Application of Microsoft's ActiveX and DirectX technologies to the visulization of physical system dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, Christopher; Narasimhamurthi, Natarajan

1998-08-01

This paper discusses a specific implementation of a web and complement based simulation systems. The overall simulation container is implemented within a web page viewed with Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0 web browser. Microsoft's ActiveX/Distributed Component Object Model object interfaces are used in conjunction with the Microsoft DirectX graphics APIs to provide visualization functionality for the simulation. The MathWorks' Matlab computer aided control system design program is used as an ActiveX automation server to provide the compute engine for the simulations.

Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Architecture Goals/Objectives and Level 1 Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briones, Janette C.; Johnson, Sandra K.; VanDerAar, Lisa

2007-01-01

The Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Architecture Requirements Document provides the basis for the development of an open architecture for NASA Software Defined Radios (SDRs) for space use. The main objective of this document is to evaluate the goals and objectives and high level (Level 1) requirements that have bearing on the design of the architecture. The goals and objectives will provide broad, fundamental direction and purpose. The high level requirements (Level 1) intend to guide the broader and longer term aspects aspects of the SDR Architecture and provide guidance for the development of level 2 requirements.

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2003-11-25

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the biological object in a main magnetic field and in a radio frequency field, the main magnetic field having a static field direction; rotating the biological object at a rotational frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. According to another embodiment, the radio frequency is pulsed to provide a sequence capable of producing a spectrum that is substantially free of spinning sideband peaks.

Understanding Barriers for Communicating Injury Prevention Messages and Strategies Moving Forward: Perspectives from Community Stakeholders.

PubMed

Mack, Diane E; Aymar, Matt; Cosby, Jarold; Wilson, Philip M; Bradley, Christina; Walters Gray, Casey

2016-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to elicit the perspectives of direct care providers on barriers and facilitators to communicating injury prevention messages to parents/caregivers of children under 4 years of age. The secondary objective was to examine characteristics of an injury prevention messaging strategy preferred by direct care providers. This qualitative study was conducted across four regions in Ontario Canada. Fifty-nine direct care providers were purposefully sampled and data interpreted using focus group analysis. Transcripts were analyzed verbatim using content and discourse analysis. Several barriers to communicating injury prevention messages were identified encompassing (a) role, (b) parental, (c) social determinants, and (d) evidence impediments. In an effort to offset some of these barriers, participants endorsed the development of a tailored multicomponent injury prevention strategy adopting action-based messages. The results of this study provide an in-depth exploration of direct care providers perceptions that can inform the design of materials and dissemination strategies to help increase and optimize access to injury prevention information. Injury prevention messages should be action-oriented, specifically tailored to the stage of child development, and disseminated through both face-to-face interactions and mobile technology. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Object-Oriented Design for Sparse Direct Solvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobrian, Florin; Kumfert, Gary; Pothen, Alex

1999-01-01

We discuss the object-oriented design of a software package for solving sparse, symmetric systems of equations (positive definite and indefinite) by direct methods. At the highest layers, we decouple data structure classes from algorithmic classes for flexibility. We describe the important structural and algorithmic classes in our design, and discuss the trade-offs we made for high performance. The kernels at the lower layers were optimized by hand. Our results show no performance loss from our object-oriented design, while providing flexibility, case of use, and extensibility over solvers using procedural design.

Solid state optical microscope

DOEpatents

Young, I.T.

1983-08-09

A solid state optical microscope wherein wide-field and high-resolution images of an object are produced at a rapid rate by utilizing conventional optics with a charge-coupled photodiode array. A galvanometer scanning mirror, for scanning in one of two orthogonal directions is provided, while the charge-coupled photodiode array scans in the other orthogonal direction. Illumination light from the object is incident upon the photodiodes, creating packets of electrons (signals) which are representative of the illuminated object. The signals are then processed, stored in a memory, and finally displayed as a video signal. 2 figs.

Solid-state optical microscope

DOEpatents

Young, I.T.

1981-01-07

A solid state optical microscope is described wherein wide-field and high-resolution images of an object are produced at a rapid rate by utilizing conventional optics with a charge-coupled photodiode array. Means for scanning in one of two orthogonal directions are provided, while the charge-coupled photodiode array scans in the other orthogonal direction. Illumination light from the object is incident upon the photodiodes, creating packets of electrons (signals) which are representative of the illuminated object. The signals are then processed, stored in a memory, and finally displayed as a video signal.

Solid state optical microscope

DOEpatents

Young, Ian T.

1983-01-01

A solid state optical microscope wherein wide-field and high-resolution images of an object are produced at a rapid rate by utilizing conventional optics with a charge-coupled photodiode array. A galvanometer scanning mirror, for scanning in one of two orthogonal directions is provided, while the charge-coupled photodiode array scans in the other orthogonal direction. Illumination light from the object is incident upon the photodiodes, creating packets of electrons (signals) which are representative of the illuminated object. The signals are then processed, stored in a memory, and finally displayed as a video signal.

Construction engineering inspection direct cost survey.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

The objective of the study was to provide a rationale to Georgia Department of Transportation : (GDOT) for Direct Costs in terms of salary and wages charged by qualified independent : contractors performing Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) s...

Providing haptic feedback in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery: a direct optical force-sensing solution for haptic rendering of deformable bodies.

PubMed

Ehrampoosh, Shervin; Dave, Mohit; Kia, Michael A; Rablau, Corneliu; Zadeh, Mehrdad H

2013-01-01

This paper presents an enhanced haptic-enabled master-slave teleoperation system which can be used to provide force feedback to surgeons in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). One of the research goals was to develop a combined-control architecture framework that included both direct force reflection (DFR) and position-error-based (PEB) control strategies. To achieve this goal, it was essential to measure accurately the direct contact forces between deformable bodies and a robotic tool tip. To measure the forces at a surgical tool tip and enhance the performance of the teleoperation system, an optical force sensor was designed, prototyped, and added to a robot manipulator. The enhanced teleoperation architecture was formulated by developing mathematical models for the optical force sensor, the extended slave robot manipulator, and the combined-control strategy. Human factor studies were also conducted to (a) examine experimentally the performance of the enhanced teleoperation system with the optical force sensor, and (b) study human haptic perception during the identification of remote object deformability. The first experiment was carried out to discriminate deformability of objects when human subjects were in direct contact with deformable objects by means of a laparoscopic tool. The control parameters were then tuned based on the results of this experiment using a gain-scheduling method. The second experiment was conducted to study the effectiveness of the force feedback provided through the enhanced teleoperation system. The results show that the force feedback increased the ability of subjects to correctly identify materials of different deformable types. In addition, the virtual force feedback provided by the teleoperation system comes close to the real force feedback experienced in direct MIS. The experimental results provide design guidelines for choosing and validating the control architecture and the optical force sensor.

Directions 1984: State Community, Junior & Technical Colleges. Alabama's Commitment to Opportunity with Excellence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Postsecondary Education, Montgomery.

The report represents the objectives of Directions 1984, a comprehensive systemwide assessment and decision-making effort being undertaken by Alabama's two-year college system. Introductory material highlights the role of Alabama's two-year colleges in providing educational opportunities, explains the philosophy underpinning the Directions 1984…

Direct and indirect pathways for choosing objects and actions.

PubMed

Hikosaka, Okihide; Kim, Hyoung F; Amita, Hidetoshi; Yasuda, Masaharu; Isoda, Masaki; Tachibana, Yoshihisa; Yoshida, Atsushi

2018-02-23

A prominent target of the basal ganglia is the superior colliculus (SC) which controls gaze orientation (saccadic eye movement in primates) to an important object. This 'object choice' is crucial for choosing an action on the object. SC is innervated by the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) which is controlled mainly by the caudate nucleus (CD). This CD-SNr-SC circuit is sensitive to the values of individual objects and facilitates saccades to good objects. The object values are processed differently in two parallel circuits: flexibly by the caudate head (CDh) and stably by the caudate tail (CDt). To choose good objects, we need to reject bad objects. In fact, these contrasting functions are accomplished by the circuit originating from CDt: The direct pathway focuses on good objects and facilitates saccades to them; the indirect pathway focuses on bad objects and suppresses saccades to them. Inactivation of CDt deteriorated the object choice, because saccades to bad objects were no longer suppressed. This suggests that the indirect pathway is important for object choice. However, the direct and indirect pathways for 'object choice', which aim at the same action (i.e., saccade), may not work for 'action choice'. One possibility is that circuits controlling different actions are connected through the indirect pathway. Additional connections of the indirect pathway with brain areas outside the basal ganglia may also provide a wider range of behavioral choice. In conclusion, basal ganglia circuits are composed of the basic direct/indirect pathways and additional connections and thus have acquired multiple functions. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The potential of using the Ecosystem Approach in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Vlachopoulou, M; Coughlin, D; Forrow, D; Kirk, S; Logan, P; Voulvoulis, N

2014-02-01

The Ecosystem Approach provides a framework for looking at whole ecosystems in decision making to ensure that society can maintain a healthy and resilient natural environment now and for future generations. Although not explicitly mentioned in the Water Framework Directive, the Ecosystem Approach appears to be a promising concept to help its implementation, on the basis that there is a connection between the aims and objectives of the Directive (including good ecological status) and the provision of ecosystem services. In this paper, methodological linkages between the Ecosystem Approach and the Water Framework Directive have been reviewed and a framework is proposed that links its implementation to the Ecosystem Approach taking into consideration all ecosystem services and water management objectives. Individual River Basin Management Plan objectives are qualitatively assessed as to how strong their link is with individual ecosystem services. The benefits of using this approach to provide a preliminary assessment of how it could support future implementation of the Directive have been identified and discussed. Findings also demonstrate its potential to encourage more systematic and systemic thinking as it can provide a consistent framework for identifying shared aims and evaluating alternative water management scenarios and options in decision making. Allowing for a broad consideration of the benefits, costs and tradeoffs that occur in each case, this approach can further improve the economic case for certain measures, and can also help restore the shift in focus from strict legislative compliance towards a more holistic implementation that can deliver the wider aims and intentions of the Directive. © 2013.

THttpServer class in ROOT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamczewski-Musch, Joern; Linev, Sergey

2015-12-01

The new THttpServer class in ROOT implements HTTP server for arbitrary ROOT applications. It is based on Civetweb embeddable HTTP server and provides direct access to all objects registered for the server. Objects data could be provided in different formats: binary, XML, GIF/PNG, and JSON. A generic user interface for THttpServer has been implemented with HTML/JavaScript based on JavaScript ROOT development. With any modern web browser one could list, display, and monitor objects available on the server. THttpServer is used in Go4 framework to provide HTTP interface to the online analysis.

Multiplane optical microscope

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

Li, Tongcang; Ota, Sadao; Kim, Jeongmin

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to optical microscopy. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a sample holder, a first objective lens, a plurality of optical components, a second objective lens, and a mirror. The apparatus may directly image a cross-section of a sample oblique to or parallel to the optical axis of the first objective lens, without scanning.

23 CFR 660.503 - Objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... (DIRECT FEDERAL) Defense Access Roads § 660.503 Objectives. The defense access roads program provides a... needed for adequate highway service to defense and defense related installations; (b) New highways to replace those which must be closed to permit establishment or expansion of defense installations; (c...

23 CFR 660.503 - Objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... (DIRECT FEDERAL) Defense Access Roads § 660.503 Objectives. The defense access roads program provides a... needed for adequate highway service to defense and defense related installations; (b) New highways to replace those which must be closed to permit establishment or expansion of defense installations; (c...

23 CFR 660.503 - Objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... (DIRECT FEDERAL) Defense Access Roads § 660.503 Objectives. The defense access roads program provides a... needed for adequate highway service to defense and defense related installations; (b) New highways to replace those which must be closed to permit establishment or expansion of defense installations; (c...

23 CFR 660.503 - Objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... (DIRECT FEDERAL) Defense Access Roads § 660.503 Objectives. The defense access roads program provides a... needed for adequate highway service to defense and defense related installations; (b) New highways to replace those which must be closed to permit establishment or expansion of defense installations; (c...

23 CFR 660.503 - Objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... (DIRECT FEDERAL) Defense Access Roads § 660.503 Objectives. The defense access roads program provides a... needed for adequate highway service to defense and defense related installations; (b) New highways to replace those which must be closed to permit establishment or expansion of defense installations; (c...

Background oriented schlieren measurement of the refractive index field of air induced by a hot, cylindrical measurement object.

PubMed

Beermann, Rüdiger; Quentin, Lorenz; Pösch, Andreas; Reithmeier, Eduard; Kästner, Markus

2017-05-10

To optically capture the topography of a hot measurement object with high precision, the light deflection by the inhomogeneous refractive index field-induced by the heat transfer from the measurement object to the ambient medium-has to be considered. We used the 2D background oriented schlieren method with illuminated wavelet background, an optical flow algorithm, and Ciddor's equation to quantify the refractive index field located directly above a red-glowing, hot measurement object. A heat transfer simulation has been implemented to verify the magnitude and the shape of the measured refractive index field. Provided that no forced external flow is disturbing the shape of the convective flow originating from the hot object, a laminar flow can be observed directly above the object, resulting in a sharply bounded, inhomogeneous refractive index field.

Mental object rotation and the planning of hand movements.

PubMed

Wohlschläger, A

2001-05-01

Recently, we showed that the simultaneous execution of rotational hand movements interferes with mental object rotation, provided that the axes of rotation coincide in space. We hypothesized that mental object rotation and the programming of rotational hand movements share a common process presumably involved in action planning. Two experiments are reported here that show that the mere planning of a rotational hand movement is sufficient to cause interference with mental object rotation. Subjects had to plan different spatially directed hand movements that they were asked to execute only after they had solved a mental object rotation task. Experiment 1 showed that mental object rotation was slower if hand movements were planned in a direction opposite to the presumed mental rotation direction, but only if the axes of hand rotation and mental object rotation were parallel in space. Experiment 2 showed that this interference occurred independent of the preparatory hand movements observed in Experiment 1. Thus, it is the planning of hand movements and not their preparation or execution that interferes with mental object rotation. This finding underlines the idea that mental object rotation is an imagined (covert) action, rather than a pure visual-spatial imagery task, and that the interference between mental object rotation and rotational hand movements is an interference between goals of actions.

Directionally hiding objects and creating illusions above a carpet-like device by reflection holography

PubMed Central

Cheng, Qiluan; Wu, Kedi; Shi, Yile; Wang, Hui; Wang, Guo Ping

2015-01-01

Realization of a perfect invisibility cloak still challenges the current fabricating technologies. Most experiments, if not all, are hence focused on carpet cloaks because of their relatively low requirements to material properties. Nevertheless, present invisibility carpets are used to hide beneath objects. Here, we report a carpet-like device to directionally conceal objects and further to create illusions above it. The device is fabricated through recording a reflection hologram of objects and is used to produce a time-reversed signal to compensate for the information of the objects and further to create light field of another object so as to realize both functions of hiding the objects and creating illusions, respectively. The carpet-like device can work for macroscopic objects at visible wavelength as the distance between objects and device is at decimeter scale. Our carpet-like device to realizing invisibility and creating illusions may provide a robust way for crucial applications of magic camouflaging and anti-detection etc. PMID:25716451

Directionally hiding objects and creating illusions above a carpet-like device by reflection holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Qiluan; Wu, Kedi; Shi, Yile; Wang, Hui; Wang, Guo Ping

2015-02-01

Realization of a perfect invisibility cloak still challenges the current fabricating technologies. Most experiments, if not all, are hence focused on carpet cloaks because of their relatively low requirements to material properties. Nevertheless, present invisibility carpets are used to hide beneath objects. Here, we report a carpet-like device to directionally conceal objects and further to create illusions above it. The device is fabricated through recording a reflection hologram of objects and is used to produce a time-reversed signal to compensate for the information of the objects and further to create light field of another object so as to realize both functions of hiding the objects and creating illusions, respectively. The carpet-like device can work for macroscopic objects at visible wavelength as the distance between objects and device is at decimeter scale. Our carpet-like device to realizing invisibility and creating illusions may provide a robust way for crucial applications of magic camouflaging and anti-detection etc.

ON THE NATURE OF THE TERTIARY COMPANION TO FW TAU: ALMA CO OBSERVATIONS AND SED MODELING

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

Caceres, Claudio; Hardy, Adam; Schreiber, Matthias R.

2015-06-20

It is thought that planetary mass companions may form through gravitational disk instabilities or core accretion. Identifying such objects in the process of formation would provide the most direct test for the competing formation theories. One of the most promising candidates for a planetary mass object still in formation is the third object in the FW Tau system. We present here ALMA cycle 1 observations confirming the recently published 1.3 mm detection of a dust disk around this third object and present for the first time a clear detection of a single peak {sup 12}CO (2–1) line, providing direct evidencemore » for the simultaneous existence of a gas disk. We perform radiative transfer modeling of the third object in FW Tau and find that current observations are consistent with either a brown dwarf embedded in an edge-on disk or a planet embedded in a low inclination disk, which is externally irradiated by the binary companion. Further observations with ALMA, aiming for high SNR detections of non-contaminated gas lines, are required to conclusively unveil the nature of the third object in FW Tau.« less

Asymmetric Oscillation Distorts the Perceived Heaviness of Handheld Objects.

PubMed

Amemiya, T; Maeda, T

2008-01-01

Weight perception has been of great interest for over three centuries. Most research has been concerned with the weight of static objects, and some illusions have been discovered. Here, we show a new illusion related to the perception of the heaviness of oscillating objects. We performed experiments that involved comparing the weight of two objects of identical physical appearance but with different gross weights and oscillation patterns (vibrating vertically at frequencies of 5 or 9 cycles per second with symmetric and asymmetric acceleration patterns). The results show that the perceived weight of an object vibrating with asymmetric acceleration increases compared to that with symmetric acceleration when the acceleration peaks in the gravity direction. In contrast, almost no heaviness perception change was observed in the anti-gravity direction. We speculate that the reason for the divergence between these results is caused by the differential impact of these two hypothesized perceptual mechanisms as follows: the salience of pulse stimuli appears to have a strong influence in the gravity direction, whereas filling-in could explain our observations in the anti-gravity direction. The study of this haptic illusion can provide valuable insights into not only human perceptual mechanisms but into the design of ungrounded haptic interfaces.

Temple University Libraries in the Mid-Seventies: A Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitecki, Joseph Z.

Present central library operations are discussed in terms of emerging needs and possible direction for future development. Library objectives include acquiring and organizing relevant records of knowledge, and providing satisfactory information service standards. Issues relating to objectives include the library's involvement in planning and…

Object-Oriented Algorithm For Evaluation Of Fault Trees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson-Hine, F. A.; Koen, B. V.

1992-01-01

Algorithm for direct evaluation of fault trees incorporates techniques of object-oriented programming. Reduces number of calls needed to solve trees with repeated events. Provides significantly improved software environment for such computations as quantitative analyses of safety and reliability of complicated systems of equipment (e.g., spacecraft or factories).

36 CFR 218.8 - Filing an objection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Forest Service directives and land management plans, (3) Documents referenced by the Forest Service in... objection process. (b) Incorporation of documents by reference is not allowed, except for the following list of items which may be provided by including date, page, and section of the cited document. All other...

36 CFR 218.8 - Filing an objection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Forest Service directives and land management plans, (3) Documents referenced by the Forest Service in... objection process. (b) Incorporation of documents by reference is not allowed, except for the following list of items which may be provided by including date, page, and section of the cited document. All other...

36 CFR 218.8 - Filing an objection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Forest Service directives and land management plans, (3) Documents referenced by the Forest Service in... objection process. (b) Incorporation of documents by reference is not allowed, except for the following list of items which may be provided by including date, page, and section of the cited document. All other...

Forest residues management guidelines for the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

John M. Pierovich; Edward H. Clarke; Stewart G. Pickford; Franklin R. Ward

1975-01-01

Forest residues often require treatment to meet land management objectives. Guideline statements for managing forest residues are presented to provide direction for achieving these objectives. The latest research information and the best knowledge of experts in various land management disciplines were used to formulate these statements. A unique keying system is...

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2003-12-30

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. The object may be reoriented about the magic angle axis between three predetermined positions that are related to each other by 120.degree.. The main magnetic field may be rotated mechanically or electronically. Methods for magnetic resonance imaging of the object are also described.

Method for high resolution magnetic resonance analysis using magic angle technique

DOEpatents

Wind, Robert A.; Hu, Jian Zhi

2004-12-28

A method of performing a magnetic resonance analysis of a biological object that includes placing the object in a main magnetic field (that has a static field direction) and in a radio frequency field; rotating the object at a frequency of less than about 100 Hz around an axis positioned at an angle of about 54.degree.44' relative to the main magnetic static field direction; pulsing the radio frequency to provide a sequence that includes a phase-corrected magic angle turning pulse segment; and collecting data generated by the pulsed radio frequency. The object may be reoriented about the magic angle axis between three predetermined positions that are related to each other by 120.degree.. The main magnetic field may be rotated mechanically or electronically. Methods for magnetic resonance imaging of the object are also described.

Hot air heat gun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poston, Terry L.

1989-10-01

The invention relates generally to the art of self-contained heating devices and in particular to portable heating devices employing chemical reaction to produce heat. Currently, hand-held heat sources, capable of producing heat at a sufficiently high temperature to activate heat-shrink material, rely on either the combustion of flammable material or electrical power to provide energy for generating the required heat. An object of the present invention is to provide a portable device capable of providing sufficient heat to shrink heat-shrinkable tubing. A further object of the invention is to provide a non-flammable heat source suitable for use in the presence of explosive atmospheres. Still another object of the invention is to provide a portable hand-held device for generating heat which can be directed to a specific location on a work surface.

Development of an ATR Workbench for SAR Imagery

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-01

containing a representation of the object. Each image representation contains only a subset of information about t, and that information is often...GUI. In the case of HNeT under Windows, the native COM/ ActiveX automation interface is used. This provides Python with direct access to the many...that can contain other objects such as a menu bar, buttons, an image display area, text box etc. The library also provides an event handling mechanism

Object Recognition and Localization: The Role of Tactile Sensors

PubMed Central

Aggarwal, Achint; Kirchner, Frank

2014-01-01

Tactile sensors, because of their intrinsic insensitivity to lighting conditions and water turbidity, provide promising opportunities for augmenting the capabilities of vision sensors in applications involving object recognition and localization. This paper presents two approaches for haptic object recognition and localization for ground and underwater environments. The first approach called Batch Ransac and Iterative Closest Point augmented Particle Filter (BRICPPF) is based on an innovative combination of particle filters, Iterative-Closest-Point algorithm, and a feature-based Random Sampling and Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm for database matching. It can handle a large database of 3D-objects of complex shapes and performs a complete six-degree-of-freedom localization of static objects. The algorithms are validated by experimentation in ground and underwater environments using real hardware. To our knowledge this is the first instance of haptic object recognition and localization in underwater environments. The second approach is biologically inspired, and provides a close integration between exploration and recognition. An edge following exploration strategy is developed that receives feedback from the current state of recognition. A recognition by parts approach is developed which uses the BRICPPF for object sub-part recognition. Object exploration is either directed to explore a part until it is successfully recognized, or is directed towards new parts to endorse the current recognition belief. This approach is validated by simulation experiments. PMID:24553087

Report on the Audit of Foreign Direct Selling Costs

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-18

This is our final report on the Audit of Foreign Direct Selling Costs. The Contract Management Directorate made the audit from October 1989 to...The objective of the audit was to assess whether DoD regulations provided the appropriate incentives to stimulate exports by the. U.S. Defense

A Handbook for Programmers of Automated Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melching, William H.; And Others

U.S. Army service schools have been directed (USONARC Directive 350-34, Education and Training, New Instructional Techniques) to initiate development of automated courses of instruction in their curriculum. Programers and training supervisors are provided with procedural guidelines for the derivation of learning objectives and for the use of…

Direct-to-digital holography and holovision

DOEpatents

Thomas, Clarence E.; Baylor, Larry R.; Hanson, Gregory R.; Rasmussen, David A.; Voelkl, Edgar; Castracane, James; Simkulet, Michelle; Clow, Lawrence

2000-01-01

Systems and methods for direct-to-digital holography are described. An apparatus includes a laser; a beamsplitter optically coupled to the laser; a reference beam mirror optically coupled to the beamsplitter; an object optically coupled to the beamsplitter, a focusing lens optically coupled to both the reference beam mirror and the object; and a digital recorder optically coupled to the focusing lens. A reference beam is incident upon the reference beam mirror at a non-normal angle, and the reference beam and an object beam are focused by the focusing lens at a focal plane of the digital recorder to form an image. The systems and methods provide advantages in that computer assisted holographic measurements can be made.

Origin and Future of Plasmonic Optical Tweezers

PubMed Central

Huang, Jer-Shing; Yang, Ya-Tang

2015-01-01

Plasmonic optical tweezers can overcome the diffraction limits of conventional optical tweezers and enable the trapping of nanoscale objects. Extension of the trapping and manipulation of nanoscale objects with nanometer position precision opens up unprecedented opportunities for applications in the fields of biology, chemistry and statistical and atomic physics. Potential applications include direct molecular manipulation, lab-on-a-chip applications for viruses and vesicles and the study of nanoscale transport. This paper reviews the recent research progress and development bottlenecks and provides an overview of possible future directions in this field. PMID:28347051

Origin and Future of Plasmonic Optical Tweezers.

PubMed

Huang, Jer-Shing; Yang, Ya-Tang

2015-06-12

Plasmonic optical tweezers can overcome the diffraction limits of conventional optical tweezers and enable the trapping of nanoscale objects. Extension of the trapping and manipulation of nanoscale objects with nanometer position precision opens up unprecedented opportunities for applications in the fields of biology, chemistry and statistical and atomic physics. Potential applications include direct molecular manipulation, lab-on-a-chip applications for viruses and vesicles and the study of nanoscale transport. This paper reviews the recent research progress and development bottlenecks and provides an overview of possible future directions in this field.

Knowledge of Metabolic Syndrome in Chinese Adults: Implications for Health Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Sally Wai Sze; Chair, Sek Ying; Lee, Iris Fung Kam

2016-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess knowledge of metabolic syndrome (MS) among Chinese adults and provide directions for designing healthcare promotion schemes for improving MS awareness in the community. Design: The study adopted a cross-sectional design and a convenience sampling method. Method: Chinese adults aged 18-65 years…

Computerized training management system

DOEpatents

Rice, H.B.; McNair, R.C.; White, K.; Maugeri, T.

1998-08-04

A Computerized Training Management System (CTMS) is disclosed for providing a procedurally defined process that is employed to develop accreditable performance based training programs for job classifications that are sensitive to documented regulations and technical information. CTMS is a database that links information needed to maintain a five-phase approach to training-analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation independent of training program design. CTMS is designed using R-Base{trademark}, an-SQL compliant software platform. Information is logically entered and linked in CTMS. Each task is linked directly to a performance objective, which, in turn, is linked directly to a learning objective; then, each enabling objective is linked to its respective test items. In addition, tasks, performance objectives, enabling objectives, and test items are linked to their associated reference documents. CTMS keeps all information up to date since it automatically sorts, files and links all data; CTMS includes key word and reference document searches. 18 figs.

Computerized training management system

DOEpatents

Rice, Harold B.; McNair, Robert C.; White, Kenneth; Maugeri, Terry

1998-08-04

A Computerized Training Management System (CTMS) for providing a procedurally defined process that is employed to develop accreditable performance based training programs for job classifications that are sensitive to documented regulations and technical information. CTMS is a database that links information needed to maintain a five-phase approach to training-analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation independent of training program design. CTMS is designed using R-Base.RTM., an-SQL compliant software platform. Information is logically entered and linked in CTMS. Each task is linked directly to a performance objective, which, in turn, is linked directly to a learning objective; then, each enabling objective is linked to its respective test items. In addition, tasks, performance objectives, enabling objectives, and test items are linked to their associated reference documents. CTMS keeps all information up to date since it automatically sorts, files and links all data; CTMS includes key word and reference document searches.

Communicating shared knowledge in infancy.

PubMed

Egyed, Katalin; Király, Ildikó; Gergely, György

2013-07-01

Object-directed emotion expressions provide two types of information: They can convey the expressers' person-specific subjective disposition toward objects, or they can be used communicatively as referential symbolic devices to convey culturally shared valence-related knowledge about referents that can be generalized to other individuals. By presenting object-directed emotion expressions in communicative versus noncommunicative contexts, we demonstrated that 18-month-olds can flexibly assign either a person-centered interpretation or an object-centered interpretation to referential emotion displays. When addressed by ostensive signals of communication, infants generalized their object-centered interpretation of the emotion display to other individuals as well, whereas in the noncommunicative emotion-expression context, they attributed to the emoting agent a person-specific subjective dispositional attitude without generalizing this attribution as relevant to other individuals. The findings indicate that, as proposed by natural pedagogy theory, infants are prepared to learn shared cultural knowledge from nonverbal communicative demonstrations addressed to them at a remarkably early age.

Illumination and radiative cooling

DOEpatents

Fan, Shanhui; Raman, Aaswath Pattabhi; Zhu, Linxiao; Rephaeli, Eden

2018-03-20

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing and/or controlling electromagnetic radiation. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a first structure that contains an object, and a second structure that is transparent at solar wavelengths and emissive in the atmospheric electromagnetic radiation transparency window. The second structure operates with the first structure to pass light into the first structure for illuminating the object, and to radiatively cool the object while preserving the object's color.

Microscopy imaging device with advanced imaging properties

DOEpatents

Ghosh, Kunal; Burns, Laurie; El Gamal, Abbas; Schnitzer, Mark J.; Cocker, Eric; Ho, Tatt Wei

2015-11-24

Systems, methods and devices are implemented for microscope imaging solutions. One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed toward an epifluorescence microscope. The microscope includes an image capture circuit including an array of optical sensor. An optical arrangement is configured to direct excitation light of less than about 1 mW to a target object in a field of view of that is at least 0.5 mm.sup.2 and to direct epi-fluorescence emission caused by the excitation light to the array of optical sensors. The optical arrangement and array of optical sensors are each sufficiently close to the target object to provide at least 2.5 .mu.m resolution for an image of the field of view.

Microscopy imaging device with advanced imaging properties

DOEpatents

Ghosh, Kunal; Burns, Laurie; El Gamal, Abbas; Schnitzer, Mark J.; Cocker, Eric; Ho, Tatt Wei

2016-10-25

Systems, methods and devices are implemented for microscope imaging solutions. One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed toward an epifluorescence microscope. The microscope includes an image capture circuit including an array of optical sensor. An optical arrangement is configured to direct excitation light of less than about 1 mW to a target object in a field of view of that is at least 0.5 mm.sup.2 and to direct epi-fluorescence emission caused by the excitation light to the array of optical sensors. The optical arrangement and array of optical sensors are each sufficiently close to the target object to provide at least 2.5 .mu.m resolution for an image of the field of view.

Microscopy imaging device with advanced imaging properties

DOEpatents

Ghosh, Kunal; Burns, Laurie; El Gamal, Abbas; Schnitzer, Mark J.; Cocker, Eric; Ho, Tatt Wei

2016-11-22

Systems, methods and devices are implemented for microscope imaging solutions. One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed toward an epifluorescence microscope. The microscope includes an image capture circuit including an array of optical sensor. An optical arrangement is configured to direct excitation light of less than about 1 mW to a target object in a field of view of that is at least 0.5 mm.sup.2 and to direct epi-fluorescence emission caused by the excitation light to the array of optical sensors. The optical arrangement and array of optical sensors are each sufficiently close to the target object to provide at least 2.5 .mu.m resolution for an image of the field of view.

Microscopy imaging device with advanced imaging properties

DOEpatents

Ghosh, Kunal; Burns, Laurie; El Gamal, Abbas; Schnitzer, Mark J.; Cocker, Eric; Ho, Tatt Wei

2017-04-25

Systems, methods and devices are implemented for microscope imaging solutions. One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed toward an epifluorescence microscope. The microscope includes an image capture circuit including an array of optical sensor. An optical arrangement is configured to direct excitation light of less than about 1 mW to a target object in a field of view of that is at least 0.5 mm.sup.2 and to direct epi-fluorescence emission caused by the excitation light to the array of optical sensors. The optical arrangement and array of optical sensors are each sufficiently close to the target object to provide at least 2.5 .mu.m resolution for an image of the field of view.

Method and system for producing lower alcohols. [Heteropolyatomic lead salt coated with alkali metal formate

DOEpatents

Rathke, J.W.; Klingler, R.J.; Heiberger, J.J.

1983-09-26

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved catalyst for the reaction of carbon monoxide with water to produce methanol and other lower alcohols. It is a further object to provide a process for the production of methanol from carbon monoxide and water in which a relatively inexpensive catalyst permits the reaction at low pressures. It is also an object to provide a process for the production of methanol from carbon monoxide and water in which a relatively inexpensive catalyst permits the reaction at low pressures. It is also an object to provide a process for the production of methanol in which ethanol is also directly produced. It is another object to provide a process for the production of mixtures of methanol with ethanol and propanol from the reaction of carbon monoxide and water at moderate pressure with inexpensive catalysts. It is likewise an object to provide a system for the catalytic production of lower alcohols from the reaction of carbon monoxide and water at moderate pressure with inexpensive catalysts. In accordance with the present invention, a catalyst is provided for the reaction of carbon monoxide and water to produce lower alcohols. The catalyst includes a lead heteropolyatomic salt in mixture with a metal formate or a precursor to a metal formate.

Defining Quality in Undergraduate Education: Directions for Future Research Informed by a Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Alison W.; Ranganathan, Shyam; Simmons, Denise R.

2018-01-01

Objectives: This research brief explores the literature addressing quality in undergraduate education to identify what previous research has said about quality and to offer future directions for research on quality in undergraduate education. Method: We conducted a scoping review to provide a broad overview of existing research. Using targeted…

Joint Attention without Gaze Following: Human Infants and Their Parents Coordinate Visual Attention to Objects through Eye-Hand Coordination

PubMed Central

Yu, Chen; Smith, Linda B.

2013-01-01

The coordination of visual attention among social partners is central to many components of human behavior and human development. Previous research has focused on one pathway to the coordination of looking behavior by social partners, gaze following. The extant evidence shows that even very young infants follow the direction of another's gaze but they do so only in highly constrained spatial contexts because gaze direction is not a spatially precise cue as to the visual target and not easily used in spatially complex social interactions. Our findings, derived from the moment-to-moment tracking of eye gaze of one-year-olds and their parents as they actively played with toys, provide evidence for an alternative pathway, through the coordination of hands and eyes in goal-directed action. In goal-directed actions, the hands and eyes of the actor are tightly coordinated both temporally and spatially, and thus, in contexts including manual engagement with objects, hand movements and eye movements provide redundant information about where the eyes are looking. Our findings show that one-year-olds rarely look to the parent's face and eyes in these contexts but rather infants and parents coordinate looking behavior without gaze following by attending to objects held by the self or the social partner. This pathway, through eye-hand coupling, leads to coordinated joint switches in visual attention and to an overall high rate of looking at the same object at the same time, and may be the dominant pathway through which physically active toddlers align their looking behavior with a social partner. PMID:24236151

Capture of visual direction in dynamic vergence is reduced with flashed monocular lines.

PubMed

Jaschinski, Wolfgang; Jainta, Stephanie; Schürer, Michael

2006-08-01

The visual direction of a continuously presented monocular object is captured by the visual direction of a closely adjacent binocular object, which questions the reliability of nonius lines for measuring vergence. This was shown by Erkelens, C. J., and van Ee, R. (1997a,b) [Capture of the visual direction: An unexpected phenomenon in binocular vision. Vision Research, 37, 1193-1196; Capture of the visual direction of monocular objects by adjacent binocular objects. Vision Research, 37, 1735-1745] stimulating dynamic vergence by a counter phase oscillation of two square random-dot patterns (one to each eye) that contained a smaller central dot-free gap (of variable width) with a vertical monocular line oscillating in phase with the random-dot pattern of the respective eye; subjects adjusted the motion-amplitude of the line until it was perceived as (nearly) stationary. With a continuously presented monocular line, we replicated capture of visual direction provided the dot-free gap was narrow: the adjusted motion-amplitude of the line was similar as the motion-amplitude of the random-dot pattern, although large vergence errors occurred. However, when we flashed the line for 67 ms at the moments of maximal and minimal disparity of the vergence stimulus, we found that the adjusted motion-amplitude of the line was smaller; thus, the capture effect appeared to be reduced with flashed nonius lines. Accordingly, we found that the objectively measured vergence gain was significantly correlated (r=0.8) with the motion-amplitude of the flashed monocular line when the separation between the line and the fusion contour was at least 32 min arc. In conclusion, if one wishes to estimate the dynamic vergence response with psychophysical methods, effects of capture of visual direction can be reduced by using flashed nonius lines.

Bridging the gap between the Babinet principle and the physical optics approximation: Vectorial problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubické, Gildas; Bourlier, Christophe; Delahaye, Morgane; Corbel, Charlotte; Pinel, Nicolas; Pouliguen, Philippe

2013-09-01

For a three-dimensional problem and by assuming perfectly electric conducting objects, this paper shows that the Babinet principle (BP) can be derived from the physical optics (PO) approximation. Indeed, following the same idea as Ufimtsev, from the PO approximation and in the far-field zone, the field scattered by an object can be split up into a field which mainly contributes around the specular direction (illuminated zone) and a field which mainly contributes around the forward direction (shadowed zone), which is strongly related to the scattered field obtained from the BP. The only difference resides in the integration surface. We show mathematically that the involved integral does not depend on the shape of the object but only on its contour. Simulations are provided to illustrate the link between BP and PO. The main gain of this work is that it provides a more complete physical insight into the connection between PO and BP.

Manitoba Physical Fitness Performance Test Manual and Fitness Objectives for Manitoba Youth 5-18 Years of Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manitoba Dept. of Education, Winnipeg.

The physical fitness and lifestyle of Canadian school children has been deteriorating in recent years. The main objectives of physical education are directed toward the development of physical fitness and a positive lifestyle. This manual provides an opportunity for measuring the components of physical fitness. Physical fitness testing involves…

Tunnel effect measuring systems and particle detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, William J. (Inventor); Waltman, Steven B. (Inventor); Kenny, Thomas W. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Methods and apparatus for measuring gravitational and inertial forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on an object or fluid in space provide an electric tunneling current through a gap between an electrode and that object or fluid in space and vary that gap with any selected one of such forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on that object or fluid. These methods and apparatus sense a corresponding variation in an electric property of that gap and determine the latter force, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy in response to that corresponding variation, and thereby sense or measure such parameters as acceleration, position, particle mass, velocity, magnetic field strength, presence or direction, or wave or radiant energy intensity, presence or direction.

Tunnel effect measuring systems and particle detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, William J. (Inventor); Waltman, Steven B. (Inventor); Kenny, Thomas W. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Methods and apparatus for measuring gravitational and inertial forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on an object or fluid in space provide an electric tunneling current through a gap between an electrode and that object or fluid in space and vary that gap with any selected one of such forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on that object or fluid. These methods and apparatus sense a corresponding variation in an electric property of that gap and determine the latter force, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy in response to that corresponding variation, and thereby sense or measure such parameters as acceleration, position, particle mass, velocity, magnetic field strength, presence or direction, or wave or radiant energy intensity, presence or direction.

Edge detection based on computational ghost imaging with structured illuminations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Sheng; Xiang, Dong; Liu, Xuemei; Zhou, Xin; Bing, Pibin

2018-03-01

Edge detection is one of the most important tools to recognize the features of an object. In this paper, we propose an optical edge detection method based on computational ghost imaging (CGI) with structured illuminations which are generated by an interference system. The structured intensity patterns are designed to make the edge of an object be directly imaged from detected data in CGI. This edge detection method can extract the boundaries for both binary and grayscale objects in any direction at one time. We also numerically test the influence of distance deviations in the interference system on edge extraction, i.e., the tolerance of the optical edge detection system to distance deviation. Hopefully, it may provide a guideline for scholars to build an experimental system.

Tunnel effect wave energy detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaiser, William J. (Inventor); Waltman, Steven B. (Inventor); Kenny, Thomas W. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

Methods and apparatus for measuring gravitational and inertial forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on an object or fluid in space provide an electric tunneling current through a gap between an electrode and that object or fluid in space and vary that gap with any selected one of such forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on that object or fluid. These methods and apparatus sense a corresponding variation in an electric property of that gap and determine the latter force, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy in response to that corresponding variation, and thereby sense or measure such parameters as acceleration, position, particle mass, velocity, magnetic field strength, presence or direction, or wave or radiant energy intensity, presence or direction.

Synthetic guide star generation

DOEpatents

Payne, Stephen A [Castro Valley, CA; Page, Ralph H [Castro Valley, CA; Ebbers, Christopher A [Livermore, CA; Beach, Raymond J [Livermore, CA

2008-06-10

A system for assisting in observing a celestial object and providing synthetic guide star generation. A lasing system provides radiation at a frequency at or near 938 nm and radiation at a frequency at or near 1583 nm. The lasing system includes a fiber laser operating between 880 nm and 960 nm and a fiber laser operating between 1524 nm and 1650 nm. A frequency-conversion system mixes the radiation and generates light at a frequency at or near 589 nm. A system directs the light at a frequency at or near 589 nm toward the celestial object and provides synthetic guide star generation.

Synthetic guide star generation

DOEpatents

Payne, Stephen A.; Page, Ralph H.; Ebbers, Christopher A.; Beach, Raymond J.

2004-03-09

A system for assisting in observing a celestial object and providing synthetic guide star generation. A lasing system provides radiation at a frequency at or near 938 nm and radiation at a frequency at or near 1583 nm. The lasing system includes a fiber laser operating between 880 nm and 960 nm and a fiber laser operating between 1524 nm and 1650 nm. A frequency-conversion system mixes the radiation and generates light at a frequency at or near 589 nm. A system directs the light at a frequency at or near 589 nm toward the celestial object and provides synthetic guide star generation.

A Contingency Management Intervention for Adolescent Marijuana Abuse and Conduct Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamon, Jody; Budney, Alan; Stanger, Catherine

2005-01-01

Objective: To describe an innovative treatment for adolescent marijuana abuse and provide initial information about its feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy. Method: Provided an intervention composed of (1) a clinic-administered, abstinence-based incentive program; (2) parent-directed contingency management targeting substance use…

Building MapObjects attribute field in cadastral database based on the method of Jackson system development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhu-an; Zhang, Li-ting; Liu, Lu

2009-10-01

ESRI's GIS components MapObjects are applied in many cadastral information system because of its miniaturization and flexibility. Some cadastral information was saved in cadastral database directly by MapObjects's Shape file format in this cadastral information system. However, MapObjects didn't provide the function of building attribute field for map layer's attribute data file in cadastral database and user cann't save the result of analysis. This present paper designed and realized the function of building attribute field in MapObjects based on the method of Jackson's system development.

Welfare to Work. JOBS Automated Systems Do Not Focus on Program's Employment Objective. Report to Congressional Requesters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Accounting and Information Management Div.

A study examined states' development of automated systems for the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program administered by the states, with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) responsible for program oversight and direction. Results indicated that ACF had not provided direction and focus in its systems development guidance…

Teaching Applied Behavior Analysis Knowledge Competencies to Direct-Care Service Providers: Outcome Assessment and Social Validation of a Training Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luiselli, James K.; Bass, Jennifer D.; Whitcomb, Sara A.

2010-01-01

Staff training is a critical performance improvement objective within behavioral health care organizations. This study evaluated a systematic training program for teaching applied behavior analysis knowledge competencies to newly hired direct-care employees at a day and residential habilitation services agency for adults with intellectual and…

48 CFR 35.002 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... program and must provide an environment in which the work can be pursued with reasonable flexibility and... are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance...

72-directional display having VGA resolution for high-appearance image generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaki, Yasuhiro; Dairiki, Takeshi

2006-02-01

The high-density directional display, which was originally developed in order to realize a natural 3D display, is not only a 3D display but also a high-appearance display. The appearances of objects, such as glare and transparency, are the results of the reflection and the refraction of rays. The faithful reproduction of such appearances of objects is impossible using conventional 2D displays because rays diffuse on the display screen. The high-density directional display precisely controls the horizontal ray directions so that it can reproduce the appearances of objects. The fidelity of the reproduction of object appearances depends on the ray angle sampling pitch. The angle sampling pitch is determined by considering the human eye imaging system. In the present study the high-appearance display which has the resolution of 640×400 and emits rays in 72 different horizontal directions with the angle pitch of 0.38° was constructed. Two 72-directional displays were combined, each of which consisted of a high-resolution LCD panel (3,840×2,400) and a slanted lenticular sheet. Two images produced by two displays were superimposed by a half mirror. A slit array was placed at the focal plane of the lenticular sheet for each display to reduce the horizontal image crosstalk in the combined image. The impression analysis shows that the high-appearance display provides higher appearances and presence than the conventional 2D displays do.

1973 Rural Manpower Report. [North Dakota]. ES-225F.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Dakota State Employment Security Bureau, Bismarck. Employment Service Div.

The Rural Manpower Service's objective is to provide the State's rural people "equity of access" to all programs administered by the North Dakota Employment Security Bureau. It provides services to agriculture, business, government, and workers in meeting their employment and manpower needs. Functional supervision and direction to the…

A QUANTITATIVE MEASURE FOR PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HOLLAND, JAMES G.

IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE MEANS FOR IDENTIFYING THE DEGREE TO WHICH MATERIAL CAN BE TECHNICALLY TERMED "PROGRAMMED", THE SO-CALLED "BLACKOUT" TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. ALL WORDS IN A PROGRAM WHICH ARE NOT DIRECTLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED ANSWERS ARE COVERED WITH BLACK CRAYON, AND THIS EDITED…

Fly Eye radar: detection through high scattered media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molchanov, Pavlo; Gorwara, Ashok

2017-05-01

Longer radio frequency waves better penetrating through high scattered media than millimeter waves, but imaging resolution limited by diffraction at longer wavelength. Same time frequency and amplitudes of diffracted waves (frequency domain measurement) provides information of object. Phase shift of diffracted waves (phase front in time domain) consists information about shape of object and can be applied for reconstruction of object shape or even image by recording of multi-frequency digital hologram. Spectrum signature or refracted waves allows identify the object content. Application of monopulse method with overlap closely spaced antenna patterns provides high accuracy measurement of amplitude, phase, and direction to signal source. Digitizing of received signals separately in each antenna relative to processor time provides phase/frequency independence. Fly eye non-scanning multi-frequency radar system provides simultaneous continuous observation of multiple targets and wide possibilities for stepped frequency, simultaneous frequency, chaotic frequency sweeping waveform (CFS), polarization modulation for reliable object detection. Proposed c-band fly eye radar demonstrated human detection through 40 cm concrete brick wall with human and wall material spectrum signatures and can be applied for through wall human detection, landmines, improvised explosive devices detection, underground or camouflaged object imaging.

Using Actigraphy and mHealth Systems for an Objective Analysis of Sleep Quality on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients.

PubMed

Balderas-Díaz, Sara; Martínez, M Pilar; Guerrero-Contreras, Gabriel; Miró, Elena; Benghazi, Kawtar; Sánchez, Ana I; Garrido, José Luis; Prados, Germán

2017-03-23

Although sleep alterations can be an important factor contributing to the clinical state of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, there are no studies to adequately assess sleep quality in this type of disease. The aim of this work is to analyse the sleep quality of Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) patients based on more objective information provided by actigraphy and mobile systems. The idea is to carry out a comprehensive study by analysing how environmental conditions and factors can affect sleep quality. In traditional methods the information for assessing sleep quality is obtained through questionnaires. In this work, a novel method is proposed by combining these questionnaires that provide valuable but subjective information with actigraphy and a mobile system to collect more objective information about the patient and their environment. The method provides mechanisms to detect how sleep hygiene could be associated directly with the sleep quality of the subjects, in order to provide a custom intervention to SLE patients. Moreover, this alternative provides ease of use, and non-intrusive ICT (Information and Communication Technology) through a wristband and a mHealth system. The mHealth system has been developed for environmental conditions sensing. This consists of a mobile device with built-in sensors providing input data about the bedroom environment during sleep, and a set of services of the Environmental Monitoring System for properly managing the configuration, registration and fusion of those input data. In previous studies, this information has never been taken into account. However, the information could be relevant in the case of SLE patients. The sample is composed of 9 women with SLE and 11 matched controls with a mean age of 35.78 and 32.18, respectively. Demographic and clinical variables between SLE patients and healthy controls are compared using the Fisher exact test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Relationships between psychological variables, actigraphy measures, and variables related to environmental conditions are analysed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The SLE group showed poorer sleep quality, and more pain intensity, fatigue and depression than the healthy controls. Significant differences between SLE women and healthy controls in measures of actigraphy were not found. However, the fusion of the measures of the environmental conditions that were collected by the mobile system and actigraphy, has shown that light, and more specifically temperature have a direct relation with several measures of actigraphy which are related to sleep quality. It should be emphasize this result because usually the sleep problems are assessment through self-reported measures which had not revealed this association. Moreover, there are no previous studies that analyse these aspects in bedroom environments of SLE patients directly from objective measures. The results indicate the need to complement the subjective evaluation of sleep with objective measures. The use of actigraphy in combination with a new mHealth system provides a complete assessment especially relevant to chronic conditions as SLE. Both systems incorporate this objective information directly from objective measures in a non-intrusive way. Moreover, the measures of bedroom environmental variables provide useful and relevant clinical information to assess what is happening daily and not occasionally. This could lead to more customized interventions and adapt the treatment to each individual.

Unaware Processing of Tools in the Neural System for Object-Directed Action Representation.

PubMed

Tettamanti, Marco; Conca, Francesca; Falini, Andrea; Perani, Daniela

2017-11-01

The hypothesis that the brain constitutively encodes observed manipulable objects for the actions they afford is still debated. Yet, crucial evidence demonstrating that, even in the absence of perceptual awareness, the mere visual appearance of a manipulable object triggers a visuomotor coding in the action representation system including the premotor cortex, has hitherto not been provided. In this fMRI study, we instantiated reliable unaware visual perception conditions by means of continuous flash suppression, and we tested in 24 healthy human participants (13 females) whether the visuomotor object-directed action representation system that includes left-hemispheric premotor, parietal, and posterior temporal cortices is activated even under subliminal perceptual conditions. We found consistent activation in the target visuomotor cortices, both with and without perceptual awareness, specifically for pictures of manipulable versus non-manipulable objects. By means of a multivariate searchlight analysis, we also found that the brain activation patterns in this visuomotor network enabled the decoding of manipulable versus non-manipulable object picture processing, both with and without awareness. These findings demonstrate the intimate neural coupling between visual perception and motor representation that underlies manipulable object processing: manipulable object stimuli specifically engage the visuomotor object-directed action representation system, in a constitutive manner that is independent from perceptual awareness. This perceptuo-motor coupling endows the brain with an efficient mechanism for monitoring and planning reactions to external stimuli in the absence of awareness. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our brain constantly encodes the visual information that hits the retina, leading to a stimulus-specific activation of sensory and semantic representations, even for objects that we do not consciously perceive. Do these unconscious representations encompass the motor programming of actions that could be accomplished congruently with the objects' functions? In this fMRI study, we instantiated unaware visual perception conditions, by dynamically suppressing the visibility of manipulable object pictures with mondrian masks. Despite escaping conscious perception, manipulable objects activated an object-directed action representation system that includes left-hemispheric premotor, parietal, and posterior temporal cortices. This demonstrates that visuomotor encoding occurs independently of conscious object perception. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3710712-13$15.00/0.

Synthesis of resistive tapers to control scattering patterns of strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haupt, Randy L.

Scattering occurs when an electromagnetic wave impinges on an object and creates currents in that object which reradiate other electromagnetic waves. Three primary methods exist to reduce microwave scattering from an object: covering it with absorber, changing its shape, and detuning it through impedance loading. Absorbers convert unwanted electromagnetic energy into heat. An example is lining an anechoic chamber with absorbers. Changing its shape channels energy from one direction to another, changes dominant scattering centers, or causes returns from one direction to another, changes dominant scattering centers, or causes returns from various parts to coherently add and cancel the total return. Impedance loading alters the resonant frequency of an object. Absorbers have the most attractive features. They have a broad bandwidth, attenuate the return in many directions, and may be used to reduce scattering from an object after the object is designed. Before trying to control scattering from complex shapes, such as an antenna or airplane, one should try to develop methods to control scattering from simple objects. A very simple object is two dimensional strip. It is infinitely thin, has a finite width, and an infinite length. The scattering pattern of the strip depends upon its width and material composition. Varying these two factors provides a means for controlling the radar cross-section (RCS) of the strip. The goal of this thesis is to synthesize resistive tapers for the strip that produce desired bistatic scattering and backscattering patterns.

Comparative Study of Impedance Eduction Methods. Part 1; DLR Tests and Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busse-Gerstengarbe, Stefan; Bake, Friedrich; Enghardt, Lars; Jones, Michael G.

