Sample records for iri task force

  1. The International Reference Ionosphere Today and in the Future

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bilitza, Dieter; McKinnell, Lee-Ane; Reinisch, Bodo; Fuller-Rowell,Tim

    2010-01-01

    The international reference ionosphere (IRI) is the internationally recognized and recommended standard for the specification of plasma parameters in Earth's ionosphere. It describes monthly averages of electron density, electron temperature, ion temperature, ion composition, and several additional parameters in the altitude range from 60 to 1,500 km. A joint working group of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) is in charge of developing and improving the IRI model. As requested by COSPAR and URSI, IRI is an empirical model being based on most of the available and reliable data sources for the ionospheric plasma. The paper describes the latest version of the model and reviews efforts towards future improvements, including the development of new global models for the F2 peak density and height, and a new approach to describe the electron density in the topside and plasmasphere. Our emphasis will be on the electron density because it is the IRI parameter most relevant to geodetic techniques and studies. Annual IRI meetings are the main venue for the discussion of IRI activities, future improvements, and additions to the model. A new special IRI task force activity is focusing on the development of a real-time IRI (RT-IRI) by combining data assimilation techniques with the IRI model. A first RT-IRI task force meeting was held in 2009 in Colorado Springs. We will review the outcome of this meeting and the plans for the future. The IRI homepage is at http://www.IRI.gsfc.nasa.gov

  2. International Reference Ionosphere (IRI): Task Force Activity 2000

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bilitza, D.

    2000-01-01

    The annual IRI Task Force Activity was held at the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy from July 10 to July 14. The participants included J. Adeniyi (University of Ilorin, Nigeria), D. Bilitza (NSSDC/RITSS, USA), D. Buresova (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Czech Republic), B. Forte (ICTP, Italy), R. Leitinger (University of Graz, Austria), B. Nava (ICTP, Italy), M. Mosert (University National Tucuman, Argentina), S. Pulinets (IZMIRAN, Russia), S. Radicella (ICTP, Italy), and B. Reinisch (University of Mass. Lowell, USA). The main topic of this Task Force Activity was the modeling of the topside ionosphere and the development of strategies for modeling of ionospheric variability. Each day during the workshop week the team debated a specific modeling problem in the morning during informal presentations and round table discussions of all participants. Ways of resolving the specific modeling problem were devised and tested in the afternoon in front of the computers of the ICTP Aeronomy and Radiopropagation Laboratory using ICTP s computer networks and internet access.

  3. Comments on the Draft U.S. EPA Document Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Organic Arsenical Products Task Force (OAPTF) hereby submits the appended list of materials from the scientific literature on inorganic arsenic for inclusion in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) docket maintained in support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Report (Report)

  4. RE:RE: Comments on the Draft US EPA Document Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Letter from the Organic Arsenical Products Task Force expressing concern about aspects of the Science Advisory Board Workgroup's review of a draft document Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and decision not to grant more time to prepare for meeting.

  5. The hippocampus, time and working memory.

    PubMed

    Rawlins, J N; Tsaltas, E

    1983-12-01

    Rats were trained on a discrete trial working memory leverpress alternation task, following hippocampal lesions (HC), cortical control lesions (CC) or sham operations (SO). Each trial consisted of a forced information response, for which a randomly selected lever was presented followed by a free choice stage, when both levers were presented. The rats were rewarded for pressing the lever which had not been presented at the information stage. When the information response was not rewarded, all rats learnt the task equally well at IRIs of up to 12.75 sec. When the information response was rewarded, the HC rats showed impaired choice accuracy. The extent of this impairment depended on the IRI, being greatest at long IRIs, and least at short ones. Varying the number of leverpresses required to complete the information response affected choice accuracy equivalently in all groups: all rats chose significantly less accurately when only one leverpress was required than when ten leverpresses were required. There was no interaction between the lesion treatments and the information response requirements. It was concluded that both the length of the IRI and the occurrence of events during the IRI determine the extent of the hippocampal lesion-induced performance deficit in working memory tasks. It is proposed that hippocampal damage disrupts an intermediate-term, high-capacity memory buffer, but leaves both a residual short-term memory system and the long-term retention of associations unaffected. This proposal leads to the prediction that reference memory tasks should also be affected by hippocampal lesions when a delay is introduced between making a response and being rewarded for doing so.

  6. RE: Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System -- Comments Submitted for Review by the SAB Workgroup

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Submission of comments by the Organic Arsenical Products Task Force on the draft document Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).

  7. RE: Notification of SAB Workgroup Public Meeting for the Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Request from the Organic Arsenical Products Task Force for the Science Advisory Board to reschedule the public meeting of a workgroup to conduct a review of the draft document Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).

  8. Identification of Chemicals of Interest to the Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force Among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Integrated Risk Information System Chemicals that are Due for Reassessment of their Toxicity Values

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-16

    Exceeded at ERP Soil and Groundwater Sites 86 A-2a. Identification of IRIS Chemicals of Interest on the ATSDR CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous...the Number (Bold Font) of Air Force ERP Samples in Which They Were Detected 317 A-4d. Air Force ERP Soil Samples: IRIS Chemicals of Interest...Ranked by the Number (Bold Font) of Air Force ERP Soil Samples in Which They Were Detected 333 A-4e. Air Force ERP Groundwater Samples: IRIS Chemicals of

  9. Global Real-Time Nowcasting of Ionosphere with Giro-Driven Assimilative IRI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galkin, I. A.; Reinisch, B. W.; Huang, X. A.; Vesnin, A.; Bilitza, D.; Song, P.

    2014-12-01

    Real-time prediction of the ionosphere beyond its quiet-time median behavior has proved to be a great challenge: low-latency sensor data streams are scarce, and early comparisons conducted within the CEDAR ETI Assessment framework showed that, on average, the assimilative physics-based models perform on par with the long-term empirical predictions. This rather surprising result led to the formation of the Real-Time Task Force of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) science team in 2011, with a simple objective to develop a method for correcting the IRI long-term climatology definitions on the fly, i.e., in near real-time, using suitable observations. Three years later, a pilot version of the IRI-based Real-Time Assimilative Model "IRTAM" started its continuous operations at the Global Ionosphere Radio Observatory (GIRO) Data Center, using online feeds from the ionosondes contributing data to GIRO. The IRTAM version 0.1B builds and publishes every 15-minutes an updated "global weather" map of the peak density and height in the ionosphere, as well as a map of deviations from the classic IRI climate. Incidentally, the IRTAM verification and validation efforts shed light on the forecasting capabilities of the assimilative IRI extension, even though it has not yet involved external activity indicators. At the core of the assimilative computations, a Non-linear Error Compensation Technique for Associative Restoration (NECTAR) seeks agreement between IRI prediction and the 24-hour history of latest observations at GIRO sensor sites to produce the one map frame. The NECTAR first evaluates the diurnal harmonics of the observed deviations from the IRI climatology at each GIRO site to then independently compute the spatial maps for each diurnal harmonic. Thus obtained "corrective" coefficients of the spatial-diurnal expansion are added to the original IRI set of coefficients to obtain the IRTAM specification. We are intrigued by the IRTAM capability to glean ionospheric dynamics over no-data areas, and the potential for short-term forecasting.

  10. Applications of the IRI in Southern Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coetzee, P. J.

    2004-01-01

    The IRI forms the basis of the Single Site Location Direction Finding networks of the South African Defence Force as well as theNational Intelligence Agency. It is also used in "Path Analysis" applications where the possible transmitter coverage is calculated. Another application of the IRI is in HF frequency predictions, especially for the South African Defence Force involved in peace keeping duties in Africa. The IRI is either used independently or in conjunction with vertical ionosondes. In the latter case the scaled F2 peak parameters (foF2, hmF2) are used as inputs to the IRI. The IRI thus gets "calibrated" to extend the area covered by the ionosonde(s). The IRI has proved to be a very important tool in South Africa and Africa in the fight against crime, drug trafficking, political instability and maintaining the peace in potentially unstable countries.

  11. AHMCT Intelligent Roadway Information System (IRIS) technical support and testing

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-12-31

    This report documents the research project AHMCT IRIS Technical Support and Testing, : performed under contract 65A0275, Task ID 1777. It presents an overview of the Intelligent : Roadway Information System (IRIS), and its design and function. ...

  12. AHMCT Intelligent Roadway Information System (IRIS) technical support and testing.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-12-01

    This report documents the research project AHMCT IRIS Technical Support and Testing, : performed under contract 65A0275, Task ID 1777. It presents an overview of the Intelligent : Roadway Information System (IRIS), and its design and function. ...

  13. KSC-2012-5883

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  14. KSC-2013-1784

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-03-05

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the three stages of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket have been mated in preparation for the launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than April 29, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  15. KSC-2012-5878

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  16. KSC-2013-1785

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-03-05

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the three stages of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket have been mated in preparation for the launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than April 29, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  17. KSC-2012-5881

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  18. KSC-2012-5884

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  19. KSC-2012-5887

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the aft skirt on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  20. KSC-2012-5885

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a technician helps install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  1. KSC-2012-5886

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  2. KSC-2013-1786

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-03-06

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the three stages of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket have been mated in preparation for the launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than April 29, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  3. KSC-2012-5889

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the aft skirt on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  4. KSC-2012-5890

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the aft skirt on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  5. KSC-2012-5879

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-10-09

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  6. KSC-2012-5601

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-09-25

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the avionics shelf on the third stage of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  7. KSC-2012-5602

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-09-25

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians install the avionics shelf on the third stage of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. For more information, visit http://iris.gsfc.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  8. Numerical stress analysis of the iris tissue induced by pupil expansion: Comparison of commercial devices

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiaofei; Perera, Shamira A.; Girard, Michaël J. A.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose (1) To use finite element (FE) modelling to estimate local iris stresses (i.e. internal forces) as a result of mechanical pupil expansion; and to (2) compare such stresses as generated from several commercially available expanders (Iris hooks, APX dilator and Malyugin ring) to determine which design and deployment method are most likely to cause iris damage. Methods We used a biofidelic 3-part iris FE model that consisted of the stroma, sphincter and dilator muscles. Our FE model simulated expansion of the pupil from 3 mm to a maximum of 6 mm using the aforementioned pupil expanders, with uniform circular expansion used for baseline comparison. FE-derived stresses, resultant forces and area of final pupil opening were compared across devices for analysis. Results Our FE models demonstrated that the APX dilator generated the highest stresses on the sphincter muscles, (max: 6.446 MPa; average: 5.112 MPa), followed by the iris hooks (max: 5.680 MPa; average: 5.219 MPa), and the Malyugin ring (max: 2.144 MPa; average: 1.575 MPa). Uniform expansion generated the lowest stresses (max: 0.435MPa; average: 0.377 MPa). For pupil expansion, the APX dilator required the highest force (41.22 mN), followed by iris hooks (40.82 mN) and the Malyugin ring (18.56 mN). Conclusion Our study predicted that current pupil expanders exert significantly higher amount of stresses and forces than required during pupil expansion. Our work may serve as a guide for the development and design of next-generation pupil expanders. PMID:29538452

  9. The concave iris in pigment dispersion syndrome.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lance; Ong, Ee Lin; Crowston, Jonathan

    2011-01-01

    To visualize the changes of the iris contour in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome after blinking, accommodation, and pharmacologic miosis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Observational case series. A total of 33 eyes of 20 patients with pigment dispersion syndrome. Each eye was imaged along the horizontal 0- to 180-degree meridian using the Visante Anterior Segment Imaging System (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Scans were performed at baseline and after focusing on an internal fixation target for 5 minutes, forced blinking, accommodation, and pharmacologic miosis with pilocarpine 2%. Quantitative analysis of the changes in the iris configuration. After 5 minutes of continual fixation, the iris became planar with the mean ± standard deviation curvature decreasing from 214 ± 74 μm to 67 ± 76 μm (P < 0.05). The iris remained planar in all patients with pigment dispersion syndrome after forced blinking, but the iris concavity recovered to 227 ± 113 μm (P = 0.34) and 238 ± 119 μm (P = 0.19) with the -3.0 and -6.0 diopter lenses, respectively. Pilocarpine-induced miosis caused the iris to assume a planar configuration in all subjects. This study shows that the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome assumes a planar configuration when fixating and that the concavity of the iris surface is not restored by blinking. Accommodation restored the iris concavity, suggesting that the posterior curvature of the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome is induced and probably maintained, at least in part, by accommodation. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Preface: International Reference Ionosphere - Progress in Ionospheric Modelling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bilitza Dieter; Reinisch, Bodo

    2010-01-01

    The international reference ionosphere (lRI) is the internationally recommended empirical model for the specification of ionospheric parameters supported by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) and recognized by the International Standardization Organization (ISO). IRI is being continually improved by a team of international experts as new data become available and better models are being developed. This issue chronicles the latest phase of model updates as reported during two IRI-related meetings. The first was a special session during the Scientific Assembly of the Committee of Space Research (COSPAR) in Montreal, Canada in July 2008 and the second was an IRI Task Force Activity at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in May 2009. This work led to several improvements and additions of the model which will be included in the next version, IRI-201O. The issue is divided into three sections focusing on the improvements made in the topside ionosphere, the F-peak, and the lower ionosphere, respectively. This issue would not have been possible without the reviewing efforts of many individuals. Each paper was reviewed by two referees. We thankfully acknowledge the contribution to this issue made by the following reviewers: Jacob Adeniyi, David Altadill, Eduardo Araujo, Feza Arikan, Dieter Bilitza, Jilijana Cander, Bela Fejer, Tamara Gulyaeva, Manuel Hermindez-Pajares, Ivan Kutiev, John MacDougal, Leo McNamara, Bruno Nava, Olivier Obrou, Elijah Oyeyemi, Vadym Paznukhov, Bodo Reinisch, John Retterer, Phil Richards, Gary Sales, J.H. Sastri, Ludger Scherliess, Iwona Stanislavska, Stamir Stankov, Shin-Yi Su, Manlian Zhang, Y ongliang Zhang, and Irina Zakharenkova. We are grateful to Peggy Ann Shea for her final review and guidance as the editor-in-chief for special issues of Advances in Space Research. We thank the authors for their timely submission and their quick response to the reviewer comments and humbly apologize for any delays in the editing process.

  11. KSC-2013-2910

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA hosted a prelaunch mission briefing on the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory scheduled to launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Participating in the news conference are George Diller, NASA Public Affairs, Dr. S. Pete Worden, director of NASA's Ames Research Center in Calif., Jeffrey Newmark, IRIS Program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., and Alan Title, IRIS principal investigator with Lockheed Martin. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/ Daniel Casper

  12. U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Laboratory Sampling and Analysis Guide

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-11-15

    valuable information during the environmental health risk assessment.  EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). IRIS is a human health assessment...information for more than 550 chemical substances containing information on human health effects that may result from exposure to various substances in the...Crystalyn E. Brown November 2016 Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing School of Aerospace Medicine

  13. Inertial Movements of the Iris as the Origin of Postsaccadic Oscillations.

    PubMed

    Bouzat, S; Freije, M L; Frapiccini, A L; Gasaneo, G

    2018-04-27

    Recent studies on the human eye indicate that the pupil moves inside the eyeball due to deformations of the iris. Here we show that this phenomenon can be originated by inertial forces undergone by the iris during the rotation of the eyeball. Moreover, these forces affect the iris in such a way that the pupil behaves effectively as a massive particle. To show this, we develop a model based on the Newton equation on the noninertial reference frame of the eyeball. The model allows us to reproduce and interpret several important findings of recent eye-tracking experiments on saccadic movements. In particular, we get correct results for the dependence of the amplitude and period of the postsaccadic oscillations on the saccade size and also for the peak velocity. The model developed may serve as a tool for characterizing eye properties of individuals.

  14. Inertial Movements of the Iris as the Origin of Postsaccadic Oscillations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bouzat, S.; Freije, M. L.; Frapiccini, A. L.; Gasaneo, G.

    2018-04-01

    Recent studies on the human eye indicate that the pupil moves inside the eyeball due to deformations of the iris. Here we show that this phenomenon can be originated by inertial forces undergone by the iris during the rotation of the eyeball. Moreover, these forces affect the iris in such a way that the pupil behaves effectively as a massive particle. To show this, we develop a model based on the Newton equation on the noninertial reference frame of the eyeball. The model allows us to reproduce and interpret several important findings of recent eye-tracking experiments on saccadic movements. In particular, we get correct results for the dependence of the amplitude and period of the postsaccadic oscillations on the saccade size and also for the peak velocity. The model developed may serve as a tool for characterizing eye properties of individuals.

  15. KSC-2013-2828

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  16. KSC-2013-2825

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  17. KSC-2013-2831

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  18. KSC-2013-2885

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-24

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, mission managers participate in a pre-launch dress rehearsal in the Launch Vehicle Data Center for NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26 aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region in to the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun’s visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun’s ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth’s climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

  19. KSC-2013-2830

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  20. KSC-2013-2832

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  1. KSC-2013-2912

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Final checkouts are being completed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as preparations continue for the launch from the L-1011 carrier aircraft of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/ Daniel Casper

  2. KSC-2013-2833

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  3. KSC-2013-2824

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  4. KSC-2013-2888

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-24

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, mission managers participate in a pre-launch dress rehearsal in the Launch Vehicle Data Center for NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26 aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region in to the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun’s visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun’s ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth’s climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

  5. KSC-2013-2827

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  6. KSC-2013-2826

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  7. KSC-2013-2887

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-24

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, mission managers participate in a pre-launch dress rehearsal in the Launch Vehicle Data Center for NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26 aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region in to the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun’s visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun’s ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth’s climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

  8. KSC-2013-2911

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Final checkouts are being completed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as preparations continue for the launch from the L-1011 carrier aircraft of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/ Daniel Casper

  9. KSC-2013-2829

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  10. KSC-2013-2886

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-24

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, mission managers participate in a pre-launch dress rehearsal in the Launch Vehicle Data Center for NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26 aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region in to the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun’s visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun’s ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth’s climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

  11. KSC-2013-2834

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Technicians and engineers at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California mate the Pegasus XL rocket with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory to the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  12. Pasdaran Incorporated: Evolving from Revolutionary to Praetorian Guard

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-01

    IRGN - Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Navy IRGQF - Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Qods Force IRI - Islamic Republic of Iran IRIAF - Islamic...1 I. INTRODUCTION A. PURPOSE The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps1 (IRGC) of the Islamic Republic of Iran ( IRI ) is a unique establishment that...civil–military relations. Until recently, conventional wisdom saw the IRGC as just a paramilitary element of the IRI national-security system. It

  13. KSC-2012-2821

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – A truck carrying the third stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  14. KSC-2012-2820

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – A truck carrying all three stages of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  15. KSC-2012-2826

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – A truck carrying all three stages of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  16. KSC-2012-2824

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians offload the second stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  17. KSC-2012-2828

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to offload the first stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  18. KSC-2012-2827

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to offload the first stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  19. KSC-2012-2825

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians offload the second stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  20. KSC-2012-2822

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to offload the third stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  1. KSC-2012-2831

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians offload the first stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  2. KSC-2012-2829

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to offload the first stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  3. KSC-2012-2830

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians offload the first stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  4. KSC-2012-2823

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-05-11

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to offload the third stage of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket from the truck in which it was transported. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  5. KSC-2012-4672

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane moves the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  6. KSC-2012-4677

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane lowers the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  7. KSC-2012-4674

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane moves the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  8. KSC-2012-4673

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane moves the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  9. KSC-2012-4671

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare the wing for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  10. KSC-2012-4675

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane lowers the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  11. KSC-2012-4676

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane lowers the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  12. KSC-2012-4670

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-08-21

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. – Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare the wing for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle. NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  13. Public Watches IRIS Launch Broadcast at NASA Ames (Reporter Pkg)

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-27

    Crowds of space enthusiasts gathered at Ames Research Center to witness the broadcast of NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph or IRIS Mission as it launched from an aircraft out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Speakers shared insights about the IRIS Mission and attendees cheered as the Pegasus rocket successfully separated from the L-1011 launch aircraft and proceeded to fire its rockets and launch into a polar orbit around the Earth.

  14. Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-02-21

    al., 2002]. They are also lower than values predicted by the International Reference Iono- sphere ( IRI ) model [Gulyaeva and Titheridge, 2006] run for...based on the IRI model or other observations. At present no mechanism has been proposed which accounts for the basic formation of BPDs or their...funding by the DMSP program office. We thank J. Retterer for the IRI model results. This research was supported by Air Force Office of Scientific Research

  15. Toward accurate and fast iris segmentation for iris biometrics.

    PubMed

    He, Zhaofeng; Tan, Tieniu; Sun, Zhenan; Qiu, Xianchao

    2009-09-01

    Iris segmentation is an essential module in iris recognition because it defines the effective image region used for subsequent processing such as feature extraction. Traditional iris segmentation methods often involve an exhaustive search of a large parameter space, which is time consuming and sensitive to noise. To address these problems, this paper presents a novel algorithm for accurate and fast iris segmentation. After efficient reflection removal, an Adaboost-cascade iris detector is first built to extract a rough position of the iris center. Edge points of iris boundaries are then detected, and an elastic model named pulling and pushing is established. Under this model, the center and radius of the circular iris boundaries are iteratively refined in a way driven by the restoring forces of Hooke's law. Furthermore, a smoothing spline-based edge fitting scheme is presented to deal with noncircular iris boundaries. After that, eyelids are localized via edge detection followed by curve fitting. The novelty here is the adoption of a rank filter for noise elimination and a histogram filter for tackling the shape irregularity of eyelids. Finally, eyelashes and shadows are detected via a learned prediction model. This model provides an adaptive threshold for eyelash and shadow detection by analyzing the intensity distributions of different iris regions. Experimental results on three challenging iris image databases demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art methods in both accuracy and speed.

  16. KSC-2013-2835

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Pegasus XL rocket with the attached Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph IRIS solar observatory rolled out of the hangar on its transporter to the runway at Vandenberg. There, the rocket and spacecraft were mated with the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  17. KSC-2013-2839

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Pegasus XL rocket with the attached Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph IRIS solar observatory rolled out of the hangar on its transporter to the runway at Vandenberg. There, the rocket and spacecraft were mated with the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  18. KSC-2013-2837

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Pegasus XL rocket with the attached Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph IRIS solar observatory rolled out of the hangar on its transporter to the runway at Vandenberg. There, the rocket and spacecraft were mated with the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  19. KSC-2013-2840

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Pegasus XL rocket with the attached Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph IRIS solar observatory rolled out of the hangar on its transporter to the runway at Vandenberg. There, the rocket and spacecraft were mated with the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  20. KSC-2013-2843

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-19

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Pegasus XL rocket with the attached Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph IRIS solar observatory rolled out of the hangar on its transporter to the runway at Vandenberg. There, the rocket and spacecraft were mated with the Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier aircraft. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  1. KSC-2013-2909

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA hosted a prelaunch news conference on the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory scheduled to launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Participating in the news conference are George Diller, NASA Public Affairs, Geoffrey Yoder, deputy associate administrator for the Programs, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., Tim Dunn, NASA launch director/NASA Launch Manager at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Bryan Baldwin, Pegasus launch vehicle program director for Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., Gary Kushner, IRIS project manager for Lockheed Martin's Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto, Calif., and First Lt. Jennifer Kelley, launch weather officer for the U.S. Air Force 30th Operations Support Squadron at Vandenberg. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. The IRIS mission will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. The interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and upper atmosphere, is where most of the sun's ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris Photo credit: NASA/ Daniel Casper

  2. IRIS family of IRCCD thermal imagers integrating long-life cryogenic coolers, sophisticated algorithms for image enhancement, and hot points detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dupuy, Pascal; Harter, Jean

    1995-09-01

    Iris is a modular infrared thermal image developed by SAGEM since 1988, based on a 288 by 4 IRCCD detector. The first section of the presentation gives a description of the different modules of the IRIS thermal imager and their evolution in recent years. The second section covers the description of the major evolution, namely the integrated detector cooler assembly (IDCA), using a SOFRADIR 288 by 4 detector and a SAGEM microcooler, now integrated in the IRIS thermal imagers. The third section gives the description of two functions integrated in the IRIS thermal imager: (1) image enhancement, using a digital convolution filter, and (2) automatic hot points detection and tracking, offering an assistance to surveillance and automatic detection. The last section presents several programs for navy, air forces, and land applications for which IRIS has already been selected and achieved.

  3. Iris recognition and what is next? Iris diagnosis: a new challenging topic for machine vision from image acquisition to image interpretation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perner, Petra

    2017-03-01

    Molecular image-based techniques are widely used in medicine to detect specific diseases. Look diagnosis is an important issue but also the analysis of the eye plays an important role in order to detect specific diseases. These topics are important topics in medicine and the standardization of these topics by an automatic system can be a new challenging field for machine vision. Compared to iris recognition has the iris diagnosis much more higher demands for the image acquisition and interpretation of the iris. One understands by iris diagnosis (Iridology) the investigation and analysis of the colored part of the eye, the iris, to discover factors, which play an important role for the prevention and treatment of illnesses, but also for the preservation of an optimum health. An automatic system would pave the way for a much wider use of the iris diagnosis for the diagnosis of illnesses and for the purpose of individual health protection. With this paper, we describe our work towards an automatic iris diagnosis system. We describe the image acquisition and the problems with it. Different ways are explained for image acquisition and image preprocessing. We describe the image analysis method for the detection of the iris. The meta-model for image interpretation is given. Based on this model we show the many tasks for image analysis that range from different image-object feature analysis, spatial image analysis to color image analysis. Our first results for the recognition of the iris are given. We describe how detecting the pupil and not wanted lamp spots. We explain how to recognize orange blue spots in the iris and match them against the topological map of the iris. Finally, we give an outlook for further work.

  4. KSC-2013-2730

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  5. KSC-2013-2731

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  6. KSC-2013-2726

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  7. KSC-2013-2733

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  8. KSC-2013-2734

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  9. KSC-2013-2732

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  10. KSC-2013-2669

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-11

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June is seen in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  11. KSC-2013-2668

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-11

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June is seen in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  12. KSC-2013-2666

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-11

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June is seen in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  13. KSC-2013-2665

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-11

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June is seen in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  14. KSC-2013-2667

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-11

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June is seen in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  15. KSC-2013-2727

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit is moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  16. KSC-2013-2627

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Detail of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  17. KSC-2013-2620

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Detail of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  18. KSC-2013-2625

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Detail of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  19. Security enhanced BioEncoding for protecting iris codes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ouda, Osama; Tsumura, Norimichi; Nakaguchi, Toshiya

    2011-06-01

    Improving the security of biometric template protection techniques is a key prerequisite for the widespread deployment of biometric technologies. BioEncoding is a recently proposed template protection scheme, based on the concept of cancelable biometrics, for protecting biometric templates represented as binary strings such as iris codes. The main advantage of BioEncoding over other template protection schemes is that it does not require user-specific keys and/or tokens during verification. Besides, it satisfies all the requirements of the cancelable biometrics construct without deteriorating the matching accuracy. However, although it has been shown that BioEncoding is secure enough against simple brute-force search attacks, the security of BioEncoded templates against more smart attacks, such as record multiplicity attacks, has not been sufficiently investigated. In this paper, a rigorous security analysis of BioEncoding is presented. Firstly, resistance of BioEncoded templates against brute-force attacks is revisited thoroughly. Secondly, we show that although the cancelable transformation employed in BioEncoding might be non-invertible for a single protected template, the original iris code could be inverted by correlating several templates used in different applications but created from the same iris. Accordingly, we propose an important modification to the BioEncoding transformation process in order to hinder attackers from exploiting this type of attacks. The effectiveness of adopting the suggested modification is validated and its impact on the matching accuracy is investigated empirically using CASIA-IrisV3-Interval dataset. Experimental results confirm the efficacy of the proposed approach and show that it preserves the matching accuracy of the unprotected iris recognition system.

  20. KSC-2013-2728

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences launch team monitors the Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit as the rocket and payload are moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  1. KSC-2013-2725

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences launch team monitors the Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit as the rocket and payload are moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  2. KSC-2013-2483

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. - A mission logo decal for the launch of NASA's IRIS solar observatory aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket. The decal is on the side of the Pegasus. Engineers are working inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  3. KSC-2013-2484

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. - A mission logo decal for the launch of NASA's IRIS solar observatory aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket. The decal is on the side of the Pegasus. Engineers are working inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  4. KSC-2013-2729

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences launch team monitors the Pegasus XL rocket that will lift NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit as the rocket and payload are moved from a hangar onto a transporter at Vandenberg Air Force Base. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  5. KSC-2013-2203

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, is being readied for mating to the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket that will launch the spacecraft. IRIS will be covered in a fairing after it's connected to the nose of the Pegasus to protect the spacecraft from atmospheric heating and stress during launch. Upcoming work includes electrical verification testing. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  6. IRIS Product Recommendations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Short, David A.

    2000-01-01

    This report presents the Applied Meteorology Unit's (AMU) evaluation of SIGMET Inc.'s Integrated Radar Information System (IRIS) Product Generator and recommendations for products emphasizing lightning and microburst tools. The IRIS Product Generator processes radar reflectivity data from the Weather Surveillance Radar, model 74C (WSR-74C), located on Patrick Air Force Base. The IRIS System was upgraded from version 6.12 to version 7.05 in late December 1999. A statistical analysis of atmospheric temperature variability over the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Weather Station provided guidance for the configuration of radar products that provide information on the mixed-phase (liquid and ice) region of clouds, between 0 C and -20 C. Mixed-phase processes at these temperatures are physically linked to electrification and the genesis of severe weather within convectively generated clouds. Day-to-day variations in the atmospheric temperature profile are of sufficient magnitude to warrant periodic reconfiguration of radar products intended for the interpretation of lightning and microburst potential of convectively generated clouds. The AMU also examined the radar volume-scan strategy to determine the scales of vertical gaps within the altitude range of the 0 C to -20 C isotherms over the Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/CCAFS area. This report present's two objective strategies for designing volume scans and proposes a modified scan strategy that reduces the average vertical gap by 37% as a means for improving radar observations of cloud characteristics in the critical 0 C to -20 C layer. The AMU recommends a total of 18 products, including 11 products that require use of the IRIS programming language and the IRIS User Product Insert feature. Included is a cell trends product and display, modeled after the WSR-88D cell trends display in use by the National Weather Service.

  7. KSC-2013-2739

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The launch crew of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  8. KSC-2013-2745

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  9. KSC-2013-2740

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The launch crew of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  10. KSC-2013-2738

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The launch crew of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  11. KSC-2013-2743

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  12. KSC-2013-2736

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The cockpit of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  13. KSC-2013-2744

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. – One of the portable control trailers is set up at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  14. KSC-2013-2735

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" arrives at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  15. KSC-2013-2737

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. - The launch crew of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  16. KSC-2013-2485

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. - An Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket undergoes launch preparations inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base for NASA's IRIS mission, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  17. KSC-2013-2486

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. - An Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket undergoes launch preparations inside a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base for NASA's IRIS mission, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  18. KSC-2013-2643

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June is seen after the payload fairing was connected over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  19. KSC-2013-2494

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers unwrap NASA's IRIS spacecraft after its connection to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  20. KSC-2013-2493

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers unwrap NASA's IRIS spacecraft after its connection to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  1. Integrated testing of the Thales LPT9510 pulse tube cooler and the iris LCCE electronics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, Dean L.; Rodriguez, Jose I.; Carroll, Brian A.

    The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has identified the Thales LPT9510 pulse tube cryocooler as a candidate low cost cryocooler to provide active cooling on future cost-capped scientific missions. The commercially available cooler can provide refrigeration in excess of 2 W at 100K for 60W of power. JPL purchased the LPT9510 cooler for thermal and dynamic performance characterization, and has initiated the flight qualification of the existing cooler design to satisfy near-term JPL needs for this cooler. The LPT9510 has been thermally tested over the heat reject temperature range of 0C to +40C during characterization testing. The cooler was placed onmore » a force dynamometer to measure the selfgenerated vibration of the cooler. Iris Technology has provided JPL with a brass board version of the Low Cost Cryocooler Electronics (LCCE) to drive the Thales cooler during characterization testing. The LCCE provides precision closed-loop temperature control and embodies extensive protection circuitry for handling and operational robustness; other features such as exported vibration mitigation and low frequency input current filtering are envisioned as options that future flight versions may or may not include based upon the mission requirements. JPL has also chosen to partner with Iris Technology for the development of electronics suitable for future flight applications. Iris Technology is building a set of radiation-hard, flight-design electronics to deliver to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Test results of the thermal, dynamic and EMC testing of the integrated Thales LPT9510 cooler and Iris LCCE electronics is presented here.« less

  2. KSC-2013-2628

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  3. KSC-2013-2490

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers unwrap NASA's IRIS spacecraft after its connection to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg no earlier than June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  4. KSC-2013-2503

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-30

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers prepare to install a radial retraction system on NASA's IRIS spacecraft after its connection to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  5. KSC-2013-2601

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers conduct inspections on NASA's IRIS spacecraft with blacklights before the payload fairing before it is connected. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  6. KSC-2013-2642

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences team engineers monitor the connection of the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  7. KSC-2013-2640

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – The payload fairing locked in place over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  8. KSC-2013-2618

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences team members watch as engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  9. KSC-2013-2613

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Engineers attach the starboard side of the payload fairing into place for NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  10. KSC-2013-2581

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-05

    VANDENBERG AFB – Engineers move the port side of the payload fairing before it is connected into place for NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  11. KSC-2013-2477

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers prepare to connect NASA's IRIS spacecraft to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg no earlier than June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  12. KSC-2013-2617

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB - Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  13. KSC-2013-2636

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  14. KSC-2013-2641

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences engineers monitor the connection of the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  15. KSC-2013-2619

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – NASA's IRIS spacecraft before the second half of the payload fairing is installed over it. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  16. KSC-2013-2480

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers prepare to connect NASA's IRIS spacecraft to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg no earlier than June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  17. KSC-2013-2635

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  18. KSC-2013-2481

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers prepare to connect NASA's IRIS spacecraft to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg no earlier than June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  19. KSC-2013-2633

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences team members move the second half of the payload fairing before it is placed over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  20. KSC-2013-2489

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers unwrap NASA's IRIS spacecraft after its connection to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg no earlier than June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  1. KSC-2013-2639

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  2. KSC-2013-2504

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-30

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers install a radial retraction system on NASA's IRIS spacecraft after its connection to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  3. KSC-2013-2637

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  4. KSC-2013-2630

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences team members move the second half of the payload fairing before it is placed over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  5. KSC-2013-2602

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers conduct inspections on NASA's IRIS spacecraft with blacklights before the payload fairing before it is connected. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  6. KSC-2013-2580

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-05

    - VANDENBERG AFB – An engineer makes preparations on the starboard side of the payload fairing before it is connected into place for NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  7. KSC-2013-2626

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences team members move the second half of the payload fairing before it is placed over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  8. KSC-2013-2616

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-11

    Orbital Sciences engineers connect the payload fairing over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  9. KSC-2013-2482

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-05-29

    VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. – Engineers prepare to connect NASA's IRIS spacecraft to the nose of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg no earlier than June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

  10. KSC-2013-2629

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-10

    VANDENBERG AFB – Orbital Sciences team members move the second half of the payload fairing before it is placed over NASA's IRIS spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit in June. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base where IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg June 26, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin

  11. The Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) Public Health and Air Quality Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Hook, Simon J.

    2014-01-01

    The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a group of chronic, debilitating, and poverty-promoting parasitic, bacterial, and some viral and fungal infections, are among the most common causes of illness of the poorest people living in developing countries. Abiotic environmental factors are important in determining the distribution of disease-causing vectors and their life-cycles. HyspIRI observations can be merged through a Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS) be used to drive spatially-explicit ecological models of NTD vectors distribution and life cycles. Assimilations will be driven by observational data LDAS and satellite-derived meteorological forcing data, parameter datasets, and assimilation observations. HyspIRI hyperspectral measurements would provide global measurements of surface mineralogy and biotic crusts important in accessing the impact of dust in human health. HyspIRI surface thermal measurements would also help identify the variability of dust sources due to surface moisture conditions and map mineralogy.

  12. The Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) Public Health and Air Quality Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Hook, Simon J.

    2013-01-01

    The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a group of chronic, debilitating, and poverty-promoting parasitic, bacterial, and some viral and fungal infections, are among the most common causes of illness of the poorest people living in developing countries. Abiotic environmental factors are important in determining the distribution of disease-causing vectors and their life-cycles. HyspIRI observations can be merged through a Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS) be used to drive spatially-explicit ecological models of NTD vectors distribution & life cycles. Assimilations will be driven by observational data LDAS and satellite-derived meteorological forcing data, parameter datasets, and assimilation observations. HyspIRI hyperspectral measurements would provide global measurements of surface mineralogy and biotic crusts important in accessing the impact of dust in human health. HyspIRI surface thermal measurements would also help identify the variability of dust sources due to surface moisture conditions and map mineralogy.

  13. The Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) Public Health & Air Quality Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Hook, Simon J.

    2013-01-01

    The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a group of chronic, debilitating, and poverty-promoting parasitic, bacterial, and some viral and fungal infections, are among the most common causes of illness of the poorest people living in developing countries. Abiotic environmental factors are important in determining the distribution of disease-causing vectors and their life-cycles. HyspIRI observations can be merged through a Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS) be used to drive spatially-explicit ecological models of NTD vectors distribution & life cycles. Assimilations will be driven by observational data LDAS and satellite-derived meteorological forcing data, parameter datasets, and assimilation observations. HyspIRI hyperspectral measurements would provide global measurements of surface mineralogy and biotic crusts important in accessing the impact of dust in human health. HyspIRI surface thermal measurements would also help identify the variability of dust sources due to surface moisture conditions and map mineralogy.

  14. KSC-2013-2742

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. – A look through the inside of the fuselage of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  15. KSC-2013-2741

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-13

    VANDENBERG ABF, Calif. – A look through the inside of the fuselage of the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft called "Stargazer" after arrival at Vandenberg Air Force Base for the upcoming launch of the company's Pegasus XL rocket lifting NASA's IRIS solar observatory into orbit. The aircraft will carry the winged rocket to an altitude of 39,000 feet before releasing the Pegasus so its own motors can ignite to send the IRIS into space. The L-1011 is a modified airliner equipped to hold the Pegasus under its body safely. IRIS, short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, is being prepared for launch from Vandenberg June 26. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  16. Comparison between the Juno Earth flyby magnetic measurements and the magnetometer package on the IRIS solar observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merayo, J. M.; Connerney, J. E.; Joergensen, J. L.; Dougherty, B.

    2013-12-01

    In October 2013 the NASA's Juno New Frontier spacecraft will perform an Earth Flyby Gravity Assist. During this flyby, Juno will reach an altitude of about 600 km and the magnetometer experiment will measure the magnetic field with very high precision. In June 2013 the NASA's IRIS solar observatory was successfully launched. IRIS uses a very fine guiding telescope in order to maintain a high pointing accuracy, assisted by a very high accuracy star tracker and a science grade vector magnetometer. IRIS was placed into a Sun-synchronous orbit at about 600 km altitude by a Pegasus rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This platform will also allow to performing measurements of the Earth's magnetic field with very high precision, since it carries similar instrumentation as on the Swarm satellites (star trackers and magnetometer). The data recorded by the Juno magnetic experiment and the IRIS magnetometer will bring a very exciting opportunity for comparing the two experiments as well as for determining current structures during the flyby.

