A dosimeter includes a substrate and a plurality of nanowire pairs located on the substrate. The plurality of nanowire pairs simulate a plurality of human chromosome pairs. A method of determining an effect of delivering ionizing radiation with a dosimeter having a substrate and a plurality of nanowire pairs located on the substrate, wherein the plurality of nanowire pairs simulate a plurality of human chromosome pairs is provided. The method includes the steps of delivering ionizing radiation to the plurality of nanowire pairs; acquiring information relating to the ionizing radiation; and determining, from the information, the effect of the delivered radiation on the plurality of nanowire pairs.

A nanoparticle composition is provided. The nanoparticle composition includes a plurality of nanoparticles, each nanoparticle of the plurality having a core including tantalum oxide, and a covalent coating covalently bound to the core. The covalent coating includes a surface modifier selected from the group consisting of (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxy silane (APTMS), (3-aminopropyl)triethoxy silane (APTES), APTMS-methoxy-poly(ethylene-glycol)-succinimidyl glutarate (APTMS-m-PEG-glutarate), APTES-methoxy-poly(ethylene-glycol)-succinimidyl glutarate (APTES-m-PEG-glutarate), 2-[methoxy (polyethyleneoxy)-9-12-propyl] trimethoxysilane (PEG-Silane), hexadecyltriethoxy silane, and combinations thereof. Methods of synthesizing and using the nanoparticle composition are also provided.

A method for preparing a sample of organic material for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) may include obtaining granular organic material, forming a portion of the granular organic material into a sample pellet, and searing the organic material. The searing may include searing only an exposed end surface of the sample pellet on which LIBS analysis is to be performed. The method may include pressing the seared sample pellet to consolidate the material comprising the seared end surface.

An object, such as a tumor from a breast lumpectomy, is placed into an object positioning device that can hold the object without deforming it. Such a device can include a container with a deformable foam, gel, or other material. The object positioning device is moved into an imaging device. Images of the object within the object positioning device are acquired by the imaging device. The acquired images are stored, processed, or output on a display device. Information about the spatial orientation of the object with respect to a reference object is preserved.

An x-ray phase contrast imaging apparatus and method of operating the same. The apparatus passes x-rays generated by an x-ray source through, in succession, a source grating, an object of interest, a phase grating, and an analyzer grating. The x-ray source, the source grating, the phase grating, and the analyzer grating move as a single entity relative to an object of interest. The phase grating and the analyzer grating remain in fixed relative location and fixed relative orientation with respect to one another. The detected x-rays are converted to a time sequence of electrical signals. In some cases, the apparatus is controlled, and the electrical signals are analyzed by, by a general purpose programmable computer provided with instructions recorded on a machine readable medium. One or more x-ray phase contrast images of the object of interest are generated, and can be recorded or displayed.

A specimen radiography system may include a controller and a cabinet. The cabinet may include an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a specimen drawer disposed between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The specimen drawer may be automatically positionable along a vertical axis between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector.

One feature pertains to a microdosimeter cell array that includes a plurality of microdosimeter cells each having a semiconductor volume adapted to generate a current in response to incident radiation. The semiconductor volumes of each of the plurality of microdosimeter cells have at least one of a size, a shape, a semiconductor type, and/or a semiconductor doping type and concentration that is associated with one or more cells or cell components of a human eye. A processing circuit is also communicatively coupled to the microdosimeter cell array and generates a signal based on the currents generated by the semiconductor volumes of the plurality of microdosimeter cells. The signal generated by the processing circuit is indicative of an amount of radiation absorbed by the microdosimeter cell array.

A specimen holding and positioning apparatus operable to substantially non-movably maintain a specimen (e.g., an excised tissue specimen) in a fixed or stable orientation with respect to the apparatus during imaging operations (e.g., x-ray imaging), transport (e.g., from a surgery room to a pathologist's laboratory), and the like for use in facilitating accurate detection and diagnosis of cancers and/or other abnormalities of the specimen.

A specimen radiography system may include a controller and a cabinet. The cabinet may include an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a specimen drawer disposed between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The specimen drawer may be automatically positionable along a vertical axis between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector.

A method for preparing a sample of organic material for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) may include obtaining granular organic material, forming a portion of the granular organic material into a sample pellet, and searing the organic material. The searing may include searing only an exposed end surface of the sample pellet on which LIBS analysis is to be performed. The method may include pressing the seared sample pellet to consolidate the material comprising the seared end surface.