42 CFR 422.626 - Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Fast-track appeals of service terminations to... ADVANTAGE PROGRAM Grievances, Organization Determinations and Appeals § 422.626 Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs). (a) Enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal of...

42 CFR 422.626 - Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Fast-track appeals of service terminations to... ADVANTAGE PROGRAM Grievances, Organization Determinations and Appeals § 422.626 Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs). (a) Enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal of...

42 CFR 422.626 - Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Fast-track appeals of service terminations to... ADVANTAGE PROGRAM Grievances, Organization Determinations and Appeals § 422.626 Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs). (a) Enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal of...

42 CFR 422.626 - Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Grievances, Organization Determinations and Appeals § 422.626 Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs). (a) Enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal of an MA organization's termination decision. An enrollee of an MA organization has a right to a fast-track appeal of an MA...

42 CFR 422.626 - Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Fast-track appeals of service terminations to... Grievances, Organization Determinations and Appeals § 422.626 Fast-track appeals of service terminations to independent review entities (IREs). (a) Enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal of an MA organization's...

The use of a break-even analysis: financial analysis of a fast-track program.

PubMed

Saywell, R M; Cordell, W H; Nyhuis, A W; Giles, B K; Culler, S D; Woods, J R; Chu, D K; McKinzie, J P; Rodman, G H

1995-08-01

To calculate the financial break-even point and illustrate how changes in third-party reimbursement and eligibility could affect a program's fiscal standing. Demographic, clinical, and financial data were collected retrospectively for 446 patients treated in a fast-track program during June 1993. The fast-track program is located within the confines of the emergency medicine and trauma center at a 1,050-bed tertiary care Midwestern teaching hospital and provides urgent treatment to minimally ill patients. A financial break-even analysis was performed to determine the point where the program generated enough revenue to cover its total variable and fixed costs, both direct and indirect. Given the relatively low average collection rate (62%) and high percentage of uninsured patients (31%), the analysis showed that the program's revenues covered its direct costs but not all of the indirect costs. Examining collection rates or payer class mix without examining both costs and revenues may lead to an erroneous conclusion about a program's fiscal viability. Sensitivity analysis also shows that relatively small changes in third-party coverage or eligibility (income) requirements can have a large impact on the program's financial solvency and break-even volumes.

Fast track in hip arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Hansen, Torben Bæk

2017-01-01

‘Fast-track’ surgery was introduced more than 20 years ago and may be defined as a co-ordinated peri-operative approach aimed at reducing surgical stress and facilitating post-operative recovery.The fast-track programmes have now been introduced into total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery with reduction in post-operative length of stay, shorter convalescence and rapid functional recovery without increased morbidity and mortality. This has been achieved by focusing on a multidisciplinary collaboration and establishing ‘fast-track’ units, with a well-defined organisational set-up tailored to deliver an accelerated peri-operative course of fast-track surgical THA procedures.Fast-track THA surgery now works extremely well in the standard THA patient. However, all patients are different and fine-tuning of the multiple areas in fast-track pathways to get patients with special needs or high co-morbidity burden through a safe and effective fast-track THA pathway is important.In this narrative review, the principles of fast-track THA surgery are presented together with the present status of implementation and perspectives for further improvements. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160060. Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews.org PMID:28630756

Variation in 'fast-track' referrals for suspected cancer by patient characteristic and cancer diagnosis: evidence from 670 000 patients with cancers of 35 different sites.

PubMed

Zhou, Y; Mendonca, S C; Abel, G A; Hamilton, W; Walter, F M; Johnson, S; Shelton, J; Elliss-Brookes, L; McPhail, S; Lyratzopoulos, G

2018-01-01

In England, 'fast-track' (also known as 'two-week wait') general practitioner referrals for suspected cancer in symptomatic patients are used to shorten diagnostic intervals and are supported by clinical guidelines. However, the use of the fast-track pathway may vary for different patient groups. We examined data from 669 220 patients with 35 cancers diagnosed in 2006-2010 following either fast-track or 'routine' primary-to-secondary care referrals using 'Routes to Diagnosis' data. We estimated the proportion of fast-track referrals by sociodemographic characteristic and cancer site and used logistic regression to estimate respective crude and adjusted odds ratios. We additionally explored whether sociodemographic associations varied by cancer. There were large variations in the odds of fast-track referral by cancer (P<0.001). Patients with testicular and breast cancer were most likely to have been diagnosed after a fast-track referral (adjusted odds ratios 2.73 and 2.35, respectively, using rectal cancer as reference); whereas patients with brain cancer and leukaemias least likely (adjusted odds ratios 0.05 and 0.09, respectively, for brain cancer and acute myeloid leukaemia). There were sex, age and deprivation differences in the odds of fast-track referral (P<0.013) that varied in their size and direction for patients with different cancers (P<0.001). For example, fast-track referrals were least likely in younger women with endometrial cancer and in older men with testicular cancer. Fast-track referrals are less likely for cancers characterised by nonspecific presenting symptoms and patients belonging to low cancer incidence demographic groups. Interventions beyond clinical guidelines for 'alarm' symptoms are needed to improve diagnostic timeliness.

Cardiac surgery fast-track treatment in a postanesthetic care unit: six-month results of the Leipzig fast-track concept.

PubMed

Ender, Joerg; Borger, Michael Andrew; Scholz, Markus; Funkat, Anne-Kathrin; Anwar, Nadeem; Sommer, Marcus; Mohr, Friedrich Wilhelm; Fassl, Jens

2008-07-01

The authors compared the safety and efficacy of a newly developed fast-track concept at their center, including implementation of a direct admission postanesthetic care unit, to standard perioperative management. All fast-track patients treated within the first 6 months of implementation of our direct admission postanesthetic care unit were matched via propensity scores and compared with a historical control group of patients who underwent cardiac surgery prior to fast-track implementation. A total of 421 fast-track patients were matched successfully to 421 control patients. The two groups of patients had a similar age (64 +/- 13 vs. 64 +/- 12 yr for fast-track vs. control, P = 0.45) and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation-predicted risk of mortality (4.8 +/- 6.1% vs. 4.6 +/- 5.1%, P = 0.97). Fast-track patients had significantly shorter times to extubation (75 min [45-110] vs. 900 min [600-1140]), as well as shorter lengths of stay in the postanesthetic or intensive care unit (4 h [3.0-5] vs. 20 h [16-25]), intermediate care unit (21 h [17-39] vs. 26 h [19-49]), and hospital (10 days [8-12] vs. 11 days [9-14]) (expressed as median and interquartile range, all P < 0.01). Fast-track patients also had a lower risk of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (0.5% vs. 2.9%, P < 0.05) and mortality (0.5% vs. 3.3%, P < 0.01). The Leipzig fast-track protocol is a safe and effective method to manage cardiac surgery patients after a variety of operations.

Evidence against a speed limit in multiple-object tracking.

PubMed

Franconeri, S L; Lin, J Y; Pylyshyn, Z W; Fisher, B; Enns, J T

2008-08-01

Everyday tasks often require us to keep track of multiple objects in dynamic scenes. Past studies show that tracking becomes more difficult as objects move faster. In the present study, we show that this trade-off may not be due to increased speed itself but may, instead, be due to the increased crowding that usually accompanies increases in speed. Here, we isolate changes in speed from variations in crowding, by projecting a tracking display either onto a small area at the center of a hemispheric projection dome or onto the entire dome. Use of the larger display increased retinal image size and object speed by a factor of 4 but did not increase interobject crowding. Results showed that tracking accuracy was equally good in the large-display condition, even when the objects traveled far into the visual periphery. Accuracy was also not reduced when we tested object speeds that limited performance in the small-display condition. These results, along with a reinterpretation of past studies, suggest that we might be able to track multiple moving objects as fast as we can a single moving object, once the effect of object crowding is eliminated.

Using the online and offline change model to improve efficiency for fast-track patients in an emergency department.

PubMed

Docimo, A B; Pronovost, P J; Davis, R O; Concordia, E B; Gabrish, C M; Adessa, M S; Bessman, E

2000-09-01

In 1998 the emergency department (ED) Work Group at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (Baltimore) worked to reinvigorate the fast-track program within the ED to improve throughput for patients with minor illnesses and injuries who present for care. There had been two prior unsuccessful attempts to overhaul the fast-track process. The work group used a change model intended to improve both processes and relationships for complex organizational problems that span departments and functional units. Before the first work group meeting, the work group evaluated the institutional commitment to address the issue. The next step was to find data to fully understand the issues and establish a baseline for evaluating improvements--for example, patients with minor illnesses and injuries had excessively long total ED (registration to discharge) times: 5 hours 57 minutes on average for nonacute patients. ONLINE AND OFFLINE MEETINGS: The work group identified process problems, but relationship barriers became evident as the new processes were discussed. Yet offline work was needed to minimize the potential for online surprises. The work group leaders met separately in small groups with nursing staff, lab staff, x-ray staff, registrars, and physician's assistants to inform them of data, obtain input about process changes, and address any potential concerns. The group conducted four tests of change (using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles) to eliminate the root causes of slow turnaround identified previously. Total ED time decreased to an average of 1 hour 47 minutes; the practice of placing nonacute patients in fast track before all higher-acuity patients were seen gained acceptance. The percentage of higher-acuity patients sent to fast track decreased from 17% of all patients seen in fast track in January 1998 to 8.5% by February 1999. Patients with minor illnesses and injuries no longer had to wait behind higher-acuity patients just to be registered. The average wait for registration decreased from 42 minutes in January 1998 to 14 minutes in February 1999. Physician's assistant, nursing, and technician staff all report improved working relationships and feeling a team spirit. The offline component of the integrated model helped to improve organizational relationships and dialogue among team members, thereby facilitating the effectiveness of online efforts to improve processes. This model has also been applied to improve patient registration (revenue recovery) and the emergency transfer and admissions process.

Multiple feature fusion via covariance matrix for visual tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Zefenfen; Hou, Zhiqiang; Yu, Wangsheng; Wang, Xin; Sun, Hui

2018-04-01

Aiming at the problem of complicated dynamic scenes in visual target tracking, a multi-feature fusion tracking algorithm based on covariance matrix is proposed to improve the robustness of the tracking algorithm. In the frame-work of quantum genetic algorithm, this paper uses the region covariance descriptor to fuse the color, edge and texture features. It also uses a fast covariance intersection algorithm to update the model. The low dimension of region covariance descriptor, the fast convergence speed and strong global optimization ability of quantum genetic algorithm, and the fast computation of fast covariance intersection algorithm are used to improve the computational efficiency of fusion, matching, and updating process, so that the algorithm achieves a fast and effective multi-feature fusion tracking. The experiments prove that the proposed algorithm can not only achieve fast and robust tracking but also effectively handle interference of occlusion, rotation, deformation, motion blur and so on.

Super-resolution imaging applied to moving object tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swalaganata, Galandaru; Ratna Sulistyaningrum, Dwi; Setiyono, Budi

2017-10-01

Moving object tracking in a video is a method used to detect and analyze changes that occur in an object that being observed. Visual quality and the precision of the tracked target are highly wished in modern tracking system. The fact that the tracked object does not always seem clear causes the tracking result less precise. The reasons are low quality video, system noise, small object, and other factors. In order to improve the precision of the tracked object especially for small object, we propose a two step solution that integrates a super-resolution technique into tracking approach. First step is super-resolution imaging applied into frame sequences. This step was done by cropping the frame in several frame or all of frame. Second step is tracking the result of super-resolution images. Super-resolution image is a technique to obtain high-resolution images from low-resolution images. In this research single frame super-resolution technique is proposed for tracking approach. Single frame super-resolution was a kind of super-resolution that it has the advantage of fast computation time. The method used for tracking is Camshift. The advantages of Camshift was simple calculation based on HSV color that use its histogram for some condition and color of the object varies. The computational complexity and large memory requirements required for the implementation of super-resolution and tracking were reduced and the precision of the tracked target was good. Experiment showed that integrate a super-resolution imaging into tracking technique can track the object precisely with various background, shape changes of the object, and in a good light conditions.

Fast track multi-discipline treatment (FTMDT trial) versus conventional treatment in colorectal cancer--the design of a prospective randomized controlled study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Laparoscopy-assisted surgery, fast-track perioperative treatment are both increasingly used in colorectal cancer treatment, for their short-time benefits of enhanced recovery and short hospital stays. However, the benefits of the integration of the Laparoscopy-assisted surgery, fast-track perioperative treatment, and even with the Xelox chemotherapy, are still unknown. In this study, the three treatments integration is defined as "Fast Track Multi-Discipline Treatment Model" for colorectal cancer and this model extends the benefits to the whole treatment process of colorectal cancer. The main purpose of the study is to explore the feasibility of "Fast Track Multi-Discipline Treatment" model in treatment of colorectal cancer. Methods The trial is a prospective randomized controlled study with 2 × 2 balanced factorial design. Patients eligible for the study will be randomized to 4 groups: (I) Laparoscopic surgery with fast track perioperative treatment and Xelox chemotherapy; (II) Open surgery with fast track perioperative treatment and Xelox chemotherapy; (III) Laparoscopic surgery with conventional perioperative treatment and mFolfox6 chemotherapy; (IV) Open surgery with conventional perioperative treatment and mFolfox6 chemotherapy. The primary endpoint of this study is the hospital stays. The secondary endpoints are the quality of life, chemotherapy related adverse events, surgical complications and hospitalization costs. Totally, 340 patients will be enrolled with 85 patients in each group. Conclusions The study initiates a new treatment model "Fast Track Multi-Discipline Treatment" for colorectal cancer, and will provide feasibility evidence on the new model "Fast Track Multi-Discipline Treatment" for patients with colorectal cancer. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01080547 PMID:22111914

Variation in ‘fast-track’ referrals for suspected cancer by patient characteristic and cancer diagnosis: evidence from 670 000 patients with cancers of 35 different sites

PubMed Central

Zhou, Y; Mendonca, S C; Abel, G A; Hamilton, W; Walter, F M; Johnson, S; Shelton, J; Elliss-Brookes, L; McPhail, S; Lyratzopoulos, G

2018-01-01

Background: In England, ‘fast-track’ (also known as ‘two-week wait’) general practitioner referrals for suspected cancer in symptomatic patients are used to shorten diagnostic intervals and are supported by clinical guidelines. However, the use of the fast-track pathway may vary for different patient groups. Methods: We examined data from 669 220 patients with 35 cancers diagnosed in 2006–2010 following either fast-track or ‘routine’ primary-to-secondary care referrals using ‘Routes to Diagnosis’ data. We estimated the proportion of fast-track referrals by sociodemographic characteristic and cancer site and used logistic regression to estimate respective crude and adjusted odds ratios. We additionally explored whether sociodemographic associations varied by cancer. Results: There were large variations in the odds of fast-track referral by cancer (P<0.001). Patients with testicular and breast cancer were most likely to have been diagnosed after a fast-track referral (adjusted odds ratios 2.73 and 2.35, respectively, using rectal cancer as reference); whereas patients with brain cancer and leukaemias least likely (adjusted odds ratios 0.05 and 0.09, respectively, for brain cancer and acute myeloid leukaemia). There were sex, age and deprivation differences in the odds of fast-track referral (P<0.013) that varied in their size and direction for patients with different cancers (P<0.001). For example, fast-track referrals were least likely in younger women with endometrial cancer and in older men with testicular cancer. Conclusions: Fast-track referrals are less likely for cancers characterised by nonspecific presenting symptoms and patients belonging to low cancer incidence demographic groups. Interventions beyond clinical guidelines for ‘alarm’ symptoms are needed to improve diagnostic timeliness. PMID:29182609

76 FR 6369 - Changes To Implement the Prioritized Examination Track (Track I) of the Enhanced Examination...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-04

... (Track I), providing fast examination for applicants desiring it, upon payment of the applicable fee and... examiners or supervisory patent examiners, specialized examiner training for fast track processing...

"Fast Track" and "Traditional Path" Coaches: Affordances, Agency and Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rynne, Steven

2014-01-01

A recent development in large-scale coach accreditation (certification) structures has been the "fast tracking" of former elite athletes. Former elite athletes are often exempted from entry-level qualifications and are generally granted access to fast track courses that are shortened versions of the accreditation courses undertaken by…

18 CFR 385.206 - Complaints (Rule 206).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... electronic media as specified by the Secretary. (11) Explain with respect to requests for Fast Track... merits based upon the pleadings; (3) The Commission may establish a hearing before an ALJ; (h) Fast Track processing. (1) The Commission may resolve complaints using Fast Track procedures if the complaint requires...

18 CFR 385.206 - Complaints (Rule 206).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... electronic media as specified by the Secretary. (11) Explain with respect to requests for Fast Track... merits based upon the pleadings; (3) The Commission may establish a hearing before an ALJ; (h) Fast Track processing. (1) The Commission may resolve complaints using Fast Track procedures if the complaint requires...

[Fast-track treatment--second revolution of colorectal surgery].

PubMed

Kellokumpu, Ilmo

2012-01-01

The fast-track treatment model can be regarded as the second revolution of colorectal surgery after the introduction of laparoscopic surgery. In the gastro-surgical unit of the Central Hospital of Central Finland, results equivalent to international studies in colorectal surgery have been achieved by using fast-track model. In a study setting, this treatment model has resulted in significant decrease of total treatment costs and speeded up discharge of the patients from the hospital. The fast-track treatment model requires both a motivated, trained medical team and a motivated patient.

Fast Track Teaching: Beginning the Experiment in Accelerated Leadership Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churches, Richard; Hutchinson, Geraldine; Jones, Jeff

2009-01-01

This article provides an overview of the development of the Fast Track teaching programme and personalised nature of the training and support that has been delivered. Fast Track teacher promotion rates are compared to national statistics demonstrating significant progression for certain groups, particularly women. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)

Fast Track: A Language Arts Program for Middle School Gifted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Jean

2008-01-01

"Fast Track" is a pseudonym for an accelerated, advanced language arts program for verbally gifted and high potential students in grades 6-8. The critical thinking model used for "Fast Track" was gleaned from Coalition of Essential Schools founder Ted Sizer's Habits of Mind: significance, evidence, connections, perspective, and supposition, as…

76 FR 45261 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-28

... Request; Guidance for Industry: Fast Track Drug Development Programs: Designation, Development, and... information to OMB for review and clearance. Guidance for Industry: Fast Track Drug Development Programs... to industry on fast track policies and procedures outlined in section 506 of the FD&C Act. The...

A new approach for the screening of carotid lesions: a 'fast-track' method with the use of new generation hand-held ultrasound devices.

PubMed

Aboyans, V; Lacroix, P; Jeannicot, A; Guilloux, J; Bertin, F; Laskar, M

2004-09-01

We assessed the usefulness of fast-track neck sonography with a new-generation hand-held ultrasound scanner in the detection of > or =60% carotid stenosis. Patients with a past history of atherosclerotic disease or presence of risk factors were enrolled. All had fast-track carotid screening with a hand-held ultrasound scanner. Initial assessment was performed with our quick imaging protocol. A second examiner performed a conventional complete carotid duplex as gold-standard. We enrolled 197 consecutive patients with a mean age of 67 years (range 35-94). A carotid stenosis >60% was detected in 13 cases (6%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of fast-track sonography was 100%, 64%, 17% and 100%, respectively. Concomitant power Doppler imaging during the fast-track method did not improve accuracy. The use of a fast-track method with a hand-held ultrasound device can reduce the number of unnecessary carotid Duplex and enhance the screening efficiency without missing significant carotid stenoses.

Effect of an emergency department fast track on Press-Ganey patient satisfaction scores.

PubMed

Hwang, Calvin E; Lipman, Grant S; Kane, Marlena

2015-01-01

Mandated patient surveys have become an integral part of Medicare remuneration, putting hundreds of millions of dollars in funding at risk. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a patient experience survey for the emergency department (ED). Development of an ED Fast Track, where lower acuity patients are rapidly seen, has been shown to improve many of the metrics that CMS examines. This is the first study examining if ED Fast Track implementation affects Press-Ganey scores of patient satisfaction. We analyzed returned Press-Ganey questionnaires from all ESI 4 and 5 patients seen 11AM - 1PM, August-December 2011 (pre-fast track), and during the identical hours of fast track, August-December 2012. Raw ordinal scores were converted to continuous scores for paired student t-test analysis. We calculated an odds ratio with 100% satisfaction considered a positive response. An academic ED with 52,000 annual visits had 140 pre-fast track and 85 fast track respondents. Implementation of a fast track significantly increased patient satisfaction with the following: wait times (68% satisfaction to 88%, OR 4.13, 95% CI [2.32-7.33]), doctor courtesy (90% to 95%, OR 1.97, 95% CI [1.04-3.73]), nurse courtesy (87% to 95%, OR 2.75, 95% CI [1.46-5.15]), pain control (79% to 87%, OR 2.13, 95% CI [1.16-3.92]), likelihood to recommend (81% to 90%, OR 2.62, 95% CI [1.42-4.83]), staff caring (82% to 91%, OR 2.82, 95% CI [1.54-5.19]), and staying informed about delays (66% to 83%, OR 3.00, 95% CI [1.65-5.44]). Implementation of an ED Fast Track more than doubled the odds of significant improvements in Press-Ganey patient satisfaction metrics and may play an important role in improving ED performance on CMS benchmarks.

Analysis of a spatial tracking subsystem for optical communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Win, Moe Z.; Chen, CHIEN-C.

1992-01-01

Spatial tracking plays a very critical role in designing optical communication systems because of the small angular beamwidth associated with the optical signal. One possible solution for spatial tracking is to use a nutating mirror which dithers the incoming beam at a rate much higher than the mechanical disturbances. A power detector then senses the change in detected power as the signal is reflected off the nutating mirror. This signal is then correlated with the nutator driver signals to obtain estimates of the azimuth and elevation tracking signals to control the fast scanning mirrors. A theoretical analysis is performed for a spatial tracking system using a nutator disturbed by shot noise and mechanical vibrations. Contributions of shot noise and mechanical vibrations to the total tracking error variance are derived. Given the vibration spectrum and the expected signal power, there exists an optimal amplitude for the nutation which optimizes the receiver performance. The expected performance of a nutator based system is estimated based on the choice of nutation amplitude.

Convolutional networks for vehicle track segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quach, Tu-Thach

2017-10-01

Existing methods to detect vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images taken at different times of the same scene, rely on simple and fast models to label track pixels. These models, however, are unable to capture natural track features, such as continuity and parallelism. More powerful but computationally expensive models can be used in offline settings. We present an approach that uses dilated convolutional networks consisting of a series of 3×3 convolutions to segment vehicle tracks. The design of our networks considers the fact that remote sensing applications tend to operate in low power and have limited training data. As a result, we aim for small and efficient networks that can be trained end-to-end to learn natural track features entirely from limited training data. We demonstrate that our six-layer network, trained on just 90 images, is computationally efficient and improves the F-score on a standard dataset to 0.992, up from 0.959 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.

Time-Resolved CubeSat Photometry with a Low Cost Electro-Optics System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasdia, F.; Barjatya, A.; Bilardi, S.

2016-09-01

Once the orbits of small debris or CubeSats are determined, optical rate-track follow-up observations can provide information for characterization or identification of these objects. Using the Celestron 11" RASA telescope and an inexpensive CMOS machine vision camera, we have obtained time-series photometry from dozens of passes of small satellites and CubeSats over sites in Florida and Massachusetts. The fast readout time of the CMOS detector allows temporally resolved sampling of glints from small wire antennae and structural facets of rapidly tumbling objects. Because the shape of most CubeSats is known, these light curves can be used in a mission support function for small satellite operators to diagnose or verify the proper functioning of an attitude control system or deployed antenna or instrument. We call this telescope system and the accompanying analysis tools OSCOM for Optical tracking and Spectral characterization of CubeSats for Operational Missions. We introduce the capability of OSCOM for space object characterization, and present photometric observations demonstrating the potential of high frame rate small satellite photometry.

Bounded tracking for nonminimum phase nonlinear systems with fast zero dynamics

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-12-01

A PostScript file. In this paper, tracking control laws for nonminimum phase nonlinear systems with both fast and slow, possibly unstable, zero dynamics are derived. The fast zero dynamics arise from a perturbation of a nominal system. These fast zer...

Restoring integrity--A grounded theory of coping with a fast track surgery programme.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Lene Bastrup; Fridlund, Bengt

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to generate a theory conceptualizing and explaining behavioural processes involved in coping in order to identify the predominant coping types and coping type-specific features. Patients undergoing fast track procedures do not experience a higher risk of complications, readmission, or mortality. However, such programmes presuppose an increasing degree of patient involvement, placing high educational, physical, and mental demands on the patients. There is a lack of knowledge about how patients understand and cope with fast track programmes. The study design used classical grounded theory. The study used a multimodal approach with qualitative and quantitative data sets from 14 patients. Four predominant types of coping, with distinct physiological, cognitive, affective, and psychosocial features, existed among patients going through a fast track total hip replacement programme. These patients' main concern was to restore their physical and psychosocial integrity, which had been compromised by reduced function and mobility in daily life. To restore integrity they economized their mental resources, while striving to fulfil the expectations of the fast track programme. This goal was achieved by being mentally proactive and physically active. Three out of the four predominant types of coping matched the expectations expressed in the fast track programme. The non-matching behaviour was seen among the most nervous patients, who claimed the right to diverge from the programme. In theory, four predominant types of coping with distinct physiological, cognitive, affective, and psychosocial features occur among patients going through a fast track total hip arthroplasty programme.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Born-Infeld extension of new massive gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güllü, İbrahim; Çaǧri Şişman, Tahsin; Tekin, Bayram

2010-08-01

We present a three-dimensional gravitational Born-Infeld theory which reduces to the recently found new massive gravity (NMG) at the quadratic level in the small curvature expansion and at the cubic order reproduces the deformation of NMG obtained from AdS/CFT. Our action provides a remarkable extension of NMG to all orders in the curvature and might define a consistent quantum gravity.

Maximum power point tracking techniques for wind energy systems using three levels boost converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Cuong Hung; Nollet, Frédéric; Essounbouli, Najib; Hamzaoui, Abdelaziz

2018-05-01

This paper presents modeling and simulation of three level Boost DC-DC converter in Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS). Three-level Boost converter has significant advantage compared to conventional Boost. A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method for a variable speed wind turbine using permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) is also presented. Simulation of three-level Boost converter topology with Perturb and Observe algorithm and Fuzzy Logic Control is implemented in MATLAB/SIMULINK. Results of this simulation show that the system with MPPT using fuzzy logic controller has better performance to the Perturb and Observe algorithm: fast response under changing conditions and small oscillation.

[Shortened hospital stay for elective cesarean section after initiation of a fast-track program and midwifery home-care].

PubMed

Gunnarsdottir, Johanna; Bjornsdottir, Thorbjörg Edda; Halldorsson, Thorhallur Ingi; Halldorsdottir, Gudrun; Geirsson, Reynir Tomas

2011-07-01

To audit whether hospital stay shortened without increasing readmissions after implementation of fast-track methodology for elective cesarean section and characterize what influences length of stay. A fast-track program was initiated in November 2008, with a one year clinical audit and satisfaction survey. Discharge criteria were predefined and midwife home visits included if discharge was within 48 hours. Hospital stay by parity for women with elective section for singleton pregnancy between 1.11. 2008 - 31.10. 2009 (n=213, fast-track 182) was compared to 2003 (n=199) and 2007 (n=183). Readmissions and outpatient visits 2007 and 2008-9 were counted. Reasons for longer stay were recorded in fast-track, and body mass index. Median hospital stay decreased significantly from 81 to 52 hours between 2007 and 2008-9. Readmissions were four in each period and outpatient visit rates similar. In 2008-9, 66% of all women were discharged within 48 hours. Women in the fast-track program were satisfied with early discharge. Hospital stay for parous women was shorter in 2007 compared to 2003, but unchanged for nulliparas. Parity had a minimal influence on length of stay in 2008-9, although nulliparous women ≤ 25 years were more likely to stay >48 hours. Body mass index did not correlate with length of stay. Pain was rarely the reason for a longer stay in the fast-track program and 90% were satisfied with pain-medication after discharge. Most healthy women can be discharged early after singleton birth by elective cesarean, without increasing readmissions.

Indirect Effects of the Fast Track Intervention on Conduct Disorder Symptoms and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Distinct Pathways Involving Discipline and Warmth

PubMed Central

Pasalich, Dave S.; Witkiewitz, Katie; McMahon, Robert J.; Pinderhughes, Ellen E.

2016-01-01

Little is known about intervening processes that explain how prevention programs improve particular youth antisocial outcomes. We examined whether parental harsh discipline and warmth in childhood differentially account for Fast Track intervention effects on conduct disorder (CD) symptoms and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in early adolescence. Participants included 891 high-risk kindergarteners (69% male; 51% African American) from urban and rural United States communities who were randomized into either the Fast Track intervention (n = 445) or non-intervention control (n = 446) groups. The 10-year intervention included parent management training and other services (e.g., social skills training, universal classroom curriculum) targeting various risk factors for the development of conduct problems. Harsh discipline (Grades 1 through 3) and warmth (Grades 1 and 2) were measured using parent responses to vignettes and direct observations of parent-child interaction, respectively. Parents reported on children’s CD symptoms in Grade 6 and CU traits in Grade 7. Results demonstrated indirect effects of the Fast Track intervention on reducing risk for youth antisocial outcomes. That is, Fast Track was associated with lower scores on harsh discipline, which in turn predicted decreased levels of CD symptoms. In addition, Fast Track was associated with higher scores on warmth, which in turn predicted reduced levels of CU traits. Our findings inform developmental and intervention models of youth antisocial behavior by providing evidence for the differential role of harsh discipline and warmth in accounting for indirect effects of Fast Track on CD symptoms versus CU traits, respectively. PMID:26242993

Restoring integrity—A grounded theory of coping with a fast track surgery programme

PubMed Central

Jørgensen, Lene Bastrup; Fridlund, Bengt

2016-01-01

Aims and objectives The aim of this study was to generate a theory conceptualizing and explaining behavioural processes involved in coping in order to identify the predominant coping types and coping type-specific features. Background Patients undergoing fast track procedures do not experience a higher risk of complications, readmission, or mortality. However, such programmes presuppose an increasing degree of patient involvement, placing high educational, physical, and mental demands on the patients. There is a lack of knowledge about how patients understand and cope with fast track programmes. Design The study design used classical grounded theory. Methods The study used a multimodal approach with qualitative and quantitative data sets from 14 patients. Results Four predominant types of coping, with distinct physiological, cognitive, affective, and psychosocial features, existed among patients going through a fast track total hip replacement programme. These patients’ main concern was to restore their physical and psychosocial integrity, which had been compromised by reduced function and mobility in daily life. To restore integrity they economized their mental resources, while striving to fulfil the expectations of the fast track programme. This goal was achieved by being mentally proactive and physically active. Three out of the four predominant types of coping matched the expectations expressed in the fast track programme. The non-matching behaviour was seen among the most nervous patients, who claimed the right to diverge from the programme. Conclusion In theory, four predominant types of coping with distinct physiological, cognitive, affective, and psychosocial features occur among patients going through a fast track total hip arthroplasty programme. PMID:26751199

Indirect Effects of the Fast Track Intervention on Conduct Disorder Symptoms and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Distinct Pathways Involving Discipline and Warmth.

PubMed

Pasalich, Dave S; Witkiewitz, Katie; McMahon, Robert J; Pinderhughes, Ellen E

2016-04-01

Little is known about intervening processes that explain how prevention programs improve particular youth antisocial outcomes. We examined whether parental harsh discipline and warmth in childhood differentially account for Fast Track intervention effects on conduct disorder (CD) symptoms and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in early adolescence. Participants included 891 high-risk kindergarteners (69% male; 51% African American) from urban and rural United States communities who were randomized into either the Fast Track intervention (n = 445) or non-intervention control (n = 446) groups. The 10-year intervention included parent management training and other services (e.g., social skills training, universal classroom curriculum) targeting various risk factors for the development of conduct problems. Harsh discipline (Grades 1 to 3) and warmth (Grades 1 and 2) were measured using parent responses to vignettes and direct observations of parent-child interaction, respectively. Parents reported on children's CD symptoms in Grade 6 and CU traits in Grade 7. Results demonstrated indirect effects of the Fast Track intervention on reducing risk for youth antisocial outcomes. That is, Fast Track was associated with lower scores on harsh discipline, which in turn predicted decreased levels of CD symptoms. In addition, Fast Track was associated with higher scores on warmth, which in turn predicted reduced levels of CU traits. Our findings inform developmental and intervention models of youth antisocial behavior by providing evidence for the differential role of harsh discipline and warmth in accounting for indirect effects of Fast Track on CD symptoms versus CU traits, respectively.

Perioperative strategy in colonic surgery; LAparoscopy and/or FAst track multimodal management versus standard care (LAFA trial)

PubMed Central

Wind, Jan; Hofland, Jan; Preckel, Benedikt; Hollmann, Markus W; Bossuyt, Patrick MM; Gouma, Dirk J; van Berge Henegouwen, Mark I; Fuhring, Jan Willem; Dejong, Cornelis HC; van Dam, Ronald M; Cuesta, Miguel A; Noordhuis, Astrid; de Jong, Dick; van Zalingen, Edith; Engel, Alexander F; Goei, T Hauwy; de Stoppelaar, I Erica; van Tets, Willem F; van Wagensveld, Bart A; Swart, Annemiek; van den Elsen, Maarten JLJ; Gerhards, Michael F; de Wit, Laurens Th; Siepel, Muriel AM; van Geloven, Anna AW; Juttmann, Jan-Willem; Clevers, Wilfred; Bemelman, Willem A

2006-01-01

Background Recent developments in large bowel surgery are the introduction of laparoscopic surgery and the implementation of multimodal fast track recovery programs. Both focus on a faster recovery and shorter hospital stay. The randomized controlled multicenter LAFA-trial (LAparoscopy and/or FAst track multimodal management versus standard care) was conceived to determine whether laparoscopic surgery, fast track perioperative care or a combination of both is to be preferred over open surgery with standard care in patients having segmental colectomy for malignant disease. Methods/design The LAFA-trial is a double blinded, multicenter trial with a 2 × 2 balanced factorial design. Patients eligible for segmental colectomy for malignant colorectal disease i.e. right and left colectomy and anterior resection will be randomized to either open or laparoscopic colectomy, and to either standard care or the fast track program. This factorial design produces four treatment groups; open colectomy with standard care (a), open colectomy with fast track program (b), laparoscopic colectomy with standard care (c), and laparoscopic surgery with fast track program (d). Primary outcome parameter is postoperative hospital length of stay including readmission within 30 days. Secondary outcome parameters are quality of life two and four weeks after surgery, overall hospital costs, morbidity, patient satisfaction and readmission rate. Based on a mean postoperative hospital stay of 9 +/- 2.5 days a group size of 400 patients (100 each arm) can reliably detect a minimum difference of 1 day between the four arms (alfa = 0.95, beta = 0.8). With 100 patients in each arm a difference of 10% in subscales of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire and social functioning can be detected. Discussion The LAFA-trial is a randomized controlled multicenter trial that will provide evidence on the merits of fast track perioperative care and laparoscopic colorectal surgery in patients having segmental colectomy for malignant disease. PMID:17134506

Fast-Track Management of Patients Undergoing Proximal Pancreatic Resection

PubMed Central

French, JJ; Mansfield, SD; Jaques, K; Jaques, BC; Manas, DM; Charnley, RM

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION To avoid the risk of complications of biliary drainage, a feasibility study was carried out to determine whether it might be possible to fast-track surgical treatment, with resection before biliary drainage, in jaundiced patients with proximal pancreatic/peri-ampullary malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Over an 18-month period, based on their presenting bilirubin levels and other logistical factors, all jaundiced patients who might be suitable for fast-track management were identified. Data on complications and hospital stay were compared with those patients in whom a conventional pathway (with biliary drainage) was used during the same time period. Data were also compared with a group of patients from the preceding 6 months. RESULTS Nine patients were fast-tracked and 49 patients treated in the conventional pathway. Fast-track patients mean (SD) serum bilirubin level was 265 μmol/l (81.6) at the time of the operation compared to 43 μmol/l (51.3; P ≥ 0.0001) in conventional patients. Mean (SD) of time from referral to operation, 14 days (9) versus 59 days (36.9), was significantly shorter in fast-track patients than conventional patients (P ≤ 0.0001). Length of hospital stay mean (SD) at 17 (6) days versus 22 days (19.6; P = 0.2114), surgical complications and mortality in fast-track patients were similar to conventional patients. Prior to surgery, the 49 conventional patients underwent a total of 73 biliary drainage procedures resulting in seven major complications. Comparison with the group of patients from the previous 6 months indicated that the conventional group were not disadvantaged. CONCLUSIONS Fast-track management by resection without biliary drainage of selected patients with distal biliary strictures is safe and has the potential to reduce the waiting time to surgery, overall numbers of biliary drainage procedures and the complications thereof. PMID:19220943

Convolutional networks for vehicle track segmentation

DOE PAGES

Quach, Tu-Thach

2017-08-19

Existing methods to detect vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images taken at different times of the same scene, rely on simple, fast models to label track pixels. These models, however, are unable to capture natural track features such as continuity and parallelism. More powerful, but computationally expensive models can be used in offline settings. We present an approach that uses dilated convolutional networks consisting of a series of 3-by-3 convolutions to segment vehicle tracks. The design of our networks considers the fact that remote sensing applications tend to operate inmore » low power and have limited training data. As a result, we aim for small, efficient networks that can be trained end-to-end to learn natural track features entirely from limited training data. We demonstrate that our 6-layer network, trained on just 90 images, is computationally efficient and improves the F-score on a standard dataset to 0.992, up from 0.959 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.« less

Convolutional networks for vehicle track segmentation

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

Quach, Tu-Thach

Existing methods to detect vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images taken at different times of the same scene, rely on simple, fast models to label track pixels. These models, however, are unable to capture natural track features such as continuity and parallelism. More powerful, but computationally expensive models can be used in offline settings. We present an approach that uses dilated convolutional networks consisting of a series of 3-by-3 convolutions to segment vehicle tracks. The design of our networks considers the fact that remote sensing applications tend to operate inmore » low power and have limited training data. As a result, we aim for small, efficient networks that can be trained end-to-end to learn natural track features entirely from limited training data. We demonstrate that our 6-layer network, trained on just 90 images, is computationally efficient and improves the F-score on a standard dataset to 0.992, up from 0.959 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.« less

Registration of retinal sequences from new video-ophthalmoscopic camera.

PubMed

Kolar, Radim; Tornow, Ralf P; Odstrcilik, Jan; Liberdova, Ivana

2016-05-20

Analysis of fast temporal changes on retinas has become an important part of diagnostic video-ophthalmology. It enables investigation of the hemodynamic processes in retinal tissue, e.g. blood-vessel diameter changes as a result of blood-pressure variation, spontaneous venous pulsation influenced by intracranial-intraocular pressure difference, blood-volume changes as a result of changes in light reflection from retinal tissue, and blood flow using laser speckle contrast imaging. For such applications, image registration of the recorded sequence must be performed. Here we use a new non-mydriatic video-ophthalmoscope for simple and fast acquisition of low SNR retinal sequences. We introduce a novel, two-step approach for fast image registration. The phase correlation in the first stage removes large eye movements. Lucas-Kanade tracking in the second stage removes small eye movements. We propose robust adaptive selection of the tracking points, which is the most important part of tracking-based approaches. We also describe a method for quantitative evaluation of the registration results, based on vascular tree intensity profiles. The achieved registration error evaluated on 23 sequences (5840 frames) is 0.78 ± 0.67 pixels inside the optic disc and 1.39 ± 0.63 pixels outside the optic disc. We compared the results with the commonly used approaches based on Lucas-Kanade tracking and scale-invariant feature transform, which achieved worse results. The proposed method can efficiently correct particular frames of retinal sequences for shift and rotation. The registration results for each frame (shift in X and Y direction and eye rotation) can also be used for eye-movement evaluation during single-spot fixation tasks.

Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing: nesting a fast-track to traditional generic program, teachings from nursing education in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Beogo, Idrissa; Liu, Chieh-Yu; Dlamini, Colile P; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

2015-01-01

Nursing education has evolved over time to fit societies' increasing care needs. Innovations in nursing education draw thorny debates on potential jeopardy in the quality, safety, and efficacy of nurse graduates. Accelerated nursing education programs have been among landmark strategic changes to address the persistent bedside nurse shortage. Despite the dearth of empirical studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the National School of Public Health of Burkina Faso has developed a State Diploma Nursing (SDN) fast-track program. With innovative features, the program is nested into the traditional SDN program. This study investigates preliminary outcomes of the implemented policy using the initial cohort that went through the program. Comparison of the traditional generic program and the fast-track one is drawn to inform nursing education policy. The study was conducted in the three campuses delivering the SDN program. Data collected from a representative sample included 255 students from the 2006-2009 cohort, after concluding the program. Surveyed students were assessed according to the program entry status. Outcomes were measured using students' academic performance. Besides descriptive analysis, bivariate t-test, F-test, and multivariate ordinary least square regression (OLSR) were employed to determine the comparative pattern between the traditional generic and the newly nested fast-track program. Students' varied statuses (private pre-registration, state pre-registration, private post-registration, and state post-registration) were kept to better outline the findings trend. A fifth (19.6 %) of surveyed students were enrolled in the fast-track stream from which, one third (33.7 %) consisted of post-registered students. Fast-track students comparatively achieved the best academic performance (mean: 73.68/100, SD: 5.52). Multivariate OLSR confirmed that fast-track students performed better (β: 5.559, p < 0.001), and further informed differences between campuses. Students entry status also displayed significant differences, yet the academic performance of post-registered students from traditional generic versus fast-track was similar (p = 0.409). Findings suggest that fast-track program students performed better than the ones from the traditional generic program. The uniqueness and success of this mixed nursing program experience sheds light for nursing educators engaged in policy making. The study results can serve as a crucial foundation for policymakers to alleviate the nurse shortage in SSA.

42 CFR 417.840 - Administrative review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... fast-track appeals that affect its Medicare enrollees; and (b) Reconsiderations, hearings, Medicare Appeals Council review, and judicial review of the organization determinations and fast-track appeals...

42 CFR 417.840 - Administrative review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... fast-track appeals that affect its Medicare enrollees; and (b) Reconsiderations, hearings, Medicare Appeals Council review, and judicial review of the organization determinations and fast-track appeals...

12 CFR 261.13 - Processing requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Information Office and that have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast-track processing... will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast-track processing. A requester may contact the Freedom of Information Office to learn whether a particular request has been assigned to fast...

12 CFR 261.13 - Processing requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Information Office and that have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast-track processing... will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast-track processing. A requester may contact the Freedom of Information Office to learn whether a particular request has been assigned to fast...

12 CFR 261.13 - Processing requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Information Office and that have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast-track processing... will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast-track processing. A requester may contact the Freedom of Information Office to learn whether a particular request has been assigned to fast...

12 CFR 261.13 - Processing requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Information Office and that have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast-track processing... will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast-track processing. A requester may contact the Freedom of Information Office to learn whether a particular request has been assigned to fast...

12 CFR 261.13 - Processing requests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Information Office and that have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast-track processing... will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast-track processing. A requester may contact the Freedom of Information Office to learn whether a particular request has been assigned to fast...

Laparoscopic surgery contributes more to nutritional and immunologic recovery than fast-track care in colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Xu, Dong; Li, Jun; Song, Yongmao; Zhou, Jiaojiao; Sun, Fangfang; Wang, Jianwei; Duan, Yin; Hu, Yeting; Liu, Yue; Wang, Xiaochen; Sun, Lifeng; Wu, Linshan; Ding, Kefeng

2015-02-04

Many clinical trials had repeatedly shown that fast-track perioperative care and laparoscopic surgery are both preferred in the treatment of colorectal cancer. But few studies were designed to explore the diverse biochemical impacts of the two counterparts on human immunologic and nutritional status. Ninety-two cases of colorectal cancer patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomized to four groups: laparoscopy with fast-track treatment (LAFT); open surgery with fast-track treatment (OSFT); laparoscopy with conventional treatment (LAC); open surgery with conventional treatment (OSC). Peripheral blood tests including nutritional factors (albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin), humoral immunologic factors (IgG, IgM, and IgA), and cellular immunologic factors (T and NK cells) were evaluated. Blood samples were collected preoperatively (baseline) and 12 and 96 h after surgery (indicated as POH12 and POH96, respectively). Albumin, transferrin, prealbumin, and IgG levels were the highest in the LAFT group for both POH12 and POH96 time intervals. Repeated measures (two-way ANOVA) indicated that the difference of albumin, transferrin, and IgG level were attributed to surgery type (P < 0.05) and not perioperative treatment (P > 0.05). Only in the laparoscopy-included groups, the relative albumin and IgG levels of POH96 were obviously higher than that of POH12. Laparoscopic surgery accelerated postoperative nutrition and immune levels rising again while fast-track treatment retarded the drop of postoperative nutrition and immune levels. Laparoscopic surgery might play a more important role than fast-track treatment in the earlier postoperative recovery of nutritional and immunologic status. Combined laparoscopic surgery with fast-track treatment provided best postoperative recovery of nutrition and immune status. These results should be further compared with the clinical outcomes of our FTMDT trial (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01080547).

Patient experience in fast-track hip and knee arthroplasty--a qualitative study.

PubMed

Specht, Kirsten; Kjaersgaard-Andersen, Per; Pedersen, Birthe D

2016-03-01

To explore the lived experience of patients in fast-track primary unilateral total hip and knee arthroplasty from the first visit at the outpatient clinic until discharge. Fast-track has resulted in increased effectiveness, including faster recovery and shorter length of stay to about two days after hip and knee arthroplasty. However, the patient perspective in fast-track with a median length of stay of less than three days has been less investigated. A qualitative design. A phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was used, inspired by Paul Ricoeur's theory of narrative and interpretation. Eight patients were included. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were performed. Three themes emerged: dealing with pain; feelings of confidence or uncertainty - the meaning of information; and readiness for discharge. Generally, the patients were resistant to taking analgesics and found it difficult to find out when to take supplementary analgesics; therefore, nursing staff needed enough expertise to take responsibility. Factors that increased patients' confidence: information about fast-track, meeting staff before admission and involving relatives. In contrast, incorrect or conflicting information and a lack of respect for privacy led to uncertainty. In preparing for early discharge, sufficient pain management, feeling well-rested and optimal use of time during hospitalisation were important. The study shows the importance of dealing with pain and getting the right information and support to have confidence in the fast-track programme, to be ready for discharge and to manage postoperatively at home. In fast-track focusing on early discharge, there is an increased need for evidence-based nursing practice, including a qualified judgement of what is best for the patient in certain situations. The knowledge should be gleaned from: research; the patients' expertise, understanding and situation; and nurses' knowledge, skills and experience. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Flying Boresight for Advanced Testing and Calibration of Tracking Antennas and Flight Path Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafner, D.

2015-09-01

The application of ground-based boresight sources for calibration and testing of tracking antennas usually entails various difficulties, mostly due to unwanted ground effects. To avoid this problem, DLR MORABA developed a small, lightweight, frequency-adjustable S-band boresight source, mounted on a small remote-controlled multirotor aircraft. Highly accurate GPS-supported, position and altitude control functions allow both, very steady positioning of the aircraft in mid-air, and precise waypoint-based, semi-autonomous flights. In contrast to fixed near-ground boresight sources this flying setup enables to avoid obstructions in the Fresnel zone between source and antenna. Further, it minimizes ground reflections and other multipath effects which can affect antenna calibration. In addition, the large operating range of a flying boresight simplifies measurements in the far field of the antenna and permits undisturbed antenna pattern tests. A unique application is the realistic simulation of sophisticated flight paths, including overhead tracking and demanding trajectories of fast objects such as sounding rockets. Likewise, dynamic tracking tests are feasible which provide crucial information about the antenna pedestal performance — particularly at high elevations — and reveal weaknesses in the autotrack control loop of tracking antenna systems. During acceptance tests of MORABA's new tracking antennas, a manned aircraft was never used, since the Flying Boresight surpassed all expectations regarding usability, efficiency, and precision. Hence, it became an integral part of MORABA's standard antenna setup and calibration procedures.

The Fast Track: Facility for Accelerated Service Testing - Transportation Test Center, Pueblo, Colorado, 2nd edition

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-07-01

This brochure describes the 22 test sections of the Federal Railroad Administration's FAST Track and the various track and mechanical measurements being made as of September 1977 - the end of the first year of operation at the facility. Because of th...

42 CFR 417.840 - Administrative review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... determinations and fast-track appeals that affect its Medicare enrollees; and (b) Reconsiderations, hearings, Medicare Appeals Council review, and judicial review of the organization determinations and fast-track...

42 CFR 417.840 - Administrative review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... determinations and fast-track appeals that affect its Medicare enrollees; and (b) Reconsiderations, hearings, Medicare Appeals Council review, and judicial review of the organization determinations and fast-track...

42 CFR 417.840 - Administrative review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... determinations and fast-track appeals that affect its Medicare enrollees; and (b) Reconsiderations, hearings, Medicare Appeals Council review, and judicial review of the organization determinations and fast-track...

Patients' satisfaction with fast-track surgery in gynaecological oncology.

PubMed

Philp, S; Carter, J; Pather, S; Barnett, C; D'Abrew, N; White, K

2015-07-01

This study investigates the experience and satisfaction with care of fast-tracked gynaecological patients. The Sydney Gynaecological Oncology Group, New South Wales, Australia, has previously shown the benefits of a fast-track surgery programme for gynaecology patients with both complex benign gynaecological pathology and gynaecological malignancy. The question of whether these benefits translate into a positive experience for fast-tracked patients, in the context of their hospital stay and healthcare team care, has not been previously explored in detail. A self-administered satisfaction questionnaire incorporating the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) cancer in-patient satisfaction with care measure (INPATSAT-32) questionnaire with additional questions was administered to 106 gynaecology participants at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with patient care and support received from doctors, ward nurses and the hospital as a service and care organisation, within the context of a fast-track surgical programme. Early hospital discharge after gynaecological surgery results in both enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and high levels of patient satisfaction. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Fast MEANSHIFT Algorithm-Based Target Tracking System

PubMed Central

Sun, Jian

2012-01-01

Tracking moving targets in complex scenes using an active video camera is a challenging task. Tracking accuracy and efficiency are two key yet generally incompatible aspects of a Target Tracking System (TTS). A compromise scheme will be studied in this paper. A fast mean-shift-based Target Tracking scheme is designed and realized, which is robust to partial occlusion and changes in object appearance. The physical simulation shows that the image signal processing speed is >50 frame/s. PMID:22969397

[Principles of fast track surgery. Multimodal perioperative therapy programme].

PubMed

Kehlet, H

2009-08-01

Recent evidence has documented that a combination of single-modality evidence-based care principles into a multimodal effort to enhance postoperative recovery (the fast track methodology) has led to enhanced recovery with reduced medical morbidity, need for hospitalisation and convalescence. Nevertheless, general implementation of fast track surgery has been relatively slow despite concomitant economic benefits. Further improvement in postoperative outcome may be obtained by developments within each care principle with a specific focus on minimally invasive surgery, effective multimodal, non-opioid analgesia and pharmacological stress reduction.

78 FR 33836 - CPSC Safety Academy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-05

... compliance issues, and the fast track recall program. The Safety Academy is structured such that the morning... continued, including Fast Track and Section 15; and (Panel 3) Flammable Fabrics, Drawstrings, and Sleepwear...

Nonlinear dynamics support a linear population code in a retinal target-tracking circuit.

PubMed

Leonardo, Anthony; Meister, Markus

2013-10-23

A basic task faced by the visual system of many organisms is to accurately track the position of moving prey. The retina is the first stage in the processing of such stimuli; the nature of the transformation here, from photons to spike trains, constrains not only the ultimate fidelity of the tracking signal but also the ease with which it can be extracted by other brain regions. Here we demonstrate that a population of fast-OFF ganglion cells in the salamander retina, whose dynamics are governed by a nonlinear circuit, serve to compute the future position of the target over hundreds of milliseconds. The extrapolated position of the target is not found by stimulus reconstruction but is instead computed by a weighted sum of ganglion cell outputs, the population vector average (PVA). The magnitude of PVA extrapolation varies systematically with target size, speed, and acceleration, such that large targets are tracked most accurately at high speeds, and small targets at low speeds, just as is seen in the motion of real prey. Tracking precision reaches the resolution of single photoreceptors, and the PVA algorithm performs more robustly than several alternative algorithms. If the salamander brain uses the fast-OFF cell circuit for target extrapolation as we suggest, the circuit dynamics should leave a microstructure on the behavior that may be measured in future experiments. Our analysis highlights the utility of simple computations that, while not globally optimal, are efficiently implemented and have close to optimal performance over a limited but ethologically relevant range of stimuli.

12 CFR 792.10 - What will NCUA do with my request?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... identifiable by the Information Center and have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast... received. (c) The Information Center will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast track... request has been assigned. If your request has not qualified for fast track processing, you will have an...

12 CFR 792.10 - What will NCUA do with my request?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... identifiable by the Information Center and have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast... received. (c) The Information Center will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast track... request has been assigned. If your request has not qualified for fast track processing, you will have an...

12 CFR 792.10 - What will NCUA do with my request?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... identifiable by the Information Center and have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast... received. (c) The Information Center will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast track... request has been assigned. If your request has not qualified for fast track processing, you will have an...

12 CFR 792.10 - What will NCUA do with my request?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... identifiable by the Information Center and have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast... received. (c) The Information Center will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast track... request has been assigned. If your request has not qualified for fast track processing, you will have an...

12 CFR 792.10 - What will NCUA do with my request?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... identifiable by the Information Center and have already been cleared for public release may qualify for fast... received. (c) The Information Center will make the determination whether a request qualifies for fast track... request has been assigned. If your request has not qualified for fast track processing, you will have an...

77 FR 48506 - CPSC Safety Academy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-14

... issues and the Fast-Track process. These discussions will be held in a panel format, with a brief... Nuances of 6b''; or ``Fast-Track Process--Compliance.'' An official of the General Administration of...

Supplemental Interscalene Blockade to General Anesthesia for Shoulder Arthroscopy: Effects on Fast Track Capability, Analgesic Quality, and Lung Function.

PubMed

Zoremba, Martin; Kratz, Thomas; Dette, Frank; Wulf, Hinnerk; Steinfeldt, Thorsten; Wiesmann, Thomas

2015-01-01

After shoulder surgery performed in patients with interscalene nerve block (without general anesthesia), fast track capability and postoperative pain management in the PACU are improved compared with general anesthesia alone. However, it is not known if these evidence-based benefits still exist when the interscalene block is combined with general anesthesia. We retrospectively analyzed a prospective cohort data set of 159 patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy with general anesthesia alone (n = 60) or combined with an interscalene nerve block catheter (n = 99) for fast track capability time. Moreover, comparisons were made for VAS scores, analgesic consumption in the PACU, pain management, and lung function measurements. The groups did not differ in mean time to fast track capability (22 versus 22 min). Opioid consumption in PACU was significantly less in the interscalene group, who had significantly better VAS scores during PACU stay. Patients receiving interscalene blockade had a significantly impaired lung function postoperatively, although this did not affect postoperative recovery and had no impact on PACU times. The addition of interscalene block to general anesthesia for shoulder arthroscopy did not enhance fast track capability. Pain management and VAS scores were improved in the interscalene nerve block group.

Design of a tracking device for on-line dose monitoring in hadrontherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battistoni, G.; Collamati, F.; De Lucia, E.; Faccini, R.; Marafini, M.; Mattei, I.; Muraro, S.; Paramatti, R.; Patera, V.; Pinci, D.; Rucinski, A.; Russomando, A.; Sarti, A.; Sciubba, A.; Solfaroli Camillocci, E.; Toppi, M.; Traini, G.; Voena, C.

2017-02-01

Hadrontherapy is a technique for cancer treatment that exploits ion beams (mostly protons and carbons). A critical issue is the accuracy that is achievable when monitoring the dose released by the beam to the tumor and to the surrounding tissues. We present the design of a tracking device, developed in the framework of the INSIDE project [1], capable of monitoring in real time the longitudinal profile of the dose delivered in the patient. This is possible by detecting the secondary particles produced by the interaction of the beam in the tissues. The position of the Bragg peak can be correlated to the charged particles emission point distribution measurement. The tracking device will be able to provide a fast response on the dose pattern by tracking the secondary charged fragments. The tracks are detected using 6 planes of scintillating fibers, providing the 3D coordinates of the track intersection with each plane. The fibers planes are followed by a plastic scintillator and by a small calorimeter built with a pixelated Lutetium Fine Silicate (LFS) crystal. A complete detector simulation, followed by the event reconstruction, has been performed to determine the achievable monitoring spatial resolution.

Design rules for a compact and low-cost optical position sensing of MOEMS tilt mirrors based on a Gaussian-shaped light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgart, Marcus; Tortschanoff, Andreas

2013-05-01

A tilt mirror's deflection angle tracking setup is examined from a theoretical point of view. The proposed setup is based on a simple optical approach and easily scalable. Thus, the principle is especially of interest for small and fast oscillating MEMS/MOEMS based tilt mirrors. An experimentally established optical scheme is used as a starting point for accurate and fast mirror angle-position detection. This approach uses an additional layer, positioned under the MOEMS mirror's backside, consisting of a light source in the center and two photodetectors positioned symmetrical around the center. The mirror's back surface is illuminated by the light source and the intensity change due to mirror tilting is tracked via the photodiodes. The challenge of this method is to get a linear relation between the measured intensity and the current mirror tilt angle even for larger angles. State-of-the-art MOEMS mirrors achieve angles up to ±30°, which exceeds the linear angle approximations. The use of an LED, small laser diode or VCSEL as a lightsource is appropriate due to their small size and inexpensive price. Those light sources typically emit light with a Gaussian intensity distribution. This makes an analytical prediction of the expected detector signal quite complicated. In this publication an analytical simulation model is developed to evaluate the influence of the main parameters for this optical mirror tilt-sensor design. An easy and fast to calculate value directly linked to the mirror's tilt-angle is the "relative differential intensity" (RDI = (I1 - I2) / (I1 + I2)). Evaluation of its slope and nonlinear error highlights dependencies between the identified parameters for best SNR and linearity. Also the energy amount covering the detector area is taken into account. Design optimizing rules are proposed and discussed based on theoretical considerations.

Design of a Holonic Control Architecture for Distributed Sensor Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

Tracking tasks require only intermit - tent access to the sensors to maintain a given track quality. The higher the specified quality, the more often...resolution of the sensor (i.e., sensor mode), which can be adjusted to compensate for fast moving targets tracked over long ranges, or slower moving...but provides higher data update rates that are beneficial when tracking fast agile targets (i.e., a fighter). Table A.2 illustrates the dependence of

[Laparoscopic "fast-track" sigmoidectomy for diverticulitis disease in Germany. Results of a prospective quality assurance program].

PubMed

Tsilimparis, N; Haase, O; Wendling, P; Kipfmüller, K; Schmid, M; Engemann, R; Schwenk, W

2010-09-01

The natural course of sigmoid colon diverticulitis during conservative therapy and the assessment of the perioperative morbidity after sigmoid colon resection are differently evaluated by surgeons and gastroenterologists. The "fast-track" rehabilitation accelerates the reconvalescence and reduces the rate of postoperative general complications after colorectal surgery. The results of the laparoscopic "Fast-track" sigmoidectomy should be examined within a quality assurance program to better evaluate the perioperative risks following surgical management of diverticulitis. A prospective data collection within the voluntary quality assurance program "fast-track" Kolon II was performed. All participating clinics agreed on a multimodal, evidence-based standard perioperative treatment in terms of a "fast-track" rehabilitation for elective operations for sigmoid diverticulitis. Data from 846 patients undergoing laparoscopic "fast-track" sigmoid colon resection in 23 surgical departments in Germany were collected and evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 63 years (range 23 - 91). 203 patients (24 %) had severe co-morbidities (ASA classification III - IV). A conversion to conventional open surgery was necessary in 51 cases (6 %). Complications occurred in 93 patients (11 %). 76 patients suffered a surgical complication (8.9 %) and 32 patients (3.8 %) a general complication. Two patients died postoperatively due to multi-organ failure following anastomotic leaks. The patients took solid food in median on day 1 after surgery (range, 0 - 5) and passed stool on day 2 (range, 0 - 22). Predefined discharge criteria (free of pain on oral medication, normal oral feeding, stool) were met on day 4 (range, 1 - 58) and the patients were discharged on day 7 (range, 3 - 72). The 30-day re-admission rate was 3.9 %. Patients undergoing laparoscopic "fast-track" sigmoidectomy had a low rate of general complications and had a rapid reconvalescence with a short postoperative in-patient treatment as documented in a german quality assurance program. Copyright Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.