2013-01-01

The absorption efficiency of acoustic liners used in aircraft engines is characterized by the acoustic impedance. World wide, many grazing ow test rigs and eduction methods are available that provide values for that impedance. However, a direct comparison and assessment of the data of the di erent rigs and methods is often not possible because test objects and test conditions are quite di erent. Only a few papers provide a direct comparison. Therefore, this paper together with a companion paper, present data measured with a reference test object under similar conditions in the DLR and NASA grazing ow test rigs. Additionally, by applying the in-house methods Liner Impedance Non-Uniform ow Solving algorithm (LINUS, DLR) and Convected Helmhholtz Equation approach (CHE, NASA) on the data sets, similarities and differences due to underlying theory are identi ed and discussed.

SMS for Sexual Health: A Comparison of Service Types and Recommendations for Sexual Health Text Message Service Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willoughby, Jessica Fitts; Muldrow, Adrienne

2017-01-01

Objectives: Text message-based interventions may provide sexual health information to young people through a number of service types, from sending information on a regularly scheduled timeline, to providing an automated menu, to allowing young people to connect directly with health educators. While such service types exist, it is not clear which…

Self Instructional Manual for Tumor Registrars: Book 1, Objectives and Functions of a Tumor Registry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Cancer Inst. (NIH), Bethesda, MD.

The programed text is designed to provide tumor registrars with a means of learning the procedures for abstracting charts of cancer patients and for carrying out the other functions of a tumor registry. It was developed as an adjunct to on-the-job training for use without direct instructor supervision. Directions and suggestions for using the…

Direction of Magnetoencephalography Sources Associated with Feedback and Feedforward Contributions in a Visual Object Recognition Task

PubMed Central

Ahlfors, Seppo P.; Jones, Stephanie R.; Ahveninen, Jyrki; Hämäläinen, Matti S.; Belliveau, John W.; Bar, Moshe

2014-01-01

Identifying inter-area communication in terms of the hierarchical organization of functional brain areas is of considerable interest in human neuroimaging. Previous studies have suggested that the direction of magneto- and electroencephalography (MEG, EEG) source currents depends on the layer-specific input patterns into a cortical area. We examined the direction in MEG source currents in a visual object recognition experiment in which there were specific expectations of activation in the fusiform region being driven by either feedforward or feedback inputs. The source for the early non-specific visual evoked response, presumably corresponding to feedforward driven activity, pointed outward, i.e., away from the white matter. In contrast, the source for the later, object-recognition related signals, expected to be driven by feedback inputs, pointed inward, toward the white matter. Associating specific features of the MEG/EEG source waveforms to feedforward and feedback inputs could provide unique information about the activation patterns within hierarchically organized cortical areas. PMID:25445356

Effective signaling of surface boundaries by L-vertices reflect the consistency of their contrast in natural images.

PubMed

Vessel, Edward A; Biederman, Irving; Subramaniam, Suresh; Greene, Michelle R

2016-07-01

An L-vertex, the point at which two contours coterminate, provides highly reliable evidence that a surface terminates at that vertex, thus providing the strongest constraint on the extraction of shape from images (Guzman, 1968). Such vertices are pervasive in our visual world but the importance of a statistical regularity about them has been underappreciated: The contours defining the vertex are (almost) always of the same direction of contrast with respect to the background (i.e., both darker or both lighter). Here we show that when the two contours are of different directions of contrast, the capacity of the L-vertex to signal the termination of a surface, as reflected in object recognition, is markedly reduced. Although image statistics have been implicated in determining the connectivity in the earliest cortical visual stage (V1) and in grouping during visual search, this finding provides evidence that such statistics are involved in later stages where object representations are derived from two-dimensional images.

A software bus for thread objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callahan, John R.; Li, Dehuai

1995-01-01

The authors have implemented a software bus for lightweight threads in an object-oriented programming environment that allows for rapid reconfiguration and reuse of thread objects in discrete-event simulation experiments. While previous research in object-oriented, parallel programming environments has focused on direct communication between threads, our lightweight software bus, called the MiniBus, provides a means to isolate threads from their contexts of execution by restricting communications between threads to message-passing via their local ports only. The software bus maintains a topology of connections between these ports. It routes, queues, and delivers messages according to this topology. This approach allows for rapid reconfiguration and reuse of thread objects in other systems without making changes to the specifications or source code. A layered approach that provides the needed transparency to developers is presented. Examples of using the MiniBus are given, and the value of bus architectures in building and conducting simulations of discrete-event systems is discussed.

Aviation System Technology Advanced Research Program - AvSTAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denery, Dallas G.

2001-01-01

The objectives of this presentation is to provide the research and development by 2007 necessary to: complete the development of technology for tomorrow (Free-Flight); provide the foundations for setting the direction for the future (Beyond Free-Flight). The goals are to establish tomorrow's as well as the future's Air transportation system.

77 FR 7125 - Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on General Principles

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-10

... recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on... range from recalls to export information to regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or... public meeting on March 28, 2012. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and...

The HyperSign Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdulezer, Susan

This report describes ongoing activities and results of the HyperSign Immersion Project developed at the Public School for the Deaf in New York City, New York. The project's objectives were to: (1) provide a means to enable Deaf students to assume a self-directed role in education; (2) provide an on-site prototype of a technologically supportive…

Direct heuristic dynamic programming for damping oscillations in a large power system.

PubMed

Lu, Chao; Si, Jennie; Xie, Xiaorong

2008-08-01

This paper applies a neural-network-based approximate dynamic programming method, namely, the direct heuristic dynamic programming (direct HDP), to a large power system stability control problem. The direct HDP is a learning- and approximation-based approach to addressing nonlinear coordinated control under uncertainty. One of the major design parameters, the controller learning objective function, is formulated to directly account for network-wide low-frequency oscillation with the presence of nonlinearity, uncertainty, and coupling effect among system components. Results include a novel learning control structure based on the direct HDP with applications to two power system problems. The first case involves static var compensator supplementary damping control, which is used to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the learning control performance. The second case aims at addressing a difficult complex system challenge by providing a new solution to a large interconnected power network oscillation damping control problem that frequently occurs in the China Southern Power Grid.

Do capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) diagnose causal relations in the absence of a direct reward?

PubMed

Edwards, Brian J; Rottman, Benjamin M; Shankar, Maya; Betzler, Riana; Chituc, Vladimir; Rodriguez, Ricardo; Silva, Liara; Wibecan, Leah; Widness, Jane; Santos, Laurie R

2014-01-01

We adapted a method from developmental psychology to explore whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) would place objects on a "blicket detector" machine to diagnose causal relations in the absence of a direct reward. Across five experiments, monkeys could place different objects on the machine and obtain evidence about the objects' causal properties based on whether each object "activated" the machine. In Experiments 1-3, monkeys received both audiovisual cues and a food reward whenever the machine activated. In these experiments, monkeys spontaneously placed objects on the machine and succeeded at discriminating various patterns of statistical evidence. In Experiments 4 and 5, we modified the procedure so that in the learning trials, monkeys received the audiovisual cues when the machine activated, but did not receive a food reward. In these experiments, monkeys failed to test novel objects in the absence of an immediate food reward, even when doing so could provide critical information about how to obtain a reward in future test trials in which the food reward delivery device was reattached. The present studies suggest that the gap between human and animal causal cognition may be in part a gap of motivation. Specifically, we propose that monkey causal learning is motivated by the desire to obtain a direct reward, and that unlike humans, monkeys do not engage in learning for learning's sake.

The role of motion streaks in the perception of the kinetic Zollner illusion.

PubMed

Khuu, Sieu K

2012-06-12

In classic geometric illusions such as the Zollner illusion, vertical lines superimposed on oriented background lines appear tilted in the direction opposite to the background. In kinetic forms of this illusion, an object moving over oriented background lines appears to follow a titled path, again in the direction opposite to the background. Existing literature does not proffer a complete explanation of the effect. Here, it is suggested that motion streaks underpin the illusion; that the effect is a consequence of interactions between detectors tuned to the orientation of background lines and those sensing the motion streaks that arise from fast object motion. This account was examined in the present study by measuring motion-tilt induction under different conditions in which the strength or salience of motion streaks was attenuated: by varying object speed (Experiment 1), contrast (Experiment 2), and trajectory/length by changing the element life-time within the stimulus (Experiment 3). It was predicted that, as motion streaks become less available, background lines would less affect the perceived direction of motion. Consistent with this prediction, the results indicated that, with a reduction in object speed below that required to generate motion streaks (< 1.12°/s), Weber contrast (< 0.125) and motion streak length (two frames) reduced or extinguished the motion-tilt-induction effect. The findings of the present study are consistent with previous reports and computational models that directly combine form and motion information to provide an effective determinant of motion direction.

Determination of the direction of motion on the basis of CW-homodyne laser Doppler radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biselli, Eugen; Werner, Christian

1989-03-01

Four methods for measuring the direction of a moving object using homodyne laser Doppler techniques are reviewed. The dynamic ranges of the signals for two methods that make use of the transmitter laser resonator characteristics or gain cell characteristics are shown to be limited. The resonance effects observed using a rotating wheel as an auxiliary target are discussed. The method employing eccentric scanner movement bidirectional scanning provides information concerning the direction of the velocity component to be measured.

Method and apparatus for accurately manipulating an object during microelectrophoresis

DOEpatents

Parvin, Bahram A.; Maestre, Marcos F.; Fish, Richard H.; Johnston, William E.

1997-01-01

An apparatus using electrophoresis provides accurate manipulation of an object on a microscope stage for further manipulations add reactions. The present invention also provides an inexpensive and easily accessible means to move an object without damage to the object. A plurality of electrodes are coupled to the stage in an array whereby the electrode array allows for distinct manipulations of the electric field for accurate manipulations of the object. There is an electrode array control coupled to the plurality of electrodes for manipulating the electric field. In an alternative embodiment, a chamber is provided on the stage to hold the object. The plurality of electrodes are positioned in the chamber, and the chamber is filled with fluid. The system can be automated using visual servoing, which manipulates the control parameters, i.e., x, y stage, applying the field, etc., after extracting the significant features directly from image data. Visual servoing includes an imaging device and computer system to determine the location of the object. A second stage having a plurality of tubes positioned on top of the second stage, can be accurately positioned by visual servoing so that one end of one of the plurality of tubes surrounds at least part of the object on the first stage.

Method and apparatus for accurately manipulating an object during microelectrophoresis

DOEpatents

Parvin, B.A.; Maestre, M.F.; Fish, R.H.; Johnston, W.E.

1997-09-23

An apparatus using electrophoresis provides accurate manipulation of an object on a microscope stage for further manipulations and reactions. The present invention also provides an inexpensive and easily accessible means to move an object without damage to the object. A plurality of electrodes are coupled to the stage in an array whereby the electrode array allows for distinct manipulations of the electric field for accurate manipulations of the object. There is an electrode array control coupled to the plurality of electrodes for manipulating the electric field. In an alternative embodiment, a chamber is provided on the stage to hold the object. The plurality of electrodes are positioned in the chamber, and the chamber is filled with fluid. The system can be automated using visual servoing, which manipulates the control parameters, i.e., x, y stage, applying the field, etc., after extracting the significant features directly from image data. Visual servoing includes an imaging device and computer system to determine the location of the object. A second stage having a plurality of tubes positioned on top of the second stage, can be accurately positioned by visual servoing so that one end of one of the plurality of tubes surrounds at least part of the object on the first stage. 11 figs.

Location-coding account versus affordance-activation account in handle-to-hand correspondence effects: Evidence of Simon-like effects based on the coding of action direction.

PubMed

Pellicano, Antonello; Koch, Iring; Binkofski, Ferdinand

2017-09-01

An increasing number of studies have shown a close link between perception and action, which is supposed to be responsible for the automatic activation of actions compatible with objects' properties, such as the orientation of their graspable parts. It has been observed that left and right hand responses to objects (e.g., cups) are faster and more accurate if the handle orientation corresponds to the response location than when it does not. Two alternative explanations have been proposed for this handle-to-hand correspondence effect : location coding and affordance activation. The aim of the present study was to provide disambiguating evidence on the origin of this effect by employing object sets for which the visually salient portion was separated from, and opposite to the graspable 1, and vice versa. Seven experiments were conducted employing both single objects and object pairs as visual stimuli to enhance the contextual information about objects' graspability and usability. Notwithstanding these manipulations intended to favor affordance activation, results fully supported the location-coding account displaying significant Simon-like effects that involved the orientation of the visually salient portion of the object stimulus and the location of the response. Crucially, we provided evidence of Simon-like effects based on higher-level cognitive, iconic representations of action directions rather than based on lower-level spatial coding of the pure position of protruding portions of the visual stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Optimization-based methods for road image registration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

A number of transportation agencies are now relying on direct imaging for monitoring and cataloguing the state of their roadway systems. Images provide objective information to characterize the pavement as well as roadside hardware. The tasks of proc...

Bridging the Ends and Means of the Responsibility to Protect: An Opportunity for U.S. Leadership

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

territory; (ix) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art , science or charitable purposes, historic...objects under the international law of armed conflict; (iv) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art ... science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military

A Comparison of Assessment Tools: Is Direct Observation an Improvement Over Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for Communications Skills Evaluation?

PubMed

Goch, Abraham M; Karia, Raj; Taormina, David; Kalet, Adina; Zuckerman, Joseph; Egol, Kenneth A; Phillips, Donna

2018-04-01

Evaluation of resident physicians' communications skills is a challenging task and is increasingly accomplished with standardized examinations. There exists a need to identify the effective, efficient methods for assessment of communications skills. We compared objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and direct observation as approaches for assessing resident communications skills. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of orthopaedic surgery resident physicians at a single tertiary care academic institution, using the Institute for Healthcare Communication "4 Es" model for effective communication. Data were collected between 2011 and 2015. A total of 28 residents, each with OSCE and complete direct observation assessment checklists, were included in the analysis. Residents were included if they had 1 OSCE assessment and 2 or more complete direct observation assessments. There were 28 of a possible 59 residents (47%) included. A total of 89% (25 of 28) of residents passed the communications skills OSCE; only 54% (15 of 28) of residents passed the direct observation communications assessment. There was a positive, moderate correlation between OSCE and direct observation scores overall ( r  = 0.415, P  = .028). There was no agreement between OSCE and direct observation in categorizing residents into passing and failing scores (κ = 0.205, P  = .16), after adjusting for chance agreement. Our results suggest that OSCE and direct observation tools provide different insights into resident communications skills (simulation of rare and challenging situations versus real-life daily encounters), and may provide useful perspectives on resident communications skills in different contexts.

Fluid mechanics of directional solidification at reduced gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C. F.

1992-01-01

The primary objective of the proposed research is to provide additional groundbased support for the flight experiment 'Casting and Solidification Technology' (CAST). This experiment is to be performed in the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1) scheduled to be flown on a space shuttle mission scheduled for 1992. In particular, we will provide data on the convective motion and freckle formation during directional solidification of NH4Cl from its aqueous solution at simulated parameter ranges equivalent to reducing the gravity from the sea-level value down to 0.1 g or lower. The secondary objectives of the proposed research are to examine the stability phenomena associated with the onset of freckles and the mechanisms for their subsequent growth and decline (to eventual demise of some) by state-of-the-art imaging techniques and to formulate mathematical models for the prediction of the observed phenomena.

Organizing and Typing Persistent Objects Within an Object-Oriented Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madany, Peter W.; Campbell, Roy H.

1991-01-01

Conventional operating systems provide little or no direct support for the services required for an efficient persistent object system implementation. We have built a persistent object scheme using a customization and extension of an object-oriented operating system called Choices. Choices includes a framework for the storage of persistent data that is suited to the construction of both conventional file system and persistent object system. In this paper we describe three areas in which persistent object support differs from file system support: storage organization, storage management, and typing. Persistent object systems must support various sizes of objects efficiently. Customizable containers, which are themselves persistent objects and can be nested, support a wide range of object sizes in Choices. Collections of persistent objects that are accessed as an aggregate and collections of light-weight persistent objects can be clustered in containers that are nested within containers for larger objects. Automated garbage collection schemes are added to storage management and have a major impact on persistent object applications. The Choices persistent object store provides extensible sets of persistent object types. The store contains not only the data for persistent objects but also the names of the classes to which they belong and the code for the operation of the classes. Besides presenting persistent object storage organization, storage management, and typing, this paper discusses how persistent objects are named and used within the Choices persistent data/file system framework.

A divide-and-conquer approach to determine the Pareto frontier for optimization of protein engineering experiments.

PubMed

He, Lu; Friedman, Alan M; Bailey-Kellogg, Chris

2012-03-01

In developing improved protein variants by site-directed mutagenesis or recombination, there are often competing objectives that must be considered in designing an experiment (selecting mutations or breakpoints): stability versus novelty, affinity versus specificity, activity versus immunogenicity, and so forth. Pareto optimal experimental designs make the best trade-offs between competing objectives. Such designs are not "dominated"; that is, no other design is better than a Pareto optimal design for one objective without being worse for another objective. Our goal is to produce all the Pareto optimal designs (the Pareto frontier), to characterize the trade-offs and suggest designs most worth considering, but to avoid explicitly considering the large number of dominated designs. To do so, we develop a divide-and-conquer algorithm, Protein Engineering Pareto FRontier (PEPFR), that hierarchically subdivides the objective space, using appropriate dynamic programming or integer programming methods to optimize designs in different regions. This divide-and-conquer approach is efficient in that the number of divisions (and thus calls to the optimizer) is directly proportional to the number of Pareto optimal designs. We demonstrate PEPFR with three protein engineering case studies: site-directed recombination for stability and diversity via dynamic programming, site-directed mutagenesis of interacting proteins for affinity and specificity via integer programming, and site-directed mutagenesis of a therapeutic protein for activity and immunogenicity via integer programming. We show that PEPFR is able to effectively produce all the Pareto optimal designs, discovering many more designs than previous methods. The characterization of the Pareto frontier provides additional insights into the local stability of design choices as well as global trends leading to trade-offs between competing criteria. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Peer Communication in Online Mental Health Forums for Young People: Directional and Nondirectional Support

PubMed Central

Hanley, Terry; Ujhelyi, Katalin

2017-01-01

Background The Internet has the potential to help young people by reducing the stigma associated with mental health and enabling young people to access services and professionals which they may not otherwise access. Online support can empower young people, help them develop new online friendships, share personal experiences, communicate with others who understand, provide information and emotional support, and most importantly help them feel less alone and normalize their experiences in the world. Objective The aim of the research was to gain an understanding of how young people use an online forum for emotional and mental health issues. Specifically, the project examined what young people discuss and how they seek support on the forum (objective 1). Furthermore, it looked at how the young service users responded to posts to gain an understanding of how young people provided each other with peer-to-peer support (objective 2). Methods Kooth is an online counseling service for young people aged 11-25 years and experiencing emotional and mental health problems. It is based in the United Kingdom and provides support that is anonymous, confidential, and free at the point of delivery. Kooth provided the researchers with all the online forum posts between a 2-year period, which resulted in a dataset of 622 initial posts and 3657 initial posts with responses. Thematic analysis was employed to elicit key themes from the dataset. Results The findings support the literature that online forums provide young people with both informational and emotional support around a wide array of topics. The findings from this large dataset also reveal that this informational or emotional support can be viewed as directive or nondirective. The nondirective approach refers to when young people provide others with support by sharing their own experiences. These posts do not include explicit advice to act in a particular way, but the sharing process is hoped to be of use to the poster. The directive approach, in contrast, involves individuals making an explicit suggestion of what they believe the poster should do. Conclusions This study adds to the research exploring what young people discuss within online forums and provides insights into how these communications take place. Furthermore, it highlights the challenge that organizations may encounter in mediating support that is multidimensional in nature (informational-emotional, directive-nondirective). PMID:28768607

Direct determination of geometric alignment parameters for cone-beam scanners

PubMed Central

Mennessier, C; Clackdoyle, R; Noo, F

2009-01-01

This paper describes a comprehensive method for determining the geometric alignment parameters for cone-beam scanners (often called calibrating the scanners or performing geometric calibration). The method is applicable to x-ray scanners using area detectors, or to SPECT systems using pinholes or cone-beam converging collimators. Images of an alignment test object (calibration phantom) fixed in the field of view of the scanner are processed to determine the nine geometric parameters for each view. The parameter values are found directly using formulae applied to the projected positions of the test object marker points onto the detector. Each view is treated independently, and no restrictions are made on the position of the cone vertex, or on the position or orientation of the detector. The proposed test object consists of 14 small point-like objects arranged with four points on each of three orthogonal lines, and two points on a diagonal line. This test object is shown to provide unique solutions for all possible scanner geometries, even when partial measurement information is lost by points superimposing in the calibration scan. For the many situations where the cone vertex stays reasonably close to a central plane (for circular, planar, or near-planar trajectories), a simpler version of the test object is appropriate. The simpler object consists of six points, two per orthogonal line, but with some restrictions on the positioning of the test object. This paper focuses on the principles and mathematical justifications for the method. Numerical simulations of the calibration process and reconstructions using estimated parameters are also presented to validate the method and to provide evidence of the robustness of the technique. PMID:19242049

Sidney Blatt's Object Relations Inventory: Contributions and Future Directions.

PubMed

Huprich, Steven K; Auerbach, John S; Porcerelli, John H; Bupp, Lindsey L

2016-01-01

In this article, we provide a historical overview of the Object Relations Inventory (ORI) and related methods for the assessment of object relations constructed by Sidney Blatt and colleagues (e.g., Blatt, Bers, & Schaffer, 1992 ; Blatt, Wein, Chevron, & Quinlan, 1979 ; Diamond, Kaslow, Coonerty, & Blatt, 1990 ). We clarify terminology that has been used inconsistently in the literature, especially by way of differentiating the methods used to collect descriptions of significant figures, such as the ORI and its predecessor, the Parental Description (PD) task, and the rating scales that Blatt and colleagues constructed to rate those descriptions. We provide a tabular summary of empirical studies of the measure and offer a critical review of those aspects of the instrument that require further empirical investigation and methodological rigor.

Will They Use What You Taught Them? Course-Embedded Assessment of Accounting Students' Information Technology Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, John W.; Mitchem, Cheryl E.

2004-01-01

This paper provides a model of course-embedded assessment for use in an undergraduate Accounting Information Systems course, and reports the results obtained from implementation. The profession's educational objectives are mapped to specific computer skills and assignments, to provide direct evidence of learning outcomes. Indirect evidence of…

MUSIC algorithm DoA estimation for cooperative node location in mobile ad hoc networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warty, Chirag; Yu, Richard Wai; ElMahgoub, Khaled; Spinsante, Susanna

In recent years the technological development has encouraged several applications based on distributed communications network without any fixed infrastructure. The problem of providing a collaborative early warning system for multiple mobile nodes against a fast moving object. The solution is provided subject to system level constraints: motion of nodes, antenna sensitivity and Doppler effect at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz. This approach consists of three stages. The first phase consists of detecting the incoming object using a highly directive two element antenna at 5.0 GHz band. The second phase consists of broadcasting the warning message using a low directivity broad antenna beam using 2× 2 antenna array which then in third phase will be detected by receiving nodes by using direction of arrival (DOA) estimation technique. The DOA estimation technique is used to estimate the range and bearing of the incoming nodes. The position of fast arriving object can be estimated using the MUSIC algorithm for warning beam DOA estimation. This paper is mainly intended to demonstrate the feasibility of early detection and warning system using a collaborative node to node communication links. The simulation is performed to show the behavior of detecting and broadcasting antennas as well as performance of the detection algorithm. The idea can be further expanded to implement commercial grade detection and warning system

ORD Clean Air Research Program Review and Response

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The objective of this review was to evaluate the relevance, quality, performance, scientific and managerial leadership, and outcomes of the Program and provide guidance and recommendations as to the progress and directions of the Clean Air Research Program

Mechanisms of perceptual organization provide auto-zoom and auto-localization for attention to objects

PubMed Central

Mihalas, Stefan; Dong, Yi; von der Heydt, Rüdiger; Niebur, Ernst

2011-01-01

Visual attention is often understood as a modulatory field acting at early stages of processing, but the mechanisms that direct and fit the field to the attended object are not known. We show that a purely spatial attention field propagating downward in the neuronal network responsible for perceptual organization will be reshaped, repositioned, and sharpened to match the object's shape and scale. Key features of the model are grouping neurons integrating local features into coherent tentative objects, excitatory feedback to the same local feature neurons that caused grouping neuron activation, and inhibition between incompatible interpretations both at the local feature level and at the object representation level. PMID:21502489

An approach to computing direction relations between separated object groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, H.; Wang, Z.; Li, J.

2013-06-01

Direction relations between object groups play an important role in qualitative spatial reasoning, spatial computation and spatial recognition. However, none of existing models can be used to compute direction relations between object groups. To fill this gap, an approach to computing direction relations between separated object groups is proposed in this paper, which is theoretically based on Gestalt principles and the idea of multi-directions. The approach firstly triangulates the two object groups; and then it constructs the Voronoi Diagram between the two groups using the triangular network; after this, the normal of each Vornoi edge is calculated, and the quantitative expression of the direction relations is constructed; finally, the quantitative direction relations are transformed into qualitative ones. The psychological experiments show that the proposed approach can obtain direction relations both between two single objects and between two object groups, and the results are correct from the point of view of spatial cognition.

An approach to computing direction relations between separated object groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, H.; Wang, Z.; Li, J.

2013-09-01

Direction relations between object groups play an important role in qualitative spatial reasoning, spatial computation and spatial recognition. However, none of existing models can be used to compute direction relations between object groups. To fill this gap, an approach to computing direction relations between separated object groups is proposed in this paper, which is theoretically based on gestalt principles and the idea of multi-directions. The approach firstly triangulates the two object groups, and then it constructs the Voronoi diagram between the two groups using the triangular network. After this, the normal of each Voronoi edge is calculated, and the quantitative expression of the direction relations is constructed. Finally, the quantitative direction relations are transformed into qualitative ones. The psychological experiments show that the proposed approach can obtain direction relations both between two single objects and between two object groups, and the results are correct from the point of view of spatial cognition.

Moving Object Localization Based on UHF RFID Phase and Laser Clustering

PubMed Central

Fu, Yulu; Wang, Changlong; Liang, Gaoli; Zhang, Hua; Ur Rehman, Shafiq

2018-01-01

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) offers a way to identify objects without any contact. However, positioning accuracy is limited since RFID neither provides distance nor bearing information about the tag. This paper proposes a new and innovative approach for the localization of moving object using a particle filter by incorporating RFID phase and laser-based clustering from 2d laser range data. First of all, we calculate phase-based velocity of the moving object based on RFID phase difference. Meanwhile, we separate laser range data into different clusters, and compute the distance-based velocity and moving direction of these clusters. We then compute and analyze the similarity between two velocities, and select K clusters having the best similarity score. We predict the particles according to the velocity and moving direction of laser clusters. Finally, we update the weights of the particles based on K clusters and achieve the localization of moving objects. The feasibility of this approach is validated on a Scitos G5 service robot and the results prove that we have successfully achieved a localization accuracy up to 0.25 m. PMID:29522458

Conflict in object affordance revealed by grip force

PubMed Central

McBride, Jennifer; Sumner, Petroc; Husain, Masud

2011-01-01

Viewing objects can result in automatic, partial activation of motor plans associated with them—“object affordance”. Here, we recorded grip force simultaneously from both hands in an object affordance task to investigate the effects of conflict between coactivated responses. Participants classified pictures of objects by squeezing force transducers with their left or right hand. Responses were faster on trials where the object afforded an action with the same hand that was required to make the response (congruent trials) compared to the opposite hand (incongruent trials). In addition, conflict between coactivated responses was reduced if it was experienced on the preceding trial, just like Gratton adaptation effects reported in “conflict” tasks (e.g., Eriksen flanker). This finding suggests that object affordance demonstrates conflict effects similar to those shown in other stimulus–response mapping tasks and thus could be integrated into the wider conceptual framework on overlearnt stimulus–response associations. Corrected erroneous responses occurred more frequently when there was conflict between the afforded response and the response required by the task, providing direct evidence that viewing an object activates motor plans appropriate for interacting with that object. Recording continuous grip force, as here, provides a sensitive way to measure coactivated responses in affordance tasks. PMID:21824035

Real-time 3-D X-ray and gamma-ray viewer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, L. I. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A multi-pinhole aperture lead screen forms an equal plurality of invisible mini-images having dissimilar perspectives of an X-ray and gamma-ray emitting object (ABC) onto a near-earth phosphor layer. This layer provides visible light mini-images directly into a visible light image intensifier. A viewing screen having an equal number of dissimilar perspective apertures distributed across its face in a geometric pattern identical to the lead screen, provides a viewer with a real, pseudoscopic image (A'B'C') of the object with full horizontal and vertical parallax. Alternatively, a third screen identical to viewing screen and spaced apart from a second visible light image intensifier, may be positioned between the first image intensifier and the viewing screen, thereby providing the viewer with a virtual, orthoscopic image (A"B"C") of the object (ABC) with full horizontal and vertical parallax.

Real-time, continuous-wave terahertz imaging using a microbolometer focal-plane array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Qing (Inventor); Min Lee, Alan W. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The present invention generally provides a terahertz (THz) imaging system that includes a source for generating radiation (e.g., a quantum cascade laser) having one or more frequencies in a range of about 0.1 THz to about 10 THz, and a two-dimensional detector array comprising a plurality of radiation detecting elements that are capable of detecting radiation in that frequency range. An optical system directs radiation from the source to an object to be imaged. The detector array detects at least a portion of the radiation transmitted through the object (or reflected by the object) so as to form a THz image of that object.

Tracking target objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

DOEpatents

De Vries, Willem H; Olivier, Scot S; Pertica, Alexander J

2014-10-14

A system for tracking objects that are in earth orbit via a constellation or network of satellites having imaging devices is provided. An object tracking system includes a ground controller and, for each satellite in the constellation, an onboard controller. The ground controller receives ephemeris information for a target object and directs that ephemeris information be transmitted to the satellites. Each onboard controller receives ephemeris information for a target object, collects images of the target object based on the expected location of the target object at an expected time, identifies actual locations of the target object from the collected images, and identifies a next expected location at a next expected time based on the identified actual locations of the target object. The onboard controller processes the collected image to identify the actual location of the target object and transmits the actual location information to the ground controller.

Do Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella) Diagnose Causal Relations in the Absence of a Direct Reward?

PubMed Central

Edwards, Brian J.; Rottman, Benjamin M.; Shankar, Maya; Betzler, Riana; Chituc, Vladimir; Rodriguez, Ricardo; Silva, Liara; Wibecan, Leah; Widness, Jane; Santos, Laurie R.

2014-01-01

We adapted a method from developmental psychology [1] to explore whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) would place objects on a “blicket detector” machine to diagnose causal relations in the absence of a direct reward. Across five experiments, monkeys could place different objects on the machine and obtain evidence about the objects’ causal properties based on whether each object “activated” the machine. In Experiments 1–3, monkeys received both audiovisual cues and a food reward whenever the machine activated. In these experiments, monkeys spontaneously placed objects on the machine and succeeded at discriminating various patterns of statistical evidence. In Experiments 4 and 5, we modified the procedure so that in the learning trials, monkeys received the audiovisual cues when the machine activated, but did not receive a food reward. In these experiments, monkeys failed to test novel objects in the absence of an immediate food reward, even when doing so could provide critical information about how to obtain a reward in future test trials in which the food reward delivery device was reattached. The present studies suggest that the gap between human and animal causal cognition may be in part a gap of motivation. Specifically, we propose that monkey causal learning is motivated by the desire to obtain a direct reward, and that unlike humans, monkeys do not engage in learning for learning’s sake. PMID:24586347

32 CFR 37.660 - What else must I specify concerning audits of for-profit participants by IPAs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... direct and material effect on the research project. Appendix C to this part provides guidance to for... provide advice to help you set appropriate limits on audit objectives and scope. (b) Who will pay for... to the award for any audit that the agreements officer, with the advice of the OIG, DoD, determines...

32 CFR 37.660 - What else must I specify concerning audits of for-profit participants by IPAs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... direct and material effect on the research project. Appendix C to this part provides guidance to for... provide advice to help you set appropriate limits on audit objectives and scope. (b) Who will pay for... to the award for any audit that the agreements officer, with the advice of the OIG, DoD, determines...

Walking Back to the Future.

PubMed

Loeffler, Jonna; Raab, Markus; Cañal-Bruland, Rouwen

2017-09-01

Embodied cognition frameworks suggest a direct link between sensorimotor experience and cognitive representations of concepts ( Shapiro, 2011 ). We examined whether this holds also true for concepts that cannot be directly perceived with the sensorimotor system (i.e., temporal concepts). To test this, participants learned object-space (Exp. 1) or object-time (Exp. 2) associations. Afterwards, participants were asked to assign the objects to their location in space/time meanwhile they walked backward, forward, or stood on a treadmill. We hypothesized that walking backward should facilitate the online processing of "behind"/"past"-related stimuli, but hinder the processing of "ahead"/"future"-related stimuli, and a reversed effect for forward walking. Indeed, "ahead"- and "future"-related stimuli were processed slower during backward walking. During forward walking and standing, stimuli were processed equally fast. The results provide partial evidence for the activation of specific spatial and temporal concepts by whole-body movements and are discussed in the context of movement familiarity.

Keep away from danger: dangerous objects in dynamic and static situations.

PubMed

Anelli, Filomena; Nicoletti, Roberto; Bolzani, Roberto; Borghi, Anna M

2013-01-01

Behavioral and neuroscience studies have shown that objects observation evokes specific affordances (i.e., action possibilities) and motor responses. Recent findings provide evidence that even dangerous objects can modulate the motor system evoking aversive affordances. This sounds intriguing since so far the majority of behavioral, brain imaging, and transcranial magnetic stimulation studies with painful and dangerous stimuli strictly concerned the domain of pain, with the exception of evidence suggesting sensitivity to objects' affordances when neutral objects are located in participants' peripersonal space. This study investigates whether the observation of a neutral or dangerous object in a static or dynamic situation differently influences motor responses, and the time-course of the dangerous objects' processing. In three experiments we manipulated: object dangerousness (neutral vs. dangerous); object category (artifact vs. natural); manual response typology (press vs. release a key); object presentation (Experiment 1: dynamic, Experiments 2 and 3: static); object movement direction (Experiment 1: away vs. toward the participant) or size (Experiments 2 and 3: big vs. normal vs. small). The task required participants to decide whether the object was an artifact or a natural object, by pressing or releasing one key. Results showed a facilitation for neutral over dangerous objects in the static situation, probably due to an affordance effect. Instead, in the dynamic condition responses were modulated by the object movement direction, with a dynamic affordance effect elicited by neutral objects and an escape-avoidance effect provoked by dangerous objects (neutral objects were processed faster when they moved toward-approached the participant, whereas dangerous objects were processed faster when they moved away from the participant). Moreover, static stimuli influenced the manual response typology. These data indicate the emergence of dynamic affordance and escaping-avoidance effects.

Perception of 3D spatial relations for 3D displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Paul; Pizlo, Zygmunt; Hoffmann, Christoph; Popescu, Voicu S.

2004-05-01

We test perception of 3D spatial relations in 3D images rendered by a 3D display (Perspecta from Actuality Systems) and compare it to that of a high-resolution flat panel display. 3D images provide the observer with such depth cues as motion parallax and binocular disparity. Our 3D display is a device that renders a 3D image by displaying, in rapid succession, radial slices through the scene on a rotating screen. The image is contained in a glass globe and can be viewed from virtually any direction. In the psychophysical experiment several families of 3D objects are used as stimuli: primitive shapes (cylinders and cuboids), and complex objects (multi-story buildings, cars, and pieces of furniture). Each object has at least one plane of symmetry. On each trial an object or its "distorted" version is shown at an arbitrary orientation. The distortion is produced by stretching an object in a random direction by 40%. This distortion must eliminate the symmetry of an object. The subject's task is to decide whether or not the presented object is distorted under several viewing conditions (monocular/binocular, with/without motion parallax, and near/far). The subject's performance is measured by the discriminability d', which is a conventional dependent variable in signal detection experiments.

Direct Manipulation in Virtual Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryson, Steve

2003-01-01

Virtual Reality interfaces offer several advantages for scientific visualization such as the ability to perceive three-dimensional data structures in a natural way. The focus of this chapter is direct manipulation, the ability for a user in virtual reality to control objects in the virtual environment in a direct and natural way, much as objects are manipulated in the real world. Direct manipulation provides many advantages for the exploration of complex, multi-dimensional data sets, by allowing the investigator the ability to intuitively explore the data environment. Because direct manipulation is essentially a control interface, it is better suited for the exploration and analysis of a data set than for the publishing or communication of features found in that data set. Thus direct manipulation is most relevant to the analysis of complex data that fills a volume of three-dimensional space, such as a fluid flow data set. Direct manipulation allows the intuitive exploration of that data, which facilitates the discovery of data features that would be difficult to find using more conventional visualization methods. Using a direct manipulation interface in virtual reality, an investigator can, for example, move a data probe about in space, watching the results and getting a sense of how the data varies within its spatial volume.

Grip force control during virtual object interaction: effect of force feedback,accuracy demands, and training.

PubMed

Gibo, Tricia L; Bastian, Amy J; Okamura, Allison M

2014-03-01

When grasping and manipulating objects, people are able to efficiently modulate their grip force according to the experienced load force. Effective grip force control involves providing enough grip force to prevent the object from slipping, while avoiding excessive force to avoid damage and fatigue. During indirect object manipulation via teleoperation systems or in virtual environments, users often receive limited somatosensory feedback about objects with which they interact. This study examines the effects of force feedback, accuracy demands, and training on grip force control during object interaction in a virtual environment. The task required subjects to grasp and move a virtual object while tracking a target. When force feedback was not provided, subjects failed to couple grip and load force, a capability fundamental to direct object interaction. Subjects also exerted larger grip force without force feedback and when accuracy demands of the tracking task were high. In addition, the presence or absence of force feedback during training affected subsequent performance, even when the feedback condition was switched. Subjects' grip force control remained reminiscent of their employed grip during the initial training. These results motivate the use of force feedback during telemanipulation and highlight the effect of force feedback during training.

The cost of HIV medication adherence support interventions: results of a cross-site evaluation.

PubMed

Schackman, B R; Finkelstein, R; Neukermans, C P; Lewis, L; Eldred, L

2005-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine the direct cost of HIV adherence support programmes participating in a cross-site evaluation in the US. Data on the frequency, type, and setting of adherence encounters; providers' professions; and adherence tools provided were collected for 1,122 patients enrolled in 13 interventions at 9 sites. The site staff estimated the average duration of each type of encounter and national wage rates were used for labour costs. The median (range) adherence encounters/year among interventions was 16.5 (4.3-104.6) per patient; encounters lasted 24.6 (8.9-40.9) minutes. Intervention direct cost was correlated with the average frequency of encounters (r = 0.57), but not with encounter duration or providers' professions. The median direct cost/month was 35 dollars(5 dollars-58 dollars) per patient, and included direct provider costs (66%); incentives (17%); reminders and other tools (8%); and direct administrative time, provider transportation, training, and home delivery (9%). The median direct cost/month from a societal perspective, which includes patient time and travel costs, was 47 dollars(24 dollars-114 dollars) per patient. Adherence interventions with moderate efficacy costing < or =100 dollars/month have been estimated to meet a cost-effectiveness threshold that is generally accepted in the US. Payers should consider enhanced reimbursement for adherence support services.

An operating guide for the control of residential cut-through traffic.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-01-01

The objective of this operating guide was to provide direction in conducting studies in accordance with the Policy and Procedures for Control of Residential Cut-Through Traffic" of the Virginia Department of Transportation. The guide is in eight part...

Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Marcy

1989-01-01

Provided are four activities focusing on the application of mathematics to real-world situations: (1) Baby Weight; (2) High Temperature; (3) Skin Weight; and (4) Whale Weight. Each activity contains the objective, directions, extensions, and answers with worksheet. The activities required include the skills of making charts and graphs. (YP)

Methods and apparatus for extraction and tracking of objects from multi-dimensional sequence data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Matthew L. (Inventor); Chang, Yuan-Chi (Inventor); Li, Chung-Sheng (Inventor); Castelli, Vittorio (Inventor); Bergman, Lawrence David (Inventor)

2008-01-01

An object tracking technique is provided which, given: (i) a potentially large data set; (ii) a set of dimensions along which the data has been ordered; and (iii) a set of functions for measuring the similarity between data elements, a set of objects are produced. Each of these objects is defined by a list of data elements. Each of the data elements on this list contains the probability that the data element is part of the object. The method produces these lists via an adaptive, knowledge-based search function which directs the search for high-probability data elements. This serves to reduce the number of data element combinations evaluated while preserving the most flexibility in defining the associations of data elements which comprise an object.

Methods and apparatus for extraction and tracking of objects from multi-dimensional sequence data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Matthew L. (Inventor); Chang, Yuan-Chi (Inventor); Li, Chung-Sheng (Inventor); Castelli, Vittorio (Inventor); Bergman, Lawrence David (Inventor)

2005-01-01

An object tracking technique is provided which, given: (i) a potentially large data set; (ii) a set of dimensions along which the data has been ordered; and (iii) a set of functions for measuring the similarity between data elements, a set of objects are produced. Each of these objects is defined by a list of data elements. Each of the data elements on this list contains the probability that the data element is part of the object. The method produces these lists via an adaptive, knowledge-based search function which directs the search for high-probability data elements. This serves to reduce the number of data element combinations evaluated while preserving the most flexibility in defining the associations of data elements which comprise an object.

Screening portal, system and method of using same

DOEpatents

Linker, Kevin L.; Hunter, John A.; Brusseau, Charles A.

2013-04-30

A portal, system and method for screening an object for a target substance is provided. The portal includes an inflatable bladder expandable to form a test space for receiving the object and a plurality of nozzles positioned about the inflatable bladder. The nozzles are in fluid communication with a fluid source for directing air over the object whereby samples are removed from the object for examination. A collector is operatively connected to the inflatable bladder for collecting the samples removed from the object. A detector is operatively connected to the collector for examining the removed samples for the presence of the target substance. At least one preconcentrator may be operatively connected to the collector for concentrating the samples collected thereby.

Enabling Object Storage via shims for Grid Middleware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadellin Skipsey, Samuel; De Witt, Shaun; Dewhurst, Alastair; Britton, David; Roy, Gareth; Crooks, David

2015-12-01

The Object Store model has quickly become the basis of most commercially successful mass storage infrastructure, backing so-called ”Cloud” storage such as Amazon S3, but also underlying the implementation of most parallel distributed storage systems. Many of the assumptions in Object Store design are similar, but not identical, to concepts in the design of Grid Storage Elements, although the requirement for ”POSIX-like” filesystem structures on top of SEs makes the disjunction seem larger. As modern Object Stores provide many features that most Grid SEs do not (block level striping, parallel access, automatic file repair, etc.), it is of interest to see how easily we can provide interfaces to typical Object Stores via plugins and shims for Grid tools, and how well experiments can adapt their data models to them. We present evaluation of, and first-deployment experiences with, (for example) Xrootd-Ceph interfaces for direct object-store access, as part of an initiative within GridPP[1] hosted at RAL. Additionally, we discuss the tradeoffs and experience of developing plugins for the currently-popular Ceph parallel distributed filesystem for the GFAL2 access layer, at Glasgow.

New Approaches to Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrage, D. P.; Craig, J. I.; Fulton, R. E.; Mistree, F.

1995-01-01

Research under the subject grant is being carried out in a jointly coordinated effort within three laboratories in the School of Aerospace Engineering and the George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. The objectives and results for Year 2 of the research program are summarized. The "Objectives" and "Expected Significance" are taken directly from the Year 2 Proposal presented in October 1994, and "Results" summarize the what has been accomplished this year. A discussion of these results is provided in the following sections. A listing of papers, presentations and reports that acknowledge grant support, either in part or in whole, and that were prepared during this period is provided in an attachment.

Keep Away from Danger: Dangerous Objects in Dynamic and Static Situations

PubMed Central

Anelli, Filomena; Nicoletti, Roberto; Bolzani, Roberto; Borghi, Anna M.

2013-01-01

Behavioral and neuroscience studies have shown that objects observation evokes specific affordances (i.e., action possibilities) and motor responses. Recent findings provide evidence that even dangerous objects can modulate the motor system evoking aversive affordances. This sounds intriguing since so far the majority of behavioral, brain imaging, and transcranial magnetic stimulation studies with painful and dangerous stimuli strictly concerned the domain of pain, with the exception of evidence suggesting sensitivity to objects’ affordances when neutral objects are located in participants’ peripersonal space. This study investigates whether the observation of a neutral or dangerous object in a static or dynamic situation differently influences motor responses, and the time-course of the dangerous objects’ processing. In three experiments we manipulated: object dangerousness (neutral vs. dangerous); object category (artifact vs. natural); manual response typology (press vs. release a key); object presentation (Experiment 1: dynamic, Experiments 2 and 3: static); object movement direction (Experiment 1: away vs. toward the participant) or size (Experiments 2 and 3: big vs. normal vs. small). The task required participants to decide whether the object was an artifact or a natural object, by pressing or releasing one key. Results showed a facilitation for neutral over dangerous objects in the static situation, probably due to an affordance effect. Instead, in the dynamic condition responses were modulated by the object movement direction, with a dynamic affordance effect elicited by neutral objects and an escape-avoidance effect provoked by dangerous objects (neutral objects were processed faster when they moved toward-approached the participant, whereas dangerous objects were processed faster when they moved away from the participant). Moreover, static stimuli influenced the manual response typology. These data indicate the emergence of dynamic affordance and escaping-avoidance effects. PMID:23847512

Is goal-directed attentional guidance just intertrial priming? A review.

PubMed

Lamy, Dominique F; Kristjánsson, Arni

2013-07-01

According to most models of selective visual attention, our goals at any given moment and saliency in the visual field determine attentional priority. But selection is not carried out in isolation--we typically track objects through space and time. This is not well captured within the distinction between goal-directed and saliency-based attentional guidance. Recent studies have shown that selection is strongly facilitated when the characteristics of the objects to be attended and of those to be ignored remain constant between consecutive selections. These studies have generated the proposal that goal-directed or top-down effects are best understood as intertrial priming effects. Here, we provide a detailed overview and critical appraisal of the arguments, experimental strategies, and findings that have been used to promote this idea, along with a review of studies providing potential counterarguments. We divide this review according to different types of attentional control settings that observers are thought to adopt during visual search: feature-based settings, dimension-based settings, and singleton detection mode. We conclude that priming accounts for considerable portions of effects attributed to top-down guidance, but that top-down guidance can be independent of intertrial priming.

Distributed proximity sensor system having embedded light emitters and detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sukhan (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A distributed proximity sensor system is provided with multiple photosensitive devices and light emitters embedded on the surface of a robot hand or other moving member in a geometric pattern. By distributing sensors and emitters capable of detecting distances and angles to points on the surface of an object from known points in the geometric pattern, information is obtained for achieving noncontacting shape and distance perception, i.e., for automatic determination of the object's shape, direction and distance, as well as the orientation of the object relative to the robot hand or other moving member.

Computer graphics testbed to simulate and test vision systems for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheatham, John B.; Wu, Chris K.; Lin, Y. H.

1991-01-01

A system was developed for displaying computer graphics images of space objects and the use of the system was demonstrated as a testbed for evaluating vision systems for space applications. In order to evaluate vision systems, it is desirable to be able to control all factors involved in creating the images used for processing by the vision system. Considerable time and expense is involved in building accurate physical models of space objects. Also, precise location of the model relative to the viewer and accurate location of the light source require additional effort. As part of this project, graphics models of space objects such as the Solarmax satellite are created that the user can control the light direction and the relative position of the object and the viewer. The work is also aimed at providing control of hue, shading, noise and shadows for use in demonstrating and testing imaging processing techniques. The simulated camera data can provide XYZ coordinates, pitch, yaw, and roll for the models. A physical model is also being used to provide comparison of camera images with the graphics images.

Direct Reflectance Measurements from Drones: Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration and System Tests for Forest Reflectance Characterization.

PubMed

Hakala, Teemu; Markelin, Lauri; Honkavaara, Eija; Scott, Barry; Theocharous, Theo; Nevalainen, Olli; Näsi, Roope; Suomalainen, Juha; Viljanen, Niko; Greenwell, Claire; Fox, Nigel

2018-05-03

Drone-based remote sensing has evolved rapidly in recent years. Miniaturized hyperspectral imaging sensors are becoming more common as they provide more abundant information of the object compared to traditional cameras. Reflectance is a physically defined object property and therefore often preferred output of the remote sensing data capture to be used in the further processes. Absolute calibration of the sensor provides a possibility for physical modelling of the imaging process and enables efficient procedures for reflectance correction. Our objective is to develop a method for direct reflectance measurements for drone-based remote sensing. It is based on an imaging spectrometer and irradiance spectrometer. This approach is highly attractive for many practical applications as it does not require in situ reflectance panels for converting the sensor radiance to ground reflectance factors. We performed SI-traceable spectral and radiance calibration of a tuneable Fabry-Pérot Interferometer -based (FPI) hyperspectral camera at the National Physical Laboratory NPL (Teddington, UK). The camera represents novel technology by collecting 2D format hyperspectral image cubes using time sequential spectral scanning principle. The radiance accuracy of different channels varied between ±4% when evaluated using independent test data, and linearity of the camera response was on average 0.9994. The spectral response calibration showed side peaks on several channels that were due to the multiple orders of interference of the FPI. The drone-based direct reflectance measurement system showed promising results with imagery collected over Wytham Forest (Oxford, UK).

Direct Reflectance Measurements from Drones: Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration and System Tests for Forest Reflectance Characterization

PubMed Central

Hakala, Teemu; Scott, Barry; Theocharous, Theo; Näsi, Roope; Suomalainen, Juha; Greenwell, Claire; Fox, Nigel

2018-01-01

Drone-based remote sensing has evolved rapidly in recent years. Miniaturized hyperspectral imaging sensors are becoming more common as they provide more abundant information of the object compared to traditional cameras. Reflectance is a physically defined object property and therefore often preferred output of the remote sensing data capture to be used in the further processes. Absolute calibration of the sensor provides a possibility for physical modelling of the imaging process and enables efficient procedures for reflectance correction. Our objective is to develop a method for direct reflectance measurements for drone-based remote sensing. It is based on an imaging spectrometer and irradiance spectrometer. This approach is highly attractive for many practical applications as it does not require in situ reflectance panels for converting the sensor radiance to ground reflectance factors. We performed SI-traceable spectral and radiance calibration of a tuneable Fabry-Pérot Interferometer -based (FPI) hyperspectral camera at the National Physical Laboratory NPL (Teddington, UK). The camera represents novel technology by collecting 2D format hyperspectral image cubes using time sequential spectral scanning principle. The radiance accuracy of different channels varied between ±4% when evaluated using independent test data, and linearity of the camera response was on average 0.9994. The spectral response calibration showed side peaks on several channels that were due to the multiple orders of interference of the FPI. The drone-based direct reflectance measurement system showed promising results with imagery collected over Wytham Forest (Oxford, UK). PMID:29751560

A Framework for Realistic Modeling and Display of Object Surface Appearance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darling, Benjamin A.

With advances in screen and video hardware technology, the type of content presented on computers has progressed from text and simple shapes to high-resolution photographs, photorealistic renderings, and high-definition video. At the same time, there have been significant advances in the area of content capture, with the development of devices and methods for creating rich digital representations of real-world objects. Unlike photo or video capture, which provide a fixed record of the light in a scene, these new technologies provide information on the underlying properties of the objects, allowing their appearance to be simulated for novel lighting and viewing conditions. These capabilities provide an opportunity to continue the computer display progression, from high-fidelity image presentations to digital surrogates that recreate the experience of directly viewing objects in the real world. In this dissertation, a framework was developed for representing objects with complex color, gloss, and texture properties and displaying them onscreen to appear as if they are part of the real-world environment. At its core, there is a conceptual shift from a traditional image-based display workflow to an object-based one. Instead of presenting the stored patterns of light from a scene, the objective is to reproduce the appearance attributes of a stored object by simulating its dynamic patterns of light for the real viewing and lighting geometry. This is accomplished using a computational approach where the physical light sources are modeled and the observer and display screen are actively tracked. Surface colors are calculated for the real spectral composition of the illumination with a custom multispectral rendering pipeline. In a set of experiments, the accuracy of color and gloss reproduction was evaluated by measuring the screen directly with a spectroradiometer. Gloss reproduction was assessed by comparing gonio measurements of the screen output to measurements of the real samples in the same measurement configuration. A chromatic adaptation experiment was performed to evaluate color appearance in the framework and explore the factors that contribute to differences when viewing self-luminous displays as opposed to reflective objects. A set of sample applications was developed to demonstrate the potential utility of the object display technology for digital proofing, psychophysical testing, and artwork display.

Getting a grip on reality: Grasping movements directed to real objects and images rely on dissociable neural representations.