  17. The Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: multi-tiered wavefront measurements and novel mechanical design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dunn, Jennifer; Andersen, David; Chapin, Edward; Reshetov, Vlad; Wierzbicki, Ramunas; Herriot, Glen; Chalmer, Dean; Isbrucker, Victor; Larkin, James E.; Moore, Anna M.; Suzuki, Ryuji

    2016-08-01

    The InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) will be the first light adaptive optics instrument on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). IRIS is being built by a collaboration between Caltech, the University of California, NAOJ and NRC Herzberg. In this paper we present novel aspects of the Support Structure, Rotator and On-Instrument Wavefront Sensor systems being developed at NRC Herzberg. IRIS is suspended from the bottom port of the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), and provides its own image de-rotation to compensate for sidereal rotation of the focal plane. This arrangement is a challenge because NFIRAOS is designed to host two other science instruments, which imposes strict mass requirements on IRIS. As the mechanical design of all elements has progressed, we have been tasked with keeping the instrument mass under seven tonnes. This requirement has resulted in a mass reduction of 30 percent for the support structure and rotator compared to the most recent IRIS designs. To accomplish this goal, while still being able to withstand earthquakes, we developed a new design with composite materials. As IRIS is a client instrument of NFIRAOS, it benefits from NFIRAOS's superior AO correction. IRIS plays an important role in providing this correction by sensing low-order aberrations with three On-Instrument Wavefront Sensors (OIWFS). The OIWFS consists of three independently positioned natural guide star wavefront sensor probe arms that patrol a 2-arcminute field of view. We expect tip-tilt measurements from faint stars within the IRIS imager focal plane will further stabilize the delivered image quality. We describe how the use of On-Detector Guide Windows (ODGWs) in the IRIS imaging detector can be incorporated into the AO correction. In this paper, we present our strategies for acquiring and tracking sources with this complex AO system, and for mitigating and measuring the various potential sources of image blur and misalignment due to properties of the mechanical structure and interfaces.

  18. Point spread function engineering for iris recognition system design.

    PubMed

    Ashok, Amit; Neifeld, Mark A

    2010-04-01

    Undersampling in the detector array degrades the performance of iris-recognition imaging systems. We find that an undersampling of 8 x 8 reduces the iris-recognition performance by nearly a factor of 4 (on CASIA iris database), as measured by the false rejection ratio (FRR) metric. We employ optical point spread function (PSF) engineering via a Zernike phase mask in conjunction with multiple subpixel shifted image measurements (frames) to mitigate the effect of undersampling. A task-specific optimization framework is used to engineer the optical PSF and optimize the postprocessing parameters to minimize the FRR. The optimized Zernike phase enhanced lens (ZPEL) imager design with one frame yields an improvement of nearly 33% relative to a thin observation module by bounded optics (TOMBO) imager with one frame. With four frames the optimized ZPEL imager achieves a FRR equal to that of the conventional imager without undersampling. Further, the ZPEL imager design using 16 frames yields a FRR that is actually 15% lower than that obtained with the conventional imager without undersampling.

  19. KSC-2013-2939

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-27

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft takes off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:30 p.m. EDT, headed over the Pacific Ocean to release the Pegasus XL rocket carrying NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, solar observatory. Release of the rocket from under the wing of the aircraft is scheduled for 10:27 p.m. EDT. IRIS will open a new window of discovery using spectrometry and imaging to trace the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona. The spacecraft will observe how solar material moves, gathers energy and heats up as it travels through a largely unexplored region of the solar atmosphere. This interface region, located between the sun's visible surface and its upper atmosphere, is where most of its ultraviolet emission is generated. These emissions impact the near-Earth space environment and Earth's climate. NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is managing the countdown and launch. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/iris. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

  20. Cysts of the Iris Pigment Epithelium. What Is New and Interesting? The 2016 Jose Rizal International Medal Lecture.

    PubMed

    Shields, Jerry A; Shields, Carol L

    2017-01-01

    Cysts of the iris pigment epithelium (IPE) can involve the pupillary margin, midzone, or peripheral location or can be free-floating in the aqueous or vitreous or lodged in the anterior chamber angle. Avariant of IPE cyst, known as iris flocculi, can be a marker for systemic thoracic aneurysm. Review of IPE cysts and description of new observations of the lesions. Review of IPE cysts. Lesions in 672 eyes were classified as of the pupillary margin (n = 49; 7%), midzone (n = 188; 28%), peripheral (n = 424; 63%), or dislodged/free-floating (n = 11; 2%). Cysts of the IPE occurred most often in young adults (21-40 years) (n = 229; 34%) manifesting with peripheral or midzonal cysts. The characteristic clinical features of pupillary margin cyst were teardrop configuration at the pupillary margin, midzonal cyst with fusiform brown appearance, peripheral cyst as iris stromal bulge, dislodged cyst as a brown lesion in the angle, and free-floating cyst with round mass moving by gravitational forces in the aqueous or vitreous. Ultrasound biomicroscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography demonstrated the lesions. Surgical intervention for drainage/resection was rarely necessary (<1%). Some (<1%) cysts were associated with iris nevus, iris melanoma, or ciliary body melanoma. Pupillary margin cysts (flocculi) can be found with dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm, related to genetic mutation in smooth muscle of the iris and aorta. Cysts of the IPE most often affect the peripheral region (iridociliary) and rarely require intervention. These cysts can be associated with underlying iris or ciliary body nevus or melanoma. Patients with iris flocculi should be monitored for dissecting thoracic aneurysm. Copyright© 2017 Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

  1. KSC-2013-2204

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Half of the fairing that will be fitted to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket is ready for its installation around the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft. The fairing will protect the spacecraft from atmospheric heating and stress during launch. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  2. KSC-2013-2205

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, is being readied for mating to the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket that will launch the spacecraft. A fairing will be fitted to the nose of the Pegasus to protect the spacecraft from atmospheric heating and stress during launch. Upcoming work includes electrical verification testing. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  3. KSC-2013-2206

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, is being readied for mating to the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket that will launch the spacecraft. A fairing will be fitted to the nose of the Pegasus to protect the spacecraft from atmospheric heating and stress during launch. Upcoming work includes electrical verification testing. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  4. KSC-2013-2207

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-25

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, is being readied for mating to the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket that will launch the spacecraft. A fairing will be fitted to the nose of the Pegasus to protect the spacecraft from atmospheric heating and stress during launch. Upcoming work includes electrical verification testing. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun’s corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin

  5. Theory of Mind and Empathy in Children With ADHD.

    PubMed

    Maoz, Hagai; Gvirts, Hila Z; Sheffer, Maya; Bloch, Yuval

    2017-05-01

    The current study compared empathy and theory of mind (ToM) between children with ADHD and healthy controls, and assessed changes in ToM among children with ADHD following administration of methylphenidate (MPH). Twenty-four children with ADHD (mean age = 10.3 years) were compared with 36 healthy controls. All children completed the interpersonal reactivity index (IRI), a self-reported empathy questionnaire, and performed the "faux-pas" recognition task (FPR). Children with ADHD performed the task with and without MPH. Children with ADHD showed significantly lower levels of self-reported empathy on most IRI subscales. FPR scores were significantly lower in children with ADHD and were improved, following the administration of MPH, to a level equal to that found in healthy controls. Children with ADHD show impaired self-reported empathy and FPR when compared with healthy controls. Stimulants improve FPR in children with ADHD to a level equal to that in healthy controls.

  6. Topside correction of IRI by global modeling of ionospheric scale height using COSMIC radio occultation data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, M. J.; Guo, P.; Fu, N. F.; Xu, T. L.; Xu, X. S.; Jin, H. L.; Hu, X. G.

    2016-06-01

    The ionosphere scale height is one of the most significant ionospheric parameters, which contains information about the ion and electron temperatures and dynamics in upper ionosphere. In this paper, an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis method is applied to process all the ionospheric radio occultations of GPS/COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate) from the year 2007 to 2011 to reconstruct a global ionospheric scale height model. This monthly medium model has spatial resolution of 5° in geomagnetic latitude (-87.5° ~ 87.5°) and temporal resolution of 2 h in local time. EOF analysis preserves the characteristics of scale height quite well in the geomagnetic latitudinal, anural, seasonal, and diurnal variations. In comparison with COSMIC measurements of the year of 2012, the reconstructed model indicates a reasonable accuracy. In order to improve the topside model of International Reference Ionosphere (IRI), we attempted to adopt the scale height model in the Bent topside model by applying a scale factor q as an additional constraint. With the factor q functioning in the exponent profile of topside ionosphere, the IRI scale height should be forced equal to the precise COSMIC measurements. In this way, the IRI topside profile can be improved to get closer to the realistic density profiles. Internal quality check of this approach is carried out by comparing COSMIC realistic measurements and IRI with or without correction, respectively. In general, the initial IRI model overestimates the topside electron density to some extent, and with the correction introduced by COSMIC scale height model, the deviation of vertical total electron content (VTEC) between them is reduced. Furthermore, independent validation with Global Ionospheric Maps VTEC implies a reasonable improvement in the IRI VTEC with the topside model correction.

  7. Stimulants improve theory of mind in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Maoz, Hagai; Tsviban, Lior; Gvirts, Hila Z; Shamay-Tsoory, Simone G; Levkovitz, Yechiel; Watemberg, Nathan; Bloch, Yuval

    2014-03-01

    Impairments in 'theory of mind' (ToM) were linked to social cognition and reciprocal relationships deficits in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Twenty-four children with ADHD (13 with inattentive type and 11 with combined type, mean age 10.2 years) completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a self-reported empathy questionnaire. All children performed the 'faux pas' task and a computerized ToM task in two different sessions either with or without administration of methylphenidate (MPH). Administration of MPH was associated with an improvement in cognitive and affective ToM. Children with ADHD-combined type had significantly lower scores in total IRI and the fantasy scale compared to children with ADHD-inattentive type. We conclude that deficits in empathy and ToM may play an important role in the impairments in social cognition and peer relationship in children with ADHD, especially children a hyperactive component. Stimulants may improve ToM and empathic functions. Future studies including larger samples and additional cognitive tasks are warranted in order to generalize these results and to identify possible underlying mechanisms for improvement in ToM following the administration of MPH.

  8. The neural correlates of the metacognitive function of other perspective: a multiple regression analysis study

    PubMed Central

    Shiota, Syouichi; Okada, Go; Takagaki, Koki; Takamura, Masahiro; Mori, Asako; Yokoyama, Satoshi; Nishiyama, Yoshiko; Jinnin, Ran; Hashimoto, Ryuichiro; Yamawaki, Shigeto

    2017-01-01

    Perspective taking is defined as the social cognitive function of imagining the world or imagining oneself from another’s viewpoint. Previously, we reported that behavioral activation increased the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) activation during other perspective self-referential processing for positive words in subthreshold depression, but did not report whether metacognitive function was related to the dmPFC activation. Therefore, we sought to test the relationship between the dmPFC activation during other perspective self-referential processing for positive words and an individual’s metacognitive evaluation of other perspective. Thirty-four healthy individuals underwent functional MRI scans during a referential task with two viewpoints (self/other) and two emotional valences (positive/negative). Neural activation during other perspective self-referential processing for positive words was correlated with the metacognitive function of participants measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). We found a positive correlation between the score in perspective taking of the IRI and activation in the dmPFC during other perspective self-referential processing for positive words. The present findings showed that self-report questionnaires assessing participants’ metacognitive evaluation of other perspective were correlated with dmPFC activation during positive metacognition of other perspective task. However, we did not conduct a behavioral activation intervention in the present study. The present students were healthy. The IRI is a subjective measure of multidimensional trait empathy. It is necessary to develop an objective measurement for the metacognitive function of other perspective in the near future. PMID:28657552

  9. Case study of ISWI in Vietnam: A comparison of ionospheric parameters observed over Ho Chi Minh with IRI predictions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lan, Hoang Thai; Tam, Dao Ngoc Hanh

    2014-01-01

    For the contribution of Vietnam to ISWI activities, there are 3 GPS receivers, 3 Ionosondes, 1 AWESOME and 1 MAGDAS operating in Vietnam. With a special geographical position stretching from the north tropic to the magnetic equator, Vietnam is an interesting area to supplement the data for the Global Space Weather Model. The Ionosphere is an important indicator of Space Weather and the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model has become widely accepted. The first task of ionospheric science in a new location is often comparing the observed data with IRI. This paper presents the results of comparisons of the foF2 and TEC observed over Ho Chi Minh City (10.51 N, 106.33 E) with the values calculated according to the IRI-2007 in order to evaluate the applicability of the model in forecasting for the equatorial region of Vietnam. We compare the critical frequency of layer F (foF2) and Total Electron Content (TEC) values for two phases of solar activity. The results show very good diurnal correlations between the observed foF2 and TEC with IRI values in the decreasing solar activity period 2003 ± 2006 (the deviation < 15%). In the increasing period 2009 ± 2012, good correlation was in the morning time before the foF2 peak at about 10 LT, with a deviation about 10% (except 2012). However, after 10 LT, the IRI-foF2 values rose up and the deviations were about 25% to 30%, especially during evening. In the years with low solar activity (SSN < 40), the IRI-foF2 are almost always higher than the observed foF2 data and vice versa for the years with SSN > 40. This is a note for correction IRI model applying for Vietnam. The comparison of the TEC shows that the correlation between GPS-TEC and IRI-TEC generally was good with coefficients k > 0.8 and R > 0.9 for the period 2006 - 2010. The worst relationship were March, April, September, October, November and December 2011, corresponding to periods when the TEC gradients are highest. The phenomenon of decline in the TEC at noon over Ho Chi Minh City observed pretty weak. This phenomenon appeared only in a few months from April to September, when the ionization is high. In the period from 0 to 5 am local time, the average minimum GPS-TEC observed over Ho Chi Minh City is about 3 tecu, while the IRI-TEC value is ~ 0.3. Thus, the IRI-TEC values should be recalibrated.

  10. Moving Toward Real Time Data Handling: Data Management at the IRIS DMC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahern, T. K.; Benson, R. B.

    2001-12-01

    The IRIS Data Management Center at the University of Washington has become a major archive and distribution center for a wide variety of seismological data. With a mass storage system with a 360-terabyte capacity, the center is well positioned to manage the data flow, both inbound and outbound, from all anticipated seismic sources for the foreseeable future. As data flow in and out of the IRIS DMC at an increasing rate, new methods to deal with data using purely automated techniques are being developed. The on-line and self-service data repositories of SPYDERr and FARM are collections of seismograms for all larger events. The WWW tool WILBER and the client application WEED are examples of tools that provide convenient access to the 1/2 terabyte of SPYDERr and FARM data. The Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) system provides access to continuous data available in real time from GSN, FDSN, US regional networks, and other globally distributed stations. Continuous data that have received quality control are always available from the archive of continuous data. This presentation will review current and future data access techniques supported at IRIS. One of the most difficult tasks at the DMC is the management of the metadata that describes all the stations, sensors, and data holdings. Demonstrations of tools that provide access to the metadata will be presented. This presentation will focus on the new techniques of data management now being developed at the IRIS DMC. We believe that these techniques are generally applicable to other types of geophysical data management as well.

  11. Psychobiological Assessment and Enhancement of Team Cohesion and Psychological Resilience in ROTC Cadets Using a Virtual-Reality Team Cohesion Test

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-01

    including empathy , personality, and IQ questionnaires, are correlated with either the UAV (see Figure 5) or subarctic survival task (see Figure 6...Measure of five factor model of personality, IRI (Interpersonal Reactivity Index): empathy test, AMNART (American version of the National Adult Reading

  12. Preparing NASA's Next Solar Satellite for Launch

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    Orbital Sciences team members move the second half of the payload fairing before it is placed over NASA's IRIS (Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph) spacecraft. The fairing connects to the nose of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket that will lift the solar observatory into orbit. The work is taking place in a hangar at Vandenberg Air Force Base, where IRIS is being prepared for launch on a Pegasus XL rocket. Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg on June 26, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the sun's corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere. High res file available here: 1.usa.gov/11yal3w Photo Credit: NASA/Tony Vauclin NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  13. Jupiter's Atmospheric Temperatures: From Voyager IRIS to Cassini CIRS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Simon-Miller, Amy A.; Conrath, Barney J.; Gierasch, Peter J.; Orton, Glenn S.; Achterberg, Richard K.; Flasar, F. Michael; Fisher, Brendan

    2004-01-01

    Retrievals run on Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer data obtained during the distant Jupiter flyby have been used to generate global temperature maps of the planet in the troposphere and stratosphere. Similar retrievals were performed on Voyager 1 IRIS data and have provided the first detailed IRIS map of the stratosphere. In both data sets, high latitude troposphere temperatures are presented for the first time, and the meridional gradients indicate the presence of circumpolar jets. Thermal winds were calculated for each data set and show strong vertical shears in the zonal winds at low latitudes. The temperatures retrieved from the two spacecraft were also compared with yearly ground-based data obtained over the intervening two decades. Tropospheric temperatures reveal gradual changes at low latitudes, with little obvious seasonal or short-term variation (Orton et al. 1994). Stratospheric temperatures show much more complicated behavior over short timescales, consistent with quasi-quadrennial oscillations at low latitudes, as suggested in prior analyses of shorter intervals of ground- based data (Orton et al. 1991, Friedson 1999). A scaling analysis indicates that meridional motions, mechanically forced by wave or eddy convergence, play an important role in modulating the temperatures and winds in the upper troposphere and stratosphere on seasonal and shorter time scales. At latitudes away from the equator, the mechanical forcing can be derived simply from a temporal record of temperature and its vertical derivative. Ground-based observations with improved vertical resolution and/or long-term monitoring from spacecraft are required for this purpose.

  14. On the applicability of STDP-based learning mechanisms to spiking neuron network models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sboev, A.; Vlasov, D.; Serenko, A.; Rybka, R.; Moloshnikov, I.

    2016-11-01

    The ways to creating practically effective method for spiking neuron networks learning, that would be appropriate for implementing in neuromorphic hardware and at the same time based on the biologically plausible plasticity rules, namely, on STDP, are discussed. The influence of the amount of correlation between input and output spike trains on the learnability by different STDP rules is evaluated. A usability of alternative combined learning schemes, involving artificial and spiking neuron models is demonstrated on the iris benchmark task and on the practical task of gender recognition.

  15. Reconstruction of a helical prominence in 3D from IRIS spectra and images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmieder, B.; Zapiór, M.; López Ariste, A.; Levens, P.; Labrosse, N.; Gravet, R.

    2017-10-01

    Context. Movies of prominences obtained by space instruments e.g. the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) aboard the Hinode satellite and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) with high temporal and spatial resolution revealed the tremendous dynamical nature of prominences. Knots of plasma belonging to prominences appear to travel along both vertical and horizontal thread-like loops, with highly dynamical nature. Aims: The aim of the paper is to reconstruct the 3D shape of a helical prominence observed over two and a half hours by IRIS. Methods: From the IRIS Mg II k spectra we compute Doppler shifts of the plasma inside the prominence and from the slit-jaw images (SJI) we derive the transverse field in the plane of the sky. Finally we obtain the velocity vector field of the knots in 3D. Results.We reconstruct the real trajectories of nine knots travelling along ellipses. Conclusions: The spiral-like structure of the prominence observed in the plane of the sky is mainly due to the projection effect of long arches of threads (up to 8 × 104 km). Knots run along more or less horizontal threads with velocities reaching 65 km s-1. The dominant driving force is the gas pressure. Movies associated to Figs. 1, 9, 10, and 13 are available at http://www.aanda.org

  16. Hand digit control in children: motor overflow in multi-finger pressing force vector space during maximum voluntary force production.

    PubMed

    Shim, Jae Kun; Karol, Sohit; Hsu, Jeffrey; de Oliveira, Marcio Alves

    2008-04-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the contralateral motor overflow in children during single-finger and multi-finger maximum force production tasks. Forty-five right handed children, 5-11 years of age produced maximum isometric pressing force in flexion or extension with single fingers or all four fingers of their right hand. The forces produced by individual fingers of the right and left hands were recorded and analyzed in four-dimensional finger force vector space. The results showed that increases in task (right) hand finger forces were linearly associated with non-task (left) hand finger forces. The ratio of the non-task hand finger force magnitude to the corresponding task hand finger force magnitude, termed motor overflow magnitude (MOM), was greater in extension than flexion. The index finger flexion task showed the smallest MOM values. The similarity between the directions of task hand and non-task hand finger force vectors in four-dimensional finger force vector space, termed motor overflow direction (MOD), was the greatest for index and smallest for little finger tasks. MOM of a four-finger task was greater than the sum of MOMs of single-finger tasks, and this phenomenon was termed motor overflow surplus. Contrary to previous studies, no single-finger or four-finger tasks showed significant changes of MOM or MOD with the age of children. We conclude that the contralateral motor overflow in children during finger maximum force production tasks is dependent upon the task fingers and the magnitude and direction of task finger forces.

  17. 75 FR 45606 - Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force-Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-03

    ... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force--Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability, Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force's [[Page 45607

  18. The effect of face eccentricity on the perception of gaze direction.

    PubMed

    Todorović, Dejan

    2009-01-01

    The perception of a looker's gaze direction depends not only on iris eccentricity (the position of the looker's irises within the sclera) but also on the orientation of the lookers' head. One among several potential cues of head orientation is face eccentricity, the position of the inner features of the face (eyes, nose, mouth) within the head contour, as viewed by the observer. For natural faces this cue is confounded with many other head-orientation cues, but in schematic faces it can be studied in isolation. Salient novel illustrations of the effectiveness of face eccentricity are 'Necker faces', which involve equal iris eccentricities but multiple perceived gaze directions. In four experiments, iris and face eccentricity in schematic faces were manipulated, revealing strong and consistent effects of face eccentricity on perceived gaze direction, with different types of tasks. An additional experiment confirmed the 'Mona Lisa' effect with this type of stimuli. Face eccentricity most likely acted as a simple but robust cue of head turn. A simple computational account of combined effects of cues of eye and head turn on perceived gaze direction is presented, including a formal condition for the perception of direct gaze. An account of the 'Mona Lisa' effect is presented.

  19. 76 FR 60863 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-30

    ...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS Task Force). The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a program for U.S. waters to prevent...

  20. 78 FR 29378 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; Public Teleconference/Webinar

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-20

    ...-FF09F14000-134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; Public Teleconference/ Webinar AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife... teleconference/webinar of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS Task Force). The ANS Task Force's purpose... aquatic nuisance species; to monitor, control, and study such species; and to disseminate related...

  1. Keepin' On: Five Years Down the Road to Better Schools. Reports of the Task Force on Improving Kentucky's Schools and the Task Force on Restructuring Time and Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Lexington, KY.

    This report contains the findings of two task forces established during 1994 by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence: (1) the Task Force on Improving Kentucky Schools; and (2) the Task Force on Restructuring Time and Learning. The task forces, comprised of parents and business members of the Prichard Committee, examined key elements of…

  2. Grip force and force sharing in two different manipulation tasks with bottles.

    PubMed

    Cepriá-Bernal, Javier; Pérez-González, Antonio; Mora, Marta C; Sancho-Bru, Joaquín L

    2017-07-01

    Grip force and force sharing during two activities of daily living were analysed experimentally in 10 right-handed subjects. Four different bottles, filled to two different levels, were manipulated for two tasks: transporting and pouring. Each test subject's hand was instrumented with eight thin wearable force sensors. The grip force and force sharing were significantly different for each bottle model. Increasing the filling level resulted in an increase in grip force, but the ratio of grip force to load force was higher for lighter loads. The task influenced the force sharing but not the mean grip force. The contributions of the thumb and ring finger were higher in the pouring task, whereas the contributions of the palm and the index finger were higher in the transport task. Mean force sharing among fingers was 30% for index, 29% for middle, 22% for ring and 19% for little finger. Practitioner Summary: We analysed grip force and force sharing in two manipulation tasks with bottles: transporting and pouring. The objective was to understand the effects of the bottle features, filling level and task on the contribution of different areas of the hand to the grip force. Force sharing was different for each task and the bottles features affected to both grip force and force sharing.

  3. PRN 94-9: Announcing the Formation of Two Industry-Wide Task Forces: Agricultural Reentry Task Force and Outdoor Residential Exposure Task Force

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This Notice announces two industry-wide Task Forces being formed in response to generic exposure data requirements. It contains EPA's policy on a registrant's options for, and responsibilities when joining Task Force as a way to satisfy data requirements.

  4. 78 FR 60306 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-01

    ...-FF09F14000-134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and... Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, through Thursday, November 7...

  5. An Operational Utility Assessment: Measuring the Effectiveness of the Experimental Forward Operating Base Program

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-01

    SPACES product brochure . Retrieved from https://www.iristechnology.com/manuals/BR-Iris-SPACES.pdf Jameson, LLC. (2014, April 11). EMI hardened LED...Army. (2010). TRADOC generating force study (TRADOC Pamphlet 525-8-1). Retrieved from http://www.tradoc.army.mil/tpubs/pams/tp525-8-1.pdf U.S. Army

  6. Orientation Behavior Using Registered Topographic Maps

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-01-01

    integrated with the ability to reach for visual targets ( Marjanovic , Scassel- lati, & Williamson 1996). The same is true for social skills where the robot...behavior with reaching and manipula- tion tasks currently under parallel development by other members of the group ( Marjanovic et al. 1996). 8 Conclusions...in alphabet- ical order): Mike Binnard, Rod Brooks, Robert Irie, Eleni Kapogannis, Matt Marjanovic , Yoky Matsuoka, Brian Scasselatti, Nick Shectman

  7. 77 FR 61019 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-05

    ..., Cost Center: FF09F14000, Fund: 134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and... Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday November 14, and from 8:30 a.m...

  8. Task specific grip force control in writer's cramp.

    PubMed

    Schneider, A S; Fürholzer, W; Marquardt, C; Hermsdörfer, J

    2014-04-01

    Writer's cramp is defined as a task specific focal dystonia generating hypertonic muscle co-contractions during handwriting resulting in impaired writing performance and exaggerated finger force. However, little is known about the generalisation of grip force across tasks others than writing. The aim of the study was to directly compare regulation of grip forces during handwriting with force regulation in other fine-motor tasks in patients and control subjects. Handwriting, lifting and cyclic movements of a grasped object were investigated in 21 patients and 14 controls. The applied forces were registered in all three tasks and compared between groups and tasks. In addition, task-specific measures of fine-motor skill were assessed. As expected, patients generated exaggerated forces during handwriting compared to control subjects. However there were no statistically significant group differences during lifting and cyclic movements. The control group revealed a generalisation of grip forces across manual tasks whereas in patients there was no such correlation. We conclude that increased finger forces during handwriting are a task-specific phenomenon that does not necessarily generalise to other fine-motor tasks. Force control of patients with writer's cramp in handwriting and other fine-motor tasks is characterised by individualised control strategies. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. 76 FR 22685 - Interagency Management Task Force Public Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-22

    ... Force Public Meeting AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy (DOE... meetings of the Interagency Energy Management Task Force (Task Force) in 2011. FEMP intends to hold recurring public meetings of the Task Force. Interested parties can check http://www.femp.energy.gov/news...

  10. 75 FR 20578 - Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Health Board (DHB); Department of Defense Task Force on the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-20

    ... (DHB); Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces... announces a meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the... Secretary, Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces, One...

  11. 75 FR 21603 - Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee; Missouri River (North Dakota) Task...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-26

    ...-6128. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee and... Committee; Missouri River (North Dakota) Task Force AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Renewal of... Missouri River (North Dakota) Task Force (hereafter referred to as the Task Force). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

  12. Force fluctuations while pressing and moving against high- and low-friction touch screen surfaces.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Mukta N; Keenan, Kevin G

    2016-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of a high- and low-friction surface on the ability to maintain a steady downward force during an index finger pressing and moving task. Fifteen right-handed subjects (24-48 years) performed a static force pressing task and a hybrid pressing and moving task on the surface of an iPad mini while holding a steady 2-N force on high- and low-friction surfaces. Variability of force was quantified as the standard deviation (SD) of normal force (F z) and shear force (F xy) across friction conditions and tasks. The SD of F z was 227 % greater during the hybrid task as compared to the static task (p < .001) and was 19 % greater for the high- versus low-friction condition (p = .033). There were positive correlations between SD of F z and F xy during the hybrid force/motion tasks on the high- and low-friction conditions (r (2) = 0.5 and 0.86, respectively), suggesting significant associations between normal and shear forces for this hybrid task. The correlation between the SD of F z for static and hybrid tasks was r (2) = 0.44, indicating that the common practice of examining the control of static tasks may not sufficiently explain performance during hybrid tasks, at least for the young subjects tested in the current study. As activities of daily living frequently require hybrid force/motion tasks (e.g., writing, doing the dishes, and cleaning counters), the results of this study emphasize the need to study motor performance during hybrid tasks in addition to static force tasks.

  13. Connecting the Force from Space: The IRIS Joint Capability Technology Demonstration

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    the Joint in Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, we have two sponsors, both U.S. Strategic Command and the Defense Information Systems...Capability Technology Demonstration will provide an excellent source of data on space-based Internet Protocol net- working. Operational... Internet Routing in Space Joint Capability Technology Demonstration Operational Manager, Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab, Colorado Springs

  14. The Cuban Interventionary Forces: The Growing Strategic and Regional Threat to the United States and NATO.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-12-01

    enough fuel for a six-week voyage, fourteen torpedoes and deck guns, and * ..was capable of 17.5 knots surfaced and 7.5 submerged . This 127 P-’ -k. /O...firpd iri c- his top administrators, Politburo m~ mbr ,, -In 1 66 * B followers since the early days of the revolutionary struggle against Batista. Among

  15. U.S. Northern Command > Newsroom > Fact Sheets

    Science.gov Websites

    Operations Command, North U.S. Marine Forces Northern Command U.S. Fleet Forces Command Air Forces Northern U.S. Army North Joint Task Force North Joint Task Force Civil Support Joint Task Force Alaska Joint

  16. FAQs about IRIs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paris, Scott G.; Carpenter, Robert D.

    2003-01-01

    Provides information about informal reading inventories (IRI), an early reading assessment. Explains what IRIs are; who should administer an IRI; when and how to administer an IRI; the reliability of data from IRIs; and the limitations of IRIs. (PM)

  17. Infrared Imagery of Shuttle (IRIS). Task 2. [indium antimonide sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chocol, C. J.

    1978-01-01

    An opto-electronic breadboard of 10 channels of the IR temperature measuring system was produced as well as a scaled up portion of the tracking system reticle in order to verify Task 1 assumptions. The breadboards and the tests performed on them are described and both raw and reduced data are presented. Tests show that the electronics portion of the imaging system will provide a dc to 10,000 Hz bandwidth that is flat and contributes no more than 0.4% of full-scale uncertainty to the measurement. Conventional packaging is adequate for the transresistance amplifier design. Measurement errors expected from all sources tested are discussed.

  18. Iris Image Classification Based on Hierarchical Visual Codebook.

    PubMed

    Zhenan Sun; Hui Zhang; Tieniu Tan; Jianyu Wang

    2014-06-01

    Iris recognition as a reliable method for personal identification has been well-studied with the objective to assign the class label of each iris image to a unique subject. In contrast, iris image classification aims to classify an iris image to an application specific category, e.g., iris liveness detection (classification of genuine and fake iris images), race classification (e.g., classification of iris images of Asian and non-Asian subjects), coarse-to-fine iris identification (classification of all iris images in the central database into multiple categories). This paper proposes a general framework for iris image classification based on texture analysis. A novel texture pattern representation method called Hierarchical Visual Codebook (HVC) is proposed to encode the texture primitives of iris images. The proposed HVC method is an integration of two existing Bag-of-Words models, namely Vocabulary Tree (VT), and Locality-constrained Linear Coding (LLC). The HVC adopts a coarse-to-fine visual coding strategy and takes advantages of both VT and LLC for accurate and sparse representation of iris texture. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed iris image classification method achieves state-of-the-art performance for iris liveness detection, race classification, and coarse-to-fine iris identification. A comprehensive fake iris image database simulating four types of iris spoof attacks is developed as the benchmark for research of iris liveness detection.

  19. Proximal arm kinematics affect grip force-load force coordination

    PubMed Central

    Vermillion, Billy C.; Lum, Peter S.

    2015-01-01

    During object manipulation, grip force is coordinated with load force, which is primarily determined by object kinematics. Proximal arm kinematics may affect grip force control, as proximal segment motion could affect control of distal hand muscles via biomechanical and/or neural pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of proximal kinematics on grip force modulation during object manipulation. Fifteen subjects performed three vertical lifting tasks that involved distinct proximal kinematics (elbow/shoulder), but resulted in similar end-point (hand) trajectories. While temporal coordination of grip and load forces remained similar across the tasks, proximal kinematics significantly affected the grip force-to-load force ratio (P = 0.042), intrinsic finger muscle activation (P = 0.045), and flexor-extensor ratio (P < 0.001). Biomechanical coupling between extrinsic hand muscles and the elbow joint cannot fully explain the observed changes, as task-related changes in intrinsic hand muscle activation were greater than in extrinsic hand muscles. Rather, between-task variation in grip force (highest during task 3) appears to contrast to that in shoulder joint velocity/acceleration (lowest during task 3). These results suggest that complex neural coupling between the distal and proximal upper extremity musculature may affect grip force control during movements, also indicated by task-related changes in intermuscular coherence of muscle pairs, including intrinsic finger muscles. Furthermore, examination of the fingertip force showed that the human motor system may attempt to reduce variability in task-relevant motor output (grip force-to-load force ratio), while allowing larger fluctuations in output less relevant to task goal (shear force-to-grip force ratio). PMID:26289460

  20. 78 FR 23970 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-23

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting. SUMMARY: This document corrects the SBA's Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Developments...

  1. Linking empathy to visuospatial perspective-taking in gambling addiction.

    PubMed

    Tomei, Alexander; Besson, Jacques; Grivel, Jeremy

    2017-04-01

    It has been demonstrated that people suffering from substance-related addictions are less empathic than their non-addicted counterparts. Our first aim was to verify if this is also true for behavioral addictions. We hypothesized that problem gamblers are less empathic than healthy controls. Our second aim was to identify a cognitive marker of empathy that could be targeted in cognitive rehabilitation strategies. We propose that a potential cognitive marker of empathy could be visuospatial perspective-taking. Specifically, we hypothesized that visuospatial perspective-taking performances are lower in problem gamblers compared to healthy controls and that these visuospatial performances predict empathy. Thirty-one non-gamblers, 24 healthy gamblers, and 21 problem gamblers performed a visuospatial perspective-taking task before completing the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1980; Davis, 1983). Problem gamblers had decreased empathy and lower performance at the visuospatial perspective-taking task than non-gamblers and healthy gamblers. Furthermore, we confirmed that visuospatial perspective-taking abilities predict empathy on the IRI dimensions of interpersonal perspective-taking and personal distress. The present study provides new evidence that reduced empathy is not limited to subjects with substance-related addictions; rather, it extends to behavioral addictions. Visuospatial perspective-taking may be a viable cognitive marker for use as a rehabilitation target of empathy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Blinking supervision in a working environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morcego, Bernardo; Argilés, Marc; Cabrerizo, Marc; Cardona, Genís; Pérez, Ramon; Pérez-Cabré, Elisabet; Gispets, Joan

    2016-02-01

    The health of the ocular surface requires blinks of the eye to be frequent in order to provide moisture and to renew the tear film. However, blinking frequency has been shown to decrease in certain conditions such as when subjects are conducting tasks with high cognitive and visual demands. These conditions are becoming more common as people work or spend their leisure time in front of video display terminals. Supervision of blinking frequency in such environments is possible, thanks to the availability of computer-integrated cameras. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to develop an algorithm for the detection of eye blinks and to test it, in a number of videos captured, while subjects are conducting a variety of tasks in front of the computer. The sensitivity of the algorithm for blink detection was found to be of 87.54% (range 30% to 100%), with a mean false-positive rate of 0.19% (range 0% to 1.7%), depending on the illumination conditions during which the image was captured and other computer-user spatial configurations. The current automatic process is based on a partly modified pre-existing eye detection and image processing algorithms and consists of four stages that are aimed at eye detection, eye tracking, iris detection and segmentation, and iris height/width ratio assessment.

  3. 32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any other naval commander, may detail in command of a task force, or other task command, any eligible...

  4. Human task animation from performance models and natural language input

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Esakov, Jeffrey; Badler, Norman I.; Jung, Moon

    1989-01-01

    Graphical manipulation of human figures is essential for certain types of human factors analyses such as reach, clearance, fit, and view. In many situations, however, the animation of simulated people performing various tasks may be based on more complicated functions involving multiple simultaneous reaches, critical timing, resource availability, and human performance capabilities. One rather effective means for creating such a simulation is through a natural language description of the tasks to be carried out. Given an anthropometrically-sized figure and a geometric workplace environment, various simple actions such as reach, turn, and view can be effectively controlled from language commands or standard NASA checklist procedures. The commands may also be generated by external simulation tools. Task timing is determined from actual performance models, if available, such as strength models or Fitts' Law. The resulting action specification are animated on a Silicon Graphics Iris workstation in real-time.

  5. Global Federation of Data Services in Seismology: Extending the Concept to Interdisciplinary Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahern, T. K.; Trabant, C. M.; Stults, M.; Van Fossen, M.

    2015-12-01

    The International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks (FDSN) sets international standards, formats, and access protocols for global seismology. Recently the availability of an FDSN standard for web services has enabled the development of a federated model of data access. With a growing number of internationally distributed data centers supporting identical web services the task of federation is now fully realizable. This presentation will highlight the advances the seismological community has made in the past year towards federated access to seismological data including waveforms, earthquake event catalogs, and metadata describing seismic stations. As part of the NSF EarthCube project, IRIS and its partners have been extending the concept of standard web services to other domains. Our primary partners include Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory (marine geophysics), Caltech (tectonic plate reconstructions), SDSC (hydrology), UNAVCO (geodesy), and Unidata (atmospheric sciences). Additionally IRIS is working with partners at NOAA's NGDC, NEON, UTEP, WOVODAT, Intermagnet, Global Geodynamics Program, and the Ocean Observatory Initiative (OOI) to develop web services for those domains. The ultimate goal is to allow discovery, access, and utilization of cross-domain data sources. IRIS and a variety of US and European partners have been involved in the Cooperation between Europe and the US (CoopEUS) project where interdisciplinary data integration is a key topic.

  6. 75 FR 76422 - Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on... Forces (Subsequently Referred to as the Task Force) AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice... forthcoming meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

  7. 75 FR 62611 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-12

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

  8. 75 FR 76744 - National Disaster Housing Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-09

    ...] National Disaster Housing Task Force AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of Meeting. SUMMARY: The National Disaster Housing Task Force (NDHTF) will meet by teleconference on December...: Mitchell Wyllins, National Disaster Housing Task Force, 500 C Street, SW., (Room 428), Washington, DC 20472...

  9. 77 FR 41472 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-13

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

  10. 76 FR 8393 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-14

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

  11. 75 FR 62438 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-08

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force... first public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting...

  12. Face and Construct Validity of a Novel Virtual Reality-Based Bimanual Laparoscopic Force-Skills Trainer With Haptics Feedback.

    PubMed

    Prasad, Raghu; Muniyandi, Manivannan; Manoharan, Govindan; Chandramohan, Servarayan M

    2018-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the face and construct validity of a custom-developed bimanual laparoscopic force-skills trainer with haptics feedback. The study also examined the effect of handedness on fundamental and complex tasks. Residents (n = 25) and surgeons (n = 25) performed virtual reality-based bimanual fundamental and complex tasks. Tool-tissue reaction forces were summed, recorded, and analysed. Seven different force-based measures and a 1-time measure were used as metrics. Subsequently, participants filled out face validity and demographic questionnaires. Residents and surgeons were positive on the design, workspace, and usefulness of the simulator. Construct validity results showed significant differences between residents and experts during the execution of fundamental and complex tasks. In both tasks, residents applied large forces with higher coefficient of variation and force jerks (P < .001). Experts, with their dominant hand, applied lower forces in complex tasks and higher forces in fundamental tasks (P < .001). The coefficients of force variation (CoV) of residents and experts were higher in complex tasks (P < .001). Strong correlations were observed between CoV and task time for fundamental (r = 0.70) and complex tasks (r = 0.85). Range of smoothness of force was higher for the non-dominant hand in both fundamental and complex tasks. The simulator was able to differentiate the force-skills of residents and surgeons, and objectively evaluate the effects of handedness on laparoscopic force-skills. Competency-based laparoscopic skills assessment curriculum should be updated to meet the requirements of bimanual force-based training.

  13. Pupil diameter as predictor of cognitive load: A novel tool for geoscience education research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitra, R.; McNeal, K.

    2015-12-01

    Pupils can truly serve as windows to the mind. Since the early part of the last decade, pupillometry, the study of pupils in response to cognitive tasks, have gained traction in psychophysiological studies. Muscles of the iris work in tandem with the autonomic nervous system in response to light condition to either dilate or contract the pupil, usually between 2 to 7 mm. Along with this response to light conditions, the pupils also contract or dilate in response to emotional or mental response. Therefore, for a cognitive task, if the ambient brightness is controlled, pupil dilation reflects the cognitive load associated with the task. Simple tasks such as counting, memorizing, multiplying and visual searching have been found to have pupillometry profiles reflective of the cognitive load involved with such tasks. In this study, we investigate whether pupil diameter can be used for education research where tasks can be more complex. In particular, we look at two specific types of tasks common in geoscience and several other STEM fields: graph reading and spatial problem solving.