Fast-track surgery: Toward comprehensive peri-operative care

PubMed Central

Nanavati, Aditya J.; Prabhakar, S.

2014-01-01

Fast-track surgery is a multimodal approach to patient care using a combination of several evidence-based peri-operative interventions to expedite recovery after surgery. It is an extension of the critical pathway that integrates modalities in surgery, anesthesia, and nutrition, enforces early mobilization and feeding, and emphasizes reduction of the surgical stress response. It entails a great partnership between a surgeon and an anesthesiologist with several other specialists to form a multi-disciplinary team, which may then engage in patient care. The practice of fast-track surgery has yielded excellent results and there has been a significant reduction in hospital stay without a rise in complications or re-admissions. The effective implementation begins with the formulation of a protocol, carrying out each intervention and gathering outcome data. The care of a patient is divided into three phases: Before, during, and after surgery. Each stage needs active participation of few or all the members of the multi-disciplinary team. Other than surgical technique, anesthetic drugs, and techniques form the cornerstone in the ability of the surgeon to carry out a fast-track surgery safely. It is also the role of this team to keep abreast with the latest development in fast-track methodology and make appropriate changes to policy. In the Indian healthcare system, there is a huge benefit that may be achieved by the successful implementation of a fast-track surgery program at an institutional level. The lack of awareness regarding this concept, fear and apprehension regarding its implementation are the main barriers that need to be overcome. PMID:25886214

The yield of colorectal cancer among fast track patients with normocytic and microcytic anaemia.

PubMed

Panagiotopoulou, I G; Fitzrol, D; Parker, R A; Kuzhively, J; Luscombe, N; Wells, A D; Menon, M; Bajwa, F M; Watson, M A

2014-05-01

We receive fast track referrals on the basis of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) for patients with normocytic anaemia or for patients with no iron studies. This study examined the yield of colorectal cancer (CRC) among fast track patients to ascertain whether awaiting confirmation of IDA is necessary prior to performing bowel investigations. A review was undertaken of 321 and 930 consecutive fast track referrals from Centre A and Centre B respectively. Contingency tables were analysed using Fisher's exact test. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate significant predictors of CRC. Overall, 229 patients were included from Centre A and 689 from Centre B. The odds ratio for microcytic anaemia versus normocytic anaemia in the outcome of CRC was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5-3.9) for Centre A and 1.6 (95% CI: 0.8-3.3) for Centre B. In a logistic regression analysis (Centre B only), no significant difference in CRC rates was seen between microcytic and normocytic anaemia (adjusted odds ratio: 1.9, 95% CI: 0.9-3.9). There was no statistically significant difference in the yield of CRC between microcytic and normocytic anaemia (p=0.515, Fisher's exact test) in patients with anaemia only and no colorectal symptoms. Finally, CRC cases were seen in both microcytic and normocytic groups with or without low ferritin. There is no significant difference in the yield of CRC between fast track patients with microcytic and normocytic anaemia. This study provides insufficient evidence to support awaiting confirmation of IDA in fast track patients with normocytic anaemia prior to requesting bowel investigations.

Fast-track surgery: Toward comprehensive peri-operative care.

PubMed

Nanavati, Aditya J; Prabhakar, S

2014-01-01

Fast-track surgery is a multimodal approach to patient care using a combination of several evidence-based peri-operative interventions to expedite recovery after surgery. It is an extension of the critical pathway that integrates modalities in surgery, anesthesia, and nutrition, enforces early mobilization and feeding, and emphasizes reduction of the surgical stress response. It entails a great partnership between a surgeon and an anesthesiologist with several other specialists to form a multi-disciplinary team, which may then engage in patient care. The practice of fast-track surgery has yielded excellent results and there has been a significant reduction in hospital stay without a rise in complications or re-admissions. The effective implementation begins with the formulation of a protocol, carrying out each intervention and gathering outcome data. The care of a patient is divided into three phases: Before, during, and after surgery. Each stage needs active participation of few or all the members of the multi-disciplinary team. Other than surgical technique, anesthetic drugs, and techniques form the cornerstone in the ability of the surgeon to carry out a fast-track surgery safely. It is also the role of this team to keep abreast with the latest development in fast-track methodology and make appropriate changes to policy. In the Indian healthcare system, there is a huge benefit that may be achieved by the successful implementation of a fast-track surgery program at an institutional level. The lack of awareness regarding this concept, fear and apprehension regarding its implementation are the main barriers that need to be overcome.

Small-strip Thin Gap Chambers for the muon spectrometer upgrade of the ATLAS experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez Codina, E.; ATLAS Muon Collaboration

2016-07-01

The ATLAS muon system upgrade to be installed during the LHC long shutdown in 2018/19, the so-called New Small Wheel (NSW), is designed to cope with the increased instantaneous luminosity in LHC Run 3. The small-strip Thin Gap Chambers (sTGC) will provide the NSW with a fast trigger and high precision tracking. The construction protocol has been validated by test beam experiments on a full-size prototype sTGC detector, showing the performance requirements are met. The intrinsic spatial resolution for a single layer has been found to be about 45 μm for a perpendicular incident angle, and the transition region between pads has been measured to be about 4 mm.

78 FR 52166 - Quantitative Messaging Research

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-22

... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION Quantitative Messaging Research AGENCY: Commodity Futures... survey will follow qualitative message testing research (for which CFTC received fast-track OMB approval... message testing research (for which CFTC received fast-track OMB approval) and is necessary to identify...

Importance of the (n,gamma) Cm-247 Evaluation on Neutron Emission in Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Analysis

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

Benoit Forget; Mehdi Asgari; Rodolfo M. Ferrer

2007-11-01

As part of the GNEP program, it is envisioned to build a fast reactor for the transmutation of minor actinides. The spent nuclear fuel from the current fleet of light water reactors would be recycled, the current baseline is the UREX+1a process, and would act as a feed for the fast reactor. As the fuel is irradiated in a fast reactor a certain quantity of minor actinides would thus build up in the fuel stream creating possible concerns with the neutron emission of these minor actinides for fuel transportation, handling and fabrication. Past neutronic analyses had not tracked minor actinidesmore » above Cm-246 in the transmutation chain, because of the small influence on the overall reactor performance and cycle parameters. However, when trying to quantify the neutron emission from the recycled fuel with high minor actinide content, these higher isotopes play an essential role and should be included in the analysis. In this paper, the influence of tracking these minor actinides on the calculated neutron emission is presented. Also presented is the particular influence of choosing a different evaluated cross section data set to represent the minor actinides above Cm-246. The first representation uses the cross-sections provided by MC2-2 for all isotopes, while the second representation uses infinitely diluted ENDF/BVII.0 cross-sections for Cm-247 to Cf-252 and MC2-2 for all other isotopes.« less

42 CFR 422.624 - Notifying enrollees of termination of provider services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... begins. (iii) A description of the enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal under § 422.626, including... procedures if the enrollee fails to meet the deadline for a fast-track IRE appeal. (iv) The enrollee's right...

75 FR 13774 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, OMB No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-23

.... 1660-NEW; FEMA Form 089-4, TSGP Investment Justification; FEMA Form 089-27, Fast Track Cost Training...-27, Fast Track Cost Training Matrix. Abstract: The TSGP is an important component of the Department...

42 CFR 422.624 - Notifying enrollees of termination of provider services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... begins. (iii) A description of the enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal under § 422.626, including... procedures if the enrollee fails to meet the deadline for a fast-track IRE appeal. (iv) The enrollee's right...

42 CFR 422.624 - Notifying enrollees of termination of provider services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... begins. (iii) A description of the enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal under § 422.626, including... procedures if the enrollee fails to meet the deadline for a fast-track IRE appeal. (iv) The enrollee's right...

42 CFR 422.624 - Notifying enrollees of termination of provider services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... begins. (iii) A description of the enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal under § 422.626, including... procedures if the enrollee fails to meet the deadline for a fast-track IRE appeal. (iv) The enrollee's right...

42 CFR 422.624 - Notifying enrollees of termination of provider services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... begins. (iii) A description of the enrollee's right to a fast-track appeal under § 422.626, including... procedures if the enrollee fails to meet the deadline for a fast-track IRE appeal. (iv) The enrollee's right...

Fast-Track Teacher Recruitment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Franklin Dean

2001-01-01

Schools need a Renaissance human-resources director to implement strategic staffing and fast-track teacher-recruitment plans. The HR director must attend to customer satisfaction, candidate supply, web-based recruitment possibilities, stabilization of newly hired staff, retention of veteran staff, utilization of retired employees, and latest…

Fast-Track Cleanup at Closing DoD Installations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Fast-Track Cleanup program strives to make parcels available for reuse as quickly as possible by the transfer of uncontaminated or remediated parcels, the lease of contaminated parcels where cleanup is underway, or the 'early transfer' of contaminated property undergoing cleanup.

Clinical evidence of traditional vs fast track recovery methodologies after total arthroplasty for osteoarthritic knee treatment. A retrospective observational study

PubMed Central

Castorina, Sergio; Guglielmino, Claudia; Castrogiovanni, Paola; Szychlinska, Marta Anna; Ioppolo, Francesco; Massimino, Paolo; Leonardi, Pietro; Maci, Christian; Iannuzzi, Maurizio; Di Giunta, Angelo; Musumeci, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

Summary Background During the last years, programs to enhance postoperative recovery and decrease morbidity after total knee arthroplasty, have been developed across a variety of surgical procedures and referred to as “Fast-Track Surgery”. In this study we aimed to find some answers in the management of osteoarthritic patients subjected to total knee arthroplasty, by using the Fast-Track methodology. To this purpose we evaluated parameters such as early mobilization of patients, better pain management, bleeding, possible complications, reduced hospitalization time, an overall improved recovery and patient satisfaction. Methods 132 patients were selected, of which, 95 treated with “Fast Track” method and 37 treated with traditional method (control group). All the patients were hospitalized and underwent the same rehabilitation program for the first three days after surgery. Results In both groups, the parameters of pain and deformity demonstrated the most rapid improvement, while those of function and movement were normalized as gradual and progressive improvement over the next 2 months. The different functional test used (Barthel, MRC, VAS) showed that the mean values were significantly greater in Fast Track group when compared to the control. Conclusion The results of the study confirm that the application of the Fast Track protocol in orthopaedics after total knee replacement results in rapid post-surgery recovery. Level of evidence IV. Case series, low-quality cohort or case-control studies. PMID:29387645

Implementing large scale fast track diagnostics in a comprehensive cancer center, pre- and post-measurement data.

PubMed

van Harten, W H; Goedbloed, N; Boekhout, A H; Heintzbergen, S

2018-02-07

In general, patients with a cancer suspicion visit the hospital multiple times before diagnosis is completed. Using various "operations management" techniques a few fast track diagnostic services were implemented in the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in 2006. Growing patient numbers and increasing process complexity, led to diminished service levels. To decrease the amount of patient visits and to extend these services beyond the (obvious) breast cancer services, fast track diagnostics is now implemented for all 18 cancer types that present with a frequency of minimally one per week. The throughput time (first visit to diagnosis conversation) was measured before, and after implementation of fast track diagnostics. The process was redesigned closely involving the multidisciplinary teams. In an eclectic approach elements from lean management, theory of constraints and mathematical analysis were used to organize slots per tumor type for MRI, CT, PET and echography. A post measurement was performed after 3 and 6 months. In pre measurement access time was calculated to be 10 to 15 workdays, mean throughput time was 6.0 workdays. It proved possible to design the process of 18 tumors as a fast track, of which 7 as "one stop shop" (diagnosis completed in one visit). Involvement of clinical- and board leadership, massive communication efforts and commitment of physicians to reschedule their work proved decisive. After 3 and 6 months of implementation, the mean access time was 8.2 and 8.7 workdays respectively and mean throughput time was 3.4 and 3.3 workdays respectively. Throughput- and access time were considerably shortened after implementation of fast track diagnostics for 18 cancer types. The involvement of physicians in reorganizing their work and rapid responding to their needs during the implementation phase were a crucial success factor.

Fast Track Extubation In Adult Patients On Pump Open Heart Surgery At A Tertiary Care Hospital.

PubMed

Akhtar, Mohammad Irfan; Sharif, Hasanat; Hamid, Mohammad; Samad, Khalid; Khan, Fazal Hameed

2016-01-01

Fast-track cardiac surgery programs have been established as the standard of cardiac surgical care. Studies have shown that early extubation in elective cardiac surgery patients, including coronary and non-coronary open-heart surgery patients does not increase perioperative morbidity and mortality. The objective of this observational study was to determine the success and failure profile of fast track extubation (FTE) practice in adult open-heart surgical patients. The study was conducted at cardiac operating room and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) of a tertiary care hospital for a period of nine months, i.e., from Oct 2014 to June-2015. All on pump elective adult cardiac surgery patients including isolated CABG, isolated Valve replacements, combined procedures and aortic root replacements were enrolled in the study. Standardized anesthetic technique was adopted. Surgical and bypass techniques were tailored according to the procedure. Success of Fast track extubation was defined as extubation within 6 hours of arrival in CICU. A total of 290 patients were recruited. The average age of the patients was 56.3±10.5 years. There were 77.6% male and 22.4% female patients. Overall success rate was 51.9% and failure rate was 48.1%. The peri-operative renal insufficiency, cross clamp time and CICU stay (hours) were significantly lower in success group. Re-intubation rate was 0.74%. The perioperative parameters were significantly better in success group and the safety was also demonstrated in the patients who were fast tracked successfully. To implement the practice in its full capacity and benefit, a fast track protocol needs to be devised to standardize the current practices and to disseminate the strategy among junior anaesthesiologists, perfusionists and nursing staff.

Secure FAST: Security Enhancement in the NATO Time Sensitive Targeting Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

designed to aid in the tracking and prosecuting of Time Sensitive Targets. The FAST tool provides user level authentication and authorisation in terms...level authentication and authorisation in terms of security. It uses operating system level security but does not provide application level security for...and collaboration tool, designed to aid in the tracking and prosecuting of Time Sensitive Targets. The FAST tool provides user level authentication and

Fast-track program vs traditional care in surgery for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-Xing; Liu, Ae-Huey Jennifer; Cen, Ying

2014-01-14

To systematically review the evidence for the effectiveness of fast-track program vs traditional care in laparoscopic or open surgery for gastric cancer. PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library databases were electronically searched for published studies between January 1995 and April 2013, and only randomized trials were included. The references of relevant studies were manually searched for further studies that may have been missed. Search terms included "gastric cancer", "fast track" and "enhanced recovery". Five outcome variables were considered most suitable for analysis: postoperative hospital stay, medical cost, duration to first flatus, C-reactive protein (CRP) level and complications. Postoperative hospital stay was calculated from the date of operation to the date of discharge. Fixed effects model was used for meta-analysis. Compared with traditional care, fast-track program could significantly decrease the postoperative hospital stay [weighted mean difference (WMD) = -1.19, 95%CI: -1.79--0.60, P = 0.0001, fixed model], duration to first flatus (WMD = -6.82, 95%CI: -11.51--2.13, P = 0.004), medical costs (WMD = -2590, 95%CI: -4054--1126, P = 0.001), and the level of CRP (WMD = -17.78, 95%CI: -32.22--3.35, P = 0.0001) in laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer. In open surgery for gastric cancer, fast-track program could also significantly decrease the postoperative hospital stay (WMD = -1.99, 95%CI: -2.09--1.89, P = 0.0001), duration to first flatus (WMD = -12.0, 95%CI: -18.89--5.11, P = 0.001), medical cost (WMD = -3674, 95%CI: -5025--2323, P = 0.0001), and the level of CRP (WMD = -27.34, 95%CI: -35.42--19.26, P = 0.0001). Furthermore, fast-track program did not significantly increase the incidence of complication (RR = 1.39, 95%CI: 0.77-2.51, P = 0.27, for laparoscopic surgery; and RR = 1.52, 95%CI: 0.90-2.56, P = 0.12, for open surgery). Our overall results suggested that compared with traditional care, fast-track program could result in shorter postoperative hospital stay, less medical costs, and lower level of CRP, with no more complications occurring in both laparoscopic and open surgery for gastric cancer.

The role of general practice in routes to diagnosis of lung cancer in Denmark: a population-based study of general practice involvement, diagnostic activity and diagnostic intervals.

PubMed

Guldbrandt, Louise Mahncke; Fenger-Grøn, Morten; Rasmussen, Torben Riis; Jensen, Henry; Vedsted, Peter

2015-01-22

Lung cancer stage at diagnosis predicts possible curative treatment. In Denmark and the UK, lung cancer patients have lower survival rates than citizens in most other European countries, which may partly be explained by a comparatively longer diagnostic interval in these two countries. In Denmark, a pathway was introduced in 2008 allowing general practitioners (GPs) to refer patients suspected of having lung cancer directly to fast-track diagnostics. However, symptom presentation of lung cancer in general practice is known to be diverse and complex, and systematic knowledge of the routes to diagnosis is needed to enable earlier lung cancer diagnosis in Denmark. This study aims to describe the routes to diagnosis, the diagnostic activity preceding diagnosis and the diagnostic intervals for lung cancer in the Danish setting. We conducted a national registry-based cohort study on 971 consecutive incident lung cancer patients in 2010 using data from national registries and GP questionnaires. GPs were involved in 68.3% of cancer patients' diagnostic pathways, and 27.4% of lung cancer patients were referred from the GP to fast-track diagnostic work-up. A minimum of one X-ray was performed in 85.6% of all cases before diagnosis. Patients referred through a fast-track route more often had diagnostic X-rays (66.0%) than patients who did not go through fast-track (49.4%). Overall, 33.6% of all patients had two or more X-rays performed during the 90 days before diagnosis. Patients whose symptoms were interpreted as non-alarm symptoms or who were not referred to fast-track were more likely to experience a long diagnostic interval than patients whose symptoms were interpreted as alarm symptoms or who were referred to fast-track. Lung cancer patients followed several diagnostic pathways. The existing fast-track pathway must be supplemented to ensure earlier detection of lung cancer. The high incidence of multiple X-rays warrants a continued effort to develop more accurate lung cancer tests for use in primary care.

The Locus analytical framework for indoor localization and tracking applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segou, Olga E.; Thomopoulos, Stelios C. A.

2015-05-01

Obtaining location information can be of paramount importance in the context of pervasive and context-aware computing applications. Many systems have been proposed to date, e.g. GPS that has been proven to offer satisfying results in outdoor areas. The increased effect of large and small scale fading in indoor environments, however, makes localization a challenge. This is particularly reflected in the multitude of different systems that have been proposed in the context of indoor localization (e.g. RADAR, Cricket etc). The performance of such systems is often validated on vastly different test beds and conditions, making performance comparisons difficult and often irrelevant. The Locus analytical framework incorporates algorithms from multiple disciplines such as channel modeling, non-uniform random number generation, computational geometry, localization, tracking and probabilistic modeling etc. in order to provide: (a) fast and accurate signal propagation simulation, (b) fast experimentation with localization and tracking algorithms and (c) an in-depth analysis methodology for estimating the performance limits of any Received Signal Strength localization system. Simulation results for the well-known Fingerprinting and Trilateration algorithms are herein presented and validated with experimental data collected in real conditions using IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee modules. The analysis shows that the Locus framework accurately predicts the underlying distribution of the localization error and produces further estimates of the system's performance limitations (in a best-case/worst-case scenario basis).

Accelerated Leadership Development: Fast Tracking School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earley, Peter; Jones, Jeff

2010-01-01

"Accelerated Leadership Development" captures and communicates the lessons learned from successful fast-track leadership programmes in the private and public sector, and provides a model which schools can follow and customize as they plan their own leadership development strategies. As large numbers of headteachers and other senior staff…

Fast Track Option: An Accelerated Associate's Degree Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, J. Randall

1998-01-01

Alternative instructional delivery options such as self-paced and flexible enrollment courses are designed to increase enrollment, promote retention, and encourage student success without lowering academic standards. The Fast Track Associate's Degree Program, developed by a team of faculty, staff, and administrators at Richland Community College,…

Fast track surgery: a clinical audit.

PubMed

Carter, Jonathan; Szabo, Rebecca; Sim, Wee Wee; Pather, Selvan; Philp, Shannon; Nattress, Kath; Cotterell, Stephen; Patel, Pinki; Dalrymple, Chris

2010-04-01

Fast track surgery is a concept that utilises a variety of techniques to reduce the surgical stress response, allowing a shortened length of stay, improved outcomes and decreased time to full recovery. To evaluate a peri-operative Fast Track Surgical Protocol (FTSP) in patients referred for abdominal surgery. All patients undergoing a laparotomy over a 12-month period were entered prospectively on a clinical database. Data were retrospectively analysed. Over the study period, 72 patients underwent a laparotomy. Average patient age was 54 years and average weight and BMI were 67.2 kg and 26 respectively. Sixty three (88%) patients had a vertical midline incision (VMI). There were no intraoperative blood transfusions. The median length of stay (LOS) was 3.0 days. Thirty eight patients (53%) were discharged on or before post op day 3, seven (10%) of whom were discharged on postoperative day 2. On stepwise regression analysis, the following were found to be independently associated with reduced LOS: able to tolerate early enteral nutrition, good performance status, use of COX inhibitor and transverse incision. In comparison with colleagues at the SGOG not undertaking FTS for their patients, the authors' LOS was lower and the RANZCOG modified Quality Indicators (QI's) did not demonstrate excess morbidity. Patients undergoing fast track surgery can be discharged from hospital with a reduced LOS, without an increased readmission rate and with comparative outcomes to non-fast tracked patients.

A-Track: A New Approach for Detection of Moving Objects in FITS Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kılıç, Yücel; Karapınar, Nurdan; Atay, Tolga; Kaplan, Murat

2016-07-01

Small planet and asteroid observations are important for understanding the origin and evolution of the Solar System. In this work, we have developed a fast and robust pipeline, called A-Track, for detecting asteroids and comets in sequential telescope images. The moving objects are detected using a modified line detection algorithm, called ILDA. We have coded the pipeline in Python 3, where we have made use of various scientific modules in Python to process the FITS images. We tested the code on photometrical data taken by an SI-1100 CCD with a 1-meter telescope at TUBITAK National Observatory, Antalya. The pipeline can be used to analyze large data archives or daily sequential data. The code is hosted on GitHub under the GNU GPL v3 license.

High speed, very large (8 megabyte) first in/first out buffer memory (FIFO)

DOEpatents

Baumbaugh, Alan E.; Knickerbocker, Kelly L.

1989-01-01

A fast FIFO (First In First Out) memory buffer capable of storing data at rates of 100 megabytes per second. The invention includes a data packer which concatenates small bit data words into large bit data words, a memory array having individual data storage addresses adapted to store the large bit data words, a data unpacker into which large bit data words from the array can be read and reconstructed into small bit data words, and a controller to control and keep track of the individual data storage addresses in the memory array into which data from the packer is being written and data to the unpacker is being read.

Fast Track to Success: Top Young Trainers 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freifeld, Lorri

2012-01-01

Supercharged. High-performers. Leaders of the pack. This article presents "Training" magazine's 2012 Top Young Trainers--those high-potential training professionals who are on the fast track to success. For the fifth year, "Training" magazine is pleased to recognize the outstanding talents, accomplishments, and leadership exhibited by 40 learning…

Blue phase-change recording at high data densities and data rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dekker, Martijn K.; Pfeffer, Nicola; Kuijper, Maarten; Ubbens, Igolt P.; Coene, Wim M. J.; Meinders, E. R.; Borg, Herman J.

2000-09-01

For the DVR system with the use of a blue laser diode (wavelength 405 nm) we developed (12 cm) discs with a total capacity of 22.4 GB. The land/groove track pitch is 0.30 micrometers and the channel bit length is 87 nm. The DVR system uses a d equals 1 code. These phase change discs can be recorded at continuous angular velocity at a maximum of 50 Mbps user data rate (including all format and ECC overhead) and meet the system specifications. Fast growth determined phase change materials (FGM) are used for the active layer. In order to apply these FGM discs at small track pitch special attention has been paid to the issue of thermal cross-write. Finally routes towards higher capacities such as advanced bit detection schemes and the use of a smaller track pitch are considered. These show the feasibility in the near future of at least 26.0 GB on a disc for the DVR system with a blue laser diode.

Merging universal and indicated prevention programs: the Fast Track model. Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group.

PubMed

2000-01-01

Fast Track is a multisite, multicomponent preventive intervention for young children at high risk for long-term antisocial behavior. Based on a comprehensive developmental model, this intervention includes a universal-level classroom program plus social-skill training, academic tutoring, parent training, and home visiting to improve competencies and reduce problems in a high-risk group of children selected in kindergarten. The theoretical principles and clinical strategies utilized in the Fast Track Project are described to illustrate the interplay between basic developmental research, the understanding of risk and protective factors, and a research-based model of preventive intervention that integrates universal and indicated models of prevention.

"Joined up" Thinking? Unsupported "Fast-Track" Transitions in the Context of Parental Substance Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Sarah; Cunningham-Burley, Sarah; Bancroft, Angus; Backett-Milburn, Kathryn

2008-01-01

Recent policy responses to the risks entailed in "fast-track" school-work transitions have targeted careleavers and young people identified as "not in education, employment or training" (NEET). However, this approach has been criticised as diverting attention away from the fragile circumstances of others who may receive little…

Preventing Serious Conduct Problems in School-Age Youth: The Fast Track Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slough, Nancy M.; McMahon, Robert J.; Bierman, Karen L.; Coie, John D.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Foster, E. Michael; Greenberg, Mark T.; Lochman, John E.; McMahon, Robert J.; Pinderhughes, Ellen E.

2008-01-01

Children with early-starting conduct problems have a very poor prognosis and exact a high cost to society. The Fast Track project is a multisite, collaborative research project investigating the efficacy of a comprehensive, long-term, multicomponent intervention designed to "prevent" the development of serious conduct problems in high-risk…

The Effects of a Multiyear Universal Social-Emotional Learning Program: The Role of Student and School Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bierman, Karen L.; Coie, John D.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Greenberg, Mark T.; Lochman, John E.; McMahon, Robert J.; Pinderhughes, Ellen

2010-01-01

Objective: This article examines the impact of a universal social-emotional learning program, the Fast Track PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum and teacher consultation, embedded within the Fast Track selective prevention model. Method: The longitudinal analysis involved 2,937 children of multiple ethnicities who remained…

Miniaturized video-microscopy system for near real-time water quality biomonitoring using microfluidic chip-based devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yushi; Nigam, Abhimanyu; Campana, Olivia; Nugegoda, Dayanthi; Wlodkowic, Donald

2016-12-01

Biomonitoring studies apply biological responses of sensitive biomonitor organisms to rapidly detect adverse environmental changes such as presence of physic-chemical stressors and toxins. Behavioral responses such as changes in swimming patterns of small aquatic invertebrates are emerging as sensitive endpoints to monitor aquatic pollution. Although behavioral responses do not deliver information on an exact type or the intensity of toxicants present in water samples, they could provide orders of magnitude higher sensitivity than lethal endpoints such as mortality. Despite the advantages of behavioral biotests performed on sentinel organisms, their wider application in real-time and near realtime biomonitoring of water quality is limited by the lack of dedicated and automated video-microscopy systems. Current behavioral analysis systems rely mostly on static test conditions and manual procedures that are time-consuming and labor intensive. Tracking and precise quantification of locomotory activities of multiple small aquatic organisms requires high-resolution optical data recording. This is often problematic due to small size of fast moving animals and limitations of culture vessels that are not specially designed for video data recording. In this work, we capitalized on recent advances in miniaturized CMOS cameras, high resolution optics and biomicrofluidic technologies to develop near real-time water quality sensing using locomotory activities of small marine invertebrates. We present proof-of-concept integration of high-resolution time-resolved video recording system and high-throughput miniaturized perfusion biomicrofluidic platform for optical tracking of nauplii of marine crustacean Artemia franciscana. Preliminary data demonstrate that Artemia sp. exhibits rapid alterations of swimming patterns in response to toxicant exposure. The combination of video-microscopy and biomicrofluidic platform facilitated straightforward recording of fast moving objects. We envisage that prospectively such system can be scaled up to perform high-throughput water quality sensing in a robotic biomonitoring facility.

Particle displacement tracking applied to air flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wernet, Mark P.

1991-01-01

Electronic Particle Image Velocimeter (PIV) techniques offer many advantages over conventional photographic PIV methods such as fast turn around times and simplified data reduction. A new all electronic PIV technique was developed which can measure high speed gas velocities. The Particle Displacement Tracking (PDT) technique employs a single cw laser, small seed particles (1 micron), and a single intensified, gated CCD array frame camera to provide a simple and fast method of obtaining two-dimensional velocity vector maps with unambiguous direction determination. Use of a single CCD camera eliminates registration difficulties encountered when multiple cameras are used to obtain velocity magnitude and direction information. An 80386 PC equipped with a large memory buffer frame-grabber board provides all of the data acquisition and data reduction operations. No array processors of other numerical processing hardware are required. Full video resolution (640x480 pixel) is maintained in the acquired images, providing high resolution video frames of the recorded particle images. The time between data acquisition to display of the velocity vector map is less than 40 sec. The new electronic PDT technique is demonstrated on an air nozzle flow with velocities less than 150 m/s.

Cognitive dysfunction after fast-track hip and knee replacement.

PubMed

Krenk, Lene; Kehlet, Henrik; Bæk Hansen, Torben; Solgaard, Søren; Soballe, Kjeld; Rasmussen, Lars Simon

2014-05-01

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is reported to occur after major surgery in as many as 20% of patients, elderly patients may especially experience problems in the weeks and months after surgery. Recent studies vary greatly in methods of evaluation and diagnosis of POCD, and the pathogenic mechanisms are still unclear. We evaluated a large uniform cohort of elderly patients in a standardized approach, after major joint replacement surgery (total hip and knee replacement). Patients were in an optimized perioperative approach (fast track) with multimodal opioid-sparing analgesia, early mobilization, and short length of stay (LOS ≤3 days) and discharged to home. In a prospective multicenter study, we included 225 patients aged ≥60 years undergoing well-defined fast-track total hip or total knee replacement. Patients had neuropsychological testing preoperatively and 1 to 2 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. LOS, pain, opioid use, inflammatory response, and sleep quality were recorded. The practice effect of repeated cognitive testing was gauged using data from a healthy community-dwelling control group (n = 161). Median LOS was 2 days (interquartile range 2-3). The incidence of POCD at 1 to 2 weeks was 9.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4%-13.1%) and 8.0% (95% CI, 4.5%-12.0%) at 3 months. There was no statistically significant difference between patients with and without early POCD, regarding pain, opioid use, sleep quality, or C-reactive protein response, although the CIs were wide. Patients with early POCD had a higher Mini Mental State Examination score preoperatively (difference in medians 0.5 [95% CI, -1.0% to 0.0%]; P = 0.034). If there was an association between early POCD and late POCD, the sample size was unfortunately too small to verify this (23.6% of patients with early POCD had late onset vs 6.7% in non-POCD group; risk difference 16.9 (95% CI, -2.1% to 41.1%; P = 0.089). The incidence of POCD early after total hip and knee replacement seems to be lower after a fast-track approach than rates previously reported for these procedures, but late POCD occurred with an incidence similar to that in previous studies of major noncardiac elective surgery. No association between early and late POCD could be verified.

Fast track pathway for perforated appendicitis.

PubMed

Frazee, Richard; Abernathy, Stephen; Davis, Matthew; Isbell, Travis; Regner, Justin; Smith, Randall

2017-04-01

Perforated appendicitis is associated with an increased morbidity and length of stay. "Fast track" protocols have demonstrated success in shortening hospitalization without increasing morbidity for a variety of surgical processes. This study evaluates a fast track pathway for perforated appendicitis. In 2013, a treatment pathway for perforated appendicitis was adopted by the Acute Care Surgery Service for patients having surgical management of perforated appendicitis. Interval appendectomy was excluded. Patients were treated initially with intravenous antibiotics and transitioned to oral antibiotics and dismissed when medically stable and tolerating oral intake. A retrospective review of patients managed on the fast track pathway was undertaken to analyze length of stay, morbidity, and readmissions. Thirty-four males and twenty-one females with an average age of 46.8 years underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for perforated appendicitis between January 2013 and December 2014. Pre-existing comorbidities included hypertension 42%, diabetes mellitus 11%, COPD 5% and heart disease 2%. No patient had conversion to open appendectomy. Average length of stay was 2.67 days and ranged from 1 to 12 days (median 2 days). Postoperative morbidity was 20% and included abscess (6 patients), prolonged ileus (3 patients), pneumonia (1 patient), and congestive heart failure (1 patient). Five patients were readmitted for abscess (3 patients), congestive heart failure (1 patient), and pneumonia (1 patient). A fast track pathway for perforated appendicitis produced shorter length of stay and acceptable postoperative morbidity and readmission. This offers the potential for significant cost savings over current national practice patterns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Finite-time control for nonlinear spacecraft attitude based on terminal sliding mode technique.

PubMed

Song, Zhankui; Li, Hongxing; Sun, Kaibiao

2014-01-01

In this paper, a fast terminal sliding mode control (FTSMC) scheme with double closed loops is proposed for the spacecraft attitude control. The FTSMC laws are included both in an inner control loop and an outer control loop. Firstly, a fast terminal sliding surface (FTSS) is constructed, which can drive the inner loop tracking-error and the outer loop tracking-error on the FTSS to converge to zero in finite time. Secondly, FTSMC strategy is designed by using Lyaponov's method for ensuring the occurrence of the sliding motion in finite time, which can hold the character of fast transient response and improve the tracking accuracy. It is proved that FTSMC can guarantee the convergence of tracking-error in both approaching and sliding mode surface. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast emulation of track reconstruction in the CMS simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komm, Matthias; CMS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Simulated samples of various physics processes are a key ingredient within analyses to unlock the physics behind LHC collision data. Samples with more and more statistics are required to keep up with the increasing amounts of recorded data. During sample generation, significant computing time is spent on the reconstruction of charged particle tracks from energy deposits which additionally scales with the pileup conditions. In CMS, the FastSimulation package is developed for providing a fast alternative to the standard simulation and reconstruction workflow. It employs various techniques to emulate track reconstruction effects in particle collision events. Several analysis groups in CMS are utilizing the package, in particular those requiring many samples to scan the parameter space of physics models (e.g. SUSY) or for the purpose of estimating systematic uncertainties. The strategies for and recent developments in this emulation are presented, including a novel, flexible implementation of tracking emulation while retaining a sufficient, tuneable accuracy.

Rapid, High-Throughput Tracking of Bacterial Motility in 3D via Phase-Contrast Holographic Video Microscopy

PubMed Central

Cheong, Fook Chiong; Wong, Chui Ching; Gao, YunFeng; Nai, Mui Hoon; Cui, Yidan; Park, Sungsu; Kenney, Linda J.; Lim, Chwee Teck

2015-01-01

Tracking fast-swimming bacteria in three dimensions can be extremely challenging with current optical techniques and a microscopic approach that can rapidly acquire volumetric information is required. Here, we introduce phase-contrast holographic video microscopy as a solution for the simultaneous tracking of multiple fast moving cells in three dimensions. This technique uses interference patterns formed between the scattered and the incident field to infer the three-dimensional (3D) position and size of bacteria. Using this optical approach, motility dynamics of multiple bacteria in three dimensions, such as speed and turn angles, can be obtained within minutes. We demonstrated the feasibility of this method by effectively tracking multiple bacteria species, including Escherichia coli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, we combined our fast 3D imaging technique with a microfluidic device to present an example of a drug/chemical assay to study effects on bacterial motility. PMID:25762336

Developmental Mediation of Genetic Variation in Response to the Fast Track Prevention Program

PubMed Central

Albert, Dustin; Belsky, Daniel W.; Crowley, D. Max; Bates, John E.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Dick, Danielle; Dodge, Kenneth A.

2015-01-01

We conducted a developmental analysis of genetic moderation of the effect of the Fast Track intervention on adult externalizing psychopathology. The Fast Track intervention enrolled 891 children at high risk to develop externalizing behavior problems when they were in kindergarten. Half of the enrolled children were randomly assigned to receive 10 years of treatment with a range of services and resources provided to the children and their families and the other half to usual care (controls). We previously showed that the effect of the Fast Track intervention on participants’ risk of externalizing psychopathology at age 25 years was moderated by a variant in the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (NR3C1). Children who carried copies of the A-allele of the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs10482672 had the highest risk of externalizing psychopathology if they were in the control arm of the trial and the lowest risk of externalizing psychopathology if they were in the treatment arm. In this study, we test a developmental hypothesis about the origins of this for-better-and-for-worse gene-by-intervention interaction (GxI): That the observed GxI effect on adult psychopathology is mediated by the proximal impact of intervention on childhood externalizing problems and adolescent substance use and delinquency. We analyzed longitudinal data tracking the 270 European-American children in the Fast Track RCT with available genetic information (129 intervention children and 141 control-group peers, 69% male) from kindergarten through age 25 years. Results show that the same pattern of “for-better-and-for-worse” susceptibility to intervention observed at the age-25 follow-up was evident already during childhood. At the elementary school follow-ups and at the middle/high-school follow-ups, rs10482672 predicted better adjustment among children receiving the Fast Track intervention, and worse adjustment among children in the control condition. In turn, these proximal GxI effects early in development mediated the ultimate GxI effect on externalizing psychopathology at age 25 years. We discuss the contribution of these findings to the growing literature on genetic susceptibility to environmental intervention. PMID:25640832

[Effects of a nutritional intervention in a fast-track program for a colorectal cancer surgery: systematic review].

PubMed

Wanden-Berghe, Carmina; Sanz-Valero, Javier; Arroyo-Sebastián, Antonio; Cheikh-Moussa, Kamila; Moya-Forcen, Pedro

2016-07-19

Introducción: Preoperative nutritional status (NS) has consequences on postoperative (POSTOP) recovery. Our aim was to systematically review the nutritional interventions (NI) in Fast-Track protocols for colorectal cancer surgery and assess morbidity-mortality and patient´s recovery. Systematic review of scientific literature after consulting bibliographic databases: Medline, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Institute for Scientific Information, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. MeSH Descriptors: "Colorectal Surgery", "Fast-Track", "Perioperative Care", "Nutrition Therapy" and "Enhanced recovery programme". Filters: "Humans", Adult (19+ years) and "Clinical Trial". Variables POSTOP outcomes: bowel recovery (BR), hospital stay (HS), complications and death. Selected studies, 27, had good or excellent methodological quality. From 25 to 597 patients were included. Aged between 16-94 years, men were predominant in 66.6%. NS was evaluated in 13 studies; 7 by Body Mass Index while one by Subjective Global Assessment. One presented POSTOP data. Fast-Track groups had solids, liquids or supplements (SS) in prior 2-8 hours. SS were high in carbohydrates, immune-nutrients and non-residue. Free liquids, solids and SS intake was allowed in POSTOP. Half traditional groups fasted between 3-12 hours and resumed POSTOP food intake progressively. Fast-Track groups had early BR (p < 0.01). Traditional groups had more infections episodes, deaths and a longer HS. Great variability between NI but had a common item; early intake. Although was seen patient's recovery. Future studies with detailed NI characteristics are need. Nutritional status must be assessed for a higher acknowledgement of NI impact.

Fast Track Randomized Controlled Trial to Prevent Externalizing Psychiatric Disorders: Findings from Grades 3 to 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2007

2007-01-01

Objective: This study tests the efficacy of the Fast Track Program in preventing antisocial behavior and psychiatric disorders among groups varying in initial risk. Method: Schools within four sites (Durham, NC; Nashville, TN; Seattle, WA; and rural central Pennsylvania) were selected as high-risk institutions based on neighborhood crime and…

Fast Tracking School Site Acquisition: A Perspective of an Eminent Domain Attorney.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrens, Jerry

This paper discusses key issues in fast-tracking the acquisition of school sites in California. Discussion addresses: (1) assembling an experienced team; (2) whether the property owner is a willing or unwilling seller; (3) level of community support or opposition to the site; (4) timing and commencement of California Environmental Quality Act…

Fast Track Initiative: Building a Global Compact for Education. Education Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Development Network Education, 2005

2005-01-01

This note series is intended to summarize lessons learned and key policy findings on the World Bank's work in education. "Fast Track Initiative" ("FTI") was launched in 2002 as a partnership between donor and developing countries to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of universal primary education. "FTI" is built on…

Detection of a faint fast-moving near-Earth asteroid using the synthetic tracking technique

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

Zhai, Chengxing; Shao, Michael; Nemati, Bijan

We report a detection of a faint near-Earth asteroid (NEA) using our synthetic tracking technique and the CHIMERA instrument on the Palomar 200 inch telescope. With an apparent magnitude of 23 (H = 29, assuming detection at 20 lunar distances), the asteroid was moving at 6.°32 day{sup –1} and was detected at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 15 using 30 s of data taken at a 16.7 Hz frame rate. The detection was confirmed by a second observation 77 minutes later at the same S/N. Because of its high proper motion, the NEA moved 7 arcsec over the 30 smore » of observation. Synthetic tracking avoided image degradation due to trailing loss that affects conventional techniques relying on 30 s exposures; the trailing loss would have degraded the surface brightness of the NEA image on the CCD down to an approximate magnitude of 25 making the object undetectable. This detection was a result of our 12 hr blind search conducted on the Palomar 200 inch telescope over two nights, scanning twice over six (5.°3 × 0.°046) fields. Detecting only one asteroid is consistent with Harris's estimates for the distribution of the asteroid population, which was used to predict a detection of 1.2 NEAs in the H-magnitude range 28-31 for the two nights. The experimental design, data analysis methods, and algorithms are presented. We also demonstrate milliarcsecond-level astrometry using observations of two known bright asteroids on the same system with synthetic tracking. We conclude by discussing strategies for scheduling observations to detect and characterize small and fast-moving NEAs using the new technique.« less

Electrically tunable lens speeds up 3D orbital tracking

PubMed Central

Annibale, Paolo; Dvornikov, Alexander; Gratton, Enrico

2015-01-01

3D orbital particle tracking is a versatile and effective microscopy technique that allows following fast moving fluorescent objects within living cells and reconstructing complex 3D shapes using laser scanning microscopes. We demonstrated notable improvements in the range, speed and accuracy of 3D orbital particle tracking by replacing commonly used piezoelectric stages with Electrically Tunable Lens (ETL) that eliminates mechanical movement of objective lenses. This allowed tracking and reconstructing shape of structures extending 500 microns in the axial direction. Using the ETL, we tracked at high speed fluorescently labeled genomic loci within the nucleus of living cells with unprecedented temporal resolution of 8ms using a 1.42NA oil-immersion objective. The presented technology is cost effective and allows easy upgrade of scanning microscopes for fast 3D orbital tracking. PMID:26114037

Automatic detection of recoil-proton tracks and background rejection criteria in liquid scintillator-micro-capillary-array fast neutron spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mor, Ilan; Vartsky, David; Dangendorf, Volker; Tittelmeier, Kai.; Weierganz, Mathias; Goldberg, Mark Benjamin; Bar, Doron; Brandis, Michal

2018-06-01

We describe an analysis procedure for automatic unambiguous detection of fast-neutron-induced recoil proton tracks in a micro-capillary array filled with organic liquid scintillator. The detector is viewed by an intensified CCD camera. This imaging neutron detector possesses the capability to perform high position-resolution (few tens of μm), energy-dispersive transmission-imaging using ns-pulsed beams. However, when operated with CW or DC beams, it also features medium-quality spectroscopic capabilities for incident neutrons in the energy range 2-20 MeV. In addition to the recoil proton events which display a continuous extended track structure, the raw images exhibit complex ion-tracks from nuclear interactions of fast-neutrons in the scintillator, capillaries quartz-matrix and CCD. Moreover, as expected, one also observes a multitude of isolated scintillation spots of varying intensity (henceforth denoted "blobs") that originate from several different sources, such as: fragmented proton tracks, gamma-rays, heavy-ion reactions as well as events and noise that occur in the image-intensifier and CCD. In order to identify the continuous-track recoil proton events and distinguish them from all these background events, a rapid, computerized and automatic track-recognition-procedure was developed. Based on an appropriately weighted analysis of track parameters such as: length, width, area and overall light intensity, the method is capable of distinguishing a single continuous-track recoil proton from typically surrounding several thousands of background events that are found in each CCD frame.

A long-term tropical mesoscale convective systems dataset based on a novel objective automatic tracking algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiaomeng; Hu, Chenqi; Huang, Xing; Chu, Yang; Tseng, Yu-heng; Zhang, Guang Jun; Lin, Yanluan

2018-01-01

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are important components of tropical weather systems and the climate system. Long-term data of MCS are of great significance in weather and climate research. Using long-term (1985-2008) global satellite infrared (IR) data, we developed a novel objective automatic tracking algorithm, which combines a Kalman filter (KF) with the conventional area-overlapping method, to generate a comprehensive MCS dataset. The new algorithm can effectively track small and fast-moving MCSs and thus obtain more realistic and complete tracking results than previous studies. A few examples are provided to illustrate the potential application of the dataset with a focus on the diurnal variations of MCSs over land and ocean regions. We find that the MCSs occurring over land tend to initiate in the afternoon with greater intensity, but the oceanic MCSs are more likely to initiate in the early morning with weaker intensity. A double peak in the maximum spatial coverage is noted over the western Pacific, especially over the southwestern Pacific during the austral summer. Oceanic MCSs also persist for approximately 1 h longer than their continental counterparts.

Hyperspectral Imager-Tracker

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agurok, Llya

2013-01-01

The Hyperspectral Imager-Tracker (HIT) is a technique for visualization and tracking of low-contrast, fast-moving objects. The HIT architecture is based on an innovative and only recently developed concept in imaging optics. This innovative architecture will give the Light Prescriptions Innovators (LPI) HIT the possibility of simultaneously collecting the spectral band images (hyperspectral cube), IR images, and to operate with high-light-gathering power and high magnification for multiple fast- moving objects. Adaptive Spectral Filtering algorithms will efficiently increase the contrast of low-contrast scenes. The most hazardous parts of a space mission are the first stage of a launch and the last 10 kilometers of the landing trajectory. In general, a close watch on spacecraft operation is required at distances up to 70 km. Tracking at such distances is usually associated with the use of radar, but its milliradian angular resolution translates to 100- m spatial resolution at 70-km distance. With sufficient power, radar can track a spacecraft as a whole object, but will not provide detail in the case of an accident, particularly for small debris in the onemeter range, which can only be achieved optically. It will be important to track the debris, which could disintegrate further into more debris, all the way to the ground. Such fragmentation could cause ballistic predictions, based on observations using high-resolution but narrow-field optics for only the first few seconds of the event, to be inaccurate. No optical imager architecture exists to satisfy NASA requirements. The HIT was developed for space vehicle tracking, in-flight inspection, and in the case of an accident, a detailed recording of the event. The system is a combination of five subsystems: (1) a roving fovea telescope with a wide 30 field of regard; (2) narrow, high-resolution fovea field optics; (3) a Coude optics system for telescope output beam stabilization; (4) a hyperspectral-mutispectral imaging assembly; and (5) image analysis software with effective adaptive spectral filtering algorithm for real-time contrast enhancement.

Implementation and audit of 'Fast-Track Surgery' in gynaecological oncology surgery.

PubMed

Sidhu, Verinder S; Lancaster, Letitia; Elliott, David; Brand, Alison H

2012-08-01

Fast-track surgery is a multidisciplinary approach to surgery that results in faster recovery from surgery and decreased length of stay (LOS). The aims of this study were as follows: (i) to report on the processes required for the introduction of fast-track surgery to a gynaecological oncology unit and (ii) to report the results of a clinical audit conducted after the protocol's implementation. A fast-track protocol, specific to our unit, was developed after a series of multidisciplinary meetings. The protocol, agreed upon by those involved in the care of women in our unit, was then introduced into clinical practice. An audit was conducted of all women undergoing laparotomy, with known or suspected malignancy. Information on LOS, complication and readmission rates was collected. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were used for statistical analysis. The developed protocol involved a multidisciplinary approach to pre-, intra- and postoperative care. The audit included 104 consecutive women over a 6-month period, who were followed for 6 weeks postoperatively. The median LOS was 4 days. The readmission rate was 7% and the complication rate was 19% (1% intraoperative, 4% major and 14% minor). Multivariate analysis revealed that increased duration of surgery and increasing age were predictors of longer LOS. The development of a fast-track protocol is achievable in a gynaecological oncology unit, with input from a multidisciplinary team. Effective implementation of the protocol can result in a short LOS, with acceptable complication and readmission rates when applied non-selectively to gynaecological oncology patients. © 2012 The Authors ANZJOG © 2012 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Maintaining Unity - relatives in older patients' fast-track treatment programmes. A grounded theory study.

PubMed

Berthelsen, Connie Bøttcher; Lindhardt, Tove; Frederiksen, Kirsten

2014-12-01

To generate a substantive grounded theory of relatives' pattern of behaviour in older patients' fast-track treatment programmes during total hip or knee replacement. Fast-track treatment programmes are designed to make total hip and knee replacements more efficient through recovery improvements. The support of relatives during older patients' trajectory is important. However, knowledge is needed on the relatives' pattern of behaviour to strengthen their involvement in fast-track treatment programmes. We used a Glaserian grounded theory approach based on a systematic generation of theory from data to explain the latent pattern of behaviour of relatives. Data were collected from 2010-2011 in orthopaedic wards at two Danish university hospitals and consisted of 14 non-participant observations, 14 postobservational interviews and five interviews. Seven relatives of patients over 70 years of age participated. The constant comparative method was the guiding principle for simultaneous data collection, data analysis and coding, while theoretically sampling and writing memos. Maintaining Unity emerged as the relatives' pattern of behaviour through which they resolved their main concern: preventing the patients from feeling alone. The relatives resolved their main concern through three interchangeable behavioural modes: Protecting Mode, by providing loving and respectful support; Substituting Mode, with practical and cognitive support; and an Adapting Mode, by trying to fit in with the patients' and health professionals' requirements. The substantive theory of Maintaining Unity offers knowledge of relatives' strong desire to provide compassionate and loving support for the older patients during fast-track treatment programmes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fast left ventricle tracking in CMR images using localized anatomical affine optical flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queirós, Sandro; Vilaça, João. L.; Morais, Pedro; Fonseca, Jaime C.; D'hooge, Jan; Barbosa, Daniel

2015-03-01

In daily cardiology practice, assessment of left ventricular (LV) global function using non-invasive imaging remains central for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Despite the different methodologies currently accessible for LV segmentation in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images, a fast and complete LV delineation is still limitedly available for routine use. In this study, a localized anatomically constrained affine optical flow method is proposed for fast and automatic LV tracking throughout the full cardiac cycle in short-axis CMR images. Starting from an automatically delineated LV in the end-diastolic frame, the endocardial and epicardial boundaries are propagated by estimating the motion between adjacent cardiac phases using optical flow. In order to reduce the computational burden, the motion is only estimated in an anatomical region of interest around the tracked boundaries and subsequently integrated into a local affine motion model. Such localized estimation enables to capture complex motion patterns, while still being spatially consistent. The method was validated on 45 CMR datasets taken from the 2009 MICCAI LV segmentation challenge. The proposed approach proved to be robust and efficient, with an average distance error of 2.1 mm and a correlation with reference ejection fraction of 0.98 (1.9 +/- 4.5%). Moreover, it showed to be fast, taking 5 seconds for the tracking of a full 4D dataset (30 ms per image). Overall, a novel fast, robust and accurate LV tracking methodology was proposed, enabling accurate assessment of relevant global function cardiac indices, such as volumes and ejection fraction

Commercial associative memory performance for applications in track-based triggers at the Large Hadron Collider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webster, Jordan

2017-01-01

Dense track environments in pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) motivate the use of triggers with dedicated hardware for fast track reconstruction. The ATLAS Collaboration is in the process of implementing a Fast Tracker (FTK) trigger upgrade, in which Content Addressable Memories (CAMs) will be used to rapidly match hit patterns with large banks of simulated tracks. The FTK CAMs are produced primarily at the University of Pisa. However, commercial CAM technology is rapidly developing due to applications in computer networking devices. This poster presents new studies comparing FTK CAMs to cutting-edge ternary CAMs developed by Cavium. The comparison is intended to guide the design of future track-based trigger systems for the next Phase at the LHC.

Fast-track cardiac care for adult cardiac surgical patients.

PubMed

Zhu, Fang; Lee, Anna; Chee, Yee Eot

2012-10-17

Fast-track cardiac care is a complex intervention involving several components of care during cardiac anaesthesia and in the postoperative period, all with the ultimate aim of early extubation after surgery, to reduce the length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital. Safe and effective fast-track cardiac care may reduce hospital costs. This is an update of a Cochrane review published in 2003. To update the evidence on the safety and effectiveness of fast-track cardiac care compared to conventional (not fast-track) care in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2012, Issue 3), MEDLINE (January 1966 to April 2012), EMBASE (January 1980 to April 2012), CINAHL (January 1982 to April 2012), and ISI Web of Science (January 2003 to April 2012). We searched reference lists of articles and contacted experts in the field. All randomized controlled trials of adult cardiac surgical patients (coronary artery bypass grafts, aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement) that compared fast-track cardiac care and conventional (not fast-track) care groups were included. We focused on the following fast-track interventions that were designed for early extubation after surgery, administration of low-dose opioid based general anaesthesia during cardiac surgery and the use of a time-directed extubation protocol after surgery. The primary outcome was the risk of mortality. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications, reintubation within 24 hours of surgery, time to extubation, length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital, quality of life after surgery and hospital costs. Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted the data. Study authors were contacted for additional information. We used a random-effects model and reported relative risk (RR), mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Twenty-five trials involving 4118 patients were included in the review. There were two studies with a low risk of bias and nine studies with a high risk of bias. There were no differences in the risk of mortality within the first year after surgery between low-dose versus high-dose opioid based general anaesthesia groups (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.18) and between early extubation protocol versus usual care groups (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.75).There were no significant differences between low-dose versus high-dose opioid based anaesthesia groups for postoperative complications: myocardial infarction (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.99), reintubation (RR 1.77, 95% CI 0.38 to 8.27), acute renal failure (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.33 to 4.33), major bleeding (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.16 to 1.44), and stroke (RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.36 to 3.78). Compared to the usual care, there were no significant differences in the risk of postoperative complications associated with early extubation: myocardial infarction (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.60), reintubation (RR 1.91, 95% CI 0.90 to 4.07), acute renal failure (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.19 to 3.10), major bleeding (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.44), stroke (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.31 to 2.46), major sepsis (RR 1.25, 95% CI 0.08 to 19.75) and wound infection (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.83).Although there were high levels of heterogeneity, both low-dose opioid anaesthesia and the use of time-directed extubation protocols were associated with reductions in the time to extubation (3.0 to 10.5 hours) and in the length of stay in the intensive care unit (0.4 to 8.7 hours). However, these fast-track care interventions were not associated with reductions in the total length of stay in hospital. One high quality cost-effectiveness analysis included in a randomized controlled trial showed that early extubation was likely to be cost-effective. The use of low-dose opioid based general anaesthesia and time-directed protocols for fast-track interventions have similar risks of mortality and major postoperative complications to conventional (not fast-track) care, and therefore appear to be safe in patients considered to be at low to moderate risk. These fast-track interventions reduced the time to extubation and shortened the length of stay in the intensive care unit, but did not reduce the length of stay in the hospital.

Implementing a comprehensive program for the prevention of conduct problems in rural communities: the Fast Track experience. The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group.

PubMed

Bierman, K L

1997-08-01

Childhood conduct problems are predictive of a number of serious long-term difficulties (e.g., school failure, delinquent behavior, and mental health problems), making the design of effective prevention programs a priority. The Fast Track Program is a demonstration project currently underway in four demographically diverse areas of the United States, testing the feasibility and effectiveness of a comprehensive, multicomponent prevention program targeting children at risk for conduct disorders. This paper describes some lessons learned about the implementation of this program in a rural area. Although there are many areas of commonality in terms of program needs, program design, and implementation issues in rural and urban sites, rural areas differ from urban areas along the dimensions of geographical dispersion and regionalism, and community stability and insularity. Rural programs must cover a broad geographical area and must be sensitive to the multiple, small and regional communities that constitute their service area. Small schools, homogeneous populations, traditional values, limited recreational, educational and mental health services, and politically conservative climates are all more likely to emerge as characteristics of rural rather than urban sites (Sherman, 1992). These characteristics may both pose particular challenges to the implementation of prevention programs in rural areas, as well as offer particular benefits. Three aspects of program implementation are described in detail: (a) community entry and program initiation in rural areas, (b) the adaptation of program components and service delivery to meet the needs of rural families and schools, and (c) issues in administrative organization of a broadly dispersed tricounty rural prevention program.

Implementing a Comprehensive Program for the Prevention of Conduct Problems in Rural Communities: The Fast Track Experience1

PubMed Central

Bierman, Karen L.

2012-01-01

Childhood conduct problems are predictive of a number of serious long-term difficulties (e.g., school failure, delinquent behavior, and mental health problems), making the design of effective prevention programs a priority. The Fast Track Program is a demonstration project currently underway in four demographically diverse areas of the United States, testing the feasibility and effectiveness of a comprehensive, multicomponent prevention program targeting children at risk for conduct disorders. This paper describes some lessons learned about the implementation of this program in a rural area. Although there are many areas of commonality in terms of program needs, program design, and implementation issues in rural and urban sites, rural areas differ from urban areas along the dimensions of geographical dispersion and regionalism, and community stability and insularity. Rural programs must cover a broad geographical area and must be sensitive to the multiple, small and regional communities that constitute their service area. Small schools, homogeneous populations, traditional values, limited recreational, educational and mental health services, and politically conservative climates are all more likely to emerge as characteristics of rural rather than urban sites (Sherman, 1992). These characteristics may both pose particular challenges to the implementation of prevention programs in rural areas, as well as offer particular benefits. Three aspects of program implementation are described in detail: (a) community entry and program initiation in rural areas, (b) the adaptation of program components and service delivery to meet the needs of rural families and schools, and (c) issues in administrative organization of a broadly dispersed tricounty rural prevention program. PMID:9338956

Fast Markerless Tracking for Augmented Reality in Planar Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basori, Ahmad Hoirul; Afif, Fadhil Noer; Almazyad, Abdulaziz S.; AbuJabal, Hamza Ali S.; Rehman, Amjad; Alkawaz, Mohammed Hazim

2015-12-01

Markerless tracking for augmented reality should not only be accurate but also fast enough to provide a seamless synchronization between real and virtual beings. Current reported methods showed that a vision-based tracking is accurate but requires high computational power. This paper proposes a real-time hybrid-based method for tracking unknown environments in markerless augmented reality. The proposed method provides collaboration of vision-based approach with accelerometers and gyroscopes sensors as camera pose predictor. To align the augmentation relative to camera motion, the tracking method is done by substituting feature-based camera estimation with combination of inertial sensors with complementary filter to provide more dynamic response. The proposed method managed to track unknown environment with faster processing time compared to available feature-based approaches. Moreover, the proposed method can sustain its estimation in a situation where feature-based tracking loses its track. The collaboration of sensor tracking managed to perform the task for about 22.97 FPS, up to five times faster than feature-based tracking method used as comparison. Therefore, the proposed method can be used to track unknown environments without depending on amount of features on scene, while requiring lower computational cost.