PubMed

Freud, Erez; Macdonald, Scott N; Chen, Juan; Quinlan, Derek J; Goodale, Melvyn A; Culham, Jody C

2018-01-01

In the current era of touchscreen technology, humans commonly execute visually guided actions directed to two-dimensional (2D) images of objects. Although real, three-dimensional (3D), objects and images of the same objects share high degree of visual similarity, they differ fundamentally in the actions that can be performed on them. Indeed, previous behavioral studies have suggested that simulated grasping of images relies on different representations than actual grasping of real 3D objects. Yet the neural underpinnings of this phenomena have not been investigated. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how brain activation patterns differed for grasping and reaching actions directed toward real 3D objects compared to images. Multivoxel Pattern Analysis (MVPA) revealed that the left anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS), a key region for visually guided grasping, discriminates between both the format in which objects were presented (real/image) and the motor task performed on them (grasping/reaching). Interestingly, during action planning, the representations of real 3D objects versus images differed more for grasping movements than reaching movements, likely because grasping real 3D objects involves fine-grained planning and anticipation of the consequences of a real interaction. Importantly, this dissociation was evident in the planning phase, before movement initiation, and was not found in any other regions, including motor and somatosensory cortices. This suggests that the dissociable representations in the left aIPS were not based on haptic, motor or proprioceptive feedback. Together, these findings provide novel evidence that actions, particularly grasping, are affected by the realness of the target objects during planning, perhaps because real targets require a more elaborate forward model based on visual cues to predict the consequences of real manipulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IDEAS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Sharon L.

1991-01-01

Presented are four activities that focus on gathering and interpreting data about pizza as a basis for integrating mathematics, health, and social studies. Reproducible sheets for parents to use with their children, class-activity sheets, and a data sheet are provided. Each activity includes the objective, needed materials, directions, extensions,…

Teaching "Filing Rules"--Via Computer-Aided Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agneberg, Craig

A computer software package has been developed to teach and test students on the Rules for Alphabetical Filing of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA). The following computer assisted instruction principles were used in developing the program: gaining attention, stating objectives, providing direction, reviewing…

Using Direct Policy Search to Identify Robust Strategies in Adapting to Uncertain Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, G. G.; Keller, K.

2017-12-01

Sea-level rise poses considerable risks to coastal communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure. Decision makers are faced with deeply uncertain sea-level projections when designing a strategy for coastal adaptation. The traditional methods have provided tremendous insight into this decision problem, but are often silent on tradeoffs as well as the effects of tail-area events and of potential future learning. Here we reformulate a simple sea-level rise adaptation model to address these concerns. We show that Direct Policy Search yields improved solution quality, with respect to Pareto-dominance in the objectives, over the traditional approach under uncertain sea-level rise projections and storm surge. Additionally, the new formulation produces high quality solutions with less computational demands than the traditional approach. Our results illustrate the utility of multi-objective adaptive formulations for the example of coastal adaptation, the value of information provided by observations, and point to wider-ranging application in climate change adaptation decision problems.

Retrieving autobiographical memories: How different retrieval strategies associated with different cues explain reaction time differences.

PubMed

Uzer, Tugba

2016-02-01

Previous research has shown that memories cued by concrete concepts, such as objects, are retrieved faster than those cued by more abstract concepts, such as emotions. This effect has been explained by the fact that more memories are directly retrieved from object versus emotion cues. In the present study, we tested whether RT differences between memories cued by emotion versus object terms occur not only because object cues elicit direct retrieval of more memories (Uzer, Lee, & Brown, 2012), but also because of differences in memory generation in response to emotions versus objects. One hundred university students retrieved memories in response to basic-level (e.g. orange), superordinate-level (e.g. plant), and emotion (e.g. surprised) cues. Retrieval speed was measured and participants reported whether memories were directly retrieved or generated on each trial. Results showed that memories were retrieved faster in response to basic-level versus superordinate-level and emotion cues because a) basic-level cues elicited more directly retrieved memories, and b) generating memories was more difficult when cues were abstract versus concrete. These results suggest that generative retrieval is a cue generation process in which additional cues that provide contextual information including the target event are produced. Memories are retrieved more slowly in response to emotion cues in part because emotion labels are less effective cues of appropriate contextual information. This particular finding is inconsistent with the idea that emotion is a primary organizational unit for autobiographical memories. In contrast, the difficulty of emotional memory generation implies that emotions represent low-level event information in the organization of autobiographical memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactions between dorsal and ventral streams for controlling skilled grasp

PubMed Central

van Polanen, Vonne; Davare, Marco

2015-01-01

The two visual systems hypothesis suggests processing of visual information into two distinct routes in the brain: a dorsal stream for the control of actions and a ventral stream for the identification of objects. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that the dorsal and ventral streams are not strictly independent, but do interact with each other. In this paper, we argue that the interactions between dorsal and ventral streams are important for controlling complex object-oriented hand movements, especially skilled grasp. Anatomical studies have reported the existence of direct connections between dorsal and ventral stream areas. These physiological interconnections appear to be gradually more active as the precision demands of the grasp become higher. It is hypothesised that the dorsal stream needs to retrieve detailed information about object identity, stored in ventral stream areas, when the object properties require complex fine-tuning of the grasp. In turn, the ventral stream might receive up to date grasp-related information from dorsal stream areas to refine the object internal representation. Future research will provide direct evidence for which specific areas of the two streams interact, the timing of their interactions and in which behavioural context they occur. PMID:26169317

Overt attention in natural scenes: objects dominate features.

PubMed

Stoll, Josef; Thrun, Michael; Nuthmann, Antje; Einhäuser, Wolfgang

2015-02-01

Whether overt attention in natural scenes is guided by object content or by low-level stimulus features has become a matter of intense debate. Experimental evidence seemed to indicate that once object locations in a scene are known, salience models provide little extra explanatory power. This approach has recently been criticized for using inadequate models of early salience; and indeed, state-of-the-art salience models outperform trivial object-based models that assume a uniform distribution of fixations on objects. Here we propose to use object-based models that take a preferred viewing location (PVL) close to the centre of objects into account. In experiment 1, we demonstrate that, when including this comparably subtle modification, object-based models again are at par with state-of-the-art salience models in predicting fixations in natural scenes. One possible interpretation of these results is that objects rather than early salience dominate attentional guidance. In this view, early-salience models predict fixations through the correlation of their features with object locations. To test this hypothesis directly, in two additional experiments we reduced low-level salience in image areas of high object content. For these modified stimuli, the object-based model predicted fixations significantly better than early salience. This finding held in an object-naming task (experiment 2) and a free-viewing task (experiment 3). These results provide further evidence for object-based fixation selection--and by inference object-based attentional guidance--in natural scenes. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of medical management during a mass casualty incident exercise: an objective assessment tool to enhance direct observation.

PubMed

Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Prato, Federico; Geddo, Alessandro; Colombo, Davide; Tengattini, Marco; Calligaro, Sara; La Mura, Fabrizio; Franc, Jeffrey Michael; Della Corte, Francesco

2010-11-01

Functional exercises represent an important link between disaster planning and disaster response. Although these exercises are widely performed, no standardized method exists for their evaluation. To describe a simple and objective method to assess medical performance during functional exercise events. An evaluation tool comprising three data fields (triage, clinical maneuvers, and radio usage), accompanied by direct anecdotal observational methods, was used to evaluate a large functional mass casualty incident exercise. Seventeen medical responders managed 112 victims of a simulated building explosion. Although 81% of the patients were assigned the appropriate triage codes, evacuation from the site did not follow in priority. Required maneuvers were performed correctly in 85.2% of airway maneuvers and 78.7% of breathing maneuvers, however, significant under-treatment occurred, possibly due to equipment shortages. Extensive use of radio communication was documented. In evaluating this tool, the structured markers were informative, but further information provided by direct observation was invaluable. A three-part tool (triage, medical maneuvers, and radio usage) can provide a method to evaluate functional mass casualty incident exercises, and is easily implemented. For the best results, it should be used in conjunction with direct observation. The evaluation tool has great potential as a reproducible and internationally recognized tool for evaluating disaster management exercises. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Nonradiating Sources to Directionally Invisible Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurwitz, Elisa

The goal of this dissertation is to extend the understanding of invisible objects, in particular nonradiating sources and directional nonscattering scatterers. First, variations of null-field nonradiating sources are derived from Maxwell's equations. Next, it is shown how to design a nonscattering scatterer by applying the boundary conditions for nonradiating sources to the scalar wave equation, referred to here as the "field cloak method". This technique is used to demonstrate directionally invisible scatterers for an incident field with one direction of incidence, and the influence of symmetry on the directionality is explored. This technique, when applied to the scalar wave equation, is extended to show that a directionally invisible object may be invisible for multiple directions of incidence simultaneously. This opens the door to the creation of optically switchable, directionally invisible objects which could be implemented in couplers and other novel optical devices. Next, a version of the "field cloak method" is extended to the Maxwell's electro-magnetic vector equations, allowing more flexibility in the variety of directionally invisible objects that can be designed. This thesis concludes with examples of such objects and future applications.

Interpreting radiative efficiency in radio-loud AGNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardcastle, Martin

2018-04-01

Radiative efficiency in radio-loud active galactic nuclei is governed by the accretion rate onto the central black hole rather than directly by the type of accreted matter; while it correlates with real differences in host galaxies and environments, it does not provide unambiguous information about particular objects.

43 CFR 10005.5 - Directives from the Act relating to the plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.... Sections 304, 314, and 315 provide additional guidance. Provisions that hold particular relevance are... biological productivity and diversity of natural ecosystems within the State and have substantial potential... alternative means of achieving the same sound biological or recreational objectives exist, the alternative...

43 CFR 10005.5 - Directives from the Act relating to the plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... Sections 304, 314, and 315 provide additional guidance. Provisions that hold particular relevance are... biological productivity and diversity of natural ecosystems within the State and have substantial potential... alternative means of achieving the same sound biological or recreational objectives exist, the alternative...

43 CFR 10005.5 - Directives from the Act relating to the plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... Sections 304, 314, and 315 provide additional guidance. Provisions that hold particular relevance are... biological productivity and diversity of natural ecosystems within the State and have substantial potential... alternative means of achieving the same sound biological or recreational objectives exist, the alternative...

43 CFR 10005.5 - Directives from the Act relating to the plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

.... Sections 304, 314, and 315 provide additional guidance. Provisions that hold particular relevance are... biological productivity and diversity of natural ecosystems within the State and have substantial potential... alternative means of achieving the same sound biological or recreational objectives exist, the alternative...

Multicultural Counseling Training: Past, Present, and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abreu, Jose M.; Chung, Ruth H. Gim; Atkinson, Donald R.

2000-01-01

Provides a selective review of the multicultural counseling training (MCT) literature. A brief historical account of multicultural counseling is followed by three other sections detailing current models of MCT, conceptualization of training objectives, and empirical research. Highlights and discusses critical issues for the present and future…

78 FR 16514 - Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... 78 FR 14311-14312, dated March 5, 2013). This notice reflects organizational changes to the Health..., coordination, and planning in support of BPHC programs. Specifically: (1) Establishes program goals, objectives, and priorities, and provides oversight to their execution; (2) plans, directs, coordinates, supports...

Governing Body Committees | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

OCCPR relies on governing body committees to provide objective and expert advice on the coordination and future direction of the CPTAC Program. The Steering Committee (SC) consists of awardees and OCCPR leadership, who formulate, coordinate, and oversee strategic decisions and policies regarding consortium-wide activities.

Guidelines for Consumer Education. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Office of Education, Springfield.

This guide is intended to assist school personnel by clarifying issues, provide directions in basic information, and stimulate practical considerations for the learner in the area of consumer education. Its objectives are to (1) assist school administrators in the implementation of consumer education, and (2) assist secondary teachers in planning…

Contemporary Music Education: Trends and Implications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sironen, Dorthea May

This document investigates issues, principles, and practices in music education programs in elementary schools. Objectives were to determine how music education programs meet the intellectual, cultural, and artistic needs of children in a changing society and to provide direction in planning and implementing more realistic and comprehensive music…

LOGDIS (Logistics Data Integration System): Productivity evaluation report. [Logistics Data Integration System

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

Schultz, E.E.; Abrahams, S.; Banks, W.W. Jr.

1987-08-26

This report presents the results of an end-user productivity study associated with the implementation of LOGDIS (Logistics Data Integration System), a prototype LLNL Gateway system. Its purpose is to provide AFLC decision-makers with data pertaining to estimates of any productivity changes that can be expected or realized by the use of advanced technology and applications software. The effort described in this report focuses on objective functional user productivity and performance changes which can be attributed directly and objectively to LOGDIS.

Visual Information Processing Based on Spatial Filters Constrained by Biological Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

was provided by Pantie and Sekuler ( 19681. They found that the detection (if gratings was affected most by adapting isee Section 6.1. 11 to square...evidence for certain eye scans being directed by spatial information in filtered images is given. Eye scan paths of a portrait of a young girl I Figure 08...multistable objects to more complex objects such as the man- girl figure of Fisher 119681, decision boundaries that are a natural concomitant to any pattern

Ti-44 Gamma-Ray Emission Lines from SN1987A Reveal an Asymmetric Explosion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boggs, S. E.; Harrison, F. A.; Miyasaka, H.; Grefenstette, B. W.; Zoglauer, A.; Fryer, C. L.; Reynolds, S. P.; Alexander, D. M.; An, H.; Barret, D.;

Direct democracy and minority rights: same-sex marriage bans in the U.S.

PubMed

Lewis, Daniel C

2011-01-01

Objectives. A common critique of direct democracy posits that minority rights are endangered by citizen legislative institutions. By allowing citizens to directly create public policy, these institutions avoid the filtering mechanisms of representative democracy that provide a check on the power of the majority. Empirical research, however, has produced conflicting results that leave the question of direct democracy's effect on minority rights open to debate. This article seeks to empirically test this critique using a comparative, dynamic approach.Methods. I examine the diffusion of same-sex marriage bans in the United States using event-history analysis, comparing direct-democracy states to non-direct-democracy states.Results. The results show that direct-democracy states are significantly more likely than other states to adopt same-sex marriage bans.Conclusion. The findings support the majoritarian critique of direct democracy, suggesting that the rights of minority groups are at relatively higher risk under systems with direct democracy.

A Stochastic Model of Plausibility in Live Virtual Constructive Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-14

objective in virtual environment research and design is the maintenance of adequate consistency levels in the face of limited system resources such as...provides some commentary with regard to system design considerations and future research directions. II. SYSTEM MODEL DVEs are often designed as a...exceed the system’s requirements. Research into predictive models of virtual environment consistency is needed to provide designers the tools to

Design of a lightweight, cost effective thimble-like sensor for haptic applications based on contact force sensors.

PubMed

Ferre, Manuel; Galiana, Ignacio; Aracil, Rafael

2011-01-01

This paper describes the design and calibration of a thimble that measures the forces applied by a user during manipulation of virtual and real objects. Haptic devices benefit from force measurement capabilities at their end-point. However, the heavy weight and cost of force sensors prevent their widespread incorporation in these applications. The design of a lightweight, user-adaptable, and cost-effective thimble with four contact force sensors is described in this paper. The sensors are calibrated before being placed in the thimble to provide normal and tangential forces. Normal forces are exerted directly by the fingertip and thus can be properly measured. Tangential forces are estimated by sensors strategically placed in the thimble sides. Two applications are provided in order to facilitate an evaluation of sensorized thimble performance. These applications focus on: (i) force signal edge detection, which determines task segmentation of virtual object manipulation, and (ii) the development of complex object manipulation models, wherein the mechanical features of a real object are obtained and these features are then reproduced for training by means of virtual object manipulation.

Design of a Lightweight, Cost Effective Thimble-Like Sensor for Haptic Applications Based on Contact Force Sensors

PubMed Central

Ferre, Manuel; Galiana, Ignacio; Aracil, Rafael

2011-01-01

This paper describes the design and calibration of a thimble that measures the forces applied by a user during manipulation of virtual and real objects. Haptic devices benefit from force measurement capabilities at their end-point. However, the heavy weight and cost of force sensors prevent their widespread incorporation in these applications. The design of a lightweight, user-adaptable, and cost-effective thimble with four contact force sensors is described in this paper. The sensors are calibrated before being placed in the thimble to provide normal and tangential forces. Normal forces are exerted directly by the fingertip and thus can be properly measured. Tangential forces are estimated by sensors strategically placed in the thimble sides. Two applications are provided in order to facilitate an evaluation of sensorized thimble performance. These applications focus on: (i) force signal edge detection, which determines task segmentation of virtual object manipulation, and (ii) the development of complex object manipulation models, wherein the mechanical features of a real object are obtained and these features are then reproduced for training by means of virtual object manipulation. PMID:22247677

76 FR 69642 - Flutriafol; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

... provided in 40 CFR 178.25(b). In addition to filing an objection or hearing request with the Hearing Clerk... residues of the fungicide flutriafol, including its metabolites and degradates, in or on banana, whole... for direct application to banana (import); grape, raisin; fruit, pome, group 11-09; beet, sugar; and...

The State Director for Community Junior Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wattenbarger, James L.; And Others

Experience has indicated that state-level direction and leadership can help the community junior college realize its objectives. With this in mind, the author discusses the nature and requirements of such cooperation. For example, the chief functions of a state director could include promoting the junior college program, providing leadership for…

Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory technical guide

Treesearch

E. Winthers; D. Fallon; J. Haglund; T. DeMeo; G. Nowacki; D. Tart; M. Ferwerda; G. Robertson; A. Gallegos; A. Rorick; D. T. Cleland; W. Robbie

2005-01-01

The purpose of this technical guide is to provide specific direction and guidance for conducting Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory (TEUI) at the landscape and land-unit scales. TEUI seeks to classify ecological types and map terrestrial ecological units (TEUs) to a consistent standard throughout National Forest System lands. The objectives, policies, and...

Toward 2000. Trends Report II: Elementary-Secondary Projections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Press, Harold L.

Comprehensive, systematic planning provides the overall direction for education through the development of policies and objectives. An understanding of demographic, social, and economic trends is necessary for educators to make decisions for the future. The 1986 demographic forecasts for the province of Newfoundland are updated in this report,…

Latin I Resource Guide. Latin I Course Number: 61.041.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta. Office of Instructional Services.

The guide contains classroom activities and instructional techniques to be used in implementing the first-year core Latin language curriculum for Georgia's public schools. Activities are correlated with goals and objectives specified in the state curriculum. Each provides information and directions for teachers and/or students and includes…

The Knife Machine. Module 15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia. Office of Vocational Education.

This module on the knife machine, one in a series dealing with industrial sewing machines, their attachments, and operation, covers one topic: performing special operations on the knife machine (a single needle or multi-needle machine which sews and cuts at the same time). These components are provided: an introduction, directions, an objective,…

Intermedia: A System for Linking Multimedia Documents. IRIS Technical Report 86-2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yankelovich, Nicole

"Intermedia" is a hypermedia system which was developed for use in university research and teaching. It provides a framework for object-oriented, direct manipulation editors and applications, and the capability to link together materials created with those applications. Instructors are able to construct exploratory environments for their…

A Systematic Review of Strategies for Implementing Empirically Supported Mental Health Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Byron J.; Proctor, Enola K.; Glass, Joseph E.

2014-01-01

Objective: This systematic review examines experimental studies that test the effectiveness of strategies intended to integrate empirically supported mental health interventions into routine care settings. Our goal was to characterize the state of the literature and to provide direction for future implementation studies. Method: A literature…

Modeling Spatial Relationships within a Fuzzy Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petry, Frederick E.; Cobb, Maria A.

1998-01-01

Presents a model for representing and storing binary topological and directional relationships between 2-dimensional objects that is used to provide a basis for fuzzy querying capabilities. A data structure called an abstract spatial graph (ASG) is defined for the binary relationships that maintains all necessary information regarding topology and…

Spatial image modulation to improve performance of computed tomography imaging spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bearman, Gregory H. (Inventor); Wilson, Daniel W. (Inventor); Johnson, William R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Computed tomography imaging spectrometers ("CTIS"s) having patterns for imposing spatial structure are provided. The pattern may be imposed either directly on the object scene being imaged or at the field stop aperture. The use of the pattern improves the accuracy of the captured spatial and spectral information.

Direct Effects, Compensation, and Recovery in Female Fathead Minnows Exposed to the Aromatase Inhibitor Fadrozole

EPA Science Inventory

A variety of chemicals present in the environment have the potential to inhibit aromatase, an enzyme critical to estrogen synthesis. The objective of this study was to provide a detailed characterization of the molecular and biochemical responses of female fathead minnows to a m...

Validity of Evidence-Derived Criteria for Reactive Attachment Disorder: Indiscriminately Social/Disinhibited and Emotionally Withdrawn/Inhibited Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gleason, Mary Margaret; Fox, Nathan A.; Drury, Stacy; Smyke, Anna; Egger, Helen L.; Nelson, Charles A., III; Gregas, Matthew C.; Zeanah, Charles H.

2011-01-01

Objective: This study examined the validity of criteria for indiscriminately social/disinhibited and emotionally withdrawn/inhibited reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Method: As part of a longitudinal intervention trial of previously institutionalized children, caregiver interviews and direct observational measurements provided continuous and…

A comparison of form processing involved in the perception of biological and nonbiological movements

PubMed Central

Thurman, Steven M.; Lu, Hongjing

2016-01-01

Although there is evidence for specialization in the human brain for processing biological motion per se, few studies have directly examined the specialization of form processing in biological motion perception. The current study was designed to systematically compare form processing in perception of biological (human walkers) to nonbiological (rotating squares) stimuli. Dynamic form-based stimuli were constructed with conflicting form cues (position and orientation), such that the objects were perceived to be moving ambiguously in two directions at once. In Experiment 1, we used the classification image technique to examine how local form cues are integrated across space and time in a bottom-up manner. By comparing with a Bayesian observer model that embodies generic principles of form analysis (e.g., template matching) and integrates form information according to cue reliability, we found that human observers employ domain-general processes to recognize both human actions and nonbiological object movements. Experiments 2 and 3 found differential top-down effects of spatial context on perception of biological and nonbiological forms. When a background does not involve social information, observers are biased to perceive foreground object movements in the direction opposite to surrounding motion. However, when a background involves social cues, such as a crowd of similar objects, perception is biased toward the same direction as the crowd for biological walking stimuli, but not for rotating nonbiological stimuli. The model provided an accurate account of top-down modulations by adjusting the prior probabilities associated with the internal templates, demonstrating the power and flexibility of the Bayesian approach for visual form perception. PMID:26746875

The sensing and perception subsystem of the NASA research telerobot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, B.; Gennery, D. B.; Bon, B.; Litwin, T.

1987-01-01

A useful space telerobot for on-orbit assembly, maintenance, and repair tasks must have a sensing and perception subsystem which can provide the locations, orientations, and velocities of all relevant objects in the work environment. This function must be accomplished with sufficient speed and accuracy to permit effective grappling and manipulation. Appropriate symbolic names must be attached to each object for use by higher-level planning algorithms. Sensor data and inferences must be presented to the remote human operator in a way that is both comprehensible in ensuring safe autonomous operation and useful for direct teleoperation. Research at JPL toward these objectives is described.

Object motion computation for the initiation of smooth pursuit eye movements in humans.

PubMed

Wallace, Julian M; Stone, Leland S; Masson, Guillaume S

2005-04-01

Pursuing an object with smooth eye movements requires an accurate estimate of its two-dimensional (2D) trajectory. This 2D motion computation requires that different local motion measurements are extracted and combined to recover the global object-motion direction and speed. Several combination rules have been proposed such as vector averaging (VA), intersection of constraints (IOC), or 2D feature tracking (2DFT). To examine this computation, we investigated the time course of smooth pursuit eye movements driven by simple objects of different shapes. For type II diamond (where the direction of true object motion is dramatically different from the vector average of the 1-dimensional edge motions, i.e., VA not equal IOC = 2DFT), the ocular tracking is initiated in the vector average direction. Over a period of less than 300 ms, the eye-tracking direction converges on the true object motion. The reduction of the tracking error starts before the closing of the oculomotor loop. For type I diamonds (where the direction of true object motion is identical to the vector average direction, i.e., VA = IOC = 2DFT), there is no such bias. We quantified this effect by calculating the direction error between responses to types I and II and measuring its maximum value and time constant. At low contrast and high speeds, the initial bias in tracking direction is larger and takes longer to converge onto the actual object-motion direction. This effect is attenuated with the introduction of more 2D information to the extent that it was totally obliterated with a texture-filled type II diamond. These results suggest a flexible 2D computation for motion integration, which combines all available one-dimensional (edge) and 2D (feature) motion information to refine the estimate of object-motion direction over time.

Imaging X-Ray Polarimeter for Solar Flares (IXPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hosack, Michael; Black, J. Kevin; Deines-Jones, Philip; Dennis, Brian R.; Hill, Joanne E.; Jahoda, Keith; Shih, Albert Y.; Urba, Christian E.; Emslie, A. Gordon

2011-01-01

We describe the design of a balloon-borne Imaging X-ray Polarimeter for Solar flares (IX PS). This novel instrument, a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) for photoelectric polarimetry, will be capable of measuring polarization at the few percent level in the 20-50 keV energy range during an M- or X class flare, and will provide imaging information at the approx.10 arcsec level. The primary objective of such observations is to determine the directivity of nonthermal high-energy electrons producing solar hard X-rays, and hence to learn about the particle acceleration and energy release processes in solar flares. Secondary objectives include the separation of the thermal and nonthermal components of the flare X-ray emissions and the separation of photospheric albedo fluxes from direct emissions.

Gravity enhanced acoustic levitation method and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M. B.; Allen, J. L.; Granett, D. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An acoustic levitation system is provided for acoustically levitating an object by applying a single frequency from a transducer into a resonant chamber surrounding the object. The chamber includes a stabilizer location along its height, where the side walls of the chamber are angled so they converge in an upward direction. When an acoustic standing wave pattern is applied between the top and bottom of the chamber, a levitation surface within the stabilizer does not lie on a horizontal plane, but instead is curved with a lowermost portion near the vertical axis of the chamber. As a result, an acoustically levitated object is urged by gravity towards the lowermost location on the levitation surface, so the object is kept away from the side walls of the chamber.

A knowledge based software engineering environment testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, C.; Reedy, A.; Baker, L.

1985-01-01

The Carnegie Group Incorporated and Boeing Computer Services Company are developing a testbed which will provide a framework for integrating conventional software engineering tools with Artifical Intelligence (AI) tools to promote automation and productivity. The emphasis is on the transfer of AI technology to the software development process. Experiments relate to AI issues such as scaling up, inference, and knowledge representation. In its first year, the project has created a model of software development by representing software activities; developed a module representation formalism to specify the behavior and structure of software objects; integrated the model with the formalism to identify shared representation and inheritance mechanisms; demonstrated object programming by writing procedures and applying them to software objects; used data-directed and goal-directed reasoning to, respectively, infer the cause of bugs and evaluate the appropriateness of a configuration; and demonstrated knowledge-based graphics. Future plans include introduction of knowledge-based systems for rapid prototyping or rescheduling; natural language interfaces; blackboard architecture; and distributed processing

Direct Measurement of Photon Recoil from a Levitated Nanoparticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Vijay; Gieseler, Jan; Moritz, Clemens; Dellago, Christoph; Quidant, Romain; Novotny, Lukas

2016-06-01

The momentum transfer between a photon and an object defines a fundamental limit for the precision with which the object can be measured. If the object oscillates at a frequency Ω0 , this measurement backaction adds quanta ℏΩ0 to the oscillator's energy at a rate Γrecoil, a process called photon recoil heating, and sets bounds to coherence times in cavity optomechanical systems. Here, we use an optically levitated nanoparticle in ultrahigh vacuum to directly measure Γrecoil. By means of a phase-sensitive feedback scheme, we cool the harmonic motion of the nanoparticle from ambient to microkelvin temperatures and measure its reheating rate under the influence of the radiation field. The recoil heating rate is measured for different particle sizes and for different excitation powers, without the need for cavity optics or cryogenic environments. The measurements are in quantitative agreement with theoretical predictions and provide valuable guidance for the realization of quantum ground-state cooling protocols and the measurement of ultrasmall forces.

Seductive eyes: attractiveness and direct gaze increase desire for associated objects.

PubMed

Strick, Madelijn; Holland, Rob W; van Knippenberg, Ad

2008-03-01

Recent research in neuroscience shows that observing attractive faces with direct gaze is more rewarding than observing attractive faces with averted gaze. On the basis of this research, it was hypothesized that object evaluations can be enhanced by associating them with attractive faces displaying direct gaze. In a conditioning paradigm, novel objects were associated with either attractive or unattractive female faces, either displaying direct or averted gaze. An affective priming task showed more positive automatic evaluations of objects that were paired with attractive faces with direct gaze than attractive faces with averted gaze and unattractive faces, irrespective of gaze direction. Participants' self-reported desire for the objects matched the affective priming data. The results are discussed against the background of recent findings on affective consequences of gaze cueing.

Memory Performance for Everyday Motivational and Neutral Objects Is Dissociable from Attention

PubMed Central

Schomaker, Judith; Wittmann, Bianca C.

2017-01-01

Episodic memory is typically better for items coupled with monetary reward or punishment during encoding. It is yet unclear whether memory is also enhanced for everyday objects with appetitive or aversive values learned through a lifetime of experience, and to what extent episodic memory enhancement for motivational and neutral items is attributable to attention. In a first experiment, we investigated attention to everyday motivational objects using eye-tracking during free-viewing and subsequently tested episodic memory using a remember/know procedure. Attention was directed more to aversive stimuli, as evidenced by longer viewing durations, whereas recollection was higher for both appetitive and aversive objects. In the second experiment, we manipulated the visual contrast of neutral objects through changes of contrast to further dissociate attention and memory encoding. While objects presented with high visual contrast were looked at longer, recollection was best for objects presented in unmodified, medium contrast. Generalized logistic mixed models on recollection performance showed that attention as measured by eye movements did not enhance subsequent memory, while motivational value (Experiment 1) and visual contrast (Experiment 2) had quadratic effects in opposite directions. Our findings suggest that an enhancement of incidental memory encoding for appetitive items can occur without an increase in attention and, vice versa, that enhanced attention towards salient neutral objects is not necessarily associated with memory improvement. Together, our results provide evidence for a double dissociation of attention and memory effects under certain conditions. PMID:28694774

Aging affects the interaction between attentional control and source memory: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Dulas, Michael R; Duarte, Audrey

2014-12-01

Age-related source memory impairments may be due, at least in part, to deficits in executive processes mediated by the PFC at both study and test. Behavioral work suggests that providing environmental support at encoding, such as directing attention toward item-source associations, may improve source memory and reduce age-related deficits in the recruitment of these executive processes. The present fMRI study investigated the effects of directed attention and aging on source memory encoding and retrieval. At study, participants were shown pictures of objects. They were either asked to attend to the objects and their color (source) or to their size. At test, participants determined if objects were seen before, and if so, whether they were the same color as previously. Behavioral results showed that direction of attention improved source memory for both groups; however, age-related deficits persisted. fMRI results revealed that, across groups, direction of attention facilitated medial temporal lobe-mediated contextual binding processes during study and attenuated right PFC postretrieval monitoring effects at test. However, persistent age-related source memory deficits may be related to increased recruitment of medial anterior PFC during encoding, indicative of self-referential processing, as well as underrecruitment of lateral anterior PFC-mediated relational processes. Taken together, this study suggests that, even when supported, older adults may fail to selectively encode goal-relevant contextual details supporting source memory performance.

Processing abstract language modulates motor system activity.

PubMed

Glenberg, Arthur M; Sato, Marc; Cattaneo, Luigi; Riggio, Lucia; Palumbo, Daniele; Buccino, Giovanni

2008-06-01

Embodiment theory proposes that neural systems for perception and action are also engaged during language comprehension. Previous neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have only been able to demonstrate modulation of action systems during comprehension of concrete language. We provide neurophysiological evidence for modulation of motor system activity during the comprehension of both concrete and abstract language. In Experiment 1, when the described direction of object transfer or information transfer (e.g., away from the reader to another) matched the literal direction of a hand movement used to make a response, speed of responding was faster than when the two directions mismatched (an action-sentence compatibility effect). In Experiment 2, we used single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation to study changes in the corticospinal motor pathways to hand muscles while reading the same sentences. Relative to sentences that do not describe transfer, there is greater modulation of activity in the hand muscles when reading sentences describing transfer of both concrete objects and abstract information. These findings are discussed in relation to the human mirror neuron system.

Representation of Non-Spatial and Spatial Information in the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex

PubMed Central

Deshmukh, Sachin S.; Knierim, James J.

2011-01-01

Some theories of memory propose that the hippocampus integrates the individual items and events of experience within a contextual or spatial framework. The hippocampus receives cortical input from two major pathways: the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) and the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC). During exploration in an open field, the firing fields of MEC grid cells form a periodically repeating, triangular array. In contrast, LEC neurons show little spatial selectivity, and it has been proposed that the LEC may provide non-spatial input to the hippocampus. Here, we recorded MEC and LEC neurons while rats explored an open field that contained discrete objects. LEC cells fired selectively at locations relative to the objects, whereas MEC cells were weakly influenced by the objects. These results provide the first direct demonstration of a double dissociation between LEC and MEC inputs to the hippocampus under conditions of exploration typically used to study hippocampal place cells. PMID:22065409

Remote Safety Monitoring for Elderly Persons Based on Omni-Vision Analysis

PubMed Central

Xiang, Yun; Tang, Yi-ping; Ma, Bao-qing; Yan, Hang-chen; Jiang, Jun; Tian, Xu-yuan

2015-01-01

Remote monitoring service for elderly persons is important as the aged populations in most developed countries continue growing. To monitor the safety and health of the elderly population, we propose a novel omni-directional vision sensor based system, which can detect and track object motion, recognize human posture, and analyze human behavior automatically. In this work, we have made the following contributions: (1) we develop a remote safety monitoring system which can provide real-time and automatic health care for the elderly persons and (2) we design a novel motion history or energy images based algorithm for motion object tracking. Our system can accurately and efficiently collect, analyze, and transfer elderly activity information and provide health care in real-time. Experimental results show that our technique can improve the data analysis efficiency by 58.5% for object tracking. Moreover, for the human posture recognition application, the success rate can reach 98.6% on average. PMID:25978761

Method for producing hydrocarbon and alcohol mixtures. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Compere, A.L.; Googin, J.M.; Griffith, W.L.

1980-12-01

It is an object of this invention to provide an efficient process for extracting alcohols and ketones from an aqueous solution containing the same into hydrocarbon fuel mixtures, such as gasoline, diesel fuel and fuel oil. Another object of the invention is to provide a mixture consisting of hydrocarbon, alcohols or ketones, polyoxyalkylene polymer and water which can be directly added to fuels or further purified. The above stated objects are achieved in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention by contacting an aqueous fermentation liquor with a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture containing carbon compounds having 5 to 18 carbon atoms, which may include gasoline, diesel fuel or fuel oil. The hydrocarbon-aqueous alcohol solution is mixed in the presence or one or more of a group of polyoxyalkylene polymers described in detail hereinafter; the fermentation alcohol being extracted into the hydrocarbon fuel-polyoxyalkylene polymer mixture.

Model-based object classification using unification grammars and abstract representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liburdy, Kathleen A.; Schalkoff, Robert J.

1993-04-01

The design and implementation of a high level computer vision system which performs object classification is described. General object labelling and functional analysis require models of classes which display a wide range of geometric variations. A large representational gap exists between abstract criteria such as `graspable' and current geometric image descriptions. The vision system developed and described in this work addresses this problem and implements solutions based on a fusion of semantics, unification, and formal language theory. Object models are represented using unification grammars, which provide a framework for the integration of structure and semantics. A methodology for the derivation of symbolic image descriptions capable of interacting with the grammar-based models is described and implemented. A unification-based parser developed for this system achieves object classification by determining if the symbolic image description can be unified with the abstract criteria of an object model. Future research directions are indicated.

Commentary: the role of mentored internships for systems engineering in improving health care delivery.

PubMed

Day, T Eugene; Goldlust, Eric J; True, William R

2010-09-01

The authors advise the adoption of mentored internships in systems engineering, conducted at academic hospitals, directed by physicians, epidemiologists, and health administrators and overseen by faculty at attendant schools of engineering. Such internships are anticipated to directly address the immediate objectives of administrators and clinicians. Additionally, this affords future generations of health care engineers the opportunity to learn the language and methodology of the medical sciences to provide a common ground for the analysis and understanding of medical systems. In turn, this should foster collaboration between the principal stakeholders in health care delivery--practitioners, administrators, engineers, and researchers--in the collective efforts to improve the quality of services provided.

Progress in simulating industrial flows using two-equation models: Can more be achieved with further research?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haroutunian, Vahe

1995-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides a brief review of two-equation eddy-viscosity models (TEM's) from the perspective of applied CFD. It provides objective assessment of both well-known and newer models, compares model predictions from various TEM's with experiments, identifies sources of modeling error and gives historical perspective of their effects on model performance and assessment, and recommends directions for future research on TEM's.

Eye movements during object recognition in visual agnosia.

PubMed

Charles Leek, E; Patterson, Candy; Paul, Matthew A; Rafal, Robert; Cristino, Filipe

2012-07-01

This paper reports the first ever detailed study about eye movement patterns during single object recognition in visual agnosia. Eye movements were recorded in a patient with an integrative agnosic deficit during two recognition tasks: common object naming and novel object recognition memory. The patient showed normal directional biases in saccades and fixation dwell times in both tasks and was as likely as controls to fixate within object bounding contour regardless of recognition accuracy. In contrast, following initial saccades of similar amplitude to controls, the patient showed a bias for short saccades. In object naming, but not in recognition memory, the similarity of the spatial distributions of patient and control fixations was modulated by recognition accuracy. The study provides new evidence about how eye movements can be used to elucidate the functional impairments underlying object recognition deficits. We argue that the results reflect a breakdown in normal functional processes involved in the integration of shape information across object structure during the visual perception of shape. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct Retrieval of Exterior Orientation Parameters Using A 2-D Projective Transformation

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

Seedahmed, Gamal H.

2006-09-01

Direct solutions are very attractive because they obviate the need for initial approximations associated with non-linear solutions. The Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) establishes itself as a method of choice for direct solutions in photogrammetry and other fields. The use of the DLT with coplanar object space points leads to a rank deficient model. This rank deficient model leaves the DLT defined up to a 2-D projective transformation, which makes the direct retrieval of the exterior orientation parameters (EOPs) a non-trivial task. This paper presents a novel direct algorithm to retrieve the EOPs from the 2-D projective transformation. It is basedmore » on a direct relationship between the 2-D projective transformation and the collinearity model using homogeneous coordinates representation. This representation offers a direct matrix correspondence between the 2-D projective transformation parameters and the collinearity model parameters. This correspondence lends itself to a direct matrix factorization to retrieve the EOPs. An important step in the proposed algorithm is a normalization process that provides the actual link between the 2-D projective transformation and the collinearity model. This paper explains the theoretical basis of the proposed algorithm as well as the necessary steps for its practical implementation. In addition, numerical examples are provided to demonstrate its validity.« less

A comitative source for object markers in Sinitic languages: 跟 kai55 in Waxiang and 共 kang7 in Southern Min

PubMed Central

Chappell, Hilary; Peyraube, Alain; Wu, Yunji

2013-01-01

This analysis sets out to specifically discuss the polyfunctionality of 跟 [kai55] in Waxiang (Sinitic), whose lexical source is the verb ‘to follow’. Amongst its various uses, we find a preposition ‘with, along’, a marker of adjuncts and a NP conjunction, thus superficially resembling its Mandarin cognate 跟 gēn ‘with’. Curiously, however, it has also evolved into a direct object marker in Waxiang, with a function similar to that of preposition 把 bă < ‘hold, take’ as found in the S–bă–O–VP or so-called ‘disposal’ form in standard Mandarin. The pathways of grammaticalization for 跟 [kai55] in Waxiang are thus discussed in order to determine how it has developed this unusual grammatical function in one of the linguistic zones of China where verbs of giving or taking are, in fact, the main source for grammaticalized object markers in ‘disposal’ constructions. On the basis of 16th and 17th century Southern Min literature (Sinitic), a comparison is also made with analogous developments for comitative 共 gòng ‘with’ to provide support for our hypothesis that the direct object marking use has evolved from the oblique function of a benefactive or dative, and is clearly separate from the crosslinguistically well-attested pathway that leads to its use as a conjunction. We would thus like to propose that these data contribute a new pattern to the stock of grammaticalization pathways, specifically, comitative > dative/benefactive > accusative (direct object marker). PMID:24273384

Direct Broadcast Satellite: Radio Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollansworth, James E.

1992-10-01

NASA is committed to providing technology development that leads to the introduction of new commercial applications for communications satellites. The Direct Broadcast Satellite-Radio (DBS-R) Program is a joint effort between The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and The United States Information Agency/Voice of America (USIA/VOA) directed at this objective. The purpose of this program is to define the service and develop the technology for a direct-to-listener satellite sound broadcasting system. The DBS-R Program, as structured by NASA and VOA, is now a three-phase program designed to help the U.S. commercial communications satellite and receiver industry bring about this new communications service. Major efforts are being directed towards frequency planning hardware and service development, service demonstration, and experimentation with new satellite and receiver technology.

Development and Evaluation of Educational Programs in Electromechanical Technology. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roney, M. W.

The encompassing objective of this project was to assist two-year colleges in establishing electromechanical technican (EMT) training programs by developing the necessary planning and instructional materials and by providing direct program planning assistance. The research effort of the project was to develop and test an integrated systems of…

An Implementation of Interactive Objects on the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fritze, Paul

With the release of ShockWave, MacroMedia Director animations can now be incorporated directly into Web pages to provide high quality animation and interactivity, to support, for example, tutorial style questions and instantaneous feedback. This paper looks at the application of this technique in the translation of a traditional computer-based…

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIAL CONTROL. BASIC ELECTRICITY, UNIT 3, ASSIGNMENTS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SUTTON, MACK C.

THIS GUIDE IS FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT USE IN STUDYING BASIC ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS IN ELECTRICAL-ELECTRONIC PROGRAMS. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY AN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS SPECIALIST AND ADVISERS. THE COURSE OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF DIRECT CURRENT FUNDAMENTALS. EACH OF THE 10 ASSIGNMENT SHEETS PROVIDES THE LESSON SUBJECT, PURPOSE,…

76 FR 45272 - Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes Funding Opportunity

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-28

... address the potential and actual impact of CMS programs on American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN... programs (program) carry out health program objectives in the AI/AN community in the interest of improving... further IHS and CMS missions and goals related to providing quality health care to the AI/ AN community...

Leadership, Innovation Climate, and Attitudes toward Evidence-Based Practice during a Statewide Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aarons, Gregory A.; Sommerfeld, David H.

2012-01-01

Objective: Leadership is important in practice change, yet there are few studies addressing this issue in mental health and social services. This study examined the differential roles of transformational (i.e., charismatic) leadership and leader-member exchange (i.e., the relationship between a supervisor and their direct service providers) on…

Caregivers Provide More Labeling Responses to Infants' Pointing than to Infants' Object-Directed Vocalizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Zhen; Gros-Louis, Julie

2015-01-01

Existing studies have observed a robust relationship between infants' pointing gestures and language outcomes. By contrast, infants' overall vocal production is not related to language outcomes. One possible explanation for the association between pointing and language is that pointing gestures, as compared to vocalizations, may elicit more verbal…

Survey of Staff Perceptions of the AEL Resource Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowley, Kimberly S.

The Resource Center at the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL), Inc., provides direct services to clients both within and outside AEL, as well as serving as a repository and distribution center for educational materials. Three main objectives were identified: to discover the extent to which staff use current components of the Resource Center;…

Profile of a Museum Registrar: CASE Research Project 7-78.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoachlander, Marjorie E.

This book represents the first independent research study directed toward the educational needs and interests of museum registrars to be undertaken by a university in collaboration with a nationally recognized museum. The study's primary objective was to provide data to be used for the development of materials and methods in the training and…

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIAL CONTROL. BASIC ELECTRICITY, UNIT 2, ASSIGNMENTS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SUTTON, MACK C.

THIS GUIDE IS FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENT USE IN STUDYING BASIC ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS IN ELECTRICAL-ELECTRONIC PROGRAMS. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY AN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS SPECIALIST AND ADVISERS. THE COURSE OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF DIRECT CURRENT FUNDAMENTALS. EACH OF THE 15 ASSIGNMENT SHEETS PROVIDES THE LESSON SUBJECT, PURPOSE,…

A Framework for Studying Organizational Innovation in Research Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jantz, Ronald C.

2012-01-01

The objective of this paper is two-fold: to propose a theoretical framework and model for studying organizational innovation in research libraries and to set forth propositions that can provide directions for future empirical studies of innovation in research libraries. Research libraries can be considered members of a class of organizations…

Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alaghband, Gita; Fardi, Hamid; Gnabasik, David

2007-03-01

The Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL) is a scientific discovery environment, an interactive simulated virtual laboratory, for learning physics and mathematics. The purpose of this computer-assisted intervention is to improve middle and high school student interest, insight and scores in physics and mathematics. SAVL develops scientific and mathematical imagination in a visual, symbolic, and experimental simulation environment. It directly addresses the issues of scientific and technological competency by providing critical thinking training through integrated modules. This on-going research provides a virtual laboratory environment in which the student directs the building of the experiment rather than observing a packaged simulation. SAVL: * Engages the persistent interest of young minds in physics and math by visually linking simulation objects and events with mathematical relations. * Teaches integrated concepts by the hands-on exploration and focused visualization of classic physics experiments within software. * Systematically and uniformly assesses and scores students by their ability to answer their own questions within the context of a Master Question Network. We will demonstrate how the Master Question Network uses polymorphic interfaces and C# lambda expressions to manage simulation objects.

Image BOSS: a biomedical object storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stacy, Mahlon C.; Augustine, Kurt E.; Robb, Richard A.

1997-05-01

Researchers using biomedical images have data management needs which are oriented perpendicular to clinical PACS. The image BOSS system is designed to permit researchers to organize and select images based on research topic, image metadata, and a thumbnail of the image. Image information is captured from existing images in a Unix based filesystem, stored in an object oriented database, and presented to the user in a familiar laboratory notebook metaphor. In addition, the ImageBOSS is designed to provide an extensible infrastructure for future content-based queries directly on the images.

Dynamics of place, boundary and object encoding in rat anterior claustrum

PubMed Central

Jankowski, Maciej M.; O’Mara, Shane M.

2015-01-01

Discrete populations of brain cells signal differing types of spatial information. These “spatial cells” are largely confined to a closely-connected network of sites. We describe here, for the first time, cells in the anterior claustrum of the freely-moving rat encoding place, boundary and object information. This novel claustral spatial signal potentially directly modulates a wide variety of anterior cortical regions. We hypothesize that one of the functions of the claustrum is to provide information about body position, boundaries and landmark information, enabling dynamic control of behavior. PMID:26557060

NASA's aircraft icing technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinmann, John J.

1991-01-01

NASA' Aircraft Icing Technology program is aimed at developing innovative technologies for safe and efficient flight into forecasted icing. The program addresses the needs of all aircraft classes and supports both commercial and military applications. The program is guided by three key strategic objectives: (1) numerically simulate an aircraft's response to an in-flight icing encounter, (2) provide improved experimental icing simulation facilities and testing techniques, and (3) offer innovative approaches to ice protection. Our research focuses on topics that directly support stated industry needs, and we work closely with industry to assure a rapid and smooth transfer of technology. This paper presents selected results that illustrate progress towards the three strategic objectives, and it provides a comprehensive list of references on the NASA icing program.

Linear encoding device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A Linear Motion Encoding device for measuring the linear motion of a moving object is disclosed in which a light source is mounted on the moving object and a position sensitive detector such as an array photodetector is mounted on a nearby stationary object. The light source emits a light beam directed towards the array photodetector such that a light spot is created on the array. An analog-to-digital converter, connected to the array photodetector is used for reading the position of the spot on the array photodetector. A microprocessor and memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spot and to compute the linear displacement of the moving object based upon the data from the analog-to-digital converter.

Acoustic imaging system

DOEpatents

Smith, Richard W.

1979-01-01

An acoustic imaging system for displaying an object viewed by a moving array of transducers as the array is pivoted about a fixed point within a given plane. A plurality of transducers are fixedly positioned and equally spaced within a laterally extending array and operatively directed to transmit and receive acoustic signals along substantially parallel transmission paths. The transducers are sequentially activated along the array to transmit and receive acoustic signals according to a preestablished sequence. Means are provided for generating output voltages for each reception of an acoustic signal, corresponding to the coordinate position of the object viewed as the array is pivoted. Receptions from each of the transducers are presented on the same display at coordinates corresponding to the actual position of the object viewed to form a plane view of the object scanned.

Direct manipulation of virtual objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Long K.

Interacting with a Virtual Environment (VE) generally requires the user to correctly perceive the relative position and orientation of virtual objects. For applications requiring interaction in personal space, the user may also need to accurately judge the position of the virtual object relative to that of a real object, for example, a virtual button and the user's real hand. This is difficult since VEs generally only provide a subset of the cues experienced in the real world. Complicating matters further, VEs presented by currently available visual displays may be inaccurate or distorted due to technological limitations. Fundamental physiological and psychological aspects of vision as they pertain to the task of object manipulation were thoroughly reviewed. Other sensory modalities -- proprioception, haptics, and audition -- and their cross-interactions with each other and with vision are briefly discussed. Visual display technologies, the primary component of any VE, were canvassed and compared. Current applications and research were gathered and categorized by different VE types and object interaction techniques. While object interaction research abounds in the literature, pockets of research gaps remain. Direct, dexterous, manual interaction with virtual objects in Mixed Reality (MR), where the real, seen hand accurately and effectively interacts with virtual objects, has not yet been fully quantified. An experimental test bed was designed to provide the highest accuracy attainable for salient visual cues in personal space. Optical alignment and user calibration were carefully performed. The test bed accommodated the full continuum of VE types and sensory modalities for comprehensive comparison studies. Experimental designs included two sets, each measuring depth perception and object interaction. The first set addressed the extreme end points of the Reality-Virtuality (R-V) continuum -- Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) and Reality Environment (RE). This validated, linked, and extended several previous research findings, using one common test bed and participant pool. The results provided a proven method and solid reference points for further research. The second set of experiments leveraged the first to explore the full R-V spectrum and included additional, relevant sensory modalities. It consisted of two full-factorial experiments providing for rich data and key insights into the effect of each type of environment and each modality on accuracy and timeliness of virtual object interaction. The empirical results clearly showed that mean depth perception error in personal space was less than four millimeters whether the stimuli presented were real, virtual, or mixed. Likewise, mean error for the simple task of pushing a button was less than four millimeters whether the button was real or virtual. Mean task completion time was less than one second. Key to the high accuracy and quick task performance time observed was the correct presentation of the visual cues, including occlusion, stereoscopy, accommodation, and convergence. With performance results already near optimal level with accurate visual cues presented, adding proprioception, audio, and haptic cues did not significantly improve performance. Recommendations for future research include enhancement of the visual display and further experiments with more complex tasks and additional control variables.

Virtual mask digital electron beam lithography

DOEpatents

Baylor, L.R.; Thomas, C.E.; Voelkl, E.; Moore, J.A.; Simpson, M.L.; Paulus, M.J.

1999-04-06

Systems and methods for direct-to-digital holography are described. An apparatus includes a laser; a beamsplitter optically coupled to the laser; a reference beam mirror optically coupled to the beamsplitter; an object optically coupled to the beamsplitter, a focusing lens optically coupled to both the reference beam mirror and the object; and a digital recorder optically coupled to the focusing lens. A reference beam is incident upon the reference beam mirror at a non-normal angle, and the reference beam and an object beam are focused by the focusing lens at a focal plane of the digital recorder to form an image. The systems and methods provide advantages in that computer assisted holographic measurements can be made. 5 figs.

Virtual mask digital electron beam lithography

DOEpatents

Baylor, Larry R.; Thomas, Clarence E.; Voelkl, Edgar; Moore, James A.; Simpson, Michael L.; Paulus, Michael J.

1999-01-01

Systems and methods for direct-to-digital holography are described. An apparatus includes a laser; a beamsplitter optically coupled to the laser; a reference beam mirror optically coupled to the beamsplitter; an object optically coupled to the beamsplitter, a focusing lens optically coupled to both the reference beam mirror and the object; and a digital recorder optically coupled to the focusing lens. A reference beam is incident upon the reference beam mirror at a non-normal angle, and the reference beam and an object beam are focused by the focusing lens at a focal plane of the digital recorder to form an image. The systems and methods provide advantages in that computer assisted holographic measurements can be made.

