arXiv subjects

A. Attili

Publications and source records attributed to A. Attili.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Scaling Laws for Thermodiffusively Unstable Lean Premixed Turbulent Hydrogen-Air Flames

Lean premixed hydrogen-air flames are strongly affected by thermodiffusive (TD) instabilities, which can alter the flame structure and enhance the local reactivity many-fold. Two recent models (Howarth et al. (Combust.~Flame 253, 2023) and Rieth et al. (MSC 2023)) describe the scaling of the stretch factor in turbulent hydrogen flames with the Karlovitz number using different parameters, i.e., the $\omega_2$ parameter from linear stability theory and the ratio of the Zel'dovich to the Peclet number (${Ze}/{Pe}$). Using a comprehensive set of 91 direct numerical simulation (DNS) cases spanning a wide range of pressures, equivalence ratios, turbulence intensities, and flow configurations, both formulations are systematically evaluated and an adapted formulation is proposed. The analysis of the governing non-dimensional groups reveals a scaling behavior characterized by two distinct regimes. In the first regime, typically relevant for burner and gas turbine conditions, both models reduce to an identical form that depends solely on the Karlovitz number and the stretch factor of laminar flames, independent of $\omega_2$ or ${Ze}/{Pe}$. In the second regime, characterized by ultra-low flame speeds, the explicit consideration of $\omega_2$ or the ratio ${Ze}/{Pe}$ is required for accurate scaling. In both regimes, the two models predict the DNS data reasonably well and reduce to the same functional form of non-dimensional groups, indicating their physical equivalence.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2021

Linking microdosimetric measurements to biological effectiveness: a review of theoretical aspects of MKM and other models

Different qualities of radiation are known to cause different biological effects at the same absorbed dose. Enhancements of the biological effectiveness are a direct consequence of the energy deposition clustering at the scales of DNA molecule and cell nucleus whilst absorbed dose is a macroscopic averaged quantity which does not take into account heterogeneities at the nanometer and micrometer scales. Microdosimetry aims to measure radiation quality at cellular or sub-cellular levels trying to increase the understanding of radiation damage mechanisms and effects. A review of the major models based on experimental microdosimetry, with an emphasis on the Microdosimetric Kinetic Model (MKM) will be presented in this work, enlightening the advantages of each one in terms of accuracy, initial assumptions and agreement with experimental data. The MKM has been used to predict different kinds of radiobiological quantities such as the Relative Biological Effects for cell inactivation or the Oxygen Enhancement Ratio (OER). Recent developments of the MKM will be also presented, including new non-Poissonian correction approaches for high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, the inclusion of partial repair effects for fractionation studies and the extension of the model to account for non-targeted effects. We will also explore developments for improving the models by including track structure and the spatial damage correlation information by using the full fluence spectrum and, briefly, nanodosimetric quantities to better account for the energy-deposition fluctuations at the intra- and inter-cellular level.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2020

The Generalized Stochastic Microdosimetric Model: the main formulation

The present work introduces a rigorous stochastic model, named Generalized Stochastic Microdosimetric Model (GSM2), to describe biological damage induced by ionizing radiation. Starting from microdosimetric spectra of energy deposition in tissue, we derive a master equation describing the time evolution of the probability density function of lethal and potentially lethal DNA damage induced by radiation in a cell nucleus. The resulting probability distribution is not required to satisfy any a priori assumption. Furthermore, we generalized the master equation to consider damage induced by a continuous dose delivery. In addition, spatial features and damage movement inside the nucleus have been taken into account. In doing so, we provide a general mathematical setting to fully describe the spatiotemporal damage formation and evolution in a cell nucleus. Finally, we provide numerical solutions of the master equation exploiting Monte Carlo simulations to validate the accuracy of GSM2. Development of GSM2 can lead to improved modeling of radiation damage to both tumor and normal tissues, and thereby impact treatment regimens for better tumor control and reduced normal tissue toxicities.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2018

Discussing the discrepancy between analytical calculations and the observed biological effectiveness in proton boron capture therapy (pbct)

A work recently published experimentally demonstrates an increase in the radiobiological efficacy of clinical proton beams when a tumour is treated in the presence of a concentration of 11B. The paper, for the first time, demonstrates the potential role of the p+11B to 3α (for brevity, p-B) reaction in the biological enhancement of proton therapy effectiveness. The work reports robust experimental data in terms of clonogenic cell survival and chromosomal aberrations and unambiguously shows the presence of an enhancement when cells were exposed to a clinical proton beam subject to treatment with sodium boroncaptate (BSH). Moreover, the greater occurrence of complex-type chromosomal exchanges points to the effect as due radiation of a LET (Linear Energy Transfer) greater than that of protons alone, possibly the alpha particles generated by the reaction. At the same time, we emphasized that analytical calculations, performed on the basis of the well-known total production cross section data, are not able to explain the effect in a macroscopic way, i.e. solely in terms of a trivial increase in the total dose released in the cells by the alpha-particles. In this paper, thanks to simulations and analytical calculations, we will discuss the theoretically expected alpha particle yield and the corresponding LET and RBE (Relative Biological Effectiveness) increase related to the 11B presence. We conclude that a mere calculation based on the classical concepts of integral Dose, and average LET and RBE cannot be used to justify the observed radiobiological phenomena. We, therefore, suggest that micro- and nano-dosimetric aspects must be taken into account.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2005

Mode coupling behavior of a Lennard Jones binary mixture: a comparison between bulk and confined phases

We present a quantitative comparison at equivalent thermodynamical conditions of bulk and confined dynamical properties of a Lennard Jones binary mixture upon supercooling. Both systems had been previously found to display a behavior in agreement with the Mode Coupling theory of the evolution of glassy dynamics. Differences and analogies of behavior are discussed focusing in particular on the role of hopping in reducing spatially correlated dynamics in the confined system with respect to the bulk.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2005

Inherent Structures and Kauzmann Temperature of Confined Liquids

Calculations of the thermodynamical properties of a supercooled liquid confined in a matrix are performed with an inherent structure analysis. The liquid entropy is computed by means of a thermodynamical integration procedure. The contributions to the free energy of the liquid can be decoupled also in confinement in the configurational and the vibrational part. We show that the vibrational entropy can be calculated in the harmonic approximation as in the bulk case. The Kauzmann temperature of the confined system is estimated from the behavior of the configurational entropy.

cond-mat.soft↗