Direct Torque Control of a Small Wind Turbine with a Sliding-Mode Speed Controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sri Lal Senanayaka, Jagath; Karimi, Hamid Reza; Robbersmyr, Kjell G.

2016-09-01

In this paper. the method of direct torque control in the presence of a sliding-mode speed controller is proposed for a small wind turbine being used in water heating applications. This concept and control system design can be expanded to grid connected or off-grid applications. Direct torque control of electrical machines has shown several advantages including very fast dynamics torque control over field-oriented control. Moreover. the torque and flux controllers in the direct torque control algorithms are based on hvsteretic controllers which are nonlinear. In the presence of a sliding-mode speed control. a nonlinear control system can be constructed which is matched for AC/DC conversion of the converter that gives fast responses with low overshoots. The main control objectives of the proposed small wind turbine can be maximum power point tracking and soft-stall power control. This small wind turbine consists of permanent magnet synchronous generator and external wind speed. and rotor speed measurements are not required for the system. However. a sensor is needed to detect the rated wind speed overpass events to activate proper speed references for the wind turbine. Based on the low-cost design requirement of small wind turbines. an available wind speed sensor can be modified. or a new sensor can be designed to get the required measurement. The simulation results will be provided to illustrate the excellent performance of the closed-loop control system in entire wind speed range (4-25 m/s).

An Optimal Control Modification to Model-Reference Adaptive Control for Fast Adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Nhan T.; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje; Boskovic, Jovan

2008-01-01

This paper presents a method that can achieve fast adaptation for a class of model-reference adaptive control. It is well-known that standard model-reference adaptive control exhibits high-gain control behaviors when a large adaptive gain is used to achieve fast adaptation in order to reduce tracking error rapidly. High gain control creates high-frequency oscillations that can excite unmodeled dynamics and can lead to instability. The fast adaptation approach is based on the minimization of the squares of the tracking error, which is formulated as an optimal control problem. The necessary condition of optimality is used to derive an adaptive law using the gradient method. This adaptive law is shown to result in uniform boundedness of the tracking error by means of the Lyapunov s direct method. Furthermore, this adaptive law allows a large adaptive gain to be used without causing undesired high-gain control effects. The method is shown to be more robust than standard model-reference adaptive control. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Issues in NASA Program and Project Management. Special Report: 1997 Conference. Project Management Now and in the New Millennium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, Edward J. (Editor); Lawbaugh, William M. (Editor)

1997-01-01

Topics Considered Include: NASA's Shared Experiences Program; Core Issues for the Future of the Agency; National Space Policy Strategic Management; ISO 9000 and NASA; New Acquisition Initiatives; Full Cost Initiative; PM Career Development; PM Project Database; NASA Fast Track Studies; Fast Track Projects; Earned Value Concept; Value-Added Metrics; Saturn Corporation Lessons Learned; Project Manager Credibility.

All-digital GPS receiver mechanization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ould, P. C.; van Wechel, R. J.

The paper describes the all-digital baseband correlation processing of GPS signals, which is characterized by (1) a potential for improved antijamming performance, (2) fast acquisition by a digital matched filter, (3) reduction of adjustment, (4) increased system reliability, and (5) provision of a basis for the realization of a high degree of VLSI potential for the development of small economical GPS sets. The basic technical approach consists of a broadband fix-tuned RF converter followed by a digitizer; digital-matched-filter acquisition section; phase- and delay-lock tracking via baseband digital correlation; software acquisition logic and loop filter implementation; and all-digital implementation of the feedback numerical controlled oscillators and code generator. Broadband in-phase and quadrature tracking is performed by an arctangent angle detector followed by a phase-unwrapping algorithm that eliminates false locks induced by sampling and data bit transitions, and yields a wide pull-in frequency range approaching one-fourth of the loop iteration frequency.

Beam dynamics analysis of dielectric laser acceleration using a fast 6D tracking scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedermayer, Uwe; Egenolf, Thilo; Boine-Frankenheim, Oliver

2017-11-01

A six-dimensional symplectic tracking approach exploiting the periodicity properties of dielectric laser acceleration (DLA) gratings is presented. The longitudinal kick is obtained from the spatial Fourier harmonics of the laser field within the structure, and the transverse kicks are obtained using the Panofsky-Wenzel theorem. Additionally to the usual, strictly longitudinally periodic gratings, our approach is also applicable to periodicity chirped (subrelativistic) and tilted (deflection) gratings. In the limit of small kicks and short periods we obtain the 6D Hamiltonian, which allows, for example, to obtain matched beam distributions in DLAs. The scheme is applied to beam and grating parameters similar to recently performed experiments. The paper concludes with an outlook to laser based focusing schemes, which are promising to overcome fundamental interaction length limitations, in order to build an entire microchip-sized laser driven accelerator.

An adaptive tracking observer for failure-detection systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidar, M.

1982-01-01

The design problem of adaptive observers applied to linear, constant and variable parameters, multi-input, multi-output systems, is considered. It is shown that, in order to keep the observer's (or Kalman filter) false-alarm rate (FAR) under a certain specified value, it is necessary to have an acceptable proper matching between the observer (or KF) model and the system parameters. An adaptive observer algorithm is introduced in order to maintain desired system-observer model matching, despite initial mismatching and/or system parameter variations. Only a properly designed adaptive observer is able to detect abrupt changes in the system (actuator, sensor failures, etc.) with adequate reliability and FAR. Conditions for convergence for the adaptive process were obtained, leading to a simple adaptive law (algorithm) with the possibility of an a priori choice of fixed adaptive gains. Simulation results show good tracking performance with small observer output errors and accurate and fast parameter identification, in both deterministic and stochastic cases.

The efficacy and resource utilization of remifentanil and fentanyl in fast-track coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a prospective randomized, double-blinded controlled, multi-center trial.

PubMed

Cheng, D C; Newman, M F; Duke, P; Wong, D T; Finegan, B; Howie, M; Fitch, J; Bowdle, T A; Hogue, C; Hillel, Z; Pierce, E; Bukenya, D

2001-05-01

We compared (a) the perioperative complications; (b) times to eligibility for, and actual time of the following: extubation, less intense monitoring, intensive care unit (ICU), and hospital discharge; and (c) resource utilization of nursing ratio for patients receiving either a typical fentanyl/isoflurane/propofol regimen or a remifentanil/isoflurane/propofol regimen for fast-track cardiac anesthesia in 304 adults by using a prospective randomized, double-blinded, double-dummy trial. There were no differences in demographic data, or perioperative mortality and morbidity between the two study groups. The mini-mental status examination at postoperative Days 1 to 3 were similar between the two groups. The eligible and actual times for extubation, less intense monitoring, ICU discharge, and hospital discharge were not significantly different. Further analyses revealed no differences in times for extubation and resource utilization after stratification by preoperative risk scores, age, and country. The nurse/patient ratio was similar between the remifentanil/isoflurane/propofol and fentanyl/isoflu-rane/propofol groups during the initial ICU phase and less intense monitoring phase. Increasing preoperative risk scores and older age (>70 yr) were associated with longer times until extubation (eligible), ICU discharge (eligible and actual), and hospital discharge (eligible and actual). Times until extubation (eligible and actual) and less intense monitoring (eligible) were significantly shorter in Canadian patients than United States' patients. However, there was no difference in hospital length of stay in Canadian and United States' patients. We conclude that both anesthesia techniques permit early and similar times until tracheal extubation, less intense monitoring, ICU and hospital discharge, and reduced resource utilization after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. An ultra-short opioid technique was compared with a standard fast-track small-dose opioid technique in coronary artery bypass graft patients in a prospective randomized, double-blinded controlled study. The postoperative recovery and resource utilization, including stratification of preoperative risk score, age, and country, were analyzed.

Enhanced recovery after elective coronary revascularization surgery with minimal versus conventional extracorporeal circulation: a prospective randomized study.

PubMed

Anastasiadis, Kyriakos; Asteriou, Christos; Antonitsis, Polychronis; Argiriadou, Helena; Grosomanidis, Vassilios; Kyparissa, Magdalena; Deliopoulos, Apostolos; Konstantinou, Dimitrios; Tossios, Paschalis

2013-10-01

A minimal extracorporeal circulation (MECC) circuit integrates the advances in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) technology into a single circuit and is associated with improved short-term outcome. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate MECC compared with conventional CPB in facilitating fast-track recovery after elective coronary revascularization procedures. Prospective randomized study. All patients scheduled for elective coronary artery surgery were evaluated, excluding those considered particularly high risk for fast-track failure. The fast-track protocol included careful preoperative patient selection, a fast-track anesthetic technique based on minimal administration of fentanyl, surgery at normothermia, early postoperative extubation in the cardiac recovery unit, and admission to the cardiothoracic ward within the first 24 hours postoperatively. One hundred twenty patients were assigned randomly into 2 groups (60 in each group). Group A included patients who were operated on using the MECC circuit, whereas patients in Group B underwent surgery on conventional CPB. Incidence of fast-track recovery was significantly higher in patients undergoing MECC (25% v 6.7%, p = 0.006). MECC also was recognized as a strong independent predictor of early recovery, with an odds ratio of 3.8 (p = 0.011). Duration of mechanical ventilation and cardiac recovery unit stay were significantly lower in patients undergoing MECC together with the need for blood transfusion, duration of inotropic support, need for an intra-aortic balloon pump, and development of postoperative atrial fibrillation and renal failure. MECC promotes successful early recovery after elective coronary revascularization procedures, even in a nondedicated cardiac intensive care unit setting. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The risk of manipulation under anesthesia due to unsatisfactory knee flexion after fast-track total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Wied, Christian; Thomsen, Morten G; Kallemose, Thomas; Myhrmann, Lis; Jensen, Lotte S; Husted, Henrik; Troelsen, Anders

2015-10-01

Fast-track TKA has significantly shortened the time available for physiotherapists to optimize knee ROM before discharge. Safety aspects concerning knee stiffness and the need for manipulation in a fast-track setting need to be illuminated. The study aims were to analyze if fast-track TKA can be considered safe considering rates of knee manipulation and if there is an association between knee ROM at time of discharge and the need for later manipulation. Primary TKAs operated in 2011 at our institution were eligible for inclusion. The study group consisted of 359 TKAs. Manipulation of the knee was performed in 21 of 359 TKAs (5.8%). Seventy-one percent were discharged with a flexion ≥70° combined with an extension deficit of ≤10°. The occurrence of MUA for these patients was 4.3%. The prevalence of knee manipulation showed a statistically significant association with the achieved knee flexion at discharge (p=0.02). Median length of stay was two days. Compared with literature findings fast-track TKA surgery may be considered safe based on the acceptable rate of knee manipulations after TKA (5.8%). We suggest ROM of ≥70° flexion combined with an extension deficit of ≤10° as an "optimal-zone" for ROM at discharge. The reason for this is the low occurrence of MUA (4.3%) in relation to the large amount of TKAs it represents (71%). The indication for MUA is multifactorial and ROM at discharge serves only as an indicator of later MUA risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FAST: A fully asynchronous and status-tracking pattern for geoprocessing services orchestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Huayi; You, Lan; Gui, Zhipeng; Gao, Shuang; Li, Zhenqiang; Yu, Jingmin

2014-09-01

Geoprocessing service orchestration (GSO) provides a unified and flexible way to implement cross-application, long-lived, and multi-step geoprocessing service workflows by coordinating geoprocessing services collaboratively. Usually, geoprocessing services and geoprocessing service workflows are data and/or computing intensive. The intensity feature may make the execution process of a workflow time-consuming. Since it initials an execution request without blocking other interactions on the client side, an asynchronous mechanism is especially appropriate for GSO workflows. Many critical problems remain to be solved in existing asynchronous patterns for GSO including difficulties in improving performance, status tracking, and clarifying the workflow structure. These problems are a challenge when orchestrating performance efficiency, making statuses instantly available, and constructing clearly structured GSO workflows. A Fully Asynchronous and Status-Tracking (FAST) pattern that adopts asynchronous interactions throughout the whole communication tier of a workflow is proposed for GSO. The proposed FAST pattern includes a mechanism that actively pushes the latest status to clients instantly and economically. An independent proxy was designed to isolate the status tracking logic from the geoprocessing business logic, which assists the formation of a clear GSO workflow structure. A workflow was implemented in the FAST pattern to simulate the flooding process in the Poyang Lake region. Experimental results show that the proposed FAST pattern can efficiently tackle data/computing intensive geoprocessing tasks. The performance of all collaborative partners was improved due to the asynchronous mechanism throughout communication tier. A status-tracking mechanism helps users retrieve the latest running status of a GSO workflow in an efficient and instant way. The clear structure of the GSO workflow lowers the barriers for geospatial domain experts and model designers to compose asynchronous GSO workflows. Most importantly, it provides better support for locating and diagnosing potential exceptions.

Telemedicine support shortens length of stay after fast-track hip replacement.

PubMed

Vesterby, Martin Svoldgaard; Pedersen, Preben Ulrich; Laursen, Malene; Mikkelsen, Søren; Larsen, Jens; Søballe, Kjeld; Jørgensen, Lene Bastrup

2017-02-01

Background and purpose - Telemedicine could allow patients to be discharged more quickly after surgery and contribute to improve fast-track procedures without compromising quality, patient safety, functionality, anxiety, or other patient-perceived parameters. We investigated whether using telemedicine support (TMS) would permit hospital discharge after 1 day without loss of self-assessed quality of life, loss of functionality, increased anxiety, increased rates of re-admission, or increased rates of complications after hip replacement. Patients and methods - We performed a randomized controlled trial involving 72 Danish patients in 1 region who were referred for elective fast-track total hip replacement between August 2009 and March 2011 (654 were screened for eligibility). Half of the patients received a telemedicine solution connected to their TV. The patients were followed until 1 year after surgery. Results - Length of stay was reduced from 2.1 days (95% CI: 2.0-2.3) to 1.1 day (CI: 0.9-1.4; p < 0.001) with the TMS intervention. Health-related quality of life increased in both groups, but there were no statistically significant differences between groups. There were also no statistically significant differences between groups regarding timed up-and-go test and Oxford hip score at 3-month follow-up. At 12-month follow-up, the rates of complications and re-admissions were similar between the groups, but the number of postoperative hospital contacts was lower in the TMS group. Interpretation - Length of postoperative stay was shortened in patients with the TMS solution, without compromising patient-perceived or clinical parameters in patients undergoing elective fast-track surgery. These results indicate that telemedicine can be of value in fast-track treatment of patients undergoing total hip replacement.

Creating a Team Archive During Fast-Paced Anomaly Response Activities in Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Hicks, LaDessa; Overland, David; Thronesbery, Carroll; Christofferesen, Klaus; Chow, Renee

2002-01-01

This paper describes a Web-based system to support the temporary Anomaly Response Team formed from distributed subteams in Space Shuttle and International Space Station missions. The system was designed for easy and flexible creation of small collections of files and links associated with work on a particular anomaly. The system supports privacy and levels of formality for the subteams. First we describe the supported groups and an anomaly response scenario. Then we describe the support system prototype, the Anomaly Response Tracking and Integration System (ARTIS). Finally, we describe our evaluation approach and the results of the evaluation.

Predicting hospital accounting costs

PubMed Central

Newhouse, Joseph P.; Cretin, Shan; Witsberger, Christina J.

1989-01-01

Two alternative methods to Medicare Cost Reports that provide information about hospital costs more promptly but less accurately are investigated. Both employ utilization data from current-year bills. The first attaches costs to utilization data using cost-charge ratios from the previous year's cost report; the second uses charges from current year's bills. The first method is the more accurate of the two, but even using it, only 40 percent of hospitals had predicted costs within plus or minus 5 percent of actual costs. The feasibility and cost of obtaining cost reports from a small, fast-track sample of hospitals should be investigated. PMID:10313352

Real-time tracking and fast retrieval of persons in multiple surveillance cameras of a shopping mall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouma, Henri; Baan, Jan; Landsmeer, Sander; Kruszynski, Chris; van Antwerpen, Gert; Dijk, Judith

2013-05-01

The capability to track individuals in CCTV cameras is important for e.g. surveillance applications at large areas such as train stations, airports and shopping centers. However, it is laborious to track and trace people over multiple cameras. In this paper, we present a system for real-time tracking and fast interactive retrieval of persons in video streams from multiple static surveillance cameras. This system is demonstrated in a shopping mall, where the cameras are positioned without overlapping fields-of-view and have different lighting conditions. The results show that the system allows an operator to find the origin or destination of a person more efficiently. The misses are reduced with 37%, which is a significant improvement.

Tracking the development of brain connectivity in adolescence through a fast Bayesian integrative method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Aiying; Jia, Bochao; Wang, Yu-Ping

2018-03-01

Adolescence is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood with physical changes, as well as increasing emotional activity. Studies have shown that the emotional sensitivity is related to a second dramatical brain growth. However, there is little focus on the trend of brain development during this period. In this paper, we aim to track the functional brain connectivity development in adolescence using resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI), which amounts to a time-series analysis problem. Most existing methods either require the time point to be fairly long or are only applicable to small graphs. To this end, we adapted a fast Bayesian integrative analysis (FBIA) to address the short time-series difficulty, and combined with adaptive sum of powered score (aSPU) test for group difference. The data we used are the resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) obtained from the publicly available Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC). They include 861 individuals aged 8-22 years who were divided into five different adolescent stages. We summarized the networks with global measurements: segregation and integration, and provided full brain functional connectivity pattern in various stages of adolescence. Moreover, our research revealed several brain functional modules development trends. Our results are shown to be both statistically and biologically significant.

Preventing Serious Conduct Problems in School-Age Youths: The Fast Track Program

PubMed Central

Slough, Nancy M.; McMahon, Robert J.; Bierman, Karen L.; Coie, John D.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Foster, E. Michael; Greenberg, Mark T.; Lochman, John E.; McMahon, Robert J.; Pinderhughes, Ellen E.

2009-01-01

Children with early-starting conduct Problems have a very poor prognosis and exact a high cost to society. The Fast Track project is a multisite, collaborative research project investigating the efficacy of a comprehensive, long-term, multicomponent intervention designed to prevent the development of serious conduct problems in high-risk children. In this article, we (a) provide an overview of the development model that serves as the conceptual foundation for the Fast Track intervention and describe its integration into the intervention model; (b) outline the research design and intervention model, with an emphasis on the elementary school phase of the intervention; and (c) summarize findings to dale concerning intervention outcomes. We then provide a case illustration, and conclude with a discussion of guidelines for practitioners who work with children with conduct problems. PMID:19890487

Why "The Best Way of Learning to Coach the Game Is Playing the Game": Conceptualising "Fast-Tracked" High-Performance Coaching Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackett, Alexander David; Evans, Adam; Piggott, David

2017-01-01

At the beginning of the 2013/2014 season in England and Wales, 90 head coaches of the 92 men's national professional football league clubs and 20 of the 22 men's professional rugby union clubs had tenure as a professional elite player in their respective sports. Moreover, Rynne [(2014). "'Fast track' and 'traditional path' coaches:…

Detection of visually unrecognizable braking tracks using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, a feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochazka, David; Bilík, Martin; Prochazková, Petra; Brada, Michal; Klus, Jakub; Pořízka, Pavel; Novotný, Jan; Novotný, Karel; Ticová, Barbora; Bradáč, Albert; Semela, Marek; Kaiser, Jozef

2016-04-01

Identification of the position, length and mainly beginning of a braking track has proven to be essential for determination of causes of a road traffic accident. With the introduction of modern safety braking systems and assistance systems such as the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) or Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the visual identification of braking tracks that has been used up until the present is proving to be rather complicated or even impossible. This paper focuses on identification of braking tracks using a spectrochemical analysis of the road surface. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was selected as a method suitable for fast in-situ element detection. In the course of detailed observations of braking tracks it was determined that they consist of small particles of tire treads that are caught in intrusions in the road surface. As regards detection of the "dust" resulting from wear and tear of tire treads in the environment, organic zinc was selected as the identification element in the past. The content of zinc in tire treads has been seen to differ with regard to various sources and tire types; however, the arithmetic mean and modus of these values are approximately 1% by weight. For in-situ measurements of actual braking tracks a mobile LIBS device equipped with a special module was used. Several measurements were performed for 3 different cars and tire types respectively which slowed down with full braking power. Moreover, the influence of different initial speed, vehicle mass and braking track length on detected signal is discussed here.

Object tracking on mobile devices using binary descriptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savakis, Andreas; Quraishi, Mohammad Faiz; Minnehan, Breton

2015-03-01

With the growing ubiquity of mobile devices, advanced applications are relying on computer vision techniques to provide novel experiences for users. Currently, few tracking approaches take into consideration the resource constraints on mobile devices. Designing efficient tracking algorithms and optimizing performance for mobile devices can result in better and more efficient tracking for applications, such as augmented reality. In this paper, we use binary descriptors, including Fast Retina Keypoint (FREAK), Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB), Binary Robust Independent Features (BRIEF), and Binary Robust Invariant Scalable Keypoints (BRISK) to obtain real time tracking performance on mobile devices. We consider both Google's Android and Apple's iOS operating systems to implement our tracking approach. The Android implementation is done using Android's Native Development Kit (NDK), which gives the performance benefits of using native code as well as access to legacy libraries. The iOS implementation was created using both the native Objective-C and the C++ programing languages. We also introduce simplified versions of the BRIEF and BRISK descriptors that improve processing speed without compromising tracking accuracy.

How Does the Fast Track Intervention Prevent Adverse Outcomes in Young Adulthood?

PubMed

Sorensen, Lucy C; Dodge, Kenneth A

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have shown that childhood interventions can foster improved outcomes in adulthood. Less well understood is precisely how-that is, through which developmental pathways-these interventions work. This study assesses mechanisms by which the Fast Track project (n = 891), a randomized intervention in the early 1990s for high-risk children in four communities (Durham, NC; Nashville, TN; rural PA; and Seattle, WA), reduced delinquency, arrests, and general and mental health service utilization in adolescence through young adulthood (ages 12-20). A decomposition of treatment effects indicates that about a third of Fast Track's impact on later crime outcomes can be accounted for by improvements in social and self-regulation skills during childhood (ages 6-11), such as prosocial behavior, emotion regulation, and problem solving. These skills proved less valuable for the prevention of general and mental health problems. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The new millennium program: Fast-track procurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzger, Robert M.

1996-11-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) New Millennium Program (NMP) has embarked on a technology flight-validation demonstration program to enable the kinds of missions that NASA envisions for the 21st century. Embedded in this program is the concept of rapid mission development supported by a fast-track procurement process. This process begins with the decision to initiate a procurement very early in the program along with the formation of a technical acquisition team. A close working relationship among the team members is essential to avoiding delays and developing a clear acquisition plan. The request for proposal (RFP) that is subsequently issued seeks a company with proven capabilities, so that the time allotted for responses from proposers and the length of proposals they submit can be shortened. The fast-track procurement process has been demonstrated during selection of NMP's industrial partners and has been proven to work.

Search for gluon saturation at Bjorken-x of 10-6-10-5 with the LHCb detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Cesar; LHCb Collaboration

2017-09-01

Gluon saturation at small Byorken- x has been in the minds of particle and nuclear physicists for decades. This state can explain several recent observations such as 1) particle collectivity observed in p+p, p+A and A+A collisions at RHIC and LHC; and 2) depleted yield of particles coming from soft gluons. Previous results from DIS experiments at HERA show a fast increase of gluons as their fractional momentum x decreases. The LHCb experiment is a forward spectrometer with vertexing, tracking, p, K, pi , e, μ identification and calorimetry in the rapidity region 1.6 < η < 4.9. LHCb is the only experiment in the world which can probe x 10-6 -10-5 , up to two orders of magnitude smaller than HERA. A direct probe of gluons at small-x and small Q2 can be performed with γ+jet correlation measurements. The current detector acceptance is not optimized for soft particles coming from Q2 < 10 [GeV/c]2 processes, where gluon saturation is expected. R&D is underway for a new tracking detector to be placed inside the LHCb magnet, the Magnet Station (MS), which will enable measurements of these soft particles. This talk is going to report the status of the analysis efforts aimed at finding the gluon saturation scale at LHCb, and details of the MS. Los Alamos National Lab LDRD program.

A new learning strategy for the two-time-scale neural controller with its application to the tracking control of rigid arms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, W.; Wen, J. T.

1992-01-01

A novel fast learning rule with fast weight identification is proposed for the two-time-scale neural controller, and a two-stage learning strategy is developed for the proposed neural controller. The results of the stability analysis show that both the tracking error and the fast weight error will be uniformly bounded and converge to a bounded region which depends only on the accuracy of the slow learning if the system is sufficiently excited. The efficiency of the two-stage learning is also demonstrated by a simulation of a two-link arm.

Promotion Policies and Career Management - An Empirical Analysis of Below-Zone Promotion of U.S. Navy Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

found in several different terms: Deep selection, early promotion or fast-track promotion. The latter is common lingo of labor economics . Throughout...this thesis the military terms will be used interchangeably, "fast-track promotion" will be used as term in a labor economics context. because they put...found that FITREP 5 Holt: Managerial Principles & Practices, Ehrenberg/Smith: Modern Labor Economics , WEST Series of Organizational Behaviour, as a few

Navigator GPS Receiver for Fast Acquisition and Weak Signal Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winternitz, Luke; Moreau, Michael; Boegner, Gregory J.; Sirotzky, Steve

2004-01-01

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is developing a new space-borne GPS receiver that can operate effectively in the full range of Earth orbiting missions from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to geostationary and beyond. Navigator is designed to be a fully space flight qualified GPS receiver optimized for fast signal acquisition and weak signal tracking. The fast acquisition capabilities provide exceptional time to first fix performance (TIFF) with no a priori receiver state or GPS almanac information, even in the presence of high Doppler shifts present in LEO (or near perigee in highly eccentric orbits). The fast acquisition capability also makes it feasible to implement extended correlation intervals and therefore significantly reduce Navigator s acquisition threshold. This greatly improves GPS observability when the receiver is above the GPS constellation (and satellites must be tracked from the opposite side of the Earth) by providing at least 10 dB of increased acquisition sensitivity. Fast acquisition and weak signal tracking algorithms have been implemented and validated on a hardware development board. A fully functional version of the receiver, employing most of the flight parts, with integrated navigation software is expected by mid 2005. An ultimate goal of this project is to license the Navigator design to an industry partner who will then market the receiver as a commercial product.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION A DFT + DMFT approach for nanosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turkowski, Volodymyr; Kabir, Alamgir; Nayyar, Neha; Rahman, Talat S.

2010-11-01

We propose a combined density-functional-theory-dynamical-mean-field-theory (DFT + DMFT) approach for reliable inclusion of electron-electron correlation effects in nanosystems. Compared with the widely used DFT + U approach, this method has several advantages, the most important of which is that it takes into account dynamical correlation effects. The formalism is illustrated through different calculations of the magnetic properties of a set of small iron clusters (number of atoms 2 <= N <= 5). It is shown that the inclusion of dynamical effects leads to a reduction in the cluster magnetization (as compared to results from DFT + U) and that, even for such small clusters, the magnetization values agree well with experimental estimations. These results justify confidence in the ability of the method to accurately describe the magnetic properties of clusters of interest to nanoscience.

New, small, fast acting blood glucose meters--an analytical laboratory evaluation.

PubMed

Weitgasser, Raimund; Hofmann, Manuela; Gappmayer, Brigitta; Garstenauer, Christa

2007-09-22

Patients and medical personnel are eager to use blood glucose meters that are easy to handle and fast acting. We questioned whether accuracy and precision of these new, small and light weight devices would meet analytical laboratory standards and tested four meters with the above mentioned conditions. Approximately 300 capillary blood samples were collected and tested using two devices of each brand and two different types of glucose test strips. Blood from the same samples was used for comparison. Results were evaluated using maximum deviation of 5% and 10% from the comparative method, the error grid analysis, the overall deviation of the devices, the linear regression analysis as well as the CVs for measurement in series. Of all 1196 measurements a deviation of less than 5% resp. 10% from the reference method was found for the FreeStyle (FS) meter in 69.5% and 96%, the Glucocard X Meter (GX) in 44% and 75%, the One Touch Ultra (OT) in 29% and 60%, the Wellion True Track (WT) in 28.5% and 58%. The error grid analysis gave 99.7% for FS, 99% for GX, 98% for OT and 97% for WT in zone A. The remainder of the values lay within zone B. Linear regression analysis resembled these results. CVs for measurement in series showed higher deviations for OT and WT compared to FS and GX. The four new, small and fast acting glucose meters fulfil clinically relevant analytical laboratory requirements making them appropriate for use by medical personnel. However, with regard to the tight and restrictive limits of the ADA recommendations, the devices are still in need of improvement. This should be taken into account when the devices are used by primarily inexperienced persons and is relevant for further industrial development of such devices.

streamgap-pepper: Effects of peppering streams with many small impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bovy, Jo; Erkal, Denis; Sanders, Jason

2017-02-01

streamgap-pepper computes the effect of subhalo fly-bys on cold tidal streams based on the action-angle representation of streams. A line-of-parallel-angle approach is used to calculate the perturbed distribution function of a given stream segment by undoing the effect of all impacts. This approach allows one to compute the perturbed stream density and track in any coordinate system in minutes for realizations of the subhalo distribution down to 10^5 Msun, accounting for the stream's internal dispersion and overlapping impacts. This code uses galpy (ascl:1411.008) and the streampepperdf.py galpy extension, which implements the fast calculation of the perturbed stream structure.

Fast-track eligibility of geriatric patients undergoing short urologic surgery procedures.

PubMed

Fredman, Brian; Sheffer, Offer; Zohar, Edna; Paruta, Irena; Richter, Santiago; Jedeikin, Robert; White, Paul F

2002-03-01

Our primary objective was to assess the feasibility of geriatric patients (>65 yr) bypassing the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) after ambulatory surgery. A secondary objective was to compare recovery profiles when using three different maintenance anesthetics. Ninety ASA physical status I--III consenting outpatients (>65 yr) undergoing short urologic procedures were randomly assigned to one of three anesthetic treatment groups. After a standardized induction with fentanyl and propofol, anesthesia was maintained with propofol (75-150 microg center dot kg(-1) center dot min(-1) IV), isoflurane (0.7%-1.2% end tidal), or desflurane (3%-6% end tidal), in combination with nitrous oxide 70% in oxygen. In all three groups, the primary anesthetic was titrated to maintain an electroencephalographic-bispectral index value of 60-65. Recovery times, postanesthesia recovery scores, and therapeutic interventions in the PACU were recorded. Although emergence times were similar in the three groups, the time to achieve a fast-track discharge score of 14 was significantly shorter in patients receiving desflurane compared with propofol and isoflurane (22 +/- 23 vs 33 +/- 25 and 44 +/- 36 min, respectively). On arrival in the PACU, a significantly larger percentage of patients receiving desflurane were judged to be fast-track eligible compared with those receiving either isoflurane and propofol (73% vs 43% and 44%, respectively). The number of therapeutic interventions in the PACU was also significantly larger in the Isoflurane group when compared with the Propofol and Desflurane groups (21 vs 11 and 7, respectively). In conclusion, use of desflurane for maintenance of anesthesia should facilitate PACU bypass ("fast-tracking") of geriatric patients undergoing short urologic procedures. Geriatric outpatients undergoing brief urologic procedures more rapidly achieve fast-tracking discharge criteria after desflurane (versus isoflurane and propofol) anesthesia. Use of isoflurane was also associated with an increased need for nursing interventions in the early recovery period compared with desflurane and propofol.

System considerations for detection and tracking of small targets using passive sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBell, David A.

1991-08-01

Passive sensors provide only a few discriminants to assist in threat assessment of small targets. Tracking of the small targets provides additional discriminants. This paper discusses the system considerations for tracking small targets using passive sensors, in particular EO sensors. Tracking helps establish good versus bad detections. Discussed are the requirements to be placed on the sensor system's accuracy, with respect to knowledge of the sightline direction. The detection of weak targets sets a requirement for two levels of tracking in order to reduce processor throughput. A system characteristic is the need to track all detections. For low thresholds, this can mean a heavy track burden. Therefore, thresholds must be adaptive in order not to saturate the processors. Second-level tracks must develop a range estimate in order to assess threat. Sensor platform maneuvers are required if the targets are moving. The need for accurate pointing, good stability, and a good update rate will be shown quantitatively, relating to track accuracy and track association.

A novel approach to Hough Transform for implementation in fast triggers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzobon, Nicola; Montecassiano, Fabio; Zotto, Pierluigi

2016-10-01

Telescopes of position sensitive detectors are common layouts in charged particles tracking, and programmable logic devices, such as FPGAs, represent a viable choice for the real-time reconstruction of track segments in such detector arrays. A compact implementation of the Hough Transform for fast triggers in High Energy Physics, exploiting a parameter reduction method, is proposed, targeting the reduction of the needed storage or computing resources in current, or next future, state-of-the-art FPGA devices, while retaining high resolution over a wide range of track parameters. The proposed approach is compared to a Standard Hough Transform with particular emphasis on their application to muon detectors. In both cases, an original readout implementation is modeled.

77 FR 28193 - Excepted Service, Career and Career-Conditional Employment; and Pathways Programs

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-11

... advancement opportunities to Pathways Participants who are ``fast-tracked'' into desirable positions. The union's concern is misplaced. As an initial matter, the Pathways Participants are not being ``fast...-the-job experience that they otherwise would not be able to obtain. Indeed, rather than being ``fast...

Getting on the fast track, or how to get an MLIS through distance education, with a specialization in medical librarianship.

PubMed

Detlefsen, Ellen G

2004-01-01

The article describes an innovation in MLIS education for medical librarianship, with an introduction to the FastTrack, the distance education program at the University of Pittsburgh's library and information science school, together with an overview of a model program linking the biomedical library at Vanderbilt University with the School of Information Sciences in Pittsburgh. Admissions requirements and specific curriculum for the distance education master's degree are detailed in an FAQ format.

Visual Detection and Tracking System for a Spherical Amphibious Robot

PubMed Central

Guo, Shuxiang; Pan, Shaowu; Shi, Liwei; Guo, Ping; He, Yanlin; Tang, Kun

2017-01-01

With the goal of supporting close-range observation tasks of a spherical amphibious robot, such as ecological observations and intelligent surveillance, a moving target detection and tracking system was designed and implemented in this study. Given the restrictions presented by the amphibious environment and the small-sized spherical amphibious robot, an industrial camera and vision algorithms using adaptive appearance models were adopted to construct the proposed system. To handle the problem of light scattering and absorption in the underwater environment, the multi-scale retinex with color restoration algorithm was used for image enhancement. Given the environmental disturbances in practical amphibious scenarios, the Gaussian mixture model was used to detect moving targets entering the field of view of the robot. A fast compressive tracker with a Kalman prediction mechanism was used to track the specified target. Considering the limited load space and the unique mechanical structure of the robot, the proposed vision system was fabricated with a low power system-on-chip using an asymmetric and heterogeneous computing architecture. Experimental results confirmed the validity and high efficiency of the proposed system. The design presented in this paper is able to meet future demands of spherical amphibious robots in biological monitoring and multi-robot cooperation. PMID:28420134

Visual Detection and Tracking System for a Spherical Amphibious Robot.

PubMed

Guo, Shuxiang; Pan, Shaowu; Shi, Liwei; Guo, Ping; He, Yanlin; Tang, Kun

2017-04-15

With the goal of supporting close-range observation tasks of a spherical amphibious robot, such as ecological observations and intelligent surveillance, a moving target detection and tracking system was designed and implemented in this study. Given the restrictions presented by the amphibious environment and the small-sized spherical amphibious robot, an industrial camera and vision algorithms using adaptive appearance models were adopted to construct the proposed system. To handle the problem of light scattering and absorption in the underwater environment, the multi-scale retinex with color restoration algorithm was used for image enhancement. Given the environmental disturbances in practical amphibious scenarios, the Gaussian mixture model was used to detect moving targets entering the field of view of the robot. A fast compressive tracker with a Kalman prediction mechanism was used to track the specified target. Considering the limited load space and the unique mechanical structure of the robot, the proposed vision system was fabricated with a low power system-on-chip using an asymmetric and heterogeneous computing architecture. Experimental results confirmed the validity and high efficiency of the proposed system. The design presented in this paper is able to meet future demands of spherical amphibious robots in biological monitoring and multi-robot cooperation.

Enhanced object-based tracking algorithm for convective rain storms and cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz, Carlos; Wang, Li-Pen; Willems, Patrick

2018-03-01

This paper proposes a new object-based storm tracking algorithm, based upon TITAN (Thunderstorm Identification, Tracking, Analysis and Nowcasting). TITAN is a widely-used convective storm tracking algorithm but has limitations in handling small-scale yet high-intensity storm entities due to its single-threshold identification approach. It also has difficulties to effectively track fast-moving storms because of the employed matching approach that largely relies on the overlapping areas between successive storm entities. To address these deficiencies, a number of modifications are proposed and tested in this paper. These include a two-stage multi-threshold storm identification, a new formulation for characterizing storm's physical features, and an enhanced matching technique in synergy with an optical-flow storm field tracker, as well as, according to these modifications, a more complex merging and splitting scheme. High-resolution (5-min and 529-m) radar reflectivity data for 18 storm events over Belgium are used to calibrate and evaluate the algorithm. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with that of the original TITAN. The results suggest that the proposed algorithm can better isolate and match convective rainfall entities, as well as to provide more reliable and detailed motion estimates. Furthermore, the improvement is found to be more significant for higher rainfall intensities. The new algorithm has the potential to serve as a basis for further applications, such as storm nowcasting and long-term stochastic spatial and temporal rainfall generation.

Experience with "Fast track" postoperative care after deep brain stimulation surgery.

PubMed

Martín, Nuria; Valero, Ricard; Hurtado, Paola; Gracia, Isabel; Fernández, Carla; Rumià, Jordi; Valldeoriola, Francesc; Carrero, Enrique J; Tercero, Francisco Javier; de Riva, Nicolás; Fàbregas, Neus

A 24-h-stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) is a common postoperative procedure after deep brain stimulation surgery (DBS). We evaluated the impact of a fast-track (FT) postoperative care protocol. An analysis was performed on all patients who underwent DBS in 2 periods: 2006, overnight monitored care (OMC group), and 2007-2013, FT care (FT group). The study included 19 patients in OMC and 95 patients in FT. Intraoperative complications occurred in 26.3% patients in OMC vs. 35.8% in FT. Post-operatively, one patient in OMC developed hemiparesis, and agitation in 2 patients. In FT, two patients with intraoperative hemiparesis were transferred to the ICU. While on the ward, 3 patients from the FT developed hemiparesis, two of them 48h after the procedure. Thirty eight percent of FT had an MRI scan, while the remaining 62% and all patients of OMC had a CT-scan performed on their transfer to the ward. One patient in OMC had a subthalamic hematoma. Two patients in FT had a pallidal hematoma, and 3 a bleeding along the electrode. A FT discharge protocol is a safe postoperative care after DBS. There are a small percentage of complications after DBS, which mainly occur within the first 6h. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Fast Fiber-Coupled Imaging Devices

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

Brockington, Samuel; Case, Andrew; Witherspoon, Franklin Douglas

HyperV Technologies Corp. has successfully designed, built and experimentally demonstrated a full scale 1024 pixel 100 MegaFrames/s fiber coupled camera with 12 or 14 bits, and record lengths of 32K frames, exceeding our original performance objectives. This high-pixel-count, fiber optically-coupled, imaging diagnostic can be used for investigating fast, bright plasma events. In Phase 1 of this effort, a 100 pixel fiber-coupled fast streak camera for imaging plasma jet profiles was constructed and successfully demonstrated. The resulting response from outside plasma physics researchers emphasized development of increased pixel performance as a higher priority over increasing pixel count. In this Phase 2more » effort, HyperV therefore focused on increasing the sample rate and bit-depth of the photodiode pixel designed in Phase 1, while still maintaining a long record length and holding the cost per channel to levels which allowed up to 1024 pixels to be constructed. Cost per channel was 53.31 dollars, very close to our original target of $50 per channel. The system consists of an imaging "camera head" coupled to a photodiode bank with an array of optical fibers. The output of these fast photodiodes is then digitized at 100 Megaframes per second and stored in record lengths of 32,768 samples with bit depths of 12 to 14 bits per pixel. Longer record lengths are possible with additional memory. A prototype imaging system with up to 1024 pixels was designed and constructed and used to successfully take movies of very fast moving plasma jets as a demonstration of the camera performance capabilities. Some faulty electrical components on the 64 circuit boards resulted in only 1008 functional channels out of 1024 on this first generation prototype system. We experimentally observed backlit high speed fan blades in initial camera testing and then followed that with full movies and streak images of free flowing high speed plasma jets (at 30-50 km/s). Jet structure and jet collisions onto metal pillars in the path of the plasma jets were recorded in a single shot. This new fast imaging system is an attractive alternative to conventional fast framing cameras for applications and experiments where imaging events using existing techniques are inefficient or impossible. The development of HyperV's new diagnostic was split into two tracks: a next generation camera track, in which HyperV built, tested, and demonstrated a prototype 1024 channel camera at its own facility, and a second plasma community beta test track, where selected plasma physics programs received small systems of a few test pixels to evaluate the expected performance of a full scale camera on their experiments. These evaluations were performed as part of an unfunded collaboration with researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of California at Davis. Results from the prototype 1024-pixel camera are discussed, as well as results from the collaborations with test pixel system deployment sites.« less

Studies on fast triggering and high precision tracking with Resistive Plate Chambers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aielli, G.; Ball, R.; Bilki, B.; Chapman, J. W.; Cardarelli, R.; Dai, T.; Diehl, E.; Dubbert, J.; Ferretti, C.; Feng, H.; Francis, K.; Guan, L.; Han, L.; Hou, S.; Levin, D.; Li, B.; Liu, L.; Paolozzi, L.; Repond, J.; Roloff, J.; Santonico, R.; Song, H. Y.; Wang, X. L.; Wu, Y.; Xia, L.; Xu, L.; Zhao, T.; Zhao, Z.; Zhou, B.; Zhu, J.

2013-06-01

We report on studies of fast triggering and high precision tracking using Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs). Two beam tests were carried out with the 180 GeV/c muon beam at CERN using glass RPCs with gas gaps of 1.15 mm and equipped with readout strips with 1.27 mm pitch. This is the first beam test of RPCs with fine-pitch readout strips that explores precision tracking and triggering capabilities. RPC signals were acquired with precision timing and charge integrating readout electronics at both ends of the strips. The time resolution was measured to be better than 600 ps and the average spatial resolution was found to be 220 μm using charge information and 287 μm only using signal arrival time information. The dual-ended readout allows the determination of the average and the difference of the signal arrival times. The average time was found to be independent of the incident particle position along the strip and is useful for triggering purposes. The time difference yielded a determination of the hit position with a precision of 7.5 mm along the strip. These results demonstrate the feasibility using RPCs for fast and high-resolution triggering and tracking.

Measuring Sound Speed in Gas Mixtures Using a Photoacoustic Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchenek, Mariusz; Borowski, Tomasz

2018-01-01

We present a new method which allows us to percentage distinction of gas composition with a fast response time. This system uses the speed of sound in a resonant cell along with temperature to determine the gas mixture composition. The gas mixtures contain two gases with an unknown combination. In our experiment, the acoustic waves were excited inside the acoustic longitudinal resonator with the use of a positive feedback. This feedback provides fast tracking of a resonance frequency of the cell and causes fast tracking changes in the speed of sound. The presented method corresponds to the theoretical description of this topic. Two gas mixtures—carbon dioxide and argon mixed with nitrogen—were tested.

A-Track: Detecting Moving Objects in FITS images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atay, T.; Kaplan, M.; Kilic, Y.; Karapinar, N.

2017-04-01

A-Track is a fast, open-source, cross-platform pipeline for detecting moving objects (asteroids and comets) in sequential telescope images in FITS format. The moving objects are detected using a modified line detection algorithm.

Testosterone reactivity to provocation mediates the effect of early intervention on aggressive behavior.

PubMed

Carré, Justin M; Iselin, Anne-Marie R; Welker, Keith M; Hariri, Ahmad R; Dodge, Kenneth A

2014-05-01

We tested the hypotheses that the Fast Track intervention program for high-risk children would reduce adult aggressive behavior and that this effect would be mediated by decreased testosterone responses to social provocation. Participants were a subsample of males from the full trial sample, who during kindergarten had been randomly assigned to the 10-year Fast Track intervention or to a control group. The Fast Track program attempted to develop children's social competencies through child social-cognitive and emotional-coping skills training, peer-relations coaching, academic tutoring, and classroom management, as well as training for parents to manage their child's behavior. At a mean age of 26 years, participants responded to laboratory provocations. Results indicated that, relative to control participants, men assigned to the intervention demonstrated reduced aggression and testosterone reactivity to social provocations. Moreover, reduced testosterone reactivity mediated the effect of intervention on aggressive behavior, which provides evidence for an enduring biological mechanism underlying the effect of early psychosocial intervention on aggressive behavior in adulthood.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection: the efficacy and safety of a fast-track referral and treatment system.

PubMed

Sethupathi, M; Blackwell, A

2009-03-01

We introduced a Nurse/Health Advisor-led fast-track service for treating patients diagnosed with chlamydia outside a genitourinary medicine setting and contacts of chlamydia/non-specific urethritis/cervicitis wherever diagnosed. Asymptomatic patients were treated without initial testing and asked to return for full screening at four to six weeks. We assessed the efficacy and safety of the system and need for follow-up after treatment. Case-notes of 226 patients (121 men and 105 women) were analysed, of whom 140 attended follow-up. With the exception of one case of gonorrhoea, no other serious sexually transmitted infection was detected. Twenty-seven (19.2%) patients were re-treated for either chlamydia (six patients, 4.4%) or non-specific genital infection or because of having unprotected intercourse with untreated or partially treated partners. We conclude that in our relatively low-risk population, our fast-track service is safe and effective. Test of cure for chlamydia seems essential because of the high percentage of patients requiring re-treatment.

Real-Time Robust Tracking for Motion Blur and Fast Motion via Correlation Filters.

PubMed

Xu, Lingyun; Luo, Haibo; Hui, Bin; Chang, Zheng

2016-09-07

Visual tracking has extensive applications in intelligent monitoring and guidance systems. Among state-of-the-art tracking algorithms, Correlation Filter methods perform favorably in robustness, accuracy and speed. However, it also has shortcomings when dealing with pervasive target scale variation, motion blur and fast motion. In this paper we proposed a new real-time robust scheme based on Kernelized Correlation Filter (KCF) to significantly improve performance on motion blur and fast motion. By fusing KCF and STC trackers, our algorithm also solve the estimation of scale variation in many scenarios. We theoretically analyze the problem for CFs towards motions and utilize the point sharpness function of the target patch to evaluate the motion state of target. Then we set up an efficient scheme to handle the motion and scale variation without much time consuming. Our algorithm preserves the properties of KCF besides the ability to handle special scenarios. In the end extensive experimental results on benchmark of VOT datasets show our algorithm performs advantageously competed with the top-rank trackers.

Flying Qualities Design Requirements for Sidestick Controllers

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-10-01

Harper vs wc - Fine Tracking 111 56. Cooper-Harper vs wc - Fine Tracking 111 57. Cooper-Harper ve wc - Landing 112 58. Cooper-Harper vs wc - Lending 112...c - Fine Tracking 119 62. Preference Rating vs wc - Fine Tracking 119 64. Preference Rating vs wc - Landing 120 65. Preference Rating vs w(c...a "fast airplane" to make up for the filtering effect of his arm and the stick. In fine tracking with a center stick the pilot will rest his arm

Pupil fluctuations track fast switching of cortical states during quiet wakefulness

PubMed Central

Reimer, Jacob; Froudarakis, Emmanouil; Cadwell, Cathryn R.; Yatsenko, Dimitri; Denfield, George H.; Tolias, Andreas S.

2014-01-01

Neural responses are modulated by brain state, which varies with arousal, attention, and behavior. In mice, running and whisking desynchronize the cortex and enhance sensory responses, but the quiescent periods between bouts of exploratory behaviors have not been well-studied. We found that these periods of “quiet wakefulness” were characterized by state fluctuations on a timescale of 1–2 seconds. Small fluctuations in pupil diameter tracked these state transitions in multiple cortical areas. During dilation, the intracellular membrane potential was desynchronized, sensory responses were enhanced, and population activity was less correlated. In contrast, constriction was characterized by increased low-frequency oscillations and higher ensemble correlations. Specific subtypes of cortical interneurons were differentially activated during dilation and constriction, consistent with their participation in the observed state changes. Pupillometry has been used to index attention and mental effort in humans, but the intracellular dynamics and differences in population activity underlying this phenomenon were previously unknown. PMID:25374359

A sun-tracking environmental chamber for the outdoor quantification of CPV modules

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

Faiman, David, E-mail: faiman@bgu.ac.il; Melnichak, Vladimir, E-mail: faiman@bgu.ac.il; Bokobza, Dov, E-mail: faiman@bgu.ac.il

2014-09-26

The paper describes a sun-tracking environmental chamber and its associated fast electronics, devised for the accurate outdoor characterization of CPV cells, receivers, mono-modules, and modules. Some typical measurement results are presented.

Construction and Design of a full size sTGC prototype for the ATLAS New Small Wheel upgrade

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

NONE

For the forthcoming Phase-I upgrade to the LHC (2018/19), the first station of the ATLAS muon end-cap system, Small Wheel, will need to be replaced. The New Small Wheel (NSW) will have to operate in a high background radiation region while reconstructing muon tracks with high precision as well as furnishing information for the Level-1 trigger. In particular, the precision reconstruction of tracks requires a spatial resolution of about 100 μm, and the Level-1 trigger track segments have to be reconstructed with an angular resolution of approximately 1 mrad. The NSW will have two chamber technologies, one primarily devoted tomore » the Level-1 trigger function the small-strip Thin Gap Chambers (sTGC) and one dedicated to precision tracking, Micromegas detectors, (MM). The single sTGC planes of a quadruplet consists of an anode layer of 50 μm gold plated tungsten wire sandwiched between two resistive cathode layers. Behind one of the resistive cathode layers, a PCB with precise machined strips (thus the name sTGC's) spaced every 3.2 mm allows to achieve the position resolution that ranges from 70 to 150 μm, depending on the incident particle angle. Behind the second cathode, a PCB that contains an arrangement of pads, allows for a fast coincidence between successive sTGC layers to tag the passage of a track and reads only the corresponding strips for triggering. To be able to profit from the high accuracy of each of the sTGC planes for trigger purposes, their relative geometrical position between planes has to be controlled to within a precision of about 40 μm in their parallelism, as well (due to the various incident angles), to within a precision of 80 μm in the relative distance between the planes to achieve the overall angular resolution of 1 mrad. The needed accuracy in the position and parallelism of the strips is achieved by machining brass inserts together when machining the strip patterns into the cathode boards in a single step. The inserts can then be used as external references on a granite table. Precision methods are used to maintain high accuracy when combining four single detector gaps first into two doublets and then into a quadruplet. We will present results on the ongoing construction of full size (∼1 x 1 m) sTGC quadruplet prototypes before full construction starts in 2015. (authors)« less

Infrared small target tracking based on SOPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Taotao; Fan, Xiang; Zhang, Yu-Jin; Cheng, Zheng-dong; Zhu, Bin

2011-01-01

The paper presents a low cost FPGA based solution for a real-time infrared small target tracking system. A specialized architecture is presented based on a soft RISC processor capable of running kernel based mean shift tracking algorithm. Mean shift tracking algorithm is realized in NIOS II soft-core with SOPC (System on a Programmable Chip) technology. Though mean shift algorithm is widely used for target tracking, the original mean shift algorithm can not be directly used for infrared small target tracking. As infrared small target only has intensity information, so an improved mean shift algorithm is presented in this paper. How to describe target will determine whether target can be tracked by mean shift algorithm. Because color target can be tracked well by mean shift algorithm, imitating color image expression, spatial component and temporal component are advanced to describe target, which forms pseudo-color image. In order to improve the processing speed parallel technology and pipeline technology are taken. Two RAM are taken to stored images separately by ping-pong technology. A FLASH is used to store mass temp data. The experimental results show that infrared small target is tracked stably in complicated background.

Implementing a Cancer Fast-track Programme between primary and specialised care in Catalonia (Spain): a mixed methods study

PubMed Central

Prades, J; Espinàs, J A; Font, R; Argimon, J M; Borràs, J M

2011-01-01

Background: The Cancer Fast-track Programme's aim was to reduce the time that elapsed between well-founded suspicion of breast, colorectal and lung cancer and the start of initial treatment in Catalonia (Spain). We sought to analyse its implementation and overall effectiveness. Methods: A quantitative analysis of the programme was performed using data generated by the hospitals on the basis of seven fast-track monitoring indicators for the period 2006–2009. In addition, we conducted a qualitative study, based on 83 semistructured interviews with primary and specialised health professionals and health administrators, to obtain their perception of the programme's implementation. Results: About half of all new patients with breast, lung or colorectal cancer were diagnosed via the fast track, though the cancer detection rate declined across the period. Mean time from detection of suspected cancer in primary care to start of initial treatment was 32 days for breast, 30 for colorectal and 37 for lung cancer (2009). Professionals associated with the implementation of the programme showed that general practitioners faced with suspicion of cancer had changed their conduct with the aim of preventing lags. Furthermore, hospitals were found to have pursued three specific implementation strategies (top-down, consensus-based and participatory), which made for the cohesion and sustainability of the circuits. Conclusion: The programme has contributed to speeding up diagnostic assessment and treatment of patients with suspicion of cancer, and to clarifying the patient pathway between primary and specialised care. PMID:21829194

Impact of fast-track concept elements in the classical pancreatic head resection (Kausch-Whipple procedure).

PubMed

Gastinger, Ingo; Meyer, Frank; Lembcke, Thomas; Schmidt, Uwe; Ptok, Henry; Lippert, Hans

2012-08-01

The aim of the study was to determine statistically significant factors with an impact on the early postoperative surgical outcome. The influence of applied fast-track components on surgical results and early postoperative outcome in 143 consecutive Kausch-Whipple procedure patients was evaluated in a single-center retrospective analysis of a prospective collection of patient-associated pre-, peri- and postoperative data from 1997-2006. The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.8% (n=4). Fast-track measures were shown to have no effect on the morbidity rate in the multi-variate analysis. Over the study period, a decrease of intraoperative infusion volume from 14.2 mL/kg body weight/h in the first year to 10.7 mL/kg body weight/h in the last year was accompanied by an increase in patients requiring intraoperative catecholamines, up from 17% to 95%. The administration of ropivacain/sufentanil via thoracic peri-dural catheter injection initiated in 2000 and now considered the leading analgesic method, was used in 95% of the cases in 2006. Early extubation rate rose from 16.6% to 57.9%. Fast-track aspects in the perioperative management have become more important in several surgical procedure even in those with a greater invasiveness such as Kausch-Whipple. However, such techniques used in peri-operative management of Kausch-Whipple pancreatic-head resections had no impact on the morbidity rate. In addition, the low in-hospital mortality rate was particularly attributed to surgical competence.

Effect of adding one 15-minute-walk on the day of surgery to fast-track rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, single-blind study.

PubMed

Zietek, P; Zietek, J; Szczypior, K; Safranow, K

2015-06-01

Earlier and more intensive physiotherapy exercise after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) enhance recovery, but the best combination of intensity and duration has not been determined. To determine whether adding a single, 15-minute walk on the day of surgery to a fast-track rehabilitation protocol would reduce knee pain and improve knee function after TKA. A randomized single-blind study. Inpatient. Patients with primary osteoarthrosis after TKA. Patients undergoing TKA were randomly assigned to a standard, fast-track rehabilitation protocol consisting of a single, 15-minute walk with a high-rolling walker 4 to 6 hours after recovery from spinal anesthesia or to an intensive protocol, in which patients took a second 15-minute walk at least 3 hours after the first, only on the day of surgery. Outcomes were pain measured on a visual analog scale, Knee Society's (KSS) clinical and functional scores, Oxford knee scores, and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores. Patients were blinded to group assignment. Since most data were non-normally distributed non-parametric tests were used. Groups were compared with Mann-Whitney U test (for continuous variables). Association between continuous variables was evaluated with Spearman`s rank correlation coefficient. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used to assess differences in categorical variables. Of 86 patients assessed for eligibility, 66 were randomly assigned. The 31 evaluable patients on the intensive protocol (mean age, 68 years; 18 women) did not differ significantly from the 31 (mean age, 70 years; 20 women) on the standard protocol on any baseline characteristic or on any outcome measure on any day. On the second postoperative day, pain while walking dropped from a mean of 6.1 to a mean of 4.9 in the intensive group and from 6.4 to 5.4 in the standard group. Results for pain at rest were 3.3 to 2.2, respectively, for the intensive group and 4.0 to 3.0 for the standard group. At 2 weeks, pain at rest was 2.8 in both groups, and pain while walking was 3.0, respectively, for the intensive group and 3.4 for the standard group. At 2 weeks, mean (SD) KSS clinical and KSS function scores were, respectively, 74.9 (12.5) and 51.6 (16.2) in the intensive group and 71.2 (14.3) and 46.3 (16.1) in the standard group. Older age correlated with decreasing knee function (rS=-0.43, P<0.001), and less knee flexion correlated with preoperatively higher state anxiety (rS=-0.37, P=0.005) and trait anxiety (rS=-0.29, P=0.027). The study is limited by its small sample. The fast-track program was not in line with the best available evidence following knee arthroplasty, because patients did not undergo such treatment as NMES. Finally, the intervention itself was modest. Adding an additional 15-minute walk to a fast-track rehabilitation protocol did not increase pain, but neither did it improve functional recovery. A 15-minute walk immediately after recovery from spinal anesthesia did not increase pain in patients with TKA. More intense exercise during this period might improve functional recovery without increasing pain.

Three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry using dynamic vision sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borer, D.; Delbruck, T.; Rösgen, T.

2017-12-01

A fast-flow visualization method is presented based on tracking neutrally buoyant soap bubbles with a set of neuromorphic cameras. The "dynamic vision sensors" register only the changes in brightness with very low latency, capturing fast processes at a low data rate. The data consist of a stream of asynchronous events, each encoding the corresponding pixel position, the time instant of the event and the sign of the change in logarithmic intensity. The work uses three such synchronized cameras to perform 3D particle tracking in a medium sized wind tunnel. The data analysis relies on Kalman filters to associate the asynchronous events with individual tracers and to reconstruct the three-dimensional path and velocity based on calibrated sensor information.

[Morbidity and hospital cost reduction in cardiac surgery using a presurgery ambulatory strategy].

