arXiv subjects

Hao Zha

Publications and source records attributed to Hao Zha.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Unraveling the Redox Mechanisms Underlying FLASH Radiotherapy: Critical Dose Thresholds and NRF2-Driven Tissue Sparing

FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) achieves tumor control comparable to conventional dose-rate irradiation (CONV-RT) while significantly reducing radiation damage to normal tissues. However, the physical conditions triggering the FLASH sparing effect remain unclear, and mechanisms related to oxidative stress and redox regulation are poorly understood. This study utilizes a murine acute intestinal toxicity model to investigate how beam parameters influence the FLASH sparing effect and tumor control using innovative FLASH-RT and CONV-RT combined irradiation. Results demonstrate for the first time that a substantially reduced FLASH dose can still elicit sparing effect, provided a total dose threshold is met. Kinetic simulation and experimental validation demonstrate that FLASH-RT enhances peroxyl radical recombination, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde levels. Antioxidant interventions further confirm the essential role of free radicals. RNA sequencing and molecular analyses reveal that FLASH-RT activates the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) antioxidant pathway while suppressing extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) signaling, thereby enhancing cellular redox defenses, reducing apoptosis, and mitigating ROS-mediated tissue injury. These findings highlight the feasibility of optimizing the FLASH-RT therapeutic window through redox modulation and provide a foundation for developing free radical-targeted strategies to improve its therapeutic efficacy.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2025

Design, fabrication and test of parallel-coupled slow-wave high-gradient structure for ultrashort input power pulses

Tsinghua University has designed an X-band (11.424 GHz) slow-wave parallel-coupling accelerating structure, and demonstrated the high performance of the over-coupled structure operating with ultrashort pulse. In this study, we redesigned a 40-ns structure with 10 cells, tailored to the specifications of a high-power experimental platform, and provided a detailed analysis of the experimental results. Unexpected bead-pull results were observed during the cold testing, which we attribute to inter-cavity coupling. To explain these results, a multi-cell coupling circuit model was proposed and analyzed. High-power testing was conducted on the TPOT-X platform, and the highest gradient achieved was 130 MV/m after $1.1*10^7$ conditioning pulses. Compared to conventional multi-cavity high-gradient structures, the distributed power feeding system offers a shorter conditioning period and demonstrates the potential to achieve higher accelerating gradients under short-pulse operation.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2024

Influencing Factors of the FLASH Effect: Unveiling the Importance of Free Radicals

Purpose: Our aim was to elucidate the critical factors responsible for inducing the FLASH effect, focusing on the role of free radicals through simulation and experimental approaches. Methods and Materials: The whole abdomen of C57BL/6 mice was irradiated with 6 MeV electron beam. The endpoint was acute intestinal toxicity quantified by histological score. Total doses ranging from 6 to 15 Gy were evaluated. The impact of the mean dose rate (MDR) was assessed in the range of 40 to 900 Gy/s. Dose per pulse (DPP) of 0.5 Gy and 3 Gy were compared. The recombination of peroxyl radicals were simulated. Further comparisons were conducted by incorporating the antioxidant amifostine. Results: When varying total doses with a constant MDR of 900 Gy/s, the FLASH effect was not observed until the dose reached 15 Gy. For a total dose of 15 Gy and varying MDR, the FLASH effect was observed only when MDR reached 100 Gy/s. For a dose of 15 Gy and an MDR of 150 Gy/s, no significant difference in biological effect was observed between low DPP and high DPP. The simulation results indicated that the fraction of peroxyl radicals recombination remained nearly zero at conventional dose rates. For FLASH irradiation, the recombination fraction increased linearly with the dose. Notably, the dose delivery time corresponding to 50% change in the recombination fraction was approximately 300 ms. The addition of amifostine effectively eliminated the difference between FLASH group and CONV group. Conclusions: The critical requirement for observing the sparing effect at the biological endpoint is the administration of an adequate dose within the time window of the radical reaction. Additionally, the important role of free radical was verified after introducing antioxidants, suggesting that the generation and recombination of free radicals are pivotal factors influencing the FLASH sparing effect.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Magnetic Compression method for sub-THz electron beam generation from RF freqencies