The HYSPIRI Decadal Survey Mission: Update on the Mission Concept and Science Objectives for Global Imaging Spectroscopy and Multi-Spectral Thermal Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Robert O.; Hook, Simon J.; Middleton, Elizabeth; Turner, Woody; Ungar, Stephen; Knox, Robert

2012-01-01

The NASA HyspIRI mission is planned to provide global solar reflected energy spectroscopic measurement of the terrestrial and shallow water regions of the Earth every 19 days will all measurements downlinked. In addition, HyspIRI will provide multi-spectral thermal measurements with a single band in the 4 micron region and seven bands in the 8 to 12 micron region with 5 day day/night coverage. A direct broadcast capability for measurement subsets is also planned. This HyspIRI mission is one of those designated in the 2007 National Research Council (NRC) Decadal Survey: Earth Science and Applications from Space. In the Decadal Survey, HyspIRI was recognized as relevant to a range of Earth science and science applications, including climate: "A hyperspectral sensor (e.g., FLORA) combined with a multispectral thermal sensor (e.g., SAVII) in low Earth orbit (LEO) is part of an integrated mission concept [described in Parts I and II] that is relevant to several panels, especially the climate variability panel." The HyspIRI science study group was formed in 2008 to evaluate and refine the mission concept. This group has developed a series of HyspIRI science objectives: (1) Climate: Ecosystem biochemistry, condition & feedback; spectral albedo; carbon/dust on snow/ice; biomass burning; evapotranspiration (2) Ecosystems: Global plant functional types, physiological condition, and biochemistry including agricultural lands (3) Fires: Fuel status, fire frequency, severity, emissions, and patterns of recovery globally (4) Coral reef and coastal habitats: Global composition and status (5) Volcanoes: Eruptions, emissions, regional and global impact (6) Geology and resources: Global distributions of surface mineral resources and improved understanding of geology and related hazards These objectives are achieved with the following measurement capabilities. The HyspIRI imaging spectrometer provides: full spectral coverage from 380 to 2500 at 10 nm sampling; 60 m spatial sampling with a 150 km swath; and fully downlinked coverage of the Earth's terrestrial and shallow water regions every 19 days to provide seasonal cloud-free coverage of the terrestrial surface. The HyspIRI Multi-Spectral Thermal instrument provides: 8 spectral bands from 4 to 12 microns; 60 m spatial sampling with a 600 km swath; and fully downlinked coverage of the Earth's terrestrial shallow water regions every 5 days (day/night) to provide nominally cloud-free monthly coverage. The HyspIRI mission also includes an on-board processing and direct broadcast capability, referred to as the Intelligent Payload Module (IPM), which will allow users with the appropriate antenna to download a subset of the HyspIRI data stream to a local ground station. These science and science application objectives are critical today and uniquely addressed by the combined imaging spectroscopy, thermal infrared measurements, and IPM direct broadcast capability of HyspIRI. Two key objectives are: (1) The global HyspIRI spectroscopic measurements of the terrestrial biosphere including vegetation composition and function to constrain and reduce the uncertainty in climate-carbon interactions and terrestrial biosphere feedback. (2) The global 8 band thermal measurements to provide improved constraint of fire related emissions. In this paper the current HyspIRI mission concept that has been reviewed and refined to its current level of maturity with a Data Products Symposium, Science Workshop and NASA HWorkshop is presented including traceability between the measurements and the science and science application objectives.

Processing the image gradient field using a topographic primal sketch approach.

PubMed

Gambaruto, A M

2015-03-01

The spatial derivatives of the image intensity provide topographic information that may be used to identify and segment objects. The accurate computation of the derivatives is often hampered in medical images by the presence of noise and a limited resolution. This paper focuses on accurate computation of spatial derivatives and their subsequent use to process an image gradient field directly, from which an image with improved characteristics can be reconstructed. The improvements include noise reduction, contrast enhancement, thinning object contours and the preservation of edges. Processing the gradient field directly instead of the image is shown to have numerous benefits. The approach is developed such that the steps are modular, allowing the overall method to be improved and possibly tailored to different applications. As presented, the approach relies on a topographic representation and primal sketch of an image. Comparisons with existing image processing methods on a synthetic image and different medical images show improved results and accuracy in segmentation. Here, the focus is on objects with low spatial resolution, which is often the case in medical images. The methods developed show the importance of improved accuracy in derivative calculation and the potential in processing the image gradient field directly. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Trace detection of explosives using an in-line high-volume sampler, preconcentrator, and Fido explosives detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingram, Russ; Sikes, John

2010-04-01

This paper shall demonstrate the results of a prototype system to detect explosive objects and obscured contaminated targets. By combining a high volume sampling nozzle with an inline 2-stage preconcentrator and a Fido, greater standoff is achieved than with the Fido alone. The direct application of this system is on the Autonomous Mine Detection System (AMDS) but could be deployed on a large variety of robotic platforms. It is being developed under the auspices of the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, Countermine Division. This device is one of several detection tools and technologies to be used on the AMDS. These systems will have multiple, and at times, overlapping objectives. One objective is trace detection on the surface of an unknown potential target. By increasing the standoff capabilities of the detector, the fine manipulation of the robot deploying the detector is less critical. Current detectors used on robotic systems must either be directly in the vapor plume or make direct contact with the target. By increasing the standoff, detection is more easily and quickly achieved. The end result detector must overcome cross-contamination, sample throughput, and environmental issues. The paper will provide preliminary results of the prototype system to include data, and where feasible, video of testing results.

Meteoroid, and debris special investigation group preliminary results: Size-frequency distribution and spatial density of large impact features on LDEF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

See, Thomas H.; Hoerz, Friedrich; Zolensky, Michael E.; Allbrooks, Martha K.; Atkinson, Dale R.; Simon, Charles G.

1992-01-01

All craters greater than or equal to 500 microns and penetration holes greater than or equal to 300 microns in diameter on the entire Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) were documented. Summarized here are the observations on the LDEF frame, which exposed aluminum 6061-T6 in 26 specific directions relative to LDEF's velocity vector. In addition, the opportunity arose to characterize the penetration holes in the A0178 thermal blankets, which pointed in nine directions. For each of the 26 directions, LDEF provided time-area products that approach those afforded by all previous space-retrieved materials combined. The objective here is to provide a factual database pertaining to the largest collisional events on the entire LDEF spacecraft with a minimum of interpretation. This database may serve to encourage and guide more interpretative efforts and modeling attempts.

Numerical modelling of chirality-induced bi-directional swimming of artificial flagella

PubMed Central

Namdeo, S.; Khaderi, S. N.; Onck, P. R.

2014-01-01

Biomimetic micro-swimmers can be used for various medical applications, such as targeted drug delivery and micro-object (e.g. biological cells) manipulation, in lab-on-a-chip devices. Bacteria swim using a bundle of flagella (flexible hair-like structures) that form a rotating cork-screw of chiral shape. To mimic bacterial swimming, we employ a computational approach to design a bacterial (chirality-induced) swimmer whose chiral shape and rotational velocity can be controlled by an external magnetic field. In our model, we numerically solve the coupled governing equations that describe the system dynamics (i.e. solid mechanics, fluid dynamics and magnetostatics). We explore the swimming response as a function of the characteristic dimensionless parameters and put special emphasis on controlling the swimming direction. Our results provide fundamental physical insight on the chirality-induced propulsion, and it provides guidelines for the design of magnetic bi-directional micro-swimmers. PMID:24511253

Vehicle Modeling for use in the CAFE model: Process description and modeling assumptions

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

Moawad, Ayman; Kim, Namdoo; Rousseau, Aymeric

2016-06-01

The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate a process that, at a minimum, provides more robust information that can be used to calibrate inputs applicable under the CAFE model’s existing structure. The project will be more fully successful if a process can be developed that minimizes the need for decision trees and replaces the synergy factors by inputs provided directly from a vehicle simulation tool. The report provides a description of the process that was developed by Argonne National Laboratory and implemented in Autonomie.

A Summary of Taxonomies of Digital System Failure Modes Provided by the DigRel Task Group

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

Chu T. L.; Yue M.; Postma, W.

2012-06-25

Recently, the CSNI directed WGRisk to set up a task group called DIGREL to initiate a new task on developing a taxonomy of failure modes of digital components for the purposes of PSA. It is an important step towards standardized digital I&C reliability assessment techniques for PSA. The objective of this paper is to provide a comparison of the failure mode taxonomies provided by the participants. The failure modes are classified in terms of their levels of detail. Software and hardware failure modes are discussed separately.

Two-tier tissue decomposition for histopathological image representation and classification.

PubMed

Gultekin, Tunc; Koyuncu, Can Fahrettin; Sokmensuer, Cenk; Gunduz-Demir, Cigdem

2015-01-01

In digital pathology, devising effective image representations is crucial to design robust automated diagnosis systems. To this end, many studies have proposed to develop object-based representations, instead of directly using image pixels, since a histopathological image may contain a considerable amount of noise typically at the pixel-level. These previous studies mostly employ color information to define their objects, which approximately represent histological tissue components in an image, and then use the spatial distribution of these objects for image representation and classification. Thus, object definition has a direct effect on the way of representing the image, which in turn affects classification accuracies. In this paper, our aim is to design a classification system for histopathological images. Towards this end, we present a new model for effective representation of these images that will be used by the classification system. The contributions of this model are twofold. First, it introduces a new two-tier tissue decomposition method for defining a set of multityped objects in an image. Different than the previous studies, these objects are defined combining texture, shape, and size information and they may correspond to individual histological tissue components as well as local tissue subregions of different characteristics. As its second contribution, it defines a new metric, which we call dominant blob scale, to characterize the shape and size of an object with a single scalar value. Our experiments on colon tissue images reveal that this new object definition and characterization provides distinguishing representation of normal and cancerous histopathological images, which is effective to obtain more accurate classification results compared to its counterparts.

Automatic Recognition of Object Names in Literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnin, C.; Lesteven, S.; Derriere, S.; Oberto, A.

2008-08-01

SIMBAD is a database of astronomical objects that provides (among other things) their bibliographic references in a large number of journals. Currently, these references have to be entered manually by librarians who read each paper. To cope with the increasing number of papers, CDS develops a tool to assist the librarians in their work, taking advantage of the Dictionary of Nomenclature of Celestial Objects, which keeps track of object acronyms and of their origin. The program searches for object names directly in PDF documents by comparing the words with all the formats stored in the Dictionary of Nomenclature. It also searches for variable star names based on constellation names and for a large list of usual names such as Aldebaran or the Crab. Object names found in the documents often correspond to several astronomical objects. The system retrieves all possible matches, displays them with their object type given by SIMBAD, and lets the librarian make the final choice. The bibliographic reference can then be automatically added to the object identifiers in the database. Besides, the systematic usage of the Dictionary of Nomenclature, which is updated manually, permitted to automatically check it and to detect errors and inconsistencies. Last but not least, the program collects some additional information such as the position of the object names in the document (in the title, subtitle, abstract, table, figure caption...) and their number of occurrences. In the future, this will permit to calculate the 'weight' of an object in a reference and to provide SIMBAD users with an important new information, which will help them to find the most relevant papers in the object reference list.

Template for a recommended curriculum in "Veterinary Professional Development and Career Success".

PubMed

Lloyd, James W; Walsh, Donal A

2002-01-01

Recent studies of the veterinary profession have established a need for training in various areas beyond those directed toward building competence and proficiency as a clinician. To address this need, a workshop was designed whose objective was to develop a detailed outline of a model curriculum that would encompass the skills, knowledge, aptitudes, and attitudes deemed essential for economic success in the veterinary profession. The model curriculum was created from comprehensive input provided by consultants and educators. Constraints for implementation of this curriculum are identified, and future directions are discussed.

Plating Processes Utilizing High Intensity Acoustic Beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oeftering, Richard C. (Inventor); Denofrio, Charles (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A system and a method for selective plating processes are disclosed which use directed beams of high intensity acoustic waves to create non-linear effects that alter and improve the plating process. The directed beams are focused on the surface of an object, which in one embodiment is immersed in a plating solution, and in another embodiment is suspended above a plating solution. The plating processes provide precise control of the thickness of the layers of the plating, while at the same time, in at least some incidents, eliminates the need for masking.

Combined passive magnetic bearing element and vibration damper

DOEpatents

Post, Richard F.

2001-01-01

A magnetic bearing system contains magnetic subsystems which act together to support a rotating element in a state of dynamic equilibrium and dampen transversely directed vibrations. Mechanical stabilizers are provided to hold the suspended system in equilibrium until its speed has exceeded a low critical speed where dynamic effects take over, permitting the achievement of a stable equilibrium for the rotating object. A state of stable equilibrium is achieved above a critical speed by use of a collection of passive elements using permanent magnets to provide their magnetomotive excitation. In a improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,221, a magnetic bearing element is combined with a vibration damping element to provide a single upper stationary dual-function element. The magnetic forces exerted by such an element, enhances levitation of the rotating object in equilibrium against external forces, such as the force of gravity or forces arising from accelerations, and suppresses the effects of unbalance or inhibits the onset of whirl-type rotor-dynamic instabilities. Concurrently, this equilibrium is made stable against displacement-dependent drag forces of the rotating object from its equilibrium position.

Ensemble coding remains accurate under object and spatial visual working memory load.

PubMed

Epstein, Michael L; Emmanouil, Tatiana A

2017-10-01

A number of studies have provided evidence that the visual system statistically summarizes large amounts of information that would exceed the limitations of attention and working memory (ensemble coding). However the necessity of working memory resources for ensemble coding has not yet been tested directly. In the current study, we used a dual task design to test the effect of object and spatial visual working memory load on size averaging accuracy. In Experiment 1, we tested participants' accuracy in comparing the mean size of two sets under various levels of object visual working memory load. Although the accuracy of average size judgments depended on the difference in mean size between the two sets, we found no effect of working memory load. In Experiment 2, we tested the same average size judgment while participants were under spatial visual working memory load, again finding no effect of load on averaging accuracy. Overall our results reveal that ensemble coding can proceed unimpeded and highly accurately under both object and spatial visual working memory load, providing further evidence that ensemble coding reflects a basic perceptual process distinct from that of individual object processing.

Human observers are biased in judging the angular approach of a projectile.

PubMed

Welchman, Andrew E; Tuck, Val L; Harris, Julie M

2004-01-01

How do we decide whether an object approaching us will hit us? The optic array provides information sufficient for us to determine the approaching trajectory of a projectile. However, when using binocular information, observers report that trajectories near the mid-sagittal plane are wider than they actually are. Here we extend this work to consider stimuli containing additional depth cues. We measure observers' estimates of trajectory direction first for computer rendered, stereoscopically presented, rich-cue objects, and then for real objects moving in the world. We find that, under both rich cue conditions and with real moving objects, observers show positive bias, overestimating the angle of approach when movement is near the mid-sagittal plane. The findings question whether the visual system, using both binocular and monocular cues to depth, can make explicit estimates of the 3-D location and movement of objects in depth.

Finding Kuiper Belt Objects Below the Detection Limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whidden, Peter; Kalmbach, Bryce; Bektesevic, Dino; Connolly, Andrew; Jones, Lynne; Smotherman, Hayden; Becker, Andrew

2018-01-01

We demonstrate a novel approach for uncovering the signatures of moving objects (e.g. Kuiper Belt Objects) below the detection thresholds of single astronomical images. To do so, we will employ a matched filter moving at specific rates of proposed orbits through a time-domain dataset. This is analogous to the better-known "shift-and-stack" method; however it uses neither direct shifting nor stacking of the image pixels. Instead of resampling the raw pixels to create an image stack, we will instead integrate the object detection probabilities across multiple single-epoch images to accrue support for a proposed orbit. The filtering kernel provides a measure of the probability that an object is present along a given orbit, and enables the user to make principled decisions about when the search has been successful, and when it may be terminated. The results we present here utilize GPUs to speed up the search by two orders of magnitudes over CPU implementations.

An Integrated Centroid Finding and Particle Overlap Decomposition Algorithm for Stereo Imaging Velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDowell, Mark

2004-01-01

An integrated algorithm for decomposing overlapping particle images (multi-particle objects) along with determining each object s constituent particle centroid(s) has been developed using image analysis techniques. The centroid finding algorithm uses a modified eight-direction search method for finding the perimeter of any enclosed object. The centroid is calculated using the intensity-weighted center of mass of the object. The overlap decomposition algorithm further analyzes the object data and breaks it down into its constituent particle centroid(s). This is accomplished with an artificial neural network, feature based technique and provides an efficient way of decomposing overlapping particles. Combining the centroid finding and overlap decomposition routines into a single algorithm allows us to accurately predict the error associated with finding the centroid(s) of particles in our experiments. This algorithm has been tested using real, simulated, and synthetic data and the results are presented and discussed.

Multi-Objective Optimization of a Turbofan for an Advanced, Single-Aisle Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berton, Jeffrey J.; Guynn, Mark D.

2012-01-01

Considerable interest surrounds the design of the next generation of single-aisle commercial transports in the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 class. Aircraft designers will depend on advanced, next-generation turbofan engines to power these airplanes. The focus of this study is to apply single- and multi-objective optimization algorithms to the conceptual design of ultrahigh bypass turbofan engines for this class of aircraft, using NASA s Subsonic Fixed Wing Project metrics as multidisciplinary objectives for optimization. The independent design variables investigated include three continuous variables: sea level static thrust, wing reference area, and aerodynamic design point fan pressure ratio, and four discrete variables: overall pressure ratio, fan drive system architecture (i.e., direct- or gear-driven), bypass nozzle architecture (i.e., fixed- or variable geometry), and the high- and low-pressure compressor work split. Ramp weight, fuel burn, noise, and emissions are the parameters treated as dependent objective functions. These optimized solutions provide insight to the ultrahigh bypass engine design process and provide information to NASA program management to help guide its technology development efforts.

Sleep-wake time perception varies by direct or indirect query.

PubMed

Alameddine, Y; Ellenbogen, J M; Bianchi, M T

2015-01-15

The diagnosis of insomnia rests on self-report of difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep. However, subjective reports may be unreliable, and possibly may vary by the method of inquiry. We investigated this possibility by comparing within-individual response to direct versus indirect time queries after overnight polysomnography. We obtained self-reported sleep-wake times via morning questionnaires in 879 consecutive adult diagnostic polysomnograms. Responses were compared within subjects (direct versus indirect query) and across groups defined by apnea-hypopnea index and by self-reported insomnia symptoms in pre-sleep questionnaires. Direct queries required a time duration response, while indirect queries required clock times from which we calculated time durations. Direct and indirect queries of sleep latency were the same in only 41% of cases, and total sleep time queries matched in only 5.4%. For both latency and total sleep, the most common discrepancy involved the indirect value being larger than the direct response. The discrepancy between direct and indirect queries was not related to objective sleep metrics. The degree of discrepancy was not related to the presence of insomnia symptoms, although patients reporting insomnia symptoms showed underestimation of total sleep duration by direct response. Self-reported sleep latency and total sleep time are often internally inconsistent when comparing direct and indirect survey queries of each measure. These discrepancies represent substantive challenges to effective clinical practice, particularly when diagnosis and management depends on self-reported sleep patterns, as with insomnia. Although self-reported sleep-wake times remains fundamental to clinical practice, objective measures provide clinically relevant adjunctive information. © 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Intelligent data processing of an ultrasonic sensor system for pattern recognition improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Seung You; Park, Min-Sang; Hwang, Won-Gul; Kee, Chang-Doo

1999-05-01

Though conventional time-of-flight ultrasonic sensor systems are popular due to the advantages of low cost and simplicity, the usage of the sensors is rather narrowly restricted within object detection and distance readings. There is a strong need to enlarge the amount of environmental information for mobile applications to provide intelligent autonomy. Wide sectors of such neighboring object recognition problems can be satisfactorily handled with coarse vision data such as sonar maps instead of accurate laser or optic measurements. For the usage of object pattern recognition, ultrasonic senors have inherent shortcomings of poor directionality and specularity which result in low spatial resolution and indistinctiveness of object patterns. To resolve these problems an array of increased number of sensor elements has been used for large objects. In this paper we propose a method of sensor array system with improved recognition capability using electronic circuits accompanying the sensor array and neuro-fuzzy processing of data fusion. The circuit changes transmitter output voltages of array elements in several steps. Relying upon the known sensor characteristics, a set of different return signals from neighboring senors is manipulated to provide an enhanced pattern recognition in the aspects of inclination angle, size and shift as well as distance of objects. The results show improved resolution of the measurements for smaller targets.

Living Labs: overview of ecological approaches for health promotion and rehabilitation.

PubMed

Korman, M; Weiss, P L; Kizony, R

2016-01-01

The term "Living Lab" was coined to reflect the use of sensors to monitor human behavior in real life environments. Until recently such measurements had been feasible only within experimental laboratory settings. The objective of this paper is to highlight research on health care sensing and monitoring devices that enable direct, objective and accurate capture of real-world functioning. Selected articles exemplifying the key technologies that allow monitoring of the motor-cognitive activity of persons with disabilities during naturally occurring daily experiences in real-life settings are discussed in terms of (1) the ways in which the Living Lab approach has been used to date, (2) limitations related to clinical assessment in rehabilitation settings and (3) three categories of the instruments most commonly used for this purpose: personal technologies, ambient technologies and external assistive systems. Technology's most important influences on clinical practice and rehabilitation are in a shift from laboratory-based to field-centered research and a transition between in-clinic performance to daily life activities. Numerous applications show its potential for real-time clinical assessment. Current technological solutions that may provide clinicians with objective, unobtrusive measurements of health and function, as well as tools that support rehabilitation on an individual basis in natural environments provide an important asset to standard clinical measures. Until recently objective clinical assessment could not be readily performed in a client's daily functional environment. Novel technologies enable health care sensing and monitoring devices that enable direct, objective and accurate capture of real-world functioning. Such technologies are referred to as a "Living Lab" approach since they enable the capture of objective and non-obtrusive data that clinicians can use to assess performance. Research and development in this field help clinicians support maintain independence and quality of life for people who have disabilities or who are aging, and to promote more effective methods of long-term rehabilitation and maintenance of a healthy life style.

Walking the Talk: Continuous Improvement of a Quality Management Field Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coy, Steven; Adams, Jeffery

2012-01-01

This article provides results from a three semester case study of the pedagogical efficacy of an innovative quality management field exercise. A series of direct and indirect measures were used to assess the extent to which the field exercise met a set of learning objectives. The results indicate that the assessment framework is useful in…

The Center for In-Service Education. Final Evaluation Report. Volume I. Part 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee State Dept. of Education, Nashville.

The primary objectives of the Center for In-Service Education in implementing a model for in-service education were to a) implement and demonstrate the comprehensive in-service model developed during the planning phase, b) provide coordinated planning of in-service education for all participating school systems, c) directly assist regional…

An Objective Method to Determine an Area's Relative Significance for Avian Conservation

Treesearch

Daniel J. Twedt

2005-01-01

Land managers are often concerned with providing habitat that affords the "best habitat for songbirds." However, unless management simply is directed at rare species, it may not be clear which habitats or management options are best. A standard, quantifiable measure to compare the significance of different tracts of land or competing management techniques...

Cross-Sector Research Associated with Nutrition: Comparison of Private and Public Schools on Health Indicators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Marco A.

Healthy People 2010 is the initiative that defines the U.S. health agenda and guides policy. The initiative provides direction for individuals to change personal behaviors and for organizations and communities to support good health through health promotion policies. The objective of this research was to compare public and private schools on…

Turf and Lawn Management: A Course in Agricultural Education. Curriculum Guide. Preliminary Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, R. J., Ed.

The curriculum guide (preliminary draft) is a result of the revision of the total South Carolina agricultural education curriculum; the scope of the turf and lawn management industry and its direct and indirect employment opportunities provide ample reasons for such a course offering in South Carolina high schools. The guide presents objectives,…

Multidirectional Cosmic Ray Ion Detector for Deep Space CubeSats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrbanek, John D.; Wrbanek, Susan Y.

2016-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center has proposed a CubeSat-based instrument to study solar and cosmic ray ions in lunar orbit or deep space. The objective of Solar Proton Anisotropy and Galactic cosmic ray High Energy Transport Instrument (SPAGHETI) is to provide multi-directional ion data to further understand anisotropies in SEP and GCR flux.

Three-dimension imaging lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degnan, John J. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

This invention is directed to a 3-dimensional imaging lidar, which utilizes modest power kHz rate lasers, array detectors, photon-counting multi-channel timing receivers, and dual wedge optical scanners with transmitter point-ahead correction to provide contiguous high spatial resolution mapping of surface features including ground, water, man-made objects, vegetation and submerged surfaces from an aircraft or a spacecraft.

Performance in Physical Science Education by Dint of Advance Organiser Model of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bency, P. B. Beulahbel; Raja, B. William Dharma

2010-01-01

Education should be made painless and the teaching must be made effective. Teaching is an activity, which is designed and performed for multiple objectives, in terms of changes in student behaviours. Models of teaching are just a blue print designed in advance for providing necessary structure and direction to the teacher for realizing the…

78 FR 72060 - Chimney Rock National Monument Management Plan; San Juan National Forest; Colorado

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-02

..., as well as objects of deep cultural and educational value. The plan will also provide for continued... Ranger District office in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and on the San Juan National Forest Web site at www..., direct mailings, emails, and will be posted on the San Juan National Forest Web site. It is important...

The Advertiser and the Audience: A New Look at the Source and Receiver.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shipley, Linda J.

In many advertising programs, students spend a great deal of time coming up with creative strategies, writing copy, and preparing layouts based on objectives provided by a client (or professor) and directed to an already established target market. Seldom, however, do students learn firsthand about the advertising decision making on the part of…

Method for visualization and presentation of priceless old prints based on precise 3D scan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunsch, Eryk; Sitnik, Robert

2014-02-01

Graphic prints and manuscripts constitute main part of the cultural heritage objects created by the most of the known civilizations. Their presentation was always a problem due to their high sensitivity to light and changes of external conditions (temperature, humidity). Today it is possible to use an advanced digitalization techniques for documentation and visualization of mentioned objects. In the situation when presentation of the original heritage object is impossible, there is a need to develop a method allowing documentation and then presentation to the audience of all the aesthetical features of the object. During the course of the project scans of several pages of one of the most valuable books in collection of Museum of Warsaw Archdiocese were performed. The book known as "Great Dürer Trilogy" consists of three series of woodcuts by the Albrecht Dürer. The measurement system used consists of a custom designed, structured light-based, high-resolution measurement head with automated digitization system mounted on the industrial robot. This device was custom built to meet conservators' requirements, especially the lack of ultraviolet or infrared radiation emission in the direction of measured object. Documentation of one page from the book requires about 380 directional measurements which constitute about 3 billion sample points. The distance between the points in the cloud is 20 μm. Provided that the measurement with MSD (measurement sampling density) of 2500 points makes it possible to show to the publicity the spatial structure of this graphics print. An important aspect is the complexity of the software environment created for data processing, in which massive data sets can be automatically processed and visualized. Very important advantage of the software which is using directly clouds of points is the possibility to manipulate freely virtual light source.

Awareness and Perceptions of Food Safety Risks and Risk Management in Poultry Production and Slaughter: A Qualitative Study of Direct-Market Poultry Producers in Maryland.

PubMed

Baron, Patrick; Frattaroli, Shannon

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to document and understand the perceptions and opinions of small-scale poultry producers who market directly to consumers about microbial food safety risks in the poultry supply chain. Between January and November 2014, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 16 owner-operators of Maryland direct-market commercial poultry farms. Three overarching thematic categories emerged from these interviews that describe: 1) characteristics of Maryland direct-market poultry production and processing; 2) microbial food safety risk awareness and risk management in small-scale poultry production, slaughter and processing; and 3) motivations for prioritizing food safety in the statewide direct-market poultry supply chain. Key informants provided valuable insights on many topics relevant to evaluating microbial food safety in the Maryland direct-market poultry supply chain, including: direct-market poultry production and processing practices and models, perspectives on issues related to food safety risk management, perspectives on direct-market agriculture economics and marketing strategies, and ideas for how to enhance food safety at the direct-market level of the Maryland poultry supply chain. The findings have policy implications and provide insights into food safety in small-scale commercial poultry production, processing, distribution and retail. In addition, the findings will inform future food safety research on the small-scale US poultry supply chain.

Direct view zoom scope with single focal plane and adaptable reticle

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

Bagwell, Brett

A direct view telescopic sight includes objective lens, eyepiece, and prism erector assemblies. The objective lens assembly is mounted to receive light of an image from an object direction and direct the light along an optical path. The eyepiece assembly is mounted to receive the light along the optical path and to emit the light of the image along an eye-ward direction. The prism erector assembly is positioned between the objective lens and eyepiece assemblies and includes first and second prism elements through which the optical path passes. The first and second prism elements invert the image. A reticle elementmore » is disposed on or adjacent to a surface of one of the first or second prism elements to combine a reticle on the image. The image is brought into focus at only a single focal plane between the objective lens and eyepiece assemblies at a given time.« less

AUTOGEN

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

2003-05-29

AUTOGEN computes collision-free sequences of robot motion instructions to permit traversal of three-dimensional space curves. Order and direction of curve traversal and orientation of end effector are constraided by a set of manufacturing rules. Input can be provided as a collection of solid models or in terms of wireframe objects and structural cross-section definitions. Entity juxtaposition can be inferred, with appropriate structural features automatically provided. Process control is asserted as a function of position and orientation along each space curve, and is currently implemented for welding processes.

Planetary Taxonomy: Label Round Bodies "Worlds"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margot, Jean-Luc; Levison, H. F.

2009-05-01

The classification of planetary bodies is as important to Astronomy as taxonomy is to other sciences. The etymological, historical, and IAU definitions of planet rely on a dynamical criterion, but some authors prefer a geophysical criterion based on "roundness". Although the former criterion is superior when it comes to classifying newly discovered objects, the conflict need not exist if we agree to identify the subset of "round" planetary objects as "worlds". This addition to the taxonomy would conveniently recognize that "round" objects such as Earth, Europa, Titan, Triton, and Pluto share some common planetary-type processes regardless of their distance from the host star. Some of these worlds are planets, others are not. Defining how round is round and handling the inevitable transition objects are non-trivial tasks. Because images at sufficient resolution are not available for the overwhelming majority of newly discovered objects, the degree of roundness is not a directly observable property and is inherently problematic as a basis for classification. We can tolerate some uncertainty in establishing the "world" status of a newly discovered object, and still establish its planet or satellite status with existing dynamical criteria. Because orbital parameters are directly observable, and because mass can often be measured either from orbital perturbations or from the presence of companions, the dynamics provide a robust and practical planet classification scheme. It may also be possible to determine which bodies are dynamically dominant from observations of the population magnitude/size distribution.

Sheaf theoretic formulation for consciousness and qualia and relationship to the idealism of non-dual philosophies.

PubMed

Kafatos, Menas C; Kato, Goro C

2017-12-01

Questions about the nature of reality, whether Consciousness is the fundamental reality in the universe, and what is Consciousness itself, have no answer in systems that assume an external reality independent of Consciousness. Ultimately, the ontological foundation of such systems is the absolute division of subject and object. We advocate instead what we consider to be an approach that is in agreement with the foundation of quantum reality, which is based on Rāmānuja's version of Vedanta philosophy and non-dual Kashmir Śaivism. Quantum mechanics opened the door to consciousness, but it cannot account for consciousness. However, the quantum measurement problem implies that we cannot remove subjective experience from the practice of science. It is then appropriate to seek mathematical formalisms for the workings of consciousness that don't rely on specific interpretations of quantum mechanics. Temporal topos provides such a framework. In the theory of temporal topos, which we outline here, the difference between a subject and an object involves the direction of a morphism in a category. We also note that in the dual category, the direction of the morphism is in the opposite direction compared with the original direction of the original category. The resulting formalism provides powerful ways to address consciousness and qualia, beyond attempts to account for consciousness through physical theories. We also discuss the implications of the mathematics presented here for the convergence of science and non-dualist philosophies, as an emerging science of Consciousness, that may bring out the underlying unity of physics, life and mind. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The production of direct object clitics in pre-school- and primary school-aged children with specific language impairments.

PubMed

Guasti, Maria Teresa; Palma, Silvia; Genovese, Elisabetta; Stagi, Paolo; Saladini, Gabriella; Arosio, Fabrizio

2016-01-01

Third-person direct object (DO) clitic pronoun production is examined through an elicited production method in pre-school- and primary school-aged groups of Italian children with specific language impairment (SLI) to establish whether there is an improvement from age 5 years to age 7 years and whether there are qualitative differences in the two groups' responses. It was found that 5- and 7-year-old Italian children with SLI produce fewer third-person DO clitics than same-age peers. The kind of responses they provide changes: at 5 years, children with SLI tend to omit clitics, while at 7 years, they use a full noun. Production of third-person DO clitics is a persistent challenge for children with SLI and is confirmed to be a good clinical marker both at 5 and 7 years of age.

Distinct hippocampal versus frontoparietal-network contributions to retrieval and memory-guided exploration

PubMed Central

Bridge, Donna J.; Cohen, Neal J.; Voss, Joel L.

2017-01-01

Memory can profoundly influence new learning, presumably because memory optimizes exploration of to-be-learned material. Although hippocampus and frontoparietal networks have been implicated in memory-guided exploration, their specific and interactive roles have not been identified. We examined eye movements during fMRI scanning to identify neural correlates of the influences of memory retrieval on exploration and learning. Following retrieval of one object in a multi-object array, viewing was strategically directed away from the retrieved object toward non-retrieved objects, such that exploration was directed towards to-be-learned content. Retrieved objects later served as optimal reminder cues, indicating that exploration caused memory to become structured around the retrieved content. Hippocampal activity was associated with memory retrieval whereas frontoparietal activity varied with strategic viewing patterns deployed following retrieval, thus providing spatiotemporal dissociation of memory retrieval from memory-guided learning strategies. Time-lagged fMRI connectivity analyses indicated that hippocampal activity predicted frontoparietal activity to a greater extent for a condition in which retrieval guided exploration than for a passive control condition in which exploration was not influenced by retrieval. This demonstrates network-level interaction effects specific to influences of memory on strategic exploration. These findings show how memory guides behavior during learning and demonstrate distinct yet interactive hippocampal-frontoparietal roles in implementing strategic exploration behaviors that determine the fate of evolving memory representations. PMID:28471729

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

Winnek, D.F.

A method and apparatus for making X-ray photographs which can be viewed in three dimensions with the use of a lenticular screen. The apparatus includes a linear tomograph having a moving X-ray source on one side of a support on which an object is to be placed so that X-rays can pass through the object to the opposite side of the support. A movable cassette on the opposite side of the support moves in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the X-ray source as the source moves relative to the support. The cassette has an intensifying screen,more » a grating mask provided with uniformly spaced slots for passing X-rays, a lenticular member adjacent to the mask, and a photographic emulsion adjacent to the opposite side of the lenticular member. The cassette has a power device for moving the lenticular member and the emulsion relative to the mask a distance equal to the spacing between a pair of adjacent slots in the mask. The X-rays from the source, after passing through an object on the support, pass into the cassette through the slots of the mask and are focused on the photographic emulsion to result in a continuum of X-ray views of the object. When the emulsion is developed and viewed through the lenticular member, the object can be seen in three dimensions.« less

[Bio-objects and biological methods of space radiation effects evaluation].

PubMed

Kaminskaia, E V; Nevzgodina, L V; Platova, N G

2009-01-01

The unique conditions of space experiments place austere requirements to bio-objects and biological methods of radiation effects evaluation. The paper discusses suitability of a number of bio-objects varying in stage of evolution and metabolism for space researches aimed to state common patterns of the radiation damage caused by heavy ions (HI), and character of HI-cell interaction. Physical detectors in space experiments of the BIOBLOCK series make it possible to identify bio-objects hit by space HI and to set correlation between HI track topography and biological effect. The paper provides an all-round description of the bio-objects chosen for two BIOBLOCK experiments (population of hydrophyte Wolffia arrhiza (fam. duckweed) and Lactuca sativa seeds) and the method of evaluating effects from single space radiation HI. Direct effects of heavy ions on cells can be determined by the criteria of chromosomal aberrations and delayed morphologic abnormalities. The evaluation results are compared with the data about human blood lymphocytes. Consideration is being given to the procedures of test-objects' treatment and investigation.

NEA impactors: what direction to they come from?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Alan

2018-04-01

One might expect, if Earth-crossing NEAs are "thermalized" by prior close scattering encounters with the Earth, that final impact trajectories would be isotropic in direction. But orbital perturbations and other sources of entry and exit to the Earth-crossing zone are faster acting that thermalization, so the actual distribution of impacting orbits is quite anisotropic. I have studied impactor directions by adjusting the orbits of known Earth-crossing PHAs slightly to put them on intersecting orbits and then computed the direction of approach to the Earth. This arguably suffers from "looking under the lamp post", since NEAs are mostly discovered close to the opposition direction, so I also took the distribution of NEA orbits recently derived by Granvik and others and extracted, from a set of 100,000 synthetic orbits they provided, a subset of Earth-crossing PHAs and similarly adjusted them to be intersecting orbits. This should represent an unbiased set of orbits. I then weighted the impact directions by the individual Opik impact probability to obtain a distribution of impact directions weighted by actual impact probabilities. The result was that more than 40% of incoming trajectories clustered within 60 degrees of the opposition direction, and a similar fraction come from within 60 degrees of the solar direction. Thus ~80% of impactors come from only about 1/3 of the sky area, with almost none coming from 60-120 degrees solar elongation. The message is that existing ground-based surveys can hardly be improved upon by greater sky coverage with respect to detecting "death plunge" objects, and even space-based instruments offer very little improvement due to the very low solar elongation of most objects approaching from the solar direction.

Give Me a Hand: Adult Involvement During Object Exploration Affects Object Individuation in Infancy

PubMed Central

Johnson, Kristin M.; Woods, Rebecca J.

2015-01-01

The development of object individuation, a fundamental ability that supports identification and discrimination of objects across discrete encounters, has been examined extensively by researchers. There are significant advancements in infants’ ability to individuate objects during the first year-and-a-half. Experimental work has established a timeline of object individuation abilities and revealed some mechanisms underlying this ability, however, the influence of adult assistance during object exploration has not yet been explored. The current study investigates the effect of adult involvement during object exploration on infants’ object individuation abilities. In Experiment 1a and 1b, we examined 9.5-month-old infants’ colour-based object individuation following adult-assisted multisensory object exploration. Two components of adult interaction were of particular interest: facilitation of object manipulation (grasping, rotating, and attention-getting behaviours) and social engagement (smiling, pointing, attention-getting verbalizations, and object-directed gaze). Experiment 2a and 2b assessed these components with 4.5-month-olds to examine their impact across development. The results showed that after adult-guided object exploration, both 9.5- and 4.5-month-old infants successfully individuated previously undifferentiated objects. Results of Experiments 1b and 2b provide implications for the mechanisms underlying the scaffolding influence of adult interaction during infant behaviours. PMID:28082834

Analytical formulation of impulsive collision avoidance dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bombardelli, Claudio

2014-02-01

The paper deals with the problem of impulsive collision avoidance between two colliding objects in three dimensions and assuming elliptical Keplerian orbits. Closed-form analytical expressions are provided that accurately predict the relative dynamics of the two bodies in the encounter b-plane following an impulsive delta-V manoeuvre performed by one object at a given orbit location prior to the impact and with a generic three-dimensional orientation. After verifying the accuracy of the analytical expressions for different orbital eccentricities and encounter geometries the manoeuvre direction that maximises the miss distance is obtained numerically as a function of the arc length separation between the manoeuvre point and the predicted collision point. The provided formulas can be used for high-accuracy instantaneous estimation of the outcome of a generic impulsive collision avoidance manoeuvre and its optimisation.

Spatial Updating According to a Fixed Reference Direction of a Briefly Viewed Layout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Hui; Mou, Weimin; McNamara, Timothy P.

2011-01-01

Three experiments examined the role of reference directions in spatial updating. Participants briefly viewed an array of five objects. A non-egocentric reference direction was primed by placing a stick under two objects in the array at the time of learning. After a short interval, participants detected which object had been moved at a novel view…

An object cue is more effective than a word in ERP-based detection of deception.

PubMed

Cutmore, Tim R H; Djakovic, Tatjana; Kebbell, Mark R; Shum, David H K

2009-03-01

Recent studies of deception have used a form of the guilty knowledge test along with the oddball P300 event-related potential (ERP) to uncover hidden memories. These studies typically have used words as the cuing stimuli. In the present study, a mock crime was enacted by participants to prime their episodic memory and different memory cue types (Words, Pictures of Objects and Faces) were created to investigate their relative efficacy in identifying guilt. A peak-to peak (p-p) P300 response was computed for rare known non-guilty item (target), rare guilty knowledge item (probe) and frequently presented unknown items (irrelevant). Difference in this P300 measure between the probe and irrelevant was the key dependent variable. Object cues were found to be the most effective, particularly at the parietal site. A bootstrap procedure commonly used to detect deception in individual participants by comparing their probe and irrelevant P300 p-p showed the object cues to provide the best discrimination. Furthermore, using all three of the cue types together provided high detection accuracy (94%). These results confirm prior findings on the utility of ERPs for detecting deception. More importantly, they provide support for the hypothesis that direct cueing with a picture of the crime object may be more effective than using a word (consistent with the picture superiority effect reported in the literature). Finally, a face cue (e.g., crime victim) may also provide a useful probe for detection of guilty knowledge but this stimulus form needs to be chosen with due caution.

The power of competence support: The impact of coaches and athlete leaders on intrinsic motivation and performance.

PubMed

Fransen, K; Boen, F; Vansteenkiste, M; Mertens, N; Vande Broek, G

2018-02-01

Grounded in the Cognitive Evaluation Theory, a mini-theory of Self-Determination Theory, this experimental field study sought to examine the impact of competence support of both coaches and athlete leaders on athletes' competence satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, and subjective as well as objective performance. Male basketball players (N = 120) were allocated to groups of 5 players. These groups were then randomly assigned to a control group or to 1 of 3 experimental conditions. In these experimental conditions, either the coach, the athlete leader, or both provided motivational feedback to their team. The provision of motivational feedback by either the coach or the athlete leader was sufficient to increase athletes' competence satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, and objective performance (i.e., enhanced execution time without a decrease in scoring percentage) relative to the control group. Interestingly, when both the coach and the athlete leader provided competence support, a surplus effect was observed on objective performance compared with when only the coach provided competence support. Furthermore, structural equation modeling revealed that players' competence satisfaction mediated the relationship between the provided competence support and players' intrinsic motivation, while a direct effect was observed on objective performance. In conclusion, the study findings indicate that also athlete leaders can adopt a motivating role, and that by doing so, their impact is as strong as the impact of the coach. Both coaches and athlete leaders can thus boost athletes' objective performance and foster competence satisfaction, with the latter resulting in increased intrinsic motivation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Toolkit for Active Object-Oriented Databases with Application to Interoperability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Roger

1996-01-01

In our original proposal we stated that our research would 'develop a novel technology that provides a foundation for collaborative information processing.' The essential ingredient of this technology is the notion of 'deltas,' which are first-class values representing collections of proposed updates to a database. The Heraclitus framework provides a variety of algebraic operators for building up, combining, inspecting, and comparing deltas. Deltas can be directly applied to the database to yield a new state, or used 'hypothetically' in queries against the state that would arise if the delta were applied. The central point here is that the step of elevating deltas to 'first-class' citizens in database programming languages will yield tremendous leverage on the problem of supporting updates in collaborative information processing. In short, our original intention was to develop the theoretical and practical foundation for a technology based on deltas in an object-oriented database context, develop a toolkit for active object-oriented databases, and apply this toward collaborative information processing.

A Toolkit for Active Object-Oriented Databases with Application to Interoperability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Roger

1996-01-01

In our original proposal we stated that our research would 'develop a novel technology that provides a foundation for collaborative information processing.' The essential ingredient of this technology is the notion of 'deltas,' which are first-class values representing collections of proposed updates to a database. The Heraclitus framework provides a variety of algebraic operators for building up, combining, inspecting, and comparing deltas. Deltas can be directly applied to the database to yield a new state, or used 'hypothetically' in queries against the state that would arise if the delta were applied. The central point here is that the step of elevating deltas to 'first-class' citizens in database programming languages will yield tremendous leverage on the problem of supporting updates in collaborative information processing. In short, our original intention was to develop the theoretical and practical foundation for a technology based on deltas in an object- oriented database context, develop a toolkit for active object-oriented databases, and apply this toward collaborative information processing.

Emergent features and perceptual objects: re-examining fundamental principles in analogical display design.

PubMed

Holt, Jerred; Bennett, Kevin B; Flach, John M

2015-01-01

Two sets of design principles for analogical visual displays, based on the concepts of emergent features and perceptual objects, are described. An interpretation of previous empirical findings for three displays (bar graph, polar graphic, alphanumeric) is provided from both perspectives. A fourth display (configural coordinate) was designed using principles of ecological interface design (i.e. direct perception). An experiment was conducted to evaluate performance (accuracy and latency of state identification) with these four displays. Numerous significant effects were obtained and a clear rank ordering of performance emerged (from best to worst): configural coordinate, bar graph, alphanumeric and polar graphic. These findings are consistent with principles of design based on emergent features; they are inconsistent with principles based on perceptual objects. Some limitations of the configural coordinate display are discussed and a redesign is provided. Practitioner Summary: Principles of ecological interface design, which emphasise the quality of very specific mappings between domain, display and observer constraints, are described; these principles are applicable to the design of all analogical graphical displays.

Wireless sensor networks for heritage object deformation detection and tracking algorithm.

PubMed

Xie, Zhijun; Huang, Guangyan; Zarei, Roozbeh; He, Jing; Zhang, Yanchun; Ye, Hongwu

2014-10-31

Deformation is the direct cause of heritage object collapse. It is significant to monitor and signal the early warnings of the deformation of heritage objects. However, traditional heritage object monitoring methods only roughly monitor a simple-shaped heritage object as a whole, but cannot monitor complicated heritage objects, which may have a large number of surfaces inside and outside. Wireless sensor networks, comprising many small-sized, low-cost, low-power intelligent sensor nodes, are more useful to detect the deformation of every small part of the heritage objects. Wireless sensor networks need an effective mechanism to reduce both the communication costs and energy consumption in order to monitor the heritage objects in real time. In this paper, we provide an effective heritage object deformation detection and tracking method using wireless sensor networks (EffeHDDT). In EffeHDDT, we discover a connected core set of sensor nodes to reduce the communication cost for transmitting and collecting the data of the sensor networks. Particularly, we propose a heritage object boundary detecting and tracking mechanism. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that our EffeHDDT method outperforms the existing methods in terms of network traffic and the precision of the deformation detection.

Wireless Sensor Networks for Heritage Object Deformation Detection and Tracking Algorithm

PubMed Central

Xie, Zhijun; Huang, Guangyan; Zarei, Roozbeh; He, Jing; Zhang, Yanchun; Ye, Hongwu

2014-01-01

Deformation is the direct cause of heritage object collapse. It is significant to monitor and signal the early warnings of the deformation of heritage objects. However, traditional heritage object monitoring methods only roughly monitor a simple-shaped heritage object as a whole, but cannot monitor complicated heritage objects, which may have a large number of surfaces inside and outside. Wireless sensor networks, comprising many small-sized, low-cost, low-power intelligent sensor nodes, are more useful to detect the deformation of every small part of the heritage objects. Wireless sensor networks need an effective mechanism to reduce both the communication costs and energy consumption in order to monitor the heritage objects in real time. In this paper, we provide an effective heritage object deformation detection and tracking method using wireless sensor networks (EffeHDDT). In EffeHDDT, we discover a connected core set of sensor nodes to reduce the communication cost for transmitting and collecting the data of the sensor networks. Particularly, we propose a heritage object boundary detecting and tracking mechanism. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that our EffeHDDT method outperforms the existing methods in terms of network traffic and the precision of the deformation detection. PMID:25365458

Diagnosis and characterization of mania: Quantifying increased energy and activity in the human behavioral pattern monitor

PubMed Central

Perry, William; McIlwain, Meghan; Kloezeman, Karen; Henry, Brook L.; Minassian, Arpi

2016-01-01

Increased energy or activity is now an essential feature of the mania of Bipolar Disorder (BD) according to DSM-5. This study examined whether objective measures of increased energy can differentiate manic BD individuals and provide greater diagnostic accuracy compared to rating scales, extending the work of previous studies with smaller samples. We also tested the relationship between objective measures of energy and rating scales. 50 hospitalized manic BD patients were compared to healthy subjects (HCS, n=39) in the human Behavioral Pattern Monitor (hBPM) which quantifies motor activity and goal-directed behavior in an environment containing novel stimuli. Archival hBPM data from 17 schizophrenia patients were used in sensitivity and specificity analyses. Manic BD patients exhibited higher motor activity than HCS and higher novel object interactions. hBPM activity measures were not correlated with observer-rated symptoms, and hBPM activity was more sensitive in accurately classifying hospitalized BD subjects than observer ratings. Although the findings can only be generalized to inpatient populations, they suggest that increased energy, particularly specific and goal-directed exploration, is a distinguishing feature of BD mania and is best quantified by objective measures of motor activity. A better understanding is needed of the biological underpinnings of this cardinal feature. PMID:27138818

Algorithms for accelerated convergence of adaptive PCA.

PubMed

Chatterjee, C; Kang, Z; Roychowdhury, V P

2000-01-01

We derive and discuss new adaptive algorithms for principal component analysis (PCA) that are shown to converge faster than the traditional PCA algorithms due to Oja, Sanger, and Xu. It is well known that traditional PCA algorithms that are derived by using gradient descent on an objective function are slow to converge. Furthermore, the convergence of these algorithms depends on appropriate choices of the gain sequences. Since online applications demand faster convergence and an automatic selection of gains, we present new adaptive algorithms to solve these problems. We first present an unconstrained objective function, which can be minimized to obtain the principal components. We derive adaptive algorithms from this objective function by using: 1) gradient descent; 2) steepest descent; 3) conjugate direction; and 4) Newton-Raphson methods. Although gradient descent produces Xu's LMSER algorithm, the steepest descent, conjugate direction, and Newton-Raphson methods produce new adaptive algorithms for PCA. We also provide a discussion on the landscape of the objective function, and present a global convergence proof of the adaptive gradient descent PCA algorithm using stochastic approximation theory. Extensive experiments with stationary and nonstationary multidimensional Gaussian sequences show faster convergence of the new algorithms over the traditional gradient descent methods.We also compare the steepest descent adaptive algorithm with state-of-the-art methods on stationary and nonstationary sequences.

How should Fitts' Law be applied to human-computer interaction?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillan, D. J.; Holden, K.; Adam, S.; Rudisill, M.; Magee, L.

1992-01-01

The paper challenges the notion that any Fitts' Law model can be applied generally to human-computer interaction, and proposes instead that applying Fitts' Law requires knowledge of the users' sequence of movements, direction of movement, and typical movement amplitudes as well as target sizes. Two experiments examined a text selection task with sequences of controlled movements (point-click and point-drag). For the point-click sequence, a Fitts' Law model that used the diagonal across the text object in the direction of pointing (rather than the horizontal extent of the text object) as the target size provided the best fit for the pointing time data, whereas for the point-drag sequence, a Fitts' Law model that used the vertical size of the text object as the target size gave the best fit. Dragging times were fitted well by Fitts' Law models that used either the vertical or horizontal size of the terminal character in the text object. Additional results of note were that pointing in the point-click sequence was consistently faster than in the point-drag sequence, and that pointing in either sequence was consistently faster than dragging. The discussion centres around the need to define task characteristics before applying Fitts' Law to an interface design or analysis, analyses of pointing and of dragging, and implications for interface design.

Automatic diagnosis of malaria based on complete circle-ellipse fitting search algorithm.

PubMed

Sheikhhosseini, M; Rabbani, H; Zekri, M; Talebi, A

2013-12-01

Diagnosis of malaria parasitemia from blood smears is a subjective and time-consuming task for pathologists. The automatic diagnostic process will reduce the diagnostic time. Also, it can be worked as a second opinion for pathologists and may be useful in malaria screening. This study presents an automatic method for malaria diagnosis from thin blood smears. According to this fact that malaria life cycle is started by forming a ring around the parasite nucleus, the proposed approach is mainly based on curve fitting to detect parasite ring in the blood smear. The method is composed of six main phases: stain object extraction step, which extracts candidate objects that may be infected by malaria parasites. This phase includes stained pixel extraction step based on intensity and colour, and stained object segmentation by defining stained circle matching. Second step is preprocessing phase which makes use of nonlinear diffusion filtering. The process continues with detection of parasite nucleus from resulted image of previous step according to image intensity. Fourth step introduces a complete search process in which the circle search step identifies the direction and initial points for direct least-square ellipse fitting algorithm. Furthermore in the ellipse searching process, although parasite shape is completed undesired regions with high error value are removed and ellipse parameters are modified. Features are extracted from the parasite candidate region instead of whole candidate object in the fifth step. By employing this special feature extraction way, which is provided by special searching process, the necessity of employing clump splitting methods is removed. Also, defining stained circle matching process in the first step speeds up the whole procedure. Finally, a series of decision rules are applied on the extracted features to decide on the positivity or negativity of malaria parasite presence. The algorithm is applied on 26 digital images which are provided from thin blood smear films. The images are contained 1274 objects which may be infected by parasite or healthy. Applying the automatic identification of malaria on provided database showed a sensitivity of 82.28% and specificity of 98.02%. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

When holography meets coherent diffraction imaging.