PubMed

Ávila-Vanzzini, Nydia; Kuri-Alfaro, Jorge; Rodríguez-Chávez, Laura Leticia; Meléndez-Ramírez, Gabriela; Trevethan-Cravioto, Sergio; Quiroz-Martínez, Alejandro; Herrera-Bello, Héctor; Herrera-Alarcón, Valentín; Martínez-Hernández, Humberto; Martínez-Ríos, Marco Antonio

2010-01-01

In our hospital, the patients that need an elective cardiac surgery are admitted through the admission department on the basis of a waiting list. Since 1999, a fast track to hospitalization program has existed in the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez for patients with low surgical risk. Later, in 2004, this program was extended to patients to moderate risk, based on rules accepted worldwide, and our own experience. 1) To compare two ways of admission that are used currently: fast track to hospitalization, against admission department waiting list. We compared major events: death or events that increased the hospital stay by more than 14 days (infections, alterations of rhythm and conduction, reoperations and others), 2) To compare the days of hospitalization and money spent by the hospital. We conformed 2 groups of 347 patients. The admission department waiting list group was admitted before doing their preoperative studies, which is the customary form for hospitalization by our admissions department, while the group of fast track to hospitalization was obligated to have their laboratory exams complete and any other diseases resolved or controlled previously. The monetary cost per patient for the hospital was calculated based on the patient's socioeconomic classification. Student t test was conduncted on independent samples and numerical variables, and Chi square for categorical variables. We considered a p <0.05 to be statistically significant. In average in both groups, 75% underwent valve operation and 25% underwent congenital heart disease repair, 49% were women, age 47 15 years. The comparison between the groups fast track to hospitalization and admission department waiting list group were: Mortality: 4.3% vs. 5.8% (p=0.38). Major events that needed a hospital stay of more than 14 days: 73 vs. 97 cases respectively (p = 0.032). Infections: 22 vs. 29 (p = 0.14). Mediastinitis: 2 vs. 9 respectively (p = 0.033). In-hospital stay: were 11 days vs. 20 days (p = 0.0001), the biggest difference was found in the pre-surgical time: 2 vs. 9 days respectively (p = 0.0001). The postoperative morbidity in general was lower in fast track to hospitalization group, and the mediastinitis showed a decrease with statistical significance. The time interval between hospital admission an operation in fast track to hospitalization group was significantly shorter. We believe that the decrease in the exposure time to nosocomial pathogens present in the hospital environment was directly related to the low number of mediastinitis. Finally, the decrease in time of hospital stay represented a 32% monetary savings for the hospital.

Improved frequency/voltage converters for fast quartz crystal microbalance applications.

PubMed

Torres, R; García, J V; Arnau, A; Perrot, H; Kim, L To Thi; Gabrielli, C

2008-04-01

The monitoring of frequency changes in fast quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) applications is a real challenge in today's instrumentation. In these applications, such as ac electrogravimetry, small frequency shifts, in the order of tens of hertz, around the resonance of the sensor can occur up to a frequency modulation of 1 kHz. These frequency changes have to be monitored very accurately both in magnitude and phase. Phase-locked loop techniques can be used for obtaining a high performance frequency/voltage converter which can provide reliable measurements. Sensitivity higher than 10 mVHz, for a frequency shift resolution of 0.1 Hz, with very low distortion in tracking both the magnitude and phase of the frequency variations around the resonance frequency of the sensor are required specifications. Moreover, the resonance frequency can vary in a broad frequency range from 5 to 10 MHz in typical QCM sensors, which introduces an additional difficulty. A new frequency-voltage conversion system based on a double tuning analog-digital phase-locked loop is proposed. The reported electronic characterization and experimental results obtained with conducting polymers prove its reliability for ac-electrogravimetry measurements and, in general, for fast QCM applications.

Improved frequency/voltage converters for fast quartz crystal microbalance applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, R.; García, J. V.; Arnau, A.; Perrot, H.; Kim, L. To Thi; Gabrielli, C.

2008-04-01

The monitoring of frequency changes in fast quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) applications is a real challenge in today's instrumentation. In these applications, such as ac electrogravimetry, small frequency shifts, in the order of tens of hertz, around the resonance of the sensor can occur up to a frequency modulation of 1kHz. These frequency changes have to be monitored very accurately both in magnitude and phase. Phase-locked loop techniques can be used for obtaining a high performance frequency/voltage converter which can provide reliable measurements. Sensitivity higher than 10mV/Hz, for a frequency shift resolution of 0.1Hz, with very low distortion in tracking both the magnitude and phase of the frequency variations around the resonance frequency of the sensor are required specifications. Moreover, the resonance frequency can vary in a broad frequency range from 5to10MHz in typical QCM sensors, which introduces an additional difficulty. A new frequency-voltage conversion system based on a double tuning analog-digital phase-locked loop is proposed. The reported electronic characterization and experimental results obtained with conducting polymers prove its reliability for ac-electrogravimetry measurements and, in general, for fast QCM applications.

KSC-2013-4342

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, from the left, Leandro James, rocket avionics lead, Gary Dahlke, high powered rocket subject matter expert, and Julio Najarro of Mechanical Systems make final adjustments to a small rocket prior to launch as part of Rocket University. The launch will test systems designed by the student engineers. As part of Rocket University, the engineers are given an opportunity to work a fast-track project to develop skills in developing spacecraft systems of the future. As NASA plans for future spaceflight programs to low-Earth orbit and beyond, teams of engineers at Kennedy are gaining experience in designing and flying launch vehicle systems on a small scale. Four teams of five to eight members from Kennedy are designing rockets complete with avionics and recovery systems. Launch operations require coordination with federal agencies, just as they would with rockets launched in support of a NASA mission. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2013-4343

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, from the left, Leandro James, rocket avionics lead, and Julio Najarro of Mechanical Systems make final adjustments to a small rocket prior to launch as part of Rocket University. The launch will test systems designed by the student engineers. As part of Rocket University, the engineers are given an opportunity to work a fast-track project to develop skills in developing spacecraft systems of the future. As NASA plans for future spaceflight programs to low-Earth orbit and beyond, teams of engineers at Kennedy are gaining experience in designing and flying launch vehicle systems on a small scale. Four teams of five to eight members from Kennedy are designing rockets complete with avionics and recovery systems. Launch operations require coordination with federal agencies, just as they would with rockets launched in support of a NASA mission. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

High performance small molecule photodetector with broad spectral response range from 200 to 900 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shuang-hong; Li, Wen-lian; Chu, Bei; Su, Zi-sheng; Zhang, Feng; Lee, C. S.

2011-07-01

We demonstrate a photodetector (PD) with broad spectral response by taking the advantages of more flexible device design in using small molecule materials. The optimized device shows an external quantum efficiency of over 20% from 200 to 900 nm. The high performance is achieved by jointing two donor (D)/acceptor (A) hetero-junctions [m-MTDATA(D)/TiOPc(A) and TiOPc(D)/F16CuPc: PTCDI-C8(A)] such that photoresponses over the deep-ultraviolet (UV) and visible-near infrared regions can be independently optimized. By choosing D- and A-materials with matched energy level alignment, high carrier mobility, and balanced carrier transporting properties, the present PD shows a fast response of 56 ns. The high speed and deep-UV sensitivity might lead to potential military applications such as missile tracking in addition to optical communications, chemical/biological sensing etc.

Research on anisotropy of fusion-produced protons and neutrons emission from high-current plasma-focus discharges.

PubMed

Malinowski, K; Skladnik-Sadowska, E; Sadowski, M J; Szydlowski, A; Czaus, K; Kwiatkowski, R; Zaloga, D; Paduch, M; Zielinska, E

2015-01-01

The paper concerns fast protons and neutrons from D-D fusion reactions in a Plasma-Focus-1000U facility. Measurements were performed with nuclear-track detectors arranged in "sandwiches" of an Al-foil and two PM-355 detectors separated by a polyethylene-plate. The Al-foil eliminated all primary deuterons, but was penetrable for fast fusion protons. The foil and first PM-355 detector were penetrable for fast neutrons, which were converted into recoil-protons in the polyethylene and recorded in the second PM-355 detector. The "sandwiches" were irradiated by discharges of comparable neutron-yields. Analyses of etched tracks and computer simulations of the fusion-products behavior in the detectors were performed.

Research on anisotropy of fusion-produced protons and neutrons emission from high-current plasma-focus discharges

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

Malinowski, K., E-mail: karol.malinowski@ncbj.gov.pl; Sadowski, M. J.; Szydlowski, A.

2015-01-15

The paper concerns fast protons and neutrons from D-D fusion reactions in a Plasma-Focus-1000U facility. Measurements were performed with nuclear-track detectors arranged in “sandwiches” of an Al-foil and two PM-355 detectors separated by a polyethylene-plate. The Al-foil eliminated all primary deuterons, but was penetrable for fast fusion protons. The foil and first PM-355 detector were penetrable for fast neutrons, which were converted into recoil-protons in the polyethylene and recorded in the second PM-355 detector. The “sandwiches” were irradiated by discharges of comparable neutron-yields. Analyses of etched tracks and computer simulations of the fusion-products behavior in the detectors were performed.

The Flex Track: Flexible Partitioning between Low- and High-Acuity Areas of an Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Laker, Lauren F.; Froehle, Craig M.; Lindsell, Christopher J.; Ward, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Study Objective EDs with both low- and high-acuity treatment areas often have fixed allocation of resources, regardless of demand. We demonstrate the utility of discrete-event simulation to evaluate flexible partitioning between low- and high-acuity ED areas to identify the best operational strategy for subsequent implementation. Methods A discrete-event simulation was used to model patient flow through a 50-bed, urban, teaching ED that handles 85,000 patient visits annually. The ED has historically allocated ten beds to a Fast Track for low-acuity patients. We estimated the effect of a Flex Track policy, which involved switching up to five of these Fast Track beds to serving both low- and high-acuity patients, on patient waiting times. When the high-acuity beds were not at capacity, low-acuity patients were given priority access to flexible beds. Otherwise, high-acuity patients were given priority access to flexible beds. Wait times were estimated for patients by disposition and emergency severity index (ESI) score. Results A Flex Track policy using three flexible beds produced the lowest mean patient waiting of 30.9 (95% CI 30.6–31.2) minutes. The typical Fast Track approach of rigidly separating high- and low–acuity beds produced a mean patient wait time of 40.6 (95% CI 40.2–50.0) minutes, 31% higher than the three-bed Flex Track. A completely flexible ED, where all beds can accommodate any patient, produced mean wait times of 35.1 (95% CI 34.8–35.4) minutes. The results from the three-bed Flex Track scenario were robust, performing well across a range of scenarios involving higher and lower patient volumes and care durations. Conclusion Using discrete-event simulation, we have shown that adding some flexibility into bed allocation between low- and high-acuity can provide substantial reductions in overall patient waiting and a more efficient ED. PMID:24954578

Nonequilibrium Nonideal Nanoplasma Generated by a Fast Single Ion in Condensed Matter

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

Faenov, A. Ya.; Kansai Photon Science Institut, Japan Atomic Energy Agency; Lankin, A. V.

A plasma model of relaxation of a medium in heavy ion tracks in condensed matter is proposed. The model is based on three assumptions: the Maxwell distribution of plasma electrons, localization of plasma inside the track nanochannel and constant values of the plasma electron density and temperature during the X-ray irradiation. It is demonstrated that the plasma relaxation model adequately describes the X-ray spectra observed upon interaction of a fast ion with condensed target. Preassumptions of plasma relaxation model are validated by the molecular dynamics modeling and simulation.

The Interactions between Global Education Initiatives and National Education Policy and Planning Processes: A Comparative Case Study of the Education For All Fast Track Initiative in Rwanda and Ethiopia. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 67

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bermingham, Desmond

2011-01-01

The Education for All Fast Track Initiative (FTI) was launched by the World Bank in 2002 as a global initiative to help low income countries accelerate progress towards the MDG target of universal primary education by 2015. Over the past decade, the FTI has expanded to become one of the most important initiatives to emerge out of the Dakar World…

Fast track lunar NTR systems assessment for the First Lunar Outpost and its evolvability to Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borowski, Stanley K.; Alexander, Stephen W.

1992-01-01

The objectives of the 'fast track' lunar Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) analysis are to quantify necessary engine/stage characteristics to perform NASA's 'First Lunar Outpost' scenario and to assess the potential for evolution to Mars mission applications. By developing NTR/stage technologies for use in NASA's 'First Lunar Outpost' scenario, NASA will make a major down payment on the key components needed for the follow-on Mars Space Transportation System. A faster, cheaper approach to overall lunar/Mars exploration is expected.

Aerospace plane guidance using geometric control theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Buren, Mark A.; Mease, Kenneth D.

1990-01-01

A reduced-order method employing decomposition, based on time-scale separation, of the 4-D state space in a 2-D slow manifold and a family of 2-D fast manifolds is shown to provide an excellent approximation to the full-order minimum-fuel ascent trajectory. Near-optimal guidance is obtained by tracking the reduced-order trajectory. The tracking problem is solved as regulation problems on the family of fast manifolds, using the exact linearization methodology from nonlinear geometric control theory. The validity of the overall guidance approach is indicated by simulation.

Exhausting Attentional Tracking Resources with a Single Fast-Moving Object

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holcombe, Alex O.; Chen, Wei-Ying

2012-01-01

Driving on a busy road, eluding a group of predators, or playing a team sport involves keeping track of multiple moving objects. In typical laboratory tasks, the number of visual targets that humans can track is about four. Three types of theories have been advanced to explain this limit. The fixed-limit theory posits a set number of attentional…

U.S. masters track participation reveals a stable sex difference in competitiveness.

PubMed

Deaner, Robert O; Addona, Vittorio; Mead, Michael P

2014-10-06

It is well established that men are more likely than women to engage in direct competition, but it is unclear if this reflects social structural conditions or evolved predispositions. These hypotheses can be addressed by quantifying competitiveness in sports and testing if the sex difference is decreasing over time in the U.S., a society where social roles have converged. Study 1 assessed participation and the occurrence of relatively fast performances by masters runners (40-74 years old) at recent road races and track meets. Fast performances occurred over 20 times more often at track meets than at road races. Women comprised 55% of finishers at roads races but only 15-28% of finishers at track meets. Thus, the sex difference in masters track participation can serve as a measure of the sex difference in competitiveness. Study 2 used data from national championship meets and yearly rankings lists to test whether the sex difference in masters track participation decreased from 1988-2012. The sex difference decreased overall, but there was no evidence of change since the late 1990s. Therefore, the sex difference in the willingness to engage in direct sports competition appears to reflect both social structural conditions and evolved predispositions.

A high-speed tracking algorithm for dense granular media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerda, Mauricio; Navarro, Cristóbal A.; Silva, Juan; Waitukaitis, Scott R.; Mujica, Nicolás; Hitschfeld, Nancy

2018-06-01

Many fields of study, including medical imaging, granular physics, colloidal physics, and active matter, require the precise identification and tracking of particle-like objects in images. While many algorithms exist to track particles in diffuse conditions, these often perform poorly when particles are densely packed together-as in, for example, solid-like systems of granular materials. Incorrect particle identification can have significant effects on the calculation of physical quantities, which makes the development of more precise and faster tracking algorithms a worthwhile endeavor. In this work, we present a new tracking algorithm to identify particles in dense systems that is both highly accurate and fast. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach by analyzing images of dense, solid-state granular media, where we achieve an identification error of 5% in the worst evaluated cases. Going further, we propose a parallelization strategy for our algorithm using a GPU, which results in a speedup of up to 10 × when compared to a sequential CPU implementation in C and up to 40 × when compared to the reference MATLAB library widely used for particle tracking. Our results extend the capabilities of state-of-the-art particle tracking methods by allowing fast, high-fidelity detection in dense media at high resolutions.

ACC Effectiveness Review, 1999-2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Roslyn, Ed.

2002-01-01

These newsletters on Institutional Effectiveness (IE) at Austin Community College (ACC) in Texas include the following articles: (1) "The 'Fast Track'...Students Say It Works!" (2) "Are Students Successfully Completing Distance Learning Courses at ACC?" (3) "Tracking Transfers"; (4) "Math Pilot: Study Skills…

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION Far-field x-ray phase contrast imaging has no detailed information on the object

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohn, V. G.; Argunova, T. S.; Je, J. H.

2010-11-01

We show that x-ray phase contrast images of some objects with a small cross-section diameter d satisfy a condition for a far-field approximation d Lt r1 where r1 = (λz)1/2, λ is the x-ray wavelength, z is the distance from the object to the detector. In this case the size of the image does not match the size of the object contrary to the edge detection technique. Moreover, the structure of the central fringes of the image is universal, i.e. it is independent of the object cross-section structure. Therefore, these images have no detailed information on the object.

Accuracy analysis for triangulation and tracking based on time-multiplexed structured light.

PubMed

Wagner, Benjamin; Stüber, Patrick; Wissel, Tobias; Bruder, Ralf; Schweikard, Achim; Ernst, Floris

2014-08-01

The authors' research group is currently developing a new optical head tracking system for intracranial radiosurgery. This tracking system utilizes infrared laser light to measure features of the soft tissue on the patient's forehead. These features are intended to offer highly accurate registration with respect to the rigid skull structure by means of compensating for the soft tissue. In this context, the system also has to be able to quickly generate accurate reconstructions of the skin surface. For this purpose, the authors have developed a laser scanning device which uses time-multiplexed structured light to triangulate surface points. The accuracy of the authors' laser scanning device is analyzed and compared for different triangulation methods. These methods are given by the Linear-Eigen method and a nonlinear least squares method. Since Microsoft's Kinect camera represents an alternative for fast surface reconstruction, the authors' results are also compared to the triangulation accuracy of the Kinect device. Moreover, the authors' laser scanning device was used for tracking of a rigid object to determine how this process is influenced by the remaining triangulation errors. For this experiment, the scanning device was mounted to the end-effector of a robot to be able to calculate a ground truth for the tracking. The analysis of the triangulation accuracy of the authors' laser scanning device revealed a root mean square (RMS) error of 0.16 mm. In comparison, the analysis of the triangulation accuracy of the Kinect device revealed a RMS error of 0.89 mm. It turned out that the remaining triangulation errors only cause small inaccuracies for the tracking of a rigid object. Here, the tracking accuracy was given by a RMS translational error of 0.33 mm and a RMS rotational error of 0.12°. This paper shows that time-multiplexed structured light can be used to generate highly accurate reconstructions of surfaces. Furthermore, the reconstructed point sets can be used for high-accuracy tracking of objects, meeting the strict requirements of intracranial radiosurgery.

Use of a genetic algorithm for the analysis of eye movements from the linear vestibulo-ocular reflex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelhamer, M.

2001-01-01

It is common in vestibular and oculomotor testing to use a single-frequency (sine) or combination of frequencies [sum-of-sines (SOS)] stimulus for head or target motion. The resulting eye movements typically contain a smooth tracking component, which follows the stimulus, in which are interspersed rapid eye movements (saccades or fast phases). The parameters of the smooth tracking--the amplitude and phase of each component frequency--are of interest; many methods have been devised that attempt to identify and remove the fast eye movements from the smooth. We describe a new approach to this problem, tailored to both single-frequency and sum-of-sines stimulation of the human linear vestibulo-ocular reflex. An approximate derivative is used to identify fast movements, which are then omitted from further analysis. The remaining points form a series of smooth tracking segments. A genetic algorithm is used to fit these segments together to form a smooth (but disconnected) wave form, by iteratively removing biases due to the missing fast phases. A genetic algorithm is an iterative optimization procedure; it provides a basis for extending this approach to more complex stimulus-response situations. In the SOS case, the genetic algorithm estimates the amplitude and phase values of the component frequencies as well as removing biases.

What Is Required to End the AIDS Epidemic as a Public Health Threat by 2030? The Cost and Impact of the Fast-Track Approach.

PubMed

Stover, John; Bollinger, Lori; Izazola, Jose Antonio; Loures, Luiz; DeLay, Paul; Ghys, Peter D

2016-01-01

In 2011 a new Investment Framework was proposed that described how the scale-up of key HIV interventions could dramatically reduce new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in low and middle income countries by 2015. This framework included ambitious coverage goals for prevention and treatment services for 2015, resulting in a reduction of new HIV infections by more than half, in line with the goals of the declaration of the UN High Level Meeting in June 2011. However, the approach suggested a leveling in the number of new infections at about 1 million annually-far from the UNAIDS goal of ending AIDS by 2030. In response, UNAIDS has developed the Fast-Track approach that is intended to provide a roadmap to the actions required to achieve this goal. The Fast-Track approach is predicated on a rapid scale-up of focused, effective prevention and treatment services over the next 5 years and then maintaining a high level of programme implementation until 2030. Fast-Track aims to reduce new infections and AIDS-related deaths by 90% from 2010 to 2030 and proposes a set of biomedical, behavioral and enabling intervention targets for 2020 and 2030 to achieve that goal, including the rapid scale-up initiative for antiretroviral treatment known as 90-90-90. Compared to a counterfactual scenario of constant coverage for all services at early-2015 levels, the Fast-Track approach would avert 18 million HIV infections and 11 million deaths from 2016 to 2030 globally. This paper describes the analysis that produced these targets and the estimated resources needed to achieve them in low- and middle-income countries. It indicates that it is possible to achieve these goals with a significant push to achieve rapid scale-up of key interventions between now and 2020. The annual resources required from all sources would rise to US$7.4Bn in low-income countries, US$8.2Bn in lower middle-income countries and US$10.5Bn in upper-middle-income-countries by 2020 before declining approximately 9% by 2030.

Going wild: what a global small-animal tracking system could do for experimental biologists.

PubMed

Wikelski, Martin; Kays, Roland W; Kasdin, N Jeremy; Thorup, Kasper; Smith, James A; Swenson, George W

2007-01-01

Tracking animals over large temporal and spatial scales has revealed invaluable and spectacular biological information, particularly when the paths and fates of individuals can be monitored on a global scale. However, only large animals (greater than approximately 300 g) currently can be followed globally because of power and size constraints on the tracking devices. And yet the vast majority of animals is small. Tracking small animals is important because they are often part of evolutionary and ecological experiments, they provide important ecosystem services and they are of conservation concern or pose harm to human health. Here, we propose a small-animal satellite tracking system that would enable the global monitoring of animals down to the size of the smallest birds, mammals (bats), marine life and eventually large insects. To create the scientific framework necessary for such a global project, we formed the ICARUS initiative (www.IcarusInitiative.org), the International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space. ICARUS also highlights how small-animal tracking could address some of the ;Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences' identified by the US National Academy of Sciences, such as the spread of infectious diseases or the relationship between biological diversity and ecosystem functioning. Small-animal tracking would allow the quantitative assessment of dispersal and migration in natural populations and thus help solve enigmas regarding population dynamics, extinctions and invasions. Experimental biologists may find a global small-animal tracking system helpful in testing, validating and expanding laboratory-derived discoveries in wild, natural populations. We suggest that the relatively modest investment into a global small-animal tracking system will pay off by providing unprecedented insights into both basic and applied nature. Tracking small animals over large spatial and temporal scales could prove to be one of the most powerful techniques of the early 21st century, offering potential solutions to a wide range of biological and societal questions that date back two millennia to the Greek philosopher Aristotle's enigma about songbird migration. Several of the more recent Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences, such as the regulation and functional consequences of biological diversity or the surveillance of the population ecology of zoonotic hosts, pathogens or vectors, could also be addressed by a global small-animal tracking system. Our discussion is intended to contribute to an emerging groundswell of scientific support to make such a new technological system happen.

Tracking Small Artists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, James C.; Klette, Reinhard; Chen, Chia-Yen

Tracks of small animals are important in environmental surveillance, where pattern recognition algorithms allow species identification of the individuals creating tracks. These individuals can also be seen as artists, presented in their natural environments with a canvas upon which they can make prints. We present tracks of small mammals and reptiles which have been collected for identification purposes, and re-interpret them from an esthetic point of view. We re-classify these tracks not by their geometric qualities as pattern recognition algorithms would, but through interpreting the 'artist', their brush strokes and intensity. We describe the algorithms used to enhance and present the work of the 'artists'.

First results of the silicon telescope using an 'artificial retina' for fast track finding

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

Neri, N.; Abba, A.; Caponio, F.

We present the first results of the prototype of a silicon tracker with trigger capabilities based on a novel approach for fast track finding. The working principle of the 'artificial retina' is inspired by the processing of visual images by the brain and it is based on extensive parallelization of data distribution and pattern recognition. The algorithm has been implemented in commercial FPGAs in three main logic modules: a switch for the routing of the detector hits, a pool of engines for the digital processing of the hits, and a block for the calculation of the track parameters. The architecturemore » is fully pipelined and allows the reconstruction of real-time tracks with a latency less then 100 clock cycles, corresponding to 0.25 microsecond at 400 MHz clock. The silicon telescope consists of 8 layers of single-sided silicon strip detectors with 512 strips each. The detector size is about 10 cm x 10 cm and the strip pitch is 183 μm. The detectors are read out by the Beetle chip, a custom ASICs developed for LHCb, which provides the measurement of the hit position and pulse height of 128 channels. The 'artificial retina' algorithm has been implemented on custom data acquisition boards based on FPGAs Xilinx Kintex 7 lx160. The parameters of the tracks detected are finally transferred to host PC via USB 3.0. The boards manage the read-out ASICs and the sampling of the analog channels. The read-out is performed at 40 MHz on 4 channels for each ASIC that corresponds to a decoding of the telescope information at 1.1 MHz. We report on the first results of the fast tracking device and compare with simulations. (authors)« less

Real-Time Robust Tracking for Motion Blur and Fast Motion via Correlation Filters

PubMed Central

Xu, Lingyun; Luo, Haibo; Hui, Bin; Chang, Zheng

2016-01-01

Visual tracking has extensive applications in intelligent monitoring and guidance systems. Among state-of-the-art tracking algorithms, Correlation Filter methods perform favorably in robustness, accuracy and speed. However, it also has shortcomings when dealing with pervasive target scale variation, motion blur and fast motion. In this paper we proposed a new real-time robust scheme based on Kernelized Correlation Filter (KCF) to significantly improve performance on motion blur and fast motion. By fusing KCF and STC trackers, our algorithm also solve the estimation of scale variation in many scenarios. We theoretically analyze the problem for CFs towards motions and utilize the point sharpness function of the target patch to evaluate the motion state of target. Then we set up an efficient scheme to handle the motion and scale variation without much time consuming. Our algorithm preserves the properties of KCF besides the ability to handle special scenarios. In the end extensive experimental results on benchmark of VOT datasets show our algorithm performs advantageously competed with the top-rank trackers. PMID:27618046

The Difficulty of Maintaining Positive Intervention Effects: A Look at Disruptive Behavior, Deviant Peer Relations, and Social Skills During the Middle School Years

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

This paper examines the effects of the Fast Track preventive intervention on youths’ functioning in three domains: disruptive behavior problems, involvement with deviant peers, and social skills during the middle school years. Eight hundred ninety-one children had been randomly assigned by sets of schools within four sites to intervention (n = 445) or to control (n = 446) conditions. In contrast to prior findings of the effectiveness of the Fast Track intervention during the elementary school years, the current findings indicate that Fast Track had little overall impact on children’s functioning in these domains during this age period. There were positive intervention effects on only 2 of 17 outcomes examined. Although the intervention had positive impact on children’s hyperactive and self-reported delinquent behaviors in seventh grade, there were no intervention effects on other externalizing behavior problems or on social skills, and there was a negative intervention effect on children’s involvement with deviant peers during this age period. PMID:24319308

F-16 MMC Strafe in Mountainous Terrain

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

19 Figure 10. Steep fast (480 KIAS ) high-angle strafe...a fast (480 KIAS in this example) approach varies from the recovery radius (4000 feet in this case) and down track range prior to recovery initiation...Steep fast (480 KIAS ) high-angle strafe Alternate Analysis The F-16 community, to some extent, has adopted high-angle strafe as the de facto strafe

FastSim: A Fast Simulation for the SuperB Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreassen, R.; Arnaud, N.; Brown, D. N.; Burmistrov, L.; Carlson, J.; Cheng, C.-h.; Di Simone, A.; Gaponenko, I.; Manoni, E.; Perez, A.; Rama, M.; Roberts, D.; Rotondo, M.; Simi, G.; Sokoloff, M.; Suzuki, A.; Walsh, J.

2011-12-01

We have developed a parameterized (fast) simulation for detector optimization and physics reach studies of the proposed SuperB Flavor Factory in Italy. Detector components are modeled as thin sections of planes, cylinders, disks or cones. Particle-material interactions are modeled using simplified cross-sections and formulas. Active detectors are modeled using parameterized response functions. Geometry and response parameters are configured using xml files with a custom-designed schema. Reconstruction algorithms adapted from BaBar are used to build tracks and clusters. Multiple sources of background signals can be merged with primary signals. Pattern recognition errors are modeled statistically by randomly misassigning nearby tracking hits. Standard BaBar analysis tuples are used as an event output. Hadronic B meson pair events can be simulated at roughly 10Hz.

International collaborative project to compare and track the nutritional composition of fast foods.

PubMed

2012-07-27

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the world with over-nutrition a primary cause of diet-related ill health. Excess quantities of energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt derived from fast foods contribute importantly to this disease burden. Our objective is to collate and compare nutrient composition data for fast foods as a means of supporting improvements in product formulation. Surveys of fast foods will be done in each participating country each year. Information on the nutrient composition for each product will be sought either through direct chemical analysis, from fast food companies, in-store materials or from company websites. Foods will be categorized into major groups for the primary analyses which will compare mean levels of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, energy and serving size at baseline and over time. Countries currently involved include Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, USA, India, Spain, China and Canada, with more anticipated to follow. This collaborative approach to the collation and sharing of data will enable low-cost tracking of fast food composition around the world. This project represents a significant step forward in the objective and transparent monitoring of industry and government commitments to improve the quality of fast foods.

UKIRT fast guide system improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balius, Al; Rees, Nicholas P.

1997-09-01

The United Kingdom Infra-Red Telescope (UKIRT) has recently undergone the first major upgrade program since its construction. One part of the upgrade program was an adaptive tip-tilt secondary mirror closed with a CCD system collectively called the fast guide system. The installation of the new secondary and associated systems was carried out in the first half of 1996. Initial testing of the fast guide system has shown great improvement in guide accuracy. The initial installation included a fixed integration time CCD. In the first part of 1997 an integration time controller based on computed guide star luminosity was implemented in the fast guide system. Also, a Kalman type estimator was installed in the image tracking loop based on a dynamic model and knowledge of the statistical properties of the guide star position error measurement as a function of computed guide star magnitude and CCD integration time. The new configuration was tested in terms of improved guide performance nd graceful degradation when tracking faint guide stars. This paper describes the modified fast guide system configuration and reports the results of performance tests.

Technical note: suppression of artifacts arising from simultaneous cone-beam imaging and RF transponder tracking in prostate radiotherapy.

PubMed

Poludniowski, Gavin; Webb, Steve; Evans, Philip M

2012-03-01

Artifacts in treatment-room cone-beam reconstructions have been observed at the authors' center when cone-beam acquisition is simultaneous with radio frequency (RF) transponder tracking using the Calypso 4D system (Calypso Medical, Seattle, WA). These artifacts manifest as CT-number modulations and increased CT-noise. The authors present a method for the suppression of the artifacts. The authors propose a three-stage postprocessing technique that can be applied to image volumes previously reconstructed by a cone-beam system. The stages are (1) segmentation of voxels into air, soft-tissue, and bone; (2) application of a 2D spatial-filter in the axial plane to the soft-tissue voxels; and (3) normalization to remove streaking along the axial-direction. The algorithm was tested on patient data acquired with Synergy XVI cone-beam CT systems (Elekta, Crawley, United Kingdom). The computational demands of the suggested correction are small, taking less than 15 s per cone-beam reconstruction on a desktop PC. For a moderate loss of spatial-resolution, the artifacts are strongly suppressed and low-contrast visibility is improved. The correction technique proposed is fast and effective in removing the artifacts caused by simultaneous cone-beam imaging and RF-transponder tracking.

On-Demand Calibration and Evaluation for Electromagnetically Tracked Laparoscope in Augmented Reality Visualization

PubMed Central

Liu, Xinyang; Plishker, William; Zaki, George; Kang, Sukryool; Kane, Timothy D.; Shekhar, Raj

2017-01-01

Purpose Common camera calibration methods employed in current laparoscopic augmented reality systems require the acquisition of multiple images of an entire checkerboard pattern from various poses. This lengthy procedure prevents performing laparoscope calibration in the operating room (OR). The purpose of this work was to develop a fast calibration method for electromagnetically (EM) tracked laparoscopes, such that calibration can be performed in the OR on demand. Methods We designed a mechanical tracking mount to uniquely and snugly position an EM sensor to an appropriate location on a conventional laparoscope. A tool named fCalib was developed to calibrate intrinsic camera parameters, distortion coefficients, and extrinsic parameters (transformation between the scope lens coordinate system and the EM sensor coordinate system) using a single image that shows an arbitrary portion of a special target pattern. For quick evaluation of calibration result in the OR, we integrated a tube phantom with fCalib and overlaid a virtual representation of the tube on the live video scene. Results We compared spatial target registration error between the common OpenCV method and the fCalib method in a laboratory setting. In addition, we compared the calibration re-projection error between the EM tracking-based fCalib and the optical tracking-based fCalib in a clinical setting. Our results suggested that the proposed method is comparable to the OpenCV method. However, changing the environment, e.g., inserting or removing surgical tools, would affect re-projection accuracy for the EM tracking-based approach. Computational time of the fCalib method averaged 14.0 s (range 3.5 s – 22.7 s). Conclusions We developed and validated a prototype for fast calibration and evaluation of EM tracked conventional (forward viewing) laparoscopes. The calibration method achieved acceptable accuracy and was relatively fast and easy to be performed in the OR on demand. PMID:27250853

On-demand calibration and evaluation for electromagnetically tracked laparoscope in augmented reality visualization.

PubMed

Liu, Xinyang; Plishker, William; Zaki, George; Kang, Sukryool; Kane, Timothy D; Shekhar, Raj

2016-06-01

Common camera calibration methods employed in current laparoscopic augmented reality systems require the acquisition of multiple images of an entire checkerboard pattern from various poses. This lengthy procedure prevents performing laparoscope calibration in the operating room (OR). The purpose of this work was to develop a fast calibration method for electromagnetically (EM) tracked laparoscopes, such that the calibration can be performed in the OR on demand. We designed a mechanical tracking mount to uniquely and snugly position an EM sensor to an appropriate location on a conventional laparoscope. A tool named fCalib was developed to calibrate intrinsic camera parameters, distortion coefficients, and extrinsic parameters (transformation between the scope lens coordinate system and the EM sensor coordinate system) using a single image that shows an arbitrary portion of a special target pattern. For quick evaluation of calibration results in the OR, we integrated a tube phantom with fCalib prototype and overlaid a virtual representation of the tube on the live video scene. We compared spatial target registration error between the common OpenCV method and the fCalib method in a laboratory setting. In addition, we compared the calibration re-projection error between the EM tracking-based fCalib and the optical tracking-based fCalib in a clinical setting. Our results suggest that the proposed method is comparable to the OpenCV method. However, changing the environment, e.g., inserting or removing surgical tools, might affect re-projection accuracy for the EM tracking-based approach. Computational time of the fCalib method averaged 14.0 s (range 3.5 s-22.7 s). We developed and validated a prototype for fast calibration and evaluation of EM tracked conventional (forward viewing) laparoscopes. The calibration method achieved acceptable accuracy and was relatively fast and easy to be performed in the OR on demand.

The use of ultrasonic properties of CR-39 track detectors in neutron dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afifi, H.; El-Sersy, A.; Khaled, N.

2004-01-01

The longitudinal and shear wave ultrasonic velocities have been measured before and after exposing 5-mm thick CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors to both a mixed field of gamma-rays and fast neutrons from an Am-Be source in the ranges from 0 to 10 4 mSv. The change in the intermolecular structure as caused by the fast neutron exposure was studied by the ultrasonic pulse echo method at a frequency of 2 MHz and at room temperature. The elastic coefficients, Poisson's ratio, microhardness, ultrasonic absorption coefficient and internal friction have been determined. The study shows that the gamma-ray irradiation had no effect on the ultrasonic properties of CR-39 at least at the used doses. However, all the ultrasonic properties are influenced by the fast neutrons at doses up to 10 4 mSv. Our experimental results confirmed that the ultrasonic technique is useful for fast neutron detection, by exploiting the differences in mechanical properties of CR-39.

Motion-Blur-Free High-Speed Video Shooting Using a Resonant Mirror

PubMed Central

Inoue, Michiaki; Gu, Qingyi; Takaki, Takeshi; Ishii, Idaku; Tajima, Kenji

2017-01-01

This study proposes a novel concept of actuator-driven frame-by-frame intermittent tracking for motion-blur-free video shooting of fast-moving objects. The camera frame and shutter timings are controlled for motion blur reduction in synchronization with a free-vibration-type actuator vibrating with a large amplitude at hundreds of hertz so that motion blur can be significantly reduced in free-viewpoint high-frame-rate video shooting for fast-moving objects by deriving the maximum performance of the actuator. We develop a prototype of a motion-blur-free video shooting system by implementing our frame-by-frame intermittent tracking algorithm on a high-speed video camera system with a resonant mirror vibrating at 750 Hz. It can capture 1024 × 1024 images of fast-moving objects at 750 fps with an exposure time of 0.33 ms without motion blur. Several experimental results for fast-moving objects verify that our proposed method can reduce image degradation from motion blur without decreasing the camera exposure time. PMID:29109385

Three-dimensional reconstruction of the fast-start swimming kinematics of densely schooling fish

PubMed Central

Paley, Derek A.

2012-01-01

Information transmission via non-verbal cues such as a fright response can be quantified in a fish school by reconstructing individual fish motion in three dimensions. In this paper, we describe an automated tracking framework to reconstruct the full-body trajectories of densely schooling fish using two-dimensional silhouettes in multiple cameras. We model the shape of each fish as a series of elliptical cross sections along a flexible midline. We estimate the size of each ellipse using an iterated extended Kalman filter. The shape model is used in a model-based tracking framework in which simulated annealing is applied at each step to estimate the midline. Results are presented for eight fish with occlusions. The tracking system is currently being used to investigate fast-start behaviour of schooling fish in response to looming stimuli. PMID:21642367

Bayesian State-Space Modelling of Conventional Acoustic Tracking Provides Accurate Descriptors of Home Range Behavior in a Small-Bodied Coastal Fish Species

PubMed Central

Alós, Josep; Palmer, Miquel; Balle, Salvador; Arlinghaus, Robert

2016-01-01

State-space models (SSM) are increasingly applied in studies involving biotelemetry-generated positional data because they are able to estimate movement parameters from positions that are unobserved or have been observed with non-negligible observational error. Popular telemetry systems in marine coastal fish consist of arrays of omnidirectional acoustic receivers, which generate a multivariate time-series of detection events across the tracking period. Here we report a novel Bayesian fitting of a SSM application that couples mechanistic movement properties within a home range (a specific case of random walk weighted by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process) with a model of observational error typical for data obtained from acoustic receiver arrays. We explored the performance and accuracy of the approach through simulation modelling and extensive sensitivity analyses of the effects of various configurations of movement properties and time-steps among positions. Model results show an accurate and unbiased estimation of the movement parameters, and in most cases the simulated movement parameters were properly retrieved. Only in extreme situations (when fast swimming speeds are combined with pooling the number of detections over long time-steps) the model produced some bias that needs to be accounted for in field applications. Our method was subsequently applied to real acoustic tracking data collected from a small marine coastal fish species, the pearly razorfish, Xyrichtys novacula. The Bayesian SSM we present here constitutes an alternative for those used to the Bayesian way of reasoning. Our Bayesian SSM can be easily adapted and generalized to any species, thereby allowing studies in freely roaming animals on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of home ranges and territory establishment, both in fishes and in other taxa. PMID:27119718

Analysis of three advanced practice roles in emergency nursing.

PubMed

Considine, Julie; Lucas, Elspeth; Payne, Roslyn; Kropman, Matthew; Stergiou, Helen E; Chiu, Herman

2012-11-01

There are many Emergency Department (ED) demand management systems that include advanced practice emergency nursing roles. The aim of this study is to examine and compare three advanced emergency nursing practice roles: ED Fast Track, Clinical Initiatives Nurse (CIN) and Rapid Intervention and Treatment Zone (RITZ). A descriptive exploratory approach was used to conduct this study at an urban district hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The study participants were patients managed in each of the three systems with advanced practice emergency nursing roles: Fast Track, CIN and RITZ. There were a total of 551 patients: 195 Fast Track patients, 163 CIN managed patients and 193 RITZ patients. CIN managed patients were older (p<0.001), with higher levels of clinical urgency (p<0.001), and higher hospital admission rates (p<0.001). CIN managed patients had shorter waiting time for nursing care (p=0.001) and lower incidence of medical assessment within the time associated with their triage category (p<0.0001). ED LOS for discharged patients was significantly longer for CIN managed patients (p<0.001). CIN managed patients had a significantly higher incidence of electrocardiography (p<0.001), blood glucose measurement (p<0.001), intravenous cannulation (p<0.001), pathology testing (p<0.001), and analgesia administration (p<0.001) when compared to Fast Track and RITZ patients. Advanced practice roles in emergency nursing can have different applications in the ED context. Clarity about role intent and scope of practice is important and should inform educational preparation and teams within which these roles operate. Copyright © 2012 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct hospital costs of total laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with fast-track open hysterectomy at a tertiary hospital: a retrospective case-controlled study.

PubMed

Rhou, Yoon J J; Pather, Selvan; Loadsman, John A; Campbell, Neil; Philp, Shannon; Carter, Jonathan

2015-12-01

To assess the direct intraoperative and postoperative costs in women undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy and fast-track open hysterectomy. A retrospective review of the direct hospital-related costs in a matched cohort of women undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) and fast-track open hysterectomy (FTOH) at a tertiary hospital. All costs were calculated, including the cost of advanced high-energy laparoscopic devices. The effect of the learning curve on cost in laparoscopic hysterectomy was also assessed, as was the hospital case-weighted cost, which was compared with the actual cost. Fifty women were included in each arm of the study. TLH had a higher intraoperative cost, but a lower postoperative cost than FTOH (AUD$3877 vs AUD$2776 P < 0.001, AUD$3965 vs AUD$6233 P < 0.001). The total cost of TLH was not different from FTOH (AUD$7842 vs AUD$9009 P = 0.068) and after a learning curve; TLH cost less than FTOH (AUD$6797 vs AUD$8647, P < 0.001). The use of high-energy devices did not impact on the cost benefit of TLH, and hospital case-weight-based funding correlated poorly with actual cost. Despite the use of fast-track recovery protocols, the cost of TLH is no different to FTOH and after a learning curve is cheaper than open hysterectomy. Judicious use of advanced energy devices does not impact on the cost, and hospital case-weight-based funding model in our hospital is inaccurate when compared to directly calculated hospital costs. © 2013 The Authors ANZJOG © 2013 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Energy Dynamics: A Fast Track Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Stan M.; Hrynyshyn, Alec

2004-01-01

Students investigate energy conversions by collaborating to develop a free standing track of plastic tubing through which a ball bearing moves at the fastest possible speed. Friendly competition leads to discussion of what worked and did not work and to the identification and investigation of underlying principles. (Contains 4 charts.)

The performance of the γ-ray tracking array GRETINA for γ-ray spectroscopy with fast beams of rare isotopes

DOE PAGES

Weisshaar, D.; Bazin, D.; Bender, P. C.; ...

2016-12-03

The gamma-ray tracking array GRETINA was coupled to the S800 magnetic spectrometer for spectroscopy with fast beams of rare isotopes at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory on the campus of Michigan State University. We describe the technical details of this powerful setup and report on GRETINA's performance achieved with source and in-beam measurements. The gamma-ray multiplicity encountered in experiments with fast beams is usually low, allowing for a simplified and efficient treatment of the data in the gamma-ray analysis in terms of Doppler reconstruction and spectral quality. Finally, the results reported in this work were obtained from GRETINA consisting ofmore » 8 detector modules hosting four high-purity germanium crystals each. Currently, GRETINA consists of 10 detector modules.« less

An object detection and tracking system for unmanned surface vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jian; Xiao, Yang; Fang, Zhiwen; Zhang, Naiwen; Wang, Li; Li, Tao

2017-10-01

Object detection and tracking are critical parts of unmanned surface vehicles(USV) to achieve automatic obstacle avoidance. Off-the-shelf object detection methods have achieved impressive accuracy in public datasets, though they still meet bottlenecks in practice, such as high time consumption and low detection quality. In this paper, we propose a novel system for USV, which is able to locate the object more accurately while being fast and stable simultaneously. Firstly, we employ Faster R-CNN to acquire several initial raw bounding boxes. Secondly, the image is segmented to a few superpixels. For each initial box, the superpixels inside will be grouped into a whole according to a combination strategy, and a new box is thereafter generated as the circumscribed bounding box of the final superpixel. Thirdly, we utilize KCF to track these objects after several frames, Faster-RCNN is again used to re-detect objects inside tracked boxes to prevent tracking failure as well as remove empty boxes. Finally, we utilize Faster R-CNN to detect objects in the next image, and refine object boxes by repeating the second module of our system. The experimental results demonstrate that our system is fast, robust and accurate, which can be applied to USV in practice.

Fast track in colo-rectal surgery. Preliminary experience in a rural hospital

PubMed Central

FRONTERA, D.; ARENA, L.; CORSALE, I.; FRANCIOLI, N.; MAMMOLITI, F.; BUCCIANELLI, E.

2014-01-01

Background “Fast Track surgery” is a therapeutic program of large application, despite some doubts about its applicability and real validity. Literature review shows that this approach to colo-rectal surgery, particularly video-assisted, can allow a rapid recovery, better performance and a faster postoperative functional autonomy of the work, which can be discharged without cause additional welfare costs; in addition it can be reproducible in different health reality. Purpose To analyze the possibility to apply the Fast Truck protocol in patients undergoing colorectal surgery in a rural hospital and non specialistic Unit of Surgery. Patients and methods We have conducted a prospective, randomized study on 80 patients subjected to colorectal surgery in the last year. Results The protocol was observed in 95% of cases, compliance with the Fast Track was high and general morbidity was limited (7.8%). Conclusion This “aggressive” approach, which has fundamentally altered the usual surgical behavior, seems to allow a mean length of stay significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.05) with positive implications for patients and containment of health care costs, even after discharge (no need for home care in 92% of cases, no early re-admittance to the hospital). Homogeneous protocols are desirable, as well as an increased enrollment, to consolidate these rehabilitation programs in order to provide a reference for all hospitals. PMID:25644732

The flex track: flexible partitioning between low- and high-acuity areas of an emergency department.

PubMed

Laker, Lauren F; Froehle, Craig M; Lindsell, Christopher J; Ward, Michael J

2014-12-01

Emergency departments (EDs) with both low- and high-acuity treatment areas often have fixed allocation of resources, regardless of demand. We demonstrate the utility of discrete-event simulation to evaluate flexible partitioning between low- and high-acuity ED areas to identify the best operational strategy for subsequent implementation. A discrete-event simulation was used to model patient flow through a 50-bed, urban, teaching ED that handles 85,000 patient visits annually. The ED has historically allocated 10 beds to a fast track for low-acuity patients. We estimated the effect of a flex track policy, which involved switching up to 5 of these fast track beds to serving both low- and high-acuity patients, on patient waiting times. When the high-acuity beds were not at capacity, low-acuity patients were given priority access to flexible beds. Otherwise, high-acuity patients were given priority access to flexible beds. Wait times were estimated for patients by disposition and Emergency Severity Index score. A flex track policy using 3 flexible beds produced the lowest mean patient waiting time of 30.9 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.6 to 31.2 minutes). The typical fast track approach of rigidly separating high- and low-acuity beds produced a mean patient wait time of 40.6 minutes (95% CI 40.2 to 50.0 minutes), 31% higher than that of the 3-bed flex track. A completely flexible ED, in which all beds can accommodate any patient, produced mean wait times of 35.1 minutes (95% CI 34.8 to 35.4 minutes). The results from the 3-bed flex track scenario were robust, performing well across a range of scenarios involving higher and lower patient volumes and care durations. Using discrete-event simulation, we have shown that adding some flexibility into bed allocation between low and high acuity can provide substantial reductions in overall patient waiting and a more efficient ED. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual linear structured support vector machine tracking method via scale correlation filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weisheng; Chen, Yanquan; Xiao, Bin; Feng, Chen

2018-01-01

Adaptive tracking-by-detection methods based on structured support vector machine (SVM) performed well on recent visual tracking benchmarks. However, these methods did not adopt an effective strategy of object scale estimation, which limits the overall tracking performance. We present a tracking method based on a dual linear structured support vector machine (DLSSVM) with a discriminative scale correlation filter. The collaborative tracker comprised of a DLSSVM model and a scale correlation filter obtains good results in tracking target position and scale estimation. The fast Fourier transform is applied for detection. Extensive experiments show that our tracking approach outperforms many popular top-ranking trackers. On a benchmark including 100 challenging video sequences, the average precision of the proposed method is 82.8%.

3D ultrasound volume stitching using phase symmetry and harris corner detection for orthopaedic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalvi, Rupin; Hacihaliloglu, Ilker; Abugharbieh, Rafeef

2010-03-01

Stitching of volumes obtained from three dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US) scanners improves visualization of anatomy in many clinical applications. Fast but accurate volume registration remains the key challenge in this area.We propose a volume stitching method based on efficient registration of 3D US volumes obtained from a tracked US probe. Since the volumes, after adjusting for probe motion, are coarsely registered, we obtain salient correspondence points in the central slices of these volumes. This is done by first removing artifacts in the US slices using intensity invariant local phase image processing and then applying the Harris Corner detection algorithm. Fast sub-volume registration on a small neighborhood around the points then gives fast, accurate 3D registration parameters. The method has been tested on 3D US scans of phantom and real human radius and pelvis bones and a phantom human fetus. The method has also been compared to volumetric registration, as well as feature based registration using 3D-SIFT. Quantitative results show average post-registration error of 0.33mm which is comparable to volumetric registration accuracy (0.31mm) and much better than 3D-SIFT based registration which failed to register the volumes. The proposed method was also much faster than volumetric registration (~4.5 seconds versus 83 seconds).

A maximum power point tracking algorithm for buoy-rope-drum wave energy converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J. Q.; Zhang, X. C.; Zhou, Y.; Cui, Z. C.; Zhu, L. S.

2016-08-01

The maximum power point tracking control is the key link to improve the energy conversion efficiency of wave energy converters (WEC). This paper presents a novel variable step size Perturb and Observe maximum power point tracking algorithm with a power classification standard for control of a buoy-rope-drum WEC. The algorithm and simulation model of the buoy-rope-drum WEC are presented in details, as well as simulation experiment results. The results show that the algorithm tracks the maximum power point of the WEC fast and accurately.

Fast and Accurate Cell Tracking by a Novel Optical-Digital Hybrid Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres-Cisneros, M.; Aviña-Cervantes, J. G.; Pérez-Careta, E.; Ambriz-Colín, F.; Tinoco, Verónica; Ibarra-Manzano, O. G.; Plascencia-Mora, H.; Aguilera-Gómez, E.; Ibarra-Manzano, M. A.; Guzman-Cabrera, R.; Debeir, Olivier; Sánchez-Mondragón, J. J.

2013-09-01

An innovative methodology to detect and track cells using microscope images enhanced by optical cross-correlation techniques is proposed in this paper. In order to increase the tracking sensibility, image pre-processing has been implemented as a morphological operator on the microscope image. Results show that the pre-processing process allows for additional frames of cell tracking, therefore increasing its robustness. The proposed methodology can be used in analyzing different problems such as mitosis, cell collisions, and cell overlapping, ultimately designed to identify and treat illnesses and malignancies.

Resolving Fast, Confined Diffusion in Bacteria with Image Correlation Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rowland, David J; Tuson, Hannah H; Biteen, Julie S

2016-05-24

By following single fluorescent molecules in a microscope, single-particle tracking (SPT) can measure diffusion and binding on the nanometer and millisecond scales. Still, although SPT can at its limits characterize the fastest biomolecules as they interact with subcellular environments, this measurement may require advanced illumination techniques such as stroboscopic illumination. Here, we address the challenge of measuring fast subcellular motion by instead analyzing single-molecule data with spatiotemporal image correlation spectroscopy (STICS) with a focus on measurements of confined motion. Our SPT and STICS analysis of simulations of the fast diffusion of confined molecules shows that image blur affects both STICS and SPT, and we find biased diffusion rate measurements for STICS analysis in the limits of fast diffusion and tight confinement due to fitting STICS correlation functions to a Gaussian approximation. However, we determine that with STICS, it is possible to correctly interpret the motion that blurs single-molecule images without advanced illumination techniques or fast cameras. In particular, we present a method to overcome the bias due to image blur by properly estimating the width of the correlation function by directly calculating the correlation function variance instead of using the typical Gaussian fitting procedure. Our simulation results are validated by applying the STICS method to experimental measurements of fast, confined motion: we measure the diffusion of cytosolic mMaple3 in living Escherichia coli cells at 25 frames/s under continuous illumination to illustrate the utility of STICS in an experimental parameter regime for which in-frame motion prevents SPT and tight confinement of fast diffusion precludes stroboscopic illumination. Overall, our application of STICS to freely diffusing cytosolic protein in small cells extends the utility of single-molecule experiments to the regime of fast confined diffusion without requiring advanced microscopy techniques. Copyright © 2016 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trajectory tracking and backfitting techniques against theater ballistic missiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchins, Robert G.; Britt, Patrick T.

1999-10-01

Since the SCUD launches in the Gulf War, theater ballistic missile (TBM) systems have become a growing concern for the US military. Detection, fast track initiation, backfitting for launch point determination, and tracking and engagement during boost phase or shortly after booster cutoff are goals that grow in importance with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This paper focuses on track initiation and backfitting techniques, as well as extending some earlier results on tracking a TBM during boost phase cutoff. Results indicate that Kalman techniques are superior to third order polynomial extrapolations in estimating the launch point, and that some knowledge of missile parameters, especially thrust, is extremely helpful in track initiation.

Fast Deep Tracking via Semi-Online Domain Adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaoping; Luo, Wenbing; Zhu, Yi; Li, Hanxi; Wang, Mingwen

2018-04-01

Deep tracking has been illustrating overwhelming superiorities over the shallow methods. Unfortunately, it also suffers from low FPS rates. To alleviate the problem, a number of real-time deep trackers have been proposed via removing the online updating procedure on the CNN model. However, the absent of the online update leads to a significant drop on tracking accuracy. In this work, we propose to perform the domain adaptation for visual tracking in two stages for transferring the information from the visual tracking domain and the instance domain respectively. In this way, the proposed visual tracker achieves comparable tracking accuracy to the state-of-the-art trackers and runs at real-time speed on an average consuming GPU.

Tracking multiple objects is limited only by object spacing, not by speed, time, or capacity.

PubMed

Franconeri, S L; Jonathan, S V; Scimeca, J M

2010-07-01

In dealing with a dynamic world, people have the ability to maintain selective attention on a subset of moving objects in the environment. Performance in such multiple-object tracking is limited by three primary factors-the number of objects that one can track, the speed at which one can track them, and how close together they can be. We argue that this last limit, of object spacing, is the root cause of all performance constraints in multiple-object tracking. In two experiments, we found that as long as the distribution of object spacing is held constant, tracking performance is unaffected by large changes in object speed and tracking time. These results suggest that barring object-spacing constraints, people could reliably track an unlimited number of objects as fast as they could track a single object.

40 CFR 273.19 - Tracking universal waste shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Tracking universal waste shipments... WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Standards for Small Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste § 273.19 Tracking universal waste shipments. A small quantity handler of universal waste is...

Fast Track to the Cloud: Design Patterns for 12-Factor Earth Sciences Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pawloski, Andrew; McLaughlin, Brett; Lynnes, Christopher

2016-01-01

As expanding service offerings and decreasing prices make the cloud increasingly attractive to Earth Science applications, there are nontrivial practical considerations which can hinder its meaningful use. In this talk, we will discuss architectural recommendations and lessons learned while working on EOSDIS' cloud efforts, particularly the NASA-compliant General Application Platform (NGAP) and its associated applications. Prominent in our findings is the importance of 12-factor design patterns and the powerful "wins" they enable in the cloud. We will share our strategies for "fast-tracking" applications to the cloud --whether they be legacy, planned for the future, or somewhere in between.

Returning nurses to the workforce: developing a fast track back program.

PubMed

Burns, Helen K; Sakraida, Teresa J; Englert, Nadine C; Hoffmann, Rosemary L; Tuite, Patricia; Foley, Susan M

2006-01-01

Fast Track Back: Re-entry into Nursing Practice program. Describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a state-of-the-art re-entry program facilitating the return of licensed nonpracticing RNs to the workforce through a quality education program that retools them for the workforce in the areas of pharmacology, skill development using the latest technology, practice standards, and nursing issues. The program consists of didactic content taught via classroom, Internet, skills laboratory, and high fidelity human simulated technology and a clinical component. The program is a mechanism that enables re-entry nurses to improve skills and competencies necessary to practice in today's healthcare environment.

'Fast-track' colonic surgery in Austria and Germany--results from the survey on patterns in current perioperative practice.

PubMed

Hasenberg, T; Keese, M; Längle, F; Reibenwein, B; Schindler, K; Herold, A; Beck, G; Post, S; Jauch, K W; Spies, C; Schwenk, W; Shang, E

2009-02-01

'Fast-track' rehabilitation has been shown to accelerate recovery, reduce general morbidity and decrease hospital stay after elective colonic surgery. Despite this evidence, there is no information on the acceptance and utilization of these concepts among the entirety of Austrian and German surgeons. In 2006, a questionnaire concerning perioperative routines in elective, open colonic resection was sent to the chief surgeons of 1270 German and 120 Austrian surgical centres. The response rate was 63% in Austria (76 centres) and 30% in Germany (385 centres). Mechanical bowel preparation is used by the majority (Austria, 91%; Germany, 94%); the vertical incision is the standard method of approach to the abdomen in Austria (79%) and Germany (83%), nasogastric decompression tubes are rarely used, one-third of the questioned surgeons in both countries use intra-abdominal drains. Half of the surgical centres allow the intake of clear fluids on the day of surgery and one-fifth offer solid food on that day. Epidural analgesia is used in three-fourths of the institutions. Although there is an evident benefit of fast-track management, the survey shows that they are not yet widely used as a routine in Austria and Germany.

A Fast Track approach to deal with the temporal dimension of crop water footprint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuninetti, Marta; Tamea, Stefania; Laio, Francesco; Ridolfi, Luca

2017-07-01

Population growth, socio-economic development and climate changes are placing increasing pressure on water resources. Crop water footprint is a key indicator in the quantification of such pressure. It is determined by crop evapotranspiration and crop yield, which can be highly variable in space and time. While the spatial variability of crop water footprint has been the objective of several investigations, the temporal variability remains poorly studied. In particular, some studies approached this issue by associating the time variability of crop water footprint only to yield changes, while considering evapotranspiration patterns as marginal. Validation of this Fast Track approach has yet to be provided. In this Letter we demonstrate its feasibility through a comprehensive validation, an assessment of its uncertainty, and an example of application. Our results show that the water footprint changes are mainly driven by yield trends, while evapotranspiration plays a minor role. The error due to considering constant evapotranspiration is three times smaller than the uncertainty of the model used to compute the crop water footprint. These results confirm the suitability of the Fast Track approach and enable a simple, yet appropriate, evaluation of time-varying crop water footprint.

Can Genetics Predict Response to Complex Behavioral Interventions? Evidence from a Genetic Analysis of the Fast Track Randomized Control Trial

PubMed Central

Albert, Dustin; Belsky, Daniel W.; Crowley, D. Max; Latendresse, Shawn J.; Aliev, Fazil; Riley, Brien; Sun, Cuie; Dick, Danielle M.; Dodge, Kenneth R.