  14. Childhood Obesity Task Forces Established by State Legislatures, 2001-2010

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sonia A.; Sherry, Bettylou; Blanck, Heidi M.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction States and communities are considering policy and environmental strategies, including enacting legislation, to reduce and prevent childhood obesity. One legislative approach has been to create task forces to understand key issues and develop a course of action. The goal of this study was to describe state-level, childhood obesity task forces in the United States created by legislation from 2001 through 2010. Methods We used the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity database to identify state-level childhood obesity task forces created through legislation from 2001 through 2010. Results We identified 21 states that had enacted legislation creating childhood obesity task forces of which 6 had created more than one task force. Most task forces were charged with both gathering and reviewing information and making recommendations for obesity-prevention actions in the state. Most legislation required that task forces include representation from the state legislature, state agencies, community organizations, and community members. Conclusion Evaluation of the effectiveness of obesity-prevention task forces and the primary components that contribute to their success may help to determine the advantages of the use of such strategies in obesity prevention. PMID:23987250

  15. Iris Matching Based on Personalized Weight Map.

    PubMed

    Dong, Wenbo; Sun, Zhenan; Tan, Tieniu

    2011-09-01

    Iris recognition typically involves three steps, namely, iris image preprocessing, feature extraction, and feature matching. The first two steps of iris recognition have been well studied, but the last step is less addressed. Each human iris has its unique visual pattern and local image features also vary from region to region, which leads to significant differences in robustness and distinctiveness among the feature codes derived from different iris regions. However, most state-of-the-art iris recognition methods use a uniform matching strategy, where features extracted from different regions of the same person or the same region for different individuals are considered to be equally important. This paper proposes a personalized iris matching strategy using a class-specific weight map learned from the training images of the same iris class. The weight map can be updated online during the iris recognition procedure when the successfully recognized iris images are regarded as the new training data. The weight map reflects the robustness of an encoding algorithm on different iris regions by assigning an appropriate weight to each feature code for iris matching. Such a weight map trained by sufficient iris templates is convergent and robust against various noise. Extensive and comprehensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed personalized iris matching strategy achieves much better iris recognition performance than uniform strategies, especially for poor quality iris images.

  16. 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop |

    Science.gov Websites

    Photovoltaic Research | NREL International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Chairs : Tony Sample and Masaaki Yamamichi The 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT

  17. 78 FR 27969 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-13

    ... discussed: Matters to be discussed: cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular disease prevention and... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

  18. 77 FR 56845 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-14

    ...: Matters to be discussed: Tobacco, oral health and cardiovascular disease. Meeting Accessibility: This... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

  19. 78 FR 59939 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-30

    .... Matters to be discussed: Cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular disease prevention and control... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

  20. 78 FR 7849 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-04

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

  1. 76 FR 54258 - Request for Comments-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and Recommendations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-31

    ... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and... Fiscal Oversight Task Force, which reviewed and made recommendations regarding how LSC conducts fiscal... territories. By Resolution adopted on July 21, 2010, the Board established the Fiscal Oversight Task Force...

  2. 78 FR 70087 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-22

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

  3. 78 FR 45996 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-30

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

  4. 78 FR 21492 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-10

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

  5. 77 FR 41165 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-12

    ... Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will.../Concerns Discussion Continued discussion of goals for Task Force Anaerobic Digester Technologies Odor...

  6. Community hoarding task forces: a comparative case study of five task forces in the United States.

    PubMed

    Bratiotis, Christiana

    2013-05-01

    During the past decade, many community task forces have formed to address hoarding problems that come to public attention. Such task forces provide a societal-level intervention to assist people with the most severe cases of hoarding, who do not voluntarily seek or want help for their hoarding behaviour. This qualitative study of five U.S. hoarding task forces included sites selected for their diversity of purpose, approaches to hoarding intervention and community geography, composition and resources. Data were collected during the period of September 2007-March 2008. The case study methodology used multiple forms of data, including semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents, small group interviews and investigator observation. This study captured the perspectives of public and private sector service providers such as mental health, housing, social service, public health agencies and community enforcement organisations (fire, police, legal, animal control) to examine how task forces organise and operate and the emerging practice and policy changes. Study findings suggest that structural factors (e.g. leadership, purpose, funding and membership) impact hoarding task force viability, that participation on a task force influences practice and policy decisions about hoarding, and that social work can expand its role in task force leadership. Task forces may be a mechanism for improving community policies about hoarding and mechanisms for addressing other social problems across multiple sectors. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  7. 75 FR 32186 - Task Force on Community Preventive Services

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-07

    ... by space available. Purpose: The mission of the Task Force is to develop and publish the Guide to... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Task Force on Community Preventive Services Name: Task Force on Community Preventive Services meeting. Times and Dates: 8...

  8. 78 FR 2996 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the next meeting of the Community Preventive...

  9. 77 FR 16256 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-20

    ...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a program for U.S. waters to prevent introduction...

  10. 75 FR 57987 - Evaluation of the Groundwater Task Force Report: Public Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-23

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0302] Evaluation of the Groundwater Task Force Report... Task Force (GTF) in March 2010 to determine whether past, current, and planned actions should be... recommendations made in the Liquid Radioactive Release Lessons Learned Task Force Final Report dated September 1...

  11. 75 FR 70764 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-18

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on October 13, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll...

  12. 7 CFR 1900.6 - Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. 1900.6 Section... AGRICULTURE PROGRAM REGULATIONS GENERAL Delegations of Authority § 1900.6 Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. The Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force is delegated the following authorities, to be exercised until...

  13. 76 FR 5232 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-28

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on December 8, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll...

  14. 76 FR 11307 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-01

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Mr. Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on January 12, 2011 at 1 p.m. Roll...

  15. Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening

    Science.gov Websites

    Data Media & News Publications Press Releases Story Archive Home Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening Session Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Title: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening SessionDescription: The

  16. Task Force II: Energy and Its Socioeconomic Impacts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appalachia, 1977

    1977-01-01

    Summarizing the Task Force Issues Paper presented at the Appalachian Conference on Balanced Growth and Economic Development (1977), this article presents selected comments by Task Force participants, and Task Force recommendations re: a national severence tax on extraction of nonrenewable energy resources; socioeconomic costs of nuclear energy; a…

  17. Antigen-Specific Interferon-Gamma Responses and Innate Cytokine Balance in TB-IRIS

    PubMed Central

    Goovaerts, Odin; Jennes, Wim; Massinga-Loembé, Marguerite; Ceulemans, Ann; Worodria, William; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Colebunders, Robert; Kestens, Luc

    2014-01-01

    Background Tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) remains a poorly understood complication in HIV-TB patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). TB-IRIS could be associated with an exaggerated immune response to TB-antigens. We compared the recovery of IFNγ responses to recall and TB-antigens and explored in vitro innate cytokine production in TB-IRIS patients. Methods In a prospective cohort study of HIV-TB co-infected patients treated for TB before ART initiation, we compared 18 patients who developed TB-IRIS with 18 non-IRIS controls matched for age, sex and CD4 count. We analyzed IFNγ ELISpot responses to CMV, influenza, TB and LPS before ART and during TB-IRIS. CMV and LPS stimulated ELISpot supernatants were subsequently evaluated for production of IL-12p70, IL-6, TNFα and IL-10 by Luminex. Results Before ART, all responses were similar between TB-IRIS patients and non-IRIS controls. During TB-IRIS, IFNγ responses to TB and influenza antigens were comparable between TB-IRIS patients and non-IRIS controls, but responses to CMV and LPS remained significantly lower in TB-IRIS patients. Production of innate cytokines was similar between TB-IRIS patients and non-IRIS controls. However, upon LPS stimulation, IL-6/IL-10 and TNFα/IL-10 ratios were increased in TB-IRIS patients compared to non-IRIS controls. Conclusion TB-IRIS patients did not display excessive IFNγ responses to TB-antigens. In contrast, the reconstitution of CMV and LPS responses was delayed in the TB-IRIS group. For LPS, this was linked with a pro-inflammatory shift in the innate cytokine balance. These data are in support of a prominent role of the innate immune system in TB-IRIS. PMID:25415590

  18. Iris reconstruction combined with iris-claw intraocular lens implantation for the management of iris-lens injured patients.

    PubMed

    Hu, Shufang; Wang, Mingling; Xiao, Tianlin; Zhao, Zhenquan

    2016-03-01

    To study the efficiency and safety of iris reconstruction combined with iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the patients with iris-lens injuries. Retrospective, noncomparable consecutive case series study. Eleven patients (11 eyes) following iris-lens injuries underwent iris reconstructions combined with iris-claw IOL implantations. Clinical data, such as cause and time of injury, visual acuity (VA), iris and lens injuries, surgical intervention, follow-up period, corneal endothelial cell count, and optical coherence tomography, were collected. Uncorrected VA (UCVA) in all injured eyes before combined surgery was equal to or <20/1000. Within a 1.1-4.2-year follow-up period, a significant increase, equal to or better than 20/66, in UCVA was observed in six (55%) cases, and in best-corrected VA (BCVA) was observed in nine (82%) cases. Postoperative BCVA was 20/40 or better in seven cases (64%). After combined surgery, the iris returned to its natural round shape or smaller pupil, and the iris-claw IOLs in the 11 eyes were well-positioned on the anterior surface of reconstructed iris. No complications occurred in those patients. Iris reconstruction combined with iris-claw IOL implantation is a safe and efficient procedure for an eye with iris-lens injury in the absence of capsular support.

  19. Unintentional force changes in cyclical tasks performed by an abundant system: Empirical observations and a dynamical model.

    PubMed

    Reschechtko, Sasha; Hasanbarani, Fariba; Akulin, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

    2017-05-14

    The study explored unintentional force changes elicited by removing visual feedback during cyclical, two-finger isometric force production tasks. Subjects performed two types of tasks at 1Hz, paced by an auditory metronome. One - Force task - required cyclical changes in total force while maintaining the sharing, defined as relative contribution of a finger to total force. The other task - Share task - required cyclical changes in sharing while keeping total force unchanged. Each trial started under full visual feedback on both force and sharing; subsequently, feedback on the variable that was instructed to stay constant was frozen, and finally feedback on the other variable was also removed. In both tasks, turning off visual feedback on total force elicited a drop in the mid-point of the force cycle and an increase in the peak-to-peak force amplitude. Turning off visual feedback on sharing led to a drift of mean share toward 50:50 across both tasks. Without visual feedback there was consistent deviation of the two force time series from the in-phase pattern (typical of the Force task) and from the out-of-phase pattern (typical of the Share task). This finding is in contrast to most earlier studies that demonstrated only two stable patterns, in-phase and out-of-phase. We interpret the results as consequences of drifts of parameters in a dynamical system leading in particular to drifts in the referent finger coordinates toward their actual coordinates. The relative phase desynchronization is caused by the right-left differences in the hypothesized drift processes, consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Unintentional force changes in cyclical tasks performed by an abundant system: Empirical observations and a dynamical model

    PubMed Central

    Reschechtko, Sasha; Hasanbarani, Fariba; Akulin, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

    2017-01-01

    The study explored unintentional force changes elicited by removing visual feedback during cyclical, two-finger isometric force production tasks. Subjects performed two types of tasks at 1 Hz, paced by an auditory metronome. One – Force task – required cyclical changes in total force while maintaining the sharing, defined as relative contribution of a finger to total force. The other task – Share task – required cyclical changes in sharing while keeping total force unchanged. Each trial started under full visual feedback on both force and sharing; subsequently, feedback on the variable that was instructed to stay constant was frozen, and finally feedback on the other variable was also removed. In both tasks, turning off visual feedback on total force elicited a drop in the mid-point of the force cycle and an increase in the peak-to-peak force amplitude. Turning off visual feedback on sharing led to a drift of mean share toward 50:50 across both tasks. Without visual feedback there was consistent deviation of the two force time series from the in-phase pattern (typical of the Force task) and from the out-of-phase pattern (typical of the Share task). This finding is in contrast to most earlier studies that demonstrated only two stable patterns, in-phase and out-of-phase. We interpret the results as consequences of drifts of parameters in a dynamical system leading in particular to drifts in the referent finger coordinates toward their actual coordinates. The relative phase desynchronization is caused by the right-left differences in the hypothesized drift processes, consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. PMID:28344070

  1. IRIS - A Community-Based Facility to Support Research in Seismology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ingate, S.; Ahern, T.; Butler, R.; Fowler, J.; Simpson, D.; Taber, J.; van der Vink, G.

    2002-12-01

    The IRIS Consortium was established in 1984 in response to growing pressure from the research community for enhanced facilities in global and lithospheric seismology. At the same time, the National Science Foundation was encouraging improvements in technology and infrastructure that were sorely needed to ensure the future health of the nation's research endeavors. The governance of IRIS and growth of the facility programs have been guided by strong involvement of the research community. The IRIS management governance and structure serves as an interface between the scientific community, funding agencies, and the programs of IRIS. The structure is designed to focus scientific talent on common objectives, to encourage broad participation, and to efficiently manage its programs. IRIS is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of representatives from each of IRIS' 99 member institutions. Operational policies are set by an Executive Committee elected by the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, in turn, appoints members to the Planning Committee, the Program Coordination Committee, and the four Standing Committees that provide oversight of the Global Seismographic Network (GSN), the Program of Array Seismic Studies of the Continental Lithosphere (PASSCAL), the Data Management System (DMS), and the Education and Outreach Program (E&O). In addition, special advisory committees and ad hoc working groups are convened for special tasks. Development of the IRIS programs has rested on strong core support from the Instrumentation and Facilities Program of the National Science Foundation's Earth Science Division, augmented with funding from the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, member universities, and private organizations. Close collaboration with the US Geological Survey and other national and foreign institutions has greatly extended the geographical coverage and strengthened the intellectual input that is essential to guiding the evolution of the IRIS programs. In the 18 years since the founding of IRIS, the core programs have grown to meet most of the original design goals and the Consortium continues to evolve in response to the community's changing needs. The GSN has now 126 permanent seismic stations distributed throughout the world with real-time connectivity to nearly 90 sites and dial-up links to most others. In addition to seismometers, microbarographs are installed at 19 sites and GPS instrumentation is located at 16 sites. The PASSCAL program supports between 50 and 60 experiments per year, from a lending pool of 250 broadband seismic sensor systems, and over 800 higher frequency systems for active source experiments. All seismic data acquired under the GSN and PASSCAL programs are made openly and freely available to anyone on the Internet, through the DMS. The DMS currently receives over 6Tb per year, and is able to service most requests for data within hours. Shipments in 2002 serviced nearly 60,000 requests, comprising nearly 1Tb of data, made to 563 different seismologists from 145 institutions in 33 countries around the world. The E&O program is relatively young, yet is making considerable inroads through its museum partnership (reaching 8,000,000 people per year); distribution of inexpensive seismographs; development of teaching modules and other educational materials for schools; technical support to internet-enabled school-based networks; workshops for geoscience educators; and undergraduate summer internships.

  2. 77 FR 4584 - Sunshine Act Meetings; National Science Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-30

    ... of a National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council study CPP Task Force on Unsolicited Mid... and December 13 meeting minutes Discussion of the MS Task Force draft report CSB Task Force on Data... Task Force Closing Remarks From the Chairman Committee on Audit and Oversight (A&O) Open Session: 4-4...

  3. Academic Standards Task Force Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burnham, Peter F.

    The product of a year-long research process undertaken by a Task Force on Academic Standards at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TCCC) in 1980-81, this report provides background to the deliberations of the Task Force and a presentation of their position on academic standards at TCCC. The report establishes the Task Force's commitments to…

  4. 75 FR 61175 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-04

    ...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3 through Thursday...

  5. 18 CFR 701.58 - Task forces.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Task forces. 701.58... Headquarters Organization § 701.58 Task forces. The Director with Council concurrence or the Council may establish task forces from time to time to aid in the preparation of issues for presentation to the Council...

  6. 3 CFR - White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working... Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and... times. To these ends, I hereby direct the following: Section 1. White House Task Force on Middle-Class...

  7. 77 FR 441 - Measurement and Control of Combustible Gas Generation and Dispersal

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-05

    ... Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... Fukushima Task Force Report: ``[t]he task force recommends, as part of the longer term review, that the NRC... additional information is revealed through further study of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.'' The Commission...

  8. 76 FR 58165 - Petitions for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-20

    ...-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... the Fukushima Task Force Report for the purpose of providing the Commission with fully-informed... recommendations from the Fukushima Task Force Report, and is not providing a separate opportunity for public...

  9. 76 FR 76189 - Notice of Public Hearing-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report & Recommendations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-06

    ... period; and (3) reactions to those comments submitted by Task Force members. DATES: Monday, December 12... Report, the public comments previously submitted, and reactions to those comments from several Task Force members. The public comments and a summary of Task Force members' reactions may be viewed online at http...

  10. Solar Energy Task Force Report: Technical Training Guidelines.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connor, Kevin

    This task force report offers guidelines and information for the development of vocational education programs oriented to the commercial application of solar energy in water and space heating. After Section I introduces the Solar Energy Task Force and its activities, Section II outlines the task force's objectives and raises several issues and…

  11. Three-Dimensional Morphometric Analysis of the Iris by Swept-Source Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography in a Caucasian Population.

    PubMed

    Invernizzi, Alessandro; Giardini, Piero; Cigada, Mario; Viola, Francesco; Staurenghi, Giovanni

    2015-07-01

    We analyzed by swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (SS-ASOCT) the three-dimensional iris morphology in a Caucasian population, and correlated the findings with iris color, iris sectors, subject age, and sex. One eye each from consecutive healthy emmetropic (refractive spherical equivalent ± 3 diopters) volunteers were selected for the study. The enrolled eye underwent standardized anterior segment photography to assess iris color. Iris images were assessed by SS-ASOCT for volume, thickness, width, and pupil size. Sectoral variations of morphometric data among the superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal sectors were recorded. A total of 135 eyes from 57 males and 78 females, age 49 ± 17 years, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All iris morphometric parameters varied significantly among the different sectors (all P < 0.0001). Iris total volume and thickness were significantly correlated with increasingly darker pigmentation (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0384, respectively). Neither width nor pupil diameter was influenced by iris color. Age did not affect iris volume or thickness; iris width increased and pupil diameter decreased with age (rs = 0.52, rs = -0.58, respectively). There was no effect of sex on iris volume, thickness, or pupil diameter; iris width was significantly greater in males (P = 0.007). Morphology of the iris varied by iris sector, and iris color was associated with differences in iris volume and thickness. Morphological parameter variations associated with iris color, sector, age, and sex can be used to identify pathological changes in suspect eyes. To be effective in clinical settings, construction of iris morphological databases for different ethnic and racial populations is essential.

  12. The effect of bracing availability on one-hand isometric force exertion capability.

    PubMed

    Jones, Monica L H; Reed, Matthew P; Chaffin, Don B

    2013-01-01

    Environmental obstructions that workers encounter can kinematically limit the postures that they can achieve. However, such obstructions can also provide an opportunity for additional support by bracing with the hand, thigh or other body part. The reaction forces on bracing surfaces, which are in addition to those acting at the feet and task hand, are hypothesised to improve force exertion capability, and become required inputs to biomechanical analysis of tasks with bracing. The effects of kinematic constraints and associated bracing opportunities on isometric hand force were quantified in a laboratory study of 22 men and women. Analyses of one-hand maximal push, pull and lift tasks demonstrated that bracing surfaces available at the thighs and non-task hand enabled participants to exert an average of 43% more force at the task hand. Task hand force direction deviated significantly from the nominal direction for exertions performed with bracing at both medium and low task hand locations. This study quantifies the effect of bracing on kinematically constrained force exertions. Knowledge that appropriate bracing surfaces can substantially increase hand force is critical to the evaluation of task-oriented strength capability. Force estimates may also involve large off-axis components, which have clear implications for ergonomic analyses of manual tasks.

  13. Performance drifts in two-finger cyclical force production tasks performed by one and two actors.

    PubMed

    Hasanbarani, Fariba; Reschechtko, Sasha; Latash, Mark L

    2018-03-01

    We explored changes in the cyclical two-finger force performance task caused by turning visual feedback off performed either by the index and middle fingers of the dominant hand or by two index fingers of two persons. Based on an earlier study, we expected drifts in finger force amplitude and midpoint without a drift in relative phase. The subjects performed two rhythmical tasks at 1 Hz while paced by an auditory metronome. One of the tasks required cyclical changes in total force magnitude without changes in the sharing of the force between the two fingers. The other task required cyclical changes in the force sharing without changing total force magnitude. Subjects were provided with visual feedback, which showed total force magnitude and force sharing via cursor motion along the vertical and horizontal axes, respectively. Further, visual feedback was turned off, first on the variable that was not required to change and then on both variables. Turning visual feedback off led to a mean force drift toward lower magnitudes while force amplitude increased. There was a consistent drift in the relative phase in the one-hand task with the index finger leading the middle finger. No consistent relative phase drift was seen in the two-person tasks. The shape of the force cycle changed without visual feedback reflected in the lower similarity to a perfect cosine shape and in the higher time spent at lower force magnitudes. The data confirm findings of earlier studies regarding force amplitude and midpoint changes, but falsify predictions of an earlier proposed model with respect to the relative phase changes. We discuss factors that could contribute to the observed relative phase drift in the one-hand tasks including the leader-follower pattern generalized for two-effector tasks performed by one person.

  14. Revision of IRIS/IDA Seismic Station Metadata

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, W.; Davis, P.; Auerbach, D.; Klimczak, E.

    2017-12-01

    Trustworthy data quality assurance has always been one of the goals of seismic network operators and data management centers. This task is considerably complex and evolving due to the huge quantities as well as the rapidly changing characteristics and complexities of seismic data. Published metadata usually reflect instrument response characteristics and their accuracies, which includes zero frequency sensitivity for both seismometer and data logger as well as other, frequency-dependent elements. In this work, we are mainly focused studying the variation of the seismometer sensitivity with time of IRIS/IDA seismic recording systems with a goal to improve the metadata accuracy for the history of the network. There are several ways to measure the accuracy of seismometer sensitivity for the seismic stations in service. An effective practice recently developed is to collocate a reference seismometer in proximity to verify the in-situ sensors' calibration. For those stations with a secondary broadband seismometer, IRIS' MUSTANG metric computation system introduced a transfer function metric to reflect two sensors' gain ratios in the microseism frequency band. In addition, a simulation approach based on M2 tidal measurements has been proposed and proven to be effective. In this work, we compare and analyze the results from three different methods, and concluded that the collocated-sensor method is most stable and reliable with the minimum uncertainties all the time. However, for epochs without both the collocated sensor and secondary seismometer, we rely on the analysis results from tide method. For the data since 1992 on IDA stations, we computed over 600 revised seismometer sensitivities for all the IRIS/IDA network calibration epochs. Hopefully further revision procedures will help to guarantee that the data is accurately reflected by the metadata of these stations.

  15. Iris reconstruction combined with iris-claw intraocular lens implantation for the management of iris-lens injured patients

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Shufang; Wang, Mingling; Xiao, Tianlin; Zhao, Zhenquan

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To study the efficiency and safety of iris reconstruction combined with iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the patients with iris-lens injuries. Settings and Design: Retrospective, noncomparable consecutive case series study. Materials and Methods: Eleven patients (11 eyes) following iris-lens injuries underwent iris reconstructions combined with iris-claw IOL implantations. Clinical data, such as cause and time of injury, visual acuity (VA), iris and lens injuries, surgical intervention, follow-up period, corneal endothelial cell count, and optical coherence tomography, were collected. Results: Uncorrected VA (UCVA) in all injured eyes before combined surgery was equal to or <20/1000. Within a 1.1–4.2-year follow-up period, a significant increase, equal to or better than 20/66, in UCVA was observed in six (55%) cases, and in best-corrected VA (BCVA) was observed in nine (82%) cases. Postoperative BCVA was 20/40 or better in seven cases (64%). After combined surgery, the iris returned to its natural round shape or smaller pupil, and the iris-claw IOLs in the 11 eyes were well-positioned on the anterior surface of reconstructed iris. No complications occurred in those patients. Conclusions: Iris reconstruction combined with iris-claw IOL implantation is a safe and efficient procedure for an eye with iris-lens injury in the absence of capsular support. PMID:27146932

  16. 76 FR 52318 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Coral Reef Task Force... of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This meeting, the 26th bi-annual meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, provides a forum for coordinated...

  17. 76 FR 7579 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-10

    .... Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... Service (Service), announce a public business meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) [email protected] ); or Liza Johnson, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Department of the Interior Liaison, U.S...

  18. 76 FR 15334 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-21

    ...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4; and Thursday May 5; and...

  19. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Features of Iris Racemose Hemangioma in 4 Cases.

    PubMed

    Chien, Jason L; Sioufi, Kareem; Ferenczy, Sandor; Say, Emil Anthony T; Shields, Carol L

    2017-10-01

    Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) allows visualization of iris racemose hemangioma course and its relation to the normal iris microvasculature. To describe OCTA features of iris racemose hemangioma. Descriptive, noncomparative case series at a tertiary referral center (Ocular Oncology Service of Wills Eye Hospital). Patients diagnosed with unilateral iris racemose hemangioma were included in the study. Features of iris racemose hemangioma on OCTA. Four eyes of 4 patients with unilateral iris racemose hemangioma were included in the study. Mean patient age was 50 years, all patients were white, and Snellen visual acuity was 20/20 in each case. All eyes had sectoral iris racemose hemangioma without associated iris or ciliary body solid tumor on clinical examination and ultrasound biomicroscopy. By anterior segment OCT, the racemose hemangioma was partially visualized in all cases. By OCTA, the hemangioma was clearly visualized as a uniform large-caliber vascular tortuous loop with intense flow characteristics superimposed over small-caliber radial iris vessels against a background of low-signal iris stroma. The vascular course on OCTA resembled a light bulb filament (filament sign), arising from the peripheral iris (base of light bulb) and forming a tortuous loop on reaching its peak (midfilament) near the pupil (n = 3) or midzonal iris (n = 1), before returning to the peripheral iris (base of light bulb). Intravenous fluorescein angiography performed in 1 eye depicted the iris hemangioma; however, small-caliber radial iris vessels were more distinct on OCTA than intravenous fluorescein angiography. Optical coherence tomography angiography is a noninvasive vascular imaging modality that clearly depicts the looping course of iris racemose hemangioma. Optical coherence tomography angiography depicted fine details of radial iris vessels, not distinct on intravenous fluorescein angiography.

  20. Iris Crypts Influence Dynamic Changes of Iris Volume.

    PubMed

    Chua, Jacqueline; Thakku, Sri Gowtham; Tun, Tin A; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Tan, Marcus Chiang Lee; Girard, Michael J A; Wong, Tien Yin; Quah, Joanne Hui Min; Aung, Tin; Cheng, Ching-Yu

    2016-10-01

    To determine the association of iris surface features with iris volume change after physiologic pupil dilation in adults. Cross-sectional observational study. Chinese adults aged ≥ 50 years without ocular diseases. Digital iris photographs were taken from eyes of each participant and graded for crypts (by number and size) and furrows (by number and circumferential extent) following a standardized grading scheme. Iris color was measured objectively, using the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) L* color parameter (higher value denoting lighter iris). The anterior segment was imaged by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) (Casia; Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) under bright light and dark room conditions. Iris volumes in light and dark conditions were measured with custom semiautomated software, and the change in iris volume was quantified. Associations of the change in iris volume after pupil dilation with underlying iris surface features in right eyes were assessed using linear regression analysis. Iris volume change after physiologic pupil dilation from light to dark condition. A total of 65 Chinese participants (mean age, 59.8±5.7 years) had gradable data for iris surface features. In light condition, higher iris crypt grade was associated independently with smaller iris volume (β [change in iris volume in millimeters per crypt grade increment] = -1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.26 to -0.59; P = 0.001) and greater reduction of iris volume on pupil dilation (β [change in iris volume in millimeters per crypt grade increment] = 0.23, 95% CI, 0.06-0.40; P = 0.010), adjusting for age, gender, presence of corneal arcus, and change in pupil size. Iris furrows and iris color were not associated with iris volume in light condition or change in iris volume (all P > 0.05). Although few Chinese persons have multiple crypts on their irides, irides with more crypts were significantly thinner and lost more volume on pupil dilation. In view that the latter feature is known to be protective for acute angle-closure attack, it is likely that the macroscopic and microscopic composition of the iris is a contributing feature to angle-closure disease. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Force Control Characteristics for Generation and Relaxation in the Lower Limb.

    PubMed

    Ohtaka, Chiaki; Fujiwara, Motoko

    2018-05-29

    We investigated the characteristics for force generation and relaxation using graded isometric contractions of the knee extensors. Participants performed the following tasks as quickly and accurately as possible. For the force generation task, force was increased from 0% to 20%, 40% and 60% of the maximal voluntary force (MVF). For the force relaxation task, force was decreased from 60% to 40%, 20% and 0%. The following parameters of the recorded force were calculated: error, time, and rate of force development. The error was consistently greater for force relaxation than generation. Reaction and adjustment times were independent of the tasks. The control strategy was markedly different for force relaxation and generation, this tendency was particularly evident for the lower limb compared to the upper limb.

  2. Consolidated fuel reprossing program: The implications of force reflection for teleoperation in space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Draper, John V.; Herndon, Joseph N.; Moore, Wendy E.

    1987-01-01

    Previous research on teleoperator force feedback is reviewed and results of a testing program which assessed the impact of force reflection on teleoperator task performance are reported. Force relection is a type of force feedback in which the forces acting on the remote portion of the teleoperator are displayed to the operator by back-driving the master controller. The testing program compared three force reflection levels: 4 to 1 (four units of force on the slave produce one unit of force at the master controller), 1 to 1, and infinity to 1 (no force reflection). Time required to complete tasks, rate of occurrence of errors, the maximum force applied to tasks components, and variability in forces applied to components during completion of representative remote handling tasks were used as dependent variables. Operators exhibited lower error rates, lower peak forces, and more consistent application of forces using force relection than they did without it. These data support the hypothesis that force reflection provides useful information for teleoperator users. The earlier literature and the results of the experiment are discussed in terms of their implications for space based teleoperator systems. The discussion described the impact of force reflection on task completion performance and task strategies, as suggested by the literature. It is important to understand the trade-offs involved in using telerobotic systems with and without force reflection.

  3. Fuzzy difference-of-Gaussian-based iris recognition method for noisy iris images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Byung Jun; Park, Kang Ryoung; Yoo, Jang-Hee; Moon, Kiyoung

    2010-06-01

    Iris recognition is used for information security with a high confidence level because it shows outstanding recognition accuracy by using human iris patterns with high degrees of freedom. However, iris recognition accuracy can be reduced by noisy iris images with optical and motion blurring. We propose a new iris recognition method based on the fuzzy difference-of-Gaussian (DOG) for noisy iris images. This study is novel in three ways compared to previous works: (1) The proposed method extracts iris feature values using the DOG method, which is robust to local variations of illumination and shows fine texture information, including various frequency components. (2) When determining iris binary codes, image noises that cause the quantization error of the feature values are reduced with the fuzzy membership function. (3) The optimal parameters of the DOG filter and the fuzzy membership function are determined in terms of iris recognition accuracy. Experimental results showed that the performance of the proposed method was better than that of previous methods for noisy iris images.

  4. Enhanced iris recognition method based on multi-unit iris images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Kwang Yong; Kim, Yeong Gon; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2013-04-01

    For the purpose of biometric person identification, iris recognition uses the unique characteristics of the patterns of the iris; that is, the eye region between the pupil and the sclera. When obtaining an iris image, the iris's image is frequently rotated because of the user's head roll toward the left or right shoulder. As the rotation of the iris image leads to circular shifting of the iris features, the accuracy of iris recognition is degraded. To solve this problem, conventional iris recognition methods use shifting of the iris feature codes to perform the matching. However, this increases the computational complexity and level of false acceptance error. To solve these problems, we propose a novel iris recognition method based on multi-unit iris images. Our method is novel in the following five ways compared with previous methods. First, to detect both eyes, we use Adaboost and a rapid eye detector (RED) based on the iris shape feature and integral imaging. Both eyes are detected using RED in the approximate candidate region that consists of the binocular region, which is determined by the Adaboost detector. Second, we classify the detected eyes into the left and right eyes, because the iris patterns in the left and right eyes in the same person are different, and they are therefore considered as different classes. We can improve the accuracy of iris recognition using this pre-classification of the left and right eyes. Third, by measuring the angle of head roll using the two center positions of the left and right pupils, detected by two circular edge detectors, we obtain the information of the iris rotation angle. Fourth, in order to reduce the error and processing time of iris recognition, adaptive bit-shifting based on the measured iris rotation angle is used in feature matching. Fifth, the recognition accuracy is enhanced by the score fusion of the left and right irises. Experimental results on the iris open database of low-resolution images showed that the averaged equal error rate of iris recognition using the proposed method was 4.3006%, which is lower than that of other methods.

  5. Results in Combined Cataract Surgery With Prosthetic Iris Implantation in Patients With Previous Iridocyclectomy for Iris Melanoma.

    PubMed

    Snyder, Michael E; Osher, Robert H; Wladecki, Trisha M; Perez, Mauricio A; Augsburger, James J; Corrêa, Zélia

    2017-03-01

    To present visual and functional results following implantation of iris prosthesis combined with cataract surgery in eyes with previous iridocyclectomy for iris melanoma or presumed iris melanoma. Retrospective noncomparative case series. Sixteen patients (16 eyes) with iris defects after iridocyclectomy for iris melanoma in 15 cases and iris adenoma in 1 case underwent prosthetic iris device implantation surgery. Prosthetic iris implantation was combined with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. The visual acuity, subjective glare and photophobia reduction, anatomic outcome, and complications were reviewed. Best-corrected visual acuity was improved in 13 eyes (81.25%), remained stable in 2 eyes (12.25%), and decreased in 1 eye (6.25%). Photophobia and glare improved in every case except for 1 (93.75%). Notably, after surgery 12 patients (75.00%) reported no photophobia and 10 patients (62.50%) reported no glare. The median postoperative follow-up was 29.5 months, with a minimum of 5 months and a maximum of 189 months. All iris devices were in the correct position, and all eyes achieved the desired anatomic result. The IOL optic edges were covered in all areas by either residual iris or opaque portions of a prosthetic iris device. In patients who have undergone previous iridocyclectomy for presumed iris melanoma, combined cataract surgery and iris prosthesis placement, with or without iris reconstruction, can lead to visual improvement as well as reduction of both glare and photophobia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Trade off between variable and fixed size normalization in orthogonal polynomials based iris recognition system.

    PubMed

    Krishnamoorthi, R; Anna Poorani, G

    2016-01-01

    Iris normalization is an important stage in any iris biometric, as it has a propensity to trim down the consequences of iris distortion. To indemnify the variation in size of the iris owing to the action of stretching or enlarging the pupil in iris acquisition process and camera to eyeball distance, two normalization schemes has been proposed in this work. In the first method, the iris region of interest is normalized by converting the iris into the variable size rectangular model in order to avoid the under samples near the limbus border. In the second method, the iris region of interest is normalized by converting the iris region into a fixed size rectangular model in order to avoid the dimensional discrepancies between the eye images. The performance of the proposed normalization methods is evaluated with orthogonal polynomials based iris recognition in terms of FAR, FRR, GAR, CRR and EER.

  7. Dynamical signatures of isometric force control as a function of age, expertise, and task constraints.

    PubMed

    Vieluf, Solveig; Sleimen-Malkoun, Rita; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia; Jirsa, Viktor; Reuter, Eva-Maria; Godde, Ben; Temprado, Jean-Jacques; Huys, Raoul

    2017-07-01

    From the conceptual and methodological framework of the dynamical systems approach, force control results from complex interactions of various subsystems yielding observable behavioral fluctuations, which comprise both deterministic (predictable) and stochastic (noise-like) dynamical components. Here, we investigated these components contributing to the observed variability in force control in groups of participants differing in age and expertise level. To this aim, young (18-25 yr) as well as late middle-aged (55-65 yr) novices and experts (precision mechanics) performed a force maintenance and a force modulation task. Results showed that whereas the amplitude of force variability did not differ across groups in the maintenance tasks, in the modulation task it was higher for late middle-aged novices than for experts and higher for both these groups than for young participants. Within both tasks and for all groups, stochastic fluctuations were lowest where the deterministic influence was smallest. However, although all groups showed similar dynamics underlying force control in the maintenance task, a group effect was found for deterministic and stochastic fluctuations in the modulation task. The latter findings imply that both components were involved in the observed group differences in the variability of force fluctuations in the modulation task. These findings suggest that between groups the general characteristics of the dynamics do not differ in either task and that force control is more affected by age than by expertise. However, expertise seems to counteract some of the age effects. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Stochastic and deterministic dynamical components contribute to force production. Dynamical signatures differ between force maintenance and cyclic force modulation tasks but hardly between age and expertise groups. Differences in both stochastic and deterministic components are associated with group differences in behavioral variability, and observed behavioral variability is more strongly task dependent than person dependent. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  8. Crafting a Balanced System of Assessment in Wisconsin. Recommendations of the Next Generation Assessment Task Force

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2009

    2009-01-01

    The Next Generation Assessment Task Force was convened to formulate Wisconsin's path forward. Task force members listened to leaders from business and technology sectors as well as leaders from PK-12 and higher education. This summary shares the process, definitions, assumptions, and recommendations of the task force. This paper aims to use these…

  9. 75 FR 47624 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and... (Service), announce a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and a request for written.... Coral Reef Task Force Department of the Interior Liaison, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS-3530-MIB...

  10. 75 FR 15457 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-29

    ...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m...

  11. 77 FR 23667 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-20

    ... CONTACT: Mail Delivery service through Recovering Warrior Task Force, Hoffman Building II, 200 Stovall St... Review of Non- Medical Case Management. 9:30-9:45 a.m. Break. 9:45-10:45 a.m. Task Force Recommendation... Task Force through the contact information in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and this individual will...

  12. Forest biomass as an energy source

    Treesearch

    P.E. Laks; R.W. Hemingway; A. Conner

    1979-01-01

    The Task Force on Forest Biomass as an Energy Source was chartered by the Society of American Foresters on September 26, 1977, and took its present form following an amendment to the charter on October 5, 1977. It built upon the findings of two previous task forces, the Task Force on Energy and Forest Resources and the Task Force for Evaluation of the CORRIM Report (...

  13. Toward More Accurate Iris Recognition Using Cross-Spectral Matching.

    PubMed

    Nalla, Pattabhi Ramaiah; Kumar, Ajay

    2017-01-01

    Iris recognition systems are increasingly deployed for large-scale applications such as national ID programs, which continue to acquire millions of iris images to establish identity among billions. However, with the availability of variety of iris sensors that are deployed for the iris imaging under different illumination/environment, significant performance degradation is expected while matching such iris images acquired under two different domains (either sensor-specific or wavelength-specific). This paper develops a domain adaptation framework to address this problem and introduces a new algorithm using Markov random fields model to significantly improve cross-domain iris recognition. The proposed domain adaptation framework based on the naive Bayes nearest neighbor classification uses a real-valued feature representation, which is capable of learning domain knowledge. Our approach to estimate corresponding visible iris patterns from the synthesis of iris patches in the near infrared iris images achieves outperforming results for the cross-spectral iris recognition. In this paper, a new class of bi-spectral iris recognition system that can simultaneously acquire visible and near infra-red images with pixel-to-pixel correspondences is proposed and evaluated. This paper presents experimental results from three publicly available databases; PolyU cross-spectral iris image database, IIITD CLI and UND database, and achieve outperforming results for the cross-sensor and cross-spectral iris matching.

  14. Hospital Security and Force Protection: A Guide to Ensuring Patient and Employee Safety

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-04-28

    leader and set up training camps for his recruits. Through these experiences, Osama Bin Laden was able to obtain money , weapons, and develop connections...options to deter counterfeits . Hospital Security 50 Membership within community collaboratives or community-based organizations provides excellent...iris or fingerprints scans are resistant to theft and counterfeit , assuring access to only authorized personnel. Many theme parks are utilizing this

  15. Control of force during rapid visuomotor force-matching tasks can be described by discrete time PID control algorithms.