PubMed

Latychevskaia, Tatiana; Longchamp, Jean-Nicolas; Fink, Hans-Werner

2012-12-17

The phase problem is inherent to crystallographic, astronomical and optical imaging where only the intensity of the scattered signal is detected and the phase information is lost and must somehow be recovered to reconstruct the object's structure. Modern imaging techniques at the molecular scale rely on utilizing novel coherent light sources like X-ray free electron lasers for the ultimate goal of visualizing such objects as individual biomolecules rather than crystals. Here, unlike in the case of crystals where structures can be solved by model building and phase refinement, the phase distribution of the wave scattered by an individual molecule must directly be recovered. There are two well-known solutions to the phase problem: holography and coherent diffraction imaging (CDI). Both techniques have their pros and cons. In holography, the reconstruction of the scattered complex-valued object wave is directly provided by a well-defined reference wave that must cover the entire detector area which often is an experimental challenge. CDI provides the highest possible, only wavelength limited, resolution, but the phase recovery is an iterative process which requires some pre-defined information about the object and whose outcome is not always uniquely-defined. Moreover, the diffraction patterns must be recorded under oversampling conditions, a pre-requisite to be able to solve the phase problem. Here, we report how holography and CDI can be merged into one superior technique: holographic coherent diffraction imaging (HCDI). An inline hologram can be recorded by employing a modified CDI experimental scheme. We demonstrate that the amplitude of the Fourier transform of an inline hologram is related to the complex-valued visibility, thus providing information on both, the amplitude and the phase of the scattered wave in the plane of the diffraction pattern. With the phase information available, the condition of oversampling the diffraction patterns can be relaxed, and the phase problem can be solved in a fast and unambiguous manner. We demonstrate the reconstruction of various diffraction patterns of objects recorded with visible light as well as with low-energy electrons. Although we have demonstrated our HCDI method using laser light and low-energy electrons, it can also be applied to any other coherent radiation such as X-rays or high-energy electrons.

Learning while Babbling: Prelinguistic Object-Directed Vocalizations Indicate a Readiness to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Michael H.; Schwade, Jennifer; Briesch, Jacquelyn; Syal, Supriya

2010-01-01

Two studies illustrate the functional significance of a new category of prelinguistic vocalizing--object-directed vocalizations (ODVs)--and show that these sounds are connected to learning about words and objects. Experiment 1 tested 12-month-old infants' perceptual learning of objects that elicited ODVs. Fourteen infants' vocalizations were…

The Acquisition of Differential Object Marking in L2 Spanish Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martoccio, Alyssa Marie

2012-01-01

This dissertation tests a grammatical structure, differential object marking (DOM), which is particularly difficult for L2 learners to acquire. DOM is a phenomenon in which some direct objects are morphologically marked to distinguish them from subjects (Comrie, 1979). In Spanish, animate and specific direct objects are marked with the preposition…

Bayesian Hierarchical Air-Sea Interaction Modeling: Application to the Labrador Sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niiler, Pearn P.

2002-01-01

The objectives are to: 1) Organize data from 26 MINIMET drifters in the Labrador Sea, including sensor calibration and error checking of ARGOS transmissions. 2) Produce wind direction, barometer, and sea surface temperature time series. In addition, provide data from historical file of 150 SHARP drifters in the Labrador Sea. 3) Work with data interpretation and data-modeling assimilation issues.

Does Distraction Reduce the Alcohol-Aggression Relation? A Cognitive and Behavioral Test of the Attention-Allocation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Kathryn E.; Parrott, Dominic J.

2011-01-01

Objective: This study provided the first direct test of the cognitive underpinnings of the attention-allocation model and attempted to replicate and extend past behavioral findings for this model as an explanation for alcohol-related aggression. Method: A diverse community sample (55% African American) of men (N = 159) between 21 and 35 years of…

Applying the 2012 Planning Rule to conserve species: A practitioner's reference

Treesearch

Gregory D. Hayward; Curtis H. Flather; Mary M. Rowland; Regis Terney; Kim Mellen-McLean; Karl D. Malcolm; Clinton McCarthy; Douglas A. Boyce

2016-01-01

The National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA) directs managers of National Forest System (NFS) lands to "provide for diversity of plant and animal communities based on the suitability and capability of the specific land area in order to meet overall multiple-use objectives." The mandate is challenging and is embraced by the Forest Service. At the...

Descriptors for Psychological Understanding: A Guide to Asking Questions about Learning related to Psychology in Wisconsin Schools, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison. Social Studies Curriculum Study Committee.

Statements of learning objectives are provided to help clarify and direct the teaching of psychology in Wisconsin schools and to help educators identify the most significant ideas in the discipline which should be incorporated into the K-12 curriculum. These statements, or "descriptors," were developed after the State of Wisconsin Social…

The Word Writing CAFE: Assessing Student Writing for Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leal, Dorothy J.

2005-01-01

The Word Writing CAFE is a new assessment tool designed for teachers to evaluate objectively students' word-writing ability for fluency, accuracy, and complexity. It is designed to be given to the whole class at one time. This article describes the development of the CAFE and provides directions for administering and scoring it. The author also…

The role of prairie dogs as a keystone species: response to Stapp

Treesearch

B. Miller; R. Reading; J. Hoogland; T. Clark; G. Ceballos; R. List; S. Forrest; L. Hanebury; P. Manzano; J. Pacheco; D. Uresk

2000-01-01

Stapp (1998) recently argued that it was premature to characterize prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) as keystone species. In particular, Stapp directed much of his criticism at a paper some of us wrote (Miller et al. 1994). He mistakenly interprets the main objective of our paper as providing evidence that prairie dogs are keystone species. Rather, the...

Development of a 2-micron Pulsed Direct Detection IPDA Lidar for CO2 Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, J.; Petros, M.; Singh, U. N.

2013-12-01

NASA Langley is developing a 2-micron pulsed Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) lidar for atmospheric CO2 measurements. The high pulse energy, direct detection lidar operating at CO2 2-micron absorption band provides an alternate approach to measure CO2 concentrations with significant advantages. The objective of this development is to integrate an existing high energy double-pulsed 2-micron laser transmitter with a direct detection receiver and telescope to enable a first proof of principle demonstration of airborne direct detection CO2 measurements at 2-micron wavelength. It is expected to provide high-precision measurement capability by unambiguously eliminating contamination from aerosols and clouds that can bias the IPDA measurement. The system is scheduled to fly on NASA UC12 or B200 research aircrafts before the end of 2013. This paper will describe the design of the airborne 2-micron pulsed IPDA lidar system; the lidar operation parameters; the wavelength pair selection; laser transmitter energy, pulse rate, beam divergence, double pulse generation and accurate frequency control; detector characterization; telescope design; lidar structure design; and lidar signal to noise ratio estimation.

Evolution of double white dwarf binaries undergoing direct-impact accretion: Implications for gravitational wave astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kremer, Kyle; Breivik, Katelyn; Larson, Shane L.; Kalogera, Vassiliki

2017-01-01

For close double white dwarf binaries, the mass-transfer phenomenon known as direct-impact accretion (when the mass transfer stream impacts the accretor directly rather than forming a disc) may play a pivotal role in the long-term evolution of the systems. In this analysis, we explore the long-term evolution of white dwarf binaries accreting through direct-impact and explore implications of such systems to gravitational wave astronomy. We cover a broad range of parameter space which includes initial component masses and the strength of tidal coupling, and show that these systems, which lie firmly within the LISA frequency range, show strong negative chirps which can last as long as several million years. Detections of double white dwarf systems in the direct-impact phase by detectors such as LISA would provide astronomers with unique ways of probing the physics governing close compact object binaries.

Detection, Identification, Location, and Remote Sensing using SAW RFID Sensor Tags

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, Richard J.

2009-01-01

In this presentation, we will consider the problem of simultaneous detection, identification, location estimation, and remote sensing for multiple objects. In particular, we will describe the design and testing of a wireless system capable of simultaneously detecting the presence of multiple objects, identifying each object, and acquiring both a low-resolution estimate of location and a high-resolution estimate of temperature for each object based on wireless interrogation of passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) radiofrequency identification (RFID) sensor tags affixed to each object. The system is being studied for application on the lunar surface as well as for terrestrial remote sensing applications such as pre-launch monitoring and testing of spacecraft on the launch pad and monitoring of test facilities. The system utilizes a digitally beam-formed planar receiving antenna array to extend range and provide direction-of-arrival information coupled with an approximate maximum-likelihood signal processing algorithm to provide near-optimal estimation of both range and temperature. The system is capable of forming a large number of beams within the field of view and resolving the information from several tags within each beam. The combination of both spatial and waveform discrimination provides the capability to track and monitor telemetry from a large number of objects appearing simultaneously within the field of view of the receiving array. In the presentation, we will summarize the system design and illustrate several aspects of the operational characteristics and signal structure. We will examine the theoretical performance characteristics of the system and compare the theoretical results with results obtained from experiments in both controlled laboratory environments and in the field.

A Review of Optical NDT Technologies

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yong-Kai; Tian, Gui-Yun; Lu, Rong-Sheng; Zhang, Hong

2011-01-01

Optical non-destructive testing (NDT) has gained more and more attention in recent years, mainly because of its non-destructive imaging characteristics with high precision and sensitivity. This paper provides a review of the main optical NDT technologies, including fibre optics, electronic speckle, infrared thermography, endoscopic and terahertz technology. Among them, fibre optics features easy integration and embedding, electronic speckle focuses on whole-field high precision detection, infrared thermography has unique advantages for tests of combined materials, endoscopic technology provides images of the internal surface of the object directly, and terahertz technology opens a new direction of internal NDT because of its excellent penetration capability to most of non-metallic materials. Typical engineering applications of these technologies are illustrated, with a brief introduction of the history and discussion of recent progress. PMID:22164045

Controlled propulsion and separation of helical particles at the nanoscale.

PubMed

Alcanzare, Maria Michiko T; Thakore, Vaibhav; Ollila, Santtu T T; Karttunen, Mikko; Ala-Nissila, Tapio

2017-03-15

Controlling the motion of nano and microscale objects in a fluid environment is a key factor in designing optimized tiny machines that perform mechanical tasks such as transport of drugs or genetic material in cells, fluid mixing to accelerate chemical reactions, and cargo transport in microfluidic chips. Directed motion is made possible by the coupled translational and rotational motion of asymmetric particles. A current challenge in achieving directed and controlled motion at the nanoscale lies in overcoming random Brownian motion due to thermal fluctuations in the fluid. We use a hybrid lattice-Boltzmann molecular dynamics method with full hydrodynamic interactions and thermal fluctuations to demonstrate that controlled propulsion of individual nanohelices in an aqueous environment is possible. We optimize the propulsion velocity and the efficiency of externally driven nanohelices. We quantify the importance of the thermal effects on the directed motion by calculating the Péclet number for various shapes, number of turns and pitch lengths of the helices. Consistent with the experimental microscale separation of chiral objects, our results indicate that in the presence of thermal fluctuations at Péclet numbers >10, chiral particles follow the direction of propagation according to its handedness and the direction of the applied torque making separation of chiral particles possible at the nanoscale. Our results provide criteria for the design and control of helical machines at the nanoscale.

The Cost of Morbidities in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

PubMed Central

Johnson, Tricia J.; Patel, Aloka L.; Jegier, Briana; Engstrom, Janet L.; Meier, Paula

2013-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the association between direct costs for the initial neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization and four potentially preventable morbidities in a retrospective cohort of very low birth weight infants (VLBW; <1500g birth weight). Methods The sample included 425 VLBW infants born alive between July 2005 and June 2009 at Rush University Medical Center. Morbidities included brain injury, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and late onset sepsis. Clinical and economic data were retrieved from the institution’s system-wide data warehouse and cost accounting system. A general linear regression model was fit to determine incremental direct costs associated with each morbidity. Results After controlling for birth weight, gestational age, and socio-demographic characteristics, the presence of brain injury was associated with a $12,048 (p=0.005) increase in direct costs; necrotizing enterocolitis with a $15,440 (p=0.005) increase; bronchopulmonary dysplasia with a $31,565 (p<0.001) increase; and late onset sepsis with a $10,055 (p<0.001) increase in direct costs. The absolute number of morbidities was also associated with significantly higher costs. Conclusions This study provides the first collective estimates of the direct costs during the NICU hospitalization for these four morbidities in VLBW infants. The incremental costs associated with these morbidities were high, and these data can inform future studies evaluating interventions to prevent or reduce these costly morbidities. PMID:22910099

The impact of scatterometer wind data on global weather forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atlas, D.; Baker, W. E.; Kalnay, E.; Halem, M.; Woiceshyn, P. M.; Peteherych, S.

1984-01-01

The impact of SEASAT-A scatterometer (SASS) winds on coarse resolution atmospheric model forecasts was assessed. The scatterometer provides high resolution winds, but each wind can have up to four possible directions. One wind direction is correct; the remainder are ambiguous or "aliases'. In general, the effect of objectively dealiased-SASS data was found to be negligible in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the impact was larger and primarily beneficial when vertical temperature profile radiometer (VTPR) data was excluded. However, the inclusion of VTPR data eliminates the positive impact, indicating some redundancy between the two data sets.

OAST space power technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.

1978-01-01

The current research and technology (R and T) base program is first described, then special attention is directed toward outlining a new system technology specifically oriented toward providing the utility power plant technology base for semi-permanent earth orbital facilities expected to be needed in the middle to late 1980's. The R and T program involves five areas of research: (1) photovoltaic energy conversion; (2) chemical energy conversion and storage; (3) thermal-to-electric conversion; (4) environment interactions; and (5) power systems management and distribution. The general objectives and planned direction of efforts in each of these areas is summarized.

Building confidence for work as house officers: student experience in the final year of a new problem-based curriculum.

PubMed

Whitehouse, Carl R; O'Neill, Paul; Dornan, Tim

2002-08-01

Newly qualified doctors require an appropriate level of confidence for their new roles. Development of this confidence was a key objective in the final year of a new integrated course with an emphasis on student self-direction. There are 5 placements in the final year course. Students use a Learning Planner to help them choose suitable placements and objectives to serve their learning needs. Educational supervision focuses on helping students determine their objectives and assessing them against these. Course evaluation was by means of a questionnaire during final assessments. Cohorts of 310 and 316 students in successive years completed the evaluation. The interrelationship between variables was explored using logistic regression. 220/310 students in the 2000 cohort and 214/316 in the 2001 cohort agreed they felt confident with their prospective role as a pre-registration house officer (PRHO). Confidence was significantly associated with confidence in their clinical skills, belief in their ability to cope with uncertainty and feeling able to work as a team member. The experience of the 2 hospital placements and (in 2000 only) the elective was associated with increased confidence. In all placements helpful educational supervision and the achievement of the self-directed learning plan was associated with increased confidence as a potential doctor. Students perceive a relationship between learning experiences in the final year of a self-directed course and development of confidence for their future role. Whilst further elucidation of the nature of this relationship is required, this provides encouragement to curriculum planners to promote self-direction.

Thermal inertia mapping of below ground objects and voids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Grande, Nancy K.; Ascough, Brian M.; Rumpf, Richard L.

2013-05-01

Thermal inertia (effusivity) contrast marks the borders of naturally heated below ground object and void sites. The Dual Infrared Effusivity Computed Tomography (DIRECT) method, patent pending, detects and locates the presence of enhanced heat flows from below ground object and void sites at a given area. DIRECT maps view contrasting surface temperature differences between sites with normal soil and sites with soil disturbed by subsurface, hollow or semi-empty object voids (or air gaps) at varying depths. DIRECT utilizes an empirical database created to optimize the scheduling of daily airborne thermal surveys to view and characterize unseen object and void types, depths and volumes in "blind" areas.

VELOCITY INDICATOR FOR EXTRUSION PRESS

DOEpatents

Digney, F.J. Jr.; Bevilacqua, F.

1959-04-01

An indicator is presented for measuring the lowspeed velocity of an object in one direction where the object returns in the opposite direction at a high speed. The indicator comprises a drum having its axis of rotation transverse to the linear movement of the object and a tape wound upon the drum with its free end extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to the object. A constant torque is applied to the drum in a direction to wind the tape on the drum. The speed of the tape in the unwinding direction is indicated on a tachometer which is coupled through a shaft and clutch means to the drum only when the tape is unwinding.

Estimated capacity of object files in visual short-term memory is not improved by retrieval cueing.

PubMed

Saiki, Jun; Miyatsuji, Hirofumi

2009-03-23

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) has been claimed to maintain three to five feature-bound object representations. Some results showing smaller capacity estimates for feature binding memory have been interpreted as the effects of interference in memory retrieval. However, change-detection tasks may not properly evaluate complex feature-bound representations such as triple conjunctions in VSTM. To understand the general type of feature-bound object representation, evaluation of triple conjunctions is critical. To test whether interference occurs in memory retrieval for complete object file representations in a VSTM task, we cued retrieval in novel paradigms that directly evaluate the memory for triple conjunctions, in comparison with a simple change-detection task. In our multiple object permanence tracking displays, observers monitored for a switch in feature combination between objects during an occlusion period, and we found that a retrieval cue provided no benefit with the triple conjunction tasks, but significant facilitation with the change-detection task, suggesting that low capacity estimates of object file memory in VSTM reflect a limit on maintenance, not retrieval.

Additive direct-write microfabrication for MEMS: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teh, Kwok Siong

2017-12-01

Direct-write additive manufacturing refers to a rich and growing repertoire of well-established fabrication techniques that builds solid objects directly from computer- generated solid models without elaborate intermediate fabrication steps. At the macroscale, direct-write techniques such as stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling ink-jet printing, and laminated object manufacturing have significantly reduced concept-to-product lead time, enabled complex geometries, and importantly, has led to the renaissance in fabrication known as the maker movement. The technological premises of all direct-write additive manufacturing are identical—converting computer generated three-dimensional models into layers of two-dimensional planes or slices, which are then reconstructed sequentially into threedimensional solid objects in a layer-by-layer format. The key differences between the various additive manufacturing techniques are the means of creating the finished layers and the ancillary processes that accompany them. While still at its infancy, direct-write additive manufacturing techniques at the microscale have the potential to significantly lower the barrier-of-entry—in terms of cost, time and training—for the prototyping and fabrication of MEMS parts that have larger dimensions, high aspect ratios, and complex shapes. In recent years, significant advancements in materials chemistry, laser technology, heat and fluid modeling, and control systems have enabled additive manufacturing to achieve higher resolutions at the micrometer and nanometer length scales to be a viable technology for MEMS fabrication. Compared to traditional MEMS processes that rely heavily on expensive equipment and time-consuming steps, direct-write additive manufacturing techniques allow for rapid design-to-prototype realization by limiting or circumventing the need for cleanrooms, photolithography and extensive training. With current direct-write additive manufacturing technologies, it is possible to fabricate unsophisticated micrometer scale structures at adequate resolutions and precisions using materials that range from polymers, metals, ceramics, to composites. In both academia and industry, direct-write additive manufacturing offers extraordinary promises to revolutionize research and development in microfabrication and MEMS technologies. Importantly, direct-write additive manufacturing could appreciably augment current MEMS fabrication technologies, enable faster design-to-product cycle, empower new paradigms in MEMS designs, and critically, encourage wider participation in MEMS research at institutions or for individuals with limited or no access to cleanroom facilities. This article aims to provide a limited review of the current landscape of direct-write additive manufacturing techniques that are potentially applicable for MEMS microfabrication.

Comprehension of Subject and Object Relative Clauses in a Trilingual Acquisition Context

PubMed Central

Chan, Angel; Chen, Si; Matthews, Stephen; Yip, Virginia

2017-01-01

Chinese relative clauses (RCs) have word order properties that are distinctly rare across languages of the world; such properties provide a good testing ground to tease apart predictions regarding the relative complexity of subject and object RCs in acquisition and processing. This study considers these special word order properties in a multilingual acquisition context, examining how Cantonese(L1)-English(L2)-Mandarin(L3) trilingual children process RCs in two Chinese languages differing in exposure conditions. Studying in an English immersion international school, these trilinguals are also under intensive exposure to English. Comparisons of the trilinguals with their monolingual counterparts are made with a focus on the directionality of cross-linguistic influence. The study considers how various factors such as language exposure, structural overlaps in the target languages, typological distance, and language dominance can account for the linguistic abilities and vulnerabilities exhibited by a group of children in a trilingual acquisition context. Twenty-one trilingual 5- to 6-year-olds completed tests of subject- and object- RC comprehension in all three languages. Twenty-four age-matched Cantonese monolinguals and 24 age-matched Mandarin monolinguals served as comparison groups. Despite limited exposure to Mandarin, the trilinguals performed comparable to the monolinguals. Their Cantonese performance uniquely predicts their Mandarin performance, suggesting positive transfer from L1 Cantonese to L3 Mandarin. In Cantonese, however, despite extensive exposure from birth, the trilinguals comprehended object RCs significantly worse than the monolinguals. Error analyses suggested an English-based head-initial analysis, implying negative transfer from L2 English to L1 Cantonese. Overall, we identified a specific case of bi-directional influence between the first and second/third languages. The trilinguals experience facilitation in processing Mandarin RCs, because parallels and overlaps in both form and function provide a transparent basis for positive transfer from L1 Cantonese to L3 Mandarin. On the other hand, they experience more difficulty in processing object RCs in Cantonese compared to their monolingual peers, because structural overlaps with competing structures from English plus intensive exposure to English lead to negative transfer from L2 English to L1 Cantonese. The findings provide further evidence that head noun assignment in object RCs is especially vulnerable in multilingual Cantonese children when they are under intensive exposure to English. PMID:29056917

Astrometry and dynamics of Solar System Objects with Gaia GDR observations and catalogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hestroffer, Daniel J. G. J.; Tanga, Paolo

2017-06-01

The Gaia ESA space mission has started to provide its harvest with the first Gaia data release DR1, published in September 2016. Gaia DR1 provides positions for about 1 billion stars and proper motion for the Tycho-Gaia TGAS of 2 million stars with unprecedented accuracy. The second data release DR2 will be the major step in the Gaia mission, providing all astrometric parameters (including parallax and proper motion) for a billion stars, in an absolute reference frame - to become the optical ICRF. Gaia DR2 will also provide epoch astrometry for about 13000 asteroids from its direct observations, down to magnitude V≈20.7. We will discuss the improvement brought by Gaia over 5 years of nominal mission, starting with DR1, and focusing especially on the dynamics of asteroids and other Solar System Objects. This includes use of the catalogue for calibrating future and past photometric and astrometric observations (in particular new reduction of ancient photographic plates digitalised by the NAROO programme), new perspectives for orbit determination and stellar occultations, detection of small acceleration or perturbations for the asteroids. Also we illustrate the ground-based activity coordinated by the Gaia-FUN-SSO network for follow-up observations of newly discovered Near Earth Object.

On the Indirect Object in English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeArmond, Richard C.

The aim of this paper is to determine whether the first predicate noun (NP) after the verb in sentences such as "Kelly gave Rose a piano" is the direct object or the indirect object in the surface structure of English. An analysis reveals that the direct object in English is not marked by its position immediately after a (transitive)…

DARK-FIELD ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

DOEpatents

Norgren, D.U.

1962-07-24

A means was developed for viewing objects against a dark background from a viewing point close to the light which illuminates the objects and under conditions where the back scattering of light by the objects is minimal. A broad light retro-directing member on the opposite side of the objects from the light returns direct light back towards the source while directing other light away from the viewing point. The viewing point is offset from the light and thus receives only light which is forwardly scattered by an object while returning towards the source. The object is seen, at its true location, against a dark background. The invention is particularly adapted for illuminating and viewing nuclear particle tracks in a liquid hydrogen bubble chamber through a single chamber window. (AEC)

Tool-specific performance of vibration-reducing gloves for attenuating fingers-transmitted vibration

PubMed Central

Welcome, Daniel E.; Dong, Ren G.; Xu, Xueyan S.; Warren, Christopher; McDowell, Thomas W.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Fingers-transmitted vibration can cause vibration-induced white finger. The effectiveness of vibration-reducing (VR) gloves for reducing hand transmitted vibration to the fingers has not been sufficiently examined. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to examine tool-specific performance of VR gloves for reducing finger-transmitted vibrations in three orthogonal directions (3D) from powered hand tools. METHODS A transfer function method was used to estimate the tool-specific effectiveness of four typical VR gloves. The transfer functions of the VR glove fingers in three directions were either measured in this study or during a previous study using a 3D laser vibrometer. More than seventy vibration spectra of various tools or machines were used in the estimations. RESULTS When assessed based on frequency-weighted acceleration, the gloves provided little vibration reduction. In some cases, the gloves amplified the vibration by more than 10%, especially the neoprene glove. However, the neoprene glove did the best when the assessment was based on unweighted acceleration. The neoprene glove was able to reduce the vibration by 10% or more of the unweighted vibration for 27 out of the 79 tools. If the dominant vibration of a tool handle or workpiece was in the shear direction relative to the fingers, as observed in the operation of needle scalers, hammer chisels, and bucking bars, the gloves did not reduce the vibration but increased it. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed that the effectiveness for reducing vibration varied with the gloves and the vibration reduction of each glove depended on tool, vibration direction to the fingers, and finger location. VR gloves, including certified anti-vibration gloves do not provide much vibration reduction when judged based on frequency-weighted acceleration. However, some of the VR gloves can provide more than 10% reduction of the unweighted vibration for some tools or workpieces. Tools and gloves can be matched for better effectiveness for protecting the fingers. PMID:27867313

The Representation of Object-Directed Action and Function Knowledge in the Human Brain

PubMed Central

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E.; Mahon, Bradford Z.

2016-01-01

The appropriate use of everyday objects requires the integration of action and function knowledge. Previous research suggests that action knowledge is represented in frontoparietal areas while function knowledge is represented in temporal lobe regions. Here we used multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representation of object-directed action and function knowledge while participants executed pantomimes of familiar tool actions. A novel approach for decoding object knowledge was used in which classifiers were trained on one pair of objects and then tested on a distinct pair; this permitted a measurement of classification accuracy over and above object-specific information. Region of interest (ROI) analyses showed that object-directed actions could be decoded in tool-preferring regions of both parietal and temporal cortex, while no independently defined tool-preferring ROI showed successful decoding of object function. However, a whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed that while frontoparietal motor and peri-motor regions are engaged in the representation of object-directed actions, medial temporal lobe areas in the left hemisphere are involved in the representation of function knowledge. These results indicate that both action and function knowledge are represented in a topographically coherent manner that is amenable to study with multivariate approaches, and that the left medial temporal cortex represents knowledge of object function. PMID:25595179

Contextual effects on smooth-pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Spering, Miriam; Gegenfurtner, Karl R

2007-02-01

Segregating a moving object from its visual context is particularly relevant for the control of smooth-pursuit eye movements. We examined the interaction between a moving object and a stationary or moving visual context to determine the role of the context motion signal in driving pursuit. Eye movements were recorded from human observers to a medium-contrast Gaussian dot that moved horizontally at constant velocity. A peripheral context consisted of two vertically oriented sinusoidal gratings, one above and one below the stimulus trajectory, that were either stationary or drifted into the same or opposite direction as that of the target at different velocities. We found that a stationary context impaired pursuit acceleration and velocity and prolonged pursuit latency. A drifting context enhanced pursuit performance, irrespective of its motion direction. This effect was modulated by context contrast and orientation. When a context was briefly perturbed to move faster or slower eye velocity changed accordingly, but only when the context was drifting along with the target. Perturbing a context into the direction orthogonal to target motion evoked a deviation of the eye opposite to the perturbation direction. We therefore provide evidence for the use of absolute and relative motion cues, or motion assimilation and motion contrast, for the control of smooth-pursuit eye movements.

Exocentric direction judgements in computer-generated displays and actual scenes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Stephen R.; Smith, Stephen; Mcgreevy, Michael W.; Grunwald, Arthur J.

1989-01-01

One of the most remarkable perceptual properties of common experience is that the perceived shapes of known objects are constant despite movements about them which transform their projections on the retina. This perceptual ability is one aspect of shape constancy (Thouless, 1931; Metzger, 1953; Borresen and Lichte, 1962). It requires that the viewer be able to sense and discount his or her relative position and orientation with respect to a viewed object. This discounting of relative position may be derived directly from the ranging information provided from stereopsis, from motion parallax, from vestibularly sensed rotation and translation, or from corollary information associated with voluntary movement. It is argued that: (1) errors in exocentric judgements of the azimuth of a target generated on an electronic perspective display are not viewpoint-independent, but are influenced by the specific geometry of their perspective projection; (2) elimination of binocular conflict by replacing electronic displays with actual scenes eliminates a previously reported equidistance tendency in azimuth error, but the viewpoint dependence remains; (3) the pattern of exocentrically judged azimuth error in real scenes viewed with a viewing direction depressed 22 deg and rotated + or - 22 deg with respect to a reference direction could not be explained by overestimation of the depression angle, i.e., a slant overestimation.

It's Not Just the "Heavy NP": Relative Phrase Length Modulates the Production of Heavy-NP Shift

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stallings, Lynne M.; MacDonald, Maryellen C.

2011-01-01

Heavy-NP shift is the tendency for speakers to place long direct object phrases at the end of a clause rather than next to the verb. Though some analyses have focused on length of the direct object phrase alone, results from two experiments demonstrate that the length of the direct object relative to that of other phrases, and not the length of…

Propellant-Flow-Actuated Rocket Engine Igniter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wollen, Mark

2013-01-01

A rocket engine igniter has been created that uses a pneumatically driven hammer that, by specialized geometry, is induced into an oscillatory state that can be used to either repeatedly impact a piezoelectric crystal with sufficient force to generate a spark capable of initiating combustion, or can be used with any other system capable of generating a spark from direct oscillatory motion. This innovation uses the energy of flowing gaseous propellant, which by means of pressure differentials and kinetic motion, causes a hammer object to oscillate. The concept works by mass flows being induced through orifices on both sides of a cylindrical tube with one or more vent paths. As the mass flow enters the chamber, the pressure differential is caused because the hammer object is supplied with flow on one side and the other side is opened with access to the vent path. The object then crosses the vent opening and begins to slow because the pressure differential across the ball reverses due to the geometry in the tube. Eventually, the object stops because of the increasing pressure differential on the object until all of the kinetic energy has been transferred to the gas via compression. This is the point where the object reverses direction because of the pressure differential. This behavior excites a piezoelectric crystal via direct impact from the hammer object. The hammer strikes a piezoelectric crystal, then reverses direction, and the resultant high voltage created from the crystal is transferred via an electrode to a spark gap in the ignition zone, thereby providing a spark to ignite the engine. Magnets, or other retention methods, might be employed to favorably position the hammer object prior to start, but are not necessary to maintain the oscillatory behavior. Various manifestations of the igniter have been developed and tested to improve device efficiency, and some improved designs are capable of operation at gas flow rates of a fraction of a gram per second (0.001 lb/s) and pressure drops on the order of 30 to 50 kilopascal (a few psi). An analytical model has been created and tested in conjunction with a precisely calibrated reference model. The analytical model accurately captures the overall behavior of this innovation. The model is a simple "volume-orifice" concept, with each chamber considered a single temperature and pressure "node" connected to adjacent nodes, or to vent paths through flow control orifices. Mass and energy balances are applied to each node, with gas flow predicted using simple compressible flow equations.

Direct electron-pair production by high energy heavy charged particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Y.; Gregory, J. C.; Hayashi, T.; Dong, B. L.

1989-01-01

Direct electron pain production via virtual photons by moving charged particles is a unique electro-magnetic process having a substantial dependence on energy. Most electro-magnetic processes, including transition radiation, cease to be sensitive to the incident energy above 10 TeV/AMU. Thus, it is expected, that upon establishment of cross section and detection efficiency of this process, it may provide a new energy measuring technique above 10 TeV/AMU. Three accelerator exposures of emulsion chambers designed for measurements of direct electron-pains were performed. The objectives of the investigation were to provide the fundamental cross-section data in emulsion stacks to find the best-fit theoretical model, and to provide a calibration of measurements of direct electron-pairs in emulsion chamber configurations. This paper reports the design of the emulsion chambers, accelerator experiments, microscope measurements, and related considerations for future improvements of the measurements, and for possible applications to high energy cosmic ray experiments. Also discussed are the results from scanning 56m of emulsion tracks at 1200x magnification so that scanning efficiency is optimized. Measurements of the delta-ray range spectrum were also performed for much shorter track lengths, but with sufficiently large statistics in the number of measured delta-rays.

Observations with the ROWS instrument during the Grand Banks calibration/validation experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandemark, D.; Chapron, B.

1994-01-01

As part of a global program to validate the ocean surface sensors on board ERS-1, a joint experiment on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland was carried out in Nov. 1991. The principal objective was to provide a field validation of ERS-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) measurement of ocean surface structure. The NASA-P3 aircraft measurements made during this experiment provide independent measurements of the ocean surface along the validation swath. The Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer (ROWS) is a radar sensor designed to measure direction of the long wave components using spectral analysis of the tilt induced radar backscatter modulation. This technique greatly differs from SAR and thus, provides a unique set of measurements for use in evaluating SAR performance. Also, an altimeter channel in the ROWS gives simultaneous information on the surface wave height and radar mean square slope parameter. The sets of geophysical parameters (wind speed, significant wave height, directional spectrum) are used to study the SAR's ability to accurately measure ocean gravity waves. The known distortion imposed on the true directional spectrum by the SAR imaging mechanism is discussed in light of the direct comparisons between ERS-1 SAR, airborne Canadian Center for Remote Sensing (CCRS) SAR, and ROWS spectra and the use of the nonlinear ocean SAR transform.

Cloudless Atmospheres for Young Low-Gravity Substellar Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tremblin, P.; Chabrier, G.; Baraffe, I.; Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, E. A.; Lagage, P.-O.; De Oliveira, C. Alves; Burgasser, A. J.; Amundsen, D. S.; Drummond, B.

2017-01-01

Atmospheric modeling of low-gravity (VL-G) young brown dwarfs remains challenging. The presence of very thick clouds is a possible source of this challenge, because of their extremely red near-infrared (NIR) spectra, but no cloud models provide a good fit to the data with a radius compatible with the evolutionary models for these objects. We show that cloudless atmospheres assuming a temperature gradient reduction caused by fingering convection provide a very good model to match the observed VL-G NIR spectra. The sequence of extremely red colors in the NIR for atmospheres with effective temperatures from approx. 2000 K down to approx. 1200 K is very well reproduced with predicted radii typical of young low-gravity objects. Future observations with NIRSPEC and MIRI on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will provide more constraints in the mid-infrared, helping to confirm or refute whether or not the NIR reddening is caused by fingering convection. We suggest that the presence or absence of clouds will be directly determined by the silicate absorption features that can be observed with MIRI. JWST will therefore be able to better characterize the atmosphere of these hot young brown dwarfs and their low-gravity exoplanet analogs.

Volunteers in Specialist Palliative Care: A Survey of Adult Services in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

Burbeck, Rachel; Low, Joe; Sampson, Elizabeth L.; Bravery, Ruth; Hill, Matthew; Morris, Sara; Ockenden, Nick; Payne, Sheila

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Worldwide, the demand for specialist palliative care is increasing but funding is limited. The role of volunteers is underresearched, although their contribution reduces costs significantly. Understanding what volunteers do is vital to ensure services develop appropriately to meet the challenges faced by providers of palliative care. Objective: The study's objective is to describe current involvement of volunteers with direct patient/family contact in U.K. specialist palliative care. Design: An online survey was sent to 290 U.K. adult hospices and specialist palliative care services involving volunteers covering service characteristics, involvement and numbers of volunteers, settings in which they are involved, extent of involvement in care services, specific activities undertaken in each setting, and use of professional skills. Results: The survey had a 67% response rate. Volunteers were most commonly involved in day care and bereavement services. They entirely ran some complementary therapy, beauty therapy/hairdressing, and pastoral/faith-based care services, and were involved in a wide range of activities, including sitting with dying patients. Conclusions: This comprehensive survey of volunteer activity in U.K. specialist palliative care provides an up-to-date picture of volunteer involvement in direct contact with patients and their families, such as providing emotional care, and the extent of their involvement in day and bereavement services. Further research could focus on exploring their involvement in bereavement care. PMID:24475743

IntegratedMap: a Web interface for integrating genetic map data.

PubMed

Yang, Hongyu; Wang, Hongyu; Gingle, Alan R

2005-05-01

IntegratedMap is a Web application and database schema for storing and interactively displaying genetic map data. Its Web interface includes a menu for direct chromosome/linkage group selection, a search form for selection based on mapped object location and linkage group displays. An overview display provides convenient access to the full range of mapped and anchored object types with genetic locus details, such as numbers, types and names of mapped/anchored objects displayed in a compact scrollable list box that automatically updates based on selected map location and object type. Also, multilinkage group and localized map views are available along with links that can be configured for integration with other Web resources. IntegratedMap is implemented in C#/ASP.NET and the package, including a MySQL schema creation script, is available from http://cggc.agtec.uga.edu/Data/download.asp

Personalized recommendation based on preferential bidirectional mass diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Guilin; Gao, Tianrun; Zhu, Xuzhen; Tian, Hui; Yang, Zhao

2017-03-01

Recommendation system provides a promising way to alleviate the dilemma of information overload. In physical dynamics, mass diffusion has been used to design effective recommendation algorithms on bipartite network. However, most of the previous studies focus overwhelmingly on unidirectional mass diffusion from collected objects to uncollected objects, while overlooking the opposite direction, leading to the risk of similarity estimation deviation and performance degradation. In addition, they are biased towards recommending popular objects which will not necessarily promote the accuracy but make the recommendation lack diversity and novelty that indeed contribute to the vitality of the system. To overcome the aforementioned disadvantages, we propose a preferential bidirectional mass diffusion (PBMD) algorithm by penalizing the weight of popular objects in bidirectional diffusion. Experiments are evaluated on three benchmark datasets (Movielens, Netflix and Amazon) by 10-fold cross validation, and results indicate that PBMD remarkably outperforms the mainstream methods in accuracy, diversity and novelty.

A Web of applicant attraction: person-organization fit in the context of Web-based recruitment.

PubMed

Dineen, Brian R; Ash, Steven R; Noe, Raymond A

2002-08-01

Applicant attraction was examined in the context of Web-based recruitment. A person-organization (P-O) fit framework was adopted to examine how the provision of feedback to individuals regarding their potential P-O fit with an organization related to attraction. Objective and subjective P-O fit, agreement with fit feedback, and self-esteem also were examined in relation to attraction. Results of an experiment that manipulated fit feedback level after a self-assessment provided by a fictitious company Web site found that both feedback level and objective P-O fit were positively related to attraction. These relationships were fully mediated by subjective P-O fit. In addition, attraction was related to the interaction of objective fit, feedback, and agreement and objective fit, feedback, and self-esteem. Implications and future Web-based recruitment research directions are discussed.

A high-level object-oriented model for representing relationships in an electronic medical record.

PubMed Central

Dolin, R. H.

1994-01-01

The importance of electronic medical records to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of medical care continues to be realized. This growing importance has spawned efforts at defining the structure and content of medical data, which is heterogeneous, highly inter-related, and complex. Computer-assisted data modeling tools have greatly facilitated the process of representing medical data, however the complex inter-relationships of medical information can result in data models that are large and cumbersome to manipulate and view. This report presents a high-level object-oriented model for representing the relationships between objects or entities that might exist in an electronic medical record. By defining the relationship between objects at a high level and providing for inheritance, this model enables relating any medical entity to any other medical entity, even though the relationships were not directly specified or known during data model design. PMID:7949981

Energy efficient engine component development and integration program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The objective of the Energy Efficient Engine Component Development and Integration program is to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate the technology for achieving lower installed fuel consumption and lower operating costs in future commercial turbofan engines. Minimum goals have been set for a 12 percent reduction in thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC), 5 percent reduction in direct operating cost (DOC), and 50 percent reduction in performance degradation for the Energy Efficient Engine (flight propulsion system) relative to the JT9D-7A reference engine. The Energy Efficienct Engine features a twin spool, direct drive, mixed flow exhaust configuration, utilizing an integrated engine nacelle structure. A short, stiff, high rotor and a single stage high pressure turbine are among the major enhancements in providing for both performance retention and major reductions in maintenance and direct operating costs. Improved clearance control in the high pressure compressor and turbines, and advanced single crystal materials in turbine blades and vanes are among the major features providing performance improvement. Highlights of work accomplished and programs modifications and deletions are presented.

Awareness and Perceptions of Food Safety Risks and Risk Management in Poultry Production and Slaughter: A Qualitative Study of Direct-Market Poultry Producers in Maryland

PubMed Central

Baron, Patrick; Frattaroli, Shannon

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to document and understand the perceptions and opinions of small-scale poultry producers who market directly to consumers about microbial food safety risks in the poultry supply chain. Between January and November 2014, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 16 owner-operators of Maryland direct-market commercial poultry farms. Three overarching thematic categories emerged from these interviews that describe: 1) characteristics of Maryland direct-market poultry production and processing; 2) microbial food safety risk awareness and risk management in small-scale poultry production, slaughter and processing; and 3) motivations for prioritizing food safety in the statewide direct-market poultry supply chain. Key informants provided valuable insights on many topics relevant to evaluating microbial food safety in the Maryland direct-market poultry supply chain, including: direct-market poultry production and processing practices and models, perspectives on issues related to food safety risk management, perspectives on direct-market agriculture economics and marketing strategies, and ideas for how to enhance food safety at the direct-market level of the Maryland poultry supply chain. The findings have policy implications and provide insights into food safety in small-scale commercial poultry production, processing, distribution and retail. In addition, the findings will inform future food safety research on the small-scale US poultry supply chain. PMID:27341034

Geothermal Program Review VI: proceedings. Beyond goals and objectives

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

Not Available

1988-01-01

Program Review VI was comprised of six sessions, including an opening session, four technical sessions that addressed each of the major DOE research areas, and a session on special issues. The technical sessions were on Hydrothermal, Hot Dry Rock, Geopressured and Magma resources. Presenters in the technical sessions discussed their R and D activities within the context of specific GTD Programmatic Objectives for that technology, their progress toward achieving those objectives, and the value of those achievements to industry. The ''Special Issues'' presentations addressed several topics such as the interactions between government and industry on geothermal energy R and D;more » the origin and basis for the programmatic objectives analytical computer model; and international marketing opportunities for US geothermal equipment and services. The unique aspect of Program Review VI was that it was held in conjunction with the National Geothermal Association's Industry Round Table on Federal R and D. The Round Table provided a forum for open and lively discussions between industry and government researchers and gave industry an opportunity to convey their needs and perspectives on DOE's research programs. These discussions also provided valuable information to DOE regarding industry's priorities and directions.« less

Detecting objects in radiographs for homeland security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Lakshman; Snyder, Hans

2005-05-01

We present a general scheme for segmenting a radiographic image into polygons that correspond to visual features. This decomposition provides a vectorized representation that is a high-level description of the image. The polygons correspond to objects or object parts present in the image. This characterization of radiographs allows the direct application of several shape recognition algorithms to identify objects. In this paper we describe the use of constrained Delaunay triangulations as a uniform foundational tool to achieve multiple visual tasks, namely image segmentation, shape decomposition, and parts-based shape matching. Shape decomposition yields parts that serve as tokens representing local shape characteristics. Parts-based shape matching enables the recognition of objects in the presence of occlusions, which commonly occur in radiographs. The polygonal representation of image features affords the efficient design and application of sophisticated geometric filtering methods to detect large-scale structural properties of objects in images. Finally, the representation of radiographs via polygons results in significant reduction of image file sizes and permits the scalable graphical representation of images, along with annotations of detected objects, in the SVG (scalable vector graphics) format that is proposed by the world wide web consortium (W3C). This is a textual representation that can be compressed and encrypted for efficient and secure transmission of information over wireless channels and on the Internet. In particular, our methods described here provide an algorithmic framework for developing image analysis tools for screening cargo at ports of entry for homeland security.

Sequential sampling of visual objects during sustained attention.

PubMed

Jia, Jianrong; Liu, Ling; Fang, Fang; Luo, Huan

2017-06-01

In a crowded visual scene, attention must be distributed efficiently and flexibly over time and space to accommodate different contexts. It is well established that selective attention enhances the corresponding neural responses, presumably implying that attention would persistently dwell on the task-relevant item. Meanwhile, recent studies, mostly in divided attentional contexts, suggest that attention does not remain stationary but samples objects alternately over time, suggesting a rhythmic view of attention. However, it remains unknown whether the dynamic mechanism essentially mediates attentional processes at a general level. Importantly, there is also a complete lack of direct neural evidence reflecting whether and how the brain rhythmically samples multiple visual objects during stimulus processing. To address these issues, in this study, we employed electroencephalography (EEG) and a temporal response function (TRF) approach, which can dissociate responses that exclusively represent a single object from the overall neuronal activity, to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics of attention in various attentional contexts. First, attention, which is characterized by inhibitory alpha-band (approximately 10 Hz) activity in TRFs, switches between attended and unattended objects every approximately 200 ms, suggesting a sequential sampling even when attention is required to mostly stay on the attended object. Second, the attentional spatiotemporal pattern is modulated by the task context, such that alpha-mediated switching becomes increasingly prominent as the task requires a more uniform distribution of attention. Finally, the switching pattern correlates with attentional behavioral performance. Our work provides direct neural evidence supporting a generally central role of temporal organization mechanism in attention, such that multiple objects are sequentially sorted according to their priority in attentional contexts. The results suggest that selective attention, in addition to the classically posited attentional "focus," involves a dynamic mechanism for monitoring all objects outside of the focus. Our findings also suggest that attention implements a space (object)-to-time transformation by acting as a series of concatenating attentional chunks that operate on 1 object at a time.

Sequential sampling of visual objects during sustained attention

PubMed Central

Jia, Jianrong; Liu, Ling; Fang, Fang

2017-01-01

In a crowded visual scene, attention must be distributed efficiently and flexibly over time and space to accommodate different contexts. It is well established that selective attention enhances the corresponding neural responses, presumably implying that attention would persistently dwell on the task-relevant item. Meanwhile, recent studies, mostly in divided attentional contexts, suggest that attention does not remain stationary but samples objects alternately over time, suggesting a rhythmic view of attention. However, it remains unknown whether the dynamic mechanism essentially mediates attentional processes at a general level. Importantly, there is also a complete lack of direct neural evidence reflecting whether and how the brain rhythmically samples multiple visual objects during stimulus processing. To address these issues, in this study, we employed electroencephalography (EEG) and a temporal response function (TRF) approach, which can dissociate responses that exclusively represent a single object from the overall neuronal activity, to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics of attention in various attentional contexts. First, attention, which is characterized by inhibitory alpha-band (approximately 10 Hz) activity in TRFs, switches between attended and unattended objects every approximately 200 ms, suggesting a sequential sampling even when attention is required to mostly stay on the attended object. Second, the attentional spatiotemporal pattern is modulated by the task context, such that alpha-mediated switching becomes increasingly prominent as the task requires a more uniform distribution of attention. Finally, the switching pattern correlates with attentional behavioral performance. Our work provides direct neural evidence supporting a generally central role of temporal organization mechanism in attention, such that multiple objects are sequentially sorted according to their priority in attentional contexts. The results suggest that selective attention, in addition to the classically posited attentional “focus,” involves a dynamic mechanism for monitoring all objects outside of the focus. Our findings also suggest that attention implements a space (object)-to-time transformation by acting as a series of concatenating attentional chunks that operate on 1 object at a time. PMID:28658261

Magnetic vector field tag and seal

DOEpatents

Johnston, Roger G.; Garcia, Anthony R.

2004-08-31

One or more magnets are placed in a container (preferably on objects inside the container) and the magnetic field strength and vector direction are measured with a magnetometer from at least one location near the container to provide the container with a magnetic vector field tag and seal. The location(s) of the magnetometer relative to the container are also noted. If the position of any magnet inside the container changes, then the measured vector fields at the these locations also change, indicating that the tag has been removed, the seal has broken, and therefore that the container and objects inside may have been tampered with. A hollow wheel with magnets inside may also provide a similar magnetic vector field tag and seal. As the wheel turns, the magnets tumble randomly inside, removing the tag and breaking the seal.

Corporate Health and Wellness and the Financial Bottom Line

PubMed Central

Conradie, Christina Susanna; van der Merwe Smit, Eon; Malan, Daniel Pieter

2016-01-01

Objective: The research objective was to test the hypothesis that corporate health and wellness contributed positively to South African companies’ financial results. Methods: The past share market performance of eligible healthy companies, based on Discovery's Healthy Company Index, was tracked under three investment scenarios and compared with the market performance on the basis of the JSE FTSE All Share Index. Results: The evidence supports the hypothesis that a culture of health and wellness provides a financial advantage, in so far as the portfolio of healthy companies consistently outperformed the market over the selected simulations. Conclusions: Given the limitations of the investigation, namely small sample size, the brevity of the period of investigation, and the reliance on accessibility sampling, the research provides the first and preliminary evidence supportive of the direct financial benefits of companies’ wellness programs. PMID:26849271

Proton radiography based on near-threshold Cerenkov radiation

DOEpatents

van Bibber, Karl A.; Dietrich, Frank S.

2003-01-01

A Cerenkov imaging system for charged particle radiography that determines the energy loss of the charged particle beam passing through an object. This energy loss information provides additional detail on target densities when used with traditional radiographic techniques like photon or x-ray radiography. In this invention a probe beam of 800 MeV to 50 GeV/c charged particles is passed through an object to be imaged, an imaging magnetic spectrometer, to a silicon aerogel Cerenkov radiator where the charged particles emitted Cerenkov light proportional to their velocity. At the same beam focal plane, a particle scintillator produces a light output proportional to the incident beam flux. Optical imaging systems relay the Cerenkov and scintillator information to CCD's or other measurement equipment. A ratio between the Cerenkov and scintillator is formed, which is directly proportional to the line density of the object for each pixel measured. By rotating the object, tomographic radiography may be performed. By applying pulses of beam, discrete time-step movies of dynamic objects may be made.

Another Milestone Day in AGU's History

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enderlein, Cheryl

2010-09-01

The AGU Board of Directors held its first board meeting on 20-21 September 2010 in Washington, D. C. The meeting, chaired by President Michael McPhaden, marked another step forward in implementing AGU's new governance structure and strategic direction. The agenda included ongoing organizational business, high-level strategic discussions, and opportunities for Board development. In the new governance structure, the Board is responsible for governing the business aspects of AGU, while the Council is responsible for governing scientific affairs. The strategic plan guides both governing groups, staff, and other membership groups by providing clear goals and objectives. Of the 28 objectives in the AGU strategic plan, the volunteer and staff leadership identified eight as priorities. The priority objectives are listed in the diagram to the right, which is also posted on the AGU Web site.

Using object-oriented analysis to design a multi-mission ground data system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shames, Peter

1995-01-01

This paper describes an analytical approach and descriptive methodology that is adapted from Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA) techniques. The technique is described and then used to communicate key issues of system logical architecture. The essence of the approach is to limit the analysis to only service objects, with the idea of providing a direct mapping from the design to a client-server implementation. Key perspectives on the system, such as user interaction, data flow and management, service interfaces, hardware configuration, and system and data integrity are covered. A significant advantage of this service-oriented approach is that it permits mapping all of these different perspectives on the system onto a single common substrate. This services substrate is readily represented diagramatically, thus making details of the overall design much more accessible.

Object-based spatial attention when objects have sufficient depth cues.

PubMed

Takeya, Ryuji; Kasai, Tetsuko

2015-01-01

Attention directed to a part of an object tends to obligatorily spread over all of the spatial regions that belong to the object, which may be critical for rapid object-recognition in cluttered visual scenes. Previous studies have generally used simple rectangles as objects and have shown that attention spreading is reflected by amplitude modulation in the posterior N1 component (150-200 ms poststimulus) of event-related potentials, while other interpretations (i.e., rectangular holes) may arise implicitly in early visual processing stages. By using modified Kanizsa-type stimuli that provided less ambiguity of depth ordering, the present study examined early event-related potential spatial-attention effects for connected and separated objects, both of which were perceived in front of (Experiment 1) and in back of (Experiment 2) the surroundings. Typical P1 (100-140 ms) and N1 (150-220 ms) attention effects of ERP in response to unilateral probes were observed in both experiments. Importantly, the P1 attention effect was decreased for connected objects compared to separated objects only in Experiment 1, and the typical object-based modulations of N1 were not observed in either experiment. These results suggest that spatial attention spreads over a figural object at earlier stages of processing than previously indicated, in three-dimensional visual scenes with multiple depth cues.

A survey on object detection in optical remote sensing images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Gong; Han, Junwei

2016-07-01

Object detection in optical remote sensing images, being a fundamental but challenging problem in the field of aerial and satellite image analysis, plays an important role for a wide range of applications and is receiving significant attention in recent years. While enormous methods exist, a deep review of the literature concerning generic object detection is still lacking. This paper aims to provide a review of the recent progress in this field. Different from several previously published surveys that focus on a specific object class such as building and road, we concentrate on more generic object categories including, but are not limited to, road, building, tree, vehicle, ship, airport, urban-area. Covering about 270 publications we survey (1) template matching-based object detection methods, (2) knowledge-based object detection methods, (3) object-based image analysis (OBIA)-based object detection methods, (4) machine learning-based object detection methods, and (5) five publicly available datasets and three standard evaluation metrics. We also discuss the challenges of current studies and propose two promising research directions, namely deep learning-based feature representation and weakly supervised learning-based geospatial object detection. It is our hope that this survey will be beneficial for the researchers to have better understanding of this research field.