2014-01-01

Early interventions are a preferred method for addressing behavioral problems in high-risk children, but often have only modest effects. Identifying sources of variation in intervention effects can suggest means to improve efficiency. One potential source of such variation is the genome. We conducted a genetic analysis of the Fast Track Randomized Control Trial, a 10-year-long intervention to prevent high-risk kindergarteners from developing adult externalizing problems including substance abuse and antisocial behavior. We tested whether variants of the glucocorticoid receptor gene NR3C1 were associated with differences in response to the Fast Track intervention. We found that in European-American children, a variant of NR3C1 identified by the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs10482672 was associated with increased risk for externalizing psychopathology in control group children and decreased risk for externalizing psychopathology in intervention group children. Variation in NR3C1 measured in this study was not associated with differential intervention response in African-American children. We discuss implications for efforts to prevent externalizing problems in high-risk children and for public policy in the genomic era. PMID:26106668

A hardware fast tracker for the ATLAS trigger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asbah, Nedaa

2016-09-01

The trigger system of the ATLAS experiment is designed to reduce the event rate from the LHC nominal bunch crossing at 40 MHz to about 1 kHz, at the design luminosity of 1034 cm-2 s-1. After a successful period of data taking from 2010 to early 2013, the LHC already started with much higher instantaneous luminosity. This will increase the load on High Level Trigger system, the second stage of the selection based on software algorithms. More sophisticated algorithms will be needed to achieve higher background rejection while maintaining good efficiency for interesting physics signals. The Fast TracKer (FTK) is part of the ATLAS trigger upgrade project. It is a hardware processor that will provide, at every Level-1 accepted event (100 kHz) and within 100 microseconds, full tracking information for tracks with momentum as low as 1 GeV. Providing fast, extensive access to tracking information, with resolution comparable to the offline reconstruction, FTK will help in precise detection of the primary and secondary vertices to ensure robust selections and improve the trigger performance. FTK exploits hardware technologies with massive parallelism, combining Associative Memory ASICs, FPGAs and high-speed communication links.

A fast method for optical simulation of flood maps of light-sharing detector modules.

PubMed

Shi, Han; Du, Dong; Xu, JianFeng; Moses, William W; Peng, Qiyu

2015-12-01

Optical simulation of the detector module level is highly desired for Position Emission Tomography (PET) system design. Commonly used simulation toolkits such as GATE are not efficient in the optical simulation of detector modules with complicated light-sharing configurations, where a vast amount of photons need to be tracked. We present a fast approach based on a simplified specular reflectance model and a structured light-tracking algorithm to speed up the photon tracking in detector modules constructed with polished finish and specular reflector materials. We simulated conventional block detector designs with different slotted light guide patterns using the new approach and compared the outcomes with those from GATE simulations. While the two approaches generated comparable flood maps, the new approach was more than 200-600 times faster. The new approach has also been validated by constructing a prototype detector and comparing the simulated flood map with the experimental flood map. The experimental flood map has nearly uniformly distributed spots similar to those in the simulated flood map. In conclusion, the new approach provides a fast and reliable simulation tool for assisting in the development of light-sharing-based detector modules with a polished surface finish and using specular reflector materials.

Sublingual sufentanil tablet system Zalviso® for postoperative analgesia after knee replacement in fast track surgery: a pilot observational study.

PubMed

Scardino, Marco; D'Amato, Tiziana; Martorelli, Federica; Fenocchio, Giorgia; Simili, Vincenzo; Di Matteo, Berardo; Bugada, Dario; Kon, Elizaveta

2018-03-20

Currently many TKA protocols rely on multimodal analgesic protocols with patient-controlled analgesia systems that administer opioids through a patient controlled IV infusion pump, in addition to concomitant peripheral nerve blocks and local anesthetics. Although effective, PCA IV opioids do not provide optimal results with fast track rehabilitation protocols. The present is a retrospective study comparing the novel sublingual sufentanil PCA system (SSTS) to our standard of care foreseeing continuous femoral nerve block (cFNB) within a multimodal analgesic in a TKA fast-track protocol. The study evaluated 95 patients on SSTS (SSTS group) and 87 on cFNB (cFNB/control group) and collected data on numeric rating scores for pain from day 1-3 after surgery (T1, T2, T3), both at rest (NRS) and during movement (mNRS), patient's ability to walk, need for supplementary analgesia (rescue dose), occurrence of adverse effects, length of hospital stay, and usability rating for SSTS by both patients and hospital staff. NRS at rest was lower in the cFNB than in the SSTS group for all 3 days after surgery, whereas mNRS scores were lower in the SSTS group at all time points measured. Adverse effects were significantly fewer among patients of the SSTS group (6% patients) than those of the cFNB (74% patients) (p <  0.001). Rescue doses were needed by 5% of SSTS patients vs 60% of cFNB. The fewer adverse events and lower pain scores for the SSTS group were associated to a notably better ability to ambulate, with all patients (100%) of the SSTS group being able to stand and walk for 10 m from T1 on; patients in the cFNB group showed a slower recovery with only 40% being able to stand and walk on T1, 70% on T2 and 85% on T3. All patients of the SSTS group had a length of stay of 4 days (day of surgery plus 3 after) as foreseen by the fast track protocol, in comparison only 36% of cFNB. Lastly, patient and nursing staff judged SSTS easy to use. Our experience suggests that SSTS is a valuable strategy for routine postoperative analgesia following TKA in the context of a multimodal analgesic approach within the fast-track setting.

Evaluation of a Chlamydia trachomatis-specific, commercial, real-time PCR for use with ocular swabs.

PubMed

Pickering, Harry; Holland, Martin J; Last, Anna R; Burton, Matthew J; Burr, Sarah E

2018-02-20

Trachoma, the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, is caused by conjunctival Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Trachoma is diagnosed clinically by observation of conjunctival inflammation and/or scarring; however, there is evidence that monitoring C. trachomatis infection may be required for elimination programmes. There are many commercial and 'in-house' nucleic acid amplification tests for the detection of C. trachomatis DNA, but the majority have not been validated for use with ocular swabs. This study evaluated a commercial assay, the Fast-Track Vaginal swab kit, using conjunctival samples from trachoma-endemic areas. An objective, biostatistical-based method for binary classification of continuous PCR data was developed, to limit potential user-bias in diagnostic settings. The Fast-Track Vaginal swab assay was run on 210 ocular swab samples from Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania. Fit of individual amplification curves to exponential or sigmoid models, derivative and second derivative of the curves and final fluorescence value were examined for utility in thresholding for determining positivity. The results from the Fast-Track Vaginal swab assay were evaluated against a commercial test (Amplicor CT/NG) and a non-commercial test (in-house droplet digital PCR), both of whose performance has previously been evaluated. Significant evidence of exponential amplification (R 2  > 0.99) and final fluorescence > 0.15 were combined for thresholding. This objective approach identified a population of positive samples, however there were a subset of samples that amplified towards the end of the cycling protocol (at or later than 35 cycles), which were less clearly defined. The Fast-Track Vaginal swab assay showed good sensitivity against the commercial (95.71) and non-commercial (97.18) tests. Specificity was lower against both (90.00 and 96.55, respectively). This study defined a simple, automated protocol for binary classification of continuous, real-time qPCR data, for use in an end-point diagnostic test. This method identified a population of positive samples, however, as with manual thresholding, a subset of samples that amplified towards the end of the cycling program were less easily classified. When used with ocular swabs, the Fast-Track Vaginal swab assay had good sensitivity for C. trachomatis detection, but lower specificity than the commercial and non-commercial assays it was evaluated against, possibly leading to false positives.

A novel method to recover DD fusion proton CR-39 data corrupted by fast ablator ions at OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutcliffe, G. D.; Milanese, L. M.; Orozco, D.; Lahmann, B.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Séguin, F. H.; Sio, H.; Frenje, J. A.; Li, C. K.; Petrasso, R. D.; Park, H.-S.; Rygg, J. R.; Casey, D. T.; Bionta, R.; Turnbull, D. P.; Huntington, C. M.; Ross, J. S.; Zylstra, A. B.; Rosenberg, M. J.; Glebov, V. Yu.

2016-11-01

CR-39 detectors are used routinely in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments as a part of nuclear diagnostics. CR-39 is filtered to stop fast ablator ions which have been accelerated from an ICF implosion due to electric fields caused by laser-plasma interactions. In some experiments, the filtering is insufficient to block these ions and the fusion-product signal tracks are lost in the large background of accelerated ion tracks. A technique for recovering signal in these scenarios has been developed, tested, and implemented successfully. The technique involves removing material from the surface of the CR-39 to a depth beyond the endpoint of the ablator ion tracks. The technique preserves signal magnitude (yield) as well as structure in radiograph images. The technique is effective when signal particle range is at least 10 μm deeper than the necessary bulk material removal.

A novel method to recover DD fusion proton CR-39 data corrupted by fast ablator ions at OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility.

PubMed

Sutcliffe, G D; Milanese, L M; Orozco, D; Lahmann, B; Gatu Johnson, M; Séguin, F H; Sio, H; Frenje, J A; Li, C K; Petrasso, R D; Park, H-S; Rygg, J R; Casey, D T; Bionta, R; Turnbull, D P; Huntington, C M; Ross, J S; Zylstra, A B; Rosenberg, M J; Glebov, V Yu

2016-11-01

CR-39 detectors are used routinely in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments as a part of nuclear diagnostics. CR-39 is filtered to stop fast ablator ions which have been accelerated from an ICF implosion due to electric fields caused by laser-plasma interactions. In some experiments, the filtering is insufficient to block these ions and the fusion-product signal tracks are lost in the large background of accelerated ion tracks. A technique for recovering signal in these scenarios has been developed, tested, and implemented successfully. The technique involves removing material from the surface of the CR-39 to a depth beyond the endpoint of the ablator ion tracks. The technique preserves signal magnitude (yield) as well as structure in radiograph images. The technique is effective when signal particle range is at least 10 μm deeper than the necessary bulk material removal.

The Potential of the LFR and the ELSY Project

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

Cinotti, L; Smith, C F; Sienicki, J J

2007-03-12

This paper presents the current status of the development of the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) in support of Generation IV (GEN IV) Nuclear Energy Systems. The approach being taken by the GIF plan is to address the research priorities of each member state in developing an integrated and coordinated research program to achieve common objectives, while avoiding duplication of effort. The integrated plan being prepared by the LFR Provisional System Steering Committee of the GIF, known as the LFR System research Plan (SRP) recognizes two principal technology tracks for pursuit of LFR technology: (1) a small, transportable system of 10-100more » MWe size that features a very long refueling interval, (2) a larger-sized system rated at about 600 MWe, intended for central station power generation and waste transmutation. This paper, in particular, describes the ongoing activities to develop the Small Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor (SSTAR) and the European Lead-cooled SYstem (ELSY), the two research initiatives closely aligned with the overall tracks of the SRP and outlines the Proliferation-resistant Environment-friendly Accident-tolerant Continual & Economical Reactors (PEACER) conceived with particular focus on burning/transmuting of long-living TRU waste and fission fragments of concern, such as Tc and I. The current reference design for the SSTAR is a 20 MWe natural circulation pool-type reactor concept with a small shippable reactor vessel. Specific features of the lead coolant, the nitride fuel containing transuranics, the fast spectrum core, and the small size combine to promote a unique approach to achieve proliferation resistance, while also enabling fissile self-sufficiency, autonomous load following, simplicity of operation, reliability, transportability, as well as a high degree of passive safety. Conversion of the core thermal power into electricity at a high plant efficiency of 44% is accomplished utilizing a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle power converter. The ELSY reference design is a 600 MWe pool-type reactor cooled by pure lead. This concept has been under development since September 2006, and is sponsored by the Sixth Framework Programme of EURATOM. The ELSY project is being performed by a consortium consisting of twenty organizations including seventeen from Europe, two from Korea and one from the USA. ELSY aims to demonstrate the possibility of designing a competitive and safe fast critical reactor using simple engineered technical features while fully complying with the Generation IV goal of minor actinide (MA) burning capability. The use of a compact and simple primary circuit with the additional objective that all internal components be removable, are among the reactor features intended to assure competitive electric energy generation and long-term investment protection. Simplicity is expected to reduce both the capital cost and the construction time; these are also supported by the compactness of the reactor building (reduced footprint and height). The reduced footprint would be possible due to the elimination of the Intermediate Cooling System, the reduced elevation the result of the design approach of reduced-height components.« less

Imaging fluorescence-correlation spectroscopy for measuring fast surface diffusion at liquid/solid interfaces.

PubMed

Cooper, Justin T; Harris, Joel M

2014-08-05

The development of techniques to probe interfacial molecular transport is important for understanding and optimizing surface-based analytical methods including surface-enhanced spectroscopies, biological assays, and chemical separations. Single-molecule-fluorescence imaging and tracking has been used to measure lateral diffusion rates of fluorescent molecules at surfaces, but the technique is limited to the study of slower diffusion, where molecules must remain relatively stationary during acquisition of an image in order to build up sufficient intensity in a spot to detect and localize the molecule. Although faster time resolution can be achieved by fluorescence-correlation spectroscopy (FCS), where intensity fluctuations in a small spot are related to the motions of molecules on the surface, long-lived adsorption events arising from surface inhomogeneity can overwhelm the correlation measurement and mask the surface diffusion of the moving population. Here, we exploit a combination of these two techniques, imaging-FCS, for measurement of fast interfacial transport at a model chromatographic surface. This is accomplished by rapid imaging of the surface using an electron-multiplied-charged-coupled-device (CCD) camera, while limiting the acquisition to a small area on the camera to allow fast framing rates. The total intensity from the sampled region is autocorrelated to determine surface diffusion rates of molecules with millisecond time resolution. The technique allows electronic control over the acquisition region, which can be used to avoid strong adsorption sites and thus minimize their contribution to the measured autocorrelation decay and to vary the acquisition area to resolve surface diffusion from adsorption and desorption kinetics. As proof of concept, imaging-FCS was used to measure surface diffusion rates, interfacial populations, and adsorption-desorption rates of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3'3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine (DiI) on planar C18- and C1-modified surfaces.

Surveillance of Space - Optimal Use of Complementary Sensors for Maximum Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

as track - before - detect [4] have been shown to allow improved sensitivity. This technique employs fast running algorithms and computing power to pre...Multifunction Radar” IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, January 2006. [4] Wallace W R “The Use of Track - Before - Detect in Pulse-Doppler Radar” IEE 490, Radar

Leadership in Australian Rural Schools: Bush Track, Fast Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Lorraine; Paterson, David; Miller, Judith

2008-01-01

Due to the difficulties inherent in staffing rural schools it is increasingly common for beginning teachers to fill school leadership roles early in their careers. The accelerated progression of some teachers impacts on the overall nature of leadership in rural schools and creates unique pathways, generally different from those available to…

Why Graduate Students Reject the Fast Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Mary Ann; Goulden, Marc; Frasch, Karie

2009-01-01

The authors recently completed an unparalleled survey, with more than eight thousand doctoral student respondents across the University of California system, and what they heard is worrisome: major research universities may be losing some of the most talented tenure-track academics before they even arrive. In the eyes of many doctoral students,…

Fast regional readout CMOS Image Sensor for dynamic MLC tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zin, H.; Harris, E.; Osmond, J.; Evans, P.

2014-03-01

Advanced radiotherapy techniques such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) require verification of the complex beam delivery including tracking of multileaf collimators (MLC) and monitoring the dose rate. This work explores the feasibility of a prototype Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor Image Sensor (CIS) for tracking these complex treatments by utilising fast, region of interest (ROI) read out functionality. An automatic edge tracking algorithm was used to locate the MLC leaves edges moving at various speeds (from a moving triangle field shape) and imaged with various sensor frame rates. The CIS demonstrates successful edge detection of the dynamic MLC motion within accuracy of 1.0 mm. This demonstrates the feasibility of the sensor to verify treatment delivery involving dynamic MLC up to ~400 frames per second (equivalent to the linac pulse rate), which is superior to any current techniques such as using electronic portal imaging devices (EPID). CIS provides the basis to an essential real-time verification tool, useful in accessing accurate delivery of complex high energy radiation to the tumour and ultimately to achieve better cure rates for cancer patients.

Detection of Ballast Damage by In-Situ Vibration Measurement of Sleepers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, H. F.; Wong, M. T.; Keefe, R. M.

2010-05-01

Ballasted track is one of the most important elements of railway transportation systems worldwide. Owing to its importance in railway safety, many monitoring and evaluation methods have been developed. Current railway track monitoring systems are comprehensive, fast and efficient in testing railway track level and alignment, rail gauge, rail corrugation, etc. However, the monitoring of ballast condition still relies very much on visual inspection and core tests. Although extensive research has been carried out in the development of non-destructive methods for ballast condition evaluation, a commonly accepted and cost-effective method is still in demand. In Hong Kong practice, if abnormal train vibration is reported by the train operator or passengers, permanent way inspectors will locate the problem area by track geometry measurement. It must be pointed out that visual inspection can only identify ballast damage on the track surface, the track geometry deficiencies and rail twists can be detected using a track gauge. Ballast damage under the sleeper loading area and the ballast shoulder, which are the main factors affecting track stability and ride quality, are extremely difficult if not impossible to be detected by visual inspection. Core test is a destructive test, which is expensive, time consuming and may be disruptive to traffic. A fast real-time ballast damage detection method that can be implemented by permanent way inspectors with simple equipment can certainly provide valuable information for engineers in assessing the safety and riding quality of ballasted track systems. The main objective of this paper is to study the feasibility in using the vibration characteristics of sleepers in quantifying the ballast condition under the sleepers, and so as to explore the possibility in developing a handy method for the detection of ballast damage based on the measured vibration of sleepers.

How Does the Fast Track Intervention Prevent Adverse Outcomes in Young Adulthood?

PubMed Central

Sorensen, Lucy C.; Dodge, Kenneth A.

2015-01-01

Numerous studies have shown that childhood interventions can foster improved outcomes in adulthood. Less well understood is precisely how – that is, through which developmental pathways – these interventions work. This study assesses mechanisms by which the Fast Track project (n=891), a randomized intervention in the early 1990s for high-risk children in four communities (Durham, NC; Nashville, TN; rural PA; and Seattle, WA), reduced delinquency, arrests, and health and mental health service utilization in adolescence through young adulthood (ages 12–20). A decomposition of treatment effects indicates that about a third of Fast Track’s impact on later crime outcomes can be accounted for by improvements in social and self-regulation skills during childhood (ages 6–11), such as prosocial behavior, emotion regulation and problem solving. These skills proved less valuable for the prevention of mental and physical health problems. PMID:26670938

Obscura telescope with a MEMS micromirror array for space observation of transient luminous phenomena or fast-moving objects.

PubMed

Park, J H; Garipov, G K; Jeon, J A; Khrenov, B A; Kim, J E; Kim, M; Kim, Y K; Lee, C-H; Lee, J; Na, G W; Nam, S; Park, I H; Park, Y-S

2008-12-08

We introduce a novel telescope consisting of a pinhole-like camera with rotatable MEMS micromirrors substituting for pinholes. The design is ideal for observations of transient luminous phenomena or fast-moving objects, such as upper atmospheric lightning and bright gamma ray bursts. The advantage of the MEMS "obscura telescope" over conventional cameras is that it is capable both of searching for events over a wide field of view, and fast zooming to allow detailed investigation of the structure of events. It is also able to track the triggering object to investigate its space-time development, and to center the interesting portion of the image on the photodetector array. We present the proposed system and the test results for the MEMS obscura telescope which has a field of view of 11.3 degrees, sixteen times zoom-in and tracking within 1 ms. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America

The research on the mean shift algorithm for target tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

CAO, Honghong

2017-06-01

The traditional mean shift algorithm for target tracking is effective and high real-time, but there still are some shortcomings. The traditional mean shift algorithm is easy to fall into local optimum in the tracking process, the effectiveness of the method is weak when the object is moving fast. And the size of the tracking window never changes, the method will fail when the size of the moving object changes, as a result, we come up with a new method. We use particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize the mean shift algorithm for target tracking, Meanwhile, SIFT (scale-invariant feature transform) and affine transformation make the size of tracking window adaptive. At last, we evaluate the method by comparing experiments. Experimental result indicates that the proposed method can effectively track the object and the size of the tracking window changes.

Fast calibration of electromagnetically tracked oblique-viewing rigid endoscopes.

PubMed

Liu, Xinyang; Rice, Christina E; Shekhar, Raj

2017-10-01

The oblique-viewing (i.e., angled) rigid endoscope is a commonly used tool in conventional endoscopic surgeries. The relative rotation between its two moveable parts, the telescope and the camera head, creates a rotation offset between the actual and the projection of an object in the camera image. A calibration method tailored to compensate such offset is needed. We developed a fast calibration method for oblique-viewing rigid endoscopes suitable for clinical use. In contrast to prior approaches based on optical tracking, we used electromagnetic (EM) tracking as the external tracking hardware to improve compactness and practicality. Two EM sensors were mounted on the telescope and the camera head, respectively, with considerations to minimize EM tracking errors. Single-image calibration was incorporated into the method, and a sterilizable plate, laser-marked with the calibration pattern, was also developed. Furthermore, we proposed a general algorithm to estimate the rotation center in the camera image. Formulas for updating the camera matrix in terms of clockwise and counterclockwise rotations were also developed. The proposed calibration method was validated using a conventional [Formula: see text], 5-mm laparoscope. Freehand calibrations were performed using the proposed method, and the calibration time averaged 2 min and 8 s. The calibration accuracy was evaluated in a simulated clinical setting with several surgical tools present in the magnetic field of EM tracking. The root-mean-square re-projection error averaged 4.9 pixel (range 2.4-8.5 pixel, with image resolution of [Formula: see text] for rotation angles ranged from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. We developed a method for fast and accurate calibration of oblique-viewing rigid endoscopes. The method was also designed to be performed in the operating room and will therefore support clinical translation of many emerging endoscopic computer-assisted surgical systems.

SU-F-T-370: A Fast Monte Carlo Dose Engine for Gamma Knife

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

Song, T; Zhou, L; Li, Y

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop a fast Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm for Gamma Knife. Methods: To make the simulation more efficient, we implemented the track repeating technique on GPU. We first use EGSnrc to pre-calculate the photon and secondary electron tracks in water from two mono-energy photons of 60Co. The total photon mean free paths for different materials and energies are obtained from NIST. During simulation, each entire photon track was first loaded to shared memory for each block, the incident original photon was then splitted to Nthread sub-photons, each thread transport one sub-photon, the Russian roulette technique was applied formore » scattered and bremsstrahlung photons. The resultant electrons from photon interactions are simulated by repeating the recorded electron tracks. The electron step length is stretched/shrunk proportionally based on the local density and stopping power ratios of the local material. Energy deposition in a voxel is proportional to the fraction of the equivalent step length in that voxel. To evaluate its accuracy, dose deposition in a 300mm*300mm*300mm water phantom is calculated, and compared to EGSnrc results. Results: Both PDD and OAR showed great agreements (within 0.5%) between our dose engine result and the EGSnrc result. It only takes less than 1 min for every simulation, being reduced up to ∼40 times compared to EGSnrc simulations. Conclusion: We have successfully developed a fast Monte Carlo dose engine for Gamma Knife.« less

Ion-optical studies for a range adaptation method in ion beam therapy using a static wedge degrader combined with magnetic beam deflection.

PubMed

Chaudhri, Naved; Saito, Nami; Bert, Christoph; Franczak, Bernhard; Steidl, Peter; Durante, Marco; Rietzel, Eike; Schardt, Dieter

2010-06-21

Fast radiological range adaptation of the ion beam is essential when target motion is mitigated by beam tracking using scanned ion beams for dose delivery. Electromagnetically controlled deflection of a well-focused ion beam on a small static wedge degrader positioned between two dipole magnets, inside the beam delivery system, has been considered as a fast range adaptation method. The principle of the range adaptation method was tested in experiments and Monte Carlo simulations for the therapy beam line at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ions Research. Based on the simulations, ion optical settings of beam deflection and realignment of the adapted beam were experimentally applied to the beam line, and additional tuning was manually performed. Different degrader shapes were employed for the energy adaptation. Measured and simulated beam profiles, i.e. lateral distribution and range in water at isocentre, were analysed and compared with the therapy beam values for beam scanning. Deflected beam positions of up to +/-28 mm on degrader were performed which resulted in a range adaptation of up to +/-15 mm water equivalence (WE). The maximum deviation between the measured adapted range from the nominal range adaptation was below 0.4 mm WE. In experiments, the width of the adapted beam at the isocentre was adjustable between 5 and 11 mm full width at half maximum. The results demonstrate the feasibility/proof of the proposed range adaptation method for beam tracking from the beam quality point of view.

Scalable Track Detection in SAR CCD Images

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

Chow, James G; Quach, Tu-Thach

Existing methods to detect vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images ta ken at different times of the same scene, rely on simple, fast models to label track pixels. These models, however, are often too simple to capture natural track features such as continuity and parallelism. We present a simple convolutional network architecture consisting of a series of 3-by-3 convolutions to detect tracks. The network is trained end-to-end to learn natural track features entirely from data. The network is computationally efficient and improves the F-score on a standard dataset to 0.988,more » up fr om 0.907 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.« less

Is "Teach for All" Knocking on Your Door?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Anne; McConney, Andrew

2013-01-01

Over the past few decades there has been a rapid expansion in alternative "fast track" routes for teacher preparation. Among the most aggressive of these are Teach for All (TFA) schemes characterized not only by their ultra fast entry to teaching (6-7 week course) but also by their underlying philosophy that the so called…

The High-Potential Fast-Flying Achiever: Themes from the English Language Literature 1976-1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altman, Yochanan

1997-01-01

Review of business management literature from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada identified the following: the images of high flyer, fast track, and high achiever; the meaning of success; emphasis on performance; corporate rites of passage; and opportunities for women to be high flyers. (SK)

An adaptive scale factor based MPPT algorithm for changing solar irradiation levels in outer space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Trevor Hocksun; Wu, Xiaofeng

2017-03-01

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques are popularly used for maximizing the output of solar panels by continuously tracking the maximum power point (MPP) of their P-V curves, which depend both on the panel temperature and the input insolation. Various MPPT algorithms have been studied in literature, including perturb and observe (P&O), hill climbing, incremental conductance, fuzzy logic control and neural networks. This paper presents an algorithm which improves the MPP tracking performance by adaptively scaling the DC-DC converter duty cycle. The principle of the proposed algorithm is to detect the oscillation by checking the sign (ie. direction) of the duty cycle perturbation between the current and previous time steps. If there is a difference in the signs then it is clear an oscillation is present and the DC-DC converter duty cycle perturbation is subsequently scaled down by a constant factor. By repeating this process, the steady state oscillations become negligibly small which subsequently allows for a smooth steady state MPP response. To verify the proposed MPPT algorithm, a simulation involving irradiances levels that are typically encountered in outer space is conducted. Simulation and experimental results prove that the proposed algorithm is fast and stable in comparison to not only the conventional fixed step counterparts, but also to previous variable step size algorithms.

Local synaptic signaling enhances the stochastic transport of motor-driven cargo in neurons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newby, Jay; Bressloff, Paul C.

2010-09-01

The tug-of-war model of motor-driven cargo transport is formulated as an intermittent trapping process. An immobile trap, representing the cellular machinery that sequesters a motor-driven cargo for eventual use, is located somewhere within a microtubule track. A particle representing a motor-driven cargo that moves randomly with a forward bias is introduced at the beginning of the track. The particle switches randomly between a fast moving phase and a slow moving phase. When in the slow moving phase, the particle can be captured by the trap. To account for the possibility that the particle avoids the trap, an absorbing boundary is placed at the end of the track. Two local signaling mechanisms—intended to improve the chances of capturing the target—are considered by allowing the trap to affect the tug-of-war parameters within a small region around itself. The first is based on a localized adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration gradient surrounding a synapse, and the second is based on a concentration of tau—a microtubule-associated protein involved in Alzheimer's disease—coating the microtubule near the synapse. It is shown that both mechanisms can lead to dramatic improvements in the capture probability, with a minimal increase in the mean capture time. The analysis also shows that tau can cause a cargo to undergo random oscillations, which could explain some experimental observations.

Fast-track for fast times: catching and keeping generation Y in the nursing workforce.

PubMed

Walker, Kim

2007-04-01

There is little doubt we find ourselves in challenging times as never before has there been such generational diversity in the nursing workforce. Currently, nurses from four distinct (and now well recognised and discussed) generational groups jostle for primacy of recognition and reward. Equally significant is the acute realisation that our ageing profession must find ways to sustain itself in the wake of huge attrition as the 'baby boomer' nurses start retiring over the next ten to fifteen years. These realities impel us to become ever more strategic in our thinking about how best to manage the workforce of the future. This paper presents two exciting and original innovations currently in train at one of Australia's leading Catholic health care providers: firstly, a new fast-track bachelor of nursing program for fee-paying domestic students. This is a collaborative venture between St Vincent's and Mater Health, Sydney (SV&MHS) and the University of Tasmania (UTas); as far as we know, it is unprecedented in Australia. As well, the two private facilities of SV&MHS, St Vincent's Private (SVPH) and the Mater Hospitals, have developed and implemented a unique 'accelerated progression pathway' (APP) to enable registered nurses with talent and ambition to fast track their career through a competency and merit based system of performance management and reward. Both these initiatives are aimed squarely at the gen Y demographic and provide potential to significantly augment our capacity to recruit and retain quality people well into the future.

An efficient and accurate 3D displacements tracking strategy for digital volume correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Bing; Wang, Bo; Wu, Dafang; Lubineau, Gilles

2014-07-01

Owing to its inherent computational complexity, practical implementation of digital volume correlation (DVC) for internal displacement and strain mapping faces important challenges in improving its computational efficiency. In this work, an efficient and accurate 3D displacement tracking strategy is proposed for fast DVC calculation. The efficiency advantage is achieved by using three improvements. First, to eliminate the need of updating Hessian matrix in each iteration, an efficient 3D inverse compositional Gauss-Newton (3D IC-GN) algorithm is introduced to replace existing forward additive algorithms for accurate sub-voxel displacement registration. Second, to ensure the 3D IC-GN algorithm that converges accurately and rapidly and avoid time-consuming integer-voxel displacement searching, a generalized reliability-guided displacement tracking strategy is designed to transfer accurate and complete initial guess of deformation for each calculation point from its computed neighbors. Third, to avoid the repeated computation of sub-voxel intensity interpolation coefficients, an interpolation coefficient lookup table is established for tricubic interpolation. The computational complexity of the proposed fast DVC and the existing typical DVC algorithms are first analyzed quantitatively according to necessary arithmetic operations. Then, numerical tests are performed to verify the performance of the fast DVC algorithm in terms of measurement accuracy and computational efficiency. The experimental results indicate that, compared with the existing DVC algorithm, the presented fast DVC algorithm produces similar precision and slightly higher accuracy at a substantially reduced computational cost.

Human tracking in thermal images using adaptive particle filters with online random forest learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Byoung Chul; Kwak, Joon-Young; Nam, Jae-Yeal

2013-11-01

This paper presents a fast and robust human tracking method to use in a moving long-wave infrared thermal camera under poor illumination with the existence of shadows and cluttered backgrounds. To improve the human tracking performance while minimizing the computation time, this study proposes an online learning of classifiers based on particle filters and combination of a local intensity distribution (LID) with oriented center-symmetric local binary patterns (OCS-LBP). Specifically, we design a real-time random forest (RF), which is the ensemble of decision trees for confidence estimation, and confidences of the RF are converted into a likelihood function of the target state. First, the target model is selected by the user and particles are sampled. Then, RFs are generated using the positive and negative examples with LID and OCS-LBP features by online learning. The learned RF classifiers are used to detect the most likely target position in the subsequent frame in the next stage. Then, the RFs are learned again by means of fast retraining with the tracked object and background appearance in the new frame. The proposed algorithm is successfully applied to various thermal videos as tests and its tracking performance is better than those of other methods.

A binary link tracker for the BaBar level 1 trigger system

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

Berenyi, A.; Chen, H.K.; Dao, K.

1999-08-01

The BaBar detector at PEP-II will operate in a high-luminosity e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} collider environment near the {Upsilon}(4S) resonance with the primary goal of studying CP violation in the B meson system. In this environment, typical physics events of interest involve multiple charged particles. These events are identified by counting these tracks in a fast first level (Level 1) trigger system, by reconstructing the tracks in real time. For this purpose, a Binary Link Tracker Module (BLTM) was designed and fabricated for the BaBar Level 1 Drift Chamber trigger system. The BLTM is responsible for linking track segments, constructed bymore » the Track Segment Finder Modules (TSFM), into complete tracks. A single BLTM module processes a 360 MBytes/s stream of segment hit data, corresponding to information from the entire Drift Chamber, and implements a fast and robust algorithm that tolerates high hit occupancies as well as local inefficiencies of the Drift Chamber. The algorithms and the necessary control logic of the BLTM were implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), using the VHDL hardware description language. The finished 9U x 400 mm Euro-format board contains roughly 75,000 gates of programmable logic or about 10,000 lines of VHDL code synthesized into five FPGAs.« less

Nucleus Accumbens Shell Dopamine Preferentially Tracks Information Related to Outcome Value of Reward.

PubMed

Sackett, Deirdre A; Saddoris, Michael P; Carelli, Regina M

2017-01-01

Effective decision-making requires organisms to predict reward values and bias behavior toward the best available option. The mesolimbic dopamine system, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and core, is involved in this process. Although studies support a role of the shell and core in specific aspects of decision-making (e.g., risk, effort, delay), no studies have directly compared dopamine release dynamics in these subregions to cues exclusively signaling the availability of different reward magnitudes. Here, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry was used to compare rapid dopamine release dynamics in the NAc subregions during a magnitude-based decision-making task. Rats learned that distinct cues signaled the availability of either a small or large reward (one or two sugar pellets), and then were given an opportunity to choose their preferred option. We found that peak dopamine release tracked the more preferred (higher-magnitude) option in both core and shell subregions. Critically, however, overall (i.e., global) dopamine release was significantly higher and longer lasting in the shell and tracked the preferred magnitude during the entire cue period. Further, in the shell (not core), dopamine signaling significantly declined immediately at the lever press for reward but increased during the period of reward consumption. Collectively, the results indicate that although dopamine release in both the core and shell are activated by cues signaling the opportunity to respond for rewards of different magnitudes, dopamine release in the shell plays a differential and unique role in tracking information related to the outcome value of reward.

Fast Track, Bush Track: Late Career Female Rural School Leaders Taking the Slow Road

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Judith; Graham, Lorraine; Al-Awiwe, Azhar

2014-01-01

Previous research related to this study explored early career female leaders' experiences in rural school settings, and probed the personal and professional challenges they faced and their motivations to accept formal and informal leadership roles ahead of the usual timeframes (e.g., Graham, Miller & Paterson, 2009). This study set out to…

Math on the Fast Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Quincy

2006-01-01

In this article, the author relates how a math-assessment software has allowed his school to track the academic progress of its students. The author relates that in the first year that the software was deployed, schoolwide averages in terms of national standing on the math ITBS rose from the 42nd to 59th percentile. In addition, a significant…

The Long Island Sound Dredged Material Containment Feasibility Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

ancilliary businesses, such as sporting goods stores, dockside gasoline dealers, bait and tackle shops, and fast food services would also be negatively...to there is almost always some ex- tached or unable to move fast enough maintain the area’s importance as a change of nutrients and organisms to avoid...basis, authorized depth of 14 feet or less will no longer be maintained by the Corps of (4) Fast -tracking of navigation Engineers. Presently, only 7

Phonological and Orthographic Overlap Effects in Fast and Masked Priming

PubMed Central

Frisson, Steven; Bélanger, Nathalie N.; Rayner, Keith

2014-01-01

We investigated how orthographic and phonological information is activated during reading, using a fast priming task, and during single word recognition, using masked priming. Specifically, different types of overlap between prime and target were contrasted: high orthographic and high phonological overlap (track-crack), high orthographic and low phonological overlap (bear-gear), or low orthographic and high phonological overlap (fruit-chute). In addition, we examined whether (orthographic) beginning overlap (swoop-swoon) yielded the same priming pattern as end (rhyme) overlap (track-crack). Prime durations were 32 and 50ms in the fast priming version, and 50ms in the masked priming version, and mode of presentation (prime and target in lower case) was identical. The fast priming experiment showed facilitatory priming effects when both orthography and phonology overlapped, with no apparent differences between beginning and end overlap pairs. Facilitation was also found when prime and target only overlapped orthographically. In contrast, the masked priming experiment showed inhibition for both types of end overlap pairs (with and without phonological overlap), and no difference for begin overlap items. When prime and target only shared principally phonological information, facilitation was only found with a long prime duration in the fast priming experiment, while no differences were found in the masked priming version. These contrasting results suggest that fast priming and masked priming do not necessarily tap into the same type of processing. PMID:24365065

Comparison of on-line and off-line methods to quantify reactive oxygen species (ROS) in atmospheric aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuller, S. J.; Wragg, F. P. H.; Nutter, J.; Kalberer, M.

2014-08-01

Atmospheric aerosol particle concentrations have been linked with a wide range of pulmonary and cardio-vascular diseases but the particle properties responsible for these negative health effects are largely unknown. It is often speculated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) present in atmospheric particles lead to oxidative stress in, and ultimately disease of, the human lung. The quantification of ROS is highly challenging because some ROS components such as radicals are highly reactive and therefore short-lived. Thus, fast analysis methods are likely advantageous over methods with a long delay between aerosol sampling and ROS analysis. We present for the first time a detailed comparison of conventional off-line and fast on-line methods to quantify ROS in organic aerosols. For this comparison a new and fast on-line instrument was built and characterized to quantify ROS in aerosol particles with high sensitivity and a limit of detection of 4 nmol H2O2 equivalents per m3 air. ROS concentrations are measured with a time resolution of approximately 15 min, which allows the tracking of fast changing atmospheric conditions. The comparison of the off-line and on-line method shows that, in oxidized organic model aerosol particles, the majority of ROS have a very short lifetime of a few minutes whereas a small fraction is stable for a day or longer. This indicates that off-line techniques, where there is often a delay of hours to days between particle collection and ROS analysis, may severely underestimate true ROS concentrations and that fast on-line techniques are necessary for a reliable ROS quantification in atmospheric aerosol particles and a meaningful correlation with health outcomes.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION Tuning the spin state of iron phthalocyanine by ligand adsorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isvoranu, C.; Wang, B.; Schulte, K.; Ataman, E.; Knudsen, J.; Andersen, J. N.; Bocquet, M. L.; Schnadt, J.

2010-12-01

The future use of single-molecule magnets in applications will require the ability to control and manipulate the spin state and magnetization of the magnets by external means. There are different approaches to this control, one being the modification of the magnets by adsorption of small ligand molecules. In this paper we use iron phthalocyanine supported by an Au(111) surface as a model compound and demonstrate, using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory, that the spin state of the molecule can be tuned to different values (S ~ 0, \\case {1}{2} , 1) by adsorption of ammonia, pyridine, carbon monoxide or nitric oxide on the iron ion. The interaction also leads to electronic decoupling of the iron phthalocyanine from the Au(111) support.

A diverse mammal-dominated, footprint assemblage from wetland deposits in the Lower Cretaceous of Maryland.

PubMed

Stanford, Ray; Lockley, Martin G; Tucker, Compton; Godfrey, Stephen; Stanford, Sheila M

2018-01-31

A newly discovered assemblage of predominantly small tracks from the Cretaceous Patuxent Formation at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, reveals one of the highest track densities and diversities ever reported (~70 tracks, representing at least eight morphotypes from an area of only ~2 m 2 ). The assemblage is dominated by small mammal tracks including the new ichnotxon Sederipes goddardensis, indicating sitting postures. Small crow-sized theropod trackways, the first from this unit, indicate social trackmakers and suggest slow-paced foraging behavior. Tracks of pterosaurs, and other small vertebrates suggest activity on an organic-rich substrate. Large well-preserved sauropod and nodosaurs tracks indicate the presence of large dinosaurs. The Patuxent Formation together with the recently reported Angolan assemblage comprise the world's two largest Mesozoic mammal footprint assemblages. The high density of footprint registration at the NASA site indicates special preservational and taphonomic conditions. These include early, penecontemporaneous deposition of siderite in organic rich, reducing wetland settings where even the flesh of body fossils can be mummified. Thus, the track-rich ironstone substrates of the Patuxent Formation, appear to preserve a unique vertebrate ichnofacies, with associated, exceptionally-preserved body fossil remains for which there are currently no other similar examples preserved in the fossil record.

Gamma and fast neutron radiation monitoring inside spent reactor fuel assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakosi, L.; Tam Nguyen, C.

2007-09-01

Gamma and neutron signatures of spent reactor fuel were monitored by small-size silicon diode and track etch detectors, respectively, in a nuclear power plant (NPP). These signatures, reflecting gross gamma intensity and the 242,244Cm content, contain information on the burn-up (BU) and cooling time (CT) of the fuel. The small size of the detectors allows close access to inside parts of the assemblies out of reach of other methods. A commercial Si diode was encapsulated in a cylindrical steel case and was used for gross γ monitoring. CR-39 detectors were used for neutron measurements. Irradiation exposures at the NPP were implemented in the central dosimetric channel of spent fuel assemblies (SFAs) stored in borated water. Gross γ and neutron axial profiles were taken up by scanning with the aid of a long steel guide tube, lowered down to the spent fuel pond by crane and fitted to the headpiece of the fuel assemblies. Gamma measurements were performed using a long cable introduced in this tube, with the Si diode at the end. A long steel wire was also led through the guide tube, to which a chain of 15 sample holder capsules was attached, each containing a track detector. Gamma dose rates of 0.1-10 kGy h -1, while neutron fluxes in a range of (0.25-26) 10 4 cm -2 s -1 were recorded. The results are in good correlation with those of a calculation for spent fuel neutron yield.

A fast method for optical simulation of flood maps of light-sharing detector modules

PubMed Central

Shi, Han; Du, Dong; Xu, JianFeng; Moses, William W.; Peng, Qiyu

2016-01-01

Optical simulation of the detector module level is highly desired for Position Emission Tomography (PET) system design. Commonly used simulation toolkits such as GATE are not efficient in the optical simulation of detector modules with complicated light-sharing configurations, where a vast amount of photons need to be tracked. We present a fast approach based on a simplified specular reflectance model and a structured light-tracking algorithm to speed up the photon tracking in detector modules constructed with polished finish and specular reflector materials. We simulated conventional block detector designs with different slotted light guide patterns using the new approach and compared the outcomes with those from GATE simulations. While the two approaches generated comparable flood maps, the new approach was more than 200–600 times faster. The new approach has also been validated by constructing a prototype detector and comparing the simulated flood map with the experimental flood map. The experimental flood map has nearly uniformly distributed spots similar to those in the simulated flood map. In conclusion, the new approach provides a fast and reliable simulation tool for assisting in the development of light-sharing-based detector modules with a polished surface finish and using specular reflector materials. PMID:27660376

A fast method for optical simulation of flood maps of light-sharing detector modules

DOE PAGES

Shi, Han; Du, Dong; Xu, JianFeng; ...

2015-09-03

Optical simulation of the detector module level is highly desired for Position Emission Tomography (PET) system design. Commonly used simulation toolkits such as GATE are not efficient in the optical simulation of detector modules with complicated light-sharing configurations, where a vast amount of photons need to be tracked. Here, we present a fast approach based on a simplified specular reflectance model and a structured light-tracking algorithm to speed up the photon tracking in detector modules constructed with polished finish and specular reflector materials. We also simulated conventional block detector designs with different slotted light guide patterns using the new approachmore » and compared the outcomes with those from GATE simulations. And while the two approaches generated comparable flood maps, the new approach was more than 200–600 times faster. The new approach has also been validated by constructing a prototype detector and comparing the simulated flood map with the experimental flood map. The experimental flood map has nearly uniformly distributed spots similar to those in the simulated flood map. In conclusion, the new approach provides a fast and reliable simulation tool for assisting in the development of light-sharing-based detector modules with a polished surface finish and using specular reflector materials.« less

X-33 Environmental Impact Statement: A Fast Track Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCaleb, Rebecca C.; Holland, Donna L.

1998-01-01

NASA is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to prepare an appropriate level environmental analysis for its major projects. Development of the X-33 Technology Demonstrator and its associated flight test program required an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the NEPA. The EIS process is consists of four parts: the "Notice of Intent" to prepare an EIS and scoping; the draft EIS which is distributed for review and comment; the final ETS; and the "Record of Decision." Completion of this process normally takes from 2 - 3 years, depending on the complexity of the proposed action. Many of the agency's newest fast track, technology demonstration programs require NEPA documentation, but cannot sustain the lengthy time requirement between program concept development to implementation. Marshall Space Flight Center, in cooperation with Kennedy Space Center, accomplished the NEPA process for the X-33 Program in 13 months from Notice of Intent to Record of Decision. In addition, the environmental team implemented an extensive public involvement process, conducting a total of 23 public meetings for scoping and draft EIS comment along with numerous informal meetings with public officials, civic organizations, and Native American Indians. This paper will discuss the fast track approach used to successfully accomplish the NEPA process for X-33 on time.

Dual-color multiple-particle tracking at 50-nm localization and over 100-µm range in 3D with temporal focusing two-photon microscopy

PubMed Central

Ding, Yu; Li, Chunqiang

2016-01-01

Nanoscale particle tracking in three dimensions is crucial to directly observe dynamics of molecules and nanoparticles in living cells. Here we present a three-dimensional particle tracking method based on temporally focused two-photon excitation. Multiple particles are imaged at 30 frames/s in volume up to 180 × 180 × 100 µm3. The spatial localization precision can reach 50 nm. We demonstrate its capability of tracking fast swimming microbes at speed of ~200 µm/s. Two-photon dual-color tracking is achieved by simultaneously exciting two kinds of fluorescent beads at 800 nm to demonstrate its potential in molecular interaction studies. Our method provides a simple wide-field fluorescence imaging approach for deep multiple-particle tracking. PMID:27867724

Early versus late initiation of rehabilitation after lumbar spinal fusion: economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Oestergaard, Lisa G; Christensen, Finn B; Nielsen, Claus V; Bünger, Cody E; Fruensgaard, Soeren; Sogaard, Rikke

2013-11-01

Economic evaluation conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up. To examine the cost-effectiveness of initiating rehabilitation 6 weeks after surgery as opposed to 12 weeks after surgery. In a previously reported randomized controlled trial, we assessed the impact of timing of rehabilitation after a lumbar spinal fusion and found that a fast-track strategy led to poorer functional ability. Before making recommendations, it seems relevant to address the societal perspective including return to work, quality of life, and costs. A cost-effectiveness analysis and a cost-utility analysis were conducted. Eighty-two patients undergoing instrumented lumbar spinal fusion due to degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis (grade I or II) were randomized to an identical protocol of 4 sessions of group-based rehabilitation and were instructed in home exercises focusing on active stability training. Outcome parameters included functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index) and quality-adjusted life years. Health care and productivity costs were estimated from national registries and reported in euros. Costs and effects were transformed into net benefit. Bootstrapping was used to estimate 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The fast-track strategy tended to be costlier by €6869 (95% CI, -4640 to 18,378) while at the same time leading to significantly poorer outcomes of functional disability by -9 points (95% CI, -18 to -3) and a tendency for a reduced gain in quality-adjusted life years by -0.04 (95% CI, -0.13 to 0.01). The overall probability for the fast-track strategy being cost-effective does not reach 10% at conventional thresholds for cost-effectiveness. Initiating rehabilitation at 6 weeks as opposed to 12 weeks after surgery is on average more costly and less effective. The uncertainty of this result did not seem to be sensitive to methodological issues, and clinical managements who have already adapted fast-track rehabilitation strategies have reason to reconsider their choice. .

A fast-track anaemia clinic in the Emergency Department: feasibility and efficacy of intravenous iron administration for treating sub-acute iron deficiency anaemia.

PubMed

Quintana-Díaz, Manuel; Fabra-Cadenas, Sara; Gómez-Ramírez, Susana; Martínez-Virto, Ana; García-Erce, José A; Muñoz, Manuel

2016-03-01

Clinically significant anaemia, requiring red blood cell transfusions, is frequently observed in Emergency Departments (ED). To optimise blood product use, we developed a clinical protocol for the management of iron-deficiency anaemia in a fast-track anaemia clinic within the ED. From November 2010 to January 2014, patients presenting with sub-acute, moderate-to-severe anaemia (haemoglobin [Hb] <11 g/dL) and confirmed or suspected iron deficiency were referred to the fast-track anaemia clinic. Those with absolute or functional iron deficiency were given intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose 500-1,000 mg/week and were reassessed 4 weeks after receiving the total iron dose. The primary study outcome was the haematological response (Hb≥12 g/dL and/or Hb increment ≥2 g/dL). Changes in blood and iron parameters, transfusion rates and IV iron-related adverse drug effects were secondary outcomes. Two hundred and two anaemic patients with iron deficiency (150 women/52 men; mean age, 64 years) were managed in the fast-track anaemia clinic, and received a median IV iron dose of 1,500 mg (1,000-2,000 mg). Gastro-intestinal (44%) or gynaecological (26%) bleeding was the most frequent cause of the anaemia. At follow-up (183 patients), the mean Hb increment was 3.9±2.2 g/dL; 84% of patients were classified as responders and blood and iron parameters normalised in 90%. During follow-up, 35 (17%) patients needed transfusions (2 [range: 1-3] units per patient) because they had low Hb levels, symptoms of anaemia and/or were at risk. Eight mild and one moderate, self-limited adverse drug effects were witnessed. Our data support the feasibility of a clinical protocol for management of sub-acute anaemia with IV iron in the ED. IV iron was efficacious, safe and well tolerated. Early management of anaemia will improve the use of blood products in the ED.

Description and performance of track and primary-vertex reconstruction with the CMS tracker

DOE PAGES

Chatrchyan, Serguei

2014-10-16

A description is provided of the software algorithms developed for the CMS tracker both for reconstructing charged-particle trajectories in proton-proton interactions and for using the resulting tracks to estimate the positions of the LHC luminous region and individual primary-interaction vertices. Despite the very hostile environment at the LHC, the performance obtained with these algorithms is found to be excellent. For tbar t events under typical 2011 pileup conditions, the average track-reconstruction efficiency for promptly-produced charged particles with transverse momenta of p T > 0.9GeV is 94% for pseudorapidities of |η| < 0.9 and 85% for 0.9 < |η| < 2.5.more » The inefficiency is caused mainly by hadrons that undergo nuclear interactions in the tracker material. For isolated muons, the corresponding efficiencies are essentially 100%. For isolated muons of p T = 100GeV emitted at |η| < 1.4, the resolutions are approximately 2.8% in p T, and respectively, 10μm and 30μm in the transverse and longitudinal impact parameters. The position resolution achieved for reconstructed primary vertices that correspond to interesting pp collisions is 10–12μm in each of the three spatial dimensions. The tracking and vertexing software is fast and flexible, and easily adaptable to other functions, such as fast tracking for the trigger, or dedicated tracking for electrons that takes into account bremsstrahlung.« less

Using sutures to attach miniature tracking tags to small bats for multimonth movement and behavioral studies

Treesearch

Kevin T. Castle; Ted Weller; Paul M. Cryan; Cris D. Hein; Michael R. Schirmacher

2015-01-01

Determining the detailed movements of individual animals often requires them to carry tracking devices, but tracking broad-scale movement of small bats (<30 g) has been limited by transmitter technology and long-term attachment methods. This limitation inhibits our understanding of bat dispersal and migration, particularly in the context of emerging...

Tracking Weight Change, Insulin Resistance, Stress, and Aerobic Fitness over 4 Years of College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Mari K.; Moninger, Shana Lynn

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine if weight gain is accompanied by development of insulin resistance (IR) during 4 years in college. Participants: Two cohorts of college students were enrolled in fall semesters 2009 and 2010 and tracked for 4 years. Methods: Following a 12-hour fast, subjects reported for measurement of body mass index (BMI), perceived…

Multi-Robot FastSLAM for Large Domains

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

Derr, D. Fox, A.B. Cremers , Integrating global position estimation and position tracking for mobile robots: The dynamic markov localization approach...Intelligence (AAAI), 2000. 53. Andrew J. Davison and David W. Murray. Simultaneous Localization and Map- Building Using Active Vision. IEEE...Wyeth, Michael Milford and David Prasser. A Modified Particle Filter for Simultaneous Robot Localization and Landmark Tracking in an Indoor

A new fast scanning system for the measurement of large angle tracks in nuclear emulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrov, A.; Buonaura, A.; Consiglio, L.; D'Ambrosio, N.; De Lellis, G.; Di Crescenzo, A.; Di Marco, N.; Galati, G.; Lauria, A.; Montesi, M. C.; Pupilli, F.; Shchedrina, T.; Tioukov, V.; Vladymyrov, M.

2015-11-01

Nuclear emulsions have been widely used in particle physics to identify new particles through the observation of their decays thanks to their unique spatial resolution. Nevertheless, before the advent of automatic scanning systems, the emulsion analysis was very demanding in terms of well trained manpower. Due to this reason, they were gradually replaced by electronic detectors, until the '90s, when automatic microscopes started to be developed in Japan and in Europe. Automatic scanning was essential to conceive large scale emulsion-based neutrino experiments like CHORUS, DONUT and OPERA. Standard scanning systems have been initially designed to recognize tracks within a limited angular acceptance (θ lesssim 30°) where θ is the track angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the emulsion plane. In this paper we describe the implementation of a novel fast automatic scanning system aimed at extending the track recognition to the full angular range and improving the present scanning speed. Indeed, nuclear emulsions do not have any intrinsic limit to detect particle direction. Such improvement opens new perspectives to use nuclear emulsions in several fields in addition to large scale neutrino experiments, like muon radiography, medical applications and dark matter directional detection.

Multiscale models and stochastic simulation methods for computing rare but key binding events in cell biology

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

Guerrier, C.; Holcman, D., E-mail: david.holcman@ens.fr; Mathematical Institute, Oxford OX2 6GG, Newton Institute

The main difficulty in simulating diffusion processes at a molecular level in cell microdomains is due to the multiple scales involving nano- to micrometers. Few to many particles have to be simulated and simultaneously tracked while there are exploring a large portion of the space for binding small targets, such as buffers or active sites. Bridging the small and large spatial scales is achieved by rare events representing Brownian particles finding small targets and characterized by long-time distribution. These rare events are the bottleneck of numerical simulations. A naive stochastic simulation requires running many Brownian particles together, which is computationallymore » greedy and inefficient. Solving the associated partial differential equations is also difficult due to the time dependent boundary conditions, narrow passages and mixed boundary conditions at small windows. We present here two reduced modeling approaches for a fast computation of diffusing fluxes in microdomains. The first approach is based on a Markov mass-action law equations coupled to a Markov chain. The second is a Gillespie's method based on the narrow escape theory for coarse-graining the geometry of the domain into Poissonian rates. The main application concerns diffusion in cellular biology, where we compute as an example the distribution of arrival times of calcium ions to small hidden targets to trigger vesicular release.« less

A novel method to recover DD fusion proton CR-39 data corrupted by fast ablator ions at OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Sutcliffe, G. D.; Milanese, L. M.; Orozco, D.; ...

2016-08-05

CR-39 detectors are used routinely in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments as a part of nuclear diagnostics. CR-39 is filtered to stop fast ablator ions which have been accelerated from an ICF implosion due to electric fields caused by laser-plasma interactions. In some experiments, the filtering is insufficient to block these ions and the fusion-product signal tracks are lost in the large background of accelerated ion tracks. A technique for recovering signal in these scenarios has been developed, tested, and implemented successfully. The technique involves removing material from the surface of the CR-39 to a depth beyond the endpoint ofmore » the ablator ion tracks. The technique preserves signal magnitude (yield) as well as structure in radiograph images. The technique is effective when signal particle range is at least 10 μm deeper than the necessary bulk material removal.« less

Dynamic modelling and adaptive robust tracking control of a space robot with two-link flexible manipulators under unknown disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xinxin; Ge, Shuzhi Sam; He, Wei

2018-04-01

In this paper, both the closed-form dynamics and adaptive robust tracking control of a space robot with two-link flexible manipulators under unknown disturbances are developed. The dynamic model of the system is described with assumed modes approach and Lagrangian method. The flexible manipulators are represented as Euler-Bernoulli beams. Based on singular perturbation technique, the displacements/joint angles and flexible modes are modelled as slow and fast variables, respectively. A sliding mode control is designed for trajectories tracking of the slow subsystem under unknown but bounded disturbances, and an adaptive sliding mode control is derived for slow subsystem under unknown slowly time-varying disturbances. An optimal linear quadratic regulator method is proposed for the fast subsystem to damp out the vibrations of the flexible manipulators. Theoretical analysis validates the stability of the proposed composite controller. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the performance of the closed-loop flexible space robot system.

A novel method to recover DD fusion proton CR-39 data corrupted by fast ablator ions at OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility

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

Sutcliffe, G. D., E-mail: gdsut@mit.edu; Milanese, L. M.; Orozco, D.

2016-11-15

CR-39 detectors are used routinely in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments as a part of nuclear diagnostics. CR-39 is filtered to stop fast ablator ions which have been accelerated from an ICF implosion due to electric fields caused by laser-plasma interactions. In some experiments, the filtering is insufficient to block these ions and the fusion-product signal tracks are lost in the large background of accelerated ion tracks. A technique for recovering signal in these scenarios has been developed, tested, and implemented successfully. The technique involves removing material from the surface of the CR-39 to a depth beyond the endpoint ofmore » the ablator ion tracks. The technique preserves signal magnitude (yield) as well as structure in radiograph images. The technique is effective when signal particle range is at least 10 μm deeper than the necessary bulk material removal.« less

Navigators for motion detection during real-time MRI-guided radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stam, Mette K.; Crijns, Sjoerd P. M.; Zonnenberg, Bernard A.; Barendrecht, Maurits M.; van Vulpen, Marco; Lagendijk, Jan J. W.; Raaymakers, Bas W.

2012-11-01

An MRI-linac system provides direct MRI feedback and with that the possibility of adapting radiation treatments to the actual tumour position. This paper addresses the use of fast 1D MRI, pencil-beam navigators, for this feedback. The accuracy of using navigators was determined on a moving phantom. The possibility of organ tracking and breath-hold monitoring based on navigator guidance was shown for the kidney. Navigators are accurate within 0.5 mm and the analysis has a minimal time lag smaller than 30 ms as shown for the phantom measurements. The correlation of 2D kidney images and navigators shows the possibility of complete organ tracking. Furthermore the breath-hold monitoring of the kidney is accurate within 1.5 mm, allowing gated radiotherapy based on navigator feedback. Navigators are a fast and precise method for monitoring and real-time tracking of anatomical landmarks. As such, they provide direct MRI feedback on anatomical changes for more precise radiation delivery.

Multi-sensor field trials for detection and tracking of multiple small unmanned aerial vehicles flying at low altitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurenzis, Martin; Hengy, Sebastien; Hommes, Alexander; Kloeppel, Frank; Shoykhetbrod, Alex; Geibig, Thomas; Johannes, Winfried; Naz, Pierre; Christnacher, Frank

2017-05-01

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) flying at low altitude are becoming more and more a serious threat in civilian and military scenarios. In recent past, numerous incidents have been reported where small UAV were flying in security areas leading to serious danger to public safety or privacy. The detection and tracking of small UAV is a widely discussed topic. Especially, small UAV flying at low altitude in urban environment or near background structures and the detection of multiple UAV at the same time is challenging. Field trials were carried out to investigate the detection and tracking of multiple UAV flying at low altitude with state of the art detection technologies. Here, we present results which were achieved using a heterogeneous sensor network consisting of acoustic antennas, small frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) RADAR systems and optical sensors. While acoustics, RADAR and LiDAR were applied to monitor a wide azimuthal area (360°) and to simultaneously track multiple UAV, optical sensors were used for sequential identification with a very narrow field of view.

Joint polarization tracking and channel equalization based on radius-directed linear Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qun; Yang, Yanfu; Zhong, Kangping; Liu, Jie; Wu, Xiong; Yao, Yong

2018-01-01

We propose a joint polarization tracking and channel equalization scheme based on radius-directed linear Kalman filter (RD-LKF) by introducing the butterfly finite-impulse-response (FIR) filter in our previously proposed RD-LKF method. Along with the fast polarization tracking, it can also simultaneously compensate the inter-symbol interference (ISI) effects including residual chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion. Compared with the conventional radius-directed equalizer (RDE) algorithm, it is demonstrated experimentally that three times faster convergence speed, one order of magnitude better tracking capability, and better BER performance is obtained in polarization division multiplexing 16 quadrature amplitude modulation system. Besides, the influences of the algorithm parameters on the convergence and the tracking performance are investigated by numerical simulation.