    PubMed

    Dideriksen, Jakob Lund; Feeney, Daniel F; Almuklass, Awad M; Enoka, Roger M

    2017-08-01

    Force trajectories during isometric force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions vary substantially across individuals. In this study, we investigated if this variability can be explained by discrete time proportional, integral, derivative (PID) control algorithms with varying model parameters. To this end, we analyzed the pinch force trajectories of 24 subjects performing two rapid force-matching tasks with visual feedback. Both tasks involved isometric contractions to a target force of 10% maximal voluntary contraction. One task involved a single action (pinch) and the other required a double action (concurrent pinch and wrist extension). 50,000 force trajectories were simulated with a computational neuromuscular model whose input was determined by a PID controller with different PID gains and frequencies at which the controller adjusted muscle commands. The goal was to find the best match between each experimental force trajectory and all simulated trajectories. It was possible to identify one realization of the PID controller that matched the experimental force produced during each task for most subjects (average index of similarity: 0.87 ± 0.12; 1 = perfect similarity). The similarities for both tasks were significantly greater than that would be expected by chance (single action: p = 0.01; double action: p = 0.04). Furthermore, the identified control frequencies in the simulated PID controller with the greatest similarities decreased as task difficulty increased (single action: 4.0 ± 1.8 Hz; double action: 3.1 ± 1.3 Hz). Overall, the results indicate that discrete time PID controllers are realistic models for the neural control of force in rapid force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions.

  16. Improving Dual-Task Control With a Posture-Second Strategy in Early-Stage Parkinson Disease.

    PubMed

    Huang, Cheng-Ya; Chen, Yu-An; Hwang, Ing-Shiou; Wu, Ruey-Meei

    2018-03-31

    To examine the task prioritization effects on postural-suprapostural dual-task performance in patients with early-stage Parkinson disease (PD) without clinically observed postural symptoms. Cross-sectional study. Participants performed a force-matching task while standing on a mobile platform, and were instructed to focus their attention on either the postural task (posture-first strategy) or the force-matching task (posture-second strategy). University research laboratory. Individuals (N=16) with early-stage PD who had no clinically observed postural symptoms. Not applicable. Dual-task change (DTC; percent change between single-task and dual-task performance) of posture error, posture approximate entropy (ApEn), force error, and reaction time (RT). Positive DTC values indicate higher postural error, posture ApEn, force error, and force RT during dual-task conditions compared with single-task conditions. Compared with the posture-first strategy, the posture-second strategy was associated with smaller DTC of posture error and force error, and greater DTC of posture ApEn. In contrast, greater DTC of force RT was observed under the posture-second strategy. Contrary to typical recommendations, our results suggest that the posture-second strategy may be an effective dual-task strategy in patients with early-stage PD who have no clinically observed postural symptoms in order to reduce the negative effect of dual tasking on performance and facilitate postural automaticity. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. An effective approach for iris recognition using phase-based image matching.

    PubMed

    Miyazawa, Kazuyuki; Ito, Koichi; Aoki, Takafumi; Kobayashi, Koji; Nakajima, Hiroshi

    2008-10-01

    This paper presents an efficient algorithm for iris recognition using phase-based image matching--an image matching technique using phase components in 2D Discrete Fourier Transforms (DFTs) of given images. Experimental evaluation using CASIA iris image databases (versions 1.0 and 2.0) and Iris Challenge Evaluation (ICE) 2005 database clearly demonstrates that the use of phase components of iris images makes possible to achieve highly accurate iris recognition with a simple matching algorithm. This paper also discusses major implementation issues of our algorithm. In order to reduce the size of iris data and to prevent the visibility of iris images, we introduce the idea of 2D Fourier Phase Code (FPC) for representing iris information. The 2D FPC is particularly useful for implementing compact iris recognition devices using state-of-the-art Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology.

  18. Interagency Task Forces: The Right Tools for the Job

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    shortcomings. This analysis discusses four organizational reform models and recommends the interagency task force ( IATF ) as the preferred structure...model.64 Still others recommend creating and deploying ad hoc IATFs for crisis operations. These interagency task forces would be task- organized to...forces assigned for planning, exercises, and mission execution.65 A 2005 article in Policy Review recommended developing IATFs as needed for specific

  19. Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Bulletin; Vol. 8, Special Edition: Vocational Evaluation Project Final Report Part 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association, Washington, DC.

    Part 2 of the three-part Vocational Evaluation Project final report contains brief summaries of the seven task force report which comprise the final report and two such task force reports. The report of task force 5, Standards for Vocational Evaluation, describes the task force's effort to study the standards for accreditation presently used by…

  20. Comparing the Values Hierarchy of the Kentucky Department of Education's Character/Values Task Force. Comparing a Character/Values Task Force to a National Sample.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Fonda P.

    In March 1989, the Kentucky Department of Education assembled a task force to make recommendations regarding the issue of teaching values and character in public schools in Kentucky. The 23-member task force represented educators, parents, the legislature, state and local school boards, law enforcement agencies, higher education, Catholic…

  1. Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities. Executive Summary

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-21

    March 2017 Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF...the Department of Defense. The DSB Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities completed its formal...Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities | i DSB Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the

  2. Communicating with New and Existing Markets. A Task Force of Howard Community College's 1998-1999 Commission on the Future.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard Community Coll., Columbia, MD.

    This is a report from a task force formed by Howard Community College (Maryland) to examine existing and future markets. The task force also explored ways to use marketing strategies to attract potential customers to the college. The task force recommends that the college use its strengths to attract customers, such as its commitment to open…

  3. Iris Location Algorithm Based on the CANNY Operator and Gradient Hough Transform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, L. H.; Meng, K.; Wang, Y.; Dai, Z. Q.; Li, S.

    2017-12-01

    In the iris recognition system, the accuracy of the localization of the inner and outer edges of the iris directly affects the performance of the recognition system, so iris localization has important research meaning. Our iris data contain eyelid, eyelashes, light spot and other noise, even the gray transformation of the images is not obvious, so the general methods of iris location are unable to realize the iris location. The method of the iris location based on Canny operator and gradient Hough transform is proposed. Firstly, the images are pre-processed; then, calculating the gradient information of images, the inner and outer edges of iris are coarse positioned using Canny operator; finally, according to the gradient Hough transform to realize precise localization of the inner and outer edge of iris. The experimental results show that our algorithm can achieve the localization of the inner and outer edges of the iris well, and the algorithm has strong anti-interference ability, can greatly reduce the location time and has higher accuracy and stability.

  4. Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Quality of Life.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-10-15

    The Quality of Life Task Force is deeply grateful to those distinguished Americans who served as Counselors to the Task Force. Although they did not... Quality of Life issues to the readiness and well being of our Armed Forces. Their willingness to offer suggestions and advice on topics within their...respective expertise was most helpful The recommendations of the Report are those of the Quality of Life Task Force; and Counselors may, or may not, concur in whole or in part with them.

  5. Exploring the feasibility of iris recognition for visible spectrum iris images obtained using smartphone camera

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trokielewicz, Mateusz; Bartuzi, Ewelina; Michowska, Katarzyna; Andrzejewska, Antonina; Selegrat, Monika

    2015-09-01

    In the age of modern, hyperconnected society that increasingly relies on mobile devices and solutions, implementing a reliable and accurate biometric system employing iris recognition presents new challenges. Typical biometric systems employing iris analysis require expensive and complicated hardware. We therefore explore an alternative way using visible spectrum iris imaging. This paper aims at answering several questions related to applying iris biometrics for images obtained in the visible spectrum using smartphone camera. Can irides be successfully and effortlessly imaged using a smartphone's built-in camera? Can existing iris recognition methods perform well when presented with such images? The main advantage of using near-infrared (NIR) illumination in dedicated iris recognition cameras is good performance almost independent of the iris color and pigmentation. Are the images obtained from smartphone's camera of sufficient quality even for the dark irides? We present experiments incorporating simple image preprocessing to find the best visibility of iris texture, followed by a performance study to assess whether iris recognition methods originally aimed at NIR iris images perform well with visible light images. To our best knowledge this is the first comprehensive analysis of iris recognition performance using a database of high-quality images collected in visible light using the smartphones flashlight together with the application of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) iris recognition methods.

  6. Screening for Hepatitis C Infections in Adults

    MedlinePlus

    Understanding Task Force Recommendations Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adults The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) has issued a final recommendation statement on Screening for Hepatitis C ...

  7. After an Earthquake: Accessing Near Real-Time Data in the Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bravo, T. K.; Coleman, B.; Hubenthal, M.; Owens, T. J.; Taber, J.; Welti, R.; Weertman, B. R.

    2010-12-01

    One of the best ways to engage students in scientific content is to give them opportunities to work with real scientific instruments and data and enable them to experience the discovery of scientific information. In addition, newsworthy earthquakes can capture the attention and imagination of students. IRIS and collaborating partners provide a range of options to leverage that attention through access to near-real-time earthquake location and waveform data stored in the IRIS Data Management System and elsewhere via a number of web-based tools and a new Java-based application. The broadest audience is reached by the Seismic Monitor, a simple Web-based tool for observing near-real-time seismicity. The IRIS Earthquake Browser (IEB) allows users to explore recent and cataloged earthquakes and aftershock patterns online with more flexibility, and K-12 classroom activities for understanding plate tectonics and estimating seismic hazards have been designed around its use. Waveforms are easily viewed and explored on the web using the Rapid Earthquake Viewer (REV), developed by the University of South Carolina in collaboration with IRIS E&O. Data from recent well-known earthquakes available via REV are used in exercises to determine Earth’s internal structure and to locate earthquakes. Three component data is presented to the students, allowing a much more realistic analysis of the data than is presented in most textbooks. The Seismographs in Schools program uses real-time data in the classroom to interest and engage students about recent earthquakes. Through the IRIS website, schools can share event data and 24-hr images. Additionally, data is available in real-time via the API. This API allows anyone to extract data, re-purpose it, and display it however they need to, as is being done by the British Geological Survey Seismographs in Schools program. Over 350 schools throughout the US and internationally are currently registered with the IRIS Seismographs in Schools database. IRIS E&O is collaborating with Moravian College on a Java-based software application to replace the current educational seismometer software. This software facilitates the study of seismological concepts in middle school through introductory undergraduate classrooms. Users can view a graphical representation of seismic data in real time and can process this data to determine characteristics of seismograms such as time of occurrence, distance from the epicenter to the station, magnitude, and location (via triangulation). The software interface makes these tasks easy to accomplish and also provides interactive assistance to users. Data can be collected and viewed from a suite of instruments as well as streaming data in true real time. This allows multiple classrooms within a school to display data from their seismograph and for schools without an instrument to display data from another school.

  8. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    MedlinePlus

    ... USPSTF Our Members Conflict of Interest Disclosures Task Force Resources Our Partners Reports to Congress Contact Us ... effort to make the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations clearer and its processes more transparent, ...

  9. The Immune Pathogenesis of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in AIDS

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Huaying; He, Yan; Chen, Zi; He, Bo; He, Mei

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The present study investigated the immunological pathogenesis of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A total of 238 patients with AIDS who received initial HAART were included in this prospective cohort study. Blood samples were collected immediately, at baseline, at week 12, and at week 24 after initial HAART and at the onset of IRIS. Lymphocyte subsets, Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and interleukin (IL)-7 levels were measured by flow cytometry or ELISA. Among the 238 patients with AIDS who received HAART, 47 patients developed IRIS. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ naive, memory, and activated cells exhibited no significant differences between AIDS patients with and without IRIS 24 weeks after initial HAART. The percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells was lower in IRIS patients than in non-IRIS patients before HAART, 12 weeks after HAART, 24 weeks after HAART, and at the onset of IRIS. IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ levels were significantly higher at week 4 and at the onset of IRIS in IRIS patients than in non-IRIS patients. In contrast, IL-4 and IL-10 levels were significantly lower at week 4 and at the onset of IRIS in IRIS patients than in non-IRIS patients. Plasma IL-7 decreased gradually with the progression of HAART. The level of IL-7 was higher in IRIS patients than in non-IRIS patients at all follow-up time points. An imbalance of Th1/Th2 cytokines, a consistently low CD+CD25+Fox3+ percentage, and a high IL-7 level may be crucial in the pathogenesis of IRIS in AIDS patients who had received HAART. PMID:25131160

  10. On techniques for angle compensation in nonideal iris recognition.

    PubMed

    Schuckers, Stephanie A C; Schmid, Natalia A; Abhyankar, Aditya; Dorairaj, Vivekanand; Boyce, Christopher K; Hornak, Lawrence A

    2007-10-01

    The popularity of the iris biometric has grown considerably over the past two to three years. Most research has been focused on the development of new iris processing and recognition algorithms for frontal view iris images. However, a few challenging directions in iris research have been identified, including processing of a nonideal iris and iris at a distance. In this paper, we describe two nonideal iris recognition systems and analyze their performance. The word "nonideal" is used in the sense of compensating for off-angle occluded iris images. The system is designed to process nonideal iris images in two steps: 1) compensation for off-angle gaze direction and 2) processing and encoding of the rotated iris image. Two approaches are presented to account for angular variations in the iris images. In the first approach, we use Daugman's integrodifferential operator as an objective function to estimate the gaze direction. After the angle is estimated, the off-angle iris image undergoes geometric transformations involving the estimated angle and is further processed as if it were a frontal view image. The encoding technique developed for a frontal image is based on the application of the global independent component analysis. The second approach uses an angular deformation calibration model. The angular deformations are modeled, and calibration parameters are calculated. The proposed method consists of a closed-form solution, followed by an iterative optimization procedure. The images are projected on the plane closest to the base calibrated plane. Biorthogonal wavelets are used for encoding to perform iris recognition. We use a special dataset of the off-angle iris images to quantify the performance of the designed systems. A series of receiver operating characteristics demonstrate various effects on the performance of the nonideal-iris-based recognition system.

  11. [Dimensions of Empathy in Ex-Combatants of the Colombian Armed Conflict Using a Standardized Scale].

    PubMed

    Pineda, David A; Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel Camilo; Trujillo, Natalia; Valencia, Ana María; Pareja, Ángela; Tobón, Carlos; Velilla, Lina; Ibáñez, Agustín

    2013-03-01

    Empathy is one of the main concepts of in social neurosciences. It is defined as a trait with multiple dimensions allowing individuals to place themselves in the emotional states of others. Colombia has an irregular, internal and long-lasting armed conflict which has been increasing its cruelty levels. to assess the empathy dimensions of 285 ex-combatants from the internal Colombian conflict, using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index(IRI) in Spanish. METHODOLOGY AND SUBJECTS: a sample of 285 male ex-combatants, 241 (84, 6%) males: 85,3% paramilitaries, and 14,7% guerillas. The 28 Item IRI questionnaires were administered. 3 exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were performed. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were developed using structural equation procedures. The first EFA obtained 9 factors (KMO=0,74, variance 54,7% and internal consistency (IC): 0,22 - 0,63). The second EFA produced 20 items with burdens above 0,4 and showed a 6-factor structure (KMO=0,70, variance 50,3%, IC: 0,37 - 0,63). The third EFA forced the 4 original IRI dimensions (KMO=0,74, variance 33,77, IC: 0,44 - 0,77. CFAs showed goodness of adjustment indexes adequate for the three models. The 4-factor model obtained the lowest value, while the 6-factor model obtained the highest. The 4- factor model showed the best IC. The Spanish IRI administered to ex-combatants of the Colombian conflict has possible structures of 4, 6 and 9 factors. The best adjustment was for the 6-fctor. The 4-factor model exhibited the best IC. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  12. Evaluating empathy in Colombian ex-combatants: Examination of the internal structure of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) in Spanish.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Barrera, Mauricio A; Karr, Justin E; Trujillo-Orrego, Natalia; Trujillo-Orrego, Sandra; Pineda, David A

    2017-01-01

    The Republic of Colombia has a long-standing history of internal armed conflict, further complicated by the ideological assumptions underlying their war. In recent years, its government designed the Program for Reincorporation to Civilian Life (Programa para la Reincorporación a la Vida Civil, PRVC), aiming demobilization of thousands of insurgents who were involved in guerilla and paramilitary forces. One PRVC goal involves the psychological characterization of its reincorporated members, aiming the informed design of effective and efficacious interventions to improve their adjustment. We are interested in the examination of empathy in this population. Empathy refers to the ability to predict, understand, and experience other's feelings. Empathy appears to have an effect on level of aggressive behavior. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1980, 1983) is a well-established 28-item self-report tool for the assessment of empathy, including 4 scales: Perspective Taking, Fantasy, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress. Versions in Spanish were validated in Spain and Chile, but no norms for Colombians exist. We examined the factorial structure of the IRI in a sample of 548 (83.4% males) members of the PRVC. Ten items with low factor loadings were eliminated following a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). The final 4-factor model (Model 2) reached an acceptable fit (e.g., CFI = .898). A second-order CFA demonstrated that empathic concern correlated too high with a common "empathy" latent factor. With these results at hand, our 18-item IRI version in Spanish achieved a factorial structure comparable to that previously validated for Spanish speakers from other countries. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. An automatic iris occlusion estimation method based on high-dimensional density estimation.

    PubMed

    Li, Yung-Hui; Savvides, Marios

    2013-04-01

    Iris masks play an important role in iris recognition. They indicate which part of the iris texture map is useful and which part is occluded or contaminated by noisy image artifacts such as eyelashes, eyelids, eyeglasses frames, and specular reflections. The accuracy of the iris mask is extremely important. The performance of the iris recognition system will decrease dramatically when the iris mask is inaccurate, even when the best recognition algorithm is used. Traditionally, people used the rule-based algorithms to estimate iris masks from iris images. However, the accuracy of the iris masks generated this way is questionable. In this work, we propose to use Figueiredo and Jain's Gaussian Mixture Models (FJ-GMMs) to model the underlying probabilistic distributions of both valid and invalid regions on iris images. We also explored possible features and found that Gabor Filter Bank (GFB) provides the most discriminative information for our goal. Finally, we applied Simulated Annealing (SA) technique to optimize the parameters of GFB in order to achieve the best recognition rate. Experimental results show that the masks generated by the proposed algorithm increase the iris recognition rate on both ICE2 and UBIRIS dataset, verifying the effectiveness and importance of our proposed method for iris occlusion estimation.

  14. The fast iris image clarity evaluation based on Tenengrad and ROI selection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Shuqin; Han, Min; Cheng, Xu

    2018-04-01

    In iris recognition system, the clarity of iris image is an important factor that influences recognition effect. In the process of recognition, the blurred image may possibly be rejected by the automatic iris recognition system, which will lead to the failure of identification. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate the iris image definition before recognition. Considered the existing evaluation methods on iris image definition, we proposed a fast algorithm to evaluate the definition of iris image in this paper. In our algorithm, firstly ROI (Region of Interest) is extracted based on the reference point which is determined by using the feature of the light spots within the pupil, then Tenengrad operator is used to evaluate the iris image's definition. Experiment results show that, the iris image definition algorithm proposed in this paper could accurately distinguish the iris images of different clarity, and the algorithm has the merit of low computational complexity and more effectiveness.

  15. A gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karakaya, Mahmut; Yoldash, Rashiduddin; Boehnen, Christopher

    2015-05-01

    It has been proven that hamming distance score between frontal and off-angle iris images of same eye differs in iris recognition system. The distinction of hamming distance score is caused by many factors such as image acquisition angle, occlusion, pupil dilation, and limbus effect. In this paper, we first study the effect of the angle variations between iris plane and the image acquisition systems. We present how hamming distance changes for different off-angle iris images even if they are coming from the same iris. We observe that increment in acquisition angle of compared iris images causes the increment in hamming distance. Second, we propose a new technique in off-angle iris recognition system that includes creating a gallery of different off-angle iris images (such as, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 degrees) and comparing each probe image with these gallery images. We will show the accuracy of the gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition.

  16. 78 FR 10127 - Request for Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-13

    ... Conservation Service Request for Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural... Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture invites... Force (AAQTF) which was established by the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to...

  17. Iris segmentation using an edge detector based on fuzzy sets theory and cellular learning automata.

    PubMed

    Ghanizadeh, Afshin; Abarghouei, Amir Atapour; Sinaie, Saman; Saad, Puteh; Shamsuddin, Siti Mariyam

    2011-07-01

    Iris-based biometric systems identify individuals based on the characteristics of their iris, since they are proven to remain unique for a long time. An iris recognition system includes four phases, the most important of which is preprocessing in which the iris segmentation is performed. The accuracy of an iris biometric system critically depends on the segmentation system. In this paper, an iris segmentation system using edge detection techniques and Hough transforms is presented. The newly proposed edge detection system enhances the performance of the segmentation in a way that it performs much more efficiently than the other conventional iris segmentation methods.

  18. An Iris Segmentation Algorithm based on Edge Orientation for Off-angle Iris Recognition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Karakaya, Mahmut; Barstow, Del R; Santos-Villalobos, Hector J

    Iris recognition is known as one of the most accurate and reliable biometrics. However, the accuracy of iris recognition systems depends on the quality of data capture and is negatively affected by several factors such as angle, occlusion, and dilation. In this paper, we present a segmentation algorithm for off-angle iris images that uses edge detection, edge elimination, edge classification, and ellipse fitting techniques. In our approach, we first detect all candidate edges in the iris image by using the canny edge detector; this collection contains edges from the iris and pupil boundaries as well as eyelash, eyelids, iris texturemore » etc. Edge orientation is used to eliminate the edges that cannot be part of the iris or pupil. Then, we classify the remaining edge points into two sets as pupil edges and iris edges. Finally, we randomly generate subsets of iris and pupil edge points, fit ellipses for each subset, select ellipses with similar parameters, and average to form the resultant ellipses. Based on the results from real experiments, the proposed method shows effectiveness in segmentation for off-angle iris images.« less

  19. Study of Ionospheric TEC from GPS observations and comparisons with IRI and SPIM model predictions in the low latitude anomaly Indian subcontinental region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panda, S. K.; Gedam, S. S.; Rajaram, G.

    2015-04-01

    The present study investigates variation of the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) in the low latitude Indian sub-continental region from the GPS observations and its comparison with the global ionosphere maps (GIMs), standard international reference ionosphere (IRI 2012), and the standard plasmasphere-ionosphere model (SPIM) for the period from November 2011 to October 2012 that corresponds to the progressive phase towards the midst of the solar cycle-24. Observations during quiet period show diurnal maximum of TEC occurring around 14:00-16:00 IST, with relatively broader and longer duration of local maximum at Bangalore and behave reversely towards Delhi. The secondary maximum of TEC was markedly noticeable at Bangalore during the months of March and September, and only in the month of September at Hyderabad and Mumbai. However, the relatively higher TEC during December month than the June is ascribed to the winter anomaly which is more prevalent during the high solar activity periods. The prevailing instability in latitudes of anomaly crest during January 2012 is possibly due to the seasonal variation of lunar tidal effects, modulating the EEJ strength at the equator. The studies covered the period of a strong geomagnetic storm during 6-11 March 2012 (SYM-H: -149 nT) which resulted in positive deviation of GPS-TEC at Bangalore (↑ 20%), Hyderabad (↑ 22%), and Lucknow (↑ 94%) compared to the mean quiet days level. The relatively large deviation of TEC at Lucknow could be attributed to the poleward shifting of the anomaly crest, manifested by enhanced fountain effect at the equator. Studies confirm excellent agreement (80-85%) of GPS-TEC with IGS-GIM at Bangalore and Hyderabad with the exception of the night-time hours (Deviations >50%). However relatively larger deviation of GPS-TEC from GIM-TEC at Delhi could be due to the unavailability of IGS stations in the proximity of the position. Predictions of the SPIM model (extension of IRI up to GPS altitude) exhibit much higher deviation from the in situ GPS observations as well as GIM and IRI outputs during quiet periods. Correspondingly, either of the models (IRI and SPIM) did not respond well to the arrival of the sudden storm commencements (SSCs) during the storm period (6-11 March 2012). When SPIM is used instead of IRI, the overestimation from GPS-TECs are further exaggerated by 13-18% (December solstice), 27-37% (March equinox), 15-31% (June solstice), and 20-32% (September equinox) during peak hours of the period. We attribute the relatively more deviation of the SPIM than the IRI model possibly due to its plasmaspheric extension to the IRI model by adding the Russian SMI model of high latitude characteristics. Hence, we emphasize the further improvement in the model with due consideration of the driving forces at play in the region, for reliable predictions of the low latitude ionosphere.

  20. Science and Sandy: Lessons Learned

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Werner, K.

    2013-12-01

    Following Hurricane Sandy's impact on the mid-Atlantic region, President Obama established a Task Force to '...ensure that the Federal Government continues to provide appropriate resources to support affected State, local, and tribal communities to improve the region's resilience, health, and prosperity by building for the future.' The author was detailed from NOAA to the Task Force between January and June 2013. As the Task Force and others began to take stock of the region's needs and develop plans to address them, many diverse approaches emerged from different areas of expertise including: infrastructure, management and construction, housing, public health, and others. Decision making in this environment was complex with many interests and variables to consider and balance. Although often relevant, science and technical expertise was not always at the forefront of this process. This talk describes the author's experience with the Sandy Task Force focusing on organizing scientific expertise to support the work of the Task Force. This includes a description of federal activity supporting Sandy recovery efforts, the role of the Task Force, and lessons learned from developing a science support function within the Task Force.

  1. PLATEAU IRIS SYNDROME--CASE SERIES.

    PubMed

    Feraru, Crenguta Ioana; Pantalon, Anca Delia; Chiselita, Dorin; Branisteanu, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Plateau iris is characterized by closing the anterior chamber angle due to a large ciliary body or due to its anterior insertion that alters the position of iris periphery in respect to the trabecular meshwork. There are two aspects that need to be differentiated: plateau iris configuration and plateau iris syndrome. The first describes a situation when the iris root is flat and the anterior chamber is not shallow, the latter refers to a post laser iridotomy condition in which a patent iridotomy has removed the relative pupillary block, but goniscopically confirmed angle closure recurs without central shallowing of the anterior chamber. Isolated plateau iris syndrome is rare compared to plateau iris configuration. We hereby present two case reports of plateau iris syndrome in young patients who came to an ophthalmologic consult by chance.

  2. Iris texture traits show associations with iris color and genomic ancestry.

    PubMed

    Quillen, Ellen E; Guiltinan, Jenna S; Beleza, Sandra; Rocha, Jorge; Pereira, Rinaldo W; Shriver, Mark D

    2011-01-01

    This study seeks to identify associations among genomic biogeographic ancestry (BGA), quantitative iris color, and iris texture traits contributing to population-level variation in these phenotypes. DNA and iris photographs were collected from 300 individuals across three variably admixed populations (Portugal, Brazil, and Cape Verde). Two raters scored the photos for pigmentation spots, Fuchs' crypts, contraction furrows, and Wolflinn nodes. Iris color was quantified from RGB values. Maximum likelihood estimates of individual BGA were calculated from 176 ancestry informative markers. Pigmentation spots, Fuchs' crypts, contraction furrows, and iris color show significant positive correlation with increasing European BGA. Only contraction furrows are correlated with iris color. The relationship between BGA and iris texture illustrates a genetic contribution to this population-level variation. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. Comparison and evaluation of datasets for off-angle iris recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurtuncu, Osman M.; Cerme, Gamze N.; Karakaya, Mahmut

    2016-05-01

    In this paper, we investigated the publicly available iris recognition datasets and their data capture procedures in order to determine if they are suitable for the stand-off iris recognition research. Majority of the iris recognition datasets include only frontal iris images. Even if a few datasets include off-angle iris images, the frontal and off-angle iris images are not captured at the same time. The comparison of the frontal and off-angle iris images shows not only differences in the gaze angle but also change in pupil dilation and accommodation as well. In order to isolate the effect of the gaze angle from other challenging issues including dilation and accommodation, the frontal and off-angle iris images are supposed to be captured at the same time by using two different cameras. Therefore, we developed an iris image acquisition platform by using two cameras in this work where one camera captures frontal iris image and the other one captures iris images from off-angle. Based on the comparison of Hamming distance between frontal and off-angle iris images captured with the two-camera- setup and one-camera-setup, we observed that Hamming distance in two-camera-setup is less than one-camera-setup ranging from 0.05 to 0.001. These results show that in order to have accurate results in the off-angle iris recognition research, two-camera-setup is necessary in order to distinguish the challenging issues from each other.

  4. The best bits in an iris code.

    PubMed

    Hollingsworth, Karen P; Bowyer, Kevin W; Flynn, Patrick J

    2009-06-01

    Iris biometric systems apply filters to iris images to extract information about iris texture. Daugman's approach maps the filter output to a binary iris code. The fractional Hamming distance between two iris codes is computed and decisions about the identity of a person are based on the computed distance. The fractional Hamming distance weights all bits in an iris code equally. However, not all the bits in an iris code are equally useful. Our research is the first to present experiments documenting that some bits are more consistent than others. Different regions of the iris are compared to evaluate their relative consistency, and contrary to some previous research, we find that the middle bands of the iris are more consistent than the inner bands. The inconsistent-bit phenomenon is evident across genders and different filter types. Possible causes of inconsistencies, such as segmentation, alignment issues, and different filters are investigated. The inconsistencies are largely due to the coarse quantization of the phase response. Masking iris code bits corresponding to complex filter responses near the axes of the complex plane improves the separation between the match and nonmatch Hamming distance distributions.

  5. A Real-Time Assimilative Model for IRI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reinisch, B. W.; Huang, X.; Galkin, I.; Bilitza, D.

    2012-04-01

    Ionospheric models are mostly unable to correctly predict the effects of space weather events and atmospheric disturbances on the ionosphere. This is especially true for the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) which by design is a monthly median (climatological) model [Bilitza et al., 2011]. We propose a Real-Time Assimilative Model "RTAM" for IRI that is ingesting, initially, the available real-time Digisonde GIRO [Reinisch and Galkin, 2011] data streams: foF2/hmF2, MUF3000F2, foF1/hmF1, and foE/hmF2 [Galkin et al., 2011]. Deviations of these characteristics, especially foF2, from the monthly median values are the main cause for errors in the IRI model prediction. The assimilative modeling will provide a high-resolution, global picture of the ionospheric response to various short-term events observed during periods of storm activity or the impact of gravity waves coupling the ionosphere to the lower atmosphere, including timelines of the vertical restructuring of the plasma distribution. GIRO currently provides reliable real-time data from 42 stations at a cadence of 15 min or 5 min. The number of stations is rapidly growing and is likely to soon be complemented by satellite borne topside sounders. IRI uses the characteristics predictions based on CCIR/URSI maps of coefficients. The diurnal variation of the foF2 characteristic, for example, is presented by the Fourier series Σ6 foF 2(T, φ,λ,χ) = a0(φ,λ,χ)+ (an(φ,λ,χ)cosnT + bn(φ,λ,χ)sin nT), n=1 where T is Universal Time in hours, and φ, λ, χ are the geographic latitude, longitude, and modified dip latitude, respectively. The coefficients an are in turn expanded as functions φ, λ, χ resulting in a set of 24 global maps of 988 coefficients each, one for each month of the year and for two levels of solar activity, R12=10 and 100, where R12 is the 12-month running-mean of the monthly sunspot number Rm (2*12*988 = 23,712 coefficients in all) [ITU-R, 2011]. For a given point in time, 988 coefficients need to be adjusted such that the new foF2 map reproduces the 42 values measured at that time by the GIRO network and smoothly transforms the original model map. This totally underdetermined task has been approached by using the mathematical tool of Linear Programming; preliminary results are presented. The technique can also be applied for regional modeling. Retroactive RTAM processing of the maps for an entire solar cycle will result in improved CCIR and URSI maps of the F2 peak characteristics, i.e., in an improved IRI electron density model. Bilitza D., L.-A. McKinnell, B. Reinisch, and T. Fuller-Rowell (2011), The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) today and in the future, J. Geodesy, 85:909-920, DOI 10.1007/s00190-010-0427-x Galkin, I. A., B. W. Reinisch, , X. Huang, and D. Bilitza, Assimilation of GIRO data in Real-Time IRI: Progress Report, International Reference Ionosphere Workshop IRI-2011, Hermanus, South Africa, October 10-14, 2011. ITU-R, Information Document on Ionospheric Mapping, Working Party 3L (3L/80 Ann. 4, 3L/86. 3L/95), Oct. 2011. Reinisch, B. W. and I. A. Galkin (2011), Global Ionospheric Radio Observatory (GIRO), Earth, Planets and Space, 63(4), 377-381.

  6. Force related hemodynamic responses during execution and imagery of a hand grip task: A functional near infrared spectroscopy study.

    PubMed

    Wriessnegger, Selina C; Kirchmeyr, Daniela; Bauernfeind, Günther; Müller-Putz, Gernot R

    2017-10-01

    We examined force related hemodynamic changes during the performance of a motor execution (ME) and motor imagery (MI) task by means of multichannel functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The hemodynamic responses of fourteen healthy participants were measured while they performed a hand grip execution or imagery task with low and high grip forces. We found an overall higher increase of [oxy-Hb] concentration changes during ME for both grip forces but with a delayed peak maximum for the lower grip force. During the MI task with lower grip force, the [oxy-Hb] level increases are stronger compared to the MI with higher grip force. The facilitation in performing MI with higher grip strength might thus indicate less inhibition of the actual motor act which could also explain the later increase onset of [oxy-Hb] in the ME task with the lower grip force. Our results suggest that execution and imagery of a hand grip task with high and low grip forces, leads to different cortical activation patterns. Since impaired control of grip forces during object manipulation in particular is one aspect of fine motor control deficits after stroke, our study will contribute to future rehabilitation programs enhancing patient's grip force control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. HF Propagation sensitivity study and system performance analysis with the Air Force Coverage Analysis Program (AFCAP)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caton, R. G.; Colman, J. J.; Parris, R. T.; Nickish, L.; Bullock, G.

    2017-12-01

    The Air Force Research Laboratory, in collaboration with NorthWest Research Associates, is developing advanced software capabilities for high fidelity simulations of high frequency (HF) sky wave propagation and performance analysis of HF systems. Based on the HiCIRF (High-frequency Channel Impulse Response Function) platform [Nickisch et. al, doi:10.1029/2011RS004928], the new Air Force Coverage Analysis Program (AFCAP) provides the modular capabilities necessary for a comprehensive sensitivity study of the large number of variables which define simulations of HF propagation modes. In this paper, we report on an initial exercise of AFCAP to analyze the sensitivities of the tool to various environmental and geophysical parameters. Through examination of the channel scattering function and amplitude-range-Doppler output on two-way propagation paths with injected target signals, we will compare simulated returns over a range of geophysical conditions as well as varying definitions for environmental noise, meteor clutter, and sea state models for Bragg backscatter. We also investigate the impacts of including clutter effects due to field-aligned backscatter from small scale ionization structures at varied levels of severity as defined by the climatologically WideBand Model (WBMOD). In the absence of additional user provided information, AFCAP relies on International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model to define the ionospheric state for use in 2D ray tracing algorithms. Because the AFCAP architecture includes the option for insertion of a user defined gridded ionospheric representation, we compare output from the tool using the IRI and ionospheric definitions from assimilative models such as GPSII (GPS Ionospheric Inversion).

  8. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated with toxoplasmic encephalitis in HIV-infected patients.

    PubMed

    van Bilsen, Ward P H; van den Berg, Charlotte H S B; Rijnders, Bart J A; Brinkman, Kees; Mulder, Jan W; Gelinck, Luc B S; Hoepelman, Andy I M; Wit, Ferdinand W N M; van de Beek, Diederik; Prins, Jan M

    2017-06-19

    To investigate the incidence and risk factors of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) associated with toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) in patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). A historical multicenter cohort study. We included all HIV-infected patients diagnosed with toxoplasmic encephalitis in six Dutch hospitals between 1996 and 2016. Diagnosis of TE-IRIS was made using predefined IRIS criteria. We distinguished paradoxical TE-IRIS (worsening of underlying treated infection) from unmasking TE-IRIS (unmasking of subclinical infection after start of cART). We compared CD4 cell count, plasma viral load and timing of cART initiation between patients with and without paradoxical TE-IRIS. A total of 211 toxoplasmic encephalitis cases were included. Among 143 cases at risk for paradoxical TE-IRIS, we identified five cases of paradoxical TE-IRIS (3.5%). In six other cases, we could not differentiate paradoxical TE-IRIS from recurrence of disease due to inadequate secondary Toxoplasma prophylaxis. There was no difference in time between start of toxoplasmic encephalitis treatment and cART initiation for patients who did or did not develop paradoxical TE-IRIS (P = 0.50). Within the group of 2228 patients who started cART while having a CD4 cell count below 200 × 10 cells/l and receiving adequate primary prophylaxis, we identified eight cases of unmasking TE-IRIS (0.36%). Unmasking TE-IRIS could not be differentiated from a newly occurring toxoplasmic encephalitis in six other patients, as they were not receiving adequate primary prophylaxis against Toxoplasma. Unmasking TE-IRIS was rare in this cohort, whereas paradoxical TE-IRIS did occur more often. We found no relationship between the timing of cART initiation and the occurrence of paradoxical TE-IRIS.

  9. The International Reference Ionosphere - Climatological Standard for the Ionosphere

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bilitza, Dieter

    2006-01-01

    The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) a joint project of URSI and COSPAR is the defacto standard for a climatological specification of ionospheric parameters. IRI is based on a wide range of ground and space data and has been steadily improved since its inception in 1969 with the ever-increasing volume of ionospheric data and with better mathematical descriptions of the observed global and temporal variation patterns. The IRI model has been validated with a large amount of data including data from the most recent ionospheric satellites (KOMPSAT, ROCSAT and TIMED) and data from global network of ionosondes. Several IRI teams are working on specific aspects of the IRI modeling effort including an improved representation of the topside ionosphere with a seamless transition to the plasmasphere, a new effort to represent the global variation of F2 peak parameters using the Neural Network (NN) technique, and the inclusion of several additional parameters in IRI, e.g., spread-F probability and ionospheric variability. Annual IRI workshops are the forum for discussions of these efforts and for all science activities related to IRI as well as applications of the IRI model in engineering and education. In this paper I will present a status report about the IRI effort with special emphasis on the presentations and results from the most recent IRI Workshops (Paris, 2004; Tortosa, 2005) and on the most important ongoing IRI activities. I will discuss the latest version of the IRI model, IRI-2006, highlighting the most recent changes and additions. Finally, the talk will review some of the applications of the IRI model with special emphasis on the use for radiowave propagation studies and communication purposes.

  10. Association of iris surface features with iris parameters assessed by swept-source optical coherence tomography in Asian eyes.

    PubMed

    Tun, Tin A; Chua, Jacqueline; Shi, Yuan; Sidhartha, Elizabeth; Thakku, Sri Gowtham; Shei, William; Tan, Marcus Chiang Lee; Quah, Joanne Hui Min; Aung, Tin; Cheng, Ching-Yu

    2016-12-01

    To characterise the association of iris surface features (crypts, furrows and colour) with iris volume and curvature assessed by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT) in Asian eyes. Iris crypts (by number and size) and furrows (by number and circumferential extent) were graded from iris photographs. Iris colour was measured by a customised algorithm written on MATLAB (MathWorks, Natick, Massachusetts, USA). The iris was imaged by SSOCT (SS-1000, CASIA, Tomey, Nagoya, Japan). The associations of surface features with iris parameters were analysed using a generalised estimating equation. A total of 1704 subjects (3297 eyes) were included in the analysis. The majority was Chinese (86.4%), and 63.2% were females, and their mean age (±SD) was 61.4±6.6 years. After adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, pupil size and corneal arcus, higher iris crypt grade was independently associated with smaller iris volume (β=-0.54, p<0.001), whereas darker irides and higher iris furrow grade were associated with larger iris volume (β=-0.041, p<0.001) and (β=0.233, p<0.001), respectively. Lighter coloured irides with more crypts and/or more furrows were also associated with less convexity (crypts: β=-0.003, p=0.03; furrows: β=-0.004, p=0.007; and colour: β=-0.001, p=0.005). Iris surface features were highly correlated with iris volume and curvature. Irides with more crypts have a smaller volume; and darker irides with more furrows have a larger volume. Lighter irides with more crypts and/or furrows have less convexity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  11. 78 FR 28580 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces AGENCY: Office... Defense announces the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force...

  12. 77 FR 68744 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Federal... Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

  13. 75 FR 59698 - Federal Advisory Committee; Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-28

    .... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee established to (a... for wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces; ii. Medical case management; iii. Non... Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Member of...