Predictive coding of visual object position ahead of moving objects revealed by time-resolved EEG decoding.

PubMed

Hogendoorn, Hinze; Burkitt, Anthony N

2018-05-01

Due to the delays inherent in neuronal transmission, our awareness of sensory events necessarily lags behind the occurrence of those events in the world. If the visual system did not compensate for these delays, we would consistently mislocalize moving objects behind their actual position. Anticipatory mechanisms that might compensate for these delays have been reported in animals, and such mechanisms have also been hypothesized to underlie perceptual effects in humans such as the Flash-Lag Effect. However, to date no direct physiological evidence for anticipatory mechanisms has been found in humans. Here, we apply multivariate pattern classification to time-resolved EEG data to investigate anticipatory coding of object position in humans. By comparing the time-course of neural position representation for objects in both random and predictable apparent motion, we isolated anticipatory mechanisms that could compensate for neural delays when motion trajectories were predictable. As well as revealing an early neural position representation (lag 80-90 ms) that was unaffected by the predictability of the object's trajectory, we demonstrate a second neural position representation at 140-150 ms that was distinct from the first, and that was pre-activated ahead of the moving object when it moved on a predictable trajectory. The latency advantage for predictable motion was approximately 16 ± 2 ms. To our knowledge, this provides the first direct experimental neurophysiological evidence of anticipatory coding in human vision, revealing the time-course of predictive mechanisms without using a spatial proxy for time. The results are numerically consistent with earlier animal work, and suggest that current models of spatial predictive coding in visual cortex can be effectively extended into the temporal domain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment of Remove Objects Along Flightline at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

of Defense DRMO Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office EA Environmental Assessment EIAP Environmental Impact Analysis Process EIS...the ADA to advertise that protected species might be available for salvage, facilitating the salvage process for the project area. 3.5 Hazardous...are stored at the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO). Asbestos. AFI 32-1052, Facilities Asbestos Management, provides direction for

Lean and Efficient Software: Whole-Program Optimization of Executables

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

libraries. Many levels of library interfaces—where some libraries are dynamically linked and some are provided in binary form only—significantly limit...software at build time. The opportunity: Our objective in this project is to substantially improve the performance, size, and robustness of binary ...executables by using static and dynamic binary program analysis techniques to perform whole-program optimization directly on compiled programs

Development of a Newcastle disease virus vector expressing a foreign gene through an internal ribosomal entry site provides direct proof for a sequential transcription mechanism

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objectives: Newcastle disease virus (NDV), a member of the Paramxoviridae family, has been developed as a vector to express foreign genes for vaccine and gene therapy purposes. The foreign genes are usually inserted into a non-coding region of the NDV genome as an independent transcription unit (ITU...

Evaluating a Training Intervention to Prepare Geriatric Case Managers to Assess for Suicide and Firearm Safety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope, Natalie D.; Slovak, Karen L.; Giger, Jarod T.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to report on the implementation and initial evaluation of a 1-day training intervention targeting direct care providers in the Ohio aging services network. A primary objective is to describe the training intervention that consisted of two parts: (a) a gatekeeper training for assessing suicide risk among older adults,…

A Simple Frictionless Device for the Study of Motion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straulino, S.; Bonechi, L.

2011-01-01

The air-cushion table is a powerful instrument to demonstrate the motion of an object in the absence of friction. Such devices are often rather large and do not fit very easily in the classroom. In a different version of this experience, gas comes directly out of the disc itself, which is provided, for example, by a tank of dry ice that slowly…

Promoting International Energy Security. Volume 2: Turkey and the Caspian

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

RAND reports un- dergo rigorous peer review to ensure that they meet high standards for research quality and objectivity. Promoting International...Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008 did not directly target energy infrastructure, most export routes for oil and natural gas from Azerbai- jan to...particular focus on the three countries with appreciable energy export potential: Azerbai- jan , Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. It also provides an

Progress in space power technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullin, J. P.; Randolph, L. P.; Hudson, W. R.

1980-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Power Research and Technology Program has the objective of providing the technology base for future space power systems. The current technology program which consists of photovoltaic energy conversion, chemical energy conversion and storage, thermal-to-electric conversion, power systems management and distribution, and advanced energetics is discussed. In each area highlights, current programs, and near-term directions will be presented.

From Assistance to Partnership: Morocco and Its Foreign Policy in West Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

class senior leaders, develops expert knowledge, and provides solutions to strategic Army issues affecting the national security community. The...employment of military forces; • Regional strategic appraisals; • The nature of land warfare; • Matters affecting the Army’s future; • The...countries, Morocco cannot achieve its economic and commercial objectives, since its own security is directly affected . Moroccan officials consider

Cricket: A Mapped, Persistent Object Store

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shekita, Eugene; Zwilling, Michael

1996-01-01

This paper describes Cricket, a new database storage system that is intended to be used as a platform for design environments and persistent programming languages. Cricket uses the memory management primitives of the Mach operating system to provide the abstraction of a shared, transactional single-level store that can be directly accessed by user applications. In this paper, we present the design and motivation for Cricket. We also present some initial performance results which show that, for its intended applications, Cricket can provide better performance than a general-purpose database storage system.

AN ONLINE CATALOG OF CATACLYSMIC VARIABLE SPECTRA FROM THE FAR-ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPIC EXPLORER

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

Godon, Patrick; Sion, Edward M.; Levay, Karen

2012-12-15

We present an online catalog containing spectra and supporting information for cataclysmic variables that have been observed with the Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). For each object in the catalog we list some of the basic system parameters such as (R.A., decl.), period, inclination, and white dwarf mass, as well as information on the available FUSE spectra: data ID, observation date and time, and exposure time. In addition, we provide parameters needed for the analysis of the FUSE spectra such as the reddening E(B - V), distance, and state (high, low, intermediate) of the system at the time it was observed.more » For some of these spectra we have carried out model fits to the continuum with synthetic stellar and/or disk spectra using the codes TLUSTY and SYNSPEC. We provide the parameters obtained from these model fits; this includes the white dwarf temperature, gravity, projected rotational velocity, and elemental abundances of C, Si, S, and N, together with the disk mass accretion rate, the resulting inclination, and model-derived distance (when unknown). For each object one or more figures are provided (as gif files) with line identification and model fit(s) when available. The FUSE spectra and the synthetic spectra are directly available for download as ASCII tables. References are provided for each object, as well as for the model fits. In this article we present 36 objects, and additional ones will be added to the online catalog in the future. In addition to cataclysmic variables, we also include a few related objects, such as a wind-accreting white dwarf, a pre-cataclysmic variable, and some symbiotics.« less

Providing IoT Services in Smart Cities through Dynamic Augmented Reality Markers.

PubMed

Chaves-Diéguez, David; Pellitero-Rivero, Alexandre; García-Coego, Daniel; González-Castaño, Francisco Javier; Rodríguez-Hernández, Pedro Salvador; Piñeiro-Gómez, Óscar; Gil-Castiñeira, Felipe; Costa-Montenegro, Enrique

2015-07-03

Smart cities are expected to improve the quality of life of citizens by relying on new paradigms, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and its capacity to manage and interconnect thousands of sensors and actuators scattered across the city. At the same time, mobile devices widely assist professional and personal everyday activities. A very good example of the potential of these devices for smart cities is their powerful support for intuitive service interfaces (such as those based on augmented reality (AR)) for non-expert users. In our work, we consider a scenario that combines IoT and AR within a smart city maintenance service to improve the accessibility of sensor and actuator devices in the field, where responsiveness is crucial. In it, depending on the location and needs of each service, data and commands will be transported by an urban communications network or consulted on the spot. Direct AR interaction with urban objects has already been described; it usually relies on 2D visual codes to deliver object identifiers (IDs) to the rendering device to identify object resources. These IDs allow information about the objects to be retrieved from a remote server. In this work, we present a novel solution that replaces static AR markers with dynamic markers based on LED communication, which can be decoded through cameras embedded in smartphones. These dynamic markers can directly deliver sensor information to the rendering device, on top of the object ID, without further network interaction.

Providing IoT Services in Smart Cities through Dynamic Augmented Reality Markers

PubMed Central

Chaves-Diéguez, David; Pellitero-Rivero, Alexandre; García-Coego, Daniel; González-Castaño, Francisco Javier; Rodríguez-Hernández, Pedro Salvador; Piñeiro-Gómez, Óscar; Gil-Castiñeira, Felipe; Costa-Montenegro, Enrique

2015-01-01

Smart cities are expected to improve the quality of life of citizens by relying on new paradigms, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and its capacity to manage and interconnect thousands of sensors and actuators scattered across the city. At the same time, mobile devices widely assist professional and personal everyday activities. A very good example of the potential of these devices for smart cities is their powerful support for intuitive service interfaces (such as those based on augmented reality (AR)) for non-expert users. In our work, we consider a scenario that combines IoT and AR within a smart city maintenance service to improve the accessibility of sensor and actuator devices in the field, where responsiveness is crucial. In it, depending on the location and needs of each service, data and commands will be transported by an urban communications network or consulted on the spot. Direct AR interaction with urban objects has already been described; it usually relies on 2D visual codes to deliver object identifiers (IDs) to the rendering device to identify object resources. These IDs allow information about the objects to be retrieved from a remote server. In this work, we present a novel solution that replaces static AR markers with dynamic markers based on LED communication, which can be decoded through cameras embedded in smartphones. These dynamic markers can directly deliver sensor information to the rendering device, on top of the object ID, without further network interaction. PMID:26151215

Effects of feature-based attention on the motion aftereffect at remote locations.

PubMed

Boynton, Geoffrey M; Ciaramitaro, Vivian M; Arman, A Cyrus

2006-09-01

Previous studies have shown that attention to a particular stimulus feature, such as direction of motion or color, enhances neuronal responses to unattended stimuli sharing that feature. We studied this effect psychophysically by measuring the strength of the motion aftereffect (MAE) induced by an unattended stimulus when attention was directed to one of two overlapping fields of moving dots in a different spatial location. When attention was directed to the same direction of motion as the unattended stimulus, the unattended stimulus induced a stronger MAE than when attention was directed to the opposite direction. Also, when the unattended location contained either uncorrelated motion or had no stimulus at all an MAE was induced in the opposite direction to the attended direction of motion. The strength of the MAE was similar regardless of whether subjects attended to the speed or luminance of the attended dots. These results provide further support for a global feature-based mechanism of attention, and show that the effect spreads across all features of an attended object, and to all locations of visual space.

Shape: A 3D Modeling Tool for Astrophysics.

PubMed

Steffen, Wolfgang; Koning, Nicholas; Wenger, Stephan; Morisset, Christophe; Magnor, Marcus

2011-04-01

We present a flexible interactive 3D morpho-kinematical modeling application for astrophysics. Compared to other systems, our application reduces the restrictions on the physical assumptions, data type, and amount that is required for a reconstruction of an object's morphology. It is one of the first publicly available tools to apply interactive graphics to astrophysical modeling. The tool allows astrophysicists to provide a priori knowledge about the object by interactively defining 3D structural elements. By direct comparison of model prediction with observational data, model parameters can then be automatically optimized to fit the observation. The tool has already been successfully used in a number of astrophysical research projects.

In Situ alignment system for phase-shifting point-diffraction interferometry

DOEpatents

Goldberg, Kenneth Alan; Naulleau, Patrick P.

2000-01-01

A device and method to facilitate the gross alignment of patterned object- and image-plane masks in optical systems such as the phase-shifting point diffraction interferometer are provided. When an array of similar pinholes or discreet mask fields is used, confusion can occur over the alignment of the focused beams within the field. Adding to the mask pattern a circumscribed or inscribed set of symbols that are identifiable in situ facilitates the unambiguous gross alignment of the object- and/or image-plane masks. Alternatively, a system of markings can be encoded directly into the window shape to accomplish this same task.

An innovative approach to developing the reflective skills of medical students

PubMed Central

Henderson, Penny; Johnson, Martin H

2002-01-01

Background Development of the reflective skills of medical students is an acknowledged objective of medical education. Description Description of an educational exercise which uses an email-based process for developing the reflective skills of undergraduate medical students. Student quotations illustrate learning outcomes qualitatively. Discussion The process described is immediate, direct, linked to learning objectives, enables rapid responses to be given to the students individually, and is followed by group sharing of learning. It provides a rigorous and robust feedback loop for students. It is relatively economic for teachers and incidentally benefits curriculum design and evolution. The approach supports development of a reflective approach to learning. PMID:12003640

Harnessing collaborative technology to accelerate achievement of chronic disease management objectives for Canada.

PubMed

Thompson, Leslee J; Healey, Lindsay; Falk, Will

2007-01-01

Morgan and colleagues put forth a call to action for the transformation of the Canadian healthcare system through the adoption of a national chronic disease prevention and management (CDPM) strategy. They offer examples of best practices and national solutions including investment in clinical information technologies to help support improved care and outcomes. Although we acknowledge that the authors propose CDPM solutions that are headed in the right direction, more rapid deployment of solutions that harness the potential of advanced collaborative technologies is required. We provide examples of how technologies that exist today can help to accelerate the achievement of some key CDPM objectives.

Software support environment design knowledge capture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dollman, Tom

1990-01-01

The objective of this task is to assess the potential for using the software support environment (SSE) workstations and associated software for design knowledge capture (DKC) tasks. This assessment will include the identification of required capabilities for DKC and hardware/software modifications needed to support DKC. Several approaches to achieving this objective are discussed and interim results are provided: (1) research into the problem of knowledge engineering in a traditional computer-aided software engineering (CASE) environment, like the SSE; (2) research into the problem of applying SSE CASE tools to develop knowledge based systems; and (3) direct utilization of SSE workstations to support a DKC activity.

[Contraception and bioethics: between the conscience objection and the autonomy principle].

PubMed

Neyro-Bilbao, José Luis; Ángel Elorriaga, Miguel; Lira-Plascencia, Josefina

2015-02-01

In recent years, in all Western societies has changed the paradigm of the physician-patient relationship. It has passed from the principle of beneficence and abscence of malificence to the patients autonomy, recognizing their sovereignty in making clinical decisions that directly affect them. Occasionally, this principle can clash with certain bioethical aspects of conscientious objection for health professionals and providers, primarily in the areas of contraception and abortion. We discussed aspects that support one or another attitude emphasizing issues relating to contraception and induced abortion and the access and use of contraceptive methods by adolescents recognized as "mature minors" to issues of sexuality, particularly in Spain and Mexico.

Real-time vision, tactile cues, and visual form agnosia: removing haptic feedback from a “natural” grasping task induces pantomime-like grasps

PubMed Central

Whitwell, Robert L.; Ganel, Tzvi; Byrne, Caitlin M.; Goodale, Melvyn A.

2015-01-01

Investigators study the kinematics of grasping movements (prehension) under a variety of conditions to probe visuomotor function in normal and brain-damaged individuals. “Natural” prehensile acts are directed at the goal object and are executed using real-time vision. Typically, they also entail the use of tactile, proprioceptive, and kinesthetic sources of haptic feedback about the object (“haptics-based object information”) once contact with the object has been made. Natural and simulated (pantomimed) forms of prehension are thought to recruit different cortical structures: patient DF, who has visual form agnosia following bilateral damage to her temporal-occipital cortex, loses her ability to scale her grasp aperture to the size of targets (“grip scaling”) when her prehensile movements are based on a memory of a target previewed 2 s before the cue to respond or when her grasps are directed towards a visible virtual target but she is denied haptics-based information about the target. In the first of two experiments, we show that when DF performs real-time pantomimed grasps towards a 7.5 cm displaced imagined copy of a visible object such that her fingers make contact with the surface of the table, her grip scaling is in fact quite normal. This finding suggests that real-time vision and terminal tactile feedback are sufficient to preserve DF’s grip scaling slopes. In the second experiment, we examined an “unnatural” grasping task variant in which a tangible target (along with any proxy such as the surface of the table) is denied (i.e., no terminal tactile feedback). To do this, we used a mirror-apparatus to present virtual targets with and without a spatially coincident copy for the participants to grasp. We compared the grasp kinematics from trials with and without terminal tactile feedback to a real-time-pantomimed grasping task (one without tactile feedback) in which participants visualized a copy of the visible target as instructed in our laboratory in the past. Compared to natural grasps, removing tactile feedback increased RT, slowed the velocity of the reach, reduced in-flight grip aperture, increased the slopes relating grip aperture to target width, and reduced the final grip aperture (FGA). All of these effects were also observed in the real time-pantomime grasping task. These effects seem to be independent of those that arise from using the mirror in general as we also compared grasps directed towards virtual targets to those directed at real ones viewed directly through a pane of glass. These comparisons showed that the grasps directed at virtual targets increased grip aperture, slowed the velocity of the reach, and reduced the slopes relating grip aperture to the widths of the target. Thus, using the mirror has real consequences on grasp kinematics, reflecting the importance of task-relevant sources of online visual information for the programming and updating of natural prehensile movements. Taken together, these results provide compelling support for the view that removing terminal tactile feedback, even when the grasps are target-directed, induces a switch from real-time visual control towards one that depends more on visual perception and cognitive supervision. Providing terminal tactile feedback and real-time visual information can evidently keep the dorsal visuomotor system operating normally for prehensile acts. PMID:25999834

Real-time vision, tactile cues, and visual form agnosia: removing haptic feedback from a "natural" grasping task induces pantomime-like grasps.

PubMed

Whitwell, Robert L; Ganel, Tzvi; Byrne, Caitlin M; Goodale, Melvyn A

2015-01-01

Investigators study the kinematics of grasping movements (prehension) under a variety of conditions to probe visuomotor function in normal and brain-damaged individuals. "Natural" prehensile acts are directed at the goal object and are executed using real-time vision. Typically, they also entail the use of tactile, proprioceptive, and kinesthetic sources of haptic feedback about the object ("haptics-based object information") once contact with the object has been made. Natural and simulated (pantomimed) forms of prehension are thought to recruit different cortical structures: patient DF, who has visual form agnosia following bilateral damage to her temporal-occipital cortex, loses her ability to scale her grasp aperture to the size of targets ("grip scaling") when her prehensile movements are based on a memory of a target previewed 2 s before the cue to respond or when her grasps are directed towards a visible virtual target but she is denied haptics-based information about the target. In the first of two experiments, we show that when DF performs real-time pantomimed grasps towards a 7.5 cm displaced imagined copy of a visible object such that her fingers make contact with the surface of the table, her grip scaling is in fact quite normal. This finding suggests that real-time vision and terminal tactile feedback are sufficient to preserve DF's grip scaling slopes. In the second experiment, we examined an "unnatural" grasping task variant in which a tangible target (along with any proxy such as the surface of the table) is denied (i.e., no terminal tactile feedback). To do this, we used a mirror-apparatus to present virtual targets with and without a spatially coincident copy for the participants to grasp. We compared the grasp kinematics from trials with and without terminal tactile feedback to a real-time-pantomimed grasping task (one without tactile feedback) in which participants visualized a copy of the visible target as instructed in our laboratory in the past. Compared to natural grasps, removing tactile feedback increased RT, slowed the velocity of the reach, reduced in-flight grip aperture, increased the slopes relating grip aperture to target width, and reduced the final grip aperture (FGA). All of these effects were also observed in the real time-pantomime grasping task. These effects seem to be independent of those that arise from using the mirror in general as we also compared grasps directed towards virtual targets to those directed at real ones viewed directly through a pane of glass. These comparisons showed that the grasps directed at virtual targets increased grip aperture, slowed the velocity of the reach, and reduced the slopes relating grip aperture to the widths of the target. Thus, using the mirror has real consequences on grasp kinematics, reflecting the importance of task-relevant sources of online visual information for the programming and updating of natural prehensile movements. Taken together, these results provide compelling support for the view that removing terminal tactile feedback, even when the grasps are target-directed, induces a switch from real-time visual control towards one that depends more on visual perception and cognitive supervision. Providing terminal tactile feedback and real-time visual information can evidently keep the dorsal visuomotor system operating normally for prehensile acts.

Directional Radio-Frequency Identification Tag Reader

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Medelius, Pedro J.; Taylor, John D.; Henderson, John J.

2004-01-01

A directional radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag reader has been designed to facilitate finding a specific object among many objects in a crowded room. The device could be an adjunct to an electronic inventory system that tracks RFID-tagged objects as they move through reader-equipped doorways. Whereas commercial RFID-tag readers do not measure directions to tagged objects, the device is equipped with a phased-array antenna and a received signal-strength indicator (RSSI) circuit for measuring direction. At the beginning of operation, it is set to address only the RFID tag of interest. It then continuously transmits a signal to interrogate that tag while varying the radiation pattern of the antenna. It identifies the direction to the tag as the radiation pattern direction of peak strength of the signal returned by the tag. An approximate distance to the tag is calculated from the peak signal strength. The direction and distance can be displayed on a screen. A prototype containing a Yagi antenna was found to be capable of detecting a 915.5-MHz tag at a distance of approximately equal to 15 ft (approximately equal to 4.6 m).

The Right Thing at the Right Time: Why Ostensive Naming Facilitates Word Learning

PubMed Central

Axelsson, Emma L.; Churchley, Kirsten; Horst, Jessica S.

2012-01-01

The current study examines how focusing children’s attention immediately after fast mapping improves their ability to retain novel names. Previous research suggests that young children can only retain novel names presented via referent selection if ostensive naming is provided and that such explicit naming works by increasing children’s attention to the target and decreasing their attention to the competitor objects (Horst and Samuelson, 2008). This explanation of the function of ostensive naming after referent selection trials was tested by drawing 24-month-old children’s attention to the target either by illuminating the target, covering the competitors, or both. A control group was given a social pragmatic cue (pointing). Children given social pragmatic cue support did not demonstrate retention. However, children demonstrated retention if the target object was illuminated, and also when it was illuminated and the competitors simultaneously dampened. This suggests that drawing children’s attention to the target object in a manner that helps focus children’s attention is critical for word learning via referent selection. Directing attention away from competitors while also directing attention toward a target also aids in the retention of novel words. PMID:22470363

Road detection and buried object detection in elevated EO/IR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Levi; Kolba, Mark P.; Walters, Joshua R.

2012-06-01

To assist the warfighter in visually identifying potentially dangerous roadside objects, the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) has developed an elevated video sensor system testbed for data collection. This system provides color and mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imagery. Signal Innovations Group (SIG) has developed an automated processing capability that detects the road within the sensor field of view and identifies potentially threatening buried objects within the detected road. The road detection algorithm leverages system metadata to project the collected imagery onto a flat ground plane, allowing for more accurate detection of the road as well as the direct specification of realistic physical constraints in the shape of the detected road. Once the road has been detected in an image frame, a buried object detection algorithm is applied to search for threatening objects within the detected road space. The buried object detection algorithm leverages textural and pixel intensity-based features to detect potential anomalies and then classifies them as threatening or non-threatening objects. Both the road detection and the buried object detection algorithms have been developed to facilitate their implementation in real-time in the NVESD system.

The effects of adults' affective expression and direction of visual gaze on 12-month-olds' visual preferences for an object following a 5-minute, 1-day, or 1-month delay.

PubMed

Flom, Ross; Johnson, Sarah

2011-03-01

Between 12- and 14 months of age infants begin to use another's direction of gaze and affective expression in learning about various objects and events. What is not well understood is how long infants' behaviour towards a previously unfamiliar object continues to be influenced following their participation in circumstances of social referencing. In this experiment, we examined infants' sensitivity to an adult's direction of gaze and their visual preference for one of two objects following a 5-min, 1-day, or 1-month delay. Ninety-six 12-month-olds participated. For half of the infants during habituation (i.e., familiarization), the adults' direction of gaze was directed towards an unfamiliar object (look condition). For the remaining half of the infants during habituation, the adults' direction of gaze was directed away from the unfamiliar object (look-away condition). All infants were habituated to two events. One event consisted of an adult looking towards (look condition) or away from (look-away condition) an object while facially and vocally conveying a positive affective expression. The second event consisted of the same adult looking towards or away from a different object while conveying a disgusted affective expression. Following the habituation phase and a 5-min, 1-day, or 1-month delay, infants' visual preference was assessed. During the visual preference phase, infants saw the two objects side by side where the adult conveying the affective expression was not visible. Results of the visual preference phase indicate that infants in the look condition showed a significant preference for object previously paired with the positive affect following a 5-min and 1-day delay. No significant visual preference was found in the look condition following a 1-month delay. No significant preferences were found at any retention interval in the look-away condition. Results are discussed in terms of early learning, social referencing, and early memory. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Formation and Migration of Trans-Neptunian Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ipatov, S. I.; Oegerle, William (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We consider that trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with diameter d greater than 100 kilometers moving now in not very eccentric orbits could be formed directly by the compression of large rarefied dust condensations (with a greater than 30 AU), but not by the accretion of smaller solid planetesimals. Probably, some planetesimals with d approximately 100- 1000 kilometers in the feeding zone of the giant planets and even large main-belt asteroids also could be formed directly by such compression. Some smaller objects (TNOs, planetesimals, asteroids) could be debris of larger objects, and other such objects could be formed directly by compression of condensations. A small portion of planetesimals from the feeding zone of the giant planets that entered into the trans-Neptunian region could left in eccentrical orbits beyond Neptune and became so called "scattered objects". Our computer runs in which gravitational interactions of bodies were taken into account with the use of the spheres method, showed that the embryos of Uranus and Neptune could increase their semimajor axes from less than 10 AU to their present values, moving permanently in orbits with small eccentricities, due to gravitational interactions with the migrating planetesimals. Later on, Thommes et al. considered a similar model using direct numerical integration. The total amount of water delivered to the Earth during the formation of the giant, planets was about the mass of water in the Earth oceans. The end of such bombardment could be caused mainly by the planetesimals that became scattered objects. For the present mass of the trans-Neptunian belt, the collisional lifetime of 1-kilometer TNO is about the age of the Solar system, but only a small portion (less than 1%) of 100-km TNOs could be destroyed during this age. The probability of destruction of a typical TNO (with 30 less than a,less than 50 AU) by scattered objects can be of the same order of magnitude as that by typical TNOs. TNOs could be even more often destroyed during planet formation than during last 4 Gyr. The analysis of the results of the orbital evolution of Jupiter-crossing objects (JCOs) and TNOs showed that, in principle, the trans-Neptunian belt can provide up to 100% of Earth-crossing objects, but, of course, some of them came from the main asteroid belt. Most of the collisions of former JCOs with the Earth were from orbits with aphelia inside Jupiter's orbit and belonged to a small portion of objects which moved in such orbits for a long time. About 1 of 300 JCOs collided with the Sun. The ratio of the total mass of icy planetesimals that migrated from the feeding zone of the giant planets and collided with the planet to the mass of this planet was greater (by a factor of 3 in our runs) for Mars than that for Earth and Venus.

A Data Management System for International Space Station Simulation Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Betts, Bradley J.; DelMundo, Rommel; Elcott, Sharif; McIntosh, Dawn; Niehaus, Brian; Papasin, Richard; Mah, Robert W.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Groups associated with the design, operational, and training aspects of the International Space Station make extensive use of modeling and simulation tools. Users of these tools often need to access and manipulate large quantities of data associated with the station, ranging from design documents to wiring diagrams. Retrieving and manipulating this data directly within the simulation and modeling environment can provide substantial benefit to users. An approach for providing these kinds of data management services, including a database schema and class structure, is presented. Implementation details are also provided as a data management system is integrated into the Intelligent Virtual Station, a modeling and simulation tool developed by the NASA Ames Smart Systems Research Laboratory. One use of the Intelligent Virtual Station is generating station-related training procedures in a virtual environment, The data management component allows users to quickly and easily retrieve information related to objects on the station, enhancing their ability to generate accurate procedures. Users can associate new information with objects and have that information stored in a database.

The Representation of Object-Directed Action and Function Knowledge in the Human Brain.

PubMed

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E; Mahon, Bradford Z

2016-04-01

The appropriate use of everyday objects requires the integration of action and function knowledge. Previous research suggests that action knowledge is represented in frontoparietal areas while function knowledge is represented in temporal lobe regions. Here we used multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representation of object-directed action and function knowledge while participants executed pantomimes of familiar tool actions. A novel approach for decoding object knowledge was used in which classifiers were trained on one pair of objects and then tested on a distinct pair; this permitted a measurement of classification accuracy over and above object-specific information. Region of interest (ROI) analyses showed that object-directed actions could be decoded in tool-preferring regions of both parietal and temporal cortex, while no independently defined tool-preferring ROI showed successful decoding of object function. However, a whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed that while frontoparietal motor and peri-motor regions are engaged in the representation of object-directed actions, medial temporal lobe areas in the left hemisphere are involved in the representation of function knowledge. These results indicate that both action and function knowledge are represented in a topographically coherent manner that is amenable to study with multivariate approaches, and that the left medial temporal cortex represents knowledge of object function. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Response to Taguchi and Noma on "relationship between directionality and orientation in drawings by young children and adults.

PubMed

Karev, George B

2006-02-01

When assessing the relationship between direction and orientation in drawings by young children and adults, Taguchi and Noma used a fish-drawing task. However, the fish is not convenient enough as an object for such a task so it is highly preferable to use, instead of a single object, a set of several objects to assess directionality quantitatively. These authors' conclusions do not acknowledge alternative explanations.

Hands in the air: using ungrounded iconic gestures to teach children conservation of quantity.

PubMed

Ping, Raedy M; Goldin-Meadow, Susan

2008-09-01

Including gesture in instruction facilitates learning. Why? One possibility is that gesture points out objects in the immediate context and thus helps ground the words learners hear in the world they see. Previous work on gesture's role in instruction has used gestures that either point to or trace paths on objects, thus providing support for this hypothesis. The experiments described here investigated the possibility that gesture helps children learn even when it is not produced in relation to an object but is instead produced "in the air." Children were given instruction in Piagetian conservation problems with or without gesture and with or without concrete objects. The results indicate that children given instruction with speech and gesture learned more about conservation than children given instruction with speech alone, whether or not objects were present during instruction. Gesture in instruction can thus help learners learn even when those gestures do not direct attention to visible objects, suggesting that gesture can do more for learners than simply ground arbitrary, symbolic language in the physical, observable world.

Modulation of spatial Stroop by object-based attention but not by space-based attention.

PubMed

Luo, Chunming; Lupiáñez, Juan; Funes, María Jesús; Fu, Xiaolan

2010-03-01

Earlier studies have shown that the spatial Stroop effect systematically decreases when a peripheral precue is presented at the same location as the target, compared to an uncued location condition. In this study, two experiments were conducted to explore whether the cueing modulation of spatial Stroop is object based and/or space based. In Experiment 1, we found evidence favouring the view that the cueing modulation of the spatial Stroop effect is entirely object based, as no differences were found in conflict reduction for the same-location and same-object conditions. In Experiment 2, the cue was predictive, and a similar object-based modulation of spatial Stroop was still observed. However, the direction of such modulation was affected by the rectangles' orientation. Overall, the pattern of results obtained favours the object-integration (Lupiáñez & Milliken, 1999; Lupiáñez, Milliken, Solano, Weaver, & Tipper, 2001) and referential-coding accounts (Danziger, Kingstone, & Ward, 2001) and seems to provide evidence against the attention-shift account (Rubichi, Nicoletti, Iani, & Umilta, 1997; Stoffer, 1991).

Optical fiber inspection system

DOEpatents

Moore, Francis W.

1987-01-01

A remote optical inspection system including an inspection head. The inspection head has a passageway through which pellets or other objects are passed. A window is provided along the passageway through which light is beamed against the objects being inspected. A plurality of lens assemblies are arranged about the window so that reflected light can be gathered and transferred to a plurality of coherent optical fiber light guides. The light guides transfer the light images to a television or other image transducer which converts the optical images into a representative electronic signal. The electronic signal can then be displayed on a signal viewer such as a television monitor for inspection by a person. A staging means can be used to support the objects for viewing through the window. Routing means can be used to direct inspected objects into appropriate exit passages for accepted or rejected objects. The inspected objects are advantageously fed in a singular manner to the staging means and routing means. The inspection system is advantageously used in an enclosure when toxic or hazardous materials are being inspected.

Optical fiber inspection system

DOEpatents

Moore, F.W.

1985-04-05

A remote optical inspection system including an inspection head. The inspection head has a passageway through which pellets or other objects are passed. A window is provided along the passageway through which light is beamed against the objects being inspected. A plurality of lens assemblies are arranged about the window so that reflected light can be gathered and transferred to a plurality of coherent optical fiber light guides. The light guides transfer the light images to a television or other image transducer which converts the optical images into a representative electronic signal. The electronic signal can then be displayed on a signal viewer such as a television monitor for inspection by a person. A staging means can be used to support the objects for viewing through the window. Routing means can be used to direct inspected objects into appropriate exit passages for accepted or rejected objects. The inspected objects are advantageously fed in a singular manner to the staging means and routing means. The inspection system is advantageously used in an enclosure when toxic or hazardous materials are being inspected. 10 figs.

Imaging System With Confocally Self-Detecting Laser.

DOEpatents

Webb, Robert H.; Rogomentich, Fran J.

1996-10-08

The invention relates to a confocal laser imaging system and method. The system includes a laser source, a beam splitter, focusing elements, and a photosensitive detector. The laser source projects a laser beam along a first optical path at an object to be imaged, and modulates the intensity of the projected laser beam in response to light reflected from the object. A beam splitter directs a portion of the projected laser beam onto a photodetector. The photodetector monitors the intensity of laser output. The laser source can be an electrically scannable array, with a lens or objective assembly for focusing light generated by the array onto the object of interest. As the array is energized, its laser beams scan over the object, and light reflected at each point is returned by the lens to the element of the array from which it originated. A single photosensitive detector element can generate an intensity-representative signal for all lasers of the array. The intensity-representative signal from the photosensitive detector can be processed to provide an image of the object of interest.

On the concept of sloped motion for free-floating wave energy converters.

PubMed

Payne, Grégory S; Pascal, Rémy; Vaillant, Guillaume

2015-10-08

A free-floating wave energy converter (WEC) concept whose power take-off (PTO) system reacts against water inertia is investigated herein. The main focus is the impact of inclining the PTO direction on the system performance. The study is based on a numerical model whose formulation is first derived in detail. Hydrodynamics coefficients are obtained using the linear boundary element method package WAMIT. Verification of the model is provided prior to its use for a PTO parametric study and a multi-objective optimization based on a multi-linear regression method. It is found that inclining the direction of the PTO at around 50° to the vertical is highly beneficial for the WEC performance in that it provides a high capture width ratio over a broad region of the wave period range.

On the concept of sloped motion for free-floating wave energy converters

PubMed Central

Payne, Grégory S.; Pascal, Rémy; Vaillant, Guillaume

2015-01-01

A free-floating wave energy converter (WEC) concept whose power take-off (PTO) system reacts against water inertia is investigated herein. The main focus is the impact of inclining the PTO direction on the system performance. The study is based on a numerical model whose formulation is first derived in detail. Hydrodynamics coefficients are obtained using the linear boundary element method package WAMIT. Verification of the model is provided prior to its use for a PTO parametric study and a multi-objective optimization based on a multi-linear regression method. It is found that inclining the direction of the PTO at around 50° to the vertical is highly beneficial for the WEC performance in that it provides a high capture width ratio over a broad region of the wave period range. PMID:26543397

Discharge and nutrient transport between lakes in a hydrologically complex area of Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christensen, Victoria G.; Wakeman, Eric; Maki, Ryan P.

2016-01-01

An acoustic Doppler velocity meter (ADVM) was deployed in the narrows between Namakan and Kabetogama Lakes in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, from November 3, 2010, through October 3, 2012. The ADVM can account for wind, seiche, and changing flow direction in hydrologically complex areas. The objectives were to (1) estimate discharge and document the direction of water flow, (2) assess whether specific conductance can be used to determine flow direction, and (3) document nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations at the narrows. The discharge direction through the narrows was seasonal. Water generally flowed out of Kabetogama Lake and into Namakan Lake throughout the ice-covered season. During spring, water flow was generally from Namakan Lake to Kabetogama Lake. During the summer and fall, the water flowed in both directions, affected in part by wind. Water flowed into Namakan Lake 70% of water year 2011 and 56% of water year 2012. Nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations were highest during the summer months when water-flow direction was unpredictable. The use of an ADVM was effective for assessing flow direction and provided flow direction under ice. The results indicated the eutrophic Kabetogama Lake may have a negative effect on the more pristine Namakan Lake. The results also provide data on the effects of the current water-level management plan and may help determine if adjustments are necessary to help protect the aquatic ecosystem of Voyageurs National Park.

Manpower Mix for Health Services

PubMed Central

Shuman, Larry J.; Young, John P.; Naddor, Eliezer

1971-01-01

A model is formulated to determine the mix of manpower and technology needed to provide health services of acceptable quality at a minimum total cost to the community. Total costs include both the direct costs associated with providing the services and with developing additional manpower and the indirect costs (shortage costs) resulting from not providing needed services. The model is applied to a hypothetical neighborhood health center, and its sensitivity to alternative policies is investigated by cost-benefit analyses. Possible extensions of the model to include dynamic elements in health delivery systems are discussed, as is its adaptation for use in hospital planning, with a changed objective function. PMID:5095652

Interplanetary Dust Observations by the Juno MAG Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jørgensen, John; Benn, Mathias; Denver, Troelz; Connerney, Jack; Jørgensen, Peter; Bolton, Scott; Brauer, Peter; Levin, Steven; Oliversen, Ronald

2017-04-01

The spin-stabilized and solar powered Juno spacecraft recently concluded a 5-year voyage through the solar system en route to Jupiter, arriving on July 4th, 2016. During the cruise phase from Earth to the Jovian system, the Magnetometer investigation (MAG) operated two magnetic field sensors and four co-located imaging systems designed to provide accurate attitude knowledge for the MAG sensors. One of these four imaging sensors - camera "D" of the Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC) - was operated in a mode designed to detect all luminous objects in its field of view, recording and characterizing those not found in the on-board star catalog. The capability to detect and track such objects ("non-stellar objects", or NSOs) provides a unique opportunity to sense and characterize interplanetary dust particles. The camera's detection threshold was set to MV9 to minimize false detections and discourage tracking of known objects. On-board filtering algorithms selected only those objects tracked through more than 5 consecutive images and moving with an apparent angular rate between 15"/s and 10,000"/s. The coordinates (RA, DEC), intensity, and apparent velocity of such objects were stored for eventual downlink. Direct detection of proximate dust particles is precluded by their large (10-30 km/s) relative velocity and extreme angular rates, but their presence may be inferred using the collecting area of Juno's large ( 55m2) solar arrays. Dust particles impact the spacecraft at high velocity, creating an expanding plasma cloud and ejecta with modest (few m/s) velocities. These excavated particles are revealed in reflected sunlight and tracked moving away from the spacecraft from the point of impact. Application of this novel detection method during Juno's traversal of the solar system provides new information on the distribution of interplanetary (µm-sized) dust.

Peer Communication in Online Mental Health Forums for Young People: Directional and Nondirectional Support.

PubMed

Prescott, Julie; Hanley, Terry; Ujhelyi, Katalin

2017-08-02

The Internet has the potential to help young people by reducing the stigma associated with mental health and enabling young people to access services and professionals which they may not otherwise access. Online support can empower young people, help them develop new online friendships, share personal experiences, communicate with others who understand, provide information and emotional support, and most importantly help them feel less alone and normalize their experiences in the world. The aim of the research was to gain an understanding of how young people use an online forum for emotional and mental health issues. Specifically, the project examined what young people discuss and how they seek support on the forum (objective 1). Furthermore, it looked at how the young service users responded to posts to gain an understanding of how young people provided each other with peer-to-peer support (objective 2). Kooth is an online counseling service for young people aged 11-25 years and experiencing emotional and mental health problems. It is based in the United Kingdom and provides support that is anonymous, confidential, and free at the point of delivery. Kooth provided the researchers with all the online forum posts between a 2-year period, which resulted in a dataset of 622 initial posts and 3657 initial posts with responses. Thematic analysis was employed to elicit key themes from the dataset. The findings support the literature that online forums provide young people with both informational and emotional support around a wide array of topics. The findings from this large dataset also reveal that this informational or emotional support can be viewed as directive or nondirective. The nondirective approach refers to when young people provide others with support by sharing their own experiences. These posts do not include explicit advice to act in a particular way, but the sharing process is hoped to be of use to the poster. The directive approach, in contrast, involves individuals making an explicit suggestion of what they believe the poster should do. This study adds to the research exploring what young people discuss within online forums and provides insights into how these communications take place. Furthermore, it highlights the challenge that organizations may encounter in mediating support that is multidimensional in nature (informational-emotional, directive-nondirective). ©Julie Prescott, Terry Hanley, Katalin Ujhelyi. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 02.08.2017.

Behavioral laterality in Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis).

PubMed

Platto, Sara; Zhang, C; Pine, Matthew K; Feng, W K; Yang, L G; Irwin, A; Wang, D

2017-07-01

The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) is a critically endangered species with less than 1000 individuals expected to be left in the wild. While many studies have been conducted on laterality among several cetacean species, no studies investigating the Yangtze finless porpoise have been conducted. Using event sampling methods, several behaviors such as flipper-body touching, object touching, barrel-rolls, side swimming, and swimming direction were recorded from six captive porpoises (three males and three females). Analyses of 360 observations recorded over two months revealed that, at group level, porpoises showed laterality in swimming behaviors. Porpoises swam preferentially with their right pectoral fin upward and their left pectoral fin downward with a clockwise swimming direction and also displayed a consistent bias for a counterclockwise barrel-roll direction. No significant differences were reported for flipper use either during the interaction with conspecifics or with objects. The results from the current study provide novel insight into the cerebral asymmetry in a species previously ignored within the literature, thus improving our understanding on the extent of laterality in cetaceans and on the evolutionary history of hemispheric laterality for vertebrates in general. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study of progress of labour using intrapartum translabial ultrasound, assessing head station, direction, and angle of descent.

PubMed

Tutschek, B; Braun, T; Chantraine, F; Henrich, W

2011-01-01

Intrapartum translabial ultrasound (ITU) has the potential to objectively and quantitatively assess the progress of labour. The relationships between the different ITU parameters and their development during normal term labour have not been studied. Observational study. University teaching hospital. Labouring women with normal term fetuses in cephalic presentation. Intrapartum translabial ultrasound measurements for 'head station', 'head direction', and 'angle of descent' (AoD) were taken in 50 labouring women, compared, studied for repeatability, and correlated with the progress of labour. Reproducibility and correlation of ITU parameters and their pattern of changes during labour. All three ITU parameters were clinically well reproducible. AoD and head station were interchangeable, and could be calculated from each other. Head station and head direction changed in a typical pattern along the birth canal. Time to delivery correlated with ITU head station. Intrapartum translabial ultrasound is a simple technique that improves the understanding of normal and abnormal labour, enables the objective measurement of birth progress and provides a more scientific basis for assessing labour. © 2010 The Authors Journal compilation © RCOG 2010 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Cue-recruitment for extrinsic signals after training with low information stimuli.

PubMed

Jain, Anshul; Fuller, Stuart; Backus, Benjamin T

2014-01-01

Cue-recruitment occurs when a previously ineffective signal comes to affect the perceptual appearance of a target object, in a manner similar to the trusted cues with which the signal was put into correlation during training. Jain, Fuller and Backus reported that extrinsic signals, those not carried by the target object itself, were not recruited even after extensive training. However, recent studies have shown that training using weakened trusted cues can facilitate recruitment of intrinsic signals. The current study was designed to examine whether extrinsic signals can be recruited by putting them in correlation with weakened trusted cues. Specifically, we tested whether an extrinsic visual signal, the rotary motion direction of an annulus of random dots, and an extrinsic auditory signal, direction of an auditory pitch glide, can be recruited as cues for the rotation direction of a Necker cube. We found learning, albeit weak, for visual but not for auditory signals. These results extend the generality of the cue-recruitment phenomenon to an extrinsic signal and provide further evidence that the visual system learns to use new signals most quickly when other, long-trusted cues are unavailable or unreliable.

Case study: Comparison of motivation for achieving higher performance between self-directed and manager-directed aerospace engineering teams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erlick, Katherine

"The stereotype of engineers is that they are not people oriented; the stereotype implies that engineers would not work well in teams---that their task emphasis is a solo venture and does not encourage social aspects of collaboration" (Miner & Beyerlein, 1999, p. 16). The problem is determining the best method of providing a motivating environment where design engineers may contribute within a team in order to achieve higher performance in the organization. Theoretically, self-directed work teams perform at higher levels. But, allowing a design engineer to contribute to the team while still maintaining his or her anonymity is the key to success. Therefore, a motivating environment must be established to encourage greater self-actualization in design engineers. The purpose of this study is to determine the favorable motivational environment for design engineers and describe the comparison between two aerospace design-engineering teams: one self-directed and the other manager directed. Following the comparison, this study identified whether self-direction or manager-direction provides the favorable motivational environment for operating as a team in pursuit of achieving higher performance. The methodology used in this research was the case study focusing on the team's levels of job satisfaction and potential for higher performance. The collection of data came from three sources, (a) surveys, (b) researcher observer journal and (c) collection of artifacts. The surveys provided information regarding personal behavior characteristics, potentiality for higher performance and motivational attributes. The researcher journal provided information regarding team dynamics, individual interaction, conflict and conflict resolution. The milestone for performance was based on the collection of artifacts from the two teams. The findings from this study illustrated that whether the team was manager-directed or self-directed does not appear to influence the needs and wants of the team members. The self-directed team was more motivated to learn their topic than was the manager-directed team, but they struggled with their path in following their vision whereas the manager-directed team kept their focus under the guidance of their manager. Finally, both teams are in fact effective; however specific circumstances may be an important objective when deciding to utilize either a self-directed or manager-directed team.

Validation of oxygen extraction fraction measurement by qBOLD technique.

PubMed

He, Xiang; Zhu, Mingming; Yablonskiy, Dmitriy A

2008-10-01

Measurement of brain tissue oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) in both baseline and functionally activated states can provide important information on brain functioning in health and disease. The recently proposed quantitative BOLD (qBOLD) technique is MRI-based and provides a regional in vivo OEF measurement (He and Yablonskiy, MRM 2007, 57:115-126). It is based on a previously developed analytical BOLD model and incorporates prior knowledge about the brain tissue composition including the contributions from grey matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, interstitial fluid and intravascular blood. The qBOLD model also allows for the separation of contributions to the BOLD signal from OEF and the deoxyhemoglobin containing blood volume (DBV). The objective of this study is to validate OEF measurements provided by the qBOLD approach. To this end we use a rat model and compare qBOLD OEF measurements against direct measurements of the blood oxygenation level obtained from venous blood drawn directly from the superior sagittal sinus. The cerebral venous oxygenation level of the rat was manipulated by utilizing different anestheisa methods. The study demonstrates a very good agreement between qBOLD approach and direct measurements. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Development of spatial preferences for counting and picture naming.

PubMed

Knudsen, Birgit; Fischer, Martin H; Aschersleben, Gisa

2015-11-01

The direction of object enumeration reflects children's enculturation but previous work on the development of such spatial preferences has been inconsistent. Therefore, we documented directional preferences in finger counting, object counting, and picture naming for children (4 groups from 3 to 6 years, N = 104) and adults (N = 56). We found a right-side preference for finger counting in 3- to 6-year-olds and a left-side preference for counting objects and naming pictures by 6 years of age. Children were consistent in their special preferences when comparing object counting and picture naming, but not in other task pairings. Finally, spatial preferences were not related to cardinality comprehension. These results, together with other recent work, suggest a gradual development of spatial-numerical associations from early non-directional mappings into culturally constrained directional mappings.

Diagnosis and characterization of mania: Quantifying increased energy and activity in the human behavioral pattern monitor.

PubMed

Perry, William; McIlwain, Meghan; Kloezeman, Karen; Henry, Brook L; Minassian, Arpi

2016-06-30

Increased energy or activity is now an essential feature of the mania of Bipolar Disorder (BD) according to DSM-5. This study examined whether objective measures of increased energy can differentiate manic BD individuals and provide greater diagnostic accuracy compared to rating scales, extending the work of previous studies with smaller samples. We also tested the relationship between objective measures of energy and rating scales. 50 hospitalized manic BD patients were compared to healthy subjects (HCS, n=39) in the human Behavioral Pattern Monitor (hBPM) which quantifies motor activity and goal-directed behavior in an environment containing novel stimuli. Archival hBPM data from 17 schizophrenia patients were used in sensitivity and specificity analyses. Manic BD patients exhibited higher motor activity than HCS and higher novel object interactions. hBPM activity measures were not correlated with observer-rated symptoms, and hBPM activity was more sensitive in accurately classifying hospitalized BD subjects than observer ratings. Although the findings can only be generalized to inpatient populations, they suggest that increased energy, particularly specific and goal-directed exploration, is a distinguishing feature of BD mania and is best quantified by objective measures of motor activity. A better understanding is needed of the biological underpinnings of this cardinal feature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct Hippocampal versus Frontoparietal Network Contributions to Retrieval and Memory-guided Exploration.

PubMed

Bridge, Donna J; Cohen, Neal J; Voss, Joel L

2017-08-01

Memory can profoundly influence new learning, presumably because memory optimizes exploration of to-be-learned material. Although hippocampus and frontoparietal networks have been implicated in memory-guided exploration, their specific and interactive roles have not been identified. We examined eye movements during fMRI scanning to identify neural correlates of the influences of memory retrieval on exploration and learning. After retrieval of one object in a multiobject array, viewing was strategically directed away from the retrieved object toward nonretrieved objects, such that exploration was directed toward to-be-learned content. Retrieved objects later served as optimal reminder cues, indicating that exploration caused memory to become structured around the retrieved content. Hippocampal activity was associated with memory retrieval, whereas frontoparietal activity varied with strategic viewing patterns deployed after retrieval, thus providing spatiotemporal dissociation of memory retrieval from memory-guided learning strategies. Time-lagged fMRI connectivity analyses indicated that hippocampal activity predicted frontoparietal activity to a greater extent for a condition in which retrieval guided exploration occurred than for a passive control condition in which exploration was not influenced by retrieval. This demonstrates network-level interaction effects specific to influences of memory on strategic exploration. These findings show how memory guides behavior during learning and demonstrate distinct yet interactive hippocampal-frontoparietal roles in implementing strategic exploration behaviors that determine the fate of evolving memory representations.

The long road to the use of microscope in clinical medicine in vivo: from early pioneering proposals to the modern perspectives of optical biopsy.

PubMed

Ponti, Giovanni; Muscatello, Umberto; Sgantzos, Markos

2015-01-01

For a long period the scientists did not recognized the potentialities of the compound microscope in medicine. Only few scientists recognized the potentialities of the microscope for the medicine; among them G. Campani who proposed the utilization of his microscope to investigate the skin lesions directly on the patient. The proposal was illustrated in a letter Acta Eruditorum of 1686. The recent development of optical techniques, capable of providing in-focus images of an object from different planes with high spatial resolution, significantly increased the diagnostic potential of the microscope directly on the patient.

[EU-Cosmetics: timetables for the replacement of animal experiments].

PubMed

Ruhdel, Irmela Wiltrud

2005-01-01

According to the 7(th) Amendment of the Cosmetics Directive the European Commission had to establish timetables for the phasing out of the various animal tests for the safety evaluation of ingredients used in cosmetics. However, the published timetables do not reflect the objectives of the 7(th) Amendment but contain longer deadlines for the ban on animal experiments of several endpoints. The European Commission also had to draw up a Directive for establishing an Annex IX that should list validated alternative methods which are not already listed in Annex V of the Dangerous Substances Directive. Although various alternative methods could have been listed in this Annex IX, the Commission published an empty table. From the point of view of the German Animal Welfare Federation amendments of the timetables and the Directive establishing Annex IX are urgently required. Additionally, the Commission has to provide optimal conditions for the replacement of alternative methods.

Direct imaging search for the "missing link" in giant planet formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngo, Henry; Mawet, Dimitri; Ruane, Garreth; Xuan, Wenhao; Bowler, Brendan; Cook, Therese; Zawol, Zoe

2018-01-01

While transit and radial velocity detection techniques have probed giant planet populations at close separations (within a few au), current direct imaging surveys are finding giant planets at separations of 10s-100s au. Furthermore, these directly imaged planets are very massive, including some with masses above the deuterium burning limit. It is not certain whether these objects represent the high mass end of planet formation scenarios or the low mass end of star formation. We present a direct imaging survey to search for the "missing link" population between the close-in RV and transiting giant planets and the extremely distant directly imaged giant planets (i.e. giant planets between 5-10 au). Finding and characterizing this population allows for comparisons with the formation models of closer-in planets and connects directly imaged planets with closer-in planets in semi-major axis phase space. In addition, microlensing surveys have suggested a large reservoir of giant planets exist in this region. To find these "missing link" giant planets, our survey searches for giant planets around M-stars. The ubiquity of M-stars provide a large number of nearby targets and their L-band contrast with planets allow for sensitivities to smaller planet masses than surveys conducted at shorter wavelengths. Along with careful target selection, we use Keck's L-band vector vortex coronagraph to enable sensitivities of a few Jupiter masses as close as 4 au to their host stars. We present our completed 2-year survey targeting 200 young (10-150 Myr), nearby M-stars and our ongoing work to follow-up over 40 candidate objects.