Electromagnetic guided couch and multileaf collimator tracking on a TrueBeam accelerator

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

Hansen, Rune; Ravkilde, Thomas; Worm, Esben Schjødt

2016-05-15

Purpose: Couch and MLC tracking are two promising methods for real-time motion compensation during radiation therapy. So far, couch and MLC tracking experiments have mainly been performed by different research groups, and no direct comparison of couch and MLC tracking of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans has been published. The Varian TrueBeam 2.0 accelerator includes a prototype tracking system with selectable couch or MLC compensation. This study provides a direct comparison of the two tracking types with an otherwise identical setup. Methods: Several experiments were performed to characterize the geometric and dosimetric performance of electromagnetic guided couch and MLCmore » tracking on a TrueBeam accelerator equipped with a Millennium MLC. The tracking system latency was determined without motion prediction as the time lag between sinusoidal target motion and the compensating motion of the couch or MLC as recorded by continuous MV portal imaging. The geometric and dosimetric tracking accuracies were measured in tracking experiments with motion phantoms that reproduced four prostate and four lung tumor trajectories. The geometric tracking error in beam’s eye view was determined as the distance between an embedded gold marker and a circular MLC aperture in continuous MV images. The dosimetric tracking error was quantified as the measured 2%/2 mm gamma failure rate of a low and a high modulation VMAT plan delivered with the eight motion trajectories using a static dose distribution as reference. Results: The MLC tracking latency was approximately 146 ms for all sinusoidal period lengths while the couch tracking latency increased from 187 to 246 ms with decreasing period length due to limitations in the couch acceleration. The mean root-mean-square geometric error was 0.80 mm (couch tracking), 0.52 mm (MLC tracking), and 2.75 mm (no tracking) parallel to the MLC leaves and 0.66 mm (couch), 1.14 mm (MLC), and 2.41 mm (no tracking) perpendicular to the leaves. The motion-induced gamma failure rate was in mean 0.1% (couch tracking), 8.1% (MLC tracking), and 30.4% (no tracking) for prostate motion and 2.9% (couch), 2.4% (MLC), and 41.2% (no tracking) for lung tumor motion. The residual tracking errors were mainly caused by inadequate adaptation to fast lung tumor motion for couch tracking and to prostate motion perpendicular to the MLC leaves for MLC tracking. Conclusions: Couch and MLC tracking markedly improved the geometric and dosimetric accuracies of VMAT delivery. However, the two tracking types have different strengths and weaknesses. While couch tracking can correct perfectly for slowly moving targets such as the prostate, MLC tracking may have considerably larger dose errors for persistent target shift perpendicular to the MLC leaves. Advantages of MLC tracking include faster dynamics with better adaptation to fast moving targets, the avoidance of moving the patient, and the potential to track target rotations and deformations.« less

OPTICAL TRANSCRIBING OSCILLOSCOPE

DOEpatents

Kerns, Q.A.

1961-09-26

A device is designed for producing accurate graphed waveforms of very fast electronic pulses. The fast pulse is slowly tracked on a cathode ray tube and a pair of photomultiplier tubes, exposed to the pulse trace, view separate vertical portions thereof at each side of a fixed horizontal reference. Each phototube produces an output signal indicative of vertical movement of the exposed trace, which simultaneous signals are compared in a difference amplifier. The amplifier produces a difference signal which, when applied to the cathode ray tube, maintains the trace on the reference. A graphic recorder receives the amplified difference signal at an x-axis input, while a y-axis input is synchronized with the tracking time of the cathode ray tube and therefore graphs the enlarged waveshape.

Event Management of RFID Data Streams: Fast Moving Consumer Goods Supply Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, John P. T.; Li, Xue

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a wireless communication technology that uses radio-frequency waves to transfer information between tagged objects and readers without line of sight. This creates tremendous opportunities for linking real world objects into a world of "Internet of things". Application of RFID to Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector will introduce billions of RFID tags in the world. Almost everything is tagged for tracking and identification purposes. This phenomenon will impose a new challenge not only to the network capacity but also to the scalability of processing of RFID events and data. This chapter uses two national demonstrator projects in Australia as case studies to introduce an event managementframework to process high volume RFID data streams in real time and automatically transform physical RFID observations into business-level events. The model handles various temporal event patterns, both simple and complex, with temporal constraints. The model can be implemented in a data management architecture that allows global RFID item tracking and enables fast, large-scale RFID deployment.

Implantable acoustic-beacon automatic fish-tracking system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayhue, R. J.; Lovelady, R. W.; Ferguson, R. L.; Richards, C. E.

1977-01-01

A portable automatic fish tracking system was developed for monitoring the two dimensional movements of small fish within fixed areas of estuarine waters and lakes. By using the miniature pinger previously developed for this application, prototype tests of the system were conducted in the York River near the Virginia Institute of Marine Science with two underwater listening stations. Results from these tests showed that the tracking system could position the miniature pinger signals to within + or - 2.5 deg and + or - 135 m at ranges up to 2.5 km. The pingers were implanted in small fish and were successfully tracked at comparable ranges. No changes in either fish behavior or pinger performance were observed as a result of the implantation. Based on results from these prototype tests, it is concluded that the now commercially available system provides an effective approach to underwater tracking of small fish within a fixed area of interest.

Incident angle dependence of proton response of CR-39 (TS-16) track detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oda, K.; Csige, I.; Yamauchi, T.; Miyake, H.; Benton, E. V.

1993-01-01

The proton response of the TS-16 type of CR-39 plastic nuclear track detector has been studied with accelerated and fast neutron induced protons in vacuum and in air. The diameters of etched tracks were measured as a function of etching time and the etch rate ratio and the etch induction layer were determined from the growth curve of the diameter using a variable etch rate ratio model. In the case of the accelerated protons in vacuum an anomalous incident angle dependence of the response is observed.

Fast Track Teacher Education: A Review of the Research Literature on "Teach For All" Schemes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConney, Andrew; Price, Anne; Woods-McConney, Amanda

2012-01-01

This review of the research literature was commissioned by the New Zealand Post-Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua as a means of informing the decision-making of the Association and its members about the Teach For All (TFA) scheme seeking to prepare teachers for New Zealand's schools. The systematic review is about fast track…

Tracking the Speech Signal--Time-Locked MEG Signals during Perception of Ultra-Fast and Moderately Fast Speech in Blind and in Sighted Listeners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertrich, Ingo; Dietrich, Susanne; Ackermann, Hermann

2013-01-01

Blind people can learn to understand speech at ultra-high syllable rates (ca. 20 syllables/s), a capability associated with hemodynamic activation of the central-visual system. To further elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying this skill, magnetoencephalographic (MEG) measurements during listening to sentence utterances were cross-correlated…

Getting a College Degree Fast: Testing Out & Other Accredited Short Cuts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aber, Joanne

This book, directed especially to individuals over age 30, takes a how-to approach to earning a college degree in the least amount of time for the least amount of money. The book explains how to use fast-track methods such as "testing out," which takes advantage of prior learning, and accredited shortcuts to earn an accelerated degree. The first…

An avian model for the reversal of neurobehavioral teratogenicity with neural stem cells

PubMed Central

Dotan, Sharon; Pinkas, Adi; Slotkin, Theodore A.; Yanai, Joseph

2010-01-01

A fast and simple model which uses lower animals on the evolutionary scale is beneficial for developing procedures for the reversal of neurobehavioral teratogenicity with neural stem cells. Here, we established a procedure for the derivation of chick neural stem cells, establishing embryonic day (E) 10 as optimal for progression to neuronal phenotypes. Cells were obtained from the embryonic cerebral hemispheres and incubated for 5–7 days in enriched medium containing epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) according to a procedure originally developed for mice. A small percentage of the cells survived, proliferated and formed nestin-positive neurospheres. After removal of the growth factors to allow differentiation (5 days), 74% of the cells differentiated into all major lineages of the nervous system, including neurons (Beta III tubulin-positive, 54% of the total number of differentiated cells), astrocytes (GFAP-positive, 26%), and oligodendrocytes (O4-positive, 20%). These findings demonstrate that the cells were indeed neural stem cells. Next, the cells were transplanted in two allograft chick models; (1) direct cerebral transplantation to 24-hours-old chicks, followed by post-transplantation cell tracking at 24 hours, 6 days and 14 days, and (2) intravenous transplantation to chick embryos on E13, followed by cell tracking on E19. With both methods, transplanted cells were found in the brain. The chick embryo provides a convenient, precisely-timed and unlimited supply of neural progenitors for therapy by transplantation, as well as constituting a fast and simple model in which to evaluate the ability of neural stem cell transplantation to repair neural damage, steps that are critical for progress toward therapeutic applications. PMID:20211723

Integrated mobile robot control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amidi, Omead; Thorpe, Charles

1991-01-01

This paper describes the structure, implementation, and operation of a real-time mobile robot controller which integrates capabilities such as: position estimation, path specification and tracking, human interfaces, fast communication, and multiple client support. The benefits of such high-level capabilities in a low-level controller was shown by its implementation for the Navlab autonomous vehicle. In addition, performance results from positioning and tracking systems are reported and analyzed.

Small-size pedestrian detection in large scene based on fast R-CNN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shengke; Yang, Na; Duan, Lianghua; Liu, Lu; Dong, Junyu

2018-04-01

Pedestrian detection is a canonical sub-problem of object detection with high demand during recent years. Although recent deep learning object detectors such as Fast/Faster R-CNN have shown excellent performance for general object detection, they have limited success for small size pedestrian detection in large-view scene. We study that the insufficient resolution of feature maps lead to the unsatisfactory accuracy when handling small instances. In this paper, we investigate issues involving Fast R-CNN for pedestrian detection. Driven by the observations, we propose a very simple but effective baseline for pedestrian detection based on Fast R-CNN, employing the DPM detector to generate proposals for accuracy, and training a fast R-CNN style network to jointly optimize small size pedestrian detection with skip connection concatenating feature from different layers to solving coarseness of feature maps. And the accuracy is improved in our research for small size pedestrian detection in the real large scene.

Two-micron Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS) pointing/tracking study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manlief, Scott

1995-01-01

The objective of the study was to identify and model major sources of short-term pointing jitter for a free-flying, full performance 2 micron LAWS system and evaluate the impact of the short-term jitter on wind-measurement performance. A fast steering mirror controls system was designed for the short-term jitter compensation. The performance analysis showed that the short-term jitter performance of the controls system over the 5.2 msec round-trip time for a realistic spacecraft environment was = 0.3 micro rad, rms, within the specified value of less than 0.5 micro rad, rms, derived in a 2 micron LAWS System Study. Disturbance modes were defined for: (1) the Bearing and Power Transfer Assembly (BAPTA) scan bearing, (2) the spacecraft reaction wheel torques, and (3) the solar array drive torques. The scan bearing disturbance was found to be the greatest contributing noise source to the jitter performance. Disturbances from the fast steering mirror reaction torques and a boom-mounted cross-link antenna clocking were also considered but were judged to be small compared to the three principal disturbance sources above and were not included in the final controls analysis.

Microcontroller based resonance tracking unit for time resolved continuous wave cavity-ringdown spectroscopy measurements.

PubMed

Votava, Ondrej; Mašát, Milan; Parker, Alexander E; Jain, Chaithania; Fittschen, Christa

2012-04-01

We present in this work a new tracking servoloop electronics for continuous wave cavity-ringdown absorption spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) and its application to time resolved cw-CRDS measurements by coupling the system with a pulsed laser photolysis set-up. The tracking unit significantly increases the repetition rate of the CRDS events and thus improves effective time resolution (and/or the signal-to-noise ratio) in kinetics studies with cw-CRDS in given data acquisition time. The tracking servoloop uses novel strategy to track the cavity resonances that result in a fast relocking (few ms) after the loss of tracking due to an external disturbance. The microcontroller based design is highly flexible and thus advanced tracking strategies are easy to implement by the firmware modification without the need to modify the hardware. We believe that the performance of many existing cw-CRDS experiments, not only time-resolved, can be improved with such tracking unit without any additional modification to the experiment. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Decontaminate feature for tracking: adaptive tracking via evolutionary feature subset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiaoyuan; Wang, Yuru; Yin, Minghao; Ren, Jinchang; Li, Ruizhi

2017-11-01

Although various visual tracking algorithms have been proposed in the last 2-3 decades, it remains a challenging problem for effective tracking with fast motion, deformation, occlusion, etc. Under complex tracking conditions, most tracking models are not discriminative and adaptive enough. When the combined feature vectors are inputted to the visual models, this may lead to redundancy causing low efficiency and ambiguity causing poor performance. An effective tracking algorithm is proposed to decontaminate features for each video sequence adaptively, where the visual modeling is treated as an optimization problem from the perspective of evolution. Every feature vector is compared to a biological individual and then decontaminated via classical evolutionary algorithms. With the optimized subsets of features, the "curse of dimensionality" has been avoided while the accuracy of the visual model has been improved. The proposed algorithm has been tested on several publicly available datasets with various tracking challenges and benchmarked with a number of state-of-the-art approaches. The comprehensive experiments have demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed methodology.

Airborne optical tracking control system design study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1992-09-01

The Kestrel LOS Tracking Program involves the development of a computer and algorithms for use in passive tracking of airborne targets from a high altitude balloon platform. The computer receivers track error signals from a video tracker connected to one of the imaging sensors. In addition, an on-board IRU (gyro), accelerometers, a magnetometer, and a two-axis inclinometer provide inputs which are used for initial acquisitions and course and fine tracking. Signals received by the control processor from the video tracker, IRU, accelerometers, magnetometer, and inclinometer are utilized by the control processor to generate drive signals for the payload azimuth drive, the Gimballed Mirror System (GMS), and the Fast Steering Mirror (FSM). The hardware which will be procured under the LOS tracking activity is the Controls Processor (CP), the IRU, and the FSM. The performance specifications for the GMS and the payload canister azimuth driver are established by the LOS tracking design team in an effort to achieve a tracking jitter of less than 3 micro-rad, 1 sigma for one axis.

Two-degrees-of-freedom piezo-driven fast steering mirror with cross-axis decoupling capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Shubao; Tian, Zheng; Song, Siyang; Xu, Minglong

2018-05-01

Because mechanical cross coupling between its axes would lead to degradation of the scanning precision of a piezo-driven fast steering mirror (PFSM), a two-degrees-of-freedom (2-DoF) PFSM with a cross-axis decoupling capability, in which 2-DoF flexure hinges are used, is proposed in this work. The overall structure of the proposed PFSM is first introduced and then both static and dynamic models are established analytically; in addition, the decoupling mechanism is described in detail and the low dynamic cross coupling ratios that occur between the two DoFs are shown. Because of the decoupling property of the PFSM, the 2-DoF motion is treated as a combination of two independent one-degree-of-freedom (1-DoF) motions and two independent proportional-integral-derivative controllers are thus used separately in the control of the two DoFs. Based on this control strategy, experiments involving both 1-DoF trajectory tracking and 2-DoF trajectory tracking are implemented. The test results show that the proposed PFSM can achieve the tilt range of ±7 mrad for both axes with the low coupling ratios that are less than 2% (-34 dB), and the bandwidths of both axes are higher than 810 Hz; in addition, the maximal tracking full scale range errors for 1-DoF trajectory tracking and 2-DoF trajectory tracking are less than 0.2% and 1%, respectively, where the larger error of 2-DoF trajectory tracking is mainly caused by the remaining cross coupling between axes.

Multiple-target tracking implementation in the ebCMOS camera system: the LUSIPHER prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doan, Quang Tuyen; Barbier, Remi; Dominjon, Agnes; Cajgfinger, Thomas; Guerin, Cyrille

2012-06-01

The domain of the low light imaging systems progresses very fast, thanks to detection and electronic multiplication technology evolution, such as the emCCD (electron multiplying CCD) or the ebCMOS (electron bombarded CMOS). We present an ebCMOS camera system that is able to track every 2 ms more than 2000 targets with a mean number of photons per target lower than two. The point light sources (targets) are spots generated by a microlens array (Shack-Hartmann) used in adaptive optics. The Multiple-Target-Tracking designed and implemented on a rugged workstation is described. The results and the performances of the system on the identification and tracking are presented and discussed.

Multi-Stage Target Tracking with Drift Correction and Position Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xin; Ren, Keyan; Hou, Yibin

2018-04-01

Most existing tracking methods are hard to combine accuracy and performance, and do not consider the shift between clarity and blur that often occurs. In this paper, we propound a multi-stage tracking framework with two particular modules: position prediction and corrective measure. We conduct tracking based on correlation filter with a corrective measure module to increase both performance and accuracy. Specifically, a convolutional network is used for solving the blur problem in realistic scene, training methodology that training dataset with blur images generated by the three blur algorithms. Then, we propose a position prediction module to reduce the computation cost and make tracker more capable of fast motion. Experimental result shows that our tracking method is more robust compared to others and more accurate on the benchmark sequences.

Determination of time zero from a charged particle detector

DOEpatents

Green, Jesse Andrew [Los Alamos, NM

2011-03-15

A method, system and computer program is used to determine a linear track having a good fit to a most likely or expected path of charged particle passing through a charged particle detector having a plurality of drift cells. Hit signals from the charged particle detector are associated with a particular charged particle track. An initial estimate of time zero is made from these hit signals and linear tracks are then fit to drift radii for each particular time-zero estimate. The linear track having the best fit is then searched and selected and errors in fit and tracking parameters computed. The use of large and expensive fast detectors needed to time zero in the charged particle detectors can be avoided by adopting this method and system.

Mode of anesthesia and postoperative symptoms following abdominal hysterectomy in a fast-track setting.

PubMed

Wodlin, Ninnie Borendal; Nilsson, Lena; Arestedt, Kristofer; Kjølhede, Preben

2011-04-01

To determine whether postoperative symptoms differ between women who undergo abdominal benign hysterectomy in a fast-track model under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine. Secondary analysis from a randomized, open, multicenter study. Five hospitals in south-east Sweden. One-hundred and eighty women scheduled for benign hysterectomy were randomized; 162 completed the study; 82 were allocated to spinal and 80 to general anesthesia. The Swedish Postoperative Symptoms Questionnaire, completed daily for 1 week and thereafter once a week until 5 weeks postoperatively. Occurrence, intensity and duration of postoperative symptoms. Women who had hysterectomy under spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine experienced significantly less discomfort postoperatively compared with those who had the operation under general anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia reduced the need for opioids postoperatively. The most common symptoms were pain, nausea and vomiting, itching, drowsiness and fatigue. Abdominal pain, drowsiness and fatigue occurred significantly less often and with lower intensity among the spinal anesthesia group. Although postoperative nausea and vomiting was reported equally in the two groups, vomiting episodes were reported significantly more often during the first day after surgery in the spinal anesthesia group. Spinal anesthesia was associated with a higher prevalence of postoperative itching. Spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine carries advantages regarding postoperative symptoms and recovery following fast-track abdominal hysterectomy. © 2011 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2011 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

How to optimize the economic viability of thyroid surgery in a French public hospital?

PubMed

D'Hubert, E; Proske, J-M

2010-08-01

Physicians in France have been asked to change their day-to-day medical practice to reduce overall costs. We examine ways to achieve this goal in thyroid surgery. We defined and implemented a clinical pathway to optimize the economic viability of thyroid surgery by increasing revenues and lowering expenses. An increase in revenue was achieved by decreasing patient length of stay (LOS) through the use of a fast-track rehabilitation protocol. Expenses were decreased by performing all pre-operative work-up in the out-patient setting and by decreasing costs in the operating room. For 292 consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy, the average LOS has been decreased over time to a mean of 2.03 days in 2008; 96% of patients were discharged on the first postoperative day. These results were primarily achieved by using a fast-track rehabilitation clinical pathway, and no increase in postoperative morbidity was noted. Operating time was decreased by 20% through the use of a second surgical assistant and hemostatic scissors but this improvement did not translate into better daily utilization of the operating room. The economic profitability of thyroid surgery is improved when mean LOS is reduced to 2 days through a fast-track protocol. Decreasing the duration of hospitalization was more effective than decreasing operative duration in controlling overall costs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fast track pathway reduces sight loss in giant cell arteritis: results of a longitudinal observational cohort study.

PubMed

Patil, P; Williams, M; Maw, W W; Achilleos, K; Elsideeg, S; Dejaco, C; Borg, F; Gupta, S; Dasgupta, B

2015-01-01

To investigate the effectiveness of a fast track pathway (FTP) on sight loss in patients with suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA). A longitudinal observational cohort study was conducted in the secondary care rheumatology department. One hundred and thirty-five newly referred suspected GCA patients seen via the FTP (Jan. 2012-Dec. 2013) were compared to 81 patients seen through the conventional referral and review system (Jan. 2009-Dec. 2011). The FTP resulted in significant reduction in irreversible sight loss from 37.0% (as seen in the historical cohort 2009-2011) to 9.0 % (2012-2013, OR 0.17, p=0.001). Adjustment for clinical and demographic parameters including known risk factors for GCA associated blindness did not significantly change the primary result (OR 0.08, p=0.001). FTP resulted in a reduction of time from symptom onset to diagnosis, particularly by reduction of time from general practitioner's (GP) referral to the rheumatology review (79% of FTP patients were seen within one working day compared to 64.6 % in the conventional pathway, p=0.023). The FTP has seen a reduction in number of GP appointments. There was a significant reduction of permanent sight loss with a fast track GCA pathway. The effect may be due to multiple factors including better GP education and reduction in delayed diagnosis. These results need verification at other sites.

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

Harker, Y.D.

On August 3-4, 1994, an INEL team made measurements related to a real-time monitoring system for use on the epithermal beam facility at the BMRR. BNL has installed two fission chambers in front of the beam collimator, which are to monitor the beam coming from the reactor. These two monitors are located with one just above the 16-cm dia. front aperture and the other is just below. The fission chambers contain depleted uranium, but because of the small amount of U-235 present, they respond to thermal and near thermal neutrons rather than fast neutrons. This feature combined with their relativelymore » small size (0.6 cm dia x 4 cm long) makes them very good monitors in the BMRR epithermal neutron beam. The INEL team worked with H.B. Lui (BNL) in performing initial tests of these monitors and established the settings to achieve stable operation. The main purpose of the measurement studies was to establish a basis for a monitoring method that tracks the dose the patient is receiving rather than the neutron fluence being delivered down the beam line.« less

Remote Oil Spill Detection and Monitoring Beneath Sea Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polak, Adam; Marshall, Stephen; Ren, Jinchang; Hwang, Byongjun (Phil); Hagan, Bernard; Stothard, David J. M.

2016-08-01

The spillage of oil in Polar Regions is particularly serious due to the threat to the environment and the difficulties in detecting and tracking the full extent of the oil seepage beneath the sea ice. Development of fast and reliable sensing techniques is highly desirable. In this paper hyperspectral imaging combined with signal processing and classification techniques are proposed as a potential tool to detect the presence of oil beneath the sea ice. A small sample, lab based experiment, serving as a proof of concept, resulted in the successful identification of oil presence beneath the thin ice layer as opposed to the other sample with ice only. The paper demonstrates the results of this experiment that granted a financial support to execute full feasibility study of this technology for oil spill detection beneath the sea ice.

Imaging the Dynamics of Individual Viruses in Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldfain, Aaron; Garmann, Rees; Lahini, Yoav; Manoharan, Vinothan

We have developed optical microscopy techniques that can detect and track individual, unlabeled viruses at thousands of frames per second. We use these techniques to study fast, dynamic processes in the life cycles of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). I will describe experiments that capture the ejection of double stranded DNA from bacteriophage λ. During the 1-2 second ejection, the DNA genome transitions from a compact, highly ordered spool within the capsid into an extended random coil in solution. By quantifying the amount of light scattered from a single λ phage as its DNA ejects, we measure the amount of DNA remaining in the virus capsid as a function of time. Measuring small fluctuations in the rate of ejection may uncover clues about the complex conformational rearrangements that the DNA undergoes while escaping the capsid. Funded in part by the NSF GRFP.

Online track detection in triggerless mode for INO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, A.; Padmini, S.; Joseph, A. N.; Mahesh, P.; Preetha, N.; Behere, A.; Sikder, S. S.; Majumder, G.; Behera, S. P.

2018-03-01

The India based Neutrino Observatory (INO) is a proposed particle physics research project to study the atmospheric neutrinos. INO-Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) will consist of 28,800 detectors having 3.6 million electronic channels expected to activate with 100 Hz single rate, producing data at a rate of 3 GBps. Data collected contains a few real hits generated by muon tracks and the remaining noise-induced spurious hits. Estimated reduction factor after filtering out data of interest from generated data is of the order of 103. This makes trigger generation critical for efficient data collection and storage. Trigger is generated by detecting coincidence across multiple channels satisfying trigger criteria, within a small window of 200 ns in the trigger region. As the probability of neutrino interaction is very low, track detection algorithm has to be efficient and fast enough to process 5 × 106 events-candidates/s without introducing significant dead time, so that not even a single neutrino event is missed out. A hardware based trigger system is presently proposed for on-line track detection considering stringent timing requirements. Though the trigger system can be designed with scalability, a lot of hardware devices and interconnections make it a complex and expensive solution with limited flexibility. A software based track detection approach working on the hit information offers an elegant solution with possibility of varying trigger criteria for selecting various potentially interesting physics events. An event selection approach for an alternative triggerless readout scheme has been developed. The algorithm is mathematically simple, robust and parallelizable. It has been validated by detecting simulated muon events for energies of the range of 1 GeV-10 GeV with 100% efficiency at a processing rate of 60 μs/event on a 16 core machine. The algorithm and result of a proof-of-concept for its faster implementation over multiple cores is presented. The paper also discusses about harnessing the computing capabilities of multi-core computing farm, thereby optimizing number of nodes required for the proposed system.

Fast-synchronizing high-fidelity spread-spectrum receiver

DOEpatents

Moore, Michael Roy; Smith, Stephen Fulton; Emery, Michael Steven

2004-06-01

A fast-synchronizing receiver having a circuit including an equalizer configured for manipulating an analog signal; a detector in communication with the equalizer; a filter in communication with the detector; an oscillator in communication with the filter; a gate for receiving the manipulated signal; a circuit portion for synchronizing and tracking the manipulated signal; a summing circuit in communication with the circuit portion; and an output gate.

Assessment of the high temperature fission chamber technology for the French fast reactor program

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

Jammes, C.; Filliatre, P.; Geslot, B.

2011-07-01

High temperature fission chambers are key instruments for the control and protection of the sodium-cooled fast reactor. First, the developments of those neutron detectors, which are carried out either in France or abroad are reviewed. Second, the French realizations are assessed with the use of the technology readiness levels in order to identify tracks of improvement. (authors)

Fast and Efficient Feature Engineering for Multi-Cohort Analysis of EHR Data.

PubMed

Ozery-Flato, Michal; Yanover, Chen; Gottlieb, Assaf; Weissbrod, Omer; Parush Shear-Yashuv, Naama; Goldschmidt, Yaara

2017-01-01

We present a framework for feature engineering, tailored for longitudinal structured data, such as electronic health records (EHRs). To fast-track feature engineering and extraction, the framework combines general-use plug-in extractors, a multi-cohort management mechanism, and modular memoization. Using this framework, we rapidly extracted thousands of features from diverse and large healthcare data sources in multiple projects.

Radiation-hardened fast acquisition/weak signal tracking system and method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winternitz, Luke (Inventor); Boegner, Gregory J. (Inventor); Sirotzky, Steve (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A global positioning system (GPS) receiver and method of acquiring and tracking GPS signals comprises an antenna adapted to receive GPS signals; an analog radio frequency device operatively connected to the antenna and adapted to convert the GPS signals from an analog format to a digital format; a plurality of GPS signal tracking correlators operatively connected to the analog RF device; a GPS signal acquisition component operatively connected to the analog RF device and the plurality of GPS signal tracking correlators, wherein the GPS signal acquisition component is adapted to calculate a maximum vector on a databit correlation grid; and a microprocessor operatively connected to the plurality of GPS signal tracking correlators and the GPS signal acquisition component, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to compare the maximum vector with a predetermined correlation threshold to allow the GPS signal to be fully acquired and tracked.

Theoretical prediction of the impact of Auger recombination on charge collection from an ion track

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edmonds, Larry D.

1991-01-01

A recombination mechanism that significantly reduces charge collection from very dense ion tracks in silicon devices was postulated by Zoutendyk et al. The theoretical analysis presented here concludes that Auger recombination is such a mechanism and is of marginal importance for higher density tracks produced by 270-MeV krypton, but of major importance for higher density tracks. The analysis shows that recombination loss is profoundly affected by track diffusion. As the track diffuses, the density and recombination rate decrease so fast that the linear density (number of electron-hole pairs per unit length) approaches a non-zero limiting value as t yields infinity. Furthermore, the linear density is very nearly equal to this limiting value in a few picoseconds or less. When Auger recombination accompanies charge transport processes that have much longer time scales, it can be simulated by assigning a reduced linear energy transfer to the ion.

A fast hybrid algorithm combining regularized motion tracking and predictive search for reducing the occurrence of large displacement errors.

PubMed

Jiang, Jingfeng; Hall, Timothy J

2011-04-01

A hybrid approach that inherits both the robustness of the regularized motion tracking approach and the efficiency of the predictive search approach is reported. The basic idea is to use regularized speckle tracking to obtain high-quality seeds in an explorative search that can be used in the subsequent intelligent predictive search. The performance of the hybrid speckle-tracking algorithm was compared with three published speckle-tracking methods using in vivo breast lesion data. We found that the hybrid algorithm provided higher displacement quality metric values, lower root mean squared errors compared with a locally smoothed displacement field, and higher improvement ratios compared with the classic block-matching algorithm. On the basis of these comparisons, we concluded that the hybrid method can further enhance the accuracy of speckle tracking compared with its real-time counterparts, at the expense of slightly higher computational demands. © 2011 IEEE

Dithering Digital Ripple Correlation Control for Photovoltaic Maximum Power Point Tracking

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

Barth, C; Pilawa-Podgurski, RCN

This study demonstrates a new method for rapid and precise maximum power point tracking in photovoltaic (PV) applications using dithered PWM control. Constraints imposed by efficiency, cost, and component size limit the available PWM resolution of a power converter, and may in turn limit the MPP tracking efficiency of the PV system. In these scenarios, PWM dithering can be used to improve average PWM resolution. In this study, we present a control technique that uses ripple correlation control (RCC) on the dithering ripple, thereby achieving simultaneous fast tracking speed and high tracking accuracy. Moreover, the proposed method solves some ofmore » the practical challenges that have to date limited the effectiveness of RCC in solar PV applications. We present a theoretical derivation of the principles behind dithering digital ripple correlation control, as well as experimental results that show excellent tracking speed and accuracy with basic hardware requirements.« less

A combined analysis technique for the search for fast magnetic monopoles with the MACRO detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MACRO Collaboration; Ambrosio, M.; Antolini, R.; Auriemma, G.; Bakari, D.; Baldini, A.; Barbarino, G. C.; Barish, B. C.; Battistoni, G.; Becherini, Y.; Bellotti, R.; Bemporad, C.; Bernardini, P.; Bilokon, H.; Bloise, C.; Bower, C.; Brigida, M.; Bussino, S.; Cafagna, F.; Calicchio, M.; Campana, D.; Carboni, M.; Caruso, R.; Cecchini, S.; Cei, F.; Chiarella, V.; Choudhary, B. C.; Coutu, S.; De Cataldo, G.; Dekhissi, H.; De Marzo, C.; De Mitri, I.; Derkaoui, J.; De Vincenzi, M.; DiCredico, A.; Erriquez, O.; Favuzzi, C.; Forti, C.; Fusco, P.; Giacomelli, G.; Giannini, G.; Giglietto, N.; Giorgini, M.; Grassi, M.; Grillo, A.; Guarino, F.; Gustavino, C.; Habig, A.; Heinz, R.; Iarocci, E.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katsavounidis, I.; Kearns, E.; Kim, H.; Kyriazopoulou, S.; Lamanna, E.; Lane, C.; Levin, D. S.; Lipari, P.; Longley, N. P.; Longo, M. J.; Loparco, F.; Maaroufi, F.; Mancarella, G.; Mandrioli, G.; Manzoor, S.; Margiotta, A.; Marini, A.; Martello, D.; Marzari-Chiesa, A.; Mazziotta, M. N.; Michael, D. G.; Monacelli, P.; Montaruli, T.; Monteno, M.; Mufson, S.; Musser, J.; Nicolò, D.; Nolty, R.; Orth, C.; Osteria, G.; Palamara, O.; Patera, V.; Patrizii, L.; Pazzi, R.; Peck, C. W.; Perrone, L.; Petrera, S.; Popa, V.; Reynoldson, J.; Ronga, F.; Rrhioua, A.; Satriano, C.; Scapparone, E.; Scholberg, K.; Sciubba, A.; Serra, P.; Sioli, M.; Sirri, G.; Sitta, M.; Spinelli, P.; Spinetti, M.; Spurio, M.; Steinberg, R.; Stone, J. L.; Sulak, L. R.; Surdo, A.; Tarlè, G.; Togo, V.; Vakili, M.; Walter, C. W.; Webb, R.

2002-08-01

We describe a search method for fast moving (β=v/c>5×10-3) magnetic monopoles using simultaneously the scintillator, streamer tube and track-etch subdetectors of the MACRO apparatus. The first two subdetectors are used primarily for the identification of candidates while the track-etch one is used as the final tool for their rejection or confirmation. Using this technique, a first sample of more than two years of data has been analyzed without any evidence of a magnetic monopole. We set a 90% CL upper limit to the local monopole flux of 1.5×10-15 cm-2s-1sr-1 in the velocity range 5×10-3<=β<=0.99 and for nucleon decay catalysis cross-section smaller than /~1 mb

The Effects of the Fast Track Preventive Intervention on the Development of Conduct Disorder Across Childhood

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The impact of the Fast Track intervention on externalizing disorders across childhood was examined. Eight hundred-ninety-one early-starting children (69% male; 51% African American) were randomly assigned by matched sets of schools to intervention or control conditions. The 10-year intervention addressed parent behavior-management, child social cognitive skills, reading, home visiting, mentoring, and classroom curricula. Outcomes included psychiatric diagnoses after grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 for conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and any externalizing disorder. Significant interaction effects between intervention and initial risk level indicated that intervention prevented the lifetime prevalence of all diagnoses, but only among those at highest initial risk, suggesting that targeted intervention can prevent externalizing disorders to promote the raising of healthy children. PMID:21291445

Initial Impact of the Fast Track Prevention Trial for Conduct Problems: II. Classroom Effects

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the universal component of the Fast Track prevention model: the PATHS (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies) curriculum and teacher consultation. This randomized clinical trial involved 198 intervention and 180 comparison classrooms from neighborhoods with greater than average crime in 4 U.S. locations. In the intervention schools, Grade 1 teachers delivered a 57-lesson social competence intervention focused on self-control, emotional awareness, peer relations, and problem solving. Findings indicated significant effects on peer ratings of aggression and hyperactive–disruptive behavior and observer ratings of classroom atmosphere. Quality of implementation predicted variation in assessments of classroom functioning. The results are discussed in terms of both the efficacy of universal, school-based prevention models and the need to examine comprehensive, multiyear programs. PMID:10535231

Indications of stellar prominence oscillations on fast rotating stars: the cases of HK Aqr and PZ Tel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitzinger, M.; Odert, P.; Zaqarashvili, T. V.; Greimel, R.; Hanslmeier, A.; Lammer, H.

2016-11-01

We present the analysis of six nights of spectroscopic monitoring of two young and fast rotating late-type stars, namely the dMe star HK Aqr and the dG/dK star PZ Tel. On both stars, we detect absorption features reminiscent of signatures of corotating cool clouds or prominences visible in Hα. Several prominences on HK Aqr show periodic variability in the prominence tracks which follow a sinusoidal motion (indication of prominence oscillations). On PZ Tel, we could not find any periodic variability in the prominence tracks. By fitting sinusoidal functions to the prominence tracks, we derive amplitudes and periods which are similar to those of large-amplitude oscillations seen in solar prominences. In one specific event, we also derive a periodic variation of the prominence track in the Hβ spectral line which shows an anti-phase variation with the one derived for the Hα spectral line. Using these parameters and estimated mass density of a prominence on HK Aqr, we derive a minimum magnetic field strength of ˜2 G. The relatively low strength of the magnetic field is explained by the large height of this stellar prominence (≥ 0.67 stellar radii above the surface).

Fast human pose estimation using 3D Zernike descriptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berjón, Daniel; Morán, Francisco

2012-03-01

Markerless video-based human pose estimation algorithms face a high-dimensional problem that is frequently broken down into several lower-dimensional ones by estimating the pose of each limb separately. However, in order to do so they need to reliably locate the torso, for which they typically rely on time coherence and tracking algorithms. Their losing track usually results in catastrophic failure of the process, requiring human intervention and thus precluding their usage in real-time applications. We propose a very fast rough pose estimation scheme based on global shape descriptors built on 3D Zernike moments. Using an articulated model that we configure in many poses, a large database of descriptor/pose pairs can be computed off-line. Thus, the only steps that must be done on-line are the extraction of the descriptors for each input volume and a search against the database to get the most likely poses. While the result of such process is not a fine pose estimation, it can be useful to help more sophisticated algorithms to regain track or make more educated guesses when creating new particles in particle-filter-based tracking schemes. We have achieved a performance of about ten fps on a single computer using a database of about one million entries.

The Effects of Wave Escape on Fast Magnetosonic Wave Turbulence in Solar Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pongkitiwanichakul, Peera; Chandran, Benjamin D. G.; Karpen, Judith T.; DeVore, C. Richard

2012-01-01

One of the leading models for electron acceleration in solar flares is stochastic acceleration by weakly turbulent fast magnetosonic waves ("fast waves"). In this model, large-scale flows triggered by magnetic reconnection excite large-wavelength fast waves, and fast-wave energy then cascades from large wavelengths to small wavelengths. Electron acceleration by large-wavelength fast-waves is weak, and so the model relies on the small-wavelength waves produced by the turbulent cascade. In order for the model to work, the energy cascade time for large-wavelength fast waves must be shorter than the time required for the waves to propagate out of the solar-flare acceleration region. To investigate the effects of wave escape, we solve the wave kinetic equation for fast waves in weak turbulence theory, supplemented with a homogeneous wave-loss term.We find that the amplitude of large-wavelength fast waves must exceed a minimum threshold in order for a significant fraction of the wave energy to cascade to small wavelengths before the waves leave the acceleration region.We evaluate this threshold as a function of the dominant wavelength of the fast waves that are initially excited by reconnection outflows.

A-Track: A new approach for detection of moving objects in FITS images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atay, T.; Kaplan, M.; Kilic, Y.; Karapinar, N.

2016-10-01

We have developed a fast, open-source, cross-platform pipeline, called A-Track, for detecting the moving objects (asteroids and comets) in sequential telescope images in FITS format. The pipeline is coded in Python 3. The moving objects are detected using a modified line detection algorithm, called MILD. We tested the pipeline on astronomical data acquired by an SI-1100 CCD with a 1-meter telescope. We found that A-Track performs very well in terms of detection efficiency, stability, and processing time. The code is hosted on GitHub under the GNU GPL v3 license.

Towards an Optimal Interest Point Detector for Measurements in Ultrasound Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zukal, Martin; Beneš, Radek; Číka, Petr; Říha, Kamil

2013-12-01

This paper focuses on the comparison of different interest point detectors and their utilization for measurements in ultrasound (US) images. Certain medical examinations are based on speckle tracking which strongly relies on features that can be reliably tracked frame to frame. Only significant features (interest points) resistant to noise and brightness changes within US images are suitable for accurate long-lasting tracking. We compare three interest point detectors - Harris-Laplace, Difference of Gaussian (DoG) and Fast Hessian - and identify the most suitable one for use in US images on the basis of an objective criterion. Repeatability rate is assumed to be an objective quality measure for comparison. We have measured repeatability in images corrupted by different types of noise (speckle noise, Gaussian noise) and for changes in brightness. The Harris-Laplace detector outperformed its competitors and seems to be a sound option when choosing a suitable interest point detector for US images. However, it has to be noted that Fast Hessian and DoG detectors achieved better results in terms of processing speed.

Quadrotor trajectory tracking using PID cascade control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idres, M.; Mustapha, O.; Okasha, M.

2017-12-01

Quadrotors have been applied to collect information for traffic, weather monitoring, surveillance and aerial photography. In order to accomplish their mission, quadrotors have to follow specific trajectories. This paper presents proportional-integral-derivative (PID) cascade control of a quadrotor for path tracking problem when velocity and acceleration are small. It is based on near hover controller for small attitude angles. The integral of time-weighted absolute error (ITAE) criterion is used to determine the PID gains as a function of quadrotor modeling parameters. The controller is evaluated in three-dimensional environment in Simulink. Overall, the tracking performance is found to be excellent for small velocity condition.

Magnetic levitation and its application for education devices based on YBCO bulk superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W. M.; Chao, X. X.; Guo, F. X.; Li, J. W.; Chen, S. L.

2013-10-01

A small superconducting maglev propeller system, a small spacecraft model suspending and moving around a terrestrial globe, several small maglev vehicle models and a magnetic circuit converter have been designed and constructed. The track was paved by NdFeB magnets, the arrangement of the magnets made us easy to get a uniform distribution of magnetic field along the length direction of the track and a high magnetic field gradient in the lateral direction. When the YBCO bulks mounted inside the vehicle models or spacecraft model was field cooled to LN2 temperature at a certain distance away from the track, they could be automatically floating over and moving along the track without any obvious friction. The models can be used as experimental or demonstration devices for the magnetic levitation applications.

Radar system components to detect small and fast objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hülsmann, Axel; Zech, Christian; Klenner, Mathias; Tessmann, Axel; Leuther, Arnulf; Lopez-Diaz, Daniel; Schlechtweg, Michael; Ambacher, Oliver

2015-05-01

Small and fast objects, for example bullets of caliber 5 to 10 mm, fired from guns like AK-47, can cause serious problems to aircrafts in asymmetric warfare. Especially slow and big aircrafts, like heavy transport helicopters are an easy mark of small caliber hand fire weapons. These aircrafts produce so much noise, that the crew is not able to recognize an attack unless serious problems occur and important systems of the aircraft fail. This is just one of many scenarios, where the detection of fast and small objects is desirable. Another scenario is the collision of space debris particles with satellites.

Propagating Neural Source Revealed by Doppler Shift of Population Spiking Frequency

PubMed Central

Zhang, Mingming; Shivacharan, Rajat S.; Chiang, Chia-Chu; Gonzalez-Reyes, Luis E.

2016-01-01

Electrical activity in the brain during normal and abnormal function is associated with propagating waves of various speeds and directions. It is unclear how both fast and slow traveling waves with sometime opposite directions can coexist in the same neural tissue. By recording population spikes simultaneously throughout the unfolded rodent hippocampus with a penetrating microelectrode array, we have shown that fast and slow waves are causally related, so a slowly moving neural source generates fast-propagating waves at ∼0.12 m/s. The source of the fast population spikes is limited in space and moving at ∼0.016 m/s based on both direct and Doppler measurements among 36 different spiking trains among eight different hippocampi. The fact that the source is itself moving can account for the surprising direction reversal of the wave. Therefore, these results indicate that a small neural focus can move and that this phenomenon could explain the apparent wave reflection at tissue edges or multiple foci observed at different locations in neural tissue. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The use of novel techniques with an unfolded hippocampus and penetrating microelectrode array to record and analyze neural activity has revealed the existence of a source of neural signals that propagates throughout the hippocampus. The source itself is electrically silent, but its location can be inferred by building isochrone maps of population spikes that the source generates. The movement of the source can also be tracked by observing the Doppler frequency shift of these spikes. These results have general implications for how neural signals are generated and propagated in the hippocampus; moreover, they have important implications for the understanding of seizure generation and foci localization. PMID:27013678

A fast-track anaemia clinic in the Emergency Department: feasibility and efficacy of intravenous iron administration for treating sub-acute iron deficiency anaemia

PubMed Central

Quintana-Díaz, Manuel; Fabra-Cadenas, Sara; Gómez-Ramírez, Susana; Martínez-Virto, Ana; García-Erce, José A.; Muñoz, Manuel

2016-01-01

Background Clinically significant anaemia, requiring red blood cell transfusions, is frequently observed in Emergency Departments (ED). To optimise blood product use, we developed a clinical protocol for the management of iron-deficiency anaemia in a fast-track anaemia clinic within the ED. Materials and methods From November 2010 to January 2014, patients presenting with sub-acute, moderate-to-severe anaemia (haemoglobin [Hb] <11 g/dL) and confirmed or suspected iron deficiency were referred to the fast-track anaemia clinic. Those with absolute or functional iron deficiency were given intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose 500–1,000 mg/week and were reassessed 4 weeks after receiving the total iron dose. The primary study outcome was the haematological response (Hb≥12 g/dL and/or Hb increment ≥2 g/dL). Changes in blood and iron parameters, transfusion rates and IV iron-related adverse drug effects were secondary outcomes. Results Two hundred and two anaemic patients with iron deficiency (150 women/52 men; mean age, 64 years) were managed in the fast-track anaemia clinic, and received a median IV iron dose of 1,500 mg (1,000–2,000 mg). Gastro-intestinal (44%) or gynaecological (26%) bleeding was the most frequent cause of the anaemia. At follow-up (183 patients), the mean Hb increment was 3.9±2.2 g/dL; 84% of patients were classified as responders and blood and iron parameters normalised in 90%. During follow-up, 35 (17%) patients needed transfusions (2 [range: 1–3] units per patient) because they had low Hb levels, symptoms of anaemia and/or were at risk. Eight mild and one moderate, self-limited adverse drug effects were witnessed. Discussion Our data support the feasibility of a clinical protocol for management of sub-acute anaemia with IV iron in the ED. IV iron was efficacious, safe and well tolerated. Early management of anaemia will improve the use of blood products in the ED. PMID:26674819

Visual object tracking by correlation filters and online learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Xia, Gui-Song; Lu, Qikai; Shen, Weiming; Zhang, Liangpei

2018-06-01

Due to the complexity of background scenarios and the variation of target appearance, it is difficult to achieve high accuracy and fast speed for object tracking. Currently, correlation filters based trackers (CFTs) show promising performance in object tracking. The CFTs estimate the target's position by correlation filters with different kinds of features. However, most of CFTs can hardly re-detect the target in the case of long-term tracking drifts. In this paper, a feature integration object tracker named correlation filters and online learning (CFOL) is proposed. CFOL estimates the target's position and its corresponding correlation score using the same discriminative correlation filter with multi-features. To reduce tracking drifts, a new sampling and updating strategy for online learning is proposed. Experiments conducted on 51 image sequences demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is superior to the state-of-the-art approaches.

Caracterización y automatización mecánica de los telescopios Cherenkov de CASLEO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leal, N.; Yelós, L. D.; Mancilla, A.; Maya, J.; Feres, L.; Lazarte, F.; García, B.

2017-10-01

A new automation system for the Cherenkov Telescopes at CASLEO is designed. Two rotation speeds are proposed: a fast speed for positioning and parking and a slow speed for tracking. The wind speed at El Leoncito site is used as a design parameter. In this work we present the first tests with the new setup which shows a correct performance at fast speeds.

Blind deconvolution with principal components analysis for wide-field and small-aperture telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Peng; Sun, Rongyu; Wang, Weinan; Cai, Dongmei; Liu, Huigen

2017-09-01

Telescopes with a wide field of view (greater than 1°) and small apertures (less than 2 m) are workhorses for observations such as sky surveys and fast-moving object detection, and play an important role in time-domain astronomy. However, images captured by these telescopes are contaminated by optical system aberrations, atmospheric turbulence, tracking errors and wind shear. To increase the quality of images and maximize their scientific output, we propose a new blind deconvolution algorithm based on statistical properties of the point spread functions (PSFs) of these telescopes. In this new algorithm, we first construct the PSF feature space through principal component analysis, and then classify PSFs from a different position and time using a self-organizing map. According to the classification results, we divide images of the same PSF types and select these PSFs to construct a prior PSF. The prior PSF is then used to restore these images. To investigate the improvement that this algorithm provides for data reduction, we process images of space debris captured by our small-aperture wide-field telescopes. Comparing the reduced results of the original images and the images processed with the standard Richardson-Lucy method, our method shows a promising improvement in astrometry accuracy.

Single-photon sensitive fast ebCMOS camera system for multiple-target tracking of single fluorophores: application to nano-biophotonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cajgfinger, Thomas; Chabanat, Eric; Dominjon, Agnes; Doan, Quang T.; Guerin, Cyrille; Houles, Julien; Barbier, Remi

2011-03-01

Nano-biophotonics applications will benefit from new fluorescent microscopy methods based essentially on super-resolution techniques (beyond the diffraction limit) on large biological structures (membranes) with fast frame rate (1000 Hz). This trend tends to push the photon detectors to the single-photon counting regime and the camera acquisition system to real time dynamic multiple-target tracing. The LUSIPHER prototype presented in this paper aims to give a different approach than those of Electron Multiplied CCD (EMCCD) technology and try to answer to the stringent demands of the new nano-biophotonics imaging techniques. The electron bombarded CMOS (ebCMOS) device has the potential to respond to this challenge, thanks to the linear gain of the accelerating high voltage of the photo-cathode, to the possible ultra fast frame rate of CMOS sensors and to the single-photon sensitivity. We produced a camera system based on a 640 kPixels ebCMOS with its acquisition system. The proof of concept for single-photon based tracking for multiple single-emitters is the main result of this paper.

The performance of the MROI fast tip-tilt correction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, John; Buscher, David; Fisher, Martin; Haniff, Christopher; Rea, Alexander; Seneta, Eugene; Sun, Xiaowei; Wilson, Donald; Farris, Allen; Olivares, Andres

2014-07-01

The fast tip-tilt (FTT) correction system for the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer (MROI) is being developed by the University of Cambridge. The design incorporates an EMCCD camera protected by a thermal enclosure, optical mounts with passive thermal compensation, and control software running under Xenomai real-time Linux. The complete FTT system is now undergoing laboratory testing prior to being installed on the first MROI unit telescope in the fall of 2014. We are following a twin-track approach to testing the closed-loop performance: tracking tip-tilt perturbations introduced by an actuated flat mirror in the laboratory, and undertaking end-to-end simulations that incorporate realistic higher-order atmospheric perturbations. We report test results that demonstrate (a) the high stability of the entire opto-mechanical system, realized with a completely passive design; and (b) the fast tip-tilt correction performance and limiting sensitivity. Our preliminary results in both areas are close to those needed to realise the ambitious stability and sensitivity goals of the MROI which aims to match the performance of current natural guide star adaptive optics systems.

Fast Track to College Act of 2009

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Kildee, Dale E. [D-MI-5

2009-03-18

House - 03/22/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

A software solution to dynamically reduce metallic distortions of electromagnetic tracking systems for image-guided surgery.

PubMed

Li, Mengfei; Hansen, Christian; Rose, Georg

2017-09-01

Electromagnetic tracking systems (EMTS) have achieved a high level of acceptance in clinical settings, e.g., to support tracking of medical instruments in image-guided interventions. However, tracking errors caused by movable metallic medical instruments and electronic devices are a critical problem which prevents the wider application of EMTS for clinical applications. We plan to introduce a method to dynamically reduce tracking errors caused by metallic objects in proximity to the magnetic sensor coil of the EMTS. We propose a method using ramp waveform excitation based on modeling the conductive distorter as a resistance-inductance circuit. Additionally, a fast data acquisition method is presented to speed up the refresh rate. With the current approach, the sensor's positioning mean error is estimated to be 3.4, 1.3 and 0.7 mm, corresponding to a distance between the sensor and center of the transmitter coils' array of up to 200, 150 and 100 mm, respectively. The sensor pose error caused by different medical instruments placed in proximity was reduced by the proposed method to a level lower than 0.5 mm in position and [Formula: see text] in orientation. By applying the newly developed fast data acquisition method, we achieved a system refresh rate up to approximately 12.7 frames per second. Our software-based approach can be integrated into existing medical EMTS seamlessly with no change in hardware. It improves the tracking accuracy of clinical EMTS when there is a metallic object placed near the sensor coil and has the potential to improve the safety and outcome of image-guided interventions.

Fast Track to College Act of 2011

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI

2011-01-25

Senate - 01/25/2011 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Fast Track to College Act of 2009

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI

2009-03-18

Senate - 03/18/2009 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Fast Track to College Act of 2014

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE

2014-09-18

Senate - 09/18/2014 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Locational Sensitivity Investigation on PV Hosting Capacity and Fast Track PV Screening

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

Ding, Fei; Mather, Barry; Ainsworth, Nathan

A 15% PV penetration threshold is commonly used by utilities to define photovoltaic (PV) screening methods where PV penetration is defined as the ratio of total solar PV capacity on a line section to peak load. However, this method doesn't take into account PV locational impact or feeder characteristics that could strongly change the feeder's capability to host PVs. This paper investigates the impact of PV location and phase connection type on PV hosting capacity, and then proposes a fast-track PV screening approach that leverages various PV hosting capacity metric responding to different PV locations and types. The proposed studymore » could help utilities to evaluate PV interconnection requests and also help increase the PV hosting capacity of distribution feeders without adverse impacts on system voltages.« less

Initial Impact of the Fast Track Prevention Trial for Conduct Problems: I. The High-Risk Sample

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Fast Track is a multisite, multicomponent preventive intervention for young children at high risk for long-term antisocial behavior. Based on a comprehensive developmental model intervention included a universal-level classroom program plus social skills training, academic tutoring, parent training, and home visiting to improve competencies and reduce problems in a high-risk group of children selected in kindergarten. At the end of Grade 1, there were moderate positive effects on children's social, emotional, and academic skills; peer interactions and social status; and conduct problems and special-education use. Parents reported less-physical discipline and greater parenting satisfaction/ease of parenting and engaged in more appropriate/consistent discipline, warmth/positive involvement, and involvement with the school. Evidence of differential intervention effects across child gender, race, site, and cohort was minimal. PMID:10535230

Success factors for reducing maternal and child mortality

PubMed Central

Schweitzer, Julian; Bishai, David; Chowdhury, Sadia; Caramani, Daniele; Frost, Laura; Cortez, Rafael; Daelmans, Bernadette; de Francisco, Andres; Adam, Taghreed; Cohen, Robert; Alfonso, Y Natalia; Franz-Vasdeki, Jennifer; Saadat, Seemeen; Pratt, Beth Anne; Eugster, Beatrice; Bandali, Sarah; Venkatachalam, Pritha; Hinton, Rachael; Murray, John; Arscott-Mills, Sharon; Axelson, Henrik; Maliqi, Blerta; Sarker, Intissar; Lakshminarayanan, Rama; Jacobs, Troy; Jacks, Susan; Mason, Elizabeth; Ghaffar, Abdul; Mays, Nicholas; Presern, Carole; Bustreo, Flavia

2014-01-01

Abstract Reducing maternal and child mortality is a priority in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and will likely remain so after 2015. Evidence exists on the investments, interventions and enabling policies required. Less is understood about why some countries achieve faster progress than other comparable countries. The Success Factors for Women’s and Children’s Health studies sought to address this knowledge gap using statistical and econometric analyses of data from 144 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) over 20 years; Boolean, qualitative comparative analysis; a literature review; and country-specific reviews in 10 fast-track countries for MDGs 4 and 5a. There is no standard formula – fast-track countries deploy tailored strategies and adapt quickly to change. However, fast-track countries share some effective approaches in addressing three main areas to reduce maternal and child mortality. First, these countries engage multiple sectors to address crucial health determinants. Around half the reduction in child mortality in LMICs since 1990 is the result of health sector investments, the other half is attributed to investments made in sectors outside health. Second, these countries use strategies to mobilize partners across society, using timely, robust evidence for decision-making and accountability and a triple planning approach to consider immediate needs, long-term vision and adaptation to change. Third, the countries establish guiding principles that orient progress, align stakeholder action and achieve results over time. This evidence synthesis contributes to global learning on accelerating improvements in women’s and children’s health towards 2015 and beyond. PMID:25110379

Success factors for reducing maternal and child mortality.

PubMed

Kuruvilla, Shyama; Schweitzer, Julian; Bishai, David; Chowdhury, Sadia; Caramani, Daniele; Frost, Laura; Cortez, Rafael; Daelmans, Bernadette; de Francisco, Andres; Adam, Taghreed; Cohen, Robert; Alfonso, Y Natalia; Franz-Vasdeki, Jennifer; Saadat, Seemeen; Pratt, Beth Anne; Eugster, Beatrice; Bandali, Sarah; Venkatachalam, Pritha; Hinton, Rachael; Murray, John; Arscott-Mills, Sharon; Axelson, Henrik; Maliqi, Blerta; Sarker, Intissar; Lakshminarayanan, Rama; Jacobs, Troy; Jack, Susan; Jacks, Susan; Mason, Elizabeth; Ghaffar, Abdul; Mays, Nicholas; Presern, Carole; Bustreo, Flavia

2014-07-01

Reducing maternal and child mortality is a priority in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and will likely remain so after 2015. Evidence exists on the investments, interventions and enabling policies required. Less is understood about why some countries achieve faster progress than other comparable countries. The Success Factors for Women's and Children's Health studies sought to address this knowledge gap using statistical and econometric analyses of data from 144 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) over 20 years; Boolean, qualitative comparative analysis; a literature review; and country-specific reviews in 10 fast-track countries for MDGs 4 and 5a. There is no standard formula--fast-track countries deploy tailored strategies and adapt quickly to change. However, fast-track countries share some effective approaches in addressing three main areas to reduce maternal and child mortality. First, these countries engage multiple sectors to address crucial health determinants. Around half the reduction in child mortality in LMICs since 1990 is the result of health sector investments, the other half is attributed to investments made in sectors outside health. Second, these countries use strategies to mobilize partners across society, using timely, robust evidence for decision-making and accountability and a triple planning approach to consider immediate needs, long-term vision and adaptation to change. Third, the countries establish guiding principles that orient progress, align stakeholder action and achieve results over time. This evidence synthesis contributes to global learning on accelerating improvements in women's and children's health towards 2015 and beyond.

[Leipzig fast-track protocol for cardio-anesthesia. Effective, safe and economical].

PubMed

Häntschel, D; Fassl, J; Scholz, M; Sommer, M; Funkat, A K; Wittmann, M; Ender, J

2009-04-01

In November 2005 a complex, multimodal anesthesia fast-track protocol (FTP) was introduced for elective cardiac surgery patients in the Cardiac Center of the University of Leipzig which included changing from an opioid regime to remifentanil and postoperative treatment in a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit. The goal was to speed up recovery times while maintaining safety and improving costs. A total of 421 patients who underwent the FTP and were treated in the special recovery room were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were compared with patients who had been treated by a standard protocol (SP) prior to instituting the FTP. Primary outcomes were time to extubation, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and treatment costs. The times to extubation were significantly shorter in the FTP group with 75 min (range 45-110 min) compared to 900 min (range 600-1140 min) in the SP group. Intensive care unit stay and hospital length of stay were also significantly shorter in the FTP group (p<0.01). The reduction of treatment costs of intensive care for FTP patients was 53.5% corresponding to savings of EUR 738 per patient in the FTP group compared with the SP group. The Leipzig fast-track protocol for cardio-anesthesia including the central elements of switching opiate therapy to remifentanil and switching patient recovery to a special post-anesthesia recovery and care unit, shortened therapy times, is safe and economically effective.