  14. ISO Technical Specification for the Ionosphere -IRI Recent Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilitza, Dieter; Reinisch, Bodo; Tamara, Gulyaeva

    ISO Technical Specification TS 16457 recommends the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) for the specification of ionospheric densities and temperatures. We review the latest develop-ments towards improving the IRI model and the newest version of the model IRI-2010. IRI-2010 includes several important improvements and additions. This presentation introduces these changes and discusses their benefits. The changes affect primarily the density profiles in the bottomside ionosphere and the density and height of the F2 peak, the point of highest density in the ionosphere. An important new addition to the model is the inclusion of auroral boundaries and their movement with magnetic activity. We will also discuss the status of other ongoing IRI activities and some of the recent applications of the IRI model. The homepage for the IRI project is at http://IRI.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

  15. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Characteristics of Iris Melanocytic Tumors

    PubMed Central

    Skalet, Alison H.; Li, Yan; Lu, Chen D.; Jia, Yali; Lee, ByungKun; Husvogt, Lennart; Maier, Andreas; Fujimoto, James G.; Thomas, Charles R.; Huang, David

    2016-01-01

    Objective To evaluate tumor vasculature with optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) in malignant iris melanomas and benign iris lesions. Design Cross-sectional observational clinical study. Participants Patients with iris lesions and healthy volunteers. Methods Eyes were imaged using OCTA systems operating at 1050 and 840 nm wavelengths. Three-dimensional OCTA scans were acquired. Iris melanomas patients treated with radiation therapy were imaged again after I-125 plaque brachytherapy at 6 and 18 months. Main Outcome Measures OCT and OCTA images, qualitative evaluation of iris and tumor vasculature and quantitative vessel density. Results One eye each of eight normal volunteers and nine patients with iris melanomas or benign iris lesions including freckles, nevi, and an iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cyst were imaged. The normal iris has radially-oriented vessels within the stroma on OCTA. Penetration of flow signal in normal iris depended on iris color, with best penetration seen in light to moderately pigmented irides. Iris melanomas demonstrated tortuous and disorganized intratumoral vasculature. In two eyes with nevi there was no increased vascularity; in another, fine vascular loops were noted near an area of ectropion uveae. Iris freckles and the IPE cyst did not have intrinsic vascularity. The vessel density was significantly higher within iris melanomas (34.5%±9.8%, p<0.05) than in benign iris nevi (8.0%±1.4%) or normal irides (8.0%±1.2%). Tumor regression after radiation therapy for melanomas was associated with decreased vessel density. OCTA at 1050 nm provided better visualization of tumor vasculature and penetration through thicker tumors than at 840 nm. But in very thick tumors and highly pigmented lesions even 1050 nm OCTA could not visualize their full thickness. Interpretable OCTA images were obtained in 82% participants in whom imaging was attempted. Conclusions This is the first demonstration of OCTA in iris tumors. OCTA may provide a dye-free, no-injection, cost-effective method for monitoring a variety of tumors including iris melanocytic lesions for growth and vascularity. This could be helpful in evaluating tumors for malignant transformation and response to treatment. Penetration of the OCT beam remains a limitation for highly pigmented tumors, as does the inability to image the entire iris in a single field. PMID:27856029

  16. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Characteristics of Iris Melanocytic Tumors.

    PubMed

    Skalet, Alison H; Li, Yan; Lu, Chen D; Jia, Yali; Lee, ByungKun; Husvogt, Lennart; Maier, Andreas; Fujimoto, James G; Thomas, Charles R; Huang, David

    2017-02-01

    To evaluate tumor vasculature with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in malignant iris melanomas and benign iris lesions. Cross-sectional observational clinical study. Patients with iris lesions and healthy volunteers. Eyes were imaged using OCTA systems operating at 1050- and 840-nm wavelengths. Three-dimensional OCTA scans were acquired. Iris melanoma patients treated with radiation therapy were imaged again after I-125 plaque brachytherapy at 6 and 18 months. OCT and OCTA images, qualitative evaluation of iris and tumor vasculature, and quantitative vessel density. One eye each of 8 normal volunteers and 9 patients with iris melanomas or benign iris lesions, including freckles, nevi, and an iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cyst, were imaged. The normal iris has radially oriented vessels within the stroma on OCTA. Penetration of flow signal in normal iris depended on iris color, with best penetration seen in light to moderately pigmented irides. Iris melanomas demonstrated tortuous and disorganized intratumoral vasculature. In 2 eyes with nevi there was no increased vascularity; in another, fine vascular loops were noted near an area of ectropion uveae. Iris freckles and the IPE cyst did not have intrinsic vascularity. The vessel density was significantly higher within iris melanomas (34.5%±9.8%, P < 0.05) than in benign iris nevi (8.0%±1.4%) or normal irides (8.0%±1.2%). Tumor regression after radiation therapy for melanomas was associated with decreased vessel density. OCTA at 1050 nm provided better visualization of tumor vasculature and penetration through thicker tumors than at 840 nm. But in very thick tumors and highly pigmented lesions even 1050-nm OCTA could not visualize their full thickness. Interpretable OCTA images were obtained in 82% of participants in whom imaging was attempted. This is the first demonstration of OCTA in iris tumors. OCTA may provide a dye-free, no-injection, cost-effective method for monitoring a variety of tumors, including iris melanocytic lesions, for growth and vascularity. This could be helpful in evaluating tumors for malignant transformation and response to treatment. Penetration of the OCT beam remains a limitation for highly pigmented tumors, as does the inability to image the entire iris in a single field. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Improved Iris Recognition through Fusion of Hamming Distance and Fragile Bit Distance.

    PubMed

    Hollingsworth, Karen P; Bowyer, Kevin W; Flynn, Patrick J

    2011-12-01

    The most common iris biometric algorithm represents the texture of an iris using a binary iris code. Not all bits in an iris code are equally consistent. A bit is deemed fragile if its value changes across iris codes created from different images of the same iris. Previous research has shown that iris recognition performance can be improved by masking these fragile bits. Rather than ignoring fragile bits completely, we consider what beneficial information can be obtained from the fragile bits. We find that the locations of fragile bits tend to be consistent across different iris codes of the same eye. We present a metric, called the fragile bit distance, which quantitatively measures the coincidence of the fragile bit patterns in two iris codes. We find that score fusion of fragile bit distance and Hamming distance works better for recognition than Hamming distance alone. To our knowledge, this is the first and only work to use the coincidence of fragile bit locations to improve the accuracy of matches.

  18. A young Botswana patient with congenital iris ectropion uvea.

    PubMed

    Shifa, Jemal Zeberga; Nkomazana, Othokawa; Bekele, Negussie Alula; Kassa, Mamo Woldu

    2016-01-01

    Congenital iris ectropion is a rare condition; non-progressive anomaly characterised by the presence of iris pigment epithelium on the anterior surface of the iris stroma and is frequently associated with anterior iris insertion, dysgenesis of the drainage angle and glaucoma. This paper describes unusual case of bilateral case of congenital iris ectropion in adult patient with pupillary abnormality, normal anterior chamber angle structure and with no evidence of glaucoma.

  19. Relationship of the Van Herick Grading System with Peripheral Iris Configuration and Level of Iris Insertion.

    PubMed

    Khan, Faisal Aziz; Niazi, Shafaq Pervez Khan; Khan, Assad Zaman

    2017-09-01

    To determine the relationship of the van Herick angle grading system with the level of iris insertion and peripheral iris configuration. Observational study. Eye department, Combined Military Hospital, Malir Cantt., Karachi, from May to October 2015. Sixty-five eyes of 65 patients were recruited. Anterior chamber depth at the temporal limbus was measured as a fraction of corneal section thickness using van Herick technique and graded on the standard 4-point scale of the van Herick grading system. Gonioscopy of the temporal quadrant was performed with a Posner 4 mirror goniolens and both the true level of iris insertion and peripheral iris configuration were recorded on a 4-point scale so as to equate with the van Herick 4-point grading system. Spearman's rho test was applied to determine the relationship of the van Herick grading system with level of iris root insertion and peripheral iris configuration. Amoderate positive correlation between van Herick grade and peripheral iris configuration was found which was statistically significant (rs=0.42, p < 0.001). Astatistically significant and moderate positive correlation was also detected between van Herick grade and the level of iris insertion (rs=0.45, p < 0.001). The van Herick grade has a moderately positive relationship with the peripheral iris configuration and true level of iris insertion.

  20. Noisy Ocular Recognition Based on Three Convolutional Neural Networks.

    PubMed

    Lee, Min Beom; Hong, Hyung Gil; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2017-12-17

    In recent years, the iris recognition system has been gaining increasing acceptance for applications such as access control and smartphone security. When the images of the iris are obtained under unconstrained conditions, an issue of undermined quality is caused by optical and motion blur, off-angle view (the user's eyes looking somewhere else, not into the front of the camera), specular reflection (SR) and other factors. Such noisy iris images increase intra-individual variations and, as a result, reduce the accuracy of iris recognition. A typical iris recognition system requires a near-infrared (NIR) illuminator along with an NIR camera, which are larger and more expensive than fingerprint recognition equipment. Hence, many studies have proposed methods of using iris images captured by a visible light camera without the need for an additional illuminator. In this research, we propose a new recognition method for noisy iris and ocular images by using one iris and two periocular regions, based on three convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Experiments were conducted by using the noisy iris challenge evaluation-part II (NICE.II) training dataset (selected from the university of Beira iris (UBIRIS).v2 database), mobile iris challenge evaluation (MICHE) database, and institute of automation of Chinese academy of sciences (CASIA)-Iris-Distance database. As a result, the method proposed by this study outperformed previous methods.

  1. Monocyte Phenotype and IFN-γ-Inducible Cytokine Responses Are Associated with Cryptococcal Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Meya, David B.; Okurut, Samuel; Zziwa, Godfrey; Cose, Stephen; Bohjanen, Paul R.; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Joloba, Moses; Boulware, David R.; Yukari Manabe, Carol; Wahl, Sharon; Janoff, Edward N.

    2017-01-01

    A third of adults with AIDS and cryptococcal meningitis (CM) develop immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) after initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is thought to result from exaggerated inflammatory antigen-specific T cell responses. The contribution of monocytes to the immunopathogenesis of cryptococcal IRIS remains unclear. We compared monocyte subset frequencies and immune responses in HIV-infected Ugandans at time of CM diagnosis (IRIS-Baseline) for those who later developed CM-IRIS, controls who did not develop CM-IRIS (Control-Baseline) at CM-IRIS (IRIS-Event), and for controls at a time point matched for ART duration (Control-Event) to understand the association of monocyte distribution and immune responses with cryptococcal IRIS. At baseline, stimulation with IFN-γ ex vivo induced a higher frequency of TNF-α- and IL-6-producing monocytes among those who later developed IRIS. Among participants who developed IRIS, ex vivo IFN-γ stimulation induced higher frequencies of activated monocytes, IL-6+, TNF-α+ classical, and IL-6+ intermediate monocytes compared with controls. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that monocyte subset phenotype and cytokine responses prior to ART are associated with and may be predictive of CM-IRIS. Larger studies to further delineate innate immunological responses and the efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies during cryptococcal IRIS are warranted. PMID:29371546

  2. PRN 2009-1: Establishment of Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This PR notice announces the establishment of the Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II, an industry-wide task force to develop mixer, loader, applicator and post-application exposure data for antimicrobial pesticides used in various settings.

  3. Integrated Reconfigurable Intelligent Systems (IRIS) for Complex Naval Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-02-23

    INTRODUCTION 35 2.2 GENERAL MODEL SETUP 36 2.2.1 Co-Simulation Principles 36 2.2.2 Double pendulum : a simple example 38 2.2.3 Description of numerical... pendulum sample problem 45 2.3 DISCUSSION OF APPROACH WITH RESPECT TO PROPOSED SUBTASKS 49 2.4 RESULTS DISCUSSION AND FUTURE WORK 49 TASK 3...Kim and Praehofer 2000]. 2.2.2 Double pendulum : a simple example In order to be able to evaluate co-simulation principles, specifically an

  4. Practice and Age-Related Loss of Adaptability in Sensorimotor Performance

    PubMed Central

    Sosnoff, Jacob J.; Voudrie, Stefani J.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the present investigation was to examine whether the ability to adapt to task constraints is influenced by short-term practice in older adults. Young (18–29 years old) and old (65–75 years old) adults produced force output to a constant force target and a 1-Hz sinusoidal force target by way of the index finger flexion. Participants completed each task 5 times per session for 5 concurrent sessions. The amount and structure of force variability was calculated using linear and nonlinear analyses. As expected, there was a decrease in the magnitude of variability (coefficient of variation) in both tasks and task-related change in the structure of force variability (approximate entropy) with training across groups. The authors found older adults to have a greater amount of variability than their younger counterparts in both tasks. Older adults also demonstrated an increase in the structure of force output in the constant task but a decrease in structure in the sinusoidal task. Age differences in the adaptability to task constraints persisted throughout practice. The authors propose that older adults' ability to adapt sensorimotor output to task demands is not a result of lack of familiarity with the task but that it is, instead, characteristic of the aging process. PMID:19201684

  5. Tibiofemoral contact forces during walking, running and sidestepping.

    PubMed

    Saxby, David J; Modenese, Luca; Bryant, Adam L; Gerus, Pauline; Killen, Bryce; Fortin, Karine; Wrigley, Tim V; Bennell, Kim L; Cicuttini, Flavia M; Lloyd, David G

    2016-09-01

    We explored the tibiofemoral contact forces and the relative contributions of muscles and external loads to those contact forces during various gait tasks. Second, we assessed the relationships between external gait measures and contact forces. A calibrated electromyography-driven neuromusculoskeletal model estimated the tibiofemoral contact forces during walking (1.44±0.22ms(-1)), running (4.38±0.42ms(-1)) and sidestepping (3.58±0.50ms(-1)) in healthy adults (n=60, 27.3±5.4years, 1.75±0.11m, and 69.8±14.0kg). Contact forces increased from walking (∼1-2.8 BW) to running (∼3-8 BW), sidestepping had largest maximum total (8.47±1.57 BW) and lateral contact forces (4.3±1.05 BW), while running had largest maximum medial contact forces (5.1±0.95 BW). Relative muscle contributions increased across gait tasks (up to 80-90% of medial contact forces), and peaked during running for lateral contact forces (∼90%). Knee adduction moment (KAM) had weak relationships with tibiofemoral contact forces (all R(2)<0.36) and the relationships were gait task-specific. Step-wise regression of multiple external gait measures strengthened relationships (0.20

  6. IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY DOCUMENTS FOR 2-HEXANONE

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA will conduct an assessment of the noncancer health effects of 2-hexanone. The IRIS program will prepare an IRIS assessment for 2-hexanone. The IRIS assessment for 2-hexanone will consist of a Toxicological Review and an IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical ...

  7. Fitts' Law in the Control of Isometric Grip Force With Naturalistic Targets.

    PubMed

    Thumser, Zachary C; Slifkin, Andrew B; Beckler, Dylan T; Marasco, Paul D

    2018-01-01

    Fitts' law models the relationship between amplitude, precision, and speed of rapid movements. It is widely used to quantify performance in pointing tasks, study human-computer interaction, and generally to understand perceptual-motor information processes, including research to model performance in isometric force production tasks. Applying Fitts' law to an isometric grip force task would allow for quantifying grasp performance in rehabilitative medicine and may aid research on prosthetic control and design. We examined whether Fitts' law would hold when participants attempted to accurately produce their intended force output while grasping a manipulandum when presented with images of various everyday objects (we termed this the implicit task). Although our main interest was the implicit task, to benchmark it and establish validity, we examined performance against a more standard visual feedback condition via a digital force-feedback meter on a video monitor (explicit task). Next, we progressed from visual force feedback with force meter targets to the same targets without visual force feedback (operating largely on feedforward control with tactile feedback). This provided an opportunity to see if Fitts' law would hold without vision, and allowed us to progress toward the more naturalistic implicit task (which does not include visual feedback). Finally, we changed the nature of the targets from requiring explicit force values presented as arrows on a force-feedback meter (explicit targets) to the more naturalistic and intuitive target forces implied by images of objects (implicit targets). With visual force feedback the relation between task difficulty and the time to produce the target grip force was predicted by Fitts' law (average r 2 = 0.82). Without vision, average grip force scaled accurately although force variability was insensitive to the target presented. In contrast, images of everyday objects generated more reliable grip forces without the visualized force meter. In sum, population means were well-described by Fitts' law for explicit targets with vision ( r 2 = 0.96) and implicit targets ( r 2 = 0.89), but not as well-described for explicit targets without vision ( r 2 = 0.54). Implicit targets should provide a realistic see-object-squeeze-object test using Fitts' law to quantify the relative speed-accuracy relationship of any given grasper.

  8. A guide for statewide impaired-driving task forces.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    The purpose of the guide is to assist State officials and other stakeholders who are interested in establishing an : Impaired-Driving Statewide Task Force or who are exploring ways to improve their current Task Force. The guide : addresses issues suc...

  9. PRN 2007-3: The Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force, L.L.C

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This PR Notice discusses the Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force, an industry-wide task force formed to develop mixer, loader, and applicator exposure data for pesticides used in agricultural settings. It includes contacts for more information.

  10. Presentation Attack Detection for Iris Recognition System Using NIR Camera Sensor

    PubMed Central

    Nguyen, Dat Tien; Baek, Na Rae; Pham, Tuyen Danh; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2018-01-01

    Among biometric recognition systems such as fingerprint, finger-vein, or face, the iris recognition system has proven to be effective for achieving a high recognition accuracy and security level. However, several recent studies have indicated that an iris recognition system can be fooled by using presentation attack images that are recaptured using high-quality printed images or by contact lenses with printed iris patterns. As a result, this potential threat can reduce the security level of an iris recognition system. In this study, we propose a new presentation attack detection (PAD) method for an iris recognition system (iPAD) using a near infrared light (NIR) camera image. To detect presentation attack images, we first localized the iris region of the input iris image using circular edge detection (CED). Based on the result of iris localization, we extracted the image features using deep learning-based and handcrafted-based methods. The input iris images were then classified into real and presentation attack categories using support vector machines (SVM). Through extensive experiments with two public datasets, we show that our proposed method effectively solves the iris recognition presentation attack detection problem and produces detection accuracy superior to previous studies. PMID:29695113

  11. Novel Approaches to Improve Iris Recognition System Performance Based on Local Quality Evaluation and Feature Fusion

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    For building a new iris template, this paper proposes a strategy to fuse different portions of iris based on machine learning method to evaluate local quality of iris. There are three novelties compared to previous work. Firstly, the normalized segmented iris is divided into multitracks and then each track is estimated individually to analyze the recognition accuracy rate (RAR). Secondly, six local quality evaluation parameters are adopted to analyze texture information of each track. Besides, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is employed to get the weights of these evaluation parameters and corresponding weighted coefficients of different tracks. Finally, all tracks' information is fused according to the weights of different tracks. The experimental results based on subsets of three public and one private iris image databases demonstrate three contributions of this paper. (1) Our experimental results prove that partial iris image cannot completely replace the entire iris image for iris recognition system in several ways. (2) The proposed quality evaluation algorithm is a self-adaptive algorithm, and it can automatically optimize the parameters according to iris image samples' own characteristics. (3) Our feature information fusion strategy can effectively improve the performance of iris recognition system. PMID:24693243

  12. Improving iris recognition performance using segmentation, quality enhancement, match score fusion, and indexing.

    PubMed

    Vatsa, Mayank; Singh, Richa; Noore, Afzel

    2008-08-01

    This paper proposes algorithms for iris segmentation, quality enhancement, match score fusion, and indexing to improve both the accuracy and the speed of iris recognition. A curve evolution approach is proposed to effectively segment a nonideal iris image using the modified Mumford-Shah functional. Different enhancement algorithms are concurrently applied on the segmented iris image to produce multiple enhanced versions of the iris image. A support-vector-machine-based learning algorithm selects locally enhanced regions from each globally enhanced image and combines these good-quality regions to create a single high-quality iris image. Two distinct features are extracted from the high-quality iris image. The global textural feature is extracted using the 1-D log polar Gabor transform, and the local topological feature is extracted using Euler numbers. An intelligent fusion algorithm combines the textural and topological matching scores to further improve the iris recognition performance and reduce the false rejection rate, whereas an indexing algorithm enables fast and accurate iris identification. The verification and identification performance of the proposed algorithms is validated and compared with other algorithms using the CASIA Version 3, ICE 2005, and UBIRIS iris databases.

  13. Novel approaches to improve iris recognition system performance based on local quality evaluation and feature fusion.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ying; Liu, Yuanning; Zhu, Xiaodong; Chen, Huiling; He, Fei; Pang, Yutong

    2014-01-01

    For building a new iris template, this paper proposes a strategy to fuse different portions of iris based on machine learning method to evaluate local quality of iris. There are three novelties compared to previous work. Firstly, the normalized segmented iris is divided into multitracks and then each track is estimated individually to analyze the recognition accuracy rate (RAR). Secondly, six local quality evaluation parameters are adopted to analyze texture information of each track. Besides, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is employed to get the weights of these evaluation parameters and corresponding weighted coefficients of different tracks. Finally, all tracks' information is fused according to the weights of different tracks. The experimental results based on subsets of three public and one private iris image databases demonstrate three contributions of this paper. (1) Our experimental results prove that partial iris image cannot completely replace the entire iris image for iris recognition system in several ways. (2) The proposed quality evaluation algorithm is a self-adaptive algorithm, and it can automatically optimize the parameters according to iris image samples' own characteristics. (3) Our feature information fusion strategy can effectively improve the performance of iris recognition system.

  14. Presentation Attack Detection for Iris Recognition System Using NIR Camera Sensor.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Dat Tien; Baek, Na Rae; Pham, Tuyen Danh; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2018-04-24

    Among biometric recognition systems such as fingerprint, finger-vein, or face, the iris recognition system has proven to be effective for achieving a high recognition accuracy and security level. However, several recent studies have indicated that an iris recognition system can be fooled by using presentation attack images that are recaptured using high-quality printed images or by contact lenses with printed iris patterns. As a result, this potential threat can reduce the security level of an iris recognition system. In this study, we propose a new presentation attack detection (PAD) method for an iris recognition system (iPAD) using a near infrared light (NIR) camera image. To detect presentation attack images, we first localized the iris region of the input iris image using circular edge detection (CED). Based on the result of iris localization, we extracted the image features using deep learning-based and handcrafted-based methods. The input iris images were then classified into real and presentation attack categories using support vector machines (SVM). Through extensive experiments with two public datasets, we show that our proposed method effectively solves the iris recognition presentation attack detection problem and produces detection accuracy superior to previous studies.

  15. IRIS COLOUR CLASSIFICATION SCALES – THEN AND NOW

    PubMed Central

    Grigore, Mariana; Avram, Alina

    2015-01-01

    Eye colour is one of the most obvious phenotypic traits of an individual. Since the first documented classification scale developed in 1843, there have been numerous attempts to classify the iris colour. In the past centuries, iris colour classification scales has had various colour categories and mostly relied on comparison of an individual’s eye with painted glass eyes. Once photography techniques were refined, standard iris photographs replaced painted eyes, but this did not solve the problem of painted/ printed colour variability in time. Early clinical scales were easy to use, but lacked objectivity and were not standardised or statistically tested for reproducibility. The era of automated iris colour classification systems came with the technological development. Spectrophotometry, digital analysis of high-resolution iris images, hyper spectral analysis of the human real iris and the dedicated iris colour analysis software, all accomplished an objective, accurate iris colour classification, but are quite expensive and limited in use to research environment. Iris colour classification systems evolved continuously due to their use in a wide range of studies, especially in the fields of anthropology, epidemiology and genetics. Despite the wide range of the existing scales, up until present there has been no generally accepted iris colour classification scale. PMID:27373112

  16. IRIS COLOUR CLASSIFICATION SCALES--THEN AND NOW.

    PubMed

    Grigore, Mariana; Avram, Alina

    2015-01-01

    Eye colour is one of the most obvious phenotypic traits of an individual. Since the first documented classification scale developed in 1843, there have been numerous attempts to classify the iris colour. In the past centuries, iris colour classification scales has had various colour categories and mostly relied on comparison of an individual's eye with painted glass eyes. Once photography techniques were refined, standard iris photographs replaced painted eyes, but this did not solve the problem of painted/ printed colour variability in time. Early clinical scales were easy to use, but lacked objectivity and were not standardised or statistically tested for reproducibility. The era of automated iris colour classification systems came with the technological development. Spectrophotometry, digital analysis of high-resolution iris images, hyper spectral analysis of the human real iris and the dedicated iris colour analysis software, all accomplished an objective, accurate iris colour classification, but are quite expensive and limited in use to research environment. Iris colour classification systems evolved continuously due to their use in a wide range of studies, especially in the fields of anthropology, epidemiology and genetics. Despite the wide range of the existing scales, up until present there has been no generally accepted iris colour classification scale.

  17. Iris Recognition Using Feature Extraction of Box Counting Fractal Dimension

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khotimah, C.; Juniati, D.

    2018-01-01

    Biometrics is a science that is now growing rapidly. Iris recognition is a biometric modality which captures a photo of the eye pattern. The markings of the iris are distinctive that it has been proposed to use as a means of identification, instead of fingerprints. Iris recognition was chosen for identification in this research because every human has a special feature that each individual is different and the iris is protected by the cornea so that it will have a fixed shape. This iris recognition consists of three step: pre-processing of data, feature extraction, and feature matching. Hough transformation is used in the process of pre-processing to locate the iris area and Daugman’s rubber sheet model to normalize the iris data set into rectangular blocks. To find the characteristics of the iris, it was used box counting method to get the fractal dimension value of the iris. Tests carried out by used k-fold cross method with k = 5. In each test used 10 different grade K of K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN). The result of iris recognition was obtained with the best accuracy was 92,63 % for K = 3 value on K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) method.

  18. Accurate Iris Recognition at a Distance Using Stabilized Iris Encoding and Zernike Moments Phase Features.

    PubMed

    Tan, Chun-Wei; Kumar, Ajay

    2014-07-10

    Accurate iris recognition from the distantly acquired face or eye images requires development of effective strategies which can account for significant variations in the segmented iris image quality. Such variations can be highly correlated with the consistency of encoded iris features and the knowledge that such fragile bits can be exploited to improve matching accuracy. A non-linear approach to simultaneously account for both local consistency of iris bit and also the overall quality of the weight map is proposed. Our approach therefore more effectively penalizes the fragile bits while simultaneously rewarding more consistent bits. In order to achieve more stable characterization of local iris features, a Zernike moment-based phase encoding of iris features is proposed. Such Zernike moments-based phase features are computed from the partially overlapping regions to more effectively accommodate local pixel region variations in the normalized iris images. A joint strategy is adopted to simultaneously extract and combine both the global and localized iris features. The superiority of the proposed iris matching strategy is ascertained by providing comparison with several state-of-the-art iris matching algorithms on three publicly available databases: UBIRIS.v2, FRGC, CASIA.v4-distance. Our experimental results suggest that proposed strategy can achieve significant improvement in iris matching accuracy over those competing approaches in the literature, i.e., average improvement of 54.3%, 32.7% and 42.6% in equal error rates, respectively for UBIRIS.v2, FRGC, CASIA.v4-distance.

  19. A novel iris patterns matching algorithm of weighted polar frequency correlation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Weijie; Jiang, Linhua

    2014-11-01

    Iris recognition is recognized as one of the most accurate techniques for biometric authentication. In this paper, we present a novel correlation method - Weighted Polar Frequency Correlation(WPFC) - to match and evaluate two iris images, actually it can also be used for evaluating the similarity of any two images. The WPFC method is a novel matching and evaluating method for iris image matching, which is complete different from the conventional methods. For instance, the classical John Daugman's method of iris recognition uses 2D Gabor wavelets to extract features of iris image into a compact bit stream, and then matching two bit streams with hamming distance. Our new method is based on the correlation in the polar coordinate system in frequency domain with regulated weights. The new method is motivated by the observation that the pattern of iris that contains far more information for recognition is fine structure at high frequency other than the gross shapes of iris images. Therefore, we transform iris images into frequency domain and set different weights to frequencies. Then calculate the correlation of two iris images in frequency domain. We evaluate the iris images by summing the discrete correlation values with regulated weights, comparing the value with preset threshold to tell whether these two iris images are captured from the same person or not. Experiments are carried out on both CASIA database and self-obtained images. The results show that our method is functional and reliable. Our method provides a new prospect for iris recognition system.

  20. Immunopathology of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in Whipple's disease.

    PubMed

    Moos, Verena; Feurle, Gerhard E; Schinnerling, Katina; Geelhaar, Anika; Friebel, Julian; Allers, Kristina; Moter, Annette; Kikhney, Judith; Loddenkemper, Christoph; Kühl, Anja A; Erben, Ulrike; Fenollar, Florence; Raoult, Didier; Schneider, Thomas

    2013-03-01

    During antimicrobial treatment of classic Whipple's disease (CWD), the chronic systemic infection with Tropheryma whipplei, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), is a serious complication. The aim of our study was to characterize the immunological processes underlying IRIS in CWD. Following the definition of IRIS, we describe histological features of IRIS and immunological parameters of 24 CWD IRIS patients, 189 CWD patients without IRIS, and 89 healthy individuals. T cell reconstitution, Th1 reactivity, and the phenotype of T cells were described in the peripheral blood, and infiltration of CD4(+) T cells and regulatory T cells in the duodenal mucosa was determined. During IRIS, tissues were heavily infiltrated by CD3(+), predominantly CD45RO(+)CD4(+) T cells. In the periphery, initial reduction of CD4(+) cell counts and their reconstitution on treatment was more pronounced in CWD patients with IRIS than in those without IRIS. The ratio of activated and regulatory CD4(+) T cells, nonspecific Th1 reactivity, and the proportion of naive among CD4(+) T cells was high, whereas serum IL-10 was low during IRIS. T. whipplei-specific Th1 reactivity remained suppressed before and after emergence of IRIS. The findings that IRIS in CWD mainly are mediated by nonspecific activation of CD4(+) T cells and that it is not sufficiently counterbalanced by regulatory T cells indicate that flare-up of pathogen-specific immunoreactivity is not instrumental in the pathogenesis of IRIS in CWD.

  1. Incidence and Predictors of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in a Rural Area of Mozambique

    PubMed Central

    Letang, Emilio; Miró, José M.; Nhampossa, Tacilta; Ayala, Edgar; Gascon, Joaquim; Menéndez, Clara; Alonso, Pedro L.; Naniche, Denise

    2011-01-01

    Background There is limited data on the epidemiology of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS) in rural sub-Saharan Africa. A prospective observational cohort study was conducted to assess the incidence, clinical characteristics, outcome and predictors of IRIS in rural Mozambique. Methods One hundred and thirty-six consecutive antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve HIV-1-infected patients initiating ART at the Manhiça district hospital were prospectively followed for development of IRIS over 16 months. Survival analysis by Cox regression was performed to identify pre-ART predictors of IRIS development. Results Thirty-six patients developed IRIS [26.5%, incidence rate 3.1 cases/100 persons-month of ART (95% CI 2.2–4.3)]. Median time to IRIS onset was 62 days from ART initiation (IQR 35.5–93.5). Twenty-five cases (69.4%) were “unmasking”, 10 (27.8%) were “paradoxical”, and 1 (2.8%) developed a paradoxical worsening followed by the unmasking of another condition. Systemic OI (OI-IRIS) accounted for 47% (17/36) of IRIS cases, predominantly of KS (8 cases) and TB (6 cases) IRIS. Mucocutaneous IRIS manifestations (MC-IRIS) accounted for 53% (19/36) of IRIS events, mostly tinea (9 cases) and herpes simplex infection (3 cases). Multivariate analysis identified two independent predictors of IRIS development: pre-ART CD4 count <50 cells/µl (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.19–4.44, p = 0.01) and body mass index (BMI) <18.5 (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.07–4.3, p = 0.03). The pre-cART proportion of activated T-cells, as well as the immunologic and virologic response to ART were not associated with IRIS development. All patients continued on ART, 7 (19.4%) required hospitalization and there were 3 deaths (8.3%) attributable to IRIS. Conclusions IRIS is common in patients initiating ART in rural Mozambique. Pre-ART CD4 counts and BMI can easily be assessed at ART initiation in rural sub-Saharan Africa to identify patients at high risk of IRIS, for whom close supervision is warranted. PMID:21386993

  2. 78 FR 7415 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

  3. 78 FR 66902 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-07

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and...

  4. 77 FR 31337 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and...

  5. 76 FR 38118 - Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on... Forces AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Meeting notice. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the... that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the...

  6. 78 FR 38015 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

  7. Load type influences motor unit recruitment in biceps brachii during a sustained contraction.

    PubMed

    Baudry, Stéphane; Rudroff, Thorsten; Pierpoint, Lauren A; Enoka, Roger M

    2009-09-01

    Twenty subjects participated in four experiments designed to compare time to task failure and motor-unit recruitment threshold during contractions sustained at 15% of maximum as the elbow flexor muscles either supported an inertial load (position task) or exerted an equivalent constant torque against a rigid restraint (force task). Subcutaneous branched bipolar electrodes were used to record single motor unit activity from the biceps brachii muscle during ramp contractions performed before and at 50 and 90% of the time to failure for the position task during both fatiguing contractions. The time to task failure was briefer for the position task than for the force task (P=0.0002). Thirty and 29 motor units were isolated during the force and position tasks, respectively. The recruitment threshold declined by 48 and 30% (P=0.0001) during the position task for motor units with an initial recruitment threshold below and above the target force, respectively, whereas no significant change in recruitment threshold was observed during the force task. Changes in recruitment threshold were associated with a decrease in the mean discharge rate (-16%), an increase in discharge rate variability (+40%), and a prolongation of the first two interspike intervals (+29 and +13%). These data indicate that there were faster changes in motor unit recruitment and rate coding during the position task than the force task despite a similar net muscle torque during both tasks. Moreover, the results suggest that the differential synaptic input observed during the position task influences most of the motor unit pool.

  8. Task- and time-dependent modulation of Ia presynaptic inhibition during fatiguing contractions performed by humans

    PubMed Central

    Maerz, Adam H.; Gould, Jeffrey R.; Enoka, Roger M.

    2011-01-01

    Presynaptic modulation of Ia afferents converging onto the motor neuron pool of the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was compared during contractions (20% of maximal force) sustained to failure as subjects controlled either the angular position of the wrist while supporting an inertial load (position task) or exerted an equivalent force against a rigid restraint (force task). Test Hoffmann (H) reflexes were evoked in the ECR by stimulating the radial nerve above the elbow. Conditioned H reflexes were obtained by stimulating either the median nerve above the elbow or at the wrist (palmar branch) to assess presynaptic inhibition of homonymous (D1 inhibition) and heteronymous Ia afferents (heteronymous Ia facilitation), respectively. The position task was briefer than the force task (P = 0.001), although the maximal voluntary force and electromyograph for ECR declined similarly at failure for both tasks. Changes in the amplitude of the conditioned H reflex were positively correlated between the two conditioning methods (P = 0.02) and differed between the two tasks (P < 0.05). The amplitude of the conditioned H reflex during the position task first increased (129 ± 20.5% of the initial value, P < 0.001) before returning to its initial value (P = 0.22), whereas it increased progressively during the force task to reach 122 ± 17.4% of the initial value at failure (P < 0.001). Moreover, changes in conditioned H reflexes were associated with the time to task failure and force fluctuations. The results suggest a task- and time-dependent modulation of presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents during fatiguing contractions. PMID:21543747

  9. Effect of iris registration on outcomes of FEMTOLASIK for myopia and myopic astigmatism.

    PubMed

    Ghoreishi, Mohammad; Beni, Zahra Naderi; Beni, Afsaneh Naderi; Kianersi, Farzan

    2017-09-05

    To compare the visual and refractive outcomes after FEMTOLASIK with and without iris registration. In this randomized, prospective, comparative, contralateral eye study, 118 eyes of 59 patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism underwent LASIK using the Femto LDV femtosecond laser (160 µm) and the MEL80 with or without iris registration. For each patient, iris registration FEMTOLASIK was performed on one eye and non-iris registration FEMTOLASIK was performed on the other eye, assigned at random. Patients were evaluated before and 12 months. Uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, manifest refraction, contrast sensitivity, and higher-order aberrations (HOAs) were evaluated. At 12 months, the mean UDVA was 0.002 ± 0.07 logMAR (20/19) in iris registration eyes and 0.00 ± 0.06 logMAR (20/24) in non-iris registration eyes (P = 0.9). 61% of iris registration eyes and 71.2% of non-iris registration eyes achieved a UDVA of 20/20 or better (P = 0.31); 98.3% of eyes with the iris registration FEMTOLASIK and 94.9% with the non-iris registration FEMTOLASIK were within ±0.50 D from emmetropia (P = 0.71). No statistically significant difference was found in postoperative contrast sensitivity between groups at 3, 6, 12, or 18 cycles/degree (P > 0.05). There was significant increase in total HOA root mean square in two groups. The mean error magnitude of surgically induced astigmatism 12 months postoperatively was -0.33 in iris registration eyes and -0.24 in the non-iris registration eyes (P = 0.36). FEMTOLASIK with and without iris registration provides similar results in myopic and myopic astigmatism patients.

  10. Steatotic livers are susceptible to normothermic ischemia-reperfusion injury from mitochondrial Complex-I dysfunction

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Michael JJ; Premkumar, Rakesh; Hickey, Anthony JR; Jiang, Yannan; Delahunt, Brett; Phillips, Anthony RJ; Bartlett, Adam SJR

    2016-01-01

    AIM: To assess the effects of ischemic preconditioning (IPC, 10-min ischemia/10-min reperfusion) on steatotic liver mitochondrial function after normothermic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). METHODS: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 8-wk with either control chow or high-fat/high-sucrose diet inducing > 60% mixed steatosis. Three groups (n = 10/group) for each dietary state were tested: (1) the IRI group underwent 60 min partial hepatic ischemia and 4 h reperfusion; (2) the IPC group underwent IPC prior to same standard IRI; and (3) sham underwent the same surgery without IRI or IPC. Hepatic mitochondrial function was analyzed by oxygraphs. Mitochondrial Complex-I, Complex-II enzyme activity, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and histological injury were measured. RESULTS: Steatotic-IRI livers had a greater increase in ALT (2476 ± 166 vs 1457 ± 103 IU/L, P < 0.01) and histological injury following IRI compared to the lean liver group. Steatotic-IRI demonstrated lower Complex-I activity at baseline [78.4 ± 2.5 vs 116.4 ± 6.0 nmol/(min.mg protein), P < 0.001] and following IRI [28.0 ± 6.2 vs 104.3 ± 12.6 nmol/(min.mg protein), P < 0.001]. Steatotic-IRI also demonstrated impaired Complex-I function post-IRI compared to the lean liver IRI group. Complex-II activity was unaffected by hepatic steatosis or IRI. Lean liver mitochondrial function was unchanged following IRI. IPC normalized ALT and histological injury in steatotic livers but had no effect on overall steatotic liver mitochondrial function or individual mitochondrial complex enzyme activities. CONCLUSION: Warm IRI impairs steatotic liver Complex-I activity and function. The protective effects of IPC in steatotic livers may not be mediated through mitochondria. PMID:27217699

  11. 77 FR 6786 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-09

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Coral Reef Task Force... of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC This meeting, the 27th [[Page 6787

  12. First Responder Refresher: National Standard Curriculum (Instructor Course Guide)

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-07-08

    This white paper provides a brief overview of the report titled "ITS Focus Task Force on System Architecture Report", dated May 1997. The report was prepared by a special task force of the United Kingdoms ITS Focus organization. This task force wa...

  13. Repairing the Breach. Key Ways To Support Family Life, Reclaim Our Streets, and Rebuild Civil Society in America's Communities. Report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Austin, Bobby William, Ed.