Experiments in cooperative manipulation: A system perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Stanley A.; Cannon, Robert H., Jr.

1989-01-01

In addition to cooperative dynamic control, the system incorporates real time vision feedback, a novel programming technique, and a graphical high level user interface. By focusing on the vertical integration problem, not only these subsystems are examined, but also their interfaces and interactions. The control system implements a multi-level hierarchical structure; the techniques developed for operator input, strategic command, and cooperative dynamic control are presented. At the highest level, a mouse-based graphical user interface allows an operator to direct the activities of the system. Strategic command is provided by a table-driven finite state machine; this methodology provides a powerful yet flexible technique for managing the concurrent system interactions. The dynamic controller implements object impedance control; an extension of Nevill Hogan's impedance control concept to cooperative arm manipulation of a single object. Experimental results are presented, showing the system locating and identifying a moving object catching it, and performing a simple cooperative assembly. Results from dynamic control experiments are also presented, showing the controller's excellent dynamic trajectory tracking performance, while also permitting control of environmental contact force.

A 17 degree of freedom anthropomorphic manipulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vold, Havard I.; Karlen, James P.; Thompson, Jack M., Jr.; Farrell, James D.; Eismann, Paul H.

1989-01-01

A 17 axis anthropomorphic manipulator, providing coordinated control of two seven degree of freedom arms mounted on a three degree of freedom torso-waist assembly, is presented. This massively redundant telerobot, designated the Robotics Research K/B-2017 Dexterous Manipulator, employs a modular mechanism design with joint-mounted actuators based on brushless motors and harmonic drive gear reducers. Direct joint torque control at the servo level causes these high-output joint drives to behave like direct-drive actuators, facilitating the implementation of an effective impedance control scheme. The redundant, but conservative motion control system models the manipulator as a spring-loaded linkage with viscous damping and rotary inertia at each joint. This approach allows for real time, sensor-driven control of manipulator pose using a hierarchy of competing rules, or objective functions, to avoid unplanned collisions with objects in the workplace, to produce energy-efficient, graceful motion, to increase leverage, to control effective impedance at the tool or to favor overloaded joints.

Rats Fed a Diet Rich in Fats and Sugars Are Impaired in the Use of Spatial Geometry.

PubMed

Tran, Dominic M D; Westbrook, R Frederick

2015-12-01

A diet rich in fats and sugars is associated with cognitive deficits in people, and rodent models have shown that such a diet produces deficits on tasks assessing spatial learning and memory. Spatial navigation is guided by two distinct types of information: geometrical, such as distance and direction, and featural, such as luminance and pattern. To clarify the nature of diet-induced spatial impairments, we provided rats with standard chow supplemented with sugar water and a range of energy-rich foods eaten by people, and then we assessed their place- and object-recognition memory. Rats exposed to this diet performed comparably with control rats fed only chow on object recognition but worse on place recognition. This impairment on the place-recognition task was present after only a few days on the diet and persisted across tests. Critically, this spatial impairment was specific to the processing of distance and direction. © The Author(s) 2015.

Object-Oriented/Data-Oriented Design of a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liechty, Derek S.

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, there has been much progress towards improved phenomenological modeling and algorithmic updates for the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, which provides a probabilistic physical simulation of gas Rows. These improvements have largely been based on the work of the originator of the DSMC method, Graeme Bird. Of primary importance are improved chemistry, internal energy, and physics modeling and a reduction in time to solution. These allow for an expanded range of possible solutions In altitude and velocity space. NASA's current production code, the DSMC Analysis Code (DAC), is well-established and based on Bird's 1994 algorithms written in Fortran 77 and has proven difficult to upgrade. A new DSMC code is being developed in the C++ programming language using object-oriented and data-oriented design paradigms to facilitate the inclusion of the recent improvements and future development activities. The development efforts on the new code, the Multiphysics Algorithm with Particles (MAP), are described, and performance comparisons are made with DAC.

Optical tweezers based force measurement system for quantitating binding interactions: system design and application for the study of bacterial adhesion.

PubMed

Fällman, Erik; Schedin, Staffan; Jass, Jana; Andersson, Magnus; Uhlin, Bernt Eric; Axner, Ove

2004-06-15

An optical force measurement system for quantitating forces in the pN range between micrometer-sized objects has been developed. The system was based upon optical tweezers in combination with a sensitive position detection system and constructed around an inverted microscope. A trapped particle in the focus of the high numerical aperture microscope-objective behaves like an omnidirectional mechanical spring in response to an external force. The particle's displacement from the equilibrium position is therefore a direct measure of the exerted force. A weak probe laser beam, focused directly below the trapping focus, was used for position detection of the trapped particle (a polystyrene bead). The bead and the condenser focus the light to a distinct spot in the far field, monitored by a position sensitive detector. Various calibration procedures were implemented in order to provide absolute force measurements. The system has been used to measure the binding forces between Escherichia coli bacterial adhesins and galabiose-functionalized beads.

A Mars environmental survey (MESUR) - Feasibility of a low cost global approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, G. S.; Wercinski, Paul F.; Sarver, George L.; Hanel, Robert P.; Ramos, Ruben

1991-01-01

In situ measurements of Mars' surface and atmosphere are the objectives of a novel network mission concept called the Mars Environmental SURvey (MESUR). As envisioned, the MESUR mission will emplace a pole-to-pole global distribution of 16 landers on the Martian surface over three launch opportunites using medium-lift (Delta-class) launch vehicles. The basic concept is to deploy small free-flying probes which would directly enter the Martian atmosphere, measure the upper atmospheric structure, image the local terrain before landing, and survive landing to perform meteorology, seismology, surface imaging, and soil chemistry measurements. Data will be returned via dedicated relay orbiter or direct-to-earth transmission. The mission philosophy is to: (1) 'grow' a network over a period of years using a series of launch opportunities; (2) develop a level-of-effort which is flexible and responsive to a broad set of objectives; (3) focus on Mars science while providing a solid basis for future human presence; and (4) minimize overall project cost and complexity wherever possible.

Multisensor Super Resolution Using Directionally-Adaptive Regularization for UAV Images

PubMed Central

Kang, Wonseok; Yu, Soohwan; Ko, Seungyong; Paik, Joonki

2015-01-01

In various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imaging applications, the multisensor super-resolution (SR) technique has become a chronic problem and attracted increasing attention. Multisensor SR algorithms utilize multispectral low-resolution (LR) images to make a higher resolution (HR) image to improve the performance of the UAV imaging system. The primary objective of the paper is to develop a multisensor SR method based on the existing multispectral imaging framework instead of using additional sensors. In order to restore image details without noise amplification or unnatural post-processing artifacts, this paper presents an improved regularized SR algorithm by combining the directionally-adaptive constraints and multiscale non-local means (NLM) filter. As a result, the proposed method can overcome the physical limitation of multispectral sensors by estimating the color HR image from a set of multispectral LR images using intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) image fusion. Experimental results show that the proposed method provides better SR results than existing state-of-the-art SR methods in the sense of objective measures. PMID:26007744

Multisensor Super Resolution Using Directionally-Adaptive Regularization for UAV Images.

PubMed

Kang, Wonseok; Yu, Soohwan; Ko, Seungyong; Paik, Joonki

2015-05-22

In various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imaging applications, the multisensor super-resolution (SR) technique has become a chronic problem and attracted increasing attention. Multisensor SR algorithms utilize multispectral low-resolution (LR) images to make a higher resolution (HR) image to improve the performance of the UAV imaging system. The primary objective of the paper is to develop a multisensor SR method based on the existing multispectral imaging framework instead of using additional sensors. In order to restore image details without noise amplification or unnatural post-processing artifacts, this paper presents an improved regularized SR algorithm by combining the directionally-adaptive constraints and multiscale non-local means (NLM) filter. As a result, the proposed method can overcome the physical limitation of multispectral sensors by estimating the color HR image from a set of multispectral LR images using intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) image fusion. Experimental results show that the proposed method provides better SR results than existing state-of-the-art SR methods in the sense of objective measures.

Anticipating the effects of gravity when intercepting moving objects: differentiating up and down based on nonvisual cues.

PubMed

Senot, Patrice; Zago, Myrka; Lacquaniti, Francesco; McIntyre, Joseph

2005-12-01

Intercepting an object requires a precise estimate of its time of arrival at the interception point (time to contact or "TTC"). It has been proposed that knowledge about gravitational acceleration can be combined with first-order, visual-field information to provide a better estimate of TTC when catching falling objects. In this experiment, we investigated the relative role of visual and nonvisual information on motor-response timing in an interceptive task. Subjects were immersed in a stereoscopic virtual environment and asked to intercept with a virtual racket a ball falling from above or rising from below. The ball moved with different initial velocities and could accelerate, decelerate, or move at a constant speed. Depending on the direction of motion, the acceleration or deceleration of the ball could therefore be congruent or not with the acceleration that would be expected due to the force of gravity acting on the ball. Although the best success rate was observed for balls moving at a constant velocity, we systematically found a cross-effect of ball direction and acceleration on success rate and response timing. Racket motion was triggered on average 25 ms earlier when the ball fell from above than when it rose from below, whatever the ball's true acceleration. As visual-flow information was the same in both cases, this shift indicates an influence of the ball's direction relative to gravity on response timing, consistent with the anticipation of the effects of gravity on the flight of the ball.

Clinical Validation of a Sound Processor Upgrade in Direct Acoustic Cochlear Implant Subjects

PubMed Central

Kludt, Eugen; D’hondt, Christiane; Lenarz, Thomas; Maier, Hannes

2017-01-01

Objective: The objectives of the investigation were to evaluate the effect of a sound processor upgrade on the speech reception threshold in noise and to collect long-term safety and efficacy data after 2½ to 5 years of device use of direct acoustic cochlear implant (DACI) recipients. Study Design: The study was designed as a mono-centric, prospective clinical trial. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Fifteen patients implanted with a direct acoustic cochlear implant. Intervention: Upgrade with a newer generation of sound processor. Main Outcome Measures: Speech recognition test in quiet and in noise, pure tone thresholds, subject-reported outcome measures. Results: The speech recognition in quiet and in noise is superior after the sound processor upgrade and stable after long-term use of the direct acoustic cochlear implant. The bone conduction thresholds did not decrease significantly after long-term high level stimulation. Conclusions: The new sound processor for the DACI system provides significant benefits for DACI users for speech recognition in both quiet and noise. Especially the noise program with the use of directional microphones (Zoom) allows DACI patients to have much less difficulty when having conversations in noisy environments. Furthermore, the study confirms that the benefits of the sound processor upgrade are available to the DACI recipients even after several years of experience with a legacy sound processor. Finally, our study demonstrates that the DACI system is a safe and effective long-term therapy. PMID:28406848

Planning Ahead: Object-Directed Sequential Actions Decoded from Human Frontoparietal and Occipitotemporal Networks

PubMed Central

Gallivan, Jason P.; Johnsrude, Ingrid S.; Randall Flanagan, J.

2016-01-01

Object-manipulation tasks (e.g., drinking from a cup) typically involve sequencing together a series of distinct motor acts (e.g., reaching toward, grasping, lifting, and transporting the cup) in order to accomplish some overarching goal (e.g., quenching thirst). Although several studies in humans have investigated the neural mechanisms supporting the planning of visually guided movements directed toward objects (such as reaching or pointing), only a handful have examined how manipulatory sequences of actions—those that occur after an object has been grasped—are planned and represented in the brain. Here, using event-related functional MRI and pattern decoding methods, we investigated the neural basis of real-object manipulation using a delayed-movement task in which participants first prepared and then executed different object-directed action sequences that varied either in their complexity or final spatial goals. Consistent with previous reports of preparatory brain activity in non-human primates, we found that activity patterns in several frontoparietal areas reliably predicted entire action sequences in advance of movement. Notably, we found that similar sequence-related information could also be decoded from pre-movement signals in object- and body-selective occipitotemporal cortex (OTC). These findings suggest that both frontoparietal and occipitotemporal circuits are engaged in transforming object-related information into complex, goal-directed movements. PMID:25576538

Evaluating beauty care provided by the hospital to women suffering from breast cancer: qualitative aspects.

PubMed

Amiel, Philippe; Dauchy, Sarah; Bodin, Julie; Cerf, Céline; Zenasni, Franck; Pezant, Elisabeth; Teller, Anne-Marie; André, Fabrice; DiPalma, Mario

2009-07-01

Cancer patients are offered more and more access to beauty care during their stay in the hospital. This kind of intervention has not been evaluated yet. Primary objective of our research was to determine what type of evaluation strategy to be implemented (as a supportive care with quality of life and/or medical benefits; as a service providing immediate comfort); intermediate objective was to investigate in scientific terms (psychological, sociological) the experience of beauty care by patients. Sixty patients (all users of beauty care provided by hospital, 58 female, most of them treated for breast cancer, two male, mean age 53 years) and 11 nurses and physicians, from four French cancer centres were included. We used direct observation and semi-structured interviews, conducted by a sociologist and a psychologist; different types of beauty care were concerned. All the interviewed patients were satisfied. Patients appreciated acquiring savoir-faire on how to use make-up and on personal image enhancement. Psychological and social well-being benefits were mentioned. The beauty care was not alleged to be reducing the side effects of the treatments, but it had helped patients to accept or bear the burden of them. Providing care beyond that which is directly curative was appreciated by the patients as a sign that they were treated as a "whole" person. The survey brings valuable clues concerning beauty care experience by cancer patients; it suggests the relevance of quantitative evaluation of the immediate and long-term effects on the quality of life.

The Effects of Directional Processing on Objective and Subjective Listening Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Picou, Erin M.; Moore, Travis M.; Ricketts, Todd A.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purposes of this investigation were (a) to evaluate the effects of hearing aid directional processing on subjective and objective listening effort and (b) to investigate the potential relationships between subjective and objective measures of effort. Method: Sixteen adults with mild to severe hearing loss were tested with study…

Helping members of a community-based health insurance scheme access quality inpatient care through development of a preferred provider system in rural Gujarat.

PubMed

Ranson, M Kent; Sinha, Tara; Gandhi, Fenil; Jayswal, Rupal; Mills, Anne J

2006-01-01

We describe and analyse the experience of piloting a preferred provider system (PPS) for rural members of Vimo SEWA, a fixed-indemnity, community-based health insurance (CBHI) scheme run by the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA). The objectives of the PPS were (i) to facilitate access to hospitalization by providing financial benefits at the time of service utilization; (ii) to shift the burden of compiling a claim away from members and towards Vimo SEWA staff; and (iii) to direct members to inpatient facilities of acceptable quality. The PPS was launched between August and October 2004, in 8 subdistricts covering 15,000 insured. The impact of the scheme was analysed using data from a household survey of claimants and qualitative data from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The PPS appears to have been successful in terms of two of the three primary objectives--it has transferred much of the burden of compiling a health Insurance claim onto Vimo SEWA staff, and it has directed members to inpatient facilities with acceptable levels of technical quality (defined in terms of structural Indicators). However, even under the PPS, user fees pose a financial barrier, as the insured have to mobilize funds to cover the costs of medicines, supplies, registration fee, etc. before receipt of cash payment from Vimo SEWA. Other barriers to the success of the PPS were the geographic Inaccessibility of some of the selected hospitals, lack of awareness about the PPS among members and a variety of administrative problems. This pilot project provides useful lessons relating to strategic purchasing by CBHI schemes and, more broadly, managed care in India. In particular, the pragmatic approach taken to assessing hospitals and identifying preferred providers is likely to be useful elsewhere.

A systematic assessment of the concept and practice of public-private mix for tuberculosis care and control

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction The STOP TB Partnership aims to improve global tuberculosis (TB) control through expanding access to the directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) strategy. One approach to this is 'Engaging all Care Providers', which evolved from 'Public-Private Mix (PPM) DOTS'. The overall aim of this study was to systematically assess whether and to what degree the STOP TB Partnership's four global objectives of engaging all care providers are met through existing PPM interventions. These four objectives are; 1) Increase TB case detection; 2) Improve TB treatment outcomes; 3) Enhance access and equity; 4) Reduce financial burden on patients. The specific objectives of this assessment were to 1) Understand what PPM means to the STOP TB Partnership's PPM Subgroup and to National Tuberculosis Programme managers; 2) Scope the nature of existing country-level PPM interventions and 3) Review PPM practice against the global PPM objectives. Methods We undertook a systematic, multi-facetted assessment. The methods included interviews with National Tuberculosis Programme managers from high burden countries, clarification of key issues with the STOP TB Partnership PPM secretariat and a review of publicly accessible reports and published articles on PPM projects. Both the literature review and interviews with the National Tuberculosis Programme managers yielded data on project characteristics; PPM models at country level; National Tuberculosis Programme partners; and mechanisms for engagement. Matrices were developed from the literature review and the interviews to show the relationship between services and service providers for different PPM projects. Data from the literature were assessed against each of the four global PPM objectives. Results Twelve National Tuberculosis Programme managers from high burden countries were interviewed about the scope of PPM partnerships. Understanding of PPM and types of engaged providers varied considerably; 'private-for-profit qualified clinical providers' were the dominant category. The literature review yielded information on 22 projects in which 'private-for-profit qualified clinical providers' were again the dominant category. The contributions made by 'private-for-profit qualified clinical providers' and 'Non Governmental Organisation qualified clinical providers', were assessed against the four global PPM objectives. Reporting on tuberculosis case detection and treatment outcomes was generally good and demonstrated important PPM contributions in these areas. Reporting on equity, access and reduced patient costs was often lacking or inconclusive. Conclusions PPM has improved case detection and treatment outcomes among patients seeking care with private providers. Evidence on reducing patient costs is inconclusive, and there is scope for increasing equity in access to care by systematically engaging those providers who are the primary agents for poor people seeking health care. Guidelines outlining which types of providers best contribute to achieving the four global objectives, along with the resources required by National Tuberculosis Programs for such engagement is needed. PMID:22074377

Time to contact and the control of manual prehension.

PubMed

Watson, M K; Jakobson, L S

1997-11-01

In the present study, a kinematic analysis was made of unconstrained, natural prehension movements directed toward an object approaching the observer on a conveyor belt at one of three constant velocities, from one of three different directions (head-on or along the fronto-parallel plane coming either from the subject's left or right). Subjects were required to grasp the object when it reached a target located 20 cm directly in front of the hand's start position. The kinematic analysis revealed that both the transport and grasp components of the movement changed in response to the experimental manipulations, but did so in a manner that guaranteed that, for objects approaching from a given direction, hand closure would begin at a constant time prior to object contact (regardless of the object's approach speed). The kinematic analysis also revealed, however, that the onset of hand closure began earlier with objects approaching from the right than from other directions -- an effect which would not be predicted if time to contact was the key variable controlling the onset of hand closure. These results, then, lend only partial support to the theory that temporal coordination between the transport and grasp components of prehension is ensured through their common dependence on time to contact information.

Observations Illustrating the Use of Health Informatics to Link Public Health Immunization Registries and Pharmacies to Increase Adult Immunization Rates and Improve Population Health Outcomes.

PubMed

Popovich, Michael; Altstadter, Brandy; Popovich, Lara Hargraves

2016-01-01

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act encourages health information exchange between clinical care and public health through Meaningful Use measures. Meaningful Use specifically identifies objectives to support a number of public health programs including immunizations, cancer registries, syndromic surveillance, and disease case reports. The objective is to improve public and population health. Stage 2 of Meaningful Use focused on compliance to sending of information to public health. The next phase focuses on bi-directional information exchange to support immunization intelligence and to empower providers, pharmacists, and the consumer. The HITECH Act Stage 2 initiative provided incentive and motivation for healthcare providers to encourage their Electronic Medical Record (EMR) vendors to implement data exchanges with public health, with the expected result being timely awareness of health risks. The empowerment nugget in the HITECH Act is not in the compliance reporting to public health. The nugget is the ability for a provider to receive relevant information on the patient or consumer currently in front of them or to those they will connect to through their outreach efforts. The ability for public health to retain current immunization records of individuals from a variety of providers supports their program goals to increase immunization rates and mitigate the risk of vaccine-preventable disease (VPD). The ability for providers to receive at the point of service more complete immunization histories integrated with decision support enhances their delivery of care, thereby reducing the risk of VPD to their patients. Indirectly payers benefit through healthcare cost savings and when the focus is expanded from a health model to a business model, there are significant return on investment (ROI) opportunities that exponentially increase the value of a bi-directional immunization data exchange. This paper will provide descriptions of case examples to demonstrate the value of electronic data exchanges when pharmacy immunization providers and public health work together.

Microgravity strategic plan, 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The NASA agency-wide microgravity strategic plan is presented, and its research, applications, and commercialization for the 1990's is addressed. The plan presents an analysis of the current situation, identifies critical factors, and defines goals, objectives, and strategies, which are intended to: (1) provide a context for decision making; (2) assure realism in long-range planning and direction for hardware development; and (3) establish a framework for developing a national microgravity research plan.

Cross Roads or Cross Purposes? Tensions Between Military and Humanitarian Providers

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

tarian action . . . . Although it is fashionable to call humanitarians the new missionaries, it is more accurate to call them the new alchemists ...their objective to help those in need. Alchemist NGOs continue to be tightly linked to projects directly funded by government and intergovernmental...ensure a smooth and cooperative relationship. Perhaps counterin- tuitively, alchemist NGOs’ willingness to be political has, at times, made them more

Secondary Education for the Future. Report of a Forum Meeting on New Trends and Processes of Secondary Education (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, November 17-December 4, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific.

A number of countries in Asia and the Pacific are moving from a predominantly agricultural economy to industrialization, thus creating different expectations of secondary schools. The forum described provided the opportunity to reach certain consensus on the directions of secondary education; develop alternative objectives of secondary education;…

Maintaining Space Superiority

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

object that may present a threat to his or h er satellites must still provide direction that responds to that threat This article discusses a dilemma...space-based threats .ŕ The Air Force achieves space superiority by conducting operations that support the war fighter (space force enhancement); by...the space era, threats and issues have arisen to chal- lenge US operations in these areas. Indeed, as declared in the National Security Space Strategy

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

ADAMS, WADE C

The objectives of the confirmatory activities were to provide independent contractor field data reviews and to generate independent radiological data for use by the NRC in evaluating the adequacy and accuracy of the contractor's procedures and FSS results. ORAU reviewed ABB CE's decommissioning plan, final status survey plan, and the applicable soil DCGLs, which were developed based on an NRC-approved radiation dose assessment. The surveys include gamma surface scans, gamma direct measurements, and soil sampling.

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

ADAMS, WADE C

The objectives of the confirmatory activities were to provide independent contractor field data reviews and to generate independent radiological data for use by the NRC in evaluating the adequacy and accuracy of the contractor's procedures and FSS results. ORAU reviewed ABB CE's decommissioning plan, final status survey plan, and the applicable soil DCGLs, which were developed based on an NRC-approved radiation dose assessment. The surveys included gamma surface scans, gamma direct measurements, and soil sampling.

Directory of Industry and University Collaborations with a Focus on Software Engineering Education and Training, Version 6

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-11-01

of Computer Science and Information Systems. Membership American University is an independent, coeducational university with more than 11,000...The entire community profits as AIM members achieve common objectives. Corporate contribution is evolving into a benefit -based membership, providing...direct value or service to CMU/SEI-97-SR-018 the member, while strengthening the Nebraska information technology environment. Specific benefits to

Defense Systems Modernization and Sustainment Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-18

approach provides the dual benefits of a source of research direction and requirements from military equipment operators, maintainers, and life-cycle...world. RIT is coeducational and the 11h largest private university in the nation. RIT offers 350 programs of study in eight colleges including the...objective of the Asset Health Management research is to assess cost benefit of the deployment of health monitoring technologies to U.S. Marine Corps ground

Mass Accretion Rate of Very Low Luminosity Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Ren-Shiang; Lai, Shih-Ping; Hsieh, Tien-Hao

2013-08-01

We propose to measure the mass accretion rate of six Very Low Luminosity Objects (VeLLOs) using Near-infrared Integral Spectrometer (NIFS). The extremely low luminosity of VeLLOs, L_int ≤ 0.1 L_⊙, was previously thought not existing in the nature because the typical accretion rate gives much larger accretion luminosity even for the lowest mass star (``Luminosity Problem''). The commonly accepted solution is that the accretion rate is not constant but episodic. Thus, VeLLOs could be interpreted as protostars being in the quiescent phase of accretion activities. However, there is no observational data directly measuring the mass accretion rate of VeLLOs. The main goal of this proposal is to examine such theory and directly measure the mass accretion rate of VeLLOs for the first time. We propose to measure the blue continuum excess (veiling) of the stellar spectrum, which is the most reliable method for measuring the accretion rate. The measurements have to be made in infrared due to the very high extinction for highly embedded protostars. Our proposal provide a first opportunity to explain the long time ``Luminosity Problem'' through the observational aspects, and Gemini is the only instrument that can provide accurate and high sensitivity infrared spectroscopy measurements within reasonably short time scale.

EVA space suit Evaporative Cooling/Heating Glove System (ECHGS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coss, F. A.

1976-01-01

A new astronaut glove, the Evaporative Cooling/Heating Glove System (ECHGS), was designed and developed to allow the handling of objects between -200 F and +200 F. Active heating elements, positioned at each finger pad, provide additional heat to the finger pads from the rest of the finger. A water evaporative cooling system provides cooling by the injection of water to the finger areas and the subsequent direct evaporation to space. Thin, flexible insulation has been developed for the finger areas to limit thermal conductivity. Component and full glove tests have shown that the glove meets and exceeds the requirements to hold a 11/2 inch diameter bar at + or - 200 F for three minutes within comfort limits. The ECHGS is flexible, lightweight and comfortable. Tactility is reasonable and small objects can be identified especially by the fingertips beyond the one half width active elements.

Microgravity Combustion Diagnostics Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santoro, Gilbert J. (Editor); Greenberg, Paul S. (Editor); Piltch, Nancy D. (Editor)

1988-01-01

Through the Microgravity Science and Applications Division (MSAD) of the Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) at NASA Headquarters, a program entitled, Advanced Technology Development (ATD) was promulgated with the objective of providing advanced technologies that will enable the development of future microgravity science and applications experimental flight hardware. Among the ATD projects one, Microgravity Combustion Diagnostics (MCD), has the objective of developing advanced diagnostic techniques and technologies to provide nonperturbing measurements of combustion characteristics and parameters that will enhance the scientific integrity and quality of microgravity combustion experiments. As part of the approach to this project, a workshop was held on July 28 and 29, 1987, at the NASA Lewis Research Center. A small group of laser combustion diagnosticians met with a group of microgravity combustion experimenters to discuss the science requirements, the state-of-the-art of laser diagnostic technology, and plan the direction for near-, intermediate-, and long-term programs. This publication describes the proceedings of that workshop.

Robot Teleoperation and Perception Assistance with a Virtual Holographic Display

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goddard, Charles O.

2012-01-01

Teleoperation of robots in space from Earth has historically been dfficult. Speed of light delays make direct joystick-type control infeasible, so it is desirable to command a robot in a very high-level fashion. However, in order to provide such an interface, knowledge of what objects are in the robot's environment and how they can be interacted with is required. In addition, many tasks that would be desirable to perform are highly spatial, requiring some form of six degree of freedom input. These two issues can be combined, allowing the user to assist the robot's perception by identifying the locations of objects in the scene. The zSpace system, a virtual holographic environment, provides a virtual three-dimensional space superimposed over real space and a stylus tracking position and rotation inside of it. Using this system, a possible interface for this sort of robot control is proposed.

STDAC: Solar thermal design assistance center annual report fiscal year 1994

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The Solar Thermal Design Assistance Center (STDAC) at Sandia is a resource provided by the DOE Solar Thermal Program. The STDAC's major objective is to accelerate the use of solar thermal systems by providing direct technical assistance to users in industry, government, and foreign countries; cooperating with industry to test, evaluate, and develop renewable energy systems and components; and educating public and private professionals, administrators, and decision makers. This FY94 report highlights the activities and accomplishments of the STDAC. In 1994, the STDAC continued to provide significant direct technical assistance to domestic and international organizations in industry, government, and education, Applying solar thermal technology to solve energy problems is a vital element of direct technical assistance. The STDAC provides information on the status of new, existing, and developing solar technologies; helps users screen applications; predicts the performance of components and systems; and incorporates the experience of Sandia's solar energy personnel and facilities to provide expert guidance. The STDAC directly enhances the US solar industry's ability to successfully bring improved systems to the marketplace. By collaborating with Sandia's Photovoltaic Design Assistance Center and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory the STDAC is able to offer each customer complete service in applying solar thermal technology. At the National Solar Thermal Test Facility the STDAC tests and evaluates new and innovative solar thermal technologies. Evaluations are conducted in dose cooperation with manufacturers, and the results are used to improve the product and/or quantify its performance characteristics. Manufacturers, in turn, benefit from the improved design, economic performance, and operation of their solar thermal technology. The STDAC provides cost sharing and in-kind service to manufacturers in the development and improvement of solar technology.

Planning of reach-and-grasp movements: effects of validity and type of object information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loukopoulos, L. D.; Engelbrecht, S. F.; Berthier, N. E.

2001-01-01

Individuals are assumed to plan reach-and-grasp movements by using two separate processes. In 1 of the processes, extrinsic (direction, distance) object information is used in planning the movement of the arm that transports the hand to the target location (transport planning); whereas in the other, intrinsic (shape) object information is used in planning the preshaping of the hand and the grasping of the target object (manipulation planning). In 2 experiments, the authors used primes to provide information to participants (N = 5, Experiment 1; N = 6, Experiment 2) about extrinsic and intrinsic object properties. The validity of the prime information was systematically varied. The primes were succeeded by a cue, which always correctly identified the location and shape of the target object. Reaction times were recorded. Four models of transport and manipulation planning were tested. The only model that was consistent with the data was 1 in which arm transport and object manipulation planning were postulated to be independent processes that operate partially in parallel. The authors suggest that the processes involved in motor planning before execution are primarily concerned with the geometric aspects of the upcoming movement but not with the temporal details of its execution.

A conceptual review of the cultural significance of `Takhtah Table'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdo, Fatema M.; Ibrahim, Fuziah

2017-10-01

There exists nowadays a growing awareness about the development of cultural objects. The impact of such development on the identity of nations and global design platforms is significant. Diminishing barriers among societies has helped to spread creative ideas. Recognizing the direction of designs is supposed to develop the lifestyle of nations, cultures, and identities through interior design spaces and their elements such as furniture. The first step to a sustainable creativity goes through an identification stage that upholds the satisfaction of products' users. Through the identification stage, furniture designers encounter some challenges that are mostly related to the cultural significance of an object before starting to develop that object, especially within the context of a different approach. This paper presents the concept of the cultural significance of objects. It also highlights and illustrates the relations between cultural levels and types of meanings that can be reflected by certain objects. This paper provides information guidelines about cultural objects in a form that helps designers continue the development of the nation's creativity. `Takhtah Table' has been presented as a sample of cultural objects, which needs to be maintained in Sana'a City in Yemen.

Interpretation of the function of the striate cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Bernardette M.; Paplinski, Andrew P.

2000-04-01

Biological neural networks do not require retraining every time objects move in the visual field. Conventional computer neural networks do not share this shift-invariance. The brain compensates for movements in the head, body, eyes and objects by allowing the sensory data to be tracked across the visual field. The neurons in the striate cortex respond to objects moving across the field of vision as is seen in many experiments. It is proposed, that the neurons in the striate cortex allow continuous angle changes needed to compensate for changes in orientation of the head, eyes and the motion of objects in the field of vision. It is hypothesized that the neurons in the striate cortex form a system that allows for the translation, some rotation and scaling of objects and provides a continuity of objects as they move relative to other objects. The neurons in the striate cortex respond to features which are fundamental to sight, such as orientation of lines, direction of motion, color and contrast. The neurons that respond to these features are arranged on the cortex in a way that depends on the features they are responding to and on the area of the retina from which they receive their inputs.

Perception of faces in schizophrenia: Subjective (self-report) vs. objective (psychophysics) assessments

PubMed Central

Chen, Yue; Ekstrom, Tor

2016-01-01

Objectives Face perception impairment in schizophrenia has been demonstrated, mostly through experimental studies. How this laboratory-defined behavioral impairment is associated with patients’ perceptual experience of various faces in everyday life is however unclear. This question is important because a first-person account of face perception has direct consequences on social functioning of patients. In this study, we adapted and administered a self-reported questionnaire on narrative perceptual experience of faces along with psychophysical assessments of face perception in schizophrenia. Methods The self-reported questionnaire includes six rating items of face-related functioning in everyday life, providing a subjective measure of face perception. The psychophysical assessment determines perceptual threshold for discriminating different facial identities, providing an objective measure of face perception. Results Compared to controls (n=25), patients (n=35) showed significantly lower scores (worse performance) in the subjective assessment and significantly higher thresholds (worse performance) in the objective assessment. The subjective and objective face perception assessments were moderately correlated in controls but not in patients. The subjective face perception assessments were significantly correlated with measurements of a social cognitive ability (Theory of Mind), again in controls but not in patients. Conclusion These results suggest that in schizophrenia the quality of face-related functioning in everyday life is degraded and the role that basic face discrimination capacity plays in face-related everyday functioning is disrupted. PMID:26938027

Directionally Hiding Objects and Creating Illusions at Visible Wavelengths by Holography

PubMed Central

Cheng, Qiluan; Wu, Kedi; Shi, Yile; Wang, Hui; Wang, Guo Ping

2013-01-01

Invisibility devices have attracted considerable attentions in the last decade. In addition to invisibility cloaks, unidirectional invisibility systems such as carpet-like cloaks and parity-time symmetric structures are also inspiring some specific researching interests due to their relatively simplifying design. However, unidirectional invisibility systems worked generally in just one certain illumination direction. Here, based on time-reversal principle, we present the design and fabrication of a kind of all-dielectric device that could directionally cancel objects and create illusions as the illuminating light was from different directions. Our devices were experimentally realized through holographic technology and could work for macroscopic objects with any reasonable size at visible wavelengths, and hence may take directional invisibility technology a big step towards interesting applications ranging from magic camouflaging, directional detection to super-resolution biomedical imaging. PMID:23756877

Seductive Eyes: Attractiveness and Direct Gaze Increase Desire for Associated Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strick, Madelijn; Holland, Rob W.; van Knippenberg, Ad

2008-01-01

Recent research in neuroscience shows that observing attractive faces with direct gaze is more rewarding than observing attractive faces with averted gaze. On the basis of this research, it was hypothesized that object evaluations can be enhanced by associating them with attractive faces displaying direct gaze. In a conditioning paradigm, novel…

Multi-camera digital image correlation method with distributed fields of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malowany, Krzysztof; Malesa, Marcin; Kowaluk, Tomasz; Kujawinska, Malgorzata

2017-11-01

A multi-camera digital image correlation (DIC) method and system for measurements of large engineering objects with distributed, non-overlapping areas of interest are described. The data obtained with individual 3D DIC systems are stitched by an algorithm which utilizes the positions of fiducial markers determined simultaneously by Stereo-DIC units and laser tracker. The proposed calibration method enables reliable determination of transformations between local (3D DIC) and global coordinate systems. The applicability of the method was proven during in-situ measurements of a hall made of arch-shaped (18 m span) self-supporting metal-plates. The proposed method is highly recommended for 3D measurements of shape and displacements of large and complex engineering objects made from multiple directions and it provides the suitable accuracy of data for further advanced structural integrity analysis of such objects.

Microwave measurement of the mass of frozen hydrogen pellets

DOEpatents

Talanker, Vera; Greenwald, Martin

1990-01-01

A nondestructive apparatus and method for measuring the mass of a moving object, based on the perturbation of the dielectric character of a resonant microwave cavity caused by the object passing through the cavity. An oscillator circuit is formed with a resonant cavity in a positive feedback loop of a microwave power amplifier. The moving object perturbs the resonant characteristics of the cavity causing a shift in the operating frequency of the oscillator proportional to the ratio of the pellet volume to the volume of the cavity. Signals from the cavity oscillation are mixed with a local oscillator. Then the IF frequency from the mixer is measured thereby providing a direct measurement of pellet mass based upon known physical properties and relationships. This apparatus and method is particularly adapted for the measurement of frozen hydrogen pellets.

Watching Eyes effects: When others meet the self.

PubMed

Conty, Laurence; George, Nathalie; Hietanen, Jari K

2016-10-01

The perception of direct gaze-that is, of another individual's gaze directed at the observer-is known to influence a wide range of cognitive processes and behaviors. We present a new theoretical proposal to provide a unified account of these effects. We argue that direct gaze first captures the beholder's attention and then triggers self-referential processing, i.e., a heightened processing of stimuli in relation with the self. Self-referential processing modulates incoming information processing and leads to the Watching Eyes effects, which we classify into four main categories: the enhancement of self-awareness, memory effects, the activation of pro-social behavior, and positive appraisals of others. We advance that the belief to be the object of another's attention is embedded in direct gaze perception and gives direct gaze its self-referential power. Finally, we stress that the Watching Eyes effects reflect a positive impact on human cognition; therefore, they may have a therapeutic potential, which future research should delineate. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Power spectrum weighted edge analysis for straight edge detection in images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karvir, Hrishikesh V.; Skipper, Julie A.

2007-04-01

Most man-made objects provide characteristic straight line edges and, therefore, edge extraction is a commonly used target detection tool. However, noisy images often yield broken edges that lead to missed detections, and extraneous edges that may contribute to false target detections. We present a sliding-block approach for target detection using weighted power spectral analysis. In general, straight line edges appearing at a given frequency are represented as a peak in the Fourier domain at a radius corresponding to that frequency, and a direction corresponding to the orientation of the edges in the spatial domain. Knowing the edge width and spacing between the edges, a band-pass filter is designed to extract the Fourier peaks corresponding to the target edges and suppress image noise. These peaks are then detected by amplitude thresholding. The frequency band width and the subsequent spatial filter mask size are variable parameters to facilitate detection of target objects of different sizes under known imaging geometries. Many military objects, such as trucks, tanks and missile launchers, produce definite signatures with parallel lines and the algorithm proves to be ideal for detecting such objects. Moreover, shadow-casting objects generally provide sharp edges and are readily detected. The block operation procedure offers advantages of significant reduction in noise influence, improved edge detection, faster processing speed and versatility to detect diverse objects of different sizes in the image. With Scud missile launcher replicas as target objects, the method has been successfully tested on terrain board test images under different backgrounds, illumination and imaging geometries with cameras of differing spatial resolution and bit-depth.

An evaluation of differences due to changing source directivity in room acoustic computer modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigeant, Michelle C.; Wang, Lily M.

2004-05-01

This project examines the effects of changing source directivity in room acoustic computer models on objective parameters and subjective perception. Acoustic parameters and auralizations calculated from omnidirectional versus directional sources were compared. Three realistic directional sources were used, measured in a limited number of octave bands from a piano, singing voice, and violin. A highly directional source that beams only within a sixteenth-tant of a sphere was also tested. Objectively, there were differences of 5% or more in reverberation time (RT) between the realistic directional and omnidirectional sources. Between the beaming directional and omnidirectional sources, differences in clarity were close to the just-noticeable-difference (jnd) criterion of 1 dB. Subjectively, participants had great difficulty distinguishing between the realistic and omnidirectional sources; very few could discern the differences in RTs. However, a larger percentage (32% vs 20%) could differentiate between the beaming and omnidirectional sources, as well as the respective differences in clarity. Further studies of the objective results from different beaming sources have been pursued. The direction of the beaming source in the room is changed, as well as the beamwidth. The objective results are analyzed to determine if differences fall within the jnd of sound-pressure level, RT, and clarity.

Thrust Direction Optimization: Satisfying Dawn's Attitude Agility Constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiffen, Gregory J.

2013-01-01

The science objective of NASA's Dawn Discovery mission is to explore the two largest members of the main asteroid belt, the giant asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. Dawn successfully completed its orbital mission at Vesta. The Dawn spacecraft has complex, difficult to quantify, and in some cases severe limitations on its attitude agility. The low-thrust transfers between science orbits at Vesta required very complex time varying thrust directions due to the strong and complex gravity and various science objectives. Traditional thrust design objectives (like minimum (Delta)V or minimum transfer time) often result in thrust direction time evolutions that can not be accommodated with the attitude control system available on Dawn. This paper presents several new optimal control objectives, collectively called thrust direction optimization that were developed and necessary to successfully navigate Dawn through all orbital transfers at Vesta.

Objective biofidelity rating of a numerical human occupant model in frontal to lateral impact.

PubMed

de Lange, Ronald; van Rooij, Lex; Mooi, Herman; Wismans, Jac

2005-11-01

Both hardware crash dummies and mathematical human models have been developed largely using the same biomechanical data. For both, biofidelity is a main requirement. Since numerical modeling is not bound to hardware crash dummy design constraints, it allows more detailed modeling of the human and offering biofidelity for multiple directions. In this study the multi-directional biofidelity of the MADYMO human occupant model is assessed, to potentially protect occupants under various impact conditions. To evaluate the model's biofidelity, generally accepted requirements were used for frontal and lateral impact: tests proposed by EEVC and NHTSA and tests specified by ISO TR9790, respectively. A subset of the specified experiments was simulated with the human model. For lateral impact, the results were objectively rated according to the ISO protocol. Since no rating protocol was available for frontal impact, the ISO rating scheme for lateral was used for frontal, as far as possible. As a result, two scores show the overall model biofidelity for frontal and lateral impact, while individual ratings provide insight in the quality on body segment level. The results were compared with the results published for the THOR and WorldSID dummies, showing that the mathematical model exhibits a high level of multi-directional biofidelity. In addition, the performance of the human model in the NBDL 11G oblique test indicates a valid behavior of the model in intermediate directions as well. A new aspect of this study is the objective assessment of the multi-directional biofidelity of the mathematical human model according to accepted requirements. Although hardware dummies may always be used in regulations, it is expected that virtual testing with human models will serve in extrapolating outside the hardware test environment. This study was a first step towards simulating a wider range of impact conditions, such as angled impact and rollover.

Critical care: how should we evaluate our progress?

PubMed

Civetta, J M

1992-12-01

Review of the history and accomplishments of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) to determine appropriate directions for the future. Historical documents of the SCCM, Critical Care Medicine, bioethics and healthcare financing literature, Instant Library of Quotations. Identified (by the author) material containing specific statements concerning goals and objectives at the time of the founding of the SCCM and at intervals. Material supporting and criticizing predictive indices were identified and bioethical treatises concerning patient autonomy and quality-of-life decisions were chosen. Presidential addresses of the first three SCCM presidents, material relevant to preservation of life and alleviation of suffering from bioethical and healthcare financing perspectives. Relevant quotations. Initial goals and objectives were identified. Societal and economic factors changing critical care were analyzed for their effect on current and future SCCM directions and objectives. The founding members set important goals for critical care and patient care, research, education, and organization. From a perspective of what was foreseeable, these goals have been accomplished to an admirable degree. The SCCM has responded to these goals by providing educational programs and fostering research, especially in its annual meetings and through the publication of guidelines in Critical Care Medicine. The SCCM members would do well to read the first three presidential addresses to experience the eloquence and foresight firsthand, particularly with respect to the founders' spirit, considerations of training, scope of care, humanism, organization and relations within and outside of critical care, integration of care, and development of the scientific process at the bedside. There have been major changes in society since the SCCM was founded: the maturation of the concept of patient's autonomy; recognition of quality-of-life values; healthcare financing; and legal and ethical aspects of care. The critical care profession in general, and the SCCM specifically, should seek to develop effective cost-containment strategies and severity of illness or predictive indices. The SCCM should also educate the professions with respect to ethical issues and provide information directly to the public, especially in the areas of advance directives and withholding and withdrawing care. Through these contributions, the SCCM can assume its proper leadership role within medicine, but, of greater importance, in society. In doing so, societal myths and misunderstandings of the capabilities, futility, role, and limitations of critical care can be corrected. The organization and structure of the SCCM are well developed to accomplish these ends. The SCCM leaders are both able and willing. The objectives seem reasonable and should be attainable.

Smart sensing surveillance system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Charles; Chu, Kai-Dee; O'Looney, James; Blake, Michael; Rutar, Colleen

2010-04-01

An effective public safety sensor system for heavily-populated applications requires sophisticated and geographically-distributed infrastructures, centralized supervision, and deployment of large-scale security and surveillance networks. Artificial intelligence in sensor systems is a critical design to raise awareness levels, improve the performance of the system and adapt to a changing scenario and environment. In this paper, a highly-distributed, fault-tolerant, and energy-efficient Smart Sensing Surveillance System (S4) is presented to efficiently provide a 24/7 and all weather security operation in crowded environments or restricted areas. Technically, the S4 consists of a number of distributed sensor nodes integrated with specific passive sensors to rapidly collect, process, and disseminate heterogeneous sensor data from near omni-directions. These distributed sensor nodes can cooperatively work to send immediate security information when new objects appear. When the new objects are detected, the S4 will smartly select the available node with a Pan- Tilt- Zoom- (PTZ) Electro-Optics EO/IR camera to track the objects and capture associated imagery. The S4 provides applicable advanced on-board digital image processing capabilities to detect and track the specific objects. The imaging detection operations include unattended object detection, human feature and behavior detection, and configurable alert triggers, etc. Other imaging processes can be updated to meet specific requirements and operations. In the S4, all the sensor nodes are connected with a robust, reconfigurable, LPI/LPD (Low Probability of Intercept/ Low Probability of Detect) wireless mesh network using Ultra-wide band (UWB) RF technology. This UWB RF technology can provide an ad-hoc, secure mesh network and capability to relay network information, communicate and pass situational awareness and messages. The Service Oriented Architecture of S4 enables remote applications to interact with the S4 network and use the specific presentation methods. In addition, the S4 is compliant with Open Geospatial Consortium - Sensor Web Enablement (OGC-SWE) standards to efficiently discover, access, use, and control heterogeneous sensors and their metadata. These S4 capabilities and technologies have great potential for both military and civilian applications, enabling highly effective security support tools for improving surveillance activities in densely crowded environments. The S4 system is directly applicable to solutions for emergency response personnel, law enforcement, and other homeland security missions, as well as in applications requiring the interoperation of sensor networks with handheld or body-worn interface devices.

Development of the New Zealand strategy for local eradication of tuberculosis from wildlife and livestock

PubMed Central

Livingstone, PG; Hancox, N; Nugent, G; Mackereth, G; Hutchings, SA

2015-01-01

Abstract We describe the progressive development of New Zealand's national strategy for control of tuberculosis (TB) in its agricultural sector over the last four decades. The strategy is globally unique, reflecting the need for effective and co-ordinated management of TB in a wildlife maintenance host, the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), in addition to controlling infection in cattle and farmed deer herds. Since the early 1990s, the strategy has been developed by the Animal Health Board (AHB), formed to empower the farming industry to take the leadership role in funding of TB control, policy development and administration. The AHB became the first non-government organisation to develop and gain acceptance by the funders (farming industry and government) of a National Pest Management Strategy (NPMS) under the Biosecurity Act 1993. A key outcome of the NPMS for TB control was the development and inclusion of very challenging objectives that provided direction for management, research and possum control. This paper describes the process whereby the NPMS was revised twice, following achievement of each successive set of strategy objectives within budget. Success was based on firstly, reorganisation of the AHB and its operational systems to achieve increased efficiency; secondly, improved efficiency through contracting possum and disease control, and thirdly research delivering effective and practical applications, while also providing a scientific basis for setting directions for future control strategies. The last revision of the NPMS was implemented in 2011, and included objectives to eradicate Mycobacterium bovis-infected wildlife populations over 2.5 million hectares by 2026. This ambitious objective was adopted only after extensive forecast modelling enabled stakeholders to identify and select the most cost-effective long-term solution for the management of M. bovis-infected possum populations. The accomplishment of New Zealand's TB control programme, in meeting successive sets of demanding NPMS objectives, has seen a 95% decrease in the number of infected cattle and deer herds since they peaked at 1,694 in 1994, and the eradication of TB from infected possum populations from 830,000 hectares. Provided the current level of funding continues, New Zealand is positioned to achieve national eradication of TB well in advance of the 40–50-year timeline forecast 3 years ago. PMID:25651829

Accessibility limits recall from visual working memory.

PubMed

Rajsic, Jason; Swan, Garrett; Wilson, Daryl E; Pratt, Jay

2017-09-01

In this article, we demonstrate limitations of accessibility of information in visual working memory (VWM). Recently, cued-recall has been used to estimate the fidelity of information in VWM, where the feature of a cued object is reproduced from memory (Bays, Catalao, & Husain, 2009; Wilken & Ma, 2004; Zhang & Luck, 2008). Response error in these tasks has been largely studied with respect to failures of encoding and maintenance; however, the retrieval operations used in these tasks remain poorly understood. By varying the number and type of object features provided as a cue in a visual delayed-estimation paradigm, we directly assess the nature of retrieval errors in delayed estimation from VWM. Our results demonstrate that providing additional object features in a single cue reliably improves recall, largely by reducing swap, or misbinding, responses. In addition, performance simulations using the binding pool model (Swan & Wyble, 2014) were able to mimic this pattern of performance across a large span of parameter combinations, demonstrating that the binding pool provides a possible mechanism underlying this pattern of results that is not merely a symptom of one particular parametrization. We conclude that accessing visual working memory is a noisy process, and can lead to errors over and above those of encoding and maintenance limitations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Optical correlators for automated rendezvous and capture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juday, Richard D.

1991-01-01

The paper begins with a description of optical correlation. In this process, the propagation physics of coherent light is used to process images and extract information. The processed image is operated on as an area, rather than as a collection of points. An essentially instantaneous convolution is performed on that image to provide the sensory data. In this process, an image is sensed and encoded onto a coherent wavefront, and the propagation is arranged to create a bright spot of the image to match a model of the desired object. The brightness of the spot provides an indication of the degree of resemblance of the viewed image to the mode, and the location of the bright spot provides pointing information. The process can be utilized for AR&C to achieve the capability to identify objects among known reference types, estimate the object's location and orientation, and interact with the control system. System characteristics (speed, robustness, accuracy, small form factors) are adequate to meet most requirements. The correlator exploits the fact that Bosons and Fermions pass through each other. Since the image source is input as an electronic data set, conventional imagers can be used. In systems where the image is input directly, the correlating element must be at the sensing location.

Diagnostic Assessment of the Difficulty Using Direct Policy Search in Many-Objective Reservoir Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zatarain-Salazar, J.; Reed, P. M.; Herman, J. D.; Giuliani, M.; Castelletti, A.

2014-12-01

Globally reservoir operations provide fundamental services to water supply, energy generation, recreation, and ecosystems. The pressures of expanding populations, climate change, and increased energy demands are motivating a significant investment in re-operationalizing existing reservoirs or defining operations for new reservoirs. Recent work has highlighted the potential benefits of exploiting recent advances in many-objective optimization and direct policy search (DPS) to aid in addressing these systems' multi-sector demand tradeoffs. This study contributes to a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of multi-objective evolutionary optimization algorithms (MOEAs) efficiency, effectiveness, reliability, and controllability when supporting DPS for the Conowingo dam in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin. The Lower Susquehanna River is an interstate water body that has been subject to intensive water management efforts due to the system's competing demands from urban water supply, atomic power plant cooling, hydropower production, and federally regulated environmental flows. Seven benchmark and state-of-the-art MOEAs are tested on deterministic and stochastic instances of the Susquehanna test case. In the deterministic formulation, the operating objectives are evaluated over the historical realization of the hydroclimatic variables (i.e., inflows and evaporation rates). In the stochastic formulation, the same objectives are instead evaluated over an ensemble of stochastic inflows and evaporation rates realizations. The algorithms are evaluated in their ability to support DPS in discovering reservoir operations that compose the tradeoffs for six multi-sector performance objectives with thirty-two decision variables. Our diagnostic results highlight that many-objective DPS is very challenging for modern MOEAs and that epsilon dominance is critical for attaining high levels of performance. Epsilon dominance algorithms epsilon-MOEA, epsilon-NSGAII and the auto adaptive Borg MOEA, are statistically superior for the six-objective Susquehanna instance of this important class of problems. Additionally, shifting from deterministic history-based DPS to stochastic DPS significantly increases the difficulty of the problem.

Integration of object-oriented knowledge representation with the CLIPS rule based system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logie, David S.; Kamil, Hasan

1990-01-01

The paper describes a portion of the work aimed at developing an integrated, knowledge based environment for the development of engineering-oriented applications. An Object Representation Language (ORL) was implemented in C++ which is used to build and modify an object-oriented knowledge base. The ORL was designed in such a way so as to be easily integrated with other representation schemes that could effectively reason with the object base. Specifically, the integration of the ORL with the rule based system C Language Production Systems (CLIPS), developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center, will be discussed. The object-oriented knowledge representation provides a natural means of representing problem data as a collection of related objects. Objects are comprised of descriptive properties and interrelationships. The object-oriented model promotes efficient handling of the problem data by allowing knowledge to be encapsulated in objects. Data is inherited through an object network via the relationship links. Together, the two schemes complement each other in that the object-oriented approach efficiently handles problem data while the rule based knowledge is used to simulate the reasoning process. Alone, the object based knowledge is little more than an object-oriented data storage scheme; however, the CLIPS inference engine adds the mechanism to directly and automatically reason with that knowledge. In this hybrid scheme, the expert system dynamically queries for data and can modify the object base with complete access to all the functionality of the ORL from rules.

