absorption imaging. Possible in vivo implementations of the technique at no dose expense are finally discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Olivo
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste e INFN, Italy
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20
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Olivo A, Arfelli F, Cantatore G, Longo R, Menk RH, Pani S, Prest M, Poropat P, Rigon L, Tromba G, Vallazza E, Castelli E. An innovative digital imaging set-up allowing a low-dose approach to phase contrast applications in the medical field. Med Phys 2001; 28:1610-9. [PMID: 11548930 DOI: 10.1118/1.1388219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, new imaging modalities based on the detection of weak phase perturbations effects, among which are phase contrast and diffraction imaging, have been developed by several researchers. Due to their high sensitivity to weakly absorbing details, these techniques seem to be very promising for applications in the medical field. On the other hand, digital radiology is undergoing a wide diffusion, and its benefits are presently very well understood. Up to now, however, the strong pixel size constraints associated with phase contrast pattern detection limited the possibility of exploiting the advantages of phase contrast in digital radiology applications. In this paper, an innovative setup capable of removing the pixel size constraints, and thus opening the way to low dose digital phase contrast imaging, is described. Furthermore, we introduce an imaging technique based on the detection of radiation scattered at small angles: the information extracted from the sample is increased at no dose expense. We believe that several radiological fields, mammography being the first important example, may benefit from the herein described innovative imaging techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Olivo
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste e INFN, Sezione di Trieste, Italy.
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21
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Olivo A, Rigon L, Arfelli F, Cantatore G, Longo R, Menk RH, Pani S, Prest M, Poropat P, Tromba G, Vallazza E, Castelli E. Experimental evaluation of a simple algorithm to enhance the spatial resolution in scanned radiographic systems. Med Phys 2000; 27:2609-16. [PMID: 11128314 DOI: 10.1118/1.1318219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to ensure an early diagnosis of breast cancer, an imaging system must fulfil extremely stringent requirements in terms of dynamic range, contrast resolution and spatial resolution. Furthermore, in order to reduce the dose delivered to the patient, a high efficiency of the detector device should be provided. In this paper the SYRMEP/FRONTRAD (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics/FRONTier RADiology) mammography project, based on synchroton radiation and a novel solid state pixel detector, is briefly described. Particular relevance is given to the fact that the radiographic image is obtained by means of a scanning technique, which allows the possibility of utilizing a scanning step smaller than the pixel size. With this procedure, a convolution between the real image and the detector point spread function (PSF) is actually acquired: by carefully measuring the detector PSF, it is possible to apply a post-processing procedure (filtered deconvolution), which reconstructs images with enhanced spatial resolution. The image acquisition modality and the deconvolution algorithm are herein described, and some test object images, with spatial resolution enhanced by means of the filtered deconvolution procedure, are presented. As discussed in detail in this paper, this procedure allows us to obtain a spatial resolution determined by the scanning step, rather than by the pixel size.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Olivo
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste e INFN, Italy
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22
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Arfelli F, Bonvicini V, Bravin A, Cantatore G, Castelli E, Palma LD, Michiel MD, Fabrizioli M, Longo R, Menk RH, Olivo A, Pani S, Pontoni D, Poropat P, Prest M, Rashevsky A, Ratti M, Rigon L, Tromba G, Vacchi A, Vallazza E, Zanconati F. Mammography with synchrotron radiation: phase-detection techniques. Radiology 2000; 215:286-93. [PMID: 10751500 DOI: 10.1148/radiology.215.1.r00ap10286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The authors evaluated the effect on mammographic examinations of the use of synchrotron radiation to detect phase-perturbation effects, which are higher than absorption effects for soft tissue in the energy range of 15-25 keV. Detection of phase-perturbation effects was possible because of the high degree of coherence of synchrotron radiation sources. Synchrotron radiation images were obtained of a mammographic phantom and in vitro breast tissue specimens and compared with conventional mammographic studies. On the basis of grades assigned by three reviewers, image quality of the former was considerably higher, and the delivered dose was fully compatible.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Arfelli
- Depart of Physics, Università di Trieste, Italy
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