    This report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys is the beginning of an approach to repair society's breaches and restore the streets to safety. The Task Force, headed by Andrew J. Young and established in 1994, conceived its mission as one of reclamation. The Task Force made 61 specific recommendations, and three general…

  14. IRIS Toxicological Review and Summary Documents for N ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA's assessment of the noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of n-hexane was last prepared and added to the IRIS data base in 1990. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for n-hexane; this update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assessment was prepared as well as new risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for n-hexane will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physicochemical and toxicokinetic properties of the chemical and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for noncancer effects of n-hexane (RfD and RfC) and a cancer assessment, where supported by available data. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will be subject to internal peer consultation, Agency review, and external scientific peer review. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for n-hexane. The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for n-Hexane that will be entered into the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA data base containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information in support of two steps of the risk assessment

  15. A Statistical Analysis of IrisCode and Its Security Implications.

    PubMed

    Kong, Adams Wai-Kin

    2015-03-01

    IrisCode has been used to gather iris data for 430 million people. Because of the huge impact of IrisCode, it is vital that it is completely understood. This paper first studies the relationship between bit probabilities and a mean of iris images (The mean of iris images is defined as the average of independent iris images.) and then uses the Chi-square statistic, the correlation coefficient and a resampling algorithm to detect statistical dependence between bits. The results show that the statistical dependence forms a graph with a sparse and structural adjacency matrix. A comparison of this graph with a graph whose edges are defined by the inner product of the Gabor filters that produce IrisCodes shows that partial statistical dependence is induced by the filters and propagates through the graph. Using this statistical information, the security risk associated with two patented template protection schemes that have been deployed in commercial systems for producing application-specific IrisCodes is analyzed. To retain high identification speed, they use the same key to lock all IrisCodes in a database. The belief has been that if the key is not compromised, the IrisCodes are secure. This study shows that even without the key, application-specific IrisCodes can be unlocked and that the key can be obtained through the statistical dependence detected.

  16. Noisy Ocular Recognition Based on Three Convolutional Neural Networks

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Min Beom; Hong, Hyung Gil; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2017-01-01

    In recent years, the iris recognition system has been gaining increasing acceptance for applications such as access control and smartphone security. When the images of the iris are obtained under unconstrained conditions, an issue of undermined quality is caused by optical and motion blur, off-angle view (the user’s eyes looking somewhere else, not into the front of the camera), specular reflection (SR) and other factors. Such noisy iris images increase intra-individual variations and, as a result, reduce the accuracy of iris recognition. A typical iris recognition system requires a near-infrared (NIR) illuminator along with an NIR camera, which are larger and more expensive than fingerprint recognition equipment. Hence, many studies have proposed methods of using iris images captured by a visible light camera without the need for an additional illuminator. In this research, we propose a new recognition method for noisy iris and ocular images by using one iris and two periocular regions, based on three convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Experiments were conducted by using the noisy iris challenge evaluation-part II (NICE.II) training dataset (selected from the university of Beira iris (UBIRIS).v2 database), mobile iris challenge evaluation (MICHE) database, and institute of automation of Chinese academy of sciences (CASIA)-Iris-Distance database. As a result, the method proposed by this study outperformed previous methods. PMID:29258217

  17. IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY DOCUMENTS FOR 1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE (PEER REVIEW PLAN)

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA's assessment of the carcinogenic potential of 1,1,1-trichloroethane was entered into the IRIS database in 1988, and the assessment of noncancer effects following oral exposure was withdrawn from IRIS in 1991. The IRIS program prepared an update of the IRIS assessment for 1,1,...

  18. Iris double recognition based on modified evolutionary neural network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Shuai; Liu, Yuan-Ning; Zhu, Xiao-Dong; Huo, Guang; Liu, Wen-Tao; Feng, Jia-Kai

    2017-11-01

    Aiming at multicategory iris recognition under illumination and noise interference, this paper proposes a method of iris double recognition based on a modified evolutionary neural network. An equalization histogram and Laplace of Gaussian operator are used to process the iris to suppress illumination and noise interference and Haar wavelet to convert the iris feature to binary feature encoding. Calculate the Hamming distance for the test iris and template iris , and compare with classification threshold, determine the type of iris. If the iris cannot be identified as a different type, there needs to be a secondary recognition. The connection weights in back-propagation (BP) neural network use modified evolutionary neural network to adaptively train. The modified neural network is composed of particle swarm optimization with mutation operator and BP neural network. According to different iris libraries in different circumstances of experimental results, under illumination and noise interference, the correct recognition rate of this algorithm is higher, the ROC curve is closer to the coordinate axis, the training and recognition time is shorter, and the stability and the robustness are better.

  19. Ordinal measures for iris recognition.

    PubMed

    Sun, Zhenan; Tan, Tieniu

    2009-12-01

    Images of a human iris contain rich texture information useful for identity authentication. A key and still open issue in iris recognition is how best to represent such textural information using a compact set of features (iris features). In this paper, we propose using ordinal measures for iris feature representation with the objective of characterizing qualitative relationships between iris regions rather than precise measurements of iris image structures. Such a representation may lose some image-specific information, but it achieves a good trade-off between distinctiveness and robustness. We show that ordinal measures are intrinsic features of iris patterns and largely invariant to illumination changes. Moreover, compactness and low computational complexity of ordinal measures enable highly efficient iris recognition. Ordinal measures are a general concept useful for image analysis and many variants can be derived for ordinal feature extraction. In this paper, we develop multilobe differential filters to compute ordinal measures with flexible intralobe and interlobe parameters such as location, scale, orientation, and distance. Experimental results on three public iris image databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ordinal feature models.

  20. Multiple local feature representations and their fusion based on an SVR model for iris recognition using optimized Gabor filters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Fei; Liu, Yuanning; Zhu, Xiaodong; Huang, Chun; Han, Ye; Dong, Hongxing

    2014-12-01

    Gabor descriptors have been widely used in iris texture representations. However, fixed basic Gabor functions cannot match the changing nature of diverse iris datasets. Furthermore, a single form of iris feature cannot overcome difficulties in iris recognition, such as illumination variations, environmental conditions, and device variations. This paper provides multiple local feature representations and their fusion scheme based on a support vector regression (SVR) model for iris recognition using optimized Gabor filters. In our iris system, a particle swarm optimization (PSO)- and a Boolean particle swarm optimization (BPSO)-based algorithm is proposed to provide suitable Gabor filters for each involved test dataset without predefinition or manual modulation. Several comparative experiments on JLUBR-IRIS, CASIA-I, and CASIA-V4-Interval iris datasets are conducted, and the results show that our work can generate improved local Gabor features by using optimized Gabor filters for each dataset. In addition, our SVR fusion strategy may make full use of their discriminative ability to improve accuracy and reliability. Other comparative experiments show that our approach may outperform other popular iris systems.

  1. Bidirectional transfer between joint and individual actions in a task of discrete force production.

    PubMed

    Masumoto, Junya; Inui, Nobuyuki

    2017-07-01

    The present study examined bidirectional learning transfer between joint and individual actions involving discrete isometric force production with the right index finger. To examine the effects of practice of joint action on performance of the individual action, participants performed a pre-test (individual condition), practice blocks (joint condition), and a post-test (individual condition) (IJI task). To examine the effects of practice of the individual action on performance during the joint action, the participants performed a pre-test (joint condition), practice blocks (individual condition), and a post-test (joint condition) (JIJ task). Whereas one participant made pressing movements with a target peak force of 10% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in the individual condition, two participants produced the target force of the sum of 10% MVC produced by each of them in the joint condition. In both the IJI and JIJ tasks, absolute errors and standard deviations of peak force were smaller post-test than pre-test, indicating bidirectional transfer between individual and joint conditions for force accuracy and variability. Although the negative correlation between forces produced by two participants (complementary force production) became stronger with practice blocks in the IJI task, there was no difference between the pre- and post-tests for the negative correlation in the JIJ task. In the JIJ task, the decrease in force accuracy and variability during the individual action did not facilitate complementary force production during the joint action. This indicates that practice performed by two people is essential for complementary force production in joint action.

  2. Effects of Iris Surface Curvature on Iris Recognition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thompson, Joseph T; Flynn, Patrick J; Bowyer, Kevin W

    To focus on objects at various distances, the lens of the eye must change shape to adjust its refractive power. This change in lens shape causes a change in the shape of the iris surface which can be measured by examining the curvature of the iris. This work isolates the variable of iris curvature in the recognition process and shows that differences in iris curvature degrade matching ability. To our knowledge, no other work has examined the effects of varying iris curvature on matching ability. To examine this degradation, we conduct a matching experiment across pairs of images with varyingmore » degrees of iris curvature differences. The results show a statistically signi cant degradation in matching ability. Finally, the real world impact of these ndings is discussed« less

  3. IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene (Interagency ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    In January 2017, EPA finalized the IRIS assessment of Benzo[a]pyrene. The Toxicological Review was reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. Consistent with the May 2009 IRIS assessment development process, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices are made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science discussion materials provided to other agencies, including interagency review drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for BaP that will be entered into the IRIS database.

  4. IrisDenseNet: Robust Iris Segmentation Using Densely Connected Fully Convolutional Networks in the Images by Visible Light and Near-Infrared Light Camera Sensors

    PubMed Central

    Arsalan, Muhammad; Naqvi, Rizwan Ali; Kim, Dong Seop; Nguyen, Phong Ha; Owais, Muhammad; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2018-01-01

    The recent advancements in computer vision have opened new horizons for deploying biometric recognition algorithms in mobile and handheld devices. Similarly, iris recognition is now much needed in unconstraint scenarios with accuracy. These environments make the acquired iris image exhibit occlusion, low resolution, blur, unusual glint, ghost effect, and off-angles. The prevailing segmentation algorithms cannot cope with these constraints. In addition, owing to the unavailability of near-infrared (NIR) light, iris recognition in visible light environment makes the iris segmentation challenging with the noise of visible light. Deep learning with convolutional neural networks (CNN) has brought a considerable breakthrough in various applications. To address the iris segmentation issues in challenging situations by visible light and near-infrared light camera sensors, this paper proposes a densely connected fully convolutional network (IrisDenseNet), which can determine the true iris boundary even with inferior-quality images by using better information gradient flow between the dense blocks. In the experiments conducted, five datasets of visible light and NIR environments were used. For visible light environment, noisy iris challenge evaluation part-II (NICE-II selected from UBIRIS.v2 database) and mobile iris challenge evaluation (MICHE-I) datasets were used. For NIR environment, the institute of automation, Chinese academy of sciences (CASIA) v4.0 interval, CASIA v4.0 distance, and IIT Delhi v1.0 iris datasets were used. Experimental results showed the optimal segmentation of the proposed IrisDenseNet and its excellent performance over existing algorithms for all five datasets. PMID:29748495

  5. IrisDenseNet: Robust Iris Segmentation Using Densely Connected Fully Convolutional Networks in the Images by Visible Light and Near-Infrared Light Camera Sensors.

    PubMed

    Arsalan, Muhammad; Naqvi, Rizwan Ali; Kim, Dong Seop; Nguyen, Phong Ha; Owais, Muhammad; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2018-05-10

    The recent advancements in computer vision have opened new horizons for deploying biometric recognition algorithms in mobile and handheld devices. Similarly, iris recognition is now much needed in unconstraint scenarios with accuracy. These environments make the acquired iris image exhibit occlusion, low resolution, blur, unusual glint, ghost effect, and off-angles. The prevailing segmentation algorithms cannot cope with these constraints. In addition, owing to the unavailability of near-infrared (NIR) light, iris recognition in visible light environment makes the iris segmentation challenging with the noise of visible light. Deep learning with convolutional neural networks (CNN) has brought a considerable breakthrough in various applications. To address the iris segmentation issues in challenging situations by visible light and near-infrared light camera sensors, this paper proposes a densely connected fully convolutional network (IrisDenseNet), which can determine the true iris boundary even with inferior-quality images by using better information gradient flow between the dense blocks. In the experiments conducted, five datasets of visible light and NIR environments were used. For visible light environment, noisy iris challenge evaluation part-II (NICE-II selected from UBIRIS.v2 database) and mobile iris challenge evaluation (MICHE-I) datasets were used. For NIR environment, the institute of automation, Chinese academy of sciences (CASIA) v4.0 interval, CASIA v4.0 distance, and IIT Delhi v1.0 iris datasets were used. Experimental results showed the optimal segmentation of the proposed IrisDenseNet and its excellent performance over existing algorithms for all five datasets.

  6. Lattice-like collagen fiber meshwork in the iris stroma of the cat: a possible mechanism to generate the tension directed towards the iris root which is required for pupillary dilatation in the sympathectomized eye.

    PubMed

    Sakuraba, M; Yun, S; Ichinohe, N; Yonekura, H; Shoumura, K

    1999-10-01

    NaOH digestion technique for collagen fiber dissection and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated a lattice-like meshwork in the anterior surface of the iris stroma of the cat. The mesh threads were made of collagen fibril bundles. In the constricted pupil, the meshes were square to rhomboid with the diagonals in the direction of the radius or circumference of the iris. In the dilated pupil, however, the meshes were strongly flattened rhomboid or ellipse with a longer diagnoal or axis in the circumferential direction. At the mesh corners facing the pupillary margin or the iris root, the collagen fibril bundles were strongly bent in the iris of the constricted pupil, while they were almost straight or slightly wavy in the iris of the dilated pupil. Accumulation of elasticity tension generated by this small distortion of the iris-mesh threads in the constricted pupil was considered to generate a tension directed towards the iris root, which is required for pupillary dilatation in the sympathectomized eye. On the posterior surface of the iris stroma, numerous thin pleats tightly woven with collagen fibrils traversed straightway through the radial length of the ciliary zone of the iris in both constricted and dilated pupils. The structural changes of these pleats in miosis and mydriasis were very small compared with the meshwork of the anterior aspect of the iris. Therefore, they were considered to work mainly as an iris skeleton.

  7. 77 FR 55218 - Homeland Security Advisory Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-07

    ... childhood arrivals program. The HSAC will also receive a report from the Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force, review and discuss the task forces' report, and formulate recommendations for the Department. The.... HSAC conference call details and the Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force report will be provided...

  8. Task force on deterrence of air piracy : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1978-11-01

    In February 1969, as the frequency of hijacking of U.S. air carrier aircraft was rising to an all-time high, the Federal Aviation Administration established a multi-disciplinary Task Force on Deterrence of Air Piracy. The work of the Task Force in de...

  9. 75 FR 16577 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

  10. 77 FR 18307 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-27

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to conduct a comprehensive...

  11. 78 FR 28292 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-14

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

  12. 76 FR 65321 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

  13. 78 FR 63208 - UPDATE-Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-23

    ..., and issues recommendations. These recommendations provide evidence-based options from which decision makers in communities, companies, health departments, health plans and healthcare systems, non..., available resources, and constraints of their constituents. The Task Force's recommendations, along with the...

  14. An introductory handbook for state task forces to combat drunk driving.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1983-01-01

    In June 1982 Governor Robb created a task force to identify and assess efforts under way in Virginia to address the problem of drunken driving and to make recommendations. This booklet was prepared to assist the task force in its deliberations.

  15. Forced Aerobic Exercise Preceding Task Practice Improves Motor Recovery Poststroke.

    PubMed

    Linder, Susan M; Rosenfeldt, Anson B; Dey, Tanujit; Alberts, Jay L

    To understand how two types of aerobic exercise affect upper-extremity motor recovery post-stroke. Our aims were to (1) evaluate the feasibility of having people who had a stroke complete an aerobic exercise intervention and (2) determine whether forced or voluntary exercise differentially facilitates upper-extremity recovery when paired with task practice. Seventeen participants with chronic stroke completed twenty-four 90-min sessions over 8 wk. Aerobic exercise was immediately followed by task practice. Participants were randomized to forced or voluntary aerobic exercise groups or to task practice only. Improvement on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment exceeded the minimal clinically important difference: 12.3, 4.8, and 4.4 for the forced exercise, voluntary exercise, and repetitive task practice-only groups, respectively. Only the forced exercise group exhibited a statistically significant improvement. People with chronic stroke can safely complete intensive aerobic exercise. Forced aerobic exercise may be optimal in facilitating motor recovery associated with task practice. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  16. IRIS Toxicological Review of Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5 ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is developing an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and has released the draft assessment for public comment. When final, the assessment will appear on the IRIS database. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for RDX. The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for RDX that will be entered into the IRIS database.

  17. IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene (Public ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is developing an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment of benzo[a]pyrene and has released the draft assessment for public comment and external peer review. When final, the assessment will appear on the IRIS database. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for BaP that will be entered into the IRIS database.

  18. A novel iris localization algorithm using correlation filtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pohit, Mausumi; Sharma, Jitu

    2015-06-01

    Fast and efficient segmentation of iris from the eye images is a primary requirement for robust database independent iris recognition. In this paper we have presented a new algorithm for computing the inner and outer boundaries of the iris and locating the pupil centre. Pupil-iris boundary computation is based on correlation filtering approach, whereas iris-sclera boundary is determined through one dimensional intensity mapping. The proposed approach is computationally less extensive when compared with the existing algorithms like Hough transform.

  19. IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (Tert-Butanol) ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    On April 29, 2016, the Toxicological Review of tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-Butanol) (Public Comment Draft) was released for public comment. The draft Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and the Executive Office of the President during Step 3 (Interagency Science Consultation) before public release. As part of the IRIS process, all written interagency comments on IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments with EPA's response and the interagency science consultation drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of tert-Butanol and charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking a new health assessment for t-butyl alcohol (tert-butanol) for the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The outcome of this project will be a Toxicological Review and IRIS and IRIS Summary of TBA that will be entered on the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information to evaluate potential public health risks associated with environmental contaminants. The IRIS database is relied on for the development of risk assessments, site-specific environmental decisions, and rule making.

  20. IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (Etbe) ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    In September 2016, EPA released the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) for public comment and discussion. The draft assessment was reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. Consistent with the May 2009 IRIS assessment development process, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices are made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation materials provided to other agencies, including interagency review drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking an new health assessment for ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) for the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The outcome of this project will be a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary of ETBE that will be entered on the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information in support of two steps of the risk assessment process, i.e., hazard identification and dose-response evaluation. IRIS assessments are used nationally and internationally in combination with specific situational exposure assessment infor

  1. IRIS Toxicological Review of Biphenyl (Interagency Science ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    On September 30, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Biphenyl and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process (May 2009), introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Biphenyl and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking a new health assessment for biphenyl for the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The outcome of this project will be a Toxicological Review and IRIS and IRIS Summary of biohenyl that will be entered on the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information to evaluate potential public health risks associated with exposure assessment information to evaluate potential public health risks associated with environmental contaminants. The IRIS database is relied on for the development of risk ass

  2. IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA's assessment of the noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) was added to the IRIS database in 1990. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for TCP. This update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assessment was prepared as well as new risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for TCP will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physicochemical and toxicokinetic properties of the chemical and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for noncancer effects of TCP (RfD and RfC) and a cancer assessment. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will be subject to internal peer consultation, Agency review, and external scientific peer review. The final products will constitute the Agency's opinion on the toxicity of TCP. EPA is undertaking an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for 1,2,3-trichloropropane. IRIS is an EPA database containing the Agency's consensus scientific positions on potential adverse human effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information in support of two steps of the risk assessment process, i.e., hazard identification and dose-response evaluation. IRIS assessments are used in

  3. Matrix metalloproteinases and tissue damage in HIV-tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Tadokera, Rebecca; Meintjes, Graeme A; Wilkinson, Katalin A; Skolimowska, Keira H; Walker, Naomi; Friedland, Jon S; Maartens, Gary; Elkington, Paul T G; Wilkinson, Robert J

    2014-01-01

    The HIV-TB-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) can complicate combined treatments for HIV-1 and TB. Little is known about tissue damage in TB-IRIS. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) degrade components of the extracellular matrix and consequently may play a role in such immunopathology. Here we investigated the involvement of MMPs in TB-IRIS. We determined MMP transcript abundance and secreted protein in Mycobacterium tuberculosis stimulated PBMCs from 22 TB-IRIS patients and 22 non-IRIS controls. We also measured MMP protein levels in corresponding serum and the effect of prednisone — which reduces the duration of symptoms in IRIS patients — or placebo treatment on MMP transcript and circulating MMP protein levels. PBMCs from TB-IRIS had increased MMP-1,-3,-7, and-10 transcript levels when compared with those of controls at either 6 or 24 h. Similarly, MMP-1,-3,-7, and-10 protein secretion in stimulated cultures was higher in TB-IRIS than in controls. Serum MMP-7 concentration was elevated in TB-IRIS and 2 weeks of corticosteroid therapy decreased this level, although not significantly. TB-IRIS is associated with a distinct pattern of MMP gene and protein activation. Modulation of dysregulated MMP activity may represent a novel therapeutic approach to alleviate TB-IRIS in HIV-TB patients undergoing treatment. PMID:24136296

  4. [Moxiflaxin and iris transillumination].

    PubMed

    Broens, A; Collignon, N

    2016-07-01

    Bilateral Acute Iris Transillumination (BAIT) is a new clinical entity characterized by acute onset of pigment dispersion in the anterior chamber and angle, depigmentation of the iris stroma and permanent iris transillumination, masquerading as uveitis. An association with oral moxifloxacin is reported in some articles. We describe one case of bilateral acute iris transillumination, following the use of systemic moxifloxacin.

  5. Impact of Albedo Contrast Between Cirrus and Boundary-Layer Clouds on Climate Sensitivity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chou, Ming-Dah; Lindzen, R. S.; Hou, A. Y.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    In assessing the iris effect suggested by Lindzen et al. (2001), Fu et al. (2001) found that the response of high-level clouds to the sea surface temperature had an effect of reducing the climate sensitivity to external radiative forcing, but the effect was not as strong as LCH found. This weaker reduction in climate sensitivity was due to the smaller contrasts in albedos and effective emitting temperatures between cirrus clouds and the neighboring regions. FBH specified the albedos and the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) in the LCH 3.5-box radiative-convective model by requiring that the model radiation budgets at the top of the atmosphere be consistent with that inferred from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). In point of fact, the constraint by radiation budgets alone is not sufficient for deriving the correct contrast in radiation properties between cirrus clouds and the neighboring regions, and the approach of FBH to specifying those properties is, we feel inappropriate for assessing the iris effect.

  6. Response to Vogelstein: How the 2012 AAP Task Force on circumcision went wrong.

    PubMed

    Van Howe, Robert S

    2018-01-01

    Vogelstein cautions medical organizations against jumping into the fray of controversial issues, yet proffers the 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics' Task Force policy position on infant male circumcision as 'an appropriate use of position-statements.' Only a scratch below the surface of this policy statement uncovers the Task Force's failure to consider Vogelstein's many caveats. The Task Force supported the cultural practice by putting undeserved emphasis on questionable scientific data, while ignoring or underplaying the importance of valid contrary scientific data. Without any effort to quantitatively assess the risk/benefit balance, the Task Force concluded the benefits of circumcision outweighed the risks, while acknowledging that the incidence of risks was unknown. This Task Force differed from other Academy policy-forming panels by ignoring the Academy's standard quality measures and by not appointing members with extensive research experience, extensive publications, or recognized expertise directly related to this topic. Despite nearly 100 publications available at the time addressing the substantial ethical issues associated with infant male circumcision, the Task Force chose to ignore the ethical controversy. They merely stated, with minimal justification, the opinion of one of the Task Force members that the practice of infant male circumcision is morally permissible. The release of the report has fostered an explosion of academic discussion on the ethics of infant male circumcision with a number of national medical organizations now decrying the practice as a human rights violation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Task analysis of Air Force pharmacy practice.

    PubMed

    Bartholomew, A; Sawyer, W T; Coats, L

    1995-01-15

    The frequency with which United States Air Force pharmacists perform specific professional tasks and the pharmacists' views as to the importance of those tasks were studied. A questionnaire was prepared that asked recipients to rate each of 36 tasks selected as representing the spectrum of practice activities. There were four categories of tasks: managerial tasks, dispensing tasks, drug information tasks, and patient care tasks. Recipients rated the tasks with respect to frequency of performance and importance on separate 6-point scales. The questionnaire was mailed in May 1991 to the 225 pharmacists then serving in the Air Force worldwide. Of the 225 questionnaires, 150 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate, 67%). All the tasks in the survey were performed by at least one Air Force pharmacy officer, although the frequency of task performance varied. In particular, the frequency of many patient care tasks was low. All the tasks were perceived to have some importance, but drug information tasks were rated as being significantly more important than tasks in the other categories; patient care tasks were rated lowest in importance. The results varied with the respondents' demographic characteristics. Pharmacy officers with more years of service, more senior positions, higher rank, or an advanced degree in a field other than pharmacy tended to give responses that diverged from those of the population. A 1991 survey showed an awareness among Air Force pharmacists of the need to orient practice around patient care; however, they were not spending substantial time on patient care and tended to view it as less important than more traditional pharmacy tasks.

  8. Treatment of Tourniquet-Induced Ischemia Reperfusion Injury with Muscle Progenitor Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    application. Muscle mass, isometric contractile properties, and selected histologic properties were evaluated at 2 wk after ischemia. Results. IRI...results showed that a small number of trans- planted cells differentiated and formed muscle fibers , which could potentially contribute to force genera...the wet weight of the muscle (in g); q is the angle of fiber pinnation (12.8 for TA); Lf is the mean fiber length (57% of TAmuscle length); and r is

  9. Grip force control in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Iyengar, Veena; Santos, Marcio J; Ko, Michael; Aruin, Alexander S

    2009-10-01

    Appropriate regulation of grip force is essential in performance of various activities of daily living such as drinking, eating, buttoning a shirt, and so on. The extent to which individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are able to regulate grip forces while performing elements of the activities of daily living is largely unknown. . To investigate how individuals with MS control grip force during performance of functional tasks. . This study evaluated the grip force control in selected individuals with MS (n = 9) and healthy control subjects (n = 9) while they performed the task of lifting and placing an instrumented object on a shelf and the task of lifting the object and bringing it close to the mouth to mimic drinking. The grip forces, object acceleration, force ratio, and time lag were recorded and analyzed. . The individuals with MS used significantly larger peak grip force and force ratio than control subjects while performing both tasks and for both hands. In addition, the time lag between the peaks of grip and load forces was significantly longer in individuals with MS. . The application of excessive grip force could predispose individuals with MS to additional fatigue and musculoskeletal overuse trauma. Rehabilitation protocols for the MS population may need to account for increased levels of grip force applied during the performance of functional tasks.

  10. Design method of ARM based embedded iris recognition system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yuanbo; He, Yuqing; Hou, Yushi; Liu, Ting

    2008-03-01

    With the advantages of non-invasiveness, uniqueness, stability and low false recognition rate, iris recognition has been successfully applied in many fields. Up to now, most of the iris recognition systems are based on PC. However, a PC is not portable and it needs more power. In this paper, we proposed an embedded iris recognition system based on ARM. Considering the requirements of iris image acquisition and recognition algorithm, we analyzed the design method of the iris image acquisition module, designed the ARM processing module and its peripherals, studied the Linux platform and the recognition algorithm based on this platform, finally actualized the design method of ARM-based iris imaging and recognition system. Experimental results show that the ARM platform we used is fast enough to run the iris recognition algorithm, and the data stream can flow smoothly between the camera and the ARM chip based on the embedded Linux system. It's an effective method of using ARM to actualize portable embedded iris recognition system.

  11. 76 FR 52932 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-24

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on...

  12. Human iris three-dimensional imaging at micron resolution by a micro-plenoptic camera

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Hao; Woodward, Maria A.; Burke, David T.; Jeganathan, V. Swetha E.; Demirci, Hakan; Sick, Volker

    2017-01-01

    A micro-plenoptic system was designed to capture the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the anterior iris surface by simple single-shot imaging. Within a depth-of-field of 2.4 mm, depth resolution of 10 µm can be achieved with accuracy (systematic errors) and precision (random errors) below 20%. We demonstrated the application of our micro-plenoptic imaging system on two healthy irides, an iris with naevi, and an iris with melanoma. The ridges and folds, with height differences of 10~80 µm, on the healthy irides can be effectively captured. The front surface on the iris naevi was flat, and the iris melanoma was 50 ± 10 µm higher than the surrounding iris. The micro-plenoptic imaging system has great potential to be utilized for iris disease diagnosis and continuing, simple monitoring. PMID:29082081

  13. Human iris three-dimensional imaging at micron resolution by a micro-plenoptic camera.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hao; Woodward, Maria A; Burke, David T; Jeganathan, V Swetha E; Demirci, Hakan; Sick, Volker

    2017-10-01

    A micro-plenoptic system was designed to capture the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the anterior iris surface by simple single-shot imaging. Within a depth-of-field of 2.4 mm, depth resolution of 10 µm can be achieved with accuracy (systematic errors) and precision (random errors) below 20%. We demonstrated the application of our micro-plenoptic imaging system on two healthy irides, an iris with naevi, and an iris with melanoma. The ridges and folds, with height differences of 10~80 µm, on the healthy irides can be effectively captured. The front surface on the iris naevi was flat, and the iris melanoma was 50 ± 10 µm higher than the surrounding iris. The micro-plenoptic imaging system has great potential to be utilized for iris disease diagnosis and continuing, simple monitoring.

  14. Toward noncooperative iris recognition: a classification approach using multiple signatures.

    PubMed

    Proença, Hugo; Alexandre, Luís A

    2007-04-01

    This paper focuses on noncooperative iris recognition, i.e., the capture of iris images at large distances, under less controlled lighting conditions, and without active participation of the subjects. This increases the probability of capturing very heterogeneous images (regarding focus, contrast, or brightness) and with several noise factors (iris obstructions and reflections). Current iris recognition systems are unable to deal with noisy data and substantially increase their error rates, especially the false rejections, in these conditions. We propose an iris classification method that divides the segmented and normalized iris image into six regions, makes an independent feature extraction and comparison for each region, and combines each of the dissimilarity values through a classification rule. Experiments show a substantial decrease, higher than 40 percent, of the false rejection rates in the recognition of noisy iris images.

  15. Validation of a published case definition for tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

    PubMed

    Haddow, Lewis J; Moosa, Mahomed-Yunus S; Easterbrook, Philippa J

    2010-01-02

    To evaluate the International Network for the Study of HIV-associated IRIS (INSHI) case definitions for tuberculosis (TB)-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in a South African cohort. Prospective cohort of 498 adult HIV-infected patients initiating antiretroviral therapy. Patients were followed up for 24 weeks and all clinical events were recorded. Events with TB-IRIS as possible cause were assessed by consensus expert opinion and INSHI case definition. Positive, negative, and chance-corrected agreement (kappa) were calculated, and reasons for disagreement were assessed. One hundred and two (20%) patients were receiving TB therapy at antiretroviral therapy initiation. Three hundred and thirty-three events were evaluated (74 potential paradoxical IRIS, 259 potential unmasking IRIS). Based on expert opinion, there were 18 cases of paradoxical IRIS associated with TB and/or other opportunistic disease. The INSHI criteria for TB-IRIS agreed in 13 paradoxical cases, giving positive agreement of 72.2%, negative agreement in 52/56 non-TB-IRIS events (92.9%), and kappa of 0.66. There were 19 unmasking TB-IRIS cases based on expert opinion, of which 12 were considered IRIS using the INSHI definition (positive agreement 63.2%). There was agreement in all 240 non-TB-IRIS events (negative agreement 100%) and kappa was 0.76. There was good agreement between the INSHI case definition for both paradoxical and unmasking TB-IRIS and consensus expert opinion. These results support the use of this definition in clinical and research practice, with minor caveats in its application.

  16. Engineering a Light-Attenuating Artificial Iris

    PubMed Central

    Shareef, Farah J.; Sun, Shan; Kotecha, Mrignayani; Kassem, Iris; Azar, Dimitri; Cho, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Discomfort from light exposure leads to photophobia, glare, and poor vision in patients with congenital or trauma-induced iris damage. Commercial artificial iris lenses are static in nature to provide aesthetics without restoring the natural iris's dynamic response to light. A new photo-responsive artificial iris was therefore developed using a photochromic material with self-adaptive light transmission properties and encased in a transparent biocompatible polymer matrix. Methods The implantable artificial iris was designed and engineered using Photopia, a class of photo-responsive materials (termed naphthopyrans) embedded in polyethylene. Photopia was reshaped into annular disks that were spin-coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form our artificial iris lens of controlled thickness. Results Activated by UV and blue light in approximately 5 seconds with complete reversal in less than 1 minute, the artificial iris demonstrates graded attenuation of up to 40% of visible and 60% of UV light. There optical characteristics are suitable to reversibly regulate the incident light intensity. In vitro cell culture experiments showed up to 60% cell death within 10 days of exposure to Photopia, but no significant cell death observed when cultured with the artificial iris with protective encapsulation. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed these results as there was no apparent leakage of potentially toxic photochromic material from the ophthalmic device. Conclusions Our artificial iris lens mimics the functionality of the natural iris by attenuating light intensity entering the eye with its rapid reversible change in opacity and thus potentially providing an improved treatment option for patients with iris damage. PMID:27116547

  17. Engineering a Light-Attenuating Artificial Iris.

    PubMed

    Shareef, Farah J; Sun, Shan; Kotecha, Mrignayani; Kassem, Iris; Azar, Dimitri; Cho, Michael

    2016-04-01

    Discomfort from light exposure leads to photophobia, glare, and poor vision in patients with congenital or trauma-induced iris damage. Commercial artificial iris lenses are static in nature to provide aesthetics without restoring the natural iris's dynamic response to light. A new photo-responsive artificial iris was therefore developed using a photochromic material with self-adaptive light transmission properties and encased in a transparent biocompatible polymer matrix. The implantable artificial iris was designed and engineered using Photopia, a class of photo-responsive materials (termed naphthopyrans) embedded in polyethylene. Photopia was reshaped into annular disks that were spin-coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form our artificial iris lens of controlled thickness. Activated by UV and blue light in approximately 5 seconds with complete reversal in less than 1 minute, the artificial iris demonstrates graded attenuation of up to 40% of visible and 60% of UV light. There optical characteristics are suitable to reversibly regulate the incident light intensity. In vitro cell culture experiments showed up to 60% cell death within 10 days of exposure to Photopia, but no significant cell death observed when cultured with the artificial iris with protective encapsulation. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed these results as there was no apparent leakage of potentially toxic photochromic material from the ophthalmic device. Our artificial iris lens mimics the functionality of the natural iris by attenuating light intensity entering the eye with its rapid reversible change in opacity and thus potentially providing an improved treatment option for patients with iris damage.

  18. Iris ultrastructure in patients with synechiae as revealed by in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy : In vivo iris ultrastructure in patients with Synechiae by Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy.

    PubMed

    Li, Ming; Cheng, Hongbo; Guo, Ping; Zhang, Chun; Tang, Song; Wang, Shusheng

    2016-04-26

    Iris plays important roles in ocular physiology and disease pathogenesis. Currently it is technically challenging to noninvasively examine the human iris ultrastructure in vivo. The purpose of the current study is to reveal human iris ultrastructure in patients with synechiae by using noninvasive in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The ultrastructure of iris in thirty one patients, each with synechiae but transparent cornea, was examined by in vivo LSCM. Five characteristic iris ultrastructures was revealed in patients with synechiae by in vivo LSCM, which include: 1. tree trunk-like structure; 2. tree branch/bush-like structure; 3. Fruit-like structure; 4. Epithelioid-like structure; 5. deep structure. Pigment granules can be observed as a loose structure on the top of the arborization structure. In iris-associated diseases with Tyndall's Phenomenon and keratic precipitates, the pigment particles are more likely to fall off from the arborization structure. The ultrastructure of iris in patients with synechiae has been visualized using in vivo LSCM. Five iris ultrastructures can be clearly observed, with some of the structures maybe disease-associated. The fall-off of the pigment particles may cause the Tyndall's Phenomenon positive. In vivo LSCM provides a non-invasive approach to observe the human iris ultrastructure under certain eye disease conditions, which sets up a foundation to visualize certain iris-associated diseases in the future.

  19. Using grasping tasks to evaluate hand force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

    PubMed

    Mackenzie, Samuel J; Getchell, Nancy; Modlesky, Christopher M; Miller, Freeman; Jaric, Slobodan

    2009-08-01

    Mackenzie SJ, Getchell N, Modlesky CM, Miller F, Jaric S. Using grasping tasks to evaluate hand force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. To assess force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) using a device that allows for testing both unimanual and bimanual manipulation tasks performed under static and dynamic conditions. Nonequivalent groups design. University research laboratory for motor control. Six children with hemiplegic CP (age, mean +/- SD, 11.6+/-1.8 y) and 6 typically developing controls (11.6+/-1.6 y). Not applicable. Children performed simple lifting and force-matching static ramp tasks by way of both unimanual and bimanual pulling using a device that measures grip force (force acting perpendicularly at the digits-device contact area) and load force (tangential force). Main outcome measures were grip/load force ratios (grip force scaling) and correlation coefficients (force coupling). CP subjects showed significantly higher grip/load force ratios (P<.05) and slightly lower correlation coefficients than the control group, with more pronounced differences for most tasks when using their involved hand. For subjects with CP, switching from unimanual to bimanual conditions did not bring changes in scaling or coupling for the involved hand (P>.05). Compared with healthy children, the impaired hand function in the hemiplegic CP pediatric population could be reflected in excessive grip force that is also decoupled from ongoing changes in load force. Therefore, the bimanual grip load device used in this study could provide a sensitive measure of grip force coordination in CP, although nonmotor deficits should be taken into account when asking children to perform more complex tasks.

  20. 77 FR 3241 - Intent To Hold North Dakota Task Force Meeting as Established by the Missouri River Protection...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-23

    ... duties of the Task Force are to prepare and approve a plan for the use of the funds made available under... of the Task Force are to prepare and approve a plan for the use of the funds made available under... Force Meeting as Established by the Missouri River Protection and Improvement Act of 2000 (Title VII...

  1. Video-based noncooperative iris image segmentation.

    PubMed

    Du, Yingzi; Arslanturk, Emrah; Zhou, Zhi; Belcher, Craig

    2011-02-01

    In this paper, we propose a video-based noncooperative iris image segmentation scheme that incorporates a quality filter to quickly eliminate images without an eye, employs a coarse-to-fine segmentation scheme to improve the overall efficiency, uses a direct least squares fitting of ellipses method to model the deformed pupil and limbic boundaries, and develops a window gradient-based method to remove noise in the iris region. A remote iris acquisition system is set up to collect noncooperative iris video images. An objective method is used to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of the segmentation results. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method. The proposed method would make noncooperative iris recognition or iris surveillance possible.

  2. Iris Recognition: The Consequences of Image Compression

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ives, Robert W.; Bishop, Daniel A.; Du, Yingzi; Belcher, Craig

    2010-12-01

    Iris recognition for human identification is one of the most accurate biometrics, and its employment is expanding globally. The use of portable iris systems, particularly in law enforcement applications, is growing. In many of these applications, the portable device may be required to transmit an iris image or template over a narrow-bandwidth communication channel. Typically, a full resolution image (e.g., VGA) is desired to ensure sufficient pixels across the iris to be confident of accurate recognition results. To minimize the time to transmit a large amount of data over a narrow-bandwidth communication channel, image compression can be used to reduce the file size of the iris image. In other applications, such as the Registered Traveler program, an entire iris image is stored on a smart card, but only 4 kB is allowed for the iris image. For this type of application, image compression is also the solution. This paper investigates the effects of image compression on recognition system performance using a commercial version of the Daugman iris2pi algorithm along with JPEG-2000 compression, and links these to image quality. Using the ICE 2005 iris database, we find that even in the face of significant compression, recognition performance is minimally affected.

  3. An iris recognition algorithm based on DCT and GLCM

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, G.; Wu, Ye-qing

    2008-04-01

    With the enlargement of mankind's activity range, the significance for person's status identity is becoming more and more important. So many different techniques for person's status identity were proposed for this practical usage. Conventional person's status identity methods like password and identification card are not always reliable. A wide variety of biometrics has been developed for this challenge. Among those biologic characteristics, iris pattern gains increasing attention for its stability, reliability, uniqueness, noninvasiveness and difficult to counterfeit. The distinct merits of the iris lead to its high reliability for personal identification. So the iris identification technique had become hot research point in the past several years. This paper presents an efficient algorithm for iris recognition using gray-level co-occurrence matrix(GLCM) and Discrete Cosine transform(DCT). To obtain more representative iris features, features from space and DCT transformation domain are extracted. Both GLCM and DCT are applied on the iris image to form the feature sequence in this paper. The combination of GLCM and DCT makes the iris feature more distinct. Upon GLCM and DCT the eigenvector of iris extracted, which reflects features of spatial transformation and frequency transformation. Experimental results show that the algorithm is effective and feasible with iris recognition.