Current THz electron sources struggle with low energy gain and device miniaturization. We propose a magnetic compression method designed for relativistic electrons to perform post-compression on the beam from radiofrequency accelerators, to produce sub-THz electron beam with exceptionally high energy ($>1$ J). Through simulation studies, we longitudinally compress a relativistic electron beam with energy of 60 MeV and frequency of 3 GHz across a time span of 24 ns, yielding an electron pulse train at a 0.1 THz. The compressed beam exhibits a pulse width of 0.8 ns, a total charge of 24 nC, and an energy of 1.4 J, providing a new potential for ultra-high-energy THz electron beams generation.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2023

Longitudinal Compression of Macro Relativistic Electron Beam

We presented a novel concept of longitudinal bunch train compression capable of manipulating relativistic electron beam in range of hundreds of meters. This concept has the potential to compress the electron beam generated by conditional linear accelerator with a high ratio and raise its power to an high level comparable with large induction accelerators. The method utilizes the spiral motion of electrons in a uniform magnetic field to fold hundreds-of-meters-long trajectories into a compact set-up. The interval between bunches can be adjusted by modulating their sprial movement. The method is explored with particle dynamic simulation. Compared to set-up of similar size, such as chicane, this method can compress bunches at distinct larger scales, opening up new possibilities generating beam of high power with compact devices and at lower costs.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2023

Longitudinal compression of macro relativistic electron beam

We presented a novel concept of longitudinal bunch train compression capable of manipulating relativistic electron beam in range of hundreds of meters. This concept has the potential to compress the electron beam with a high ratio and raise its power to an ultrahigh level. The method utilizes the spiral motion of electrons in a uniform magnetic field to fold hundreds-of-meters-long trajectories into a compact set-up. The interval between bunches can be adjusted by modulating their sprial movement. The method is explored both analytically and numerically. Compared to set-up of similar size, such as chicane, this method can compress bunches at distinct larger scales and higher intensities, opening up new possibilities for generating beam with ultra-large energy storage.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2022

Advanced RF Structures for Wakefield Acceleration and High-Gradient Research

Structure wakefield acceleration (SWFA) is one of the most promising AAC schemes in several recent strategic reports, including DOE's 2016 AAC Roadmap, report on the Advanced and Novel Accelerators for High Energy Physics Roadmap (ANAR), and report on Accelerator and Beam Physics Research Goals and Opportunities. SWFA aims to raise the gradient beyond the limits of conventional radiofrequency (RF) accelerator technology, and thus the RF to beam energy efficiency, by reducing RF breakdowns from confining the microwave energy in a short (on the order of about 10 ns) and intense pulse excited by a drive beam. We envision that the following research topics, within the scope of AF7, are of great interest in the next decade: advanced wakefield structures, terahertz and sub-terahertz (THz) structures, and RF breakdown physics. Research on SWFA in the above directions would directly contribute to long-term large-scale applications, including AAC-based linear colliders and compact light sources. There is also potentially a strong synergy between SWFA and other AAC concepts, when structures are combined with plasmas into hybrid AAC schemes. Research on novel structures is at the core of advancing SWFA, and is critical to future AAC-based linear colliders; at the same, it has a strong synergy with other directions, such as cavity designs, high-power microwave systems and sources, and compact light sources.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2017

Design, fabrication and high-gradient tests of X-band choke-mode structures

Two standing-wave single-cell choke-mode damped structures with different choke dimensions which worked at 11.424 GHz were designed, manufactured and tuned by accelerator group in Tsinghua University. High power test was carried out to study choke-mode structure's properties in high gradient and related breakdown phenomenon. A single-cell structure without choke which almost has the same inner dimension as choke-mode structure was also tested as a comparison to study how the choke affects high-gradient properties. In this paper, we report on the latest status of the high power test, including various observations and the experimental results.

physics.acc-ph↗