An object-oriented computational model to study cardiopulmonary hemodynamic interactions in humans.

PubMed

Ngo, Chuong; Dahlmanns, Stephan; Vollmer, Thomas; Misgeld, Berno; Leonhardt, Steffen

2018-06-01

This work introduces an object-oriented computational model to study cardiopulmonary interactions in humans. Modeling was performed in object-oriented programing language Matlab Simscape, where model components are connected with each other through physical connections. Constitutive and phenomenological equations of model elements are implemented based on their non-linear pressure-volume or pressure-flow relationship. The model includes more than 30 physiological compartments, which belong either to the cardiovascular or respiratory system. The model considers non-linear behaviors of veins, pulmonary capillaries, collapsible airways, alveoli, and the chest wall. Model parameters were derisved based on literature values. Model validation was performed by comparing simulation results with clinical and animal data reported in literature. The model is able to provide quantitative values of alveolar, pleural, interstitial, aortic and ventricular pressures, as well as heart and lung volumes during spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation. Results of baseline simulation demonstrate the consistency of the assigned parameters. Simulation results during mechanical ventilation with PEEP trials can be directly compared with animal and clinical data given in literature. Object-oriented programming languages can be used to model interconnected systems including model non-linearities. The model provides a useful tool to investigate cardiopulmonary activity during spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear dynamics in the perceptual grouping of connected surfaces.

PubMed

Hock, Howard S; Schöner, Gregor

2016-09-01

Evidence obtained using the dynamic grouping method has shown that the grouping of an object's connected surfaces has properties characteristic of a nonlinear dynamical system. When a surface's luminance changes, one of its boundaries is perceived moving across the surface. The direction of this dynamic grouping (DG) motion indicates which of two flanking surfaces has been grouped with the changing surface. A quantitative measure of overall grouping strength (affinity) for adjacent surfaces is provided by the frequency of DG motion perception in directions promoted by the grouping variables. It was found that: (1) variables affecting surface grouping for three-surface objects evolve over time, settling at stable levels within a single fixation, (2) how often DG motion is perceived when a surface's luminance is perturbed (changed) depends on the pre-perturbation affinity state of the surface grouping, (3) grouping variables promoting the same surface grouping combine cooperatively and nonlinearly (super-additively) in determining the surface grouping's affinity, (4) different DG motion directions during different trials indicate that surface grouping can be bistable, which implies that inhibitory interactions have stabilized one of two alternative surface groupings, and (5) when alternative surface groupings have identical affinity, stochastic fluctuations can break the symmetry and inhibitory interactions can then stabilize one of the surface groupings, providing affinity levels are not too high (which results in bidirectional DG motion). A surface-grouping network is proposed within which boundaries vary in salience. Low salience or suppressed boundaries instantiate surface grouping, and DG motion results from changes in boundary salience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composite structural materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansell, G. S.; Loewy, R. G.; Wiberley, S. E.

1981-01-01

The composite aircraft program component (CAPCOMP) is a graduate level project conducted in parallel with a composite structures program. The composite aircraft program glider (CAPGLIDE) is an undergraduate demonstration project which has as its objectives the design, fabrication, and testing of a foot launched ultralight glider using composite structures. The objective of the computer aided design (COMPAD) portion of the composites project is to provide computer tools for the analysis and design of composite structures. The major thrust of COMPAD is in the finite element area with effort directed at implementing finite element analysis capabilities and developing interactive graphics preprocessing and postprocessing capabilities. The criteria for selecting research projects to be conducted under the innovative and supporting research (INSURE) program are described.

Subaru studies of the cosmic dawn

PubMed Central

IYE, Masanori

2011-01-01

An overview on the current status of the census of the early Universe population is given. Observational surveys of high redshift objects provide direct opportunities to study the early epoch of the Universe. The target population included are Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAE), Lyman Break Galaxies (LBG), gravitationally lensed galaxies, quasars and gamma-ray bursts (GRB). The basic properties of these objects and the methods used to study them are reviewed. The present paper highlights the fact that the Subaru Telescope group made significant contributions in this field of science to elucidate the epoch of the cosmic dawn and to improve the understanding of how and when infant galaxies evolve into mature ones. PMID:22075759

Connecting a cognitive architecture to robotic perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurup, Unmesh; Lebiere, Christian; Stentz, Anthony; Hebert, Martial

2012-06-01

We present an integrated architecture in which perception and cognition interact and provide information to each other leading to improved performance in real-world situations. Our system integrates the Felzenswalb et. al. object-detection algorithm with the ACT-R cognitive architecture. The targeted task is to predict and classify pedestrian behavior in a checkpoint scenario, most specifically to discriminate between normal versus checkpoint-avoiding behavior. The Felzenswalb algorithm is a learning-based algorithm for detecting and localizing objects in images. ACT-R is a cognitive architecture that has been successfully used to model human cognition with a high degree of fidelity on tasks ranging from basic decision-making to the control of complex systems such as driving or air traffic control. The Felzenswalb algorithm detects pedestrians in the image and provides ACT-R a set of features based primarily on their locations. ACT-R uses its pattern-matching capabilities, specifically its partial-matching and blending mechanisms, to track objects across multiple images and classify their behavior based on the sequence of observed features. ACT-R also provides feedback to the Felzenswalb algorithm in the form of expected object locations that allow the algorithm to eliminate false-positives and improve its overall performance. This capability is an instance of the benefits pursued in developing a richer interaction between bottom-up perceptual processes and top-down goal-directed cognition. We trained the system on individual behaviors (only one person in the scene) and evaluated its performance across single and multiple behavior sets.

Structural Optimization of a Force Balance Using a Computational Experiment Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, P. A.; DeLoach, R.

2002-01-01

This paper proposes a new approach to force balance structural optimization featuring a computational experiment design. Currently, this multi-dimensional design process requires the designer to perform a simplification by executing parameter studies on a small subset of design variables. This one-factor-at-a-time approach varies a single variable while holding all others at a constant level. Consequently, subtle interactions among the design variables, which can be exploited to achieve the design objectives, are undetected. The proposed method combines Modern Design of Experiments techniques to direct the exploration of the multi-dimensional design space, and a finite element analysis code to generate the experimental data. To efficiently search for an optimum combination of design variables and minimize the computational resources, a sequential design strategy was employed. Experimental results from the optimization of a non-traditional force balance measurement section are presented. An approach to overcome the unique problems associated with the simultaneous optimization of multiple response criteria is described. A quantitative single-point design procedure that reflects the designer's subjective impression of the relative importance of various design objectives, and a graphical multi-response optimization procedure that provides further insights into available tradeoffs among competing design objectives are illustrated. The proposed method enhances the intuition and experience of the designer by providing new perspectives on the relationships between the design variables and the competing design objectives providing a systematic foundation for advancements in structural design.

CICT Computing, Information, and Communications Technology Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laufenberg, Lawrence; Tu, Eugene (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The CICT Program is part of the NASA Aerospace Technology Enterprise's fundamental technology thrust to develop tools. processes, and technologies that enable new aerospace system capabilities and missions. The CICT Program's four key objectives are: Provide seamless access to NASA resources- including ground-, air-, and space-based distributed information technology resources-so that NASA scientists and engineers can more easily control missions, make new scientific discoveries, and design the next-generation space vehicles, provide high-data delivery from these assets directly to users for missions, develop goal-oriented human-centered systems, and research, develop and evaluate revolutionary technology.

Negative Capacitance in BaTiO3/BiFeO3 Bilayer Capacitors.

PubMed

Hou, Ya-Fei; Li, Wei-Li; Zhang, Tian-Dong; Yu, Yang; Han, Ren-Lu; Fei, Wei-Dong

2016-08-31

Negative capacitances provide an approach to reduce heat generations in field-effect transistors during the switch processes, which contributes to further miniaturization of the conventional integrated circuits. Although there are many studies about negative capacitances using ferroelectric materials, the direct observation of stable ferroelectric negative capacitances has rarely been reported. Here, we put forward a dc bias assistant model in bilayer capacitors, where one ferroelectric layer with large dielectric constant and the other ferroelectric layer with small dielectric constant are needed. Negative capacitances can be obtained when external dc bias electric fields are larger than a critical value. Based on the model, BaTiO3/BiFeO3 bilayer capacitors are chosen as study objects, and negative capacitances are observed directly. Additionally, the upward self-polarization effect in the ferroelectric layer reduces the critical electric field, which may provide a method for realizing zero and/or small dc bias assistant negative capacitances.

Anatomical connections of the functionally-defined “face patches” in the macaque monkey

PubMed Central

Saleem, Kadharbatcha S.

2017-01-01

The neural circuits underlying face recognition provide a model for understanding visual object representation, social cognition, and hierarchical information processing. A fundamental piece of information lacking to date is the detailed anatomical connections of the face patches. Here, we injected retrograde tracers into four different face patches (PL, ML, AL, AM) to characterize their anatomical connectivity. We found that the patches are strongly and specifically connected to each other, and individual patches receive inputs from extrastriate cortex, the medial temporal lobe, and three subcortical structures (the pulvinar, claustrum, and amygdala). Inputs from prefrontal cortex were surprisingly weak. Patches were densely interconnected to one another in both feedforward and feedback directions, inconsistent with a serial hierarchy. These results provide the first direct anatomical evidence that the face patches constitute a highly specialized system, and suggest that subcortical regions may play a vital role in routing face-related information to subsequent processing stages. PMID:27263973

A Systematic Review of Strategies for Implementing Empirically Supported Mental Health Interventions

PubMed Central

Powell, Byron J.; Proctor, Enola K.; Glass, Joseph E.

2013-01-01

Objective This systematic review examines experimental studies that test the effectiveness of strategies intended to integrate empirically supported mental health interventions into routine care settings. Our goal was to characterize the state of the literature and to provide direction for future implementation studies. Methods A literature search was conducted using electronic databases and a manual search. Results Eleven studies were identified that tested implementation strategies with a randomized (n = 10) or controlled clinical trial design (n = 1). The wide range of clinical interventions, implementation strategies, and outcomes evaluated precluded meta-analysis. However, the majority of studies (n = 7; 64%) found a statistically significant effect in the hypothesized direction for at least one implementation or clinical outcome. Conclusions There is a clear need for more rigorous research on the effectiveness of implementation strategies, and we provide several suggestions that could improve this research area. PMID:24791131

Sizing Up the Situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Hailstorm damage to the Space Shuttle's External Tank inspired a NASA innovation with extensive photography applications. In order to measure the defects caused by the storm, Kennedy Space Center used telephoto lenses to zoom in on the tank and view the damage clearly. However, since there was no reference object in the image, the engineers could not determine the scale of the damage. In photographic situations similar to this, an object, such as a ruler, is placed within the field of view. This allows a person to look at a photograph and have a visual indication of the scale of the objects in it. In the External Tank situation, however, this procedure was not possible. As a solution, Kennedy developed the Scaling and Measurement Device for Photographic Images, which provides a non-intrusive means of adding a scale to a photograph. In addition to meeting Kennedy's needs, scaling images is extremely important in crime and accident scene investigations, oil and chemical tank monitoring, and aerial photography. The innovation consists of a tool that attaches directly to a camera or charge coupled device using a standard screw. Two lasers fitted to the device provide parallel beams that are set 1 inch apart. These lasers enable the device to project a pattern into the field of view. When a photograph is taken, the image of the laser pattern appears, along with the image of the object under investigation, allowing the viewer quantifiable information as to the size of the object. The laser beams are accurate to approximately 200 feet. Windows-based software was developed to work with the scaling device tool. The software provides further techniques to measure objects in photographs and digital images. By using the software, any object in the image can be measured diagonally, vertically, and horizontally. The device and its software enable the user to determine two-dimensional measurements within a photograph.

Active localization of virtual sounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loomis, Jack M.; Hebert, C.; Cicinelli, J. G.

1991-01-01

We describe a virtual sound display built around a 12 MHz 80286 microcomputer and special purpose analog hardware. The display implements most of the primary cues for sound localization in the ear-level plane. Static information about direction is conveyed by interaural time differences and, for frequencies above 1800 Hz, by head sound shadow (interaural intensity differences) and pinna sound shadow. Static information about distance is conveyed by variation in sound pressure (first power law) for all frequencies, by additional attenuation in the higher frequencies (simulating atmospheric absorption), and by the proportion of direct to reverberant sound. When the user actively locomotes, the changing angular position of the source occasioned by head rotations provides further information about direction and the changing angular velocity produced by head translations (motion parallax) provides further information about distance. Judging both from informal observations by users and from objective data obtained in an experiment on homing to virtual and real sounds, we conclude that simple displays such as this are effective in creating the perception of external sounds to which subjects can home with accuracy and ease.

Amesos2 and Belos: Direct and Iterative Solvers for Large Sparse Linear Systems

DOE PAGES

Bavier, Eric; Hoemmen, Mark; Rajamanickam, Sivasankaran; ...

2012-01-01

Solvers for large sparse linear systems come in two categories: direct and iterative. Amesos2, a package in the Trilinos software project, provides direct methods, and Belos, another Trilinos package, provides iterative methods. Amesos2 offers a common interface to many different sparse matrix factorization codes, and can handle any implementation of sparse matrices and vectors, via an easy-to-extend C++ traits interface. It can also factor matrices whose entries have arbitrary “Scalar” type, enabling extended-precision and mixed-precision algorithms. Belos includes many different iterative methods for solving large sparse linear systems and least-squares problems. Unlike competing iterative solver libraries, Belos completely decouples themore » algorithms from the implementations of the underlying linear algebra objects. This lets Belos exploit the latest hardware without changes to the code. Belos favors algorithms that solve higher-level problems, such as multiple simultaneous linear systems and sequences of related linear systems, faster than standard algorithms. The package also supports extended-precision and mixed-precision algorithms. Together, Amesos2 and Belos form a complete suite of sparse linear solvers.« less

Labeling Biomolecules with Radiorhenium - a Review of the Bifunctional Chelators

PubMed Central

Liu, Guozheng; Hnatowich, Donald J.

2007-01-01

For radiotherapy, biomolecules such as intact antibodies, antibody fragments, peptides, DNAs and other oligomers have all been labeled with radiorhenium (186Re and 188Re). Three different approaches have been employed that may be referred to as direct, indirect and integral labeling. Direct labeling applies to proteins and involves the initial reduction of endogenous disulfide bridges to provide chelation sites. Indirect labeling can apply to most biomolecules and involves the initial attachment of an exogenous chelator. Finally, integral labeling is a special case applying only to small molecules in which the metallic radionuclide serves to link two parts of a biomolecule together in forming the labeled complex. While the number of varieties for the direct and integral radiolabeling approaches is rather limited, a fairly large and diverse number of chelators have been reported in the case of indirect labeling. Our objective herein is to provide an overview of the various chelators that have been used in the indirect labeling of biomolecules with radiorhenium, including details on the labeling procedures, the stability of the radiolabel and, where possible, the influence of the label on biological properties. PMID:17504162

Characteristics of Gamma-Ray Loud Blazars in the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linford, J. D.; Taylor, G. B.; Romani, R. W.; Healey, S. E.; Helmboldt, J. F.; Readhead, A. C.; Reeves, R.; Richards, J. L.; Cotter, G.

2010-01-01

The radio properties of blazars detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have been observed as part of the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey. This large, flux-limited sample of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) provides insights into the mechanism that produces strong gamma-ray emission. At lower flux levels, radio flux density does not directly correlate with gamma-ray flux. We find that the LAT-detected BL Lac objects tend to be similar to the non-LAT BL Lac objects, but that the LAT-detected FSRQs are often significantly different from the non-LAT FSRQs. The differences between the gamma-ray loud and quiet FSRQS can be explained by Doppler boosting; these objects appear to require larger Doppler factors than those of the BL Lac objects. It is possible that the gamma-ray loud FSRQs are fundamentally different from the gamma-ray quiet FSRQs. Strong polarization at the base of the jet appears to be a signature for gamma-ray loud AGNs.

Post-Newtonian equations of motion for LEO debris objects and space-based acquisition, pointing and tracking laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambi, J. M.; García del Pino, M. L.; Gschwindl, J.; Weinmüller, E. B.

2017-12-01

This paper deals with the problem of throwing middle-sized low Earth orbit debris objects into the atmosphere via laser ablation. The post-Newtonian equations here provided allow (hypothetical) space-based acquisition, pointing and tracking systems endowed with very narrow laser beams to reach the pointing accuracy presently prescribed. In fact, whatever the orbital elements of these objects may be, these equations will allow the operators to account for the corrections needed to balance the deviations of the line of sight directions due to the curvature of the paths the laser beams are to travel along. To minimize the respective corrections, the systems will have to perform initial positioning manoeuvres, and the shooting point-ahead angles will have to be adapted in real time. The enclosed numerical experiments suggest that neglecting these measures will cause fatal errors, due to differences in the actual locations of the objects comparable to their size.

The Extrastriate Body Area Computes Desired Goal States during Action Planning123

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract How do object perception and action interact at a neural level? Here we test the hypothesis that perceptual features, processed by the ventral visuoperceptual stream, are used as priors by the dorsal visuomotor stream to specify goal-directed grasping actions. We present three main findings, which were obtained by combining time-resolved transcranial magnetic stimulation and kinematic tracking of grasp-and-rotate object manipulations, in a group of healthy human participants (N = 22). First, the extrastriate body area (EBA), in the ventral stream, provides an initial structure to motor plans, based on current and desired states of a grasped object and of the grasping hand. Second, the contributions of EBA are earlier in time than those of a caudal intraparietal region known to specify the action plan. Third, the contributions of EBA are particularly important when desired and current object configurations differ, and multiple courses of actions are possible. These findings specify the temporal and functional characteristics for a mechanism that integrates perceptual processing with motor planning. PMID:27066535

Spatial and symbolic queries for 3D image data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, Daniel C.; Zick, Gregory L.

1992-04-01

We present a query system for an object-oriented biomedical imaging database containing 3-D anatomical structures and their corresponding 2-D images. The graphical interface facilitates the formation of spatial queries, nonspatial or symbolic queries, and combined spatial/symbolic queries. A query editor is used for the creation and manipulation of 3-D query objects as volumes, surfaces, lines, and points. Symbolic predicates are formulated through a combination of text fields and multiple choice selections. Query results, which may include images, image contents, composite objects, graphics, and alphanumeric data, are displayed in multiple views. Objects returned by the query may be selected directly within the views for further inspection or modification, or for use as query objects in subsequent queries. Our image database query system provides visual feedback and manipulation of spatial query objects, multiple views of volume data, and the ability to combine spatial and symbolic queries. The system allows for incremental enhancement of existing objects and the addition of new objects and spatial relationships. The query system is designed for databases containing symbolic and spatial data. This paper discuses its application to data acquired in biomedical 3- D image reconstruction, but it is applicable to other areas such as CAD/CAM, geographical information systems, and computer vision.

Normalized Metadata Generation for Human Retrieval Using Multiple Video Surveillance Cameras.

PubMed

Jung, Jaehoon; Yoon, Inhye; Lee, Seungwon; Paik, Joonki

2016-06-24

Since it is impossible for surveillance personnel to keep monitoring videos from a multiple camera-based surveillance system, an efficient technique is needed to help recognize important situations by retrieving the metadata of an object-of-interest. In a multiple camera-based surveillance system, an object detected in a camera has a different shape in another camera, which is a critical issue of wide-range, real-time surveillance systems. In order to address the problem, this paper presents an object retrieval method by extracting the normalized metadata of an object-of-interest from multiple, heterogeneous cameras. The proposed metadata generation algorithm consists of three steps: (i) generation of a three-dimensional (3D) human model; (ii) human object-based automatic scene calibration; and (iii) metadata generation. More specifically, an appropriately-generated 3D human model provides the foot-to-head direction information that is used as the input of the automatic calibration of each camera. The normalized object information is used to retrieve an object-of-interest in a wide-range, multiple-camera surveillance system in the form of metadata. Experimental results show that the 3D human model matches the ground truth, and automatic calibration-based normalization of metadata enables a successful retrieval and tracking of a human object in the multiple-camera video surveillance system.

Normalized Metadata Generation for Human Retrieval Using Multiple Video Surveillance Cameras

PubMed Central

Jung, Jaehoon; Yoon, Inhye; Lee, Seungwon; Paik, Joonki

2016-01-01

Since it is impossible for surveillance personnel to keep monitoring videos from a multiple camera-based surveillance system, an efficient technique is needed to help recognize important situations by retrieving the metadata of an object-of-interest. In a multiple camera-based surveillance system, an object detected in a camera has a different shape in another camera, which is a critical issue of wide-range, real-time surveillance systems. In order to address the problem, this paper presents an object retrieval method by extracting the normalized metadata of an object-of-interest from multiple, heterogeneous cameras. The proposed metadata generation algorithm consists of three steps: (i) generation of a three-dimensional (3D) human model; (ii) human object-based automatic scene calibration; and (iii) metadata generation. More specifically, an appropriately-generated 3D human model provides the foot-to-head direction information that is used as the input of the automatic calibration of each camera. The normalized object information is used to retrieve an object-of-interest in a wide-range, multiple-camera surveillance system in the form of metadata. Experimental results show that the 3D human model matches the ground truth, and automatic calibration-based normalization of metadata enables a successful retrieval and tracking of a human object in the multiple-camera video surveillance system. PMID:27347961

Hyperspectral imaging simulation of object under sea-sky background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Biao; Lin, Jia-xuan; Gao, Wei; Yue, Hui

2016-10-01

Remote sensing image simulation plays an important role in spaceborne/airborne load demonstration and algorithm development. Hyperspectral imaging is valuable in marine monitoring, search and rescue. On the demand of spectral imaging of objects under the complex sea scene, physics based simulation method of spectral image of object under sea scene is proposed. On the development of an imaging simulation model considering object, background, atmosphere conditions, sensor, it is able to examine the influence of wind speed, atmosphere conditions and other environment factors change on spectral image quality under complex sea scene. Firstly, the sea scattering model is established based on the Philips sea spectral model, the rough surface scattering theory and the water volume scattering characteristics. The measured bi directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data of objects is fit to the statistical model. MODTRAN software is used to obtain solar illumination on the sea, sky brightness, the atmosphere transmittance from sea to sensor and atmosphere backscattered radiance, and Monte Carlo ray tracing method is used to calculate the sea surface object composite scattering and spectral image. Finally, the object spectrum is acquired by the space transformation, radiation degradation and adding the noise. The model connects the spectrum image with the environmental parameters, the object parameters, and the sensor parameters, which provide a tool for the load demonstration and algorithm development.

A model of proto-object based saliency

PubMed Central

Russell, Alexander F.; Mihalaş, Stefan; von der Heydt, Rudiger; Niebur, Ernst; Etienne-Cummings, Ralph

2013-01-01

Organisms use the process of selective attention to optimally allocate their computational resources to the instantaneously most relevant subsets of a visual scene, ensuring that they can parse the scene in real time. Many models of bottom-up attentional selection assume that elementary image features, like intensity, color and orientation, attract attention. Gestalt psychologists, how-ever, argue that humans perceive whole objects before they analyze individual features. This is supported by recent psychophysical studies that show that objects predict eye-fixations better than features. In this report we present a neurally inspired algorithm of object based, bottom-up attention. The model rivals the performance of state of the art non-biologically plausible feature based algorithms (and outperforms biologically plausible feature based algorithms) in its ability to predict perceptual saliency (eye fixations and subjective interest points) in natural scenes. The model achieves this by computing saliency as a function of proto-objects that establish the perceptual organization of the scene. All computational mechanisms of the algorithm have direct neural correlates, and our results provide evidence for the interface theory of attention. PMID:24184601

Iterative Region-of-Interest Reconstruction from Limited Data Using Prior Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogelgesang, Jonas; Schorr, Christian

2017-12-01

In practice, computed tomography and computed laminography applications suffer from incomplete data. In particular, when inspecting large objects with extremely different diameters in longitudinal and transversal directions or when high resolution reconstructions are desired, the physical conditions of the scanning system lead to restricted data and truncated projections, also known as the interior or region-of-interest (ROI) problem. To recover the searched-for density function of the inspected object, we derive a semi-discrete model of the ROI problem that inherently allows the incorporation of geometrical prior information in an abstract Hilbert space setting for bounded linear operators. Assuming that the attenuation inside the object is approximately constant, as for fibre reinforced plastics parts or homogeneous objects where one is interested in locating defects like cracks or porosities, we apply the semi-discrete Landweber-Kaczmarz method to recover the inner structure of the object inside the ROI from the measured data resulting in a semi-discrete iteration method. Finally, numerical experiments for three-dimensional tomographic applications with both an inherent restricted source and ROI problem are provided to verify the proposed method for the ROI reconstruction.

Topology optimization for design of segmented permanent magnet arrays with ferromagnetic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaewook; Yoon, Minho; Nomura, Tsuyoshi; Dede, Ercan M.

2018-03-01

This paper presents multi-material topology optimization for the co-design of permanent magnet segments and iron material. Specifically, a co-design methodology is proposed to find an optimal border of permanent magnet segments, a pattern of magnetization directions, and an iron shape. A material interpolation scheme is proposed for material property representation among air, permanent magnet, and iron materials. In this scheme, the permanent magnet strength and permeability are controlled by density design variables, and permanent magnet magnetization directions are controlled by angle design variables. In addition, a scheme to penalize intermediate magnetization direction is proposed to achieve segmented permanent magnet arrays with discrete magnetization directions. In this scheme, permanent magnet strength is controlled depending on magnetization direction, and consequently the final permanent magnet design converges into permanent magnet segments having target discrete directions. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, three design examples are provided. The examples include the design of a dipole Halbach cylinder, magnetic system with arbitrarily-shaped cavity, and multi-objective problem resembling a magnetic refrigeration device.

The costs and financing of perinatal care in the United States.

PubMed Central

Long, S H; Marquis, M S; Harrison, E R

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to estimate the aggregate annual costs of maternal and infant health care and to describe the flow of funds that finance that care. METHODS. Estimates of costs and financing based on household and provider surveys, third-party claims data, and hospital discharge data were combined into a single, best estimate. RESULTS. The total cost of perinatal care in 1989 was $27.8 billion, or $6850 per mother-infant pair. Payments made directly by patients or third parties for this care totaled $25.4 billion, or about 7% of personal health care spending by the nonaged population. Payments were less than costs because they did not include a value for direct delivery care or for bad debt and charity care, which accounted for $2.4 billion. Private insurance accounted for about 63% of total payments, and Medicaid accounted for 17% of the total. CONCLUSIONS. National health reform would provide windfall receipts to hospitals, which would receive payment for the considerable bad debt and charity care they provide. Reform might also provide short-term gains to providers as private payment rates are substituted for those of Medicaid. PMID:8092374

Determinants of patient loyalty to healthcare providers: An integrative review.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei-Jiao; Wan, Qiao-Qin; Liu, Cong-Ying; Feng, Xiao-Lin; Shang, Shao-Mei

2017-08-01

Patient loyalty is key to business success for healthcare providers and also for patient health outcomes. This study aims to identify determinants influencing patient loyalty to healthcare providers and propose an integrative conceptual model of the influencing factors. PubMed, CINAHL, OVID, ProQuest and Elsevier Science Direct databases were searched. Publications about determinants of patient loyalty to health providers were screened, and 13 articles were included. Date of publication, location of the research, sample details, objectives and findings/conclusions were extracted for 13 articles. Thirteen studies explored eight determinants: satisfaction, quality, value, hospital brand image, trust, commitment, organizational citizenship behavior and customer complaints. The integrated conceptual model comprising all the determinants demonstrated the significant positive direct impact of quality on satisfaction and value, satisfaction on trust and commitment, trust on commitment and loyalty, and brand image on quality and loyalty. This review identifies and models the determinants of patient loyalty to healthcare providers. Further studies are needed to explore the influence of trust, commitment, and switching barriers on patient loyalty. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Do reference surfaces influence exocentric pointing?

PubMed

Doumen, M J A; Kappers, A M L; Koenderink, J J

2008-06-01

All elements of the visual field are known to influence the perception of the egocentric distances of objects. Not only the ground surface of a scene, but also the surface at the back or other objects in the scene can affect an observer's egocentric distance estimation of an object. We tested whether this is also true for exocentric direction estimations. We used an exocentric pointing task to test whether the presence of poster-boards in the visual scene would influence the perception of the exocentric direction between two test-objects. In this task the observer has to direct a pointer, with a remote control, to a target. We placed the poster-boards at various positions in the visual field to test whether these boards would affect the settings of the observer. We found that they only affected the settings when they directly served as a reference for orienting the pointer to the target.

Thrust Direction Optimization: Satisfying Dawn's Attitude Agility Constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiffen, Gregory J.

2013-01-01

The science objective of NASA's Dawn Discovery mission is to explore the giant asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres, the two largest members of the main asteroid belt. Dawn successfully completed its orbital mission at Vesta. The Dawn spacecraft has complex, difficult to quantify, and in some cases severe limitations on its attitude agility. The low-thrust transfers between science orbits at Vesta required very complex time varying thrust directions due to the strong and complex gravity and various science objectives. Traditional low-thrust design objectives (like minimum change in velocity or minimum transfer time) often result in thrust direction time evolutions that cannot be accommodated with the attitude control system available on Dawn. This paper presents several new optimal control objectives, collectively called thrust direction optimization that were developed and turned out to be essential to the successful navigation of Dawn at Vesta.

Satellite Test Assistant Robot (STAR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcaffee, D. A.; Kerrisk, D. J.; Johnson, K. R.

1993-01-01

A three-year, three-phase program to demonstrate the applicability of telerobotic technology to the testing of satellites and other spacecraft has been initiated. Specifically, the objectives are to design, fabricate, and install into the JPL 25-ft. Space Simulator (SS) a system that will provide the capability to view test articles from all directions in both the visible and infrared (IR) spectral regions, to automatically map the solar flux intensity over the entire work volume of the chamber, and to provide the capability for leak detection. The first year's work, which provides a vertically mobile viewing platform equipped with stereo cameras, will be discussed. Design constraints and system implementation approaches mandated by the requirements of thermal vacuum operation will be emphasized.

Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods

DOEpatents

Miller, Jr., William H.; Sease, John D.; Hamel, William R.; Bradley, Ronnie A.

1978-01-01

An automatic inspection system is provided for determining surface defects on cylindrical objects such as nuclear fuel pellets or rods. The active element of the system is a compound ring having a plurality of pneumatic jet units directed into a central bore. These jet units are connected to provide multiple circuits, each circuit being provided with a pressure sensor. The outputs of the sensors are fed to a comparator circuit whereby a signal is generated when the difference of pressure between pneumatic circuits, caused by a defect, exceeds a pre-set amount. This signal may be used to divert the piece being inspected into a "reject" storage bin or the like.

Controlling the perceived distance of an auditory object by manipulation of loudspeaker directivity.

PubMed

Laitinen, Mikko-Ville; Politis, Archontis; Huhtakallio, Ilkka; Pulkki, Ville

2015-06-01

This work presents a method to control the perceived distance of an auditory object by changing the directivity pattern of a loudspeaker and consequently the direct-to-reverberant ratio at the listening spot. Control of the directivity pattern is achieved by beamforming using a compact multi-driver loudspeaker unit. A small-sized cubic array consisting of six drivers is assembled, and per driver beamforming filters are derived from directional measurements of the array. The proposed method is evaluated using formal listening tests. The results show that the perceived distance can be controlled effectively by directivity pattern modification.

Will Any Doll Do? 12-Month-Olds' Reasoning about Goal Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaepen, Elizabet; Spelke, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

Infants as young as 5 months of age view familiar actions such as reaching as goal-directed (Woodward, 1998), but how do they construe the goal of an actor's reach? Six experiments investigated whether 12-month-old infants represent reaching actions as directed to a particular individual object, to a narrowly defined object category (e.g., an…

Heterosis and direct effects for Charolais-sired calf weight and growth, cow weight and weight change, and ratios of cow and calf weights and weight changes across warm season lactation in Romosinuano, Angus, and F1 cows in A

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of Brahman in cow-calf production in the southeastern U.S. offers some adaptation to the harsh characteristics of endophyte-infected tall fescue. Other breeds, such as the Criollo breed Romosinuano, may provide similar adaptative characteristics. The objectives were to evaluate Romosinuano...

An AI approach for scheduling space-station payloads at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castillo, D.; Ihrie, D.; Mcdaniel, M.; Tilley, R.

1987-01-01

The Payload Processing for Space-Station Operations (PHITS) is a prototype modeling tool capable of addressing many Space Station related concerns. The system's object oriented design approach coupled with a powerful user interface provide the user with capabilities to easily define and model many applications. PHITS differs from many artificial intelligence based systems in that it couples scheduling and goal-directed simulation to ensure that on-orbit requirement dates are satisfied.

The Army Research Laboratory Presents Proceedings of the Advance Planning Briefing for Industry, Providing Technology to the Soldier

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-28

j- .FLI )ORO-EL.ASTOMERS BOOTS IF POLYMER-BLENDS SEALS COATINGS (rigid& flexible) PROGRAM FOCUS EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL AGENTS AND DECONTAMINANTS ON...threats: - Ballistic - Electronic Warfare - Nuclear - Chemical and Biological - Directed Energy GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Suiwabidy/Lefta Anasis Directorate...Proceedings APBI held at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, White Oak, Maryland on 27 - 28 January 1993 .STATEMENT 93-13681 Approved for Public Release; 1

Analytical determination of space station response to crew motion and design of suspension system for microgravity experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, F. C.

1986-01-01

The objective of this investigation is to make analytical determination of the acceleration produced by crew motion in an orbiting space station and define design parameters for the suspension system of microgravity experiments. A simple structural model for simulation of the IOC space station is proposed. Mathematical formulation of this model provides the engineers a simple and direct tool for designing an effective suspension system.

University of Wyoming, College of Engineering, undergraduate design projects to aid Wyoming persons with disabilities.

PubMed

Barrett, Steven F; Laurin, Kathy M; Bloom, Janet K Chidester

2003-01-01

In Spring 2002 the University of Wyoming received NSF funding from the Division of Bioengineering and Environmental Systems to provide a meaningful design experience for University of Wyoming, College of Engineering students that will directly aid individuals with disabilities within the state of Wyoming. Other universities have participated in this very worthwhile program [1, 2, 3]. To achieve the program purpose, the following objectives were established: Provide engineering students multi-disciplinary, meaningful, community service design projects, Provide persons with disabilities assistive devices to empower them to achieve the maximum individual growth and development and afford them the opportunity to participate in all aspects of life as they choose, Provide engineering students education and awareness on the special needs and challenges of persons with disabilities, and Provide undergraduate engineering students exposure to the biomedical field of engineering. To accomplish these objectives the College of Engineering partnered with three organizations that provide education and service related to disability. Specifically, the college has joined with the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND) assistive technology program, Wyoming New Options in Technology (WYNOT) and their Sports and Outdoor Assistive Recreation (SOAR) project along with the university's Special Education program. In this paper we will describe how the program was created, developed, and its current status.

Probabilistic Evaluation of Ecological and Economic Objectives of River Basin Management Reveals a Potential Flaw in the Goal Setting of the EU Water Framework Directive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hjerppe, Turo; Taskinen, Antti; Kotamäki, Niina; Malve, Olli; Kettunen, Juhani

2017-04-01

The biological status of European lakes has not improved as expected despite up-to-date legislation and ecological standards. As a result, the realism of objectives and the attainment of related ecological standards are under doubt. This paper gets to the bottom of a river basin management plan of a eutrophic lake in Finland and presents the ecological and economic impacts of environmental and societal drivers and planned management measures. For these purposes, we performed a Monte Carlo simulation of a diffuse nutrient load, lake water quality and cost-benefit models. Simulations were integrated into a Bayesian influence diagram that revealed the basic uncertainties. It turned out that the attainment of good ecological status as qualified in the Water Framework Directive of the European Union is unlikely within given socio-economic constraints. Therefore, management objectives and ecological and economic standards need to be reassessed and reset to provide a realistic goal setting for management. More effort should be put into the evaluation of the total monetary benefits and on the monitoring of lake phosphorus balances to reduce the uncertainties, and the resulting margin of safety and costs and risks of planned management measures.

Interactive Near-Field Illumination for Photorealistic Augmented Reality with Varying Materials on Mobile Devices.

PubMed

Rohmer, Kai; Buschel, Wolfgang; Dachselt, Raimund; Grosch, Thorsten

2015-12-01

At present, photorealistic augmentation is not yet possible since the computational power of mobile devices is insufficient. Even streaming solutions from stationary PCs cause a latency that affects user interactions considerably. Therefore, we introduce a differential rendering method that allows for a consistent illumination of the inserted virtual objects on mobile devices, avoiding delays. The computation effort is shared between a stationary PC and the mobile devices to make use of the capacities available on both sides. The method is designed such that only a minimum amount of data has to be transferred asynchronously between the participants. This allows for an interactive illumination of virtual objects with a consistent appearance under both temporally and spatially varying real illumination conditions. To describe the complex near-field illumination in an indoor scenario, HDR video cameras are used to capture the illumination from multiple directions. In this way, sources of illumination can be considered that are not directly visible to the mobile device because of occlusions and the limited field of view. While our method focuses on Lambertian materials, we also provide some initial approaches to approximate non-diffuse virtual objects and thereby allow for a wider field of application at nearly the same cost.

Probabilistic Evaluation of Ecological and Economic Objectives of River Basin Management Reveals a Potential Flaw in the Goal Setting of the EU Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Hjerppe, Turo; Taskinen, Antti; Kotamäki, Niina; Malve, Olli; Kettunen, Juhani

2017-04-01

The biological status of European lakes has not improved as expected despite up-to-date legislation and ecological standards. As a result, the realism of objectives and the attainment of related ecological standards are under doubt. This paper gets to the bottom of a river basin management plan of a eutrophic lake in Finland and presents the ecological and economic impacts of environmental and societal drivers and planned management measures. For these purposes, we performed a Monte Carlo simulation of a diffuse nutrient load, lake water quality and cost-benefit models. Simulations were integrated into a Bayesian influence diagram that revealed the basic uncertainties. It turned out that the attainment of good ecological status as qualified in the Water Framework Directive of the European Union is unlikely within given socio-economic constraints. Therefore, management objectives and ecological and economic standards need to be reassessed and reset to provide a realistic goal setting for management. More effort should be put into the evaluation of the total monetary benefits and on the monitoring of lake phosphorus balances to reduce the uncertainties, and the resulting margin of safety and costs and risks of planned management measures.

Turbulence modeling: Near-wall turbulence and effects of rotation on turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shih, T.-H.

1990-01-01

Many Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes solvers use closure models in conjunction with 'the law of the wall', rather than deal with a thin, viscous sublayer near the wall. This work is motivated by the need for better models to compute near wall turbulent flow. The authors use direct numerical simulation of fully developed channel flow and one of three dimensional turbulent boundary layer flow to develop new models. These direct numerical simulations provide detailed data that experimentalists have not been able to measure directly. Another objective of the work is to examine analytically the effects of rotation on turbulence, using Rapid Distortion Theory (RDT). This work was motivated by the observation that the pressure strain models in all current second order closure models are unable to predict the effects of rotation on turbulence.

Mother-Child Communication about Location: Giving and Following Directions for Finding Hidden Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plumert, Jodie M.; Haggerty, Kathryn A.; Mickunas, Andrew; Herzog, Lauren; Shadrick, Courtney

2012-01-01

We conducted 2 experiments to examine how mothers structure directions to young children for finding hidden objects and how young children use these directions to guide their searches. In Experiment 1, we examined the reference frames mothers use to communicate with their 2.5-, 3-, and 3.5-year-old children about location by asking mothers to…

Religion, Reason and Non-Directive Teaching: A Reply to Trevor Cooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hand, Michael

2014-01-01

In other work I have argued that decisions about what to teach directively and what non-directively should be governed by an epistemic criterion. Trevor Cooling has recently advanced some objections to my defence and application of the epistemic criterion and proposed an alternative to it. Here I reply to his objections and comment on his proposed…

Experience Report: Visual Programming in the Real World

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baroth, E.; Hartsough, C

1994-01-01

This paper reports direct experience with two commercial, widely used visual programming environments. While neither of these systems is object oriented, the tools have transformed the development process and indicate a direction for visual object oriented tools to proceed.

LES, DNS and RANS for the analysis of high-speed turbulent reacting flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Givi, Peyman

1994-01-01

The objective of this research is to continue our efforts in advancing the state of knowledge in Large Eddy Simulation (LES), Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS), and Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) methods for the analysis of high-speed reacting turbulent flows. In the first phase of this research, conducted within the past six months, focus was in three directions: RANS of turbulent reacting flows by Probability Density Function (PDF) methods, RANS of non-reacting turbulent flows by advanced turbulence closures, and LES of mixing dominated reacting flows by a dynamics subgrid closure. A summary of our efforts within the past six months of this research is provided in this semi-annual progress report.

EC Project 'GUIDELINES ON MPE': proposed qualification and curriculum frameworks and the MPE in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caruana, C. J.

2011-09-01

The objectives of EC project 'Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert' are to provide for improved implementation of the provisions relating to the Medical Physics Expert within Council Directive 97/43/EURATOM and the proposed recast Basic Safety Standards directive. This includes harmonisation of the mission statement for Medical Physics Services as well as the education and training of the MPE. It also includes detailed knowledge-skills-competence inventories for the Medical Physics Expert in each of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy. This paper presents the proposed Qualification and Curriculum Frameworks and their application to the Medical Physics Expert in Nuclear Medicine.

Motif-Synchronization: A new method for analysis of dynamic brain networks with EEG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosário, R. S.; Cardoso, P. T.; Muñoz, M. A.; Montoya, P.; Miranda, J. G. V.

2015-12-01

The major aim of this work was to propose a new association method known as Motif-Synchronization. This method was developed to provide information about the synchronization degree and direction between two nodes of a network by counting the number of occurrences of some patterns between any two time series. The second objective of this work was to present a new methodology for the analysis of dynamic brain networks, by combining the Time-Varying Graph (TVG) method with a directional association method. We further applied the new algorithms to a set of human electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to perform a dynamic analysis of the brain functional networks (BFN).

Differential effects of delay upon visually and haptically guided grasping and perceptual judgments.

PubMed

Pettypiece, Charles E; Culham, Jody C; Goodale, Melvyn A

2009-05-01

Experiments with visual illusions have revealed a dissociation between the systems that mediate object perception and those responsible for object-directed action. More recently, an experiment on a haptic version of the visual size-contrast illusion has provided evidence for the notion that the haptic modality shows a similar dissociation when grasping and estimating the size of objects in real-time. Here we present evidence suggesting that the similarities between the two modalities begin to break down once a delay is introduced between when people feel the target object and when they perform the grasp or estimation. In particular, when grasping after a delay in a haptic paradigm, people scale their grasps differently when the target is presented with a flanking object of a different size (although the difference does not reflect a size-contrast effect). When estimating after a delay, however, it appears that people ignore the size of the flanking objects entirely. This does not fit well with the results commonly found in visual experiments. Thus, introducing a delay reveals important differences in the way in which haptic and visual memories are stored and accessed.

Three-dimensional reconstruction from multiple reflected views within a realist painting: an application to Scott Fraser's "Three way vanitas"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Brandon M.; Stork, David G.; Zhang, Li

2009-01-01

The problem of reconstructing a three-dimensional scene from single or multiple views has been thoroughly studied in the computer vision literature, and recently has been applied to problems in the history of art. Criminisi pioneered the application of single-view metrology to reconstructing the fictive spaces in Renaissance paintings, such as the vault in Masaccio's Trinità and the plaza in Piero della Francesca's Flagellazione. While the vast majority of realist paintings provide but a single view, some provide multiple views, through mirrors depicted within their tableaus. The contemporary American realist Scott Fraser's Three way vanitas is a highly realistic still-life containing three mirrors; each mirror provides a new view of the objects in the tableau. We applied multiple-view reconstruction methods to the direct image and the images reflected by these mirrors to reconstruct the three-dimensional tableau. Our methods estimate virtual viewpoints for each view using the geometric constraints provided by the direct view of the mirror frames, along with the reflected images themselves. Moreover, our methods automatically discover inconsistencies between the different views, including ones that might elude careful scrutiny by eye, for example the fact that the height of the water in the glass differs between the direct view and that in the mirror at the right. We believe our work provides the first application of multiple-view reconstruction to a single painting and will have application to other paintings and questions in the history of art.

Three-dimensional surface contouring of macroscopic objects by means of phase-difference images.

PubMed

Velásquez Prieto, Daniel; Garcia-Sucerquia, Jorge

2006-09-01

We report a technique to determine the 3D contour of objects with dimensions of at least 4 orders of magnitude larger than the illumination optical wavelength. Our proposal is based on the numerical reconstruction of the optical wave field of digitally recorded holograms. The required modulo 2pi phase map in any contouring process is obtained by means of the direct subtraction of two phase-contrast images under different illumination angles to create a phase-difference image of a still object. Obtaining the phase-difference images is only possible by using the capability of numerical reconstruction of the complex optical field provided by digital holography. This unique characteristic leads us to a robust, reliable, and fast procedure that requires only two images. A theoretical analysis of the contouring system is shown, with verification by means of numerical and experimental results.

Recent Data Sets on Object Manipulation: A Survey.

PubMed

Huang, Yongqiang; Bianchi, Matteo; Liarokapis, Minas; Sun, Yu

2016-12-01

Data sets is crucial not only for model learning and evaluation but also to advance knowledge on human behavior, thus fostering mutual inspiration between neuroscience and robotics. However, choosing the right data set to use or creating a new data set is not an easy task, because of the variety of data that can be found in the related literature. The first step to tackle this issue is to collect and organize those that are available. In this work, we take a significant step forward by reviewing data sets that were published in the past 10 years and that are directly related to object manipulation and grasping. We report on modalities, activities, and annotations for each individual data set and we discuss our view on its use for object manipulation. We also compare the data sets and summarize them. Finally, we conclude the survey by providing suggestions and discussing the best practices for the creation of new data sets.

A new direction for dark matter research: intermediate-mass compact halo objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapline, George F.; Frampton, Paul H.

2016-11-01

The failure to find evidence for elementary particles that could serve as the constituents of dark matter brings to mind suggestions that dark matter might consist of massive compact objects (MACHOs). In particular, it has recently been argued that MACHOs with masses > 15Msolar may have been prolifically produced at the onset of the big bang. Although a variety of astrophysical signatures for primordial MACHOs with masses in this range have been discussed in the literature, we favor a strategy that uses the potential for magnification of stars outside our galaxy due to gravitational microlensing of these stars by MACHOs in the halo of our galaxy. We point out that the effect of the motion of the Earth on the shape of the micro-lensing brightening curves provides a promising approach to testing over the course of next several years the hypothesis that dark matter consists of massive compact objects.

Full-field 3D shape measurement of specular object having discontinuous surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zonghua; Huang, Shujun; Gao, Nan; Gao, Feng; Jiang, Xiangqian

2017-06-01

This paper presents a novel Phase Measuring Deflectometry (PMD) method to measure specular objects having discontinuous surfaces. A mathematical model is established to directly relate the absolute phase and depth, instead of the phase and gradient. Based on the model, a hardware measuring system has been set up, which consists of a precise translating stage, a projector, a diffuser and a camera. The stage locates the projector and the diffuser together to a known position during measurement. By using the model-based and machine vision methods, system calibration is accomplished to provide the required parameters and conditions. The verification tests are given to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed system. 3D (Three-Dimensional) shapes of a concave mirror and a monolithic multi-mirror array having multiple specular surfaces have been measured. Experimental results show that the proposed method can obtain 3D shape of specular objects having discontinuous surfaces effectively

Computation of the acoustic radiation force using the finite-difference time-domain method.

PubMed

Cai, Feiyan; Meng, Long; Jiang, Chunxiang; Pan, Yu; Zheng, Hairong

2010-10-01

The computational details related to calculating the acoustic radiation force on an object using a 2-D grid finite-difference time-domain method (FDTD) are presented. The method is based on propagating the stress and velocity fields through the grid and determining the energy flow with and without the object. The axial and radial acoustic radiation forces predicted by FDTD method are in excellent agreement with the results obtained by analytical evaluation of the scattering method. In particular, the results indicate that it is possible to trap the steel cylinder in the radial direction by optimizing the width of Gaussian source and the operation frequency. As the sizes of the relating objects are smaller than or comparable to wavelength, the algorithm presented here can be easily extended to 3-D and include torque computation algorithms, thus providing a highly flexible and universally usable computation engine.

Remotely adjustable fishing jar and method for using same

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

Wyatt, W.B.

1992-10-20

This patent describes a method for providing a jarring force to dislodge objects stuck in well bores, the method it comprises: connecting a jarring tool between an operating string and an object in a well bore; selecting a jarring force to be applied to the object; setting the selected reference jarring force into a mechanical memory mechanism by progressively engaging a first latch body and a second latch body; retaining the reference jarring force in the mechanical memory mechanism during diminution of tensional force applied by the operating string; and initiating an upwardly directed impact force within the jarring toolmore » by increasing tensional force on the operating string to a value greater than the tensional force corresponding with the selected jarring force. This patent also describes a remotely adjustable downhole fishing jar apparatus comprising: an operating mandrel; an impact release spring; a mechanical memory mechanism; and releasable latching means.« less

Of animals and objects: men's implicit dehumanization of women and likelihood of sexual aggression.

PubMed

Rudman, Laurie A; Mescher, Kris

2012-06-01

Although dehumanizing women and male sexual aggression are theoretically aligned, the present research provides the first direct support for this assumption, using the Implicit Association Test to assess two forms of female dehumanization: animalization and objectification. In Study 1, men who automatically associated women more than men with primitive constructs (e.g., animals, instinct, nature) were more willing to rape and sexually harass women, and to report negative attitudes toward female rape victims. In Study 2, men who automatically associated women with animals (e.g., animals, paw, snout) more than with humans scored higher on a rape-behavioral analogue, as well as rape proclivity. Automatically objectifying women by associating them with objects, tools, and things was also positively correlated with men's rape proclivity. In concert, the research demonstrates that men who implicitly dehumanize women (as either animals or objects) are also likely to sexually victimize them.

EEG source space analysis of the supervised factor analytic approach for the classification of multi-directional arm movement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shenoy Handiru, Vikram; Vinod, A. P.; Guan, Cuntai

2017-08-01

Objective. In electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems for motor control tasks the conventional practice is to decode motor intentions by using scalp EEG. However, scalp EEG only reveals certain limited information about the complex tasks of movement with a higher degree of freedom. Therefore, our objective is to investigate the effectiveness of source-space EEG in extracting relevant features that discriminate arm movement in multiple directions. Approach. We have proposed a novel feature extraction algorithm based on supervised factor analysis that models the data from source-space EEG. To this end, we computed the features from the source dipoles confined to Brodmann areas of interest (BA4a, BA4p and BA6). Further, we embedded class-wise labels of multi-direction (multi-class) source-space EEG to an unsupervised factor analysis to make it into a supervised learning method. Main Results. Our approach provided an average decoding accuracy of 71% for the classification of hand movement in four orthogonal directions, that is significantly higher (>10%) than the classification accuracy obtained using state-of-the-art spatial pattern features in sensor space. Also, the group analysis on the spectral characteristics of source-space EEG indicates that the slow cortical potentials from a set of cortical source dipoles reveal discriminative information regarding the movement parameter, direction. Significance. This study presents evidence that low-frequency components in the source space play an important role in movement kinematics, and thus it may lead to new strategies for BCI-based neurorehabilitation.

The Walla Walla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project : Progress Report, 1999-2002.

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

Contor, Craig R.; Sexton, Amy D.

2003-06-02

The Walla Walla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project (WWNPME) was funded by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as directed by section 4(h) of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 (P. L. 96-501). This project is in accordance with and pursuant to measures 4.2A, 4.3C.1, 7.1A.2, 7.1C.3, 7.1C.4 and 7.1D.2 of the Northwest Power Planning Council's (NPPC) Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (NPPC 1994). Work was conducted by the Fisheries Program of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) under the Walla Walla Basin Natural Production Monitoring and Evaluation Project (WWNPME).more » Chapter One provides an overview of the entire report and how the objectives of each statement of work from 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 contract years are organized and reported. Chapter One also provides background information relevant to the aquatic resources of the Walla Walla River Basin. Objectives are outlined below for the statements of work for the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 contract years. The same objectives were sometimes given different numbers in different years. Because this document is a synthesis of four years of reporting, we gave objectives letter designations and listed the objective number associated with the statement of work for each year. Some objectives were in all four work statements, while other objectives were in only one or two work statements. Each objective is discussed in a chapter. The chapter that reports activities and findings of each objective are listed with the objective below. Because data is often interrelated, aspects of some findings may be reported or discussed in more than one chapter. Specifics related to tasks, approaches, methods, results and discussion are addressed in the individual chapters.« less