  4. A novel in vivo model of puncture-induced iris neovascularization.

    PubMed

    Beaujean, Ophélie; Locri, Filippo; Aronsson, Monica; Kvanta, Anders; André, Helder

    2017-01-01

    To assess iris neovascularization by uveal puncture of the mouse eye and determine the role of angiogenic factors during iris neovascularization. Uveal punctures were performed on BalbC mouse eyes to induce iris angiogenesis. VEGF-blockage was used as an anti-angiogenic treatment, while normoxia- and hypoxia-conditioned media from retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells was used as an angiogenic-inducer in this model. Iris vasculature was determined in vivo by noninvasive methods. Iris blood vessels were stained for platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 and vascular sprouts were counted as markers of angiogenesis. Expression of angiogenic and inflammatory factors in the puncture-induced model were determined by qPCR and western blot. Punctures led to increased neovascularization and sprouting of the iris. qPCR and protein analysis showed an increase of angiogenic factors, particularly in the plasminogen-activating receptor and inflammatory systems. VEGF-blockage partly reduced iris neovascularization, and treatment with hypoxia-conditioned RPE medium led to a statistically significant increase in iris neovascularization. This study presents the first evidence of a puncture-induced iris angiogenesis model in the mouse. In a broader context, this novel in vivo model of neovascularization has the potential for noninvasive evaluation of angiogenesis modulating substances.

  5. Iris recognition in the presence of ocular disease

    PubMed Central

    Aslam, Tariq Mehmood; Tan, Shi Zhuan; Dhillon, Baljean

    2009-01-01

    Iris recognition systems are among the most accurate of all biometric technologies with immense potential for use in worldwide security applications. This study examined the effect of eye pathology on iris recognition and in particular whether eye disease could cause iris recognition systems to fail. The experiment involved a prospective cohort of 54 patients with anterior segment eye disease who were seen at the acute referral unit of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh. Iris camera images were obtained from patients before treatment was commenced and again at follow-up appointments after treatment had been given. The principal outcome measure was that of mathematical difference in the iris recognition templates obtained from patients' eyes before and after treatment of the eye disease. Results showed that the performance of iris recognition was remarkably resilient to most ophthalmic disease states, including corneal oedema, iridotomies (laser puncture of iris) and conjunctivitis. Problems were, however, encountered in some patients with acute inflammation of the iris (iritis/anterior uveitis). The effects of a subject developing anterior uveitis may cause current recognition systems to fail. Those developing and deploying iris recognition should be aware of the potential problems that this could cause to this key biometric technology. PMID:19324690

  6. Iris recognition in the presence of ocular disease.

    PubMed

    Aslam, Tariq Mehmood; Tan, Shi Zhuan; Dhillon, Baljean

    2009-05-06

    Iris recognition systems are among the most accurate of all biometric technologies with immense potential for use in worldwide security applications. This study examined the effect of eye pathology on iris recognition and in particular whether eye disease could cause iris recognition systems to fail. The experiment involved a prospective cohort of 54 patients with anterior segment eye disease who were seen at the acute referral unit of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh. Iris camera images were obtained from patients before treatment was commenced and again at follow-up appointments after treatment had been given. The principal outcome measure was that of mathematical difference in the iris recognition templates obtained from patients' eyes before and after treatment of the eye disease. Results showed that the performance of iris recognition was remarkably resilient to most ophthalmic disease states, including corneal oedema, iridotomies (laser puncture of iris) and conjunctivitis. Problems were, however, encountered in some patients with acute inflammation of the iris (iritis/anterior uveitis). The effects of a subject developing anterior uveitis may cause current recognition systems to fail. Those developing and deploying iris recognition should be aware of the potential problems that this could cause to this key biometric technology.

  7. Tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in A5221 STRIDE: timing, severity, and implications for HIV-TB programs.

    PubMed

    Luetkemeyer, Anne F; Kendall, Michelle A; Nyirenda, Mulinda; Wu, Xingye; Ive, Prudence; Benson, Constance A; Andersen, Janet W; Swindells, Susan; Sanne, Ian M; Havlir, Diane V; Kumwenda, Johnstone

    2014-04-01

    Earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-tuberculosis (TB) is associated with increased immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). The severity, frequency, and complications of TB IRIS were evaluated in A5221, a randomized trial of earlier ART (within 2 weeks after TB treatment initiation) vs. later ART (8-12 weeks after TB treatment) in HIV-infected patients starting TB treatment. In 806 participants, TB IRIS was defined using published clinical criteria. Cases were classified as severe (hospitalization/death), moderate (corticosteroid use/invasive procedure), or mild (no hospitalization/procedures/steroids). Fisher exact, Wilcoxon, and log-rank tests were used for comparisons. TB IRIS occurred in 61 (7.6%) patients: 10.4% in earlier vs. 4.7% in later ART, 11.5% with CD4 <50 vs. 5.4% with CD4 ≥50 cells per cubic millimeter. The CD4/ART arm interaction was significant, P = 0.014, with 44.3% of TB IRIS occurring with CD4 <50 and earlier ART. TB IRIS occurred sooner with earlier vs. later ART initiation, at a median of 29 vs. 82 days after TB treatment initiation (P < 0.001). IRIS manifestations included lymphadenopathy (59.0%), constitutional symptoms (54.1%), and radiographic changes (41.0%); central nervous system TB IRIS was uncommon (6.6%). TB IRIS was mild in 27.9%, moderate in 41.0%, and severe in 31.1%. No TB IRIS-associated deaths occurred. IRIS management required ≥1 invasive procedures in 34.4%, hospitalization in 31.1%, and corticosteroids in 54.1%. TB IRIS was more frequent with earlier ART initiation and CD4 <50 cells per cubic millimeter. As ART is implemented earlier in HIV-TB coinfection, programs will require the diagnostic capabilities, clinical resources, and training necessary to manage TB IRIS.

  8. Quantitative study of the microvasculature and its endothelial cells in the porcine iris.

    PubMed

    Yang, Hongfang; Yu, Paula K; Cringle, Stephen J; Sun, Xinghuai; Yu, Dao-Yi

    2015-03-01

    The roles of the iris microvasculature have been increasingly recognised in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and cataract; however limited information exists regarding the iris microvasculature and its endothelium. This study quantitatively assessed the iris microvascular network and its endothelium using intra-luminal micro-perfusion, fixation, and staining of the porcine iris. The temporal long posterior ciliary artery of 11 isolated porcine eyes was cannulated, perfusion-fixed and labelled using silver nitrate. The iris microvasculature was studied for its distribution, orders and endothelial morphometrics. The density of three layers of microvasculature was measured. Endothelial cell length and width were measured for each vessel order. The iris has an unusual vascular distribution which consisted of abundant large vessels in the middle of the iris stroma, branching over a relatively short distance to the microvasculature located in the superficial and deep stroma as well as the pupil edge. The average vascular density of the middle, superficial, and deep layers were 38.9 ± 1.93%, 10.9 ± 1.61% and 8.0 ± 0.79% respectively. Multiple orders of iris vessels (capillary, 6 orders of arteries, and 4 orders of veins) with relatively large capillary and input arteries (319.5 ± 25.6 μm) were found. Significant heterogeneity of vascular diameter and shape of the endothelia was revealed in different orders of the iris vasculature. Detailed information of topography and endothelium of the iris microvasculature combined with unique structural features of the iris may help us to further understand the physiological and pathogenic roles of the iris in relevant ocular diseases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Lower Pre-Treatment T Cell Activation in Early- and Late-Onset Tuberculosis-Associated Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Goovaerts, Odin; Jennes, Wim; Massinga-Loembé, Marguerite; Ondoa, Pascale; Ceulemans, Ann; Vereecken, Chris; Worodria, William; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Colebunders, Robert; Kestens, Luc

    2015-01-01

    Background Tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) is an inflammatory complication in HIV-TB co-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). The role of disturbed T cell reconstitution in TB-IRIS is not well understood. We investigated T cell activation and maturation profiles in patients who developed TB-IRIS at different intervals during ART. Methods Twenty-two HIV-TB patients who developed early-onset TB-IRIS and 10 who developed late-onset TB-IRIS were matched for age, sex and CD4 count to equal numbers of HIV-TB patients who did not develop TB-IRIS. Flow cytometry analysis was performed on fresh blood, drawn before and after ART initiation and during TB-IRIS events. T cell activation and maturation was measured on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells using CD45RO, CD38, HLA-DR, CCR7 and CD27 antibodies. Results CD8+ T cell activation before ART was decreased in both early-onset (77% vs. 82%, p = 0.014) and late-onset (71% vs. 83%, p = 0.012) TB-IRIS patients compared to non-IRIS controls. After ART initiation, the observed differences in T cell activation disappeared. During late-onset, but not early-onset TB-IRIS, we observed a skewing from memory to terminal effector CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations (p≤0.028). Conclusion Our data provide evidence of reduced CD8+ T cell activation before ART as a common predisposing factor of early- and late-onset TB-IRIS. The occurrence of TB-IRIS itself was not marked by an over-activated CD8+ T cell compartment. Late- but not early-onset TB-IRIS was characterized by a more terminally differentiated T cell phenotype. PMID:26208109

  10. 75 FR 33838 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-15

    ... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice (10-065)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task Force on...

  11. 75 FR 15742 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-30

    ... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice: (10-035)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task Force on...

  12. Honeywell's Working Parents Task Force. Final Report and Recommendations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

    This publication provides a summary of the Honeywell Working Parent Task Force's recommendations on how to solve problems experienced by working parents. The Task Force consisted of three committees: the Employment Practices Committee (EPC); the Parent Education Committee (PEC); and the Child Care Facilities Committee (CCFC). After examining a…

  13. 77 FR 71471 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development; Notice of Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-30

    ... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency... agenda for its public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The...

  14. 75 FR 34439 - Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-17

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty... meetings. SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification will... Applications International Corporation, 4001 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA. FOR FURTHER...

  15. 76 FR 70913 - Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13579

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-16

    ... Fukushima Task Force Report. DATES: November 16, 2011. ADDRESSES: You can access publicly available... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ML111861807), was issued. The Commission has...

  16. 76 FR 55394 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-07

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force--an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

  17. 76 FR 4115 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-24

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force--an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

  18. 75 FR 63846 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force is an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

  19. 75 FR 48929 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-12

    ... Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States... Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711; (919) 541-5400. The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on air quality issues relating to agriculture. Additionally, the Livestock...

  20. NASA replanning efforts continue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katzoff, Judith A.

    A task force of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is producing new launch schedules for NASA's three remaining space shuttle orbiters, possibly supplemented by expendable launch vehicles. In the wake of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, the task force is assuming a delay of 12-18 months before resumption of shuttle flights.NASA's Headquarters Replanning Task Force, which meets daily, is separate from the agency's Data and Design Analysis Task Force, which collects and analyzes information about the accident for the use of the investigative commission appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

  1. Report of NASA Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kearney, John J.

    1989-01-01

    The Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force was asked to determine the economic viability and commercial potential of mining and extracting He-3 from the lunar soil, and transporting the material to Earth for use in a power-generating fusion reactor. Two other space energy projects, the Space Power Station (SPS) and the Lunar Power Station (LPS), were also reviewed because of several interrelated aspects of these projects. The specific findings of the Task Force are presented. Appendices contain related papers generated by individual Task Force Members.

  2. 14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Task Force Report on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Cervera, Ricard; Rodríguez-Pintó, Ignasi; Colafrancesco, Serena; Conti, Fabrizio; Valesini, Guido; Rosário, Cristina; Agmon-Levin, Nancy; Shoenfeld, Yehuda; Ferrão, Claudia; Faria, Raquel; Vasconcelos, Carlos; Signorelli, Flavio; Espinosa, Gerard

    2014-07-01

    The 'Task Force on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome (CAPS)' was developed on the occasion of the 14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies. The objectives of this Task Force were to assess the current knowledge on pathogenesis, clinical and laboratory features, diagnosis and classification, precipitating factors and treatment of this condition in order to address recommendations for future research. This article summarizes the studies analyzed by the Task Force, its recommendations and the future research agenda. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Fitts’ Law in the Control of Isometric Grip Force With Naturalistic Targets

    PubMed Central

    Thumser, Zachary C.; Slifkin, Andrew B.; Beckler, Dylan T.; Marasco, Paul D.

    2018-01-01

    Fitts’ law models the relationship between amplitude, precision, and speed of rapid movements. It is widely used to quantify performance in pointing tasks, study human-computer interaction, and generally to understand perceptual-motor information processes, including research to model performance in isometric force production tasks. Applying Fitts’ law to an isometric grip force task would allow for quantifying grasp performance in rehabilitative medicine and may aid research on prosthetic control and design. We examined whether Fitts’ law would hold when participants attempted to accurately produce their intended force output while grasping a manipulandum when presented with images of various everyday objects (we termed this the implicit task). Although our main interest was the implicit task, to benchmark it and establish validity, we examined performance against a more standard visual feedback condition via a digital force-feedback meter on a video monitor (explicit task). Next, we progressed from visual force feedback with force meter targets to the same targets without visual force feedback (operating largely on feedforward control with tactile feedback). This provided an opportunity to see if Fitts’ law would hold without vision, and allowed us to progress toward the more naturalistic implicit task (which does not include visual feedback). Finally, we changed the nature of the targets from requiring explicit force values presented as arrows on a force-feedback meter (explicit targets) to the more naturalistic and intuitive target forces implied by images of objects (implicit targets). With visual force feedback the relation between task difficulty and the time to produce the target grip force was predicted by Fitts’ law (average r2 = 0.82). Without vision, average grip force scaled accurately although force variability was insensitive to the target presented. In contrast, images of everyday objects generated more reliable grip forces without the visualized force meter. In sum, population means were well-described by Fitts’ law for explicit targets with vision (r2 = 0.96) and implicit targets (r2 = 0.89), but not as well-described for explicit targets without vision (r2 = 0.54). Implicit targets should provide a realistic see-object-squeeze-object test using Fitts’ law to quantify the relative speed-accuracy relationship of any given grasper. PMID:29773999

  4. The iris – a window into the genetics of common and rare eye diseases

    PubMed Central

    Morrison, Patrick J

    2010-01-01

    Visual examination, without instruments, of the eye allows inspection of the iris, sclera, cornea and, through the iris, some abnormalities of the lens and retina. Several hereditary disorders can easily be recognised by characteristic iris changes. This review discusses changes in the iris, visible lens anomalies, and changes in the cornea surrounding the iris. A genetic diagnosis can help with management of diseases. Some conditions are single gene disorders, some are chromosomal rearrangements, and some are abnormalities of fetal development. PMID:20844723

  5. Iris Freckles a Potential Biomarker for Chronic Sun Damage.

    PubMed

    Schwab, Christoph; Mayer, Christoph; Zalaudek, Iris; Riedl, Regina; Richtig, Markus; Wackernagel, Werner; Hofmann-Wellenhof, Rainer; Richtig, Georg; Langmann, Gerald; Tarmann, Lisa; Wedrich, Andreas; Richtig, Erika

    2017-05-01

    To investigate the role of sunlight exposure in iris freckles formation. We prospectively examined volunteers attending a skin cancer screening program conducted by ophthalmologists and dermatologists. Frequency and topographical variability of iris freckles were noted and associated with behavioral and dermatologic characteristics indicating high sun exposure. Six hundred thirty-two participants (n = 360; 57% female) were examined. Mean age of all participants was 38.4 ± 18.4 years (range, 4-84 years). Of all individuals, 76.1% (n = 481) exhibited at least one iris freckle. Most freckles were observed in the inferior temporal quadrant. The presence of iris freckles was associated with higher age (participants with iris freckles: 41.8 ± 16.8 years versus participants without iris freckles: 27.6 ± 19.2 years), a high number of sunburns during lifetime (>10: 31% vs. 19%), sunlight-damaged skin (26% vs. 11%), presence of actinic lentigines (72% vs. 45%), and a high total nevus body count (>10; 78% vs. 67%). The association of iris freckles, behavioral factors, and dermatologic findings, as well as the topographical distribution, indicate that sunlight exposure may trigger the formation of iris freckles. The evaluation of iris freckles offers an easily accessible potential biomarker, which might be helpful in indicating sun damage on the skin associated with cutaneous malignancies. Furthermore, the evaluation of iris freckles could also be helpful in understanding the role of sunlight in several ophthalmologic diseases.

  6. Morphological Alterations Within the Peripheral Fixation of the Iris Dilator Muscle in Eyes With Pigmentary Glaucoma

    PubMed Central

    Flügel-Koch, Cassandra M.; Tektas, Ozan Y.; Kaufman, Paul L.; Paulsen, Friedrich P.; Lütjen-Drecoll, Elke

    2014-01-01

    Purpose. To analyze the peripheral fixation of the iris dilator muscle in normal eyes and in eyes with pigmentary glaucoma (PG). Methods. Using 63 control eyes (age 18 months–99 years), the peripheral iris dilator was investigated by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Development was studied using 18 differently aged fetal eyes stained immunohistochemically against α-smooth muscle (SM) actin. The peripheral iris dilator muscle in PG was analyzed using semithin and ultrathin sections of six glutaraldehyde-fixed eyes from three donors aged 38, 62, and 74 years. Results. In normal eyes, the peripheral end of the iris dilator muscle is arranged in a sphincter-like manner. Arcade-shaped tendinous connections associated with myofibroblasts (iridial strands) anchor the iris dilator within the elastic–fibromuscular ciliary meshwork that also serves as fixation area for the elastic tendons of the inner ciliary muscle portions. The iridial strands are innervated and can adapt their length during accommodation. The PG eyes show incomplete circular bundles and iridial strands that are mainly anchored to the iris stroma and the flexible uveal parts of the trabecular meshwork. Conclusions. The normal anchorage of the peripheral iris dilator and its presumably neuronally regulated length adaptation stabilize the peripheral iris during accommodation. Insufficient fixation in PG could promote posterior bowing of the iris with rubbing against the zonular fibers and pigment liberation from the iris pigmented epithelium. PMID:24938519

  7. Covert face recognition in congenital prosopagnosia: a group study.

    PubMed

    Rivolta, Davide; Palermo, Romina; Schmalzl, Laura; Coltheart, Max

    2012-03-01

    Even though people with congenital prosopagnosia (CP) never develop a normal ability to "overtly" recognize faces, some individuals show indices of "covert" (or implicit) face recognition. The aim of this study was to demonstrate covert face recognition in CP when participants could not overtly recognize the faces. Eleven people with CP completed three tasks assessing their overt face recognition ability, and three tasks assessing their "covert" face recognition: a Forced choice familiarity task, a Forced choice cued task, and a Priming task. Evidence of covert recognition was observed with the Forced choice familiarity task, but not the Priming task. In addition, we propose that the Forced choice cued task does not measure covert processing as such, but instead "provoked-overt" recognition. Our study clearly shows that people with CP demonstrate covert recognition for faces that they cannot overtly recognize, and that behavioural tasks vary in their sensitivity to detect covert recognition in CP. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

  8. The voices of Iris: Cinematic representations of the aged woman and Alzheimer's disease in Iris (2001).

    PubMed

    Graham, Megan E

    2016-09-01

    Audiences must be critical of film representations of the aged woman living with Alzheimer's disease and of dangerous reinscriptions of stereotypical equations about ageing as deterioration. This paper analyses the representation and decline of the aged woman through the different voices of Iris Murdoch in Richard Eyre's film Iris (2001). Key vocal scenes are considered: On-screen encounters between young and aged Iris, vocal representations of dementia symptoms and silencing Iris as her disease progresses. Further, Iris' recurrent unaccompanied song, "The Lark in the Clear Air," compels audiences to "see" Iris with their ears more than with their eyes, exemplifying the representational power of sound in film. This paper is an appeal for increased debate about sonic representations of aged women, ageing and Alzheimer's disease and dementia in film. The significance of audiences' critical awareness and understanding about the social implications of these representations is discussed. © The Author(s) 2014.

  9. Iris Segmentation and Normalization Algorithm Based on Zigzag Collarette

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rizky Faundra, M.; Ratna Sulistyaningrum, Dwi

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we proposed iris segmentation and normalization algorithm based on the zigzag collarette. First of all, iris images are processed by using Canny Edge Detection to detect pupil edge, then finding the center and the radius of the pupil with the Hough Transform Circle. Next, isolate important part in iris based zigzag collarette area. Finally, Daugman Rubber Sheet Model applied to get the fixed dimensions or normalization iris by transforming cartesian into polar format and thresholding technique to remove eyelid and eyelash. This experiment will be conducted with a grayscale eye image data taken from a database of iris-Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Automation (CASIA). Data iris taken is the data reliable and widely used to study the iris biometrics. The result show that specific threshold level is 0.3 have better accuracy than other, so the present algorithm can be used to segmentation and normalization zigzag collarette with accuracy is 98.88%

  10. Iris metastasis of gastric adenocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Celebi, Ali Riza Cenk; Kilavuzoglu, Ayse Ebru; Altiparmak, U Emrah; Cosar, C Banu; Ozkiris, Abdullah

    2016-03-08

    Iris metastasis in patients with gastric cancer is extremely rare. Herein, it is aimed to report on a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma and iris metastasis. A 65-year-old patient with the history of gastric cancer was admitted for eye pain and eye redness on his left eye. There was ciliary injection, severe +4 cells with hypopyon in the anterior chamber and a solitary, friable, yellow-white, fleshy-creamy vascularized 2 mm × 4 mm mass on the upper nasal part of the iris within the left eye. The presented patient's mass lesion in the iris fulfilled the criteria of the metastatic iris lesion's appearance. The ocular metastasis occurred during chemotherapy. Iris metastasis can masquerade as iridocyclitis with pseudohypopyon or glaucoma. In patients with a history of gastric cancer that present with an iris mass, uveitis, and high intraocular pressure, ocular metastasis of gastric cancer should be a consideration.

  11. Report of the Fermilab ILC Citizens' Task Force

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory convened the ILC Citizens' Task Force to provide guidance and advice to the laboratory to ensure that community concerns and ideas are included in all public aspects of planning and design for a proposed future accelerator, the International Linear Collider. In this report, the members of the Task Force describe the process they used to gather and analyze information on all aspects of the proposed accelerator and its potential location at Fermilab in northern Illinois. They present the conclusions and recommendations they reached as a result of the learning process and their subsequent discussions and deliberations.more » While the Task Force was charged to provide guidance on the ILC, it became clear during the process that the high cost of the proposed accelerator made a near-term start for the project at Fermilab unlikely. Nevertheless, based on a year of extensive learning and dialogue, the Task Force developed a series of recommendations for Fermilab to consider as the laboratory develops all successor projects to the Tevatron. The Task Force recognizes that bringing a next-generation particle physics project to Fermilab will require both a large international effort and the support of the local community. While the Task Force developed its recommendations in response to the parameters of a future ILC, the principles they set forth apply directly to any large project that may be conceived at Fermilab, or at other laboratories, in the future. With this report, the Task Force fulfills its task of guiding Fermilab from the perspective of the local community on how to move forward with a large-scale project while building positive relationships with surrounding communities. The report summarizes the benefits, concerns and potential impacts of bringing a large-scale scientific project to northern Illinois.« less

  12. First-Year Students' Priorities and Choices in STEM Studies--IRIS Findings from Germany and Austria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elster, D.

    2014-01-01

    IRIS (Interests and Recruitment in Science; http://iris.fp-7.org/about-iris/) is a European 7th framework project focusing on the challenge that only few young people in general, and women in particular, choose an education and career in science and technology. Project IRIS aims to contribute to the improvement of recruitment, retention and gender…

  13. Comparison of GPS derived TEC with the TEC predicted by IRI 2012 model in the southern Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest within the Eastern Africa region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sulungu, Emmanuel D.; Uiso, Christian B. S.; Sibanda, Patrick

    2018-04-01

    We have compared the TEC obtained from the IRI-2012 model with the GPS derived TEC data recorded within southern crest of the EIA in the Eastern Africa region using the monthly means of the 5 international quiet days for equinoxes and solstices months for the period of 2012 - 2013. GPS-derived TEC data have been obtained from the Africa array and IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations (Kigali (1.95°S, 30.09°E; Geom. Lat. 11.63°S), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E; Geom. Lat. 12.42°S), Mbarara (0.60°S, 30.74°E; Geom. Lat. 10.22°S) and Nairobi (1.22°S, 36.89°E; Geom. Lat. 10.69°S)) located within the EIA crest in this region. All the three options for topside Ne of IRI-2012 model and ABT-2009 for bottomside thickness have been used to compute the IRI TEC. Also URSI coefficients were considered in this study. These results are compared with the TEC estimated from GPS measurements. Correlation Coefficients between the two sets of data, the Root-Mean Square Errors (RMSE) of the IRI-TEC from the GPS-TEC, and the percentage RMSE of the IRI-TEC from the GPS-TEC have been computed. Our general results show that IRI-2012 model with all three options overestimates the GPS-TEC for all seasons and at all stations, and IRI-2001 overestimates GPS-TEC more compared with other options. IRI-Neq and IRI-01-corr are closely matching in most of the time. The observation also shows that, GPS TEC are underestimated by TEC from IRI model during noon hours, especially during equinoctial months. Further, GPS-TEC values and IRI-TEC values using all the three topside Ne options show very good correlation (above 0.8). On the other hand, the TEC using IRI-Neq and IRI-01- corr had smaller deviations from the GPS-TEC compared to the IRI-2001.

  14. PLATEAU IRIS--DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.

    PubMed

    Stefan, Cornel; Iliescu, Daniela Adriana; Batras, Mehdi; Timaru, Cristina Mihaela; De Simone, Algerino

    2015-01-01

    The objective of our study was to review the current knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment options of plateau iris configuration and syndrome. Relevant publications on plateau iris that were published until 2014. Plateau iris syndrome is a form of primary angle closure glaucoma caused by a large or anteriorly positioned ciliary body that leads to mechanical obstruction of trabecular meshwork. This condition is most often found in younger patients. Plateau iris has been considered an abnormal anatomic variant of the iris that can be diagnosed on ultrasound biomicroscopy or optical coherence tomography of anterior segment. Patients with plateau iris syndrome can be recognized by the lack of response in angle opening after iridotomy. The treatment of choice in these cases is argon laser peripheral iridoplasty.

  15. Status Report on Activities of the Systems Assessment Task Force, OECD-NEA Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuels for LWRs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bragg-Sitton, Shannon Michelle

    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development /Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) Nuclear Science Committee approved the formation of an Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) for LWRs (EGATFL) in 2014. Chaired by Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology, the mandate for the EGATFL defines work under three task forces: (1) Systems Assessment, (2) Cladding and Core Materials, and (3) Fuel Concepts. Scope for the Systems Assessment task force includes definition of evaluation metrics for ATF, technology readiness level definition, definition of illustrative scenarios for ATF evaluation, parametric studies, and selection of system codes. Themore » Cladding and Core Materials and Fuel Concepts task forces will identify gaps and needs for modeling and experimental demonstration; define key properties of interest; identify the data necessary to perform concept evaluation under normal conditions and illustrative scenarios; identify available infrastructure (internationally) to support experimental needs; and make recommendations on priorities. Where possible, considering proprietary and other export restrictions (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the Expert Group will facilitate the sharing of data and lessons learned across the international group membership. The Systems Assessment Task Force is chaired by Shannon Bragg-Sitton (INL), while the Cladding Task Force will be chaired by a representative from France (Marie Moatti, Electricite de France [EdF]) and the Fuels Task Force will be chaired by a representative from Japan (Masaki Kurata, Japan Atomic Energy Agency [JAEA]). This report provides an overview of the Systems Assessment Task Force charter and status of work accomplishment.« less

  16. Technical issues for the eye image database creation at distance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oropesa Morales, Lester Arturo; Maldonado Cano, Luis Alejandro; Soto Aldaco, Andrea; García Vázquez, Mireya Saraí; Zamudio Fuentes, Luis Miguel; Rodríguez Vázquez, Manuel Antonio; Pérez Rosas, Osvaldo Gerardo; Rodríguez Espejo, Luis; Montoya Obeso, Abraham; Ramírez Acosta, Alejandro Álvaro

    2016-09-01

    Biometrics refers to identify people through their physical characteristics or behavior such as fingerprints, face, DNA, hand geometries, retina and iris patterns. Typically, the iris pattern is to acquire in short distance to recognize a person, however, in the past few years is a challenge identify a person by its iris pattern at certain distance in non-cooperative environments. This challenge comprises: 1) high quality iris image, 2) light variation, 3) blur reduction, 4) specular reflections reduction, 5) the distance from the acquisition system to the user, and 6) standardize the iris size and the density pixel of iris texture. The solution of the challenge will add robustness and enhance the iris recognition rates. For this reason, we describe the technical issues that must be considered during iris acquisition. Some of these considerations are the camera sensor, lens, the math analysis of depth of field (DOF) and field of view (FOV) for iris recognition. Finally, based on this issues we present experiment that show the result of captures obtained with our camera at distance and captures obtained with cameras in very short distance.

  17. [Implantation of an Artificial Iris in 11 Patients].

    PubMed

    Kniestedt, C; Eberhard, R; Fleischhauer, J

    2016-04-01

    Background. Iris defects are mostly acquired after injury, or may be iatrogenic after surgical excision of iris tumours or the result of collateral trauma after anterior segment surgery. They cause severe visual disability, e.g. glare, loss of contrast sensitivity, and loss of best corrected visual acuity. The foldable Koch iris prosthesis has a customised iris design and may be used to reconstruct the anterior segment in patients with partial or complete aniridia. History and Signs. We present the surgical management and clinical course of 6 patients with traumatic iris defects, together with 3 patients with partial aniridia after cataract surgery. Cataract surgery and implantation of an artificial iris were performed in 2 female patients (3 eyes) with congenital aniridia syndrome. Therapy and Outcome. No patient exhibited complications in the postoperative course, with the exception of various intraocular pressure peaks due to secondary glaucoma, that were all corrected by medication to lower topical pressure. Conclusions. In patients with major iris defects, the artificial iris allows functionally and aesthetically satisfactory reconstruction of the anterior segment. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  18. Feature Vector Construction Method for IRIS Recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Odinokikh, G.; Fartukov, A.; Korobkin, M.; Yoo, J.

    2017-05-01

    One of the basic stages of iris recognition pipeline is iris feature vector construction procedure. The procedure represents the extraction of iris texture information relevant to its subsequent comparison. Thorough investigation of feature vectors obtained from iris showed that not all the vector elements are equally relevant. There are two characteristics which determine the vector element utility: fragility and discriminability. Conventional iris feature extraction methods consider the concept of fragility as the feature vector instability without respect to the nature of such instability appearance. This work separates sources of the instability into natural and encodinginduced which helps deeply investigate each source of instability independently. According to the separation concept, a novel approach of iris feature vector construction is proposed. The approach consists of two steps: iris feature extraction using Gabor filtering with optimal parameters and quantization with separated preliminary optimized fragility thresholds. The proposed method has been tested on two different datasets of iris images captured under changing environmental conditions. The testing results show that the proposed method surpasses all the methods considered as a prior art by recognition accuracy on both datasets.

  19. Multi-Patches IRIS Based Person Authentication System Using Particle Swarm Optimization and Fuzzy C-Means Clustering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shekar, B. H.; Bhat, S. S.

    2017-05-01

    Locating the boundary parameters of pupil and iris and segmenting the noise free iris portion are the most challenging phases of an automated iris recognition system. In this paper, we have presented person authentication frame work which uses particle swarm optimization (PSO) to locate iris region and circular hough transform (CHT) to device the boundary parameters. To undermine the effect of the noise presented in the segmented iris region we have divided the candidate region into N patches and used Fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) to classify the patches into best iris region and not so best iris region (noisy region) based on the probability density function of each patch. Weighted mean Hammimng distance is adopted to find the dissimilarity score between the two candidate irises. We have used Log-Gabor, Riesz and Taylor's series expansion (TSE) filters and combinations of these three for iris feature extraction. To justify the feasibility of the proposed method, we experimented on the three publicly available data sets IITD, MMU v-2 and CASIA v-4 distance.

  20. Increased reaction times and reduced response preparation already starts at middle age

    PubMed Central

    Wolkorte, Ria; Kamphuis, Janine; Zijdewind, Inge

    2014-01-01

    Generalized slowing characterizes aging and there is some evidence to suggest that this slowing already starts at midlife. This study aims to assess reaction time changes while performing a concurrent low-force and high-force motor task in young and middle-aged subjects. The high-force motor task is designed to induce muscle fatigue and thereby progressively increase the attentional demands. Twenty-five young (20–30 years, 12 males) and 16 middle-aged (35–55 years, 9 males) adults performed an auditory two-choice reaction time task (CRT) with and without a concurrent low- or high-force motor task. The CRT required subjects to respond to two different stimuli that occurred with a probability of 70 or 30%. The motor task consisted of index finger abduction, at either 10% (10%-dual-task) or 30% (30%-dual-task) of maximal voluntary force. Cognitive task performance was measured as percentage of correct responses and reaction times. Middle-aged subjects responded slower on the frequent but more accurately on the infrequent stimuli of CRT than young subjects. Both young and middle-aged subjects showed increased errors and reaction times while performing under dual-task conditions and both outcome measures increased further under fatiguing conditions. Only under 30%-dual-task demands, an age-effect on dual-task performance was present. Both single- and dual-task conditions showed that already at mid-life response preparation is seriously declined and that subjects implement different strategies to perform a CRT task. PMID:24808862

  1. TASK FORCE REPORT ON ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MORRIS, ROBERT

    THE TASK FORCE ON ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION HAS BEEN CHARGED TO RECOMMEND THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR ASSESSING AND EVALUATING THE SHORT-TERM ACTIVITIES AND THE LONG-TERM ACHIEVEMENTS OF ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE TASK FORCE ARE--THE ANALYSIS OF DATA RELEVANT FOR EVALUATING DAY-BY-DAY DECISION-MAKING,…

  2. Inter-Association Task Force Report on Image.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Special Libraries Association, Washington, DC.

    In 1988, the Board of Directors of the Special Libraries Association provided funding to a task force to gather data which would determine how certain segments of society perceive librarians, how librarians view themselves and their colleagues, and to provide recommendations for addressing the issue of image. The task force project consisted of…

  3. Report of the Social Studies Task Force.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gathman, John; And Others

    In 1982 the Colorado Board of Education directed the State Board of Education to organize task forces to address a variety of state educational needs. This report, presented by the Social Studies Task Force, explains the group's purposes and concerns, provides a social studies definition, and outlines the Colorado grades K-12 social studies…

  4. Human Health Effects, Task Force Assessment, Preliminary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aronow, Wilbert S.; And Others

    Presented in this preliminary report is one of seven assessments conducted by a special task force of Project Clean Air, the Human Health Effects Task Force. The reports summarize assessments of the state of knowledge on various air pollution problems, particularly in California, and make tentative recommendations as to what the University of…

  5. Report of the Task Force on School Health.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maryland State Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore.

    The 1990 Report of the Task Force on School Health examines the current status of Maryland's school health programs and proposes 16 recommendations designed to implement a comprehensive school health (CSH) program to meet the needs of all students. The report describes the Task Force, which was appointed in 1989. After presenting a background on…

  6. A Status Report from the Task Force on Marketing Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keim, William A.; And Others

    Concerned with changes in enrollment and credit hour patterns, the chancellor of the Kansas City Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCC) created a special Task Force to consider recommendations for marketing strategies for the 1978-79 academic year. The Task Force reviewed regional and district demography, area population trends and density, age and…

  7. Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maryland State Dept. of Legislative Services, Annapolis.

    In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. The group made a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12 to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The task force's final report features the membership roster, the…

  8. 75 FR 43943 - Defense Science Board; Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-27

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Science Board; Task Force on Nuclear Treaty... meetings. SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification will... held September 13-14, and 25-26, 2010. ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at Science Applications...

  9. 76 FR 69296 - Proposed Models for Plant-Specific Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-08

    ... Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF-500, Revision 2, ``DC Electrical Rewrite... Technical Specifications Task Force (TSTF) Traveler TSTF-500, Revision 2, ``DC Electrical Rewrite--Update to... Reactor Systems Engineer, Technical Specifications Branch, Mail Stop: O-7 C2A, Division of Inspection and...

  10. 28 CFR 16.105 - Exemption of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Exemption of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System. 16.105 Section 16.105 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PRODUCTION OR... of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System. (a) The following system of records is exempt from 5...

  11. 26 CFR 54.9815-2713T - Coverage of preventive health services (temporary).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to the... States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to the individual. The provider bills the plan for an... A or B in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with...

  12. National Task Force on Student Aid Problems. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1975

    This document presents a full discussion of the activities, findings, and recommendations of the National Task Force on Student Aid Problems. The task force was a voluntary association of concerned and interested agencies and organizations. Its only standing came from the support of those directly concerned with student aid problems. By design and…

  13. Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. Preliminary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maryland State Dept. of Legislative Services, Annapolis.

    In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The Task Force's preliminary report features a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12. The report presents membership and…

  14. 78 FR 44034 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-23

    ... the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident,'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807..., pages 43-46, of the Fukushima Task Force Report, which discusses the enhancement of spent fuel pool... Commission was still in the process of reviewing the Fukushima Task Force Report, and the NRC did not...

  15. Initial Report of the Task Force on Cultural Competence Education in the Health Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2007

    2007-01-01

    This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on Cultural Competence Education and represents the distillation of the Task Force's efforts to fulfill its legislative charge. The report is intended to facilitate a statewide conversation about the health services provided to New Mexico's multicultural citizenry. It…

  16. 75 FR 30002 - Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Termination of... Department of Defense gives notice that it is terminating the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the...

  17. Convergence, Competition, Cooperation: The Report of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Telecommunications Infrastructure Task Force. Volume One.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin Governor's Office, Madison.

    This report by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Wisconsin's Telecommunications Infrastructure considers infrastructure to be the common network that connects individual residences, businesses, and agencies, rather than the individual systems and equipment themselves. The task force recognizes that advances in telecommunications technologies and…

  18. The Washington State Task Force on Student Transportation Safety. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington State Legislature, Olympia.

    Findings of a study conducted by the Washington State Task Force on Student Transportation Safety are presented in this report. The data-collection process involved four phases: meetings with experts in student transportation and pedestrian safety; public meetings, informational work sessions, and tours of problems areas; task force meetings; and…

  19. Youth Employment. Final Recommendations of the State Superintendent's Task Force.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

    This report contains the final recommendations of the task force on youth employment for the state of Wisconsin. The task force was specifically charged with studying issues related to working teenagers, reviewing existing laws and regulations on child labor, and developing recommendations to ensure that when teenagers work, their jobs do not…

  20. 78 FR 10636 - Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-14

    ... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Meeting AGENCY: Office on Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice. ACTION... public meeting of the Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women...

  1. 32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

  2. 32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

  3. 32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 5 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

  4. 77 FR 59627 - Homeland Security Advisory Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-28

    ... purpose of reviewing and deliberating on recommendations by the HSAC's Cyber Skills Task Force. DATES: The.... The HSAC will meet to review and deliberate on the Cyber Skills Task Force report of findings and... details and the Cyber Skills Task Force report will be provided to interested members of the public at the...

  5. Report of the Task Force on Declining Enrollment. Third Revision.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Highline Public Schools, Seattle, WA.

    The purpose of this task force was to study the program, facilities, and alternatives of the Highline School District as they relate to enrollment decline. Specifically, the task force was to establish criteria for identifying facilities where changes should be considered; identify and prioritize alternatives for use of excess classroom space; and…

  6. 77 FR 1913 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-12

    ... Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources...), Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on critical air quality issues... relationship between agricultural production and air quality. The meeting is open to the public, and a draft...

  7. IRiS: construction of ARG networks at genomic scales.

    PubMed

    Javed, Asif; Pybus, Marc; Melé, Marta; Utro, Filippo; Bertranpetit, Jaume; Calafell, Francesc; Parida, Laxmi

    2011-09-01

    Given a set of extant haplotypes IRiS first detects high confidence recombination events in their shared genealogy. Next using the local sequence topology defined by each detected event, it integrates these recombinations into an ancestral recombination graph. While the current system has been calibrated for human population data, it is easily extendible to other species as well. IRiS (Identification of Recombinations in Sequences) binary files are available for non-commercial use in both Linux and Microsoft Windows, 32 and 64 bit environments from https://researcher.ibm.com/researcher/view_project.php?id = 2303 parida@us.ibm.com.