Reanalysis of Wupus agilis (Early Cretaceous) of Chongqing, China as a Large Avian Trace: Differentiating between Large Bird and Small Non-Avian Theropod Tracks

PubMed Central

Xing, Lida; Buckley, Lisa G.; McCrea, Richard T.; Lockley, Martin G.; Zhang, Jianping; Piñuela, Laura; Klein, Hendrik; Wang, Fengping

2015-01-01

Trace fossils provide the only records of Early Cretaceous birds from many parts of the world. The identification of traces from large avian track-makers is made difficult given their overall similarity in size and tridactyly in comparison with traces of small non-avian theropods. Reanalysis of Wupus agilis from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) Jiaguan Formation, one of a small but growing number of known avian-pterosaur track assemblages, of southeast China determines that these are the traces of a large avian track-maker, analogous to extant herons. Wupus, originally identified as the trace of a small non-avian theropod track-maker, is therefore similar in both footprint and trackway characteristics to the Early Cretaceous (Albian) large avian trace Limiavipes curriei from western Canada, and Wupus is reassigned to the ichnofamily Limiavipedidae. The reanalysis of Wupus reveals that it and Limiavipes are distinct from similar traces of small to medium-sized non-avian theropods (Irenichnites, Columbosauripus, Magnoavipes) based on their relatively large footprint length to pace length ratio and higher mean footprint splay, and that Wupus shares enough characters with Limiavipes to be reassigned to the ichnofamily Limiavipedidae. The ability to discern traces of large avians from those of small non-avian theropods provides more data on the diversity of Early Cretaceous birds. This analysis reveals that, despite the current lack of body fossils, large wading birds were globally distributed in both Laurasia and Gondwana during the Early Cretaceous. PMID:25993285

Joint detection and tracking of size-varying infrared targets based on block-wise sparse decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Miao; Lin, Zaiping; Long, Yunli; An, Wei; Zhou, Yiyu

2016-05-01

The high variability of target size makes small target detection in Infrared Search and Track (IRST) a challenging task. A joint detection and tracking method based on block-wise sparse decomposition is proposed to address this problem. For detection, the infrared image is divided into overlapped blocks, and each block is weighted on the local image complexity and target existence probabilities. Target-background decomposition is solved by block-wise inexact augmented Lagrange multipliers. For tracking, label multi-Bernoulli (LMB) tracker tracks multiple targets taking the result of single-frame detection as input, and provides corresponding target existence probabilities for detection. Unlike fixed-size methods, the proposed method can accommodate size-varying targets, due to no special assumption for the size and shape of small targets. Because of exact decomposition, classical target measurements are extended and additional direction information is provided to improve tracking performance. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively suppress background clutters, detect and track size-varying targets in infrared images.

Execution of saccadic eye movements affects speed perception

PubMed Central

Goettker, Alexander; Braun, Doris I.; Schütz, Alexander C.; Gegenfurtner, Karl R.

2018-01-01

Due to the foveal organization of our visual system we have to constantly move our eyes to gain precise information about our environment. Doing so massively alters the retinal input. This is problematic for the perception of moving objects, because physical motion and retinal motion become decoupled and the brain has to discount the eye movements to recover the speed of moving objects. Two different types of eye movements, pursuit and saccades, are combined for tracking. We investigated how the way we track moving targets can affect the perceived target speed. We found that the execution of corrective saccades during pursuit initiation modifies how fast the target is perceived compared with pure pursuit. When participants executed a forward (catch-up) saccade they perceived the target to be moving faster. When they executed a backward saccade they perceived the target to be moving more slowly. Variations in pursuit velocity without corrective saccades did not affect perceptual judgments. We present a model for these effects, assuming that the eye velocity signal for small corrective saccades gets integrated with the retinal velocity signal during pursuit. In our model, the execution of corrective saccades modulates the integration of these two signals by giving less weight to the retinal information around the time of corrective saccades. PMID:29440494

A GPU-Accelerated Approach for Feature Tracking in Time-Varying Imagery Datasets.

PubMed

Peng, Chao; Sahani, Sandip; Rushing, John

2017-10-01

We propose a novel parallel connected component labeling (CCL) algorithm along with efficient out-of-core data management to detect and track feature regions of large time-varying imagery datasets. Our approach contributes to the big data field with parallel algorithms tailored for GPU architectures. We remove the data dependency between frames and achieve pixel-level parallelism. Due to the large size, the entire dataset cannot fit into cached memory. Frames have to be streamed through the memory hierarchy (disk to CPU main memory and then to GPU memory), partitioned, and processed as batches, where each batch is small enough to fit into the GPU. To reconnect the feature regions that are separated due to data partitioning, we present a novel batch merging algorithm to extract the region connection information across multiple batches in a parallel fashion. The information is organized in a memory-efficient structure and supports fast indexing on the GPU. Our experiment uses a commodity workstation equipped with a single GPU. The results show that our approach can efficiently process a weather dataset composed of terabytes of time-varying radar images. The advantages of our approach are demonstrated by comparing to the performance of an efficient CPU cluster implementation which is being used by the weather scientists.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: The unusual asymptotics of three-sided prudent polygons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaton, Nicholas R.; Flajolet, Philippe; Guttmann, Anthony J.

2010-08-01

We have studied the area-generating function of prudent polygons on the square lattice. Exact solutions are obtained for the generating function of two-sided and three-sided prudent polygons, and a functional equation is found for four-sided prudent polygons. This is used to generate series coefficients in polynomial time, and these are analysed to determine the asymptotics numerically. A careful asymptotic analysis of the three-sided polygons produces a most surprising result. A transcendental critical exponent is found, and the leading amplitude is not quite a constant, but is a constant plus a small oscillatory component with an amplitude approximately 10-8 times that of the leading amplitude. This effect cannot be seen by any standard numerical analysis, but it may be present in other models. If so, it changes our whole view of the asymptotic behaviour of lattice models.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Spin waves in the (0, π) and (0, π, π) ordered SDW states of the t-t' Hubbard model: application to doped iron pnictides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghuvanshi, Nimisha; Singh, Avinash

2010-10-01

Spin waves in the (0, π) and (0, π, π) ordered spin-density-wave (SDW) states of the t-t' Hubbard model are investigated at finite doping. In the presence of small t', these composite ferro-antiferromagnetic (F-AF) states are found to be strongly stabilized at finite hole doping due to enhanced carrier-induced ferromagnetic spin couplings as in metallic ferromagnets. Anisotropic spin-wave velocities, a spin-wave energy scale of around 200 meV, reduced magnetic moment and rapid suppression of magnetic order with electron doping x (corresponding to F substitution of O atoms in LaO1 - xFxFeAs or Ni substitution of Fe atoms in BaFe2 - xNixAs2) obtained in this model are in agreement with observed magnetic properties of doped iron pnictides.

Analyzing bat migration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cryan, Paul M.; Diehl, Robert H.

2009-01-01

T HE MIGRATORY MOVEIvl.ENTS OF BATS have proven ex­ tremely difficult to determine. Despite extensive efforts during the past century to track the movements of bats across landscapes, efficient methods of following small- to medium-size volant animals <240 gl for extended periods (>8 weeks) over long distances (>100 km) have not been developed. Important questions about bat migration remain unanswered: Which bats migrate? Where do they go? How far do they move? How high and fast do they fly? What are their habitat needs during migration? How do bats orient and navigate during migration? Addressing these apparently simple questions will be a considerable challenge to anyone interested in advancing the study of bat migration. In this chapter, we present direct and indirect methods used to study bat migration as well as techniques that have worked for studying bird migration that could feasibly be adapted to the study of bats.

Setting Up a Simple Light Sheet Microscope for In Toto Imaging of C. elegans Development

PubMed Central

Bertrand, Vincent; Lenne, Pierre-François

2014-01-01

Fast and low phototoxic imaging techniques are pre-requisite to study the development of organisms in toto. Light sheet based microscopy reduces photo-bleaching and phototoxic effects compared to confocal microscopy, while providing 3D images with subcellular resolution. Here we present the setup of a light sheet based microscope, which is composed of an upright microscope and a small set of opto-mechanical elements for the generation of the light sheet. The protocol describes how to build, align the microscope and characterize the light sheet. In addition, it details how to implement the method for in toto imaging of C. elegans embryos using a simple observation chamber. The method allows the capture of 3D two-colors time-lapse movies over few hours of development. This should ease the tracking of cell shape, cell divisions and tagged proteins over long periods of time. PMID:24836407

Computational tools and lattice design for the PEP-II B-Factory

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

Cai, Y.; Irwin, J.; Nosochkov, Y.

1997-02-01

Several accelerator codes were used to design the PEP-II lattices, ranging from matrix-based codes, such as MAD and DIMAD, to symplectic-integrator codes, such as TRACY and DESPOT. In addition to element-by-element tracking, we constructed maps to determine aberration strengths. Furthermore, we have developed a fast and reliable method (nPB tracking) to track particles with a one-turn map. This new technique allows us to evaluate performance of the lattices on the entire tune-plane. Recently, we designed and implemented an object-oriented code in C++ called LEGO which integrates and expands upon TRACY and DESPOT. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

Computational tools and lattice design for the PEP-II B-Factory

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

Cai Yunhai; Irwin, John; Nosochkov, Yuri

1997-02-01

Several accelerator codes were used to design the PEP-II lattices, ranging from matrix-based codes, such as MAD and DIMAD, to symplectic-integrator codes, such as TRACY and DESPOT. In addition to element-by-element tracking, we constructed maps to determine aberration strengths. Furthermore, we have developed a fast and reliable method (nPB tracking) to track particles with a one-turn map. This new technique allows us to evaluate performance of the lattices on the entire tune-plane. Recently, we designed and implemented an object-oriented code in C++ called LEGO which integrates and expands upon TRACY and DESPOT.

Split exponential track length estimator for Monte-Carlo simulations of small-animal radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smekens, F.; Létang, J. M.; Noblet, C.; Chiavassa, S.; Delpon, G.; Freud, N.; Rit, S.; Sarrut, D.

2014-12-01

We propose the split exponential track length estimator (seTLE), a new kerma-based method combining the exponential variant of the TLE and a splitting strategy to speed up Monte Carlo (MC) dose computation for low energy photon beams. The splitting strategy is applied to both the primary and the secondary emitted photons, triggered by either the MC events generator for primaries or the photon interactions generator for secondaries. Split photons are replaced by virtual particles for fast dose calculation using the exponential TLE. Virtual particles are propagated by ray-tracing in voxelized volumes and by conventional MC navigation elsewhere. Hence, the contribution of volumes such as collimators, treatment couch and holding devices can be taken into account in the dose calculation. We evaluated and analysed the seTLE method for two realistic small animal radiotherapy treatment plans. The effect of the kerma approximation, i.e. the complete deactivation of electron transport, was investigated. The efficiency of seTLE against splitting multiplicities was also studied. A benchmark with analog MC and TLE was carried out in terms of dose convergence and efficiency. The results showed that the deactivation of electrons impacts the dose at the water/bone interface in high dose regions. The maximum and mean dose differences normalized to the dose at the isocenter were, respectively of 14% and 2% . Optimal splitting multiplicities were found to be around 300. In all situations, discrepancies in integral dose were below 0.5% and 99.8% of the voxels fulfilled a 1%/0.3 mm gamma index criterion. Efficiency gains of seTLE varied from 3.2 × 105 to 7.7 × 105 compared to analog MC and from 13 to 15 compared to conventional TLE. In conclusion, seTLE provides results similar to the TLE while increasing the efficiency by a factor between 13 and 15, which makes it particularly well-suited to typical small animal radiation therapy applications.

Fast, Capacious Disk Memory Device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muller, Ronald M.

1990-01-01

Device for recording digital data on, and playing back data from, memory disks has high recording or playback rate and utilizes available recording area more fully. Two disks, each with own reading/writing head, used to record data at same time. Head on disk A operates on one of tracks numbered from outside in; head on disk B operates on track of same number in sequence from inside out. Underlying concept of device applicable to magnetic or optical disks.

The use of integrated focal plane array technologies in laser microsatellite networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnon, Shlomi

2004-10-01

Clustering micro satellites in cooperative fly formation constellations leads to high-performance space systems. The only way to achieve high-speed communication between the satellites is by a laser beam with a narrow divergence angle. In order to make the communication successful three types of focal plane detector arrays are required in the communication terminal: acquisition, tracking and communication detector arrays. The acquisition detector array is used to acquire the neighbor satellite using a wide field-of-view telescope. The tracking detector provides fast, real time and accurate direction location of the neighbor satellite. Based on the information from the acquisition and tracking detectors the receiver and transmitter maintain line of sight. The development of large, fast and very sensitive focal plane detector arrays makes it possible to implement the acquisition, tracking and communication with only one focal plane detector array. By doing so it is possible to reduce dramatically the size, weight, and cost of the optics and electronics which leads to lightweight communication terminals. As a result, the satellites are smaller and lighter, which reduces the space mission cost and increases the booster efficiency. In this paper we will present an overview of the concept of integrated focal plane arrays for laser satellite communication. We also present simulation results based on real system parameters and compare different implementation options.

Using sutures to attach miniature tracking tags to small bats for multimonth movement and behavioral studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Castle, Kevin T.; Weller, Theodore J.; Cryan, Paul M.; Hein, Cris D.; Schirmacher, Michael R.

2015-01-01

1. Determining the detailed movements of individual animals often requires them to carry tracking devices, but tracking broad-scale movement of small bats (< 30g) has been limited by transmitter technology and long-term attachment methods. This limitation inhibits our understanding of bat dispersal and migration, particularly in the context of emerging conservation issues like fatalities at wind turbines and diseases. 2. We tested a novel method of attaching lightweight global positioning system (GPS) tags and geolocating data loggers to small bats. We used monofilament, synthetic, absorbable sutures to secure GPS tags and data loggers to the skin of anesthetized big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in Colorado and hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) in California. 3. GPS tags and data loggers were sutured to 17 bats in this study. Three tagged bats were recaptured seven months after initial deployment, with tags still attached; none of these bats showed ill effects from the tag. No severe injuries were apparent upon recapture of 6 additional bats that carried tags up to 26 days after attachment, however one of the bats exhibited skin chafing. 4. Use of absorbable sutures to affix small tracking devices seems to be a safe, effective method for studying movements of bats over multiple months, although additional testing is warranted. This new attachment method has the potential to quickly advance our understanding of small bats, particularly as more-sophisticated miniature tracking devices (e.g., satellite tags) become available.

Using sutures to attach miniature tracking tags to small bats for multimonth movement and behavioral studies.

PubMed

Castle, Kevin T; Weller, Theodore J; Cryan, Paul M; Hein, Cris D; Schirmacher, Michael R

2015-07-01

Determining the detailed movements of individual animals often requires them to carry tracking devices, but tracking broad-scale movement of small bats (<30 g) has been limited by transmitter technology and long-term attachment methods. This limitation inhibits our understanding of bat dispersal and migration, particularly in the context of emerging conservation issues such as fatalities at wind turbines and diseases. We tested a novel method of attaching lightweight global positioning system (GPS) tags and geolocating data loggers to small bats. We used monofilament, synthetic, absorbable sutures to secure GPS tags and data loggers to the skin of anesthetized big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in Colorado and hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) in California. GPS tags and data loggers were sutured to 17 bats in this study. Three tagged bats were recaptured 7 months after initial deployment, with tags still attached; none of these bats showed ill effects from the tag. No severe injuries were apparent upon recapture of 6 additional bats that carried tags up to 26 days after attachment; however, one of the bats exhibited skin chafing. Use of absorbable sutures to affix small tracking devices seems to be a safe, effective method for studying movements of bats over multiple months, although additional testing is warranted. This new attachment method has the potential to quickly advance our understanding of small bats, particularly as more sophisticated miniature tracking devices (e.g., satellite tags) become available.

A Fully Automated Supraglacial lake area and volume Tracking ("FAST") algorithm: development and application using MODIS imagery of West Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, Andrew; Arnold, Neil; Banwell, Alison; Willis, Ian

2017-04-01

Supraglacial lakes (SGLs) on the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) influence ice dynamics if draining rapidly by hydrofracture, which can occur in under 24 hours. MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data are often used to investigate SGLs, including calculating SGL area changes through time, but no existing work presents a method that tracks changes in individual (and total) SGL volume in MODIS imagery over a melt season. Here, we present such a method. First, we tested three automated approaches to derive SGL areas from MODIS imagery by comparing calculated areas for the Paakitsoq and Store Glacier regions in West Greenland with areas derived from Landsat-8 (LS8) images. Second, we applied a physically-based depth-calculation algorithm to the pixels within the SGL boundaries from the best performing method, and validated the resultant depths with those calculated using the same method applied to LS8 imagery. Our results indicated that SGL areas are most accurately generated using dynamic thresholding of MODIS band 1 (red) with a 0.640 threshold value. Calculated SGL area, depth and volume values from MODIS were closely comparable to those derived from LS8. The best performing area- and depth-detection methods were then incorporated into a Fully Automated SGL Tracking ("FAST") algorithm that tracks individual SGLs between successive MODIS images. It identified 43 (Paakitsoq) and 19 (Store Glacier) rapidly draining SGLs during 2014, representing 21% and 15% of the respective total SGL populations, including some clusters of rapidly draining SGLs. We found no relationship between the water volumes contained within these rapidly draining SGLs and the ice thicknesses beneath them, indicating that a critical water volume linearly related to ice thickness cannot explain the incidence of rapid drainage. The FAST algorithm, which we believe to be the most comprehensive SGL tracking algorithm developed to date, has the potential to investigate statistical relationships between SGL areas, volumes and drainage events over wide areas of the GrIS, and over multiple seasons. It could also allow further insights into factors that may trigger rapid SGL drainage.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION The Bel-Robinson tensor for topologically massive gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deser, S.; Franklin, J.

2011-02-01

We construct, and establish the (covariant) conservation of, a 4-index 'super stress tensor' for topologically massive gravity. Separately, we discuss its invalidity in quadratic curvature models and suggest a generalization.

1999 Florida Freight Stakeholders Task Force Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-11-01

The Florida Freight Stakeholders Task Force was organized in 1998 as a result of the Governor's Transportation Summit to address two principal objectives: (1) to identify, prioritize and recommend freight transportation projects for fast track fundin...

Just Add Water and Stir. Graduate Chemistry Laboratory, Stony Brook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yee, Roger

1974-01-01

Using traditional building materials and a fast-track recipe, the architects, acting as construction manager, completed the Graduate Chemistry Laboratory at Stony Brook, New York, two full years ahead of schedule. (Author/MF)

Small Orbital Stereo Tracking Camera Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryan, Tom; Macleod, Todd; Gagliano, Larry

2015-01-01

On-Orbit Small Debris Tracking and Characterization is a technical gap in the current National Space Situational Awareness necessary to safeguard orbital assets and crew. This poses a major risk of MOD damage to ISS and Exploration vehicles. In 2015 this technology was added to NASA's Office of Chief Technologist roadmap. For missions flying in or assembled in or staging from LEO, the physical threat to vehicle and crew is needed in order to properly design the proper level of MOD impact shielding and proper mission design restrictions. Need to verify debris flux and size population versus ground RADAR tracking. Use of ISS for In-Situ Orbital Debris Tracking development provides attitude, power, data and orbital access without a dedicated spacecraft or restricted operations on-board a host vehicle as a secondary payload. Sensor Applicable to in-situ measuring orbital debris in flux and population in other orbits or on other vehicles. Could enhance safety on and around ISS. Some technologies extensible to monitoring of extraterrestrial debris as well to help accomplish this, new technologies must be developed quickly. The Small Orbital Stereo Tracking Camera is one such up and coming technology. It consists of flying a pair of intensified megapixel telephoto cameras to evaluate Orbital Debris (OD) monitoring in proximity of International Space Station. It will demonstrate on-orbit optical tracking (in situ) of various sized objects versus ground RADAR tracking and small OD models. The cameras are based on Flight Proven Advanced Video Guidance Sensor pixel to spot algorithms (Orbital Express) and military targeting cameras. And by using twin cameras we can provide Stereo images for ranging & mission redundancy. When pointed into the orbital velocity vector (RAM), objects approaching or near the stereo camera set can be differentiated from the stars moving upward in background.

Small Orbital Stereo Tracking Camera Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryan, Tom; MacLeod, Todd; Gagliano, Larry

2016-01-01

On-Orbit Small Debris Tracking and Characterization is a technical gap in the current National Space Situational Awareness necessary to safeguard orbital assets and crew. This poses a major risk of MOD damage to ISS and Exploration vehicles. In 2015 this technology was added to NASA's Office of Chief Technologist roadmap. For missions flying in or assembled in or staging from LEO, the physical threat to vehicle and crew is needed in order to properly design the proper level of MOD impact shielding and proper mission design restrictions. Need to verify debris flux and size population versus ground RADAR tracking. Use of ISS for In-Situ Orbital Debris Tracking development provides attitude, power, data and orbital access without a dedicated spacecraft or restricted operations on-board a host vehicle as a secondary payload. Sensor Applicable to in-situ measuring orbital debris in flux and population in other orbits or on other vehicles. Could enhance safety on and around ISS. Some technologies extensible to monitoring of extraterrestrial debris as well To help accomplish this, new technologies must be developed quickly. The Small Orbital Stereo Tracking Camera is one such up and coming technology. It consists of flying a pair of intensified megapixel telephoto cameras to evaluate Orbital Debris (OD) monitoring in proximity of International Space Station. It will demonstrate on-orbit optical tracking (in situ) of various sized objects versus ground RADAR tracking and small OD models. The cameras are based on Flight Proven Advanced Video Guidance Sensor pixel to spot algorithms (Orbital Express) and military targeting cameras. And by using twin cameras we can provide Stereo images for ranging & mission redundancy. When pointed into the orbital velocity vector (RAM), objects approaching or near the stereo camera set can be differentiated from the stars moving upward in background.

Effects of a 5-HT(3) antagonist, ondansetron, on fasting and postprandial small bowel water content assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Marciani, L; Wright, J; Foley, S; Hoad, C L; Totman, J J; Bush, D; Hartley, C; Armstrong, A; Manby, P; Blackshaw, E; Perkins, A C; Gowland, P A; Spiller, R C

2010-09-01

5-HT(3) antagonists have been shown to be effective in relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D). Using a recently validated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method, we have demonstrated reduced fasting small bowel water content (SBWC) in IBS-D associated with accelerated small bowel transit. We hypothesized that slowing of transit with ondansetron would lead to an increase in SBWC by inhibiting fasting motility. To assess the effects of ondansetron compared with placebo in healthy volunteers on SBWC and motility in two different groups of subjects, one studied using MRI and another using manometry. Healthy volunteers were given either a placebo or ondansetron on the day prior to and on the study day. Sixteen volunteers underwent baseline fasting and postprandial MRI scans for 270 min. In a second study, a separate group of n = 18 volunteers were intubated and overnight migrating motor complex (MMC) recorded. Baseline MRI scans were carried out after the tube was removed. Fasting SBWC was markedly increased by ondansetron (P < 0.0007). Ondansetron reduced the overall antroduodenal Motility Index (P < 0.04). The subjects who were intubated had significantly lower fasting SBWC (P < 0.0002) compared with the group of subjects who were not intubated. The 5-HT(3) receptor antagonism increased fasting small bowel water. This was associated with reduced fasting antroduodenal Motility Index which may explain the clinical benefit of such drugs. 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Fast high resolution reconstruction in multi-slice and multi-view cMRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velasco Toledo, Nelson; Romero Castro, Eduardo

2015-01-01

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) is an useful tool in diagnosis, prognosis and research since it functionally tracks the heart structure. Although useful, this imaging technique is limited in spatial resolution because heart is a constant moving organ, also there are other non controled conditions such as patient movements and volumetric changes during apnea periods when data is acquired, those conditions limit the time to capture high quality information. This paper presents a very fast and simple strategy to reconstruct high resolution 3D images from a set of low resolution series of 2D images. The strategy is based on an information reallocation algorithm which uses the DICOM header to relocate voxel intensities in a regular grid. An interpolation method is applied to fill empty places with estimated data, the interpolation resamples the low resolution information to estimate the missing information. As a final step a gaussian filter that denoises the final result. A reconstructed image evaluation is performed using as a reference a super-resolution reconstructed image. The evaluation reveals that the method maintains the general heart structure with a small loss in detailed information (edge sharpening and blurring), some artifacts related with input information quality are detected. The proposed method requires low time and computational resources.

Space Acquisition Issues in 2013

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

weapon against one of their weather satellites. That test created more than 3,000 pieces of trackable debris along with thousands of pieces of de - bris...too small to track—objects that will threaten other satellites for de - cades, if not centuries, to come. The second event was in 2009 when a dead...more pieces too small to track. Even more trouble- some are the estimated hundreds of thousands of small pieces of de - bris we cannot track in space

Track Everything: Limiting Prior Knowledge in Online Multi-Object Recognition.

PubMed

Wong, Sebastien C; Stamatescu, Victor; Gatt, Adam; Kearney, David; Lee, Ivan; McDonnell, Mark D

2017-10-01

This paper addresses the problem of online tracking and classification of multiple objects in an image sequence. Our proposed solution is to first track all objects in the scene without relying on object-specific prior knowledge, which in other systems can take the form of hand-crafted features or user-based track initialization. We then classify the tracked objects with a fast-learning image classifier, that is based on a shallow convolutional neural network architecture and demonstrate that object recognition improves when this is combined with object state information from the tracking algorithm. We argue that by transferring the use of prior knowledge from the detection and tracking stages to the classification stage, we can design a robust, general purpose object recognition system with the ability to detect and track a variety of object types. We describe our biologically inspired implementation, which adaptively learns the shape and motion of tracked objects, and apply it to the Neovision2 Tower benchmark data set, which contains multiple object types. An experimental evaluation demonstrates that our approach is competitive with the state-of-the-art video object recognition systems that do make use of object-specific prior knowledge in detection and tracking, while providing additional practical advantages by virtue of its generality.

Dynamic grid refinement for partial differential equations on parallel computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccormick, S.; Quinlan, D.

1989-01-01

The fast adaptive composite grid method (FAC) is an algorithm that uses various levels of uniform grids to provide adaptive resolution and fast solution of PDEs. An asynchronous version of FAC, called AFAC, that completely eliminates the bottleneck to parallelism is presented. This paper describes the advantage that this algorithm has in adaptive refinement for moving singularities on multiprocessor computers. This work is applicable to the parallel solution of two- and three-dimensional shock tracking problems.

Simplified fast neutron dosimeter

DOEpatents

Sohrabi, Mehdi

1979-01-01

Direct fast-neutron-induced recoil and alpha particle tracks in polycarbonate films may be enlarged for direct visual observation and automated counting procedures employing electrochemical etching techniques. Electrochemical etching is, for example, carried out in a 28% KOH solution at room temperature by applying a 2000 V peak-to-peak voltage at 1 kHz frequency. Such recoil particle amplification can be used for the detection of wide neutron dose ranges from 1 mrad. to 1000 rads. or higher, if desired.

Borrowing yet another technique from manufacturing, investigators find that 'operational flexibility' can offer dividends to ED operations.

PubMed

2015-03-01

Through the use of a sophisticated modeling technique, investigators at the University of Cincinnati have found that the creation of a so-called "flex track" that includes beds that can be assigned to either high-acuity or Iow-acuity- patients has the potential to lower mean wait times for patients when it is i added to the traditional fast-track and high-acuity areas of a 50-bed ED that sees 85,000 patients per year. Investigators used discrete-event simulation to model the patient flow and characteristics of the ED at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and to test out various operational scenarios without disrupting real-world operations. The investigators concluded that patient wait times were lowest when three flex beds were appropriated from the 10-bed fast track area of the EDs. In light of the results, three flex rooms are being incorporated into a newly remodeled ED scheduled for completion laterthis spring. Investigators suggest the modeling technique could be useful to other EDs interested in optimizing their operational plans. Further, they suggest that ED administrators consider ways to introduce flexibility into departments that are now more rigidly divided between high- and low-acuity areas.

Sustainable High-Potential Career Development: A Resource-Based View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iles, Paul

1997-01-01

In the current economic climate, fast-track career models pose problems for individuals and organizations. An alternative model uses a resource-based view of the company and principles of sustainable development borrowed from environmentalism. (SK)

Fast tracking of wind speed with a differential absorption LiDAR system: first results of an experimental campaign at Stromboli volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parracino, Stefano; Santoro, Simone; Maio, Giovanni; Nuvoli, Marcello; Aiuppa, Alessandro; Fiorani, Luca

2017-04-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered a precursor gas of volcanic eruptions by volcanologists. Monitoring the anomalous release of this parameter, we can retrieve useful information for the mitigation of volcanic hazards, such as for air traffic security. From a dataset collected during the Stromboli volcano field campaign, an assessment of the wind speed, in both horizontal and vertical paths, performing a fast tracking of this parameter was retrieved. This was determined with a newly designed shot-per-shot differential absorption LiDAR system operated in the near-infrared spectral region due to the simultaneous reconstruction of CO2 concentrations and wind speeds, using the same sample of LiDAR returns. A correlation method was used for the wind speed retrieval in which the transport of the spatial inhomogeneities of the aerosol backscattering coefficient, along the optical path of the system, was analyzed.

Fast cine-magnetic resonance imaging point tracking for prostate cancer radiation therapy planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowling, J.; Dang, K.; Fox, Chris D.; Chandra, S.; Gill, Suki; Kron, T.; Pham, D.; Foroudi, F.

2014-03-01

The analysis of intra-fraction organ motion is important for improving the precision of radiation therapy treatment delivery. One method to quantify this motion is for one or more observers to manually identify anatomic points of interest (POIs) on each slice of a cine-MRI sequence. However this is labour intensive and inter- and intra- observer variation can introduce uncertainty. In this paper a fast method for non-rigid registration based point tracking in cine-MRI sagittal and coronal series is described which identifies POIs in 0.98 seconds per sagittal slice and 1.35 seconds per coronal slice. The manual and automatic points were highly correlated (r>0.99, p<0.001) for all organs and the difference generally less than 1mm. For prostate planning peristalsis and rectal gas can result in unpredictable out of plane motion, suggesting the results may require manual verification.

The value of materials R&D in the fast track development of fusion power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, D. J.; Taylor, N. P.; Cook, I.

2007-08-01

The objective of the international fusion program is the creation of power plants with attractive safety and environmental features and viable economics. There is a range of possible plants that can meet these objectives, as studied for instance in the recent EU studies of power plant concepts. All of the concepts satisfy safety and environmental objectives but the economic performance is interpreted differently in different world regions according to the perception of future energy markets. This leads to different materials performance targets and the direction and timescales of the materials development programme needed to meet those targets. In this paper, the implications for materials requirements of a fast track approach to fusion development are investigated. This includes a quantification of the overall benefits of more advanced materials: including the effect of trading off an extended development time against a reduced cost of electricity for resulting power plants.

Health Preemption Behind Closed Doors: Trade Agreements and Fast-Track Authority

PubMed Central

Crosbie, Eric; Gonzalez, Mariaelena

2014-01-01

Noncommunicable diseases result from consuming unhealthy products, including tobacco, which are promoted by transnational corporations. The tobacco industry uses preemption to block or reverse tobacco control policies. Preemption removes authority from jurisdictions where tobacco companies’ influence is weak and transfers it to jurisdictions where they have an advantage. International trade agreements relocate decisions about tobacco control policy to venues where there is little opportunity for public scrutiny, participation, and debate. Tobacco companies are using these agreements to preempt domestic authority over tobacco policy. Other transnational corporations that profit by promoting unhealthy foods could do the same. “Fast-track authority,” in which Congress cedes ongoing oversight authority to the President, further distances the public from the debate. With international agreements binding governments to prioritize trade over health, transparency and public oversight of the trade negotiation process is necessary to safeguard public health interests. PMID:25033124

Tracking weight change, insulin resistance, stress, and aerobic fitness over 4 years of college.

PubMed

Hopper, Mari K; Moninger, Shana Lynn

2017-01-01

To determine if weight gain is accompanied by development of insulin resistance (IR) during 4 years in college. Two cohorts of college students were enrolled in fall semesters 2009 and 2010 and tracked for 4 years. Following a 12-hour fast, subjects reported for measurement of body mass index (BMI), perceived stress (PSS), aerobic fitness, and blood glucose, insulin, and lipids. In the first year, 33% of subjects were overweight or obese, and 20% were hyperinsulinemic. Year 4 had 29 remaining subjects with disproportionate attrition of overweight and obese individuals. Just over half the subjects gained weight (WI), whereas nearly 30% lost considerable amounts (WD). WD showed significant decline in fasting insulin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and PSS from year 1. WI was primarily highly fit men who did not demonstrate increased IR. WI was not associated with IR over 4 years of college.

Potential Application of a Graphical Processing Unit to Parallel Computations in the NUBEAM Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Payne, J.; McCune, D.; Prater, R.

2010-11-01

NUBEAM is a comprehensive computational Monte Carlo based model for neutral beam injection (NBI) in tokamaks. NUBEAM computes NBI-relevant profiles in tokamak plasmas by tracking the deposition and the slowing of fast ions. At the core of NUBEAM are vector calculations used to track fast ions. These calculations have recently been parallelized to run on MPI clusters. However, cost and interlink bandwidth limit the ability to fully parallelize NUBEAM on an MPI cluster. Recent implementation of double precision capabilities for Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) presents a cost effective and high performance alternative or complement to MPI computation. Commercially available graphics cards can achieve up to 672 GFLOPS double precision and can handle hundreds of thousands of threads. The ability to execute at least one thread per particle simultaneously could significantly reduce the execution time and the statistical noise of NUBEAM. Progress on implementation on a GPU will be presented.

Health preemption behind closed doors: trade agreements and fast-track authority.

PubMed

Crosbie, Eric; Gonzalez, Mariaelena; Glantz, Stanton A

2014-09-01

Noncommunicable diseases result from consuming unhealthy products, including tobacco, which are promoted by transnational corporations. The tobacco industry uses preemption to block or reverse tobacco control policies. Preemption removes authority from jurisdictions where tobacco companies' influence is weak and transfers it to jurisdictions where they have an advantage. International trade agreements relocate decisions about tobacco control policy to venues where there is little opportunity for public scrutiny, participation, and debate. Tobacco companies are using these agreements to preempt domestic authority over tobacco policy. Other transnational corporations that profit by promoting unhealthy foods could do the same. "Fast-track authority," in which Congress cedes ongoing oversight authority to the President, further distances the public from the debate. With international agreements binding governments to prioritize trade over health, transparency and public oversight of the trade negotiation process is necessary to safeguard public health interests.

Electric eels use high-voltage to track fast-moving prey

PubMed Central

Catania, Kenneth C.

2015-01-01

Electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) are legendary for their ability to incapacitate fish, humans, and horses with hundreds of volts of electricity. The function of this output as a weapon has been obvious for centuries but its potential role for electroreception has been overlooked. Here it is shown that electric eels use high-voltage simultaneously as a weapon and for precise and rapid electrolocation of fast-moving prey and conductors. Their speed, accuracy, and high-frequency pulse rate are reminiscent of bats using a ‘terminal feeding buzz' to track insects. Eel's exhibit ‘sensory conflict' when mechanosensory and electrosensory cues are separated, striking first toward mechanosensory cues and later toward conductors. Strikes initiated in the absence of conductors are aborted. In addition to providing new insights into the evolution of strongly electric fish and showing electric eels to be far more sophisticated than previously described, these findings reveal a trait with markedly dichotomous functions. PMID:26485580

The design of a fast Level 1 Track trigger for the ATLAS High Luminosity Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller Allbrooke, Benedict Marc; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

The ATLAS experiment at the high-luminosity LHC will face a five-fold increase in the number of interactions per collision relative to the ongoing Run 2. This will require a proportional improvement in rejection power at the earliest levels of the detector trigger system, while preserving good signal efficiency, due to the increase in the likelihood of individual trigger thresholds being passed as a result of pile-up related activity. One critical aspect of this improvement will be the implementation of precise track reconstruction, through which sharper turn-on curves, b-tagging and tau-tagging techniques can in principle be implemented. The challenge of such a project comes in the development of a fast, precise custom electronic device integrated in the hardware-based first trigger level of the experiment, with repercussions propagating as far as the detector read-out philosophy.

Fasting protects mice from lethal DNA damage by promoting small intestinal epithelial stem cell survival.

PubMed

Tinkum, Kelsey L; Stemler, Kristina M; White, Lynn S; Loza, Andrew J; Jeter-Jones, Sabrina; Michalski, Basia M; Kuzmicki, Catherine; Pless, Robert; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus S; Piwnica-Worms, David; Piwnica-Worms, Helen

2015-12-22

Short-term fasting protects mice from lethal doses of chemotherapy through undetermined mechanisms. Herein, we demonstrate that fasting preserves small intestinal (SI) architecture by maintaining SI stem cell viability and SI barrier function following exposure to high-dose etoposide. Nearly all SI stem cells were lost in fed mice, whereas fasting promoted sufficient SI stem cell survival to preserve SI integrity after etoposide treatment. Lineage tracing demonstrated that multiple SI stem cell populations, marked by Lgr5, Bmi1, or HopX expression, contributed to fasting-induced survival. DNA repair and DNA damage response genes were elevated in SI stem/progenitor cells of fasted etoposide-treated mice, which importantly correlated with faster resolution of DNA double-strand breaks and less apoptosis. Thus, fasting preserved SI stem cell viability as well as SI architecture and barrier function suggesting that fasting may reduce host toxicity in patients undergoing dose intensive chemotherapy.

Development of a liver respiratory motion simulator to investigate magnetic tracking for abdominal interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cleary, Kevin R.; Banovac, Filip; Levy, Elliot; Tanaka, Daigo

2002-05-01

We have designed and constructed a liver respiratory motion simulator as a first step in demonstrating the feasibility of using a new magnetic tracking system to follow the movement of internal organs. The simulator consists of a dummy torso, a synthetic liver, a linear motion platform, a graphical user interface for image overlay, and a magnetic tracking system along with magnetically tracked instruments. While optical tracking systems are commonly used in commercial image-guided surgery systems for the brain and spine, they are limited to procedures in which a line of sight can be maintained between the tracking system and the instruments which are being tracked. Magnetic tracking systems have been proposed for image-guided surgery applications, but most currently available magnetically tracked sensors are too small to be embedded in the body. The magnetic tracking system employed here, the AURORA from Northern Digital, can use sensors as small as 0.9 mm in diameter by 8 mm in length. This makes it possible to embed these sensors in catheters and thin needles. The catheters can then be wedged in a vein in an internal organ of interest so that tracking the position of the catheter gives a good estimate of the position of the internal organ. Alternatively, a needle with an embedded sensor could be placed near the area of interest.

An Improved Perturb and Observe Algorithm for Photovoltaic Motion Carriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Lele; Xu, Wei; Li, Liming; Zheng, Shubin

2018-03-01

An improved perturbation and observation algorithm for photovoltaic motion carriers is proposed in this paper. The model of the proposed algorithm is given by using Lambert W function and tangent error method. Moreover, by using matlab and experiment of photovoltaic system, the tracking performance of the proposed algorithm is tested. And the results demonstrate that the improved algorithm has fast tracking speed and high efficiency. Furthermore, the energy conversion efficiency by the improved method has increased by nearly 8.2%.

Proportional plus integral MIMO controller for regulation and tracking with anti-wind-up features

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

Puleston, P.F.; Mantz, R.J.

1993-11-01

A proportional plus integral matrix control structure for MIMO systems is proposed. Based on a standard optimal control structure with integral action, it permits a greater degree of independence of the design and tuning of the regulating and tracking features, without considerably increasing the controller complexity. Fast recovery from load disturbances is achieved, while large overshoots associated with set-point changes and reset wind-up problems can be reduced. A simple effective procedure for practical tuning is introduced.

Human ethology: age and sex differences in mall walking.

PubMed

Hangland, A; Cimbalo, R S

1997-12-01

Well-controlled experimental research has examined the biomechanical aspects of walking in homo sapiens on a track. The research reported here also examined cadence, velocity, and stride length for estimated ages ranging from 15 to over 55 years but in a shopping mall. Women at all ages walked faster than men in the mall setting which was opposite to what was found in the track research. Apparently context may influence how fast people walk. Hunter-gatherer differences could explain these results.

Towards Kilo-Hertz 6-DoF Visual Tracking Using an Egocentric Cluster of Rolling Shutter Cameras.

PubMed

Bapat, Akash; Dunn, Enrique; Frahm, Jan-Michael

2016-11-01

To maintain a reliable registration of the virtual world with the real world, augmented reality (AR) applications require highly accurate, low-latency tracking of the device. In this paper, we propose a novel method for performing this fast 6-DOF head pose tracking using a cluster of rolling shutter cameras. The key idea is that a rolling shutter camera works by capturing the rows of an image in rapid succession, essentially acting as a high-frequency 1D image sensor. By integrating multiple rolling shutter cameras on the AR device, our tracker is able to perform 6-DOF markerless tracking in a static indoor environment with minimal latency. Compared to state-of-the-art tracking systems, this tracking approach performs at significantly higher frequency, and it works in generalized environments. To demonstrate the feasibility of our system, we present thorough evaluations on synthetically generated data with tracking frequencies reaching 56.7 kHz. We further validate the method's accuracy on real-world images collected from a prototype of our tracking system against ground truth data using standard commodity GoPro cameras capturing at 120 Hz frame rate.

Visual tracking using objectness-bounding box regression and correlation filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbelwa, Jimmy T.; Zhao, Qingjie; Lu, Yao; Wang, Fasheng; Mbise, Mercy

2018-03-01

Visual tracking is a fundamental problem in computer vision with extensive application domains in surveillance and intelligent systems. Recently, correlation filter-based tracking methods have shown a great achievement in terms of robustness, accuracy, and speed. However, such methods have a problem of dealing with fast motion (FM), motion blur (MB), illumination variation (IV), and drifting caused by occlusion (OCC). To solve this problem, a tracking method that integrates objectness-bounding box regression (O-BBR) model and a scheme based on kernelized correlation filter (KCF) is proposed. The scheme based on KCF is used to improve the tracking performance of FM and MB. For handling drift problem caused by OCC and IV, we propose objectness proposals trained in bounding box regression as prior knowledge to provide candidates and background suppression. Finally, scheme KCF as a base tracker and O-BBR are fused to obtain a state of a target object. Extensive experimental comparisons of the developed tracking method with other state-of-the-art trackers are performed on some of the challenging video sequences. Experimental comparison results show that our proposed tracking method outperforms other state-of-the-art tracking methods in terms of effectiveness, accuracy, and robustness.

Geometric estimation of intestinal contraction for motion tracking of video capsule endoscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, Liang; Bao, Guanqun; Pahlavan, Kaveh

2014-03-01

Wireless video capsule endoscope (VCE) provides a noninvasive method to examine the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract, especially small intestine, where other endoscopic instruments can barely reach. VCE is able to continuously provide clear pictures in short fixed intervals, and as such researchers have attempted to use image processing methods to track the video capsule in order to locate the abnormalities inside the GI tract. To correctly estimate the speed of the motion of the endoscope capsule, the radius of the intestinal track must be known a priori. Physiological factors such as intestinal contraction, however, dynamically change the radius of the small intestine, which could bring large errors in speed estimation. In this paper, we are aiming to estimate the radius of the contracted intestinal track. First a geometric model is presented for estimating the radius of small intestine based on the black hole on endoscopic images. To validate our proposed model, a 3-dimentional virtual testbed that emulates the intestinal contraction is then introduced in details. After measuring the size of the black holes on the test images, we used our model to esimate the radius of the contracted intestinal track. Comparision between analytical results and the emulation model parameters has verified that our proposed method could preciously estimate the radius of the contracted small intestine based on endoscopic images.

Characterization of fast deuterons involved in the production of fusion neutrons in a dense plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubes, P.; Paduch, M.; Sadowski, M. J.; Cikhardt, J.; Cikhardtova, B.; Klir, D.; Kravarik, J.; Munzar, V.; Rezac, K.; Zielinska, E.; Skladnik-Sadowska, E.; Szymaszek, A.; Tomaszewski, K.; Zaloga, D.

2018-01-01

This paper considers regions of a fast deuteron production in a correlation with an evolution of ordered structures inside a pinch column of a mega-ampere plasma focus discharge. Ion pinhole cameras equipped with plastic PM-355 track-detectors recorded fast deuterons escaping in the downstream and other directions (up to 60° to the z-axis). Time-integrated ion images made it possible to estimate sources of the deuteron acceleration at the known magnetic field and deuteron energy values. The images of the fast deuterons emitted in the solid angle ranging from 0° to 4° showed two forms: central spots and circular images. The spots of 1-2 cm in diameter were produced by deuterons from the central pinch regions. The circular-shaped images of a radius above 3 cm (or their parts) were formed by deuterons from the region surrounding the dense pinch column. The ion pinhole cameras placed at angles above 20° to the z-axis recorded the ion spots only, and the ring-images were missing. The central region of the deuteron acceleration could be associated mainly with plasmoids, and the circular images could be connected with ring-shaped regions of the radius corresponding to tops of the plasma lobules outside the dense pinch column. The deuteron tracks forming ring-shaped images of a smaller (0.5-1) cm radius could be produced by deflections of the fast deuterons, which were caused by a magnetic field inside the dense pinch column.

A magnetic tether system to investigate visual and olfactory mediated flight control in Drosophila.

PubMed

Duistermars, Brian J; Frye, Mark

2008-11-21

It has been clear for many years that insects use visual cues to stabilize their heading in a wind stream. Many animals track odors carried in the wind. As such, visual stabilization of upwind tracking directly aids in odor tracking. But do olfactory signals directly influence visual tracking behavior independently from wind cues? Also, the recent deluge of research on the neurophysiology and neurobehavioral genetics of olfaction in Drosophila has motivated ever more technically sophisticated and quantitative behavioral assays. Here, we modified a magnetic tether system originally devised for vision experiments by equipping the arena with narrow laminar flow odor plumes. A fly is glued to a small steel pin and suspended in a magnetic field that enables it to yaw freely. Small diameter food odor plumes are directed downward over the fly's head, eliciting stable tracking by a hungry fly. Here we focus on the critical mechanics of tethering, aligning the magnets, devising the odor plume, and confirming stable odor tracking.

On the calibration and use of Dual Electron Sensors for NASA's Magnetospheric MultiScale mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avanov, L. A.; Gliese, U.; Pollock, C. J.; Barrie, A.; Mariano, A. J.; Tucker, C. J.; Jacques, A. D.; Zeuch, M.; Shields, N.; Christian, K. D.

2013-12-01

The scientific target of NASA's Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission is to study the fundamentally important phenomenon of magnetic reconnection. Theoretical models of this process predict a small (order of ten kilometers) size for the diffusion region where electrons are demagnetized at the dayside magnetopause. Yet, the region may typically sweep over the spacecraft at relatively high speeds of 50km/s. That is why Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) instrument suite must have extremely high time resolution for measurements of the 3D particle distribution functions. The Dual Electron Spectrometers (DESs) provide fast (30ms) 3D electron velocity distributions, from 10eV to 30,000 eV, as part of the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on NASA's Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission. This is accomplished by combining the measurements from eight different spectrometers (packaged in four dual sets) on each MMS spacecraft to produce each full distribution. This approach presents a new and challenging aspect to the calibration and operation of these instruments. The response uniformity among the spectrometer set, the consistency and reliability of their calibration in both sensitivity and their phase space selectivity (energy and angle), and the approach to handling any temporal evolution of these calibrated characteristics all assume enhanced importance in this application. In this paper, we will present brief descriptions of the spectrometers and our approach their ground calibration, trended results of those calibrations, and our plans to detect, track, and respond to any temporal evolution in instrument performance through the life of the mission.

Fast-track bariatric surgery improves perioperative care and logistics compared to conventional care.

PubMed

Dogan, Kemal; Kraaij, Linda; Aarts, Edo O; Koehestanie, Parweez; Hammink, Edwin; van Laarhoven, Cees J H M; Aufenacker, Theo J; Janssen, Ignace M C; Berends, Frits J

2015-01-01

Due to the increased incidence of morbid obesity, the demand for bariatric surgery is increasing. Therefore, the methods for optimising perioperative care for the improvement of surgical outcome and to increase efficacy are necessary. The aim of this prospective matched cohort study is to objectify the effect of the fast-track surgery (FTS) programme in patients undergoing primary Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB) surgery compared to conventional perioperative care (CPC). This study compared the perioperative outcome data of two groups of 75 consecutive morbid obese patients who underwent a primary LRYGB according to international guidelines in the periods January 2011-April 2011 (CPC group) and April 2012-June 2012 (FTS group). The two groups were matched for age and sex. Primary endpoints were surgery and hospitalisation time, while secondary endpoints were intraoperative medication use and complication rates. Baseline patient characteristics for age, sex, weight and ASA classification were similar (p > 0.05) for CPC and FTS patients. BMI and waist circumference were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the FTS compared to CPC. The total time from arrival at the operating room to the arrival at the recovery was reduced from 119 to 82 min (p < 0.001). Surgery time was reduced from 80 to 56 min (p < 0.001); mean hospital stay was reduced from 65 to 43 h (p < 0.001). Major complications occurred in 3 versus 4 % in the FTS and CPC, respectively. The introduction of a fast-track programme after primary LRYGB improves short-term recovery and may reduces direct hospital-related resources.

Health-related quality of life and postoperative recovery in fast-track hysterectomy.

PubMed

Wodlin, Ninnie Borendal; Nilsson, Lena; Kjølhede, Preben

2011-04-01

To determine whether health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and postoperative recovery of women who undergo abdominal hysterectomy in a fast-track program under general anesthesia (GA) differ from women who receive spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine (SA). Secondary analysis from an open randomized controlled multicenter study. Five hospitals in south-east Sweden. One hundred and eighty women admitted for abdominal hysterectomy for benign disease were randomized; 162 completed the study, 80 with GA and 82 with SA. The HRQoL was measured preoperatively using the EuroQoL EQ-5D and the Short-Form-36 health survey (SF-36) questionnaires. The EQ-5D was used daily for 1 week; thereafter, once weekly for 4 weeks and again 6 months after operation. The SF-36 was completed at 5 weeks and 6 months. Dates of commencing and ending sick leave were registered. Changes in HRQoL; duration of sick leave. The HRQoL improved significantly faster in women after SA than after GA. Sick leave was significantly shorter after SA than after GA (median 22.5 vs. 28 days). Recovery of HRQoL and duration of sick leave were negatively influenced by postoperative complications. In particular, the mental component of HRQoL was negatively affected by minor complications, even 6 months after the operation. Spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine provided substantial advantages in fast-track abdominal hysterectomy for benign gynecological disorders by providing faster recovery and shorter sick leave compared with general anesthesia. © 2011 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2011 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Fast track vaginal surgery.

PubMed

Ottesen, Marianne; Sørensen, Mette; Rasmussen, Yvonne; Smidt-Jensen, Steen; Kehlet, Henrik; Ottesen, Bent

2002-02-01

Our aim was to describe the need for postoperative hospitalization after vaginal surgery for utero-vaginal prolapse with well-defined charts for postoperative care. A prospective, descriptive study. Consecutive women admitted for first-time vaginal surgery for utero-vaginal prolapse at a public university hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, underwent surgery and postoperative care in a fast track setting from September 15, 1999 to June 15 2000. A multimodal rehabilitation model with emphasis on information, standardized general anesthesia, reduced surgical distress, optimized pain-relief, early oral nutrition and ambulation, minimal use of indwelling catheter and vaginal packing. Postoperative hospital stay, complications, re-admission, success rate, patients' satisfaction and acceptability. Forty-one women with a median age of 69 years (range, 44-88 years) were included. All underwent anterior and/or posterior vaginal repair. Nineteen (46.3%) underwent vaginal hysterectomy, and eight (19.5%) underwent the Manchester procedure. Postoperative hospital stay was median 24 hr. Only three (7.3%) were discharged later than 48 hr. No re-admissions occurred. The most frequent complications were urinary retention exceeding 450 ml, and urinary tract infection (12.2%, and 9.8%, respectively). Short-term success rate was 97.6%. Patients' satisfaction rates were 85.4-95.1%. The median score of acceptability was 10 on a 0-10 points scale. The need for postoperative hospitalization was median 24 hr after vaginal surgery in a fast track setting, independently of the complexity of the procedure performed. Short-term success rate, satisfaction rates, and acceptability were all excellent. Follow up has been established to evaluate long-term success rates and recurrence.

Fast-track surgery concepts for congenital urogenital anomalies.

PubMed

Bizic, Marta R; Majstorovic, Marko J; Vukadinovic, Vojkan; Korac, Gradimir; Krstic, Zoran; Radojicic, Zoran; Ducic, Sinisa; Djordjevic, Miroslav L

2013-01-01

To investigate the possibility of fast-track surgery concepts in pediatric urology department as a single center study model of a developing country. The study included 1620 patients surgically treated at the pediatric urology department, from 2009 to 2011. According to the congenital anomalies, all patients were classified in one of four groups: I - testicular anomalies (197 patients); II - external genital anomalies (453); III - upper urinary tract anomalies (801) and IV - associated anomalies (169). We analyzed the total duration of stay in the hospital of all patients among all treating doctors concerning the anomaly. Statistically significant difference in total length of hospitalization of all patients in Group I was noted in Doctors 1 and 5 (F=10.36** for F0.05;5;12=3.11 and F0.01;5;12=5.06), as well as in the Group II (F=17.01** for F0.05;5;12=3.11 and F0.01;5;12=5.06). Statistical analysis was not possible to be performed in groups III and IV because of lack of the patients. Analyzing the length of hospitalization of the patients treated at the urology department, all doctors showed the tendency to shorten the total length of hospitalization in patients of all groups. Majority of the studies carried out on pediatric urology departments in developed countries, showed that over 50% of children were successfully treated using fast-track surgery concept. Modern methods of surgical management and anesthesia allow decrease of hospitalization length, financial savings to the healthcare system and better comfort for patients.

Track reconstruction in the emulsion-lead target of the OPERA experiment using the ESS microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrabito, L.; Bozza, C.; Buontempo, S.; Consiglio, L.; Cozzi, M.; D'Ambrosio, N.; DeLellis, G.; DeSerio, M.; Di Capua, F.; Di Ferdinando, D.; Di Marco, N.; Ereditato, A.; Esposito, L. S.; Fini, R. A.; Giacomelli, G.; Giorgini, M.; Grella, G.; Ieva, M.; Janicsko Csathy, J.; Juget, F.; Kreslo, I.; Laktineh, I.; Manai, K.; Mandrioli, G.; Marotta, A.; Migliozzi, P.; Monacelli, P.; Moser, U.; Muciaccia, M. T.; Pastore, A.; Patrizii, L.; Petukhov, Y.; Pistillo, C.; Pozzato, M.; Romano, G.; Rosa, G.; Russo, A.; Savvinov, N.; Schembri, A.; Scotto Lavina, L.; Simone, S.; Sioli, M.; Sirignano, C.; Sirri, G.; Strolin, P.; Tioukov, V.; Waelchli, T.

2007-05-01

The OPERA experiment, designed to conclusively prove the existence of νμ→ντ oscillations in the atmospheric sector, makes use of a massive lead-nuclear emulsion target to observe the appearance of ντ's in the CNGS νμ beam. The location and analysis of the neutrino interactions in quasi real-time required the development of fast computer-controlled microscopes able to reconstruct particle tracks with sub-micron precision and high efficiency at a speed of ~20 cm2/h. This paper describes the performance in particle track reconstruction of the European Scanning System, a novel automatic microscope for the measurement of emulsion films developed for OPERA.

Joint compensation scheme of polarization crosstalk, intersymbol interference, frequency offset, and phase noise based on cascaded Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qun; Yang, Yanfu; Xiang, Qian; Zhou, Zhongqing; Yao, Yong

2018-02-01

A joint compensation scheme based on cascaded Kalman filter is proposed, which can implement polarization tracking, channel equalization, frequency offset, and phase noise compensation simultaneously. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can not only compensate multiple channel impairments simultaneously but also improve the polarization tracking capacity and accelerate the convergence speed. The scheme has up to eight times faster convergence speed compared with radius-directed equalizer (RDE) + Max-FFT (maximum fast Fourier transform) + BPS (blind phase search) and can track up polarization rotation 60 times and 15 times faster than that of RDE + Max-FFT + BPS and CMMA (cascaded multimodulus algorithm) + Max-FFT + BPS, respectively.

Novel technique for tracking manpower and work packages: a useful tool for the team and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gill, R.; Gracia, G.; Lupton, R. H.; O'Mullane, W.

2014-08-01

In these times of austerity it is becoming more and more important to justify the need for manpower to management. Additionally, with the fast pace of today's projects the need for tools that facilitate teams to not only plan, but also track their work, are essential. The practice of planning work packages and the associated manpower has been about for a while but little is done to really cross-check that planning against reality. In this paper these elements are brought together through a number of tools that make up the end to end process of planning, tracking and reporting of work package progress and manpower usage.

76 FR 70225 - Advisory Council to the Internal Revenue Service; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-10

... hereby given pursuant to section 10(a) (2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988), a..., Empower Exam Managers as an Alternative to SBSE Fast Track Settlement Program, Enhance Worker...

Fast-Track Building.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Thomas G.

2002-01-01

Describes Clark County, Nevada's use of prototype school designs to respond to its rapidly growing school population. The purpose of the prototypes is to simplify designs so that schools can be built quickly and minimize the time and expense that comes with variations. (EV)

40 CFR 273.19 - Tracking universal waste shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Tracking universal waste shipments. 273.19 Section 273.19 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID... Universal Waste § 273.19 Tracking universal waste shipments. A small quantity handler of universal waste is...

Radar Detection of Marine Mammals

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

BFT-BPT algorithm for use with our radar data. This track - before - detect algorithm had been effective in enhancing small but persistent signatures in...will be possible with the detect before track algorithm. 4 We next evaluated the track before detect algorithm, the BFT-BPT, on the CEDAR data

Terminal Sliding Mode Tracking Controller Design for Automatic Guided Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongbin

2018-03-01

Based on sliding mode variable structure control theory, the path tracking problem of automatic guided vehicle is studied, proposed a controller design method based on the terminal sliding mode. First of all, through analyzing the characteristics of the automatic guided vehicle movement, the kinematics model is presented. Then to improve the traditional expression of terminal sliding mode, design a nonlinear sliding mode which the convergence speed is faster than the former, verified by theoretical analysis, the design of sliding mode is steady and fast convergence in the limited time. Finally combining Lyapunov method to design the tracking control law of automatic guided vehicle, the controller can make the automatic guided vehicle track the desired trajectory in the global sense as well as in finite time. The simulation results verify the correctness and effectiveness of the control law.

A Real-Time Localization System for an Endoscopic Capsule Using Magnetic Sensors †

PubMed Central

Pham, Duc Minh; Aziz, Syed Mahfuzul

2014-01-01

Magnetic sensing technology offers an attractive alternative for in vivo tracking with much better performance than RF and ultrasound technologies. In this paper, an efficient in vivo magnetic tracking system is presented. The proposed system is intended to localize an endoscopic capsule which delivers biomarkers around specific locations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. For efficiently localizing a magnetic marker inside the capsule, a mathematical model has been developed for the magnetic field around a cylindrical magnet and used with a localization algorithm that provides minimum error and fast computation. The proposed tracking system has much reduced complexity compared to the ones reported in the literature to date. Laboratory tests and in vivo animal trials have demonstrated the suitability of the proposed system for tracking a magnetic marker with expected accuracy. PMID:25379813

High-performance two-axis gimbal system for free space laser communications onboard unmanned aircraft systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locke, Michael; Czarnomski, Mariusz; Qadir, Ashraf; Setness, Brock; Baer, Nicolai; Meyer, Jennifer; Semke, William H.