  8. A new approach for cancelable iris recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Kai; Sui, Yan; Zhou, Zhi; Du, Yingzi; Zou, Xukai

    2010-04-01

    The iris is a stable and reliable biometric for positive human identification. However, the traditional iris recognition scheme raises several privacy concerns. One's iris pattern is permanently bound with him and cannot be changed. Hence, once it is stolen, this biometric is lost forever as well as all the applications where this biometric is used. Thus, new methods are desirable to secure the original pattern and ensure its revocability and alternatives when compromised. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme which incorporates iris features, non-invertible transformation and data encryption to achieve "cancelability" and at the same time increases iris recognition accuracy.

  9. Iris indexing based on local intensity order pattern

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Emerich, Simina; Malutan, Raul; Crisan, Septimiu; Lefkovits, Laszlo

    2017-03-01

    In recent years, iris biometric systems have increased in popularity and have been proven that are capable of handling large-scale databases. The main advantage of these systems is accuracy and reliability. A proper iris patterns classification is expected to reduce the matching time in huge databases. This paper presents an iris indexing technique based on Local Intensity Order Pattern. The performance of the present approach is evaluated on UPOL database and is compared with other recent systems designed for iris indexing. The results illustrate the potential of the proposed method for large scale iris identification.

  10. Iris recognition based on key image feature extraction.

    PubMed

    Ren, X; Tian, Q; Zhang, J; Wu, S; Zeng, Y

    2008-01-01

    In iris recognition, feature extraction can be influenced by factors such as illumination and contrast, and thus the features extracted may be unreliable, which can cause a high rate of false results in iris pattern recognition. In order to obtain stable features, an algorithm was proposed in this paper to extract key features of a pattern from multiple images. The proposed algorithm built an iris feature template by extracting key features and performed iris identity enrolment. Simulation results showed that the selected key features have high recognition accuracy on the CASIA Iris Set, where both contrast and illumination variance exist.

  11. Limbus Impact on Off-angle Iris Degradation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Karakaya, Mahmut; Barstow, Del R; Santos-Villalobos, Hector J

    The accuracy of iris recognition depends on the quality of data capture and is negatively affected by several factors such as angle, occlusion, and dilation. Off-angle iris recognition is a new research focus in biometrics that tries to address several issues including corneal refraction, complex 3D iris texture, and blur. In this paper, we present an additional significant challenge that degrades the performance of the off-angle iris recognition systems, called the limbus effect . The limbus is the region at the border of the cornea where the cornea joins the sclera. The limbus is a semitransparent tissue that occludes amore » side portion of the iris plane. The amount of occluded iris texture on the side nearest the camera increases as the image acquisition angle increases. Without considering the role of the limbus effect, it is difficult to design an accurate off-angle iris recognition system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that investigates the limbus effect in detail from a biometrics perspective. Based on results from real images and simulated experiments with real iris texture, the limbus effect increases the hamming distance score between frontal and off-angle iris images ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 depending upon the limbus height.« less

  12. The Priority of Road Rehabilitation in Karanganyar Regency Using IRI Estimation from Roadroid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Achmadi, F.; Suprapto, M.; Setyawan, A.

    2017-02-01

    The IRI (International Roughness Index) is a road roughness index commonly obtained from measured longitudinal road profiles. This is one of the functional performance a surface of road pavement. Therefore, needs to be done evaluation and monitoring periodically to getting priority of road rehabilitation right on target. The IRI standard has commonly been used worldwide for evaluating road system. The Roadroid is an application to measure road quality with a website to view road quality. It is designed for Android smartphones, so we can easily measure and monitor the road and also use the camera for GPS-tagged photo. By using the built-in vibration sensor in smartphones, it is possible to collect IRI value which can be an indicator road conditions. This study attempts to explain the priority of road rehabilitation in Karanganyar Regency. The location of the study focused on a collector street (primary, secondary and locally road). The result of IRI estimation will be combined with other aspects that influences; land use, policy, the connectivity of road and traffic average daily. Based on IRI estimation using Roadroid, the road conditions in Karanganyar Regency can be described 59,60% were good (IRI<4,5) 21,30% fair (4,512).

  13. Simultaneous observations of Ellerman bombs by NST and IRIS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Y. H.; Yurchyshyn, V.; Cho, I. H.; Lee, J.; Park, Y. D.; Yang, H.; Ahn, K.; Goode, P.

    2015-12-01

    In this study, we present the simultaneous observations of Ellerman bombs made by New Solar Telescope (NST) of Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in space. The data obtained during joint NST-IRIS observations on 30 and 31 in July 2014. We observed two representative events on both days. The first one was a relatively weak Ellerman bomb occurred around 19:20 UT on 30 July 2014. IRIS observed this event by sit-and-stare mode thus we analyzed high cadence spectral data and slit-jaw data simultaneously. We found that this event was a hot explosion that occurred by magnetic reconnection in the lower atmosphere of the Sun. The second event was quite strong Ellerman bomb (20:20 UT on 31 July 2014) that is well observed by NST FISS (Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph), while there was no IRIS spectral data. We had IRIS slit-jaw data only. The Ellerman bomb was clearly coincident with the IRIS brightening at the same location. Since the Ellerman bombs are usually believed to occur in the photosphere with no coronal emission, it should be explained its higher atmospheric emission in IRIS data. We will present the result of simultaneous observations by IRIS and NST instruments and discuss physical connection between Ellerman bombs and IRIS brightenings.

  14. A novel in vivo model of puncture-induced iris neovascularization

    PubMed Central

    Aronsson, Monica; Kvanta, Anders

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To assess iris neovascularization by uveal puncture of the mouse eye and determine the role of angiogenic factors during iris neovascularization. Methods Uveal punctures were performed on BalbC mouse eyes to induce iris angiogenesis. VEGF-blockage was used as an anti-angiogenic treatment, while normoxia- and hypoxia-conditioned media from retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells was used as an angiogenic-inducer in this model. Iris vasculature was determined in vivo by noninvasive methods. Iris blood vessels were stained for platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 and vascular sprouts were counted as markers of angiogenesis. Expression of angiogenic and inflammatory factors in the puncture-induced model were determined by qPCR and western blot. Results Punctures led to increased neovascularization and sprouting of the iris. qPCR and protein analysis showed an increase of angiogenic factors, particularly in the plasminogen-activating receptor and inflammatory systems. VEGF-blockage partly reduced iris neovascularization, and treatment with hypoxia-conditioned RPE medium led to a statistically significant increase in iris neovascularization. Conclusions This study presents the first evidence of a puncture-induced iris angiogenesis model in the mouse. In a broader context, this novel in vivo model of neovascularization has the potential for noninvasive evaluation of angiogenesis modulating substances. PMID:28658313

  15. Iris recognition as a biometric method after cataract surgery

    PubMed Central

    Roizenblatt, Roberto; Schor, Paulo; Dante, Fabio; Roizenblatt, Jaime; Belfort, Rubens

    2004-01-01

    Background Biometric methods are security technologies, which use human characteristics for personal identification. Iris recognition systems use iris textures as unique identifiers. This paper presents an analysis of the verification of iris identities after intra-ocular procedures, when individuals were enrolled before the surgery. Methods Fifty-five eyes from fifty-five patients had their irises enrolled before a cataract surgery was performed. They had their irises verified three times before and three times after the procedure, and the Hamming (mathematical) distance of each identification trial was determined, in a controlled ideal biometric environment. The mathematical difference between the iris code before and after the surgery was also compared to a subjective evaluation of the iris anatomy alteration by an experienced surgeon. Results A correlation between visible subjective iris texture alteration and mathematical difference was verified. We found only six cases in which the eye was no more recognizable, but these eyes were later reenrolled. The main anatomical changes that were found in the new impostor eyes are described. Conclusions Cataract surgeries change iris textures in such a way that iris recognition systems, which perform mathematical comparisons of textural biometric features, are able to detect these changes and sometimes even discard a pre-enrolled iris considering it an impostor. In our study, re-enrollment proved to be a feasible procedure. PMID:14748929

  16. Iris recognition as a biometric method after cataract surgery.

    PubMed

    Roizenblatt, Roberto; Schor, Paulo; Dante, Fabio; Roizenblatt, Jaime; Belfort, Rubens

    2004-01-28

    Biometric methods are security technologies, which use human characteristics for personal identification. Iris recognition systems use iris textures as unique identifiers. This paper presents an analysis of the verification of iris identities after intra-ocular procedures, when individuals were enrolled before the surgery. Fifty-five eyes from fifty-five patients had their irises enrolled before a cataract surgery was performed. They had their irises verified three times before and three times after the procedure, and the Hamming (mathematical) distance of each identification trial was determined, in a controlled ideal biometric environment. The mathematical difference between the iris code before and after the surgery was also compared to a subjective evaluation of the iris anatomy alteration by an experienced surgeon. A correlation between visible subjective iris texture alteration and mathematical difference was verified. We found only six cases in which the eye was no more recognizable, but these eyes were later reenrolled. The main anatomical changes that were found in the new impostor eyes are described. Cataract surgeries change iris textures in such a way that iris recognition systems, which perform mathematical comparisons of textural biometric features, are able to detect these changes and sometimes even discard a pre-enrolled iris considering it an impostor. In our study, re-enrollment proved to be a feasible procedure.

  17. Role of LTA4H Polymorphism in Tuberculosis-Associated Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome Occurrence and Clinical Severity in Patients Infected with HIV.

    PubMed

    Narendran, Gopalan; Kavitha, Dhanasekaran; Karunaianantham, Ramesh; Gil-Santana, Leonardo; Almeida-Junior, Jilson L; Reddy, Sirasanambatti Devarajulu; Kumar, Marimuthu Makesh; Hemalatha, Haribabu; Jayanthi, Nagesh Nalini; Ravichandran, Narayanan; Krishnaraja, Raja; Prabhakar, Angamuthu; Manoharan, Tamizhselvan; Nithyananthan, Lokeswaran; Arjunan, Gunasundari; Natrajan, Mohan; Swaminathan, Soumya; Andrade, Bruno B

    2016-01-01

    Paradoxical tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) is an inflammatory phenomenon complicating HIV management in coincidental tuberculosis (TB) infection, upon immune reconstitution driven by antiretroviral therapy (ART). Leukotriene A4 hydroxylase (LTA4H), an enzyme which converts LTA4 to LTB4, regulates the balance between the anti-inflammatory lipoxins and pro-inflammatory LTB4, with direct implications in TB-driven inflammation. In humans, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the LTA4H promoter which regulates its transcriptional activity (rs17525495) has been identified and described to impact clinical severity of TB presentation and response to corticosteroid therapy. Notably, the role of LTA4H on TB-IRIS has not been previously evaluated. Here, we performed an exploratory investigation testing the association of LTA4H polymorphism with respect to frequency of TB-IRIS occurrence and severity of TB-IRIS presentation in HIV-TB co-infected individuals. Genotypic evaluation of the LTA4H enzyme from available samples was retrospectively correlated with clinical data captured in case sheets including IRIS details. The cohort included patients recruited from a prospective cohort study nested within a randomized clinical trial (NCT0933790) of ART-naïve HIV+ patients with newly diagnosed rifampicin sensitive pulmonary TB in South India. Frequency of the wild type genotype (CC), as well as of the mutant genotypes (CT or TT) in the IRIS and non-IRIS patients was estimated. Comparative analyses were performed between wild genotype (CC) and the mutant genotypes (CT or TT) and tested for association between the LTA4H polymorphisms and IRIS incidence and clinical severity. A total of 142 eligible ART-naïve patients were included in the analyses. Eighty-six individuals exhibited the wild genotype (CC) while 56 had mutant genotypes (43-CT and only 13-TT). Variant allele frequency was 0.23 and 0.26 in non-IRIS group and in IRIS group, respectively. Upon ART initiation, 51 patients developed IRIS while 91 did not. IRIS incidence was 34% and 37% in the wild (CC) and mutant type (CT/TT), respectively (p = 0.858) with a higher frequency of severe IRIS presentation in the mutant genotype group compared to the wild type genotype (p = 0.0006). A logistic regression model confirmed the association between the presence of CT/TT genotypes and occurrence of severe IRIS. Corticosteroid therapy successfully resolved IRIS in all cases irrespective of the LTA4H genotype. A higher incidence of severe IRIS among patients with mutant LTA4H genotypes (CT and TT) was observed compared to the wild type, despite similar IRIS incidence and immune restoration in both groups. Steroids were effective in alleviating IRIS in all the genotypes.

  18. The role of BRCA1-IRIS in the development and progression of triple negative breast cancers in Egypt: possible link to disease early lesion.

    PubMed

    Bogan, Danielle; Meile, Lucio; El Bastawisy, Ahmed; Yousef, Hend F; Zekri, Abdel-Rahman N; Bahnassy, Abeer A; ElShamy, Wael M

    2017-05-12

    Breast cancer is the most globally diagnosed female cancer, with the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) being the most aggressive subtype of the disease. In this study we aimed at comparing the effect of BRCA1-IRIS overexpression on the clinico-pathological characteristics in breast cancer patients with TNBC or non-TNBC in the largest comprehensive cancer center in Egypt. To reach this goal, we conducted an observational study at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University (Cairo, Egypt). The data on all diagnosed breast cancer patients, between 2009 and 2012, were reviewed. BRCA1-IRIS expression measured using real time RT/PCR in these patients' tumor samples was correlated to tumor characteristics, such as to clinico-pathological features, therapeutic responses, and survival outcomes. 96 patients were enrolled and of these 45% were TNBC, and 55% were of other subtypes (hereafter, non-TNBC). All patients presented with invasive ductal carcinomas. No significant difference was observed for risk factors, such as age and menopausal status between the TNBC and the non-TNBC groups except after BRCA1-IRIS expression was factored in. The majority of the tumors in both groups were ≤5 cm at surgery (p = 0.013). However, in the TNBC group, ≤5 cm tumors were BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing, whereas in the non-TNBC group they were BRCA1-IRIS-negative (p = 0.00007). Most of the TNBC patients diagnosed with grade 1 or 2 were BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing, whereas non-TNBCs were IRIS-negative (p = 0.00035). No statistical significance was measured in patients diagnosed with grade 3 tumors. Statistically significant difference between TNBCs and non-TNBCs and tumor stage with regard to BRCA1-IRIS-overexpression was observed. Presence of axillary lymph node metastases was positively associated with BRCA1-IRIS overexpression in TNBC group, and with BRCA1-IRIS-negative status in the non-TNBC group (p = 0.00009). Relapse after chemotherapy (p < 0.00001), and local recurrence/distant metastasis after surgery (p = 0.0028) were more pronounced in TNBC patients with BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing tumors compared to non-TNBC patients. Finally, decreased disease-free survival in TNBC/BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing patients compared to TNBC/BRCA1-IRIS-negative patients, and decreased overall survival in TNBC as well as non-TNBC patients was driven by BRCA1-IRIS overexpression. TNBC/BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing tumors are more aggressive than TNBC/BRCA1-IRIS-negative or non-TNBC/BRCA1-IRIS-overexpressing or both negative tumors. Further studies are warranted to define whether BRCA1-IRIS drives the early TNBC lesions growth and dissemination and whether it could be used as a diagnostic biomarker and/or therapeutic target for these lesions at an early stage setting.

  19. Status Report on Activities of the Systems Assessment Task Force, OECD-NEA Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuels for LWRs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bragg-Sitton, Shannon Michelle

    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development /Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) Nuclear Science Committee approved the formation of an Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) for LWRs (EGATFL) in 2014. Chaired by Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology, the mandate for the EGATFL defines work under three task forces: (1) Systems Assessment, (2) Cladding and Core Materials, and (3) Fuel Concepts. Scope for the Systems Assessment task force (TF1) includes definition of evaluation metrics for ATF, technology readiness level definition, definition of illustrative scenarios for ATF evaluation, and identification of fuel performance and systemmore » codes applicable to ATF evaluation. The Cladding and Core Materials (TF2) and Fuel Concepts (TF3) task forces will identify gaps and needs for modeling and experimental demonstration; define key properties of interest; identify the data necessary to perform concept evaluation under normal conditions and illustrative scenarios; identify available infrastructure (internationally) to support experimental needs; and make recommendations on priorities. Where possible, considering proprietary and other export restrictions (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the Expert Group will facilitate the sharing of data and lessons learned across the international group membership. The Systems Assessment task force is chaired by Shannon Bragg-Sitton (Idaho National Laboratory [INL], U.S.), the Cladding Task Force is chaired by Marie Moatti (Electricite de France [EdF], France), and the Fuels Task Force is chaired by a Masaki Kurata (Japan Atomic Energy Agency [JAEA], Japan). The original Expert Group mandate was established for June 2014 to June 2016. In April 2016 the Expert Group voted to extend the mandate one additional year to June 2017 in order to complete the task force deliverables; this request was subsequently approved by the Nuclear Science Committee. This report provides an update on the status Systems Assessment Task Force activities.« less

  20. Morphological alterations within the peripheral fixation of the iris dilator muscle in eyes with pigmentary glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Flügel-Koch, Cassandra M; Tektas, Ozan Y; Kaufman, Paul L; Paulsen, Friedrich P; Lütjen-Drecoll, Elke

    2014-06-17

    To analyze the peripheral fixation of the iris dilator muscle in normal eyes and in eyes with pigmentary glaucoma (PG). Using 63 control eyes (age 18 months-99 years), the peripheral iris dilator was investigated by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Development was studied using 18 differently aged fetal eyes stained immunohistochemically against α-smooth muscle (SM) actin. The peripheral iris dilator muscle in PG was analyzed using semithin and ultrathin sections of six glutaraldehyde-fixed eyes from three donors aged 38, 62, and 74 years. In normal eyes, the peripheral end of the iris dilator muscle is arranged in a sphincter-like manner. Arcade-shaped tendinous connections associated with myofibroblasts (iridial strands) anchor the iris dilator within the elastic-fibromuscular ciliary meshwork that also serves as fixation area for the elastic tendons of the inner ciliary muscle portions. The iridial strands are innervated and can adapt their length during accommodation. The PG eyes show incomplete circular bundles and iridial strands that are mainly anchored to the iris stroma and the flexible uveal parts of the trabecular meshwork. The normal anchorage of the peripheral iris dilator and its presumably neuronally regulated length adaptation stabilize the peripheral iris during accommodation. Insufficient fixation in PG could promote posterior bowing of the iris with rubbing against the zonular fibers and pigment liberation from the iris pigmented epithelium. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  1. Fifth Report of the NASA Advisory Council Task Force on the Shuttle-Mir Rendezvous and Docking Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1995-01-01

    The NASA Advisory Council Task Force on the Shuttle-Mir rendezvous and docking missions examine a number of specific issues related to the Shuttle-Mir program. Three teams composed of Task Force members and technical advisors were formed to address the follow issues: preliminary results from STS-71 and the status of preparations for STS-74; NASA's presence in Russia; and NASA's automated data processing and telecommunications (ADP/T) infrastructure in Russia. The three review team reports have been included in the fifth report of the Task Force.

  2. Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-06-01

    18th ICCRTS “C2 in Underdeveloped, Degraded and Denied Operational Environments” Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...assess, evaluate and accredit the Swedish forces. This paper presents a Systemic Governance of Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes applied to the

  3. Coloboma of the iris

    MedlinePlus

    ... enable JavaScript. Coloboma of the iris is a hole or defect of the iris of the eye. Most colobomas are present since birth (congenital). Considerations Coloboma of the iris can look like a second pupil or a black notch at the edge of the pupil. This ...

  4. PLATEAU IRIS – DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

    PubMed Central

    Stefan, Cornel; Iliescu, Daniela Adriana; Batras, Mehdi; Timaru, Cristina Mihaela; De Simone, Algerino

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: The objective of our study was to review the current knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment options of plateau iris configuration and syndrome. Systematic review methodology: Relevant publications on plateau iris that were published until 2014. Conclusions: Plateau iris syndrome is a form of primary angle closure glaucoma caused by a large or anteriorly positioned ciliary body that leads to mechanical obstruction of trabecular meshwork. This condition is most often found in younger patients. Plateau iris has been considered an abnormal anatomic variant of the iris that can be diagnosed on ultrasound biomicroscopy or optical coherence tomography of anterior segment. Patients with plateau iris syndrome can be recognized by the lack of response in angle opening after iridotomy. The treatment of choice in these cases is argon laser peripheral iridoplasty PMID:27373109

  5. Transient expansion of activated CD8+ T cells characterizes tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in patients with HIV: a case control study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background CD4+ T cell activation indicators have been reported to be a common phenomenon underlying diverse manifestations of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). However, we have found that a high frequency of circulating CD8+ T cells is a specific risk factor for mycobacterial IRIS. Therefore, we investigated whether CD8+ T cells from patients who develop TB IRIS were specifically activated. Methods We obtained PBMCs from HIV+ patients prior to and 4, 8, 12, 24, 52 and 104 weeks after initiating antiretroviral therapy. CD38 and HLADR expression on naive, central memory and effector memory CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were determined by flow cytometry. Absolute counts and frequencies of CD8+ T cell subsets were compared between patients who developed TB IRIS, who developed other IRIS forms and who remained IRIS-free. Results TB IRIS patients showed significantly higher counts of naive CD8+ T cells than the other groups at most time points, with a contraction of the effector memory subpopulation occurring later in the follow-up period. Activated (CD38+ HLADR+) CD8+ T cells from all groups decreased with treatment but transiently peaked in TB IRIS patients. This increase was due to an increase in activated naive CD8+ T cell counts during IRIS. Additionally, the CD8+ T cell subpopulations of TB IRIS patients expressed HLADR without CD38 more frequently and expressed CD38 without HLADR less frequently than cells from other groups. Conclusions CD8+ T cell activation is specifically relevant to TB IRIS. Different IRIS forms may involve different alterations in T cell subsets, suggesting different underlying inflammatory processes. PMID:23688318

  6. Comparison of anterior segment optical coherence tomography angiography and fluorescein angiography for iris vasculature analysis.

    PubMed

    Zett, Claudio; Stina, Deborah M Rosa; Kato, Renata Tiemi; Novais, Eduardo Amorim; Allemann, Norma

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study is to perform imaging of irises of different colors using spectral domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography angiography (AS-OCTA) and iris fluorescein angiography (IFA) and compare their effectiveness in examining iris vasculature. This is a cross-sectional observational clinical study. Patients with no vascular iris alterations and different pigmentation levels were recruited. Participants were imaged using OCTA adapted with an anterior segment lens and IFA with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) adapted with an anterior segment lens. AS-OCTA and IFA images were then compared. Two blinded readers classified iris pigmentation and compared the percentage of visible vessels between OCTA and IFA images. Twenty eyes of 10 patients with different degrees of iris pigmentation were imaged using AS-OCTA and IFA. Significantly more visible iris vessels were observed using OCTA than using FA (W = 5.22; p < 0.001). Iris pigmentation was negatively correlated to the percentage of visible vessels in both imaging methods (OCTA, rho = - 0.73, p < 0.001; IFA, rho = - 0.77, p < 0.001). Unlike FA, AS-OCTA could not detect leakage of dye, delay, or impregnation. Nystagmus and inadequate fixation along with motion artifacts resulted in lower quality images in AS-OCTA than in IFA. AS-OCTA is a new imaging modality which allows analysis of iris vasculature. In both AS-OCTA and IFA, iris pigmentation caused vasculature imaging blockage, but AS-OCTA provided more detailed iris vasculature images than IFA. Additional studies including different iris pathologies are needed to determine the most optimal scanning parameters in OCTA of the anterior segment.

  7. Evaluation of pliers' grip spans in the maximum gripping task and sub-maximum cutting task.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dae-Min; Kong, Yong-Ku

    2016-12-01

    A total of 25 males participated to investigate the effects of the grip spans of pliers on the total grip force, individual finger forces and muscle activities in the maximum gripping task and wire-cutting tasks. In the maximum gripping task, results showed that the 50-mm grip span had significantly higher total grip strength than the other grip spans. In the cutting task, the 50-mm grip span also showed significantly higher grip strength than the 65-mm and 80-mm grip spans, whereas the muscle activities showed a higher value at 80-mm grip span. The ratios of cutting force to maximum grip strength were also investigated. Ratios of 30.3%, 31.3% and 41.3% were obtained by grip spans of 50-mm, 65-mm, and 80-mm, respectively. Thus, the 50-mm grip span for pliers might be recommended to provide maximum exertion in gripping tasks, as well as lower maximum-cutting force ratios in the cutting tasks.

  8. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and cancer screening among female Medicare beneficiaries.

    PubMed

    Salloum, Ramzi G; Kohler, Racquel E; Jensen, Gail A; Sheridan, Stacey L; Carpenter, William R; Biddle, Andrea K

    2014-03-01

    Medicare covers several cancer screening tests not currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). In September 2002, the Task Force relaxed the upper age limit of 70 years for breast cancer screening recommendations, and in March 2003 an upper age limit of 65 years was introduced for cervical cancer screening recommendations. We assessed whether mammogram and Pap test utilization among women with Medicare coverage is influenced by changes in the Task Force's recommendations for screening. We identified female Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-80 years and used bivariate probit regression to examine the receipt of breast (mammogram) and cervical (Pap test) cancer screening reflecting changes in the Task Force recommendations. We analyzed 9,760 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey responses from 2001 to 2007. More than two-thirds reported receiving a mammogram and more than one-third a Pap test in the previous 2 years. Lack of recommendation was given as a reason for not getting screened among the majority (51% for mammogram and 75% for Pap). After controlling for beneficiary-level socioeconomic characteristics and access to care factors, we did not observe a significant change in breast and cervical cancer screening patterns following the changes in Task Force recommendations. Although there is evidence that many Medicare beneficiaries adhere to screening guidelines, some women may be receiving non-recommended screening services covered by Medicare.

  9. Deficits in inhibitory force control in young adults with ADHD.

    PubMed

    Neely, Kristina A; Wang, Peiyuan; Chennavasin, Amanda P; Samimy, Shaadee; Tucker, Jacqueline; Merida, Andrea; Perez-Edgar, Koraly; Huang-Pollock, Cynthia

    2017-05-01

    Poor inhibitory control is a well-established cognitive correlate of adults with ADHD. However, the simple reaction time (RT) task used in a majority of studies records performance errors only via the presence or absence of a single key press. This all-or-nothing response makes it impossible to capture subtle differences in underlying processes that shape performance. Subsequently, all-or-nothing tasks may underestimate the prevalence of executive function deficits in ADHD. The current study measured inhibitory control using a standard Go/No-Go RT task and a more sensitive continuous grip force task among adults with (N=51, 22 female) and without (N=51, 29 female) ADHD. Compared to adults without ADHD, adults with ADHD made more failed inhibits in the classic Go/No-Go paradigm and produced greater and more variable force during motor inhibition. The amount of force produced on failed inhibits was a stronger predictor of ADHD-related symptoms than the number of commissions in the standard RT task. Adults with ADHD did not differ from those without ADHD on the mean force and variability of force produced in Go trials. These findings suggest that the use of a precise and continuous motor task, such as the force task used here, provides additional information about the nature of inhibitory motor control in adults with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. [Comparative clinical study of wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis with versus without iris recognition for myopia or myopic astigmatism].

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei-qun; Zhang, Jin-song; Zhao, Xiao-jin

    2011-10-01

    To explore the postoperative visual acuity results of wavefront-guided LASIK with iris recognition for myopia or myopic astigmatism and the changes of higher-order aberrations and contrast sensitivity function (CSF). Series of prospective case studies, 158 eyes (85 cases) of myopia or myopic astigmatism were divided into two groups: one group underwent wavefront-guided LASIK with iris recognition (iris recognition group); another group underwent wavefront-guided LASIK treatment without iris recognition through the limbus maring point (non-iris recognition group). To comparative analyze the postoperative visual acuity, residual refraction, the RMS of higher-order aberrations and CSF of two groups. There was no statistical significance difference between two groups of the average uncorrected visual acuity (t = 0.039, 0.058, 0.898; P = 0.844, 0.810, 0.343), best corrected visual acuity (t = 0.320, 0.440, 1.515; P = 0.572, 0.507, 0.218), and residual refraction [spherical equivalent (t = 0.027, 0.215, 0.238; P = 0.869, 0.643, 0.626), spherical (t = 0.145, 0.117, 0.038; P = 0.704, 0.732, 0.845) and cylinder (t = 1.676, 1.936, 0.334; P = 0.195, 0.164, 0.563)] at postoperative 10 days, 1 month and 3 month. The security index of iris recognition group at postoperative 3 month was 1.06 and non-iris recognition group was 1.03; the efficacy index of iris recognition group is 1.01 and non-iris recognition group was 1.00. Postoperative 3 month iris recognition group 93.83% eyes and non-iris recognition group of 90.91% eyes spherical equivalent within ± 0.50 D (χ(2) = 0.479, P = 0.489), iris recognition group of 98.77% eyes and non-iris recognition group of 97.40% eyes spherical equivalent within ± 1.00 D (Fisher test, P = 0.613). There was no significance difference between the two groups of security, efficacy and predictability. Non-iris recognition group postoperative 1 month and postoperative 3 months 3-order order aberrations root mean square value (RMS) higher than the iris recognition group increased (t = 3.414, -2.870; P = 0.027, 0.045), in particular of coma; the general higher-order aberrations (t = 0.386, 1.132; P = 0.719, 0.321), 4-order aberrations (t = 0.808, 2.720; P = 0.464, 0.063), and 5-order aberrations (t = 0.148, -1.717; P = 0.890, 0.161) show no statistically significant difference. Three months after surgery, two groups have recovered at all spatial frequencies of CSF, iris recognition group at 3.0 c/d (t = 3.209, P = 0.002) and 6.0 c/d (t = 2.997, P = 0.004) spatial frequencies of CSF under mesopic condition was better than non-iris recognition group, glare contrast sensitivity function (GCSF) for 3.0 c/d (t = 3.423, P = 0.001) and 6.0 c/d (t = 6.986, P = 0.000) spatial frequencies under mesopic condition and 1.5 c/d (t = 9.839, P = 0.000) and 3.0 c/d (t = 7.367, P = 0.000) spatial frequencies under photopic condition in iris recognition group were better than non-iris recognition group, there were no significant difference between two groups at the other spatial frequencies. Wavefront-guided LASIK with or without iris recognition both acquired better postoperative visual acuity, but in comparison with without iris recognition, wavefront-guided LASIK with iris recognition is efficient to reduce coma and enhance contrast sensitivity of postoperative.

  11. Improved iris localization by using wide and narrow field of view cameras for iris recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Yeong Gon; Shin, Kwang Yong; Park, Kang Ryoung

    2013-10-01

    Biometrics is a method of identifying individuals by their physiological or behavioral characteristics. Among other biometric identifiers, iris recognition has been widely used for various applications that require a high level of security. When a conventional iris recognition camera is used, the size and position of the iris region in a captured image vary according to the X, Y positions of a user's eye and the Z distance between a user and the camera. Therefore, the searching area of the iris detection algorithm is increased, which can inevitably decrease both the detection speed and accuracy. To solve these problems, we propose a new method of iris localization that uses wide field of view (WFOV) and narrow field of view (NFOV) cameras. Our study is new as compared to previous studies in the following four ways. First, the device used in our research acquires three images, one each of the face and both irises, using one WFOV and two NFOV cameras simultaneously. The relation between the WFOV and NFOV cameras is determined by simple geometric transformation without complex calibration. Second, the Z distance (between a user's eye and the iris camera) is estimated based on the iris size in the WFOV image and anthropometric data of the size of the human iris. Third, the accuracy of the geometric transformation between the WFOV and NFOV cameras is enhanced by using multiple matrices of the transformation according to the Z distance. Fourth, the searching region for iris localization in the NFOV image is significantly reduced based on the detected iris region in the WFOV image and the matrix of geometric transformation corresponding to the estimated Z distance. Experimental results showed that the performance of the proposed iris localization method is better than that of conventional methods in terms of accuracy and processing time.

  12. Differences in iris thickness among African Americans, Caucasian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Chinese Americans, and Filipino-Americans.

    PubMed

    Lee, Roland Y; Huang, Guofu; Porco, Travis C; Chen, Yi-Chun; He, Mingguang; Lin, Shan C

    2013-12-01

    To evaluate the capability of iris thickness parameters to explain the difference in primary angle-closure glaucoma prevalence among the different racial groups. In this prospective study, 436 patients with open and narrow angles that met inclusion criteria were consecutively recruited from the UCSF general ophthalmology and glaucoma clinics to receive anterior segment optical coherence tomography imaging under standardized dark conditions. Images from 11 patients were removed due to poor visibility of the scleral spurs and the remaining images were analyzed using the Zhongshan Angle Assessment Program to assess the following measurements for the nasal and temporal angle of the anterior chamber: iris thickness at 750 and 2000 μm from the scleral spurs and the maximum iris thickness at middle one third of the iris. Iris thickness parameters were compared among and within the following 5 different racial groups: African Americans, Caucasian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Chinese Americans, and Filipino-Americans. In comparing iris parameters among the open-angle racial groups, significant differences were found for nasal iris thickness at 750 and 2000 μm from the scleral spurs in which Chinese Americans displayed the highest mean value (P=0.01, P<0.0001). Among the narrow-angle racial groups, significant difference was found for nasal iris thickness at 2000 μm from the scleral in which Chinese Americans showed the highest mean value (P<0.0001). Significant difference was also found for temporal maximum iris thickness at middle one third of the iris in which African Americans exhibited the highest mean value (P=0.021). Iris thickness was modeled as a function of angle status using linear mixed-effects regression, adjusting for age, sex, pupil diameter, spherical equivalent, ethnicity, and the use of both eyes in patients. The iris thickness difference between the narrow-angle and open-angle groups was significant (P=0.0007). Racial groups that historically showed higher prevalence of primary angle-closure glaucoma possess thicker irides.

  13. Iris Damage Is Associated With Elevated Cytokine Levels in Aqueous Humor.

    PubMed

    Aketa, Naohiko; Yamaguchi, Takefumi; Suzuki, Terumasa; Higa, Kazunari; Yagi-Yaguchi, Yukari; Satake, Yoshiyuki; Tsubota, Kazuo; Shimazaki, Jun

    2017-05-01

    To evaluate the association between iris damage and cytokine levels in the aqueous humor (AqH). A total of 201 AqH samples from 201 consecutive patients (mean age 73.7 ± 10.6) were collected at the beginning of corneal transplantation or cataract surgery. Iris damage of each case was assessed from preoperative slit-lamp findings based on its severity. The subjects were classified into three groups: eyes without iris damage (126 eyes), eyes with mild iris damage (51 eyes), and eyes with severe iris damage (24 eyes). The levels of cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17a, interferon gamma-induced protein [IP]-10, monocyte chemotactic protein [MCP]-1, IFN-α, IFN-γ, macrophage inflammatory protein [MIP]-1α, MIP-1β, P-selectin, E-selectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule [sICAM]-1, TNF-α, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF]) in AqH were measured by multiplex beads immunoassay. The levels of aqueous protein, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, MCP-1, TNF-α, E-selectin, P-selectin, and sICAM-1 in eyes with mild and severe iris damage were higher than in those without iris damage (P < 0.033). Multivariate analyses of clinical factors revealed that iris damage was associated with the history of complicated glaucoma, and the number of previous intraocular surgeries. The levels of AqH IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, MIP-1α, TNF-α, and sICAM-1 were significantly elevated in eyes with mild and severe iris damage in phakic eyes, and the levels of AqH IL-8 and sICAM-1 were significantly elevated in eyes with severe iris damage in pseudophakic eyes, compared with the eyes without iris damage (P < 0.045). Iris damage was associated with the elevation in the levels of aqueous protein and cytokines.

  14. Estimation of lumbar spinal loading and trunk muscle forces during asymmetric lifting tasks: application of whole-body musculoskeletal modelling in OpenSim.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Zhang, Yanxin

    2017-04-01

    Large spinal compressive force combined with axial torsional shear force during asymmetric lifting tasks is highly associated with lower back injury (LBI). The aim of this study was to estimate lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces during symmetric lifting (SL) and asymmetric lifting (AL) tasks using a whole-body musculoskeletal modelling approach. Thirteen healthy males lifted loads of 7 and 12 kg under two lifting conditions (SL and AL). Kinematic data and ground reaction force data were collected and then processed by a whole-body musculoskeletal model. The results show AL produced a significantly higher peak lateral shear force as well as greater peak force of psoas major, quadratus lumborum, multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars lumborum, longissimus thoracis pars lumborum and external oblique than SL. The greater lateral shear forces combined with higher muscle force and asymmetrical muscle contractions may have the biomechanical mechanism responsible for the increased risk of LBI during AL. Practitioner Summary: Estimating lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces during free-dynamic asymmetric lifting tasks with a whole-body musculoskeletal modelling in OpenSim is the core value of this research. The results show that certain muscle groups are fundamentally responsible for asymmetric movement, thereby producing high lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces, which may increase risks of LBI during asymmetric lifting tasks.

  15. IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) (Public Comment Draft)

    EPA Science Inventory

    In September 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) released the draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE). Consistent with the 2013 IRIS Enhancements, draft IRIS assessments are released prior to e...

  16. IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY DOCUMENTS FOR BERYLLIUM AND COMPOUNDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA's assessment of the noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of Beryllium was added to the IRIS database in 1998. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for Beryllium. This update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assess...

  17. 78 FR 18426 - Proposed Information Collection (IRIS) Activity; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0619] Proposed Information Collection (IRIS... through the Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS). DATES: Written comments and recommendations on... information technology. Title: Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS), VA Form 0873. OMB Control Number...

  18. Finger Interdependence: Linking the Kinetic and Kinematic Variables

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sun Wook; Shim, Jae Kun; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

    2008-01-01

    We studied the dependence between voluntary motion of a finger and pressing forces produced by the tips of other fingers of the hand. Subjects moved one of the fingers (task finger) of the right hand trying to follow a cyclic, ramp-like flexion-extension template at different frequencies. The other fingers (slave fingers) were restricted from moving; their flexion forces were recorded and analyzed. Index finger motion caused the smallest force production by the slave fingers. Larger forces were produced by the neighbors of the task finger; these forces showed strong modulation over the range of motion of the task finger. The enslaved forces were higher during the flexion phase of the movement cycle as compared to the extension phase. The index of enslaving expressed in N/rad was higher when the task finger moved through the more flexed postures. The dependence of enslaving on both range and direction of task finger motion poses problems for methods of analysis of finger coordination based on an assumption of universal matrices of finger inter-dependence. PMID:18255182

  19. Deep learning architecture for iris recognition based on optimal Gabor filters and deep belief network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Fei; Han, Ye; Wang, Han; Ji, Jinchao; Liu, Yuanning; Ma, Zhiqiang

    2017-03-01

    Gabor filters are widely utilized to detect iris texture information in several state-of-the-art iris recognition systems. However, the proper Gabor kernels and the generative pattern of iris Gabor features need to be predetermined in application. The traditional empirical Gabor filters and shallow iris encoding ways are incapable of dealing with such complex variations in iris imaging including illumination, aging, deformation, and device variations. Thereby, an adaptive Gabor filter selection strategy and deep learning architecture are presented. We first employ particle swarm optimization approach and its binary version to define a set of data-driven Gabor kernels for fitting the most informative filtering bands, and then capture complex pattern from the optimal Gabor filtered coefficients by a trained deep belief network. A succession of comparative experiments validate that our optimal Gabor filters may produce more distinctive Gabor coefficients and our iris deep representations be more robust and stable than traditional iris Gabor codes. Furthermore, the depth and scales of the deep learning architecture are also discussed.

  20. The International Reference Ionosphere - Status 2013

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilitza, Dieter

    2015-04-01

    This paper describes the latest version of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model. IRI-2012 includes new models for the electron density and ion densities in the region below the F-peak, a storm-time model for the auroral E-region, an improved electron temperature model that includes variations with solar activity, and for the first time a description of auroral boundaries. In addition, the thermosphere model required for baseline neutral densities and temperatures was upgraded from MSIS-86 to the newer NRLMSIS-00 model and Corrected Geomagnetic coordinates (CGM) were included in IRI as an additional coordinate system for a better representation of auroral and polar latitudes. Ongoing IRI activities towards the inclusion of an improved model for the F2 peak height hmF2 are discussed as are efforts to develop a "Real-Time IRI". The paper is based on an IRI status report presented at the 2013 IRI Workshop in Olsztyn, Poland. The IRI homepage is at

Top