2011-03-01

A custom designed and manufactured gimbal with a wide field-of-view and fast response time is developed. This enhanced custom design is a 24 volt system with integrated motor controllers and drivers which offers a full 180o fieldof- view in both azimuth and elevation; this provides a more continuous tracking capability as well as increased velocities of up to 479° per second. The addition of active high-frequency vibration control, to complement the passive vibration isolation system, is also in development. The ultimate goal of this research is to achieve affordable, reliable, and secure air-to-air laser communications between two separate remotely piloted aircraft. As a proof-of-concept, the practical implementation of an air-to-ground laserbased video communications payload system flown by a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will be demonstrated. A numerical tracking algorithm has been written, tested, and used to aim the airborne laser transmitter at a stationary ground-based receiver with known GPS coordinates; however, further refinement of the tracking capabilities is dependent on an improved gimbal design for precision pointing of the airborne laser transmitter. The current gimbal pointing system is a two-axis, commercial-off-the-shelf component, which is limited in both range and velocity. The current design is capable of 360o of pan and 78o of tilt at a velocity of 60o per second. The control algorithm used for aiming the gimbal is executed on a PC-104 format embedded computer onboard the payload to accurately track a stationary ground-based receiver. This algorithm autonomously calculates a line-of-sight vector in real-time by using the UAV autopilot's Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) which provides latitude, longitude, and altitude and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which provides the roll, pitch, and yaw data, along with the known Global Positioning System (GPS) location of the ground-based photodiode array receiver.

Optimization of cell morphology measurement via single-molecule tracking PALM.

PubMed

Frost, Nicholas A; Lu, Hsiangmin E; Blanpied, Thomas A

2012-01-01

In neurons, the shape of dendritic spines relates to synapse function, which is rapidly altered during experience-dependent neural plasticity. The small size of spines makes detailed measurement of their morphology in living cells best suited to super-resolution imaging techniques. The distribution of molecular positions mapped via live-cell Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) is a powerful approach, but molecular motion complicates this analysis and can degrade overall resolution of the morphological reconstruction. Nevertheless, the motion is of additional interest because tracking single molecules provides diffusion coefficients, bound fraction, and other key functional parameters. We used Monte Carlo simulations to examine features of single-molecule tracking of practical utility for the simultaneous determination of cell morphology. We find that the accuracy of determining both distance and angle of motion depend heavily on the precision with which molecules are localized. Strikingly, diffusion within a bounded region resulted in an inward bias of localizations away from the edges, inaccurately reflecting the region structure. This inward bias additionally resulted in a counterintuitive reduction of measured diffusion coefficient for fast-moving molecules; this effect was accentuated by the long camera exposures typically used in single-molecule tracking. Thus, accurate determination of cell morphology from rapidly moving molecules requires the use of short integration times within each image to minimize artifacts caused by motion during image acquisition. Sequential imaging of neuronal processes using excitation pulses of either 2 ms or 10 ms within imaging frames confirmed this: processes appeared erroneously thinner when imaged using the longer excitation pulse. Using this pulsed excitation approach, we show that PALM can be used to image spine and spine neck morphology in living neurons. These results clarify a number of issues involved in interpretation of single-molecule data in living cells and provide a method to minimize artifacts in single-molecule experiments.

Miniature wireless recording and stimulation system for rodent behavioural testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinnell, R. C.; Dempster, J.; Pratt, J.

2015-12-01

Objective. Elucidation of neural activity underpinning rodent behaviour has traditionally been hampered by the use of tethered systems and human involvement. Furthermore the combination of deep-brain stimulation (DBS) and various neural recording modalities can lead to complex and time-consuming laboratory setups. For studies of this type, novel tools are required to drive forward this research. Approach. A miniature wireless system weighing 8.5 g (including battery) was developed for rodent use that combined multichannel DBS and local-field potential (LFP) recordings. Its performance was verified in a working memory task that involved 4-channel fronto-hippocampal LFP recording and bilateral constant-current fimbria-fornix DBS. The system was synchronised with video-tracking for extraction of LFP at discrete task phases, and DBS was activated intermittently at discrete phases of the task. Main results. In addition to having a fast set-up time, the system could reliably transmit continuous LFP at over 8 hours across 3-5 m distances. During the working memory task, LFP pertaining to discrete task phases was extracted and compared with well-known neural correlates of active exploratory behaviour in rodents. DBS could be wirelessly activated/deactivated at any part of the experiment during EEG recording and transmission, allowing for a seamless integration of this modality. Significance. The wireless system combines a small size with a level of robustness and versatility that can greatly simplify rodent behavioural experiments involving EEG recording and DBS. Designed for versatility and simplicity, the small size and low-cost of the system and its receiver allow for enhanced portability, fast experimental setup times, and pave the way for integration with more complex behaviour.

IslandFAST: A Semi-numerical Tool for Simulating the Late Epoch of Reionization

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

Xu, Yidong; Chen, Xuelei; Yue, Bin

2017-08-01

We present the algorithm and main results of our semi-numerical simulation, islandFAST, which was developed from 21cmFAST and designed for the late stage of reionization. The islandFAST simulation predicts the evolution and size distribution of the large-scale underdense neutral regions (neutral islands), and we find that the late Epoch of Reionization proceeds very fast, showing a characteristic scale of the neutral islands at each redshift. Using islandFAST, we compare the impact of two types of absorption systems, i.e., the large-scale underdense neutral islands versus small-scale overdense absorbers, in regulating the reionization process. The neutral islands dominate the morphology of themore » ionization field, while the small-scale absorbers dominate the mean-free path of ionizing photons, and also delay and prolong the reionization process. With our semi-numerical simulation, the evolution of the ionizing background can be derived self-consistently given a model for the small absorbers. The hydrogen ionization rate of the ionizing background is reduced by an order of magnitude in the presence of dense absorbers.« less

Note: Fast neutron efficiency in CR-39 nuclear track detectors

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

Cavallaro, S.

2015-03-15

CR-39 samples are commonly employed for fast neutron detection in fusion reactors and in inertial confinement fusion experiments. The literature reported efficiencies are strongly depending on experimental conditions and, in some cases, highly dispersed. The present note analyses the dependence of efficiency as a function of various parameters and experimental conditions in both the radiator-assisted and the stand-alone CR-39 configurations. Comparisons of literature experimental data with Monte Carlo calculations and optimized efficiency values are shown and discussed.

Large Area Field of View for Fast Temporal Resolution Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covarrubias, Ricardo A.

2018-01-01

Scientific CMOS (sCMOS) technology is especially relevant for high temporal resolution astronomy combining high resolution, large field of view with very fast frame rates, without sacrificing ultra-low noise performance. Solar Astronomy, Near Earth Object detections, Space Debris Tracking, Transient Observations or Wavefront Sensing are among the many applications this technology can be utilized. Andor Technology is currently developing the next-generation, very large area sCMOS camera with an extremely low noise, rapid frame rates, high resolution and wide dynamic range.

Maneuver Planning for Conjunction Risk Mitigation with Ground-track Control Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKinley, David

2008-01-01

The planning of conjunction Risk Mitigation Maneuvers (RMM) in the presence of ground-track control requirements is analyzed. Past RMM planning efforts on the Aqua, Aura, and Terra spacecraft have demonstrated that only small maneuvers are available when ground-track control requirements are maintained. Assuming small maneuvers, analytical expressions for the effect of a given maneuver on conjunction geometry are derived. The analytical expressions are used to generate a large trade space for initial RMM design. This trade space represents a significant improvement in initial maneuver planning over existing methods that employ high fidelity maneuver models and propagation.

Do steady fast magnetic dynamos exist?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finn, John M.; Ott, Edward; Hanson, James D.; Kan, Ittai

1989-01-01

This paper considers the question of the existense of a steady fast kinematic magnetic dynamo for a conducting fluid with a steady velocity field and vanishingly small electrical resistivity. The analysis of examples of steady dynamos, found by considering the zero-resistivity dynamics, indicated that, for sufficiently small resistivity, dynamo action can indeed occur in steady smooth three-dimensional chaotic fluid flows and that fast dynamos should consequently be a typical occurrence for such flows.

Teaching braille line tracking using stimulus fading.

PubMed

Scheithauer, Mindy C; Tiger, Jeffrey H

2014-01-01

Line tracking is a prerequisite skill for braille literacy that involves moving one's finger horizontally across a line of braille text and identifying when a line ends so the reader may reset his or her finger on the subsequent line. Current procedures for teaching line tracking are incomplete, because they focus on tracking lines with only small gaps between characters. The current study extended previous line-tracking instruction using stimulus fading to teach tracking across larger gaps. After instruction, all participants showed improvement in line tracking, and 2 of 3 participants met mastery criteria for tracking across extended spaces. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Can Telescopes Help Leo Satellites Dodge Most Lethal Impacts?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

GUDIEL, ANDREA; Carroll, Joseph; Rowe, David

2018-01-01

Authors: Joseph Carroll and David RoweABSTRACT LEO objects are tracked by radar because it works day and night, in all weather. This fits military interest in potentially hostile objects. There is less interest in objects too small to be credible active threats. But accidental hypervelocity impact by even 5-10 mm objects can disable most LEO satellites. Such “cm-class” objects greatly outnumber objects of military interest, and will cause most accidental impact losses.Under good viewing conditions, a sunlit 5mm sphere with 0.15 albedo at 800 km altitude is a 19th magnitude object. A ground-based 0.5m telescope tracking it against a 20 mag/arcsec2 sky can see it in seconds, and provide <1 arc-second alt/az fixes against the stars. A key question is how much of the “usually lethal” LEO debris population can be tracked frequently, accurately, and affordably enough to be avoided. The value of a conjunction warning service should scale with the number of lethal objects in its catalog. This should motivate a commercial service to find and catalog most lethal objects. There may already be >1 million such objects in LEO, nearly all debris fragments, mostly cm-class and at 600-1200 km altitude.Maintaining a ~million-item catalog requires a world-wide network of several dozen telescope sites with several telescopes at each site. Each telescope needs a mount capable of ~1,000,000 fast slews/year without wearing out.The paper discusses recent advances that make such a service far more feasible:1. Automated tasking and remote control of distributed telescope networks,2. Direct-drive mounts that can make millions of fast slews without wearing out,3. Telescope optics with low focal curvature that are in focus across large imagers,4. CMOS imagers with 95% peak QE and 1.5e- noise at 2E8 pix/sec readout rates,5. Methods for uncued detection of most lethal LEO debris (eg., >5 mm at 800 km),6. Initial orbit determination using 3 alt-az fixes made during the discovery pass,7. High-speed photometry to infer debris spin axis, to predict drag area changes,8. Better conjunction predictions using explicit modeling of drag area variations.

Robust visual object tracking with interleaved segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, Peter; Kieritz, Hilke; Becker, Stefan; Arens, Michael

2017-10-01

In this paper we present a new approach for tracking non-rigid, deformable objects by means of merging an on-line boosting-based tracker and a fast foreground background segmentation. We extend an on-line boosting- based tracker, which uses axes-aligned bounding boxes with fixed aspect-ratio as tracking states. By constructing a confidence map from the on-line boosting-based tracker and unifying this map with a confidence map, which is obtained from a foreground background segmentation algorithm, we build a superior confidence map. For constructing a rough confidence map of a new frame based on on-line boosting, we employ the responses of the strong classifier as well as the single weak classifier responses that were built before during the updating step. This confidence map provides a rough estimation of the object's position and dimension. In order to refine this confidence map, we build a fine, pixel-wisely segmented confidence map and merge both maps together. Our segmentation method is color-histogram-based and provides a fine and fast image segmentation. By means of back-projection and the Bayes' rule, we obtain a confidence value for every pixel. The rough and the fine confidence maps are merged together by building an adaptively weighted sum of both maps. The weights are obtained by utilizing the variances of both confidence maps. Further, we apply morphological operators in the merged confidence map in order to reduce the noise. In the resulting map we estimate the object localization and dimension via continuous adaptive mean shift. Our approach provides a rotated rectangle as tracking states, which enables a more precise description of non-rigid, deformable objects than axes-aligned bounding boxes. We evaluate our tracker on the visual object tracking (VOT) benchmark dataset 2016.

A hidden Markov model for reconstructing animal paths from solar geolocation loggers using templates for light intensity.

PubMed

Rakhimberdiev, Eldar; Winkler, David W; Bridge, Eli; Seavy, Nathaniel E; Sheldon, Daniel; Piersma, Theunis; Saveliev, Anatoly

2015-01-01

Solar archival tags (henceforth called geolocators) are tracking devices deployed on animals to reconstruct their long-distance movements on the basis of locations inferred post hoc with reference to the geographical and seasonal variations in the timing and speeds of sunrise and sunset. The increased use of geolocators has created a need for analytical tools to produce accurate and objective estimates of migration routes that are explicit in their uncertainty about the position estimates. We developed a hidden Markov chain model for the analysis of geolocator data. This model estimates tracks for animals with complex migratory behaviour by combining: (1) a shading-insensitive, template-fit physical model, (2) an uncorrelated random walk movement model that includes migratory and sedentary behavioural states, and (3) spatially explicit behavioural masks. The model is implemented in a specially developed open source R package FLightR. We used the particle filter (PF) algorithm to provide relatively fast model posterior computation. We illustrate our modelling approach with analysis of simulated data for stationary tags and of real tracks of both a tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor migrating along the east and a golden-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla migrating along the west coast of North America. We provide a model that increases accuracy in analyses of noisy data and movements of animals with complicated migration behaviour. It provides posterior distributions for the positions of animals, their behavioural states (e.g., migrating or sedentary), and distance and direction of movement. Our approach allows biologists to estimate locations of animals with complex migratory behaviour based on raw light data. This model advances the current methods for estimating migration tracks from solar geolocation, and will benefit a fast-growing number of tracking studies with this technology.

Tracking single particle rotation: Probing dynamics in four dimensions

DOE PAGES

Anthony, Stephen Michael; Yu, Yan

2015-04-29

Direct visualization and tracking of small particles at high spatial and temporal resolution provides a powerful approach to probing complex dynamics and interactions in chemical and biological processes. Analysis of the rotational dynamics of particles adds a new dimension of information that is otherwise impossible to obtain with conventional 3-D particle tracking. In this review, we survey recent advances in single-particle rotational tracking, with highlights on the rotational tracking of optically anisotropic Janus particles. Furthermore, strengths and weaknesses of the various particle tracking methods, and their applications are discussed.

Composition dependent thermal annealing behaviour of ion tracks in apatite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadzri, A.; Schauries, D.; Mota-Santiago, P.; Muradoglu, S.; Trautmann, C.; Gleadow, A. J. W.; Hawley, A.; Kluth, P.

2016-07-01

Natural apatite samples with different F/Cl content from a variety of geological locations (Durango, Mexico; Mud Tank, Australia; and Snarum, Norway) were irradiated with swift heavy ions to simulate fission tracks. The annealing kinetics of the resulting ion tracks was investigated using synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) combined with ex situ annealing. The activation energies for track recrystallization were extracted and consistent with previous studies using track-etching, tracks in the chlorine-rich Snarum apatite are more resistant to annealing than in the other compositions.

Fast-Acquisition/Weak-Signal-Tracking GPS Receiver for HEO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintemitz, Luke; Boegner, Greg; Sirotzky, Steve

2004-01-01

A report discusses the technical background and design of the Navigator Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver -- . a radiation-hardened receiver intended for use aboard spacecraft. Navigator is capable of weak signal acquisition and tracking as well as much faster acquisition of strong or weak signals with no a priori knowledge or external aiding. Weak-signal acquisition and tracking enables GPS use in high Earth orbits (HEO), and fast acquisition allows for the receiver to remain without power until needed in any orbit. Signal acquisition and signal tracking are, respectively, the processes of finding and demodulating a signal. Acquisition is the more computationally difficult process. Previous GPS receivers employ the method of sequentially searching the two-dimensional signal parameter space (code phase and Doppler). Navigator exploits properties of the Fourier transform in a massively parallel search for the GPS signal. This method results in far faster acquisition times [in the lab, 12 GPS satellites have been acquired with no a priori knowledge in a Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) scenario in less than one second]. Modeling has shown that Navigator will be capable of acquiring signals down to 25 dB-Hz, appropriate for HEO missions. Navigator is built using the radiation-hardened ColdFire microprocessor and housing the most computationally intense functions in dedicated field-programmable gate arrays. The high performance of the algorithm and of the receiver as a whole are made possible by optimizing computational efficiency and carefully weighing tradeoffs among the sampling rate, data format, and data-path bit width.

Three-dimensional tracking of small aquatic organisms using fluorescent nanoparticles.

PubMed

Ekvall, Mikael T; Bianco, Giuseppe; Linse, Sara; Linke, Heiner; Bäckman, Johan; Hansson, Lars-Anders

2013-01-01

Tracking techniques are vital for the understanding of the biology and ecology of organisms. While such techniques have provided important information on the movement and migration of large animals, such as mammals and birds, scientific advances in understanding the individual behaviour and interactions of small (mm-scale) organisms have been hampered by constraints, such as the sizes of existing tracking devices, in existing tracking methods. By combining biology, chemistry and physics we here present a method that allows three-dimensional (3D) tracking of individual mm-sized aquatic organisms. The method is based on in-vivo labelling of the organisms with fluorescent nanoparticles, so-called quantum dots, and tracking of the organisms in 3D via the quantum-dot fluorescence using a synchronized multiple camera system. It allows for the efficient and simultaneous study of the behaviour of one as well as multiple individuals in large volumes of observation, thus enabling the study of behavioural interactions at the community scale. The method is non-perturbing - we demonstrate that the labelling is not affecting the behavioural response of the organisms - and is applicable over a wide range of taxa, including cladocerans as well as insects, suggesting that our methodological concept opens up for new research fields on individual behaviour of small animals. Hence, this offers opportunities to focus on important biological, ecological and behavioural questions never before possible to address.

Affinity-based strategies to fast track development of colon cancer biomarkers — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

Our goal is to discover plasma and tissue-based tumor biomarkers that work well enough together to identity colon cancer at early stages, lead to accurate diagnosis and could ultimately allow for individualized treatment.

78 FR 64202 - Quantitative Messaging Research

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-28

... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION Quantitative Messaging Research AGENCY: Commodity Futures... survey will follow qualitative message testing research (for which CFTC received fast- track OMB approval... comments. Please submit your comments using only one method and identify that it is for the ``Quantitative...

Infrared dim and small target detecting and tracking method inspired by Human Visual System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Xiabin; Huang, Xinsheng; Zheng, Yongbin; Shen, Lurong; Bai, Shengjian

2014-01-01

Detecting and tracking dim and small target in infrared images and videos is one of the most important techniques in many computer vision applications, such as video surveillance and infrared imaging precise guidance. Recently, more and more algorithms based on Human Visual System (HVS) have been proposed to detect and track the infrared dim and small target. In general, HVS concerns at least three mechanisms including contrast mechanism, visual attention and eye movement. However, most of the existing algorithms simulate only a single one of the HVS mechanisms, resulting in many drawbacks of these algorithms. A novel method which combines the three mechanisms of HVS is proposed in this paper. First, a group of Difference of Gaussians (DOG) filters which simulate the contrast mechanism are used to filter the input image. Second, a visual attention, which is simulated by a Gaussian window, is added at a point near the target in order to further enhance the dim small target. This point is named as the attention point. Eventually, the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) algorithm is first introduced to predict the attention point of the next frame of an image which simulates the eye movement of human being. Experimental results of infrared images with different types of backgrounds demonstrate the high efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method to detect and track the dim and small targets.

Active disturbance rejection controller of fine tracking system for free space optical communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Ning; Liu, Yang; Chen, Xinglin; Wang, Yan

2013-08-01

Free space optical communication is one of the best approaches in future communications. Laser beam's acquisition, pointing and tracking are crucial technologies of free space optical communication. Fine tracking system is important component of APT (acquisition, pointing and tracking) system. It cooperates with the coarse pointing system in executing the APT mission. Satellite platform vibration and disturbance, which reduce received optical power, increase bit error rate and affect seriously the natural performance of laser communication. For the characteristic of satellite platform, an active disturbance rejection controller was designed to reduce the vibration and disturbance. There are three major contributions in the paper. Firstly, the effects of vibration on the inter satellite optical communications were analyzed, and the reasons and characters of vibration of the satellite platform were summarized. The amplitude-frequency response of a filter was designed according to the power spectral density of platform vibration of SILEX (Semiconductor Inter-satellite Laser Experiment), and then the signals of platform vibration were generated by filtering white Gaussian noise using the filter. Secondly, the fast steering mirror is a key component of the fine tracking system for optical communication. The mechanical design and model analysis was made to the tip/tilt mirror driven by the piezoelectric actuator and transmitted by the flexure hinge. The transfer function of the fast steering mirror, camera, D/A data acquisition card was established, and the theory model of transfer function of this system was further obtained. Finally, an active disturbance rejection control method is developed, multiple parallel extended state observers were designed for estimation of unknown dynamics and external disturbance, and the estimated states were used for nonlinear feedback control and compensation to improve system performance. The simulation results show that the designed controller not only accurately estimates and compensates the disturbances, but also realizes the robustness to estimation of unknown dynamics. The controller can satisfy the requirement of fine tracking accuracy for free space optical communication system.

A Search for Optically Faint GEO Debris

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

M. Lederer NASA Orbital Debris Program Office, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Edwin S. Barker LZ Technology, Inc., Houston, TX Heather...fainter optical limits requires use of larger telescopes. Detectors on all small GEO survey instruments are usually CCDs, with peak quantum...CCDs. There are small gaps between the individual CCDs in the detector mosaic. The telescope can track at non-sidereal rates, allowing tracking

Adaptive integral backstepping sliding mode control for opto-electronic tracking system based on modified LuGre friction model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Fengfa; Li, Xingfei; Chen, Cheng; Tan, Wenbin

2017-12-01

In order to improve the control accuracy and stability of opto-electronic tracking system fixed on reef or airport under friction and external disturbance conditions, adaptive integral backstepping sliding mode control approach with friction compensation is developed to achieve accurate and stable tracking for fast moving target. The nonlinear observer and slide mode controller based on modified LuGre model with friction compensation can effectively reduce the influence of nonlinear friction and disturbance of this servo system. The stability of the closed-loop system is guaranteed by Lyapunov theory. The steady-state error of the system is eliminated by integral action. The adaptive integral backstepping sliding mode controller and its performance are validated by a nonlinear modified LuGre dynamic model of the opto-electronic tracking system in simulation and practical experiments. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed controller can effectively realise the accuracy and stability control of opto-electronic tracking system.

Automatic Tracking Algorithm in Coaxial Near-Infrared Laser Ablation Endoscope for Fetus Surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yan; Yamanaka, Noriaki; Masamune, Ken

2014-07-01

This article reports a stable vessel object tracking method for the treatment of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome based on our previous 2 DOF endoscope. During the treatment of laser coagulation, it is necessary to focus on the exact position of the target object, however it moves by the mother's respiratory motion and still remains a challenge to obtain and track the position precisely. In this article, an algorithm which uses features from accelerated segment test (FAST) to extract the features and optical flow as the object tracking method, is proposed to deal with above problem. Further, we experimentally simulate the movement due to the mother's respiration, and the results of position errors and similarity verify the effectiveness of the proposed tracking algorithm for laser ablation endoscopy in-vitro and under water considering two influential factors. At average, the errors are about 10 pixels and the similarity over 0.92 are obtained in the experiments.

Kernelized correlation tracking with long-term motion cues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Yunqiu; Liu, Kai; Cheng, Fei

2018-04-01

Robust object tracking is a challenging task in computer vision due to interruptions such as deformation, fast motion and especially, occlusion of tracked object. When occlusions occur, image data will be unreliable and is insufficient for the tracker to depict the object of interest. Therefore, most trackers are prone to fail under occlusion. In this paper, an occlusion judgement and handling method based on segmentation of the target is proposed. If the target is occluded, the speed and direction of it must be different from the objects occluding it. Hence, the value of motion features are emphasized. Considering the efficiency and robustness of Kernelized Correlation Filter Tracking (KCF), it is adopted as a pre-tracker to obtain a predicted position of the target. By analyzing long-term motion cues of objects around this position, the tracked object is labelled. Hence, occlusion could be detected easily. Experimental results suggest that our tracker achieves a favorable performance and effectively handles occlusion and drifting problems.

Higher-order architecture of rhodopsin in intact photoreceptors and its implication for phototransduction kinetics.

PubMed

Gunkel, Monika; Schöneberg, Johannes; Alkhaldi, Weaam; Irsen, Stephan; Noé, Frank; Kaupp, U Benjamin; Al-Amoudi, Ashraf

2015-04-07

The visual pigment rhodopsin belongs to the family of G protein-coupled receptors that can form higher oligomers. It is controversial whether rhodopsin forms oligomers and whether oligomers are functionally relevant. Here, we study rhodopsin organization in cryosections of dark-adapted mouse rod photoreceptors by cryoelectron tomography. We identify four hierarchical levels of organization. Rhodopsin forms dimers; at least ten dimers form a row. Rows form pairs (tracks) that are aligned parallel to the disk incisures. Particle-based simulation shows that the combination of tracks with fast precomplex formation, i.e. rapid association and dissociation between inactive rhodopsin and the G protein transducin, leads to kinetic trapping: rhodopsin first activates transducin from its own track, whereas recruitment of transducin from other tracks proceeds more slowly. The trap mechanism could produce uniform single-photon responses independent of rhodopsin lifetime. In general, tracks might provide a platform that coordinates the spatiotemporal interaction of signaling molecules. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Railway Track Geometry Measuring Trolley System Based on Aided INS

PubMed Central

Chen, Qijin; Niu, Xiaoji; Zuo, Lili; Zhang, Tisheng; Xiao, Fuqin; Liu, Yi; Liu, Jingnan

2018-01-01

Accurate measurement of the railway track geometry is a task of fundamental importance to ensure the track quality in both the construction phase and the regular maintenance stage. Conventional track geometry measuring trolleys (TGMTs) in combination with classical geodetic surveying apparatus such as total stations alone cannot meet the requirements of measurement accuracy and surveying efficiency at the same time. Accurate and fast track geometry surveying applications call for an innovative surveying method that can measure all or most of the track geometric parameters in short time without interrupting the railway traffic. We provide a novel solution to this problem by integrating an inertial navigation system (INS) with a geodetic surveying apparatus, and design a modular TGMT system based on aided INS, which can be configured according to different surveying tasks including precise adjustment of slab track, providing tamping measurements, measuring track deformation and irregularities, and determination of the track axis. TGMT based on aided INS can operate in mobile surveying mode to significantly improve the surveying efficiency. Key points in the design of the TGMT’s architecture and the data processing concept and workflow are introduced in details, which should benefit subsequent research and provide a reference for the implementation of this kind of TGMT. The surveying performance of proposed TGMT with different configurations is assessed in the track geometry surveying experiments and actual projects. PMID:29439423

Track plate enclosures: Box designs affecting attractiveness to riparian mammals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loukmas, J.J.; Mayack, D.T.; Richmond, M.E.

2003-01-01

We examined the efficacy of four track plate enclosure designs for monitoring the abundance of small and medium-sized mammals along 10 streams in New York State. Box size and clarity of view through the box were evaluated as factors affecting visitation. We checked track plate stations weekly from September 1999 to March 2000. Eleven mammalian species or species groups visited the track plate stations. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) (P = 0.020) and feral cats (Felis catus) (P = 0.008) visited large enclosures significantly more than small enclosures. Feral cats visited clear-view enclosures significantly more than obstructed-view enclosures (P = 0.025). Enclosure size and view did not significantly affect visitation by other species; however, a large box with a clear view was the most effective design.

The Fleet Application for Scheduling and Tracking (FAST) Management Website

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marrero-Perez, Radames J.

2014-01-01

The FAST application was designed to replace the paper and pen method of checking out and checking in GSA Vehicles at KSC. By innovating from a paper and pen based checkout system to a fully digital one, not only the resources wasted by printing the checkout forms have been reduced, but it also reduces significantly the time that users and fleet managers need to interact with the system as well as improving the record accuracy for each vehicle. The vehicle information is pulled from a centralized database server in the SPSDL. In an attempt to add a new feature to the FAST application, the author of this report (alongside the FAST developers) has been designing and developing the FAST Management Website. The GSA fleet managers had to rely on the FAST developers in order to add new vehicles, edit vehicles and previous transactions, or for generating vehicles reports. By providing an easy-to-use FAST Management Website portal, the GSA fleet managers are now able to easily move vehicles, edit records, and print reports.

A polyvalent harmonic coil testing method for small-aperture magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arpaia, Pasquale; Buzio, Marco; Golluccio, Giancarlo; Walckiers, Louis

2012-08-01

A method to characterize permanent and fast-pulsed iron-dominated magnets with small apertures is presented. The harmonic coil measurement technique is enhanced specifically for small-aperture magnets by (1) in situ calibration, for facing search-coil production inaccuracy, (2) rotating the magnet around its axis, for correcting systematic effects, and (3) measuring magnetic fluxes by stationary coils at different angular positions for measuring fast pulsed magnets. This method allows a quadrupole magnet for particle accelerators to be characterized completely, by assessing multipole field components, magnetic axis position, and field direction. In this paper, initially the metrological problems arising from testing small-aperture magnets are highlighted. Then, the basic ideas of the proposed method and the architecture of the corresponding measurement system are illustrated. Finally, experimental validation results are shown for small-aperture permanent and fast-ramped quadrupole magnets for the new linear accelerator Linac4 at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research).

ACTS: from ATLAS software towards a common track reconstruction software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumpert, C.; Salzburger, A.; Kiehn, M.; Hrdinka, J.; Calace, N.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Reconstruction of charged particles’ trajectories is a crucial task for most particle physics experiments. The high instantaneous luminosity achieved at the LHC leads to a high number of proton-proton collisions per bunch crossing, which has put the track reconstruction software of the LHC experiments through a thorough test. Preserving track reconstruction performance under increasingly difficult experimental conditions, while keeping the usage of computational resources at a reasonable level, is an inherent problem for many HEP experiments. Exploiting concurrent algorithms and using multivariate techniques for track identification are the primary strategies to achieve that goal. Starting from current ATLAS software, the ACTS project aims to encapsulate track reconstruction software into a generic, framework- and experiment-independent software package. It provides a set of high-level algorithms and data structures for performing track reconstruction tasks as well as fast track simulation. The software is developed with special emphasis on thread-safety to support parallel execution of the code and data structures are optimised for vectorisation to speed up linear algebra operations. The implementation is agnostic to the details of the detection technologies and magnetic field configuration which makes it applicable to many different experiments.

Prey selection and dietary flexibility of three species of mammalian predator during an irruption of non-cyclic prey

PubMed Central

Dickman, Christopher R.

2017-01-01

Predators often display dietary shifts in response to fluctuating prey in cyclic systems, but little is known about predator diets in systems that experience non-cyclic prey irruptions. We tracked dietary shifts by feral cats (Felis catus), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and dingoes (Canis dingo) through a non-cyclic irruption of small mammalian prey in the Simpson Desert, central Australia. We predicted that all three predators would alter their diets to varying degrees as small mammals declined post irruption, and to test our predictions we live-trapped small mammals through the irruption event and collected scats to track predator diets. Red foxes and dingoes included a broader variety of prey in their diets as small mammals declined. Feral cats did not exhibit a similar dietary shift, but did show variable use and selectivity of small mammal species through the irruption cycle. Results were largely consistent with prior studies that highlighted the opportunistic feeding habits of the red fox and dingo. They also, however, showed that feral cats may exhibit less dietary flexibility in response to small mammal irruptions, emphasizing the importance of tracking predator diets before, during and after irruption events. PMID:28989739

Implementation of Monte Carlo Dose calculation for CyberKnife treatment planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, C.-M.; Li, J. S.; Deng, J.; Fan, J.

2008-02-01

Accurate dose calculation is essential to advanced stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) especially for treatment planning involving heterogeneous patient anatomy. This paper describes the implementation of a fast Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in SRS/SRT treatment planning for the CyberKnife® SRS/SRT system. A superposition Monte Carlo algorithm is developed for this application. Photon mean free paths and interaction types for different materials and energies as well as the tracks of secondary electrons are pre-simulated using the MCSIM system. Photon interaction forcing and splitting are applied to the source photons in the patient calculation and the pre-simulated electron tracks are repeated with proper corrections based on the tissue density and electron stopping powers. Electron energy is deposited along the tracks and accumulated in the simulation geometry. Scattered and bremsstrahlung photons are transported, after applying the Russian roulette technique, in the same way as the primary photons. Dose calculations are compared with full Monte Carlo simulations performed using EGS4/MCSIM and the CyberKnife treatment planning system (TPS) for lung, head & neck and liver treatments. Comparisons with full Monte Carlo simulations show excellent agreement (within 0.5%). More than 10% differences in the target dose are found between Monte Carlo simulations and the CyberKnife TPS for SRS/SRT lung treatment while negligible differences are shown in head and neck and liver for the cases investigated. The calculation time using our superposition Monte Carlo algorithm is reduced up to 62 times (46 times on average for 10 typical clinical cases) compared to full Monte Carlo simulations. SRS/SRT dose distributions calculated by simple dose algorithms may be significantly overestimated for small lung target volumes, which can be improved by accurate Monte Carlo dose calculations.

Time-resolved acoustic emission tomography in the laboratory: tracking localised damage in rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantut, N.

2017-12-01

Over the past three decades, there has been tremendous technological developments of laboratory equipment and studies using acoustic emission and ultrasonic monitoring of rock samples during deformation. Using relatively standard seismological techniques, acoustic emissions can be detected, located in space and time, and source mechanisms can be obtained. In parallel, ultrasonic velocities can be measured routinely using standard pulse-receiver techniques.Despite these major developments, current acoustic emission and ultrasonic monitoring systems are typically used separately, and the poor spatial coverage of acoustic transducers precludes performing active 3D tomography in typical laboratory settings.Here, I present an algorithm and software package that uses both passive acoustic emission data and active ultrasonic measurements to determine acoustic emission locations together with the 3D, anisotropic P-wave structure of rock samples during deformation. The technique is analogous to local earthquake tomography, but tailored to the specificities of small scale laboratory tests. The fast marching method is employed to compute the forward problem. The acoustic emission locations and the anisotropic P-wave field are jointly inverted using the Quasi-Newton method.The method is used to track the propagation of compaction bands in a porous sandstone deformed in the ductile, cataclastic flow regime under triaxial stress conditions. Near the yield point, a compaction front forms at one end of the sample, and slowly progresses towards the other end. The front is illuminated by clusters of Acoustic Emissions, and leaves behind a heavily damaged material where the P-wave speed has dropped by up to 20%.The technique opens new possibilities to track in-situ strain localisation and damage around laboratory faults, and preliminary results on quasi-static rupture in granite will be presented.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: The origin of Bohm diffusion, investigated by a comparison of different modelling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bultinck, E.; Mahieu, S.; Depla, D.; Bogaerts, A.

2010-07-01

'Bohm diffusion' causes the electrons to diffuse perpendicularly to the magnetic field lines. However, its origin is not yet completely understood: low and high frequency electric field fluctuations are both named to cause Bohm diffusion. The importance of including this process in a Monte Carlo (MC) model is demonstrated by comparing calculated ionization rates with particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions (PIC/MCC) simulations. A good agreement is found with a Bohm diffusion parameter of 0.05, which corresponds well to experiments. Since the PIC/MCC method accounts for fast electric field fluctuations, we conclude that Bohm diffusion is caused by fast electric field phenomena.

Motion Field Estimation for a Dynamic Scene Using a 3D LiDAR

PubMed Central

Li, Qingquan; Zhang, Liang; Mao, Qingzhou; Zou, Qin; Zhang, Pin; Feng, Shaojun; Ochieng, Washington

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a novel motion field estimation method based on a 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor for motion sensing for intelligent driverless vehicles and active collision avoidance systems. Unlike multiple target tracking methods, which estimate the motion state of detected targets, such as cars and pedestrians, motion field estimation regards the whole scene as a motion field in which each little element has its own motion state. Compared to multiple target tracking, segmentation errors and data association errors have much less significance in motion field estimation, making it more accurate and robust. This paper presents an intact 3D LiDAR-based motion field estimation method, including pre-processing, a theoretical framework for the motion field estimation problem and practical solutions. The 3D LiDAR measurements are first projected to small-scale polar grids, and then, after data association and Kalman filtering, the motion state of every moving grid is estimated. To reduce computing time, a fast data association algorithm is proposed. Furthermore, considering the spatial correlation of motion among neighboring grids, a novel spatial-smoothing algorithm is also presented to optimize the motion field. The experimental results using several data sets captured in different cities indicate that the proposed motion field estimation is able to run in real-time and performs robustly and effectively. PMID:25207868

Motion field estimation for a dynamic scene using a 3D LiDAR.

PubMed

Li, Qingquan; Zhang, Liang; Mao, Qingzhou; Zou, Qin; Zhang, Pin; Feng, Shaojun; Ochieng, Washington

2014-09-09

This paper proposes a novel motion field estimation method based on a 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor for motion sensing for intelligent driverless vehicles and active collision avoidance systems. Unlike multiple target tracking methods, which estimate the motion state of detected targets, such as cars and pedestrians, motion field estimation regards the whole scene as a motion field in which each little element has its own motion state. Compared to multiple target tracking, segmentation errors and data association errors have much less significance in motion field estimation, making it more accurate and robust. This paper presents an intact 3D LiDAR-based motion field estimation method, including pre-processing, a theoretical framework for the motion field estimation problem and practical solutions. The 3D LiDAR measurements are first projected to small-scale polar grids, and then, after data association and Kalman filtering, the motion state of every moving grid is estimated. To reduce computing time, a fast data association algorithm is proposed. Furthermore, considering the spatial correlation of motion among neighboring grids, a novel spatial-smoothing algorithm is also presented to optimize the motion field. The experimental results using several data sets captured in different cities indicate that the proposed motion field estimation is able to run in real-time and performs robustly and effectively.

Motion control of musculoskeletal systems with redundancy.

PubMed

Park, Hyunjoo; Durand, Dominique M

2008-12-01

Motion control of musculoskeletal systems for functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a challenging problem due to the inherent complexity of the systems. These include being highly nonlinear, strongly coupled, time-varying, time-delayed, and redundant. The redundancy in particular makes it difficult to find an inverse model of the system for control purposes. We have developed a control system for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) redundant musculoskeletal systems with little prior information. The proposed method separates the steady-state properties from the dynamic properties. The dynamic control uses a steady-state inverse model and is implemented with both a PID controller for disturbance rejection and an artificial neural network (ANN) feedforward controller for fast trajectory tracking. A mechanism to control the sum of the muscle excitation levels is also included. To test the performance of the proposed control system, a two degree of freedom ankle-subtalar joint model with eight muscles was used. The simulation results show that separation of steady-state and dynamic control allow small output tracking errors for different reference trajectories such as pseudo-step, sinusoidal and filtered random signals. The proposed control method also demonstrated robustness against system parameter and controller parameter variations. A possible application of this control algorithm is FES control using multiple contact cuff electrodes where mathematical modeling is not feasible and the redundancy makes the control of dynamic movement difficult.

Forest representation of vessels in cone-beam computed tomographic angiography.

PubMed

Chen, Zikuan; Ning, Ruola

2005-01-01

Cone-beam computed tomographic angiography (CBCTA) provides a fast three-dimensional (3D) vascular imaging modality, aiming at digitally representing the spatial vascular structure in an angiographic volume. Due to the finite coverage of cone-beam scan, as well as the volume cropping in volumetric image processing, an angiographic volume may fail to contain a whole vascular tree, but rather consist of a multitude of vessel segments or subtrees. As such, it is convenient to represent multitudinal components by a forest. The vessel tracking issue then becomes component characterization/identification in the forest. The forest representation brings several conveniences for vessel tracking: (1) to sort and count the vessels in an angiographic volume, for example, according to spatial occupancy and skeleton pathlength; (2) to single out a vessel and perform in situ 3D measurement and 3D visualization in the support space; (3) to delineate individual vessels from the original angiographic volume; and (4) to cull the forest by getting rid of non-vessels and small vessels. A 3D skeletonization is used to generate component skeletons. For tree construction from skeletons, we suggest a pathlength-based procedure, which lifts the restrictions of unit-width skeleton and root determination. We experimentally demonstrate the forest representation of a dog's carotid arteries in a CBCTA system. In principle, the forest representation is useful for managing vessels in both 2D angiographic images and 3D angiographic volumes.

Lessons Learned From the Environmental Public Health Tracking Sub-County Data Pilot Project.

PubMed

Werner, Angela K; Strosnider, Heather; Kassinger, Craig; Shin, Mikyong

2017-12-07

Small area data are key to better understanding the complex relationships between environmental health, health outcomes, and risk factors at a local level. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (Tracking Program) conducted the Sub-County Data Pilot Project with grantees to consider integration of sub-county data into the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network). The Tracking Program and grantees developed sub-county-level data for several data sets during this pilot project, working to standardize processes for submitting data and creating required geographies. Grantees documented challenges they encountered during the pilot project and documented decisions. This article covers the challenges revealed during the project. It includes insights into geocoding, aggregation, population estimates, and data stability and provides recommendations for moving forward. National standards for generating, analyzing, and sharing sub-county data should be established to build a system of sub-county data that allow for comparison of outcomes, geographies, and time. Increasing the availability and accessibility of small area data will not only enhance the Tracking Network's capabilities but also contribute to an improved understanding of environmental health and informed decision making at a local level.

MetaTracker: integration and abstraction of 3D motion tracking data from multiple hardware systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopecky, Ken; Winer, Eliot

2014-06-01

Motion tracking has long been one of the primary challenges in mixed reality (MR), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). Military and defense training can provide particularly difficult challenges for motion tracking, such as in the case of Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and other dismounted, close quarters simulations. These simulations can take place across multiple rooms, with many fast-moving objects that need to be tracked with a high degree of accuracy and low latency. Many tracking technologies exist, such as optical, inertial, ultrasonic, and magnetic. Some tracking systems even combine these technologies to complement each other. However, there are no systems that provide a high-resolution, flexible, wide-area solution that is resistant to occlusion. While frameworks exist that simplify the use of tracking systems and other input devices, none allow data from multiple tracking systems to be combined, as if from a single system. In this paper, we introduce a method for compensating for the weaknesses of individual tracking systems by combining data from multiple sources and presenting it as a single tracking system. Individual tracked objects are identified by name, and their data is provided to simulation applications through a server program. This allows tracked objects to transition seamlessly from the area of one tracking system to another. Furthermore, it abstracts away the individual drivers, APIs, and data formats for each system, providing a simplified API that can be used to receive data from any of the available tracking systems. Finally, when single-piece tracking systems are used, those systems can themselves be tracked, allowing for real-time adjustment of the trackable area. This allows simulation operators to leverage limited resources in more effective ways, improving the quality of training.

Exceptional preservation of children's footprints from a Holocene footprint site in Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Matthew R.; Morse, Sarita A.; Liutkus-Pierce, Cynthia; McClymont, Juliet; Evans, Mary; Crompton, Robin H.; Francis Thackeray, J.

2014-09-01

Here we report on a Holocene inter-dune site close to Walvis Bay (Namibia) which contains exceptionally well-preserved children's footprints. The footprint surface is dated using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) methods to approximately 1.5 ka. These dates are compared to those obtained at nearby footprint sites and used to verify a model of diachronous footprint surfaces and also add to the archaeological data available for the communities that occupied these near-coastal areas during the Holocene. This model of diachronous footprint surfaces has implications for other soft-sediment footprint sites such as the 1.5 Ma old footprints at Ileret (Kenya). The distribution of both human and animal tracks, is consistent with the passage of small flock of small ungulates (probably sheep/goats) followed by a group of approximately 9 ± 2 individuals (children or young adults). Age estimates from the tracks suggest that some of the individuals may have been as young as five years old. Variation in track topology across this sedimentologically uniform surface is explained in terms of variations in gait and weight/stature of the individual print makers and is used to corroborate a model of footprint morphology developed at a nearby site. The significance of the site within the literature on human footprints lies in the quality of the track preservation, their topological variability despite a potentially uniform substrate, and the small size of the tracks, and therefore the inferred young age of the track-makers. The site provides an emotive insight into the life of the track-makers.

Algorithms and Sensors for Small Robot Path Following

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hogg, Robert W.; Rankin, Arturo L.; Roumeliotis, Stergios I.; McHenry, Michael C.; Helmick, Daniel M.; Bergh, Charles F.; Matthies, Larry

2002-01-01

Tracked mobile robots in the 20 kg size class are under development for applications in urban reconnaissance. For efficient deployment, it is desirable for teams of robots to be able to automatically execute path following behaviors, with one or more followers tracking the path taken by a leader. The key challenges to enabling such a capability are (l) to develop sensor packages for such small robots that can accurately determine the path of the leader and (2) to develop path following algorithms for the subsequent robots. To date, we have integrated gyros, accelerometers, compass/inclinometers, odometry, and differential GPS into an effective sensing package. This paper describes the sensor package, sensor processing algorithm, and path tracking algorithm we have developed for the leader/follower problem in small robots and shows the result of performance characterization of the system. We also document pragmatic lessons learned about design, construction, and electromagnetic interference issues particular to the performance of state sensors on small robots.

Measuring laser reflection cross-sections of small unmanned aerial vehicles for laser detection, ranging and tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurenzis, Martin; Bacher, Emmanuel; Christnacher, Frank

2017-05-01

An increasing number of incidents are reported where small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are involved flying at low altitude. Thus UAVs are becoming more and more a serious threat in civilian and military scenarios leading to serious danger to safety or privacy issues. In this context, the detection and tracking of small UAV flying at low altitude in urban environment or near background structures is a challenge for state of the art detection technologies. In this paper, we focus on detection, tracking and identification by laser sensing technologies that are Laser Gated Viewing and scanning LiDAR. The laser reflection cross-sections (LRCS) has direct impact on the probability to detection and capability for range measurement. Here, we present methods to determine the laser reflection cross-sections by experimental and computational approaches.

Monocular Stereo Measurement Using High-Speed Catadioptric Tracking

PubMed Central

Hu, Shaopeng; Matsumoto, Yuji; Takaki, Takeshi; Ishii, Idaku

2017-01-01

This paper presents a novel concept of real-time catadioptric stereo tracking using a single ultrafast mirror-drive pan-tilt active vision system that can simultaneously switch between hundreds of different views in a second. By accelerating video-shooting, computation, and actuation at the millisecond-granularity level for time-division multithreaded processing in ultrafast gaze control, the active vision system can function virtually as two or more tracking cameras with different views. It enables a single active vision system to act as virtual left and right pan-tilt cameras that can simultaneously shoot a pair of stereo images for the same object to be observed at arbitrary viewpoints by switching the direction of the mirrors of the active vision system frame by frame. We developed a monocular galvano-mirror-based stereo tracking system that can switch between 500 different views in a second, and it functions as a catadioptric active stereo with left and right pan-tilt tracking cameras that can virtually capture 8-bit color 512×512 images each operating at 250 fps to mechanically track a fast-moving object with a sufficient parallax for accurate 3D measurement. Several tracking experiments for moving objects in 3D space are described to demonstrate the performance of our monocular stereo tracking system. PMID:28792483

Nonlinear dynamic model for visual object tracking on Grassmann manifolds with partial occlusion handling.

PubMed

Khan, Zulfiqar Hasan; Gu, Irene Yu-Hua

2013-12-01

This paper proposes a novel Bayesian online learning and tracking scheme for video objects on Grassmann manifolds. Although manifold visual object tracking is promising, large and fast nonplanar (or out-of-plane) pose changes and long-term partial occlusions of deformable objects in video remain a challenge that limits the tracking performance. The proposed method tackles these problems with the main novelties on: 1) online estimation of object appearances on Grassmann manifolds; 2) optimal criterion-based occlusion handling for online updating of object appearances; 3) a nonlinear dynamic model for both the appearance basis matrix and its velocity; and 4) Bayesian formulations, separately for the tracking process and the online learning process, that are realized by employing two particle filters: one is on the manifold for generating appearance particles and another on the linear space for generating affine box particles. Tracking and online updating are performed in an alternating fashion to mitigate the tracking drift. Experiments using the proposed tracker on videos captured by a single dynamic/static camera have shown robust tracking performance, particularly for scenarios when target objects contain significant nonplanar pose changes and long-term partial occlusions. Comparisons with eight existing state-of-the-art/most relevant manifold/nonmanifold trackers with evaluations have provided further support to the proposed scheme.

FDA Accelerates Testing and Review of Experimental Brain Cancer Drug | FNLCR Staging

Cancer.gov

An investigational brain cancer drug made with disabled polio virus and manufactured at the Frederick National Lab has won breakthrough status from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fast-track its further refinement and clinical testing.  Br

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Uniqueness of static black holes without analyticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chruściel, Piotr T.; Galloway, Gregory J.

2010-08-01

We show that the hypothesis of analyticity in the uniqueness theory of vacuum, or electrovacuum, static black holes is not needed. More generally, we show that prehorizons covering a closed set cannot occur in well-behaved domains of outer communications.

Construction Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, James F.

This article provides a detailed discussion of a team approach to building that involves a construction manager, an architect, and a contractor. Bidding methods are outlined; the major components in construction management -- value engineering and fast track scheduling -- and the use of performance specifications are discussed. The construction…

On the Fast Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selingo, Jeffrey

2006-01-01

Northeastern University's continuing-education division is being rejuvenated with market research, faculty involvement, and a non-traditional approach under its new vice president Christopher E. Hopey. The college shifted its emphasis from undergraduates to graduate and certificate programs aimed at working professionals, resulting in a 20 percent…

Construction of a thin-bonded Portland cement concrete overlay using accelerated paving techniques.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-01-01

The report describes the Virginia Department of Transportations' first modern experience with the construction of thin-bonded Portland cement concrete overlays of existing concrete pavements and with the fast track mode of rigid paving. The study was...

Portable Catapult Launcher For Small Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenbaum, Bernard J. (Inventor); Petter, George E. (Inventor); Gessler, Joseph A. (Inventor); Hughes, Michael G. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

An apparatus for launching an aircraft having a multiplicity of interconnected elongated tracks of rigid material forming a track system and wherein each elongated track has a predetermined elongated track cross-sectional design, a winch system connected to the track system wherein the winch system has a variable mechanical advantage, one or more elongated elastic members wherein one end of each of the one or more elongated elastic members is adjustably connected to the track system, and a carrier slidably mounted to the track system wherein the canier is connected to the winch system and to the other end of each of the one or more elongated elastic members.

Portable catapult launcher for small aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenbaum, Bernard J. (Inventor); Petter, George E. (Inventor); Gessler, Joseph A. (Inventor); Hughes, Michael G. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

An apparatus for launching an aircraft having a multiplicity of interconnected elongated tracks of rigid material forming a track system and wherein each elongated track has a predetermined elongated track cross-sectional design, a winch system connected to the track system wherein the winch system has a variable mechanical advantage, one or more elongated elastic members wherein one end of each of the one or more elongated elastic members is adjustably connected to the track system, and a carrier slidably mounted to the track system wherein the carrier is connected to the winch system and to the other end of each of the one or more elongated elastic members.

The performance of the ZEUS central tracking detector z-by-timing electronics in a transputer based data acquisition system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, B.; Heath, G. P.; Llewellyn, T. J.; Gingrich, D. M.; Harnew, N.; Hallam-Baker, P. M.; Khatri, T.; McArthur, I. C.; Morawitz, P.; Nash, J.; Shield, P. D.; Topp-Jorgensen, S.; Wilson, F. F.; Allen, D. B.; Carter, R. C.; Jeffs, M. D.; Morrissey, M. C.; Quinton, S. P. H.; Lane, J. B.; Postranecky, M.

1993-05-01

The Central Tracking Detector of the ZEUS experiment employs a time difference technique to measure the z coordinate of each hit. The method provides fast, three-dimensional space point measurements which are used as input to all levels of the ZEUS trigger. Such a tracking trigger is essential in order to discriminate against events with vertices lying outside the nominal electron-proton interaction region. Since the beam crossing interval of the HERA collider is 96 ns, all data must be pipelined through the front-end readout electronics. Subsequent data aquisition employs a novel technique which utilizes a network of approximately 120 INMOS transputers to process the data in parallel. The z-by-timing method and its data aquisition have been employed successfully in recording and reconstructing tracks from electron-proton interactions in ZEUS.

A simple apparatus for quick qualitative analysis of CR39 nuclear track detectors

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

Gautier, D. C.; Kline, J. L.; Flippo, K. A.

2008-10-15

Quantifying the ion pits in Columbia Resin 39 (CR39) nuclear track detector from Thomson parabolas is a time consuming and tedious process using conventional microscope based techniques. A simple inventive apparatus for fast screening and qualitative analysis of CR39 detectors has been developed, enabling efficient selection of data for a more detailed analysis. The system consists simply of a green He-Ne laser and a high-resolution digital single-lens reflex camera. The laser illuminates the edge of the CR39 at grazing incidence and couples into the plastic, acting as a light pipe. Subsequently, the laser illuminates all ion tracks on the surface.more » A high-resolution digital camera is used to photograph the scattered light from the ion tracks, enabling one to quickly determine charge states and energies measured by the Thomson parabola.« less

Alpha particle spectroscopy using FNTD and SIM super-resolution microscopy.

PubMed

Kouwenberg, J J M; Kremers, G J; Slotman, J A; Wolterbeek, H T; Houtsmuller, A B; Denkova, A G; Bos, A J J

2018-06-01

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) for the imaging of alpha particle tracks in fluorescent nuclear track detectors (FNTD) was evaluated and compared to confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). FNTDs were irradiated with an external alpha source and imaged using both methodologies. SIM imaging resulted in improved resolution, without increase in scan time. Alpha particle energy estimation based on the track length, direction and intensity produced results in good agreement with the expected alpha particle energy distribution. A pronounced difference was seen in the spatial scattering of alpha particles in the detectors, where SIM showed an almost 50% reduction compared to CLSM. The improved resolution of SIM allows for more detailed studies of the tracks induced by ionising particles. The combination of SIM and FNTDs for alpha radiation paves the way for affordable and fast alpha spectroscopy and dosimetry. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Microscopy published by JohnWiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Microscopical Society.

Real-time visual tracking of less textured three-dimensional objects on mobile platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Byung-Kuk; Park, Jungsik; Park, Hanhoon; Park, Jong-Il

2012-12-01

Natural feature-based approaches are still challenging for mobile applications (e.g., mobile augmented reality), because they are feasible only in limited environments such as highly textured and planar scenes/objects, and they need powerful mobile hardware for fast and reliable tracking. In many cases where conventional approaches are not effective, three-dimensional (3-D) knowledge of target scenes would be beneficial. We present a well-established framework for real-time visual tracking of less textured 3-D objects on mobile platforms. Our framework is based on model-based tracking that efficiently exploits partially known 3-D scene knowledge such as object models and a background's distinctive geometric or photometric knowledge. Moreover, we elaborate on implementation in order to make it suitable for real-time vision processing on mobile hardware. The performance of the framework is tested and evaluated on recent commercially available smartphones, and its feasibility is shown by real-time demonstrations.

Accurate mask-based spatially regularized correlation filter for visual tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Xiaodong; Xu, Xinping

2017-01-01

Recently, discriminative correlation filter (DCF)-based trackers have achieved extremely successful results in many competitions and benchmarks. These methods utilize a periodic assumption of the training samples to efficiently learn a classifier. However, this assumption will produce unwanted boundary effects, which severely degrade the tracking performance. Correlation filters with limited boundaries and spatially regularized DCFs were proposed to reduce boundary effects. However, their methods used the fixed mask or predesigned weights function, respectively, which was unsuitable for large appearance variation. We propose an accurate mask-based spatially regularized correlation filter for visual tracking. Our augmented objective can reduce the boundary effect even in large appearance variation. In our algorithm, the masking matrix is converted into the regularized function that acts on the correlation filter in frequency domain, which makes the algorithm fast convergence. Our online tracking algorithm performs favorably against state-of-the-art trackers on OTB-2015 Benchmark in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and robustness.

Closed loop tracked Doppler optical coherence tomography based heart monitor for the Drosophila melanogaster larvae.

PubMed

Zurauskas, Mantas; Bradu, Adrian; Ferguson, Daniel R; Hammer, Daniel X; Podoleanu, Adrian

2016-03-01

This paper presents a novel instrument for biosciences, useful for studies of moving embryos. A dual sequential imaging/measurement channel is assembled via a closed-loop tracking architecture. The dual channel system can operate in two regimes: (i) single-point Doppler signal monitoring or (ii) fast 3-D swept source OCT imaging. The system is demonstrated for characterizing cardiac dynamics in Drosophila melanogaster larva. Closed loop tracking enables long term in vivo monitoring of the larvae heart without anesthetic or physical restraint. Such an instrument can be used to measure subtle variations in the cardiac behavior otherwise obscured by the larvae movements. A fruit fly larva (top) was continuously tracked for continuous remote monitoring. A heartbeat trace of freely moving larva (bottom) was obtained by a low coherence interferometry based doppler sensing technique. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Research on infrared small-target tracking technology under complex background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Wang, Xin; Chen, Jilu; Pan, Tao

2012-10-01

In this paper, some basic principles and the implementing flow charts of a series of algorithms for target tracking are described. On the foundation of above works, a moving target tracking software base on the OpenCV is developed by the software developing platform MFC. Three kinds of tracking algorithms are integrated in this software. These two tracking algorithms are Kalman Filter tracking method and Camshift tracking method. In order to explain the software clearly, the framework and the function are described in this paper. At last, the implementing processes and results are analyzed, and those algorithms for tracking targets are evaluated from the two aspects of subjective and objective. This paper is very significant in the application of the infrared target tracking technology.

Neutron Imaging Camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Stanley; deNolfo, G. A.; Barbier, L. M.; Link, J. T.; Son, S.; Floyd, S. R.; Guardala, N.; Skopec, M.; Stark, B.

2008-01-01

The Neutron Imaging Camera (NIC) is based on the Three-dimensional Track Imager (3DTI) technology developed at GSFC for gamma-ray astrophysics applications. The 3-DTI, a large volume time-projection chamber, provides accurate, approximately 0.4 mm resolution, 3-D tracking of charged particles. The incident direction of fast neutrons, En > 0.5 MeV, are reconstructed from the momenta and energies of the proton and triton fragments resulting from (sup 3)He(n,p) (sup 3)H interactions in the 3-DTI volume. The performance of the NIC from laboratory and accelerator tests is presented.

Fast protein folding kinetics

PubMed Central

Gelman, Hannah; Gruebele, Martin

2014-01-01

Fast folding proteins have been a major focus of computational and experimental study because they are accessible to both techniques: they are small and fast enough to be reasonably simulated with current computational power, but have dynamics slow enough to be observed with specially developed experimental techniques. This coupled study of fast folding proteins has provided insight into the mechanisms which allow some proteins to find their native conformation well less than 1 ms and has uncovered examples of theoretically predicted phenomena such as downhill folding. The study of fast folders also informs our understanding of even “slow” folding processes: fast folders are small, relatively simple protein domains and the principles that govern their folding also govern the folding of more complex systems. This review summarizes the major theoretical and experimental techniques used to study fast folding proteins and provides an overview of the major findings of fast folding research. Finally, we examine the themes that have emerged from studying fast folders and briefly summarize their application to protein folding in general as well as some work that is left to do. PMID:24641816

Three-dimensional particle tracking via tunable color-encoded multiplexing.

PubMed

Duocastella, Martí; Theriault, Christian; Arnold, Craig B

2016-03-01

We present a novel 3D tracking approach capable of locating single particles with nanometric precision over wide axial ranges. Our method uses a fast acousto-optic liquid lens implemented in a bright field microscope to multiplex light based on color into different and selectable focal planes. By separating the red, green, and blue channels from an image captured with a color camera, information from up to three focal planes can be retrieved. Multiplane information from the particle diffraction rings enables precisely locating and tracking individual objects up to an axial range about 5 times larger than conventional single-plane approaches. We apply our method to the 3D visualization of the well-known coffee-stain phenomenon in evaporating water droplets.